The herald., 1896-02-01
Simpson Tabernacle Crowded
Last Night With People
AUSPICES OF ENDEAVORERS
An Interesting Program of Speech and
Song
Arm enia-s in Native Costumes Adde1 Greatly
to the Interest-Ira D. Sanksy Appears
On the Scene-The Details

bcio anu illost eIltlluSidStiC III
OF program given under the auspices OF
the Christian Endeavor of Los Angeles,
gathered in Simpson tabernacle last even
ing in response to the cry for assistance
from suffering Armenia. An organ volun-
tary by Frank II. Colby opened the pro-
gram, after which an invocation was made
by the Rev. C. G. McLain. An enjoyable
vocal solo, Synnoe's Song, followed, by
Miss Elizabeth Kimball.
Rev. a. w. Rider, the first of the four
speakers of the evening, who discussed
Armenia in relation to other nations and
with the Christian world, made a very in
teresting address on Nations and Armenia.
The bitter cry of Armenia, he said, which
had startled the whole Christian world
had its origin in Asia Minor. He traced
the succeeding complications and gave in
rapid review the history of the Armenian
people. The devastation which the mis-
rule of the Turk inflicted on the land was
shown to be part of his religious fanati-
cism and in accordance with the teaching
of the Koran. Russia's protectorate, con-
tinued the speaker, which she exercised
over the Christian subjects of Turkey was
interfered with through the jealousy of the
other European powers. England, by the
Cyprus convention, assumed the position
OF protector of the Ar'nenians. Her subse-
Quent policy OF inacton has been severely
criticised by Gladstone and by other Eng
lish as well as Armenian writer's. Though
she was apprised of the near approach of
disturbances and threatened massacres,
yet she took no steps to prevent them, al
though the power and duty were both man
ifesly hers.
During the 800 years of persecution,
said Mr.. Rider, and the present day out
RACES. the Armeuans have maintained
their faith thAir into itxy., nd thoir cnirit
unbroken. Let us, concluded the speaker.
make action take lhe place of inacti n and
make the cause of the distressed our own.
Reverie, by Rhneberger, vocal quartet.
was next given by Misses Kendall and
Alice Eaton and Mines. Cora y. Bouck
and f. S. Munson, with Mrs. Larrabee as
accompaDist. and was well received.
w. e. Patterson was the next speaker,
and his brief talk was received with hearty
applause. In substance Mr.. Patterson
said:
Grim old Thomas Carlisle was right
when he coined the phrase, 1.-THE unspeak-
able Turk"
His outrages of late. born in an intense
and hateful bieotry. have rendered him
truly HuDspeakabie." r t..
The question arises, What are the rela-
tions of America Armenia, what are the
relations of Amer ca to Turkey. and what
are the duties of Americans TO the Artneni-
ans?
The problem rises above politics and
sectarauism. 1t becomes a question of
humanity, and appeals to Jew and Gentle.
churchman and agnostic. America was
born out of the idea of rel gious liberty, the
freedom OF every man to worship God ac-
cording the dictates of his own con-
science. Tne principle is indisputable, aud
is based upon the idea of eternal justice.
The thought, first rooted in American soil,
has grOWn until it is becoming a dominant
principle even beyond the limits of Christ
endom. The privilege of freedom of re-
ligious belief is inherent and is funda-
mental factor in civilization. 70 deny
that right is crime, aud the wholesale
massacre of innocent people by the thous-
and, as has recently been witnessed in
Armenia, is an outrage so colossal as to
be "unspe ,kable." In the language of
Senator Cullom:
"Ihe concurrent and accumu ated testi-
mony of hundreds and thousands of intel
ligent people. Christian and Jew, Catholic
and Protestant, European and American,
make it absolutely certain that massacre
Of innocents. unparalleled Tor ages, has
s1een perpetrated in the Armenian PROV
inces of Turkey. Fire and sword have
swept away, over many square miles of
territory, the last veslige of Armenian hui
man life.
"Over two hundred villages the demon
of dannation and fanaticisrn had spread
ruin, desolation and death" In my opin-
ion it is the duty not only of America, but
of every civ.izsd nation, to say in thunder
tones "This thing must stop!'
Our duty to Turkey is to inform her, with
no uncertain sound, that her treaty obliga-
tons must be observed; that the rights of
others must not be trampled under foot;
that she shall behave herself or take the
consequences, which may result in blotling
her off the map of Europe. | am not sure
but this should be done anyway.
In the Language of another:
"The continued existence of Turkey as
European power in the light of modern
civilization and Christian progress, is a
strange historical anomaly. Logically.
European Turkey should have been blotted
from the map long ago. The Turk belongs
In Asia, and not in Europe. He is an in
truder in the Christian world and an of
fense to civilization. The Bulgarian, Mac
edonan and Armenian atrocities succeed
ing each other have only served to empha-
size he disgrace of permitting nation of
barbarians in the midst of the civilized
world
The indifference of civilized nations has
to me seemed. appalling, but l cannot be-
leve that they will continue to turn deaf
ear to the cry from Armenia, which is so
deep and terrible that it should stir hui
manly to its depths.
During the civil war I had opportunity to
know something of the work of Clara Bar
ton, who has gone to Armenia wearing the
blessed insignia or the Red Cross. That
great emergency brought into prominence
her great merciful personality. With
many years of added experience, sne is to-
day the personfication of the greatest at
tributes of womanEind. The sef-sacrifice
she is making should thrill hundred mil
lions of responsive hearts. =
Someone in speaking of the present
efforts of Miss Barton and her Red Cross
society, has said:
"There is no order the sultan can issue
which will be effec'ive in excluding this
league from his territory il humanity de-
mands its presence. There are not weap-
ons enough in The Turkish army to drive
back this little unarmed band. The. e is
no brute force in the world which can
stand up before their brave spirits, with ali
the better sentiment of the world at their
backs. All the civilized nations will watch
this collision of pure-hearted and unselfi sh
zeal with brutal bigotry, but there need be
no concern as to its ou come. With all
their little differences and jealousies the
nations are one on the Red Cross question,
and will unite in resenting any insults
offered to it's members, or id avenging any
outrage perpetrated upon them, should the
porte be rash enough to undertake to carry
out it's ill-considered decree "
Good people of Los Angeles, lend5lyour
support to this noble self-sacrihcing band.
The duty is one from which no truly con-
scientious person can escape.
Can any one refuse to do something to
alleviate the untold suffering which has
followed in the train OF the unparalleled
regime of murder, rapine and cruelty