Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1919-01-22
Entire Nation, Once
Happy and Wealthy,
With a Civilization
Ancient as the Pyra-
midS to be Restored

Many of us Wisconsin citizens think
of the Armenians as set of people
always undergoing massacre. AS
fresh news about them appears from
time to time, we ask ourselves won
deringly-"Can there still be Arme-
mans left?"
The tenacity and vigor of this by
no means numerous race is shown in
nothing better than this, that even
now, after the last unprecedented out
break of massacres and deportation,
there are still nearly four million sur
vivors scattered in Asia Minor, Per
sia, Syria and the Russian Caucasus.
At least 100000 children who have
no fathers and many of them no moth
ers are among these refugees. In
them is the hope of a new Armenia,
some day perhaps to surpass in pros
perity and world usefulness the Ar
menia of ages long ago.
The history of Armenia is almost as
old as history itself. Armenia claims
to possess the site of the Garden of
Eden-since even now the country is
beautiful enough for Paradise, and its
apples would tempt the most fastid-
ious Eve 1t also claims that after
the flood the Ark came to rest on
Mount Ararat, most beautiful of snow
clad peaks.
About 1000 B. c., history speaks of
a district Armenian people dwelling
on the table lands near Ararat, con-
ured in turn by the Babylonians,
the Modes and Persians, the Selen-
cidae and the Romans, with brief in
tervals of independence. Even under
conquest, as it was understood by the
ancient orientals, the Armenians were
little interfered with as long as they
paid the required tribute.
In 80 A d. the interested figure of
Gregory, the illumination, comes bright
ly into the foreground of Armenia
medieval history, to influence perma-
nently the future character and fate
of her people.
Gregory was baptised when child,
married early and had two sons. Then
he was caught by the wave of mon
asticism that swept through Europe
in the Middle Ages, felt that he had a
vocation and babe farewell to his wife
and the world, forsook the common
ways of men and entered monastery.
His later prosecutions, years of prison.
visions and miracles obtained for him
the reputation of a saint. He con-
verified Tiradates the King of Armenia
and baptised 1000 Armenians.
Armenians DevotedIy Religious.
Eight years later Christianity be-
came the state religion of Armenia,
and TO this day the mummied hand
of old st. Gregory is laid upon the
tion-a remarkable instance of Ar
menian reverence for tradition.
The golden age of independent,
Christian Armenia soon passed. At
this day the ruins of the once great
city of Ami, eXcavated in the last cen
fury, show to the world a dim refiec-
ton of by-gone splendour Conical
rooted churches and massive walls 40
to so feet high, fanked by many round
towers and defended by deep gorges.
present remains dignified even in ruin.
Decorative stonework, sculptures and
frescoes indicate a culture and art
development of no mean order
But in the seventh century arose
In the east the power which proved
fatal to many another nation besides
Armenia, and which still lifts its cres-
sent threateningly against the cross
tie power of Islam The followers Of