S/r 
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 ■iy t f 
 
 A * ■ *» *
 
 MISSIONS IN EDEN 
 
 Glimpses of Life in the 
 Valley qt the Euphrates 
 
 \ 
 
 BY 
 
 MRS. CROSBY H. WHEELER 
 
 For forty years a Missionary of the American 
 Board in Harpoot, Eastern Turkey 
 
 New York Chicago Toronto 
 
 Fleming H. Revell Company 
 
 Publishers of Evangelical Literature
 
 Copyright, 1899 
 
 BY 
 
 Fleming H. Revell Company
 
 
 Contents 
 
 I 
 
 PASS 
 
 All the Way to Trebizond n 
 
 II 
 
 How Christ Came to Ararat 19 
 
 III 
 Fleeing From a Deadly Foe 25 
 
 IV 
 The Prote Konak 42 
 
 V 
 
 Armenian Etiquette and Housekeeping "A 
 la Frank" 50 
 
 VI 
 
 The Story of Garabed Baba 62 
 
 VII 
 "Woman, the Teacher of the Race" . . 71 
 
 VIM 
 
 Touring and Bible Women 90 
 
 5 
 
 3036122
 
 Contents 
 IX 
 
 PAGE 
 
 How the Windows of Heaven were Opened, 99 
 
 X 
 
 "Euphrates College" 109 
 
 XI 
 "Over the Taurus Mountains" .... 125 
 
 XII 
 Gregory the Martyr 149 
 
 XIII 
 Boghos the Hermit and Martyr . . . .173 
 
 6
 
 List of Illustrations 
 
 Mount Ararat Frontispiece 
 
 Moffas, a Method of Travelling To face 27 
 
 Harpoot 
 
 Armenians in Village Dress 
 
 Armenian Types 
 
 Translators of Kurdish Bible 
 
 Euphrates College, Mission Premises, Harpoot 
 
 Village Scenes 
 
 An Inmate of our Orphanage .;.... 
 
 4' 
 
 59 
 
 81 
 
 102 
 
 109 
 
 •59 
 190

 
 Introduction 
 
 These glimpses of missionary life, which 
 friends of missions have urged me to write, 
 are sent forth with the prayer that some may be 
 helped and strengthened by them to do more 
 earnest work for the Master, who calls every 
 Christian at home and abroad to enter His vine- 
 yard. Almost fifty years of labor in the home 
 and foreign field have convinced me that the 
 earnest worker will receive, even now, a blessed 
 reward. What will it be to hear the Master say, 
 "Well done, good and faithful servant; . . . 
 enter thou into the joy of thy Lord " ? 
 
 The hope for the future of missions is brighter 
 to-day than ever before, and with joy I dedicate 
 this little volume to the Student Volunteers from 
 whom I expect so much. 
 
 Mrs. C. H. Wheeler. 
 
 " Rouse to some work of high and holy love, 
 And thou an angel's happiness shalt know ; 
 Shalt bless the earth, when in the world above 
 
 The good begun by thee shalt onward flow 
 In many a branching stream, and wider grown, 
 The seed that in these few and fleeting hours 
 Thy hands unsparing and unwearied sow, 
 Sh-'l deck thy grave with amaranthine flowers, 
 And yield the fruits divine in heaven's immortal bow«rs." 
 
 Cajuos Wilcox. 
 9
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 ALL THE WAY TO TREBIZOND 
 
 In 1857, the American Board did not send out 
 their missionaries in steamers, but in sailing ves- 
 sels. On the second of January, in that year, 
 eleven missionaries went on board the Henry Hill 
 in Boston harbor, bound for Smyrna. 
 
 It was just after an eastern storm, and the good 
 ship was not so quiet as she would be before our 
 journey's end. Ten of the eleven missionaries 
 were found at the table that day. It was mid- 
 winter, and the tendency to seasickness made us 
 all hug our warm wraps about us. The wind 
 was fair and the ship under full sail sped over the 
 waves like a thing of life. 
 
 The next day we were all out on deck enjoy- 
 ing the wide expanse of ocean; for this was our 
 first experience at sea. Shut up as we were in 
 the ship, and with so much of common interest 
 in the work to which we had given ourselves, we 
 
 were not long in getting acquainted. Some of 
 
 11
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 the scenes on deck and at the long table in the 
 cabin are so painted upon the mind that they 
 will never become indistinct. 
 
 Soon we were in the Gulf Stream and were in- 
 terested in the changed color of the water, the 
 cloudy sky and continuous lightning, and not the 
 least, in the grateful warmth that resulted from 
 the current coming from a warmer region. 
 
 Every day we found something to interest us, 
 for everything was new and we were ready to 
 drink it in. 
 
 The good captain was also ready to give us all 
 the information we sought, and the days were 
 passing very pleasantly, when, one evening, we 
 began to see clouds gathering in the east. The 
 sailors seemed more active than usual, the sails 
 were being furled as the wind was rising. The 
 captain occasionally used his glass as he paced 
 the quarter-deck with a quicker and more nervous 
 step. Soon darkness shut us in and an Atlantic 
 storm burst upon us in all its fury. The noble 
 ship pitched and rolled fearfully. It seemed as if 
 in the darkness some mighty demon with his ter- 
 rible sledge hammer was trying to send us all to 
 the bottom. 
 
 Were we sorry that we had left the quiet 
 
 homes behind and were bearing the dangers of 
 
 12
 
 All the Way to Trebizond 
 
 the deep to carry the gospel to those who were 
 in darkness ? 
 
 It was gloomy in the cabin as we sat and lis- 
 tened to the smashing of glass and the noises 
 made by everything that was not securely lashed; 
 and we ourselves were in danger of being 
 pitched over the table against the sides of the 
 cabin. Now a great wave breaks over the ship, 
 she trembles like a human creature and for a mo- 
 ment ceases to move. Is she going down ? Oh 
 no, she has eleven missionaries on board, and 
 like Paul and Silas, they are singing! He who 
 bade them go and disciple the nations is just as 
 much in the ship as He was in the boat on Gali- 
 lee. How could they be afraid ? 
 
 For forty hours the strong ship battled with 
 the storm, while we were shut up in the cabin 
 which was almost as dark as night. Once the 
 gangway door flew open and the water came 
 rushing in swashing back and forth across the 
 floor. But on the morning of the second day we 
 were allowed to go upon the lower deck. As I 
 expressed a desire to look at the waves, a pow- 
 erful man said, "Come," and helped me to the 
 quarter-deck, from which I saw the most glori- 
 ous sight. The ocean was lashed into foam, the 
 waves, tinged with all the colors of the rainbow, 
 
 13
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 were literally piled up to the clouds. Sometimes 
 our little ship mounted to the heavens, then went 
 down into the great yawning depths, where it 
 seemed we should surely be swallowed up. It 
 was like an arena where ferocious monsters, 
 lashed into madness, were striving to destroy 
 one another. While I stood gazing upon the 
 awful and grand panorama, our captain came 
 along and said, "You wished to witness a storm 
 at sea; you may be satisfied with this, unless 
 you are ready to go to the bottom." I was satis- 
 fied, for in awful sublimity it far surpassed any- 
 thing I had ever imagined. 
 
 After the storm the fair wind again took us 
 swiftly on our way, and the captain told us we 
 should soon see the African coast and far-famed 
 Gibraltar on the opposite side. 
 
 We all watched eagerly, and the glass passed 
 swiftly from hand to hand when the captain 
 pointed out what seemed like only a little cloud 
 on the horizon, and told us it was the northern 
 coast of Africa. Like a bird we sailed through 
 the great rocky bulwarks of the straits of Gibral- 
 tar, and found ourselves in a quieter sea. 
 
 We were soon on classic ground, and our 
 
 school days came flocking back to introduce to 
 
 us the places about which, with so much interest, 
 
 14
 
 All the Way to Trebizond 
 
 we had studied, and we found many a familiar 
 name all clustered over with the sweetest mem- 
 ories. 
 
 One bright morning Malta was on our right 
 and Italy on our left, where the great missionary 
 to the Gentiles had labored and died. Soon we 
 reached the shores of Greece, whose more mod- 
 ern history had aroused all our indignation 
 against oppression, and made us feel grateful to 
 the nations that had helped her in her time of 
 dire distress. There the favoring wind bade us 
 good-bye and we drifted almost helplessly up 
 and down the shores of Hydra, till one- of our 
 number declared, "If we stay here much longer 
 we shall all have Hydrophobia." 
 
 After fifty-nine days we found ourselves enter- 
 ing the harbor of old Smyrna, where one of 
 the seven churches was planted and where the 
 candlestick has never been removed; for the 
 Christian Church has never been extinct in 
 Smyrna. There our happy circle was broken. 
 Mr. and Mrs. White went south to Aleppo, Mr. 
 and Mrs. Coffin to Aintab, Miss Dodd stopped in 
 Smyrna, and Mr. and Mrs. Morse, Mr. and Mrs. 
 Winchester, Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler and their 
 daughter Emily, came north to Constantinople. 
 
 Smyrna was then a real old Oriental city with 
 
 15
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 rickety wharves and more rickety buildings; 
 now it has a beautiful breakwater, fine harbor, 
 and quays which would be an honor to any sea- 
 port, while the whole city has put on a European 
 appearance. 
 
 There we took steamer for Constantinople, 
 and enjoyed the trip through the Grecian Archi- 
 pelago where every island seemed like an old 
 friend bidding us welcome. Early on the morn- 
 ing of the second day, we hurried to the deck 
 that we might not lose one of the beautiful views 
 that meet the eye of the traveller as he enters the 
 Golden Horn. 
 
 The panorama that unfolded to our gaze far 
 surpassed what we expected, and we do not 
 wonder that this view ranks among the most 
 beautiful in the world. 
 
 We were surrounded by yelling men, and pic- 
 turesque boats seen in no other part of the world. 
 When we reached the quay, the beauty seemed 
 to dissolve into dirty streets, brawling men and 
 mangy dogs. Here we spent several weeks with 
 the delightful missionaries, Drs. Goodell, Schauff- 
 \er, Dwight, Riggs, E. E. Bliss and our own Dr. 
 Hamlin, who lovingly received us to his home 
 and initiated us into some of the secrets of mis- 
 sionary life. In Miss Mary Goodell we found 
 
 16
 
 All the Way to Trebizond 
 
 our associate for many years and in Mr. Mardiros 
 Shimavonian, of Dr. Hamlin's Training School, 
 the first pastor for the first Protestant church in 
 our field. 
 
 Early in April we took the steamer up the 
 Black Sea ("The Great Bowl of Ipecac" as a 
 noted scholar called it) to Trebizond, where the 
 women wore the long white veil like a shroud 
 and the men put on every color of the rainbow. 
 Here we stayed till it was decided at the annual 
 meeting at Constantinople that we should go to 
 Armenia. 
 
 This old Greek city of Trebizond is the place 
 where Xenophon reached the sea after his long 
 and hazardous journey with the ten thousand 
 who were saved from the great Greek army that 
 invaded the Persian Empire. It is beautifully 
 located upon high land sloping to the sea, and 
 its horseshoe-like appearance makes it look like 
 a safe harbor; but it proves to be the most treach- 
 erous on the whole coast. Sometimes in a storm, 
 the steamers dare not stay to land their passen- 
 gers, lest they be driven ashore by the heavy 
 waves. The evangelistic work here among the 
 Armenians has not made the progress that it has 
 in many an interior city. The people are sur- 
 rounded by many influences that make them 
 
 17
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 more worldly, and they seem more satisfied or 
 preoccupied. Like their neighbor, the Greek, they 
 love better to hear or tell some new thing. 
 
 This place was, a few years ago, the centre 
 for Persian travel, but the more enterprising Rus- 
 sian has opened, further to the north, a railroad 
 connection with Persia and largely diverted the 
 trade from Trebizond. Like many a Turkish 
 city it may decline more and more till it loses all 
 of its former position among the great cities of 
 the Greeks. 
 
 is
 
 II 
 
 HOW CHRIST CAME TO ARARAT 
 
 In these days it seems hardly necessary to add 
 this chapter; but I have been urged to do so for 
 the sake of younger readers. 
 
 Armenia is a high table-land among the Taurus 
 mountains, from four to seven thousand feet 
 above the level of the sea. Its boundaries have 
 varied from time to time, one author giving its 
 extent as five hundred and fifty miles from east 
 to west, and two hundred and fifty miles from 
 north to south. 
 
 Mr. F. D. Greene says, "Armenia is a large 
 plateau, quadrangular in shape and sixty thou- 
 sand square miles in area; about the size of the 
 state of Iowa. It is bounded on the north by 
 the Russian frontier, by Persia on the east, 
 Mesopotamia on the south, and Asia Minor on 
 the west." In the marginal readings in the Bible 
 (2 Kings xix. 37) it is called Ararat, and this 
 name seems to have been used at one time for 
 the whole land. In Jer. li. 27, the prophet sum- 
 mons the people of Ararat to combine with the 
 Medes to overthrow Babylon. Others tell us that 
 
 19
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 the name came from Aram, one of their famous 
 kings, and was at first called Aramia. 
 
 Several ancient inscriptions show that Ararat 
 was the earliest name of Armenia, so that Gen. 
 viii. 4, "The ark rested upon the mountains of 
 the Ararat," read with this understanding refutes 
 the cavil of some modern travellers who say it was 
 impossible for the ark to rest on Mount Ararat 
 which is seventeen thousand feet above the plain 
 and is perpetually covered with snow and ice. 
 Mount Ararat is situated in the centre of Ancient 
 Armenia, and has always been a place of great 
 interest to European travellers. One traveller 
 says, "Nothing can be more beautiful or more 
 awful than its height. All the surrounding 
 mountains sink into insignificance when com- 
 pared with it. It is perfect in all points — no 
 rugged feature, no unnatural prominence, every- 
 thing is in harmony, and all combine to render 
 it one of the sublimest objects in nature." 
 
 The rivers of Armenia are among the most in- 
 teresting in the world. The great Euphrates has 
 its rise in Armenia not far from Mount Ararat, so 
 also has the Tigris, (the Hiddekel of Scripture). 
 These flow onward toward the Persian Gulf, not 
 far apart, till in the lowlands of Mesopotamia 
 
 they unite their waters before reaching the sea. 
 
 20
 
 How Christ Came to Ararat 
 
 The Acampsis of the ancients (probably the 
 Pison of the Bible) rises in Armenia and flows 
 into the Black Sea. The Araxes (the Gihon of 
 Genesis) flows past Ararat and empties into the 
 Cyrus which flows into the Caspian Sea. These 
 facts seem to be in accord with the idea of the 
 people of Armenia, who believe that not only 
 the second but the first cradle of the human race 
 was in Armenia. 
 
 Armenia has also many lakes; one of these, 
 Van, eighty miles long and forty wide, is a beau- 
 tiful inland sea whose changing blue waters are 
 a joy to the weary traveller journeying over the 
 green hills and valleys toward the famous old 
 walled city of Van, situated upon its shores. 
 
 There many things will tell you of a civiliza- 
 tion older than the time of Babylon's proud king 
 Nebuchadnezzar, who has left the history of his 
 warlike greatness on the citadel-like rock that 
 must have been the key to this city. Perhaps no 
 region of Armenia has more natural beauty or is 
 more fruitful than that around this great lake. 
 No region would give such a thrilling history of 
 the past as this, if it could only be written. 
 
 Though the winter in Armenia is cold and 
 often high winds prevail, yet the fruit is abun- 
 dant. The warm sunny valleys produce all the 
 
 21
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 fruits found in the temperate zones, and with 
 care, some that grow in the tropics could be 
 easily raised. The country has mines of silver, 
 copper and iron, and abundance of coal is ready 
 for use in the mountains, which will be a great 
 source of wealth when this land shall be governed 
 by a nation which cares to develop its vast re- 
 sources. 
 
 The Armenians are not Turanian in origin, like 
 many of the races in Northwestern Asia; but 
 their language shows them to be of Aryan stock. 
 
 According to their own tradition they are de- 
 scended from Togarmah, the grandson of Japh- 
 eth. Some ethnologists tell us that the word 
 Togarmah is compounded of two Sanscrit words, 
 Toka which means tribe or race, and Armah, 
 Armenia. Armenia was the name by which the 
 province was known to Western or European 
 nations. They call themselves Haik or Haig, 
 from Haig, the son of Togarmah, and their land 
 Haiasdan. 
 
 The Armenians were closely allied to the Per- 
 sians and were fire worshippers in their religion. 
 Sometimes they were strong enough to have an 
 independent kingdom, and then we find them 
 the allies of the Persians, as they no doubt were 
 
 when Persia invaded Greece. This made the 
 
 22
 
 How Christ Came to Ararat 
 
 Greeks hostile to them. Then we find them so 
 intimately allied to the Parthians, as at one 
 time when they had a Parthian dynasty on the 
 throne. This brought them into the great wars 
 between the Parthians and the Romans, and 
 many of the battles between these nations were 
 fought on Armenian territory. Traces of the 
 great campaigns of the Romans are still found in 
 the land. 
 
 The Armenians believe that Thaddeus, one of 
 the disciples of Christ, first brought the gospel to 
 them, and that many then received it. If this be 
 true they went back to their idolatry; for it was 
 not until the last part of the third century that 
 they received Christianity through Gregory the 
 Illuminator, the royal secretary of Tiridates. At 
 this time Christianity became the state religion. 
 King Tiridates was baptized and commanded 
 that his people should accept the Christian re- 
 ligion. Many of the nobles opposed the king; 
 but he prevailed, and the Armenians have the 
 honor of being the first people who made Christi- 
 anity their national religion. Henceforth they 
 were cut off from their friendship with the Per- 
 sians. Thousands laid down their lives under the 
 cruel treatment of Sapor II., who determined to 
 destroy the Christian religion and bring them 
 
 23
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 back to sun worship. He slaughtered them in 
 cold blood, and even built a tower out of the 
 skulls of the Christians. Afterward an Armenian 
 bishop built a city, called in history Martyropolis, 
 over the place where so many gave up their lives 
 rather than return to idolatry. The old church 
 of the Martyrs is still standing, a beautiful relic 
 of ancient Armenian architecture. 
 
 During this time of persecution many of the 
 Armenians wandered into other countries, and 
 finally the Turk conquered the whole land. 
 
 The sufferings of the people were great, and so 
 was their poverty; yet Christianity did not die 
 out among them. Great ignorance prevailed, but 
 still we find them reaching forward for something 
 higher and better. They could not be kept con- 
 fined to the field, the loom or the shop; but some 
 rose even to dignity in official service and became 
 the bankers, brokers and merchants of the land. 
 
 24
 
 Ill 
 
 FLEEING FROM A DEADLY FOE 
 
 The annual meeting at Constantinople decided 
 to strengthen the Mission Station at Harpoot, by 
 sending to the aid of Mr. Dunmore, the lone mis- 
 sionary there, who had written, "The Christians 
 are so hostile, that any day I may die like a dog 
 in the streets," the Rev. O. P. Allen and wife, of 
 Trebizond, and the new missionaries, Rev. C. H. 
 Wheeler and wife. 
 
 When we received our marching orders, we 
 did not draw back because of the danger at Har- 
 poot, or the difficulties of the way; we had not 
 expected a bed of roses or a path without thorns. 
 I think the dangers and hardships served rather 
 to stimulate us for what was in the future. We 
 had heeded the Master's command, "Go ye!" 
 and we fully believed in the promise, " Lo, I am 
 with you al way." We could sing — 
 
 " I will go where you want me to go, Lord, 
 Over mountain or valley or sea, 
 I will do what you want me to do, Lord, 
 I will be what you want me to be." 
 
 What days of planning those were in Trebizond 
 as we made ready for the long journey— thirty 
 
 25
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 days over mountains, valleys, rivers, and hot, 
 dusty plains in midsummer, for it was now the 
 middle of June. We must have a tent for our 
 house and all the paraphernalia for eating, drink- 
 ing and sleeping. We must be our own doctors 
 in case of accident, or what was worse, poison- 
 ous malaria. So the medicine chest and the big 
 doctor's book must have a place. Much good 
 advice as to how to conduct ourselves on this 
 journey, was given by the dear missionaries at 
 Constantinople and Dr. William Goodell, son of 
 "Father Goodell," sent us some special informa- 
 tion as to how to meet some of the sicknesses 
 that might be in our path. 
 
 The last days of June we left Trebizond on a 
 palatial Russian steamer, and reached Samsun, 
 the hot bed of malaria, on Saturday evening. 
 Here we must stay till muleteers and mules could 
 be found for the journey to the interior of Asia 
 Minor. We were all in good spirits and glad to 
 be on our way. Ready if need be, "to burn our 
 ships behind us," we bade good-bye to the 
 steamer and soon found lodgings in the mission 
 chapel at Samsun, hoping by Monday to move to 
 higher regions where we should be safe from 
 malaria. 
 
 Alas, it was well that we could only see a few 
 
 26
 
 Fleeing from a Deadly Foe 
 
 steps ahead, for on Monday morning one of our 
 number seemed to be at death's door. The poi- 
 sonous malaria had her in its grasp and dysentery 
 set in with one of the symptoms most to be 
 dreaded. An Italian physician, who had just 
 buried his brother, dying of the same disease, 
 came to the rescue, and after a few days, coun- 
 selled us to get away, if only for a few hours, to 
 the higher land back of the coast. The invalid 
 was able to be dressed and lifted into the Persian 
 moffa, which is a basket with a framework like 
 a chaise top covered with cloth to keep off the 
 sun. Two of these were bound to the back of 
 a stout mule, little Emily was placed in one and 
 her mother in the other, the weight was adjusted 
 with extra baggage or stones, and the caravan 
 started away from the pestilential city. 
 
 It was afternoon before we were started on our 
 journey eastward. The more bracing air was 
 refreshing; but the way seemed long and the 
 shaking in the moffa enough to drive away even 
 malaria. Every step of the mule was becoming 
 unbearable when, at length, we reached a camp- 
 ing-place, and the kind husband spread his rug 
 on the ground and gently lifting the impatient 
 wife from the moffa placed her upon it, where 
 she rested till a large, comfortable tent was 
 
 27
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 pitched and her cot bed made ready. The brac- 
 ing air and a good night's rest wonderfully 
 changed the invalid, and next morning she rode 
 with more comfort to the noon halting place. 
 The breeze from the Black Sea was refreshing, 
 and the very shaking of the moffa acted as a 
 tonic. The hills and mountains were covered 
 with trees of dark, rich foliage, and the flowers 
 in the pretty dells were fragrant and beautiful ; 
 the water, too, flowing out from the springs in 
 the rocky hillsides, seemed to have life-giving 
 power. Would that this bit of Eden could have 
 followed us all the way till we reached the Eu- 
 phrates, one of the rivers of Eden where our 
 home was to be! 
 
 We were now entering an inhabited land, and 
 began to see foot-travellers and here and there a 
 house. " Yes," said the good-natured but inde- 
 pendent Turkish muleteer, "this is the great 
 city of Amasia and these the old aqueducts that 
 once carried water but are now dry." 
 
 We pitched our tent that Friday evening near 
 the old water course; for we were to spend the 
 Sabbath in Amasia. Then pulled out our guide 
 book to study up that wonderful old capital of 
 Mithridates the Great. 
 
 The city was built on both sides of the Iris, 
 
 28
 
 Fleeing from a Deadly Foe 
 
 whose dark green waters gave it this name; but 
 now, for some reason, the muddy look prevails. 
 
 For the Sabbath we entered the city and were 
 directed to the German quarter on the heights 
 beyond the stream. What shouting and yelling 
 we heard as we passed along. The men, women 
 and children stopped and stared at us while we 
 heard them say, "Look, they are Hat-wearers, 
 Franks, travellers going to the German quarter." 
 
 A German gentleman received us kindly; he 
 was well acquainted with the Rev. Dr. Van 
 Lennep and other missionaries at Tocat, now 
 four days' journey ahead. 
 
 A large clean room was given us whence we 
 could study the old city and the wonderful for- 
 tress on the rocky heights. Far up the rocky 
 cliff we could see the famous tombs of the kings 
 of Pontus, and on the plain, just beyond the 
 heights, was fought the great battle when the 
 Romans conquered the mighty army of Mith- 
 ridates. Here in Amasia, the German had intro- 
 duced silk-worm culture, and we were invited to 
 witness the feeding of the industrious caterpil- 
 lars or watch them as they prepared their silken 
 shrouds. Most of these cocoons never develop 
 into butterflies; but find their way to the looms 
 of Europe, to be woven into fairy-like silks. 
 
 29
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 Soon after our visit here, the enterprising German 
 introduced flour mills, that now send flour even 
 to the homes on the Euphrates. 
 
 Monday morning we bade good-bye to our kind 
 host and hostess, clambered down to the bank of 
 the river, crossed the bridge and went on our way. 
 The sun glared down upon us from the heights, 
 the road was dusty, and it seemed as if we could 
 hardly breathe the dust-filled air. How we 
 longed for the clear water from the mountain- 
 side. On and on we travelled, till reaching a 
 muddy stream, the muleteer called a halt, and 
 there we stayed till late in the afternoon: it being 
 too hot to travel at midday. As our tent was 
 bound to the loads on the backs of the mules and 
 the chief muleteer would not give it to us with- 
 out much ugly debate, we made ourselves as 
 comfortable as we could under a dusty tree near 
 the bank, and with the muddy water made our 
 tea and washed our dishes. The muleteers threw 
 themselves upon the dusty grass and were soon 
 sleeping soundly while their tired, hungry mules 
 nibbled away at the grass near by or drank from 
 the stream. 
 
 That night we came to another muddy stream 
 on the hot plain, with a village not far away. 
 The half naked children came out in groups, and 
 
 30
 
 Fleeing from a Deadly Foe 
 
 grinning at us, cried "Inglese! Inglese!" They 
 came too near to our tent for comfort or safety 
 (for we had discovered that things disappeared, 
 unless our eyes were upon them) so as we had 
 learned the " Yawash, Yawash," (Slowly or 
 don't hurry) and "Haide, Haide," (Begone, hurry 
 up), we cried lustily "Haide! Haide!" We 
 were told to see that nothing remained too near 
 the sides of the tent, and the muleteers watched 
 the loads that were outside, lest not a rope re- 
 main in the morning with which to bind them 
 upon the pack saddles. 
 
