Poor Armenia

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 15, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 15.

Sunday evening, March 28, we had the privilege of listening, in a church in this city, to two Armenian missionaries, B. H. Paul and A. S. Gary. They told the thrilling and affecting story of Armenian suffering, the thousands upon thousands massacred, and the more thousands still now suffering from sickness, want, and famine. They related instances of those who would rather die than deny the Lord and accept of the “Prophet.” Some of these were women, who begged their husbands to stand firm when they knew that death was the sure result. Others were little children, who preferred to die rather than prove disloyal to Christ. No doubt there were many such cases.

Mr. Paul also told his hearers the cause of the suffering. For centuries, he said, Armenians had fared as well or better than any of the subject people of the Turkish Empire, oftentimes holding high positions of trust. But with the advent of missionaries came higher ideas. Armenians began to reach out after independence. They learned of America, England, Germany, and they thought they would have the sympathy of these “Christian” powers. This feeling eventually led to two parties, one party appealing to the sympathy of these supposedly “Christian” nations (there are no such), the other party believing they could accomplish their independence by war, and, once involved in war, the powers would help them. They have been bitterly disappointed. The Mohammedan Turk, hating Christianity, could not retaliate on the great powers of Europe, but vented her spite on Armenians. The result the world knows.

Poor Armenia! Like Israel of old, she forsook God, was taught to forsake him by her self-appointed teachers, and appealed to the military powers of the modern Babylons and Egypts. They have found, as did that nation, that the staff whereon they leaned proved a reed easily broken, and that pierced them in the breaking. Poor Armenia has been pierced. She was taught to trust in the “arm of flesh,” and it has failed her. May her sons and daughters turn from her false teachers, and yield to God, in whose hand is not only this life, but the life to come.

But her suffering children need help, and let all who can help them in their extreme suffering.