History Of The Missions Of The American Board Of Commissioners For Foreign Missions Volume I Part 20

George B. Whiting, finished his course, after a devoted service as a missionary through a fourth part of a century.1 Mrs. Whiting returned, in poor health, to the United States.

1 For an obituary notice of Mr. Whiting by Mr. Calhoun, see _Missionary Herald_ for 1856, pp. 129-133.

The Gospel was preached statedly at sixteen places. At four of these--Beirt, Abeih, Sidon, and Hasbeiya--churches had been organized. Fifteen members were added during the year 1856. The number admitted from the beginning was one hundred and six, of whom eighty were living and in regular standing. The average number of hearers was about four hundred and twenty; but the whole number was of course much larger. The sons-in-law of the old Emir Bes.h.i.+r, the unrelenting persecutor no longer among the living, were among the firmest friends of the mission, and his grandchildren were in its schools. The anathemas of the Maronite clergy, once so terrific, had lost their power. Light was spreading; and though there was not a corresponding religious interest, yet the most influential inhabitants were on friendly terms with the mission, and in favor of education and good morals.

CHAPTER XXII.

THE ARMENIANS.

1845-1846.

We come now to the grand crisis, when the evangelical Armenians, who claimed the right of wors.h.i.+pping G.o.d according to the teachings of his Word, were on that account excommunicated, p.r.o.nounced accursed, and subjected to a protracted and most cruel persecution. But inasmuch as this made it necessary to organize Protestant churches all over the country, it was overruled, in G.o.d's providence, for the furtherance of his kingdom.

Matteos, the leader of this persecution, became Patriarch of Constantinople in the autumn of 1844. Peshtimaljian, the celebrated, teacher, who knew him as one of his scholars, said of him, ten years before, when he was on very friendly terms with the missionaries, that he was a man of enlightened views, but without principle, and always governed by what he considered the wishes of those who were likely to promote his interests. His position as Patriarch was one of great difficulty. The evangelical doctrines were spreading in all directions, and their enemies demanded that they be rooted out. A report was even started, that Matteos himself was a Protestant, and his convictions were known to have been at one time in that direction; but his interests and his ambition now led him to oppose.

He had attained the highest post in his nation, and was resolved to keep it. As the evangelical brethren would not yield, he must, if possible, put them down. He resolved to sacrifice the Protestants; and all his powers, personal and official, were employed to eradicate Protestantism from the land.1

1 Dr. Dwight, in his _Christianity Revived in the East_ is severe on Bishop Horatio Southgate, of the American Episcopal mission in Turkey, on the ground of his publicly declared sympathy with the Patriarch Matteos, and the advice and countenance he was believed to have given that cruel persecutor. How far the Patriarch was actually influenced by Bishop Southgate, it is impossible to say; and I have supposed that at this late day, the demands of history would be satisfied with this brief allusion to the case. See _Christianity Revived_, pp. 211-213.

He first secretly directed those among his own flock, who were patrons or regular customers of the evangelical brethren, silently to withdraw their patronage. Many of the Protestants thus suddenly found themselves deprived of business, and that remonstrances availed nothing, unless they pledged themselves to withdraw from the preaching of the missionaries. A more decisive measure was, ordering the priests to hand in to the Patriarch the names of those who did not come to confession, and partake of the communion, in their respective churches. All such were threatened with excommunication and all its dreaded consequences.

As two or three vartabeds and some of the priests continued to attend the preaching of the missionaries, and others were known to be friendly, something must be done to operate upon those spiritual guides of the people. Bedros Vartabed was the first to be made an example. He was ordered to perform a ma.s.s, but declined on conscientious grounds. He was then instructed to proceed forthwith to a town on the Russian frontier, ostensibly to take charge of a diocese, but really to get him where he could easily be conveyed as a prisoner to the monastery of Echmiadzin. He politely declined to go, and the Patriarch was not then prepared to resort to force.