 Day after day we rode on over this low plain, 
 with here and there a Turkish village, and noth- 
 ing to break the monotony save the cry of the 
 storks — we often saw on the scrubby trees by the 
 streams or on the roofs of the houses. It was 
 easy to believe that these people were made of 
 mud; for everything betokened it, — men, women, 
 children, buffaloes and dogs; yes, even the air, 
 the earth, and the water. 
 
 With what joy we beheld the walls of Tocat in 
 the distance and soon came into the region of 
 trees, houses, and cleaner -water. 
 
 In this old city we found missionaries and 
 
 Christian schools, and seemed to drop down, as 
 
 by magic, into its gardens and clean houses. 
 
 31
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 What a joy it was to have a clean face and 
 hands, clean garments and clean air to breathe. 
 We did not wonder that the next day, our in- 
 valid, who was again prostrated by the malaria 
 of the low plain, under the influence of morphine 
 sniffed in the air and, looking on the beautiful 
 well-kept garden, declared she was in the land of 
 Beulah and could even hear the songs of its 
 birds. 
 
 As we found no physician here, the advice of 
 Dr. Goodell of Constantinople, "Opium must be 
 your sheet anchor," was most opportune. 
 
 Here we had to rest for a few days. We were 
 more than half way to Harpoot, and the mule- 
 teers were glad of a rest, as the remainder of the 
 journey, while cooler, would be mountainous and 
 more difficult for the animals as well as them- 
 selves. 
 
 Tocat, at this time was one of the most interest- 
 ing stations of the A. B. C. F. M. Dr. Van 
 Lennep had purchased a large, well-built house, 
 with ample grounds and a beautiful fountain, 
 and here in this old city, where the sainted Henry 
 Martyn had made his grave, was the Theological 
 Seminary of the Armenian Mission. 
 
 Perhaps some one will ask why there should be 
 a Theological Seminary here for the Armenians, 
 
 32
 
 Fleeing from a Deadly Foe 
 
 when it is outside of Armenia. The Armenians, 
 after the conquest of their country by the Turks, 
 scattered into all parts of the Turkish Empire, as 
 also into Persia and Russia. They became a 
 much more progressive people than they had 
 been. Many of them were employed by the 
 Turkish Government in places of trust, and 
 proved to be good and faithful servants of their 
 rulers. 
 
 Missions for the Armenians began work first 
 at Constantinople where many of these people 
 were found. Dr. Hamlin opened a school there 
 which grew later into Robert College. A Girls' 
 Seminary was also opened which is now the 
 American College for Girls. The Theological 
 School was first opened there, but was later 
 removed to Tocat as being more central, now 
 that the Armenian work was opening in the in- 
 terior of Turkey. 
 
 Rested and refreshed by our stay with the 
 missionaries, we started once more for our still 
 distant field. We left behind the picturesque 
 city with its fine old castle on the heights, and 
 also bade good-bye to the hot, dusty plains of 
 Tourkal, and to the muddy streams, for our path 
 now lay among the mountains. Up the Chamli 
 Bel (Pine Mountain) we found the way steep and 
 
 33
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 rough; but the sweet scented pine, bracing air 
 and sparkling waters from the hillside, made the 
 journey much more pleasant, and we felt much 
 like the birds among the pines, that were war- 
 bling songs of joy. As we ascended the weather 
 became so cool that we were glad to pull out 
 some of our bedding to use as wraps. 
 
 That night we pitched our tent near the Turk- 
 ish guardhouse, for this mountain was the abode 
 of banditti, who might strip us of all our belong- 
 ings were it not for the protection of the guards 
 placed there by the Turkish Government. The 
 next night we stopped by a Kurdish khan, and 
 when we had settled down and were ready to 
 partake of the evening meal, an old grey-bearded 
 Turk approached bearing what proved to be mad- 
 %oon (soured milk), "a lordly dish, fit to set be- 
 fore the king." It looked very inviting, and in 
 after years would have added much to our scanty 
 dinner, for some of us learned to like it better 
 than ice cream. 
 
 One of the gentlemen rose to receive this 
 honor from the old chief, who presented it with 
 the air of a courtier, and in broken Turkish 
 thanked the donor, who was too polite to gaze 
 at the " Ingleese " ladies or stay while we were 
 eating. We all tasted of the inviting dish, but 
 
 34
 
 Fleeing from a Deadly Foe 
 
 no face expressed pleasure, and at the close of 
 our meal we discussed what we should do with 
 it. While the discussion was going on the chief 
 of the muleteers passed near our tent and it oc- 
 curred to us that we might honor him with it. 
 He accepted it with a grin, and later at his even- 
 ing repast we realized that it was more to him 
 and his men than the most luscious dainty would 
 be to us. " De gustibus non disputandum est," 
 laughingly said the lady who years later declared 
 that this mad^oon was more palatable than ice 
 cream. 1 Soon we were all quietly sleeping in 
 our tent, and the tonic from the pine trees and 
 the mountain air made us oblivious of the climb- 
 ing of the day before and fitted us for the steep 
 mountains that lay between us and old Sebastia, 
 on the plain below. 
 
 Of all the hardships of that first journey, none 
 has left such an indelible impression upon me 
 as the travelling in the mountainous regions. 
 Sometimes we were climbing steeps that seemed 
 almost perpendicular, and we wondered how the 
 horses or the men ever managed to cling to the 
 sides. How often I would shut my eyes as one 
 man led the mule and two went behind to steady 
 
 1 This mad^oon (matsoon) has been introduced into this country as food 
 partially digested for invalids, and is found to be cooling, refreshing and 
 invigorating. 
 
 35
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 the moffa, or as we passed over the sides of the 
 mountain on what was little better than a sheep 
 path, where one misstep of the mule might send 
 us hundreds of feet down the precipice into a 
 roaring torrent. 
 
 Once when making a journey to the northern 
 part of our field, the moffas were carried through 
 a pass in the mountains upon the shoulders of 
 men, and a strong Kurd took me by the arm to 
 guide me across. His leathern sandals made it 
 safe for him, while the sand constantly gave way 
 under my feet, and I should certainly have rolled 
 into the roaring stream had it not been for his 
 grasp. He kept saying "Korkma, korkma" 
 (Don't fear, don't fear). "If you go into the 
 stream I shall go with you." The very ridicu- 
 lousness of the comfort made me laugh. 
 
 Again on this same journey we must cross a 
 swollen stream. I left the moffa and was 
 mounted upon a powerful horse that could swim. 
 One Kurd took the bridle, another was to hold 
 me on if need be, and the third went behind to 
 seize the tail of the animal should he be carried 
 away by the strong current. I was told to shut 
 my eyes or look at the opposite shore, for I should 
 become dizzy if I looked at the tumbling waters. 
 As we must cross this stream I plucked up cour- 
 
 36
 
 Fleeing from a Deadly Foe 
 
 age, shut my eyes, and was landed safely on the 
 opposite shore. Such journeying is not the most 
 healthful exercise for nervous women, and I do 
 not at all wonder that some have said, " I do not 
 care to take such a journey the second time." It 
 has happened twice in Eastern Turkey that the 
 animal has taken the false step and gone down 
 the mountain-side with ladies and children in the 
 moffas. In neither case however were the ladies 
 or children injured, even though the moffas were 
 torn in pieces and, in one case, the mule killed. 
 I think no people learn so thoroughly to trust 
 God as the missionaries, and He has kept His 
 promise to them, often in a wonderful manner. 
 
 We must return to our journey down the 
 Chamli Bel. We came to the great marble 
 quarry, and soon old Sebastia (Sivas) was seen in 
 the distance; but what a climb we had to get 
 down to the plain, and " Yawash, Yawash," 
 (slowly, slowly) it surely was, for the mule- 
 teers were careful of their mules even when they 
 cared little about their passengers. It was almost 
 sundown when, away off on the plain, we saw 
 two horsemen coming on a gallop. As they 
 approached we discovered by their hats that they 
 were missionaries coming to welcome us. 
 
 Few save missionaries know the joy of greet- 
 
 37
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 ing fellow-laborers in a strange land. We for- 
 got all the trials of the way as we entered the 
 city and wound about the narrow streets, the 
 projecting houses often overtopping our heads 
 where a narrow lane led into wider streets, till 
 we reached the home of the missionary. Yes, 
 let me emphasize the word home, for no one 
 knows better how to make a home than he who 
 has left all to be a missionary, and no one excels 
 the missionary in power to make you feel at 
 home. You soon feel you are all brothers and 
 sisters come home for Thanksgiving. For the 
 new missionary they have the sweetest sympathy 
 and for the old the profoundest respect. 
 
 "You will not go any farther, so just dismiss 
 your muleteers and stay here till another spring," 
 said the missionaries. "What do you mean, 
 brethren?" asked one of the travellers, with a 
 shade of wonder in his blue eyes. "Why, it 
 will be dangerous to go on to Harpoot while the 
 Nominal Christians are in such a hostile state. 
 We do not even think that Mr. Dunmore should 
 remain there." The new missionaries replied, 
 " We were sent to Harpoot; to Harpoot we will 
 go according to orders." 
 
 The rest among these friends was a bit of 
 Heaven, and Harpoot was only ten days away. 
 
 38
 
 Fleeing from a Deadly Foe 
 
 We started early on Monday in order to reach 
 Arabkir for the Sabbath. Crossing a bridge over 
 the Halys we began the ascent into the moun- 
 tainous regions once more; for we were now in 
 the table-lands of Armenia. We were now fol- 
 lowing the military road of the Romans, and 
 passed over bridges built by them, and cuts ex- 
 cavated by them when they went to fight the 
 Parthians. 
 
 We spent the Sabbath, as we had planned, at 
 the beautiful city of Arabkir, nestling down be- 
 tween the hills: the rich foliage of the abundant 
 trees with the high mountain bulwark behind 
 them, made a lovely picture. Then it was de- 
 cided that one of the resident missionaries should 
 go with us to Harpoot. We sent no word to 
 Mr. Dunmore that we were coming, fearing we 
 might be prevented from entering the city. 
 
 Monday, about noon, we reached the old 
 Euphrates and sat down on its banks looking out 
 on its stream. Imagination was busy with the 
 past, when the old scow, looking as though it 
 had been rescued from the debris of the flood, 
 was paddled to the shore. We were soon seated 
 on the raised platform in the bow, while with 
 much yelling and gesticulating, the loads and an- 
 imals were brought in. 
 
 39
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 After crossing the river we were in the Har- 
 poot field and only about thirty miles from Har- 
 poot. Gumush Maden (Silver Mine), where we 
 landed, had been a famous old town, the capital 
 of the Pashalic, but the seat of Government had 
 been removed to Mezereh, near Harpoot, and the 
 city had rapidly become a ruin. This city wit- 
 nessed a fearful rebellion of the Koords, and 
 thousands had been slaughtered on the banks of 
 the river. " It seemed like blood," said one who 
 witnessed it, "and all the roads to the city were 
 made awful by the impaled Kurdish heads, to 
 show the people what the Turk could do." 
 
 An easy day's travel brought us to a village 
 near the city and there we pitched our tent for 
 the last time, near the wall of a vineyard. It 
 was late, and the people, weary with their har- 
 vesting, were many of them sleeping, so we 
 quietly took our evening meal and made ready 
 for the night. We afterward learned that this 
 was a large Armenian village, at first very hostile 
 to the missionaries, but later, one of the most 
 progressive and hopeful of all the villages on the 
 plain of Harpoot, which is said to support more 
 than three hundred villages. 
 
 We did not hurry in the morning as it was 
 only five or six miles to the city. We all felt 
 
 40
 
 Fleeing from a Deadly Foe 
 
 excited and dressed with more than ordinary 
 care, that we might not shock our lone mission- 
 ary. In less than an hour, the chief of the mu- 
 leteers grinningly congratulated us, while he 
 pointed up to what seemed a fortification on a 
 high spur of the mountains, and said, "Har- 
 poot." Soon we could distinguish the outlines 
 of houses with a tall minaret here and there. At 
 our right, as we passed over the plain, were 
 several cozy looking villages nestling among the 
 trees, and looking more inviting than the rock- 
 ribbed city so high up. 
 
 We wound round the mountain-like hill to the 
 top, and were directed to the house of the mis- 
 sionary, which proved to be on the outskirts of 
 the city. Just as we reached the large gate of the 
 court, the missionary came out to meet us with 
 a look of great surprise and a warm greeting. 
 
 Our arrival was soon noised throughout the 
 city, and those interested came to bid us wel- 
 come. Their welcome was so cordial that we 
 felt we should soon find friends among these 
 strangers. 
 
 One woman came with a servant bearing a 
 large waiter piled high with the most luscious 
 fruit, and the friendship then commenced was 
 lifelong. 
 
 41
 
 IV 
 
 THE PROTE KONAK 
 
 Mr. Dunmore had been in Harpoot only a few 
 months. His wife's health failing had made it 
 necessary for her to return to America, and Mr. 
 Dunmore was left alone with his Armenian serv- 
 ant. The house he occupied was built by a 
 wealthy Armenian, and was really one of the 
 best built houses in the city; and almost the only 
 one at that time that had glass windows or the 
 luxury of board floors. 
 
 Keshish Oghloo, the builder, was an Armenian, 
 though his name, which means Son of the Priest, 
 was Turkish. Being wealthy and the special 
 friend of the Pasha, he built this house like a 
 Turkish Konak — one part for the men and the 
 other for the women of the family, with two 
 outside doors. In each division the rooms 
 opened into large halls, and two sides were sur- 
 rounded by a court. On one side of this court 
 a door led into a passage cut into the rock, 
 where was a basin which received a stream 
 of pure spring water flowing out of the hill. 
 The living rooms were all in the second 
 
 42
 
 The Prote Konak 
 
 story, and flights of stone steps from the outer 
 court led up to the large halls. The lower story 
 had large rooms devoted to stalls, stables, gran- 
 ary and a wine vat. The building of such a 
 great house had ruined Keshish Oghloo, and to 
 get rid of his creditors, he put a Turkish family 
 into it, and left for Constantinople. But the Turk 
 refused to pay rent, whereupon the friends of the 
 owner, hearing that a missionary was looking for 
 a house, came to Mr. Dunmore and offered him 
 this one, hoping he would find a way to get rid 
 of the Turk. "I will take the house for ten 
 years," said the far-seeing missionary. The old 
 Turk soon left, and this Konak became the birth- 
 place of our first church, schools, Theological 
 Seminary and Girls' Seminary. The lower rooms 
 on the street were fitted up for a chapel and 
 school, with two missionary residences in the 
 upper part. 
 
 Mr. Dunmore received us very lovingly into 
 this castle-like home. "Here," he said, "you 
 can make two fine apartments, with two outside 
 doors." So one family took the men's apart- 
 ments on the east, and the other the women's on 
 the west. With a few changes these were made 
 very homelike. The addition of our American 
 furniture and fittings, almost made us forget 
 
 43
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 that we were in the interior of Turkey. Mr. 
 Dunmore loved to bring some of the official 
 Turks into the parlor to hear them say in their 
 deep guttural tongue " Mashallah! " (Wonderful). 
 Living in such a house, among such a people, 
 gave us a position at once. We have always 
 thanked God for providing such a home for us. 
 On this same land, we have built up our schools 
 and college. The Pasha of Mezereh wished this 
 house and the owner urged the missionaries to 
 leave. They replied, "Our contract is still good 
 for eight years, and we shall not leave." Then 
 he offered to sell the property to the missionaries 
 for less than its cost. But where should we get 
 the money ? God had provided this also. Dr. 
 Hamlin, of Constantinople, heard of our need 
 and offered to lend us the money. This was an- 
 other blessing coming out of his wonderful 
 "bakery," established at the time of the Crimean 
 War. The missionaries paid back the money so 
 kindly loaned, from the rent, and when the last 
 payment was made, turned over these buildings 
 and the land to the American Board. No one 
 can say this was careless use of money; and 
 could they have seen these same mission grounds 
 just before the massacre, with all the college 
 
 buildings, and the trees and fountains of water, 
 
 44
 
 The Prote Konak 
 
 they too would have felt, like the Harpoot mis- 
 sionaries, that God had given us a goodly heritage. 
 
 We were the much discussed people of the 
 city. It was just after the Crimean War and, as 
 "Inglese," (English) we were respected by the 
 Turks, and as the Protestants had been recognized 
 by the Government as a separate community, we 
 were protected in our civil rights and looked up 
 to as the honorary heads of this community. 
 
 But the hostile Gregorian element looked upon 
 us as innovators and warned the people to keep 
 away from us. Every spare moment we gave to 
 the language, for without a tongue we could not 
 do much. It was rumored about the city that 
 the new Hanums (Ladies) could read and write. 
 
 "Yes," said one of the men, reporting to the 
 women of his house, "these newcomers talk 
 with their husbands and, I am told, they sit at 
 the same table and eat with their husbands I" 
 
 "I don't believe a word you tell me. They 
 are young women — and who ever heard of young 
 women, even in the rich houses, eating with the 
 men! The old mothers do sometimes, but a 
 bride — who ever heard of a bride sitting down to 
 eat with her husband! " 
 
 "Hazik, Hohannes Effendi's sister, has been to 
 see them and she says these things are true, and 
 
 45
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 Sarkis Effendi's wife went to call and, according 
 to custom, had her servant take a present of 
 fruit. These women received her very politely, 
 and she says they are not wicked women who 
 have come here to steal away our sons for sol- 
 diers or to destroy our church. Our priests are 
 certainly mistaken in what they say of them." 
 
 "O brother Hagop, do you not know that 
 Hohannes Effendi and Sarkis Effendi are Protes 
 (a term of reproach used for Protestants), and 
 both of them are among those who read that 
 Prote Bible. They even say that they were 
 among those who joined the Prote church, which 
 was organized by that stout, black-eyed Frank 
 who came here before these people came. Have 
 you forgotten that he had a wife and that she 
 went away ? These women will go away in a 
 short time. I heard old Hacher Baba say they 
 were not the wives of these men, they were only 
 hired by the month." 
 
 "Maireeg," (Little Mother) said Hohannes, "I 
 wish you would go and call ; you are a bright, 
 discerning woman, and I am sure you would be 
 able to give me a true idea of what kind of peo- 
 ple these are." 
 
 "Why, Hohannes, you shock me. Do you 
 think I would go to that Konak and call on 
 
 46
 
 The Prote Konak 
 
 women that our Der Baba (Father priest) has 
 warned us against? Why, I should endanger 
 my soul. I heard that Menas Effendi, going near 
 the house in the dark, by mistake touched the 
 corner of the part they use for a chapel, and he 
 went home and washed his hands in soap and 
 water, saying, ' I have defiled my hands by touch- 
 ing that Prote building.' Then, too, Hohannes, I 
 have heard that all who go to talk with them 
 come away Protes. They give them a kind of 
 drink that bewitches them. No, indeed. It is 
 impossible for me to call upon them." 
 
 " Dear little mother, you need not drink the 
 sherbet. I have heard that they are not accus- 
 tomed to give it in their land, but follow our 
 customs. They will not think you impolite if 
 you do not take it." 
 
 "But what should 1 do if they brought coffee, 
 because I refused the sherbet, or sweetmeats, as 
 surely they would do knowing that I am from 
 the great Effendi's house ? " 
 
 "Oh mother, you are so shrewd that you 
 would be just the one to go; but your arguments 
 are good and I respect them. What will you 
 say if I tell you that I believe all the things said 
 against these people are lies, the result of the igno- 
 rance and darkness of our people ? Look into the 
 
 47
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 faces of these men and women and see how pure 
 and frank they are, more like the angels and the 
 dear Christ Himself!" 
 
 "Hohannes! Hohannes! have you been to 
 that Prote Konak ? " 
 
 "No, little mother, I have not; but I have 
 watched these people ever since the day they 
 came into the city, and I am persuaded that they 
 are not what the priests say they are." 
 
 "Hohannes Agha, (Lord) 1 I beg you will not 
 breathe this before your father or grandfather; 
 they will beat you, drive you into the streets 
 and bolt the door on you. Coozig, (Little lamb) 
 promise me that you will not go to the Prote 
 Konak." 
 
 "I will promise you mother, if only you 
 will promise to go yourself." 
 
 "Sometime, if I can find an excuse, I will go 
 and learn all I can; but your grandfather would 
 be angry if I should go now, and your father 
 would blame me too, though he is too polite and 
 kind to beat me." 
 
 "Then, little mother, I will promise you to 
 wait; but do you not see that we are ignorant 
 and need enlightening ? Why should Dertad 
 beat his wife and when we rebuke him, say, 
 
 1 Mothers often call their sons even when mere children Agha or lord. 
 
 48
 
 The Prote Konak 
 
 'She is only a chojuke (a child), and I have i 
 right to make her obey — what does she know ? 
 She is ignorant, but how should she know bet- 
 ter ? We are all like cattle only the poor women 
 are more like the donkeys that get all of the 
 beatings." 
 
 "Why, Hohannes, you talk like one of those 
 Protes ! Where have you learned these things ? " 
 
 " I have heard my father and grandfather talk 
 about these people with Hovsep Effendi, and I 
 believe they are more than half persuaded that 
 our whole church and people are in gross dark- 
 ness, bound down by the chains of superstition." 
 
 "Alas! alas! my heart dies within me. What 
 are we coming to ?" 
 
 These discussions in the families about us were 
 just what we were glad to hear. If we had been 
 able to talk with them at first, we might have 
 committed some very great mistakes. Now we 
 were there in that Konak for them to study us, 
 and we had the people spread out before us like 
 a panorama, as day by day we studied their lan- 
 guage and their customs. 
 
 How often have we thanked God in latter 
 
 years that we had not the gift of tongues. But 
 
 you will ask— "Were you shut out from the 
 
 people while you were learning their language?" 
 
 49
 
 V 
 
 ARMENIAN ETIQUETTE AND HOUSEKEEPING "A LA 
 
 FRANK " 
 
 To answer your question in the last chapter 
 we will say, We neither bolted our doors nor 
 "Kept our dogs, to keep people away." 
 
 We remembered that we were missionaries 
 sent out by the churches to evangelize the people 
 to whom we were sent. 
 
 Whatever we found that was good we were 
 to strengthen, whatever was bad must be rooted 
 up. 
 
 We were not sent to change the customs of 
 the people, or to make sport of them because 
 they were unlike our own. Our customs were 
 just as strange to them as theirs were to us. In 
 fact we did not go to Americanize the people; 
 we soon learned that many of their customs were 
 better for them than ours would be. For ex- 
 ample: we were filled with pity for the poor lit- 
 tle babies that were bound up like little mum- 
 mies in swaddling clothes and, through our in- 
 fluence, some of the young mothers made little 
 dresses for their babies. What was the result ? 
 
 I really fear that some of them were made sickly 
 
 50
 
 Armenian Etiquette and Housekeeping 
 
 and perhaps died from our interference with 
 what we did not understand. In winter they 
 did not warm their rooms with stoves as we did, 
 and the children were not protected as they would 
 have been if bound up. Then they might be 
 treated more roughly than we treated our babies, 
 and an injured arm or leg might be the result. 
 
 We learned after a while to appreciate the first 
 Turkish word we heard, " Yawash " (Slowly). 
 
 The style of dress was wholly Oriental. 
 European ideas had not yet reached the people. 
 Our dress was just as strange to them as theirs 
 was to us. They did not wholly accept our 
 way of dressing, and sometimes they would 
 venture to criticise and ask why we did not 
 dress as they did. We always replied laugh- 
 ingly, "We are a la Frank, like the Euro- 
 peans," and they would reply, "Yes, you are 
 Inglese." So all the things we did that were 
 new to them, — from the manner in which we 
 ate at table, to the way we ladies rode on a side- 
 saddle, — were settled as right, because "a la 
 Frank": and thus we were saved from much 
 criticism. 
 
 Some of the manners of the Armenians we 
 consider very beautiful. The manner in which 
 they receive you into their homes is more grace- 
 
 51
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 ful than ours. You are greeted at the door with 
 "paree yegar" (you come in peace). Then as 
 you enter the reception-room they say "Hramet- 
 sek," — which surpasses in meaning any one 
 word which we have; but which gives you the 
 right to the place as you give the right of the 
 city to a distinguished guest. Finally you are 
 motioned to a seat of honor — and, as there are 
 degrees of honor, the person they esteem most 
 honorable (age is always honored) or the one 
 who enters first is motioned to the upper right 
 hand corner of the divan where there are extra 
 cushions. The next most honorable person is 
 assigned to the left hand corner, which also has 
 the extra cushions. 
 
 As you must curl your feet up under you on 
 these cushions, you are expected to leave your 
 outside shoes at the entrance before you step 
 upon the raised carpeted floor. 
 
 In most of the houses the reception-room has a 
 divan on three sides of the room and no chairs 
 are needed. This arrangement is now giving 
 way to a divan on two sides and on the third, a 
 table and chairs. When you are seated, the 
 hostess kisses your hand and bids you welcome. 
 If the host is present he touches his forehead and 
 bids you a thousand welcomes, and asks you if 
 
 52
 
 Armenian Etiquette and Housekeeping 
 
 you are comfortable, to which you reply, " Thank 
 you, I am very comfortable." Then all the 
 younger members of the family salute you 
 silently by touching your hand to their lips and 
 foreheads, to which you reply by saying, 
 "Abrees" (may you live) or "Shad abrees" 
 (may you live long). When these greetings are 
 over, the younger members of the family leave 
 the room or stand with folded hands near the 
 place where you left your shoes, and this means, 
 " I am at your service." 
 
 The host and hostess sit down on the divan 
 below you and say politely, lifting the hand to 
 the forehead again, " You come in peace." You 
 reply, "I see you in peace." The younger 
 members help to entertain you by bringing in 
 sherbet or coffee and often some kind of sweet- 
 meat, or a low stool is placed before you and 
 upon this a large copper tray or table loaded with 
 fruits and sweetmeats. These things depend on 
 how much your hosts wish to honor you and on 
 the wealth and position of the family. Cushions 
 are placed about this low table, and the hostess 
 invites you to be seated on one of these while 
 she seats herself to serve you. 
 
