On the occasion of reviewing Rev. Dr. Vahan Tootikian's book: “The Genesis and Early Development of the Armenian Missionary Association of America”
By Vahe H Apelian
2018 marked the centennial of the founding of the Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA). It was founded in the Armenian Church of the Martyrs in Worcester, MA.
Seizing the occasion, Rev. Vahan H. Tootikian published a 112 pages long book detailing the history of the founding of the AMAA. The book is titled “The Genesis and Early Development of the Armenian Missionary Association of America”. The book is published by the AMAA and is dedicated to the “Two Founding Fathers of the AMAA, Rev. Mihran T. Kalaidjian and Rev. Antranig A. Bedikian” and to “its 15 incorporators: Vahan S. Babasinian, Antranig A. Bedikian, Kapriel Bedrosian, Haroutune M Dadourian, Hagop M. Depoyan, Dikran B. Donchian, Aram G. Hejinian, Milton B. Ignatius, Minas S. Kondazian, Armenag Mahjoubian, John Moushekian, Garabed T. Pushman, Dikran M. Sarkissian, John G. Telfeyan, and Haig Y. Yardumian”. The author presented a brief biography of each and devoteտ a chapter to each of the two founding fathers. These esteemed gentlemen were all immigrants and hailed from their ancesteral towns such as Harpoot, Arabkir, Smyrna, Adana, Diarbekir, Caesarea, Marsovan.
The book retails for $20. I thank my former classmate Bejouhy Barsoumian Gulesserian, an AMAA Board member, for gifting me a copy of this book.
The founding of the AMAA took place in the Armenian Church of Martyrs in Worcester, MA on June 7, 1918. Zavan Khanjian, in the preface of the book wrote that “The genesis of the Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA) in 1918 was neither easy nor spontaneous.” He further elaborated fnoting that “the Missionary Committee of the Armenian Evangelical Union (AEU) deliberated for two years. By the time its proposal was submitted to the 1918 AEU Convention, including a name and a constitution and by-laws, the convention was ready to embark on a very important mission”, which was the founding of the AMAA as we know today.
The book is comprised of 15 Chapters. For brevity, I will just list the heading of the chapters to give the reader a glimpse of the historical scope of the book in detailing the vision of those who made the founding of the AMAA possible and its subsequent evolution. These 15 Chapters are:
1. Why in America?
2. The Early Armenian Evangelical in America.
3. The Missionary Committee of the AEU: Pioneer of the AMAA
4. The Historic Session When AMAA Was Born
5. The First Board of Directors of the AMAA
6. Steps Toward Organizational Structure for the AMAA.
7. The Constitution and Bylaws of the AMAA
8. The AMAA’s early Expansion
9. The Armenian Martyrs’ Memorial Fund
10. Rev. Mihran T. Kalaidjian’s Pivotal Role
11. Hope in Spite of Crisis
12. Light Through Darkness
13. Competent Leaders in Depression Years
14. A Momentous Anniversary and its Beneficial Effects
15. Rev Antraig A. Bedikian: Founder and Crusader of the AMAA.
Rev. Dr. Vahan H. Tootikian commands an expert knowledge of the history of the Armenian Evangelical Movement. His authorship gives credence to the historical treatise the book encompasses in presenting a historical overview of the drive that founded the AMAA and the trials it overcame in its formative years to become the esteemed missionary association it is today. Rev. Vahan H. Tootikian is “a regular contributor to several papers and magazines, and is the author of forty-one books, six of which are currently used as college textbooks in North America and overseas”.
The Armenian Church of Martyrs where the AMAA was founded is named after the martyred victims of the Hamidian massacres. It is the oldest Armenian Church as a body of the faithful and its sanctuary is the oldest Armenian Church building still in use in America and exudes history. Solid wooden pews serve as the seating for the dwindeling attendants over the years and an impressive organ still accompanies their singing. A panel of three stain glass windows inscribed in Armenian adorns its alter. Their inscriptions read:IN MEMORY OF THE APOSTLES AND ELDERS – Ի ՅԻՇԱՏԱԿ ԱՌԱՔԵԼՈՑ ԵՒ ՀԱՅ ԵՐԻՑԱՑ; IN MEMORY OF THE HOLY ARMENIAN MARTYRS – Ի ՅԻՇԱՏԱԿ ՀԱՅՈՑ ՆԱՀԱՏԱԿԱՑ; IN MEMORY OF THE TRANSLATORS OF THE HOLY BOOK – Ի ՅԻՇԱՏԱԿ ԹԱՐԳՄԱՆՉԱՑ ՀԱՅԵՐԷՆ ՍՈՒՐԲ ԳՐՈՑ.
The Armenian wording around the alter alerts the worshippers to the solemnity of their presence. It reads: THE LORD IS IN HIS SACRED TEMPLE, STAY SOLEMN IN FRONT OF HIM - ՏԷՐԸ ԻՐ ՍՈՒՐԲ ՏԱՃԱՐԻՆ ՄԷՋՆ Է ԱՆՈՐ ԵՐԵՍԻՆ ԱՌՋԵՒ ԼՈՒՌ ԿԵՑԻՐ. An Armenian bible printed in Constantinope in 1883 still stays open on its communion table that has the following inscribed on it in Armenian – DO THIS TO REMEMBER ME – ԱՍԻԿԱ ԸՐԷՔ ԶԻՍ ՅԻՇԵԼՈՒ ՀԱՄԱՐ. In short every other inch in the church is a reminder of the solemnity with which the early Armenian immigrants carried on their hopes, aspirations, and their vision in the “new world”.
Most of the early, pre Genocide, Armenian immigrants gravitated to Worcester, MA as amply exemplified by the actual utterance of an early Armenian immigrant to the American immigration official in Ellis Island. When the latter welcomed the immigrant to the U.S., his response, which the eminent historican Dr. H. Martin Derounian used as the title of one of his three historical books, was: “no, no, Worcester is America”.
Dr. Hagop Martin Derounian has donated many of the bibles in memory of his mother. The inscribed bibles are still on the pews. This year, on mother’s day, the church leadership presented a flower to the women in remembrance of Dr. H. Martin Deranian’s mother Varter. Her son had perpetuated remembering her annually with a bouquet of flowers on the podium on mother’s day for 87 years, from 1929 until his death on September 26, 2016. Many such esteemed individuals have graced the Armenian Church of the Martyrs and have passed away.
In the sanctuary, on the right hand sidewall next to the entrance, the AMAA and AEU have placed a plaque that bears the following inscription attesting to the historical milestones that took place under its roof and left a lasting impact not only in the life of the Armenian community in the United States but also across the globe. The plaque reads:
TO THE GLORY OF GOD
ARMENIAN CHURCH OF THE MARTYRS
WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS
THE FIRST ARMENIAN CHURCH IN NORTH AMERICA
1881 – Commenced with a prayer meeting at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Hovhannes Yezijian (writer).
1892 – Organized and established as a Congregational Church.
1901 – Church building erected – Dedicated December 1, 1901
1902 – Birthplace of the Armenian Evangelical Union.
1918 – Birthplace of the Armenian Missionary Association.
May 18, 1975.
In short every other inch in the church is a reminder of the solemnity with which the early Armenian immigrants carried on their hopes, aspirations, and their vision in the “new world”.
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