The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1919-01-17
ARMENIA-THEN AND NOW

as set of people always undergoing
massacre. AS fresh news about then
appears from time to time, we ask
ourselves wonderingly: "Can there
still be Armenians left?" The tenacity
and vigor of this by no means numer.
Gus race is shown in nothing better
than this, that even now, after the
last unprecedented outbreak of mas
sacre and deportation, there are still
nearly four million survivors scatter
ed in Asia Minor, Persia, Syria and
the Russian Caucasus. At least AGO.
OOO children who have no fathers and
many of them no mothers are among
these refugees. In them is the hope
of new Armenia, some day prehaps
to surpass in prosperity and world use
fulness the Armenia of ages long ago
The history of Armenia is almost a S
old as history itself. Armenia claims
to possess the site of the Garden of
Eden-slnce even now the country is
beautiful enough for Paradise, and its
apples would tempt any Eve, how
ever fastidious. II 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-
quered in turn by the Babylonians the
Medes and Persians, the Salencidae
and the Romans, with brief intervals
OF independence. Even under con-
quest, as it was understood by the
ancient orientals. the Armenians were
little interfered with as long as they
paid the required tribute.
In $40 A. d. the interested figure of
Gregory the illumination comes
brightly into the foreground Of Ar.
menia's medieval history, to influence
permanently the future character and
fate of her people. Gregory was bap-
tised when a child, married earlv and
had two sons. Then he was caught
by the wave of monasticism 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 ~
men and entered a monastery. His
later prosecutions, years of prison
VISIONS and miracles obtained for him
the reputation of saint. He con-
v!erted Tiradates the King of Armen-
IA and baptised 1000 Armenians
Eight years later Christianity became
the state religion of Armenia and 70
this day the mummied hand OF old St
Gregory is laid upon the head Of
every bishop at his conservation
remarkable instance Of Armenian rev
erence for tradition.
me golden age Of independent
christian Armenia soon passed AT this
lay the ruins of the once great c;tv
81 Ami, excavated in the last century
snow to the world dim reflection ~
oy-gone splendor. Conical-roofrd
churches and massive walls 40 r. sn |
eet high. flanked BY manv round
overs and defended by deen 9oroes
present remains dignified even in ru;n
decorative stonework. SCULPTURES and
rsscoes indicate culture and art do
,,elopment of no mean order. But in
ne seventh century arose in the eae,
ne power which proved fatal TO MANY
nofher nation besides Armenia and
'hich still lifts its crescent the,tcn
nely against the cross-the nower -
slam. The followers of the Pronbo,
iohammed swept across Furonc
-om Mecca to Gibraltar and f;nalI,,
&c ottoman Turk became the domi-
ope and Asia. :" i'u-
from that time to this the Arme,-
n mas lived under his sway, often