 You cannot refuse these courtesies unless you 
 are very intimate with the family. You can 
 
 53
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 often make this entertainment a pleasant intro- 
 duction to the missionary work you wish to do 
 in this very family and, if you are wise and 
 courteous, you may win the host and hostess — 
 and this means the family. When you leave, 
 you say, " Menak paree" (may you remain in 
 peace). The host and hostess reply, "May you 
 go in peace." The hostess always accompanies 
 you to the door, and sometimes the host also, 
 urging you to come again. This kind reception 
 may be only Oriental politeness; but generally 
 the people feel honored by your call, and it opens 
 the door to kindly feeling which is great gain in 
 your missionary work. 
 
 These people will be sure to return your visit, 
 especially the women. There will always be 
 more or less that will interest them in your home. 
 They have heard all about it; even the very doll 
 your little girl plays with is discussed in many a 
 home; and curiosity is strong in both the 
 Armenian and Turkish women. A visit to a 
 missionary's house, is more to them than a 
 whole day spent in the city visiting galleries and 
 museums, is to you. 
 
 The missionary home should always be a 
 model of good taste and neatness. The mis- 
 sionary comes from a class of society which 
 
 54
 
 Armenian Etiquette and Housekeeping 
 
 should have such a home; and here it is that the 
 married missionary can do a work that cannot be 
 done by the unmarried. The influence of such 
 a home is and should be a very great, elevating 
 and converting power. 
 
 Teach your servant that you are always ready 
 to receive company, and that he is to conduct 
 visitors to your reception-room with the greatest 
 politeness. A cross servant may undo by his 
 ungraciousness what you have done by your 
 polite, loving manner. I have known servants 
 to shut the door in the face of callers, telling 
 them the " Hanum " (lady of the house) was at 
 dinner or very busy. It would have been much 
 better for the Hanum to have left her dinner 
 untouched than to have offended these callers, 
 for she will never have the same influence over 
 them again. If she be a wise woman she will 
 find a way to treat them with deference without 
 neglecting her family. 
 
 Your best room must not be kept closed and 
 the curtains drawn; these people are just as sen- 
 sitive as we are, and know whether you have 
 honored them or not. They will pardon many 
 things on the ground that you are a foreigner; 
 but your greeting must be love, lovingly ex- 
 pressed. It may even be wise to adopt some of 
 
 55
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 their rules of etiquette, only keeping enough of 
 your own to dignify you as a foreigner. Make 
 them to feel welcome, remembering that every- 
 thing is as strange to them as it was to you. 
 You would better provide the tea, coffee, sherbet 
 or sweetmeat. Tea and cake are always appro- 
 priate, and cake, being "a la Frank" you will 
 be in the highest style, and each will feel amply 
 honored. 
 
 There will be so much to interest them that 
 you will never be at a loss for a topic of conver- 
 sation. It may be a picture on your table of 
 father and mother in which t'hey will be greatly 
 interested. They will ask you if you have 
 brothers or sisters who are left with these par- 
 ents. Then with real feeling they will ask how 
 you could leave your parents, and how they 
 could let you come so far. 
 
 Then in your broken language you will tell 
 them what brought you to this land, and you 
 may hear some of them say, "Praise God!" 
 others will wipe their eyes; and still others, 
 when they leave, will press your hand, and you 
 will see in the sweet brown eyes gratitude that 
 will more than repay you for ever leaving dear 
 friends. 
 
 They may come some spring day when your 
 
 56
 
 Armenian Etiquette and Housekeeping 
 
 reception-room is in disorder — carpet up, win- 
 dows being washed, etc. Never mind — let them 
 come in — sit down where you are — take time to 
 be polite — remember you are a missionary and 
 the Master bade you "Go!" At such times I 
 have done some of my best work. You are 
 cleaning house — how easy to take up the Bible 
 and in their own language read Christ's own 
 words, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they 
 shall see God!" How naturally you can show 
 them that not only do our houses need cleaning, 
 but our hearts also. You will find at such times 
 that you are in very close touch with the Divine 
 Master Himself, who so beautifully made use of 
 the scenes about Him to instruct those who came 
 to Him. 
 
 They may come when you are in the kitchen 
 teaching your servant to prepare some "a la 
 Frank" dish or making cake — for you have in- 
 vited the other members of the station to tea — 
 open the door wide and ask them to visit you 
 there, till you can remove the apron and go to 
 the parlor. Have some tiny pattie pans ready 
 and spare enough from the light sponge to take 
 in to them a few cakes. They saw you make 
 this cake and will publish among their friends 
 what a clever woman you are. 
 
 57
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 You say you care little what they think about 
 you ? This is all wrong. If you wish to in- 
 fluence them you must command their respect. 
 The respect of a poor, ignorant peasant woman 
 is worth more to you in your work than a dia- 
 mond crown. You may save her by your in- 
 fluence over her, and her soul is more precious 
 than many crowns. I can never forget the look 
 of joy that spread over the face of a very igno- 
 rant peasant woman as I opened my reception- 
 room door and bade her with a smile to enter. 
 She stood for a moment in the midst of the 
 room and raising her hands said "Jannet, Jannet" 
 (Heaven, Heaven). Then she went to the what- 
 not and took up what she recognized to be a 
 hen and said, "Wonderful," (this was an egg 
 cup that had been given to one of my children). 
 
 I let her look about as long as she wished, then 
 taking my pretty, red-covered gilt Bible 1 from 
 the table, I read to her in Armenian the wonder- 
 ful description of Heaven in Rev. xxi. 
 
 She listened in rapt silence. I said, "Sister, 
 you see Heaven is more beautiful than this; the 
 streets are paved with pure gold, and the great 
 
 •Why did I take my red-covered gilt Bible? Because the influence on 
 the poor peasant would be far more when I read from the beautiful book, fit 
 for a place in Heaven. Missionaries should not overlook this even in their 
 dress. 1 am sure that my dress has often preached a little sermon ; and 
 sometimes it has been reported to me. We want no untidy missionaries. 
 
 58
 
 Armenians in Village Dress.
 
 Armenian Etiquette and Housekeeping 
 
 gates, larger than any you have ever seen, are 
 one great pearl. Did you ever see a pearl ?" 
 
 "Yes, 1 have seen a very little one. They are 
 very costly. What a beautiful place Heaven must 
 be!" 
 
 "Yes, very beautiful, but as no unclean thing 
 enters there, you must have a clean heart and 
 clean life." 
 
 That poor woman will always think of my 
 home as Heaven; and somehow I think I shall 
 find her in my Father's House. I think it was 
 very lovely in the Lord Jesus to send her to my 
 home, and how glad I am to-day that I had time 
 to let her in and to talk with her. She was from 
 a very dark village up in the Kurdish Moun- 
 tains, and perhaps this was the only time she 
 heard about Heaven. 
 
 One day a villager, a man who could read, 
 came to my home. It was very cold and we 
 had kindled a fire in the open stove. He sat and 
 warmed himself, and then looking up to me said, 
 "Lady, your home seems like Heaven to me." 
 A few hours before, I had come from a ten days' 
 tour on the plain and, as I looked about the 
 room, I felt much as he did, and could much 
 better comprehend his feeling as I contrasted this 
 with some of the homes I had visited, many of 
 
 59
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 which were in the richer villages, and some of 
 them the homes of preachers and teachers. 
 
 Let me describe to you the home of one of our 
 preachers. He and his wife had both been in our 
 schools and so were glad to see me when I vis- 
 ited them. The very best was prepared for me, 
 even to killing the fatted hen. The preacher 
 saw us coming and came out to meet us, while 
 the good wife stood at the top of the ladder-like 
 stairs to help me up. 1 was soon seated in the 
 cozy, but small room, built on the side of the 
 church, which served as the parsonage. The 
 first thing I saw was the bookshelf that the 
 preacher had made, upon which his few books 
 were neatly arranged. Near this there hung 
 upon the wall a few pictures, some colored, and 
 the others such as you find in your picture pa- 
 pers. These were arranged with a good deal of 
 taste. In the corner opposite was the pile of 
 bedding, from which the wife, Yeva, had taken 
 the cushion that she placed at my back to make 
 me more comfortable. The covering for the 
 earthen floor consisted of a coarse matting and 
 the small piece of carpeting upon which I was 
 sitting. Soon after dinner, one of the young 
 men of the village whom the preacher was teach- 
 ing to read, came in. Looking around the room, 
 
 60
 
 Armenian Etiquette and Housekeeping 
 
 he said, "Hanum, this room seems like Heaven 
 to me." I was surprised and began to look 
 about to catch, if possible, his point of view. 
 The room was clean and new, had books and a 
 place to put them, and a few simple pictures. 
 Yet this tiny Christian home was Heaven in com- 
 parison with his own. 
 
 It was very delightful to increase the number 
 of such homes in the villages, and very gratifying 
 to find our girls trying to imitate our homes. 
 We had taught them to keep their homes clean 
 and to whiten the mud walls themselves with 
 white earth, and not to wait for a whitewasher 
 whom they could not afford to pay. 
 
 We had taught them to press the beautiful 
 flowers of early spring and summer and to ar- 
 range them in wreaths and bouquets upon stiff 
 paper to hang upon their walls. These decora- 
 tions led them to care more for their homes, and 
 presently the time came when their own children 
 added pencil sketches and water-colors which 
 they had learned to make in our schools. 
 
 61
 
 VI 
 
 THE STORY OF GARABED BABA 
 
 A portion of each day we devoted to the study 
 of the language. It was easy to learn to read 
 Armenian; but our tongues had to practice to 
 enunciate the gutterals and our ears to unravel 
 the new sounds. A man said to me, " Hanum, 
 has your language no syllables ? When you talk, 
 your words all run together." 
 
 Smiling, I replied, "That is just what some of 
 us think about Armenian." 
 
 You must study and read and "break the bones " 
 of the language and, by and by, you will be like 
 the blind man who saw men as trees walking; 
 then if you have carefully laid the foundations, 
 you need not fear; you will soon learn to think 
 in the new tongue, just as you do in your own, 
 and the bands that bound you will snap asunder 
 and you will be free. 
 
 We did not wait to begin till we could talk 
 freely. I think sometimes our earnestness to 
 make the people understand, when our vocabu- 
 lary was very limited, helped us to make an im- 
 pression. 
 
 62
 
 The Story of Garabed Baba 
 
 We got their attention perhaps more easily, 
 and the impressions made were deeper and more 
 lasting. The fact that we learned to read the 
 Armenian so easily, always helped us, especially 
 when we labored among the women who had 
 never learned to read: and I might add, the men 
 also, as very few of them could read. 
 
 They said, "If these foreigners can so easily 
 learn to read our language, then we ought to 
 read it ourselves. We can, if we try." 
 
 When we had sufficiently mastered the lan- 
 guage, we opened a school for boys and, very 
 soon, one for girls; about those we will talk later 
 on. Then we began evangelistic work, the men 
 of the mission going to the market-place, while 
 we women went from house to house, usually 
 accompanied by one of the Protestant women 
 from the neighborhood in which we visited; for 
 there were a few such, the wives of the men of 
 the little Protestant church which had been 
 formed by Mr. Dunmore before we reached Har- 
 poot. 
 
 These women would ask their neighbors if 
 they would not like to see the "Inglese Ha- 
 nums" ? 
 
 Generally they were very ready to see us and 
 would treat us with genuine politeness. 
 
 63
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 Only once was I treated rudely by a woman. 
 She was seated on her doorstep and would not 
 permit us to enter. In a loud, angry voice she 
 said, "I want none of your teachings — my reli- 
 gion is good enough for me — if you want to in- 
 struct people, go to the Turks, they need in- 
 struction!" 
 
 This poor old woman, whose son with his 
 wife were real, earnest working Christians, sof- 
 tened greatly before she died. 
 
 In the Orient the people discuss every new 
 thing in the market-place, and here the men 
 could find listeners and did much of their visit- 
 ing. 
 
 When I had to pass the market-place in going 
 to the eastern ward of the city, I took with me a 
 dear old Christian named Tallal Garabed, (Gara- 
 bed, the Auctioneer). He was a marked figure, 
 very tall and as straight as an arrow, with long 
 white beard and commanding presence; but a 
 perfect Oriental. 
 
 He would gracefully raise me to the back of 
 my white donkey and then, giving me the rein, 
 would walk close to the right side of the animal's 
 head with the dignity of a policeman of the 
 "Grand Guard." I was never afraid to go any- 
 where with him, and thus toured over the dis- 
 
 64
 
 The Story of Garabed Baba 
 
 tant parts of the city and many of the nearer 
 villages. Everybody knew him, and he seemed 
 to feel it an honor to protect me. 
 
 I soon learned to call him Garabed Baba, 
 (Father Garabed). He would come and tell me 
 that certain families wished to see me. He 
 would take me to these families and then retire 
 till I was ready. He knew that the women 
 would talk more freely if he were not present. 
 
 "Hanum, to-day I wish to take you to see a 
 woman who is bitter against the Protestants; 
 but I think you may do her good. I fear she will 
 not offer you coffee; but you will not mind this." 
 
 I was more than glad to go, for seldom did we 
 make a visit to a new home without seeing fruit. 
 (Sometimes it was only in the greater friendli- 
 ness that would be shown, as we softened down 
 prejudices; often it resulted in new faces being 
 found among our Sabbath congregations, or new 
 pupils coming to the schools.) Judge of my 
 surprise when, upon entering a large house, I saw 
 a well-dressed dignified-looking woman, whom 
 Garabed Baba introduced to me as his wife. 
 
 I had heard that he had no sympathy at home, 
 and if not there at meal time went hungry to bed, 
 though in his own house. 
 
 She called him "The Old Prote"; but he who 
 
 65
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 had once been like a tiger, and would have 
 beaten her with his cane for a far less offence, 
 was now as gentle as a lamb. The two elder 
 sons of Garabed Baba were grooms in the family 
 of Sir Henry Bulwer, English Ambassador at 
 Constantinople. They were both tall and stately 
 like their father, and Lady Bulwer always ex- 
 pected one of them to accompany her whenever 
 she rode out. The youngest son, his Benjamin, 
 was then in our school. 
 
 The old lady rose to meet me; but maintained 
 the frigidity of an iceberg during our entire inter- 
 view, offering me neither coffee, tea, nor sherbet. 
 
 I did hear afterward that she was pleased with 
 the call; but she did not mean her husband 
 should know it. I called only once more upon 
 her, and that after his death. 
 
 For several years this dear old man was my 
 bodyguard, as every Sabbath and Tuesday I 
 went to labor in that part of the city. Some- 
 times he would enter the room quietly and sit 
 near the door while I held my prayer-meeting, 
 mothers'-meeting, or missionary-meetings; the 
 latter he was greatly interested in, especially the 
 children's. He would count those who came and 
 tell the new ones present. 
 
 He learned to read when he was past seventy, 
 
 66
 
 The Story of Garabed Baba 
 
 His Bible, hymn book, and a small book of 
 prayers, he always carried in the bosom of his 
 long loose garment, bound at the waist by a 
 girdle. He loved to sing, and his seat in church 
 was always filled. 
 
 We perceived that he was becoming more and 
 more feeble. One day he came and, sitting at 
 my feet, placed his hand on my lap and, looking 
 up with his beautiful brown eyes, said, " Hanum, 
 I shall not go with you any more. I have a re- 
 quest to make of you. — When I die put my body 
 in a coffin and put some flowers in my hand, 
 just as you did in your little D wight's." 
 
 "I will do all you wish, Garabed Baba; but I 
 hope you will stay with us many days." 
 
 "No, I am going soon. I want to be buried 
 near the church on this side of the city, and I 
 want you to tell the pastor to sing at my grave 
 the hymn I have so often sung. 
 
 " 'Joyful'yi joyfully onward I move, 
 
 Bound to the land of bright spirits above : 
 Angelic choristers sing as I come, 
 Joyfully, joyfully haste to your home. 
 Now is my pilgrimage ended below, 
 Home to the land of bright spirits I'll go : 
 Pilgrim and stranger, no more shall I roam, 
 Joyfully, joyfully resting at home.' " 
 
 One morning soon after, we heard he was 
 gone. We did all he had asked, and a large 
 
 67
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 number gathered at the church for a last good- 
 bye. 
 
 Not many years later a bright and beautiful 
 boy stood in our court. He had come to ask if 
 he could enter our High School. We had never 
 received any but Protestants — what should we 
 do ? We knew this boy was from the house of 
 Tenikeji Hagop Effendi, who was a pillar in the 
 Gregorian Church. Mr. Wheeler went quickly 
 to his associates, saying, 
 
 "The grandson of Tallal Garabed wishes to 
 enter the High School; shall we not set aside our 
 rule and admit him ?" 
 
 The answer was in the affirmative, and Nicoos 
 Tenikijian was admitted. He is now the Pro- 
 fessor of History, Turkish and French in Eu- 
 phrates College, a noble, handsome, dignified 
 Christian man. 
 
 I love to think that the grandfather is permitted 
 to watch over his grandchild as he labors in the 
 work once so dear to him. We missed the old 
 man. No one could just fill his place, though 
 our good Sarkis, from the village of Ichmeh, 
 was ever willing to do all he could to help us 
 ladies do our city missionary work. 
 
 The work so increased on our hands that we 
 felt we could not find time to do all that was re- 
 
 68
 
 The Story of Garabed Baba 
 
 quired. We had overcome the obstacles to 
 woman's reading — obstacles which required skill 
 and patience; yes, long forbearing love. 
 
 The older women usually said, "Our brain is 
 baked — we cannot learn to read — our brides have 
 work to do — reading will make them lazy and 
 impudent — we never learned to read — why 
 should they?" 
 
 The mother-in-law rules the brides with an 
 iron sceptre; her word is law, even when her 
 son would like to have his wife read. Many a 
 mother-in-law has burned the primer her son has 
 brought home for his wife; and in some cases, 
 where the son has insisted that his wife should 
 read, they have both been turned into the streets. 
 
 A few women whose husbands were Protes- 
 tants came to our rescue. They learned to read, 
 and not only encouraged others, but us. They 
 helped us in our visits from house to house, and 
 in our prayer-meetings and mothers'-meetings. 
 Some of them became so efficient that we could 
 ask them to lead these meetings. 
 
 We saw that prejudice was dying out, and 
 found that many of the women wished to read. 
 We sent little boys from the school to give les- 
 sons and, if the pupils made progress, gave the 
 little teachers a small remuneration. 
 
 69
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 One day two of the missionary ladies called on 
 a wealthy woman of position, and were treated 
 with more than ordinary politeness. Before 
 leaving, one of the missionaries said, 
 
 " Eughaper, Hanum, you are too much of a 
 lady not to read. You should improve your 
 brains." 
 
 She replied pleasantly, " It will be hard for me 
 to read as my mother-in-law will not like it; but 
 I am the head of my own home, and if you will 
 send me a good teacher, I will learn." 
 
 We sent a young Bible School student, and in 
 less than six months she was a good reader of 
 the Bible, and was persuading others to follow 
 her example. She encountered the opposition 
 which she expected; but she braved it, and be- 
 came a very useful woman in the Protestant 
 Church, which she soon joined. 
 
 70
 
 VII 
 
 "WOMAN, THE TEACHER OF THE RACE" 
 
 The missionary must be a many-sided man, 
 and his wife must be his equal if the best results 
 are to be secured. That " anybody will do for a 
 missionary" is an exploded idea whose origin is 
 not hard to trace. The people of non-Christian 
 lands were thought to be ignorant; but we have 
 discovered, through our better understanding of 
 them, that this is not true. Pagan nations, or 
 perhaps we should say barbarous nations, may 
 be ignorant; but this is not true of the heathen 
 world. All missionary experience has gone to 
 prove that the best educated and most capable, 
 as well as the most devout and consecrated 
 workers are everywhere demanded. 
 
 The missionary must first know enough to 
 make a home, and that in a foreign land, where 
 conditions are such that he must often be archi- 
 tect as well as mason. He needs some knowl- 
 edge of a good many trades, and must possess 
 financial and executive ability as well, in order to 
 go to the forest or market and purchase the right 
 amount and kind of timber for his buildings, and 
 
 71
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 thus attend to all of the details of construction, 
 planning all the while so that he shall have 
 enough money wherewith to finish his enter- 
 prise. In short he must be an all-around man, 
 minister, teacher, lawyer, doctor, counsellor, 
 guide, and friend. 
 
 A missionary from Japan once said, "I have 
 found everything I ever learned to be useful, and 
 regret that I did not learn how to milk a cow. 
 
 "There were no cows in this country when I 
 arrived; but not long after the parents of one of 
 the missionaries sent me one. I was puzzled to 
 know how to milk her, and, in my dilemma, had 
 to go to a fellow-missionary to inquire if he 
 could teach me." So even learning to milk 
 proved useful. 
 
 The missionary finds himself in a foreign 
 country with everything to do and no language 
 to do it with. He must learn the language un- 
 less he is largely to fail in his work. To learn 
 a new language so that one can use it intelli- 
 gently in speaking and writing requires much 
 ability and study. Young men or women going 
 to the foreign field should consider carefully be- 
 fore deciding and should perhaps consult those 
 who are wiser in reaching a decision. This 
 would save them and others much pain. 
 
 72
 
 " Woman, the Teacher of the Race " 
 
 The missionary woman will find use for all the 
 ability she has. Whether she graduates from 
 Vassar, Radcliffe, Wellesley, Smith or dear old 
 Mt. Holyoke, some lessons in a manual training 
 school will be of great value to her, as she needs 
 to know the secrets of modern cooking to guard 
 her home from the dyspepsia fiend. A knowl- 
 edge of hygiene and nursing will save her and 
 others hours of pain, and will fit her to teach the 
 people many things of which they are now igno- 
 rant. She can do many things better than a 
 man if she is well-fitted for missionary work. 
 Her sphere of usefulness will be so wide and so 
 varied, and the demand upon her so constant 
 and exhausting, that above all else she will need 
 health, for without health she will find it hard to 
 fill her place. 
 
 In our schools the work increased to such an 
 extent that we found we could not do all that 
 needed to be done. What with the Boys' Primary 
 School increasing rapidly, the Bible Training 
 School able to admit only men, the Girls' School 
 in a room on the house-top taught only reading 
 by an old Priest who, though he thought he was 
 a Protestant, finally under persecution went back, 
 the instruction in the catechism given by a 
 young woman who was only just learning the 
 
 73
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 language and had first to go over the lesson with 
 her teacher, — we were beside ourselves to know 
 what to do, though Mariam, one of our brightest 
 girls, was able with the help of the missionaries, 
 to take the place of the Priest. 
 
 But the crisis was reached when the Girls' 
 School increased to fifty or sixty pupils, and we 
 found the villagers eager to send their daughters, 
 and we had neither room nor teachers for them. 
 
 We met in council to talk over the matter. 
 The gentlemen said, "These Bible students also 
 have wives, we ought to bring them with their 
 husbands to the city, for not one of them knows 
 how to read." We asked wisdom from Him 
 who sent us to this field and who had so 
 blessed our efforts, and the result was that we 
 voted to have one of our number lay the case 
 before Dr. Anderson, the foreign Secretary at 
 Boston. Dr. Anderson replied, "Yours is an 
 interesting state of things and the Committee 
 have voted to send to your help an unmarried 
 lady as soon as a fit person shall be found." 
 This gave us new courage and we began to 
 plan for rooms for this new teacher and her 
 school. 
 
 The room in the lower part of the missionary 
 residence was now too small for a chapel, and 
 
 74
 
 " Woman, the Teacher of the Race " 
 
 was sometimes crowded almost to suffocation. 
 A new chapel or "church," as Dr. Anderson 
 said we must call it, must be built, with rooms 
 for the Bible Class in the second story. The 
 converts had helped build the Primary School- 
 house and now they must be urged to have part 
 in the new church. Some were ready to give ; 
 others thought the gospel ought to be free. 
 "Does not the Bible say, 'Freely ye have re- 
 ceived, freely give'?" "Yes, we have given 
 you freely the spiritual instruction ; but you 
 must help build the church to worship in." We 
 had taught from the beginning that " God would 
 help those who helped themselves." Large num- 
 bers of Bibles which had been sold in the city 
 and on the plain had increased the demand for 
 schools for the children, and these parents could 
 and did help some. 
 
 The result of our combined and strenuous 
 effort was that the church in Harpoot was soon 
 finished, with aid from the Board, and we 
 thought it as grand for us as the New Old South 
 or Trinity was for Boston. The six strong 
 pillars that supported the roof seemed far more 
 beautiful than the most elaborate we had seen in 
 our native land. The height enabled us to draw 
 a long breath, which we had hardly dared to do 
 
 75
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 in the old chapel, made out of Keshish Oghloo's 
 stable. Then those white clean walls, the neat 
 gallery, the arched windows, a new Bible and 
 hymn book in the pretty black walnut pulpit, — 
 how elegant this new church seemed compared 
 with the one we had been worshipping in ! 
 
 One of the missionaries had gone from house 
 to house and from man to man to get the extra 
 money to pay for a board floor. Some gave 
 only two cents. One wealthy man (wealthy for 
 an Armenian in Harpoot) said, "I will not give a 
 para!" (one-tenth of a cent). 
 
 "Very well," said the missionary, "if you do 
 not, I will bring in a box of earth, and you can 
 sit on that, for we shall have the floor." 
 
 The man yielded and made a good contri- 
 bution, for he knew the missionary would keep 
 his word, and he would have no right to com- 
 plain. 
 
 What an occasion the dedication of that first 
 Protestant church in Armenia was! Crowds 
 came from the villages on the plain, and the 
 services were very impressive. It had no debt on 
 it when we consecrated it to Heaven's King. 
 The missionary who planned it looked well to 
 the appropriation made by the Board. He 
 obtained the best material and the best work- 
 
 76
 
 " Woman, the Teacher of the Race " 
 
 men he could find, and then watched over, not 
 only the money in his care, but every particular 
 that related to the building. He did not lay 
 aside his teaching or preaching to superintend 
 this building ; but every man knew his eye was 
 upon him, and he detected a fault quicker than 
 the head carpenter. His judgment in selecting a 
 cite, his ability to tell what the cost should be, 
 and his quick eye for detecting mistakes, were 
 invaluable to us. 
 
