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CHRISTIANITY 
 
 REVIVED IN THE EAST; 
 
 OR, 
 
 A NARRATIVE OF THE WORK OF GOD AMOXG THE 
 ARMENIANS OF TURKEY. 
 
 H. G-. 0. DWiaHT, 
 
 MISSIO.NAUY OF THE AMERICAN BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FOR FOREiGI* 
 
 MISSIONS. 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 r> A K E R AND S C R I B N E R , 
 
 145 NASSAU STREET AND 36 PARK ROW. 
 
 1850 
 
I'.ntcred according to Act of Congress, in the year 1850, by 
 BAKER AND SCRIBNER, 
 
 In the Clerk "s Office of tlie District Court of the United States for the Southern 
 District ot New York. 
 
 C . W . BENEDICT, 
 
 S t e r e t 1/ p e r^ 
 
 •iOl Will am st , N. Y. 
 
 Ife % 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The author of the following narrative has been connected with 
 the mission to the Armenians of Turkey, from its very first estab- 
 lishment. He has aimed to give a simple narrative of facts, leaving 
 the reader, for the most part, to draw his own inferences, and 
 make his own reflections. He has taken special satisfaction in 
 tracing the remarkable interpositions of an over-ruling Provi- 
 dence, in counteracting the designs of evil-minded men j bringing 
 good out of evil ; and raising up deliverers for his down-stricken 
 people. Truly God has '' made the wrath of man to praise him, 
 and the remainder thereof he has restrained." 
 
 This book is a narrative of only the beginnings of a great work 
 of reform, that is still going on in the Armenian Church. The 
 attention of many Christians in America, as well as in Europe, 
 has been for years directed to this work ; and their interest has 
 been so much excited by its somewhat rapid developments, that 
 the preparation of such a volume as the one now offered to the 
 public, seemed fully justified. May it go forth with the blessing 
 of the Great Head of the Church, whose wisdom, power, and 
 glory it is designed to illustrate. 
 
IV PREFACE. 
 
 The Armenian language, as it was spoken in the early ages of 
 the Christian era, has now become a dead language. It is the 
 language of their Church books, and of most of their literature. 
 The modern Armenian tongue, which is capable of a general 
 division into two distinct dialects, — the Eastern and Western, — 
 is based upon the ancient, but greatly corrupted with Turkish 
 words, and Turkish idioms. It is the language of their firesides, 
 and of their social and religious intercourse. The language of 
 business, with the Armenians, and of communication with the 
 other races around them, is the Turkish. In certain sections of 
 the country, they have entirely lost the use of their vernacular 
 tongue, and speak only the Turkish. Hence a portion of our 
 books are printed in the Armeno-Turkish language, which is no- 
 thing more than the Turkish, written in the Armenian character. 
 Hence also, the preaching of a portion of the missionaries is in the 
 Turkish language. 
 
 The orthography of proper names in tiVis volume has been 
 adapted to that of the Syrian Mission. The vowels are to be 
 pronounced according to the French, with the exception of the u. 
 This letter with a mark over it thus {u) is to be sounded like oo 
 in cool ; and without the mark generally like the French u. In 
 the word Keuy (village), — sometimes elsewhere spelled Koy^ — 
 the dipthong eu has almost exactly the sound of the French eu 
 and jpeu. Gh and kh are gutturals for which we have no expres- 
 sion in the English or French alphabets. 
 
 Certain words are used which need explanation. A vartahed 
 is a monk in priest's orders. His office, in distinction from that 
 of the common priest, is that of preacher. The word Der 
 affixed to a name, denotes that the individual is a priest. Its 
 literal meaning is lord^ and it is equivalent to Domine as used 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 among the Hollanders. A Khan is a building, usually square, 
 with an open court in the centre, and divided into small rooms, 
 which are let to merchants and travellers. The hazars are lines 
 of stalls open in front, and covered with a roof, in which mer- 
 chandize is sold. 
 
 I 
 
 m 
 

 CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 ' Page 
 
 Conversion of the Arnnenian Nation to Christianity — Questionable 
 Purity of the Original Armenian Church — Affinities with Rome 
 — Prominent Errors — Necessity of a Reformation — Object of this 
 Work — Enlightened Priest of the last Century— Early Efforts of 
 Bible Societies — Extensive Distribution of the Scriptures — Transla- 
 tion into the vernacular Dialect — Hostility of the Patriarch to the 
 same — Armenian Pilgrims in Palestine — Conversion of three Eccle- 
 siastics — Mr. King's Letter in Constantinople — Peshtimaljian and • 
 his School — Preparation of Mind — Probability of Piety — Readiness 
 of Common People to Reform — Evidence of the Work of God's 
 Spirit, 1 
 
 CHAPTER H. 
 
 Exploring Tour — Mr. Goodell's removal to Constantinople — Interview 
 with Patriarch — Arrival of Messrs. Dwight and Schauffler — Obsta- 
 cles — Schools and Preaching — Intercourse with the Clergy — Pesti- 
 lence and War — First Inquirer and Convert — Opposition — Good 
 from Evil — Ordination of Priests — Der Kevork — Removal of Press 
 to Smyrna — Tokens of the Spirit's presence — High School — Arrival 
 of Messrs. Schneider and Johnston — Station opened at Brusa — Do. 
 at Trebizond — Prosperity at Constantinople — Friendly intercourse 
 with the Clergy — Character of Patriarch and his Vicar — Opposition 
 to High School — Bishop Matteos — Arrival of Mr. Powers — Book 
 Distribution — Ecclesiastical Inquirer — Friendly Vartabed — Evan- 
 gelical Sermons — Hostile Manifestation — Romish Influence — Char- 
 acter of the Work — Female Education — ^lissionary Tours — Arrival 
 of Mr. Jackson, . 19 
 
Vlll CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Page 
 Opposition of the Hierarchy — Their Character — Influence of the • 
 Baiilcers— Breakin^r up of the High School— School at Has Keuy — 
 Remarkable Providence — Influence of the New School — Light 
 Spreading — Perplexity of Priests — Opposition Increasing — Friendly 
 Vartabed — Missionary Convention — The Plague — Reinoval of Pic- 
 tures — Decline of the Has Keuy School — Origin of the Work in 
 Nicomedia— Two Converted Priests— Divine Influences at Broosa 
 and Tiebizond— Arrival of Mr. Riggs, 49 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Origin and Nature of the Armenian Patriarchal Power — Power of the 
 Primates — The Sultan enlisted as a Persecutor — The Missionaries 
 and Native Helpers Calumniated — New Patriarch Appointed — Or- . 
 ganized Persecution — The Armenian Patriarchal Power always 
 Persecuting — Two Brethren Exiled — Interesting Scene at Nicome- 
 dia — Cruelties of a Turkish Policeman — Reception at Kaisery — 
 Fears at the Capitol — Evangelical Books Prohibited — Banishment of 
 a Pious Priest — Reign of Terror — Patriarch's Bull — Combination of 
 Persecutors — Wonderful Providence — Death of MahmOd II. — Per- 
 secutors Relenting — Sultan's Physician — Persecution in Broosa — 
 Violence at Trebizond — New Station at Erzrum — Arrival of Mr. 
 Hamlin, 68 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Interesting Season of Prayer — Persecution Overruled for good — Inter- 
 course Resumed — Judgments upon Persecutors — Charter of Rights — 
 Influence of Bankers curtailed — Greek Patriarch Removed — Folly of 
 the Armenian Patriarch— His Resignation — Appointment of Stepan — 
 Return from Exile of Mr. Sahakian — Evangelical Priests — Salvation 
 by Grace — An Evangelical Confessor — Inquirers Multiplying — A 
 Persecutor Awakened — Opening a Room in the City Proper — Re- 
 moval of Book Depository — Public Preaching — Seminary at Bebek — 
 ■ Charges against Mr. Hamlin — Visit to Nicomedia — Interesting Char- 
 
 •* 
 
CONTENTS. IX 
 
 Page 
 acter of the Converts — The Gospel carried to Adabazar — Effects of 
 Ecclesiastical Tyrrany overruled for good— Reaction in Brusa and Tre- 
 bizond — Happy Death — Obstacles at Erzrum — Printing in Smyrna 
 — Providence Removing Difficulties — Testimony of an Enemy — 
 Change in Armenian Style of Preaching — Deep Feeling — Activity 
 of Priest Vertanes — Progress at Nicomedia and Adabazar — Influence 
 of a Tract — Mr. Schneider's Visit — Public Preaching — Book Distrir 
 bution — Imbecile Efforts against the Bebek Seminary — God Watch- 
 ing over his Church, . . . . .... 86 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Rupture between the Bankers and Tradesmen — The Clergy despised 
 by the People — Appointment of two Committees — Removal of the 
 Patriarch — Appointment of Asduadzadur — His Character — Enlight- 
 ened Vicar — Increase of the Church — Spirituality — Prayer — A Var- 
 tabed Convicted— An Ascetic Converted to Christ — Visits at the 
 Khan — Hearers from the Interior — Monthly Concert of Prayer — 
 First Native Mission — Care for the Jews — Female Inquirers — Co- 
 laborers — Extensive Demand for Books — Mr. GoodelPs Translation • 
 of the Old Testament Completed — Love of the Bible — Book against 
 Protestantism — Enemies of the Seminary made Friends — Mr. ^ 
 Wood's Arrival — Influence of the Seminary — Disaffected Brethren 
 — New Inquirers at Brusa — Arrival of Mr. Ladd — Hostile Bishop — . 
 Evangelical Influences in Trebizond — Inquiring Priest at Erzrum — 
 Arrival of 3Ir. Peabody — Violence of the Bishop — Enemies turned • 
 to Friends in Adabazar — New Impulse in Nicomedia — Religious In- 
 quiry in Smyrna, ......... 112 
 
 CHAPTER Vn. 
 
 An Execution— Story of a Renegade — Insult to the British Embassy 
 —Pledge of Religious Liberty — The Hand of Providence— Extent 
 of the Work of Reform— Trials for the Gospel — Spirit of Inquiry 
 Spreading — Visit of Drs. Anderson and Hawes — Abandonment of 
 the Greek Mission — Religious Influence of the Seminary — Females 
 Awakened — Conversion of a Nun — Female Seminary Opened — 
 Patriarch Removed and Matteos Appointed — Persecution of Priest 
 1* 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 rag« 
 Vertanes — Character oi Matleos Patriarch — His Policy toward the 
 Protestants — Persecution Resolved upon — Business Interfered with 
 — Bedros Vartabed Driven av^-ay — His Labors and Death — Priest 
 Vertanes' Second Exile — Cruel Treatment of Mr. Tateos — Deliver- 
 ance from Imprisonment — Assaults on the Seminary — Discussion 
 and its Fruits — Public Debates — Cogency of Stoning — Papal Books 
 — Picture of a Jesuit — Colporteurs — Popery Counteracted — Censor- 
 ship of the Press — Temperance Society — Happy Deaths — Death of 
 Mrs. Van Lennep, 135 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Cruelty of the Bishop of Erzrum — Good from Evil — Enlightened 
 Prelates the worst Persecutors — Central Position of Erzrum — Truth 
 Spreading in the Villages — Prosperity at Trebizond — Death of a 
 Believer — Shameful Burials — Vacillating Ecclesiastic — Boghos the 
 Persecutor — Measures of Coercion — Arrest of Protestants — House 
 of Mr. Bliss Stoned — Evil Effects of Persecution — Influence of Tre- 
 bizond on the Interior — Just Views Preva'.ling at Brusa — A Hermit 
 Converted — Progiess at BrQsaand its Villages — ^Missionary Tours to 
 Nicomedia and Adabazar — A Persecutor Converted — Deep Earnest- 
 ness — Instances of Persecution — Do. at Kurdbeleng — Pious English 
 Families at Nicomedia — Death of Mr. Mugurdich and Mr. Sarkis in 
 Smyrna — Vartabed from Tarsus — Mr. Van Lennep at Tocal, . 163 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Relation of the Evangelical Armenians to the Church — Their Duties 
 to the Civil Community — The Patriarch a Civil Officei— The Pro- 
 testants Obedient to the Powers that be — New Method of Coercion 
 — Anathema of Priest Vertanes — Denunciations of the Patriarch — 
 Temporal Penalties Inflicted — Fanaticism Triumphant — Second 
 Anathema — Paper of Recantation — Patriarch's New Creed — Instan- 
 ces of Oppression — Bread and Water wuthheld from Protestants — 
 Signatures to the New Creed — Interview between Mr. Khachadu- 
 rian and the Patriarch — God Supporting his People — Estimate placed 
 upon the Gospel — Visitors increase by Persecution — Letter to the 
 Patriarch— Do. to the Primates— Petition to Reshid Pasha— Do. to 
 
CONTENTS. Xi 
 
 Vagv 
 the Foreign Ambassadors — Four Individuals Imprisoned — Attempt 
 
 to Banish Protestants — Religious Liberty Proclaimed by the Govern- 
 ment — Release of the Prisoners — All Protestants Calumniated — 
 False Witnesses — Shelter Procured for the Houseless — Kindness of 
 the Rev. Mr. Allan — Generous Contributions, .... 183 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Duplicity of the Patriarch — Encouraged by Bishop Southgate — The 
 Evangelical Brethren Calumniated — The Patriarch Defended — Vio- 
 lence in Nicomedia — God hearing the cries of the Oppressed — 
 Priest Harutun in Persecution — His Letter to the Bishop — Shameful 
 Treatment in Church — His Imprisonment — Accumulation of Indig- 
 nities — His Joy in God — Mournful Fall of other Brethren — Their 
 Return — Steadfastness of Believers in Adabazar — Mr. Van Lennep's 
 Visit — The Enemy Stimulated Afresh — Grievous Trials — General 
 Spirit of Persecution — Outrage upon two Brothers in Trebizond — 
 Faithful Endurance — Young Man Scourged and Imprisoned — Inter- 
 vention of the British Consul — Bishop of Erzrum Banished — Bod- 
 ily Inflictions — The Persecutors Checked — All Eyes turned to the 
 Capital — Sir Stratford Canning — Religious Liberty for the Protest- 
 ants — The Patriarch's Cunning — First Imperial Document in behalf 
 of Prote.«;tants — Hostility a blessing to the Seminary — Ptemoval to 
 Constantinople of jVIr. and Mrs. Everett — Standing and Perpetual 
 Curse — Plan of Church Organization — An Evangelical Church Con- 
 stituted — Ordination of First Pastor — His Character — Public Declar- 
 ation of the Protestants — Churches Formed in Nicomedia, Adabazar, 
 and Trebizond — Mohammedans Befriend the Persecuted, 210 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 Slow Progress of Religious Liberty — Covert Methods of Persecution — 
 Imprisonment of Stepan — Attempt to Close Protestant Chapel — 
 Mobs — Redress from Government — Anomalous Position of the 
 Protectants — Gradual Amelioration — Protestant Funeral — Growth of 
 the Community — Female Field — Death of Oscan — Do. of Hovsep— 
 Do. of the First Pastor — His Dying Testimony— Ordinations — New 
 Scene in Nicomedia — ]\Iissionary Tours — Beginning of Light at 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Page 
 Ainlab — Arrival of INIr. Bliss — Lord Cowley's Agency — The Pro- 
 testants Recognized as a Community — Day of Thanksgiving and 
 Prayer — New Impulse to the Work — Awakening at Geghi — Do. at 
 Aintab — Station at Aintab Occupied — Arrival of Mr. Crane — Col- 
 porteurs — Urgent appeals — Mr. Sahakian Ordained — Mr. KhachadCir 
 Licensed — Burying-Ground in Trebizond — Preservation of the Pera 
 Chapel — Degradation of Matteos Patriarch, .... 235 
 
 CHAPTER Xn. 
 
 The two Conflicting Parties — Preaching Christ — Character of Native 
 Pastors— Male and Female Seminaries — The Press— Native Churches 
 Self-Supporting — Working of the System — Character of Church 
 Members — Present Aspect of the Work — State of the Armenian 
 Church — Crisis Approaching — Anticipations of the Future, . 259 
 
^2*i<i;3T. 
 
 ■©GlCir, 
 
 CHRISTIANITY REVIVED IN THE EAST. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Conversion of the Armenian nation to Christianity — Questionable purity of 
 
 the original Armenian Church Affinities with Rome — Prominent 
 
 errors — Necessity of a reform — Object of this work — Enlightened priest 
 of the last century — Early efforts of Bible Societies — Extensive distribu- 
 tion of the Scriptures — Translation into the vernacular dialects — Hostility 
 of the Patriarch to the same — Armenian pilgrims in Palestine — Conver- 
 sion of three ecclesiastics — Mr. King's letter in Constantinople — Peshti- 
 maljian and his school — Preparation of mind — Probability of piety in the 
 Church — Readiness of the people to reform — Evidence of the w^ork of God's 
 Spirit. 
 
 More than three hundred years had elapsed from the 
 birth of Christ, before the Armenian people adopted 
 Chistianity as their national religion. Up to that period 
 they had practised the grossest forms of heathen idolatry. 
 True, Armenian historians record the conversion of their 
 king, Abgar by name, who was a cotemporary with 
 Christ ; and they affirm, that subsequently, through the 
 instrumentality of the Apostles, Thaddeus and Bartholo- 
 mew, — the latter bearing about with him a portrait of 
 the Virgin Mary(!) — multitudes in the Armenian nation 
 were brought over to the Christian faith. But, whether 
 this account be true or false in its main features, it is 
 indubitably certain that idolatry reigned with undisputed 
 sway over this people, at the beginning of the fourth cen- 
 
2 EARLY COUIiri'TION OV THE ARMENIAN CHURCH. 
 
 tury ; and that about the year 318, through the zealous 
 labors of Krikor Lusavorich, heathenism was abolished, 
 and Christianity publicly and universally established in 
 its place. 
 
 Already, however, had human inventions begun to 
 multiply in the Church of Christ, and the religion of 
 forms to overlay the religion of the heart. So that, while 
 it cannot be doubted that many were really made wise 
 unto salvation, it is still mournfully true that there was 
 much " wood, hay, and stubble" mixed up with the very 
 first foundations of the Armenian Church. History 
 records that Krikor, or Grregory as he is called in English, 
 " consecrated four hundred bishops, and an immense 
 number of priests ; and erected various churches, con- 
 vents, nunneries, hospitals and schools. He also insti- 
 tuted religious feasts, and other ecclesiastical ceremonies, 
 and diffused the light of the gospel throughout the land." 
 The religious institutions and observances here referred 
 to, had not then become what subsequent ages of degen- 
 eracy made them, but, while we yield to Armenian 
 Christianity, in its first and purest age, all the advantage 
 it can reasonably claim from this consideration, it is still 
 true, that even that age was characterized by strong 
 symptoms of religious decline, and approaching apostacy. 
 The apostles of Jesus Christ founded no "convents," or 
 "nunneries;" neither did they institute "religious feasts," 
 or " ecclesiastical ceremonies." It is a remarkable fact, 
 that the most ancient books of theology, as well as the 
 most ancient liturgies of the Armenian Church are 
 strongly tainted with error. It is indeed doubtful, 
 whether, even among the first and best teachers of this 
 Church, there ever was a perfectly clear discrimination 
 
AFFINITIES WITH ROME. 
 
 between the religion of man and the religion of Grod; 
 between purchasing salvation by observances and penances, 
 and receiving it as a free gift from Heaven, And the Ar- 
 menian Church, receiving thus in its beginnings only an 
 obscured Christianity, most easily followed the degenerat- 
 ing tendencies of the age ; until at length it settled down 
 permanently into hierarchism and formalism; or the reli- 
 gion of the priest and the religion of the ritual. In forms 
 and in doctrines, the Armenian, the G-reek, and the Roman 
 churches are essentially one. In each of them the priests 
 and the sacraments in a great measure take the place of 
 Christ ; and with this grand, distinctive feature alike in 
 them all, who can feel that anything important attaches 
 itself to the inquiry whether one holds a sacrament more 
 or less than the other ? or has a saint more or less on the 
 calendar? or whether they choose to make images of 
 the latter, by the painter's brush on a flat piece of can- 
 vass, or by the sculptor's tool out of a block of marble, 
 or a piece of molten brass ? 
 
 It is painful to witness in the book of common prayer 
 in this Church, how constantly the name of Jesus as 
 mediator is excluded, and the name of Mary, or some 
 other saint, substituted in its place. As might be 
 expected, the poor people are found continually calling 
 upon the Virgin, but never upon the Lord Jesus, to inter- 
 cede for them. In this respect, indeed, the Armenians 
 appear to hold even a lower place in the scale than either 
 the Greeks or the Latins ; for the latter, have only dis- 
 honored Christ by associating with him a multitude of 
 other mediators, while the former seem to have excluded 
 him altogether from the mediatorial oflice. Auricular 
 confession ; absolution from sin by the priest ; penance ; 
 
4 REFORMATION NEEDED. 
 
 transubstantiation ; baptismal regeneration ; intercession 
 of the saints and angels ; worship of the material cross, 
 of relics, and of pictures ; and prayers for the dead ; all 
 belong as much to the Armenian Church as to the Roman. 
 True, no general Armenian council has been held, to col- 
 lect and engross, by formal vote, these and the other 
 articles of their faith and practice ; but the errors j ust as 
 really exist, and are as truly received by the Church, as 
 if circumstances had called for, or permitted, their formal 
 sanction by such a council. This is just as clearly true 
 as that the false doctrines of Rome were really and truly 
 the doctrines of that Church, long before the Council of 
 Trent collected them in form, and published them to the 
 world ! 
 
 Nothing can be plainer, than that a church in which 
 the true gospel scheme of salvation is so entirely overlaid 
 and lost by human inventions, needs a thorough reforma- 
 tion. And when it is remembered that millions of Mo- 
 hammedans, (to say nothing of the Jews,) in the very 
 midst of whom this degenerate Church is found, are 
 deriving their only notions of Christianity from its false 
 doctrines and practices, and in consequence of the strong 
 prejudices they thus acquire, are placed almost beyond 
 the possibility of being benefited by any Christian effort 
 in their behalf, does it not seem to be the obvious duty 
 of evangelical Christians to do what they '^an to remove 
 this stumbling block out of the way. Though living in 
 other portions of the globe, they, too, are involved in the 
 common disgrace, may we not say the sin, of thus repel- 
 ling the nations from Christ, by the exhibition to them of 
 a miserable counterfeit of Christianity, instead of its 
 truth ; and how can they better repair the evil, than by 
 
ENLIGHTENED PRIEST OF THE LAST CENTURY. 5 
 
 laboring, first of all, to persuade that degenerate Church, 
 to return to the simplicity and purity of the gospel of 
 Christ ? 
 
 It is the object of the present work to record the prin- 
 cipal circumstances of the beginning of a reformation, 
 which is still in progress in the Armenian Church, and 
 which, it is hoped, will not cease, until the whole body 
 is cleansed from its multiform errors, and brought entirely 
 back to its allegiance to Christ. This reformation, it will 
 be seen, has been commenced and carried forward to its 
 present point, chiefly through the instrumentality of 
 missionaries of the American Board of Commission- 
 ers for Foreign Missions. A faithful account of this 
 work involves the presentation of some dark pictures of 
 human depravity. It could not be expected that without 
 an opposing effort, Satan would relinquish ground, of 
 which he had retained undisputed possession for so many 
 centuries. And in tracing the doings of God in this his- 
 tory, we must trace the counter-doings of man. In 
 developing the work of the divine Spirit in enlightening 
 men, convincing them of sin, and leading them to repent* 
 ance, we must also develop the desperate struggles of 
 the great adversary of souls, through his emissaries, in 
 opposition to this work, its instruments, and its Author. 
 
 Ninety years ago, or about A. D. 1760, there appeared 
 an Armenian priest in the quarter of Constantinople 
 called Psamatia, by the name of Debajy Oghln, to whom 
 the honor belongs of having made the first attempt in 
 modern days, for the reformation of the Armenian Church. 
 He wrote a book, in which, in a very forcible and fear- 
 less manner, he exposed some of the most glaring errors 
 of his Church. With the history of Luther and the Re- 
 
6 ENLIGHTENED PRIEST OF THE LAST CENTURY. 
 
 formation, he was more or less familiar ; and he speaks 
 in decided terms of approbation of the Reformer ; which, 
 considering the inveterate ignorance and prejudice every- 
 where prevalent in the East on this subject, shows a 
 remarkable degree of enlightenment and independence of 
 mind on the part of the priest. He was a man of much 
 native playfulness and wit, and he castigates both clergy 
 and people with an unsparing hand ; often holding them up 
 to ridicule for their gross inconsistencies both in faith and 
 practice. His constant reference to the Bible, testing 
 every principle and ceremony by that high standard, 
 shows both a reverence for its authority, and familiarity 
 with its teachings. His mind seemed to dwell, chiefly, on 
 the inconsistent conduct of the priests and bishops, and 
 the superstition of the people ; and neither the doctrine of 
 justification by faith, nor the necessity of a Divine influ- 
 ence to secure a real reformation, is anywhere alluded to. 
 Judging from his book, the element of true spiritual reli- 
 gion was wanting in his mind, and this will explain, per- 
 haps, why so little fruit resulted at the time, from his 
 labors. He was convinced of the errors of his Church, 
 but seems not to have seen the truth clearly and dis- 
 tinctly, as it is in Christ Jesus. His book was never 
 printed, and for a long course of years it was buried in 
 apparent oblivion. Even then, however, copies of it were 
 secretly kept by individuals ; and at the beginning of the 
 present reformation in the Armenian Church, they were 
 providentially brought to light, and used to much advan- 
 tage in directing the attention of people to the prevailing 
 errors of the Church. It is possible that the labors of 
 this priest had more to do with preparing the way for 
 
EARLY EFFORTS OF BIBLE SOCIETIES. 7 
 
 this reformation, than can now be proved by any well- 
 authenticated facts. 
 
 As early as the year 1813, both the British and Rus- 
 sian Bible Societies became so much interested in the 
 spiritual condition of the Armenian people, as to make 
 the most active exertions to supply them with the Sacred 
 Scriptures. A translation of the whole Bible, in the 
 ancient Armenian language, made in the fourth century, 
 was found in existence among them, but copies of it were 
 extremely rare, and, of course, proportionably dear. An 
 edition of this version was commenced in St. Petersburgh, 
 by the Russian Society, during the year above mentioned, 
 and about the same time, another edition of the same 
 was put to press in Calcutta, under the auspices of 
 the Calcutta Auxilliary to the British and Foreign Bible 
 Society. In 1815, the former was completed ; consisting 
 of 5000 copies, while the latter, of 2000 copies, was not 
 finished until two years afterwards. The Russian Soci- 
 ety also soon published an edition of two thousand copies 
 of the ancient Armenian New Testament by itself. The 
 Committee of the British Society, in their report for 1814, 
 say that "the printing of the Armenian Testament has 
 awakened great attention among the Armenians, particu- 
 larly in Russia ; and a fervent desire has been manifested 
 on their part, to possess that invaluable treasure. There 
 is good reason to believe that the distribution of the 
 Sacred Scriptures among that widely-scattered people, 
 will, under the blessing of God, be attended with the 
 most beneficial results." It will be remembered that the 
 Emperor Alexander took a lively interest in the objects 
 of the Bible Society, and was, at one time, a most effi- 
 '>ient promoter of it throughout his dominions. A cause 
 
8 EARLY nFFORTS OF BTBLE SOCIETIES. 
 
 which the Emperor favored must of course be popular ; 
 and accordingly we find archbishops and bishops, govern- 
 ors and generals, and nearly all the nobility of the Em- 
 pire, among the patrons and supporters of this institution. 
 Among the rest was Eprem (Ephraim) the Katholicos, or 
 visible spiritual head of the Armenian Church, resident 
 at Echmiadzin, in the Russian dominions, who was 
 elected one of the Vice-Presidents of the Society. A let- 
 ter of his to the President of the Russian Bible Society is 
 still extant, in which he strongly commends the cause in 
 general, and the effort to supply his own people with the 
 Word of Grod in particular. The Armenian Archbishop 
 Nerses of Tiflis, who has succeeded to the office of 
 Katholicos, contributed 600 rubles towards the object, 
 and other leading ecclesiastics followed the same ex- 
 ample. 
 
 During the year 1818, the British and Foreign Bible 
 Society purchased 1500 copies of the ancient Armenian 
 New Testament, from the Armeno-Oatholic College on 
 the island of St. Lazarus, Venice, for distribution at a 
 reduced price, or gratuitously, among the Armenian peo- 
 ple. Subsequently, still larger numbers were procured, 
 from the same quarter, and put in circulation, chiefly 
 among the Armenians of Turkey. And so much encour- 
 agement did they meet with in these labors, that we find 
 the same society, during the year 1823, publishing at 
 Constantinople an edition of 5000 copies of the Armenian 
 New Testament, and of 3000 copies of the four gospels 
 alone ! Nor were these volumes of the Word of Grod long 
 detained to load the shelves of a depository. They were 
 rapidly and widely circulated, first through the agency of 
 Drs. Patterson and Henderson, among the Armenians in 
 
TRANSLATIONS INTO THE VERNACULAR TONGUE. 9 
 
 the Trans-Caucasian provinces of Russia ; and afterwards 
 in Turkey, by the zealous efforts of the Rev. James Con- 
 nor, of the Church Missionary Society, and the Rev. 
 Henry Leeves, and Benjamin Baker, Esq., agents of the 
 British and Foreign Bible Society. From the year 1822, 
 the Reports of this Society also make frequent mention of 
 the services of the Missionaries of the American Board, in 
 efficiently distributing the Word of Grod among the Ar- 
 menians, as well as the other nations of Western Asia. 
 
 An important discovery, however, had already put 
 these Societies upon a new course of labor. The ancient 
 Armenian language was not understood by the mass of 
 the people. True, the teachers of schools, some of the 
 priests and deacons, and all of the higher clergy, having 
 made this language their special study, were prepared to 
 be benefited ; and the importance of supplying these 
 classes only, with the pure Word of God, could hardly 
 be over estimated. As we advance in this history, it will 
 be seen, that, as a matter of fact, the reformation began 
 amons: the teachers. But in order to reach the common 
 people, the Russian Society issued an edition of the New 
 Testament translated into the Armeno-Turkish in 1822, 
 and in the following year, an edition was published by the 
 British Society in the vulgar Armenian tongue. A portion 
 of the Armenians in Turkey have lost entirely the use of 
 their vernacular language, and now speak only the Tur- 
 kish ; and it was for them especially that the first named 
 translation was intended, being in the Turkish language, 
 written with the Armenian character. Although there 
 were many defects in both these translations, yet they 
 were widely circulated, and there can be no doubt that 
 the great Head of the Church honored them, even in that 
 
 I 
 
10 HOSTILITY OF THE PATRIARCH. 
 
 early day, as instruments in preparing the minds of many 
 for the reception of the truths even as it is in Jesics. The 
 latter has been highly useful during the whole course, 
 thus far, of the work of spiritual regeneration among the 
 Armenians of Turkey ; although it has latterly been chief- 
 ly displaced by a revised and greatly improved edition, 
 prepared and printed under the auspices of the British and 
 Foreign Bible Society, by the missionaries of the Ameri- 
 can Board in Smyrna. 
 
 Up to this period, the Armenian ecclesiastics had made 
 no opposition, so far as is known, to the circulation of the 
 Bible among their people, and some of the very highest of 
 them, as has been stated, seemed to favor the project. 
 But when Messrs. Leeves and Barker, agents of the Brit- 
 ish Society, sought the approbation of the Armenian Pa- 
 triarch at Constantinople in 1823, to the printing of a 
 version of the New Testament in the modern Armenian, 
 which nearly all the people could understand, that dig- 
 nitary refused his sanction in the most positive terms ; 
 and threatened, that if such a work were attempted, he 
 would prohibit the perusal of it, and even punish such as 
 should be found with it in their possession ; and the Ar- 
 menian clergy generally, at that time, so far as they were 
 consulted, unanimously reprobated the plan of having 
 such a translation. Here we see the true spirit and poli- 
 cy of the Armenian ecclesiastical authorities ; entirely cor- 
 roborating the statement, that in everything essential 
 they bear the closest affinity with Rome ! 
 
 The first mission of the American Board to "Western 
 Asia, was to Palestine, in the year 1819. The Armenians 
 had then attracted no particular attention from any Mis- 
 sionary Society, and although the Prudential Committee, 
 
ARMENIAN PILGRIMS IN PALESTINE. 11 
 
 at this very time, contemplated the ultimate extension of 
 their missionary labors, to the countries bordering on the 
 Black Sea, and particularly to Armenia, yet no reference 
 whatever was had to the Armenian people, in this first 
 mission to the Holy Land. The very existence of such a 
 race was then known to but few in our country. It must 
 also be mentioned, that in the whole land of Palestine, 
 there were to be found only a mere handful of this class 
 of inhabitants, and yet two events are to be recorded in 
 connection with this mission, which subsequently had a 
 most important bearing upon the work among the Arme- 
 nians of Turkey. Early in 1821, Mr. Parsons, on his first 
 visit to Jerusalem, found there some Armenian pil- 
 grims, with whom he had an interesting conversation on 
 religious subjects. Deeply interested in their appearance, 
 he ventured to suggest the thought of having a mission 
 sent from the American churches to Armenia itself. 
 " We shall rejoice," they replied, " we shall rejoice, and 
 all will rejoice when they arrive." Mr. Fisk, who had 
 accompanied Mr. Parsons as far as Smyrna, soon after 
 wrote from that city to Boston, recommending the ap- 
 pointment of missionaries to Armenia. It is a singular 
 coincidence, that before anything had been heard on the 
 subject from either of these missionaries, some intelligent 
 friends of the Board in Boston, urged the same measure 
 upon the Prudential Committee. From this time onward, 
 neither the missionaries in the Levant, nor the Board at 
 home, ever lost sight of the plan of having a mission 
 ^.mong the Armenians. 
 
 The other event alluded to above, was the conversion, 
 At Beirut, of three Armenian ecclesiastics, as the first 
 <cuits of the labors of our brethren there. Two of them 
 
12 CONVERSION OF THREE ECCLESIASTICS, 
 
 were bishops, and the other a distinguished vartabed, or 
 preacher ; and it is believed that all of them, by their 
 letters to Constantinople, and other parts of Turkey, con- 
 tributed much towards preparing the minds of their fel- 
 low countrymen for that interesting spiritual work which 
 has since been going on among them. Their names 
 were Dionysius, Hagop, and Krikor ; more familiarly 
 known in the letters and journals of the missionaries, as 
 Carabed, Yacob Agha, and Wortabet. The two In.tter 
 have Ions: since been called to their rest. The former, 
 who was almost prophetically named by the missionaries, 
 Carabet, which signifies Forerunner, still survives to 
 witness the wonders G-od hath wrought among his coun- 
 trymen since his own conversion, which was the first 
 among the Armenians, in connectfon with our missions ; 
 though groaning under the pressure of many years, and 
 many infirmities, and ready to exclaim, " Lord, now let- 
 test thou thy servant depart in peace." 
 
 And now we come to a point in the chain of events, 
 where a single link connects these distant movements 
 among Armenians, directly with the true and proper field 
 of the Armenian mission, Mr. King, on leaving Syria, in 
 1825, addressed a farewell letter to the Roman Catholics, 
 stating the reasons why he could not be a Catholic. This 
 letter was translated into the Armenian language, by 
 bishop Dionysius, and a copy in manuscript was sent to 
 some Armenians of distinction in Constantinople. An 
 extraordinary eflfect was produced on the minds of all 
 who read it, and soon a meeting was called in the Arme- 
 nian Patriarchal Church, at which, it is said, the letter 
 was read, and the references to Scripture examined, and, 
 as if by common consent, it was agreed that the Church 
 
PESHTIMAI-JrAN AND IIIS SCHOOL. 18 
 
 needs reform. Ont of this grew, immediately, the 
 fam.ons school of Peshtimajjian. It was established 
 within the precincts of the Patriarchate at Constanti- 
 nople, and one particular object was the education of the 
 clergy; the rule being adopted, that no individual should 
 thereafter be ordained to the priest's office in the Capital, 
 who had not completed a regular course of study at this 
 school. 
 
 Peshtimaljian was, in many respects, an extraordi- 
 nary man. Possessing, naturally, an active and inquis- 
 itive mind, ' and a retentive mem.ory, he always 
 busied himself in gathering knowledge from all sources 
 within his reach, and what he gathered, he never lost. 
 He was a most critical and accurate scholar in the ancient 
 Armenian tongue, and deeply versed in all the lore of his 
 own nation. Though a layman, he made himself famil- 
 iar with the theology of the Eastern and Roman churches, 
 with the doings of their Councils, and with the general 
 history of the Church from the earliest ages. 'He was 
 also a student of the Bible, andcoull quot^ passages from 
 every part of the Old and New Testaments, with wonder- 
 ful fa oil it v and accuracy. Disgusted with the superstitions 
 of his Church, and especially with the low character of 
 many of its clergy, and having had access to the writings 
 of certain French infidels, he seems to have lived for a 
 while under the delusion that all religion is a lie. He 
 was soon, however, brought back to the ground, that the 
 Bible is the true word of God and the only standard of faith. 
 It is believed, that for many years, religion, with him, was 
 more a matter of intellectual inquiry and speculation, 
 than- of divine power ; more a correct system of opinions, 
 Ihan a heart right with G-od. He was cautious in speak- 
 2 
 
f 
 
 14 CilARACTEn or PE3HTIMALJIAN'. 
 
 ing of the errors of the Church, and even timid, and some- 
 tinnes time-gerving in the pi;esence of the bigoted ; but in 
 a silent and unostentatious manner, he gradually led his 
 pupils into new paths of inquiry and investigation ; and 
 almost before they were aware of it themselves, they 
 came to believe that the Church not only may err, but 
 actually does err in many of her teachings. This was the 
 position of things when the mission to the Armenians at 
 Constantinople, was commenced. Afterwards, when the 
 G-ospel began to take effect on the minds of men, 
 and he saw some of his own former pupils, for whom he 
 entertained a high regard, boldly advocating the doctrines 
 of evangelical religion, he became alarmed, and warned 
 them against going too fast and too far. At first, he even 
 ridiculed the idea that an important reformation was 
 practicable in the Armenian community, through the 
 simple preaching of the G-ospel, Indeed, it might be 
 said of him, at this time, as Luther said of Erasmus ; 
 *' What is of man was nearer to his heart than what is of 
 G-od." If his beginning was like Erasmus, however, he 
 was not the same in his end. He subsequently became 
 convinced that his pupils were only carrying out consis- 
 tently, the very principle they had learned of him, and 
 ever after, he strongly, though still privately, encouraged 
 them in their labors for the spiritual regeneration of their 
 countrymen. He Vv^as always a friend of the missiona- 
 ries, and had much intercourse with them, although with 
 some caution, for fear of exciting suspicion. Never, till 
 the day of his death, which occurred in the year 1838, 
 did he so far overcome his native timidity, as openly to 
 avow himself an evangelical man. It is probable the 
 ordeal of persecution would have brought him, as it did 
 
PREPARATION OF MIND. 15 
 
 others like him, to take decided ground in favor of the 
 truth. Up to the tinie of his death, however, there had 
 been no formal separation of the evangelical brethren 
 from the Armenian community, and no open persecution 
 of the followers of Christ. It is impossible to calculate 
 the amount of influence exerted by Peshtimaljian, in 
 preparing the minds of men to receive the true knowledge 
 of the gospel. All the first converts, under the labors of 
 the missionaries of the Board in Constantinople, and 
 many of the later ones, were from among the alumni of 
 his school. 
 
 There can be no doubt, that, owing to the causes that 
 have now been specified, in connection with others more 
 recondite, there did exist in the Armenian mind, in Tur- 
 key, a preparedness for the reception of divine truth, 
 previous to its actual proclamation among them by the 
 American missionaries. This was more evident at the 
 capital than in the provinces, and yet it was more or less 
 true, wherever Armenians were found. More than 
 twenty-five years ago, bishop Dionysius and Krikor Yar- 
 tabed, both of whom had traveled extensively in Asia 
 Minor and Armenia, as well as resided at Constantinople, 
 testified to the missionaries in Beirut, that the minds of 
 the Armenian people were wonderfully inclined towards 
 the pure gospel, and that, should preachers go among 
 them, no doubt thousands would be ready to receive the 
 truth as it is in Jesus Christ. And the correctness of this 
 opinion has been fully attested by all our experience 
 hitherto. The gospel has been preached to Grreeks and 
 Jews in Turkey, as well as to Armenians, but among 
 these classes no such preparation of mind has ever been 
 exhibited. To the Jews, for the most part, it has proved 
 
Ifi PROBAP.H.fTV OF PITTY IN THE ARMENIAN CHURCH. 
 
 "a stiimblinc:-l)]nck," and to the Greeks, ''foolishness;" 
 while to the Armenians it has been " the power of God 
 and the wisdom of God." 
 
 If it be asked, whether, this being the state of things, 
 there is not good ground to suppose that many pious 
 characters were to be found among the Armenians, before 
 the missionaries began their labors, the answer is at hand. 
 The Armenians hafl in their possession the Bible, as we 
 have seen. They had the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ. 
 And although comparatively few ever read that Bible for 
 themselves, and all were educated to receive as true many 
 extraneous things — the mere inventions of man — contra- 
 dictory of the word of God ; yet, who shall dare to limit the 
 Holy One, and say that his Spirit might not make a sav- 
 ing application of the truth that is known — though very 
 imperfectly, and connected with many errors — and train 
 up, here and there, a soul for his kingdom I At least one 
 individual, apparently of this class, was known to us. He 
 was an old man trembling under the burden of.more than 
 fourscore years, and, from education, still clinching to 
 many of the superstitions of his Church ; and yet his mind 
 was fixed on heaven. He appeared very conscientious, 
 and his affections seemed to be "on things above, and not 
 on things on the earth." He conversed about heavenly 
 things with the ease and familiarity of one who had long 
 been habituated to contemplation on such subjects ; and 
 the earth seemed to be kept beneath his feet. He died 
 at the age of eighty-five, and we felt that there was satis- 
 factory ground to hope that death to him was eternal gain. 
 Others there may have been, whom the Lord has known 
 to be his dear children, though v/e have been ignorant of 
 them. We regard these, however, as extremely rare ex- 
 
god's providence and spirit. 17 
 
 ceptions to a general rule. And even in these isolated 
 cases, there was so much " wood, hay, and stubble," mixed 
 up with the silver and gold of their foundation, that the 
 individuals could emphatically be said to be saved " so as 
 by fire." Not a solitary case of fully enlightened Chris- 
 tian piety have we known, in the whole Armenian Church, 
 where the subject of it received his teaching in connection 
 with that Church alone. And, in general, the highest 
 degree of preparation of mind with which we have been 
 conversant, has been a conviction that some of the doc- 
 trines and observances of the Church are erroneous or su- 
 perfluous, and a remarkable candor in listening to state- 
 ments contradictory of their previous notions, and as 
 wonderful a readiness to receive and act upon the plain 
 teaching of the Word of G-od, as soon as known, though 
 with one blow it swept away the whole of that splendid 
 and imposing fabric of superstition which had required 
 the ingenuity and toil of many ages to erect. 
 
 The common people, when left to themselves, and un- 
 intimidated by the clergy, have almost everywhere heard 
 the word with gladness : and this has been the case with 
 many of the parochial priests, except where they have 
 been made to dread the wrath of their superiors. And in 
 stating the causes that- have combined to produce this 
 remarkable preparation of mind, we desire most distinctly 
 to recognize an overruling and ever active Providence, in 
 so ordering events as to bring these causes into being, and 
 make them bear with concentrated force upon the Arme- 
 nian race at this particular time ; and also an omnipresent 
 and almighty Spirit, combining and cooperating with Pro- 
 vidence, so as to produce the desired effect upon the minds 
 and hearts of this people. It may truly be said in regard 
 
18 god's providence and spirit. 
 
 to the Armenians, that the " fulness of time" had come, 
 when preachers of the gospel from the western world were 
 sent among them to call them to the word, the service, 
 and the glory of Christ. And as we proceed in this his- 
 tory, it will become more and more evident, that Grod has 
 been among them in very deed, working outwardly by his 
 Providence, and inwardly by his Spirit ; thus encouraging 
 the brightest hopes of what they are one day to become as 
 a people, and of what they are to do, instrumentally, in 
 conferring the temporal and spiritual blessings of Chris- 
 tianity on all the nations and races around. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 Exploring Tour — Mr. Goodell's Removal to Constantinople — Interview 
 with the Patriarch — Arrival of Messrs. D wight and Schauffler — Obstacles 
 — Schools and Preaching — Intercourse with the Clergy — Pestilence and 
 War — First Inquirer and Convert — Opposition — Good from Evil — Or- 
 dination of Priests — Der Kevork — Removal of the Press to Smyrna — 
 Spirit's Presence — High School — Arrival of Messrs. Schneider and 
 Johnston — Station at BrQsa — Do. at Trebizond — Prosperity at Constan- 
 tinople — Friendly Intercourse with Clergy — Character of Patriarch and 
 his Vicar — Opposition to High School — Bishop Matteos — Arrival of Mr. 
 Powers — Book Distribution — Ecclesiastical Inquirers — Evangelical Ser- 
 mons — Hostile Manifestation — Romish Influence — Character of the Work 
 — Female Education — Missionary Tours — Arrival of Mr. Jackson. 
 
 In the year 1829, it was resolved by the Prudential 
 Committee of the American Board of Commissioners for 
 Foreign Missions, to establish a mission among the Ar- 
 menians of Turkey. But first, it was desirable to have a 
 correct view of the whole ground, and especially of Ar- 
 menia itself, the proper country of the Armenian people. 
 Accordingly, the Rev. Eli Smith, of the Syrian mission, 
 and the writer, were deputed to explore this field. The 
 tour was commenced in the spring of 1830, and occupied 
 somewhat more than a year ; and a mass of new infor- 
 mation was obtained, both in regard to the Armenians and 
 the Nestorians. vrhieh has since been of essential service 
 
20 1NTERV[E\V AVITII THE PATRIAKCJf. 
 
 ill prosecuting iiiissionury operations in that part of the 
 world.*' 
 
 Early in the year 1831, the Rev. W. Gfoodell, formerly 
 at Beirut, but then at Malta, was instructed to proceed to 
 Constantinople with his family, in order to commence a 
 new station there, with special reference to the Armenians. 
 They arrived on the 9th of June of the same year. Mr. 
 Goodell had already, while in Syria, devoted himself to 
 the study of the Turkish language, with a view to labor- 
 ing for the spiritual good of ilrmeaian pilgrims to Jerus i- 
 lem. Tie had superintended the translation of the Ne^v 
 Testament into Armeno^Turkish, and carried the first edi- 
 tion through the press at Malta ; and had commenced the 
 translation of the Old Testament into the same language. 
 He had also, while temporarily in Malta, translated and 
 printed several religious tracts in the same. Very shortly 
 after his arrival at the Turkish capital, he called upon tho 
 Armenian Patriarch, and sought his cooperation in estab- 
 lishing schools on an improved plan among the people. 
 The Patriarch received him. with true oriental politeness, 
 as he had done Mr. Smith an;l myself the year previous, 
 and promised to furnish some schoolmasters, or priests, to 
 learn the new system of instruction, so as to be able to 
 open schools. It is to be feared that this promise, which 
 was never kept, had as little meaning as the declaration 
 that he loved Mr. Goodell and his country so much, that 
 if Mr. Gr. had not come to visit him, he must needs have 
 gone to America ! 
 
 Providential circumstances interrupted Mr. (xoodell's 
 
 * The results orUiis tour, are embodied in a work nntitlel, R \s >ar-hes of 
 the Rev. E. Smith and R^v. H G. O Dvvight in Armenia, Sco. i'ubiisned 
 by Ci-ockcr & Ei-ev.'btcr, Boston, 1S33, 
 
OBSTACLES. 21 
 
 first plans for the good of the Armenians, and for a season 
 cut off ahnost all intercourse with this people. In the 
 meantime, the (irreeks were thrown in his way, and for a 
 year or more, nearly his whole time was devoted to them. 
 Two individuals, however, belonging to that portion of the 
 Armenians who had gone over to Rome, sought frequent 
 intercourse with him, and seemed deeply interested in the 
 study of the Scriptures. 
 
 On the 0th of June, 1832, the writer took up his per- 
 manent residence at Constantinople, with his family, being 
 appointed to labor among the Armenians.'^ The mission- 
 aries encountered all the usual disadvantages and obstacles 
 of a new field. Difficult languages were to be mastered ; 
 the habitual modes of thinking and feeling, prevailing 
 among the people, were to be learned ; and the best. 
 methods of gaining access to them, and securing their 
 confidence. It was plain that an immense fabric of su- 
 perstition had been erected in the place of simple gospel 
 truth, and it seemed to excite the reverence and awe of 
 the people, in proportion as it had grown hoary with age. 
 But it was not so easy to see how two foreigners, from a far 
 off and almost unknown country, with no established 
 character in the place, and, indeed, coming in such a way 
 as very naturally to excite suspicion, should make their 
 first attempts to persuade the people that all their present 
 grounds of religious confidence were delusive, and that 
 they (the missionaries) had come to teach them a better 
 way — the true and only way of salvation. 
 
 * The Rev. W. G. Schaiiffler joined the Constantinople Station the last of 
 July of the same year. Although his labors have been conhned cliiefly to 
 the Jews, yet his influence in promoting the work of reform among the Ar- 
 menians has been of the greatest importance, in various ways. 
 9* 
 
22 SCHOOLS AND PREACHING. 
 
 The circumstances ot tne case seemed to compel us to 
 make our first regular effort in the educational depart- 
 ment. We had a press in Malta, and the New Testament 
 and several tracts had already been printed in a language 
 spoken by the Armenians. But of what use were books, 
 when people could not read ? And besides, it seemed to 
 us plain, that, under existing circumstances, a very im- 
 portant means of procuring access to the people, in the 
 outset of our labors, was through educational institutions. 
 At the same time, we felt called upon to make known the 
 way of salvation to all men, as the Lord gave us opportu- 
 nity, and as we had ability to use their language. And in 
 this department we were fully satisfied that the great 
 burden of our preaching should be, not the superstitions 
 of the Church, but " Jesus Christ and him crucified." 
 From the beginning onward, we have acted on the prin- 
 ciple, that the easiest, safest, and best way to break dov,"n 
 error, is to build up the truth. With the ecclesiastics of 
 the Armenian Church, we endeavored to maintain friendly 
 intercourse, and to secure their cooperation in our educa- 
 tional efforts. With this view, we made repeated attempts 
 to interest the Patriarch in the object, as well as other 
 high dignitaries of the Church. The Patriarch always 
 professed great readiness to act in the matter, but in 
 reality never moved a finger, and the others were always 
 waiting to see what he would do ; and of course nothing 
 was done by any of them. 
 
 But here other obstacles arose which had not been an 
 ticipated. First came the plague, with terrific violence 
 scattering dismay and death around. This was succeeded 
 by the cholera ; and this again by civil war, which shook 
 the capital and endangered the throne. Of course, but 
 
FIRST INaUIRER AND CONVERT. 23 
 
 Utile intercourse could be had with the people at such a 
 time. We were employed chiefly in our own house during 
 the remainder of the year, pursuing the study of languages, 
 and preparing elementary cards and books for schools. 
 The year 18o3 opened with brighter prospects for the 
 mission. The number of Armenian visitors had been 
 gradually increasing, though the greater part seemed to 
 come from motives of curiosity. In January, a young 
 teacher, of modest and intelligent appearance, presented 
 himself. He inquired very particularly about our views 
 of religion ; and there was an air of sincerity and serious- 
 ness in his deportment, altogether peculiar, and w^hich pre- 
 possessed us very strongly in his favor. Within a w^eek he 
 repeated his call, and then for the first time unburdened 
 his mind. He was seeking the salvation of his soul : he 
 was also strongly desirous of doing something effectual for 
 the regeneration of the whole Armenian community. 
 From his youth up, he had ardently thirsted for knowledge. 
 In the year 1829, he became a pupil of the famous school 
 of Peshtimaljian. He had previously commenced the 
 reading of the New Testament, a cheap copy of which his 
 father had purchased, and, to some extent, he had com- 
 pared its teachings with the principles and practices of 
 those called Christians around him. He now consulted 
 his beloved preceptor in regard to every passage that 
 seemed to him dark and unintelligible, and was delighted 
 to find Peshtimaljian so ready to sympathise in his views, 
 and aid him in his investigations. The following year he 
 found a friend, who was also a teacher, to whom he ventured 
 "Gradually to open his mind, and who, after some opposition, 
 was brought to embrace like views of religion with him- 
 self. Often did they commune together on this subject, 
 
24 FiltsT lAUUJREK AM) COiWERT. 
 
 and jjray together lur their own saivation and that of their 
 fellow-countrymen. At .that tune, they were not aware of 
 the existence of a single nation in the world, having a 
 knowledge of the pure Gospel. They were in a w^aiting 
 posture, earnestly hoping and praying that the Lord would 
 by some means solve their doubts, and enable them to 
 accomplish their designs and purposes. For two years 
 and a half, they remained in suspense, still ignorant of 
 many things pertaining to the gospel of Christ, and not 
 even discerning clearly their own lost and ruined condition, 
 and the great doctrine of salvation by grace alone ; and 
 yet wholly dissatisfied with the teachings and practices 
 of their Church, and longing for some solid ground of hope 
 and peace ; and, by their constant study of the Word of 
 Grod, and by prayer, gradually making progress in the 
 knowledge of the Gospel of Christ. The restless activity 
 of the enemy hastened the solution of their difficulties. 
 It was noised abroad in the city, that two missionaries 
 from America were residing in a village on the Bosphorus, 
 who W'cre preparing to open schools among the Armenians, 
 ostensibly for a good purpose, but really to spread infi- 
 delity. The report, though designed to prevent inter- 
 course with the missionaries, was the means of sending 
 the first of these two inquirers to our house. His name is 
 Hohannes Sahakian, and the manner of his first visit and 
 his personal appearance, has already been partially de- 
 scribed. Our first interview with this individual may be 
 considered as an era in the history of the mission. He 
 soon became a most efficient instrument in promoting the 
 truth, as he has continued to ba up to the present time ; 
 and never, from that moment, have we been without the 
 most satisfactory evidence of the special presence of the 
 
OPPOSETION. 25 
 
 Holy Spirit among the Armenian people. On the 18th of 
 July, 1833, Mr. Sahakian and his companion, in a very 
 solemn manner, committed themselves to our instruction 
 and guidance. " We," said they, " are in a miserable 
 condition, and we need your help. We need your counsel 
 and advice. We are in the fire, and we want you to put 
 forth your hands and pull us out. Here are two roads ; 
 one, the road of light and peace, that leads to heaven ; the 
 other, the broad way of darkness, sin, and death, in which 
 we have always been walking. We want you to direct 
 us so that we may know how to choose the narrow way 
 that leads to life." We blessed God who had put such 
 longing desires into their hearts, and was thus giving us 
 an opportunity of directing sinners to him. Nor could we 
 doubt, that Providence called us to take these two indi- 
 viduals under our care and instruction, with special refer- 
 ence to the revival of pure religion among their country- 
 men. One of them was employed as a translator of the 
 mission, and the other as teacher of a school for Armenian 
 youth. These labors occupied only a part of each day, 
 and the remainder was devoted to the study of the Eng- 
 lish language and the Bible. They soon found, that to be 
 true Christians was something more than they had yet 
 imagined. They began to fear and tremble, lest they 
 should build their hopes upon a wrong foundation. These 
 were to them days of heart-searching and sorrow ; but, 
 by the mercy of Grod, they were soon brought into the 
 clear light of the G-ospel, and led to trust, with a calm and 
 joyful confidence, in Jesus Christ as the only and all-suf- 
 ficient Saviour. 
 
 The next entry to be made upon this historic page, is 
 the record of opposition. The love of Christ in the heart 
 2 
 
26 GOOD FROM EVIL. 
 
 will show itself in the life. The soul that hopes joyfully 
 that sin is pardoned and heaven sure, will labor to put 
 others in possession of the same precious blessing. And 
 where, in this world, was such an effort faithfully made 
 and true religion revived, without stirring up the powers 
 of darkness in one way or another, to oppose ? By secret 
 clerical interference, both Armenian and Roman, the 
 school was broken up. Immediately after, an Armenian 
 jeweller of great respectability and influence, and withal, 
 strongly attached to the doctrines and rites of his Church, 
 had his mind wrought up into a state of great alarm, in 
 reference to the course of these two young men, by the 
 secret insinuations of a Roman priest. They were repre- 
 sented as being the hired tools of certain foreigners, em- 
 ployed to seduce the people, and lead them into dangerous 
 heresy. The jeweller prevailed upon Peshtimaljian to 
 summon the delinquents before him, in order to examine 
 them as to the alleged heresy. He himself was present, 
 and began the examination with great sternness and se- 
 verity ; charging them with violating their obligations to 
 the Church, and dishonoring G-od. They were proceeding 
 to vindicate themselves, when Peshtimaljian took the 
 business wholly out of their hands, and poured upon the 
 astonished jeweller such a flood of light, from history as 
 well as Scripture, to show that their Church is wrong, and 
 in many things idolatrous, that even the young men 
 themselves were amazed. They afterwards had an oppor- 
 tunity of speaking for themselves, Peshtimaljian aiding 
 them in their references to the Scriptures whenever their 
 own memories failed ; and the result was, that the jew- 
 eller was not only entirely satisfied that they were in the 
 right, but immediately became himself an open and pow- 
 
ORDINATION OF PRIESTS. 21 
 
 erful advocate of the Evangelical doctrines. Nor was 
 this the only good that resulted from the hostile efforts of 
 the officious Roman priest. The circumstance of the 
 closing of the school, became a subject of some notoriety, 
 and inquiry was elicited as to the cause, and some minds 
 were put upon a new train of thought in regard to the 
 differences existing, or alleged to exist, between the 
 Scriptures and the Church. The conversion of a least one 
 prominent individual, besides the jeweller, may be dated 
 from this period. This was Mr. Sarkis Yarjabed, teacher 
 of grammar in the school of Peshtimaljian ; a man held 
 in high repute as a scholar in the ancient language of the 
 Armenians, and possessed of many amiable and valuable 
 qualities, and who afterwards became highly useful as a 
 translator in connection with the mission. 
 
 Early in the autumn of 1833, the missionaries were 
 invited to witness the ordination of fifteen Armenian 
 priests at the Patriarchal church in Constantinople. None 
 had been ordained for many years, in consequence of tho 
 new rule already alluded to, that only such as had re- 
 ceived a regular education at the school of Peshtimaljian 
 should be eligible for ordination. Accordingly, nearly all ;* 
 the candidates on the present occasion were comparatively 
 well educated men ; and one of them had a high reputation 
 for learning. He had a peculiarly serious and devout ap- 
 pearance, and when, some days afterwards, we called upon 
 him in his seclusion, in one of the cloisters of the Patri- 
 archate, he seemed deeply impressed by the remarks made 
 to him on the solemn responsibilities resting upon the 
 office-bearers of the Church of Christ. On taking our 
 leave, he feelingly begged an interest in our prayers, and 
 when Mr. G-oodell immediately uttered an audible sup- 
 
28 REMOVAL OF THE PRESS TO SMYRNA. 
 
 plication for the descent of the Holy Spirit upon him, his 
 whole appearance indicated that his soul gave a deep re- 
 sponse to the petition. This was Der Kevork, a man 
 whose subsequent influence in promoting the reformation 
 was highly important, as will appear in the course of this 
 history. 
 