After some delay, it was arranged that Bedros should go to the monastery at Jerusalem. He proceeded no farther, however, than Beirt, and from thence went to Aleppo and Aintab. His usefulness at the latter place, and his Christian death at Aleppo, have been already stated.1

1 See chapter xxi.

The Patriarch's attention was next turned to Priest Vertanes, who was already in his hands as a prisoner at the monastery of Armash, whither he had been sent by his predecessor. It was found that he had been preaching to the monks salvation through the blood of Christ alone, without the deeds of the law. It was represented to Matteos, that if the Protestant priest was not removed, the inmates of the monastery would soon become corrupted. An imperial firman was therefore procured for his banishment to Cesarea, whither Hohannes had been sent, six years before, for a like offense. On his way there, in charge of a Turkish officer, and indeed after his arrival, he ceased not to preach the Gospel for which he was in bonds. In the same year the Sultan gave orders, on occasion of a great feast, to have all the exiles in the country set at liberty, and Vertanes returned to Constantinople. Letters came to the Patriarch from Cesarea, soon after, saying that he had seduced many, and that had he remained there much longer, all would have gone after him.1

1 _Christianity Revived_, p. 152. Authority for most of the following statements concerning these persecutions, may be found in the _Missionary Herald_ for 1846: pp. 193-203, 218-230, 263-273, 298-304, 397-406; and for 1847, pp. 16-22, 37-45, 75-83, 150, 193-199, 264-273, 298-301, 372-374. The account of them given by Dr.

H. G. O. Dwight, in his work ent.i.tled _Christianity Revived in the East_, published in 1850, is so well written, that I cannot confer upon the reader a greater favor than by a free, though much abridged, use of his language.

At the metropolis there were restraints upon the hierarchy, that were unfelt in the provinces. Ephrem, bishop of Erzroom, had once acknowledged the errors of his Church, and had often strongly expressed his desires for reform, though now among the most zealous and persevering of the persecutors. The same was lamentably true of Boghos, Vartabed of Trebizond. Ephrem and Boghos had actually suffered persecution, on the charge of being Protestants. The change in their conduct was owing to the change in their relations, and to their loving the praise of men more than the praise of G.o.d.

The Bishop of Erzroom exceeded all others in bitterness against the followers of the Gospel. He had spies in every part of the town, and often upon the roofs of houses adjacent to the dwellings of the missionaries, to observe who were their visitors. He never allowed disobedience to his orders to go unpunished. The bastinado was repeatedly applied under his own eye, merely for an expression indicating reverence for the Word of G.o.d. Twenty blows were inflicted on the bare feet of a young man, and he was thrown into prison, because he had sold a copy of the Psalms in modern Armenian, and called at the house of a missionary. A teacher of a country school was severely bastinadoed for teaching the Gospel to the villagers. A merchant, who had early embraced the truth, was cruelly beaten in the bishop's own room, and the people were commanded to spit in his face in the streets, merely because he visited the missionary. A priest, for showing so much sympathy as to call upon him, was summoned before the bishop and bastinadoed. Another, who had called once at Mr. Peabody's house and procured some books, was seized, put in irons, and thrown into prison, and his books were burnt before his eyes. In most cases these violent measures confirmed the individuals in their new ways; and the truth is said never to have made so much progress among the permanent Armenian residents of Erzroom, as during the period of these outrages.

One princ.i.p.al reason for the determination of the ecclesiastics to uproot Bible religion from Erzroom, was the central and consequently influential position of that city in the interior of Armenia. In the district of Pasin, to the east, were nearly two hundred villages, in which Mr. Peabody found both priests and people remarkably accessible. In the nearer villages, a few were always found so much awake to the truth as to pay little regard to the injunctions of their spiritual rulers, who were opposed to Bible teachings. Not unfrequently individuals from Egin, Diarbekir, and other distant places, called on Messrs. Peabody and Smith for religious inquiry. A tour of Haritn of Nicomedia to Sivas, Erzroom, Egin, etc., brought to light many encouraging facts in those places. In every important place some inquirers were found, and only laborers seemed needful to gather in an abundant harvest.

The author can bear witness to the increase of intelligence at Trebizond. The quiet preaching of the word by Messrs. Johnston and Bliss, and the distribution of the Scriptures and other evangelical books, had, by the blessing of G.o.d, moved many minds, and taught the difference between truth and error; and they gladly availed themselves of every opportunity to come together for conference and prayer. Not many, however, were willing to run much risk for the truth's sake, and few gave satisfactory evidence of being "born again."