 We must not omit to mention the nice airy 
 room with four windows which was for the 
 Bible Training Class, or the six rooms for the un- 
 married students, all of which were in the upper 
 story of the church, which upper story added 
 greatly to the architectural effect of the build- 
 ing. 
 
 Friends of Mr. Allen, who had charge of our 
 Bible School, sent from Mt. Morris, New York, a 
 sweet toned bell which would do for the schools 
 and the church. It was doubtful whether the 
 Turk would allow this bell to be rung in the 
 place of the bar of steel we had used, so we 
 thought best to try in the court of the missionary 
 house a smaller one which would eventually be 
 used in the Girls' School. We knew an in- 
 fluential Turk who would notice this bell and 
 
 77
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 would perhaps make objections. He did, but the 
 government said to him, " It is on their grounds 
 and we have no right to interfere." Soon the 
 sounds of the larger bell went out over our part 
 of the city, and, after some complaining, we 
 were left to ring it as we pleased. 
 
 During the massacres this building was burned, 
 and we well recall the last toll of this bell as it 
 fell into the flames when the roof gave way. 
 
 The rooms left vacant by these changes were 
 put in order and fitted up for a High School and 
 Seminary for Girls. A dining-room, kitchen and 
 bath-room were added to these, and, on the 
 second story, two rooms for the lady teacher who 
 was expected in the autumn. 
 
 Here commenced the Seminary that grew into 
 the Girls' Department of Euphrates College. 
 Perhaps I should say the foundations were laid 
 in that little school on the house-top. 
 
 The wives of the young men who were stu- 
 dents in what was now to be called our Theological 
 Seminary, were brought to the Girls' Seminary. 
 Some of them had learned to read from their hus- 
 bands and seemed earnest to make progress; 
 but some were unwilling and declared they had 
 so much to do they could never learn to read 
 
 well. One of the better caste, the wife of a man 
 
 78
 
 "Woman, the Teacher of the Race" 
 
 who for years afterward was an earnest pastor, 
 had been the mother of nine children, and brought 
 six or seven with her, the oldest of whom went 
 into our City School. This wife was very eager 
 to come to us, and made commendable progress, 
 learning many practical lessons that aided her in 
 filling her place of Pastoress. 
 
 Her husband was very anxious that the new 
 dress he was to get her should be a la Frank, and 
 came to ask how much material would be needed 
 and if we would help her make the dress. She 
 looked well in this dress ; but we could never 
 teach her to button the sleeves at the wrist. 
 When reminded that the buttons were put on to 
 be buttoned, she would reply with a smile, " O, 
 I forgot it." 
 
 To enable the wives to come we opened a 
 nursery for the children who were too young to 
 attend the school. Some of these wives and 
 mothers made such progress in their three years 
 schooling that they not only learned something 
 of Arithmetic, but even a little Grammar and 
 wrote simple essays, one of which, on "Female 
 Responsibility," would honor a pupil in our 
 American High Schools. This woman, whose 
 name was Azniv, labored earnestly in the Bitlis 
 field, and two of her daughters were among the 
 
 79
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 bright pupils found in the Misses Ely's School, 
 the Mt. Holyoke of Kurdistan. 
 
 These women, who knew so little when they 
 came and who only spent parts of three years 
 with us, became most efficient colaborers with 
 their husbands in the village work. Wherever 
 they went they became centres of light to the 
 women. With their Bibles and hymn books 
 they went from house to house. Some they per- 
 suaded by the words from the Bible, others were 
 won by the sweet hymns. The little boys soon 
 learned some of these hymns and went singing 
 through the streets, childlike, and God made 
 use of this to soften the hearts of opposers, and 
 even the Turk seemed pleased. 
 
 Schools for girls in the villages were the result 
 of these labors. It was true that many a Preach- 
 er's wife had her class of girls in her own home; 
 but family cares and her limited knowledge made 
 her feel that a regular Girls 5 school should be 
 opened in the village. Some of these villages 
 had from five to eight thousand inhabitants. 
 Boys' schools had been opened and the Preachers 
 had charge of these. But as their duties in- 
 creased and they became the Pastors of growing 
 churches, they had to give up the teaching to 
 
 young men from the Harpoot High School, and 
 
 80
 
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 O 
 
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 W 
 
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 as
 
 "Woman, the Teacher of the Race" 
 
 no longer would the mothers send their daughters 
 when they were to be taught by unmarried men. 
 It was against all their ideas of propriety. So 
 the calls for Girls' schools increased each year. 
 There was great difficulty in getting teachers in 
 those early days, as the city girls would not go to 
 the villages to teach; and the parents would not 
 consent even when the girl herself was willing. 
 
 It was the custom to give girls in marriage, 
 often at the age of eleven. If one remained till 
 she was fifteen or sixteen years of age, she was 
 stamped as a " dun mena," one not worthy of 
 marriage, so "left at home." No mother was 
 willing that her daughter should be left at home, 
 so it was a serious question how and where we 
 should find girls who could or would stay in 
 school long enough to make teachers, either in 
 the city or the village. 
 
 But the young men came to our rescue when 
 they woke up to the idea that they needed edu- 
 cated wives. They said to their mothers, "You 
 need not expect me to take an ignorant girl, for 
 I never will consent to it," which of course 
 greatly shocked the mothers. 
 
 All the matchmaking was done through some 
 
 intimate friend, as the young men could not be 
 
 allowed to talk with the girl or even see her face. 
 
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 Missions in Eden 
 
 This friend, when a girl was proposed, was ex- 
 pected to find out if she were healthy, if her eyes 
 were all right, if she were industrious and obedi- 
 ent. She would all at once become quite inti- 
 mate at the home of the prospective bride and 
 would, in a woman's skillful way, find out all 
 she wished, and often more. Many amusing 
 incidents were related about this part of the 
 courtship. Thus you will better understand the 
 case of poor Jacob, when instead of Rachel, his 
 beloved, he had Leah, the tender-eyed. 
 
 "Did young Armenia conquer?" you will ask. 
 Yes, she completely revolutionized this part of 
 social life. The mothers at first would not give 
 their daughters to Protestants or allow their sons 
 to wed Protestant girls; but soon the educated 
 girls were all above par. Village mothers were 
 anxious to have their girls go to the City school. 
 Fathers were ready to pay for their sons, since 
 education opened new doors for them. It was 
 a great thing for a boy to teach during the winter 
 in one of the villages and bring home twenty 
 dollars in his pocket. This would pay for a 
 year's tuition, books and clothing. The board 
 was no impediment, for he either boarded at 
 home or, if a villager, he boarded himself, bring- 
 ing his bread., dried meat and cheese from home. 
 
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 "Woman, the Teacher of the Race" 
 
 What could we do, you ask, to supply the 
 calls for girls' schools in the villages ? We can 
 best answer this question by taking you to a 
 village home. The mother is a widow with 
 three children. Let us go in. She greets us 
 kindly and brings us a cushion to sit upon. 
 There are few comforts in this dark room. The 
 walls are black with the smoke of years, some 
 of the timbers in the roof look like charred 
 wood. The fireplace is in one corner and con- 
 sists of a hole in the earth lined with flat stones. 
 Here the grass, "which to-day is and to-morrow 
 is cast into the oven," is piled, after being dried 
 on the flat roof of the house, fire is added, then 
 the village peat, making at first a great smoke, 
 but finally a hot fire. The smoke fills the room 
 and everything is scented with the smell as it 
 slowly makes its way out of the hole in the roof, 
 which is also the sky window, only one other 
 being found in the room to let in light and air. 
 
 The woman sits at your feet upon the mat laid 
 on the earth floor. You open your Armenian 
 Testament and read, "Let not your heart be 
 troubled. In my Father's house are many man- 
 sions. I go to prepare a place for you." She is 
 weeping. You ask her why she weeps. "I 
 know these things are true," she replies — "you 
 
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 Missions in Eden 
 
 are reading the words of Christ — I have heard 
 our preacher read them — I believe them; but I 
 did not learn this till after my husband died, and 
 I am afraid he did not know that Jesus prepares 
 mansions in heaven for those that love Him." 
 How could / comfort her ? I closed my Bible 
 and asked the Lord Jesus who loved her so much 
 that He died for her to bind up her broken heart. 
 Wiping her eyes with the corner of her coarse 
 apron she looked into my face, saying, 
 
 "Hanum, what shall I do? I wish very much 
 to send Markareed up to the City school." 
 
 " What can you do ? " I replied. 
 
 " I can make over the bed her father used. I 
 can wear his stockings and give her mine. She 
 has an old dress, and I have enough blue and red 
 home-spun cloth to make her another. Then I 
 have the yazma I had as a bride which will do 
 for her head covering. I can't do more, except 
 to get my neighbor to put her on top of a load of 
 cotton and take her to the city." 
 
 "Let Markareed come," I said, "and 1 will do 
 the rest." 
 
 God never requires His children to do more 
 than they can and I was sure He would open 
 the way for Markareed. She came and made 
 so much progress that, after the seven months' 
 
 84
 
 " Woman, the Teacher of the Race " 
 
 schooling under the American teacher, we sent 
 her back to teach a Girls' school in her own vil- 
 lage under the care of her mother. 
 
 I think you would enjoy coming for a little 
 time to the examination of the girls at the City 
 school after they have been under instruction for 
 seven months. 
 
 Here comes the class that will graduate this 
 year, for they have finished their three years' 
 course. The senior class is small. It is a great 
 thing to keep girls in school three years, and I 
 may whisper in your ear that all these seven 
 girls except one, who is a hump-back, are en- 
 gaged to be married. The hump-back is en- 
 gaged to help in our seminary. The girls are 
 wide-awake and, looking into the faces of their 
 teachers, pass a commendable examination. 
 
 Here comes a class of rather timid girls. This 
 is the first time they have ever been examined 
 before men; they are all looking down. 
 
 Miss B speaks pleasantly to a tall girl at 
 
 the head of the class, " Markareed, what can you 
 tell me about the second chapter of Matthew ?" 
 
 Markareed raises her eyes to the teacher's face 
 and in a clear voice gives a satisfactory answer. 
 "Why, we have seen this girl somewhere, and 
 the name sounds familiar. Markareed? Marka- 
 
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 Missions in Eden 
 
 reed ? Why, she is that girl who came to school 
 on top of the cotton bales — the widow's daugh- 
 ter. How she has widened out! How pretty 
 she looks with her hair braided, and dressed in 
 that clean pink calico with the purple jacket! 
 Do you mean to say that this is that ragged girl 
 we saw in the village home ?" 
 
 Let me tell you how she got the pink calico 
 dress. Her mother would take her baby brother 
 on her back to the wheat fields where she would 
 leave him under a tree in the care of an older 
 sister. 1 Then all day long, in the hot sun, she 
 would follow the reapers, just as Ruth the Mo- 
 abitess did, gleaning the stalks they let fall. In 
 the evening she would lay these on her house- 
 top to dry and, after a meal of cracked wheat, 
 cooked with a little butter and salt, a bowl of 
 butter-milk and some dry bread, with possibly 
 an onion, would spread a coarse black cloth be- 
 side the wheat, on this arrange the hard mat- 
 tress and a heavy comforter, and cuddle down 
 beside her children to sleep, while the stars 
 seemed to say, "You are safe under a loving 
 Father's care." At the end of the harvest she 
 was surprised to find how much she had gleaned. 
 
 1 This little boy afterward became an eloquent preacher and was invited 
 to a city church. 
 
 86
 
 " Woman, the Teacher of the Race " 
 
 "Markareed can have a dress for examination!" 
 she cried. 
 
 Deacon Garabed, who brought her on his load 
 of cotton to the school, was present at the exami- 
 nation and, when it closed, came to the lady who 
 had charge of Markareed and begged that she 
 might open a school for girls in her mother's 
 house. 
 
 In the spring Markareed returned to our school 
 with a little money in her pocket, and her mates 
 began to look up to the village maiden who 
 knew enough to teach. 
 
 The next seven months added much to the 
 knowledge and gracefulness of our pupil. Again 
 Deacon Garabed was eager to hear all she said, 
 and at the close came forward to claim her for 
 his village. 
 
 "She cannot go to your village again," said 
 the missionary lady. 
 
 "Why Hanum, this year we will give her 
 more pupils. We must have her. The Boys' 
 School is full and the girls are all waiting for 
 Markareed." 
 
 "Garabed, we have kept her for two years in 
 our school and she has learned to be neat and 
 nice. We will not send her into your village to 
 live in that black, dismal hole for four months. 
 
 87
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 She is wanted in the large village to the west of 
 you, where we have a pastor who will receive 
 her to his neat, clean home, and the people are 
 just finishing a new schoolhouse." 
 
 " Aman, Aman, Hanum !" (Alas, Alas, Lady) 
 said Garabed with a much disturbed face. 
 " Give me five dollars, I will get the rest, and in 
 a few weeks we will make ready a nice second 
 story room for our school." 
 
 He kept his word and a few weeks later we 
 went down to see our first village school for girls 
 in its new room. It had three windows, the 
 earth floor was covered with coarse reed matting, 
 and, as it would be colder than the lower room, 
 a stove stood on one side, arrangements having 
 been made for each family to furnish the fuel by 
 turns. 
 
 This was not merely a step forward, it was a 
 long leap upward in the social progress of women. 
 So you will not wonder that this school in the 
 village, with its more than forty girls, and with 
 one of their own village maidens at its head, was 
 a source of great joy to the missionaries. We 
 knew that this leaven would work till every vil- 
 lage on the plain should have a Preacher and a 
 schoolhouse for girls as well as boys. 
 
 It was too late to hinder the mothers from 
 
 88
 
 " Woman, the Teacher of the Race " 
 
 educating their daughters. They said, "We are 
 donkeys, and our brains are baked, the day for 
 us has passed by ; but our daughters shall go to 
 the schools." 
 
 Few girls were now sought in marriage at 
 eleven or fourteen. The old maids increased so 
 fast that fathers as well as mothers were in ear- 
 nest about sending their daughters to school. 
 
 "My son wishes your Mariam," said one well- 
 to-do Effendi to another, "but he says you must 
 send her to the school for girls." 
 
 Educated girls from the peasant villages found 
 their way into city homes of wealth and influence 
 and we no longer had to seek for teachers. 
 Now even city parents would permit their daugh- 
 ters to go to teach in cities four to six days' 
 journey distant, and in some instances these 
 educated girl teachers opened the way for Evan- 
 gelistic work. 
 
 89
 
 VIII 
 
 TOURING AND BIBLE WOMEN 
 
 In the missionary's work, touring from place to 
 place like the great Apostle to the Gentiles, must 
 be a prominent feature. He must have a home, 
 but he cannot stay long at a time in that home. 
 He is not a pastor who settles down over one 
 church; he is an apostle, and hundreds of places 
 demand his labors. Touring may be the hardest 
 work he is called upon to do; but its rewards 
 are great. Some of the finest fruit comes from 
 this hand picking. He must leave his comfort- 
 able home for cold, smoky, dirty homes. Here 
 he will not always be welcomed and will be glad 
 sometimes to find a place in the stable near his 
 horse. He may receive insult and violence, may 
 even be stoned and obliged to leave one village 
 and seek shelter in another. How near the Mas- 
 ter seems at such times only His "Sent ones" 
 know. 
 
 The great leathern bags that take his bed and 
 bedding hold also Bibles and Testaments. 
 Primers— "The key to unlock the Bible"— he 
 carrries to scatter broadcast as he journeys. 
 
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 Touring and Bible Women 
 
 Are the people ready to buy these books, or is 
 he to give them away ? 
 
 It would be a fatal mistake to degrade the 
 Bible by giving it away to the people. What 
 costs nothing has little value— is true among all 
 people. The Bible given away has been used for 
 cigarette wrappers; but no man who has learned 
 the worth of the Bible sufficiently to invest 
 money in it, will destroy it. There may be 
 times when a Bible should be given away. 
 
 What can we do, for instance, with the poor 
 man, who hasn't enough money to afford a 
 Bible ? Help him to earn some, if we can. Get 
 a neighbor or friend who knows his circum- 
 stances to help him, and help him in part our- 
 selves. 
 
 You would think it hard to sleep in your wood- 
 room ; but the touring missionary does not often 
 get a room as clean and warm as that. He finds 
 this hard; but he knew when he gave himself to 
 this work that it would be hard, and he looks 
 forward to the reward that will come from faith- 
 ful labor. 
 
 Every tour will bring a rich harvest in the 
 coming years. We who are living under the 
 very sunlight of the Gospel do not realize how 
 much it cost the missionaries who brought our 
 
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 Missions in Eden 
 
 forefathers the light. We claim our Christian 
 civilization as something we have inherited; but 
 if we go back a few centuries we find only 
 paganism, our very priests offering human sacri- 
 fices to Woden and Thor. 
 
 "Surely," you say, "the lady missionary should 
 not try to tour." But shall we leave our sisters 
 in darkness because it costs us something to 
 reach them ? Woman's heart is tender and she 
 will brave more even than men for those who 
 need her. The women cannot be reached by 
 the men; but lady missionaries can enter all the 
 homes, and soon find their way to the hearts of 
 their sisters. The Oriental woman's prejudices 
 may, at first, be stronger than those of her hus- 
 band; but she is usually very religious, and when 
 in a kind, loving way you remove her prejudices, 
 you find her anxious to listen to the words from 
 your Bible. It is not hard to persuade her that 
 woman owes much to Christ who did so much 
 to restore to her what she lost in Eden. The 
 lady missionary is indispensable in the touring, 
 just as she is in all forms of missionary work. 
 You will find it hard work at first to persuade 
 either the men or women that they can read. 
 The people in nominally Christian countries have 
 lived so long without the knowledge of the Bible 
 
 92
 
 Touring and Bible Women 
 
 that they think it enough to believe in it, though 
 they know nothing of its power. Persuade one 
 man or woman to read it as God's letter to them, 
 and you have accomplished much. 
 
 A few years have passed and we retrace for- 
 mer missionary tours. How their work has en- 
 larged and the workers increased! We find 
 native Preachers and Teachers and earnest Bible 
 women in the field. Many Christian communi- 
 ties have been gathered, and these have grown 
 into churches. Pastors have been called, schools 
 have been opened. No longer are you com- 
 pelled to sit down to give some brother his first 
 lesson in the rudiments; he is now a deacon in 
 the church, a pillar for the Pastor to lean upon. 
 Now this community wishes not only a Boys', 
 but a Girls' school. The people are asking for 
 Bibles and other books, and many of the villages 
 have a Book Depository and are doing the work 
 you once did single-handed. They are working 
 for others outside their own village, and even 
 women go to neighboring villages to give the 
 light to others. The homes have improved. 
 You will find some houses with a second story 
 room and glass windows. "The entrance of 
 Thy Word giveth light," has proven true in many 
 ways. The father, mother and children are now 
 
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 Missions in Eden 
 
 reading, and the dark rooms must give place to 
 those with more windows. 
 
 The native Pastor is now living in a house with 
 several rooms, so that you are no longer com- 
 pelled to stay in the stable near the cattle to keep 
 warm; for in these clean, upper rooms you will 
 even find a stove and often a raised and cushioned 
 divan. 
 
 Old and young will be found in the Sunday- 
 school, and you may even find a Christian En- 
 deavor Society. The young men are enthusiastic 
 in selling Bibles and other books, and they tell 
 you with great joy of their successes. They 
 have the money all ready for another order, and 
 wish to know if you have any new book from 
 Constantinople which they have not seen. 
 
 Come for a moment to the dark village of 
 Hulakegh, where once the people were so hostile 
 that the missionary's life was in danger. They 
 even plotted to prove him immoral by concealing 
 an immoral Turkish woman in the house where 
 he was spending the night, and then calling the 
 people to see for themselves what kind of re- 
 ligious teacher this missionary was. There now 
 is a church owning a good building and parson- 
 age. They have a Girls' and Boys' school — Sab- 
 bath School, Prayer Meeting and Missionary 
 
 94
 
 Touring and Bible Women 
 
 Society— for they feel that having received the 
 gospel they must send it to those who have it 
 not in dark Kurdistan where the churches have a 
 missionary field. I can recall the day when not 
 one woman could be persuaded to read the Bible 
 or to come to church here. We had reached the 
 men, but not one woman dared to enter the 
 Protestant church. 
 
 The new Hulakegh chapel was to be dedi- 
 cated and the missionaries asked their lady as- 
 sistants to go and to invite some of their city 
 sisters to go with them. As animals were pro- 
 vided, several were glad to go. When we had 
 entered the chapel we saw that some space had 
 been reserved for us in the back part of the room 
 behind the men. Soon after we had taken our 
 seats it was noised abroad that the missionary 
 ladies had come from the city. Presently we 
 saw a woman look in shyly at the door, then 
 she took off her shoes and, bending low, shot 
 past the men and took her seat on the floor be- 
 hind us. This continued till the space reserved 
 for the women was well filled. 
 
 This village afterward became noted for its 
 reading women, and the men of other villages 
 would say, "If you want a wife for your son, 
 get her from Hulakegh where she can read and 
 
 95
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 do twice as much as other women." This same 
 village was among the first to call for a Preacher 
 when their Pastor elect had been killed in the 
 massacres, and now that church is fast coming 
 up again to self-support, even in these almost 
 starving times when homes, though not de- 
 stroyed, are desolate. 
 
 The next village has called for the exercise of 
 great patience and the missionaries have often 
 wondered if any real good was being done there. 
 Shall I tell you why ? The men are made ugly 
 and stupid by the free use of wine and raki and, 
 as a missionary once said, " The Spirit of God 
 never stays where wine or raki enter." 
 
 We have there a good Bible woman, our ear- 
 nest Marinos, for whom some of you have given 
 money. 
 
 She has many hard things to bear at home; but 
 she finds time to be a most efficient helper of the 
 earnest wife of the Preacher. She rises early to 
 set her house in order and then leaves it to the 
 care of her sister-in-law, while she goes out to 
 persuade the women to read the Bible, and to 
 give her daily lessons. 
 
 The touring missionary lady looks after the 
 work of the Bible women, and each Bible woman 
 is expected to keep an account of every lesson 
 
 96
 
 Touring and Bible Women 
 
 given. The pupils are examined to see if prog- 
 ress has been made, if not, the Bible woman is 
 reprimanded, and if she does not do better, is 
 dropped. We do not allow any part of the 
 work to be done in a slipshod way, for this 
 would only be to lay our foundation with rotten 
 timber, and might involve the loss of the souls 
 we are trying to bring to the light. 
 
 I think you would like to hear what the tour- 
 ing missionary has just written of our good Bible 
 woman in another village which suffered much 
 from the massacres. This woman was stripped 
 of most of her clothing, and wandered for days 
 through the fields till she reached Harpoot, where 
 she had a son in college. He heard she was 
 coming and went to meet her. She was 
 half naked and barefoot in the snows of De- 
 cember. She had lived on the winter wheat 
 which was just springing up under the snow. He 
 threw his coat about her and brought her to the 
 city where she was lovingly cared for. When 
 March came she could not be persuaded to stay 
 longer in the city; but returned to her village, 
 saying, "They have no one to labor for them 
 and they need comfort now, they are so 
 wretched in their desolate, half-burned houses." 
 The missionary says, " We were greatly cheered 
 
 97
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 by the welcome this village gave us, especially by 
 what our faithful Bible woman, Badaskhan has 
 done. She is Pastor, Teacher and Counsellor 
 here, doing a grand work." Do you wonder 
 the missionary now feels repaid for days of toil 
 when he sees the abundant, ripe fruit that has 
 come from this earlier sowing ? 
 
 98
 
 IX 
 
 " HOW THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN WERE OPENED " 
 
 I think that you have already discovered that 
 we believed in teaching the people to help them- 
 selves. This seemed of great importance for a 
 people who had so long been under the influence 
 of governmental oppression. They needed to 
 learn that they had something to do and the way 
 to do it. It was not wise to wait till they were 
 stronger. In fact the very knowledge that you 
 can do a thing is the first step toward its accom- 
 plishment. 
 
 We made them to feel that the work was their 
 own, that we were only outside aids to help 
 them to get upon their feet, and that when once 
 up they were to start on a run — as they certainly 
 did in some cases. The needs of the Church, 
 the building of churches and schools, we em- 
 ployed to arouse them to what they could do. 
 
 When they were making commendable prog- 
 ress in these branches we introduced the idea of 
 helping those outside. We observed the monthly 
 concert for Missions, and thus it was easy to ask 
 them if they did not wish to share in the conver- 
 
 99
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 sion of the world. We sent our first small con- 
 tributions to the A. B. C. F. M. The Board had 
 helped them, and their hearts were naturally 
 drawn out to those who had helped them. Little 
 keepsakes were sometimes brought, and it was 
 pleasant to see their faces light up as they gave 
 these gifts to the Lord's treasury. 
 
 The monthly concert became one of our best 
 attended meetings. We made it interesting by 
 translating the most interesting papers from the 
 Herald and other magazines into simple Arme- 
 nian so that they might be easily understood. We 
 often illustrated these topics by drawings on the 
 movable blackboard. The students in our High 
 School were able to give us a great deal of help 
 in getting ready the monthly concert papers and 
 drawing the illustrations. For example, we would 
 take the Sandwich Islands and give them the his- 
 tory of their evangelization by American Chris- 
 tians. A picture of these islands with the mis- 
 sionary vessel, the Morning Star, which was built 
 by the children, with all her sails set, approach- 
 ing the land, was very pleasing and had a stimu- 
 lating influence. 
 
 The children in our day schools being anxious 
 to be formed into Missionary Societies like the 
 American children and have a name all their 
 
 100
 
 "Windows of Heaven were Opened" 
 
 own, we organized "The Gleaners " in one ward 
 of the city, "The Morning Star" in another, 
 "The Day Spring" in one of the villages, and so 
 on. In order to raise funds for the work we in- 
 vited the children to bring paras (one-tenth of a 
 cent), we held fairs, inviting the mothers to come 
 and buy the articles their children had made. At 
 such times the girls would be ready to sing and 
 to recite, which greatly pleased their mothers and 
 friends and served to interest them in our work. 
 We wished to have the children working in this 
 way all over the field. 
 
