The sun., 1907-03-31
Ill.


She started on her ride TO Trebiaond
on September IS; 1890, and reached on
October Umi, which compared with
the barren mountain regions through
which she had ridden for months was an
oasis OF beauty and fertility. Here she
came in contact with Christian Syrians;
or HISTORIANS. Though they have degener-
ated in faith and character, she ultimately
came TO recognize that these peasants,
absolutely helpless and at the mercy OF
brutal marauders and hendish misgov-
ernment, were daily faithful unto death,
despising all things that belong 70 this
life rather than betray Christ. II was in
the villages OF the plain OF Caviar, where
during her stay property was burned or
carried on, men were shot and women
maltreated, that the climax OF the revolu-
ton, in her opinion, OF the HISTORIAN Chris
tians was reached. She realized that
through ages Of acCumulating wrongs
and unrivalled misery, they, like US, have
worshipped the crucified Nazarene as the
crowned and risen Christ; that to Him,
With us, they bend the adoring knee and
that like US they lay their dead in oonse-
Grated ground to await through Him q
Joyful resurrection" Had they accepted
the creed OF their MOslem Oppressors
their lives would probably have been spent
in comparative peace.
After her experience in Persia and Tur-
kestan there was left in Mrs. Bishops
mind no remnant Of respect for the re-
ligions OF the East. She admits, of course,
that several OF the Asiatio faiths, and not
ably Buddhism, started with noble con-
ceptions and q morality far In advance
Of their age. But the good has been
mainly lost out OF them in their passage
down the centuries, and Buddhism in
China ia now much on a level with the
idOlatries OF barbarOus nations. There IL
nothing to arrest the further downward
descent Of the systems, 50 effete yet 90
powerful and interviewer with the whole
social life Of the nation There is no resur-
rection power IN any one OF them.'
Among the Amenians she came to un-
derstand what the horrors Of persecution
meant for a timid, defenoeless people, less
manly than the HISTORIAN Rayahs, In many
ways less lovable, but Like them faithful
unto death" OF the Turkish peasants
Mrs. Bishop was inclined to think favorably
She observed that they lived peacesbly
with their Armenian neighbors; it was
the Kurds who maltreated the latter, al
though their murders, robberies and out
RACES were winked at, II not actually en-
Oouraged, by the Sublime Porte. In Van
she found a different order OF Armenians,
industrious, shrewd, commercially cap
able. They form an important factor in
the prosperity OF the city and show con-
siderable public spirit and interest in edu-
cation. On November s, 1890, she left
Van for ErzeuIm, sixteen days journey
distant. The first part Of the ride-to
Btlis-was replete with interest, the track
winding through glorious mountains, or
beside lovely lake, or amid monasteries
and castles, vestiges Of the old Armenian
splendor.
She reached Erzerum on November 2l
after a five hours march through deep
snow. Here she rested for ten days, after
which she entered on the final stage Of her
adventurous caravan journey that was to
end at Trebizond on December IL. Since
she left Burujird she had had four months
OF the most dangerous travelling. With
her quiet persistence, however, her un-
ninching courage, her power Of command,
her independence Of luxury, her superb
digestion and her splendid riding she sur
mounted every obstacle, passed almost
scathless through every jeopardy, OBJ
served. recorded and stored all that in
terested her, and gained every object
attainable under the conditions OF the
enterprise