A young man of superior attainments in Trebizond, belonging to the Papal Armenians, died in the spring of 1844, giving the most satisfactory evidence of conversion. His priest had made every effort to reclaim him, but Mugurdich, for that was his name, was very decided, and a few days before his death made a formal renunciation of his Church in writing, and peacefully committed his all to Christ. His body was not allowed a burial in the graveyard, or with the usual religious ceremonies, but was carried out at a late hour, in a dark stormy night, by common street porters, under the direction of a Turkish police-officer, and buried in a waste place about a mile out of the city. His priest had threatened to bury him like a dog; but he told them, at the time, that they could thus do him no harm, as they could not reach his soul.

The Vartabed in this city was not deemed sufficiently energetic as a persecutor. But Boghos, his successor, was. On receiving instructions from the Patriarch in the spring of 1845, he immediately set the whole persecuting machinery in motion. And so terrific did it become, that in the s.p.a.ce of ten days about one half of the Bible readers had recanted.

Just at this juncture, a highly respected evangelical inhabitant of Trebizond, named Tateos, returned from a visit to Constantinople, Smyrna, Broosa, Nicomedia, and Adabazar, whither he had been to make the acquaintance of the missionaries and native brethren in those places. Fearing the influence of such a man, the persecuting party resolved to put him out of the way. He was accordingly decoyed on board the steamer as it was leaving for Constantinople, thrust down into the hold, and confined there by order of the Turkish Pasha.

Thus was he torn from his affectionate wife and children, and carried off like a felon, they knew not whither, without even the show of a trial. Arriving at the capital, he was taken to the Armenian hospital, and shut up in the mad-house. Placed in a sitting posture, he was fastened with two chains, one from his neck to the wall, the other from his feet to the floor. Orders from the Patriarchate were, that no one should have access to him, but some of the native brethren discovered the place of his confinement, and gained admittance. He was then removed to another place, where it was believed he could not be found. On the Sabbath, the eighth day of his imprisonment, while the Armenian congregation was engaged in singing in the chapel at Pera, he entered, a free man! Much prayer had been offered for him, and his sudden liberation reminded all of Peter the Apostle. Sir Stratford Canning had been informed of his case, and there was no doubt that the remonstrances of this benevolent statesman had caused the Patriarch to loosen his grasp upon this innocent victim of his oppression.

But whatever was the influence exerted to moderate the proceedings of the Patriarch in this case, he was fully resolved not to fail of success. In the beginning of 1846, he entered upon the more decisive course of subjecting the evangelical Armenians to the pains and penalties of excommunication. He began with Vertanes, who escaped arrest only through the friendly agency of his landlord, (not a Protestant,) and was concealed for several weeks in the house of a friend. At the patriarchal church, after the morning service, January 25th, the church was darkened by extinguis.h.i.+ng the candles, the great veil was drawn in front of the altar, and a bull of anathema was solemnly read against Priest Vertanes; and, on the next Sabbath, against all who were of his sentiments,--"followers," as the instrument read, "of the corrupt new sect, who are accursed, excommunicated, and anathematized." Vertanes was denounced in the usual style of such doc.u.ments, as "a contemptible wretch," "a vagabond," "a seducer of the people," "a traitor and murderer of Christ," "a child of the devil," "an offspring of Antichrist," and "worse than an infidel or a heathen." "Wherefore," says the Patriarch, "we expel him, and forbid him, as a devil and a child of the devil, to enter into the company of our believers; we cut him off from the priesthood, as an amputated member of the spiritual body of Christ, and as a branch cut off from the vine, which is good for nothing but to be cast into the fire. By this admonitory bull, I therefore command and warn my beloved in every city far and near, not to look upon his face, regarding it as the face of Belial, not to receive him into your holy dwellings, for he is a house destroying and ravening wolf; not to receive his salutation, but to refuse it as a soul-destroying poison; and to beware, with all your households, of the seducing and impious followers of the false doctrine of modern sectarists, and to pray for them to the G.o.d who remembereth not iniquity, if perchance, they may repent, and turn from their wicked paths, and secure the salvation of their souls, through the grace of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever and ever. Amen."1

1 _Missionary Herald_, 1846, pp. 197, 198.