 Up to this period, the missionary press had remained 
 in Malta, and had been chiefly employed in printing in 
 Grreek and Italian ; and the few books that had been pre- 
 pared for the Armenians, were all, with one exception, in 
 the Armeno-Turkish language. It now became obvious, 
 that for the full prosecution of the work among the Ar- 
 menians, the press must be employed much more vigor- 
 ously than heretofore, and it was equally plain, that for 
 this, its removal to Turkey was indispensably requisite. 
 Arrangements were made accordingly, and on the 23d of 
 December, 1833, the Rev. D. Temple, and Mr. Homan 
 Hallock, missionary printer, arrived in Smyrna with the 
 press, accompanied by bishop Dionysius, as Armenian 
 translator. Every inch of ground, however, gained by 
 Protestantism in the country, must be stoutly contested, 
 and it was not to be expected that so important an ad- 
 vantage as the establishment of a Protestant press, would 
 be quietly yielded without a struggle. A combination of 
 Armenian and Roman influences, induced the Pasha per- 
 emptorily to order Mr. Temple's departure from Smyrna 
 with only ten days' notice. Different motives actuated 
 the different parties united in this hostile movement. 
 The Romanists opposed, because of their settled hostility 
 to Protestantism, and especially to a free Protestant press. 
 The Armenians, on the other hand, were greatly excited 
 and scandalized, by the appearance among them of one of 
 
29 
 
 their own bishops, who had taken a wife, against the rules 
 of the Church, and had entirely gone over to the Protest- 
 ant religion. An ex-patriarch of the Armenians then re- 
 siding at Smyrna, and who had long been a personal 
 enemy of bishop Dionysius, made himself very active in 
 these violent proceedings. The Pasha, who had acted 
 hastily and under a misapprehension of the facts in the 
 ca&3, revoked his order, on hearing the explanations of 
 the American Consul ; but it was thought best that the 
 bishop should return to Beirut, where he had formerly 
 resided. 
 
 The indications of the special presence of the Holy 
 Spirit became more numerous and decisive, and from 
 many indubitable signs, it became more and more evident 
 that God was about to do a great work among the Ar- 
 menian people. A half a dozen Armenians and a few 
 Greeks, had been in the habit of meeting weekly at Mr. 
 Goodell's for religious instruction. These meetings had 
 been gradually increasing in solemnity and interest. On 
 the first Monday of January, 1834, the monthly concert 
 was observed, for the first time, in the Turkish language. 
 Intelligence was communicated from the missions, and 
 every heart seemed deeply interested, and many eyes were 
 suffused with tears. Our native brethren there received 
 ji new impulse to go on with their labors for the salvation 
 of their own countrymen. The number steadily increased 
 of those who frequented the houses of the missionaries, 
 and the main topics of inquiry, instead of being about 
 the manners and customs of people in America ; about 
 the arts and sciences ; or about the external forms and 
 ceremonies of religion, as had been too much the case, 
 became deeply practical and spiritual, relating directly 
 
30 HIGH SCHOOL AT PERA. 
 
 to the salvation of the soul. In the course of the year, 
 two or three priests in Constantinople were awakened, 
 and. thoroughly convinced of the truth of the Evangelical 
 system. The Bible was much sought for and read ; many 
 eyes were opened to see the folly of their own supersti- 
 tions ; and a few, it is believed, were added to the num- 
 ber of sincere believers in Jesus Christ. The two young 
 men whose interesting history has been briefly given, and 
 who became our native assistants, were active in spread- 
 ing the truth, and exerted no small amount of instru- 
 mentality in bringing about the results that followed. 
 
 Every effort made to induce the Armenian Ecclesias- 
 tical authorities to take the lead in enlarging and im- 
 proving their schools having proved a failure, the mission 
 at length determined to establish, independently, a High 
 School in Pera, a suburb of Constantinople, having three 
 principal objects in view. The first was, to educate pro- 
 mising boys and young men in useful branches, with the 
 hope that in this way some at least would be prepared to 
 take a leading part in the reform of their Church ; the 
 second, to stimulate the Armenians to efforts in this de- 
 partment by a practical exhibition of the benefits of edu- 
 cation ; and the third, to furnish a model school for them 
 to imitate. The school was opened, October 27, 1834, 
 under the superintendence of Mr. Paspati, a native of 
 Scio, who had been educated in America, and who, by 
 his religious character, as well as his intellectual train- 
 ing, proved himself to be well fitted for this post. 
 
 The accession of additional laborers from America to 
 the Armenian field, is another in the combination of 
 circumstances giving importance to the present year. 
 The Rev. John B. Adger joined the Smyrna station during 
 
STATION AT BRUSA. 31 
 
 the month of October, 1834, with instructions to devote 
 himself to the Armenian branch of the mission. Two 
 new stations were occupied, one at Brusa, and the other at 
 Trebizond ; the former by the Rev. B. Schneider, and the 
 latter by the Rev. T. P. Johnston. Brusa is situated in 
 the ancient province of Bithynia, at the foot of Mount 
 Olympus, and is computed to have a population of about 
 eighty or ninety thousand souls, five or six thousand of 
 w^hom are Armenians. 
 
 Mr. Schneider arrived here with his family on the 15th 
 of July, 1834. He had previously visited the place from 
 Constantinople, in company with Mr. G-oodell, and had 
 left Mr. Hohannes Sahakian there to open a school among 
 the Armenians on the Lancasterian plan. So far as 
 could be seen on this first visit, both the Armenians and 
 the Greeks were ready to give him a hearty welcome. 
 On his return, however, he found the appearance of 
 things somewhat changed, owing, as usual, to the hostil- 
 ity of some of the Ecclesiastics. The Greek Bishop 
 forbade his people furnishing the missionary with a house, 
 although one had previously been pledged to him by a 
 prominent member of the Greek community. The inde- 
 pendence of the owner enabled Mr. Schneider to secure a 
 residence in spite of the bishop. 
 
 The room for the Armenian school, and the apparatus 
 were in readiness, but ecclesiastical interference for 
 awhile delayed the opening of the school. The vartabed 
 of the Armenian Church, was the leading opposer, and he 
 intimidated the people by telling them that " it was a 
 Protestant concern, and that the children sent there 
 would all become Lutherans." Several meetings of the 
 Armenian Ecclesiastics and principal laymen were held, 
 
32 STATION AT TREBIZOND. 
 
 and after much discussion and some altercation, it was 
 decided to suffer the school to go on. On the first day, it 
 was visited by some of the Armenian primates, accom- 
 panied by the vartabed, all of whom pronounced it "good." 
 The same day, the names of seventy children were 
 enrolled as pupils. Mr. Schneider's labors were at first 
 divided between the Armenians and the G-reeks. 
 
 Trebizond, the second new station occupied, is situated 
 near the southeastern extremity of the Black Sea, and is 
 supposed to be the precise spot where Xenophon, with 
 his retreating army, first touched the sea. It has about 
 15,000 inhabitants, 1,250 of whom are Armenians. Its 
 chief importance as a missionary station, arises from the 
 fact of its being the principal sea-port of ancient Armenia, 
 and its consequent influence over the proper country of the 
 Armenian race. Mr. Johnston first visited it in November, 
 1834. Through priestly interference, he was foiled in 
 three successive attempts to procure a house, and at last, 
 he only secured a contract for one, on condition that he 
 should obtain a firman from Constantinople, permitting 
 him to reside there. Through the kind interposition of 
 Commodore Porter, the United States Minister at the 
 Porte, a Yizierial letter was procured ordering the Pasha 
 of Trebizond to see that Mr. .lohnston suffered no further 
 molestation in regard to a place of residence ; and he 
 removed there with his family in the spring of 1835. 
 The breaking out of the plague, however, prevented him 
 from having much intercourse with the people for some 
 months. 
 
 At the capital, the number of those who declared 
 themselves Protestants rapidly increased. Not only in 
 the city proper, but throughout the suburbs and the 
 
PROSPERITY AT CONSTANTINOPLE. 33 
 
 villages on the Bosphorus, wherever Armenians were 
 found, there was an increasing disposition to talk on reli- 
 gious subjects. In every circle where only three or four 
 even were found in company, some were sure to be 
 present who did not hesitate to avow the sentiment, that 
 the Bible is the only infallible guide in matters of 
 religion. And this was often done fearlessly, even though 
 some of those present were very bigoted Armenians. The 
 testimonies of the Lord proved indeed " wonderful," as 
 the Psalmist says, in breaking down prejudice and 
 removing the rubbish of centuries from the mind : " The 
 entrance of thy words giveth light ; it giveth understand- 
 ing to the simple." It was our privilege to witness con- 
 stantly the most striking illustrations of this among the 
 people around us. As much as in us lay, we avoided 
 controversy about forms and ceremonies ; and instead of 
 
 , attacking directly the superstitions of the Church, we 
 rather determined to "know nothing but Christ and him 
 crucified." And it was truly marvellous how rapidly 
 darkness was dissipated from the mind ; and deep seated 
 error, and inveterate bigotry, and a host of evil habits of 
 thought, and wayward dispositions, which seemed to 
 present insuperable barriers to reform, all vanished before 
 the simple truth of Grod as it is found in his word. Not 
 all, however, whose minds were somewhat awakened 
 were led ultimately to decide in favor of the truth ; and 
 not all who fully renounced the errors of their Church, 
 were led to feel the saving power of the Grospel on their 
 hearts. Still it was a point of immense importance, 
 that so many were ready to assent to the principle that 
 
 ... the Bible, and not the Church, is the infallible religious 
 teacher ; and, in addition to this, cases of true spiritual 
 
t 
 
 34 PROSPERITY AT CONSTANTINOPLE. 
 
 conversion were every now and then occurring. Among 
 these may be placed Der Kevork, the most learned of the 
 fifteen priests, whose ordination we witnessed. He then 
 had charge of a school of about 400 boys, supported by 
 the Armenians themselves, and in no way connected 
 with the missionaries. He soon introduced the custom 
 of reading the Scriptures daily, and explaining them to 
 the whole school ; and he also formed a class of twenty 
 of his most promising scholars, for the critical study of 
 the New Testament under his immediate direction. 
 
 One room in Mr. G-oodell's house was always open for 
 Armenians to come together and pray for the outpouring 
 of the Holy Spirit, on themselves and their " brethren, 
 their kindred according to the flesh." One at least of the 
 native brethren, being unmarried, established family 
 prayer in his father's household ; reading the Scriptures 
 and praying daily with his mother and younger brother. 
 This was in the summer of 1835, and, so far as we 
 know, was the first instance of the kind among the 
 Armenians. He also held a prayer meeting every 
 evening, with a few of the students of the High School, 
 and a Bible class on the Sabbath. The High School 
 had now increased from three to thirty pupils, and it 
 had also grown greatly in favor with the people. The 
 English, French, Italian, Armenian, Turkish, Grreek, and 
 Hebrew languages were taught, as well as the mathe- 
 matics, geography, &c., and lectures were given, illus- 
 trated by experiments, on various branches of the natural 
 sciences. Mr. Paspati having left for Paris, Mr. 
 Hohannes Sahakian was appointed to the superintendency 
 of the school, assisted by several other teachers. Visitors 
 of all classes were numerous, sometimes even incor]. 
 
CHARACTER OF THE VICAR. 35 
 
 veniently so, and the lectures were attended by many 
 deeply-interested spectators. 
 
 Externally friendly relations were still preserved with 
 the ecclesiastical authorities of the Armenian Church. 
 That they did not openly oppose us, was not because they 
 were not frequently and loudly warned by the emis- 
 saries of the Church of Rome ; nor because there were 
 none among them whose feelings were decidedly and 
 strongly inimical. One cause of their forbearance was, 
 no doubt, the sudden popularity of the Bible cause among 
 high and low of the people ; so that they were unable to 
 divine how much strength might be arrayed against 
 them, should they seriously set themselves to work to 
 oppose the spread of the truth. Another, was the impos- 
 sibility of agreeing among themselves exactly what 
 measures of opposition to adopt. The Patriarch at this 
 time, Stepan by name — the second that had been upon 
 the throne since the establishment of the mission — ^was a 
 man of mild and peaceable character, and not at all inclined 
 to adopt severe measures. We had not infrequent inter- 
 course with him, and he uniformly treated us with 
 marked attention and respect. In the month of August, 
 one of the highest of the Armenian primates, at whose 
 house the Patriarch was a guest, sent a special invitation 
 to the author to meet him there. The Patriarch ex- 
 pressed great delight at seeing me, and, turning to the 
 circle of Armenians present, said: " This is our friend.''^ 
 "We have long since learned, however, that such expres- 
 sions in the East are generally to be understood as hav- 
 ing very little meaning. The vicar of the Patriarch, 
 Boghos, while he was too well informed to be really 
 bigoted, nevertheless found motives enough to urge him to 
 
CHARACTER OF THE VICAR. 
 
 take hostile steps against the spreading reformation ; 
 though as yet he was sufficiently wise to do nothing 
 openly. In an interview with the jeweler whose case 
 has been mentioned, a question came up in reference to 
 some passage of Scripture, when the latter took a copy of 
 the New Testament from his pocket in order to refer to it. 
 The Yicar immediately reproved him for carrying about 
 with him a New Testament, and said : "If you, a man 
 of so much importance and influence, take such liberties, 
 what will not the common people do ?" Some days 
 afterward, he said to a merchant, who was an evangel- 
 ical man, though probably not known to the Vicar as 
 such : " I see that all the people are running after the 
 Bible, and I do not know what it is all coming to ; but if 
 there is to be an overturning in the Armenian Church, I 
 shall be very happy if it comes after my day." In 
 February, 1835, he became so anxious in regard to the 
 spread of Protestantism, that he privately sent one of his 
 priests to visit our High School. The priest took the 
 number and names of the scholars, the names of their 
 parents, &c., and by order of his superior, he removed 
 one of his own sons who was among the pupils. The 
 Vicar himself also took occasion to question, very closely, 
 one of the scholars whom he met in the church, as to his 
 studies, and the instructions given to him by the Amer- 
 icans, &c., &c. There can be no doubt, that he now 
 meditated some decisive steps in order to put a stop, if 
 possible, to the school ; but either its great popularity, or 
 some other consideration, deterred him. Several high 
 vartabeds and bishops of the Armenian Church some of 
 whom had been known to us for years, were at this time 
 on terms of friendly intimacy with the missionaries. It 
 
BISHOP MATTEOS. 37 
 
 was not at all uncommon for them to express the 
 decided conviction, that the truth was with us ; and some 
 few of them seemed, at times, almost on the point of 
 yielding their hearts to its influence. In general, how- 
 ever, they were men of no fixed religious principles ; 
 ready to be turned in any direction, according to the 
 wishes of a few influential men, on whose favor their ad- 
 vancement in office and emolument depended. Of 
 course it can easily be understood, how men of this char- 
 acter, whether actually in a station of power, or only 
 seeking or expecting such a post, should one day exhibit 
 great friendliness towards us, and the next, in order to 
 please some rich and influential bigot among the people, 
 assume an attitude of hostility. 
 
 An illustration of this is found in the conduct of Mat" 
 teos, the newly appointed bishop of Brusa. He was for- 
 merly situated in a village on the Bosphorus, and was one 
 of the earliest friends of our mission, among the higher 
 Armenian Ecclesiastics, having imbibed many enlightened 
 views of the truth. Even after his removal to Brusa, he 
 expressed to us, by letter, the most friendly sentiments ; 
 and when Mr. Schneider called upon him, soon after his 
 arrival, he avowed, in very decided terms, his approbation 
 of the school, recently established by the mission in 
 Brusa. Not many months elapsed, however, before this 
 school was entirely broken up, through the influence of 
 this same prelate, who also endeavored, in other ways, to 
 circumscribe the operations of the missionaries. His sub- 
 sequent hostile acts in Brusa, will be noticed in their 
 proper place ; as well as more recent ones, in a wider 
 sphere, and of a far more extended and important influ- 
 ence. On account of the melancholy interest connected 
 
38 BOOK DISTRIBUTION. 
 
 with the history of this man, it is well that the reader 
 should here be apprised, that he is the individual who after- 
 wards made himself so notorious as, Matteos Patriarch, 
 
 THE persecutor OF THE PrOTESTANTS IN TuRKEY. 
 
 The Brusa station was strengthened by the arrival of 
 the Rev. P. 0. Powers and wife, in February, 1835. 
 Being intended for the Armenian department of the mis- 
 sion, in the month of October he took up his abode in the 
 Armenian quarter of the town, — Mr. Schneider continuing 
 to reside among the G-reeks. From this station, within 
 the first eighteen months after its establishment, more than 
 a thousand copies of the Scriptures, and more than fifteen 
 hundred school books were distributed, besides a consider- 
 able number of religious tracts, many of them having 
 been carried to remote places in the interior. It is true 
 that most of these books were in the G-reek language, our 
 press not having as yet furnished many for the Arme- 
 nians ; and yet, many copies of the New Testament, both 
 in the Armeno-Turkish, and the modern Armenian, were 
 numbered among them. 
 
 The preparation of books and tracts in these last-named 
 languages, became more and more an object of attention, 
 and Mr. Hallock, the missionary printer, visited the United 
 States to superintend the manufacture, at New York, of 
 punches for making Armenian type for the press in 
 Smyrna ; and the liberal sum of five thousand dollars 
 was appropriated to this object, and for the purchase of 
 materials for a foundry and printing office, by the Pru- 
 dential Committee. Mr. Sarkis, one of the pious Arme- 
 nians in Constantinople, and an eminent scholar in his 
 own language and literature, removed to Smyrna, to be 
 
VISIT TO THE PATRIARCH 39 
 
 employed as translator, in connection with the press, 
 under the superintendence of Mr. Adger. 
 
 On new year's day, 1836, Mr. Groodell and myself called 
 on Stepan, the Armenian Patriarch, accompanied hy Mr. 
 Homes, who joined the Constantinople station, near the 
 close of December. When the Patriarch was informed that 
 Mr. Homes had recently arrived from Paris, he enquired 
 after European nev/s. Among other things, Mr. H. stated, 
 that in Spain and Portugal a great change had recently 
 taken place in one respect, namely, that now the Sacred 
 Scriptures may be circulated freely among the people. 
 At this the Patriarch expressed great astonishment, and 
 asked, with much earnestness : '* Are they not Christians 
 there ?" The incident is related chiefly as an illustration 
 of the character of the high dignitary who put this ques- 
 tion. There is no reason to doubt his sincerity, and yet, 
 a predecessor on the same throne, did prohibit the circula- 
 tion of the Scriptures in the vulgar tongue, and so also 
 his two successors in office have done, as well as the 
 great Synod of the whole Armenian Church at Echmiad- 
 zin. It must be regarded as a great providential favor, 
 that, in this stage of the reformation, a man of so quiet 
 and peaceable a disposition, and so little disposed to 
 interfere with the private rights of conscience, was called 
 to occupy this important post. This same individual, 
 some years afterwards, in another sphere, was induced by a 
 regard to certain rich and powerful members of the com- 
 munity, to sanction, by official acts, such measures of op- 
 pression and persecution, as would now have been per- 
 fectly abhorrent to his feelings. 
 
 Such was the desire of those who had come under our 
 influence, for religious instruction, that, near the begin- 
 
40 ECCLESIASTICAL INaUIRERS. 
 
 ning of 1836, two weekly meetings were established in 
 Constantinople, one of which was conducted by Mr. 
 G-oodell, and the other by Mr. Schauffler, in the Turkish 
 language. Although no very remarkable incident occur- 
 red for many months, in connection with the reformation, 
 yet we had almost daily evidences of the progress of the 
 work. It was like the spreading of leaven, for the most 
 part silent, but sure. Our intercourse with the Armenian 
 people of all classes, was never more free, and on the 
 whole, never more satisfactory. Our houses were 
 frequented by ecclesiastics, as well as laymen, some four 
 or five of the former, chiefly from among the parochial 
 clergy, appearing to be sincere inquirers after the truth. 
 One of these, attached to the Patriarchal Church, proposed, 
 of his own accord, that we should publish a new and 
 revised edition of the modern Armenian New Testament ; 
 so that all the people might have access to the Word of 
 Grod in an intelligible language. He offered to subscribe 
 five hundred piastres, (about $23) himself, towards the 
 object, and to procure more from others. It was gratify- 
 ing to see some of the most influential vartabeds at the 
 patriarchate, disposed to encourage, rather than hinder us 
 in our educational efforts. They often visited our High 
 School, and on a certain occasion, when an assistant 
 teacher, who was an Armenian, was dismissed for bad 
 conduct ; two of them came expressly to intercede with us 
 for his return ; and on our agreeing to receive him again on 
 trial, they called up the delinquent, and read him a long 
 lecture on the necessity of reforming his conduct, and 
 after procuring from him the most positive promises of 
 good behavior, they sent him back to us, with a letter 
 offering to be responsible for him. 
 
EVANGELICAL SERMONS. 41 
 
 It was now not an uncommon thing, to hear of one and 
 another of the bishops and vartabeds, preaching what were 
 called evangelical sermons ; that is, instead of bringing for- 
 ward the legends of the saints, as they had been wont, at- 
 tempting to draw their instructions from the Sacred Scrip- 
 tures. This was one of the signs of the times ; indicating, at 
 least, a change in the people, who required such preaching, 
 if not in the ecclesiastics who gave it. Subsequent facts 
 have shown, in regard to most of the latter, that public 
 opinion, at that time somewhat clamorous for reform, 
 more than personal conviction and interest in the subject, 
 led to this new style of address. Instances of greater 
 frankness and honesty, however, were not wanting. Some 
 could not conceal the hostility of their hearts. A 
 preacher of distinction, uttered the following sentiment 
 in one of his sermons : — " Many in these days decry fast- 
 ing, and pretend that fasts are not binding. Let all such 
 be anathematized. If they say that fasting is not 
 enjoined in the Scriptures, let them know that the first 
 command given to Adam and Eve, was to abstain from 
 eating the fruit of a certain tree, which was, in fact, fast- 
 ing"! A female who was present, on leaving the 
 church, remarked, " I never hear our preachers preach 
 about anything else but fasting and money. They never 
 preach the Gospel." 
 
 One of our brethren, who was rather prominent as a 
 reformer, was publicly accused of infidelity by a priest ; 
 and on the following Sabbath, one of the vartabeds of the 
 Church denounced him before the people, as a heretic and 
 an infidel, whose case was soon to be tried by a council 
 of ecclesiastics and laymen. It would seem to be revers- 
 ing the natural and proper order of things, first to con- 
 
42 HOSTILE MANIFESTATION. 
 
 demn a man publicly, and then institute a court of inquiry 
 to investigate the charges brought against him ! But this is 
 not an unusual occurrence in the East, either in Church 
 or State. The council was afterwards held, and although 
 the accused declared plainly that he had no confidence 
 whatever in the mediation of the saints, and that he re- 
 ceived the Grospel as his only and all-sufficient guide ; — 
 yet he was fully acquitted. He had previously expressed 
 to a vartabed, some apprehension as to the result of this 
 investigation, and he received for his comfort the follow- 
 ing reply : " You have nothing to fear, for there are many 
 now like you, who think and talk according to the Grospel, 
 and you are by no means alone." It was very evident 
 that among those inimical to this movement, there pre- 
 vailed at this time very exaggerated notions of the num- 
 ber who had actually embraced evangelical sentiments, 
 and who were now frequently called "evangelical infi- 
 dels." Some said that there were at least eight hundred 
 of them in the city of Constantinople alone. If reference 
 is had to those who had clear and distinct views of what 
 are called the evangelical doctrines, and were prepared to 
 adhere to them at all hazards, in opposition to the dog- 
 mas and practices of the Church ; this was undoubtedly 
 an enormous exaggeration. And yet there may have been 
 even a larger number, who had felt, in different degrees, 
 the influence of the truth ; and in the midst of the religious 
 discussions, then so common in every part of the capital, 
 were forward to speak against certain abuses of the 
 Church. This gave an impression of the strength of the 
 evangelical party not founded in truth, though it operated, 
 for some time, as a check upon those who otherwise might 
 
ROMISH INFLUENCE. ^ 43 
 
 have resorted to measures of open violence, to put down 
 the work. 
 
 The distant rumblings of a gathering storm, were, how- 
 ever, now and then heard ; and we had occasion to know 
 that the most diligent and persevering efforts were made, 
 by certain adherents of the Romish Church, to stir up the 
 Armenians against us. Hitherto, no direct means had 
 been used by us, to enlighten that portion of the Arme- 
 nian race, who acknowledge the suprem.acy of the Pope. 
 They may amount, perhaps, to fifteen or twenty thou- 
 sand, having a Patriarch of their own, according to usage 
 in Turkey. In July of 1836 this functionary felt himself 
 called upon to come out with a public denunciation of all 
 our books, including the New Testament. And, what is 
 quite worthy of remark, he expressly prohibited his people 
 from purchasing or procuring from us, copies of an edi- 
 tion of the Armenian Scriptures which had been printed 
 at their own press in Venice, and purchased several years 
 before for cheap circulation, by the British and Foreign 
 Bible Society. 
 
 As has been more than once intimated, we had not felt 
 it to be our duty to attack directly the superstitions of 
 the Armenian Church, having all along acted on the prin- 
 ciple, that the readiest method of eradicating error from 
 the mind, is to pour in the truth. We were not, therefore, 
 surprised to find, that as the people became instructed in 
 the word of Grod, through the operation of their own 
 minds, one superstition after another was discovered and 
 rejected. An old gentleman one day came to me with 
 the following complaint, in reference to an adopted son, 
 who had been under our instruction, though we had 
 n' s'er said a word to him about fasts, or confession. " He 
 
44 CHARACTER OF THE WORK. 
 
 does not keep his fasts, nor would he go to confession 
 until T finally compelled him ; and then he made a very 
 singular kind of confession to the priest. He first told 
 the priest that he acknowledged only the Scriptures as 
 his rule of faith and practice ; and rejected whatever is 
 not derived from them, or conformed to them ; and that, 
 as to the saints and the fasts of the Church, he knew 
 nothing about them." It may here be remarked, that at 
 this period, the Armenian priests were remarkably lenient 
 towards the evangelical brethren, in the matter of con- 
 fession ; and the latter, while conforming externally to 
 this ordinance of the Church, protested against the claim 
 of absolution by a priest, and made use of the ceremony as 
 the occasion of communicating to their spiritual guides, 
 many enlightened views of the Gospel. 
 
 On another occasion, at a large public school, at which 
 I was present, after the boys, in going through the usual 
 closing religious ceremonies in the afternoon, had crossed 
 themselves rapidly some fifty or sixty times ; the principal 
 teacher, whose name was Bedros, turned to me with an 
 air of mortification, and said, " What does this crossing 
 mean ; and how has it been introduced into the Church ?" 
 He then expressed the opinion, that it was first used, simply 
 as an external sign, by which Christians, when among 
 inimical Jews and Heathens, silently recognized one 
 another : " But," said he, " it is now unnecessary, or at 
 least, there is no need of repeating it as we do. My 
 name, you know, is Bedros ; now what would be the use 
 of my repeating a great number of times to you ; ' my 
 name is Bedros ; my name is Bedros,' " &c., &c. 
 
 As another illustration of the workings of the mind and 
 conscience, under the gradual apprehension of the truth, 
 
CHARACTER OF THE WORK. 45 
 
 it may be mentioned that about this time, a formal visit 
 was made to the missionaries, by four Armenians, whose 
 object was to ascertain their duty in regard to certain 
 ceremonies of their Church, towards which their atteiition 
 had been strongly directed, without any of our agency. 
 While among the evangelical brethren, a growing con- 
 scientiousness was constantly manifested, we were also 
 often surprised to hear, from the lips even of those who 
 had hitherto shown nothing but worldliness and indiffer- 
 ence, such expressions as evinced a sudden waking up to 
 the evil of sin, and to the actual plague of their own 
 hearts. Said a man, one day, to a missionary, '' I am a 
 great sinner." Ans. Yes, but Jesus Christ is a great 
 Saviour ; and he is always near and ready to save. 
 "Yes," he quickly answered, "he has saved you, and 
 now it is my prayer that he may save me also." 
 
 If a description of the character of this work were 
 desired in a few words, it could not, perhaps, be better 
 expressed, than in the following sentence from the pen of 
 Mr. Groodell, written early in 1836 : — " As to the great 
 work of reform which has been steadily advancing among 
 the Armenians, for the last two or three years ; and of 
 which we think it our duty to give you much more full 
 accounts in time to come, for your encouragement as 
 well as ours ; T will merely remark, that the character of 
 the work seems to be just this — a simple and entire yield' 
 ing up of the heart and life to the sole direction ofGoWs 
 Word and BpiritP 
 
 The gospel had now been proclaimed to multitudes of 
 people by conversation in private circles, both in the 
 Turkish and Armenian languages, for many years ; and a 
 formal expository service had been held in Turkish, by 
 
46 , CHARACTER OF THE WORK. 
 
 Mr. Goodell, for some time. The first regular sermon in 
 the Armenian tongue, was preached, however, by Mr. 
 Dwight, on the 9th of September, 1836, to a small select 
 company in his own house. The monthly concert of 
 prayer increased in interest ; and one of these occasions is 
 worthy of special record in this place. It was becoming 
 more and more evident, as the year 1836 advanced, that 
 the ecclesiastical rulers of the Armenian Church were 
 gathering up their strength to oppose the progress of the 
 reformation. Still we felt that they were not altogether 
 to be censured, considering their circumstances, but also 
 to be pitied ; that, instead of ranking them with the in- 
 corrigible enemies of Grod, we should endeavor to speak 
 of them with kindness, and cherish towards them feelings 
 of prayerful tenderness. It was agreed, therefore, among 
 the missionaries at Smyrna and Constantinople, that the 
 day should be especially devoted to prayer for the civil 
 and ecclesiastical rulers of the country, and particularly 
 the latter. The season was one of special interest, and 
 all seemed to esteem it a privilege, to supplicate the 
 descent of the Holy Spirit upon '' all bishops, priests, and 
 deacons ;" that they might be candid men. open to con- 
 viction, ready to understand and do their duty, submis- 
 sive to the authority of Zion's King ; or at least that Grod 
 would so order and control their purposes and acts, that 
 his own people, under their jurisdiction, might " lead 
 quiet and peaceable lives, in all godliness and honesty." 
 
 It was pleasing to see, that through the influence of the 
 mission and the native brethren, female education, which 
 had been almost entirely neglected, was beginning to at- 
 tract attention, both at Constantinople and Smyrna. At 
 the capital, no regular school for females had yet been 
 
FEMALE EDUCATION. 47 
 
 opened, but, in some instances, parents were providing 
 for their daughters the means of instruction, and one at 
 least of the evangelical brethren, had a class of some 
 twelve or fourteen Armenian girls who were learning to 
 read. In Smyrna, a school for A.rmenian girls was 
 established by the mission, in the summer of 1836. A 
 commodious room was secured, and it was furnished with 
 benches, desks, cards, frames, &c., and the school was 
 opened with the express approbation of a number of in- 
 fluential men in the community. In the course of the 
 first week more than forty girls attended. Owing to one 
 or two jealous spirits, however, a meeting of the commu- 
 nity was soon called, and it was agreed to take the new 
 enterprise into their own hands. It was cheerfully relin- 
 quished to them by the missionaries, who were thankful 
 they had been the means of calling into existence a 
 school for females, which was sure to do good, though it 
 did not retain a direct connection with the mission. 
 
 In Briisa, there were many among the Armenians who 
 professed friendly feelings towards the missionaries ; but 
 in general, spiritually considered, the silence and insensi- 
 bility of death reigned among them. The bishop Matteos 
 showed more openly a hostile disposition, though he did 
 not yet see his way clear to take decided ground against 
 the mission. Mr. Schneider was applied to by an Ar- 
 menian priest from Erzrum, a place about seven or eight 
 hundred miles in the interior, for a quantity of Armenian 
 and Armeno-Turkish New Testaments, for distribution 
 among the poor. A missionary tour, performed by Messrs. 
 Schneider and Powers in the autumn of 1836, to the 
 large town of Kutayh, was only one of a series of sim- 
 ilar efforts made by the brethren of that station, the 
 
48 MISSIONARY TOURS. 
 
 results of which cannot at once be seen, but are notwith- 
 standing of inestimable consequence. Nor can we say 
 less of a tour made by Mr. Johnston of Trebizond, to 
 Tocat, Sivas, Erzengan, Erzriim, and other places in 
 Asia Minor and Armenia, during the summer of the same 
 year. To these visits of missionary brethren to the in- 
 terior, accompanied, as they usually were, by some one of 
 the converted Armenians, must be ascribed much of that 
 spirit of inquiry, which subsequently was found so exten- 
 sively to prevail. 
 
 The station at Trebizond was reinforced in August, 
 1836, by the arrival of the Rev. W. C. Jackson and wife. 
 
f^. 
 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Opposition of the Hierarchy — Influence of the Bankers — Their Charac- 
 ter — Breaking up of the High School — School at Has Keuy — Remarkable 
 Providence — Influence of the New School — Light Spreading — Perplex- 
 ity of the Priests — Opposition Spreading — Friendly Vartabed — Mission- 
 ary Convention — The Plague — Removal of Pictures — Decline of the 
 Has Keuy School — Origin of the Work in Nicoraedia — Two Converted 
 Priests — Divine Influences at Brflsa and Trebizond — Arrival of Mr. 
 Riggs. 
 
 Hitherto, whatever opposition the truth had encoun- 
 tered was raised by individuals, as such, and aimed 
 chiefly at individuals among the reformers. No open and 
 official action of the proper ecclesiastical authorities had 
 yet been taken. The Armenian hierarchy had not yet 
 committed itself as antagonistic to the reform. The 
 opening of the year 1 837, however, tells a different tale. 
 A system of spiritual oppression and tyranny, based upon 
 popular ignorance and superstition, cannot long bear 
 the ordeal of free inquiry and discussion, in the light that 
 proceeds from the Word of Grod. That the Armenian 
 Church had far departed from the simple doctrine of 
 Christ, and that its religious teachers had imposed upon 
 the people what was human for what was divine, was 
 now understood by many, and was rapidly spreading from 
 3 
 
50 OPPOSITION OF THE HIERARCHY. 
 
 mouth to mouth. Something must be done to give a 
 check to the freedom of inquiry, and awe the people into 
 continued submission to the priests. The thing first to 
 be accomplished, was to withdraw the Armenians from 
 the influence of the missionaries, who were felt to be the 
 mischievous authors of the evil. Those who were most 
 interested in perpetuating the old system, would of 
 course be the first to move in the matter. And who 
 could be more interested than the clergy? There are 
 only two conceivable motives by which a man may be 
 induced to enter the ministry of any church — namely, 
 benevolence or selfishness ; the desire to do good, or the 
 love of money, power, and honor. If there is true 
 piety in the soul, and the love of Christ is the absorbing 
 passion ; then, it is plain, the benevolent motive will 
 prevail. But if the individual is a merely worldly man, it 
 is impossible to believe that he enters the sacred office with 
 any other than a selfish end. And who needs to be told, at 
 this age of the world, what a supremely worldly and 
 selfish spirit will lead a man to do in circumstances of 
 temptation ; what deception, oppression, and extortion it 
 will lead him to practice, when the opportunity offers ? 
 The history of the Armenian hierarchy, as written by 
 their own people, has been, for centuries past, a history 
 of ambition, avarice, and cruelty. Nor is there the least 
 evidence that any change had taken place for the better, 
 previous to the beginning of the present religious move- 
 ment among the people. No candid person, acquainted 
 with the facts in the case, could be in the least surprised, 
 that the ruling clergy, generally, should exert themselves 
 to perpetuate, if possible, the prevailing superstitions, and 
 of course to oppose the reform. 
 
INFLUENCE OF THE BANKERS. 51 
 
 Bat they could not move alone in this business. The 
 sanction of the bankers must be obtained. And here it is 
 necessary to give a few words of explanation. The prin- 
 cipal bankers in the country, at that time, belonged to 
 the Armenian community. Some of them were im- 
 mensely rich, and of course influential, even with the 
 Turkish government itself. According to the system then 
 prevailing, the Pashas and governors of the empire 
 derived their support, not by a salary from the govern- 
 ment, but by taxes, levied by themselves, on the produce 
 of the territory over which they had jurisdiction, and by 
 extortion. Every Pasha had his banker, who furnished 
 him with money on interest, when out of office, or when 
 newly-appointed to office, receiving his pay by participat- 
 ing in the spoils filched afterwards from the poor people. 
 This arrangement, it will be seen, gave great power into 
 the hands of these capitalists ; so that it was virtually 
 true, that, although nominally Christians, nearly all the 
 important appointments of the government were in their 
 hands. Within their own community, of course, their 
 word was law. Patriarchs were elected and deposed by 
 them ; through them, bishops and vartabeds received 
 their appointments to dioceses and churches. It gener- 
 ally happened, that some three, or four, or five, of the 
 richest and most powerful of these men, in truth, if not 
 in form, decided every question of any importance, per- 
 taining to the civil or ecclesiastical affairs of the Arme- 
 nian nation. Sometimes a public meeting would be 
 called, of the more important members of the community, 
 but it mattered little whether the form were gone 
 through with or not ; the decision rested with these four or 
 five men ; and whatever they determined upon, was every- 
 
52 THEIR CHARACTER. 
 
 J^ 
 
 where popularly spoken of as having been determined by 
 the community. As a class, they were ignorant and big- 
 oted, and, therefore, fit tools for designing ecclesiastics.^ 
 Unacquainted with the Bible, to a great extent, and with 
 church history, ancient and modern, they were, in gene- 
 ral, quite ready to believe any misrepresentations of Pro- 
 testantism which their own religious guides should give 
 them ; and no doubt many of them really believed, as 
 they were told, that the missionaries, under the show of 
 religion were endeavoring to propagate the worst infidel- 
 ity. 
 
 It is easy to see how, in this state of things, any indi- 
 vidual office-bearer in the Church, whether high or low, 
 even to the very Patriarch himself, might be deterred from 
 acting, in his official capacity, ''according to the policy dic- 
 tated by his own mind. Some rival in the holy orders, even 
 much lower than himself in rank, might, through his 
 superior influence with one or more of these bankers, 
 procure the removal from office of the obnoxious in- 
 dividual. 
 
 In the case before us, the Patriarch himself seems to 
 have been nearly passive ; and his Yicar, to have been the 
 willing agent for executing the stringent measures that 
 were adopted. It was resolved in the counsels of the 
 Armenian community, that is, by a few bankers, as a first 
 step, to break up our High School. In preparation for 
 this, a large college had been founded some months before, 
 at Scutary ; and the public school, superintended by Der 
 Kevork, in the quarter of Has Keuy, had been committed 
 
 '^ Individual exceptions were found to this description of very notable 
 character, as will be seen in the course of this narrative. 
 
BREAKING UP OF THE HIGU SCHOOL. 53 
 
 to the general supervision of one of the great bankers 
 residing there, a truly noble-spirited man, that it might 
 be remodeled according to his own wishes, so a to 
 make it a first-rate school. As learning was now be- 
 coming popular, these were necessary steps in order to 
 reconcile the people to the shutting up of the American 
 High School. Near the close of January, 1837, the 
 parents of our scholars were summoned before the Yicar, 
 and peremptorily ordered to withdraw their sons from the 
 school. Some of the boys themselves were also called up 
 and interrogated as to what things they had been taught. 
 After enumerating several studies, the Vicar asked, with 
 some impatience, " Have they (the missionaries) not told 
 you not to make the sign of the cross, because it is not 
 enjoined in the Scriptures ?" The boys were startled at 
 the question, which they very promptly answered in the 
 negative. They then, in fact, for the first time, learned 
 that making the sign of the cross is not enjoined in the 
 Scriptures ! Sorrow was depicted on every face, as our 
 pupils came back to get their books, and say their fare- 
 wells ; but we endeavored to comfort them, as well as 
 ourselves, under the trial, by expressing our belief that 
 Grod would bring good out of this evil, and provide for 
 their instruction in some other way, if they desired to be 
 taught. This school had now been in successful opera- 
 tion for more than two years, and had already accom- 
 plished much good ; but, as the sequel proved, G-od 
 designed to make its downfall the means of still greater 
 good. 
 
 There is proof enough that the plan of the opposing 
 party in this case, was, after breaking up the school, to 
 procure, from the Turkish government, the banishment 
 
54 SCHOOL AT HAS KEUY. 
 
 of Mr. Sahakian, its Principal, and several others, who 
 were considered most influential among the evangelical 
 brethren. Great was their astonishment when they 
 heard, that no sooner was this hated individual released, 
 by their act, from his connection with us, than he was 
 engaged by the banker of Has Keuy, to take the superin- 
 tendence of the great national school, which had been 
 placed by them in his hands ! Remonstrance was in 
 vain. Again and again did the Yicar, and the other 
 bankers also, use their utmost endeavors to persuade him 
 to change his purpose. They first tried to prevail upon 
 him not to adopt the new system of instruction, which 
 they said was the American system. To this he replied, 
 that he knew nothing of the Americans, but had adopted 
 this system because it was good, and he had been instruct- 
 ed, when the school was given over to his hands, to make 
 it the very best possible. 
 
 They then objected to the Principal, saying that he 
 was evangelical in sentiment. To this the banker replied, 
 " So am I also evangelical." Nearly three weeks were 
 spent in efforts to induce this distinguished individual to 
 yield the point, but in vain. He declared, positively, that 
 if they did not permit him ti go on with the school in his 
 own way, he would withdraw entirely from the Armenian 
 community. But he was a man they did not like to lose ; 
 being among the richest and most influential of the bank- 
 ers. At length, a providential circumstance, which ren- 
 dered it necessary for the leading man of the opposing 
 party, to throw himself on his clemency, in a business 
 transaction, decided the question ; and a school of six 
 hundred scholars (instead of forty y which was our num- 
 ber) was soon in successful operation, under the super- 
 
INFLUENCE OF THE NEW SCHOOL. 55 
 
 intendence of Mr. Hohannes Sahakian ; having Der Ke- 
 vork, the pious priest, for one of its principal teachers ! 
 
 A more marked example of the over-ruling providence 
 of God, causing the wrath of man to praise him, could 
 not well be found. The banker spoke the truth when he 
 said he knew nothing of the Americans. Up to the time 
 when he so decidedly avowed and maintained himself as 
 the patron of Mr. Sahakian, and, in fact, of the evangelical 
 cause ; he was wholly unknown to the missionaries and 
 the evangelical brethren generally ; and the conclusion is 
 irresistible, that the hand of God was in this whole thing. 
 This individual was raised up for this very crisis, to pro- 
 tect the school, and defend the friends of the Gospel ; and 
 in doing this work, to which God in his providence called 
 him, he was as firm and immovable, as if he had been 
 established in the truth for years. 
 
 Not only did the Has Keuy school far exceed ours in 
 numbers, but even in its religious influence. It was 
 formally adopted as the school of the nation, and Mr. 
 Sahakian received a regular appointment from the Arme- 
 nian Synod, as its Principal. He had, therefore, more 
 liberty of action, and could give religious instruction 
 officially, and of course with less danger of exciting sus- 
 picion, than in a school supported by foreigners. He de- 
 voted an hour a day to this special purpose, in a select 
 class of sixty of the most advanced pupils ; besides more 
 general instruction, and the daily good influence exerted 
 by himself and Der Kevork. 
 
 There was a liberal course of study adopted, and the 
 school was arranged, throughout, after the model of our 
 own. Lectures were given in the natural sciences, the 
 whole of our philosophical apparatus having been pur- 
 
56 PERPLEXITY OF PRIESTS. 
 
 chased and paid for, by the directors. In short, this new 
 Institution soon became deservedly popular throughout 
 the city, and it is impossible to estimate the amount of 
 encouragement and support, the mere fact of its existence 
 gave to the cause of evangelical piety in the country. 
 
 There was now much more boldness on the part of 
 many, in endeavoring to spread the truth. It was par- 
 ticularly pleasing, however, to see that the triumph of our 
 brethren did not elate them ; but seemed rather to lead 
 to a more humble and trustful spirit, and a closer walk 
 with God. Some in high places openly avowed their be 
 lief in '' this new way." Two of this character were 
 found in the very Synod itself. Our pious priests were 
 active in doing good. DerKevork, especially, spent much 
 time in going from house to house, reading the Scriptures 
 to the people, and exhorting them to obey the Grospel. 
 The light of true evangelical piety seemed to be kindled 
 up in every part of the city. In almost every quarter, 
 at least one individual could be found, who was as " a 
 Durning and a shining light," in the midst of surrounding 
 darkness. 
 
 Some of the unenlightened priests were greatly per- 
 plexed in their visits among their people. One of them 
 called at a house where the wife as well as the husband 
 had embraced the G-ospel. Her little son brought out a 
 copy of the New Testament, probably by his mother's 
 direction, and opened to various places, and asked such 
 questions as perfectly astonished the priest, many of 
 which he could not answer. He managed to speedily 
 change the subject ; but the woman soon came in, and 
 with an expression of much surprise, exclaimed, " What ! 
 are you already tired of talking about the Bible, that you 
 
OPPOSITION SPREADING. 57 
 
 have so soon laid it aside ? Are you not a priest, and 
 can you find anything more important to talk about ?" 
 " Now," said she, " I wish to ask you one question. Do you 
 suppose that when our Saviour first instituted the Lord's 
 Supper, he wore those splendid robes, and that mitre set 
 with diamonds, and carried such a golden staff as our 
 bishops do at mass ?" The priest related this story him- 
 self afterwards to a brother priest, adding, " These are 
 what I call new notions, and Constantinople is full of 
 such doctrine." 
 
 The spirit of opposition that had been awakened in 
 high quarters in Constantinople, soon extended itself to 
 Brusa. Already, as we have seen, fit instruments were 
 prepared in that place, for any amount of hostility to the 
 work of Christ that might be thought expedient ; and the 
 usual stimulus to activity on the part of the enemy, 
 namely, progress in religion, was not wanting. The 
 number of visitors at the houses of the missionaries was 
 increasing ; and two young teachers in the Armenian 
 public school exhibited marks of special interest in the 
 subject of personal religion. They were among the first 
 to make the acquaintance of Mr. Powers, when he took 
 up his residence in the Armenian quarter of the city ; and 
 after some little delay, both of them became his regular 
 pupils for the study of the English language, as well as 
 that of the Bible. One of these young men had the sole 
 charge of about fifty or sixty of the most advanced 
 scholars, to whom he gave daily instruction from the 
 word of God. As he himself grew in spiritual know- 
 ledge, his desire was increased to communicate it to those 
 entrusted to his care. Soon, it was resolved by the prin- 
 cipal men in the Armenian community at Brusa, that, in 
 3=^ 
 
58 FRIENDLY VARTABED. 
 
 view of the exceeding great ignorance of the common 
 priests generally, a class of boys should be selected and 
 placed under the instruction of Mr. Serope. for that was 
 the name of the teacher to be trained for the priest's 
 office ; and accordingly, eight of the most promising lads, 
 were selected and set apart for this purpose. Before the 
 end of the year 1837, both of these teachers gave some 
 evidence of a change of heart. Long before this, however, 
 some of the priests attempted to prevent their people from 
 frequenting the houses of the missionaries. One in par- 
 ticular, was very active in going about and charging his 
 flock to have no intercourse with the foreigners ; and a 
 neighbor of Mr. Powers, on the opposite side of the street, 
 was ordered to keep a strict watch upon Mr. P.'s door, and 
 report who came and went. This individual proved to be 
 not very faithful to his charge. He was, in fact, friendly 
 to the missionaries, and instead of reporting to the priest, 
 he communicated to some of Mr. Powers' visitors, what 
 had been said to him, and advised them as a friend, for 
 the time being, to come but seldom and that privately. 
 
 At Trebizond, an attempt was made to gather a school, 
 but only two Armenian children could be procured. 
 With them were associated a very few Grreeks. Not an 
 individual was found at this time, among the Armenians, 
 who showed any signs of a new spiritual life ; and yet, 
 as American missionaries were there, something must be 
 done by the ecclesiastical authorities to counteract their 
 influence. The vartabed of the place received a letter 
 from his Patriarch at Constantinople, denouncing the 
 missionaries, their schools, their books, and everything 
 pertaining to them ; and ordering him to look well to his 
 flock, lest any should be seduced. The vartabed replied 
 
MISSIONARY CONVENTION. 59 
 
 to the Patriarch, that he might rest easy in regard to the 
 Armenians of Trebizond, for they were a poor, ignorant 
 people, not at all given to curiosity, nor in danger of 
 of running after any novelties. This representation 
 was, at that time, too true. They had not curiosity 
 enough to lead them to inquire whether their religion 
 were true or false. The vartabed himself showed great 
 friendliness to the missionaries ; and, indeed, it was from 
 him that Mr. Johnston learned, for the first time, that 
 such a letter had been received from the Patriarch. The 
 number of Armenian visitors at the houses of the mission- 
 aries, afterwards gradually increased ; so that one result 
 of this hostile effort from Constantinople, was, that curi- 
 osity was stimulated into existence, and some, at least, 
 put themselves in the way of hearing something new, 
 that might prove of infinite value to them. 
 
 It is worthy of record in this place, that during the 
 month of September, of the year 1837, a convention of 
 missionaries was held in Smyrna, which evidently had an 
 important influence for good, both on the minds and 
 hearts of those present, and on the subsequent plans and 
 labors of the missionaries in the Levant. The chief ob- 
 ject was, to ascertain, by prayerful inquiry, the mistakes 
 and deficiencies of the past, both in regard to personal 
 qualifications for the work, and the means and measures 
 adopted for bringing the claims of the gospel in contact 
 with the hearts of the people. Recent afflictive dispen- 
 sations in the mission, had produced a mellowed tone of 
 Christian feeling, which greatly prepared the minds of 
 the brethren for a profitable discussion of these subjects. 
 The Lord was felt to be indeed present, and it is believed 
 that each one returned to the toils of missionary life, 
 
60 THE PLAGUE. 
 
 with a more prayerful and confiding spirit, and a more 
 fixed purpose of heart, to make the salvation of the soul 
 the immediate and all-absorbing object of labor, and the 
 preaching of " Jesus Christ, and him crucified," the 
 grand means. 
 
 Mr. Adger was enabled to commence an expository 
 service in Smyrna, in the Armenian language, at which 
 some five or six were usually present. His translator, Mr. 
 Sarkis, from Constantinople, had increasing intercourse 
 with the people ; and Armenian mothers began to be elo- 
 quent in their lamentations over the neglected education 
 of their daughters. Up to the first of January, 1838, 
 there were printed, at the Smyrna press, about two and a 
 half million pages in the Armenian language. A pocket 
 edition of the New Testament, in ancient Armenian, was 
 completed on the last day of the year 1837. 
 
 The plague, that scourge of Turkey, was permitted 
 this year to enter the family of the author, and a beloved 
 wife and child became its victims. This afflictive dis- 
 pensation called forth the tenderest expression of sympa- 
 thy, from the native brethren and other friends of the 
 missionaries ; and, in various ways, it was truly a sanc- 
 tified, though most sorrowful event. This terrible disease, 
 in its annual visitations to the capital, and other parts of 
 the Turkish Empire, has proved a far more serious 
 obstacle to missionary labor, than can well be imagined at 
 home. The season of the plague was a season of non- 
 intercourse, to a very great extent. Schools must be 
 closed ; public worship suspended ; and the giving and 
 receiving of visits, in a great measure interrupted. This 
 has happened, again and again, at all our stations. Some- 
 times, when we had made a successful and promising 
 
 v 
 
REMOVAL OF PICTURES. 61 
 
 beginning of some new plan of usefulness, this dreadful 
 scourge would come down upon us with all its violence, 
 and suddenly arrest the enterprise, and frustrate all our 
 hopes. And in such a country as Turkey, when a school 
 is closed, or public worship suspended for several months, 
 more ground may be lost than can be gained in a whole 
 year. What abundant cause have we for gratitude, 
 therefore, that for twelve years past, we have been living 
 in Turkey exempt from the plague I This is accounted 
 for by the fact, that, during this period, the system of 
 quarantines has been in vogue ; and experiment seems 
 thus to have established, what before was theory with 
 many — namely, that the disease never originated in Con- 
 stantinople, but was imported chiefly from Egypt. 
 
 As the doctrines of the gospel gained a hold on the 
 hearts of the people, superstitions gave way ; and, as 
 error became eradicated from the mind, the external 
 symbols of that error were naturally removed from use 
 and from sight. The progress of correct religious opinion 
 was evinced, especially, by the gradual disappearance of 
 pictures from the Armenian churches. In one instance, 
 near the beginning of the year 1838, the vartabed and 
 leading men in the large village of Orta Keuy, on the 
 Bosphorus, went together to the church, and carefully 
 removed every picture, except the altar pieces, which 
 were so situated that they could not be approached for 
 worship. In the apartment assigned to the females, 
 where pictures are considered especially necessary, not a 
 solitary one was left. It is an interesting fact, that this 
 is the very village in which the rftissionaries resided, 
 when they first began to get access to the Armenians. 
 
 The Patriarch Stepan was apparently well convinced 
 4 
 
62 DECLINE OF THE HAS KEVY SCHOOL. 
 
 that the superstitions of his Church must, ere long, dis- 
 appear before the light of the truth. He remarked to 
 one of the native brethren, that many of the observances 
 in their Church were not prescribed by the gospel, and 
 that probably they would not exist ten years longer. 
 
 The reformation was daily gaining strength. The con- 
 verted Armenians were never more active, or prayerful. 
 They delighted in the communion of saints ; and they 
 also sought and found frequent opportunities for religious 
 conversation with their fellow-countrymen, who, as yet, 
 had not felt the power of the gospel. Mr. Sahakian con- 
 tinued his connection with the High School at Has Keuy, 
 and his opportunities for usefulness were many and great. 
 The less advanced scholars in this school were taught ac- 
 cording to the Lancasterian system, and this was now 
 getting into favor with the Armenians ; so that other 
 schools, on the same plan, were established in different 
 quarters of the city and suburbs. Application was 
 always made to us for assistance in getting these schools 
 in operation, and they were quite ready to use the cards 
 we had prepared and printed, for the purpose. 
 
 After the middle of the year 1838, it became evident 
 that the great school at Has Keuy must go down. Its 
 illustrious patron had hitherto sustained it alone. This 
 he would cheerfully have continued to do, but among 
 neither the primates, nor the clergy of his nation, did he 
 find that encouragement and support, to which he felt 
 justly entitled ; and not only so, but, by various signifi- 
 cant signs, he was given to understand that there was a 
 growing dissatisfaction with the school, as then organ- 
 ized, among the leading men in the Armenian commu- 
 nity ; partly owing X to jealousy, and partly to religious 
 
ORIGIN OF THE WORK IN NICOMEDIA. 63 
 
 zeal, directed against Mr. Sahakian, its principal. This 
 determined him to abandon the undertaking altogether ; 
 and before the close of the year most of the teachers were 
 dismissed, and the school reduced to its former footing. 
 Many of the people w^ere strongly in favor of its continu- 
 ance, and particularly the leading men of the village 
 where it was located ; and they sent a delegation to the 
 Patriarch, to implore his aid, to prevent the approaching 
 disaster. All they obtained from him was — fair promises 
 that w^ere never fulfilled. 
 
 Mr. Sahakian, being thrown out of employment, was 
 very gladly taken up by the mission. The necessity had 
 been for some time becoming more and more obvious, of 
 having a man to superintend the distribution of our 
 books, which were rapidly increasing in number. To 
 this post Mr. Sahakian was appointed, with the confident 
 expectation that it would prove a station of great useful- 
 ness. 
 
 The kingdom of Christ now began to make evident 
 inroads on the kingdom of Satan, in the interior of the 
 country. We had heard, early in the year 1837, with 
 the highest gratification, that two Armenian priests, in 
 Nicomedia, who had never seen a missionary, had been 
 converted to the truth. One of these individuals after- 
 wards came to Constantinople, and visited the mission- 
 aries. His whole appearance was that of a man of a 
 most devout and humble spirit ; and, from his conversa- 
 tion, it was evident that he had inward experience of tho 
 grace of Grod. The doctrine of salvation, by grace alone, 
 was quite familiar and very precious to him ; and he 
 readily discriminated between a living and a dead faith. 
 Nothing could be more plain, than that this individual 
 
64 ORIGIN OF THE WORK IN NICOMEDIA. 
 
 and his brother priest, had been led, by a way they 
 knew not, to embrace the truth as it is in Christ. The 
 Holy Spirit was their teacher and guide ; and, while sur- 
 rounded by the deepest moral darkness, and having no 
 help from any living preacher's voice, they were brought 
 to rejoice in the light of the glorious Grospel of Christ. 
 The circumstances of their conversion were peculiar. In 
 1832, Mr. Goodell made a tour from Constantinople to 
 Brusa, which carried him through Nicomedia. Here he 
 left, with an old priest, a copy of the Armeno-Turkish 
 New Testament, and gave, to some Armenian boys, seve- 
 ral tracts in the same language. One of these tracts — a 
 translation of the Dairyman's Daughter — fell into the 
 hands of another priest, whom Mr. Groodell did not see. 
 The perusal of it was the means of awakening his mind 
 to serious inquiry, in regard to his own religious condition. 
 "If this is true religion," said he to himself, "then, as 
 yet, I have no religion." He now began in good earnest, 
 to study the Word of Grod ; and the farther he advanced, 
 the more he was satisfied that all his former grounds of 
 hope were delusive, and that he needed an entire renova- 
 tion of character, in order to be saved. He soon ven- 
 tured to intimate to a brother priest, in the same Church, 
 who was ordained with him, and had always been a 
 confidential friend, the change his mind had undergone. 
 At first he was repulsed. The Church must be right, 
 and any deviation from her teachings must be heresy. 
 His companion, however, could not refuse to read the 
 Bible, when urged to do so ; and it was not long before 
 the truth flashed upon his mind also, with the clearness 
 of the noon-day sun. Their united prayers and efforts 
 were now directed to the enlightenment and conversion 
 
ORIGIN OF THE WORK IN NICOMEDIA. 65 
 
 of their flock. Such, however, was the degree of igno- 
 rance and prejudice prevailing, that the utmost caution 
 was necessary. The spirit of inquiry began to spread 
 among the people. Hitherto, no missionary had been 
 there since the work commenced. In the spring of 1838, 
 the author visited the place. It is situated at the head of 
 a gulf, bearing the same name with the town stretching 
 out from the eastern extremity of the sea of Marmora ; 
 and is about fifty miles due east from the city of Con- 
 stantinople. It was formerly the capital of Bythinia, and 
 was also the residence of Constantino, and several of his 
 successors, at least during a part of each year. Here 
 Diocletian also held his court, when he issued his first 
 edicts against the Christians, and here the horrid work of 
 persecution first began. I found sixteen individuals who 
 appeared to be truly converted men. They conversed on 
 the great truths of the gospel, with a degree of serious- 
 ness, earnestness, and intelligence, which was truly sur- 
 prising. They had evidently taken the Scriptures as 
 their only and all-suffieient guide, and the religious 
 knowledge they had already acquired, clearly evinced 
 that they had had the Holy Spirit for their teacher. The 
 great doctrine of justification by grace, through faith 
 alone, was apprehended by them with great clearness, 
 and formed the only foundation of their hopes. It is im- 
 possible to describe the cordiality of manner and the 
 gladness of heart with which they greeted a missionary 
 of the cross for the first time. They seemed to hang 
 upon my lips, like men who were hungering for the 
 bread of life. They said to me, '' We endeavor to take 
 the Word of Grod for our guide, but we are sensible that 
 in many things we are wanting. We desire you to talk 
 
66 TWO CONVERTED PRIESTS. 
 
 with US, and see wherein we are deficient, and instruct us 
 in the right ways of the Lord." 
 
