The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-11-18
ATROCITIES OF
THE TURKS IN
ARMENIA.
l. III
Rev. Il. C. Woodley Tells a
Newport Audience of
Conditions There

Newport, Sunday evening, Rev. e. Z.
Woodley, recently returned from
Turkey, where he was stationed as a
representative of the American Board
oil Missions, drew vivid picture OF
his varied experiences in the land OF
the Mohammed. MI. Woodlcy served
as % missionary in that country for
more than seven years.
MI. Woodley spoke here last night
at the invitation Of Rev. l.. A. Ed
wards, pastor of the First Congrega-
tional church.
In his introduction of the speak
er MI. Edwards paid a high compli- 4
ment to MI. Woodley's great work
performed across the water and also
his activities in the United States
and Canada. Mr.. Edwards made the
statement that the missionary was
the only man who had ever given him
100 per cent IN an examination. ME-
Edwards studied under MI. Woodley |
when the'latter was /; professional at |
the Congregational college in Mon
treal II years ago. Mr.. Woodlcy scr
we'd for some time in India as Il mis- |
sionary also. He was at one time
president of college in India and |
president of II theological school iii I
Turkey.
81 am here tonight to tell you
briefly the missionary situation In /
Turkey as it stands today" Mr.,
Woodley began. "Practically all of
the missionary work in that country !
has been left to the American Board
to do and | want TO say that the
board is doing the work well. We
have provided series of institutions
there including hospitals, schools,
seminaries, colleges and churches
and they arc al ldoing fine work. !
We must depend upon the gener- /
osity of the Christian people in This
country to keep the Armenian race,
which has been so cruelty treated by
the Turks, alive"
"The worst years Of The war
spent in Morash' Mr. Woodley CON
tinued. "This place is built on the
site of one of the oldest cities in
Turkey, on the southeastern slope Of
the Tarus mountains as they slope
down into the Asylian plain. Before
the war this city was the center of
the missionary work for the entire re-
gion surrounding it. In this city
were girls colleges, seminary and
three churches. There were ten out
stations in the district.
"Thc Armenians have been bru-
tally treated by the Turks" Mr.
Woodley said. "You folks from time
to time have read reports of the Ar
menian being tortured and driven
from their homes and other dastardly |
acts committed by the unspcakablc |
Turk. Well | want to tell you that
these reports have not been cXagger-
ated in the least. They are absolutely
true. | know for | hav witnessed
many scenes of this kind myself.
"The Turk has had considerable
antipathy for the Armenian for some
time but up to the time of the out
break of the war had never really
arisen against him. But with the
declaration of war the foreign diplo-
mats and ambassadors, who had been
able to stay the hand of Turkey be-
fore this, left the country. And even
many of, the foreign element of So
ciety left at this time also The
Turks at last saw their chance for
getting these people out Of the way,
Plans were Immediately made to do
this. We then realized what was
ahead Of US in the line of missionary
work.
"The Turks decided to move the
Armenian people from their homes
into the interior regions as their rca
son for removing them that they
were disloyal TO the country. The
people were sent into tho deserts
without food or water and inSt1uc-
items gwcreeissncd to the police and
gcndarmes to make things as diff
d. cult and disagreeable as possible for
the Armenians who were driven from
their homes, They we're taken
roundabout way and they were
treated with severe cruelty with the
hope that they would never reach
their destinations but perish on the
Z way.
"While | was visiting a hospital
in Morash u nurse handed me diary
of events that happened in and
around Morash while the Armenians
were being driven through. She also
gave nc two papers to read. They
were the accounts OF German who
worked on the railroad between Mo
rash and Allepo. They told Of a trip
of $4,000 Armeilians through that
region and stated that of this huge
number only 800 arrived at their dos-
tination the rest having persisted
from i'll treatment, starvation and ex-
posure.s
1--WE were able to do nothing poll
tically in Turkey as | have said be
fore as the diplomats and ambassa-
doris had left Constantinople. Oul
power politically was broken but orii
personal power was very strong anr
we were able to do lot of good by
making personal acquaintance. Thu
Turk, the iscoundrel that he is il
very susceptible to personal friend
ship and fellowship.
Z" | made the acquaintance AM