 Some thought all the money should be used 
 for Home work; but others of us felt this would 
 make the children narrow and selfish, so the 
 Kurdish Missionary Society was formed, which 
 was intended to care for Armenians who lived in 
 the midst of the Kurds, many of whom could 
 speak only Kurdish. One of our Pastors who 
 could speak Kurdish, travelled extensively in this 
 region and came back to tell us tales of their 
 wretchedness and ignorance which so touched 
 all of our hearts that soon Branch Societies were 
 formed in all the churches. One that was formed 
 in our Girls' High School sent money, books and 
 clothing. 
 
 The Armenians are so very tender-hearted and 
 
 101
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 sympathetic that it would be impossible to ap- 
 peal to their generosity without a response. I 
 have known the people to come bringing their 
 own garments for those more needy. Our church 
 at Harpoot never sent a man away empty if he 
 was worthy. 
 
 This Kurdish missionary work became so 
 popular that donations came in from most of the 
 Protestant Armenian churches in the Turkish Em- 
 pire. It was in a very flourishing condition when 
 the massacres devastated that part of the field. 
 The churches were shut up or torn down, some 
 of the Preachers were killed and others thrown 
 into prison, and the whole work almost blotted 
 out. Such, however, was the solidity of its 
 foundations, that already it is putting forth new 
 efforts and ere long we believe a greater work 
 will develop in Kurdistan. Let us put up the 
 prayer that the Protestant Armenian churches 
 will be glad once more to give in their poverty 
 to carry the work forward. 
 
 I doubt not that God is able to raise up another 
 John Concordance to help forward such a move- 
 ment. Let me tell you of this poor blind man 
 whom God used so wonderfully to seal what the 
 missionary had taught about giving. He came 
 
 from a little village on the sides of the Anti- 
 
 102
 
 -1 
 
 H 
 
 2 
 W 
 
 < 
 
 J
 
 " Windows of Heaven were Opened " 
 
 Taurus mountains. He heard in his native vil- 
 lage about the school in Harpoot where men 
 read and studied the Bible. He had all his life 
 been a church goer, kept his fasts and feasts, 
 made the sign of the cross, prayed to the Virgin 
 and the saints, made pilgrimages to the sacred 
 relics, and drunk from the sacred fountains that 
 bubbled out from the mountain side. Yes, John 
 had been a very religious youth ever since small- 
 pox had forever shut out for him the light of this 
 beautiful world, for his ears heard what many 
 others, if they heard, did not heed. 
 
 One day new Teachers had come and had 
 taught new things; but how could he, a blind 
 man, ever reach Harpoot to find out if these 
 things were true ? I doubt not he prayed as well 
 as listened, for one day he applied for admission 
 to the Bible School. He came well recommended 
 and was received. His fellow-students pitied 
 him and would read to him at almost any time 
 he asked the favor. He soon learned the Bible 
 so correctly that he could repeat any verse he 
 had heard and tell where it could be found, giv- 
 ing chapter and verse. The students dubbed 
 him " Hamaparpar " (Concordance), and ever 
 after he was known as Hohannes Hamaparpar, 
 or John Concordance. When he heard what the 
 
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 Missions in Eden 
 
 Bible taught about giving tithes, he said, "Tithe- 
 giving is just as binding on us as it ever was on 
 the Jews, and God will bless us if we are obedi- 
 ent." 
 
 When he finished his course in the Bible 
 School, the missionaries sent him to Shepik, 
 where a struggling church was steadily growing 
 weaker and weaker. They thought they were 
 too poor to support the gospel, and instead of 
 exerting themselves, were well content to be 
 carried by the missionaries. 
 
 After John had been settled there for a while 
 he took for his text one day, "Bring ye all 
 the tithes into the storehouse, . . . and 
 prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, 
 if I will not open you the windows of heaven, 
 and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not 
 be room enough to receive it." He proved with 
 such power that it was not only our duty but 
 privilege to give the Lord one-tenth of all our 
 gains, that the people of that poor village rose 
 as one man and brought in the tithes. 
 
 Yet he was not satisfied to see that village able 
 to stand alone, but went to many places, preach- 
 ing that men had robbed God and that was why 
 so many were poor and wretched and blind and 
 weak. Many under the power of his exhortation 
 
 104
 
 " Windows of Heaven were Opened " 
 
 were constrained to give not only a tithe of their 
 income, but much more, so that the treasury of 
 the Lord was more than filled; and God opened 
 the windows of heaven, and such a revival 
 spread through the churches that where grum- 
 bling was once heard songs of praise filled many 
 mouths. 
 
 One of the marked features of this revival was 
 the childlike simplicity with which the people 
 asked for the blessings needed. A tender, loving 
 spirit manifested itself. The missionary or Pas- 
 tor after speaking would often find his people in 
 tears; young and old convicted of sin and in- 
 quiring, " How can I be saved ?" I was present 
 in the city at a meeting of the church, when one 
 and another arose and, with streaming eyes, 
 asked forgiveness. The whole audience was 
 weeping together and the Holy Spirit was doing 
 His great work of convincing the church of their 
 need. 
 
 I never saw so much of the simplicity of God's 
 dealing with ignorant sinners as at this time. 
 One old woman who had been to Jerusalem and 
 was called Hadji (Pilgrim) Anna, said, "I don't 
 know anything, but I do love Christ." Her fu- 
 ture life showed this; for this tigress, whose 
 voice was once heard all over the neighborhood, 
 
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 Missions in Eden 
 
 was henceforth the lamb. It was beautiful to sit 
 by her dying bed and see the confidence she had 
 in her Saviour as death drew near. 
 
 Another who had spent all her living to go and 
 gaze on the spot where Christ suffered on the 
 cross asked, mid sobs, how she should find the 
 Saviour she needed. 
 
 "Hadji Marta," said the missionary lady, "if 
 you were hungry and needed a piece of bread, 
 could you not ask for it?" " Yes," she replied. 
 
 " Then go and ask Jesus for the bread of life, 
 and He will give it you." There on her knees 
 before the pulpit she asked and was fed, and 
 became one of the bright lights in that village 
 church. So much was she respected that one of 
 her neighbors, an honorable man, would take her 
 on his back and carry her to the church when she 
 could not walk. 
 
 At one morning meeting the worst man in one 
 of our cities, who was so wicked that neither the 
 Christian nor the Turk would claim him, was 
 melted and, to the astonishment of all, arose to 
 ask the Christians to pray for him that the merci- 
 ful Saviour would not pass him by. 
 
 All classes were reached. Yes, God did keep 
 His word; and this uplifting that came from the 
 giving, convinced the people as no argument 
 
 106
 
 " Windows of Heaven were Opened " 
 
 could, that God would help those who helped 
 themselves. It brought not only the church up 
 onto a higher plane but also the whole com- 
 munity; more Bibles were sold, and the Scrip- 
 tures were read with greater care; the schools 
 increased largely in attendance; with the re- 
 sult that the missionaries were too few to carry 
 on the work among the villages on the plain, 
 and more men were called for to superintend 
 the work which had so increased. Some 300 
 villages and eight to ten cities is not a small 
 parish where every department of work must be 
 looked after, and we felt that some two or three 
 should be travelling in the field all the time. 
 
 Here let me again emphasize the fact that we 
 never gave the people what they ought to buy 
 for themselves, but in every way developed the 
 manly spirit of helping them to help themselves; 
 and this principle thoroughly inculcated is prov- 
 ing to be nuggets of gold for the future of poor 
 Armenia. It is truly wonderful to see how it 
 has saved our work since the massacre. 
 
 Mr. Browne's last report of the Harpoot field, 
 after reciting instances of giving in various sta- 
 tions, says, "This year four of our churches 
 through strenuous efforts became self-supporting, 
 while we can confidently reckon on two more 
 
 107
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 next year. The Native contributions this year 
 have been 85,264 Piastres 1 against 44,885 Piastres 
 given by the Board. This for any year in this 
 land is commendable, but under existing circum- 
 stances it is truly Apostolic." 
 
 1 A Piaster is worth four cents in our money. 
 
 103
 
 o 
 
 
 
 < 
 S 
 
 H 
 (A 
 
 s 
 
 w
 
 X 
 
 "EUPHRATES COLLEGE" 
 
 When we began our Boys' school in Keshish 
 Oghloo's stable and the Girls' school in a little 
 room on the house-top, perhaps much like the 
 one Peter had when a guest of Simon the Tanner, 
 who lived by the sea at Joppa, we had no 
 thought that in twenty years these would grow 
 into a college for young men and women. But 
 so God ordained, and the missionary who did 
 not believe in higher education as a force to be 
 largely made use of in evangelism, was by cir- 
 cumstances made the founder of Euphrates Col- 
 lege. 
 
 The High School and the Theological Seminary 
 were the natural fruits of the day schools. The 
 people began to call for better educated Preach- 
 ers and Teachers. Our most talented young men 
 began to leave us and pursue this higher educa- 
 tion in institutions abroad, being thus lost to our 
 work, for even if they returned they were so 
 much above the people that they were restless 
 and impatient and the people were dissatisfied 
 with them. 
 
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 Missions in Eden 
 The constant increase of the Christian com- 
 
 • 
 
 munity in Harpoot and the fact that three other 
 stations would patronize the College (the only 
 one in Armenia proper with the Armenian lan- 
 guage as its vernacular), encouraged the founders 
 of Euphrates College to lay the corner-stone of 
 the institution, and the increasing prosperity of 
 the following seventeen years only confirmed the 
 wisdom of the step. 
 
 While the college belonged to the churches 
 that sent forth the missionaries, yet it had no 
 right to the money given for evangelistic work, 
 though it was a most efficient adjunct. We felt 
 that it had claims on Christian benevolence, and 
 was missionary work that would yield rich re- 
 turns, and therefore determined to have an en- 
 dowment fund, so two of the missionaries were 
 delegated to visit America and plead its cause. 
 
 The Girls' College, (now burned to the ground) 
 
 was so much needed that foundations for the 
 
 building were commenced when only $100 were 
 
 in hand that could be used for this purpose. It 
 
 required faith to begin, but God justified this 
 
 faith. The missionaries laid the case before the 
 
 Master who sent them forth, and He prospered 
 
 them beyond their hopes. They worked and 
 
 they prayed. Difficulties from the government 
 
 no
 
 "Euphrates College" 
 
 came up that at times threatened to be insur- 
 mountable, but an unseen power removed these 
 when we could see no way out. An officer came 
 one day to inspect the work and the cry went up 
 from the Armenian women, 
 
 " Hanum, the Turks have come to stop work 
 on the building!" 
 
 Quietly the lady missionary said to them, " Let 
 us pray; God can help us." In the midst of their 
 work they knelt and prayed, " Father in heaven, 
 Thou knowest this building is needed for the 
 carrying forward of Christ's kingdom. The 
 hearts of the Turks are in Thy hands and Thou 
 canst turn them whithersoever Thou wiliest." 
 Loud words from the accusers were heard, but 
 prayer prevailed. The officer said to the mission- 
 ary superintending the building, "Go on with 
 your work. You have not gone beyond your 
 permission." 
 
 This officer returned to the Pasha (Governor) 
 
 and said, "Those men are real benefactors. 
 
 They have not gone beyond their instructions. 
 
 Instead of polluting our cemetery (which was 
 
 near by) they are improving it, and, Effendi, I 
 
 felt like staying and helping them." This 
 
 stopped the mouth of the principal enemy, and 
 
 the missionary superintendent made the very 
 
 ill
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 man, who by his complaint had caused our 
 trouble, overseer of the road that was being 
 built through the Turkish cemetery with the 
 earth and stone dug out of the foundations of 
 our new building. This Turk became his fast 
 friend and remained so ever after. The road 
 then built at the north of the Girls' College, from 
 which it was separated by a high wall so that the 
 Turks should not watch the girls in the yard, is 
 now called College Street, and when by and by 
 it too shall have its rows of trees, which will 
 more entirely separate us from the cemetery, it 
 will be a street of beauty making an imposing 
 background to the Girls' College. 
 
 Many nearly famished men found work digging 
 these foundations, and the tall, dignified, turbaned 
 Turk, passing by, would call down blessings on 
 the father and grandfather of the builder. " For 
 the merciful who fed the poor would find 
 mercy with Allah." Many of the laborers were 
 Turks who lacked daily bread. How pleased 
 they always looked, when the missionary, at the 
 close of the week, gave them a few cents extra 
 for faithful work. 
 
 For years some of these same workmen were 
 employed in similar work, as new buildings went 
 up, and we are slow to believe that they shared 
 
 112
 
 "Euphrates College" 
 
 with those who afterward plundered and burned 
 our buildings. 
 
 When after two years, our beautiful college for 
 girls was finished, with what an almost triumph- 
 ant joy we left our crowded quarters and went 
 into this building with not one cent of debt on it. 
 Had not God been a hearer and answerer of 
 prayer? Some who gave donations and whose 
 names were recorded over the doors of some of 
 the rooms have met in our Father's House the 
 martyrs whose girls, students in this college, 
 were safely sheltered in the male college at the 
 time of the massacre. 
 
 Come with me into the College and let us be- 
 gin way down in the cellar where the storerooms 
 are. Some of them are rather dark, for they are 
 cut out of the solid rock and have light only on 
 one side. Here are our refrigerators and wood 
 bins. Here also is the wash-room where the 
 girls come for their daily ablutions. Just beyond 
 is the dressing-room, and through this you reach 
 the bath-room which is lined with stone and 
 built over a fireplace. Here you can enjoy a real 
 Turkish bath, for it is full of steam and the floor 
 is so hot that you will need to wear the wooden 
 shoes or clogs the girls use. This bath is lighted 
 
 every two weeks, and is one of our luxuries; 
 
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 Missions in Eden 
 
 but we cannot do without it, and every girl has 
 to pay extra for this just as you do in America 
 for music. All the water for this tank was 
 brought in skins on men's shoulders, till a lady 
 missionary lectured in America to secure the 
 money to provide the abundant supply you now 
 see. 
 
 Let us now come out into this nice paved 
 court. Here you see women preparing the great 
 bags of wheat for bulgoor. You saw these bags 
 on the raised platform in the storeroom ; but it 
 must all be picked over, washed, and boiled, be- 
 fore it goes to the mill to be crushed. Then 
 when made into pilaf, with meat and a little 
 butter, you would soon learn to like it, especially 
 when a delicious bowl of buttermilk is served 
 with it. 
 
 This is the dining-hall. Hark, the bell rings 
 and soon the girls will come flocking in. How 
 much they are like other girls! The Frank table 
 has only twelve places and is like the tables you 
 are accustomed to; but you will be far more in- 
 terested in the round copper tables on low stools, 
 with a table-cloth under the stool. The girls sit 
 about these tables on cushions, a la Turk, and 
 each one eats her food with a wooden spoon 
 
 from the dish placed in the centre. The thin 
 
 114
 
 "Euphrates College" 
 
 wafer-like bread is placed round the table at each 
 place. All are expected to bring their own nap- 
 kins, which are kept in the cupboard over there 
 and are like our towels. When the soup is fin- 
 ished the second course is served, and then if it 
 is winter, nuts, dried fruit or Turkish sweet- 
 meats, and if summer, grapes, melons, apples, 
 pears, cherries, apricots, peaches or plums. The 
 abundant fruit crop of these highlands helps 
 much in furnishing a variety of desserts. 
 
 A short flight of stairs takes us to the sitting- 
 rooms. The oiled floors are covered with Kurd- 
 ish carpets; Turkish divans are on two sides of 
 the rooms, one of which is for the College, and 
 the other for the Preparatory Department girls. 
 There is an organ for each room. Chairs and 
 tables and some inexpensive pictures complete 
 the furnishings. The rooms are pleasant and at- 
 tractive, and here the girls are very happy when 
 not at work or study. 
 
 The girls do all the housework and are divided 
 
 into rotating circles with a first and second 
 
 leader. They pass from one kind of work to 
 
 another so that the daily round does not become 
 
 irksome and all are trained in every variety of 
 
 household employment. The plan has worked 
 
 successfully for years and the leaders of the cir- 
 
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 Missions in Eden 
 
 cles feel a motherly and religious interest in the 
 younger members. 
 
 We will now pass into the beautiful, clean 
 hospital-room lighted by three windows, and 
 sometimes occupied by several inmates, and 
 thence by the front door to the reception-room 
 where the girls can see their friends under cer- 
 tain restrictions; sometimes alone, but usually 
 the door into the matron's room is open and she 
 is expected to know all that transpires. 
 
 This long flight of stairs takes us to the dormi- 
 tories and teachers' rooms. As we have no bed- 
 steads you will see the bedding all piled up 
 neatly on the right side, covered with carpets. 
 The dormitories consist of two large halls lined 
 with small closets, one for each girl, where she 
 has a seat and can keep her pictures and treas- 
 ures, and where she retires for daily Bible read- 
 ing and prayer. At night all the beds are spread 
 on the floor, each as near the closet of the owner 
 as possible. The native teachers' rooms open 
 into these dormitories, and across the narrow 
 hall, on the west, are the rooms of the American 
 teachers. Near these and beside the door that 
 leads into the girls' court, is the office where 
 business is transacted and pupils received. 
 
 The court is protected on all sides by high 
 
 116
 
 "Euphrates College" 
 
 walls and in it is the Mary Davis drinking foun- 
 tain. This is a very great improvement over the 
 old water jar that was filled by the water-carrier 
 with his goatskin bottle slung over his back. 
 
 Perhaps you are getting weary, but we have 
 one story more to show you before we go down 
 to the Kindergarten and Primary Departments. 
 We will ascend these stone steps from the court 
 instead of going inside again. At the left, as we 
 enter the hall, we find Professor Nahigian in the 
 chemical room teaching Physics. He is busy 
 with experiments and his class of Juniors look 
 bright and appreciative. He married our sweet 
 Mariam. Farther along are other recitation 
 rooms, while on the right is the college hall. A 
 prettier room than this we shall seldom find, 
 with its neat, plain finish and American desks 
 and seats screwed to the neatly painted floor. 
 Teacher Nazloo is here and, in her sweet, lady- 
 like way, is teaching a class in Moral Science. 
 In a recitation room just beyond, Mrs. Wheeler is 
 teaching a class in English Literature. The girls 
 are much interested in " Lady of the Lake," judg- 
 ing from quotations written on the blackboard. 
 Miss Barnum is teaching Physical Geography in 
 the next room. 
 
 At this point we enter Stone Hall where the 
 
 117
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 members of the High and Grammar Schools have 
 their seats. Mrs. Stone gave us $25,000, and the 
 hall was named after her. Here Miss Daniels 
 greets us, and Miss Wheeler is giving a large 
 class a singing lesson. They are preparing for a 
 concert to be given before the college and out- 
 side friends. Miss Allen is at the organ. These 
 girls are doing splendid work for those who have 
 had so few opportunities. Such concerts we 
 find are very uplifting, and the girls look forward 
 to them with delight. We encourage all to learn 
 singing, and quite a number learn to play the 
 organ. 
 
 There are still other recitation rooms where we 
 would love to take you that you might see how 
 the native teachers have improved under Miss 
 Daniels' enthusiastic lessons in Pedagogy; but 
 'tis most time for the midday recess and we 
 have yet to visit other Departments. Take one 
 look as we pass along from the southern win- 
 dows of Stone Hall and I think you will not 
 wonder that Mr. Grant and Mr. Wood, Ameri- 
 can travellers who visited us, said they had seen 
 but one finer mountain view than this in all their 
 travels. Below you is the great plain we call the 
 workshop for our College pupils, where many of 
 the three hundred villages are calling for teachers. 
 
 118
 
 "Euphrates College" 
 
 At the south is the Taurus range, uniting east 
 and west with the Anti-Taurus, whose tops are 
 covered with snow the larger part of the year, 
 giving us cool breezes when the hot season 
 comes. This plain is beautiful now and will 
 continue to be till the July and August sun dries 
 up everything that is not reached by the almost 
 universal irrigation afforded by the streams 
 which flow from the fountains in the valleys. 
 
 Now we will go down through the court and 
 over the lower terrace that lies in front of the 
 school, to our Kindergarten and Primary Depart- 
 ments. Here is where we receive and work up 
 the raw material for our College. If you should 
 put the question, those children would all say 
 that they expect to graduate from the College, 
 though most of them will marry before that. 
 Here sometimes we have to send a girl home 
 because she comes with unkempt hair and a 
 dirty dress; but the mothers soon learn that such 
 things will not be tolerated, and the girls them- 
 selves quickly become sensitive and ready to 
 prompt a careless mother. This is the day for 
 the Missionary Society, and you will be pleased 
 to see the little ones from the Kindergarten come 
 in to the Primary room and sit down in rows on 
 the floor at your feet. After giving the saluta- 
 
 119
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 tion they fold their hands like so many old ladies 
 and not a smile is seen on their faces. Give 
 them some sweet song they have learned and 
 you will hear very much the same music you 
 would at home from such tots. The older chil- 
 dren have all brought their money and are ready 
 to hear the story you have for them. 
 
 You read from the Bible, " Ethiopia shall stretch 
 out her hands to God." You show them on the 
 map where Ethiopia or Africa is; you tell them 
 these words were uttered long ago, but are now 
 being fulfilled. 
 
 "What do you know of Africa, Sara?" 
 "It is a great country where black people 
 live." 
 
 " Do any of them know about Jesus ?" 
 "Yes, missionaries went to them and they 
 have learned many things." 
 
 " What is the name of your society ?" 
 All together they reply, " Little Drops of 
 Water." 
 
 "What can little drops of water become ?" 
 "The mighty ocean." 
 
 " What do you do with your money that you 
 raise in this society ? " 
 
 "We help support two girls in Africa." 
 
 "I have here the picture of Susiwe, one of 
 
 120
 
 " Euphrates College " 
 
 these girls, and a letter from her. Do you wish 
 to hear the letter?" 
 
 "Yes, yes." 
 
 " Listen, then, ' I was an ignorant heathen girl. 
 I did not know about Jesus. My father wanted 
 to sell me to an wicked old man. So I took my 
 blanket and rolling it up fled to the river. I 
 could swim; but I was afraid of the crocodiles 
 that eat people. What should I do ? My father 
 would soon pursue me. I put my blanket on 
 my head and swam very fast over the river. 
 Then I threw my blanket round me and ran to 
 the house of Mrs. Edwards at Inanda, and she 
 took me into her school.' 
 
 "Her father soon came to Mrs. Edwards and 
 demanded his daughter, but Mrs. Edwards per- 
 suaded him to let her stay, and soon her sister 
 Nomdakhe came also. Her brother and mother 
 became Christians, and we hope the old father 
 has ere this." 
 
 We have three other societies in the school be- 
 sides " Little Drops of Water," and these all unite 
 to send their money to Mrs. Edwards to help 
 support Nomdakhe and Susiwe. 
 
 When the girls in Inanda Seminary, South 
 Africa, heard that the Turks had burned down 
 this beautiful school building through which you 
 
 121
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 had been looking, they wanted to send some- 
 thing to help the girls in Euphrates College, and 
 they accomplished this by living part of the time 
 on two meals a day and by working extra time 
 in the fields. 
 
 Some of our dear little Primary and Kinder- 
 garten girls were so interested in the African 
 girls that they would bring to their Teachers the 
 apples, nuts, raisins, dried peas and salted roasted 
 squash seeds that their mothers had given them 
 for their noonday lunch, and the Teachers would 
 sell these to older girls for a small sum and put 
 the money in the society mite box. Some of the 
 girls who went out to teach in the villages also 
 formed missionary societies, and so the work 
 grew. 
 
 The Male College raised up its own Professors 
 and Teachers, and we had only two teachers in 
 the College who were not of her own Alumni. 
 The Professor of Armenian, English and Latin, 
 was from one of the agricultural villages; his 
 father was the first man to build a second story 
 to his house and buy a stove, "so he could have 
 the missionaries for his guests," he said. He be- 
 came a very useful deacon in the church in his 
 native village. His son married the daughter of 
 a Preacher, one of the very first graduates of the 
 
 122
 
 "Euphrates College" 
 
 Girls' College. As her father died leaving her 
 mother with a large family to care for, she had 
 paid her way by teaching. Another graduate 
 became the Professor of Turkish, History and 
 French, another Professor of Higher Mathematics 
 and the Sciences, and another chief teacher of 
 Chemistry, Bible Study and Singing. Only the 
 President was a missionary. 
 
 The intelligent educated Armenian has proved 
 himself capable of filling an important place in 
 lifting up his people. Dr. Gates reopened the 
 College a few weeks after the terrible massacres; 
 but was obliged for a time to leave it almost 
 wholly to his native teachers, who proved them- 
 selves equal to the extra responsibility thrown 
 upon them. Some of these teachers became 
 very efficient aids to the President and other mis- 
 sionaries in laboring to save the widows and 
 orphans left after the massacres of 1895. 
 
 One of the most hopeful evidences of the 
 future of the College and High School is the 
 fact that, though the beautiful buildings are in 
 ashes, and cramped accommodations, paucity of 
 books and apparatus, and lack of sufficient teach- 
 ing force, make the work harder than ever, to- 
 day its numbers are larger than ever before, and 
 the work done is of a higher grade than even be- 
 
 123
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 fore the massacre. The blessing of the Lord has 
 rested upon its pupils, and many have since be- 
 come Christians. 
 
 The graduates of the College are found in 
 many lands. Many in this land are preachers 
 and teachers for their poor countrymen who have 
 fled from Turkey. Some are pastors of American 
 churches, others are doctors, dentists, engravers 
 or artists, merchants, and all are doing first- 
 class work and are honoring their Alma Mater. 
 
 124
 
 XI 
 
 "OVER THE TAURUS MOUNTAINS" 
 
 I well remember the first annual meeting in 
 Eastern Turkey. It was before the Turkish Mis- 
 sion was divided into Eastern, Western, and Cen- 
 tral. We were to have this gathering at Harpoot. 
 Missionaries would come from all parts of the 
 empire. How should we entertain them ? 
 