 These individuals, in general, compared with their 
 countrymen in the same place, might justly be called in- 
 telligent men. Thsy were employed in various branches 
 of business, all of them respectable, and some of them in 
 very easy circumstances. One of them appeared to be 
 over fifty years of age, and was very sober and venerable 
 in his appearance, and quite intelligent. The two 
 priests, Der Yertanes, and Der Harutun, by name, re- 
 moved, of their own accord, to Constantinople ; and by a 
 singular providence, they were then placed together, as 
 the only priests in a village church on the Bosphorus. 
 Here they could act with a good degree of independence, 
 and many opportunities of doing good were presented. 
 During the summer of 1838, the Patriarch Stepan, being 
 an old acquaintance, spent several weeks with them ; 
 and they had very full conversations together on reli- 
 gious subjects, the Patriarch generally assenting to their 
 views. 
 
 Both at Brusa and Trebizond every possible obstacle 
 was thrown in the way of the progress of the truth ; and 
 yet the Word of Grod could not be bound. In both places 
 there was increasing friendliness on the part of the 
 people, and more extended intercourse, and, what is still 
 better, the special presence of the Holy Spirit was mani- 
 fest. Among those whose minds seemed to be especially 
 opened to religious impressions at Trebizond, were the 
 vartabed himself, or acting bishop, who has been alluded 
 to, and also a priest of the Church. At Brusa, the two 
 teachers, Mr. Serope, and Mr. Hohannes, seemed to be 
 growing in grace and in the knowledge of Christ. An 
 
DIVINE INFLUENCES AT BRUSA AND TREBIZOND. 67 
 
 influential and distinguished man became a serious inquirer 
 for the way of salvation, and opposition, thus far, was 
 overruled for good. In October, 1838, Mr. Schneider 
 began a regular preaching service at his own house, every 
 Sabbath, in the Turkish language, for the benefit of both 
 Armenians and Grreeks. 
 
 The Rev. E. Higgs joined the station at Smyrna, with 
 his family, on the 2d of November, 1838. 
 
 Wt '^ 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Origin and Nature of Armenian Patriarchal Power — Power of the Pri- 
 mates — The Sultan Mahmud enlisted as a Persecutor — Missionaries 
 and native helpers calumniated — New Patriarch — Organized Persecution 
 — The Armenian Patriarchal Power always persecuting — Two Brethren 
 exiled — Interesting Scene at Nicomedia — Cruelties of a Turkish Police- 
 man — Reception at Kaisery — Fears at the Capital — Books prohibited — 
 Banishment of a Pious Priest— Reign of Terror — Patriarch's Bull — 
 Combination of Persecutors — Wonderful Providences — Death of Mah- 
 mfld II. — Persecutors Relenting — Sultan's Physician — Persecution at 
 Brusa — Do. at Trebizond — 'New Station at Erzrum — Arrival of Mr. 
 Hamlin. 
 
 The enemies of the reform were ever watchful for op- 
 portunities to carry into effect their hostile purposes. 
 They had been baffled by that providential interposition 
 which brought the High School at Has Keuy into exist- 
 ence ; but, though they were disappointed, they were not 
 discouraged. And when that school was closed, and its 
 principal was once more placed within their grasp, they 
 resolved to lose no time in seizing upon their prey. It 
 must be regarded as a circumstance strongly favoring the 
 reformation among the Armenians, that there exists in 
 that community, no great concentration of power, as in 
 the Church of Rome. The real visible head of the Arme- 
 nian Church, is the Katolikos, (called by forcig-i uationi? 
 
ORIGIN OF ARMENIAN PATRIARCHAL POWER. 69 
 
 Patriarch), at Echmiadzin. But, as Echmiadzin has 
 been, for many years, within the Russian territories, the 
 Armenians of Turkey, partly through fear, but more, it is 
 believed, from choice, have not acknowledged their alle- 
 giance to him. The Patriarch of Constantinople is, eccle- 
 siastically considered, only a common bishop, having 
 properly no spiritual authority above that of any other 
 bishop in the land. The office of Patriarch was instituted 
 by the Turkish government, for its own purposes, and is, 
 therefore, civil and not ecclesiastical. When Mohammed 
 II. took possession of the city of Constantinople, he found 
 there a Grreek Patriarch, having spiritual jurisdiction over 
 the whole Greek Church ; and sagaciously conceiving 
 that the Greeks could be better governed through their 
 own ecclesiastical head, than directly by their conquerors, 
 he made the Patriarch responsible for the good conduct 
 of his people, clothing him at the same with such civil 
 powers as were necessary to enable him to maintain his 
 authority. And this, no doubt, suggested the thought 
 of governing each of the other great classes of inhabitants 
 in a similar way. There being, however, no Armenian 
 Patriarch in Constantinople, Mohammed removed the 
 Bishop of Briisa thither, A.D., 1453, and constituted him 
 Patriarch of all the Armenians in Turkey, with civil 
 powers corresponding to those which had already been 
 conferred on the Greek dignitary. The Armenian Pa- 
 triarchate of Jerusalem, which has a very limited juris- 
 iiction, dates back to A.D., 1311, and owed its existence 
 ) the Sultan of Egypt. The nomination to the office of 
 Patriarch is made by the primates of the nation, but the 
 appointment comes from the Sultan. His powers are 
 
 defined by an imperial firman^ and he ranks, civilly, with 
 
 4* 
 
70 POWER OF THE PRIMATES. 
 
 the great pashas of the empire. He has a prison within 
 his own precincts, for the punishment of offenders, and 
 until within a few years past, a note from him to the 
 Porte, was quite sufficient, in most cases, to procure the 
 banishment of any individual, whether an ecclesiastic or 
 a layman, mere word of the Patriarch being taken as 
 sufficient to establish the guilt of the accused. And if, 
 owing to the rank or influence of the individual, or any 
 other circumstances, any difficulty was apprehended in 
 procuring the necessary order from the government, a 
 bribe would generally settle all doubt on the subject. In 
 this way, it will be seen, the Patriarch could, with the 
 greatest ease, use the power of the Turkish government 
 to vent a private pique upon an individual, or visit a sus- 
 pected heretic with persecution. And numerous in- 
 stances are on record, in which this power has been 
 exercised with the greatest injustice and cruelty. 
 
 But, in actual practice, the power of the Patriarchs is 
 very much modified by the power of the primates of the 
 community, who are chiefly bankers. As the Patriarchs 
 are, in an important sense, the creatures of the primates, 
 rarely is any important step taken without the sanction of 
 the latter. And since there are always rival candidates for 
 the Patriarchal office, each candidate being supported by 
 his own friends among the primates, it is obvious that con- 
 cealed action on any point must be difficult, and a strong 
 and permanent centralization of power like that of Rome, 
 is not at all practicable. For the most part, the Pa- 
 triarchs have been the tools of those, who, for the time 
 being, have had the greatest influence in the community ; 
 and those who have the predominant influence are those, 
 who are brought into the closest contact with the impe- 
 
'.HE SULTAN MAHMUD ENLISTED AS A PERSECUTOR. 71 
 
 rial government. Of course, as parties fluctuate, or other 
 circumstances change, this power is transferred from one 
 combination of men to another, and thus measures in 
 .process, or in prospect, are constantly liable to be inter- 
 fered with and frustrated. Much of the quiet that has 
 been enjoyed by the missionaries, and their native 
 brethren in the prosecution of their evangelical labors, has 
 been owing to jealousies and party feuds among the spir- 
 tual and temporal leaders of the Armenian community. 
 
 In the case before us, by a series of intrigues, commenced 
 near the beginning of the year 1839, the leading bankers 
 were gradually dispossessed of much of^heir former power ; 
 and almost before either the Patriarch or the people were 
 aware of it, three or four men from the artisan classes, 
 stood before the nation as its guides and dictators, and 
 especially as defenders of its ancient faith, and the zeal- 
 ous extirpators of heresy. One of these was the Sultan's 
 chief architect, and another was his second. Another 
 was superintendent of the government powder works. 
 The first two were employed at the time, in erecting the 
 most splendid of all the imperial palaces ; and this 
 brought them into closer contact with the Sultan than 
 was enjoyed by any of the bankers. Their royal master 
 was also so much delighted with the work of their hands, 
 that he seemed ready, for the moment, to grant them any 
 request they might make, even to " the one half of his 
 kingdom." The expulsion of Protestantism from the land 
 was an object that lay near their hearts ; and they now 
 resolved to make use of the strong arm of the Sultan to 
 effect it. Accusations were presented against the evan- 
 gelical brethren, though the precise form of them is not 
 known. Report said that the Protestants were repre- 
 
72 MISSIONARIES AND NATIVE HELPERS CALUMNIATED 
 
 senteil as being rebellious against the government of the 
 Patriarch, and of course against that of the Sultan himself. 
 Under the ecclesiastico-civil government of the Patri- 
 archs, the one necessarily implied the other. It was said 
 also that alarming inuendoes were thrown out, respecting 
 the political bearings of Protestantism in Turkey, and the 
 dangers that threatened the throne itself from an English 
 party, as it was called, being permitted to take root and 
 grow in the country. At the same time, a book in the 
 Turkish language, containing an attack on Mohamme- 
 danism, was sent to the palace by some evil-minded person, 
 and the American missionaries were represented as being 
 its authors ; and this was produced as sufficient proof that 
 they, and the Armenians connected with them, had the 
 design of attempting to convert the Mohammedans to 
 Protestantism ; although, in point of fact, the mission had 
 never printed a book of any sort in the Turkish character, 
 nor one in any language on Mohammedanism. Various 
 other reports were in circulation, some of which were as 
 ridiculous as they were slanderous ; such as that the teach- 
 ers of the mission schools taught chemistry, which was 
 Protestantism, or at least something that would transform 
 all the pupils into Protestants ; that Mr. Sahakian was a 
 sorcerer, and would cut a round piece of paper and it 
 would become gold, and that one such piece was given to 
 every Armenian that became a Protestant, and being 
 kept in his pocket he could use from it as long as he lived, 
 and as freely as he liked, and yet it would never be con- 
 sumed ; that by fixing his eyes upon a man he obtained 
 complete mastery over him, in every respect, and no one 
 had power to break the charm, even though absent from 
 his enchanter ; and that the missionaries took a likeness 
 
ORGANIZED PERSECUTION. 73 
 
 of every one that went over to them, and hung it up in 
 one of their rooms ; and if, at any subsequent period, any 
 one of these should apostatize, the missionary would send 
 a ball through his picture with a pistol, and after that the 
 man would soon die. 
 
 Such reports as these, which had produced among the 
 common people a very excited state of feeling against the 
 evangelical brethren, would also have their influence in 
 the palace. The Sultan was easily persuaded, and the 
 architects and powder-maker were fully authorized to call 
 upon the civil power, to aid them in extirpating this dan- 
 gerous heresy. 
 
 But, there was one obstacle which must be got out of 
 the way. The reigning Patriarch, Stepan, was altoge- 
 ther too mild a man for their purposes ; and, moreover, it 
 was reported and believed that his sympathies were with 
 the evangelical party. For some unknown reason, they 
 did not at once remove him from office, but procured 
 from the interior of the country, a man who had once 
 been Vicar of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and 
 who was notorious for his bigotry and sternness of char- 
 acter, to be associated with Stepan, as assistant Patri- 
 arch. Hagopos, for that was the name of the new-comer, 
 soon had the whole power virtually put into his hands, 
 and Stepan, the real Patriarch, sunk to a mere cypher. 
 And now began the cruel work of persecution in good 
 earnest. On the 19th of February, Mr. Sahakian was ar- 
 rested, and thrown into the Patriarch's prison. There 
 was not even the form of an examination, nor did they 
 condescend to inform the prisoner what were the charges 
 alleged against him. Everybody knew, however, and he 
 knew, without being told, that his only crime was, that 
 4 
 
74 THE PATRIARCHAL POWER ALWAYS PERSECUTING. 
 
 he chose to follow the Bible, rather than the Church. H« 
 was a mild, amiable, inoflensive man ; of unblemished 
 character, and against whom, as a subject and a citizen, 
 not the slightest imputation could be brought. And yet, 
 while the same so called Christian Patriarchate would 
 use all possible means to protect felons of every descrip- 
 tion, who belonged to the Armenian community, even to 
 the murderer himself, from the regular action of the 
 Turkish law, it could rudely seize an innocent man, and 
 deliver him over to the civil authorities, to be punished 
 for daring to think and act for himself, in matters pertain- 
 ing only to his own soul and Grod ! 
 
 The Armenian Patriarchal power at Constantinople 
 has always been a persecuting power, but more especially 
 within the last one hundred and fifty years. In the year 
 1700, the Patriarch Ephraim, issued the most stringent 
 orders to all his clergy, throughout the empire, to cause 
 to be seized and imprisoned, all whom they even sus- 
 pected of being favorably inclined to the decisions of the 
 Council of Calcedon, which implied that they were also 
 favorable to Rome ; and, by the influence of his money, 
 he procured a similar order from the Sultan himself to all 
 the civil authorities of the land. Hundreds were impri- 
 soned and fined, and many were cruelly tortured by the 
 Janissaries, merely for their religious opinions. The 
 same thing was repeated by Avedis, A.D. 1705, and 
 Sahag, A.D. 1708, and Ilohannes, A.D. 1714, and many of 
 their successors. In some of these persecutions, there 
 was much blood shed, the money of the Patriarch causing 
 many to perish at the hands of the public executioner. 
 And who does not know of the cruelty practiced upon the 
 Papal Armenians, so lately as the year 1828, when about 
 
TWO BRETHREN EXILED. 75 
 
 10,000 of them were stripped of their property, driven 
 from their homes, and sentenced to perpetual banish- 
 ment, at the instigation of Garabed, the Armenian 
 Patriarch of Constantinople, merely because of their ad- 
 herence to the Church of Rome ! In the present 
 instance, therefore, the ecclesiastical authorities of the 
 Church were only acting out the true spirit of the Estab- 
 lishment. Everybody expected it, sooner or later ; and 
 many wondered that the blow had been so long delayed. 
 On the same day with Mr. Sahakian's imprisonment, 
 another teacher, Mr. Boghos Fizika, was also arrested and 
 put into the same prison. Four days afterwards, these 
 two individuals were put under charge of a Turkish 
 police officer, who was armed with pistols and sword, and, 
 without the least show of trial, or expressed accusation, 
 they were sent into banishment by an imperial firman. 
 The place of their exile was a monastery near Kaisery, 
 (the ancient Csesarea ad Argoeum), about 400 miles east 
 of Constantinople. The Patriarch Stepan took leave of 
 them with tears. He did not participate in the act of 
 his compeers, and knew well its deep injustice. The 
 police officer, a Turk, stopped at his mother's house in 
 Scutary, and sent back word that Mr. Fizika was too 
 feeble to bear the fatigues of the journey. He was an 
 invalid, and the whole distance must be performed on 
 horseback, over a rugged country, with almost no com- 
 forts on the road, and this at the very worst season of the 
 year. The heart of a persecutor, however, is cruel and 
 relentless. The most positive orders were returned to 
 carry him to Kaisery, either alive or dead. The mother 
 of the policeman, who was a Turkish woman, wept at 
 their hard treatment, and remarked that *' the Armc- 
 
76 CRUELTY OF A POLICEMAN. 
 
 nian rulers must be very bad people to exile such good 
 men." 
 
 Nicomedia lay on their way ; and as soon as their arrival 
 there was known, the pious brethren hastened in a body 
 to the post house, and there they had a precious season of 
 prayer, which gave great comfort to the exiles. Here the 
 chief primate of the Armenians, being solemnly appealed 
 to by Mr. Fizika, detained the guard, at his own risk and 
 expense, for a few days, and wrote to Constantinople for 
 permission for Mr. F. to remain in Nicomedia, on account 
 of his feebleness. They were lodged in the precincts of 
 the church, VN^here the evangelical brethren had free ac- 
 cess to them, and every evening was spent in Christian 
 intercourse and worship. The health of the invalid here 
 rapidly recruited, however, so that they started on their 
 way before an answer was received from Constantinople, 
 which at this time was a favorable one, owing to the in- 
 fluence of the Nicomedian primate. The policeman, seeing 
 in Nicomedia, that his prisoners were not destitute of 
 friends, after they had got well on their way, resorted to 
 the usual tricks of his trade, in order to extort money. 
 This was done by practising cruelties upon them, on pre- 
 tense that he was commanded so to do, but really to 
 make them pay well for exemption. He tied the feet of 
 Mr. Sahakian together under his horse, as he was riding 
 along, and then suspended from them a heavy stone, pro- 
 ducing, in a short time, the most exquisite suffering. To 
 save himself from this cruelty Mr. S. was compelled to 
 draw upon his father for two thousand piastres (nearly 
 $100) as a present to the policeman. The Armenian 
 bishop of Angora, being an old friend of the family, cashed 
 the bill ; and thus our brother was released from his tor- 
 
PEARS AT THE CAPITAL. 77 
 
 ture. Opportunities were not wanting on the way, to 
 preach the G-ospel of Christ ; and on the arrival of the 
 exiles at Kaisery, many of the Armenians were very 
 curious to know for what crime they had been banished. 
 And when Mr. S. informed them that it was merely be- 
 cause they received the Bible as the only infallible guide 
 in religious matters, they replied that the Patriarch might 
 as well banish them all, for they were all of the same 
 opinion. 
 
 The greatest efforts were now made at the capital to 
 frighten the brethren into submission. It was reported 
 that the Patriarch had a list of five hundred persons sus- 
 pected of heresy, among whom were bishops, priests, and 
 bankers ; and that several were to be banished immedi- 
 ately. The names even were given of different individu- 
 als, of whom the Patriarch's beadles were already said to 
 be in pursuit. Very few dared to visit the missionaries, 
 and those only under cover of the darkness. On the 3d 
 of March a Patriarchal bull was issued by Hagopos, 
 adjunct Patriarch, forbidding the reading of all books 
 printed or circulated by the missionaries ; and all who 
 had such books in their possession, were required to de- 
 liver them, without delay, to their bishop or confessor. 
 The brethren, though appalled by such violent proceed- 
 ings, still exhibited great constancy ; and seemed ready 
 to suffer joyfully the spoiling of their goods, and if need 
 be, imprisonment, banishment, and the bastinado, for 
 their Master's sake. 
 
 On the 14th of March, Der Kevork, the pious priest of 
 Has Keuy, was arrested and thrown into prison. Eight 
 days after, the Patriarch Stepan was deposed from office, 
 and permitted to retire to his convent at Armash near 
 
78 BANISHMENT OF A PIOUS PRIEST. 
 
 Nicoraedia; and on the following day, his assistant 
 Hagopos, was installed in his place. During the same 
 week, the Greek Patriarch issued a bull, excommunica- 
 ting all who should buy, sell, or read the books of the 
 Lutherans or Calvinists, as the missionaries were called ; 
 and an imperial firman was also published, requiring all 
 the Patriarchs to look well to their flocks, and guard them 
 against foreign influence and infidelity. In short, the 
 reign of terror had begun, and no means were to be left 
 untried to extirpate Protestantism from the land. It was 
 now quite evident that the Sultan himself was an inter- 
 ested party in these transactions. Th© ansv/er given to 
 an application from the most respectable Armenians of 
 Has Keuy, for the release of Der Kevork, showed the spirit 
 of the times. They were told to " stay at home, and mind 
 their own business." After lying in prison for more than 
 a month, he was banished into the interior ; and two 
 vartabeds, who had presided over dioceses as bishops, one 
 more teacher, and several other persons were sent into 
 exile about the same time. As there was no examina- 
 tion of any case, some, who were made the victims of this 
 cruel fanaticism, had never in any way been associated 
 with the evangelical men, but were made to participate 
 in their punishment by a mere mistake. It was supposed 
 that in one or two instances, individuals who acted with 
 the persecuting party, seeing the summary manner in 
 which every one, to whom even a suspicion of heresy was 
 attached, was punished, took advantage of the times, and 
 to gratify a long-cherished purpose of revenge, procured 
 the punishmxcnt of personal enemies, who were the far- 
 thest possible removed from Protestantism. 
 
 On the 28th of April, the Patriarch issued a new bull, 
 
patriarch's bull. 79 
 
 more violent than the former, threatening terrible ana- 
 themas, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, 
 against all who should be found having any intercourse 
 with the missionaries, or reading their books ; and also 
 against all who neglected to inform, when made acquaint- 
 ed with offenders. Within two or three days, a rich 
 banker, who had been for years on friendly terms with 
 the missionaries, and who was especially the patron of Mr 
 Boghos Fizika, was arrested and imprisoned in the hos- 
 pital, as an insane person : this is a method of persecu- 
 tion not unfrequently resorted to in this country. The 
 banker was released after about a week's confinement, on 
 paying a large sum towards the college at Scutary, to 
 atone for the mischief he had done by his insanity ! 
 
 The list of suspected persons had now swelled to a very 
 large number ; and a strong effort was being made to pro- 
 cure the expulsion of the missionaries, themselves, from 
 the country. Multitudes of persons of diverse characters, 
 were active, from diverse motives, in keeping alive the 
 spirit of fanaticism One was a renegade Jew, who had 
 been baptized by an English missionary many years be- 
 fore, and had, for some years afterwards, been on terms of 
 some intimacy with different missionaries ; but who was 
 now an avowed infidel. He seemed to be aided by the 
 Evil One, in inventing all sorts of slanders against Pro- 
 testants and Protestantism ; and with these he powerfully 
 stimulated the persecution. Another was an infidel 
 teacher, whom we had once disappointed in the hope of em- 
 ployment, and who never afterwards forgave us. He was a 
 man of great rudeness of manner, and bitterness of spirit, 
 and became a fit associate for the apostate Jew. Numer- 
 ous were the subalterns who were found ready to act 
 
80 WONDERFUL PROVIDENCES. 
 
 under these leaders. It was a day of rebuke and blas- 
 phemy. The enemies of the truth seemed to have every- 
 thing in their own way ; and strong was their confidence 
 that they were about to succeed in their purpose of de- 
 livering the land from the plague of Protestantism, The 
 words of the prophet (Isa. lix. 14, 15) contain a most ac- 
 curate and graphic description of the actual state of 
 things in Constantinople at this time. " Judgment is 
 turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for 
 truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. 
 Yea, truth faileth ; and he that departeth from evil 
 maketh himself a prey ^'' 
 
 Our native brethren were at their wits' end, and even 
 the missionaries could not see how G-od was going to de- 
 liver his people. Providence solved the problem, how- 
 ever, with the greatest imaginable ease. The persecuting 
 powers were suddenly thrown into the deepest consterna- 
 tion, by a demand from the Sultan to all the Patriarchs, 
 that each should furnish him with several thousand men, 
 10 recruit his broken army, and enable him to prosecute 
 his war with Mohammed Ali of Egypt. Though an unpre- 
 cedented demand, it must be promptly obeyed. Public at- 
 tention was now entirely absorbed in this subject, and the 
 doomed Protestants were for the moment forgotten. The 
 army was raised, and marched to the field. It was 
 estimated to consist of 80,000 men ; and on the plains of 
 Nezib, near Aleppo, it encountered an Egyptian force of 
 about the same number. The battle was fought on the 
 24th of June, 1839, and the Turkish troops were utterly 
 defeated, and scattered in all directions. Tidings of this 
 disaster, however, never reached the ears of Sultan 
 Mahmud. He died in his own palace, on the Bosphorus, 
 
PERSECUTORS RELENTING, 81 
 
 on the first day of July. His son, Abdul Medjid, was 
 girded with the imperial sword, on the 11th ; and a few 
 days after, the news reached the capital, that the 
 Capudan Pasha had treacherously surrendered up the 
 whole Turkish fleet to Mohammed Ali. Thus, both the 
 army and navy were gone, and a mere boy of seventeen 
 was upon the throne, in the place of the great Mahmud ; 
 and the entire dissolution of the empire seemed inevitable. 
 Nothing but the intervention of the great powers of 
 Europe prevented this catastrophe. 
 
 By this rapid succession of remarkable events, Grod 
 rebuked the persecutors of his people, and effectually 
 removed from them the power of carrying into effect their 
 unholy designs. Judgment succeeded judgment, pro- 
 ducing, at least, in some instances, relentings of heart 
 towards the innocent victims of ecclesiastical wrath. A 
 fire broke out in the quarter of Pera, which consumed 
 between three and four thousand houses. An immense 
 amount of property was destroyed, besides several lives. 
 Immediately after this last visitation, or about the middle 
 of August, a meeting of the Armenian Synod was called, 
 to take into consideration the case of the exiles. After 
 much violent debating, it was resolved that a part of 
 them should be recalled. Mr. Sahakian was to be left, 
 however, in perpetual banishment. He was considered 
 the " ringleader" of the sect called " Evangelicals," and 
 his return to the capital would be highly dangerous. All 
 the others returned to their homes before winter set in. 
 Some of them were restored to their former stations. One 
 efTect of the treatment they had received, was, that they 
 were rendered much more bold to prea h the Gospel. 
 The converted brethren, generally, soon ^ok courage. 
 4# 
 
82 SULTAN S PHYSICIAN. 
 
 They cautiously resumed their intercourse with the mis- 
 sionaries, and gradually became bolder than ever in their 
 efforts to spread the knowledge of the truth. 
 
 In the meantime, at the suggestion of others, Mr. 
 Sahakian wrote two or three letters, successively, to the 
 Patriarch, petitioning for his own release. They were 
 couched in terms of great respect, but as they contained 
 no confession of error, and no promise of future submis- 
 sion, his request was denied. The bishop of Kaisery also 
 wrote to the Patriarch in his behalf, saying that he had 
 watched Mr. S. very closely, and had '• found no fault in 
 him ;" but this application also failed. 
 
 Yery providentially, one of the physicians of the royal 
 palace at this time, was an English gentleman, of the most 
 humane feelings ; and he interested himself in attempt- 
 ing to procure the release of the injured man. He stated 
 the iniquitous circumstances of the case to one of the 
 sisters of the late Sultan, and through her, on November 
 14th, 1839, an imperial request^ for the restoration of the 
 exile, was sent to the Patriarch. This dignitary now had 
 recourse to every expedient to procure the reversal of the 
 decree. He caused all the foolish stories that had been 
 circulated about Mr. S. being a magician, and a danger- 
 ous man in the community, to be repeated in the ears of 
 the Sultana. And when he was satisfied that all this was 
 without avail, he labored as much as possible to delay 
 the execution of her benevolent wishes. He consented to 
 restore the exile, but he must first procure from him 
 pledges in regard to his future conduct. And when, after 
 all, he was obliged to go through the usual form of asking 
 from the Porte an order for the release of Mr. Sahakian, 
 and the necessary document was placed in his hands, ad- 
 
PERSECUTION AT BRTTSA. 83 
 
 dressed to the Governor of Kaisery, by the Turkish 
 Minister of Foreign Affairs, he retained it for several 
 weeks, in order to prolong the misery of his victim. On 
 the 10th of Feb., 1840, the Patriarch, by compulsion, 
 placed the imperial requisition for the return of our per- 
 secuted brother, into the hands of his father, by whom it 
 was immediately forwarded to Kaisery. 
 
 The violent proceedings of those in power at Constan- 
 tinople, that have been narrated, had their influence in 
 every part of the empire where Armenian Protestants 
 were found or feared. Indeed, steps were taken to make 
 the persecution universal. The influence of the deposed 
 Patriarch Stepan, was sufficient to keep the Armenian 
 authorities in Nicomedia in check, although they v/ere 
 just ready to break out upon the evangelical brethren 
 there when Stepan arrived. In Brusa, near the beginning 
 of the year, the bishop Matteos preached with great vio- 
 lence against the missionaries, threatening to visit with 
 anathemas all who should have any intercourse with 
 them. The books printed at our press were diligently 
 collected, and some of them at least were burnt. Mr. 
 Powers' Armenian assistant was compelled to leave his 
 service ; and the owner of his house was actually excom- 
 municated, and threatened with banishment, because he 
 would not eject the missionary. The bishop was making 
 arrangements forcibly to remove Mr. Powers, when, 
 through the American Consul, the consent of the governor 
 of the city was obtained for him to remain. The mission 
 struggled hard even for existence, and both the mission- 
 aries and the few native brethren found there, passed 
 many days and nights of deep anxiety, and of alternate 
 hope and fear ; but the Lord at length brought deliver- 
 
84 PERSECUTION AT TREBIZOND. 
 
 ance ; and no one was really hurt. The two teachers 
 who were hopefully pious, were not even removed from 
 the school, although they were severely reprimanded, and 
 held up to public scorn in the church by the bishop, for 
 having had intercourse with the foreigners. After the 
 storm had subsided, one of the missionaries wrote, " It is 
 grateful to look out again, and behold the face of the clear 
 sky, and find ourselves escaped from impending dangers, 
 and our little bark, uninjured by the tempest, again head- 
 ing before the wind." 
 
 There was satisfactory evidence, that, even in the 
 midst of these troubles, the truth was making silent 
 progress among the people. The more intelligent of 
 them well knew the falsity of the charges brought against 
 the missionaries, and it required no superior logical 
 powers, to infer that the clergy were enemies of the light, 
 and from purely selfish motives, wished to blind the 
 minds of the common people, and keep them in igno- 
 rance. The conviction that a thorough reformation was 
 needed, had already gained possession of many minds ; 
 and the persecuting measures of the ecclesiastics contrib- 
 uted, perhaps, more than anything else, to extend and 
 deepen this impression. 
 
 In Trebizond, the first step of the ruling powers was to 
 remove the vartabed, who was strongly suspected of 
 leaning towards the side of the reformation, and not 
 without reason, although he had never openly espoused 
 that cause. His successor, who was sent from Constan- 
 tinople, lost no time in proclaiming the orders of the 
 Patriarch, forbidding intercourse with the missionaries, 
 and requiring the people to surrender all books printed 
 either in Smyrna or Calcutta, to his hands, that he might 
 
NEW STATION AT ERZRUM. 85 
 
 forward them to head quarters. Those who had, in any- 
 way, rendered themselves suspicious, were greatly alarmed, 
 and the orders were partially obeyed. Some, however, se- 
 creted their books ; and one, who had obtained a copy of the 
 New Testament two or three years before, but through 
 indifference, had never read it, had his curiosity greatly 
 excited to know what there was in a book which the 
 priests were so anxious to get from him ; and he imme- 
 diately became a very earnest inquirer after the truth. 
 It was becoming more and more evident, that superstition 
 was gradually loosing its hold on the minds of several of 
 the Armenians in Trebizond. 
 
 At the very time when the storm was raging at the 
 capital, and at different points on the sea coast of the em- 
 pire, the mission was pushing its advanced posts into the 
 very heart of the enemy's country. In April, Mr. Jackson, 
 from Trebizond, visited Erzriim, almost in the center of 
 ancient Armenia, in order to make arrangements for 
 commencing operations in that town. While he was 
 there, a letter was publicly read in the church from the 
 Patriarch, warning the people against intercourse with 
 the Americans, and against patronizing their schools and 
 reading their books ; and ordering them to seize such 
 books, wherever they could be found, and commit them 
 to the flames. This did not prevent Mr. Jackson from 
 procuring a dwelling house, which he accomplished through 
 the kind assistance of the British Consul, and on the 11th 
 of September, 1839, he removed there with his family. 
 
 In February of the same year, the station at Constan- 
 tinople was strengthened by the arrival of the Rev. C. 
 Hamlin and wife, he being designated to open a seminary 
 for Armenian boys. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 Interesting Season of Prayer — Persecution overruled for good — Judgment 
 upon Persecutors — Charter of rights — Influence of Bankers curtailed — 
 Greek Patriarch removed — Folly of the Armenian Patriarch — His 
 resignation — Appointment of Stepan — Return from exile of Mr. Sa- 
 hakian — Evangelical Priests — Salvation by Grace — An Evangelical Con- 
 fessor — Inquirers multiplying — A Persecutor awakened — Opening of a 
 room in the City proper — Removal of book depository — Public preach- 
 ing — Seminary at Bebek — Charges against Mr. Hamlin — Visit to Nico- 
 media — Interesting character of the Converts — The Gospel carried to 
 Adabazar — Effects of Ecclesiastical tyranny — Overruled for good — Re- 
 action at Brusa and Trebizond — Happy death — Printing at Smyrna — 
 Providence removing difliculties — Testimony of an enemy — Change in 
 the Armenian style of preaching — Deep feeling — Activity of Priest 
 Vertanes — Progress at Nicomedia and Adabazar — Influence of a Tract — 
 Mr, Schneider's visit — Public preaching — Book distribution — Imbecile 
 efforts against the Bebek Seminary — God watching over his Church. 
 
 The first Monday in January, of the year 1840, was 
 observed as a day of special fasting, humiliation, and 
 prayer, throughout all the mission stations of the Board 
 in Turkey. The events of the preceding year, and the 
 existing state of things in the country, rendered it a sea- 
 son of deep interest. The subjects of prayer were many 
 and important ; such as the removal of obstacles to the 
 spread of the Grospel ; the opening of doors of access ; the 
 unbinding of the Word of God, so that it might have free 
 
PERSECUTION OVERRULED FOR GOOD. 87 
 
 course and be glorified ; the blessing of God upon the 
 native brethren, enabling them to endure as good soldiers; 
 and the general outpouring of the Holy Spirit, first on all 
 missionaries and native brethren, and then on the Patri- 
 archs, bishops, priests, and all the people, of whatever 
 name or race. It was a precious day, and long to be 
 remembered. 
 
 It became more and more evident that the persecuting 
 power had received a check from which it would not im- 
 mediately recover ; and the persecutors, themselves, soon 
 perceived, and in some instances acknowledged, that they 
 had committed a great mistake. Their efforts to destroy 
 the truth had only made it more extensively known in 
 the land. Nor had the disregard to private rights shown 
 by many of the clergy ; their injustice, violence, and 
 cruelty, tended at all to increase their popularity with 
 the people at large. Said a highly respectable banker to 
 one of the missionaries, " I have entirely done with our 
 clergy. They are altogether a bad set of men, from the 
 Patriarch down ; and I am determined to have nothing 
 more to do with them." 
 
 Some few of those who seemed to be truly converted, 
 were so thoroughly intimidated by the violent proceedings 
 of the ecclesiastical powers during the last year, as not to 
 be easily emboldened to visit the missionaries for several 
 months ; nor even to give them a sign of recognition in 
 the streets. 
 
 At the commencement of the year 1840, however, inter- 
 course was resumed with most of those whom the persecu- 
 tion had temporarily repelled from us, and there was evi- 
 dently no diminution of interest in religious inquiry. One 
 striking providence after another occurred, calculated to 
 
 % 
 
88 JUDGMENTS UPON PERSECUTORS. 
 
 lead the hearts of the faithful to repose on G-od, and to be 
 " nothing terrified by their adversaries." In several in- 
 stances, signal judgments followed the persecutor, so that 
 even the enemies themselves were constrained to ac- 
 knowledge that Grod himself was uttering his reproving 
 voice. The sudden manner in which the late Sultan was 
 cut off, and his forces by land and sea destroyed, at the 
 very time when he was aiding by his authority to vex 
 the church, has already been noticed. The chief instru- 
 ment in inducing him to use his mighty power for such a 
 purpose, was, by the death of his royal master, deprived 
 of all his peculiar influence ; and shortly after, his wife 
 was removed by death, and he himself brought down to 
 the grave's mouth. Another powerful man, who had more 
 than once, or twice, actively opposed and persecuted the 
 evangelical brethren, within a short space of time lost two 
 daughters by sudden death ; a third daughter became de- 
 ranged, and also a daughter-in-law ; his wife was de- 
 formed by sickness, and also made nearly blind, and he 
 himself became a miserable invalid. 
 
 But the most remarkable providence of all, though of a 
 different kind, remains to be mentioned. Soon after the 
 young Sultan came upon the throne, a charter of rights 
 was granted to the people, without their asking for it, 
 providing for some fundamental changes in the internal 
 administration of the government. In the presence of all 
 the foreign ambassadors, the sovereign solemnly pledged 
 himself to guard, as far as in him lay, the liberty, prop- 
 erty, and honor of every individual subject, without 
 reference to his religious creed. No one was to be con- 
 demned, in any case, without an impartial trial, and no 
 one was to suffer the penalty of death, without the sane- 
 
CHARTER OF RIGHTS. 89 
 
 tion of the Sultan himself. No person conversant with 
 Turkey would expect that such a change could be 
 effected all at once ; nor be surprised, if, for many years, 
 so extraordinary a pledge should seem to be better known 
 by its breach than by its observance. And superficial ob- 
 servers would represent the whole affair as a mere pretense, 
 worthy only of ridicule. "Under this very charter, however, 
 changes the most momentous, particularly for the Christian 
 and Jewish population, have already taken place in Tur- 
 key ; and everything now indicates, that according to the 
 honest intention and policy of the present government, 
 there is ultimately to be a complete carrying out of its 
 provisions, in every part of the empire. The important 
 connection between the religious liberty at present en- 
 joyed by the Protestants in Turkey, and this charter of 
 rights, will be duly noticed in its proper place. The more 
 immediate and direct bearing of the changes here alluded 
 to, upon the Protestant cause, demands our present atten- 
 tion. 
 
 Under the old system, bankers were needed to furnish 
 capital to the pashas, until they could procure their sup- 
 plies from the oppressed people. An important part of 
 the new system, however, was, that thenceforward the 
 ruling pashas and governors throughout the country, 
 should each receive a fixed salary from the government ; 
 and in no case meddle with th^ collection of taxes. Ac- 
 cordingly, near the beginning of the year 1840, all the 
 bankers of the government received orders to settle up 
 their accounts, as they were to be no longer needed in 
 the capacity in which they had heretofore served the 
 state. This threw many of them into great distress, and 
 some it completely ruined. One was driven, in his des- 
 
90 GREEK PATRIARCH REMOVED. 
 
 peration, to the crime of suicide. All who had capital 
 remaining, were obliged to seek other methods of invest- 
 ing it ; and their influence with the government, was, ii^ 
 great measure, nullified. Thus did God put another ob- 
 stacle out of the way, which hitherto had seriously ob- 
 structed the progress of his kingdom. 
 
 In this connection may be mentioned the removal from 
 office of the Greek Patriarch. Although the spiritual 
 head of another community, yet, both the fact of his 
 degradation and the manner of it, had an important 
 bearing on the progress of evangelical sentiment among 
 the Armenians. His joining hands with the Armenian 
 Patriarch, in anathematizing the people of God, has 
 already been mentioned. In the spring of 1840, he was 
 suddenly deposed from his office, by order of the Turkish 
 government. He was found guilty of employing his 
 official influence in fomenting rebellion in one of the 
 Ionian Islands, which, it will be remembered, are under 
 British rule ; and his removal from office, it is said, was 
 procured by the English Ambassador. Common report, 
 however, among the Armenians, would have it, that his 
 offense was, his public and oft-repeated defamations of 
 Protestantism, 
 
 The occupant of the Armenian see did not much longer 
 hold his place. He proved himself to be too overbearing 
 and violent to be managed, even by those who took the 
 pains to send for him to fill this place. God also gave 
 him up to do the most foolish things, so as to bring dis- 
 grace upon himself, and the whole Armenian community. 
 One of his own bishops, whom he had banished for some 
 misdemeanor, returned, in spite of his superior, and went 
 forthwith and joined himself to the Jesuits. Afterwards, 
 
FOLLY OF THE ARMENIAN PATRrARCII. 91 
 
 he came alone into the room where the Patr rch was 
 sitting, and insulted him with the most opprobrious lan- 
 guage, bidding him defiance to his very face. The poor 
 Patriarch was utterly powerless. He could not even 
 protect his own beadles from being flogged and im- 
 prisoned by the Turks. Before the summer was out, he 
 was obliged to recommend as a teacher to a banker's 
 family, one of the very persons whom he had lately 
 banished as a heretic. At length he became so univer- 
 sally unpopular, and even odious, that in the early part of 
 November, 1840, he was obliged to resign the insignia of 
 his office, to avoid forcible deposition. It was not among 
 the least significant of the signs of the times, that 
 Stepan, the very man who had so recently been ejected 
 for his mildness and forbearance towards the Protestants, 
 and had even been suspected of Protestantism himself, 
 was now again elected to the Patriarchal office, first by 
 vote of the principal bankers, and afterwards by accla- 
 mation, in an immense popular assembly convened for the 
 purpose. This prelate, after his return to office, remarked 
 to a friend, in reference to those who had been banished 
 for heresy, without even the form of trial — " If an exami- 
 nation were made as to the manner in which we treated 
 these men, what should we say ? What justice is there 
 in such a mode of proceeding ? Nicodemus asked the 
 Jewish Council, ' Doth our law judge a man before it 
 hath heard him?' But we have done this very thing. 
 We have condemned and punished these men unheard." 
 
 On the 24th of May, 1840, our brother, Sahakian, the 
 last of the exiles, returned to the capital. His presence 
 there, under such circumstances, tended greatly to en- 
 courage and strengthen the native brethren ; and he soon 
 
92 SALVATION BY GRACE. 
 
 commenced a series of active labors for the good of his 
 countrymen. Priest Yertanes also, not being able con- 
 scientiously to perform ail the duties required of him as 
 priest, quietly and unostentatiously withdrew ; and re- 
 solved to devote his whole time in laboring for the spread 
 of the truth among his countrymen. He then abandoned, 
 voluntarily, a situation in which he was honored and sup- 
 ported, for one in which he was exposed to constant sus- 
 picion, reproach, and persecution, and, at the same 
 time, with very uncertain means of subsistence. Priest 
 Kevork seemed to be " full of faith and the Holy Ghost," 
 preaching more boldly than before his banishment, that 
 there is but " one name given under heaven among men 
 whereby we must be saved ;'' and ready to sufter again, 
 if need be, for his beloved Lord and Master. The doc- 
 trinal views of the converted Armenians seemed, in gene- 
 ral, wonderfully clear ; which was the more surprising, 
 considering the immense rubbish of superstition and 
 error that originally encumbered their minds. The 
 standard doctrine of the reformation in Europe — sal- 
 vation by grace alone, without the deeds of the law, was 
 usually the great central truth, first apprehended by their 
 awakened and inquiring minds, and made the ground 
 of satisfactory repose. Before it, the multifariou s errors 
 of the ritual and priestly system melted away as snow be- 
 fore the summer's sun ; and around it, every other essen- 
 tial truth in the gospel scheme naturally clustered. 
 
 One of the enlightened priests who had not yet retired 
 from the office of the priesthood, though his conscience 
 was by no means quiet on the subject, resolved to be 
 faithful to the souls of the people committed to his care, 
 so long as he retained this relation to them. Before 
 
EVANGELICAL CONFESSOR. Qii 
 
 Easter, according to custom, they came to him to confess 
 their sins, to the number of nearly or quite five hundred. 
 After he had heard what they had to say, he addressed 
 them as follows : — "And now, my good people, I have no 
 power to absolve you from sin. You must go to Christ 
 for that ; and until you have become reconciled to Ood, 
 and feel that you have his forgi "eness, you must not dare 
 to come to the table of the Lord." Nor was he a respecter 
 of persons. One of the richest and most influential 
 bankers in Constantinople belonged to his church, and in 
 fact, contributed most that was raised for the priest's sup- 
 port. Agreeably to his custom, this distinguished indivi- 
 dual requested that the communion might be administered 
 to him on a separate occasion, and in preparation for it, 
 he went privately to the priest for confession. Our bro- 
 ther, nothing daunted, said to him, " This is a matter 
 that lies between your own soul and Grod. I cannot give 
 you absolution, but can only direct you where you can 
 obtain it. You have sinned, and unless you truly repent, 
 you must not come and partake of the Lord's supper^ 
 You must first go and be reconciled to God, and with 
 repentance, and true faith in Jesus Christ, come to the 
 Lord's table." The banker went away with a conscience 
 so troubled that he could not make up his mind to par- 
 take of the sacrament, although he had probably never 
 omitted it before at this season, since he came to years of 
 discretion. 
 
 The number of inquirers steadily increased, and indeed 
 nearly all who called upon the missionaries, came for the 
 avowed purpose of religious conversation. The story had 
 been very industriously circulated, especially during the 
 
 persecution, that the Americans were a nation of infidels; 
 5* 
 
94 PERSECUTOR AWAKENED. '^ ^ 
 
 without even the form of religion ; and that the mission- 
 aries were aiming to convert all the Armenians to infide- 
 lity, and only pretended at first to believe the Bible, so as 
 the more easily to draw the people into their snares. The 
 words Framason (Freemason), Lutran (Lutheran), Volter 
 (Yoltaire), and Protestan (Protestant), were freely and 
 indiscriminately applied to us, all of them being consi- 
 dered by the common people as synonymous, and the 
 meaning being rather indefinite, but yet implying an 
 atheist of the most wicked and dangerous description. To 
 the emissaries of Rome in the East, undoubtedly, be- 
 longs the first paternity of this falsehood, and to their 
 humble and sycophantic imitators among the clergy and 
 laity of the Armenian Church must be yielded the honor 
 of its second parentage. In more than one instance, our 
 visitors showed at first no little anxiety to know exactly 
 what was the truth of the matter ; and whether we have 
 any churches in America, and whether any number of 
 people ever assembled for worship on the Sabbath ! 
 
 Among the inquirers at this time, was a young teacher 
 who had taken an active part in the persecution, and 
 especially in procuring the banishment of Mr. Sahakian. 
 He had been a most confirmed Pharisee, fnlly determined 
 to work his own way to heaven, by prayers and masses, 
 confessions and penances. Providentially he was thrown 
 for a few months within the parochial jurisdiction of one 
 of the converted priests, and heard from him, for the first 
 time in his life, the inability of the priest to absolve from 
 sin, and of the sacraments to purify the soul. The priest 
 brought him to us, and he soon learned that the just shall 
 live by faith ^ and was enabled to repose on Christ alone 
 as his atoning, his justifying, and his sanctifying Saviour ; 
 
OPENING OF A ROOM IN THE CITY PROPER. 95 
 
 as all and in all. This was Mr. Apisoghom Khachadu- 
 rian, who became the first pastor of the first evangelical 
 Armenian church formed in Turkey. 
 
 Early in the autumn of 1840, I adopted the rule of 
 going over to the bazars and khans, in the city proper, 
 every Thursday, for the purpose of seeking opportunities 
 of addressing men on the salvation of their souls. Before 
 the end of the year 1840, the expediency of providing a 
 room, in the business quarter of the city, for receiving 
 visitors, and for conference on religious subjects, became 
 quite apparent ; and one was procured and opened forth- 
 with. Many were desirous of conversing with a mission- 
 ary, who were closely occupied from morning till night, 
 with busin?.ss, and could not afford the time requisite to 
 visit us at our dwelling houses, which were at least two 
 miles distant. To all such, our room in the khan afforded 
 every facility. It was open on two stated days of each 
 week, and gradually became a place of much resort for 
 religious inquiry. 
 
 About the same time our book depository was removed 
 to the very heart of the city ; and there, in the most 
 public manner, the products of our press, so lately anathe- 
 matized by the Patriarch, were daily sold by our agent, 
 who was himself an Armenian. A highly respectable in- 
 dividual, who, a few months before, would not have dared 
 to be seen even reading one of our publications, now 
 came forward, of his own accord, and offered himself as 
 our bookseller ! More than three hundred dollars worth 
 of books, in the different languages, were sold at Con- 
 stantinople during the year 1840. 
 
 A weekly meeting in the Armenian language, com- 
 menced by the writer in the autumn of 1839, with only 
 
h 
 
 96 SEMINARY AT BEBEK. 
 
 three individuals, and that privately, for fear of the per- 
 secutors, gradually increased, as fear wore away, and 
 before the end of 1840, it was held twice a week, pub- 
 licly, and more than twenty-five different individuals had 
 attended. 
 
 In the autumn of this last year, a boarding school, for 
 Armenian boys and young men, was opened at Bebek, on 
 the Bosphorus, under the superintendence of Mr. Hamlin. 
 He had previously had several interesting day scholars, 
 but this did not meet the growing wants of the commu- 
 nity. The plan of a boarding school had repeatedly been 
 urged upon us by persons of influence, and several 
 scholars of a promising character had been offered. The 
 school was opened on the 24th of November, 1840, with 
 three pupils, and within about a v/eek, applications had 
 been made for fifteen boarding scholars, though our 
 means, at first, would allow us to receive only twelve. 
 An effort was soon made to crush the infant seminary, 
 though it proved entirely futile, and was in itself not a 
 little ludicrous. A deputation from the village of Bebek 
 itself, consisting of the Armenian priest, two G-reek 
 priests, one of the village rulers, and several of the inhab- 
 itants, called upon the Armenian Patriarch, and ex- 
 pressed to him their deep regret that such a dangerous 
 man as Mr. Hamlin should be allowed to reside in their 
 quarter. They accused him of eating meat, eggs, butter, 
 milk, &c., both in Lent, and also on "Wednesdays and 
 Fridays, the days of their weekly fast ! He also taught 
 his scholars that it is no more wicked to eat butter than 
 oil ; or meat than bread ; or eggs than olives ! Another 
 grievous offense was, that neither Mr. H. nor his scholars 
 , made the sign of the cross ; nor worshipped the Virgin 
 
VISIT TO NICOMEDIA. 97 
 
 Mary, or the saints ! Of course, they said, he must be a 
 confirmed infidel, and he can teach nothing better in his 
 school than the works of Voltaire ! 
 
 The Patriarch was too well informed, and too well dis- 
 posed, to be moved by such an application; and the 
 petitioners had leave to withdraw. 
 
 During the month of June, 1840, Mr. Hamlin and my- 
 self visited Nicomedia. The brethren there were sorely 
 threatened, during the reign of violence at the capital, 
 but no serious persecution was actually attempted. Our 
 intercourse with them, however, was generally private, 
 in consequence of their still existing fears ; but it was in 
 the highest degree satisfactory. We were often reminded 
 of the primitive days of the Church, when gardens and 
 upper rooms were selected as places for prayer and con- 
 ference, " for fear of the Jews." Our Nicomedia brethren 
 had had little spiritual aid or comfort from abroad. They 
 had been thrown upon their Bibles for religious teaching, 
 and upon the Holy Spirit for their expounder of religious 
 truth, and upon Grod as their only protector. Who then 
 could wonder that they had grown rapidly in knowledge 
 and grace ? We met them all on the Sabbath, first in a 
 retired garden, where we sat for four consecutive hours, 
 in the midst of a small circle of hungry souls, expounding 
 to them the Word of God, and preaching the Grospel of 
 Christ ; and after partaking of some refreshment, we sat 
 in an adjacent house three hours more, talking to those who 
 were present ; and later in the day, we spent three hours in 
 the same manner, in another garden, making, in all, about 
 ten hours of preaching and conversation in the course of 
 one Sabbath, besides about an hour more in our own room, 
 with transient persons from abroad. And yet so intense 
 5 
 
98 GOSPEL CARRIED TO ADABAZAR. 
 
 was the interest manifested throughout, by every indivi- 
 dual present, that if bodily strength had held out, we 
 could most gladly have talked ten hours more. 
 
 Many questions were asked, all of which were of a 
 deeply practical nature. We took our departure from 
 this city with mingled emotions of admiration, gratitude, 
 and hope. Truly this is the work of Grod's Spirit, 
 our hearts exclaimed, and it cannot be that it will 
 now cease. The Lord is not wont to do after this 
 manner. 
 
 AVhile we were at Nicomedia, a stranger presented 
 himself, one day, at our room, from a neighboring town. 
 He was a merchant, and being in Nicomedia on business, 
 he had the curiosity to call upon us. He said that the 
 report of us had reached his place, through the Patriarch's 
 letter, warning them against us and our books ; and that 
 he, in common with many of his brethren, was very 
 anxious to know what this new way is. After a consid- 
 erable time had been spent in explaining to him our 
 views, chiefly in answer to his own inquiries, we gave 
 him a copy of the New Testament in the modern Arme- 
 nian, and also several tracts, and he took his leave, ex- 
 pressing his high gratification with the interview, and 
 his belief that the Armenians of his town would be con- 
 vinced that Protestantism is not, after all, so bad a thinsr 
 as has been represented to them. In this way was the 
 knowledge of the Grospel first carried to Adabazar, the 
 residence of this individual. It is situated about twenty- 
 seven miles directly east of Nicomedia. 
 
 The mischievous nature and effects of ecclesiastical 
 tyranny, as developed in Brusa during the persecution, are 
 graphically described by the missionaries. They say, " It 
 
EFFECTS OF ECCLESIASTICAL TYRANNY. 99 
 
 has closed our schools ; it has gathered and consumed our 
 books, not excepting even the Word of Grod ; it has pub- 
 licly and repeatedly denounced us as heretics and infidels, 
 who are aiming to undermine the Christian faith ; it has 
 prohibited the people, on pain of anathema, prison, and 
 banishment, to hold intercourse with us, to receive, or 
 read our books, or to aid or favor us in any way. By its 
 injunctions our doors have been watched, and all visitors 
 have been reported to the priests ; and repeated efforts havo 
 been made to expel us from our houses, and drive us out of 
 the city. And the effects of these measures of violence have 
 not lasted merely for a day, or a week. They have spread 
 themselves over many months — even the greater part of a 
 year." This is not the end of the story, however. The 
 prohibition and burning of books, awakened a desire in 
 many to procure and read these books for themselves : 
 and reading, in many cases, resulted in the renunciation 
 of cherished errors, and the reception of more correct 
 views of religious truth. The denunciations uttered 
 against the missionaries, stimulated some minds, at least, 
 to investigate personally the characters of those who were 
 thus publicly reproached. The sensitiveness of their spi- 
 ritual guides in regard to the free circulation of the Word 
 of God ; their injustice, bitterness, and violence, did 
 more in a few months towards convincing people of the 
 iniquity of the system, and the need of a thorough re- 
 form, than years of argumentation from us could do. 
 
 There was a gradually increasing demand for books in 
 Brusa ; and orders sometimes came from places thirty or 
 forty miles distant, for the publications of the mission 
 press. The preaching service in Turkish, which had been 
 suspended, was resumed in October, and was attended by 
 
100 REACTION y\T BRUSA AND TREBIZOND. 
 
 from twenty to thirty hearers, and an uncommon solemnity 
 and tenderness characterized the meetings. Just at the 
 close of the year 1 840 there appeared more evidence than 
 ever before of the special presence of the Spirit of G-od, 
 moving upon the hearts of those who attended upon the 
 preaching of the missionaries. Before the end of January, 
 1841, two or three persons gave very pleasing evidence 
 of a change of heart, and a number more were in a 
 serious state of mind. 
 
 In Trebizond the reaction in favor of G-od's eternal 
 truth, was not less marked and decisive, though, as yet, 
 fewer persons were influenced. Some were willing to be 
 known as obedient to the teachings of the Scriptures, 
 rather than the teachings of the Church ; and whatever 
 doctrines or usages they found not based upon the Word 
 of G-od, they unhesitatingly rejected. They were inte- 
 rested in the study of the Bible, and sought eagerly for 
 the instructions of the missionary. Only one of these, so 
 far, gave evidence of a real change of heart, and he was 
 about fifty years of age. The Armenians employed as first 
 teacher of the public school, a pious young man by the 
 name of Eprem, from Constantinople, who went to Tre- 
 bizond in order to escape persecution. His influence was 
 exceedingly important. After continuing in that situation 
 for eighteen months, however, a disease of the lungs com- 
 pelled him to withdraw. He returned to his friends at the 
 capital, and soon after rested from his labors, committing 
 his soul to the Redeemer, in full confidence of a glorious 
 immortality. 
 
 The station at Erzrum encountered all the difficulties 
 usually attending first efforts among an uneducated peo- 
 ple. Besides an unusual degree of ignorance, bigotry, and 
 
LABORS THROUGH THE PREaS. 101 
 
 'rudeness, there was a most appalling amount of intem- 
 perance prevailing among priests and people, including 
 men, women, and even children. An Armenian assistant of 
 Mr. Jackson was compelled to confess to a priest. It is usual 
 in such cases for the confessor to prescribe some penance 
 as a pre-requisite for absolution. A very common penance 
 is to read over the whole book of Psalms, or to repeat the 
 Lord's Prayer a certain number of times. In this instance 
 the priest ordered the penitent, whom he considered a very 
 great sinner, for not keeping the fasts, and especially for 
 having gone to live with a Protestant missionary, to kneel 
 twenty-four times every morning, for the twenty-four 
 prophets, and twelve times every evening, for the twelve 
 apostles, and to continue to do this for a whole month ! 
 Even in Erzrum, however, there were signs of better days 
 coming. During the latter part of the year 1840, there 
 was an increasing demand for books, and particularly for 
 the New Testament, and Mr. Jackson found the people 
 far more accessible than before. 
 
 The Rev. H. J. Yan Lennep was connected with the 
 Smyrna station during April, 1840. The labors of the 
 missionaries here were chiefly through the press, al- 
 though preaching was not neglected. Yery few Smyrna 
 Armenians, however, seemed disposed to listen to the 
 G-ospel. Printing was done both in the Armenian and 
 Greek languages for the whole mission, and far more was 
 accomplished in this department during the year 1840 
 than in any former year. More than six millions of pages 
 were printed in the Armenian and Armeno-Turkish lan- 
 guages alone. The most important work, by far, in the 
 latter was the Pentateuch, translated under Mr. GroodelPs 
 supervision. Its publication was hailed with joy by mul- 
 
102 PROVIDENCE REMOVING OBSTACLES. 
 
 titudes, and it only rendered them the more impatient to 
 be supplied with the whole Old Testament in an intelligi- 
 ble language, which was in the process of translation. In 
 the modern Armenian tongue, the book of Psalms was 
 one of the publications issued, the writer of this narrative 
 having superintended the translation. 
 
 It was considered a favorable omen that the Armenians 
 themselves, of Smyrna, established a press, and com- 
 menced the publication of a newspaper. 
 
 Hitherto, in the Armenian mission, every contest with 
 the enemies of reform had been a victory, and every 
 change that had taken place had contributed to advance 
 the work. This was the more remarkable, considering 
 the peculiar advantages possessed by the ecclesiastical 
 authorities in Turkey to oppose the introduction of light. 
 The whole structure of the ecclesiastico-civil government 
 of the Patriarchs, offered every facility for the suppression 
 of heresy by measures of violence ; and, at the same 
 time, discouraged all hope of toleration in the country for 
 native Protestants, as individuals ; and the prospect of a 
 community of Protestants sufficiently large to claim from 
 the Turks a separate organization, was so distant as to 
 appear to the most sanguine only as a dim and somewhat 
 portentous shadow. The example of the Papal-Armenians 
 was mournfully instructive on this subject. Still, two 
 things were now fully evident. G-od was at work by his 
 Spirit among the Armenians, removing the films of igno- 
 rance and superstition from the mental eye, and drawing 
 many hearts over to the truth : and ho was equally at 
 work by his providence, defeating the plans of his ene- 
 mies, defending his people from harm, and causing the 
 very wrath of man to praise him. Here was an experi- 
 
TESTIMONY OF AN ENEMY. 103 
 
 ment that had never yet been made in Turkey. Here 
 was a problem that was neither for us or our native 
 brethren, but for the great G-od himself to solve. Could 
 his own spiritual kingdom be set up there, in spite of 
 Patriarchs, and Synods, and all the mighty combinations 
 of sacred and secular power that were arrayed against it ? 
 The missionaries and those who sent them forth believed 
 that it could, or they would never have been found there ; 
 and God was teaching the most incredulous and faltering, 
 that the cause was safe in his hands. 
 
