p. 24 | Christian Fortitude

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 16, 1916

Christian Fortitude

From a Quarterly Bulletin sent out by the American Board (Congregational) we glean the following from reports of their missionaries in Turkey:—

It is estimated that 170,000 Armenian refugees are just over the border of Turkey, in the Caucasus region of Russia. The suffering is greater than among Belgian refugees. One of the young lady missionaries among them during their terrible experiences tells how the Armenian Christians bore their adversities. She says:—

“I saw the departure of hundreds of Armenians into a hopeless exile. It was heart-breaking and too awful even to imagine in detail, yet we praise the God of all mankind, whether Moslem or Christian, that we were permitted to see the spirit of Christian faith and humility manifested by so many in the darkest period of Armenian history. There may have been examples of hard-heartedness and cursing against God and an utter losing of faith, but we did not personally come in contact with them. How often did we pray together with those about to go, and with the tears streaming down our faces beseech God to keep our faith sure! How often did men and women clasp our hands at parting, saying, ‘Let God’s will be done’; we have no other hope!’ . . . Effendi —, the Protestant preacher, came to our compound the morning of his leaving and asked that with the girls and teachers we might all have worship together. His young wife, who was about to become a mother, was left to our care. Whether they will ever be reunited I do not know. With entire calm he read from God’s Word and prayed God’s protection for us all who were left behind. At the close he asked that the girls sing, ‘He leadeth me.’”