 We were overjoyed at the thought that Har- 
 poot was to have this uplift. We had now been 
 three years in the interior and had seen very few 
 Europeans or missionaries. We were only two 
 missionary families. We had no hotels to help 
 us out. The meeting would be in the spring 
 when we could not depend upon our abundant 
 autumn fruits; just at the time when the house- 
 keeper is often puzzled to know what she shall 
 set before her household. We knew the meet- 
 ing would be a large one, for some important 
 business was to come before it. How were we 
 to set about it ? 
 
 Well, we formed our station into a committee 
 of the whole to devise means and ways to carry 
 
 125
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 out our plans. It was just then the season when 
 our best fruit was ready for the table. We had 
 no great refrigerators to pack it away in for the 
 future, and we lacked the knowledge of how to 
 keep it fresh in other ways. So we resolved to 
 pull out our cook books and preserve it, just as 
 our grandmothers had done before us. No self 
 sealing cans had reached Turkey, so we made 
 shift as best we could. We made jellies and 
 syrups, preserved luscious peaches, pears, plums, 
 apricots, nectarines, and later, quinces, apples and 
 melons. If we could not have the fresh apple 
 pie, so homelike, we could prepare apple mar- 
 malade which would fill the place, when put be- 
 tween pastry that would almost melt in the 
 mouth. We were New England girls, and we 
 meant our table should not dishonor the dear old 
 matrons in whose steps we followed. 
 
 At length the time drew nigh when the guests 
 would begin to arrive. What should we do for 
 guest chambers and bedding ? A new house had 
 just been finished for the new missionary who had 
 been with us but a few months. He had not yet 
 brought home the daughter of our beloved Father 
 Goodell, who was the bride elect and who was 
 expected during the summer. This house we 
 fitted up for a dormitory. We made use of our 
 
 126
 
 "Over the Taurus Mountains" 
 
 traveling bedsteads, beside improvising some new 
 ones. The whitewasher and scrubbing woman 
 made ready some of our storerooms, and one 
 family gave up their room and retired to the 
 kitchen, that we might combine forces and have 
 only one large table where we could all come to- 
 gether. We obtained very good bedding and 
 rugs from some of the Protestant families who 
 were delighted at having a part in helping along 
 our preparations. 
 
 At last the rooms for all the expected guests 
 were ready save mirrors, and these we found in 
 the shop of a Turk who loaned them to us and 
 also all the extra glassware we needed. 
 
 We provided extra help and trained them for 
 the occasion, so that when we wished to attend 
 the meetings we would not be hindered by extra 
 service. 
 
 The days for the arrival came and we threw 
 open the great double doors into our large airy 
 halls and awaited the coming of our guests. We 
 could tell what time this would be with almost 
 as much certainty as you can when a friend is 
 coming on the train. We knew all of the stages 
 of the long journey some of them must take — 
 we knew also that they would be weary, hungry 
 and dusty — we knew what a delight it would be 
 
 127
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 for them to have clean rooms and sit again at a 
 table to eat; for we too had been travellers in 
 Turkey. We had made every provision to have 
 leisure to entertain them, and this we proposed 
 doing with real Oriental hospitality, which has so 
 often charmed the traveller. 
 
 When all had arrived we were forty mission- 
 aries, without counting the children. There 
 were representatives from Bulgaria, Constanti- 
 nople, Trebizond, Sivas, Caesarea, Yozgat, Aintab, 
 Erzeroom, Arabkir, Diarbekir, and Mosul. 
 
 The day for the opening meeting came. Mr. 
 Allen's large parlor was selected as just the place 
 for the sessions, for it opened into a wide hall 
 that could receive the overflow. My parlor in 
 the other part of our castle-like home would do 
 for those who did not wish to attend all the 
 services and would be in readiness for late ar- 
 rivals. 
 
 A most delightful prayer hour brought us all 
 nearer to the first Great Missionary and to each 
 other. The Holy Spirit seemed near to guide 
 God's children who were intent on the Master's 
 service and felt their need of Divine wisdom. 
 
 Officers were soon chosen, and these set to 
 work in earnest to do the work mapped out on 
 their program. This was no less than the work 
 
 128
 
 " Over the Taurus Mountains " 
 
 of the whole Armenian field together with the 
 Bulgarian. 
 
 The sessions were held from half-past eight in 
 the morning to twelve o'clock, and from half-past 
 one in the afternoon till half-past four. Some of 
 the work brought before them needed hours of 
 discussion, as great and important results rested 
 on their decisions. 
 
 Few at home can realize the responsibility that 
 rests upon the missionaries in these meetings. 
 When a case is brought up, its relations to the 
 whole work must often be discussed. Then 
 they are so limited by the money supply that 
 they must often abandon work that seems very 
 hopeful. What shall be given up ? What new 
 work shall be accepted and how shall it be car- 
 ried forward ? You cannot fail to see how very 
 important and helpful these meetings are, besides 
 being encouraging to the missionaries present 
 who go back to their fields with new strength 
 for their hard work. 
 
 At six o'clock each afternoon you would see a 
 goodly array of saddle horses at the door (as 
 each has had to travel on horseback to reach here) 
 and, accompanied by one of the Harpoot mis- 
 sionaries, the newcomers would go out on the 
 hills or down into the plain for an hour's ride. 
 
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 Missions in Eden 
 
 Most of the evenings are spent by the gentlemen 
 in committee work, and even the ladies are asked 
 to write the letters for the Bible Society, the 
 Tract Society or the Turkish Missions' Aid So- 
 ciety. Work presses as the time is fast passing, 
 and each one begins to have too much of a care- 
 worn look to call this recreation. These meet- 
 ings are much like the so-called vacation of the 
 missionaries in the home-land, during which they 
 are expected continually to be giving addresses, 
 till the return ticket is bought and they embark 
 again for their fields. 
 
 Sunday has come, and with what delight we 
 all listen to the annual sermon in our native 
 tongue. Then the assembling round the table of 
 our Lord, where the communion is so sweet that 
 heaven seems to come down to meet us and we 
 get some faint idea of what it will be when we 
 all meet in our Father's house with Him who 
 said, "This do in remembrance of Me." 
 
 Monday the reports of the different committees 
 are read and discussed or accepted, and the re- 
 maining business finished, for on the morrow 
 the meeting will adjourn and the guests will 
 make ready for their return. 
 
 Early in the morning you will think the Fourth 
 of July has come from the music (?) in the court. 
 
 130
 
 " Over the Taurus Mountains " 
 
 It is the sound of the muleteers whose lungs are 
 strong and mouths open to let out all these gut- 
 tural sounds. It is really quite exciting to see 
 the busy servants running hither and thither with 
 bag, basket and bundle. You must remember 
 that a long journey is before these travellers, and 
 they must take supplies, for they will not find 
 much at the Turkish khans. What can be found 
 in the market of dried bread, fruit and cheese is 
 stored away in the big leather bags, while in 
 the provision boxes are packed fresh bread, 
 cookies, doughnuts and rusks, besides chickens 
 nicely broiled for the first weary days. 
 
 At last the loads are strapped upon the pack- 
 saddles of the mules. The ladies and children 
 are packed away in the moffas, save the young 
 ladies who prefer being broiled in the sun on 
 horseback to being cramped up in the moffas. 
 We watch them wind down the long mountain 
 road to the plain, and for an hour or more can 
 see them till some high point intervenes and we 
 realize that we are again alone. How empty and 
 silent the rooms now appear, that only yesterday 
 were so full of life and joy. Even our native 
 brothers and sisters seem to feel the change. 
 Traces of tears are seen on some of their faces, 
 and they say, "Hanum, do you never weep?" 
 
 131
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 If you will accompany me to Van, I will tell 
 you of our annual meeting after we were set off 
 as the Eastern Turkey Mission. It is a long, 
 hard journey; but you will enjoy it, for it will 
 take you through the most picturesque part of 
 Turkey. Dr. and Mrs. Barnum, Edward and 
 Frank, with my daughter Emily, will be our 
 travelling companions. Some of us who are not 
 very strong take this journey as a health tour. I 
 fear we shall get more jolting than we shall like. 
 We are to make part of the journey in Turkish 
 wagons, springless carts, you will call them. 
 One of the missionaries has an old-fashioned 
 spring bed, and it is suggested that we have the 
 luxury of some spring seats. The carpenter is 
 called and these are soon made. What a com- 
 fort they prove to be! Indeed we so arrange 
 the cushions at our backs that we can even sleep 
 when very weary. 
 
 One morning early, we read the ninety-first 
 Psalm and commit ourselves to the care of Jeho- 
 vah, then make our way down the steep hill to 
 the plain when we begin to appreciate our spring 
 seats. We spend that night in the Protestant 
 Chapel in a village near the mountains, finding 
 our cot beds very useful to keep us from the 
 hungry fleas. We have an early breakfast and 
 
 132
 
 "Over the Taurus Mountains" 
 
 begin our climb up the Taurus mountains which 
 we must cross on our way to Diarbekir, where 
 we intend to do some missionary work. Up, up 
 we go till, on reaching the top, we overlook the 
 plain in all its spring beauty, the winter wheat 
 even now being nearly ready for the sickle. 
 The morning mists hang low on the mountains 
 and, across the plain, looms up our home with 
 the white College buildings standing out against 
 the dark mountain-side, making a lovely picture. 
 
 We are now on the top of this part of the 
 Taurus mountains and shall pass the night at 
 the Khan, situated on the beautiful Lake of 
 Guljik, which lies in the bosom of the mountain 
 and is said to resemble the sea of Galilee. We 
 are glad enough to rest, for we have not yet got 
 on our travelling legs. We shall grow stronger 
 before we reach the rougher and more trying 
 part of our journey. 
 
 The next morning our ride is through pictur- 
 esque mountain scenery. Sometimes the moun- 
 tains are far above us as we ride along their 
 sides, and a mountain torrent goes rushing to the 
 sea far below. 
 
 We feel a little nervous when we must go 
 very near the edge of the road to let a wagon or 
 caravan pass. We know there is danger, but 
 
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 Missions in Eden 
 
 we learn to be brave and trust to Him whom we 
 have asked to care for us. We soon reach a 
 strange, weird town in the mountains, called 
 Bakar Maden (Copper Mine). At night it forcibly 
 reminds us of Tophet. Here are streams yellow 
 with sulphur or blue with vitriol. This mine, 
 under a government that would develop it, 
 would be a source of much wealth; but little 
 copper is taken out by the present government. 
 
 Next day we are on the plain of Diarbekir, and 
 the tall grass and dark earth remind us of the 
 rich prairies of our native land. The horses are 
 wide-awake now and move rapidly over the 
 plain as if they know they have left the barren 
 mountains. Sometimes they even break into a 
 run, when the driver seems pleased and lets 
 them go. We know the wagons are strong and 
 not easily upset; then these drivers seem to know 
 what they can do with their horses. Sooner than 
 we expect the black walls and towers of Diar- 
 bekir loom up in the distance. 
 
 You may here see one of the finest specimens 
 of an ancient walled city to be found in this part 
 of Asia. This is no other than the Black Amida 
 of the Romans, and near here were fought some 
 terrible battles in ancient times. The Armenians 
 call this city Dikranagerd or Tigranocerta, the 
 
 134
 
 "Over the Taurus Mountains" 
 
 city of Tigranes, who built it. The walls are 
 built of dark basalt which gave it the name of 
 Black Amida. The great northern gate is open 
 and the driver is entering the city, but I fear he 
 will not get far, for the streets are narrow — in 
 many places not wide enough for wagons. 
 
 We spend the Sabbath here at the home of a 
 rich Syrian who entertains us with Oriental 
 politeness. His house is well built of dark ba- 
 saltic stone like that used for the city walls, the 
 blocks being set in white cement, which gives it 
 a less gloomy appearance. It is built upon four 
 sides of a large court, with a fountain in the 
 middle and stone steps leading into the family 
 apartments. Turkish rugs cover the stone floors 
 and pretty divans with cushions give the whole 
 an appearance of luxury. We cross the court 
 to the dining-room, where only the host and his 
 mother-in-law sit at table with us, while the 
 pretty wife and the sister-in-law are in the 
 kitchen helping about the food; they would 
 hardly feel that they had honored us should they 
 leave this to the servants alone. The sister-in- 
 law has been a pupil in our College, and Toma 
 Effendi, our host, has two daughters there now. 
 This in part accounts for our being the guests of 
 this Syrian family. 
 
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 Missions in Eden 
 
 In this city the Rev. Augustus Walker built up 
 a most flourishing church. He fell a victim to 
 cholera while ministering to his beloved people 
 whom he would not leave when this scourge 
 visited this city. By laboring for hours he suc- 
 ceeded in saving the life of a young man who 
 was plague stricken; but returned to his own 
 home to die within a few hours. His people 
 took up his lifeless body and, mid great lamen- 
 tation, bore it to its last resting-place, not far 
 from the banks of the Tigris. The church he 
 planted here is still flourishing and is among the 
 strongest of our self-supporting churches. 
 
 Monday we go on to Mardin over one of the 
 roughest of wagon roads. At times it seems as 
 if we should be thrown on the rocks; but the 
 alert wagoneers seem always ready to steady the 
 almost overturned wagons, and we reach Mardin 
 without accident after a two days' journey. 
 
 With many windings we reach the top of 
 what might be called a mountain. No — not the 
 top, for a famous old citadel is still farther up, 
 and if it could speak, what a wonderful history it 
 would tell. Under the Saracens this city was a 
 famous seat of learning, with its 113 schools — of 
 which the ruins of one only remains. What 
 could more strikingly illustrate the backward 
 
 136
 
 " Over the Taurus Mountains " 
 
 tendency of lands that have fallen under Turkish 
 rule. 
 
 Here we spent several days resting in the 
 homes of the missionaries, Messrs. Andrus, 
 Ainslie and Gates, some of whom accompany us 
 to Van. We are glad to look into the fine Boys' 
 High School and the Girls' Seminary, now cared 
 for by Mrs. Andrus. The schools are doing 
 good work and promise much for the future of 
 this city. We hope Mrs. Andrus will soon have 
 an efficient helper to fill the place of the young 
 ladies who are on a health furlough in America. 
 
 Monday morning Mr. Ainslie, his wife and 
 two children, also Mr. Gates, join us, and with 
 moffas and saddles we set out for the last half of 
 our journey. We have hired bold Kurdish mule- 
 teers, for we are to cross over Mesopotamia into 
 Kurdistan, a two weeks' journey. The mule- 
 teers are often in a jangle; but the kind, sweet 
 words of Mr. Gates, who speaks Arabic, are al- 
 ways soothing, and they seem willing on the 
 whole to make the hard journey as easy as possi- 
 ble. We have our tents and they are feeding 
 their horses on grass, so it is generally, " Yawash, 
 Yawash," (Slowly, Slowly). Sometimes when 
 we come to plenty of grass and a good tenting 
 place at eleven in the morning we are told that 
 
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 Missions in Eden 
 
 there will not be found so good a place if we go 
 on. So the four tents are pitched, and we be- 
 come a bustling camp till darkness brings quiet 
 and we sleep in the wilderness under the 
 heavenly Father's care, much as Abraham did so 
 long ago. 
 
 We, like him, have no made roads, only the 
 bridle path of the caravan over mountain, plain 
 and valley. Sometimes the roads are so precip- 
 itous and dangerous that we feel safer on our 
 feet. Here we are travelling in the bed of a 
 small mountain stream, often crossing and re- 
 crossing to get round the big boulders that have 
 come down from the cliffs which, in some 
 places, rise perpendicularly 200 or 300 feet above 
 the stream. Every nook and crannie is covered 
 with mosses, ferns or lovely little flowers, 
 coming out of the very rocks to cheer us. In 
 one place we come to a natural gateway just 
 wide enough for the moffas and the loaded 
 animals to pass. 
 
 One night we are not far away from a famous 
 old walled city that played a prominent part in 
 the wars between the Persians and Armenians. 
 Many of the houses are hewn out of the lime 
 stone cliffs, and the waterway, cut into the 
 mountain-side, shows how they had been sup- 
 
 138
 
 "Over the Taurus Mountains" 
 
 plied with water at the time when the city was 
 surrounded with besieging armies. Some of our 
 number go to see these ruins, but others rest so 
 as to be ready for the hardships of the morrow, 
 when we must cross over the Tigris, the Hid- 
 dekel of Eden ; not an easy task, for there is a 
 strong current when the water is high. 
 
 After a little more than two hours' ride we are 
 on its banks. The animals are all unloaded. 
 The men are busy blowing up goatskins, 
 eight of which are bound together and boards 
 placed upon them to form a raft. First we mis- 
 sionaries are paddled over. Then the raft re- 
 turns and brings the loads. After these are safely 
 landed the horses of the missionaries which can- 
 not be trusted to swim alone, are held by the 
 bridle and towed across. The remaining animals 
 are stoned into the stream, and it is an exciting 
 scene to watch them. The current on the Meso- 
 potamian bank runs down stream, but on the 
 Kurdistan side it runs up. 
 
 When we went over on the raft the men 
 paddled with the current first down, then up, 
 and the animals also, guided by instinct, swam 
 in the same direction. 
 
 We are now in Kurdistan at the very place 
 where Xenophon and his ten thousand passed 
 
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 over the Tigris from Mesopotamia, when he fled 
 toward the Black Sea. 
 
 We find a delegation of Kurdish Armenian 
 Christians waiting to welcome us. Redwan, 
 our Kurdish missionary station, is only a short 
 distance away, and here we are to spend the 
 Sabbath. 
 
 After camping for the night we proceed to 
 Redwan. About a mile this side of the city we 
 hear singing; a crowd of men, women and 
 children are coming to meet us, preceded by a 
 tall boy who carries a red flag on which is the 
 word, "Welcome," in white letters. We enter 
 the village preceded by this band singing Moody 
 and Sankey Hymns in Kurdish. You can have 
 no idea what it means to them or what it is 
 to us to have such a welcome into dark Kurd- 
 istan. 
 
 On the Sabbath we have a communion serv- 
 ice in five languages, Kurdish, Armenian, Turk- 
 ish, Arabic and English. Pastor Kavme under- 
 stands all these languages. He knew the first 
 before he came to Harpoot where he was edu- 
 cated in our High School and Theological Semi- 
 nary. Many of the brethren go with us on Mon- 
 day to Tul, where we have another outstation. 
 Here we spend the night and examine the ruins 
 
 140
 
 "Over the Taurus Mountains" 
 
 of an old walled city. A bridge once spanned 
 the Tigris here, and parts of the old abutments 
 are still standing. Tul is now a small village 
 often ravaged by the Kurds. The houses are 
 strongly built and the doors are low so that 
 horsemen may not ride in and over the household 
 goods of the owner. The low doors and strong 
 shutters of the windows are so arranged as to be 
 securely barred at a moment's warning. When 
 we ask why the fireplace is in the middle of the 
 room and has no hole over it as in the villages on 
 our Harpoot plain, we are told that it is built 
 there for safety, so the Kurds cannot kill the 
 women at work. This means that the smoke 
 must find its way out of several small holes in 
 other parts of the roof. 
 
 Every man carries his big knife or short sword 
 at his belt to defend himself if attacked by the 
 Kurds. The chief man of the village became a 
 Christian and set himself to save the rest. He 
 built a chapel, had a preacher come and then 
 went out and gathered in the people. If he 
 could not persuade them to come, he said, " You 
 may leave this village. I will not allow a God- 
 less man to live here." Before his conversion he 
 had been a great fighter, and the people knew he 
 meant what he said. He succeeded in what we 
 
 141
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 might call muscular Christianity, for all the people 
 came. 
 
 We rest for the night at Tul, and then wind 
 our way up the steep path that leads us toward 
 the city of Bitlis, right in the midst of the wild 
 mountain scenery of Kurdistan. Soon we hear 
 the Bitlis river as it comes tumbling down 
 over the rocks. We follow this for hours, com- 
 ing at length to an old caravansary which must 
 have been the stopping place of caravans from 
 Persia hundreds of years ago. It is now de- 
 serted, and we pitch our tent for the night 
 near by. The proximity of the snow-capped 
 mountains makes it so cold that we need all our 
 wraps. 
 
 The early morning finds us enroute. The air 
 is invigorating and we shall reach Bitlis before 
 the sun is hot enough to make us uncomfort- 
 able. The last few hours are shortened by the 
 meeting of some of the missionaries who have 
 come out to bring us into the city. 
 
 This city, like Diarbekir, is built of dark stone, 
 and has one of the best church edifices in our 
 Mission. Here too is a good High School for 
 boys where Mrs. Knapp has prepared many lads 
 for Euphrates College. Here the Misses Ely 
 have their model High School, the Mt. Holyoke 
 
 142
 
 "Over the Taurus Mountains" 
 
 of Kurdistan. What a home welcome we get 
 here. The food tastes so good and everything is 
 so neat and clean. They have kept their dainties 
 for us and have prepared their best rooms. In 
 fact I do believe they have moved into tents and 
 storerooms, for the house cannot have rooms 
 enough for us all. When we start on the last 
 three days' stretch that lies between us and Van 
 we find they have filled all our empty boxes with 
 fresh bread, cake and doughnuts, and some of 
 their fresh, sweet butter. 
 
 We shall enjoy the route that leads away from 
 this most picturesque city perched upon its 
 mountain crags, resembling more an eagle's nest 
 than a crowded city. We cross the noisy Bitlis 
 river over a well-built bridge and are in the midst 
 of what might be called New England scenery. 
 We enjoy this all the way to the head of Lake 
 Van, an inland sea forty miles wide and eighty 
 long. This beautiful blue lake is a glorious vi- 
 sion reflecting in its still waters all the lovely hues 
 of the overhanging trees. Further away from 
 the banks the clouds vie with the trees in dis- 
 playing their wonderful panorama. The only 
 things lacking to make the scene homelike are 
 the white winged boats and steamers that would 
 cover such a body of water in the western 
 
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 Missions in Eden 
 
 world. We see only now and then the lateen 
 sail of the small boat. 
 
 The city of Van on the opposite shore is too 
 distant to be seen. We are told by some that 
 this city was built by Semeramis, but we cannot 
 vouch for the truth of this. We only know that 
 old Nebuchadnezzar mustered his armies on the 
 plains before it, and it has doubtless witnessed 
 many bloody encounters. It is the seat of civil 
 and military government in the province, and the 
 consulates of Russia, Persia and England are 
 here. Two French Fathers have a Mission here 
 as well as four missionaries of the A. B. C. F. M. 
 Many of the resident Armenians carry on trade 
 with Constantinople and some parts of the town 
 are much more European than Harpoot. Dr. 
 and Mrs. Reynolds, and the Misses Kimball and 
 Johnson, welcome us to their homes where we 
 find Mr. and Mrs. Chambers of Erzeroom, and 
 Dr. and Mrs. Cochran and the Misses Van Duzee 
 and Cochran from Persia. 
 
 We have a most enjoyable ten days' meeting 
 
 together, so much like the one at Harpoot that 
 
 we will only take you to the great dinner to be 
 
 served at the English consulate in honor of the 
 
 Americans. We all dress in our best garments, 
 
 and some of us even go to Dr. Kimball to 
 
 144
 
 "Over the Taurus Mountains" 
 
 ask her if she will be ashamed of her guests. 
 She declares that she is surprised at our stylish 
 appearance. The old silk dresses had been re- 
 newed according to the patterns sent from the 
 home-land; the old laces had been brought out 
 from boxes and arranged for this annual meeting. 
 When we reach the Consulate the Kurdish 
 band of the Military Pasha is skillfully playing 
 very homelike music. The consul meets us on 
 the steps and, as he is not married, acts the part 
 of both host and hostess. We lay aside our 
 wraps in the waiting-hall where Armenian and 
 Greek servants are in attendance. The consul 
 gives his arm to the eldest of the ladies and leads 
 her to the reception-hall, the others following in 
 the order of their ages. He introduces her to the 
 guests according to their rank, commencing with 
 the military Pasha, a fine looking man, and so on 
 to the Russian and Persian consuls, the French 
 Fathers and the Greek and Armenian Effendis. 
 She is glad when the ordeal is over and looks 
 with interest while the others are being intro- 
 duced. Dr. Barnum, our Turkish speaking mis- 
 sionary, is placed beside the Governor and we all 
 find ourselves quite at ease in the home of genial 
 consul Barnham who has spent some time at 
 
 Harpoot in days gone by. 
 
 145
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 Dinner is served in a large hall hung with flags. 
 The band just outside gives us sweet music. 
 Each lady goes to dinner on the arm of one 
 with whom she can converse. There are Eng- 
 lishmen, Turks, Armenians, Greeks, Frenchmen, 
 Persians and Russians present. The consul is 
 very ingenious in seating his guests so that all 
 enjoy their dinner. When the toast to the Queen 
 of England is proposed the band strikes up 
 " God save the Queen." Other toasts are given, 
 one being to the American ladies, to which the 
 consul replies. 
 
 The annual meeting at Van is over all too soon 
 and we hasten back to Harpoot to the Com- 
 mencement exercises of Euphrates College. 
 
 146
 
 PART II 
 
 Weighed and Not Found Wanting
 
 XII 
 
 GREGORY THE MARTYR 
 
 The Rev. Mr. Dunmore, on a missionary jour- 
 ney from Mesopotamia over the Taurus Mountains 
 to Armenia, at the close of the third day's jour- 
 ney looked down upon a beautiful plain covered 
 with wide fields of golden grain. Many villages 
 nestled among the green gardens and vineyards. 
 
 To the north the city of Harpoot, perched on 
 her rocky battlements above the plain, with her 
 grim castle, older than the Crusades, watched 
 like a sentinel over the homes at her feet. The 
 missionary dismounted and, leading his weary 
 steed down the steep descent, gazed upon the 
 beautiful panorama. Far below he could hear 
 the lowing of cattle and the tinkling of bells as 
 the herdsmen drove home the herds for the coming 
 night ; even the cries of the children sounded 
 shrill on the evening air. All at once, from every 
 village and hamlet little spirals of smoke began 
 to ascend and, catching the rays of the setting 
 sun, formed a silver cloud that shut in the vil- 
 lagers to their evening meal. 
 