 Some even of the persecutors themselves were saga- 
 cious enough to see, by this time, that they were con- 
 tending against an invisible, and irresistible power. One 
 of the leading primates, an intelligent man, but one who 
 had taken an active part in the late persecution, was un- 
 expectedly thrown in company with the writer. I spoke 
 of the religious condition of the Armenians, compared 
 with certain Protestant nations. He sat thoughtfully for 
 awhile, and then remarked, " Protestantism is destined 
 to spread until it becomes the universal religion." I then 
 expatiated upon the anti-Christian spirit of persecution, 
 when the primate denied having had any participation in 
 the violent measures against the Protestants (a known 
 falsehood) ; and remarked, " It would be a good thing if 
 liberty were given here, as in some other countries, for 
 every man to think as he likes in matters of religion." 
 The work of persecution is so palpably unjust, so repul- 
 sive to every good feeling of the heart, so odious in itself 
 that few, indeed, are willing to acknowledge participa- 
 tion in it. Even the ex-Patriarch himself, who was 
 brought here because it was supposed he was exactly 
 adapted to the work, remarked, just before, leaving, "I 
 
104 CHANGE IN THE ARMENIAN STYLE OF PREACHING. 
 
 was opposed to the persecution, but a few of the leading 
 men would have it, and therefore it was resorted to." 
 Man^i of these very men alluded to, afterwards, made 
 substantially the same declaration of their personal oppo- 
 sition to persecution. 
 
 The year 1841 opened with many indications that a 
 thorough reformation was going forward in the Armenian 
 community. A very marked difference was observed in 
 the general style of preaching in the Armenian churches 
 at the capital. The vartabeds had learned that church 
 legends and " old wives' fables," would no longer satisfy 
 their hearers. There was a growing desire to study the 
 Scriptures, and a disposition to compare every doctrine 
 and practice with the written word ; and this could not, 
 with safety, be disregarded. It was not an uncommon 
 thing to hear of sermons on repentance, on the Sabbath, 
 on the judgment day, &c., altogether based upon the 
 Bible ; and, in some instances, we were knowing to the 
 fact that the preachers borrowed largely from our own 
 publications for their materials. Indeed, we had re- 
 peated applications to furnish matter directly for sermons, 
 for one of the most respectable vartabeds in Constanti- 
 nople. Another of the vartabeds went so far even as to 
 combat the prevailing error of substituting Mary, and 
 the saints as mediators for Christ, declaring that the 
 name of Christ is the only one given under heaven, among 
 men, whereby we can be saved. These things were en- 
 tirely new and strange ; and indicative of a change in 
 the feelings of the people, if not in the opinions and char- 
 acter of their teachers. 
 
 As the reformation advanced, instances of pungent con- 
 viction for sin, and a strong and deep apprehension of 
 
DEEP PEELING. 105 
 
 spiritual things became more common than had before 
 been noticed. One old man of sixty, perhaps, who had 
 long attended our preaching, and who was quite infirm, 
 one day said to me, " I have nearly finished my pilgrim- 
 age, I cannot remain here much longer." I replied that 
 it matters little how soon we go, provided we are pre- 
 pared. '• Yes," he replied, bursting into tears, " but I 
 am not prepared ; I feel that I am not prepared." Ano- 
 ther man of about forty-five was suddenly awakened and 
 converted. Very few cases have I ever seen, where the 
 truth took a stronger hold of a man's mind. He said, 
 with emphasis, " I have been a great sinner, but I hope 
 God has had mercy upon me, through the merits of Jesus 
 Christ. I used to fear death, but now, thanks to Grod, 
 this fear is removed ; I feel that I am Christ's ; and that 
 when I die, I shall go to be with him." Another indi- 
 vidual, who having been guilty of some flagrant sins, had 
 fallen into a state of despair in regard to himself, was in- 
 duced to come and hear our Armenian preaching. After 
 having been present three times successively, he sought a 
 private interview, and unburdened his almost bursting 
 heart. Said he, '^ I was in despair, but now I begin to 
 hope there may be mercy even for me. Tell me, what 
 must I do to be saved." These are given as examples of 
 what was rather frequently witnessed in those days. Some 
 who were drunkards, gamblers, and adulterers, and some 
 even who were downright infidels, became the subjects of 
 an entire change, and, through the wonderful grace of God, 
 they were washed and sanctified, and enabled to exhibit, 
 in a high degree, that humility, purity, spirituality, and 
 Christian zeal, which are the fruits of the Spirit alone. 
 Many of those who were without, were constrained to 
 5* 
 
106 ACTIVITY OF PRIEST VERTANES. 
 
 speak of the change as most wonderful, and to them, un- 
 accountable. The converted brethren also, with scarcely 
 an exception, appeared to be growing in grace, and in the 
 knowledge of Jesus Christ ; and their piety did not ex- 
 pend itself in closet meditation and secret prayer. An 
 active zeal for the salvation of others was one of its most 
 striking characteristics. The number of females inte- 
 rested in religious inquiry was slowly increasing, al- 
 though from the customs of oriental society, neither the 
 missionaries nor the native brethren could have free access 
 to them. 
 
 Priest Vertanes was full of activity and hope. Almost 
 every day he brought word of some new and interesting 
 case of inquiry in some part of the city. His whole time 
 was occupied in going from house to house, and from 
 shop to shop, wherever he could with any propriety, or 
 promise of usefulness, call. His great aim was to induce 
 people to study the Bible for themselves, in order to as- 
 certain the truth. He also brought many to the preach- 
 ing of the missionaries, and to our houses for private 
 conversation. It is a singular fact, that during the 
 spring of 1841, a report came to Constantinople that a 
 considerable number of Armenians in Nicomedia had be- 
 come disaffected, and were about going over to the 
 Jesuits, the Patriarch commissioned our colporteur, this 
 same priest "Vertanes, to go there with all speed, and en- 
 deavor to bring them back to their mother church. 
 Thus fortified by a commission from the highest power, 
 he had perfectly free access to every family in the Ar- 
 menian community in that town. He was quite suc- 
 cessful in the object of his mission, and while he heart- 
 ily and faithfully obeyed the Patriarch, and endeavored 
 
INFLUENCE OF A TRACT. 107 
 
 to persuade men not to suffer themselves to fall into the 
 clutches of Rome ; he also labored still more zealously 
 to bring them to a sense of their sins against G-od, and 
 to a hearty reception of Christ alone, as the Saviour of 
 their souls. His visit was a great comfort to the brethren 
 in Nioomedia, as well as an advantage to the cause at 
 large. 
 
 One of the leading brethren in that town was chosen a 
 counsellor of the Armenian community, and another was 
 placed at the head of the school department. Under the 
 direction of the latter, two pious men were appointed as 
 teachers in the public school, consisting of two hundred 
 scholars. 
 
 From Adabazar we continued to receive the most 
 cheering intelligence. An attempt was made, in the 
 spring of 1841, to raise a storm of persecution, and one 
 of the brethren was actually thrown into prison. He 
 was soon liberated, however, by a powerful friend, and 
 afterwards the truth spread more rapidly than before. 
 Regular meetings, for prayer and reading the Scriptures, 
 were held every Sabbath, and from twenty-five to fifty 
 were usually present. One of the priests seemed to have 
 become obedient to the faith. What an illustration of the 
 usefulness of the press ! No missionary had been among 
 these brethren, and almost the only instrumentality em- 
 ployed by the Holy Spirit, so far, was the publications of 
 our press. A handbill tract, containing simply the ten 
 commandments, in the modern tongue, without note or 
 comment, was the means of opening many eyes. When 
 they read, for the first time in their lives, in an intelligi- 
 ble language, " Thou shalt not make to thyself any 
 graven image, &c,," they said to one another, " This is 
 
108 PUBLIC PREACHING. 
 
 entirely against our pictures. Do our priests know that 
 G-od has given such a command ?" Thus the Word of 
 God proved *' quick and powerful." One year previously 
 there could not probably have been found a single soul, 
 among the four thousand Armenian inhabitants of Adaba- 
 zar, who was not groping in the deepest spiritual dark- 
 ness. Now, some two scores or more were convinced of 
 the errors of their Church, and ready to take the Bible as 
 their only religious guide, and several appeared to be truly 
 converted men, and were willing even to lay down their 
 lives for Christ. 
 
 They had sent repeated invitations for a missionary to 
 visit them, but the pressing nature of our work at Con- 
 stantinople had hitherto prevented a compliance with the 
 request. At length, in the autumn of 1841, Mr. Schnei- 
 der, of Brusa, was enabled to gratify them. His visit 
 was hailed with joy, by all the evangelical brethren, and 
 he returned with the most delightful and cheering impres- 
 sions, from all that he had heard and saw, that what had 
 been done was truly the work of G-od's Spirit. A spirit 
 of inquiry was found to be extending itself through many 
 of the neighboring villages. 
 
 During the year 1841, the public and formal preaching 
 of the Word attracted increased attention at all the mis- 
 sion stations in Turkey, and was, in general, attended with 
 the most happy results. At Smyrna, the number of 
 hearers was very small, and yet some were solemnly im- 
 pressed by the truth. At Trebizond, Mr. Johnson com- 
 menced a public religious service in November, 1840, and 
 it gradually increased in numbers and interest through the 
 following year. The bishop made some show of opposi- 
 tion. He summoned several of the regular attendants 
 
BOOK DISTRTBUTTON. 109 
 
 before him, and charged them to go no more. This had 
 no effect, however, unless it was to increase the number of 
 hearers. More than thirty were present, at different time«, 
 and while all were interested in hearing the gospel, a few, 
 at least, appeared to be made wise unto salvation. Among 
 these was a young man belonging to the class of Papal Ar- 
 menians. But the largest congregation in the interior was 
 that at Brusa, where Mr. Schneider was preaching to a 
 " room full," during the summer months. Several indi- 
 viduals showed signs of personal anxiety, and two at 
 least, were hopefully converted by the Spirit of God. It 
 was known that a large number of Armenians had a 
 desire to attend the preaching, but they could not over- 
 come their fears of persecution. There were daily calls 
 for books, and about 247 volumes were sold at an an- 
 nual fair in Balikesr, near Brusa, by Mr, Schneider's 
 agent. 
 
 In Constantinople, a most singular state of things ex- 
 isted. The Patriarch was personally well-disposed 
 towards the evangelical party, but still, by no means a 
 decided friend, and easily influenced the bankers. His 
 Vicar, or rather colleague, for such he became, though by 
 no means bigoted, probably not much of a believer in 
 anything, was time-serving and somewhat cunning. A 
 pretty strong portion of the tradesmen were in favor of a 
 change of Patriarch, and as a most ready means of accom- 
 plishing their object, they spread the story everywhere, 
 that Stepan, the occupant of the see, was a Protestant, 
 and was playing into the hands of the missionaries. As 
 an evidence of this, they pointed triumphantly to our 
 Seminary at Bebek, consisting altogether of Armenian 
 boys, and yet their parents were not ordered to keep 
 6 
 
110 IMBECILE EFFORTS AGAINST BEBEK SEMINARY. 
 
 them at home. It was necessary for the poor Patriarch 
 to do something. The Yicar summoned before him, a 
 priest and two laymen, who had children there, and pri- 
 vately told them to remove their boys ; but charged them 
 not to speak about it in public. The priest obeyed, but 
 after a few days, brought his boy back. The Yicar 
 again ordered him to remove his child. He again obeyed, 
 but soon returned him as before. This was repeated four 
 or five times. At length the school was voluntarily sus- 
 pended, for a few weeks, by Mr. Hamlin ; and then went 
 on more prosperously than ever. The number of students 
 was increased to twenty-four, and many applicants for 
 admission were refused for want of funds. Some of the 
 parents plainly told the Yicar that they could never re- 
 move their children, until as good a school was furnished 
 by their own Church. 
 
 We had previously been advised by a particular friend 
 of ours, who was also intimate with the Patriarch, not to 
 enlarge our Seminary at present, and to be cautious in 
 our other operations, as otherwise, the Patriarch might 
 be compelled by his political opponents, who were charg- 
 ing him with favoring the Protestants, to break up the 
 school. A terrible quarrel, however, soon broke out be- 
 tween the bankers and the tradesmen, in reference 
 chiefly to the alleged mismanagement of the pecuniary 
 affairs of the college at Scutary, which kept the whole 
 community in a state of intense excitement and agita- 
 tion for many months ; and, in the meantime, we and 
 our native brethren were left to prosecute our labors 
 unmolested. Thus did Grod watch over the interests of 
 his infant church ; and sometimes by visiting his ene- 
 mies with judgments, and sometimes by throwing 
 
GOD WATCHING OVER HIS CHURCH. J 11 
 
 confusion into their counsels, and leading them to 
 bite and devour one another, he carried his people 
 on from strength to strength, and from conquering to con- 
 quer. 
 
CHAPTE R VI. 
 
 Rupture between the Bankers and Tradesmen — The Clergy despised by 
 the People — Appointment of two Committees — Removal of the Patriarch 
 — Appointment of Asduadzadur — His Character — Enlightened Vicar — 
 Increase of the Church — Spirituality — Prayer — A Vartabed Convicted — 
 An Ascetic Converted to Christ — Visits at the Khan — Hearers from the 
 Interior — Monthly Concert of Prayer — First Native Mission — Care 
 for the Jews — Female Inquirers — Co-laborers — Extensive Demand for 
 Books — Mr. Goodell's Translation of the Old Testament completed — 
 Love of the Bible — Book against Protestantism — Enemies of the Semi- 
 nary made Friends — Mr. Wood's Arrival — Influence of the Seminary — 
 Disaffected Brethren — New Inquirers at Brusa — Arrival of Mr. Ladd — 
 Hostile Bishop — Evangelical Influences at Trebizond — Inquiring Priest 
 at Erzrflm — Arrival of Mr. Peabody — Violence of the Bishop — Enemies 
 turned to Friends in Adabazar — New Impulse in Nicomedia — Religious 
 Inquiry at Smyrna. 
 
 The rupture between the bankers and the tradesmen, 
 alluded to at the close of the last chapter, had bearings 
 so important as to deserve a more distinct notice. The 
 original occasion of the quarrel has been stated. Its real 
 cause is to be traced to the domineering and dictatorial 
 spirit of some of the bankers, to whose officious irrespon- 
 sible rule, the increasing intelligence of the tradesmen 
 was teaching them no longer quietly to submit. The latter 
 succeeded in procuring the appointment, by the people, of 
 a committee of counsellors, consisting of twenty-four per- 
 
CLERGY DESPISED BY THE PEOPLE. 113 
 
 sons, to whom, thereafter, every question of importance, 
 pertaining to the business matters of the Armenian com- 
 munity, was to be referred. After a brief interval of repose, 
 a list of charges, which had been made out by the united 
 efforts of some of the bankers, and some of the clergy, 
 was presented by the Patriarch to the Porte, against these 
 twenty-four men. One of these charges was so grave as 
 to require prompt action on the part of the Turks. It 
 was nothing more nor less than that this popular com- 
 mittee had formed the plan of placing themselves and the 
 people under the protection of Russia, and thus bidding 
 defiance to the Turks ! The whole twenty-four were im- 
 mediately thrown into prison. As soon as the people 
 heard of it, they rushed to the Sublime Porte, to the 
 number of from four to six thousand, and called upon the 
 G-rand Vizir either to release their representatives, or im- 
 prison them all. This officer replied to them that their 
 own bankers and Patriarch were their accusers. The 
 people exclaimed, " "We do not acknowledge the authority 
 of our bankers or clergy ; we are subjects of the Sultan." 
 It soon became evident that the true policy of the 
 government was to yield, and the prisoners were accord- 
 ingly released. The people then demanded the immedi- 
 ate removal of the Patriarch. Upon this the bishops and 
 vartabeds were all summoned to the Porte, and the 
 tradesmen were called upon to select from among them 
 the one they would prefer as Patriarch. The reply was, 
 " We will have none of these men ; they are all alike 
 bad men ; men who live by extorting money from the 
 poor people. We want none of them. We will take 
 time to consider the matter." The assembly was then 
 dismissed, and the clergy went away in disgrace. As 
 
114 REMOVAL OF THE PATRIARCH. 
 
 they passed through the crowd, remarks like the follow- 
 ing were heard from the lips of the people : " There go 
 our oppressors !" Whoever goes with them goes to 
 destruction !" " Let no man step his foot again in the 
 Armenian Church, on the peril of his salvation, so long as 
 these men are there !" " Behold the deceivers and robbers 
 of the people !" For some days afterwards, the wickedness 
 of the clergy was a subject of universal remark. Many 
 said, " We thought that Stepan, our present Patriarch, was 
 one of the best of them ; and we called him a dove, but 
 he has proved to be a raven. He has betrayed his people 
 into the hands of the Mohammedans ! If he is the best, 
 what must the others be ?" 
 
 This struggle continued for several months, each party 
 alternately triumphing, and succumbing, until at last a 
 peremptory order was issued by the Sultan, that the bel- 
 ligerents should forthwith make peace, and that a certain 
 number of men should be regularly chosen, to be associ- 
 ated with the Patriarch in administering the affairs of the 
 community. Subsequently it was arranged that two 
 committees should be appointed, one for ecclesiastical, 
 and the other for secular matters, and the Patriarch be 
 the chairman of each ; and this order of things still 
 prevails. 
 
 The Patriarch, Stepan, was soon removed from office, 
 and as the people and bankers could not agree upon any 
 of the prominent candidates, they selected an obscure old 
 bishop, by the name of Asduadzadur, who had always 
 been an eccentric character, and was now in his dotage. 
 This also was so overruled as to work mightily for the 
 spread of the truth in the land. Such was the peculiar 
 oddity and capriciousness of this man, that nobody wished 
 
INCREASE OF THE CHURCH. 115 
 
 to go to the patriarchate for any purpose, except through 
 dire necessity. Everybody seemed to feel that the less 
 they had to do with their Patriarch the better. And when 
 anything was said about the need of adopting rigorous 
 measures to check the spread of Protestantism, the reply 
 usually was, " What does that concern us ? Let every 
 man do as he likes." 
 
 The Yicar of the new Patriarch was one of those 
 exiled for Protestantism, in the year 1839. Pie was for- 
 merly acting bishop at Trebizond, and there became 
 pretty thoroughly enlightened as to the errors of his 
 Church. His exaltation to the office of Patriarch's Vicar, 
 w^as as unexpected to him as it was to us, and to the 
 evangelical brethren generally ; and that also was of God. 
 Only a short time previous he had applied to the mission 
 for employment in the book-making department. 
 
 The brethren were still exempt from persecution, 
 though they did not rest from prayer and labor. They 
 walked " in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the 
 Holy G-host," and •' were multiplied." It was a period 
 of quiet and steady increase to the church. The wrath 
 and strife of God's enemies had hitherto been constantly 
 overruled so as to prove the most effectual means of 
 spreading the kingdom and glory of Christ ; now, the 
 same blessed and glorious w^ork went on with equal pros- 
 perity, through the blessing df God on the quiet though 
 active labors of his servants, in a time of external repose. 
 In the spring of 1842, one of the missionaries wrote as 
 follows: *' I. think we have never before seen the time 
 when the prospects of good among the Armenians were 
 so flattering as at present. The truth is branching forth 
 in all directions, and apparently taking deep root, so that 
 
il6 SPfRITUALITY. 
 
 if all the missionaries should this moment be sent out of 
 the country, still there would remain not only much seed 
 sown, but also many firmly-rooted plants actually sprung 
 up, and in different stages of maturity, from the blade to 
 the ear, and the full corn in the ear." There was among 
 the native brethren, a very perceptible and delightful 
 increase of spirituality of mind, and, what was a particu- 
 larly noticeable characteristic of the times, an extraordi- 
 nary spirit of prayer. Prompted wholly by their own 
 feelings, they often assembled in small circles to ask for 
 God's blessing on the means of grace ; and often, after 
 sermon on the Sabbath, would several of them remain, in 
 order to have a season of social prayer. If they found 
 any individual in the congregation giving indications of 
 special seriousness, they did not fail to stop, and converse 
 and pray with him. Three pious young men were pre- 
 sent one Sabbath at the religious services in the seminary 
 at Bebek ; and being left alone for a short time, Mr. 
 Hamlin found that they had closed the doors, and were 
 engaged in prayer. They afterwards remarked, that this 
 was probably the only seminary for Armenians in the 
 whole world, where such truths as they had that day" 
 heard, were taught from Sabbath to Sabbath, and that the 
 hopes and expectations of all the evangelical brethren were 
 strongly placed upon it, and that, consequently, they ought 
 to offer unceasing prayer for the Spirit of Grod, to make the 
 truth effectual. Mr. Hamlin remarked, in connection 
 with this incident, "During the summer, I have had 
 much intercourse with native brethren, and it seems to 
 me that the spirit of grace and supplication has, indeed, 
 been poured out upon them." This w^as farther manifest 
 from the fact, that they rarely called at the house of a 
 
PRAYER. 117 
 
 missionary without proposing to have a season of prayer 
 together before separating. 
 
 The usual burden of the prayers offered at this time 
 was, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, even as on the 
 day of Pentecost, and the salvation of their fellow coun- 
 trymen ; and they rarely failed to make special mention 
 of the ecclesiastical rulers of their nation, and, particu- 
 larly, of their enemies and persecutors. 
 
 From what has now been stated, the reader will not be 
 surprised to learn that a greater amount of spiritual in- 
 fluences was enjoyed during the year 1842, than in any 
 previous year since the establishment of the mission. The 
 whole city of Constantinople was filled with rumors of 
 what were called " the new doctrines," and they formed 
 the topics of discussion in almost all assemblies of Arme- 
 nians. The minds of some were wonderfully wrought 
 upon by the Holy Spirit. The thoughtless and gay be- 
 came sober and prayerful ; the worldly became spiritually 
 minded ; the proud became meek and lowly ; opposers 
 and persecutors were disarmed, and a few were trans- 
 formed into decided friends and helpers. The work was 
 evidently of Grod. 
 
 A priest of venerable appearance called upon Mr. Ham- 
 lin, and was so deeply agitated in view of his own lost 
 condition, and through fear of leading his people to de- 
 struction by seeming to uphold the errors of his Church, 
 that, although it was a cold day, the perspiration stood 
 in thick and heavy drops over his whole face. 
 
 A vartabed from the interior, came trembling, to some 
 of our brethren, and begged to know what he must do to 
 be saved. For the first time in his life he was sensible 
 that he was a lost sinner, and although he had for years 
 
118 A VARTABED CONVICTED. 
 
 been acting as spiritual guide to the Church, yet now 
 that his eyes were opened by the Holy Spirit to see his 
 true condition, he felt that he knew nothing of religion, 
 and was willing to seek counsel and direction from even 
 the most illiterate of the people, who had learned the 
 gospel way of salvation. Nor did he seek in vain. The 
 brethren to whom he applied, told him that there was 
 only one way of salvation for priests and people. " Be- 
 lieve on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved," 
 was the substance of the apostolic direction to inquiring 
 sinners, and they could say neither more nor less to him. 
 And by the grace of Grod, he was enabled to accept of 
 Christ as his only and all-sufficient Saviour, and to con- 
 secrate the remnant of his days to his service. This was 
 Bedros, vartabed, whose name will appear again in the 
 course of this narrative. 
 
 A Papal Armenian, who, for years, had been wandering 
 about the country in search of peace of mind, was in- 
 duced to visit Mr. Hamlin about this time. His case 
 was one of a class. There is no provision for securing peace 
 to a really awakened conscience, in either the Roman or 
 the Oriental Churches. The consequence is, that some in- 
 dividuals are always to be found, who wander to and fro, 
 through the earth, seeking rest, and generally, alas ! they 
 find none ; for they find not him who has promised, and 
 who only is able to give rest. The individual in ques- 
 tion made himself an inmate of a monastery, far in the 
 interior of the country, and undertook the performance of 
 the most menial services for the monks, hoping thereby 
 to accumulate merit, and pacify, in some measure, the 
 clamors of conscience. Failing in this, he penetrated 
 into the depths of a wilderness, clothed himself in sack- 
 
AN ASCETIC CON\ERTED TO CHRIST. 119 
 
 cloth, and lived on the coarsest fare, far away from the 
 abodes of man, thinking in this way to get rid of the 
 wicked world and his feverish and restless heart, both 
 together. Here also he was disappointed. Up to this 
 time he was a member of the Armenian Church. He 
 now resolved that he would return to Constantinople, the 
 place of his birth, and unite himself with the Papal Ar- 
 menians, hoping in their communion to find '' the bliss 
 for which he sighed." He became chief singer in one of 
 the churches near the capital, and was endeavoring to 
 draw comfort from the strictest attention to the forms of 
 Romish worship, when he was advised by a friend to 
 visit the American missionaries. His soul recoiled at the 
 thought. He had heard of us only as being heretics and 
 enemies of the Christian faith, and he could not think of 
 having any intercourse w^ith such characters. He was at 
 length persuaded, however, and ventured, hesitatingly, 
 to accompany some friends to Mr. Hamlin's house. At 
 first, he took his seat near the door^ as if to keep as far as 
 possible from pollution, and secure his retreat in case of 
 need ; and he listened in suspicious silence to the conver- 
 sation of the others. Gradually he acquired courage to 
 propose such questions as would involve controversy, and 
 with great self-confidence, he assumed the advocacy of 
 some of the worst errors of popery. But he soon received 
 a check from which he could not recover. His mind was 
 too honest and reverential not to feel and acknowledge a 
 Bible argument, although hitherto he had paid bat little 
 attention to that book. From being a self-opinionated 
 and dictatorial advocate of error, he soon became a silent 
 and deeply attentive listener to the truth. He gra- 
 dually -efcanged his position, as his mind became more 
 
120 VISITS AT THE KHAN. 
 
 and more interested, drawing his chair nearer and nearer 
 to his newly-found teacher, until, at length, he seated 
 himself on the floor, literally at the very feet of Mr. 
 Hamlin, and with eyes intently fixed upon the speaker, 
 and open mouth, he drank in, with mute astonishment, 
 those truths of eternal import, which, though he had 
 never before heard them in his life, he was now perfectly 
 convinced were the only sure foundation of that peace 
 of mind, which he had hitherto so fruitlessly sought. The 
 change in this man^s whole character was instantaneous, 
 and to this day he is a living witness for the truth, and a 
 faithful laborer in the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Several 
 other of the Papal Armenians, who had not been consi- 
 <iered very hopeful as a class, were awakened about the 
 same time, and some appeared to be truly converted. 
 
 Mr. Homes and myself alternated in visiting our room 
 in 'the city proper, which was opened twice a week, and 
 became a place of great resort, as well as of intense in- 
 terest. Some came with a list of difficult passages of 
 Scripture to be explained ; others, with a case of conscience 
 to be solved ; others, with inquiries in regard to the 
 prevailing errors of the Eastern "c^iurches ; others, with 
 some infidel objection they had heard thrown out, but 
 knew not hov/ to answer ; and others still, to hear truths 
 that would make them wise unto salvation. 
 
 Our preaching services on the Sabbath gradually in- 
 creased in numbers and in interest, and often individuals 
 were present from distant places in the interior. Many 
 who thus heard the gospel scheme of salvation, for the 
 first time in their lives, were the instruments of convey- 
 ing the joyful tidings to remote towns and villages in 
 Armenia^ where no preacher had ever penetrated. In 
 
riRST NATIVE MESSiON. 121 
 
 February of 1842, a week-day expository service in the 
 Turkish language was commenced by Mr. G-oodell, and 
 also another on the Sabbath. The latter was held im- 
 mediately after the preaching in Armenian, and was 
 usually attended by the same audience. Some of the 
 Armenians have entirely lost the use of their own lan- 
 guage, and speak only the Turkish, while all are more or 
 less familiar with this latter tongue. The monthly con- 
 cert of prayer, for the conversion of the world, was a 
 season of peculiar interest. From necessity, the time for 
 holding it in the native languages, was fixed at near mid- 
 day, on the first Monday of each month, and those who 
 attended were obliged to leave their business, and walk 
 nearly or quite t\^•o miles. Sometimes as many as thirty 
 were present, all of them adult males, as no females at 
 that time attended any of our meetings, and earnest and 
 importunate were the prayers that were offered up for the 
 outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the whole race of 
 man. 
 
 The zeal of our Armenian Christian brethren, in en- 
 deavoring to enlighten and reclaim their own country- 
 men, whether far or nesfr, was one of their most striking 
 characteristics. Impelled by this, in the summer of 1842, 
 several of them met in a retired spot among the hills that 
 surround the capital, and after uniting in prayer for the 
 guidance and blessing of the Holy Spirit, they resolved 
 to send forth one of their number, at their own expense, 
 on a missionary tour among the Armenians in the interior 
 of Asia Minor. The individual selected for this service 
 was priest Vertanes, who readily accepted the call, and 
 soon proceeded on his way. It was a tour attended with 
 many good results. 
 6 
 
122 FEMALE INaUIRERS. 
 
 Nor, while caring for their own " brethren and kindred 
 according to the flesh," did they forget the claims of other 
 races around them, who were living in ignorance of the 
 Gospel. With the Jews especially, they had almost daily 
 conversation in reference to the one only Saviour, Jesus 
 Christ ; and this was the more remarkable, since there 
 could scarcely be found among the other classes of peo- 
 ple in Turkey, any other feeling than that of contempt 
 for the outcast children of Abraham. 
 
 Among the most encouraging indications of the present 
 time, was a very marked increase of interest in religious 
 inquiry among the females. Hitherto the important ele- 
 ment of female influence had been in a great measure 
 wanting in the reformation. The cause of this was two- 
 fold ; first, the extreme ignorance and consequent bigotry 
 of the female portion of the population, there never hav- 
 ing been the least provision for their education ; and 
 secondly, the difficulty of our getting access to them, and 
 of their availing themselves, even when disposed, of the 
 privileges of the Grospel, owing to the peculiar customs of 
 society in the East, respecting the seclusion of women. 
 The priests of the Church, from their official character as 
 confessors, have free access to the females of the commu- 
 nity ; and they being always, of necessity, married men, 
 no difficulty is felt in regard to it. Our pious priests were 
 not backward in availing themselves of this privilege, and 
 chiefly through their instrumentality, in the years 1842 
 .' nd 184e3, several of the Armenian females became deeply 
 mterested in religious concerns, and some few gave evi- 
 dence of being truly converted. From that time they 
 began to form a part of our regular visitors, and the way 
 of access among them became more and more open. Some 
 
 m.' 
 
EXTENSIVE DEMAND FOR BOOKS. 123 
 
 few became regular attendants at the preaching service 
 in the Seminary. About the same time I opened a week- 
 day preaching service in Armenian, exclusively for fe- 
 males ; and although few attended at first, yet it was evi- 
 dently productive of some immediate good, besides being 
 an important means of throwing open to Christian culture 
 this important part of our missionary field. 
 
 Many persons of both sexes, were convinced of the truth 
 of the evangelical doctrines, who from prudential conside- 
 rations, had never visited any of the missionaries or at- 
 tended their preaching ; and some of these were actively 
 though quietly laboring to spread the knowledge of the 
 true and only way of salvation. Some of these had been 
 awakened by the simple perusal of our books, and others 
 through the instrumentality of our native brethren. 
 
 The distribution of the publications of our press be- 
 came an important branch of labor, and quite sufficient 
 to occupy the best part of one man's time. Mr. Homes 
 was designated to this particular work, and he soon found 
 that in connection with his other labors, he was fully and 
 most usefully employed. There was a constantly increas- 
 ing demand for books, so that by the spring of 1843, it 
 was impossible to procure a supply from our press and 
 bindery in Smyrna, with the limited funds we had, to 
 meet seasonably all the orders that came in. More than 
 twice as many of our publications were put in circulation 
 in Constantinople in 1842, as had been sold during any pre- 
 vious year ; and the amount of receipts for books sold was 
 $550. Eight or ten booksellers at the capital were kept 
 constantly supplied, and the products of our press were 
 also sent to almost every part of the interior, even into 
 Russia, G-eorgia, and Persia. An Armenian archbishop 
 
i24 TRANSLATION OF THE OLD TESTAMENT COMPLETED. 
 
 near Odessa, on receiving some of these, expressed the 
 greatest joy ; and he remarked that they ought to be 
 grateful towards those who were engaged in preparing 
 such excellent books for their countrymen. All this was 
 very remarkable in view of the fact that only three years 
 before, the people were most stringently forbidden, by two 
 Patriarchal bulls, under pain of anathema, to receive or 
 read anything that emanated from the press of the Ame- 
 rican missionaries ! 
 
 The evangelical brethren were very active in this de- 
 partment, and repeatedly was it noticed, that some who 
 could illy afford it, purchased tracts and volumes to dis- 
 tribute gratuitously to those who would read them. One 
 of the first bankers in the metropolis, on a certain occa- 
 sion, having at his house for a few days, a primate of a 
 town in the interior, induced his guest to take with him 
 a quantity of our publications on his return home, for 
 distribution among the people. 
 
 At Brusa and Trebizond, the distribution of books was 
 also more active than ever before ; and many were sent by 
 native agents into the interior of the country. 
 
 More than forty-four thousand volumes and tracts were 
 issued from the Smyrna depot to the different stations, 
 during the year 1842, nineteen thousand of which were 
 in the Armenian or the Armeno-Turkish languages, there 
 being about forty different works. 
 
 The translation of the whole Old Testament into the 
 Armeno-Turkish language, to which Mr. Groodell had de- 
 voted his undivided attention and strength for many 
 years, was happily completed on the 6th of November, 
 1841, and was published at Smyrna, in the spring of 
 1842 J and before the end of the following winter, the re- 
 
LOVE OF THE BIBLE. 125 
 
 vision of the New Testament in the same language 
 was also finished by Mr, G-oodell, and the translation 
 published. It is impossible to estimate the value of this 
 work to the reformation ; and by its side may be placed 
 an edition of the New Testament in the modern Arme- 
 nian, published about the same time in Smyrna, as re- 
 vised by Mr. Adger. The expense of the latter work was 
 defrayed by the British and Foreign Bible Society, while 
 that of the former came from the American Bible So- 
 ciety. 
 
 One of the most striking traits of the reformed Arme- 
 nians was, their reverence and love of the Word of Grod. 
 Some have been known to sit up all night to read and 
 study the Bible, when it was first furnished to them in 
 an intelligible language ; and the prevailing desire of all 
 seemed to be, to understand what G-od teaches through 
 his Word, and to conform their belief and practice wholly 
 to his teachings. An Armenian of great repute as a 
 man, and who was regarded by the common people as an 
 oracle in religious matters, though a self-conceited 
 sophist, and an opposer of the evangelical system, said 
 one day to one of our plain and honest brethren, '' Why 
 do you, who are ignorant, have so much to say about the 
 Bible, when even the most wise and learned men in the 
 world are not agreed about it, and are neither able to un- 
 derstand nor explain it?" "Ah!" replied the other, 
 " this book is for just such an ignorant man as I am. It 
 was never designed for those who desire to comprehend 
 it by human wisdom, but it was designed expressly for 
 me who am so ignorant. It is emphatically my book," 
 said he, clasping it to his bosom, " and through the aid 
 of the Holy Spirit, I, in my ignorance am enabled to un- 
 
126 ENEMIES MADE FRIENDS. 
 
 derstand it. But it was not intended for the worldly- 
 wise, such as you profess to be, depend upon it ; and you, 
 in your wisdom, can never comprehend it. Until you 
 renounce your self-sufficiency, and feel that you are 
 really ignorant, you will never be able rightly to under- 
 stand the Word of God." 
 
 This same, so called, learned man, published this year 
 a book against Protestantism, got up, it was said, under 
 the direction, and at the expense of the Jesuits. This 
 was the first work of the kind that appeared, though not 
 the last, as will be seen. The Vicar of the Patriarch did 
 not hesitate to condemn the policy of publishing such a 
 book, even in the presence of many witnesses. Said he, 
 " It cannot be denied that we have errors and superstitions 
 in our Church, which we would gladly exclude, if it were 
 not for the ignorance and prejudice of the common 
 people. Now the effect of this book will naturally be, to 
 bring a reply from the Protestant missionaries, and they 
 will expose many of the deformities of our Church which 
 had better be left alone." 
 
 Our seminary still survived all the shocks it received 
 from the jealousy and hatred of its enemies. For several 
 months the most vigorous efforts were made by bankers, 
 priests, vartabeds, and bishops, especially those who were 
 endeavoring to uphold the Scutary College, to crush our 
 institution ; when lo ! the Solitary College was closed in 
 spite of all their efforts, and ours still Ijved and flour- 
 ished I Even some of its bitterest enemies were made 
 "to be at peace with it." A man who, as Vicar of the 
 Patriarch, showed the utmost hostility, on being removed 
 from office, sent his own secretary as one of our scholars. 
 The inhabitants of the village of Bebek, who, at first, 
 
USEFULNESS OF THE SEMINARY. 1?,7 
 
 tried to destroy the seminary, became its warmest friends. 
 Even the priest himself, who made such startling accusa- 
 tions to the Patriarch against Mr. Hamlin, when the 
 latter first moved into Bebek, at length confessed that he 
 had acted hastily on misinformation, and placed his own 
 son at the school. 
 
 The Rev. Gr. W. "Wood, who arrived at Constantinople 
 with his wife, in the summer of 1842, was associated 
 with Mr. Hamlin in the instruction of the seminary, the 
 number of scholars being twenty-five, all of whom 
 boarded in the establishment. Besides the incalculably 
 important bearing of such an institution on the cause of 
 evangelical religion in Turkey, it proved itself to be 
 highly useful also as an object of attraction to visitors, 
 drawing them within the sound of the gospel, and those 
 too, often of a class that could not be induced to go to 
 the private house of a missionary. The seminary, in this 
 way, became, not merely an educational institution, but 
 a center of evangelical influences, spreading themselves 
 abroad far and wide in the land. The average number 
 of visitors on week days was, at one time, six a day, and 
 on Sabbath days twice that number, the latter coming 
 generally to attend the service. These visitors were 
 not merely from Constantinople, but also from many 
 places in the interior, near and remote, who came to the 
 capital on business. Sometimes there were as many as 
 fifteen or twenty persons from without, present at the 
 preaching on the Sabbath, several of whom were females. 
 
 Two of those who were numbered with the converted 
 brethren, and with whom we had often taken sweet 
 counsel, and concerning whom we had hoped better 
 things, in tJie autumn of 1842 became disaffected, and 
 
128 NEW INaUIRERS AT BRUSA. 
 
 walked no more with us. Ever since the persecution in 
 1839, tliey had shown uncommon timidity, and it became 
 more and more obvious that they were more anxious to 
 find some powerful human protection as a security 
 against persecution, and an encouragement openly and 
 fearlessly to profess Christ before men, than they were 
 ready to trust implicitly the naked promises of Grod. And 
 thus forsaking God, he also forsook them, and, as a mat- 
 ter of course, they fell. "We are not without our hope 
 that they may yet rise again. The occasion of their dis- 
 affection must also be stated. It was a paragraph or two 
 in the Missionary Herald respecting the probability and 
 desirableness, under certain circumstances, of a separa- 
 tion of the evans^elical brethren from the Armenian 
 Church ; and Mr. Southgate, (afterwards bishop) of the 
 American Protestant Episcopal Church, first directed 
 their attention to the article, and translated the para- 
 graphs alluded to for them, neither of them being ac- 
 quainted with the English language. 
 
 The preaching at Brusa continued to attract attention, 
 and as many as one hundred and thirty-five different in- 
 dividuals had attended it. A priest there was very much 
 awakened in his mind, so that he came three or four 
 times a week to converse with Mr. Serope, the pious 
 teacher. Nor was he alone. Another priest was also in 
 the habit of visiting Mr. S. occasionally on a similar 
 errand ; and two other exceedingly interesting inquirers 
 became known to the mission about this time. One of 
 them was by trade a picture-maker for the Church, and 
 he soon resolved that he would relinquish this employ- 
 ment, which depended upon idolatry for its support, and 
 procure his livelihood in some more honest way. The 
 
ARRIVAL OF MR. LADD. 129 
 
 other was a traveller, a native of Erivan, near Mount 
 Ararat, and he carried with him, to that distant place, 
 very different views of the truth, and the way of salva- 
 tion through Jesus Christ, from those with which he 
 came. There were also two or three priests in the 
 villages adjacent to Brusa, who seemed to be sincerely 
 inquiring after the way of salvation. It was a circum- 
 stance of no small interest, that two young men of Brusa 
 were employed as teachers of village schools, supported 
 by the people themselves ; one of whom was hopefully 
 pious, and the other very serious-minded, if not truly 
 converted. They were exerting a decidedly Christian 
 influence, both in their schools, and among the people 
 around. 
 
 The Rev. D. Ladd and wife arrived in Brusa in Sep- 
 tember, 1842, and thus Mr. Schneider was more at 
 liberty to go on preaching excursions in the vicinity, 
 which he did from time to time with very considerable 
 encouragement. 
 
 A newly-appointed bishop arrived in this town, and 
 soon began to show signs of opposition to the work of 
 reform. He peremptorily ordered the two teachers to 
 cease from all intercourse with the missionaries, saying, 
 " They are infidels ; they neither believe in the interces- 
 sion of the saints, nor the perpetual virginity of the Holy 
 Mother of Grod, nor in the real presence of the body and 
 blood in the eucharist," &c., &c. He also forbade the 
 people to read the publications from our press. All his 
 opposition, however, being expended in words, little or no 
 attention was paid to it. 
 
 The influence of the Trebizond station had been consi- 
 derable, although, as yet a large number of conversions 
 6* 
 
130 EVANGELICAL INFLKEXCE/. AT TREDIZOND. 
 
 could not be reported. Out of twenty-five or thirty 
 who were frequent attendants at the preaching on the 
 Sabbath, two gave the most satisfactory evidence of 
 piety, and five or six more were in a very hopeful state 
 of mind ; while of all it could be said that they were in- 
 terested hearers of the Word of Grod. It was a remark- 
 able fact, that, in the local synod of the Armenian 
 community in that town, consisting of six individuals, 
 two were friendly to the mission ; and so were all the 
 priests except one. A priest from a neighboring village, 
 who was teaching an important school, appeared to be 
 quite enlightened, and was using his influence to dis- 
 seminate the Word of G-od. Some individuals suffered 
 under the persecution of their relatives, but the Lord 
 frustrated all attempts to engage the civil power in the 
 work. In the spring of 1843, the spirit of inquiry began 
 more rapidly to spread. Five or six new persons were 
 found searching the Scriptures most diligently, and they 
 also commenced attending the preaching service. Oppo- 
 sition was, of course, stirred up afresh, and for a few 
 Sabbaths, the brethren held their meetings in the fields, 
 to avoid observation. 
 
 At Erzrum also, some of the priests began to show a 
 dissatisfaction with their religious system, and a desire for 
 something better. One of these was quite disposed to do 
 good to his people, and did not hesitate to exhort them to 
 live according to the gospel. The Rev. J. Peabody, who 
 arrived there with his wife during the summer of 1841, 
 furnished some interesting notices of interviews with this 
 individual. Others also among the people were more or 
 less interested in religious inquiry. In the beginning of 
 the year 1843, there were, at least, as many as twenty 
 
VIOLENCE OF THE BISHOP OF ERZRUM. 131 
 
 individuals, who might be ranked with this class. A 
 religions service, commenced by Mr. Jackson, in October, 
 1842, was now attended by a respectable number. This 
 was something new for Erzrum, which hitherto had 
 seemed the most unpromising station connected with 
 the mission to the Armenians. Success, however, as 
 usual, stimulated opposition. The bishop was absent, 
 but some of the primates began to talk in threatening 
 language concerning the priest, as well as a teacher of 
 their school, who was evangelical, and the young man 
 who was employed by the mission as assistant. The 
 bishop was warned by letter, of the spread of Protest- 
 antism, and this hastened his return. The G-reeks and 
 Papists contributed to increase the excitement. The 
 bishop summoned the assistant of the mission before him, 
 and peremptorily ordered him to leave the town within 
 four days, which order, however, was not obeyed. Next, 
 he publicly denounced the missionaries in the church, 
 and forbade all intercourse with them. After a while, he 
 sent for the poor priest, who had already been deprived 
 of his priestly robes, that is, suspended from office ; and, 
 after grossly abusing him, ordered him to be bound in his 
 presence, and bastinadoed. No one of his attendants 
 being willing to perform this outrage upon a priest, the 
 angry bishop proceeded to inflict the cruel chastisement 
 with his own hands. The sufferer counted twenty-five 
 blows^ and then swooned away, and, of course, was 
 unable to count any farther. In this situation, he was 
 bound with a chain and thrown into prison, where he 
 remained until morning ; when, through the interposition 
 of some of his friends, he was released. The next day 
 he had the boldness to tell the bishop, in the presence of 
 
132 ENEMIES TURNED TO FRIENDS AT ADABAZAR. 
 
 several witnesses, that he should continue to read and 
 teach the Gospel, notwithstanding the cruel treatment he 
 had received. 
 
 His case was rendered the more painful, from the fact 
 that this same bishop was once a serious inquirer after 
 the truth, and even suffered persecution himself, as a Pro- 
 testant. He was one of the exiles under Hagopos Patri- 
 arch, in 1839, and as the seeds of the truth had not taken 
 deep root in his heart, that punishment easily accom- 
 plished the desired object. Ever since he was restored to 
 power, he has shown a more inveterate hatred of Protest- 
 antism, and a more bitter and violent spirit of persecution 
 than almost any other ecclesiastic in the country. Truly 
 his last state is worse than the first. 
 
 The Providence of God wonderfully favored the breth- 
 ren in Adabazar. In the spring of 1842, the vartabed 
 gave them formal permission to meet every Sabbath day, 
 in a private house, for prayer and reading the Scriptures ; 
 and there were usually from twenty-five to fifty present. 
 Enemies they still had, however, who were always 
 watchful for opportunities of thwarting and distressing 
 them. A visit from the bishop of the diocese, in the 
 spring of 1843, seemed to offer such an opportunity. 
 This dignitary was the ex-patriarch Stepan. It was re- 
 presented to him that a new sect had sprung up among 
 them, w^hich had embraced very strange and heretical no- 
 tions, and was spreading its poison in all directions. He 
 took down the names of the leading men of this so-called 
 sect, whom he afterwards summoned before him, and 
 asked them to give an account of themselves. They re- 
 plied that they had not separated themselves from the 
 Armenian Church, but that they received the Scriptures as 
 
NEW IMPTTLSE AT NICOMEDIA. 133 
 
 the only rule of faith and practice ; that they tried to 
 %.keep holy the Sabbath Jay ; that they endeavored to refrain 
 ** from lying, swearing, and blasphemy, and in all things to 
 follow strictly the rules of Christ. The bishop, after 
 questioning them still further, for his own satisfaction, 
 decided that there was no fault in them at all, " as 
 touching those things whereof they were accused." 
 " What you are endeavoring to do," said he, '' is very 
 well. Would that all in our Church might do the same. 
 Return to your homes, and continue to go on in the same 
 good way." Another party of opposers came afterwards, 
 with similar accusations against the Protestants ; when 
 the bishop asked, " What is the crime ?" " Why," said 
 the men, " they do nothing but read the New Testament 
 and pray." " What !" said the bishop, read the New 
 Testament ! Is not that the only ground of our faith ? 
 Do we not all receive it ? And have we any other rule ? 
 Happy would it be if all of you were like them in this 
 respect." 
 
 In Nicomedia there had been a mournful want of pro- 
 gress for some months, but during the summer of 1842, 
 a new impulse was given to the work. One of the evi- 
 dences and fruits of this was found in a weekly prayer 
 meeting, which had been attended by only six or eight 
 individuals, but suddenly increased so as to number from 
 forty to fifty. Many minds were in an inquiring state ; 
 and of course Satan's emissaries became very active. 
 Some of the leading brethren were brought before the 
 bishop (the same who went to Adabazar,) and accused of 
 heresy. The bishop examined the case and made sub- 
 stantially the same decision as in the former place. On 
 the next Sabbath, he told the people in public, that there 
 
134 RELIGIOUS maUIRY AT SMYRNA. 
 
 was no occasion for any suspicion in regard to these men. 
 " I have examined into the matter," said he, and I find 
 that they are merely in the habit of meeting together for 
 the purpose of reading the Grospel and the Psalms, which 
 is all very good, and all should do the same. I have also 
 examined their books, and I find nothing bad in them. 
 They are good. Wherefore you are henceforth to abstain 
 from meddling with these men, and be at peace among 
 yourselves." ^ 
 
 One of the translators in Smyrna, who had not given 
 evidence of piety, seemed to be especially serious, and 
 three Armenians from Kaisery, who were transiently in 
 that city, manifested the deepest interest in religious con- 
 versation. Thus the awakening influences of the Holy 
 Spirit were also felt in Smyrna to some extent, as in 
 almost every part of the Armenian field. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 An Execution — Story of a Renegade — Insult to the British Legation — 
 Pledge of Religious Liberty — The Hand of Providence — Extent of the 
 Work of Reform — Trials for the Gopel — Spirit of Inquiry spreading — 
 Visit of Drs. Anderson and Hawes — Abandonment of the Greek Mission 
 — Religious Influence of the Seminary — Females awakened — Conversion 
 of a Nun — Female Seminary opened — Patriarch removed, and Matteos 
 appointed — Persecution of Priest Vertanes — Character of Matteos Patri- 
 arch — His Policy towards the Protestants — Persecution resolved upon — 
 Business interfered with — Bedros Vartabed driven away — His Labors 
 and Death — Priest Vertanes' Second Exile — Cruel Treatment of Mr. 
 Tateos — Deliverance from Imprisonment — Assaults on the Seminary — 
 Discussion and its Fruits — Public Debates — Cogency of Stoning — Papal 
 Books — Picture of a Jesuit — Colporteurs — Popery counteracted — Censor- 
 ship of the Press — Temperance Society — Happy Deaths — Death of Mrs. 
 Van Lennep. 
 
 In the latter part of August, 1S43, a small body of 
 police guard was seen conducting with hurried steps 
 through the streets of Constantinople, a young man in 
 the European dress. His arms were pinioned behind 
 him, and his face was pale and anxious. Arrived at a 
 place of public concourse, in the midst of the business 
 quarter of the city, they suddenly halted ; the prisoner 
 was made to kneel upon the pavement ; an athletio 
 Turk came forward, and with one blow of his yatagan 
 severed the head from the body. The " superscription of 
 
136 STORY OF A RENEGADE. 
 
 his accusation" stuck up near the spot,— for such is still 
 the custom of the East, — specified that he was " taken in 
 the dress of an apostate," and that his crime was " apos- 
 tasy from the true faith," that is, Mohammedanism. A day 
 or two after the execution, the shopkeepers in the neigh- 
 borhood of the place where the headless trunk was lying, — 
 three days being the customary period of exposure, — peti- 
 tioned the chief of the police to have it removed on 
 account of the stench. His reply was prophetic. " His 
 body cannot offend any one, by its odor, earlier than 
 three days ; but of this manh body the loorst odor is yet 
 to come.'''' For many days afterwards, the event excited 
 an unwonted interest among all classes of the community, 
 and it was spoken of with trembling, and awe, and in 
 emphatic whispers. 
 
 The history and bearings of the case are briefly these. 
 The young man who suffered, was an obscure individual 
 of the Armenian nation and religion. In an hour of 
 temptation, while under the influence of alcohol, it was 
 said he abjured the faith of his fathers, and declared him- 
 self a Mohammedan. He had not yet submitted to the 
 rite of circumcision, however, before he repented of his 
 rashness, and began to meditate how he could retrace 
 liis steps. The penalty of apostasy was death, and of 
 course, he could not remain in his native city, and pro- 
 fess again the Christian religion. He fled to the neigh- 
 boring kingdom of G-reece, and after an absence of about 
 a year, in his too great impatience to see once more his 
 widowed mother, and his friends, he returned, though in 
 the disguise oi a European dress. He was soon recog- 
 nized by a former Turkish acquaintance, apprehended, 
 imprisoned, and sentenced to decapitation. At this 
 
INSULT TO THE BRITISH LEGATION. 137 
 
 juncture, the British Ambassador, Sir Stratford Canning, 
 impelled by motives of humanity, for which he has ever 
 been justly distinguished, made an eflfort to procure his 
 release. The grand vizir, after several days' delay, at 
 length promised that the young man should not be be- 
 headed. Whether he was insincere at the time, or found 
 himself unable to persuade the imperial Divan to keep 
 the pledge, is not known. Certain it is, that both he 
 and his colleagues in power, were of the anti-reform 
 party, and w^ere endeavoring, as much as possible, to 
 prevent innovations, and bring back the old order of 
 things in Turkey. The young man was put to death, as 
 we have seen ; and, under the existing circumstances, 
 that very act implied a public, and according to the 
 ground taken by the ambassador, a double insult to the 
 British legation. There was first, a deliberate violation 
 of a solemn promise ; and secondly, the execution of a 
 man for embracing the Christian religion, was declared 
 to be an insult to the established religion of England, as 
 well as of all Europe. Sir Stratford now remonstrated in 
 the strongest terms against such proceedings, on the part 
 of the Turkish government, and. insisted that no similar 
 act of barbarism and fanaticism should ever be permitted 
 again to occur. In this he was said to be warmly 
 seconded, both by the French and Prussian ministers. 
 The grand vizir, as before, was ready to give a pledge 
 verbally, such as was demanded, but soon, a second and 
 still more glaring act of treachery was discovered. A 
 Grreek, in the interior of Asia Minor, had declared him- 
 self a Mohammedan, and afterwards refused to perform 
 the rites of that religion ; and, at the very time when the 
 Turkish minister was making fair promises on the sub- 
 
138 PLEDGE OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY. 
 
 ject to the ambassadors, he was preparing the death- 
 warrant for the second renegade, who was immediately 
 put to death ! Such repeated and provoking faithlessness, 
 on the part of the Turkish government, could no longer 
 be patiently endured. Sir Stratford Canning now de- 
 manded, in very peremptory terms, that a written pledge 
 should be given by the Sultan himself, (as his ministers 
 could no longer be trusted), that, hereafter, no person 
 who had embraced the Mussulman religion, and after- 
 wards returned to Christianity, should, on that account, 
 be put to death. And he soon received the most explicit 
 instructions from home, not to recede one step from the 
 ground he had assumed. The French minister and 
 government were equally decided ; and, after some hesi- 
 tancy, even Russia threw the weight of her influence 
 into the same scale. The Turks yielded, through neces- 
 sity, after battling the point for several weeks, and the 
 pledge required was given, signed by the Sultan himself, 
 that henceforth, no person should be persecuted for 
 HIS religious opinions in Turkey. So plainly was the 
 finger of G-od manifest in this whole transaction, that His 
 Excellency Sir Stratford Canning, afterwards distinctly 
 acknowledged that Grod alone had done it, and added, that 
 to him, it seemed little less than a miracle. 
 
 No reference was made by any of the parties in this case, 
 to the rights of God's people in Turkey, who had already 
 long been struggling for the privilege of believing and 
 worshiping according to the dictates of their own con- 
 sciences. So far as appears, in the mind of the great 
 governments of Europe, and their representatives at the 
 Porte, as well as of the Turks themselves, the pledge, re- 
 quired and conceded, was intended to apply only to the 
 
THE HAND OF PROVIDENCE. 139 
 
 comparatively rare case of a so called Christian, embrac- 
 ing the Mohammedan faith, and then returning to his 
 former religion. But God, in moving these mighty 
 governments to take such a stand, at that particular time, 
 and in crowning their humane endeavors with such sig- 
 nal success, had far higher ends to accomplish. He was 
 setting up his own spiritual kingdom in the land, and for 
 the full carrying out of his purposes, his people must 
 have freedom to worship him in his own appointed way. 
 But if the question for the protection of Protestantism in 
 Turkey had come up directly, what hope was there that 
 Russia and France would lend their influence to a favor- 
 able settlement of it ? On what ground could England 
 even have interfered, authoritatively, or by any such 
 urgency of moral means, as would have been effectual 
 with the Turks ? But through the wonder-working Pro- 
 vidence of G-od, the powers of all Europe were drawn 
 into combination, to demand from the government of the 
 Sultan, with strange unanimity and decision, a pledge, 
 which though not so understood by themselves at the 
 time, actually secured to the native Protestant Christians 
 the full enjoyment of all their civil rights, while openly 
 cherishing and practising their own religion. The battle 
 for religious freedom in Turkey, was fought over the mu- 
 tilated remains of that Armenian renegade. Before this 
 comprehensive meaning of the pledge, however, could be 
 fully understood, and an application of it actually made 
 for the relief of the people of God, they were destined, as 
 will be seen, to still more grievous sufferings for their 
 faith, than any they had yet endured. 
 
 In May, 1843, the Rev. E. E. Bliss and wife arrived at 
 Trebizond, from America. Their destination, at first, was 
 
140 EXTENT OF THE WORK OF REFORM. 
 
 to Nestorian Mountains, but it was subsequently decided 
 that they should remain permanently connected with the 
 station at Trebizond, to labor among the Armenians. 
 
 The work of Grod continued to spread, in all directions, 
 in the Turkish Empire. The number of those who gave 
 evidence of a real change of heart, was, as yet, compara 
 tivcly small ; and so also was the number that came to 
 listen to the stated preaching of the Grospel. The real 
 extent of the work, however, must not be estimated from 
 this. A considerable number of the Armenian people, 
 both in the metropolis, and in the provinces, had been 
 awakened to see the errors of their Church, and were 
 fully convinced of the truth of the evangelical doctrines. 
 There were, no doubt, several thousands of this class in 
 Constantinople alone. Many of them no missionary had 
 ever seen, but only the native brethren, and many others 
 who had had frequent private intercourse with mission- 
 aries, were, nevertheless, unwilling to come to the public 
 services. The causes of this were various. Some were 
 so connected in business, that a public avowal of Protest- 
 antism v/ould materially afiect their worldly prospects. 
 Others were unwilling to relinquish a post of worldly 
 honor, which such an avowal would involve. Others 
 could not make up their minds to endure the reproaches 
 and persecutions of their friends. And all felt sure that, 
 sooner or later, another storm of ecclesiastical ven2:eance 
 w^ould burst upon the heads of those who adhered to the 
 Gospel. With such exposures and prospects, who can 
 wonder that men who are not yet ready to forsake all for 
 Christ, should hesitate publicly to commit themselves. In 
 every instance, an open profession of obedience to Christ, 
 rather than the Church, cost some sacrifice, besides the 
 
TRIALS FOR THE GOSPEL. 141 
 
 constant exposure it involved, to anathema and persecu- 
 tion. But, although the mass of those who were only 
 intellectually convinced of the truth, were deterred by 
 prudential considerations from openly joining themselves 
 with the people of God, yet, it is not to be believed that 
 many of them would ever in reality go back to their 
 former superstitions. By a comparison of these supersti- 
 tions with the Word of G-od, they had once proved them, 
 to their own satisfaction, to be a lie ; and it is difficult to 
 see how they could ever again really believe them to be 
 true. And, as a matter of fact, we have seen that, in 
 circumstances like those in which the Armenians have 
 been placed, the mind does not work in this way. Small 
 as was the actual number of those who, at the different 
 stations, were ready, at this time, to brave all danger for 
 Christ, another ten or fifteen years of progress in the 
 same proportion, will show a whole community reformed ; 
 who, instead of requiring missionaries from America to 
 preach the Grospel to them, will be ready both to supply 
 their own need, and also to send preachers abroad among 
 the different races in Western and Central Asia. 
 