The Patriarch immediately issued orders to his clergy, to see that the temporal penalties threatened in the anathema were all inflicted. Most of the clergy obeyed these orders with good will, but some reluctantly. The leading men in the different trade corporations were required to deprive the persons anathematized, and their families, of their employments and means of living, and they evinced more pitiless zeal than did even the clergy. Many of the brethren were forcibly driven from their houses and shops, and some were expelled even from the paternal roof. A form of recantation was drawn up, and a new creed, and these were sent throughout the country for the signature of the Protestants. The evangelical brethren were everywhere summoned before their ecclesiastical rulers for this purpose. The creed contained the worst errors of Popery.

The recantation required was, in substance, a confession that "being deceived by the enticements of Satan" they had "separated from the spotless bosom of the holy Church," and had "lovingly joined the impious New Sectaries," which they now saw to be "nothing else but an invention of arrogance, a snare of Satan, a sect of confusion, a broad road which leadeth to destruction." Wherefore repenting of their "impious deeds," they "fled again to the bosom of the immaculate and holy Armenian Church," and confessed that "her faith is spotless, her sacraments divine, her rites of apostolic origin, her ritual pious," and promised to receive "whatever this same holy Church receiveth, whether it be a matter of faith or ceremony," and to "reject with anathemas whatever doctrines she rejects."1

1 Appendix to _Christianity Revived in the East_, p. 272.

The persecutions designed to enforce this bold and cruel measure, both at Constantinople and elsewhere, were too numerous to be fully set forth in this history. It appears, from a statement drawn up by the missionaries at Constantinople, that nearly forty persons, in that city alone, had their shops closed and their licenses taken away, and were thus debarred from laboring for an honest livelihood.

Nearly seventy were ejected from their own hired houses, and sometimes from houses owned by themselves, and were thus exposed as vagabonds, to be taken up by the patrol and committed to prison; and could find shelter only in houses provided for the emergency at Pera, or Galata, through the charity of Europeans or Americans. To increase the distress, bakers were forbidden to furnish them with bread, and water-carriers to supply them with water. Thirty or more persons were exiled, imprisoned, or bastinadoed, on no other charge than their faith. Many were compelled to dissolve partners.h.i.+ps, and bring their accounts to a forced settlement, involving their utter ruin. Where the agents of the Patriarch ascertained that debts were due from the anathematized to faithful sons of the Church, the latter, however reluctant, were compelled to urge an immediate settlement.1

1 _Annual Report_ for 1846, p. 98.

Dr. Dwight gives us a glimpse of the working of the Anathema in the following narrative: "At one time the Patriarch called before him several of the leading Protestants, and sought to win them by gentleness and argument. When he found that they could outreason him, he said, rather petulantly, 'What is the use of your talking? I only called you to sign this paper. If you cannot do it, you may go, and next Sabbath you will all be anathematized.'

"One of the number he retained for a more private conversation. This was Mr. Apisoghom Khachadrian, who afterwards became the first Protestant pastor. After those present had been sent away, the Patriarch, with a great show of kindness, entreated our brother to yield to the demands of the Church, for the sake of peace. 'Let me know,' said he, 'how much you receive as a salary from those men (meaning us), and I will pledge myself to secure more for you, if you will only come over to our side.' Ap. Khachadrian begged the Patriarch not to pain his feelings again by addressing to him any such motives, which, in a matter of such solemn moment, were worthy of no consideration.

"The Patriarch then said: 'If you will only come back to us, you may retain your own private opinions and n.o.body shall molest you; only you must not speak of them to others. Why should you preach? You are no priest.'

"_K_. 'I cannot return on any such conditions. It is every man's duty to try to enlighten his neighbors in things pertaining to salvation, so far as he understands the Gospel.'

"_Patriarch_. 'But, if the evangelical men are permitted to remain in the Church on such conditions, the time is not distant when they will make the whole Church evangelical.'

"_K_. 'And what if they should? Would it be a calamity to our people to receive the Word of G.o.d as a body, and endeavor to follow it? You well know that this is the true way. You know that you confessed this to me some years ago. The course you are now pursuing will be destructive to our nation. I well understand your motive. You have been called a Protestant, and you seek to wipe this blot from your name; but have you not already done enough? Surely everybody must be convinced, by this time, that you are an Armenian, and no Protestant. Desist, I beseech you, from this work; for your own sake, I beseech you desist; otherwise it may result in something very bad for you.'

"_Patriarch_. 'Why? what will they (meaning the missionaries) do unto me?'

"_K_. 'They will do nothing to you, but your own nation will, if you go on in this way.'