 Remounting his steed, in a few moments he 
 
 149
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 enters the nearest village and asks for entertain- 
 ment. Hospitality requires the head man of the 
 village to provide him with a room and whatever 
 he needs. After seeing that his horse is properly 
 cared for, being urged by his host to make him- 
 self as comfortable as possible till his supper is 
 prepared, he unbinds his extra wraps and puts 
 his saddle bags in a cool place for a seat. He 
 asks his host the name of the village and how 
 many villages there are on this plain. 
 
 " Cheleby, (Honorable) we are told that there 
 are on Harpoot plain as many villages as there 
 are days in the year. I am only a poor villager 
 and cannot read books, but our wise men tell us 
 that the great river of Eden, the Euphrates, flows 
 down from the snows of those high mountains 
 you see at the north, and that growing larger and 
 larger, it is finally lost in the great sea. I have 
 been to Harpoot and beyond, and I have seen the 
 Great River, and indeed it flows round our plain. 
 Hagopos, bring the Cheleby's dinner! He must 
 be hungry, and it is getting late." 
 
 The little round table of well scrubbed wood 
 is placed on a stool before the missionary, and 
 upon it is placed the cracked wheat, cooked with 
 a little meat, and a bowl of buttermilk. 
 
 "What a field for missionary work," said the 
 
 150
 
 Gregory the Martyr 
 
 traveller, as he lay down to sleep on his hard 
 couch. "I have come from the banks of the 
 Hiddekel and here is the greater Euphrates. Who 
 shall say we may not be in Eden ? " 
 
 In the morning, a few hours' ride brought Mr. 
 Dunmore to the city on the hill. It was soon 
 noised abroad that a Frank was at the khan, and 
 many were interested to know what brought 
 this foreigner to Harpoot. A few heard that he 
 was a missionary on his way to Arabkir, and 
 among those who came to call in the evening 
 was a timid young man, with a sweet, soft voice 
 who bought an Armenian Testament. 
 
 Gregory, the man who bought the Testament, 
 knew how to read, for he had been a church- 
 reader in his native village of Mashkir. At that 
 time (over forty years ago) few beside priests 
 and church-readers could read. You may be 
 sure he carefully concealed this little book when 
 he returned to his tailor-shop in the town of 
 Mezereh, two miles from Harpoot, for it would 
 bring great reproach upon him and probably cost 
 him his place, so bitter was the feeling at that 
 time against the missionary and his Prote ' book. 
 It must have been difficult for him to find the 
 
 1 The name given by Gregorians to Protestants and often pronounced 
 " Prode " meaning leper. 
 
 151
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 place and time safely to read and meditate upon 
 its truths ; but we do know that the light from 
 its sacred page entered his heart and illumined 
 his soul. He was religious by nature ; a kind 
 and gentle youth ; much we believe like the 
 young man who came to Christ and asked, 
 "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" I 
 think he must have kept all the church fasts and 
 feasts, being one of the most zealous of choir- 
 boys, and later, church-readers. 
 
 The Testament was read and reread, as he had 
 no other book save a Church Psalter. The 
 birth of Jesus, His parables, and the sermon on 
 the mount, were to young Gregory intensely 
 interesting. The parables and teachings of Christ 
 were so different from anything he had ever 
 heard from the priests and bishops who had 
 taught him to believe in fasts, prayers to the 
 Virgin and to the saints, and even in pictures and 
 holy relics. He seemed like one awaking from a 
 wonderful dream. With tearful eyes he fol- 
 lowed the narrative of Christ's trial and condem- 
 nation, and when He died on the cross, Gregory 
 was almost heartbroken. Yet he did not wholly 
 comprehend all that this wonderful Saviour was 
 to be to him. 
 
 The story of the Virgin Mary as told in the 
 
 152
 
 Gregory the Martyr 
 
 gospel of Luke, he found to be much like what 
 his mother had taught him when a little boy. 
 She was the mother of Jesus, and Jesus was 
 God. Why should he not worship her? Was 
 she not the mother of God ? He was much per- 
 plexed. To whom should he go ? It was no 
 use to go to his priest or the bishop. They 
 would only rebuke him, a tailor, for asking such 
 a question. He read in Luke beautiful things 
 about the Virgin; but nowhere did it say she 
 should be worshipped or would answer prayers. 
 " If she could not answer prayer," he said, 
 "surely the other saints could not." When he 
 saw his dear mother and others he loved bowing 
 before the Virgin and the pictures of the saints 
 that hung on the church walls, his heart was 
 filled with sorrow. Could it be true that they 
 were wrong ? Did the Bible of God say so — that 
 beautiful Book that the people might kiss, when 
 his bishop, with holy hands, brought it out from 
 under the sacred altar? This Testament in his 
 girdle was a part of that Book, and he resolved 
 to study it carefully; then sometime he might 
 have a Bible of his own to read, where he should 
 find all the things he wished to know. 
 
 He sometimes found himself in great per- 
 plexity, as in John iii. 3, where Jesus says to 
 
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 Missions in Eden 
 
 Nicodemus, "Ye must be born again." He had 
 been baptized in infancy. He was not a heathen 
 nor a disbeliever, but a Christian. Nicodemus 
 belonged to the Jewish Church, and was a great 
 ruler in that church, yet Jesus said to him, "Ye 
 must be born again." "Born of the Spirit" 
 puzzled him still more. He had seen the white 
 dove above the altar and knew that it symbolized 
 the Holy Spirit; but of His working he knew 
 nothing. We believe that the Spirit Himself 
 taught this earnest seeker after the truth, and 
 that before the missionaries came He began to 
 explain to him what he longed to know; but it 
 was several years later that he fixed upon as the 
 date of his new birth. 
 
 That we may measure the difficulties in the 
 way of this young man who went about his 
 daily task with his Testament in his girdle, we 
 must consider the bitter feeling against the 
 Protes and the Prote book that he must encounter 
 on every hand. The townspeople seized those 
 who dared to possess a Testament and gave them 
 a severe beating, declaring that they would have 
 no Prote in their town. Priests cursed all who 
 should venture to read this book. Fathers 
 threatened to disinherit their sons for visiting the 
 missionaries, and even drove them with curses 
 
 154
 
 Gregory the Martyr 
 
 from their homes. Mothers told their children 
 that they would rather they should become 
 Turks than to read that Bible. And Gregory 
 knew that his wife and mother would be greatly 
 grieved if they discovered that he not only had a 
 Testament but read it and prayed daily that they 
 might accept its truths. 
 
 When at length the new missionaries opened a 
 Bible Training School for young men, he felt 
 that God was calling him to give up the tailor- 
 shop and enter this school. But to do this he 
 felt that he must sacrifice all that he loved. 
 Could he do this ? Could he take this step that 
 would brand him as a Prote — one who had lost 
 his patriotism and denied his own church. We 
 may well believe that he prayed earnestly and long 
 before he decided, for he was too kind and gen- 
 erous, hastily to do what would grieve his father, 
 mother and wife. He studied his Testament and 
 was guided to choose the Bible School even at 
 the cost of being despised by those whom he 
 most loved. 
 
 How little can we in this Christian land under- 
 stand the feelings of this young Armenian. He 
 would not only be branded as a Prote but as a 
 Traitor and a Heretic. 
 
 Here is where the modern Armenian Bible be- 
 
 155
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 came such a help to the Armenians in the earlier 
 years of missionary work among them. When 
 they were convinced that Dr. Riggs' translation 
 of the Bible into the modern language was really 
 their own Bible, they did not feel that they were 
 rejecting their Ancient Armenian version 1 even 
 though they were persecuted by the Gregorian 
 church. 
 
 In the class of seventeen young men, which 
 was the first class in the new Bible Training 
 School, were found some more scholarly, but 
 none who won the respect of all as did " Little 
 Gregory." He was the one who seemed more 
 like the "beloved disciple." His smile, his 
 gentle manner, and his kindness, were the nat- 
 ural outgrowth of a loving heart ; and it is not 
 strange that he was noted as "the polite little 
 tailor." Parts of three years he studied at Har- 
 poot, not only Theology and Church History, 
 but also Geography, Grammar and Arithmetic. 
 The Bible was the principal text-book, and that 
 was what he needed. The time not engaged in 
 
 1 The Ancient Armenian version was a translation of the Bible made by 
 Mesob. the Holy, in 419, in the city of Palu. This ancient language is not 
 now well understood by the common people. It is a fine translation from 
 the Greek and Hebrew, and a proof of the scholarship in the early Armenian 
 church. It was not printed until the twelfth century. Thousands of man- 
 uscript copies were prepared in the monasteries, some beautifully illuminated. 
 Most of these have been destroyed by the conquerors of the country. The 
 people were justly proud of these real works of art, for they were almost 
 the only thing that the hand of the earlier destroyer had left to these op- 
 pressed Christians. 
 
 156
 
 Gregory the Martyr 
 
 study he spent in evangelistic work among the 
 villages; and while not a great preacher, his per- 
 sonal influence was powerful. 
 
 After graduation he was called to the large vil- 
 lage of Ichmeh, twenty miles to the southeast of 
 Harpoot. Perhaps there was no village in all the 
 field so difficult to manage, as most of the Prot- 
 estants there were accustomed to think and to 
 act for themselves ; for when the gospel entered, 
 it did not reach the poor and lower classes alone, 
 but also the more thoughtful and well-to-do. 
 One of the best men in the village, whom all es- 
 teemed, began to read the gospel and to make 
 his influence felt. Bedros (Peter), the carpenter, 
 who had served in the Turkish army during the 
 Crimean war, was another early adherent. His 
 wife soon learned to read and " Prote Markareed " 
 (Margaret), as she was called, began immediately 
 to work for her neighbors. She filled her strong, 
 homespun, red apron with primers, and went 
 from house to house to persuade and teach the 
 women. When one had learned to read, she 
 quickly ordered a Testament from the city, and 
 kept up the lessons till she could be left alone. 
 
 Gregory, daily growing into the love and sym- 
 pathy of his people, won the rich as well as the 
 poor. Gulaser (Lover of Roses), the rich shoe- 
 
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 Missions in Eden 
 
 dealer, a tall, noble looking man, was seen going 
 to the chapel ; and not long after his manly son, 
 Mardiros (Martyr), and his three brothers, fol- 
 lowed their father. They came home with such 
 glowing accounts of the sermons that their 
 mother, Hach Hattoon (Lady of the Cross), de- 
 termined to go some Sabbath and hear for her- 
 self. She was really the head of the household, 
 though not the oldest bride. Her husband's 
 brother, Boghos (Paul), the Goldsmith, was 
 older than Gulaser, and thus, by right and honor, 
 at the head of this patriarchal family of forty 
 souls. Paul's wife was partially blind, so the 
 second bride took her place, as the mother-in- 
 law was dead. 
 
 Hach Hattoon did not wish to disobey or dis- 
 honor Paul who had said to his wife, " I will 
 beat you, if you ever go to the Prote chapel." 
 So she chose to wait and go when he was away. 
 When she did go, she was greatly delighted 
 with the services, and it did not require much 
 persuasion to induce her to learn to read. Her 
 boys brought home a primer saying, "Mother, 
 mother, you must learn to read. Look, it's so 
 easy — aip, pen, kim, (a, b, c). Repeat them." 
 They followed her about the house repeating the 
 first letters over and over again till she learned 
 
 158
 
 Bread Making. Spinning and Winding. 
 
 Village Scenes.
 
 Gregory the Martyr 
 
 them. She put her primer under her cushion 
 where she was accustomed to sit and spin, and 
 often pulled it out to repeat over the letters. 
 
 The day for bread-making came, when all the 
 neighboring women gathered to help. (Baking 
 is usually done once a month in large families. 
 It is a grand Baking Bee, or in Occidental 
 phrase a Woman's Baking Club.) Hach Hattoon 
 was just beginning to spell out short words and, 
 being a strong, energetic woman, had rolled out 
 into thin cakes more dough than the baking 
 women 1 had made use of, so, having a little 
 time on her hands, she f>ulled out her book, and 
 what was her delight, as she spelled out the first 
 word " ho, aip, tzo," to learn from her son that 
 it was "hatz" bread. Very soon she was read- 
 ing in her Testament of Christ the Living Bread. 
 
 Boghos' wife was so interested in what she 
 heard at home of the Little Preacher that she de- 
 termined one Wednesday evening to go to the 
 prayer-meeting. She said, " I knew my hus- 
 band would be busy in his shop that evening, and 
 would not find out that I had been to church; 
 I crept quietly under the wall, so that he should 
 
 1 In that region the oven is a hole in the floor like a shallow well, lined 
 with flat stones. The fire is built in the bottom and, when the oven is suffi- 
 ciently heated, the bread is plastered on to the sides. It requires a woman 
 with considerable skill and dexterity to put the bread on, and to keep it from 
 burning, she must sit there with her long iron hook ready to take it out at 
 the right moment. Bread-baking is a regular trade. 
 
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 Missions in Eden 
 
 not see me, and went. I was filled with joy at 
 the words I heard ; but my joy soon turned to 
 consternation, when on coming out, I came face 
 to face with my husband. I knew I had done 
 wrong, and expected a beating. Boghos came 
 home, and taking me by the hand, said, 'Did I 
 not tell you I would beat you if you entered the 
 Prote Chapel ? ' I trembled all over. 1 felt that 
 he had a right to beat me, as I had disobeyed. 
 He looked me in the eye and said, smiling, 
 'Yeghesa, [Lizzie,] I will not beat you. You 
 may go to prayer-meeting.'" The same sweet 
 voice that had won hrs strong, manly brother, 
 had won him also; he too was at this same 
 Wednesday evening prayer-meeting, and hence- 
 forth that family of forty souls was a household 
 for Christ. 
 
 The time had come for the people to invite 
 Gregory to become their pastor. Though the 
 house used as a chapel was small, and the one 
 for parsonage so small that one of the mission- 
 aries called it "The Mouse Hole," the people 
 could not wait to build a new chapel and par- 
 sonage, for they wanted to feel that this man be- 
 longed to them. 
 
 Every effort was put forth to raise as much of 
 his salary as possible. When he heard how 
 
 160
 
 Gregory the Martyr 
 
 much the missionaries required of this village 
 congregation, he for once lost faith and said, "I 
 do not believe the people can give so much. 
 Do not ordain me over that people. My pastor- 
 ate will prove a failure." His whole class sym- 
 pathized with him, and protested against this, 
 feeling sure it would only be an injury to the 
 cause. A few weeks later he was amazed when 
 he found that not only this sum was raised and 
 ready but more than had been required. When 
 referring afterward in a public meeting to his 
 lack of faith at this time he said, " I wonder the 
 earth did not open her mouth and swallow me 
 up. It was then I really gave my whole heart to 
 Christ and was truly converted." We would 
 say it was another Divine uplift toward that Sav- 
 iour he was so lovingly to confess for years be- 
 fore the people who loved him so tenderly and 
 with whom he would be called to a great trial 
 of faith. 
 
 The missionaries, the Harpoot Pastor and dea- 
 cons were invited to his ordination, which had to 
 be held in a grove that all who wished might be 
 present. The plain chapel pulpit was brought 
 out and seats enough found for missionaries, 
 Pastors and delegates. An earnest charge to the 
 people was given by a missionary, and then Greg- 
 
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 Missions in Eden 
 
 ory knelt before the pulpit to receive the con- 
 secration which made him a minister of the Lord 
 Jesus. Pastor Mardiros of Harpoot gave him the 
 loving right hand of fellowship. When Greg- 
 ory raised his hand in benediction, many of the 
 large audience were in tears, not of sorrow, but 
 of joy. 
 
 The numbers attending the Protestant services 
 so increased that a larger place of worship was 
 imperative. The people even came in such num- 
 bers that at times they really sat in each others' 
 laps, and did not find fault either at being 
 crowded into such a small space. Would that so 
 many people who cannot bear the confinement 
 of an hour in our spacious churches might have 
 something of this spirit. How it would uplift 
 the ministers and bless the hearers. 
 
 The people took the small grant made them by 
 the missionaries and built a commodious, but 
 very plain church. When it was all finished and 
 paid for, the missionaries, pastor and brethren 
 from Harpoot, were invited to help dedicate it. 
 
 The whole village was stirred, and even the 
 Turks looked on with apparent joy. A con- 
 verted priest and his wife were present to tell of 
 their great joy in finding the little Pastor's Christ. 
 They had bought a Bible, for they dared not go 
 
 162
 
 Gregory the Martyr 
 
 to the Protestant Church. When their children 
 were in bed, they hung a curtain before the 
 window and, late into the night, read "the old, 
 old story of Jesus and His love." At length the 
 priest said: "Wife, if this book is true, we are 
 lost." They continued reading their Bible till 
 conviction grew so strong that the wife said: 
 " If this book is true, let us obey it." The priest 
 answered, "That would cost us our living and 
 we should be obliged to beg from door to door." 
 "Better do so, than to lose our souls," she re- 
 plied. 
 
 These troubled ones resolved in Christ's 
 strength to go the next morning to the Protes- 
 tant Church and listen to the earnest Pastor. 
 They were welcomed and comforted. The news 
 soon reached the neighbors and showers of 
 stones and clods of earth came down on the 
 priest's house. If either appeared in the streets 
 they were hooted at by cries of " Protel Prote! " 
 They however remained firm and, after a time 
 of trial, came up to Harpoot to be instructed in 
 the Bible School. 
 
 This persecution did good. Many said that it 
 was uncalled for, as they were only reading the 
 Word of God. "Why should we not all read 
 the Bible ? Why should we remain as ignorant 
 
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 Missions in Eden 
 
 as the donkeys in our stables ?" " For my part, 
 I am glad," said one, "that one of our priests is 
 bold enough to meet this ignorance. May he re- 
 turn from the city to preach in the church over 
 the Holy Fountain." 
 
 Soon after a missionary lady visiting the vil- 
 lage, was told by those once so hostile, of the 
 great change that had come to them. "Why we 
 all love Pastor Gregory, because he is such a 
 good man." Even the Turks began to call him, 
 "Badvelli Baba," (Honorable Father). 
 
 Gulaser had long desired to see his friend and 
 Pastor in a better house and, instead of the 
 "Mouse Hole," a house with four rooms and a 
 hall on the second story was built, so that the 
 pastor could now be comfortable and have his 
 friends from the city spend the night with him : 
 especially missionaries who now had to go to 
 good Gulaser's house or that of Bedros, the 
 carpenter. There were other needs to be sup- 
 plied in the minister's home. And once, when 
 needing some books, he went to borrow some 
 money of the prosperous Bedros, who now had 
 two daughters and a son at the college in Har- 
 poot, the carpenter said, " How can you pay for 
 those out of your small salary ? Here, take this," 
 passing him twenty dollars. " Get the books you 
 
 164
 
 Gregory the Martyr 
 
 need and let me pay for them." With what joy 
 Gregory came to the missionary, who afterward 
 told this story to some kind friends in the home- 
 land, and in the end a good many new books 
 found their way through that twenty dollars into 
 the pastor's new study. 
 
 Gregory's wife, who lived with his mother till 
 he entered the Bible School, could not be easily 
 prevailed upon to come to the school for women. 
 It was not till after her father and brother had 
 been persuaded that the Bible should be read by 
 the people that she ventured to leave her father- 
 in-law's home and come to Harpoot. She was 
 so timid that she would not answer any question 
 put to her by the missionary ladies. Mingling 
 among the other women in the school this ti- 
 midity gradually wore away so that she made 
 considerable progress in study ; but she never so 
 overcame her bashfulness that she could conduct 
 the women's meetings among her husband's 
 people. She was a sweet Christian, and her in- 
 fluence was felt for good, not only in her hus- 
 band's parish, but outside as well. 
 
 The Pastor had not an enemy in the whole vil- 
 lage among Christians or Turks. The women 
 were first drawn to him because he was so kind 
 to his invalid wife. They would go in to help 
 
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 Missions in Eden 
 
 her with her housework before they were ready 
 to receive the truths of the Bible, and afterward 
 told the Pastor that they put cotton in their ears, 
 so they might not hear the Bible and become 
 "Protes." They said, " How could we see her 
 suffer and not go to help her, even though we 
 thought her people all heretics." 
 
 God raised up a very strong helper for Gregory 
 and Marta in the sister of Gulaser, who for years 
 led the women's work in Ichmeh. It was an ex- 
 ceedingly pleasant sight to go into a woman's 
 prayer-meeting in Gregory's church and see the 
 happy faces of the women as they came with 
 Testament and hymn-book, for all loved to sing. 
 
 The parsonage at first lacked many things, 
 among which were tubs. Most of the women 
 washed at the fountain, "the great village wash- 
 tub," as some called it; but Marta was not strong 
 enough to do this. She disliked to borrow from 
 her neighbors, and one day her husband found 
 her in tears while trying to wash in a large pan. 
 "What is it, Marta ?" said the kind-hearted man. 
 " Why, Gregory, I dislike to borrow a tub, and I 
 have nothing to wash in." " Marta, God will 
 give us a tub if we trust Him." I feel sure he 
 must have made a special plea, for one evening 
 not long after, going out toward the city, he met 
 
 166
 
 Gregory the Martyr 
 
 the carpenter with two copper vessels 1 on his 
 mule, and heard him call out, " Look here, Pastor 
 Gregory, these tubs are for you. The mission- 
 aries have sent them as a present for your new 
 house." He hastened back to tell his wife, " The 
 new tubs have come, a present from the mission- 
 aries. Marta, I do not know how the missiona- 
 ries learned we had no tubs, but we can now be 
 sure that it is good to cast our burdens on the 
 Lord. Let us learn to take all our cares to our 
 kind Heavenly Father, who will care for us most 
 tenderly." 
 
 The new house was larger, but colder. A 
 missionary lady, spending a week in the village, 
 found that the little wife was suffering from 
 rheumatism. She soon became convinced that 
 lack of warm clothing was the cause. Knowing 
 beforehand that she would be invited to dine at 
 the well-to-do shoe-dealer's house, she had 
 brought with her a nice, warm plush jacket, 
 given her by a friend. Marta seemed to need 
 this more than she did, so she put it onto the 
 frail, shrinking woman, and that was the last 
 that we heard of the rheumatism. 2 Could some 
 
 1 The only tubs used in the country are of copper and quite expensive. 
 
 3 Not long after this, a warmer, better cloak came to the missionary from 
 a stranger in America, who knew nothing of the circumstances. As she 
 took it out of the box she said to her husband, " Isn't that just like God ? 
 Only it's too nice for me to wear here." 
 
 167
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 of the dear Christian ladies in our churches have 
 seen the bright face and heard the thank you that 
 came with a tearful voice, they would long to 
 put into the hands of many missionaries the extra 
 garments that would help to keep warm many a 
 half-clad sister of the Master. 
 
 In this way the Lord provided for the good 
 Pastor and his wife, and they seemed to feel that 
 their cup was running over with blessings. The 
 Pastor had no desire to leave his flock, nor would 
 they listen to his leaving them. It proved a 
 union for life. 
 
 Marta went from house to house visiting the 
 people, and none were more welcome than she, 
 for she had a pleasant word for all, and all the 
 people loved her. She had been more feeble than 
 usual one winter, but she still went to the prayer- 
 meetings. One afternoon after she had spoken 
 very tenderly to the sisters, and with an un- 
 wonted calmness, she went to her home and, be- 
 fore her husband who was out calling could 
 reach her, passed to her heavenly home. The 
 Pastor wrote a beautiful memorial of her and 
 seemed ever after to live as one who felt that 
 when she entered the heavenly city, she left the 
 gates ajar for him. 
 
 Two of the Pastor's sons were in business in 
 
 168
 
 Gregory the Martyr 
 
 Constantinople, and two were in the ministry. 
 One who was a graduate of Euphrates College, 
 afterward studied Theology at Lane Seminary, 
 and was called to labor among the Armenians in 
 Tabriz, Persia. 
 
 The younger son, who was preaching at a vil- 
 lage on the plain, was invited to come to Ichmeh 
 to assist his father in his work. Before he re- 
 moved to Ichmeh with his family, the massacre 
 of November, 1895, passed over Armenia. Ich- 
 meh was one of the villages visited by this ter- 
 rible persecution. Bedros, the carpenter, had 
 been called home a few months before; his 
 house was looted, but not burned. The Turks 
 said of his wife, Markareed, "It would be well 
 to put to death a woman who dared to with- 
 stand even a Turk." 
 
 Gulaser, the Pastor's great and good friend, the 
 most honorable among the Christians, was be- 
 headed with a sword as he sat in his house; his 
 brother, Boghos, nearly eighty years of age, was 
 dragged from his sick bed, stripped of his cloth- 
 ing, and left to die. Gulaser's son Mardiros, was 
 imprisoned with many others in the Gregorian 
 church. Hach Hattoon, his wife, fled with the 
 other women of the household to a Turkish 
 neighbor's harem, where they were protected till 
 
 169
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 it was safe to return to their own home. Thus 
 protection was given to many women driven from 
 their homes, and these Christian women will 
 never forget the kindness they received from 
 Moslem women. 
 
 Pastor Gregory's house was robbed and he, 
 stripped of most of his garments, left with the 
 little girl he had adopted. After a few days he 
 too was sent to the Gregorian church, and im- 
 prisoned with some sixty others. Some of these 
 to gain their liberty accepted the Moslem faith 
 and bound on the white turban, saying, " In a 
 few days the English will deliver us; why should 
 we die?" The Pastor comforted those who 
 were left and exhorted them to trust in the Lord 
 Jehovah even unto death. A Kurdish Sheikh 
 and a few of his followers were called from the 
 mountains near Ichmeh, so that the Turks might 
 throw the blame on the Kurds. The village of- 
 ficials opened the church and brought out the 
 Pastor, arrayed in an old pair of pants, too old to 
 be taken away, and a pair of women's shoes. 
 They asked him if he would repeat the formula 
 that would make him a Moslem. 
 
 "We will make you a Moolah in our church if 
 you will accept Mohammed." 
 
 "Have I confessed Christ till my hair has 
 
 170
 
 Gregory the Martyr 
 
 grown grey," he replied, "and shall I now deny 
 Him?" 
 