 During the winter of 1843-4, the stations in Turkey 
 were favored with a visit from the Rev. Rufus Anderson, 
 D.D., Secretary of the American Board of Commissioners 
 for Foreign Missions, and the Rev. Joel Hawes, D.D., a 
 corporate member of the Board. An opportunity was 
 thus afforded for full consultations on various subjects, 
 having a practical bearing on the missionary work, the 
 results of which clearly attested the expediency of the 
 measure. An important change followed in reference to 
 one department of our labors. The mission to the 
 
 Greeks in Turkey was abandoned: Mr. Riggs, of 
 
 7* 
 
142 SPIRIT OF mauiRY spreading. 
 
 Smyrna, and Mr. Ladd, of Briisa, hitherto laboring exclu- 
 sively in this department, now gave themselves up to the 
 work among the Armenians. Mr. Benjamin, of Athens, 
 joined the station at Trebizond, with a view to the same 
 field. Mr. Calhoun removed from Smyrna to Syria, and 
 Mr. Temple, much to the regret of all who knew him, re- 
 turned to America. Though his ardent desire was to live 
 and die in the missionary field, yet his own judgment 
 corresponded with that of the secretary, and of Dr. 
 Hawes, as also of his brethren in the field, that, at the 
 age of fifty-four, it would not be wise for him to attempt 
 the acquisition of a new and difficult language, which 
 was an indispensable condition for preaching the gospel 
 among the Armenians. 
 
 From 1843 to 1846, there was no long period of 
 exemption from persecution, though throughout the 
 whole field, the spirit of inquiry and discussion wonder- 
 fully spread, and believers were multiplied. On the 
 whole, there was a very decided increase in the size of 
 the congregations on the Sabbath, though, both at Trebi- 
 zond and Erzrum, it became necessary, during a portion 
 of the time, to suspend public worship, on account of the 
 hostility of the hierarchy. There was, indeed, such a 
 hungering for the Word, as has probably been rarely 
 witnessed in this world. The Seminary at Bebek, as 
 well as the houses of the missionaries in Pera, became a 
 very common place of resort for small parties of men and 
 women, who came on every day of the week, and at all 
 hours, and were almost clamorous to hear the gospel 
 preached. Several of the pupils in the seminary at this 
 time were pious, and it never had a stronger hold upon 
 the affections of the seriously disposed portion of the 
 
 JjMt 
 
FEMALES AWAKENED. 143 
 
 community, or was doing more good. A pious widow, on 
 placing her son there, said to him, " Henceforth you are 
 to forget that I am your mother, and take Christ for your 
 mother, and live for him alone. My only object in placing 
 you at the school is, that you may know more of Christ, 
 and become his true disciple." 
 
 It must be noted as one of the signs of progress belong- 
 ing to the period now under review, that family worship, 
 consisting of reading the Scriptures and prayer in the 
 vulgar tongue, was established in many households ; and 
 often did the request come from females living in different 
 quarters of the city, that meetings might be opened in 
 their neighborhood expressly for the women. In short, 
 there was no longer any obstacle in the way of access to 
 this portion of the community, and it was becoming a 
 field full of promise. As an evidence of the remarkable 
 change that had taken place in this particular, 1 will 
 state that during one day, devoted to visiting families in 
 an Armenian quarter of the city, I must have preached 
 the gospel to from thirty to forty females. 
 
 One of the most striking cases of conversion among 
 them was that of a bigoted nun, from sixty to sixty-five 
 years of age, who had spent her life in faithfully going 
 the round of all the religious observances and penances 
 usually prescribed by a rigid asceticism, and now, she 
 had learned to count all these things " loss for Christ." 
 Said she: " Formerly I thought that salvation would 
 come from doing and suffering many things ; but now, 
 blessed be God, I have learned that Christ alone is my 
 Saviour." 
 
 To meet the wants of the times, and in obedience to 
 what seemed plainly to be a providential intimation, a fe- 
 
144 PATRIARCH REMOVED AND xMATTEOS APPOINTED. 
 
 male seminary was opened in Pera in the autumn of 1845. 
 It was kept in the house of Mr. Groodell, in whose family 
 the pupils boarded, and Miss Lovell, who had arrived from 
 America for the purpose, the preceding spring, took charge 
 of the educational department. The school opened with 
 eight scholars, which were as many as could be sustained 
 by our funds, though many parents v/ere sadly disap- 
 pointed when they were told we could receive no more. 
 
 In the Autumn of 1844 the Patriarch Asduadzadur, 
 resigned his office, and Matteos, formerly bishop of Brusa, 
 but then of Smyrna, was appointed in his place. The 
 former, before his resignation, became more and more 
 openly intolerant towards Protestantism, though, for the 
 most part, his enmity exhausted itself in words of bitter- 
 ness and gall. Repeatedly did he declare, in different 
 churches, that he and the principal men in the communi- 
 ty had put" themselves under vows to give themselves no 
 rest until this most offensive heresy was entirely rooted 
 out. On one occasion, after uttering the heaviest male- 
 dictions against the evangelical brethren, he expressed 
 the wish that " their graves might be dug in haste, and 
 their bodies buried in everlasting contempt, and so deep 
 that the sound of the resurrection trump might never 
 reach them !" And, at another time, after telling the 
 people that the Protestants, under the cloak of religion, 
 were seeking to destroy the Armenian faith, added ; 
 "May the curse of G-od be upon them ; may they all be 
 destroyed." The effect of these denunciations was no 
 doubt to keep alive the spirit of fanaticism in some 
 breasts, though coming from a person of the Patriarch's 
 well-known character, they had comparatively but little 
 influence. One brother was subjected to the most griev- 
 
PERSECUTION OF PRIEST VERTANES. 145 
 
 ous injustice and persecution under this Patriarch's reign. 
 This was the pious priest so often alluded to under the 
 name of Vertanes. He had been highly active and suc- 
 cessful, both among men and women, in spreading a 
 knowledge of the truth ; and being a priest, it was so 
 much the more offensive to the hierarchy ; as it was also 
 more easy for them to take revenge. A priest is the pro- 
 perty of the Church, and must submit implicitly to the 
 commands of his bishop or Patriarch ; and he may be sent 
 into the interior to perform duty, or to atone for spiritual 
 offences, and the Turks would not only not offer any hin- 
 drance, but aid, if necessary, to carry into effect the Pa- 
 triarch's or bishop's sentence. 
 
 Priest Vertanes had retired, as has been said, from the 
 regular duties of the priest's office, though he still officially 
 belonged to the priesthood, and whenever he was presen 
 at the patriarchal church, according to custom, they gave 
 him a priest's robe to wear. In February of 1843, this 
 robe was rudely taken from him by the chief priest of that 
 church, who forbade him any longer to execute the 
 priest's office. Immediately after, there was so u iich 
 excitement in the city in regard to his case, that he 
 thought it wise to absent himself, for a while, from th^ 
 capital, and accordingly made a journey of eight months 
 in the interior of Asia Minor and Armenia. Wherever he 
 w^ent he determined to " know nothing but Jesus Christ 
 and him crucified ;" and the judgment-day alone can dis- 
 close the amount of good accomplished by his labors. 
 Soon after he returned, or in the early part of December, 
 he was apprehended on the Sabbath, when coming out of 
 church, and thrown into the Patriarch's prison. The Pa- 
 triarch now tried to persuade him to yield to the Church, 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
146 PERSECUTION OF PRIEST VERTANES. 
 
 and drew up a paper of recantation for him to sign. He 
 replied that it would be impossible for him to put his 
 name to such a document, but offered one of his c wn in 
 its place, the amount of which was, that he was a regu- 
 larly ordained priest of the Armenian Church, and that his 
 office required him to preach Christ, which he had en- 
 deavored faithfully to do, and that he intended still to do 
 the same. This paper the Patriarch refused to accept : 
 but sent the priest still another, which also he could not 
 subscribe. He then sent the Patriarch another, the same 
 in substance with his former one, saying that this was all 
 he could do " The Turks," said he, " lately beheaded 
 an Armenian young man for denying the Mohammedan 
 religion ; if you wish, cut off my head here by the door of 
 the church — your paper I cannot sign." The very next day 
 the priest was strangely released. He did not, however, 
 long enjoy his liberty. He was very soon seized again by 
 the Patriarch's beadles, and hurried with great rudeness 
 into an open sail-boat. An opportunity being denied him 
 of taking any change of clothes, or even an outer garment 
 fro u his house, although it was mid-winter, and he was 
 h'* itily despatched across the Sea of Marmora, to the con- 
 ' ent at Armash, near Nicomedia. The other brethren, 
 however, were not intimidated by these violent move- 
 ments, and our preaching services steadily grew in num- 
 bers, some new hearers being present every Sabbath. 
 
 The character of the new Patriarch has already been in 
 part told. He was a vacillating man ; well-convinced of 
 the errors of his Church, and sometimes appearing to favor 
 reform, but extremely afraid of offending the party that 
 was strongest for the time being. The celebrated teacher, 
 Peshtimaljian, whose name appears in the early part of 
 
CHARACTER OF MATTEOS PATRIARCH. 147 
 
 this narrative, knew him intimately, as one of his own 
 scholars, and he was no mean judge of human character. 
 As long ago as the year 1834, when Matteos was a sim- 
 ple vartabed in one of the village churches on the Bos- 
 pliorus, and was on very friendly terms with us, the 
 teacher gave him the following character, for our especial 
 warning. He represented, him as a man of enlightened 
 views, but without principle, and always governed by 
 what he considered the prevailing opinions and wishes of 
 those whom he desired to please. When thrown among 
 men of the ritual party, he was a ritualist, and when 
 among evangelical men, he became evangelical. " In 
 short," said the teacher, " he is just like an empty cis- 
 tern. If you put your head to its mouth and say boo^ 
 the cistern says boo ; if you say bah, the cistern answers 
 bah.'''' And every development we have seen of his cha- 
 racter, from that time to the present, has justified this 
 description of the discerning Peshtimaljian. Matteos is a 
 man of more than common ability and shrewdness, and 
 withal, exceedingly plausible in his manner, and deep in 
 his schemes. 
 
 Soon after he came into power, many of the evangeli- 
 cal brethren called upon him ; some in obedience to cus- 
 tom, and others by special invitation. To all he mani- 
 fested a friendly spirit ; and professed to be in favor of 
 education and even of reform, and opposed to persecution. 
 He was, however, exceedingly anxious that both the mis- 
 sionaries, and the " Bible-men" in the Armenian commu- 
 nity should " keep still," and avoid all "agitation," — as 
 though such antagonistic elements as the truth of Grod, 
 and the doctrines and practices of the Armenian Church, 
 could be brought in contact without producing commo- 
 
148 PERSECUTION RESOLVED UPON. 
 
 tion ; and honest men, whose sincere desire and purpose 
 was to live always in the fear of God, and to " maintain 
 consciences void of offence both toward God and toward 
 man," could readily consent to be led and controlled in 
 their religious conduct, by the worldly, the time-serving, 
 and the unprincipled. 
 
 The position of the Patriarch at this time, it must be 
 acknowledged, was a most difficult one. The evangelical 
 doctrines were spreading in all directions. The enemies 
 of the truth were clamorous for some decisive measures 
 which should effectually check the alarming tendency to 
 Protestantism. They would neither allow their Patriarch 
 to let the matter rest, nor to make any compromise. 
 Already had the report gone abroad that Matteos himself 
 was a Protestant. And in sober truth he knew and 
 doubtless acknowledged to his own soul, that the Protest- 
 ants were right and his own church wrong. I can even 
 believe, that could he have been sure of carrying the 
 people along with him, and also all his dignity, wealth, 
 and honor, he would really have preferred to give up the 
 old system, and embrace one that was more simple and 
 less onerous. But he knew well, that the great mass of 
 wealth and influence in the Armenian community was on 
 the other side. He was ambitious ; and now that he 
 had attained to the highest post in his nation, he was 
 resolved to keep it. He found the evangelical brethren 
 much less disposed to yield in matters of faith and con- 
 science, than his own indifferentism had led him to expect. 
 There was no alternative ; he must publicly assume the 
 ground of an opposer. As the only means of saving him- 
 self, he firmly resolved to sacrifice the Protestants. From 
 that moment, all his powers, personal and official, were 
 
* BUSINESS INTERFERED WITH. 149 
 
 employed in the efibrt to eradicate Protestantism from the 
 land. Only two general methods of accomplishing this 
 object presented themselves ; namely, persuasion, and 
 force ; or, in other words, argumentation, and perse- 
 cution. He decided upon making, for his first experi- 
 ment, a combination of the two, hoping that the effect of 
 each would thereby be increased. 
 
 Almost every shopkeeper and artisan in Turkey de- 
 pends for the chief profits of his business, upon the 
 patronage of some wealthy and influential individuals ; 
 and young men, especially, have very little prospect of 
 advancing in the world, without the assistance of some 
 such friend. The Patriarch, by a skilful manoeuvre, threw 
 a large number of the adherents to the gospel, into the 
 greatest distress. He secretly directed all the faithful 
 among his own flock, who stood in the relation of patrons, 
 or regular customers to any of the evangelical brethren, 
 silently to withdraw their patronage. The consequence 
 was, that many who supposed they were in a fair way of 
 obtaining a competent support, found themselves sud- 
 denly without any business. Some of these had friends 
 depending on them for daily food ; when, all at once, it 
 appeared that they had not the ability of providing for 
 their own wants. And they soon found also that all 
 appeals and remonstrances were useless, unless accompa- 
 nied by a pledge to withdraw from the preaching of the 
 missionaries, and cease to open their mouths in favor of 
 evangelical views. Another, and still more threatening 
 measure of opposition was, that all the priests were 
 ordered to hand over to the Patriarch, the names of those 
 who did not come to confession, and receive absolution, 
 and partake of the communion in their respective 
 
150 BEDROS VARTABED DRIVEN AWAY. 
 
 churches. Those whose consciences were fully enlight- 
 ened (and they were specially aimed at in the measure,) 
 were not able to conform to these rites, because of the 
 superstition and idolatry involved. Now, excommunica- 
 tion was threatened to disobedience, the consequences of 
 which, in a temporal point of view, must necessarily, in 
 a community organized as this was, be very serious. 
 There was a delay, however, in following up this part of 
 the plan, perhaps in order to see what would be the 
 result of the other. The experiment was to be made 
 throughout the country, as well as in the metropolis, and 
 orders similar to the above were sent to the bishops in the 
 interior, wherever Protestants were found. 
 
 In the meantime, some few of the ecclesiastics them- 
 selves were showing strong inclinations towards the 
 evangelical side of the question. Two or three vartabeds, 
 as well as some of the priests, had gone so far as to per- 
 severe, from Sabbath to Sabbath, in attending the public 
 preaching of the missionaries. Others were known to be 
 friendly. Something must be done at once to check this 
 tendency to Protestantism among the spiritual guides of 
 the people. Bedros vartabed, the manner of whose con- 
 version has already been alluded to, was the first selected 
 to be made an example of. It was known through the 
 w^hole city that he had embraced evangelical views, and 
 the Patriarch, as a test of his opinions, had already 
 ordered him to perform mass on a certain occasion, which 
 Bedros had declined on conscientious grounds. The 
 Patriarch now instructed him to proceed forthwith to a 
 town on the Russian frontier, ostensibly to take charge 
 of a diocese. The real object, however, was, plainly tu 
 get him into a position, from whence he might easily be 
 
HIS LABORS AND DEATH. 151 
 
 conveyed as a prisoner to the monastery of Echmiadzin. 
 The vartabed very politely declined the honor of this ap- 
 pointment, and the Patriarch was not then prepared to 
 resort to force. After some little delay, it was arranged 
 that Bedros should proceed to the monastery at Jerusa- 
 lem. The Patriarch drew up a paper for him to sign, in 
 which he was required to promise that he would perform 
 all the rites of the Church, and, in all respects, be obe- 
 dient to his superiors. This he resolutely persisted in 
 refusing, on the ground that there were many things in 
 the ceremonies of his Church, which he could not con- 
 scientiously perform. He never got nearer Jerusalem 
 than Beirut ; from whence he proceeded to Aleppo and 
 Aintab. For many years he labored in these towns and 
 their vicinity, with great zeal and fidelity for the spiritual 
 good of his countrymen, though in the midst of many 
 persecutions, trials, and dangers. He distributed large 
 numbers of evangelical books, and preached the Gospel 
 successfully to many people. He was suddenly cut off 
 by the cholera in the autumn of 1849 ; but his end was 
 peace. 
 
 It must be acknowdedged that not much was made out 
 of this case, so far as the intimidation of clerical 
 inquirers was concerned, but the resolute Matteos was not 
 to be discouraged. Priest Yertanes was fairly in his 
 hands, being already a prisoner at the Monastery of 
 Armash, whither he had been sent by the preceding Pa- 
 triarch. And this priest had been adding sin to sin, by 
 preaching to the monks, most zealously and faithfully, 
 salvation through the blood of Christ alone, without the 
 deeds of the law. Several of them were awakened and 
 convinced, and some, it was hoped, really believed ; and 
 
152 VERTANES' SECOND EXILE. 
 
 word was brought to Constantinople that if the Protest- 
 ant priest was not removed, all the inmates of the 
 monastery would soon become corrupted. An imperial 
 firman was forthwith procured (February, 1845), by 
 Matteos Patriarch, for the further banishment of priest 
 Yertanes to Kaisery (Caesarea,) where Mr. Sahakian had 
 been confined six years before, for a like offense. While 
 on his way to that place, in the charge of a Turkish 
 officer, he everywhere preached the G-ospel, for which he 
 was "in bonds ;" nor could he, in the place of his second 
 banishment, cease to make known " Christ and him cru- 
 cified," to all unto whom he had access. In July of the 
 same year, the Sultan, on the occasion of a great feast, 
 gave orders to have all the exiles in the country set at 
 liberty ; and our persecuted brother returned to Constan- 
 tinople on the 4th of August. Letters afterwards came 
 to the Patriarch from Kaisery, saying, that Yertanes had 
 seduced many, and that if he had remained there much 
 longer, all would have gone after him. Thus the provi- 
 dence of God, in this instance also, overruled the evil 
 designs of the hierarchy, and caused " the wrath of man 
 to praise him." 
 
 While the priest was still in exile, another glaring 
 case of persecution occurred, which properly belongs to 
 this part of the narrative. A highly respectable inhabi- 
 tant of Trebizond, Tateos by name, who had been a mem- 
 ber of the Armenian municipal council, became very 
 much interested in the study of the Bible. Being a man 
 of some property, he went on a tour to Constantinople, 
 Smyrna, Brusa, Nicomedia, and Adabazar, solely for the 
 purpose of becoming acquainted with the missionaries, 
 and native brethren in those places, and learning more of 
 
CRUEL TREATMENT OP MR. TATEOS. 153 
 
 the work of God's Spirit, as well as of the truths of his 
 "Word. He returned to Trebizond, very much strengthened 
 in his faith, and quickened in his zeal for the truth. 
 Just before his arrival, the most stringent measures had 
 been adopted to compel the evangelical brethren to submit 
 to the Church, in obedience to a very urgent denunciatory 
 letter from the Patriarch Matteos. 
 
 Nearly one-half of the reputed Protestants had been 
 induced to recant, and the persecuting party, fearing, 
 with good reason, that the influence of such a man might 
 turn the scale, resolved to put him out of the way, with 
 all possible despatch. Accordingly, just as the steamer 
 was leaving for Constantinople, he was decoyed on board 
 by stratagem, and immediately thrust down into the 
 hold, and there confined, by order of the Turkish pasha, 
 who acted at the instigation of the Armenian vartabed. 
 Here was a faithful, honest, and valuable citizen, torn 
 away from his affectionate wife and children, (they not 
 knowing whither he was to be carried,) without even a 
 show of examination, or trial, and without being told who 
 was his accuser, or what was the accusation, or where he 
 was going, and carried off under guard like a felon ! 
 Arrived at Constantinople, he was conducted first to the 
 Patriarchate, and from thence to the Armenian hospital, 
 to be confined in the mad-house ! He was placed in a 
 sitting posture, and fastened with two chains, one from 
 his neck to the wall, and the other from his feet to the 
 floor. It is impossible to tell how long he might have 
 remained in this condition, had not some of the brethren, 
 very providentially, discovered the place of his confine- 
 ment, and gained admittance to him, notwithstanding 
 every efTort had been made at concealment, and the 
 
154 DELIVERANCE FROM PRISON. 
 
 strictest orders issued from the Patriarchate to permit no 
 one from without to enter the room where he was. He 
 was afterwards removed to a more remote apartment, so 
 as to prevent all further access to him. On the Sabbath, 
 the eighth day of his imprisonment, while the Armenian 
 congregation were engaged in singing in the chapel in 
 Pera, he entered the room — a free man ! Much supplica- 
 tion had been made for him, and his sudden appearance 
 among us, without our knowing how he had been libe- 
 rated, strongly reminded all of the case of Peter, as 
 recorded in the Acts. We united in special thanks- 
 giving to Grod for his deliverance, and took courage. His 
 case had been made known to Sir Stratford Canning, and 
 there is no reason to doubt that the remonstrances of this 
 benevolent individual caused the Patriarch to loosen his 
 grasp upon this innocent victim of his oppression. 
 
 It was evident, from the very commencement of Mat- 
 teos Patriarch's reign, that he regarded the Seminary at 
 Bebek as a most important instrument of promoting and 
 perpetuating Protestantism in the land. On this account 
 he labored with the most unwearied assiduity for its 
 overthrow. During a whole year, it occupied almost his 
 unremitting attention, and many and ingenious were the 
 plans he devised to accomplish his purpose. Nor did he 
 hesitate to employ means that were positively dishonest 
 and immoral. The utmost that he succeeded in effecting, 
 however, was to detach half a dozen boys from the in- 
 stitution, while more than a dozen others were added in 
 their stead ; and to force an assistant teacher to leave 
 us, whose place was very soon more than supplied by 
 another. 
 
 But it was thought best to make, at least, a show of 
 
DISCUSSION AND ITS FRUITS. 155 
 
 argumentation, in order to give a check to the spread of 
 evangelical views. The Patriarch's party had affected to 
 despise the Protestants for their want of learning ; and it 
 was hoped, that by engaging them in discussion with 
 some of the strongest men of the other side, they would 
 be so completely silenced as to become objects of con- 
 tempt, and thus the current of public feeling be turned 
 against them. The first of these discussions was held at 
 the house of a very respectable Papal Armenian, a man 
 of property and influence, who was himself opposed to 
 Protestantism, and desirous of doing what he could to put it 
 down. Several of his learned friends came together, among 
 whom were three or four vartabeds ; and on the evangeli- 
 cal side were a few of our brethren — Mr, Apisoghom 
 Khachadurian, being the chief speaker. After two or 
 three discussions on the infallibility of the Church, tran- 
 substantiation, confession to a priest, &c., the Roman 
 party withdrew from the contest ; but the individual at 
 whose house the meetings were held, was convinced that 
 the evangelical side of the question was true, and after- 
 wards he became, as we hope, a truly converted man. 
 Very soon the Protestants were challenged to send their 
 strongest men to meet the most famous of all their cham- 
 pions of Armenian orthodoxy, Mr. Chamurjian, the prin- 
 cipal of the Scutary College. The whole arrangement 
 of these meetings was such as to favor, as much as 
 possible, the Patriarch's party. They were held at one 
 of their own houses, and the proportion of Protestants in- 
 vited was never probably more than one to ten of the 
 Armenians. The subjects to be discussed were selected 
 by the advocates of the Church, and prepared for before- 
 hand, but by design, not made known to the Protestants, 
 
156 PUBLIC DEBATES. 
 
 itntil they appeared on the ground. It was found, 
 however, that the clear and simple Scripture arguments 
 of Mr. Khachadurian, and his few companions, had far 
 more eftect on the minds of those present, than all the 
 parade of scholastic logic and learning made by their 
 boastful antagonist, and the meetings were soon disconti- 
 nued. The press was now resorted to, and this same Mr. 
 Chamurjian published a work on baptismal regeneration, 
 and another on transubstantiation, both of which were 
 most ably and satisfactorily answered — the former by Mr. 
 Wood, and the latter by Mr. Khachadurian. At last, by 
 express order of the Patriarch, a meeting for the discus- 
 sion of religious topics was opened in a room connected 
 with the great Patriarchal Church, Only those were 
 permitted to take part in the debates, however, who had 
 signed a paper professing attachment to the Church, and 
 belief in its " orthodox" doctrines. This was intended to 
 exclude all decided Protestants ; and, indeed, the whole 
 object of this new scheme was to bring the weak and the 
 wavering under the potent influence of Mr. Chamurjian's 
 eloquence, in order to establish them in the Armenian 
 faith. The subjects discussed were " faith and works," 
 and " the infallibility and authority of the Church." 
 Only three meetings were held, and the famous champion 
 of the Patriarch was so completely foiled in argument at 
 the two first, by two of the evangelical brethren, who 
 got permission to speak, that, on both occasions, he left 
 the room in anger, and at the third meeting he did not 
 make his appearance at all. The chief speakers on the 
 Protestant side of the question at these meetings were 
 Mr. Stepan, now secular agent of the Protestant com- 
 munity at the Porte, and Mr. Avedis, then assistant 
 
A JESUIT REVILER. 157 
 
 teacher ia the Seminary at Bebek, at which he was edu- 
 cated, and now colleague pastor in the Evangelical 
 Armenian Church in Constantinople. Three hundred 
 persons, it is said, had assembled ; and after waiting 
 some time, the Protestants, three or four in number, 
 retired. They were, however, followed in the streets by 
 a company of *' lewd fellows of the baser sort," and 
 severely stoned ; a method of treating Protestantism, 
 which it seems, after all, was considered better adapted to 
 the circumstances of the assailants, and far more cogent 
 than argumentation. 
 
 Some of the presses of the Papal party were employed 
 in issuing works in the Armenian, and Armeno-Turkish 
 languages, intended to deepen the existing prejudices 
 against Protestants, and hold up the missionaries to con- 
 tempt. Among the most remarkable of these was a 
 series of small volumes, published in Constantinople, by 
 a French Jesuit, by the name of Bore. They were filled 
 with slanders of the most abusive and shameless kind ; 
 and on this very account they utterly failed in their 
 object. The author was evidently sent to the East for 
 the express purpose of counteracting Protestant influences, 
 and he seems to have been a fitly chosen tool for a 
 society of men, whose foundations are laid in " all 
 deceivableness of unrighteousness." At Constantinople, 
 on his first arrival, he was a scientific traveller ; at 
 Oroomiah, he was a colonel, with sword and epaulets ; at 
 Tabriz, he was an humble school teacher ; at Isfahan, he 
 was a zealous propagator of the Roman faith ; and at 
 Mosul, he became a French Consul General, destined to 
 the Holy Land ! 
 
 Notwithstanding the hostility shown by the ecclesias- 
 
158 COLPORTEURS CONVERSIONS. 
 
 tical powers, there was no diminution in the number of 
 evangelical books distributed, but rather an increase. 
 Two judicious, well-informed, and active brethren were 
 constantly employed in traversing the length and breadth 
 of the city, and also the shores of the Bosphorus, for the 
 purpose of selling evangelical publications, and conversing 
 with men, as opportunities offered, on religious subjects. 
 They were highly useful in bringing their countrymen un- 
 der the sound of the Gospel, and in other ways into contact 
 with the missionaries. It was now also a common thing 
 for strangers from the interior provinces to call upon Mr. 
 Homes, and procure books to take back with them to 
 their homes for circulation ; and some of these were 
 priests and vartabeds. Among those converted to the 
 truth, were some who had formerly been in the ranks of 
 the enemy. One of these, a man of about fifty years of 
 age, confessed, with weeping and strong crying to God 
 for forgiveness, that when the order had come from the 
 Patriarch, some time previous, that all who possessed any 
 of the Smyrna books should bring them to the Patri- 
 archate, he unhesitatingly obeyed, and carried all his 
 books there to be burned ; which he now considered a 
 very great sin, though it was done through ignorance. 
 Another acknowledged that he stood by the door of the 
 furnace, and assisted in crowding our books into the 
 flames ! 
 
 Besides the efforts made for spreading abroad our pub- 
 lications at the capital, several tours were performed by 
 native agents, under the direction of Mr. Homes, in 
 different parts of the interior, and always with encourag- 
 ing success. One of these journeys embraced all the 
 important places on the southern side of the Sea of 
 
MISSIONARY TOURS. 159 
 
 Marmora, where the brethren were well received, and 
 many books were sold, and in each place, a small quan- 
 tity was left in the hands of an agent for sale. Another 
 longer journey was made by the evangelical Armenians, 
 through different parts of Armenia, and especially the 
 country bordering on the Euphrates. Owing to the fears 
 of the people, they were not very successful in disposing 
 of books, but they found many minds in an awakened 
 state, and many favorable opportunities for making 
 known the Gospel. They also had their trials from the 
 opposition of some of the clergy. Another tour was made 
 to Varna, in European Turkey, on the shores of the 
 Black Sea. Several persons here showed a deep interest 
 in listening to the G-ospel, and nearly all the publications 
 carried there were sold, and a new supply was after ward^ 
 forwarded from Constantinople. Still another tour was 
 performed, by two of the brethren to various parts of 
 European Turkey. They spent a whole month at 
 Rodosto, where a strong Papal influence had recently 
 been exerted, and several of the Armenians had expressed 
 their determination to acknowledge allegiance to the 
 pope. Our brethren succeeded in persuading them to 
 turn away their ears from the delusive teachings of the 
 emissaries of Rome, and a congregation for Papal wor- 
 ship, which a Romish priest had been gathering from 
 among the Armenians, was very soon dispersed. Many 
 were disposed to listen to the claims of the Gospel, and 
 even among the priests, there was a searching for the 
 truth. Five of them came at one time for religious 
 inquiry. After leaving Rodosto, the brethren visited 
 Adrianople and Philipopoli, and returned by way of Salo- 
 nica. They had taken a large quantity of books with 
 
160 CENSORSHIP OF THE PRESS. 
 
 them in the different languages of that part of the coun- 
 try, and they came back literally empty-handed, having 
 been, by no means, able to supply the actual demand. 
 
 Among other marks of progress towards European civi- 
 lization, though not improvement, in Turkey, was the 
 establishment of a censorship of the press. Whether it 
 was some friendly foreign power, or a Christian Patriarch, 
 that first made the suggestion, is not certainly known. 
 It became a troublesome innovation, however, to our book 
 distributing enterprise, and threatened to be still more so ; 
 but a kind Providence soon freed us from all embarrass- 
 ment on the subject. It was at first made a rule, that no 
 book should be introduced into the metropolis without 
 being examined and sanctioned by the Patriarch in whose 
 language it was printed. We soon ascertained, however, 
 that the whole object of the law, so far as the government 
 was concerned, was to shut out inflammatory political 
 works, and our well-known character with the Turkish 
 authorities was a sufficient guarantee that none of our 
 publications would come under this denomination. In- 
 deed the officer at the custom house whose duty it was to 
 superintend this department, seemed to take special pains 
 to suffer our boxes of books to pass easily through. 
 
 Among the evangelical brethren, a temperance society 
 was formed, which was the first one of the kind that ever 
 existed in Turkey. Dr. SewalPs plates of the stomach 
 were used with very good effect in lecturing on the sub- 
 ject. This movement was rendered the more interesting 
 from its being entirely self-prompted. 
 
 Within the space of about six months, no less than four 
 individuals from among the Armenians who had given 
 satisfactory evidence of piety, were called away from this 
 
4 
 
 DEATH OF MRS. VAN LENNEP. 161 
 
 world. They all died in peace, and almost with their 
 latest breath were enabled to bear testimony to the truth, 
 and power of the Gospel. Such cases were new in that 
 part of the world, where, uniformly, every effort is made 
 to divert the attention of a dying person from all thoughts 
 of death, and to lead him to suppose, even to the very 
 last, that he is about to recover. The case was probably 
 never before known among the Armenians, of a dying 
 man talking calmly and joyfully even of his own dissolu- 
 tion, and expressing the most delightful assurance that he 
 was soon to be received into the joy of his Lord. And of 
 what account is all the treasure expended during the pre- 
 sent missionary age, for the purpose of bringing the une- 
 vangelized to a knowledge of the Gospel, compared with 
 the priceless value of such hopes and joys ! 
 
 During the period of time embraced in this chapter, 
 the angel of death was also commissioned to invade the 
 missionary circle. Mrs. Van Lennep was called in the 
 youthful ardor of her missionary career, to exchange the 
 toils, and self-denials, and exposures of her position here, 
 for a higher and nobler work in the kingdom above. She 
 died on the 27th of September, 1844. Within less than 
 a year from the time of her embarkation from America, 
 she finished her earthly course. She kept the faith, and 
 is now doubtless wearing the " crown of glory which the 
 Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to all them that love 
 his appearing." Mr. and Mrs. Yan Lennep had been re- 
 moved from Smyrna to Constantinople during the preced- 
 ing spring, for the express purpose of taking charge of 
 the female seminary then in prospect, and her early re- 
 moval was on this account an uncommonly grievous af- 
 fliction to the mission. 
 
OHAPT E R VIII. 
 
 Cruelty of the Bishop of Erzrfim — Good from Evil — Enlightened Prelates 
 the worst Persecutors — Central position of Erzrum — Truth spreading in 
 the Villages — Prosperity at Trebizond — Death of a Believer — Shameful 
 Burials — ^Vacillating Ecclesiastic — Boghos the Persecutor — Measures of 
 Coercion — Arrest of Protestants — House of Mr. Bliss stoned — Evil 
 effects of Persecution — Influence of Trebizond on the interior — Just 
 views prevailing at Brusa — A Hermit converted — Progress in Brusa 
 and its villages — Missionary tours to Nicomedia and Adabazar — A Per- 
 secutor converted — Deep Earnestness — Instances of Persecution— 
 At Kurdbeleng — Pious English Families at Nicomedia — Death of Mr. 
 Mugurdich and Mr. Sarkis at Smyrna — Vartabed from Tarsus — Mr. Van 
 Lennep at Tocat, 
 
 The work of the Lord was stationary in no part of the 
 Armenian field, nor was the persecuting power long at 
 rest. At the metropolis there were restraints upon the 
 hierarchy and its supporters, which were comparatively 
 little felt in the provinces ; and it often happened that 
 the most outrageous cruelties were practiced upon Pro- 
 testants in the interior, while at the capital, the breth-- 
 ren were living in peace and quietness. The Bishop 
 of Erzrum seemed to exceed all others in the bitterness 
 of his wrath against the followers of the Gospel, and the 
 determined perseverance of his cruelty. He had spie.. 
 placed in every part of the town, to watch the conversa- 
 
CRUELTY OF THE BISHOP OF ERZRUM. 163 
 
 tion and movements of the people, and, oftentimes, his 
 priests were stationed on the roofs of the houses adjacent 
 to the residences of the missionaries, to notice their 
 visitors, and never did he suffer a known case of disobe- 
 dience to his orders to go unpunished. In repeated 
 instances was the cruel bastinado applied under his own 
 eye, merely for the offense of uttering some expression 
 that indicated a reverence for the Word of God. One 
 fine young man received twenty blows on his bare feet, 
 and was afterwards thrown into prison, because he com- 
 mitted the double sin of selling to another a copy of the 
 Psalms, in the Modern Armenian, and of calling at the 
 house of one of the missionaries. Another, a teacher of a 
 country school, was severely bastinadoed for teaching the 
 Gospel to the inhabitants of the village. Another still, a 
 merchant, who had early embraced the truth, was 
 knocked down in the bishop's own room, cruelly 
 beaten, and afterwards excommunicated, and the people 
 commanded to spit in his face in the street ; merely 
 because he visited the missionaries. His priest, for 
 showing so much sympathy as to call upon him, was 
 himself summoned before the bishop, and bastinadoed. 
 Another, who had called once at Mr. Peabody's house and 
 procured some books, was seized, put in irons, and 
 thrown into prison. His books were taken and burnt 
 before his eyes, and he was liberated only by giving a 
 written pledge that he would never more have anything 
 to do, either with the missionaries or their books. Still 
 another, and a truly pious young man, was punished 
 with the cruel bastinado, for no other offense than that 
 he was overheard by some of the bishop's emissaries to 
 
164 ENLIGHTENED PRELATES THE WORST PERSECUTORS. 
 
 say something which implied a desire to shape his con- 
 duct according to the Bible. 
 
 In most cases, these violent measures only tended to 
 confirm the individuals in their new views, as they more 
 clearly developed the true spirit of the ruling authorities 
 in the Church. It was also the testimony of those upon 
 the ground that the truth never made so much progress 
 among the permanent Armenian population of Erzrum, 
 as during the very period of these outrages. Visits to 
 the missionaries for religious inquiry increased in number 
 and interest ; books were called for ; and several who 
 had never personally known the missionaries were in the 
 habit of meeting together for the purpose of reading the 
 Scriptures, and assisting one another in understanding 
 them. 
 
 A bitter opposer of the truth, and one who had been 
 especially active in procuring the punishment of the 
 young teacher mentioned above, was suddenly convinced 
 of his error, and began most zealously to preach the very 
 faith he once sought to destroy. Nor was this the only 
 case of the kind. Another, who also was formerly violent 
 in his opposition, a man of wealth and influence, was so 
 far interested in the truth, as to attend the preaching of 
 Mr. Peabody, and give his full assent to its truth. A 
 vartabed, also attended, who was not a little enlightened, 
 and anxious to do good to his people. 
 
 It is a mournful but instructive fact, that the most 
 resolute persecutors among all the prelates of the Arme- 
 nian Church, were three men, who were among the 
 earliest friends of the missionaries, and whose minds were 
 probably more enlightened in regard to the truths of the 
 Gospel, than any of their rank, who still retain connec- 
 
TRUTH SPREADING IN THE VILLAGES. 165 
 
 tion with the old establishment. Matteos, Patriarch of 
 Constantinople, the story of whose worst persecutions is 
 still to be told ; Eprem, Bishop of Erzrum, whose out- 
 rageous conduct has just been briefly described ; and 
 Boghos Vartabed of Trebizond, who, in his unjust and 
 cruel warfare against the true disciples of Christ, was not 
 much behind the other two. were neither ignorant nor 
 bigoted men. On the contrary, they all knew and 
 acknowledged the errors and superstitions of their 
 Church, and had often strongly expressed their desires for 
 reform, and two of them, at least, had suffered persecu- 
 tion as Protestants ; but now they were the most bold 
 and zealous and persevering of the persecutors ! They 
 loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. 
 
 Apparently, one principal reason why the hierarchy 
 was so very determined and persevering in its measures 
 to expel Protestantism from Erzrum, was its central 
 position, and its consequent influence on all the interior 
 provinces of Armenia. And this, in fact, gives it its 
 chief importance as a missionary station. Both the mis- 
 sionaries, and also their native assistant, were in the 
 habit of making tours in different directions for the pur- 
 pose of preaching the Gospel, and distributing books. In 
 the district of Pasin, east of Erzrum, which embraces, in 
 all, nearly two hundred villages, Mr. Peabody found both 
 priests and people remarkably accessible. One or two of 
 the former manifested special seriousness of mind. And in 
 the nearer villages, although the bishops had strictly for- 
 bidden the people from receiving our books and having 
 intercourse with the missionaries, yet a few were always 
 found whose minds were so much awake to the impor- 
 tance of the truth, as to lead them to pay but little regard 
 8* 
 
166 PROSPERITY AT TREBIZOND. 
 
 to the injunctions of their spiritual rulers. In one in- 
 stance, the chief priest himself was very anxious for 
 instruction in the way of salvation, and so were several 
 of his people ; and in another, two vartabeds seemed to 
 have some sense of the evil of sin, and a desire to know 
 how to escape from it. There were everywhere adver- 
 saries to be found ; but neither this, nor the vio- 
 lence and fearful threatenings of the bishop were suffi- 
 cient to deter the people from seeking our publications, 
 and availing themselves of personal intercourse, whenever 
 that was practicable. And not unfrequently did indivi- 
 duals from Egin, Diarbekr, and other distant places, call 
 upon the missionaries in Erzrum, for the express purpose 
 of religious inquiry. A missionary tour of two or three 
 months to Sivas, Erzengan, Egin, &c., made by Mr. 
 Harutun, then assistant of the mission, and now pastor 
 of the Evangelical Church in Nicomedia, brought to 
 light many encouraging facts in regard to the state of 
 men's minds in that part of the country. In every 
 important place some inquirers were found, and only 
 laborers seemed to be needed to gather in an abundant 
 harvest. 
 
 The Gospel had made very encouraging progress at 
 Trebizond, so far as an intellectual conviction of its 
 truth was concerned. That station, indeed, would not 
 suffer in this respect, in comparison with any other in 
 Turkey. The quiet preaching of the Word, and the 
 distribution of the Scriptures, and of other evangelical 
 books and tracts, had, by the blessing of Grod, moved 
 many minds, and taught them the difference between 
 truth and error. They became diligent and earnest 
 students of the Word of God, and gladly availed thom^ 
 
DEATH OF A BELIEVER. 167 
 
 selves of every opportunity of coming together for 
 prayer. Still, not many of the whole number were far 
 enough advanced to be willing to run much risk for the 
 truth's sake ; and few, indeed, gave fully satisfactory 
 evidence of being " born again." The tests of Christian 
 character, however, in the circumstances of these people, 
 it must be confessed, are somewhat different from what 
 they are among those who have been born and educated 
 under the best evangelical influences. The people grow 
 up cursing, lying, drinking to excess, and giving a loose 
 rein to every wicked passion ; and iii general, there is no 
 tenderness of conscience on any of these points, and no 
 true knowledge of the evil of sin. To leave off cursing, 
 and lying, and drunkenness, and reviling, in such cir- 
 cumstances, implies a far greater change, than any 
 similar effect would imply among the religiously edu- 
 cated population of America, And if, in addition, we see 
 them bearing every species of ignominy, and abuse, and 
 persecution, meekly and uncomplainingly for the Grospel 
 of Christ, and, at the same time, pursuing with avidity 
 the study of Grod's "Word, and reverently submitting to 
 its authority ; and choosing the society of G-od's people, 
 and the privileges of his house, though thereby exposed 
 to much temporal inconvenience and danger ; how can 
 we avoid the conclusion that here is evidence of a radical 
 change of character, even that which the Holy Spirit 
 alone can effect? It was exceedingly gratifying to see 
 the increasing watchfulness against sin, spirit of prayer, 
 humility, zeal, devotedness to God, and other signs of 
 spiritual progress manifested by some of the brethren. 
 Not unfrequently also, there were new cases of conversion 
 coming to the knowledge of the missionaries. 
 
168 CHRISTIAN BURIAL REFUSED. 
 
 A young man of superior mind and attainments, 
 belonging to the Papal Armenian denomination, who had, 
 for some time, given the most satisfactory evidence of 
 piety, wsLS called to his rest in the spring of 1844. He 
 had been greatly troubled by his priest, who made every 
 effort to reclaim him, even to the very last moment of his 
 life. Mugurdich, for that was his name, was very 
 decided, and a few days before his death he made a formal 
 renunciation of his Church, in writing ; and peacefully 
 committed his all to Christ. His body was not permitted 
 burial in the graveyard, or with the usual religious cere- 
 monies, but at a late hour of a very dark and stormy 
 night, it was carried out by common street porters, under 
 the^direction of a Turkish police officer, and placed under 
 the ground, in the midst of a waste place about a mile 
 from the city. They had previously attempted to 
 frighten him back to his Church by threatening to bury 
 him like a dog, and faithfully did they execute the 
 threat ; though, as he told them at the time, they could 
 do him no real harm, for they could not reach his soul. 
 
 This is an appropriate place for narrating briefly the 
 circumstances of another burial in Trebizond, of some- 
 what similar character. A woman died, whose husband 
 and sons were among the evangelical party. She herself 
 had remained faithful to her Church to the very last, as 
 her priest testified, and yet the ecclesiastical authorities 
 decided that she should not receive a Christian burial, 
 unless her husband and sons would recant. No one had 
 the slightest suspicion of the woman, and the whole was 
 a mere trick to reclaim the offenders ; as it was thought 
 no motive could be urged upon them that would make a 
 stronger appeal to their feelings than this. They could 
 
VACILLATING ECCLESIASTIC. 1G9 
 
 not yield the Gospel of Christ, however, even to save 
 their family from so great an insult and outrage ; and 
 after the greatest trouble, and being obliged to keep the 
 body an unwonted time, they were at length compelled 
 to carry it out, amid the jeers and spittings of the crowd, 
 and bury it at a distance from the city, in the corner of a 
 Mussulman's farm ! 
 
 The course pursued by the vartabed at Trebizond, in 
 reference to the evangelical party, was strangely vacil- 
 lating. One day he gave permission to the brethren to 
 hold meetings for the reading of the Scriptures ; and the 
 next he denounced them from the pulpit, and seized and 
 tore up their books with his own hands. Again he con- 
 ceded to them the privilege of meeting for religious 
 worship in their own way, and actually made a public 
 appointment to that effect, designating a priest who 
 should be present, and then again, after three meetings 
 had been held, eighty or more persons being present at 
 each, he countermanded the order, preached most violently 
 against the Protestants, and threatened the book-agent 
 of the mission with the bastinado, if he did not relinquish 
 his employment. The true secret of his conduct was, that 
 he tried to please two contending parties ; and of course 
 neither was satisfied. One man urged him to root out 
 the Protestants by persecution ; and when he was com- 
 mencing the experiment, another would come and tell 
 him that he had better let those men alone, or he would 
 get himself into trouble. " Alas I" said the poor varta- 
 bed, '' I am burning between two fires. One party will 
 not be satisfied unless I persecute, and another rebukes 
 me if I do. Would that I had never come to this 
 place." 
 
 8 
 
170 BOGHOS THE PERSECUTOR. 
 
 At length this dignitary was induced to make formal 
 complaint to the pasha against the Protestants. The 
 pasha requested a list of their names, and here an unan- 
 ticipated difficulty arose. The vartabed's counsellors 
 could not agree upon the names to be sent in ; for each 
 had friends among the proscribed, whom he was unwill- 
 ing thus to hand over to the terrible uncertainties of a 
 Turkish tribunal. In these ways the Lord defeated the 
 counsels of his enemies. 
 
 For several months afterwards, owing to a quarrel 
 among the Armenians about their vartabed, some wishing 
 to remove him from office, and others to have him 
 retained, there was a respite from persecution, and the 
 brethren gathered strength for coming contests, which 
 were not far distant. The fickle-minded vartabed was, 
 at length, superseded by one far more decided, and 
 talented, though unfortunately more destitute, also of 
 religious principle. This was Boghos, to whom allusion 
 has been made ; formerly a professed friend, but now an 
 open enemy of the Grospel. Soon after his accession, he 
 entered upon a series of violent efforts to arrest the refor- 
 mation. He first summoned before him two brothers, 
 who were justly considered as among the leaders in the 
 reform, and dealing very mildly with what he pleasantly 
 called their " errors," he tried to prejudice their minds 
 against the missionaries, calling us by certain hard 
 names, and uttering many slanders against us. The 
 answers of the brethren to all this, were so perfectly 
 satisfactory, that the vartabed became rather excited ; 
 but he smothered his anger, and let them go in peace, 
 charging them to think on the way they were pursuing^ 
 until he should send for them again. In the course of 
 
MEASURES OF COERCION. 171 
 
 ten days they were, a second time, ordered to appear in 
 his presence, he having this time called to his assistance 
 his council of twelve. Three principal charges were now 
 brought against the accused, namely, attending the 
 preaching of the Americans ; shutting themselves up in a 
 room alone to pray ; and refusing to go to market on the 
 Sabbath, when ordered by their father. Both the varta- 
 bed and his counsellors became considerably excited, in 
 consequence chiefly of their inability to meet the Scrip- 
 ture arguments that were brought forward by the two 
 brethren ; and it was very evident that there was a disposi- 
 tion, if not a determination, to resort to measures of 
 force. Several acts of petty persecution followed, but 
 nothing was to be attempted on a large scale, until the 
 Patriarch at Constantinople, who had been written to, 
 should be heard from. His answer at length came, 
 during the spring of 1845, and it was quite characteristic. 
 All social and business intercourse with the Protestants 
 was strictly prohibited ; even salutations in the streets 
 were not to be given or received ; those occupying hired 
 houses, or shops, were immediately to be thrust out ; and 
 every similar method of harassing and injuring them was 
 to be diligently employed ; and if all this failed, more 
 stringent measures were to be adopted. These orders 
 were obeyed to the letter, and soon it was impossible for 
 any of the evangelical brethren to appear in the streets 
 without being grossly insulted, and, indeed, exposed to 
 personal danger ; and at home their condition was not 
 much better. They all stood firm for a while, but at 
 length, one after another yielded, and in the course of 
 ten days, about one-half of those who had been numbered 
 among the readers of the Gospel had recanted. Just at 
 
172 ARREST OF PROTESTANTS. 
 
 this juncture happened the return and seziure of Mr. 
 Tateos, who was sent to Constantinople, as narrated in 
 the last chapter. 
 
 This step was quickly followed up by other acts of 
 violence, calculated greatly to increase the panic of the 
 brethren. The vartabed, with such a letter in his hand 
 from head quarters, could easily procure from the civil 
 authorities any amount of aid he might require. One of 
 the Protestants, who had recanted, was so troubled in 
 conscience, in view of this act, that he went boldly to this 
 dignitary, and took back his recantation. He was imme- 
 diately thrown into prison ; and the names of all who 
 still refused to submit to the Church were handed over to 
 the pasha, and a general arrest was determined upon. 
 During nearly the whole of that night, the one imme- 
 diately succeeding the departure of Mr. Tateos, the police 
 guards were patrolling the streets, under arms, and some- 
 times forcibly entering houses, in search of the doomed 
 victims of ecclesiastical wrath. Three more individuals 
 were arrested in the course of the night, and thrown into 
 the felons' prison. Some of the brethren had fled into 
 the country, where they were hunted the next day like 
 wild beasts. Others were secreted in the city, and the 
 police soldiers were frequently seen traversing the streets 
 in hot haste, to ferret them out. Grreat was the exaspe- 
 ration of the enemy, in some instances lashed up to mad- 
 ness, by their little success in finding their prey. One of 
 the prisoners, who was the oldest of the two brothers, 
 first summoned before the vartabed, on his arrival in 
 Trebizond, was forthwith sent into exile to a place called 
 Karahissar, some two or three hundred miles in the 
 
INFLUENCE OF TREBIZOND ON THE INTERIOR. 173 
 
 interior.* As the other prisoners were soon liberated, it 
 was evident that much of the violence displayed on this 
 occasion was for show and effect. It ought to be men- 
 tioned, in this connection, as showing the ferocious spirit 
 of the times, that the house of Mr. Bliss was attacked by 
 a mob, who, for an hour or more pelted it with stones, 
 and other missiles, breaking all the windows that were 
 exposed, and, of course, endangering the lives and limbs 
 of the family within. Fortunately, however, most of the 
 windows were protected by strong wooden shutters, and 
 no one was injured. 
 
 Though the violence of the enemy in Trebizond was 
 temporarily curbed, yet the persecution left desolation in 
 its track. From various causes, very few indeed of those 
 who were regarded as truly converted men, were left 
 upon the ground. One had died, others were absent on 
 business ; others had moved away on account of their 
 exposures to persecution ; and two were in exile. Mr. 
 Powers, however, found that some were still hungering for 
 the bread of life, and were ready to attend a preaching 
 service, though they came with much fear and trembling. 
 Neither anathemas, loss of business and reputation, op- 
 position of friends, exile, or threats of still more direful 
 punishment, had yet subdued the " Gospel readers," as 
 they were often tauntingly called. 
 
 The influence of the Trebizond station in the interior 
 was more and more felt. An enlightened priest living in 
 a district not very remote, was active in promoting edu- 
 
 * Application was subsequently made to jNIatteos Patriarch, by the British 
 Ambassador, for the release of this brother from exile. The Patriarch 
 replied that neither he, nor his bishop at Trebizond had anything to do with 
 the case, and that it was not religious persecution at all, but the man was 
 banished by the Turkish authorities for some civil misdemeanor ! 
 
 7 
 
174 JUST VIEWB PREVAILING AT BKUSA. 
 
 cation, and also in inculcating evangelical views. Another 
 country priest, who had been an opposer, suddenly became 
 an advocate of the Gospel. A pious book-agent employed 
 in Tocat and its vicinity, was quite successful in distri- 
 buting our publications, as well as in getting access to 
 priests and people, and interesting them in religious con- 
 versation. 
 
 "While persecution was the order of the day at Trebi- 
 zond and Erzrum, the brethren at Brusa were permitted, 
 for the most part, to live in peace. Occasional threats 
 were given out, exciting temporary alarm, but no violence 
 was resorted to, and the preaching service, and other 
 labors, were continued without interruption. The Scrip- 
 tures in the vulgar language, were introduced into a girls' 
 school, opened and supported by the Armenian community, 
 and they were also become more and more extensively 
 read by the people. It was not therefore surprising to 
 find more just views of the doctrines of the Grospel be- 
 ginning to prevail. One of the primates said one day to 
 Mr. Schneider, that it was a great mistake to suppose 
 that baptism was regeneration ; " for then," said he, " all 
 who bear the name of Christians would be saved. But 
 baptism is only an external application, while the new 
 birth spoken of by our Saviour is a radical change of 
 character." A few years previous, not an individual 
 could have been found in all the city of Brusa, making 
 such a distinction. One of the native brethren had a 
 long conversation with two vartabeds, on the unscriptural 
 usages of their Church. They fully assented to the truth 
 of what he said, but asked, " Who can dare to speak of 
 these things publicly ?" They needed to be wholly sub- 
 dued by the Gospel of Christ, in order courageously to 
 
A HERMIT CONVERTED. 175 
 
 avow their ov^n convictions ; but even this mere intellec- 
 tual persuasion of the truth was encouraging as a mark 
 of progress, and especially as an omen for good among the 
 ecclesiastics. 
 
 A most interesting illustration of the power of the Gros- 
 pel in transforming the whole character, was presented 
 about the same time. An individual had lived for a long 
 time as a wandering hermit, in deserts and mountains, only 
 visiting the abodes of men at long intervals to procure 
 food. He carried about with him a small bone, which he 
 had received as the relic of some saint, and with this he 
 would pretend to cure diseases, receiving food in pay, 
 and when his food was exhausted, he sometimes subsisted 
 for days upon roots and grass. Hearing of the mission- 
 aries in Brusa, he called upon Mr. Schneider, and asked 
 his opinion of the use of relics, and other superstitious 
 observances. The conversation gave him entirely new 
 thoughts on the subject of religion. He soon abandoned 
 his bone, and requested Mr. S. to give him a copy of the 
 New Testament in its place. From that hour this book 
 was his bosom companion, nor did he read it in vain. 
 The Holy Spirit was his teacher, and Christ, and he 
 alone, became his hope, his peace, and his joy. Rarely 
 has this world seen a brighter example of meek, unas- 
 suming, simple-hearted, and active piety. 
 
 In January, 1845, the missionaries in Brusa gave it as 
 their deliberate judgment, that in no previous year had 
 light and knowledge of the Scriptures been so much 
 diffused abroad there, as during the year 1844. Many 
 were convinced of the errors of their Church, and of the 
 truth of the evangelical system. An interesting feature 
 in the work was, that females were coming more under 
 
176 PROGRESS OF THE TRUTH. 
 
 the influences of the G-ospel. Some of them exhibited 
 great tenderness of mind, and seemed ready to forsake 
 their old paths of superstition and sin, and walk only in 
 the way prescribed by the Word of Grod. These state- 
 ments in regard to the general progress of evangelical 
 truth, apply, to a considerable extent, to all the villages 
 around Briisa, where Armenians are found. Several 
 missionary tours were made during the period now under 
 review, both by the missionaries and their native as- 
 sistant ; and they always disclosed an awakened state of 
 mind at least in some individuals. It was found that the 
 people themselves were holding meetings for reading the 
 Scriptures and prayer, in small numbers, in three or four 
 of the villages, and some of the priests were exceedingly 
 interested in the new truths they had discovered in the 
 Gospel. One village priest seemed to be a truly pious 
 man, and was actively engaged in doing good. On 
 every Sabbath day, as well as on feast days, he with ten 
 or twelve others met for prayer, either in his own house, 
 or in a retired spot in the mountains. The vartabed of 
 the same church gave his full sanction to the circulation 
 of our books. It was very evident that evangelical senti- 
 ments were rapidly spreading, notwithstanding the many 
 adversaries that were everywhere to be found. Some of 
 the principal ecclesiastics procured from the Turkish 
 governor of the district around the lake of ancient Nice, 
 an order, which was read in most of the churches, for- 
 bidding people to talk on religious subjects, or even to 
 mention the word Protestant, on penalty of the bastinado, 
 and imprisonment for three years, with confinement in the 
 stocks. A copy of this order was procured and read by 
 Mr. Schneider. It had the effect of retarding the open 
 
TOURS TO NICOMEDIA AND ADABAZAR. 177 
 
 profession of the truth, but could not arrest its progress 
 in the minds of men. Mr. Schneider himself visited 
 Balikesr this year, at the time of the annual fair, instead 
 of sending an agent as he had been accustomed to do, 
 and he sold upwards of 500 books to persons from all 
 parts of the interior ; besides having opportunities for 
 preaching to several men of awakened minds. 
 
 As no missionary was stationed at Nicomedia, or Ada- 
 bazar, it was necessary that missionaries from other 
 stations should occasionally visit those places. This was 
 done, not statedly, but irregularly, though as often as 
 circumstances would admit. During the years 1844 and 
 1845, preaching tours were made to these towns twice 
 by the author, once by Mr. Schneider, and twice by the 
 Rev. A. Smith, M.D., who had joined the mission to the 
 Armenians. The chief rulers in the Armenian commu- 
 nities were either careless skeptics, or zealous ritualists, 
 and in either case, equally hostile to the spread of a pure 
 and spiritual Christianity. Among the influential clergy 
 also, there was no lack of active opposers to the G-ospel 
 scheme. On the other hand, the evangelical brethren 
 were few in numbers, had little political influence, and 
 were destitute of human protection, very nearly in pro- 
 portion as they were removed from the metropolis. Often 
 were they visited with petty persecutions, and threatened 
 with everything that was terrible. They were annoyed 
 in their business, and hindered from coming together for 
 religious worship. They were afraid to be seen with a 
 missionary, or even with one another. And yet they 
 grew and multiplied. The Lord restrained the wrath of 
 man, and made their very " enemies to be at peace with 
 them." On one occasion, when the brethren in Nico- 
 8* 
 
178 A PERSECUTOR CONVERTED. 
 
 media were obliged to hold their meetings in the fields, on 
 account of the "fury of the oppressor," a hot-headed 
 young man, of great muscular power, who was " exceed- 
 ingly mad against them," took with him " certain lewd 
 fellows of the baser sort," the regular tools of the perse- 
 cutor in all times and places, and armed with large 
 sticks, they repaired to the place where they had ascer- 
 tained " prayer was wont to be made ;" with the fall 
 determination of inflicting bodily chastisement on the 
 brethren. The leader of the meeting, who was the special 
 object of their hatred, saw them present, and knew well 
 for what purpose they had come. Fixing his eyes on the 
 young man at the head of the band, and calling him ten- 
 derly by name, while he held up to view a copy of the 
 New Testament, from which he was about to read, he 
 said, " Is there anything bad in this book, that you 
 wish to prevent us from reading it." The young man 
 was immediately overcome ; he threw away his weapon, 
 becarne a deeply anxious inquirer after the truth, was 
 wholly transformed in his character, united himself heart 
 and hand with the people of G-od, and, in his turn, 
 became a persecuted follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 It was generally thought necessary to observe the 
 utmost caution in holding intercourse with the mission- 
 aries when they came to Nicomedia and Adabazar. 
 Meetings for conversation, preaching, and prayer, were 
 usually held in the evening, and sometimes even at mid- 
 night, in some " upper room," for fear of the Armenians, 
 as in apostolic times, similar expedients were resorted to 
 for fear of the Jews. Preaching on the Sabbath was 
 usually in some retired garden, or in a secluded spot in 
 the distant fields. Nothing could exceed the interest of 
 
DEEP EARNESTNESS. 179 
 
 .Ik. 
 
 these occasions. Here were men that had just emerged 
 from the deepest spiritual darkness, living as sheep in the 
 rnidstof wolves. Their enemies were many and powerful, 
 ferocious, and untiring. It is impossible to describe the 
 joy with which they always welcomed the coming of a 
 missionary, and the eagerness with which they listened 
 to every word that fell from his lips. "With them the 
 assembling of themselves together for prayer, and reading 
 and hearing the Word of G-od, was no mere matter of 
 form and custom. They were deeply in earnest about 
 religion. They felt that their duties to Christ and his 
 Grospel were paramount to every other. Their whole 
 souls seemed enlisted, and the Bible was their daily 
 source of nourishment, for which they hungered and 
 thirsted, as for their daily food. And though living 
 under such constant exposures to persecution, they 
 seemed full of peace and joy. More cheerful and happy 
 Christians could scarcely be found in this wide world. 
 The weight of responsibility resting upon the missionary 
 who was called to address such men, in such circum- 
 stances, seemed almost too great to be borne. 
 
