In the province of Harpoot in many of the smaller villages, where the people have been supposed by the Turks to be mere peasants, without ideas of their own, the offer of Islamism has not been made, but the people seized without ceremony and circumcised by force, and are considered now as Mohammedans. At Haboosi, in this province, the Christian dead were left unburied in the streets for the dogs to eat. The Armenian church and the Protestant chapel and parsonage were burned.
At Peri, in the same province, 450 Christians were made Mohammedans by threats of death.
At Aivos in the same province, all the buildings were destroyed. The Armenian priest was forced to give the call to prayer, and was then shot for refusing to become a Moslem.
At Garmuri the Christians accepted Mohammedanism at the edge of the sword, and have been circumcised. The Protestant chapel and parsonage were burned, and the Armenian church has been seized and made into a mosque.
At Hokh the Armenian church and Protestant chapel and parsonage were burned.
At Houilu in the province of Harpoot, 266 out of 300 Christian houses were burned, among them the fine new Protestant church. Two priests were killed. Many of the people succeeded in escaping from the village. The rest have been forced to declare themselves Mohammedans.
The events above mentioned took place in the main between Nov. 6 and Nov. 20. But the process of forced conversion and the murder of individuals who refuse to accept Mohammedanism was still going on as lately as the 20th of December, when the Turkish government was assuring the European Ambassadors that all is quiet in Asiatic Turkey, and that all that is necessary to complete the work of pacification is for Turkey to be let alone.
The nature of the pacification which may be expected if Turkey is left free to carry out its schemes for these provinces may be judged from the following list of educated and influential Protestant ministers, who have been put to death for refusing to embrace Mohammedanism. In every case the offer of life on these terms was made; in several cases time was allowed for consideration of the proposal; and in each case faith in Jesus Christ was the sole crime charged against the victim.
- 1. Rev. Krikor, pastor at Ichme, killed Nov. 6, 1895.
- 2. Rev. Krikor Tamzarien.
- 3. Rev. Boghos Atlasian, killed Nov. 13.
- 4. Rev. Mardiros Siraganian, of Arabkir, killed Nov. 13.
- 5. Rev. Garabed Kilijjian of Sivas, killed Nov. 12.
- 6. Rev. Mr. Stepan, of the Anglican Church at Marash, killed Nov. 18.
- 7. The preacher of the village of Hajin, killed at Marash Nov. 18.
- 8. Rev. Krikor Baghdasarian, retired preacher at Harpoot, Nov. 18.
- 9. Retired preacher at Divrik, killed Nov. 8.
- 10. Rev. Garabed Resseian, pastor at Cherwouk, Nov. 5.
- 11. Rev. Metean Minasian, pastor at Sherik, Nov.
- 12. Pastor at Cutteroul, Nov. 6.
- 13. Preacher at Cutteroul, Nov. 6.
- 14. Rev. Sarkis Narkashjian, pastor at Chounkoush, Nov. 14.
- 15. The pastor of the church at Severek, November.
- 16. The pastor of the church at Adiyaman.
- 17. Rev. Hohannes Hachadorian, pastor at Kilisse, Nov. 7.
- 18. The preacher at Karabesh, near Diarbekir, Nov. 7.
- 19. Rev. Mardiros Tarzian, pastor at Keserik, near Harpoot, November.