El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-10-09
MA5SACRES OF ARNENIAN5 ARE
CONFIRMED IN MISSION REPORTS
Three American Boards of Missions ReceVe First Direct
News From Armenian Centers in Turkey; Children's
Churches Are Among Innovations Planned in the
East; Panama President Opposes Conference.
American board. the Presby-

07HE American board. the Presby-
terrain board and the American
- Bible society, all with work in
and near the Armenian centers in
Asiatic Turkey, are receiving reports
from their missionaries that fully con-
firm reports Of Armenian horrors as
made by the news associations 50
far none Of these societies hear Of any
murders of their American workers,
but they do hear that Armenian fam
lilies have been. in thousands of IL
stances, wiped out Of existence Never
before have such terrible reports
reached any American missionary So
ciety as those now coming from Ar
meuian fields. Were IL not for the
awful scenes being enacted in Europe,
these in near Asia would, so the mis-
siOnary societies say, set all America
aflame-
The Armenian church is essentially
the same as the Greek Orthodox one
II claims TO be the Oldest organized
Christian church, dating from the
third century. and having had con-
tinuOus succession OF prelateS since
that time. a break with other Chris
tians occurred in 2S5, due to misun-
Outstanding more than difference OF
doctrine or forms Of worship There
are about 1000. 900 Armenians. about
half OF whom lived, until these mas
sacres killed them off, in Armenia
and western Asiatic Turkey, the rest
being scattered over the world. The
region is that Immediately south OF
the Black Sea, and Immediately north
Of Palestine and Syria The head Of
the Armenian church is q CATHOLICS
and he lives In a monastery standing
at the foot of Mt Ararat. the building
said TO be one Of the Oldest Christian
edifices in the world Armeuians
claim TO be descended in their spirit
uai line from St Thaddeus, one OF
the eleven apostles
The American board. representing
Observation-Disclosures has mission sta
tfons throughout the Armenian re-
giOn. One station is at Tarsus. the
birthplace Of St Paul. and others are
at Marash. Sivas. HarpOOt, Bltlis, VAN
MarsOvan, Aiutab. and other cOnsid-
cradle centrals- The region has total
population of nearly 10000 600. and the
American supported work there con-
sists OF schools for girls theological
seminaries, and hospitals as well as
preaching stations Much OF the Amer
lean work is among Moslems, and OF
late more progress has been made than
formerly. The Christians Identified
with American work there number up
wards OF 10000
Armenians have long been emigrat-
ing to this country Their church is
on a missionary basis here, with WOr-
cesLer Mass, as the center OF author
ity. y prelate Of the rank Of an arch
bishop is here, and he has many as
sistants, scattered over New England
in Pennsylvania. and through nearly
all states OF the Pacific coast Efforts
made by American churches 10 bring
about church unity had been welcomed
BY the Armenian church. and il had
named a commission 70 meet an Amer
lean committee that would long ago
have visited Armenia but for the war
Efforts are making by the missionary
societies TO get relief TO Armenia, but
with little success. Until and unless
Constantinople falls. IL is the Judgment
Of missionary authorities IN best touch
with the situation that little or no
relief can be afforded from here