TABLE OF CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

[EARLY HISTORY OF ARMENIA].

A Martyr Nation—Need of a Voice—Historical Annals at Nineveh—Abgar’s Letter to Jesus of Nazareth—Acceptance of Christianity—Council of Nice—Persian Conquests—Bible Translated—Great Persecutions—Dying for the Faith—Magi Driven Out—Saracens in Armenia—Fearful Tortures—Burned Alive—Bogha the Tyrant—Sultan of Turkey—Islam or Death—Yussuf the Persian—Great Horrors Repeated—Starvation—Peace Returns 21

CHAPTER II.

[THE RISE OF ISLAM].

Arabia—Mecca—Idolatry—Mohammed’s Birth—Carlyle on Islamism—The Hegira—Battle of Beder—Mecca Captured—Death of Mohammed—Golden Era of the Saracens—Khaled at Damascus—City Captured—Jerusalem Besieged—Capitulates—Persia Conquered—Egypt Won in a Day—Constantinople Besieged 44

CHAPTER III.

[THE STORY OF THE FIRST CRUSADE].

Origin—Jerusalem Captured by the Turks—Peter the Hermit—Pope Urban—Crusade of the Mob—Walter the Penniless—Battle of Nicomedia—300,000 Perished in all—Crusade of the Kings and Nobles—Godfrey of Bouillon—Europe Moves Westward—Antioch—Jerusalem Captured July 14th, 1099—Godfrey Elected King 72

CHAPTER IV.

[THE GREAT TARTAR INVASIONS].

The Turcomans—Seljuks—Persia Conquered—Armenia Wasted—140,000 Slain—Ani with 1,001 Churches Falls—Awful Slaughter—Asia Minor Ravaged—Emperor of Constantinople Defeated—Damascus Falls—Saladin—Jerusalem Capitulates—Silence on the Coast—Jenghiz Khan—Armenia in Great Distress—Turks in Europe—Tamerlane—Armenia again in Torture—Pyramids of Human Skulls—Death of Tamerlane 104

CHAPTER V.

[THE FALL OF CONSTANTINOPLE].

Ottoman Empire Rising—Danger to Europe—Mohammed II. the Conqueror—Fortress Built at Gallipoli—Emperor Alarmed—Europe Indifferent—First Great Siege with Artillery—Seven Weeks Bombardment—Final Assault—50,000 Ottomans Fall—Charge of the Janissaries—Constantine Died at His Post—Church of St. Sophia is turned into a Mosque—Islam sits on the Throne of Christianity 135

CHAPTER VI.

[THE BULGARIAN MASSACRE].

Four Centuries of Misrule—Chios, 40,000 Slain—Christians in Turkey Persecuted—Russia Demands their Protection—France and England against Russia—Czar’s Army Crosses into Moldavia—Sultan Declares War—Siege of Sebastopol—Treaty of Paris 1856—Turkish Loans—Revolt in Servia—Andrassy Note—Reforms Promised—Bulgarian Massacres—England Horror Struck—Gladstone on the Massacres—15,000 Butchered—Russia Arms for the Deliverance of the Christians 159

CHAPTER VII.

[THE RUSSO-TURKISH WAR].

War Declared—Crossing the Danube—Siege of Plevna—Skobeleff’s Gallant Charge—Third Siege—Plevna Reduced and Surrenders—Alexander at the Danube—Shipka Pass—The Valley of Roses—Turkey Conquered—Adrianople—San Stefano—Berlin Treaty—Russia Robbed of her Victories 185

CHAPTER VIII.

[THE SULTAN ABDUL HAMID].

Questions of Policy—Palace Rule—Alarm of the Porte—Shrewd Diplomacy—Playing off the Powers—Balance of Power—Reforms Promised—Never Fulfilled 213

CHAPTER IX.

[PROGRESS AND POWER OF CHRISTIAN MISSIONS IN THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE].

The First Chapter in Turkish Missions—Have Missions been a Failure—Modern Triumphs of the Gospel 250

CHAPTER X.

[THE KURDS AND ARMENIANS].

Territory—Origin—Occupation—Character—Agriculture—Robbers—Cruelty of Warfare—Language—Homes—Women—Ruined Castles—Churches 277

CHAPTER XI.

[THE REIGN OF TERROR—SASSOUN] 303

CHAPTER XII.

[THE REIGN OF TERROR—TREBIZOND AND ERZEROUM] 341

CHAPTER XIII.

[THE REIGN OF TERROR—VAN AND MOUSH] 360

CHAPTER XIV.

[THE REIGN OF TERROR—HARPOOT AND ZEITOUN] 383

CHAPTER XV.

[RELIEF WORK IN ARMENIA].

Mission Stations—The Christian Herald—Red Cross Society—Miss Clara Barton 400

CHAPTER XVI.

[THE CURSE OF ISLAM].

Despotic in Government—Intolerant in Religion—Evils of Polygamy—Degradation of Women—Ignorance—Cruelty of Officials—Extortion—Universal Distress—No Advance Possible—The Turk never Improves—Islam—Worse and Worse—Its Rule is against Humanity 423

CHAPTER XVII.

[THE GREATEST CRIME OF THE CENTURY].

England’s Inactivity—Her Solemn Obligation—Treaty of San Stefano—Berlin—Convention with Turkey—Cyprus—Occupation of Egypt—Position of the English Government—Difficulties in the Way—But the Suffering Awful—Freeman—Gladstone 433

CHAPTER XVIII.

[AMERICA’S DUTY AND PRIVILEGE].

Possible Solution—Universal Arbitration—Constantinople a Free City—Europe Free—Armenia’s Sorrows Healed—The Dawning of the Twentieth Century 470

APPENDIX.

[DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIONS] 495