 The tall Kurdish Sheikh who was the judge, 
 commanded the Kurds to fire, and the Pastor 
 fell pierced with many bullets. "Drag him 
 away!" said the chief to those who had bound 
 on the white to save themselves. As they lifted 
 him tenderly, for they loved him, the command 
 came, "Tie a rope to his legs and drag him 
 away like a dead donkey! " 
 
 One after another passed through the ordeal 
 till the sacred fountain running out from under 
 the church was one of blood. 
 
 Then came the tall, noble son of Gulaser, 
 Deacon Mardiros. "Will you confess Moham- 
 med?" "Mardiros," he said, " have I lived and 
 Mardiros will I die." (Which translated means, 
 " Martyr have I lived and Martyr will I die.") 
 
 The wonderful vison of the Apocalypse shows 
 us under the altar the souls of the martyrs " slain 
 for the word of God, and for the testimony 
 which they held: and they cried with a loud 
 voice, saying, 'How long, O Lord, holy and 
 true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood 
 on them that dwell on the earth?' And white 
 robes were given unto every one of them ; and it 
 was said unto them, that they should rest yet for 
 
 171
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 a little season, until their fellow-servants also 
 and their brethren, that should be killed as they 
 were, should be fulfilled." 
 
 Ichmeh and her Christian Church are in ruins, 
 but out of these ruins shall come forth a stronger, 
 nobler church. Those on the ground write, 
 "For God's sake, send us help." Who will 
 enter the many doors opened before us ? Places 
 never before accessible to the missionary, now 
 call for spiritual instruction. The Spirit is mov- 
 ing in the stricken churches. 
 
 Who is ready to go ? 
 
 172
 
 XIII 
 
 BOGHOS THE HERMIT AND MARTYR 
 
 Boghos Atlasian was the son of Syrian parents 
 in the Syrian ward of the city of Harpoot. Here 
 he learned to read and write in the church school. 
 His father had consecrated him to the priesthood, 
 so when fourteen years of age he was sent 
 to a Syrian monastery in Mesopotamia. The 
 bishop received him into his house as a servant, 
 allowing him some time for study. 
 
 He was greatly troubled when he saw the 
 wickedness of the priests and acolytes, and when 
 he learned that the bishop, in whose house he 
 lived, was daily breaking the commands of the 
 Bible by sinful relations with one of his servants. 
 Meeting this woman one day, he earnestly set 
 before her the fearfulness of sin, God's judg- 
 ments, and the hell which followed. "What is 
 hell?" she said. Putting his hand into the fire 
 and letting it remain till burned, he replied, hold- 
 ing it up, "This is hell." She reported this to 
 the bishop, who was so exasperated that he took 
 Boghos and tied him outside the house and left 
 him there all night in the cold and rain. 
 
 173
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 Boghos, feeling sure that this was not the place 
 for him, fled and, after some days' wanderings, 
 found in the mountains of Jebel Toor an old 
 monastery, uninhabited. There he resolved to 
 give himself to prayer, meditation and the read- 
 ing of his Syrian Bible. He could not trust man, 
 but believed God's word would not lead him into 
 sin. He lived on the simplest food. Sometimes 
 a shepherd would share his lunch with him. 
 When the peasantry on the plain learned from 
 the shepherds that a very holy monk lived alone 
 in the deserted monastery, they came to ask his 
 prayers in times of distress and often brought 
 him something from their scanty stores; but he 
 lived largely on roots, nuts and acorns. These 
 he' sometimes powdered with stones and baked 
 into bread in the sun. In the spring he found 
 some green herbs which he remembered his 
 mother used as relishes. These made a change 
 in his scanty diet. 
 
 Feeling that he was not gaining the wished-for 
 victory over sin, he made a shirt of coarse hair- 
 cloth and put it next to his body that it might ir- 
 ritate the skin. But this was not enough to keep 
 all sinful thoughts away, so he made a whip 
 with bits of iron on the ends of the lashes, and 
 with this scourged his bare back. He would 
 
 174
 
 Boghos the Hermit and Martyr 
 
 kneel in prayer in the cold snow and rain till his 
 knees became sore. When weary and sleepy, 
 he would throw himself across a rope that he 
 might pray instead of sleep. Sometimes he fell 
 to the floor from exhaustion and remained in- 
 sensible till sleep refreshed him. 
 
 He left his lonely monastery in Jebel Toor and 
 came to another old monastery nearer the city of 
 Mardin. Here he had three companions; but as 
 he wished to be more alone, he found an old, 
 unused, dry cistern, and spent much of his time 
 in this in prayer and fasting. 
 
 A colporteur of the American mission at Mar- 
 din, heard from the people in the neighborhood 
 that a very holy monk lived in this monastery 
 who never came to the village or mingled with 
 people. He expressed a desire to see him; but 
 the people tried to dissuade him from attempting 
 this. "He will run from you like a wild man 
 and will not talk with you," they said. The col- 
 porteur was all the more determined to see the 
 man, and from time to time he would go to the 
 opening in the top of the cistern and throw down 
 to Boghos certain passages of Scripture for him 
 to find in his Bible and think about till he should 
 come again. In this way he so influenced the 
 hermit that he was willing to talk with him, and 
 
 175
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 even to see Mr. Andrus, one of the missionaries 
 at Mardin, who took with him an Arabic tract, 
 which convinced Boghos that his life of penance 
 would neither give him freedom from sin nor 
 peace of conscience. 
 
 He left the monastery, came to Mardin, and 
 entered the school of Bible study. He soon gave 
 evidence that he was a real child of God; and the 
 peace he had so long sought in vain, he found in 
 Christ, the sacrifice for sin. He no longer sought 
 holiness through his own works, but rested fully 
 in the Saviour who could save him from all sin. 
 The missionaries feeling it wiser to try him be- 
 fore admitting him to church fellowship, sent 
 him to one of their outstations to labor in the 
 market-place among the men. In this place was 
 a Protestant church and a faithful and earnest 
 pastor, who watched with fatherly care over 
 Boghos as he went about his work. He was 
 convinced that Boghos was daily taught of God, 
 and was raised up to be a chosen vessel in the 
 service of the church. 
 
 The Midyat church was to celebrate the Lord's 
 Supper and several were to be received to mem- 
 bership. He went to the Pastor and begged that 
 he might be allowed to join the church with 
 these. He did not plead his fitness, but his de- 
 
 176
 
 Boghos the Hermit and Martyr 
 
 sire to come into more intimate communion with 
 Christ's Church. So earnest was his plea that 
 the Pastor, knowing he was to unite with the 
 Mardin church in the spring, granted his desire. 
 Not long after, this Pastor was authorized to go 
 into the region of Jebel Toor to administer relief 
 to the starving people. For several years the 
 locust had destroyed every green thing. He felt 
 that Boghos would be just the one to help in this 
 work. The people would welcome him as the 
 hermit who once lived among them. But when 
 they recognized him, they were filled with rage 
 and, had not the Pastor protected him, would 
 have torn him to pieces. Was he not the holy 
 hermit who had dared to leave his work and 
 come into the society of sinful men ? Surely 
 God's curse must rest upon such an one. 
 
 Boghos afterward graduated from the Theo- 
 logical Seminary in Mardin and was sent to work 
 in the village of Amas near Midyat, where he had 
 joined the church. He was earnest and untiring 
 in his work and beloved by the people. During 
 his short stay eleven were brought to Christ and 
 united with the church at Midyat. 
 
 His father and mother being quite aged ear- 
 nestly besought him to return to Harpoot, where 
 he could find work and be near them. He ob- 
 
 177
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 tained the consent of the missionaries, who had 
 educated him for the Syrian work, and with a sad 
 heart bade them, his Syrian friends, and the work, 
 farewell. 
 
 When he returned to Harpoot he found that he 
 had forgotten much of his Armenian, having used 
 Arabic and Syriac while away. He asked to en- 
 ter the Theological Seminary at Harpoot and take 
 up the Bible Study, feeling this would be the 
 best way to regain his knowledge of Armenian. 
 This being the language of his boyhood, he soon 
 came to use it fluently. 
 
 After spending some time in the Seminary, he 
 was able to go out on the Sabbath to preach in 
 some of the many villages on the Harpoot plain. 
 The church in Hulakegh had lost its Pastor, and 
 Sabbath after Sabbath he was called to this vil- 
 lage. Soon a committee waited on the mission- 
 aries and asked that he might come permanently 
 to their village. The whole village seemed to 
 wake up at his enthusiastic way of working. 
 Every man, woman and child seemed to have 
 felt his touch, and all were anxious to please him. 
 The women had been inclined to gossip in the 
 church after service. He so thoroughly put an 
 end to this that once, when a lady missionary 
 who was visiting the village asked a question of 
 
 178
 
 Boghos the Hermit and Martyr 
 
 one of the women in leaving the church, the 
 woman put her finger on her lips and made no 
 reply. On reaching the door, she said "Our 
 preacher does not wish us to talk in church. He 
 does not think it reverent." 
 
 Well do we remember with what hostility this 
 village received the first missionary who came to 
 it. The hired room was filled almost to suffoca- 
 tion; but at that time all were hostile and would 
 gladly have placed the missionary on a donkey, 
 with his face toward the tail, and hooted him 
 out of the village. The only thing that restrained 
 them was the fear that the Turkish government 
 would call them to account. They cut off the 
 tail of the missionary's horse and then, as if that 
 was not enough, they thrust a lewd Turkish 
 woman into the room where the missionary was 
 spending the night, calling out, "Look! See! 
 what kind of company this Prote missionary 
 keeps." 
 
 But none of these things moved the mission- 
 ary. Again and again he went with his Bible to 
 teach in this village. Some of the best, most 
 respected and worthy men, became readers of 
 the Bible, and a strong Protestant community 
 grew up. 
 
 It was to this village that our Syrian monk had 
 
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 Missions in Eden 
 
 a call. He did not disappoint the missionaries, 
 but entered with his whole soul into this work. 
 They had built a new church, and instead of the 
 low, black room where the missionary had staid, 
 a clean, well-built parsonage, with several rooms, 
 was erected. The young men were thoroughly 
 awake and felt that God had sent them just the 
 right man to work with them. So they gave 
 Boghos a unanimous call to be their Pastor. 
 
 While in the Seminary at Harpoot, Boghos had 
 heard of a young lady teacher in the college who 
 was the daughter of a Palu merchant in the city. 
 This merchant was noted for his Puritanical 
 ideas, which, under certain circumstances, would 
 have made him a hermit. Boghos was known 
 as a very earnest, straightforward Christian. 
 He was a good preacher, and his very manner 
 made you feel that his earnest words came from 
 an earnest soul. The merchant was much inter- 
 ested in him, and would have gladly called him 
 to be his own Pastor, if the calling had been left 
 to him. The notice and kindness of the mer- 
 chant made Boghos feel that his daughter Mar- 
 iam was just the one he needed to help him in 
 his work of the ministry. His mother had died, 
 and his father and little brother would live with 
 him, and he ought to be married before his 
 
 180
 
 Boghos the Hermit and Martyr 
 
 ordination. Should he ask for this successful 
 young teacher in the College ? The father might 
 be willing to give her; but would she accept a 
 man who had for some years lived as a hermit? 
 She an Armenian, he a Syrian ? Would she ex- 
 change her place as a College teacher to be the 
 wife of a Pastor in a peasant village ? 
 
 He must have prayed much over this whole 
 question before he sent a mutual friend to ask 
 the merchant for the hand of his accomplished 
 daughter. The father's and mother's consent 
 was obtained. This was a very important step, 
 but not a decision. The young lady was educated 
 and old enough to decide for herself. Custom 
 forbade the young man's asking for himself; 
 this must be done through one of the American 
 teachers, or some older friend. 
 
 We would not draw aside the veil that shuts 
 out the struggles and prayers of this sensible 
 young Christian; but we may be assured that it 
 was not a hasty decision that led her to leave her 
 place in the College, her parents, and her privi- 
 leges in the city, to make her home in an oil vil- 
 lage. 
 
 We may say that the beautiful girl became a 
 more beautiful bride, with a new and sweeter 
 joy on the bright face, and side by side with 
 
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 Missions in Eden 
 
 Boghos, labored in the village church where she 
 was as much loved as her husband, and where 
 she found a work and influence that called 
 forth her gratitude to God for her Christian edu- 
 cation. 
 
 The harvest was gathered in, the repairs on the 
 church finished, and the people were impatient 
 for the ordination of Boghos. The time was fixed 
 and the letters of invitation sent to the churches. 
 
 Then strange rumors floated on the air. Many 
 believed that the Turks and Kurds were prepar- 
 ing for a wholesale slaughter of the Armenians. 
 Friendly Kurds and Turks even told the Arme- 
 nians to be ready for such an outbreak. The 
 father of Mariam, knowing that the village of 
 Hulakegh was wholly Armenian, felt that the 
 danger might be greater there than in places 
 where the population was mixed, and went to 
 bring his daughter to the city. He found her so 
 brave that he would not uuge her to leave. 
 
 When village after village was attacked and 
 
 left only a smouldering ruin, many of the people 
 
 being slain and the rest left homeless wanderers, 
 
 the people of Hulakegh came to Boghos and 
 
 begged him to flee with his wife to the city to 
 
 her father's house. But he refused to think of 
 
 such a thing. 
 
 182
 
 Boghos the Hermit and Martyr 
 
 "Shall I flee from my flock in a time ot 
 danger?" 
 
 "You will be the one they will first kill, and 
 who will care for your wife ? We would rather 
 you were spared to comfort us after the storm 
 has passed. The city will not be attacked. Go, 
 take your wife to her father's house and after- 
 ward you can come back to us." 
 
 So earnest were their entreaties, in which they 
 were joined by his aged father, who said, "lam 
 old, they will spare me though they rob the 
 house; come, I entreat of you both, come while 
 you can," that when they brought animals and an 
 escort, they consented to be hurried off to her 
 father's house which they reached in safety. 
 
 Soon after the Turks and Kurds entered the 
 village. The people, men, women and chil- 
 dren, fled to Mezereh, (some three miles away) 
 the seat of the Pashalic, where the civil and 
 military Pashas resided, and only a few lost 
 their lives. The village was plundered, but only 
 a portion of it was burned. So when the vil- 
 lagers returned, most of them found their empty 
 houses left to them. 
 
 During this time, what is happening at Harpoot 
 where the preacher and his wife have fled ? The 
 principal Turks assured the missionaries that no 
 
 183
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 harm should come to the city. "Can you not 
 trust us when we tell you there is no danger!" 
 they exclaimed. (When asked afterward why 
 they did not keep their word, they replied, "The 
 Koran does not require us to keep our word to an 
 infidel.") 
 
 Every preparation seemed made to protect the 
 city. Cannon were placed in such a position 
 that they could be used. Soldiers and officers 
 were in the streets. The bugle sounded at inter- 
 vals, assuring the people that all was right. 
 Rough looking men were straggling up the val- 
 leys; many seemed skulking about the hills or 
 behind the rocky heights upon which part of the 
 city is built. An awful stillness hung over us. 
 Officers were entering Christian houses to take 
 away any weapons that might be found in them. 
 Thus the Sabbath passed. 
 
 Some Christians sought refuge in the homes of 
 friendly Turks ; some hung the white cloth out- 
 side their doors. Friendly Turks were known to 
 write in large letters on the doors of their neigh- 
 bors sentences which served to keep out the 
 plunderer and assassin. Many fled to the homes 
 of the missionaries. 
 
 Monday came. A few shots were heard and it 
 was said, "The Kurds have come!" but a few 
 
 184
 
 Boghos the Hermit and Martyr 
 
 regulars soon scattered them. A little after mid- 
 day, at the sound of the bugle, we saw the 
 Kurdish and Turkish mob rushing up the valleys 
 and over the hills with the cry, "Ash! Ash!" 
 (Forward, Forward.) The cannon, turned upon 
 the helpless city, roared destruction; rifle shots 
 filled the air; houses were entered, robbed and 
 set on fire. The plain was a sea of smoke, with 
 lurid flames starting up in many places. Men 
 and women laden with spoils were leaving the 
 city. The houses in the west quarter were fired. 
 The homes of the missionaries and the beautiful 
 Girls' College, were in flames. 
 
 But where are Boghos and Mariam ? The 
 house of the father-in-law of Boghos was in a 
 Turkish neighborhood. The Turks and Kurds 
 rushed to the windows and demanded that the 
 doors be opened. They threw many things 
 from the windows, hoping to satisfy the mob; 
 but they soon began to break open the doors. 
 As Boghos and his father-in-law went to open 
 them they were fired upon. Mariam, who was 
 praying in an upper room, rushed to their aid, 
 when a bullet struck her in the head. Her hus- 
 band caught her in his arms, crying, "My Iamb." 
 She replied, " I am no longer your lamb; 1 go to 
 be with Jesus," and expired in his arms. Her 
 
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 Missions in Eden 
 
 younger sister clasped the bleeding father and 
 received a sword thrust in her back, from which 
 in a few hours she died; but her father was 
 spared. The house was robbed; but being in a 
 Turkish quarter was not burned. The family 
 were left with their dead and wounded. 
 
 Next day their Syrian friends, at the risk of 
 their lives, removed them and their dead to the 
 house of Boghos' father. This had as yet been 
 spared, for the Syrians had received a promise 
 that they should not be molested. 
 
 Toward evening the son of a high Turkish 
 officer, accompanied by a Turkish moolah, rode 
 through that quarter of the city and offered de- 
 liverance to any who would confess Islam. No 
 one answered the cry. 
 
 When they entered the house where Boghos 
 and his family were, Boghos said to his friends, 
 "1 wished to die yesterday with my dear wife. 
 What is there for me now she is gone, save to 
 comfort you! " A Turk rushed up to him, shout- 
 ing "Selamet! Selamet!" (Confess Islam!) He 
 made no reply and they shot him standing near 
 his dead wife. His father and brother had 
 fallen just outside the door. This was only one 
 of the scenes of crime and suffering in poor 
 Armenia. Boghos and Mariam "were beau- 
 
 186
 
 Boghos the Hermit and Martyr 
 
 tiful in their lives, and in death they were not 
 divided." 
 
 The poor father had deep lines of sorrow on 
 his face, but never regretted that he gave his 
 children to God. He has been a most earnest 
 worker with the relief corps; one upon whom 
 they could depend to expend large sums of 
 money. The mantle of his children seems to 
 have fallen upon him ; for out of a full heart he 
 dispenses food for soul and body. 
 
 The church in Hulakegh will never forget 
 Boghos and Mariam. They remember their 
 words, their deeds, their death. They are less in 
 numbers; but we hope more earnest and spirit- 
 ual through their great affliction. No one fills 
 the empty pastorate; but the Great Shepherd is 
 not unmindful of this shepherdless flock. 
 
 How can 1 better close this little book, than to 
 quote from a recent letter of the Rev. C. F. 
 Gates, D. D., President of Euphrates College: 
 
 Palu, Jan. 14, 1898. 
 Dear Friends: — 
 
 The second day after the close of 
 school for the winter vacation, I started on a re- 
 lief tour to this place. Two hours out from Har- 
 poot we encountered a dense fog in which we 
 
 187
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 travelled all the way. It froze wherever it 
 touched us, so that soon it became difficult to 
 open my mouth because of the icicles on mous- 
 tache and beard. We reached Shukhaji, 1 a vil- 
 lage near the Euphrates, at four in the afternoon. 
 1 talked to these villagers about feeding on the 
 Bible and being taught of God, now that they 
 have no preacher. 
 
 Wednesday, Jan. 15th, the texts in "Daily 
 Light on the Daily Path," were singularly com- 
 forting and precious to me. The first was, 
 "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose 
 mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in 
 thee." This text I had chosen for the motto of 
 this journey. Another was, "In quietness and 
 confidence shall be your strength. Another, 
 "Cast your burden" (Margin r. v. "that He 
 hath given thee") "on the Lord and He shall 
 sustain thee. He shall never suffer the righteous 
 to be moved." I felt I could claim this text be- 
 cause the journey and work were given me by 
 the Lord. 
 
 We reached the Euphrates at eleven in the 
 forenoon. The animals were led into the boat 
 and we put off for the other shore; but the boat 
 went down stream, sticking on a sand bar 
 some distance from the shore. The boatmen 
 could not get her off, and said, "You must get 
 
 1 This village suffered frightfully during the massacres ; many fled into 
 the mountains suffering intensely from cold and hunger until driven back to 
 their homes, where the Turk met them and forced many to outwardly em- 
 brace Mohammedanism ; but they all turned back as soon as the pressure 
 was removed. 
 
 183
 
 Boghos the Hermit and Martyr 
 
 your animals to the shore." The horses would 
 not plunge into the ice-flow. I had my horse 
 brought from the other end of the boat, mounted 
 him, and while the men were all protesting that 
 he could not get out with me upon his back, I 
 spoke to him; the splendid creature waited on 
 the edge of the boat for the floating ice to pass 
 by; the people in the boat held their peace, for a 
 wonder; then, with a bound, he sprang into the 
 current, crashing through the ice, reaching the 
 shore in safety. This feat was the marvel of the 
 village that night. 
 
 We spent hours trying to get the loads and 
 animals to the shore. One donkey and one mule 
 went headlong into the water. For five hours I 
 tramped up and down the shore trying to keep 
 myself and horse warm; but the peace of God 
 was with me. "Thou shalt keep him in perfect 
 peace." "In quietness and confidence shall be 
 your strength." Praise the Lord! He kept me 
 in perfect peace. I did not utter one impatient 
 word, nor was my mind disturbed all day. 
 
 My man got his feet wet, his stockings froze 
 so he could not draw his shoes off, and his toes 
 were frost-bitten. Others had their hands and 
 feet frost-bitten; but all escaped without serious 
 injury. 
 
 We are now safely in Palu; but the weather is 
 bitter cold. It is not apparent how we shall re- 
 lieve the villages on the Palu plain; but I am con- 
 fident that God, who called us and brought us, will 
 
 189
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 also lead us. " For our God is a God of de- 
 liverances." 
 
 During the massacre in this city, Hagop 
 Shughloian was seized and called upon to accept 
 Islam. He begged his captors to kill his two 
 sons first. They brought the older and laid him 
 before the father. There, with the knife drawn 
 to cut his throat, they again called upon the 
 father to accept Islam; but he exhorted his son 
 never to deny Christ, and the boy died. Then 
 they brought the younger son and renewed their 
 appeals to the father to accept Islam; but he 
 called to his boy, " Look up to Christ! " and this 
 son also was sacrificed. Again they turned to 
 the father; but he laid himself at their feet, say- 
 ing, "I have sent my two sons to Christ, now / 
 can go in peace." 
 
 This man's starving widow was one to whom 
 God was sending His missionary servant. In this 
 city, and in the forty-three villages on Palu plain, 
 were many other widows whose husbands and 
 sons had been slaughtered because they believed 
 in Christ. 
 
 Sometimes we have asked, Would it not have 
 been better for these widows and orphans who 
 are left, to have died with their fathers, sons and 
 brothers ? 
 
 " Our intellects cannot reach up to God," is an 
 expression I have often heard in Armenia, and I 
 
 190
 
 < 
 
 z 
 
 < 
 
 D 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 <
 
 Boghos the Hermit and Martyr 
 
 confess, I often find myself hiding behind it. I 
 know God makes no mistakes. In the building 
 up of Christ's kingdom, there is really no retro- 
 grade movement; but we must take some things 
 on trust. The Bible teaches that the faith that 
 can do this, honors God, and He will even put 
 this to our account. 
 
 This is not the first time that the soil of Arme- 
 nia has been wet with the blood of Christian 
 children. She seemed in this nineteenth century 
 just to be forgetting what she suffered a few 
 centuries ago. Her schools, her churches, told 
 of happy days in the future. She was awaking 
 to new life and energy. Her sons and daughters 
 were beginning to stand side by side with those 
 of occidental nations, and the glad parents were 
 learning to make many sacrifices on their behalf. 
 
 We in this land of a government that cares for 
 the education of all her children, can little realize 
 what the schools opened by Christian mission- 
 aries meant to the down-trodden, but quick and 
 sensitive Armenians. How often they thanked 
 God that in far-away America, He had raised 
 them up so many kind friends. Their earlier 
 persecutions made them a religious people. 
 There are many things in their history that 
 strongly remind the missionary of his own Pil- 
 
 191
 
 Missions in Eden 
 
 grim Fathers, who were ready to give up all 
 worldly gain for the privilege of worshipping 
 God as the Bible taught them, and of training 
 their children amid such privileges. 
 
 Many of the Pastors, preachers and teachers 
 have fallen before the sword of the Moslem. 
 Many more have left behind them the country 
 they loved and for which they would willingly 
 have given their lives, could they thus have de- 
 livered it from the hand of the oppressor. Thou- 
 sands still remain, scattered like sheep upon their 
 mountains. It was for such that Dr. Gates went 
 through cold and ice, and the danger of a half 
 frozen river. Do you wonder that he had "The 
 peace of God that passeth understanding " ? Do 
 you wonder that he obeyed the still, small voice 
 which bade him leave his college in the city and 
 go to Palu ? 
 
 God gives us all the privilege of partnership 
 with Himself. Do we not sometimes forget this 
 when we are tempted to keep back part of the 
 price ? It may be that never again will the 
 church be called upon as now to go in and pos- 
 sess the land which is Christ's own inheritance — 
 the land where He was born, labored, and died. 
 Is Christ to be defeated in Turkey ? Shall we 
 not pray that our eyes may be anointed so we 
 
 192
 
 Boghos the Hermit and Martyr 
 
 may look forward with a broader, wider, clearer 
 faith, to the time when we shall see the Turk, 
 the Kurd, the Armenian, joining hands as they 
 kneel about the cross of Calvary ? 
 
 How sad is the wail that comes over the waters! 
 Stop, listen, and hear it from lands far away — 
 The cry of Armenia — her poor stricken daughters, 
 " Dear Christian, delay not, come help us to-day! 
 
 "We have tasted the joy that fills your homes with gladness; 
 Now sorrow has entered, peace has fled far away. 
 Our hearts are bowed down now with gloom and with sadness, 
 No ray of bright hope lifts the darkness to-day. 
 
 " How long shall we wait here with no one to help us! 
 Almost are we ready to lie down and die. 
 The foe presses forward, will God let him crush us? 
 Or will the light come from the great throne on high ? " 
 
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