The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-07-12
THE ARMENIAN QUESTION.
DR.. Hagopian's Interesting Address at
Free st Church,

In the Free street Baptist church
of this city yesterday morning, S. M.
Hagopian, an Armenian, member
of the First Baptist church of Boston.
Mass, delivered an able, interesting and
most feeling address, taking as his topic,
"The Armenian Question and it's Re-
sults.'' He said, it was CUES
ton which had received worldwide
thought and attention. notably SO for the
past 20 years and yet seemed far from
proper solutions except to the mind of
the Sultan, whose policy obviously was
that of determination. Civilization which
had made such rapid strides during a
century of discovery, in science and in
had allowed itsipages to be blotted by
the BLACKLIST stains of massacres, fortunes
and fiendish acts, committed on the per-
sons of Christian Armenians. In 1922,
on the island of Scios, $4,000 persons
were fouIly massacred; in 1850, in Meso-
potamia, IL 900 HISTORIANS suffered death,
followed by 10000 more in Lebanon in
1860; in 1876, II 900 to $4,000, while in
1895 and 1896, not less than 200, 600 Arme-
mans and Greeks, making a grand total
of 300, 600 persons who, in Asia Minor dur
ing the past three-quarters of a century,
have fall victims to the murderous i'm
pulses of the 'unspeakable Turk"
The speaker graphically depicted the
details of these outrages, the plucking
of hair, the burning and branding of the
bodies of the victims, the means Of the
old, the cries of the young and feeble
asked, SIS it not high time to stop this
disgraceful business? Who has listened
to the appealing cries? Not Lord Sails
bury, nor Emperor William, and even the
Lord God Almighty seems to have turned
deaf ear. How long is this to continued
How long Lord Salisbury; how long
Emperor William; how long oh Father
of all mercies. Christian Europe seems
to have forgotten it's treaty obliga-
tions, and to America the Armenian is
forced to make his appeal in the hope
that as Moses was raised up to lead the
children of Israel from the land of bon
dage, and a Sumner and Lincoln to
guide the enslaved negro, SO there may
yet appear at no distant day, light,
guidance and delivery for the oppressive
and crushed Armenian.
What shall be the destiny of Armenia?
Nothing can be expected from England,
nor from France; nothingfrom Germany,
for her interests are joined with Austria.
One word, however, from the Gar of
Russia might bring the Sultan to his
knees, and the destiny of Armenia may
Petersburg. Under Russian domination
what would the conditions of Armenia
be? No more massacre, everything quiet
and in peaceful garb, apparently, but no
freedom; depotism pure and simple. When
Russia takes Armenia, there will enter
with her the Greek church, and all the
churches, the schools and other public
institutions which have been fostered
and built up by American money and
influences are likely to give way to the
new order of things, and the religious
thought of America and Great Britain
should endeavor to make itsinfuence
felt, SO that in some potential way when
the sceptre of the Gar falls over Ar
menia, all the work done and money ex-
pended in that country along educational
and religious lines, shall not be ruthless
" scattered to the winds.
The speaker limited at independence
for Armenia as most desirable solution
Of the question and pictured the country
with its pretty cities and villages and
streams, as worthy of self government,
but under present political conditions,
of course, could see no good basis for the
hope.
DR.. Hagopian closed his address with
an urgent appeal to Americans not to
close Etheir doors to those whom persecu-
ton and starvation had driven to the
borders of this great land and believed
that it was the duty of all Armenians
who received the advantages of an edu-
cation in this country and whose circum-
stances would permit to return to their
native places and render all the aid that
in them lies to alleviate by word and act
1Ao oohuloioH VI IHelf uHIoftunaGo Dfotn-
ers and sisters in these dark hours, and
stated that after having already spent
eight years in America it was his in
tention soon to return to the East and
lend what aid he could along the lines of
missionary work which has been prolific
of so muchsgoodssto suffering Armenia.
Conductors Celebrate.