 A few instances of persecution will be narrated, as 
 specimens of the trials to which these '' little ones" of 
 Christ were subject. One of the brethren in Adabazar, 
 for refusing to open his shop on the Sabbath, was sent by 
 a powerful Armenian, to get out ship timber for govern- 
 ment, from a mountain forest, in the midst of rain and 
 snow. He was a weakly man, and wholly unaccustomed 
 to such hard work ; and, no doubt, would have perished, 
 had not the Turks, who saw his weakness, befriended and 
 released him. A priest, who showed friendliness to the 
 evangelical men, had his beard shaved off; which was 
 
180 INSTANCES OP PERSECfJTION. 
 
 the greatest disgrace they could fix upon him, in the 
 estimation of the people. An individual, who sold our 
 publications was put in the stocks. Four or five of the 
 brethren were carried off to the Convent of Armash, and 
 there imprisoned, merely because they would not conform 
 to the superstitions of the Church. As soon as this was 
 known, four or five more went, of their own accord, to 
 the same place, and surrendered themselves up, saying, 
 " "We are of the same sentiments with these men, and we 
 wish to share in their trials." They were accordingly 
 imprisoned. In the Armenian village of Kurdbeleng, 
 where there were several " G-ospel readers,;" the head 
 ruler of the community, who was a banker, instigated by 
 the chief priest, procured a Turkish police officer from a 
 neighboring place, and after making him drunk, set him 
 to beating the Protestants, which he did with a heavy 
 stick, in so unmerciful a manner, that one of them 
 nearly died. It should be recorded in this place, that this 
 same banker was afterwards assassinated in his own 
 house, by a man hired for the purpose by some personal 
 enemies, and encouraged to the deed by the same chief 
 priest, who had instigated the persecution of the Pro- 
 testants. So did Grod follow with judgments the oppres- 
 sors of his people ! 
 
 One of the brethren at Nicomedia was called away 
 from his earthly labors during the month of October, 
 1845. He was strong and joyful in the Lord, even to the 
 very last, and talked very cheerfully with his friends of 
 dying, and going to be with Christ. During this year, 
 several Englishmen, with their families, took up their 
 abode in Nicomedia, having been procured from England 
 by the government, to superintend a woollen factory near 
 
DEATH OF MUGURDICH AND SARKIS. 181 
 
 that place. Very providentially, the superintendent, Mr. 
 Binns, and his brother, with their wives, were devoted 
 Christian people, of the Baptist persuasion, and their 
 influence was highly salutary. The native brethren were 
 much comforted by their presence, and were, in several 
 instances, substantially relieved in times of persecution 
 and distress. And during a long interval, when the 
 watchful enemy would not suffer the Protestants to meet 
 in any other place for worship, Mr. Binns's house was 
 kindly opened to them for this purpose. 
 
 The Smyrna station was called to part with two very 
 valuable assistants in the department of translation. The 
 first was Mr. Mugurdich Tovmasian, a very useful trans- 
 lator, but especially active and successful in personal 
 conversation with individuals on the subject of religion. 
 He died in Constantinople, and his last words were, " I 
 know that I am a great sinner ; but I think I can say, 
 my Saviour is mine and I am his." The second was 
 Mr. Sarkis, one of the best scholars among his people, 
 and the third individual in Constantinople whose heart 
 the Lord touched, at the beginning of the work among 
 the Armenians. '' I know that I am a great sinner," 
 said he, in his last moments, " but he is a greater 
 Saviour." These precious dying testimonies of the 
 power of the Gospel, are the same in all countries, and in 
 all ages of the world ! 
 
 A vartabed, from Tarsus, called upon Mr. Adger, and 
 expressed the greatest interest in the books that had 
 come into his hands in that distant place, from our press. 
 His mind was evidently much awakened. The Arme- 
 nian service in Smyrna was attended by from ten to six- 
 teen persons at the close of the year, 1845, and some 
 
182 MR. VAN LENNEP VISITS TOCAT. 
 
 minds were active and earnest in searching after the true 
 way of salvation. The Rev. Joel S. Everett joined this 
 station, with his wife, in the spring of 1845. They were 
 afterwards removed to Constantinople, to be connected 
 with the Armenian Female Seminary, in which field they 
 are still laboring. 
 
 Tocat was visited by Mr. Van Lennep, of the Constan- 
 tinople station, and an urgent desire was expressed by a 
 few evangelical men, for a missionary to be located per- 
 manently there. A spirit of inquiry seemed to be gene- 
 rally diffused among the Armenians both in the towns 
 and throughout the adjacent country. " The harvest 
 truly was plenteous, but the laborers were few." 
 
 1 
 
CHi\PTER IX. 
 
 Relations of the Evangelical Armenians to the Church — Their Duties to the 
 Civil Community— The Patriarch a Civil Officer — The Protestants Obedient 
 to the Powers that be — New Method of Coercion — Anathema of Priest 
 Vertanes — Denunciation of the Patriarch — Temporal Penalties inflicted — 
 Fanaticism triumphant — Second Anathema — Paper of Recantation — Patri- 
 arch's new Creed — Instances of Oppression — Bread and Water Withheld 
 from Protestants — Signature to the New Creed — Interview between INIr. 
 Khachadfirian and the Patriarch — God supporting his People — Estimate 
 Placed upon the Gospel — Visitors Increase by Persecution — Letter to the 
 Patriarch — Do. to the Primates — Petition to Reshid Pasha — Do. to the 
 Foreign Ambassadors — Four Individuals Imprisoned — Attempt to Banish 
 Protestants — Religious Liberty Proclaimed by the Government — Release 
 of the Prisoners — All Protestants Calumniated — False Witnesses — Shelter 
 Procured for the Houseless— Kindness of the Rev. Mr. Allen — Generous 
 Contributions. 
 
 Hitherto, the Evangelical Armenians had remained 
 members of the ecclesiasti co-civil community in which 
 they were born. They lived in different degrees of con- 
 formity with the requisitions of the Church, according to 
 the amount of light they had, and their readiness to 
 endure reproach and suffering for Christ's sake. Some 
 absented themselves entirely from the public services in 
 their churches, feeling that to be present where there was 
 so much of superstition and idolatry, was virtually to 
 sanction what their consciences condemned. Others were 
 
184 RELATIONS OF INDIVIDUALS TO THEIR CHURCHES. 
 
 occasionally present to hear a sermon, though they made 
 it a point to retire from the other parts of the service. 
 Others still, chiefly those who were only intellectually 
 convinced of the truth, were as regular in the external 
 observance of the forms of Armenian religion as custom 
 required ; and, it should be mentioned, that previous to 
 the Protestant movement, a great diversity had existed 
 in this respect, in the practice of different individuals, and 
 there had never been in the Armenian Church any of 
 that rigor in enforcing ecclesiastical rules and observ- 
 ances, which so characterizes the Church of Rome. 
 
 According to the fundamental laws of the Turkish 
 empire, every individual of its Christian subjects must 
 be enrolled in some one of the existing communities, 
 having a Patriarch at his head. To secede from one 
 body, in order to join another, had repeatedly been for- 
 bidden by the Sultan, and was always attended with 
 danger ; although Papal diplomacy and Papal gold had 
 often atoned for the offence, where the secession was to 
 the Papal faith.. To detach oneself from one community 
 without coming into connection with any other, was equi- 
 valent to a renunciation of every civil right and privilege, 
 and necessarily exposed the individual to all the evil 
 consequences of complete outlawry. To make this fully 
 understood, it will be necessary to enter somewhat into 
 detail. 
 
 In the city of Constantinople, as well as in other large 
 towns in Turkey, each trade is incorporated, and its 
 affairs are regulated by a committee consisting of a small 
 number of the most wealthy and powerful individuals in 
 the business ; and no person is permitted to open a shop, 
 without a license from this committee. Frequently, a 
 
THE PATRIARCH A CIVIL OFFICER. 185 
 
 single individual, who^may be called the presiding officer, 
 has, in practice, if not in form, the whole matter of 
 granting, and withholding licenses in his own hands. A 
 Turkish officer presides over all the trades, whose official 
 sanction is necessary to give force and effect to the doings 
 of the trade committees. Every journeyman, and ap- 
 prentice even, must be furnished with a permit, to show 
 to the Turkish police officers, whenever he is challenged 
 in the streets, and if he fails to produce one, he is liable 
 to be thrown into prison, as a disorderly man and a 
 vagrant. On taking out these licenses, each individual 
 is required to give two or more sureties, for good conduct, 
 and the Patriarch is held as general surety for the whole 
 community. It will soon appear what facilities were 
 afforded, by these arrangements, to the persecutor to 
 pursue his work with impunity, and even under the 
 broad shield of the law. The particular object, at 
 present in view, however, is to illustrate the true nature 
 and effect of a voluntary withdrawal from the existing 
 communities in Turkey. Take, for example, the Arme- 
 nian community, as that is the one with which we have 
 now chiefly to do. It must be borne in mind, that in the 
 eye of the Turkish law, the jurisdiction of the Patriarch 
 is a civil jurisdiction, and this is properly the light in 
 which he is viewed by his own people. Ecclesiastically, 
 as has already been explained, he is only a bishop, having 
 really no more power in the church than any other bishop 
 in the land. But, as Patriarch, he is superior to all the 
 bishops, and this distinction has been conferred upon him 
 by the Turkish government, or, in other words, it is a 
 merely civil supremacy. His functions may be dis- 
 charged by a priest, or even a layman, as indeed they 
 
186 NEW METHOD OF COERCION. 
 
 sometinies have been. If, now, the evangelical Arme- 
 nians had at any time declared that they no longer 
 acknowledged the authority of the Patriarch, as there 
 was then no Protestant community recognized in Turkey, 
 it would have been tantamount to civil rebellion, and 
 they would have been dealt with as outlaws. In spirit- 
 ual matters, those who were decided among them, care- 
 fully abstained, as has been stated, from all participation 
 in superstition and idolatry. They attended regularly 
 upon the ministry of the piissionaries, and sat down at 
 the table of the Lord with us, as guests ; because they 
 could neither profitably nor conscientiously, unite in 
 this service at the Armenian Church. They retained 
 connection, however, with their own people, and generally 
 cherished the hope, amounting in some cases to a strong 
 expectation, that by degrees, the great body of the Arme- 
 nians would come over to the evangelical faith, and thus 
 a serious rupture be avoided. The Patriarch Matteos, by 
 his own act, effectually cut them off from this hope as 
 will now be narrated. 
 
 The means hitherto employed for extirpating Protest- 
 antism, had signally failed of success. In the beginning 
 of the year 1846, therefore, the Patriarch resolved to 
 enter at once upon more coercive measures. The first sub- 
 ject selected for the new experiment, was Priest Vertanes, 
 whose zealous and persevering labors for the spread of 
 pure Christianity, were doubly odious on account of his 
 being a member of the priesthood, and who had already 
 been twice banished for his religion. One of the Patri- 
 arch's beadles was sent to his lodgings, together with the 
 chief municipal officer of the Armenians in that quarter, 
 in order to arrest him. The owner of the house, who 
 
PRIEST VERTANES ANATHEMATIZED. 187 
 
 was friendly to his lodger, though not himself a Protest- 
 ant, did not scruple to tell a falsehood, declaring that 
 Vertanes was absent, and thus sent the officers away. 
 The priest made his escape, the same night, to another 
 part of the city, where he remained for several weeks, 
 concealed in the house of a friend. 
 
 On Sunday, Jan. 25, after the usual morning services 
 in the patriarchal church were finished, the house was 
 darkened by extinguishing the candles, and the great vail 
 was drawn in front of the main altar, and a bull of ex- 
 cision and anathema was solemnly read againt Priest 
 Vertanes, including all the followers of the " modern 
 sectaries." This beloved brother, who had already 
 suffered much for his conscientious attachment to the 
 G-ospel of Christ, was styled by the Patriarch " a con- 
 temptible wTctch," who, " following his carnal lusts" had 
 forsaken the Church and was going about as a " vagabond," 
 " babbling out errors," and being an " occasion of stum- 
 bling to many." He was said to be " a traitor, and mur- 
 derer of Christ, a child of the devil, and an offspring of 
 Antichrist, worse than an infidel or a heathen," for 
 teaching " the impieties and seductions of modern sec- 
 taries (Protestants)." " Wherefore," says the Patriarch, 
 *' we expel him and forbid him as a devil, and a child of 
 the devil, to enter into the company of believers. We 
 cut him off from the priesthood, as an amputated member 
 of the spiritual body of Christ, and as a branch cut off 
 from the vine, which is good for nothing but to be cast 
 into the fire. By this admonitory bull, I therefore com- 
 mand and warn my beloved in every city, far and near, 
 not to look upon his face — regarding it as the face of 
 Belial ; not to receive him into your holy dwellings ; for 
 
188 THE PATRIARCH S DENUNCIATIONS. 
 
 he is a house-destroying and ravening wolf; not to re- 
 ceive his salutation, but as a soul-destroying and deadly 
 poison ; and to beware, with all your households, of the 
 seducing and impious followers of the false doctrine ot 
 the modern sectaries (Protestants) ; and to pray for them 
 to the God who remembereth not iniquity, if perchance 
 they may repent and turn from their wicked paths, and 
 secure the salvation of their souls, through the grace ot 
 our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who is blessed for 
 ever. Amen."*' 
 
 Nor were these the mere words of an antique form, 
 uttered in obedience to custom, but in reality regarded 
 as obsolete. If the language of the form was severe, the 
 language of the accompanying popular harangue was 
 still more so. The bull of excision and anathema was 
 followed by a violent denunciatory discourse from the 
 Patriarch, against all the Protestants in general, and the 
 priest in particular, which called forth many loud " amens^^ 
 from the inflamed people. 
 
 On the following day the greatest activity prevailed 
 among the priests, in every part of the city and suburbs. 
 All moved like the different parts of a machine, as if by 
 one impulse, and it was not difficult to trace the direc- 
 tion from which that impulse had come. The resolute 
 Patriarch was determined not to trust merely to the im- 
 pression made upon the people by the anathema, and his 
 accompanying denunciations on the preceding day. He 
 therefore issued orders to his clergy to see that the tem- 
 poral penalties threatened in that instrument be immedi- 
 ately inflicted to the very letter. One command had been 
 given to all, and the priests went forth simultaneously 
 
 * For the Anathema in full, see Appendix A. 
 
TEMPORAL PENALTIES INFLICTED. 189 
 
 to their work, — most of them apparently with good- 
 will, but some reluctantly, their sympathies being with 
 the innocent victims of oppression, rather than with the 
 oppressor. The Armenian heads of all the trade corpora- 
 tions in the city were commanded to withdraw their 
 countenance from all Protestants who would not recant. 
 The keepers of khans and the owners of houses, were 
 ordered to eject all lodgers and tenants who would not 
 comply with this condition. Families were also visited 
 by the priests, wherever any one lived who was suspected 
 of heresy, and it was enjoined upon them to expel the 
 offending member, or separate from it, even though it 
 were a son or daughter, brother or sister, husband or 
 wife. The Protestant brethren were summoned to repaii 
 immediately to the Patriarchate in order publicly to re- 
 cant and become reconciled to the Church. To give force 
 to the whole, the threat was issued that all who refused 
 to aid in carrying out these measures against the " new 
 sectaries," should themselves be anathematized. 
 
 A wild spirit of fanaticism now reigned. Before it, all 
 sense of right, all regard to truth and justice, all 
 " bowels of mercies" vanished away. Even the strong 
 and tender affection subsisting between husbands and 
 wives, brothers and sisters, parents and children was, in 
 some instances, exchanged for the cruel and relentless 
 hate of the persecutor. The very constancy of the people 
 of God provoked still more the wrath of their enemies. 
 Their readiness to suffer joyfully the spoiling of their 
 goods was considered as a proof that large temporal 
 rewards had been offered them by the missionaries ; and 
 their unwavering fidelity to Christ was interpreted into 
 
 obstinacy. Some on the side of the Church, who at first 
 
 9* 
 
190 SECOND ANATHEMA. 
 
 were signally wanting in zeal, in furthering the Patri- 
 arch's violent measures, were stimulated into active per. 
 secutorsj by what appeared to them, in their religious 
 indifferentism, as mere stubbornness on the part of the 
 Protestants. 
 
 The leading men in the different trade corporations, 
 showed more resoluteness than any other class, in attempt- 
 ing to force the evangelical brethren to a compliance 
 with the Patriarch's demands ; and they could urge 
 motives more potent than almost any other of a worldly 
 nature. Whatever method of coercion was resorted to, 
 whether by priests or people, it was everywhere publicly 
 declared to be by the express command of the Patriarch 
 Matteos. 
 
 During the week after the first anathema was read, 
 although many were forcibly driven from their houses, and 
 shops, and prevented from doing business to support them- 
 selves and families, and some were expelled from the pater- 
 nal roof, and otherwise afflicted, yet not one was induced 
 to recant. On the following Sabbath, the passions of an 
 ignorant and superstitious people were still more inflamed 
 by a second anathema, which, like the first, was read in 
 all the churches, and accompanied by the most violent 
 denunciations from the Patriarch, the bishops, and the 
 vartabeds. In this bull it was declared that not only 
 the " cursed nonentity, Yertanes," " falsely called priest," 
 was anathematized by the "holy Church," but like- 
 wise "all that were of his sentiments." They were 
 together pronounced to be " accursed, and excommuni- 
 cated, and anathematized, by Grod, and by all his saints, 
 and by us," that is, Matteos Patriarch. " Wherefore,'* 
 he says, " whoever has a son that is such an one, or a 
 
PAPER OF RECANTATION. 191 
 
 brother, or a partner, (in business) and gives hira bread, 
 or assists him in making money, or has intercourse with 
 him as a friend, or does business with him, let such 
 persons know that they are nourishing a venomous ser- 
 pent in their houses, which will one day injure them with 
 its deadly poison, and they will lose their souls. Such 
 persons give bread to Judas. Such persons are enemies 
 of the Holy faith of Christianity, and destroyers of the 
 holy orthodox Church of the Armenians, and a disgrace 
 to the whole nation. Wherefore, their houses and shops 
 also are accursed ; and whoever goes to visit them, we 
 shall learn, and publish them to the Holy Church, by 
 terrible anathemas. "^'^ 
 
 The spirit of exasperation now knew no bounds. One 
 after another, the brethren were summoned before the 
 Patriarch, or the local ecclesiastical authorities of their 
 particular quarter of the city, and required to sign a 
 paper of recantation, on penalty of being "terribly ana- 
 thematized," which involved their being deprived of all 
 business and treated as outlaws. The first paper pre- 
 sented for their signature was, in substance, a confession 
 that under " the wicked enticements of Satan" they had 
 *' separated from the spotless bosom of the Holy Church," 
 and joined the " impious sect" of the Protestants ; which 
 now they saw to be " nothing else but an invention of 
 arrogance, a snare of Satan, a sect of confusion, a broad 
 road which leadeth to destruction." Wherefore repenting 
 of their " impious deeds," they fled for pardon " to the 
 bosom of the holy and immaculate Armenian Church," 
 and confessed that " her faith is spotless, her sacraments 
 divine, her rites of apostolic origin, her ritual pious ;" and 
 
 * Appendix B. 
 
192 INSTANCES OF OPPRESSION. 
 
 promised to receive " whatever this same holy Church 
 receivethj whether it be a matter of faith or ceremony," 
 and "to reject with anathemas," "whatever doctrine she 
 rejects."* 
 
 This first paper not being sufficiently explicit to suit 
 some of the persecuting party, another was drawn up in 
 the form of a creed, which all were required to subscribe, 
 as the only condition of being restored to the favor of the 
 Patriarch, that is, to their civil privileges. This creed 
 contained substantially all the errors of Popery. It 
 acknowledged that good works justify a man as well as 
 faith ; that the Church is infallible ; that there are seven 
 sacraments ; that baptism by water, and private confes- 
 sion to a priest are essential to salvation ; that the soul 
 of one dying without full penance for his sins, is after 
 death, purified by the prayers of the Church, by the 
 bloodless sacrifice of the mass, and by the alms-giving of 
 his friends ; that the bread and wine of communion are 
 the true Ijody and blood of Christ ; that Mary is the 
 mother of God, that " the holy anointed" material crosses 
 are worthy of adoration, as also relics and pictures; that 
 the intercession of the saints is acceptable to Grod ; and 
 that the Patriarchs rule the Church as Christ's vicege- 
 rents. It also required those who subscribed it to join in 
 anathematizing all who call the worship of the holy cross, 
 and of relics and pictures, idolatry, and who reject the 
 ceremonies of the Church as superstitious.! 
 
 These two papers, the first having -been commonly 
 called, The Paper of Recantation, and- the second. The 
 Patriarch Matteos's New Creed, by whomsoever they have 
 been written, were issued under the high authority of the 
 
 * Appendix C. f Appendix D. 
 
THE patriarch's NEW CREED. J 93 
 
 Patriarch himself, and sent by him throughout the 
 country for the signature of the Protestants. In Smyrna, 
 in Nicomedia, in Adabazar, in Trebizond, and in Erzrura, 
 the evangelical brethren were summoned before their 
 respective ecclesiastical rulers, and presented with identi- 
 cally the same creed, which, they were told, had been 
 received from the Patriarch, and which they were required, 
 by his command, to sign. 
 
 One individual, a very respectable merchant who was 
 in partnership \vith his father-in-law, was driven from his 
 shop, and separated also from his wife and children, and 
 defrauded of his property for refusing to yield to these re- 
 quisitions of the Patriarch. Another, who was in the silk 
 business, was summoned before the Patriarch, who, when 
 he found no signs of repentance, so far forgot himself, as 
 to address this brother with rude and angry profaneness ; 
 and, declaring that he and all like minded with him were 
 accursed, he drove him away. The individual returned 
 to his shop, but was soon followed by a beadle from the 
 Patriarch, who summoned his partner before this digni- 
 tary. The partner was required forthwith to dissolve all 
 connection with the heretic, which fear led him to do 
 without delay. Since the shop and most of the capital 
 belonged to the partner, our brother was at once reduced 
 to circumstances of the deepest distress. As a still fur- 
 ther act of coercion, the Patriarch sent for his father, and 
 enjoined it upon him to drive his own son from home, 
 and deprive him of his inheritance. This command in 
 substance, was afterwards committed to writing, and 
 addressed to a priest, under the Patriarch's own seal, two 
 other sons being now included in it. The following 
 9 
 
194 INSTANCES OF OPPRESSION. 
 
 is a literal translation of the original, which fell into my 
 hands : — 
 
 "My beloved Priest. — This Khachadiir, a penitent, 
 has said ' I have sinned,' and promised to confess to you. 
 and to commune in the bosom of our Church. But his 
 three sons, (one of whom was the silk merchant) are im- 
 penitent and hardened in iniquity. If they come to the 
 house of their father, he is not to receive them, and he is 
 not to retain them as his heirs ; but let them be stripped 
 of their inheritance, if they do not turn from their 
 wickedness. Farewell." 
 
 January 18, (0. S.) 1846, At the 5 Matfeos 5 
 
 Patriarchate of the Armenians (Sealed) "^ % 
 
 Constantinople. ^ Patriarch. W 
 
 Two individuals from the interior, both of whom were 
 quiet and peaceable citizens, and in regular and honest 
 employment, were seized by order of the Patriarch, and 
 handed over to the Turkish police, as criminals, and sent 
 off, against their will, to their distant homes. A pass- 
 port was given to each by the head of the police, in which 
 it was expressly stated, that the individual bearing it 
 was represented " by a written communication from the 
 Patriarch, as having been going about as a vagabond in 
 Constantinople, and been guilty of improper conduct." 
 The original passports afterwards came into our posses- 
 sion. 
 
 Two brothers, who were partners in business, were 
 summoned, first before a council consisting of a vartabed 
 and four priests, and afterwards before the Patriarch 
 
INSTANCES OF OPPRESSION. 195 
 
 himself, and required to say whether they would yield to 
 the demands of the Church or not. On their answering 
 that they received whatever the Gospel teaches, and 
 rejected all the rest, they were rudely driven away. On 
 the following Sabbath both were anathematized, by 
 name, and all persons were forbidden to trade at their 
 shop. An Armenian, who was a faithful son of the 
 Church, now made an arrangement to purchase from 
 them their whole stock of goods, and carry on the busi- 
 ness in the same place ; but the Patriarch interdicted 
 this also, declaring that both the shop and goods were 
 under anathema, and whoever should attempt to sell 
 goods there should be anathematized. 
 
 A furrier was brought before the heads of his trade, fif- 
 teen in number, and told that by the Patriarch's order, they 
 had called him to say, that if he wished to continue his 
 business, he must accompany them to the Patriarchate 
 to confess his sins, and promise hereafter to conform to 
 the rites and rules of the Church. The individual replied 
 that he was not aware that he had committed any 
 offense against the Patriarch, and he knew not what he 
 had to confess. To this they replied. It is reported that 
 you are a Protestant ; that is, you do not receive the 
 saints as mediators, nor practice the ceremonies of our 
 Church. Answer, I am an Armenian by birth, and a 
 Christian by faith. I receive the Scriptures of the Old 
 and New Testaments as my guide, and I acknowledge 
 nothing that is contrary to their testimony. Then, said 
 they, you are anathematized, and henceforth we can 
 neither salute you, nor receive your salutation, nor can 
 we have any business transactions with you. And 
 orders were immediately circulated to all the shopkeepers 
 
196 INSTANCES OF OPPRESSION. 
 
 around, that no one would be permitted to trade with 
 him, since he was under anathema. His priest also pro- 
 hibited the baker, who was an Armenian, from supplying 
 him with bread, and he was thrown into the greatest dis- 
 tress. 
 
 A pious watchmaker was carried to the Patriarchal 
 Church, and there reprimanded by a priest for having 
 " invented a new sect." The watchmaker, asked, if 
 reading the Grospel of Christ was inventing a new sect ? 
 The priest said that he did not wish long to continue the 
 conversation, as he was very busy ; but, said he, what 
 answer do you give ? Will you receive the rites and cere- 
 monies of the Church, confess to the priest, and partake of 
 the communion or not ? If not I will report you to the 
 Patriarch. The individual replied that he could not 
 assent to all that the Church taught, and that the priest 
 might do as he liked about reporting him to the Patriarch. 
 A few days afterwards, the watchmaker was summoned 
 before the chief men of his trade, who informed him that 
 a note had come from the Patriarch, saying, that there 
 were Protestants in their trade whom they must look 
 after, and they wished to know if he was one of them. 
 The brother replied that he followed the Scriptures of the 
 Old and New Testament as his guide in matters of reli- 
 gion. They answered. It is not necessary that you should 
 talk about that now. "What we want to know is, 
 whether you receive the religion taught by the Patriarch, 
 (alluding of course to the new creed) which some are not 
 satisfied with ? Ans. No. Quest. What are you ? 
 Ans. 1 am an Armenian. Quest. Are you obedient to 
 the Patriarch ? Ans. Yes, I obey him as a civil ruler, 
 set over us by the Sultan, to regulate our worldly affairs. 
 
INSTANCES OP OPPRESSION. 197 
 
 Quest. That is not our meaning. Do you acknowledge 
 him as your religious teacher ? Ans. No. 
 
 Upon this they informed our brother that the Patriarch 
 would no longer be surety for him, and he must procure 
 another surety, or shut up his shop. He soon brought 
 them a good and substantial man as surety, but as he 
 also was one of the evangelical brethren, his suretyship 
 was not received. And as no Armenian who was not a 
 decided evangelical man, dared to offer himself as surety, 
 for fear of the threatened anathema, the poor watchmaker 
 was thrown out of business. 
 
 A priest called upon one of the Protestants, and asked 
 him whether it was his purpose to attend the Church ser- 
 vices. Ans. For what purpose shall I go to the Church, 
 — to worship the pictures ? Priest. Yes ; it is your duty 
 both to worship the pictures and to confess to a priest 
 your sins, and to be obedient to the Patriarch. Ans. I am 
 obedient to the Patriarch, but not to his superstitions. 
 Priest. I am Christ's vicegerent, and you are bound to 
 confess to me ; and as for the worship of pictures, it is 
 written in my Grospel, if not in yours, that they are to be 
 worshipped. Ans. Show me your Gospel in w^hich it is 
 thus written. 
 
 Instead of complying with this reasonable request, the 
 priest began to curse and swear at the brother, and drove 
 him from his own hired house, at the same time com- 
 manding the owner to throw his furniture into the street 
 that very day, if it was not voluntarily removed. His 
 family was also driven out by force, and obliged to seek 
 shelter in the house of a relative. 
 
 The above cases are narrated merely as specimens of 
 the method generally pursued at this time, to force the 
 
198 BREAD AND WATER WITHHELD. 
 
 evangelical brethren to a reconciliation with the Church. 
 Nearly forty individuals, in this way, had their shops 
 closed and their licenses to trade taken away, and were 
 thereby prevented from laboring for an honest livelihood. 
 Nearly seventy were obliged to leave father, mother, 
 brother, sister, husband, wife, or child, for Christ's sake ; 
 and were forced by the Patriarch's orders from their own 
 hired houses, and sometimes even from houses owned by 
 themselves. In order to increase their distress, bakers 
 were repeatedly and stringently ordered not to furnish them 
 with bread, and water-carriers, to cut off their supply of 
 water. As multitudes of families in the metropolis de- 
 pend entirely upon the latter for all the water they use, 
 and the greater part of the water-carriers are notoriously 
 bigoted Armenians, this measure operated with great se- 
 verity, as may easily be conceived, and it was a trial most 
 difficult to bear. 
 
 Many, who were thrown out of business, were compelled 
 to dissolve partnerships, and to bring their accounts to a 
 forced settlement, which involved their entire ruin. And 
 the greatest activity prevailed among the Patriarch's 
 agents, to ascertain where debts were due from any of the 
 anathematized to a faithful son of the Church ; and the 
 latter, however reluctant he might be personally to dis- 
 tress his friend, was compelled to urge an immediate set- 
 tlement. In short, there was displayed the greatest in- 
 genuity in inventing various refined methods of afflicting 
 the people of G-od, so as if possible to " compel them to 
 blaspheme." Little business was done at the Patriarchate 
 except to conduct the persecution. Priests, clerks of the 
 trading corporations, and keepers of the public khans, 
 vvere continually arriving with reports of the success or 
 
SIGNATURES TO THE NEW CREED. 199 
 
 failure of the various schemes devised for reducing the 
 rebellious Protestants to obedience ; and were going aw^ay 
 again with fresh instructions. Large numbers of sus- 
 pected Protestants were carried before the Patriarch, and 
 urged to submit to the Church and sign the creed. Al- 
 though many boasts were made of the long list of signa- 
 tures that had been procured, it was still a fact that only 
 four or five of those who were previously known to the 
 missionaries as decidedly evangelical in sentiment, were 
 led to give in their adhesion to the Patriarch ; and they 
 almost immediately renounced the forced confession they 
 had made, and, returning to the Protestants, were ana- 
 thematized with the rest. Several thousands had heard 
 the missionaries preach, or from curiosity had visited them, 
 once or twice perhaps, who never had the least connection 
 with them, or the evangelical brethren. It was well as- 
 certained that the names of many of these were affixed to 
 the paper of recantation and the creed ; and thus a some- 
 w^hat plausible pretext was furnished for boasting, though 
 without just ground. 
 
 At one time, the Patriarch called before him several of 
 the leading men among the Protestants, and endeavored 
 to win them by soft words, and reason them into obedience 
 to the Church. When he found that they could outreason 
 him, he said rather petulantly, '' What is the use of your 
 talking ? I only called you to sign this paper. If you 
 cannot do it you may go, and the next Sabbath you will 
 all be anathematized." One of the number, however, he 
 retained for a more private conversation. This was Mr 
 Apisoghom Khachadurian. After all the attendants pre- 
 sent had been removed, the Patriarch, with a great show 
 of kindness and interest, entreated our brother to yield to 
 
200 MR. KHACHADURIAN AND THE PATRIARCH. 
 
 the demands of the Church, for the sake of peace. " Let 
 me know," said he, " how much you receive as a salary 
 from those men (meaning us), and I will pledge myself to 
 secure more for you, if you will only come over to our 
 side." Ap. Khachadurian begged the Patriarch not to pain 
 his feelings again by addressing to him any such motives, 
 which, in a matter of such deep and solemn moment, 
 were worthy of no consideration. 
 
 The Patriarch then said : " If you will only come back 
 to us, you may retain your own private opinions and no- 
 body shall molest you ; only you must remain silent and 
 not speak of your sentiments to others. Why should you 
 preach ? you are no priest." 
 
 K. I cannot return on any such conditions. It is every 
 man's duty to speak so far as he understands the Grospel, 
 and try to enlighten his neighbors in things pertaining to 
 salvation. 
 
 Patriarch. But, if the evangelical men are permitted to 
 remain quietly in the Church on such conditions, the time 
 is not distant when they will make the whole Church 
 evangelical. 
 
 K. And what if they should ? Would it be a calamity 
 to our people to receive the Word of G-od as a body, and 
 endeavor to follow it ? You well know that this is the 
 way of the truth. You know that you yourself con- 
 fessed this to me some years ago. The course you are 
 now pursuing will be destructive to our nation. I well 
 understand your motive. You have been charged with 
 being a Protestant, and you are seeking to wipe this blot 
 from your name ; but have you not already done enough ? 
 Surely everybody must be convinced by this time that you 
 are an Armenian and no Protestant. Desist, I beseech 
 
GOD ST/i'PORTING HIS PEOPLE. 201 
 
 you, from this work in which you are engaged ; for your 
 own sake, I beseech you desist : otherwise it may result 
 in something very bad for you. 
 
 Patriarch. Why ? what will they (meaning the mis- 
 sionaries) do unto me ? 
 
 K. They will do nothing to you, but your own nation 
 will, if you go on in this way. 
 
 This conversation continued for some time, and the 
 Patriarch's conscience seemed, for the moment, to be 
 touched by our brother's faithful and earnest appeals, and 
 he looked very sober and thoughtful. He requested Mr. 
 Khachadurian to call again after two days, which he ac- 
 cordingly did, but was not received. A vartabed was 
 sent to say, that if he continued of the same mind as be- 
 fore, the Patriarch did not wish to see him ; and on the 
 following Sabbath he was publicly anathematized in all 
 the churches. 
 
 Nothing could be more evident than that the suffering 
 brethren had special grace given them from above, to en- 
 able them to bear as they did these severe trials. Driven 
 from their houses and shops, their families and friends, 
 and having no certain dwelling-place ; and many of them 
 reduced to penury ; subject to constant insult in the 
 streets, and sometimes to personal injury ; and having 
 every reason to apprehend persecution in still more violent 
 forms, they yet exhibited a calm and quiet spirit of en- 
 durance, a readiness to suffer the loss of all for Christ, and 4 
 a peace and joy in the midst of their sufferings, which 
 could be accounted for only on the supposition, that Grod 
 was with them in very deed. One, who in fact spoke the 
 feelings of many, said one day to a missionary : "My 
 daily prayer to God is, that even if there should not be 
 9* 
 
202 ESTIMATE PLACED UPON THE GOSPEL. 
 
 left a single person except myself to witness for the truth, 
 He would still give me faith to stand firm for the doctrine 
 of salvation by grace in Christ alone. I know that all the 
 resistance we now make to error, we are making for 
 coming generations. We may never reap the fruits our- 
 selves, but our exercise of firmness and faith now, will 
 enable thousands, and perhaps millions, in after days to 
 enjoy the rights of conscience in pure and holy worship." 
 There was satisfactory evidence that this dear brother was 
 in the habit of spending many hours daily in prayer for 
 himself and his brethren, as well as for the whole Arme- 
 nian community. 
 
 Another brother, to whom an offer of upwards of twenty 
 thousand piastres (about one thousand dollars) was made 
 by a rich friend, on condition that he would conform to 
 the Church, replied : " If you knew anything of the value 
 of the G-ospel, or the preciousness of faith in Christ, you 
 would not have thought to influence me either by a thou- 
 sand, or a hundred thousand dollars." 
 
 Many of whom we had known but little, were led by 
 the violent measures of the ecclesiastical powers to take a 
 decided stand for the truth ; and in the midst of the most 
 violent ragings of the enemy, our houses and our room in 
 the Khan* were more than ever thronged with visitors, 
 and our preaching services were not only not diminished 
 in numbers, but new hearers were found present every 
 Sabbath. 
 
 Soon after the first anathema, the persecuted brethren 
 addressed a letter to the Patriarch, explaining their reli- 
 gious sentiments, and asking that whatever error was 
 
 * This was a place in the heart of the city, kept for the reception of visi- 
 tors. 
 
LETTER TO THE PATRIARCH. 203 
 
 found therein might be specifically pointed out, and at the 
 same time humbly entreating him to deliver them from 
 the persecutions they were suffering. After declaring 
 their faith in the Trinity, and in Christ as the only Sa- 
 viour of the world. High Priest, Mediator, Intercessor, and 
 Head of his Church, and their reception of the Holy 
 Scriptures as the perfect rule of faith and practice, they 
 added, " How can we receive those requirements which 
 are contrary to the rule of the Holy Scriptures, and are 
 expressly forbidden with anathema ? And for our not re- 
 ceiving things not taught in the Bible, will you call us 
 obstinate and rebellious, enemies of our nation and de- 
 stroyers of our Church ? We have no such design, but 
 can use the language of Paul to the Romans (Rom. ix. 3). 
 We love our nation to such a degree, that we glory in being 
 called Armenians. We are Armenians by nation. Chris- 
 tians by faith, and obedient subjects of the Ottoman Gov- 
 ernment. Nevertheless, if in religious matters we be in 
 error (for we do not claim to be infallible), we will gladly 
 receive it, if you will point out to us our error. You well 
 know that the conviction of the human mind is effected 
 only by the presentation of truth, not by the exercise of 
 force ; and, in the fear of Grod, we can do nothing against 
 our consciences." 
 
 This letter failing to produce any effect, they subse- 
 quently addressed one to the primates of the Armenian 
 community. No one, however, appeared disposed to ad- 
 vocate their cause ; and their letter being treated by some 
 with cold indifference, and by others with marked con- 
 tempt, and their temporal afflictions increasing from day 
 to day, they at length presented a petition for relief to 
 Reshid Pasha, Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs. This 
 
204 FOUR INDIVIDUALS IMPRISONED. 
 
 paper contained a clear and dignified statement of their 
 grievances ; all of which were justly ascribed to the 
 agency of the Patriarch, who, they said, not satisfied with 
 simply excommunicating and anathematizing them, " or- 
 dered all his flock, and the chiefs of the trades^, and of the 
 different quarters of the city, and also the priests, under 
 penalty of excommunication and anathemas, to oppress 
 and injure them in various ways." And, in the end, they 
 begged that His Excellency would " order the Patriarch 
 to withdraw his oppressive hand." This petition was 
 treated with respect ; but, owing to the influence of some 
 of the Armenian primates, it procured no relief. Subse- 
 quently, a letter was addressed by the persecuted brethren 
 to the English, Prussian, and American Ministers, asking 
 for the influence of these high public functionaries to 
 procure their release from present suffering, and the guar- 
 antee of their civil rights. The kindest interest was taken 
 in their case by the liberal-minded and humane gentlemen 
 who occupied these posts, and repeated efforts were made 
 to procure for them exemption from suffering ; but the 
 persecution still went on. Three watchmakers were cast 
 into prison by the Turkish superintendent of trades, at the 
 instigation of the Patriarch's party, on the plea that they 
 were without licenses to trade, and without sureties. 
 Another individual was thrown into the jail without even 
 so faint a pretext as this. They were kept in confinement 
 some weeks, although every effort was made for their re- 
 lease. When the head men of the trade were inquired of 
 by officers from the Porte, as to the reasons for the con- 
 finement of these individuals, the reply was that it had no 
 connection with business, but was an affair of the Patri- 
 arch. "When the Patriarch was questioned on the subject, 
 
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY PROCLAIMED. 205 
 
 he declared that he had nothing to do with it, but that it 
 was altogether an affair of the trade ! Nobody was will- 
 ing to assume the paternity of the measure, and yet the 
 prisoners were not released. And, in the meantime, they 
 were incessantly urged to submit to the Patriarch, and 
 assured that if they would subscribe to his creed, they 
 should be immediately set at liberty. 
 
 There was evidently a connivance of some of the 
 Turkish authorities in this thing, and the Patriarch was 
 so much encouraged by his success, thus far, that he sent 
 to the Porte the names of thirteen leading men among 
 the Protestants, requesting their banishment.* The 
 reply of the Porte was fatal to his plans. The substance 
 of it was, that having adopted the principle of freedom of 
 conscience, they could not banish men for imputed reli- 
 gious errors. The fact was, the English ambassador. Sir 
 Stratford Canning, had already been urging upon the 
 attention of the Turkish ministry, the pledge given three 
 years before by the Sultan, that henceforth there should 
 be no more persecution for religious opinion in Turkey; 
 and, in accordance with the true spirit of this pledge, it 
 was now decided that the persecution of the evangelical 
 Armenians could not be allowed. The humane endea- 
 vors of the American charge, Mr. Brown, and subse- 
 quently of the American minister, Mr. Carr, and also 
 of the Prussian minister, Mr. Le Coq, contributed essen- 
 tially to bring about this happy issue. A petition from 
 
 * This fact was stated at the time, in a French paper printed in Constan- 
 tinople, called the Moniteur Ottoman, in which are officially published the 
 doings of the government. This paper is, in fact, partly supported by the 
 Turkish government, to secure it as an official organ, and everything that 
 appears in it is carefully revised by a censor appointed by the go^'ernment 
 for that purpose. 
 
 10 
 
206 PROTESIANTS CALUMNIATED. 
 
 the suffering brethren, directly to the Sultan himself, no 
 doubt, had its share of influence. By the agency of Sir 
 Stratford, Reshid Pasha, summoned before him the Patri- 
 arch, and charged him to desist from his persecuting 
 course. The same high authority also ordered the imme- 
 diate release of the four prisoners. They were permitted 
 to become sureties for one another, a method of getting 
 over the alledged legal difficulties, which had again and 
 again been proposed by the brethren themselves, but in 
 vain. 
 
 The persecution began the last week in January, and 
 it was now past the middle of March, and during the 
 whole of this interval, the Protestants had struggled in 
 vain, until this moment, to procure their civil and social 
 rights. As regularly as the Sabbath came round, the 
 Armenian churches, in and around the capital, rung with 
 anathemas against all the followers of the "new sect." 
 None were more violent in their public addresses than the 
 Patriarch himself, who seemed determined that the ex- 
 cited passions of an uninformed and bigoted populace 
 against the so called " infidels" and " atheists," should 
 not subside, so long as he could find fuel to feed the 
 flame. The most foolish calumnies, in regard to the 
 religious views and practices of the Protestants, were 
 uttered from all the pulpits, and even published in books 
 under the Patriarchal sanction. In one of the latter, 
 having the imprimatur of the Patriarch upon the title 
 page, it was coolly asserted of the whole Protestant 
 Church, that it formally approves of polygamy, adultery, 
 and theft, and sanctions rebellion against the civil powers ! 
 With such examples, and such untiring eflbrt on the 
 part of their spiritual leaders, in the use of means like 
 
SHELTER PROCURED FOR THE HOUSELESS. 207 
 
 these, to stimulate the fanatical feelings of the people, it 
 was not strange that our brethren could not pass through 
 the streets without being abused by the most filthy- 
 language, and even spit upon and stoned. 
 
 The fact that a large number were early forced to 
 leave their houses, has already more than once been 
 alluded to. In one instance, two or three families were 
 driven into the streets at midnight, for no other crime 
 than that they refused to assent to the Patriarch's symbol 
 of faith. This, however, was not the ostensible reason 
 held forth to the Turkish authorities. These families 
 were living together under one roof, and the charge of 
 keeping a disorderly and infamous house was brought 
 against them, and easily substantiated by false witnesses, 
 any number of whom can always be hired in Turkey. 
 In other similar cases, the owner of the house was put 
 forward as the active mover in the matter, although he 
 was often the unwilling instrument of some ecclesiastical 
 oppressor. Grreat care was taken, particularly after it 
 was known that the foreign ambassadors were keeping an 
 eye on all these proceedings, not to exceed, if possible, 
 the bounds of the law ; so that when even as many as 
 three score and ten men, women, and children, who had 
 refused to bow the knee in idolatry, had been sent to 
 wander houseless in the streets, it was still declared that 
 there was no persecution ! 
 
 To us, however, it was known that, for the faith of 
 Christ, they were driven out, and for the love of Christ 
 we could not refuse to take them in. Their miseries 
 seemed to appeal through us to our more favored brethren 
 of other lands, and remembering that all true believers 
 are one in Christ Jesus, and that whatever is done to 
 
208 GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS. 
 
 relieve even the least of his disciples, is reckoned as 
 having been done for him, we could not hesitate as to our 
 duty. Very providentially, the Rev. Mr. Allan, mission- 
 ary to the Jews, from the free Church of Scotland, had, a 
 short time previously, secured a large house, with refer- 
 ence to a preaching place, as well as a dwelling for his 
 family ; and, with true Christian sympathy and gener- 
 osity, he opened his doors for the oppressed. Twenty 
 individuals of the persecuted, found a very comfortable 
 lodging-place there. For the rest, we hired such tene- 
 ments as could be found, at the same time providing the 
 starving with bread, while they were cut off from all 
 means of procuring their own subsistence. A statement 
 was drawn up of the grievous things that had befallen our 
 brethren in Turkey, accompanied by an appeal to evan- 
 gelical Christians throughout the world for sympathy and 
 aid ; and the generous contributions that flowed in from 
 all quarters of the globe, wherever the story had gone, 
 and pious hearts were found, showed how strong a bond 
 of union is the love of Christ. Letters of the tenderest 
 Christian sympathy were received, accompanied by dona- 
 tions for the sufferers, from every Protestant country in 
 Europe, from England, Malta, and India, as well as from 
 our own native land ; and in this spontaneous movement 
 -$ in behalf of the persecuted people of God, denominational 
 distinctions were forgotten. Nearly or quite live hundred 
 dollars were contributed by foreign Protestant residents 
 upon the ground, who naturally felt the more deeply, be- 
 cause they were personal spectators of the sufferings they 
 were called upon to relieve. 
 
 Nor can I close the present chapter without alluding to 
 another instance in which Grod signally brought good out 
 
GOOD OUT OF EVIL. 209 
 
 of evil. In Constantinople, the evangelical brethren 
 lived at great distances apart, being scattered over an 
 area of eight or ten miles in diameter, so that they could 
 rarely, if ever, come together ; and the consequence was, 
 that but few were well acquainted with each other. "We 
 had long felt this to be an evil, but knew not how to 
 remedy it. Being driven from their homes by the perse- 
 cution, they lived for many weeks in the places of shelter 
 provided for them by the hand of charity, and these were 
 almost in one neighborhood. The same cause had also 
 excluded them from business ; so that they had abun- 
 dance of time, as they had of opportunity, to cultivate 
 each other's acquaintance. Often did they come together 
 for prayer and praise ; indeed, most of their time was 
 spent in this way, so that the period of their exclusion 
 from their homes, was like a protracted meeting, extending 
 through several weeks ; the effects of which were seen at 
 once, in the deeper interest felt for one another, and the 
 strong bond of union that was formed ; and the fruits of it 
 remain to this day. 
 
 *.# *■ 
 
 • 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 Duplicity of the Patriarch— Encouraged by Bishop Southgate— The Evan- 
 gelical Brethren calumniated — The Patriarch defended — Violence in 
 Nicomedia — God hearing the Cries of the Oppressed— Priest HarAtun in 
 Persecution — His Letter to the Bishop — Shameful Treatment in Church — 
 His Imprisonment — Accumulation of Indignities — His Joy in God — 
 Mournful Fall of other Brethren— Their Return— Steadfastness of Believers 
 in Adabazar — Mr. Van Lennep's Visit — The Enemy stimulated afresh — 
 Grievous Trials — Prevailing Spirit of Persecution— Outrages upon Two 
 Brothers in Trebizond — Faithful Endurance — Young Man scourged and 
 imprisoned — Intervention of British Consul — Bishop of Erzrum banished 
 — Bodily Inflictions — The Persecutors checked — All Eyes turned to th€ 
 Capital — Sir Stratford Canning — Religious Liberty for the Protestants — 
 The Patriarch's Cunning — First Imperial Document in Behalf of Protest- 
 ants — Hostility a Blessing to the Seminary — Removal to Constantinople 
 of Mr. and Mrs. Everett — Standing and perpetual Curse — Plan of Church 
 Organization — An Evangelical Church constituted — Ordination of first 
 Pastor — His Character — Public Declaration of the Protestants — Churches 
 formed in Nicomedia, Adabazar, and Trebizond — Mohammedans befriend 
 the Persecuted. 
 
 The Patriarch had now received such lessons from high 
 quarters, as greatly to modify his expectations of putting 
 down Protestantism by force ; and he was even com- 
 pelled reluctantly, to issue public orders to his clergy, in 
 certain cases, against persecution ; though it is known 
 that secret instruction? were, at the same time given of 
 a contrary nature. 
 
COURSE OF BISHOP SOUTIIGATE. 211 
 
 And here it becomes necessary briefly to refer to other 
 influences that were at work, which essentially aided and 
 encouraged this high dignitary in his schemes. Very 
 early in the persecution, the Rt. Rev. Horatio Southgate, 
 Missionary Bishop of the American Episcopal Church, to 
 the Ottoman Empire and its dependencies, appeared 
 before the public as a sympathizer with the Patriarch. 
 During all the consultations at the Patriarchate, in this 
 exciting period, he claims to have been a privileged coun- 
 selor " behind the scenes." What counsel he gave in one 
 instance, he himself has informed the world. It was 
 before any public steps had been taken, that the Patriarch 
 sought from him advice in the case of Priest Yertanes, 
 who was accused of heresy, and of . having been laboring 
 for some years to divide the Armenian Church. What 
 should be done with such a character ? Bishop South- 
 gate says, that he '' recommended moderate and gentle 
 measures as long- as practicable.''^^ And after the bull 
 of excision came out against this godly Christian priest, 
 the bishop says, "he did not doubt the sentence was 
 just."t What was the nature and bearing of his counsel 
 in other cases, can only be known inferentially from 
 his own declarations. He has not hesitated, however, to 
 avow publicly, that all his sympathies were on the Patri- 
 arch's side, and against the anathematized ; nor to use 
 his influence to prevent, if possible. Christians in England 
 and America from having a fellow-feeling for their suffer- 
 ing brethren in Turkey, so as to send them relief. The 
 spirit of inquiry which has so characterized the Armenian 
 Church, he ascribed chiefly to " the influx of European 
 
 * Christian Witness and Church Advocate, May 15, 1846. t Ibid. 
 
212 BELIEVERS CALUMNIATED PATRIARCH DEFENDED. 
 
 knowledge, and the revolutionary sentiments of European 
 rationalism,"* and to the works of Volney and Yoltaire ; 
 and with such views of the origin of this "new sect," it 
 was not strange, that when the distress that came upon 
 them by the persecuting acts of the Patriarch, were first 
 made known to the world, he should testify, over his own 
 signature, that they were, in general, only " infidels and 
 radicals,"t who deserved no sympathy from the Christian 
 public. 
 
 Of the Patriarch he declares, that " he is a man of 
 mild and conciliatory disposition ;" " has exercised exem- 
 plary patience with them all;"! " has imposed no condi- 
 tions that involve the sanction of existing corruptions ;" 
 " has granted all that the most scrupulous conscience 
 could rightly demand ;" " has not gone beyond the proper 
 limits of ecclesiastical discipline;^ that all statements 
 against him are, " without exception, gross fabrications," 
 and that " a more unjust assault upon a Christian Patri- 
 arch he hoped never to witness." II 
 
 Bishop S. further said, that he " never met with an 
 instance of more unjustifiable separation from a Church 
 than were the secessions which led to the act of excom- 
 munication," and that " it would be far better if all the 
 seceders would return to the quiet performance of reli- 
 gious duty, in the Church in which they were baptized ;" 
 and he hopes they will be all brought back. "IF 
 
 How much of countenance and support a man in his 
 position, entertaining such views and feelings, gave to the 
 
 * Christian Witness and Church Advocate, May 8, 1850. 
 
 t Church and State Gazette (English), March, 1846. 
 
 X Christian Witness and Church Advocate, May 15, 1846. 
 
 ^ Ibid., May 15, 1846. 1| Ibid., June 26, 1846. ^ Ibid., June 26, 1846. 
 
VIOLENCE IN NICOMEDIA. 213 
 
 Patriarch, in his efforts to crush the people of God in 
 Turkey, the judgrr 3nt day alone will disclose. The 
 author of this narrat ive feels that his duty is discharged, 
 by thus transcribing in this place, the record made of 
 Bishop Southgate's sentiments and acts, by his own 
 hand, in the public journals of his Church. 
 
 Printed copies of the Patriarch's two anathemas were 
 sent to every part of Turkey, to be read in all the 
 churches. In Nicomedia, the reign of violence very soon 
 commenced. A young mechanic, who was prominent 
 among the Protestants, and who once, under the pressure 
 of persecution, had gone back to the idolatrous ceremonies 
 of the Church, but soon after repented of his deed, was 
 selected as the first victim. He was publicly excommu- 
 nicated by name, and driven by force from his shop, and 
 also from his family. Some advised to exile him ; but 
 the bishop fearing to take the responsibility of this step, 
 sent him, under guard, to the Patriarch at Constantinople. 
 The man who had charge of him was required to carry 
 him back again, the Patriarch merely saying, " Tell the 
 bishop that I have heaped upon him one excommunica- 
 tion more." He was now ordered by the Armenian 
 authorities to leave the town, as being unfit to live in 
 any other way than as a vagabond. For several weeks 
 he found shelter in the Turkish coffee houses, the Mus- 
 sulmans treating him with a kindness which he could 
 nowhere find among his own kindred and people. One 
 day he ventured to go to his father's house to see his 
 wife and children, and for this crime alone, he received 
 fifteen blows, with a stick, on his bare feet, by order of 
 the chief primate of the town. This man had wealth 
 
 and influence, and could inflict such cruelties without 
 'lO* 
 
214 PRIEST HARUTUN IN PERSECUTION. 
 
 fearing to be called to an account by any of his fellows. 
 But the cries of the oppressed and persecuted go up to 
 the ears of the great King of kings, who knows how to 
 vindicate his people, and take vengeance on their oppres- 
 sors. Not many months afterwards, this same rich man 
 was thrown from a horse, and he received a fracture of 
 the skull, which soon terminated his life. Subsequently, 
 his splendid mansion was consumed by fire, and a large 
 amount of property destroyed. 
 
 Priest Harutun was the next who was called to pass 
 the fiery ordeal of persecution. He was one of the two 
 priests with whom the work of spiritual regeneration be- 
 gan in Nicomedia. He was an extremely modest and 
 timid man, and for some time had been living in open 
 conformity with the rites of his church, though secretly 
 he was as true a friend of the Grospel as ever. In this he 
 had struggled against his own convictions, as well as the 
 advice and entreaties of his brethren ; but, although he 
 freely acknowledged that he was doing wrong, yet it was 
 not so easy for him to make up his mind to do right. 
 Grod had reserved persecution as a means of bringing him 
 to this decision. 
 
 The Bishop of Nicomedia, who was none other than the 
 mild and inoffensive ex-patriarch Stepan — now transformed 
 into a furious persecutor — required the priest to write a 
 confession of his faith to be read publicly in the church, 
 in order to satisfy the people — many of whom were suspi- 
 cious of him — that he was a true and faithful son of the 
 Armenian Church. With- this requisition the priest com- 
 plied, though the document was far from giving satisfac- 
 tion to his superior. He expressed, in clear and compre* 
 hensive language, his belief in the Bible and its doctrines • 
 
SHAMEFUL TREATMENT IN CHURCH. 215 
 
 and appended to this confession of his faith a letter to the 
 bishop, couched in the most respectful terms, declaring 
 that whatever the Church receives and teaches that is ac- 
 cording to the Holy Scriptures, he also received, but, in 
 the fear of G-od, he could acknowledge nothing contrary to 
 this standard. And he closed by saying, ^' In regard to 
 your Reverence's wish that I would write a paper of re- 
 cantation according to your pleasure, Grod forbid that I 
 should write anything through fear of others, or to secure 
 their favor. If I had done so I should have been a denier 
 of the true faith, and an infidel ; an enemy, a despiser, a 
 decayed member of the holy Church of Christ, which he 
 hath purchased with his own blood. But, blessed be G-od, 
 by confessing and believing in the true faith, and by 
 preaching the holy G-ospel, I remain a faithful son and a 
 true minister of the Church of Christ ; and I have hope 
 that, through the Holy Spirit, I shall remain faithful even 
 unto death, and that I shall enjoy through eternity the 
 promised rest. And finally, whatever violence, punish- 
 ment, or disgrace are prepared for me, I am ready to re- 
 ceive with love and joy, for the love and glory of G-od." 
 
 This document filled his enemies with rage. On the 
 following Sabbath this brother was taken to the Church, 
 where the bishop publicly read his Confession, and imme- 
 diately pronounced him excommunicated and accursed. 
 The priests violently tore from his shoulders his clerical 
 robes, and with boisterous shouts cried, " Drive out the 
 accursed on€) from the Church." The excited rabble now 
 fell upon him, and with many kicks and blows thrust him 
 into the street. He received all these indignities with the 
 greatest meekness, and returned to his house, " counting 
 
216 ACCUMULATION OF INDIGNITIES. 
 
 it all joy that he was found worthy to suffer for the name 
 of Jesus." 
 
