"One of the number he retained for a more private conversation. This was Mr. Apisoghom Khachadûrian, 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. Khachadûrian 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 nobody 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 God 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. Khachadûrian 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 petition to Reschid Pasha, Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs. This petition 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 Ambassador, 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.