The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-03-27

his life TO the rescue OF the Christians IN
Armenia. and hopes 10 receive the support
81 the Christian world especially Ameri-
cans. His own experiences were quote1
because he desired the public to know
Just what IL cost a man of Christian iaitn
TO express himself In the land OF the Turk.
~
He quoted other instances which had
come under his own observation. One
minister was beheaded because he had
translated the book of common prayer into
the Turkish language; seventeen Chris
tians were quartered because they had
dared TO rescue Christian girl who was
being dragged to the mountains. The
speaker told Of sermon he had heard
preached On his last visit by Mohamme-
dan priest. in which hi had advised TINT
to burn Christian churches was good III
the eyes of Gcd 10 despoil Christian wo-
men was not wrong. ana that destroying
Christian preachers was Just performan g
OF Gods work. lie explained that Turks
were reared upon Just such doctrine. and
that the lessons OF hatred and cruelty
were inculcated in early youth. According
to his statement, 7S0 minister's have been
killed In Armenia, and over 100000 Chris
tians are living daily in fear to express
above whisper their belief in jesus
Christ
One incident he recalled was that which
was enacted in church near his father 5
home. The pastor had been unmolestci
for many years. and had exp3unded The
Christian doctrine to 2 large congregation.
| While at worship one Sunday a band OF
Turks entered the church, and at the point
OF n sword the minister was commanded
To renounce Christ and Christianity. lie
refused to do this. and as a result his
head was cut from his shoulders in the
| pulpit and in sight Of the congregation.
and when the friends of the unfortunate
| arose TO avenge his dreadful death they
! wcre likewise slain, This is the condition
Ct affairs among the Christians in Armenia,
! and this Is The cruelty that DR.. BarsOum
! cries to the Christian world to suppress.
Tho speaker himself had suffered much
at the hands of the Turks. Ills father
| vas a manufacturer OF rugs and carpets
/ on large scale. and employed some 500
| Christian Armenians in his establishment
| This WIS ransacked and ruined, the stoal,
| contiseated and the building burned. while
| tile employees were killed His father e.
capped. but his two eldest brothers we're
cruelty killed, and his sister, girl of H.
was carried away to the mountains, and
| two weeks later a searching party found
| her dead body by the roadside 1t is this
which has caused him TO love the land oil
! the free and he saws that 10 one can app
preciate the great blessing of being allowed
to worship Jesus Christ in peace and with
out fear OF bodily torture.
| In America his heart has expanded and
the suffering of his youth seems all the
more fearful by simple contrast. In Bos-
ton, he says, his mother writes him loving
letters and tells him that all which keeps
her from being thoroughly happy is his
absence but, he adds, mission is calling
him TO pioneer a great purpose. and from
every Christian pulpit in the land he wants
the truth TO ring forth until this purpose
Is achieved and the Christians OF Armenia
are rescued from tho curse which is a.
present weighing heavily upon them. Fl,
wants to see the people Of his countr,
free to worship God and Jesus Christ, and
to see the children OF Armenia grow anC
expand under the influences of Christ
word.
A strong effort has been made TO induce
DR., Barsoom to remain in Houston another
week, but he has engagements which vii
necessitate his leaving for the Pacific
rOast tOdav