 This, however, is not the end of the story. The bishop 
 afterwards sent a paper of recantation (which was an ab- 
 breviation of the Patriarch's first paper, slightly altered) 
 for priest Harutun to sign, on refusing which, by an easy 
 artifice, he was thrown into prison. It was ascertained 
 that he owed several small sums of money to different in- 
 dividuals. These debts were all bought up by the leading 
 primate of the place, whose subsequent sudden death has 
 already been alluded to, and immediate payment was re- 
 quired for all. Being unable to meet the demand, as was 
 well known beforehand, he was put in confinement, qc- 
 cording to law. After lying in prison thirteen days, he 
 was conducted by a soldier to the bishop's palace, where 
 the Patriarch's creed was offered to him for signature. 
 "When it was found, after much urging, that he would by 
 no means comply with this condition, he was told that, 
 by the Patriarch's order, his beard must be cut off. Among 
 the people of the East, no greater indignity can be put 
 upon a man, and especially upon a priest. Nevertheless 
 he replied, " For the wonderful name of Christ 1 am ready, 
 God helping me, to submit to this, and even to shed my 
 blood, if that shall be the will of the Lord." A barber 
 was called in, and not only his beard, but every particle 
 of hair from his head was shaved off; so that, as the 
 priest expressed it, " not a single hair was left, from his 
 neck to the crown of his head." They cast his clerical 
 cap, which they had torn, into a filthy corner of the street, 
 together with the hair. The boys now fastened the beard 
 to the end of a long pole, upon which they also placed the 
 disfigured and tattered fragments of the cap, and paraded 
 
HIS JOY IN GOD. 217 
 
 it through all the wards of the city, shouting, '' Heads 
 out ! behold the cap of the accursed Harutun," &c. He 
 was afterwards sent back to prison with the soldier. On 
 leaving the gate of the bishop's palace, he found an im- 
 mense mob of men, women, and children assembled for 
 the purpose of mocking and insulting him as he passed 
 along. He was not permitted to take the direct way to 
 the prison, but they conducted him by a circuitous route, 
 apparently for the purpose of prolonging his sufferings, the 
 mob continually following him, spitting at him, and in- 
 sulting him with the most opprobrious and filthy language. 
 He wrote soon after to a brother, " I entered the prison 
 with a joyful heart, committing myself to Grod, and giving 
 glory to him that he had enabled me to pass through fire 
 and sword, and had brought me to a place of repose." 
 
 The Turkish commander of the prison, evidently moved 
 by pity in view of what had happened to this unoffending 
 man, immediately released him. To avoid the rabble, 
 who were still gathered in small companies in different 
 parts of the public streets, he passed through a Turkish 
 burying-ground, and reached his own house unobserved. It 
 was the Sabbath-day, and he says, " Being delivered from 
 the hands of reckless men, I fell down on my face, about 
 the eighth hour, with my wife alone, and gave glory to 
 Grod that he had counted me worthy of such honor ; which 
 formerly I avoided, but now, by his grace, he has made 
 me cheerfully to receive, though I am altogether unworthy. 
 He has kept me for such a day." 
 
 Thus was this timid brother enabled to maintain his 
 
 integrity, " through floods and flames ;" and as the cup 
 
 that was given him to drink increased in bitterness, the 
 
 more joyfully did he receive it, and the more firmly fixed 
 
 10 
 
218 MOURNFUL FALL OF THE BRETHREN. 
 
 was the purpose of his soul never to deny Christ, at any 
 rate. His own spotless reputation, and the meekness 
 with which he bore his sufferings, procured for him many 
 friends even among the Mohammedans themselves. 
 
 The other evangelical brethren of Nicomedia were sum- 
 moned in a body before the bishop, and although up to 
 that hour they had remained firm to their principles, and 
 seemed ready to endure all things for Christ, so greatly 
 were their fears excited by the threatening aspect of affairs, 
 that all but four signed the paper of recantation ! Some 
 of these, however, fearlessly declared to the bishop at the 
 time, that they should continue to read the Grospel, and 
 come together for prayer ; and he, on the other hand, 
 blinded their minds by assuring them that he merely 
 wanted their signatures as a matter of form, and that 
 they should be left at perfect liberty to believe and act as 
 they pleased. They lost all peace of mind from that mo- 
 ment, and never was it restored until they had abjured 
 their recantation, humbly confessed their sin to Grod, and 
 publicly declared their determination to abide by the doc- 
 trines of the Grospel, even unto death. They were all 
 soon excommunicated. 
 
 In Adabazar the trials of the brethren were not less 
 severe. Some were driven from their shops, and others 
 from their houses. Grreat effort was made by the eccle- 
 siastics to induce them to sign the Patriarch's paper, and 
 three, overcome by their fears, yielded. The rest were 
 strongly bound together, and fully resolved not to deny 
 Christ, even though life itself should be sacrificed. No 
 missionary was stationed there, and no sympathizing 
 foreigner, as in Nicomedia. Living like sheep in the 
 midst of wolves, they were thrown for protection upon 
 
VISIT OF MR. VAN LENNEP TO ADABAZAR. 219 
 
 God alone ; but they were resolute and happy. Such 
 strict watch was kept over them, that it was exceedingly 
 difficult to maintain correspondence with Nicomedia and 
 Constantinople. In some instances their letters were inter- 
 cepted, and, after being perused, were destroyed ; and 
 consequently they felt obliged to be very cautious. A 
 friendly Jew, who was in the habit of visiting Nicomedia 
 on business, became the bearer of their dispatches. These 
 were, in general, short but expressive messages, written, 
 for greater safety, in the Turkish language, with the He- 
 brew character. One of them will suffice as a specimen, 
 " There is death, but no turning back. We are twenty." 
 During the latter part of March, 1846, Mr. Van Lennep 
 visited both Nicomedia and Adabazar. It was chiefly 
 through his influence, in fact, that those in the former 
 place who had denied Christ were induced to return. At 
 Adabazar his presence seemed to stimulate the enemy to 
 fresh persecution. Four of the brethren were seized for 
 debt and thrown into prison. All business in the bazars 
 was suspended, and crowds were gathered here and there 
 talking about the missionary who had come to visit the 
 heretics. Whenever a Protestant passed, he was assailed 
 with hootings and curses. Mr. Yan Lennep determined 
 to leave at once, lest he should be the unwilling instru- 
 ment of bringing upon the suffering brethren still greater 
 outrages, although one of them had said to him, " Let 
 them persecute us the more for your being here ; we care 
 not for it so long as we can enjoy the comfort of seeing 
 and hearing you." Several hours before he started, a 
 crowd of some hundred persons had collected before the 
 coffee- shop where he was lodged. As he rode off, he heard 
 after him laughs of derision, mingled with insults and 
 
220 OUTRAGE AT ADABAZAR. 
 
 curses. It was hard to leave the beloved brethren exposed 
 to the tender mercies of so excited a populace ; and yet 
 nothing could be done for them but to commend them to 
 the sympathizing Saviour, for whose sake they were 
 suffering such things. AVhile. however, their persecutors 
 were agitated with fierce passions, they were calm and 
 joyful — the only truly happy men in the whole commu- 
 nity. 
 
 Some fresh outrage was committed on them almost 
 every day. One brother, who was found alone just out of 
 the town, was beaten with a large stick, and left half dead 
 upon the ground. Another, who had just opened a shop, 
 had his goods tumbled into the street, his shop locked, and 
 the key taken from him by the police. Another was impri- 
 soned for a pretended debt which he never owed. Neither in 
 the streets nor yet in their own houses, were they exempt 
 from stoning. One day the chief primate of the Armenians, 
 heading a band of about fifty desperate fellows, broke into 
 the house of an inoffensive brother, cast him violently into the 
 street, and there beat him unmercifully, and afterwards put 
 him in confinement. The next day nearly the whole Ar- 
 menian population of the town came together, armed with 
 clubs and stones, and attacked successively the houses of 
 three of the leading brethren : breaking fences, doors, 
 windows, window frames, shutters, and furniture : cutting 
 down fruit-trees and rose-bushes: destroying poultry. ».V^., 
 «S:c. They were accompanied by two vartabeds, who were 
 continually exciting and encouraging them in their fiend- 
 ish work. It is impossible to tell ic> what lengths they 
 might have gone, had not the Turkish governor and judge 
 of the place come upon the ground, and put an end to 
 these violent proceedings. 
 
PIKVAILIXG SPIRIT OF PHUSECTTIOV. 2*21 
 
 In every part of the Armenian field the spirit of perse- 
 canon now prevailed, and almost precisely the same 
 methods of coercion were pursued in each place. Every- 
 where identically the same creed was offered to the breth- 
 ren to sign : and a refusal to comply was followed by 
 excommunication and anathema, with many and grievous 
 temporal inflictions. An important part of the sysrem of 
 the Patriarch, which was very generally carried out with 
 great perseverance and faithfulness, was that of issuing 
 violent addresses from the pulpit, full of abusive calumnies, 
 in order to keep the p^assions of the people constantly in- 
 flamed against the Protestant^:. There was a universal 
 call upon the faithful sons of the Church to separate from 
 all followers of the ** new sect," even though the tenderest 
 ties of relationship might thus be severed : and, in the 
 provinces, the bishops and vartabeds did not hesitate to 
 exhort their flocks openly to treat the Protes rants with 
 every kind of inthgnity and abuse. 
 
 In Trebizond. after two men were anathematized, who. 
 with their families, were living in the house of their own 
 father, the new vartabed, whose name was (xarabed, re- 
 quired their wives to separate from them, and the father 
 to turn them out of doors. The father and mother had 
 both been distinguished for their violent opposition to the 
 Gospel ; and the former called two police officers, and with 
 sood-wHl put the command of the vartabed into execution. 
 Remonstrance was in vain, although three-fourths of the 
 ownership of the house belonged to the two sons. All 
 their books were now collected, consisting of the Scrip- 
 tures, tracts, and periodicals, and were torn into a thaw- 
 sand pieces, and strewed along the street. Their shop 
 was also forcibly broken opcm, and all books found there 
 
222 FAITHFUL ENDURANCE. 
 
 taken possession of, together with papers ; such as ac- 
 counts, contracts, &c. One of the two brothers went to 
 the police office to make complaint, but a crowd of op- 
 posers gathered around, and clamorously insisted that he 
 should be imprisoned, which was accordingly done ! Thus 
 the innocent was punished, and the guilty permitted to go 
 free. 
 
 Several of the friends of the truth were terrified into a 
 compliance with the vartabed's demands. Nor was this 
 strange, considering the trying circumstances of their case. 
 Many of them were poor and in debt, having families to 
 support, and no friends to look to for aid. They were en- 
 tirely cut off from employment so long as they refused to 
 submit to the Church, and were subject to every abuse. 
 No civil court would do them justice ; and their enemies, 
 who were all-pow^erful, were continually fabricating false- 
 hoods and procuring legal decisions against them, by sub- 
 orning false witnesses ; and there was no redress. Under 
 such a pressure of trials, it required no common measure 
 of faith to adhere steadfastly to the truth. Some did en- 
 dure nobly to the end ; and those who yielded were, for 
 the most part, soon brought back again to their faithful- 
 ness, like the disciples of our Lord, who, at the awful 
 hour of his betrayal, " all forsook him and fled." 
 
 The hardest trial of all to bear was the cruel bastinado, 
 which the vartabed at length resorted to, seeing that other 
 means failed. A young man was called into the presence 
 of this church dignitary, and required to sign the Patri- 
 arch's creed. Refusing to comply, he was placed upon 
 the floor and beaten with sticks on the soles of his feet, the 
 vartabed assisting with his own hands in inflicting this 
 cruelty. He was then removed to an un floored stable ; 
 
SCOURGING AND IMPRISONMENT. 223 
 
 his hands were tied behind him by the two thumbs, and 
 a rope was passed around his shoulders and fastened to a 
 beam over his head, so that he was obliged to stand per- 
 fectly upright. Water was now poured plentifully on the 
 cold ground on which his bare feet rested, and in this tor. 
 turing condition he was obliged to remain all night. 
 Strict orders were issued that no one should give him food. 
 Here he was kept for nearly two days, though not always 
 in the same position, and being repeatedly importuned, 
 with the most terrific threatenings of what he should still 
 suffer if he persisted in his refusal, he was at length in- 
 duced to yield. Afterwards two others were scourged in 
 like manner, and others still were imprisoned ; until, at 
 length, through the kind intervention of the British Con- 
 sul, Mr. Stevens, the Pasha prevented, for the time, further 
 outrages of this sort. 
 
 It was evident that the vartabed had now gone too far. 
 The bastinado opened many eyes, and confirmed many 
 minds in the truth. The brethren became more humble 
 and decided ; and several who hitherto stood aloof, though 
 at heart friendly, now began to attend the public services 
 of the missionaries. Thus did G-od cause " the wrath of 
 man to praise him." 
 
 At Erzrum still more revolting scenes were witnessed 
 than at Trebizond. It is a remarkable fact, however, that 
 up to nearly the middle of March, the Protestants in that 
 place were permitted to live in peace ; and this although 
 Eprem, whose activity as a persecutor has already been 
 sufficiently shown, still occupied the episcopal chair. The 
 fact was, that between him and the Patriarch there was 
 far from being a cordial state of feeling, and this, probably, 
 was the true secret of his slowness in executing the orders 
 
224 BODILY INFLICTIONS. 
 
 of his superior. The Patriarch soon found means to ban* 
 ish him into the interior, and immediately after the work 
 of persecution commenced in Erzrum in fearful earnest. 
 The principal instruments were the vartabed, who was 
 acting as bishop, and some of the primates. The man 
 who was first called to suffer was a bold and active young 
 convert. He was summoned before a council at the var- 
 tabed's residence, and interrogated as to his faith in Christ. 
 His answers were unanswerable ; and he declared that 
 nothing would ever induce him to subscribe the new creed. 
 The only resort that seemed left for them was persecution. 
 He was placed upon the floor, and several sticks were 
 broken up upon his feet by different individuals of the 
 company, who relieved one another. Not satisfied with 
 this cruelty, some of the priests kicked him, and smote 
 him on the face till the blood gushed from his nose and 
 mouth. He was then confined in chains in a cold prison, 
 no water being allowed him even to wash the blood from 
 his face. He was taken to the Church on the following 
 Sabbath, where, in the presence of the congregation, he 
 was excommunicated, and curses were heaped upon him 
 without number. As he left the Church the people buf- 
 feted him, spit upon him, and some even declared them- 
 selves ready to kill him. 
 
 Others were excommunicated by name on the same day, 
 and three or four were carried before the vartabed and 
 threatened : and one of them was confined over night : 
 but as all these steps were immediately reported to the 
 Pasha, as well as to the British Consul, and by him to his 
 Ambassador, the persecutors thought it prudent to proceed 
 no further for the present. 
 
 Essentially the same methods were used at Brusa and 
 
I 
 
 RELIGIOUS LIBERTY FOR PROTESTANTS. 225 
 
 Smyrna to compel the disciples of Christ to deny him, and 
 with essentially the same results. From all parts of the 
 country both the persecutors and their innocent victims 
 were anxiously looking to Constantinople, as everything 
 in regard to the continuance or cessation of these acts of 
 coercion and oppression must be decided there. Let us 
 then return and see what things were transpiring at the 
 capital. 
 
 Sir Stratford Canning, whose noble efforts for religious 
 liberty in Turkey are worthy of all praise, did not cease to 
 urge upon the Turkish government the necessity of se- 
 curing to its Protestant subjects the right of pursuing 
 their lawful callings without molestation. Between thirty 
 and forty in Constantinople alone, were still excluded from 
 their shops and their business, on the plea that they were 
 without sureties. The Ambassador represented that the 
 demands of the law might be met, by their becoming 
 sureties for one another. This important concession was 
 at length made by the government, and Reshid Pasha, the 
 Minister of Foreign Affairs, or Grand Yizer, as he soon 
 after became, gave orders that the Protestants be permit- 
 ted to resume their business on this condition. This de- 
 cision, which, with a limited application, had already 
 released the imprisoned watchmakers, being now made 
 general, virtually settled the question of religious liberty 
 for the Protestants in Turkey. The immediate relief af- 
 forded was important, though far from being entire. The 
 brethren were still tried in various ways. Many, from the 
 very circumstances of the case, could never again regain 
 the situations from which they had been thrust. Others 
 were still subject to secret persecution, which was the 
 harder to bear, because it could not easily be traced to its 
 10* 
 
226 FIRST IMPERIAL DOCUMENT. 
 
 proper source, and brought in a tangible form under the 
 cognizance of the civil courts. The Patriarch, seeing 
 which way the current was turning, very adroitly at- 
 tempted to set himself forth before the world as a friend of 
 religious liberty, and a sympathizer with the suffering ; 
 although, at the same time, he was repeating his ana- 
 themas in his own church every Sabbath-day, and exciting 
 the people, by his appeals to their fanaticism, as before. 
 This kept alive the spirit of persecution, and various arts 
 were practiced, often successfully, to prevent the breth- 
 ren who had opened their shops, from doing any business. 
 "Water-carriers also, still refused, in many instances, to 
 supply Protestant families with water, and bakers with 
 bread. Numberless other vexations were practiced from 
 time to time, and there was often a great want of prompt- 
 ness in the Turkish courts in relieving the innocent suf- 
 ferers of their oppressions, even when they had tangible 
 ground of complaint. These irregularities, however, 
 were to be expected in such a country, and under such 
 circumstances. There was still satisfactory proof that 
 the Turkish government was disposed to be sincere and 
 consistent in its declarations in favor of religious liberty. 
 A vizirial letter, dated early in June, 1846, commanding 
 the Pasha of Erzrum, to see that the civil rights of the 
 Protestants were not infringed, so long as they were faith- 
 ful subjects of the Sultan, is worthy of mention, as the 
 first imperial document ever issued by the Turkish 
 government, for the protection of its Protestant subjects. 
 In the course of the persecutions that have now been 
 described, the Patriarch was incessant in his efforts to 
 break up the Mission Seminary at Bebek. He succeeded 
 at different times, in getting away seventeen, in all, out 
 
THE MISSION SEMINARY AT BEBEK. 227 
 
 of twenty-seven students; but five of these soon returned, 
 and ten others joined the institution, several of whom 
 were pious and promising young men, who having been 
 driven by persecution from their business, were led to 
 consecrate themselves to the service of Grod in the minis- 
 try, and to seek from the Mission Seminary the intellec- 
 tual and moral discipline they needed for this work. 
 Thus it may be said with truth, that " the fury of the 
 oppressor" made this seminary what it was not before, 
 except in the wishes and intentions of its founders — a 
 proper theological school, in which many of the future 
 pastors of the Evangelical Churches in Turkey, as well 
 as many missionaries of the cross, were to receive their 
 training. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Everett, who had been connected with 
 the Smyrna station since April, 1845, removed to Con- 
 stantinople in the summer of 1846, and Mrs. Everett was 
 associated with Miss Lovell in the instruction of the 
 Female Seminary."' 
 
 I For nearly six months continuously, the anathema had 
 been publicly repeated every Sabbath in the Patriarchal 
 Church, as well as in other churches, until many of the 
 people began to grow weary of the sound ; and the 
 changes were so frequently rung on the various forms of 
 denunciation, which had been contrived to give force to 
 the bull, that their efficiency seemed rapidly wasting 
 away. And yet, up to the middle of the year 1846, through 
 the influence of the Church authorities, bread and water 
 were still withheld from many Protestant families, by the 
 regular dealers in those articles, and everything was done, 
 that could with safety be attempted, to vex those who 
 remained steadfast in the truth. The sufferers had 
 
228 STANDING AND PERPETUAL CUUSE. 
 
 again and again petitioned to their Patriarch, and to the 
 primates for relief, but they were uniformly repulsed 
 with the declaration that there was no hope of any ame- 
 lioration of their condition, except by unconditional sub- 
 mission to the Church. Hitherto, no one had voluntarily 
 separated himself from the Armenian community. Those 
 who were called schismatics, had become such by the 
 exscinding act of the Patriarch himself, who was the sole 
 author of the schism, and who seemed to try every 
 method in his power to render the separation perpetual. 
 
 On the 21st of June, 1846, he gave the last finishing 
 blow to this work, by a public official act, which resulted, 
 through necessity, in the organization of Evangelical 
 Protestant Churches in Turkey. On that day, it being 
 the day of a solemn festival for the Church, he issued a 
 new bull of excommunication and anathema against all 
 who remained firm to their evangelical principles, decree- 
 ing that it should be publicly read at each annual return 
 of this festival, in all the Armenian Churches throughout 
 the Ottoman Empire. Thus were the Protestants cut 
 off and cast out forever. And although they had no 
 power to organize themselves into a civil community, yet 
 nothing could be plainer than their duty, immediately to 
 secure to themselves and their children, as far as they 
 were able, the full possession of all the spiritual privileges 
 of the Grospel. 
 
 They made a written request to the missionaries, for 
 aid in a matter in which they themselves had had no ex- 
 perience. Accordingly, a meeting was held in Constan- 
 tinople, of delegates from the different stations of the 
 mission to Turkey. The Rev. Messrs. Allan and Koenig, 
 missionaries of the Free Church of Scotland, to the Jews 
 
EVANGELICAL CHURCH ORGANIZED. 229 
 
 of Constantinople, and the Rev. Dr. Pomroy, then pastor 
 of a Congregational Church in Bangor, Maine, and now 
 one of the Secretaries of the Board, who was providenti- 
 ally on a visit to the Levant at that time, were also 
 present by invitation, and took part in the deliberations. 
 All felt that Grod was there ; and the overwhelming 
 importance of the business on which we were convened, 
 and our own ignorance and impotence, seemed to compel 
 us to throw ourselves directly upon him. Without wis- 
 dom from above we could agree upon nothing that would 
 be useful or safe. Without his approbation and blessing, 
 the steps we were about to take would only prove a 
 failure and a curse. His providence and spirit had been 
 wonderfully with his people hitherto, in that dark land, 
 and surely he would not desert them now. What might 
 be the effect on their temporal condition of the announce- 
 ment to the government, that a formal organization of a 
 Protestant Church had taken place, none could certainly 
 predict ; but no doubt existed in any mind as to their 
 duty. Much prayer was offered, both by the members of 
 the convention and our native brethren, and to this must 
 we ascribe it, that although there were representatives 
 of three or four different denominations of Christians 
 among us, yet the most entire harmony of feeling per- 
 vaded our deliberations, and the result was attained by a 
 unanimous vote. 
 
 On the 1st day of July, 1846, the Evangelical Arme- 
 nians in Constantinople, to the number of forty, (three of 
 whom were females), came together for the purpose of 
 organizing themselves into a Church. The plan of organ- 
 ization, as drawn up at the above mentioned meeting, 
 was read and explained, article by article, and those 
 11 
 
230 PASTOR ELECTED AND ORDAINED. 
 
 present gave their solemn assent to the whole, and with 
 perfect unanimity, adopted it as theirs, and were thus 
 constituted into The First Evangelical Armenian 
 Church of Constantinople. There were present as wit- 
 nesses of the act, besides the missionaries of the Board, 
 the two Scotch brethren already mentioned, and an 
 Armenian brother from Nicomedia, and another from 
 Adabazar. After the names of the church members had 
 been recorded, a pastor was chosen by ballot, and without 
 previous consultation, the choice fell unanimously on Mr. 
 Apisoghom Khachadurian. The other church officers 
 were then elected, and the meeting was adjourned. 
 Although the whole had occupied from four to five hours, 
 the deepest interest was maintained throughout ; much 
 tenderness of feeling was manifested, and many eyes 
 were suffused with tears. 
 
 In one week from that time, the candidate was 
 publicly ordained to the work of the Oospel ministry, as 
 pastor of the newly formed Church. The ecclesiastical 
 council invited by the Church to perform this office, con- 
 sisted of the missionaries of the board resident at Constan- 
 tinople, and the Rev. Mr. Allan, of the mission of the 
 Free Church of Scotland, to the Jews of the capital. The 
 pastor elect was examined in the presence of the church, 
 as to his personal piety ; his views in entering the minis- 
 try ; on the doctrines of the G-ospel ; church govern- 
 ment ; the sacraments ; and the duties of the pastoral 
 office ; and his replies throughout were such as to give 
 the highest satisfaction. Although he had not enjoyed 
 the advantages of so thorough a course of study and 
 discipline as are accessible to the student in theology 
 in America ; yet, besides having received an education at 
 
CHARACTER OF THE FIRST PASTOR. 231 
 
 the school of Pestimaljian — the best in the Armenian 
 nation — he had been for years in constant intercourse 
 with the missionaries ; had attended courses of exegetical 
 and theological lectures delivered by them ; and had 
 received much private instruction from their lips. But, 
 what is more than all, he seemed eminently led and 
 taught by the Spirit of Grod, and he possessed a deep and 
 experimental knowledge of the Scriptures ; and even his 
 enemies were constrained, not only to respect his talents, 
 but also to acknowledge that he was a man without 
 guile. His clear perception of evangelical truth ; his 
 power of argumentation ; his impressiveness of manner ; 
 his superior judgment ; his boldness and earnestness, and 
 his general weight of character — all sanctified by a per- 
 vading spirit of piety, plainly marked him out as having 
 been raised up of God for the times in which he lived, 
 and the very post he occupied. Those who were present 
 at his ordination, will not soon forget the deep and 
 solemn emotion he manifested on that occasion. He 
 seemed almost overwhelmed with a view of the responsi- 
 bilities of the station to which he was so unexpectedly 
 called, and during the whole ordaining prayer, his tears 
 flowed profusely, and a trembling sense of his own un- 
 worthiness well nigh prostrated him upon the earth. 
 
 A scene so new as a Protestant ordination in the 
 capital of the Turkish Empire drew forth a crowd to our 
 chapel, several of whom were of the Patriarch's party. 
 The strictest silence, however, prevailed, and the most 
 fixed and solemn attention was given to every part of the 
 service. Whatever may have been the estimate placed 
 upon these transactions by the worldly and the unfriendly, 
 to the man of faith they were big with importance. A 
 
232 PUBLIC DECLARATION OF THE PROTESTANTS. 
 
 vine was now planted by God's own right hand, which is 
 destined to grow and spread forth its branches, to the 
 north and to the south, to tlie east and to the west, 
 until it shall cover the whole land, and bless all the people 
 with its delicious and abundant fruit. 
 
 As an act of justice to themselves, the members of this 
 new church lost no time in setting forth before the world 
 the declaration of their faith, and their reasons for the 
 step they had taken. A pamphlet was issued in the Ar- 
 menian language, containing the " Confession of Faith, and 
 Covenant of the Evangelical Armenian Church of Con- 
 stantinople," preceded by a brief statement of the manner 
 in which they had been forced to organize themselves into 
 a Church, by the compulsory measures of the Patriarch.* 
 
 In the course of the same summer, churches were 
 formed on the same basis, in Nicomedia, Adabazar, and 
 Trebizond ; with the most evident good results, although 
 the original number of members was, in each case, small. 
 It is not known that the least objection was ever made to 
 these organizations, by the Turkish government, or any of 
 its officers. Indeed, the sympathies of the Mohammedans 
 were with the persecuted, rather than with their enemies. 
 The Armenians were often sufficiently influential with 
 the Turks to deter a public officer, for a season, from 
 vindicating the cause of a suffering Protestant ; but the 
 instances were many in which the persecuted found pro- 
 tection under the wing of some friendly Mussulman ; and 
 nothing was more common than to hear the latter main- 
 tain that the Protestants were right, and the Armenians 
 wrong. The use of pictures in worship ; the invocation 
 of saints ; and the doctrines of transubstantiation and 
 
 See Appendix F. 
 
MOHAMMEDANS BEFRIEND THE PROTESTANTS. 233 
 
 priestly absolution, are as abhorrent to the Koran as they 
 are to the Bible. What occurred in Adabazar about the 
 time of the organization of the Evangelical Church, is a 
 fair specimen of the feelings cherished generally, and 
 often publicly avowed by Mohammedans, who have 
 intimately known the Protestants. Some of the brethren 
 had been summoned to the governor's palace, where were 
 assembled a large number of Armenian and Grreek pri- 
 mates, as well as the leading Turks of the town ; and 
 they were required by the bishop to give a public promise 
 that they would have no intercourse with Mr. "Wood, who 
 was then in the place. They firmly answered that by 
 nation they were Armenians, and by faith Evangelical 
 Christians, and in regard to their civil relations, they 
 were obedient and faithful subjects of the Sultan. '' And 
 now^," said they, " if it be wrong to visit a teacher of like 
 faith with ourselves, because he is an American, show us 
 that it is forbidden in the Bible, or by a law of the Sultan, 
 and we will submit ; otherwise we cannot consent to de- 
 prive ourselves of the benefit derived from intercourse 
 with him." All the Turks present expressed their appro- 
 bation of the ground they assumed, and the judge said, 
 *' We cannot interfere to protect you from excommunica- 
 tion, but so long as you abide by the declaration you have 
 now made, we will protect you civilly. Your goods shall 
 be as our goods ; your houses as our houses ; and your 
 persons as our persons. Go in peace." 
 
 On the day following, which was the Sabbath, as Mr. 
 Wood was going with some of the brethren to the fields, 
 where it had been agreed they should hold the meetings 
 of the day, they passed a Turkish house, the owner of 
 which invited them to stop and take some water. H#then 
 
234 PROTECTION GRANTED BY A TURK. 
 
 expressed his gratification at the result of the trial of the 
 preceding day, and said, it was right they should be left 
 to worship Grod in their own way, without molestation. 
 Another Turk, farther on, invited them to hold their meet- 
 ings in his field, and directed his laborers to forbid any hos- 
 tile Armenian from entering it ! Thus wonderfully were 
 protectors raised up for the poor, weak, and defenseless 
 lambs of Christ's flock, from among those who were least 
 expected to act in such a capacity. Truly, the hand of 
 God was in this thing ! 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Slow progress of Religious Liberty — Covert Methods of Persecution — Im- 
 prisonment of Stepan — Attempt to close Protestant Chapel — Mobs — 
 Redress from Government — Anomalous Position of the Protestants — 
 Gradual Amelioration — Protestant Funeral — Growth of the Community — 
 Female Field — Deaths of Oscan, of Hovsep, and of the first Pastor — 
 His Dying Testimony — Ordinations — New Scene in Nicomedia — Mission- 
 ary Tours — Beginning of Light at Aintab — Arrival of Mr. Bliss — Lord 
 Cowley's Agency — The Protestants recognized as a Community — Day of 
 Thanksgiving and Prayer — New Impulse to the Work — Awakening at 
 Geghi, and at Aintab — Station at Aintab occupied — Arrival of Mr. 
 Crane — Colporteurs — Urgent Appeals — Mr. Sahakian ordained — Mr. 
 Khachadur licensed — Burying ground at Trebizond — Preservation of the 
 Pera Chapel — Degradation of Matteos Patriarch. 
 
 After what has now been narrated, it may be an un- 
 expected announcement to the reader, that persecution 
 w^as still to be a chosen instrument of Providence, in car- 
 rying forward the work of reform in Turkey, as well as 
 for the salutary discipline of the people of G-od. True, 
 the highest authority in the land had decided against it ; 
 and this decision corresponded with the charter of rights, 
 guaranteed to his people by the reigning Sultan, soon 
 after his accession to the throne. It corresponded also 
 with the spirit of these mighty changes that have been 
 
236 SLOW PROGRESS OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY. 
 
 and are taking place in the Turkish Empire — changes in 
 dress, in social habits, in the administration of the laws, 
 and in the means and method of education ; and especi- 
 ally with the strong tendency that has become more and 
 more visible, to a separation of the civil from the ecclesi- 
 astical power. The enlightenetl Christian, who notices 
 the fact that the first beginnings of change in Turkey 
 were almost exactly simultaneous with the beginnings of 
 the missionary movement in the land ; and, though 
 without any visible connection, in any way, with that 
 movement, the changes in question have, in a good 
 measure, kept pace with the progress of the missionary 
 cause, will not hesitate to ascribe the whole to one great 
 overruling agency; the agency of G-od, exerted through 
 his providence and his Spirit. And yet, who that knows 
 Turkey ; who that knows the history of the world, can 
 wonder that a decree in favor of religious liberty, in such 
 circumstances, is not consistently and fully carried out in 
 a day ? To write out an edict is the w^ork of minutes ; 
 to change the opinions and habits of men, is often the 
 work of years. Imperial decrees may intimidate evil 
 disposed persons from open acts of violence, but so long 
 as the disposition to evil remains, and especially if it be 
 the offspring of strong prejudice and passion, and means 
 are in constant operation to keep these alive and active, 
 it will be sure to find ways of venting itself in secret, if 
 it cannot in public, upon the victims it has marked as its 
 own. 
 
 The government of the Sultan had ordered that the 
 Protestants be no longer molested in their civil rights, on 
 account of their religious sentiments. Their shops were 
 re-opened, as we have seen, but it was comparatively easy 
 
COVERT METHODS OF PERSECUTION. 237 
 
 for their busy enemies to prevent traffic with them, with- 
 out openly infringing the law, and this was repeatedly 
 done.^*" They could not be imprisoned or banished merely 
 for their religious sentiments ; but false claims of debt 
 could and did imprison them ; and false charges of vicious 
 conduct, established by perjury, could and did secure their 
 banishment. In Constantinople, considerable sums of 
 money were paid by different individuals to avoid impris- 
 onment for pretended debts ; and more than a score of 
 Protestants, at different times, were shut up with felons 
 for alleged crimes which false witnesses had proved against 
 them, and which they, from the very organization of the 
 Turkish Courts, could not disprove. As an example of 
 the length to which the Patriarch could even now go in 
 his persecuting measures, the following story is related : 
 A place of Protestant worship w^as opened in the city pro- 
 per, for the accommodation of many families who, on ac- 
 count of the distance, could not often be present at the 
 chapel in Pera. The house hired for this purpose was 
 built by a former Patriarch, though now owned by his 
 brother, who was a worthy member of the Protestant 
 community and Church. It was situated near the Pa- 
 
 * In consequence of the disadvantageous position of the Protestant Arme- 
 nians for doing business, the plan was formed of encouraging a few ingenious 
 and promising young men to repair to Americzi, for the purpose of making 
 themselves masters of certain useful trades, that were either not known 
 in Turkey, or only imperfectly known : with the view to their returning 
 and opening shops for the prosecution of these trades. The double advan- 
 tage was anticipated of securing employment to those Protestants who 
 were destitute of it, and of raising the Protestant community in the useful 
 arts, at least to a level with other communities in the land. Five young 
 men, of good character, are already in this country, in pursuance of this 
 plan. They came at their own expense, and have no connection with the 
 Board. 
 
 11* 
 
238 ATTEMPTS TO PREVENT MEETINGS. 
 
 triarchate, which no doubt was an additional cause of 
 vexation to this dignitary. At that time no other house 
 could bo procured in all Constantinople, for such a purpose. 
 By a cunning device, the Patriarch procured the impris- 
 onment of Stepan, the owner of the house, by the Turkish 
 police, on charge of flogging one of his priests ! The 
 priest had been sent by his superior to Stepan's house, in 
 his absence, to endeavor to persuade his wife to separate 
 from him ; and the injured husband merely called at the 
 priest's door, and warned him not to enter his house again, 
 on pain of civil prosecution. This was a sufficient ground 
 for a pretext, the futility of which was transparent on the 
 trial, the whole object and aim of the charges being to 
 prevent the holding of Protestant worship in the house in 
 question. The Patriarch first claimed the house as the 
 property of the Church, having been built by a Patriarch. 
 And when this was decided against him, he begged that 
 Stepan might be removed from the house, since all his 
 neighbors were complaining against him as a disturber of 
 the peace. This also was set aside. After several other 
 vain shifts on the part of the Patriarch to accomplish his 
 object, the Judge at length took up the same side, and 
 said to Stepan, " The government gives you no permission 
 to hold meetings in that house." *' Sir," said Stepan, 
 with solemn earnestness, " I beg that you will not fatigue 
 yourselves with efforts to prevent us from meeting ; for I 
 declare that not only I, but all the Protestant Armenians 
 also, are ready to shed our blood for this thing. Consult to- 
 gether, if you please, as to the best method of getting rid 
 of us, whether by exiling, drowning, or by cr ting off our 
 heads ; but it is useless to try to prevent us from meeting 
 The Holy Grospel commands us to meet, and it is a mat 
 
STATE OF THINGS IN THE INTERIOR. 239 
 
 ter of conscience and duty with us ; and we can never 
 cease to meet for the worship of Grocl." The Judge had 
 no reply to make to this noble answer, but merely directed 
 his clerk to record that " the Protestants say it is a mat- 
 ter of faith and conscience with them to hold meetings." 
 Stepan was soon liberated ; and although the ecclesiastical 
 powers were unwearied in their efforts to shut up that 
 place of worship, yet Grod never permitted them to succeed. 
 In interior places, where the new order of things was 
 not so well understood, and where the local governors were 
 more completely the creatures and the tools of rich and 
 influential Armenians, it was still more easy to afflict the 
 Protestants with impunity. In Nicomedia, after religious 
 liberty had been proclaimed to the Protestants, the breth- 
 ren were often abused in the streets, and their houses 
 stoned. Priest Harutun had nearly all his windows broken. 
 In Adabazar a Protestant teacher w^as put in chains and 
 sent to prison, on the general charge of disturbing the 
 peace, though no one in the town was really more peace- 
 able than he. At Trebizond, a mob of women attacked, 
 with heavy stones, two females who were returning from 
 the preaching of the missionaries, and because their hus- 
 bands endeavored to shield them from harm, these hus- 
 bands were thrown into prison, and there stretched out, 
 with their faces downwards, upon the cold, damp ground, 
 and their feet confined in the stocks I In this painful 
 position they were left for a whole day without food, so 
 that one became insensible, and was more dead than alive 
 when he was removed. The other w^as carried to Con- 
 stantinople, and there kept in close confinement for several 
 months, his persecutors, who were influential, insisting 
 upon it that he was a disturber of the peace and a danger- 
 
240 VIOLENCE OF MOBS. 
 
 ous man. In the same place, on the occasion of the death 
 of a Protestant brother, the house where the body lay was 
 assailed by stones from a furious mob, and every effort 
 was made to prevent the burial. This necessary duty 
 could only be performed, at last, under shelter of the 
 night, and by paying twenty-one dollars for permission to 
 dig a grave in the public highway ! At Erzrum an infu- 
 riated mob forced its way into the house of Br. Smith, and 
 bore away a priest of the Church who had escaped thither 
 to avoid persecution, he being a Protestant in sentiment. 
 They afterwards returned with renewed fury, broke into 
 the house a second time, felled to the ground a native as- 
 sistant and also a patient of the doctor, and destroyed 
 seven or eight hundred dollars' worth of books and furni- 
 ture. 
 
 Even in the capital itself, at the burial of the first Pro- 
 testant adult after the separation, the procession, in re- 
 turning from the grave, was followed by a mob of i\rme- 
 nians, who first began to shout in a highly insulting and 
 disgraceful manner, using the most filthy language ; and 
 afterwards to hurl stones, some of which were of an enor- 
 mous size. The mob thus followed the procession for a 
 quarter of a mile or more, when they amounted to at least 
 a thousand persons. Several of the Armenian brethren, 
 and one at least of the missionaries, were struck with the 
 stones, though providentially no one was seriously injured. 
 In all these cases, and numberless others of a similar kind 
 the Turkish tribunals were immediately appealed to for 
 redress ; and this was, sooner or later, almost sure to be 
 obtained, though not always to the full extent that was 
 due. At Nicomedia the governor ordered the civil and 
 ecclesiastical leaders of the Armenian community to desist 
 
ANOMALOUS POSITION OF THE PROTESTANTS. 241 
 
 from their oppressions, saying, "The Protestants no longer 
 belong to you, and you have no right to interfere with 
 their religion." A file of soldiers, even, was sent on one 
 occasion to disperse the mob. At Trebizond, police officers 
 were regularly stationed at the entrance of the Protestant 
 place of worship, as long as such a step was considered 
 necessary. By the prompt and decisive intervention of 
 the United States Minister at the Porte, Mr. Carr, the 
 damages sustained at Erzrum by Dr. Smith were repaid, 
 and four of the leaders in the mob were imprisoned. And 
 in Constantinople, the police took effectual measures to 
 prevent the recurrence of such disgraceful scenes as those 
 described in connection with the first funeral. 
 
 The position of the Protestants was still an anomalous 
 one in Turkey. They were separated from the Armenian 
 community, but not united with any other. The Turkish 
 government was determined they should not be molested 
 by the Patriarch or his ministers, but exactly what to do 
 with them w^as not so easily decided. According to the 
 municipal regulations of Constantinople, neither marriage, 
 baptism, nor burial can be performed without the cogni- 
 zance of the civil power. A certificate from the Patriarch 
 must be presented to the head of the police, to procure a 
 permit for marriage. The name of every child baptized 
 must be communicated by the Patriarch to the same of- 
 ficer, for enrollment ; and previous permission must be 
 obtained, through the Patriarch, from the Board of Health, 
 for every burial. Besides this, no person can travel in 
 the country without a passport, and no passport can be 
 obtained without the Patriarch's voucher for the honesty 
 of the man. At first it seemed to be the plan of the gov- 
 ernment, that while the Protestants should be entirely 
 11 
 
242 GRADUAL AMELIORATION. 
 
 separated from the Patriarch, so far as religious matters 
 were concerned, he might still be left to act for them as 
 their civil representative at the Porte, This was soon 
 found to be utterly impracticable. There seemed to be 
 two principal objections to organizing them regularly into 
 a separate civil community ; namely, the fewness of their 
 numbers, and the strong objections of certain parties hav- 
 ing great influence with the government. They were 
 consequently left for more than a year and a half with 
 their rights acknowledged, and yet without any regular 
 provision for securing those rights from invasion ; and 
 subject, in the interval, to frequent grievances and even 
 oppressions, such as have been described. And it is al- 
 ways to be understood, that Protestants in the interior 
 were exposed to greater trials of this sort in proportion to 
 the remoteness of their situation from the capital. 
 
 But though the patience of the evangelical Armenians 
 was long tried in various ways, through their imperfect 
 acknowledgment by the government, still there was a 
 gradual amelioration of their condition evidently going on, 
 which, to such as were watching with reasonable expect- 
 ations, the signs of the times, was highly encouraging. 
 It is impossible for those who have never been in like 
 circumstances, to conceive of the degree of satisfaction and 
 encouragement felt by the Protestants when they were 
 for the first time permitted to bury their dead in peace, 
 under the protection of the civil power, and to procure a 
 permit for marriage, and a passport for traveling, without 
 the mediation of the Patriarch. The second adult funeral 
 among them was in striking contrast with the first. It 
 occurred on the Sabbath, and in the procession were from 
 one hundred to one hundred and fifty native Protestants. 
 
PROTESTANT FUNERAL. 243 
 
 with their pastor at their head carrying a copy of the 
 Scriptures in his hand. All marched silently and solemnly, 
 at mid-day, through the most public street of Pera, to the 
 Protestant burying-ground, under the protection of a body 
 of the police. It was a new and wonderful spectacle for 
 Turkey ; and shop-keepers and artisans along the way 
 turned aside from business for the moment, and inquired, 
 What new thing is this ? Hitherto the funeral proces- 
 sions of native Christians had been accompanied with 
 gilded crosses elevated in the air, and candles, and priestly 
 robes, and chantings. It was whispered from mouth to 
 mouth, " These are the Protestants. See how the gov- 
 ernment protects them !" Some of the Mussulmans said, 
 *' Look ! There are no crosses ! no singing ! This is as 
 it should be." 
 
 Several hundreds of people of different classes gathered 
 around the grave, where a hymn was sung, and a short 
 but earnest and appropriate address was delivered by the 
 pastor. Many went home from that burial with new and 
 more correct impressions of what Protestantism really is. 
 The moral influence of the whole spectacle was highly 
 salutary, and it was felt by all that an important point 
 had been gained to the Protestant cause. So also, when 
 several months subsequently the first native Protestant 
 wedding took place, the permit being given by the Turk- 
 ish government, and the ceremony performed by Mr. 
 Khachadurian, the pastor, not only without the interven- 
 tion of the Patriarch, but in spite of various intrigues on 
 his part to prevent it. 
 
 The internal growth of the community was ever in ad- 
 vance of the external. No week passed without furnish- 
 ing evidence of the special presence of Grod's Spirit, and 
 
244 ^ FEMALE FIELD. 
 
 no communion season without accessions to the Church. 
 Grreat care was taken in the admission of members, and 
 none were received except after long trial, and a strict 
 examination by the committee of the Church. During 
 the first year of its organization, forty-eight persons were 
 added to the Church in Constantinople, seventeen of whom 
 were received on one Sabbath ; making eighty-eight 
 communicants, in all, at the end of the year In the na- 
 tive female field, a somewhat rapid development now took 
 place. 
 
 The desire to hear the Grospel preached had greatly 
 increased among them. The oriental rules of seclusion in 
 reference to women, had hitherto prevented the attendance 
 of females at the public services. From occupying an 
 uncomfortable position for hearing on the Sabbath, in a 
 room adjacent to the chapel, they were placed behind a 
 screen at the end of the chapel itself. Their boldness in- 
 creasing with increasing numbers, the screen was gradu- 
 ally removed, and they were permitted to see as well as 
 hear the speaker. Subsequently, their position in the 
 house of Grod was still further improved, by their being 
 arranged on one side of the chapel, while the men were 
 placed on the other. The existence of our female seminary 
 greatly facilitated these changes, which, much as they 
 were opposed to former custom and prejudice, have so far 
 resulted in no apparent evil, but have been productive of 
 great good. Female education had been so entirely neg- 
 lected, that many who joined the Protestant community 
 were unable even to read. The desire to peruse for them- 
 selves the word of Grod, operated as a most powerful stimu- 
 lus, and several adult classes were soon formed, composed 
 in part of elderly women, who gave themselves with ex- 
 
DEATH OF OSCAN AN^? HOVSEP. 245 
 
 traordinary diligence to the labor of learning to read in 
 their own native tongue. 
 
 Three remarkable deaths occurred among the evangelical 
 Armenians, that belong to the present period of our narra- 
 tive. The first was that of Mr. Oscan, an aged pilgrim, 
 who had for years been groaning under severe bodily infir- 
 mities, but was rich in faith. He had several times been 
 brought very low, so that his life was despaired of ; but 
 God preserved him, and he seemed almost miraculously 
 strengthened, so as to participate in the services at the for- 
 mation of the first evangelical Armenian Church in Constan- 
 tinople, and to put down his name with the people of G-od. 
 On the following v/eek he was also permitted to be pre- 
 sent at the ordination of the first pastor. It was one of 
 the most interesting sights of that memorable day, to be- 
 hold the good old man, bending under the infirmities of 
 age, with the tears trickling down his furrowed and sunken 
 cheeks as he witnessed what he never expected to see on 
 the earth, and apparently saying, with aged Simeon, 
 *' Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace." 
 And he did soon depart. He was the oldest member of 
 the Church, and the first to join *' the general assembly 
 and church of the first born in heaven." The disgraceful 
 scenes exhibited at his funeral have been already described. 
 
 The next individual referred to was Mr. Hovsep Grama- 
 lielian. Up to the forty-third year of his age he was the 
 slave of vicious habits, a drunkard and a debauchee of the 
 lowest class. Through the blessing of Grod on the faith- 
 fulness of a brother, he was awakened and led to see his 
 awful guilt, and to look to Christ alone for pardon and 
 salvation. He became a most zealous and exemplary dis- 
 ciple of the Lord Jesus. When the persecution commenced, 
 
246 THE FIRST PASTOR. 
 
 he was driven from his shop and his father's house, from 
 which he remained an exile until he died. He received 
 frequent abuse for his attachment to the Grospel, and once 
 was knocked down and beaten in the streets by some of 
 the Patriarch's zealous coadjutors. It may with truth be 
 said that he was persecuted unto death ; for his last sick- 
 ness was brought on from a shock he received, by the sud- 
 den appearance at his shop of a ruffian who, a day or two 
 previously, had showed a dagger, and threatened to take 
 the life of a Christian brother, merely for his religion. 
 Hovsep, supposing that his own life was in imminent peril 
 from the hands of this ferocious enemy, was so startled at 
 the moment, that a profuse hemorrhage from the lungs 
 came on, which terminated in his death within a few 
 weeks. Almost his last words were, " 0, my sins ! my 
 many and grievous sins ! What can I do to wipe them 
 away ? I am perfectly impotent ; but, blessed be Grod, 
 he has made known to me the Gospel of his Son and my 
 hope is in him alone !" 
 
 The third individual referred to, was the beloved pastor 
 himself, who, to the inexpressible grief of his people, was 
 suddenly snatched away from them by death, in the very 
 midst of his usefulness. His labors, and cares, and 
 anxieties had been abundant. Being the pastor of a per- 
 secuted flock, he was the object of many a shaft from the 
 enemy. He was sometimes thrown into very exciting 
 scenes, in the midst of mobs, raised in the streets to vex 
 the Protestants. Only a short time previous to his death, 
 he visited Nicomedia ; and while there, was called to 
 attend the funeral of a Protestant brother. As the pro- 
 cession passed along the street, thousands of hostile 
 Armenians were assembled, to meet it with insults and 
 
IIIS SICKNESS AND DEATH. 247 
 
 abuse. Arrived at the place of burial, this rabble gathered 
 around the grave, and Mr. Khachadiirian took the oppor- 
 tunity of preaching to them the Grospel of Christ. They 
 listened in perfect silence, and then went quietly to their 
 homes. The pastor returned to Constantinople, overcome 
 by exertion and excitement. "Within a week, he was 
 exposed to the worrying influence of a similar outrage, at 
 the funeral of a Protestant child, in the capital. His last 
 disease immediately developed itself, which was pro- 
 nounced by a judicious physician to be a disease of the 
 brain, induced by excessive mental effort and excitement, 
 a disease in this form, scarcely known in the country. 
 During most of his illness he was delirious, but his ruling 
 passion was constantly showing itself. Scarcely any- 
 thing else was heard to proceed from his lips but the 
 name of his beloved Saviour, or what pertained to his 
 kingdom and glory. He had lost the control of his fine 
 mind, but his time was spent, even in the midst of his 
 delirium, chiefly in preaching, exhortation, and prayer. 
 It became more and more evident that his days were 
 numbered, and that his end was near. But how sad was 
 the prospect to his weeping Church I The report had 
 already gone abroad among his superstitious enemies that 
 Grod had smitten him with raving madness and despair, 
 in consequence of the anathemas of the Church, which 
 rested upon him ; and great would have been their glory- 
 ing, had this sun thus set under a cloud. But the 
 earnest supplications of his Church were heard ; the 
 cloud was lifted up ; the laboring mind was unshackled ; 
 and the departing saint was permitted to magnify the 
 grace of Christ, by declaring how abundantly he was sus- 
 tained in that solemn hour. 
 
248 HIS DYING TESTIMONY. 
 
 I was providentially called to his bedside, but a short 
 time before his departure. He was lying in a state of 
 apparent stupor, and a number of the male and female 
 members of his Church were sitting mournfully around 
 his bed. I immediately endeavored to arouse his atten- 
 tion, in order, if possible, to ascertain from his own lips, 
 the state of his soul. After one or two unsuccessful 
 efforts, to the surprise and delight of all present, he 
 seemed to awake as out of a deep sleep, and I had a 
 long and deeply interesting conversation with him 
 respecting his prospects and hopes for eternity. In an- 
 swer to inquiries, he said that his heart was " full of sin, 
 but Jesus Christ was his righteousness, his sanctification, 
 and his redemption ;" and that his hope was " not at all 
 in his own merits ; but only in the free and infinite 
 grace of G-od." In short, his feet were firmly planted on 
 the rock, Christ Jesus, and, while still in the flesh he 
 was permitted to enjoy a foretaste of heavenly glory. His 
 dying testimony was most precious to his weeping church. 
 Those who were present seemed much more ready to 
 give him up, after his lips had been once more unsealed, 
 and he permitted to testify to the all-sustaining grace of 
 God, at a time when flesh and heart were failing. At 
 the end of every answer to inquiries put to him, they 
 cried out all over the room — Bless the Lord ! Glory to 
 G-od ! Glory to God ! being wholly unable to suppress 
 their emotions, and the sense of gratitude they felt that 
 God had so graciously heard and answered their prayers. 
 
 I afterwards engaged in prayer, and our dying brother ut- 
 tered a loud Amen, at the end of every sentence, to the very 
 last, and then, in an instant, he sunk again into a stupor, 
 from which he never more awoke One of the brethren 
 
ORDINATION OF PASTORS. 249 
 
 went to his bedside, and with an almost bursting heart, 
 cried out, '' Brother Apisoghom ! Brother Apisoghom ! 
 Who shall preach to us ; who shall exhort us when you 
 are dead ?" The beloved pastor was too far gone to 
 reply ; and all the brethren and sisters of the Church who 
 were present, gave vent to their feelings in a flood of 
 tears. 
 
 Thus did this chosen servant of Grod end his labors on 
 the earth, after only eight months' service in the pastoral 
 office. His death occurred on the 12th of March, 1847. 
 To us it was a most trying dispensation, but of one thing 
 we felt certain, God can make no mistake. A brother of 
 the deceased, Mr. Simon Khachadurian, was shortly after 
 elected, and ordained pastor in his place. He had been 
 educated at the Bebek Seminary, and possessed rare 
 qualities for the office to which he was called, and which 
 he still continues to adorn. 
 
 Two other pupils of the same seminary, Mr. Avedis 
 and Mr. Mugurdich, were licensed to preach the Gospel. 
 The latter was subsequently ordained as pastor of the 
 Evangelical Church in Trebizond, and the former as co- 
 pastor in Constantinople. Another pastor was ordained 
 in Nicomedia in the latter part of November, 1847. This 
 was Mr. Harutun Minasian. His ordination was attended 
 by circumstances of peculiar interest. His little flock 
 had been for many years exposed to almost constant per- 
 secution. Oftentimes they were driven from the abodes 
 of men, and compelled to hold their worship in the distant 
 fields ; and even there, they were never sure of being 
 left unmolested. Now they had a place for public wor- 
 ship in the very heart of the city ; and there, at mid-day, 
 
 on the Sabbath, the ordination services were performed — 
 11# 
 
250 BEGINNI.VG OF LIGHT IN AINTAB. 
 
 no one daring to " molest them or make them afraid." 
 The interest of the occasion was enhanced by the historic 
 recollections of the place. In this town the Emperor 
 Diocletian held h'i.« court, and on this very spot began the 
 memorable persecution of Christians in his reign. 
 Though the truth has been for ages shrouded in darkness, 
 yet it has not been lost. Grod has still a seed to serve 
 him : and once more a congregation of faithful men is 
 there gathered, in which the pure (lospel is preached, and 
 the ordinances scripturally administered. 
 
 Missionary tours performed through various parts in the 
 interior of the country, brought to light many encouraging 
 facts in regard to the extent of the work of reform. It is 
 believed that there was not a single town of any size in 
 the whole land, in which Armenians were found, where 
 there were not at least one or two on the Protestant side ; 
 and, in many cases, several in one place were ready to 
 avow themselves openly as friends of the G-ospel. But in 
 no place was the movement more remarkable than at Ain- 
 tab, a town situated about three days' ride northeast from 
 Aleppo. Some copies of the Scriptures, and other books 
 from our press, had found their way to this town, chiefly 
 through the agency of Bedros vartabed, who labored as a 
 colporteur in those parts ; and a few individuals, by the 
 blessing of G-od on the simple reading of the word, had 
 their eyes opened to see the errors of their Church. Soon 
 after, the Patriarchal bull against priest Vertanes and the 
 other evangelical brethren, was received from Constanti- 
 nople, and publicly read in the Church. Those who had 
 been convinced of the truth now learned, for the first time, 
 that there existed in the Armenian community a body of 
 men who take the Bible as their only guide. This greatly 
 
BEGINNING OF LIGHT AT AINTAB. 251 
 
 encouraged and strengthened them. Soon after, a varta- 
 bed came to Aintab, and began to preach the evangelical 
 doctrines, in the Armenian Church, in the most bold and 
 zealous manner. He was interesting in his appearance, 
 and eloquent in his speech ; and with great fearlessness 
 did he expose the errors of his Church, and with great 
 power set forth the peculiar doctrines of the Gospel. 
 Very many were convinced by him of the truth, and were 
 led to renounce their previous errors, and openly avow 
 themselves as Protestants. It seemed as though the whole 
 fabric of superstition in Aintab must speedily fall. It was 
 soon discovered that this new and zealous preacher of the 
 evangelical doctrines, was himself evangelical only in 
 name. His moral character proved to be infamous, and 
 he was sent away in disgrace. The fruits of his preach- 
 ing, however, remained, although he proved so unworthy 
 an instrument. The evangelical brethren immediately 
 prepared a letter, signed by eighty-two heads of families, 
 requesting that a missionary might forthwith be sent to 
 them. Mr. Van Lennep, of Constantinople, went in obe- 
 dience to the call, though not to remain permanently, as 
 they had hoped. His visit was timely and useful. The 
 place was afterwards visited by Mr. Johnston, by Dr. 
 Smith, and by Mr. Schneider ; and a flourishing church 
 was gathered, and one of the largest congregations of Pro- 
 testants in the Turkish empire ! The condition of the 
 Armenians in all that section of the country was highly 
 encouraging. 
 
 In the latter part of the summer of 1847, Rev. Isaac G-. 
 Bliss and wife arrived in the country from America, and 
 proceeded to join Mr. Peabody in his labor in Erzrum. An 
 evangelical Armenian Church had been organized there in 
 
I 
 
 252 LORD COWLEY S AGENCY. 
 
 April, and another was formed in Brusa in July, making 
 seven in all in the Turkish empire. 
 
 The part taken by Sir Stratford Canning in securing 
 liberty of conscience to the subjects of Turkey, has already 
 been often alluded to. In the year 1847 this worthy re- 
 presentative of the British Grovernment returned for a sea- 
 son to his native land, and Lord Cowley was appointed to 
 occupy, temporarily, his place. He proved himself to be 
 as warm and firm a friend of religious freedom as his pre- 
 decessor. From the moment of his accession to this im- 
 portant post, he exerted himself with the most unremitting 
 zeal to secure to the Protestant Armenians a distinct re- 
 cognition on the part of the Porte, and a formal organiza- 
 tion, which should place them on the same footing with 
 all the other Christian communities in the empire. It 
 surely was not by mere accident that such representatives 
 of the British Grovernment were called successively to oc- 
 cupy this place at such a crisis. Nor was it by accident 
 that the Turkish ministry which came into power just at 
 the beginning of these trying times, was composed of the 
 most liberal and intelligent men in the whole country. It 
 was G-od himself who so timed events, that both the Sul- 
 tan and his ministers, before whom the frequent appeals 
 of his suffering people were to go for deliverance from in- 
 justice and oppression, and with whom the representatives 
 of the British nation were to negotiate for religious free- 
 dom, should be men whose whole policy of government 
 was to deliver their country from abuses — to secure the 
 rights of the individual subject — to Obliterate religious 
 distinctions in civil matters — and separate as much as 
 possible the Church from the State. 
 
 The noble efforts of Lord Cowley were crowned with 
 
PROTESTANTS RECOGNIZED AS A COMMUNITY. 
 
 complete success. On the 15th of November, 1847, h 
 procured from the Turkish Oovernment an imperial de- 
 cree, recognizing native Protestants as constituting a 
 separate and independent community in Turkey. In this 
 high official paper it was declared that *' no interference 
 whatever should be permitted in their temporal or spiritual 
 concerns, on the part of the patriarchs, monks, or priests 
 of other sects."* This decree was immediately sent to all 
 the Pashas in the interior, under whose jurisdiction Pro- 
 testants were known to exist. An individual elected by 
 the new community was formally recognized by the gov- 
 ernment as the agent and representative of the Protestants 
 at the Porte. To those who are most conversant with 
 Turkey, and who know what mighty influences have al- 
 ways been operating to prevent the spread of Protestantism 
 in that country, and how great were the difficulties in the 
 way of its formal recognition on the part of the Turkish 
 Government, it appears but little less than miraculous 
 that this thing was effected in so short a time. To Grod 
 be all the praise ! 
 
