Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-28
ADDRESS ON ARMENIA.
An Armenian Talks Of His Native
Country.

1
Country.
An Interesting Address Delivered
Yesterday Afternoon at the Y.
M. G. A.-With Natural Riches
and Fertility Of Soil the People
are Impoverished and Prosecuted
by the Turks-Arms nia's Hope
in the Gospel.
| Mr.. l. q. Mooshy, native or Arme-
MIA, who is attending a theological
| seminary at Cincinnati. made an adj
dress yesterday afternoon at the Y. NJ.
c. A. about Armenia. Mr.. Mooshy has
been in this country five years attend
ing school, although lie went home two
| years ago on visit, and in his brief
address made yesterday afternoon he
mentioned few instances of the desc
| lation wrought in that land by the
( plunderlng and murderous Turks. He
| stated that he intended returning to
armenia this summer to do mission
| airy work, although his mother wrote
| 10 him from that country and his
! friends here advise him to stay away.
@ hat he is thoroughly in earnest there
/ is no question, and his spirit plainly
proves his assertion that when an Ar
/ menlan is converted he is thoroughly
converted
| In his talk to the young men he men
toned that Armenia had a population
OF over thirteen millions of people, and
4 was one OF the most ancient countries
| of the world. Seven different Ian
! guages were spoken within the borders
, Of Armenia. The country was divid
ed into seven provinces ruled by Turk
| ism governors, appointed by the Sultan.
/ he land was fertile and yielded boun-
| tlful harvests of grain and fruit The
climate was similar to that Of Ohio.
| The farmers were all poor because
tWo-thirds OF their products go to the
| Sultan, and most OF the one-third left
was consumed by taxes. The speaker
said that he had heard much of hard
times in this country but that we did
not know what hard times were in
| comparison with conditions in Arme-
MIA. Carpenters and masons in that
! country were paid four and five cents
day, and other workmen at the same
rate. An Armenian woman who might
! get more from other people is compell-
/ ed to work for q Turkish governor
/ whenever commanded, for five cents a
| day from six in the morning to six at
night. The people are SO poor that
many can not afford to buy bread
more than once a month. There is an
! abundance Of all products of the soil.
A bushel of peaches or apples will cost
a cent, bushel of grapes five cents, a
watermelon large enough to satisfy
| three or four men one-half cent. a
chicken for three cents. In the sum-
mer the people and animals so out into
I the vineyards to work and come back
to the cities in the autumn, where they
stay, surrounded by big walls, to avoid
the Turks on their expeditions of muir
| der and plumber.
In the winter is a time for society
and marriages. No Armenian is al
! lowed to marry in the spring, summer
or autumn He must take wife from
MS own nation. The Turks have four
wives and they are always fighting
with each other. The Armenian is
Christian and believes in peace and
consequently can have only one wife.
/ The married women there wear wells
and the unmarried women wear capes
so that the two classes could be dlStin-
guished from each other. Young men
were not permitted to speak to young
ladies. The speaker stated that he
lived in Armenia until he was p years
old and had never spoken to girl I'M
til he came TO America, and when he
was introduced to a number of young
ladies at a Sabbath school in New York
he was almost scared to death. In
regard to the religion of Armenia he
said it was different from every OCner
creed, but when an Armenian was con-
verified he was thoroughly converted.
What Armenia needed was the gospel.
He knew that many people did not be-
lieve in Missionary work but he asked
the question how could the Armenians
know Of Christ if they did not hear Of
Him. and how could they hear of Him
unless preachers were sent TO tell
them. All the Armenians had now
were the priest, sword, starvation and
persecution. 1t was the gospel that
made America one Of the best countries
in the world. The gospel makes the
| best people, the best people make the
best laws. and the best laws make the
best country
He spoke of his visit two years ago
to his native country and heard that
two of his intimate school friends,
whom he had gone to see, had been
burned to death by the Turks. They
had taken refuge in a hay stack and
the Turks set fire to the hay stack.
They attempted to run away but were
captured. They refused to renounce
their Christianity and were put back
into the hay stack and burned alive.
He also found that cousin Of his
mothers and several children had been
slaughtered His mother had since
written him asking Kim to get her
away. but he intends to return and
could do nothing for her. He gave a
fine example of the extreme, torture
and persecution to which the people
were subjected.
Mr.. Mooshy lectured also at the
North Street NJ. E. church yesterday
morning and the United Presbyterian
church at night.