The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-12-31
RFV R.F.I, STR|DER. PREAGHES
SERMON ON WAR SUFFERERS

spiritual forbears, where tho kings
fought, where the prophets preached and
whore tho Master OF Men was born and
lived His wondrous life. The religious
convictions of the civilized world go
back to this little country for the story
Of their first beginnings and activities.
Then TOO. IN what was properly known
as Asia Minor lay the scenes OF the fret
missionary WORK OF the apostles. Be-
ginning at Jerusalem they gradually
reached out through their own iaoors
and those Of St Paul. to Antioch. 10
Cyprus. an island In the Mediterranean
70 Iconiuu. 10 Lystra. I" t'crh". waerc
ST. Paul had so much difficulty on his
first missionary journey. Il Is Shiu 20
have been In Asia Minor. alHn whGr" the
apostle John lahored and finally Gira'
and 1t WAS Of Smyrna where the great
apostle Of St. john. Poiycarp. was
bishop, who later suffered inariXrdom
All OF the cities TO which the eiistl"S I"
the seven churches IN the Book az EHfr-
latirn were written were situated IN THIS
region, some o. them nuw having long
ago ceased to be. and others existing ~
villages with new names. Think or inc
xacredness with which this country Is
Invested for all Christians. 1t IS the
very cradle OF the Christian chnrch'
even as the Euphratcs valley. also IN
this region. ie spoken OF as tn" cradle "f
tho human race. The traditional sites
~ tue Garden OF Eden. OF ancient banS-
lon, and Of Damascus said to be tho old
est city in the world are all herc. Hence
when we think OF this territory We may
with Justice characterize II. The Blhle
Land. In addition to these Bible LANDS
uroper there are the Caucasus. Armenia
and Mesopotamia, the latteH partly I'M
der Persian rule
Within tho region thus roughly DO
scribed there are five nationaltues VINO
have suffered greatly from the present
war: ArmenianS. Greeks, Assyrtans. or
HISTORIANS Syrans. and Jews. TO every
one Of these modern civilization owes
mighty debt. Let US, then. consider
briefly who these people are. and recall
what we owe to them before we attempt
to picture their sufterinEs growing out
OF The present world conditions.
Tho Armenians arc thought to have
been OF European origin. migrating tro'l
tholr original home in Thrace about
1900 B. c.: and reaching Ararat In the
eighth century 3. G.. founded the state
OF Armenia This state attained its
greatest power about the time OF Christ;
had the gospel preached to Il. possibly,
by some OF the original twelve apostles
or at least by the earliest Christian mis-
sionarieS. until under King lIrluates
Christianity was made the state religion.
Armenia was thus the first nation In the
world to make the church official In the
state. This little. much prosecuted ma
ton, we may say. represents. In GER
tain sense the first fruits Of the Chris
ttan Gospel. Following her conversion
to Christianity Armenia was plunged
into an endless struggle with Forecast
rian Persia, and the inrushing barbarian
hordes from the wilds Of Asia. "Arme-
MIA was the highway upon which crossed
and recrossed the alien enemies or civi!'-
cation, the Moslem, Arab. MonRol. Tar
tar and Turk" The Armcnans sepa-
rated from tho rest OF civilization rep
resented the west in the east and right
bitterly did they suffer for IT. At length
exhausted by the pressure OF the ever
rising Moslem tide, they gave up their
real home retreated westward, ana
founded the kingdom of Lesser Armenia
along the shore OF the Mediterranean