 The part taken by Lord Cowley in these transactions, 
 led the missionaries to address to him a letter of acknow- 
 ledgment on the occasion of his departure from the country, 
 in which also the most honorable mention is made of the 
 efficient instrumentality of Sir Stratford Canning, as well 
 as of the liberal and humane policy of the British Grovern- 
 ment itself. To this communication a very gratifying 
 answer was received, clearly indicating the deep personal 
 interest taken by its writer in the Protestant movement 
 m Turkey.t 
 
 The evangelical brethren in Constantinople, immedi- 
 
 * See Appendix G. t See Appendix H. 
 
 12 
 
 ^M8J# 
 
254 NEW IMPULSE TO THE WORK. 
 
 ately appointed a day for special thanksgiving and 
 prayer. They had obtained, through the most signal in- 
 terpositions of Providence, a governmental recognition, 
 calling for their sincere and devout acknowledgments. 
 They were placed in a new and important position, and 
 had urgent need of that wisdom and grace which come 
 down from above, in answer to fervent prayer. Grreat 
 was the joy of the Protestants in every part of the land, 
 though still it was, in many cases, rejoicing with trem- 
 bling. At the different missionary stations greater bold- 
 ness in attending the preaching of the G-ospel was noticed, 
 and a new impulse seemed to be given to the spirit of in- 
 quiry. In Erzrum, those who gave evidence of true 
 piety, became more active and prayerful, and some who 
 had been convinced of the truth, but were too timid to 
 join themselves with the people of God, in times of perse- 
 cution, now began to be seen at the Sabbath services. 
 At Brusa, the missionaries reported, that much discussion 
 of religious subjects prevailed, and the truth was gaining 
 ground. At Trebizond, the Church had been carried 
 through a season of sore internal trials, but with no ma- 
 terial injury. The new order of things produced the 
 same effects there as elsewhere, and the brethren w^ere 
 greatly encouraged. At Nicomedia, the house of God 
 became the resort of many who, a short time previously, 
 were found in the ranks of the enemy. The special 
 influences of the Spirit were extensively enjoyed, though 
 in no case except at the Female Seminary in Constanti- 
 nople, was the movement general enough to be designated 
 as a revival of religion. In the district of Geghi, south- 
 west of Erzrum, containing from twelve to fifteen thou- 
 sand souls, Mr. Peabody found very promising indications 
 
STATION AT AtNTAB OCCUPIED. 255 
 
 of an extensive religious awakening. Some had suffered 
 severely for the truth, but the Word of Grod could not be 
 dislodged from their hearts. The vartabed himself was 
 the most decided evangelical man in the community. 
 For personal security, he was obliged to flee to Erzrum, 
 where, after a sufficient trial, he was received into the 
 Evangelical Church ; and, as the civil power in his own 
 )rovince now protected the Protestants, it was expected 
 hat he would soon return to Greghi, to labor for the spirit- 
 ual good of his countrymen. At Aintab, the develop- 
 ment was more rapid, perhaps, than anywhere else. Mr. 
 Schneider, of the Brusa station, spent the summer of 
 1848 in labors there, during which time the congregation 
 steadily increased, and many were affected to tears, un- 
 der the preaching of the Word. A very intelligent priest 
 became obedient to the faith, and his sincerity was called, 
 more than once, to the severe test of persecution. He 
 remained firm to his principles through all his trials. At 
 a communion season in October, 1848, seventeen persons 
 were added to the Church, five of whom were females. 
 During the same month. Dr. Smith returned to Aintab, 
 where he took up his residence as a missionary of the 
 Board, together with his wife. The importance of the 
 station was such, that it was proposed to Mr. and Mrs. 
 Schneider, of Brusa, to become permanently connected 
 with it. It was a trying question, involving many sacri- 
 fices ; but the call appearing plainly providential, they 
 cheerfully obeyed. They arrived at Aintab on the 11th 
 of May, 1849. It was a striking providence, that the 
 same steamer which brought away Mr. Schneider from 
 Grhemlik, the port of Brusa, carried back thither to occupy 
 
256 MR. SAHAKTAN ORDATNED. 
 
 his place, the Rev. Oliver Crane and wife, who had just 
 arrived from America. 
 
 Among the evangelical Christians at Aintab a most 
 commendable zeal had shown itself for the spread of the 
 Gospel in the towns and villages around. Several at- 
 tempts had been made by individuals to labor as colpor- 
 teurs, but they were never suffered to remain long in a 
 place. The Armenian primates easily succeeded in per- 
 suading the Turkish authorities to order them away as 
 vagabonds. A novel experiment was made, early in the 
 year 1849, to accomplish the object in view without sub- 
 jecting themselves to the charge of being mere idlers, and 
 " busybodies in other men's matters." Five individuals 
 who had trades, went forth to different towns, with their 
 tools in one hand, and the sword of the Spirit in the other. 
 Wherever they went they worked at their trade, while, at 
 the same time, they labored for the spiritual good of the 
 people. The experiment succeeded to admiration. The 
 spirit of religious inquiry was spreading from Aintab in 
 almost all directions. The congregation in the town itself 
 had become so large, that two places were opened for wor- 
 ship at the same time. And from various towns and vil- 
 lages throughout the country, the most urgent appeals 
 came from souls that were hungering for the bread of life. 
 They were found in Killis, Beleren, Marash, Orfa, Diar- 
 bekr, Malatia, Kharput, Arghany, Palu, Arabkir, and 
 various other places, near and remote. 
 
 In November, 1848, Mr. Hohannes Sahakian, who had 
 been educated in America, was licensed at Constantinople 
 to preach the G-ospel ; and in the following spring, he was 
 ordained as pastor of the evangelical Armenian Church in 
 Adabazar, where he has been since laboring with great 
 
i^* 
 
 PROVIDENTIAL INTERVENTIONS. 257 
 
 diligence and success. Mr. Khachadur, a pupil of the 
 Bebek Seminary, was licensed as a preacher in February, 
 4^1849. 
 
 In Trebizond, formal permission was given by the gov- 
 ernor to the Protestants, to use as a burying-ground a 
 piece of land purchased for this purpose three years pre- 
 viously. As long ago as January, 1848, a vizirial letter 
 had been procured, through the generous efforts of Mr. 
 Carr, the United States Minister at the Porte, ordering the 
 authorities in Trebizond to see that the Protestants be 
 permitted to have a cemetery of their own, but various 
 difficulties had prevented an earlier accomplishment of the 
 design. 
 
 The year 1848 was remarkable for the number and ex- 
 tent of its conflagrations in the city of Constantinople ; 
 and among the providential interpositions in behalf of the 
 Protestant cause, must be mentioned the fact, that in five 
 or six different instances the devouring element ap- 
 proached so near to our chapel and Female Seminary in 
 Pera, as to leave but a faint hope that they would escape ; 
 and once even they actually began to burn, but the flames 
 were speedily extinguished. Again and again was it 
 shouted in the camp of the enemy, " The Protestant Chapel 
 is consumed ;" but, in each case, an unseen hand was 
 stretched out to arrest the destroyer, and save the Protes- 
 tant cause from so great a disaster. 
 
 From all that has now been narrated, it is evident that 
 the Patriarch Matteos' plans for the overthrow of Protest- 
 antism in the country, met with a most signal failure. 
 His own removal from office is the last record to be made 
 in this chapter. He was found guilty of various frauds 
 upon the public treasury, and, according to the official 
 
258 DEGRADATION OF MATTEOS PATRIARCH. 
 
 announcement of the case in the French journal of Con- 
 stantinople, " of acts of injustice inconsistent with patri- 
 archal dignity." He was accordingly degraded, and sen- 
 tenced to banishment. A friendly banker, however, 
 became surety for him, and procured his release from this 
 part of the punishment. He has since been living in re- 
 tirement on the shores of the Bosphorus. 
 
C H APT E R XII. 
 
 The two Conflicting Parties — Preaching Christ — Character of Native Pas- 
 tors — Male and Female Seminaries — The Press — Native Churches self- 
 supporting — Working of the System — Character of Church Members — 
 Present aspect of the Work — State of the Armenian Church — Crisis 
 approaching — Anticipations of the Future. 
 
 The record now made of the struggles of spirituality 
 against formalism in Turkey, is only a repetition, in sub- 
 stance, of what has occurred in this world, hundreds of 
 times before. And, as in the present instance, the many 
 have usually been arrayed against the few ; wealth 
 against poverty ; strength against weakness. On the 
 side of the assailants have been age, experience, and cun- 
 ning ; on the side of the assailed, youth, ignorance, and 
 simplicity. With the former have been all the advan- 
 tages of an awe-inspiring antiquity, covering with its 
 sacred mantle, which it were the most daring profaneness 
 to remove, its symbols of faith, its rites and ceremonies, 
 and its religious and priestly order. While the latter could 
 boast of neither priesthood nor church ; altar nor gor- 
 geous rites ; in short, of nothing external calculated to 
 inspire terror, or even to attract notice. That the weak 
 
260 PREACHING CHRIST. 
 
 side in this conflict should almost uniformly prove victo- 
 rious, is easily explained, to the satisfaction of all who 
 believe the Bible. On the one side, all is human ; on the 
 other, all is divine. And God works by instruments of 
 his own, choosing " the foolish things of the world to con- 
 found the wise, and the weak things of the world to con- 
 found the things that are mighty ; and base things of the 
 world, and things which are despised ; yea, and things 
 which are not, to bring to naught things that are ; that 
 no flesh should glory in his presence." 
 
 It will be seen from the preceding narrative, that the 
 principal means used by the missionaries, and those 
 native brethren who have been called to aid in this work, 
 was the preaching of " Christ and him crucified." For 
 several years, the work of reform went on without the 
 formal preaching of the word, though even then the Gos- 
 pel was preached, assiduously, to multitudes, in a private 
 way. As soon, however, as congregations could be 
 gathered, we availed ourselves of this method of acting 
 on the popular mind, and experience among the Arme- 
 nians, as elsewhere, has fully attested the paramount 
 importance of public and formal preaching, as an instru- 
 ment in the hands of the foreign missionary. The style 
 of preaching has been plain, simple, and direct, though 
 probably much more elevated than would be practicable 
 among the heathen ; as the Armenians possess, in general, 
 a far higher intellectual character to begin with. In the 
 composition of sermons, our method has not differed es- 
 sentially from that which has usually been prevalent in 
 America, though in no case, so far as the knowledge of 
 the author goes, are the missionaries in the habit of 
 preaching written discourses. 
 
MALE AND FEMALE SEMINARIES. 261 
 
 The five native pastors settled over evangelical churches 
 in Turkey, were all trained, in part or entirely, under the 
 missionaries of the Board. Three of them were educated 
 at the Bebek Seminary, and one in America. They are, 
 in general, strong-minded and industrious men; men of 
 intellectual culture and logical power ; and, what is more 
 than all, of faith, and prayer, and ardent zeal in the ser- 
 vice of Christ. In effective public speaking, some of 
 them would not suffer, in comparison with our best 
 preachers, of the same age, in America. 
 
 Education and the press have been two powerful aux- 
 iliaries to the living preacher. Our male and female 
 seminaries we have designed to make as thorough and ef- 
 ficient as possible in promoting the objects of their forma- 
 tion. The course of study is intended to be such as to 
 secure, in the highest degree, the discipline of the mind ; 
 and it is believed that at no similar institutions in America 
 is this end more fully attained. At the same time reli- 
 gion is interwoven with all other studies, and made ever 
 to stand out as pre-eminently the subject upon which all 
 the mental and moral powers of man should be concen- 
 trated. The relations of these seminaries to the newly 
 formed evangelical churches, are becoming more and more 
 important. The work of reform which has commenced, 
 must, under (rod, be carried on chiefly through the agency 
 of a native ministry, and this ministry must be trained on 
 the ground. This simple statement tells the whole story, 
 and shows that it is hardly possible to over-estimate the 
 importance of well sustaining the Seminary at Bebek. Nor 
 can we justify ourselves in using language less strong or 
 emphatic in reference to the Female Semiijary, when we 
 12* 
 
262 INFLUENCE OF THE PRESS. 
 
 think of the influence, for good or for evil, of the wives and 
 mothers of any community. 
 
 The press has proved itself a most powerful engine in car- 
 rying forward this work. Nicomedia, Adabazar, and Ain- 
 tab may be singled out from many other smaller place*, 
 as furnishing most instructive examples of what Grod has 
 done to revive true religion, through means of the press 
 alone. Probably not fewer than seventy or eighty different 
 works have been published by the missionaries of the 
 Board, in the Armenian and Armeno-Turkish languages. 
 Many of these have been written on the ground, though 
 most are translations from the English and other lan- 
 guages. Among the latter are Pilgrim's Progress and 
 D'Aubigne's History of the Reformation. The whole 
 Bible has been translated and published in the Armeno- 
 Turkish, and the New Testament, and a large part of the 
 Old, in the modern Armenian dialect. The whole of the 
 latter will ere long be completed. Periodicals have also 
 been published, and doctrinal books and tracts adapted to 
 the state of the public mind. These publications have 
 found their way to almost every nook and corner of the 
 land, and they are at this moment more widely circulated 
 and better received than ever before. 
 
 In no case are the native pastors or the native Protestant 
 schools (except the two Seminaries), entirely supported at 
 the expense of the Board. For these objects the churches 
 contribute, generally, to the extent of their ability, and 
 the amount is increasing from year to year ; but, being 
 feeble at the best, they need help, and the funds of the 
 Board are cautiously appropriated to supply deficiencies. 
 This aid, however, is only for the present distress, and will 
 be withdrawn as soon as they are able to stand alone. 
 
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NATIVE CHURCH, 263 
 
 The system of Church organization adopted in Turkey 
 thus far works well. Difficulties have occurred, particu- 
 larly at Constantinople and Trebizond, but they have been 
 fewer than were anticipated, and more easily healed. 
 They arose in part from inexperience, and in part from the 
 union of great scrupulosity of conscience with little 
 knowledge. Some few cases of moral obliquity have oc- 
 curred among the church members, and they have been 
 dealt with according to the rules of Christ. Discipline 
 has been uniformly maintained, and the good effects of 
 strictness on this point are quite manifest. All the 
 churches have gained in experience, chiefly by the trials 
 through which they have passed, and now they understand 
 far better than at first, the relations of the members to the 
 Church, and of the Church to its members. 
 
 The standard of piety is high ; and for simplicity of faith, 
 and a full, and peaceful, and joyful trust in Christ, many 
 of our Armenian brethren might be held up as examples 
 to Christians in more favored lands. The forms of wor- 
 ship among them are essentially copied from the prevalent 
 usages in our churches in America. The singing is al- 
 ways strictly congregational, in which all join with a 
 heartiness that is truly affecting. This part of the wor- 
 ship of Grod is to each and every one of them an important 
 means of grace, the loss of which would be disastrous to 
 their spirituality. The missionary zeal of the Armenian 
 Christians has already been alluded to, as one of the 
 striking characteristics of their piety. It does not expend 
 itself on its own people, but, like the spirit of primitive 
 Christianity, it seeks to do good to the whole race of man. 
 
 The present aspect of the work of God among the Ar- 
 menian.'^ of Turkey is highly cheering. A numerical es- 
 
"204 STATE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH. 
 
 timate of the strength of the existing evangelical commu- 
 nities, would present an entirely erroneous view of the true 
 strength of Protestantism in the country. During the 
 eighteen years of missionary labor in behalf of that people, 
 involving much inquiry and much discussion, new thoughts 
 and new opinions have found a lodgment in many minds. 
 The constant presentation of Scripture truth for so long a 
 time, in conversation, in the pulpit, and from the press, 
 has not been powerless on the Armenian community, as 
 such. One error after another has given place to the truth ; 
 and now, many of those who still claim to be faithful sons 
 of the Church, boast that the Armenians are free from 
 certain superstitions and observances which only a few 
 years ago were considered as the test of their orthodoxy, 
 and as their glory and their pride. The symbols of super- 
 stition are also gradually disappearing from their churches. 
 Reverence for the clergy and a dread of their anathemas, 
 have given place extensively to disgust for their selfish- 
 ness and duplicity, hatred of their cruelty, and contempt 
 of their power. The Bible, in an intelligible language, is 
 extensively read, and the opinions and practices of the 
 Church continually compared wdth its teachings. Thou- 
 sands who still remain in the old connection, are intellec- 
 tually convinced that evangelical Protestantism is true ; 
 and some among them, no doubt, have heartily embraced 
 the doctrines their intellects approve. Some belonging to 
 this class are active reformers, who are constantly em- 
 ployed in circulating the Scriptures and other publications 
 from our press, and making known the truth even as it is 
 in Jesus. The pastors and members of the evangelical 
 churches, also, are now permitted to have free intercourse 
 with their brethren who remain in the ancient Church. 
 
ANTICIPATIONS OF THE FUTURE. 265 
 
 The force of the anathema has expended itself, and a 
 friendly intercourse is once more maintained between the 
 Protestant and Armenian parties. The children of the 
 latter are sent to the Protestant schools, and the adults are 
 more and more in the habit of attending the Protestant 
 places of worship. Evangelical sentiments are spreading 
 in the land. A spirit of inquiry extensively prevails, and 
 free discussions are allowed. Never, from the beginning, 
 did the Armenian mission see a day of more intense in- 
 terest or brighter promise than the present. The enemies 
 of spiritual religion are still busy, but so are its friends. 
 Another crisis must soon come on, another exodus from a 
 corrupt Church ; but it will be on a far grander scale than 
 before. The progress must be onward towards the light, 
 and not backward towards the darkness. Nothing but 
 the enlightening, renewing, and sanctifying influences of 
 the Holy Spirit, however, can render the movement a real 
 blessing. 
 
 The narrative is now finished, but not the work of Grod 
 which has been so imperfectly sketched. And while our 
 hearts throb with holy gratitude and joy, in view of what 
 G-od hath wrought, may we not confidently anticipate that 
 still more wondrous scenes will be exhibited on that chosen 
 theatre of his love and power ? He has his instruments 
 prepared. Even the schemes of politicians and the enter- 
 prises of commercial men, he subsidizes, and compels to 
 contribute to the accomplishment of his purposes. He 
 moves governments and associations of men to make high- 
 ways by steam through the deep, to facilitate the march 
 of his kingdom. All power, all resources, all hearts are 
 in his hand. What is too hard for him ? 
 
 But where is our devotion to the cause ? Where is our 
 12 
 
266 DUTY OF CHRISTIANS. 
 
 love to our fellow-men ? "Where are our tithes and offer- 
 ings ? Where is our self-denial ? Where are our prayers ? 
 Oh ! what higher honor or joy can a disciple of Christ desire, 
 or possess, than to be a co-worker with the great God in 
 bringing a wandering and rebellious world back to its al- 
 legiance to the King of kings, and in conferring on the 
 miserable and the perishing the infinite privileges and 
 blessings of the Grospel ! 
 
 n 
 
APPENDIX, 
 
 FIRST ANATHEMA OF THE PRIEST VERTANES. 
 
 " From Matteos, the Lord Archbishop and Patriarch of the 
 great metropolitan city of Constantinople, to all our Spirtual Ec- 
 clesiastical Officers, and to our Armenian Laity, salutation in 
 Jesus Christ. 
 
 " The holy apostle Paul, the chosen vessel of the Grrace of the 
 Holy Spirit, has well counselled the servants of the church of God, 
 of every rank and grade, how the clergy especially should stand 
 firm in faith and conversation, with holiness and purity ; how the 
 elders and priests, who are ministers of the divine and holy sa- 
 craments, should be nourished by the holy faith, and become ex- 
 amples to the faithful in doctrine, life, charity, faith and holiness ; 
 not to neglect the grace of God which was given them by the lay- 
 ing on of the hands of the Presbytery ; and to take heed to 
 themselves and to their doctrines, so as to both save themselves 
 and those that hear them. AU this has the apostle transmitted in 
 writing to Timothy, saying, (i. 6,) ' Wherefore I put thee in re- 
 membrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee, by 
 the putting on of thy hand. That good thing which was com- 
 mitted to thee, keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us. 
 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that need- 
 eth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. O 
 Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding 
 
268 APPENDIX. 
 
 profane aud vain babblings and oppositions of science falsely so 
 called.' 
 
 " But now in these latter times, as according to the inspired 
 prophecy of the apostle, some have departed from the holy faith, 
 and turned aside to the impiety and seduction of devils, speaking 
 falsehood in hypocrisy, deceived by their own consciences and fol- 
 lowing their sinful lusts, they finally arrive at perdition in new 
 fangled oppositions and errors. 
 
 " Of these there is one in our nation, a contemptible wretch, 
 the unworthy priest Vertanes, of Nicomedia. He was some time 
 since ordained over the Church in Nicomedia, by the spiritually 
 illuminated Archbishop Boghos, of that city. This fellow, fol- 
 lowing his carnal lusts, leaves the Church and his sacred office, 
 and, like a vagabond going about through the metropolis and Ni- 
 comedia, babbles out errors, unworthy of his sacred office and 
 dignity, and becomes an occasion of stumbling to many. And 
 altogether throwing aside the holiness of faith, which he had re- 
 ceived in the holy and catholic Armenian Church, he follows the 
 erroneous doctrines of Modern Sectaries^ and begins to preach 
 their error in Nicomedia, Cesarea, Anatolia, and in Constantinople, 
 and in every place wherever he sets his impious foot, and to 
 overwhelm the simple people in spiritual destruction. After all 
 this, on his return to Constantinople we called him to us kindly, 
 conversed with him many times, beseechingly and mildly, and 
 gave him spiritual counsel necessary and usefr.l to disrobe him of 
 the impiety of his wayward course, and to robe him again in the 
 glorious vestments of the holy and catholic doctrines of the Ar- 
 menian Church. But he remained obstinately bent upon his 
 wickedness, after the example of Judas, who regarded not the 
 divine command of our Saviour, Jesus, when, in the presence of 
 the other apostles, he said of Judas, ^ But woe to that man by 
 whom the Son of man is betrayed ; good were it for that man if 
 he had never been born.' To this Judas did not listen, and did not 
 wish ever to think of it, for he did not wish to forsake his wicked- 
 ness, which he was prepared to do. In like manner this fellow, 
 
APPENDIX. 269 
 
 not wishing to expel the Satanic spirit from himself, and, in order 
 to accomplish his desires, has rejected the holy grace of God, 
 which he received in ordination. He has despised the holy cove- 
 nant which he covenanted with God, on receiving the holy order 
 of the priesthood. He has denied the Church of Christ which 
 begat him, he has denied the holy laver which received him into 
 Sonship to his heavenly Father. And this his impiety he has 
 shown not only by word and deed ; but his own manuscript, which 
 we have by us, has vomited out the gall of bitterness which was 
 in his heart. 
 
 " And since that deceiver endeavors to creep into houses, and 
 to travel here and there in order to deceive our simple-minded 
 people to the perdition of the soul, therefore hasting to warn my 
 beloved in the faith, I remind you of the apostolical counsel, ' A 
 man that is a heretic after the first and second admonition, reject, 
 knowing that he that is such, is subverted and sinneth, being con- 
 demned of himself.' Tit. iii. 10. For if he that despised Moses' 
 law perished without mercy, of how much sorer punishmeiit do 
 you think him worthy who has despised the immaculate bride of 
 Christ, the holy Church ? Behold this man deliberately and wil- 
 fully has wandered from the unity of the Church of Christ, an 
 enemy of the holy Churchy a divider of her members, a cause of 
 scandal, a seducer of the people, a traitor and murderer of Christ, 
 a child of the devil, and an offspring of Antichrist ^ worse than an 
 infidel, or a heathen, since, under the semblance of faith, he 
 teaches the impieties and seductions of Modern Sectaries. 
 
 " Therefore according to the declaration of our Lord, ^ Be- 
 ware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but 
 inwardly they are ravening wolves, who will not spare the flock,' 
 (Matt. vii. 15,) behold this is a ravening and rending wolf, who 
 in sheep's clothing, that is, under the appearance of prie«tly 
 virtue, comes to you, to rend and devour you, and to lacerate the 
 innocent lambs, the children of our holy Church, with the wicked 
 and hellish teeth of his filthy mouth. 
 
 " Wherefore we expel him and forbid him as a Devil, and a 
 
270 APPENDIX. 
 
 child of the Devil, to enter the company of our believers. We 
 cut him off from the priesthood as an amputated member of the 
 spiritual body of Christ, and as a branch cut off from the vine, 
 which is good for nothing but to be cast into the fire. By this 
 admonitory bull, I therefore command and warn my beloved in 
 every city far and near, not to look upon his face, regarding it as 
 the face of Belial ; not to receive him into your holy dwelling, 
 for he is a house destroying and ravening wolf ; not to receive 
 his salutation, but as a soul-destroying and deadly poison ; and 
 to beware, with all your households, of the seducing and impious 
 followers of the false doctrine of Modern Sectaries ; and to pray 
 for them, to the God who rcmembereth not iniquity, if perchance 
 tiiey may repent, and turn from their wicked paths, and secure 
 the salvation of their souls, through the grace of our Lord and 
 Saviour Jesus Christ, who is blessed for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 " This bull was written under the shadow of the Cathedral 
 Church of the holy mother of God, at the Patriarchate of all 
 the Armenians, this 12th of January, in the year of our Lord, 
 1846, Constantinople." 
 
 B 
 
 SECOND ANATHEMA OF THE ARMENIAN PATRIARCH, ANATHE- 
 MATIZING THE WHOLE BODY OF EVANGELICAL ARMENIANS. 
 
 " Be it known to the pious flock of our Church in the metro- 
 polis, that on the last Sabbath, the decree of Anathema was read 
 for the information of the pious, but some of the people under- 
 stood it as referring only to the cursed nonentity Vertanes, falsely 
 called priest, and not also to the others. Wherefore we considered 
 it necessary to day to repeat it, and to inform you, that not 
 only that cursed one, (Vertanes) but also all that are of his sen- 
 timents, deceivers and blasphemers against the Church, and 
 followers of the corrupt new sectj are accursed and exoommuni- 
 
APPENDIX. 271 
 
 cated and anathematized, by God, and by all his saints, and 
 by us. 
 
 " Wherefore, whoever has a son, that is such an one, or a 
 brother, or a partner (in business) and gives him breads or assists 
 him in making money ^ or has intercourse with him as a friend 
 or does business with him — let such persons know that they are 
 nourishing a venomous serpent in their houses, which will one 
 day injure them with its deadly poison, and they will lose their 
 souls. Such persons give bread to Judas. Such persons are 
 enemies of the holy faith of Christianity, and destroyers of the 
 holy orthodox Church of the Armenians, and a disgrace to the 
 whole nation. Wherefore, their houses and shops also are ac- 
 cursed ; and whoever goes to visit them, we shall learn, and make 
 them public to the holy Church by terrible anathemas. For in 
 these days there are some of the poisoned individuals who have 
 become acquainted with their awful error, and having undertaken 
 the necessary penance with repentance, they confess their sin — 
 whom God forgives through the intercession of the holy Church, 
 and our holy Church also receives. On which account we now wait 
 that we may receive all who will return, — and at last, as many 
 souls as remain wicked and hardened, who, receiving bodily sup- 
 port or monthly wages, deny their church, and like Judas, betray 
 Christ through love of money ; — these also, by their names and 
 places, we shall publish to all our churches far and near, with 
 terrible anathema. 
 
 " Wherefore by this my letter of notification, I again command 
 and warn the pious to keep aloof from those wicked deceivers ; — 
 for the love of the holy faith of Jesus Christ, the glory of the 
 holy Church, and the interest and advantage of your own souls. 
 
 " Farewell ; and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with 
 you all. Amen." 
 
t 
 
 272 APPENDIX. 
 
 H^if PAPER OF RECANTATION.* 
 
 *' Our most Honorable and Spiritual Father : 
 
 " Having been, by God's special Providence, born in the holy 
 and spotless Christian religion, and particularly having been 
 nourished in the Catholic doctrines of the holy Armenian Church, 
 with whatever honor and love we may show filial obedience to the 
 same holy Church, still it is evident that for such distinguished 
 favors we can never make a sufficient return. But alas ! that 
 being deceived by the wicked enticements of Satan, besides being 
 found wanting in our duty, we separated from the spotless bosom 
 of the same holy Church, and rejecting her apostolic, sound and 
 saving doctrine, we were caught in the loose and soul-destroying 
 doctines of the New Sectaries. And thus we not only despised 
 our immaculate Mother, the Holy Church, who regenerated us by 
 the holy laver to be the sons of God, but we were also found op- 
 posers of the infallible command of Christ Jesus, who has given 
 to his holy Church, the power of being invincible to the gates of 
 hell. We have also sinned against the mighty power of the Holy 
 Spirit, who guides the Church of Christ ever to remain in infalli- 
 ble truth ; and finally we have lightly esteemed the free graca of 
 God the Father, who was pleased to create us in this holy faith, 
 as the single and only means of becoming the heirs of his glory. 
 
 " Behold, we were lovingly joined to this impious sect, and until 
 
 now, we wilfully remained obstinate in this error. But when the 
 
 holy Church, by the God-given power of your high priesthood, 
 
 after having again and again resorted to counsel, and the means 
 
 necessary to correct us, brandished her two-edged and Christ-given 
 
 sword, which pierceth even to the dividing asunder of soul and 
 
 spirit, of the joints and marrow, immediately the bands of our 
 
 * It is written as from the mouth of those who recant, and is addressed 
 to the Patriarch. 
 
*^ APPENDIX. 273 
 
 soul were broken, and the stupor wbich reigned over our hearts, 
 dispelled ; the obstinacy of our wills relaxed, we awoke from our 
 beastly Nebuchadnezzar-like irrationality, and became aware that 
 what we had done was against the Divine power, and that the 
 preaching of those deceiving New Sectaries, which we had heartily 
 received, was nothing else but an invention of arrogance, a snare 
 of Satan, a sect of confusion, a broad road which leadeth to de- 
 struction. 
 
 " Wherefore, repenting of these our impious deeds, of our own 
 will and choice we have fled again to the bosom of our immacu- 
 late and holy Armenian Church ; and, in order to excite her gra- 
 cious compassion towards us, receiving your Spiritual and Chris- 
 tian authority as our Mediator, we cry, " Father, we have sinned 
 against heaven and before thee," in order that she may grant us 
 forgiveness with a forgetful indulgence towards our former disso- 
 lute lives ; and whatever penance she may impose we will wil- 
 lingly perform ; and we confess that the faith of the holy Church 
 is spotless, her sacraments Divine, her rites of apostolic origin, 
 her ritual pious. And whatever this same holy Church receiveth, 
 whether it be a matter of faith or ceremony, we also receive ; 
 and whatever doctrines she rejects, we also like her reject with 
 anathemas. And this truth, which we here express by word and 
 letter, we also confess with our heart and mind, before the heart- 
 searching God. And if by cherishing in our hearts something 
 different from what we here assert, we design to deceive the holy 
 Church by practising hypocrisy, then may we be regarded as par- 
 takers of the sin, and liable to the punishment of Ananias and 
 Sapphira, who lied to the Holy Ghost, the fountain of truth. 
 
 '* And if through fear, or for temporal advantage, or in order 
 not to give up our own opinions, after now making this confes- 
 sion, we return to our former impious way, and to the error of 
 those accursed New Sectaries, and visit them, or those like them, 
 or have any intercourse whatever with them ; then, even though 
 we should repent, let punishment spiritual and temporal be imme- 
 diately executed upon us 
 
274 APPENDIX. 
 
 " And now, in order to demonstrate that we receive with all our 
 hearts everything we have confessed, we now sign and affix our 
 seals each with his own hand, — once haters, but now, by the 
 grace of God, penitent children of the holy and catholic Arme- 
 nian Church." 
 
 D 
 
 THE patriarch's " NEW CREED." 
 
 1 . "Do you confess and receive, that faith alone cannot save a 
 man ; but with faith there must also be good works ; and that 
 not good works, but the making of a confession in accordance 
 with the belief of the universal Church, is the sign that a Christian 
 has the true faith." 
 
 2. " Do you confess and receive, that the Church of Christ in 
 this world is the visible company of believers, confessing and not 
 concealing their faith, and is called The Church Militant, and 
 that the head of that Holy Church is Christ, and that it is govern- 
 ed by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, (i. e. its governors act 
 under the influence of the Holy Spirit — Tr.) and will never 
 cease nor fail to the end of time ; it has never erred and never 
 can err ; and that there is not a single truth in the Holy Scrip- 
 tures which is not acknowledged by the Holy Church ?" 
 
 3. '* Do you confess and receive the seven Sacraments of the 
 Church, which are Baptism, Confirmation, Penance, Communion, 
 Ordination, Matrimony, and Extreme Unction ; and that those 
 Sacraments cannot be administered by any private Christian, but 
 only by a regularly ordained Catholicos, or bishop, or priest, who 
 alone has authority to administer them, and that authority they 
 have received from Christ, through him who ordained them ?" 
 
 4. " Do you confess and receive, that man, in order to be an 
 heir of eternal salvation, must be baptized ; that while unbap- 
 tized he is out of the church, and has no salvation ^ even though he 
 
APPENDIX. 275 
 
 had never sinried at all ; likewise that until he confesses his sins, 
 with every single circumstance, and with perfect repentance, be- 
 fore a priest, and submits to the penance imposed by the priest, 
 he cannot receive the forgiveness of his sins and absolution, nor 
 become worthy of eternal glory. Nay, if he has confessed, and 
 should die before performing the penance, or in light and involun- 
 tary sins after confession, the soul of such, by the prayer of the 
 Churchy by the deathless sacrifice, ( of the mass,) and by special 
 almSj is purified and becomes worthy of eternal glory ?" 
 
 5. *' Do you confess and receive, that the mystery of the Holy 
 Communion is the true body and blood of Christ, and that who- 
 ever does not partake of the Communion in this belief is under 
 eternal condemnation ?" 
 
 6. "Do you confess and receive that the Holy Virgin Mary, 
 having brought forth Christ-God, is the mother of God, and that 
 both at the time of his birth, and afterwards, her virginity re- 
 mained unimpaired, that she is ever virgin, and worthy of honor 
 above all the saints ; and that the holy wooden cross, having been 
 stained by the Divine blood of Christ, and other holy and anoint- 
 ed crosses, on account of being the image of this, are worthy of 
 adoration. Likewise, that the intercession of the saints is accept- 
 able to God, and their relics and anointed pictures worthy of 
 honor, and that God always works miracles by means both of 
 the holy cross and holy relics .^" 
 
 7. "Do you confess and receive, that to believe in the Church, 
 means, to believe those things which the universal Holy Church 
 unitedly believes, and to believe them in the same way she does .^" 
 
 " Do you thus believe the Holy Church, and do you honor anl 
 promise to keep and perform her external ceremonies of piety and 
 Christian rites, and all her requirements, as having been received 
 by tradition from the holy Apostles, and the holy fathers who 
 succeeded them .'" 
 
 8. "Do you confess and receive, that in the Holy Church 
 there are different offices and grades of authority successively 
 rising, as reader, deacon, priest, bishop, catholicos ; and that the 
 
276 APPENDIX. 
 
 catholicoses and patriarchs of every nation are Christ's vice- 
 gerents, to rule the Holy Church, and govern her in due order. 
 But should the life of one of these shepherds be vicious, the 
 church governed by him does not thereby err in the least, and no 
 blot comes upon the universal church ?" 
 
 9. " Do you anathematize and withdraw from that man and 
 that society who preaches that error has entered into the faith 
 unitedly received by the universal church, saying that the Holy 
 Spirit has taught me so, and thus represents his own instigating 
 spirit of error as Grod the Holy Spirit, and ' trusting to that, calls 
 the Holy Mother of God the mother of Christ, and denies her 
 perpetual virginity, and esteeming the worship offered to the 
 Holy Cross, and the honor paid to the relics of saints, and to 
 anointed pictures, and the reception of the intercession of the 
 saints with God, as idolatry, calls Christ's Holy Church idolatrous, 
 and rejects her ceremonies of piety, and all her requisitions, as 
 superstitious, and limits God's infinite power by not receiving his 
 working of miracles.' (See § 6.) The followers of such error 
 do you anathematize, reject, and altogether withdraw from, as 
 impious blasphemers of the Holy Spirit, and enemies of God 
 and all his saints ?" 
 
 Those who subscribed affixed their names to the following form 
 of reception : 
 
 " These nine are the articles of faith of the Armenian Church, 
 which every Armenian is bound to receive. 
 
 " Of the above questions, whatever truths are found in them 
 to be confessed and acknowledged, I profess and acknowledge, 
 and believe them all, in accordance with the Holy Church ; and 
 whatever is to be rejected and anathematized, and cast away as 
 error and ungodliness, I reject, and anathematize, and cast away; 
 and I believe that the Holy Catholic Church of Christ is the only 
 pillar and ground of the truth, and whoever is out of the Church 
 is not an heir of salvation. Feb. 4, 1846." (0. S.) 
 
APPENDIX. *277 
 
 E 
 
 DECLARATION OP REASONS FOR ORGANIZING PROTESTANT 
 CHURCHES. 
 
 " We, Evangelical Christians of the Armenian nation, believing 
 that the true foundation and perfect rule of Christian faith is the 
 Holy Scriptures alone, have cast away from us those human tra- 
 ditions and ceremonies which are opposed to the rules of the 
 Bible, but which our National Church requires. And furthermore, 
 without having had the least intention of separating from it, we 
 have been united together for the special purpose of enlightening 
 and reforming this Church. And since we receive entire the 
 Nicene creed of the Church, and also since up to the present time 
 no creed, embracing particularly these human traditions, has been 
 framed and enjoined upon the members of the Armenian Church 
 as necessary to be received, we could be considered as regular 
 members of the National Church by simply receiving the ancient 
 (Nicene) creed. But in the year 1846, Bishop Matteos, Patri- 
 arch of the Armenians, has invented a new creed, embracing 
 particularly these human traditions, and he has insisted upon our 
 accepting and subscribing it. 
 
 '* But we, obeying God rather than man, have not received it ; 
 on account of which he has cast us out of the Church, and ana- 
 thematized us particularly and publicly by name ; and, according 
 to his ability, he has also inflicted upon us material injuries. We 
 had indeed, previous to this, suffered persecution of different 
 kinds for our religious opinions ; as, for instance, about seven 
 years ago, several of us were sent into exile ; and also, within 
 about two years, some have been banished, some put in prison, 
 some fined, some bastinadoed, &c. ; yet since the present Patri- 
 arch rejected us by excommunication from the Church, he has 
 inflicted on us generally various additional bodily penalties. Thus, 
 for several months, all the shops of the Evangelical Armenians 
 were closed ; some were unwilliDgly separated from their homes 
 13 
 
278 APPENDIX. 
 
 and parents ; and some even from their wives and husbands ; 
 bakers and water-carriers were forbidden to bring either bread or 
 water ; and to the extent of his ability, he strove, by every species 
 of bodily infliction, to compel us to receive and sign his new con- 
 fession of faith. 
 
 " And although, by the interposed protection of the powerful 
 Ottoman Government, he has been prevented from continuing 
 this severity of persecution, he has to this day, every day on the 
 Sabbath, repeated the command to the Armenian people not to 
 receive us into their houses or shops, or even to look upon us. 
 And finally, after all these things, he has issued a new bull, and 
 caused it to be read in all the churches on the day of the Catholic 
 Church festival ; which bull of excommunication and anathema is 
 also to be read in all the churches throughout the Ottoman Em- 
 pire, every year successively, at this same festival. Thus he cuts 
 us off, and casts us out forever from the National Church, by the 
 standing order and high authority of this bull. 
 
 " And now it being evident that we cannot be in fellowship 
 with the Armenian Church without receiving human traditions 
 and rites, which, being contrary to the Holy Scriptures, we 
 cannot receive ; we, therefore, by the grace and mercy of 
 God, following the doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ and 
 obeying the Gospel, and consequently being members of his 
 one Catholic and Apostolical Church, do now rightfully and 
 justly constitute ourselves into a Church with the following con- 
 fession of faith." 
 
 PLAN OF CHURCH ORGANIZATION FOR THE EVANGELICAL 
 
 ARMENIANS. 
 
 The following plan of organization for the Evangelical Armenian 
 Church, is presented at the particular request of the Armenian 
 
APPENDIX. 279 
 
 brethren, and with the special understanding on our part, that 
 ■we merely suggest and advise, and would by no means dictate^ in 
 such a matter, or claim the least authority over them. 
 
 1. The officers of the Evangelical Armenian Church, shall 
 consist of ciders or bishops, (called also pastors, &c.,) and deaconSj 
 to be chosen by the male members of the church, and set apart by 
 prayer and the imposition of hands. 
 
 2. In the first Evangelical Armenian church in Constantinople, 
 there shall be, for the present, one elder or bishop, and two 
 deacons ; it being understood that the number of either may here- 
 after be increased, as circumstances demand. 
 
 3. Inasmuch as discipline, according to the Scriptures, (1 Cor. 
 V. 4, and 2 Cor. ii. 6, ) belongs not to the clergy alone, but, with 
 them, to the people ; and inasmuch as it is not always convenient 
 nor expedient for the whole church to come together for this pur- 
 pose, they shall choose three or more brethren as " helps,^^ 
 ^^ governments,^^ (1 Cor. xii. 28,) to form, with the pastor and 
 deacons, a church session or standing committee, for the examina- 
 tion of candidates for admission into the church and the adminis- 
 tration of discipline. 
 
 4. Of the church members thus chosen to form the committee, 
 two shall be elected, in the first instance, for the term of one 
 year, and the remaining one or more for the term of two years ; 
 and when these terms respectively expire, a new election shall 
 take place, either of the same or other individuals, who are there- 
 after to serve equally for two years, it being the object of this 
 rule to secure a new election of one half the number, or as near 
 one-half as may be, once every year. 
 
 5. The first bishops, or pastors, and deacons, chosen by the 
 church, shall be set apart to their office by prayer and the im- 
 position of hands, in the presence of the church, by missionaries 
 of the American Board, and such other ministers of Christ as 
 may be invited to assist ; it being understood that this is merely 
 a rule of present expediency and convenience, and also that 
 it belonf's to the Evangelical Armenian Church to provide, 
 
280 APPENDIX. 
 
 thereafter, for the ordination of its own officers, according to the 
 apostolic example. 
 
 6. Each bishop, or pastor, is to give himself wholly to the 
 preaching of the word and to prayer ; to administer the sacra- 
 ments ; to visit the sick ; to give particular attention to the 
 religious instruction of the congregation, and, by visiting families 
 and individuals, and adapting his counsels to the peculiarities of 
 each, to promote in every possible way the highest spiritual 
 welfare of his people. He is also entitled to the sympathy 
 and prayers of his flock, and to receive from them a competent 
 support. 
 
 The deacons are to have a care over the poor of the church, 
 and to distribute among them the alms collected for their 
 relief, and to assist the pastor, in all suitable ways, in spiritual 
 duties. 
 
 The pastor shall preside at all meetings of the church, and of 
 the standing committee or church session ; and, in his absence, 
 this duty shall devolve upon one of the deacons. 
 
 7. Baptism is to be administered only to those who give 
 credible evidence of true faith in Jesus Christ, and to their house- 
 holds. 
 
 8. Candidates for admission to the communion shall be care- 
 fully examined as to their knowledge of the doctrines of the Gos- 
 pel and their personal piety by the standing committee or church 
 session ; and if the result of the examination, and of a sufficient 
 observation of the lives of the individuals, be such as to affi)rd 
 satisfactory evidence of repentance toward God, and faith in our 
 Lord Jesus Christ, implying a new heart, they shall be proposed 
 by the pastor, at a regular meeting of the church, at least two 
 weeks previous to the communion, and the male members shall 
 be called upon to vote on the question of their admission. 
 
 9. This examination may be dispensed with in cases where in- 
 dividuals offer themselves for communion, who, either by letter, 
 or otherwise, are known to be regular and consistent members of 
 eister churches of Christ. 
 
 :^i«i 
 
 «j^ 
 
 m- 
 
APPENDIX. 281 
 
 10. If no objections have been made, the candidates proposed 
 shall, on the day of the communion, be admitted to the full privi- 
 leges of membership, on assenting, in the presence of the whole 
 3hurch, to the following confession of faith and covenant ; and 
 heir names shall thereafter be enrolled as communicants in the 
 •ecords of the church. 
 
 CONFESSION OF FAITH. 
 
 1. You believe in the existence of one only living and true God, 
 the Creator, Preserver, and Governor of the universe ; omni- 
 potent, omniscient, omnipresent ; self-existent, independent, im- 
 mutable ; possessed of infinite benevolence, wisdom, holiness, 
 justice, mercy, and truth, and who is the only proper object of 
 worship. 
 
 2. You believe that Grod exists in three persons, the Father, 
 the Son, and the Holy G-host ; and that these three are one 
 God. 
 
 3. You believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testa- 
 ment were given by inspiration of God, and are a revelation of 
 his will to man, and the sufficient and only rule of faith and 
 practice. 
 
 4. You believe that mankind, in their natural state, are desti- 
 tute of holiness, and entirely depraved, and justly exposed to 
 the Divine wrath. 
 
 5. You believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, perfect God and 
 perfect man, is the only Saviour of sinners, and the only mediator 
 and intercessor between God and man ; and that by his perf 
 obedience, sufferings, and death, he made full atonement for s 
 so that all who believe in him will assuredly be saved, and tl 
 there is no other sacrifice for sin. 
 
 6. You believe that in consequence of the uttsr wickedness ( 
 man, it is necessary that all should be regenerated by the pow 
 of the Holy Ghost, in order to be saved. 
 
 7. You believe that we are justified by the righteousness o 
 Christ alone, through faith, and not by any fastings, alms, penance 
 
283 APPENDIX. 
 
 or other deeds of our own ; and tliat while good works are in- 
 separable from true faith, they can never be the meritorious ground 
 of salvation before God. 
 
 8. You believe that holiness of life, and a conscientious dis- 
 charge of the various duties we owe to God, to our fellow men, 
 and to ourselves, are not only constantly binding upon all be- 
 lievers, but essential to the Christian character. 
 
 9. You believe that, besides God, no other being is to be wor- 
 shipped and adored, and that each person in the sacred Trinity is 
 worthy of our worship, which, to be acceptable, must be offered 
 through no other mediation than that of Jesus Christ alone ; and 
 that the use of relics, pictures, crosses, and images of any sort, 
 in any act of worship, and of the intercession of the saints, 
 is directly contrary to the Scriptures, and highly displeasing to 
 God ; and that prayer for the dead is not authorized in the Word 
 of God. 
 
 10. You believe that there will be a resurrection of the dead, 
 both of the just and of the unjust, and a day of judgment ; and 
 that the happiness of the righteous, and the punishment of the 
 wicked, commence at death, and continue without end. 
 
 11. You believe that any number of believers, duly organized, 
 constitute a church of Christ, of which Christ is the only Head ; 
 and that the only sacraments of Christ's Church are Bajptism 
 and the Lordh Supper ; the former being the seal of the cove- 
 nant, and a sign of the purifying operation of the Holy Spirit, 
 and the token of admission into the visible Church ; and the 
 latter, in showing forth by visible symbols the death of Christ, 
 being a perpetual memento of his atoning love, and a pledge of 
 union and communion with him and with all true believers. 
 
 12. You believe that the Gospel is the chief instrument ap- 
 pointed by Christ for the conversion of men and for the edifica- 
 tion of his people, and that it is the duty of his Church to carry 
 into eflfect the Saviour's command, " Go ye into all the world, and 
 preach the Gospel to every creature." 
 
APPENDIX. 283 
 
 COVENANT. 
 
 Humbly hoping that you are united to Christ by a living faith, 
 and feeling yourself [or yourselves] under indispensable obliga- 
 tions to acknowledge him before men and unite with his visible 
 Church ; you solemnly declare, in the presence of this assembly, 
 and before Grod, that you have chosen the Lord, — Father, Son, 
 and Holy Spirit, — to be your God, Saviour, and Sanctifier, and 
 the Holy Scriptures to be your only rule of faith and practice. 
 You make an unreserved surrender of yourself [or yourselves,] 
 and whatever belongs to you, to the service of God, promising, by 
 Divine help, to lead a life of holy obedience to the will of God ; 
 keeping sacredly his Sabbaths, and observing conscientiously the 
 rules of truth, honesty, and sobriety, laid down in his "Word ; en- 
 deavoring to promote, with all your powers, the religion of Christ 
 in the world, and ever to set an example of justice, temperance, 
 charity, and godliness. 
 
 You further engage to walk together with the members of this 
 Church, as becomes those of the same redeemed household, in 
 the exercise of Christian affection, in the discharge of Christian 
 duty, and in cheerful submission to its watch and discipline. 
 
 Relying for assistance on the Holy Spirit, you make these 
 solemn declarations and promises, in the presence of this assembly, 
 and before God himself, the Searcher of all hearts, and the Judge 
 of all the world ? 
 
 [To which the candidate is to give a token of assent. The 
 members of the church then rise, and the minister says :] 
 
 We then affectionately receive you to the fellowship of this 
 church, promising to watch over you with Christian tenderness 
 and fidelity, and, in all respects, to conduct towards you that 
 friendship and brotherly kindness which your sacred relation 
 to us demands ; always praying that you and we may at laat be 
 presented faultless before our Lord, with exceeding joy. Amen. 
 
 [Then follows a short prayer.] 
 
284 APPENDIX. 
 
 DISCIPLINE. 
 
 Discipline is the application of such laws as the Lord Jesus 
 Christ has appointed to his Church for the removal of offences, 
 the preservation of the purity and edification of the Church, and 
 also the benefit of the ofiender. 
 
 Rule 1 . All Christian discipline is spiritual ; and nothing shall 
 be admitted as matter of accusation, or considered an offence, 
 •which cannot be proved to be such from the Scriptures. 
 
 2. Private and personal offences are not to be laid immediately 
 before the church, but are to be dealt with in the manner pointed 
 out by our Saviour in Matthew xviii. 
 
 3. Notorious and scandalous offences, and especially those 
 against any of the commands of the decalogue, shall be con- 
 sidered as requiring the immediate attention of the standing 
 committee. 
 
 4. Offenders are to be admonished, suspended, or excommuni- 
 cated, according to the nature of their offence, and the dispositions 
 they manifest in regard to it ; it being understood that all disci- 
 pline is intended for the good of the offender, and that neither 
 anathemas nor temporal penalties can be inflicted by the Church 
 of Christ. 
 
 5. The trial of persons for offences shall be conducted by the 
 standing committee, or church session, who, after a thorough and 
 impartial investigation of the case, shall report their decision to 
 the male members of the church, with the written evidence for 
 and against the accused, the final sentence being passed by vote 
 of the church. 
 
 6. If in any case the church disapproves the decision of the 
 standing committee, and the matter cannot be arranged between 
 them, it shall be referred to a meeting of the pastors and delegates 
 of the associated churches. And if any member feels aggrieved 
 by the decision of the standing committee and church, he may, in 
 like manner, appeal to the same body, whose decision shall, in all 
 cases, be final. 
 
APPENDIX. 285 
 
 7. If a minister shall be charged with an offence, the standing 
 committee of the church, over which he is pastor, or within whose 
 bounds he resides, shall, in a tender and respectful manner, ask 
 him for an explanation or justification of his conduct. If they are 
 not satisfied, they shall lay the case before the pastors- and dele- 
 gates of the associated churches, whose duty it shall be to try the 
 accused minister, and if they see cause, they shall have power to 
 suspend or depose him from the ministry. 
 
 8. When a minister shall have been deposed, he shall be 
 subject to the discipline of the church to which he belongs, in the 
 same way as other private members. 
 
 G 
 
 TRANSLATION OF AN ORDER, OBTAINED FROM THE SUBLIME 
 PORTE BY THE RIGHT HONORABLE LORD COWLEY, IN FAVOR OF 
 THE sultan's PROTESTANT SUBJECTS. 
 
 ** To His Excellency^ the Pasha Comptroller of the City Revenue. 
 
 " Whereas the Christian subjects of the Ottoman Government 
 professing Protestantism, have experienced diflSculty and embar- 
 rassment from not being hitherto under a special and separate 
 jurisdiction, and naturally the Patriarch and the heads of the 
 sects from which they have separated not being able to superin- 
 tend their affairs ; and 
 
 " Whereas it is in contravention to the supreme will of his Im- 
 perial Majesty our Gracious Lord and Benefactor, (may God in- 
 crease him in years and power !) animated as he is with feelings 
 of deep interest and clemency towards all classes of his subjects, 
 that any of them should be subjected to grievance ; and 
 
 '' Whereas the aforesaid Protestants, in conformity with the 
 creed professed by them, do form a separate community : 
 
 " It is his Imperial Majesty's supreme will and command that 
 13* 
 
 
286 APPENDIX. W 
 
 for the sole purpose of facilitating their affairs, and of securing 
 the welfare of said Protestants, the administration thereof should 
 be henceforward confided to Your Excellency, together with the 
 allotment of the taxes to which they are subjected by law : that 
 you do keep a separate register of their births and deaths in the 
 Bureau of your Department, according to the system observed 
 with regard to the Latin subjects : that you do issue passports 
 and permits of marriage : and that any person of established 
 character and good conduct chosen by them to appear as their 
 agent at the Porte for the transaction and settlement of their cur- 
 rent affairs, be duly appointed for that purpose. 
 
 " Such are the Imperial Commands, which you are to obey to 
 the letter. 
 
 " But although passports and the allotment of taxes are placed 
 under special regulations which cannot be infringed upon, you 
 will be careful that, in pursuance of his Majesty's desire, no taxes 
 be exacted from the Protestants for permits of marriage and xq- 
 gistration ; that any necessary assistance and facility be afforded to 
 them in their current affairs ; that no interference whatever be per- 
 mitted in their temporal or spiritual concerns on the part of the 
 Patriarch, Monks or Priests of other Sects ; but that they be 
 enabled to exercise the profession of their creed, in security, and 
 that they be not molested one iota, either in that respect, or in 
 any other way whatever." 
 
 (SignedJ " Reshid, Grand Vezir.^' 
 
 November 15, 1847. 
 
PI ^^^ APPENDIX. 287 
 
 H 
 
 LETTER TO HER BRITANNIC MAJESTy's MINISTER AT THE SUB- 
 
 i 
 
 LIME PORTE, FROM THE MISSIONARIES OF THE AMERICAN 
 BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS AT CON- 
 STANTINOPLE. 
 
 Pera, Dec. 21, 1847. 
 To his Excellency the Right HonoraUe Lord Cowley, H. B. M. 
 Minister Plenipotentiary at the Sublime Porte, 8fc. 8^c. 8fc. 
 
 My Lord, — TVe, the undersigned, missionaries of the Ameri- 
 can Board of Foreign Missions, resident in Constantinople, beg 
 leave to offer to your Lordship our sincere congratulations on the 
 successful termination of your efforts in behalf of the Protestant 
 subjects of the Porte. 
 
 In view of the difficulties of the case, we are constrained to re- 
 gard the happy results obtained by means of your Lordship's per- 
 severing and benevolent endeavors, as having been secured only 
 through the special interposition of an overruling Providence ; 
 which of itself must afford ground to your Lordship for the most 
 gratifying reflections. The good actually accomplished to the 
 present generation is probably far greater than even the most san- 
 guine among us dares now to hope ; while its wide and happy in- 
 fluence on generations to come, of the different races in this land, 
 is known only to Him who sees the end from the beginning. 
 
 Through the humane interposition of his Excellency, Sir Strat- 
 ford Canning, the Protestant subjects of Turkey found substan- 
 tial relief from the persecutions under which they were then 
 suffering ; and since, by the untiring efforts of your Lordship, the 
 very important point has been conceded for them, that in regard 
 to liberty of conscience and the enjoyment of civil rights, they 
 shall be placed on the same footing with all other Christian sub- 
 jects of tlie Porte. 
 
 The record of this event will be a bright page in the history of 
 this country, redounding to the honor of Her Britannic Majesty's 
 
 ^j" 
 
288 APPENDIX. 
 
 • 
 
 present government, whom God has disposed to adopt so benevo- 
 lent a line of policy ; as well as of your Lordship, its honorable 
 representative, who has been the immediate instrument of so 
 great a blessing. 
 
 We take this opportunity of expressing to your Lordship our 
 sincere regret, that, (as we have been informed,) you are likely 
 to be called to leave this capital at no very distant day ; and we 
 beg to assure you, that it will be our fervent prayer to God, that 
 his protection and blessing may always accompany your Lordship 
 in whatever part of this world your lot may be cast. 
 
 With the renewed assurance of our highest respect and esteem, 
 we subscribe ourselves. 
 
 Your Lordship's humble and obedient servants, 
 (Signed) W. GOODELL, 
 
 H G. 0. DWIGHT, 
 
 W. G. SCAUFFLER, 
 
 H. A. HOMES, 
 
 C. HAMLIM, 
 
 G. W. WOOD, 
 
 H. J. VAN LENNEP, 
 
 J. S. EVERETT. 
 
 LETTER FROM HER BRITANNIC MAJESTy's MINISTER AT CONSTAN- 
 TINOPLE, THE RIGHT HONORABLE LORD COWLEY, TO THE 
 MISSIONARIES OF THE AMERICAN BOARD IN THAT CITY. 
 
 Therapis, {Constantinople,) Dec. 28, 1847. 
 
 Rev. William Goodell : 
 
 Rev. Sir, — ^I have received the letter which you and your 
 reverend brethren did me the honor to address me on the 21st 
 inst., and I beg to return you my most cordial thanks for the con- 
 gartulations which it offers on the successful termination of my 
 
APPENDIX. 289 
 
 poor endeavors in behalf of the Protestant subjects of the Sub- 
 lime Porte. I shall not fail to bring to the knowledge of Her 
 Majesty's Government and of her Majesty's Ambassador, the 
 sense which you entertain of the efforts which they have made in 
 the same cause. 
 
 Permit me also to take this opportunity of publicly stating, 
 how much the Protestants owe to you and to the Society which 
 sent you here. I gladly give my testimony to the zeal, prudence, 
 and patience which have characterized all your proceedings in 
 this country, and to which I attribute much of the success that 
 has crowned our joint endeavors. 
 
 We, however, are but mere instruments in the hands of a 
 higher Power ; though perhaps to you, reverend sir, it ill becomes 
 me to make the observation. To that same Power, then, let us 
 recommend the future interests of the emancipated community. 
 
 I thank you most sincerely for your good wishes in my behalf, 
 and for your kind expressions of regret at my approaching de- 
 parture from this country. Be assured that I shall always feel 
 a lively interest in your further progress, and that in whatever 
 part of the world I may be, I shall always endeavor to keep my- 
 self informed of your proceedings. 
 
 I would fain say one word before parting, on the necessity of 
 you and all your reverend brethren continuing to use all your influ- 
 ence to prevent further quarrels between the Protestants and the 
 Church from which they are seceders. Let no signs of triumph 
 on their part irritate or offend — persuade them to bear the taunts 
 and jeers, nay, even the insults, to which they may be exposed, 
 with patience and forbearance — urge them to abstain from dis- 
 turbing the peace and tranquillity of other families, by any undue 
 desire of obtaining proselytes — let them respect the religioua 
 creed of others, as they desire their own to be respected, and thus 
 they will prosper. 
 
 And it may be hoped, that the faith which they have adoj)tedo 
 will, under God's blessing, spread wider and wider, until it shab 
 13 
 
290 APPENDIX. 
 
 find a home wherever there is a Christian population in this em- 
 pire. 
 
 I have the honor to be, Keverend Sir, 
 
 Your most obedient, humble servant, 
 (Signed) COWLEY. 
 
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