"This conversation continued for some time, and the Patriarch's conscience seemed, for the moment, to be touched by our brother's faithful appeals, and he looked very thoughtful. He requested Mr.

Khachadrian to call again after two days, which he accordingly did, but was not received. A vartabed was sent to say, that if he continued of the same mind as before, the Patriarch did not wish to see him; and on the following Sabbath he was publicly anathematized in all the churches."1

1 _Christianity Revived_, pp. 199-201.

Soon after this anathema, the persecuted brethren addressed a letter to the Patriarch, explaining their religious sentiments, and asking to be relieved from their sufferings. This producing no effect, they addressed themselves to the Primates of the Armenian community, but no one of them was disposed to interfere in their behalf. At length they presented a pet.i.tion to Reschid Pasha, Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs. This pet.i.tion was treated with respect; but, owing to the influence of some of the Armenian Primates, it procured no relief. Subsequently they carried their case before the English, Prussian, and American Ministers, asking their intervention. These gentlemen took the kindest interest in their case, and made repeated efforts to procure redress. Still the persecution went on. The Patriarch even ventured, within a month after the excommunication, to send the names of thirteen leading Protestants to the Porte, requesting their banishment. This was going a step too far. The English Amba.s.sador, Sir Stratford Canning, had called the attention of the Turkish ministry to the pledge given, three years before, by the Sultan, that "henceforth there should be no more persecution for religious opinions in Turkey;" and it was now decided, in accordance with this pledge, that the persecution of the evangelical Armenians could not be allowed.

Scores of men, women, and children were wandering houseless, for the faith of Jesus, in the streets of the great metropolis, but they could not be left thus to suffer. Through the kindness of Mr. Allan, missionary of the Free Church of Scotland to the Jews, twenty individuals were comfortably lodged in a large building he had secured for a chapel and mission house. For the rest, the missionaries hired such tenements as could be found; at the same time providing bread for those cut off from all means of procuring their own subsistence. Nor was any time lost in appealing for aid to evangelical Christians throughout the world; and responses were received from the United States, from England, from every country in Europe, and from India; and five hundred dollars were contributed by foreign Protestant residents on the ground.

One good resulting from this evil should not be overlooked. The evangelical brethren in Constantinople had lived scattered over a territory eight or ten miles in diameter, so that they could rarely, if ever, come together. But while driven from their homes, and sheltered by the hand of Christian charity, they were, for many weeks, almost in one neighborhood, with abundant opportunity to cultivate each other's acquaintance. Most of their time, indeed, was spent in social prayer and religious conference; the effects of which were seen in a deeper interest felt for one another, and in a stronger bond of union.1

1 _Christianity Revived_, p. 208.

Early in March, Reschid Pasha, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, called up the Armenian Patriarch, and charged him to desist from his present course. This was an important point gained. It was now virtually decided, that the evangelical subjects of the Porte could have a civil existence in Turkey, without being under the spiritual dominion of the Patriarch.1

1 _Missionary Herald_, 1846, p. 218.

But freedom from the Patriarch's civil power they did not actually attain until their full and formal recognition as a Protestant community. In point of fact, there was no material relief from the persecution; though the Patriarch issued a pamphlet, about this time, utterly denying that there was any. He even proclaimed from the pulpit, that religion was free in Turkey. There was no doubt a change for the better in the Turkish government, and the Patriarch was gradually learning that persecution for religious opinions was not to be allowed. Therefore he felt constrained to use every artifice, so that nothing should seem to be done contrary to law; and, if possible, so that no amba.s.sador should be able to prove upon him an act of persecution. At that very time, however, thirty-four shops were closed in Constantinople, and their former occupants were forcibly kept from resuming their business, merely because they did not subscribe to the Patriarch's creed. This was all, however, under the pretense of law. The Patriarch was the civil head of the Armenian community, and as such was responsible to the government for every trade. No person could open a shop without a license, and each trade was incorporated, and regulated by a small committee of the most prominent persons in that business. The license came from this committee; and each one taking out a license was required to give two or more sureties for good conduct. Licenses were refused to the evangelical Armenians; or if not, they were not accepted as sureties for each other, and none others ventured to a.s.sume the relation. Thus, until the slow moving Turk discovered the abuse, the persecutor pursued his work with impunity under the broad s.h.i.+eld of the law.