Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1854 edition. Excerpt: ...violent in his opposition, a man of wealth and influence, was so far interested in the word, as to attend the preaching of Mr Peabody, and give his full assent to its 190 ENLIGHTENED PRELATES THE WORST PERSECUTORS. truth. A vartabed also attended, who was not a little enlightened, and anxious to do good to his people. It is a mournful but instructive fact, that the most resolute persecutors among all the prelates of the Armenian Church were three men, who were among the earliest friends of the missionaries, and whose minds were probably more enlightened in regard to the truths of the gospel than any of their rank, who still retain connexion with the old establishment. Matteos, Patriarch of Constantinople, the story of whose worst persecutions is still to be told; Eprem, Bishop of Erzroom, whose outrageous conduct has just been briefly described; and Boghos, Vartabed of Trebizond, who in his unjust and cruel warfare against the true disciples of Christ was not much behind the other two, --were neither ignorant nor bigoted men. On the contrary, they all knew and acknowledged the errors and superstitions of their Church, and had often strongly expressed their desires for reform, and two of them, at least, had suffered persecution as Protestants; but now they were the most bold and zealous and persevering of the persecutors! They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. Apparently, one principal reason why the hierarchy was so very determined and persevering in its measures to expel Protestantism from Erzroom, was its central position, and its consequent influence on all the interior provinces of Armenia. And this, in fact, gives it its TRUTH SPREADING IN THE VILLAGES. 191 chief importance as a missionary station. Both the..
