There is no second act, like Trump act

Vahe H Apelian

 

When it comes to choosing a presidential candidate, it appears that reason breaks down. It’s like the saying that the heart has its reason, reason knows not. I am not discounting that I may be another such voter. In this complex world, one day, in the not so distant  future, we may rely on AI to make the analysis, humans are not capable of making because of their inherent bias and human capacity to process the complexities of the new world.

I am often reminded of the following.

We were young adults and were getting married and forming families of our own. A friend of mine married a friend of mine and I became a witness to their marriage. But surprisingly his wife did not get along with his mother, her mother-in-law. One day, it happened that I was with her and wondered what is the problem? I knew them both as reasonable persons. She attentively listed to me and when I was done, she said, “you know God has not put love between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law.” She simply meant to say, do not present me all these arguments. That is the way it is, so is the choice for a presidential candidate. There are myriads of conscious reasons and there must be myriads of reasons driven by our unconscious mind that determine the choice we make of someone whom we know of.

At times when a friend makes arguments in favor of the policies of a presidential candidate, I wonder if the person is making a justification in favor of the candidate.  It is known that voters do not follow presidential debates to make a choice. But follow it to see how well the candidate of their choice debated. With all his law-and-order rhetoric, Donald Trump was absolutely right when in January 2016, he said, “I could shoot somebody, and I would not lose any voters”. Trump can very well soften his stand on abortion and his vocal base will accept it, no questions asked.

The loyalty is for Trump. That is why there is no second act, like Trump act. There may be a third Trump act, that is another story.  Simply said, there is no Trumpism without Trump.

If I had any doubt that was not case, my doubts dissipated with the resignation of Governor DeSantis from the presidential act. His act, as a younger and a more of a Trump, fizzled. People are drawn to Trump’s “Make America Great Again”. What does that slogan mean?.  Does it mean to say that the other camp is not for America to be great?  Surely not. MAGA is Trump's brand, no other's.  They vote for Trump because they want Trump’s brand of MACA, and it is only Trump who knows what his brand of MAGA is and he is the only one who can make his brand of MAGA, whatever that is, become a reality for an America turned great. Needless to say, each of those who vote for him conjure an image of what makes America great again, is.

Florida Governor DeSantis wanted to be the new Trump. Not surprisingly the voters rejected him and his Trumpian MAGA. As Newsweek said, "Glorified by the media as Trump's heir apparent and buoyed by his legislative successes, DeSantis soon proved he wasn't ready for prime time,". DeSantis should have realized that there is no other MAGA act on a national scale, other than Trump’s.

The upcoming election is a contest for Trump the person or against him. I will not vote for Trump. I simply am not drawn to someone who chastises John McCain, like Trump did. I consider John McCain an all-American hero in and out of the  battle field. He also happened to be the scion of an illustrious American family with deep roots in America and much service to it. 

Come 2028, if I am still alive and Trump is elected in 2024, I will thank all those who voted for him, if America is great again. I will be a beneficiary of an America great Again. It may be like having taken a free ride. After all, the benefits of the America great again are not only for those who voted for him, and excludes the rest of us who voted, but not for him.

 However, in 2028, if Russia has not caved in the Ukrainian war; the Israeli-Palestinians issue is still not settled; if Middle East remains the tinder box it is, Sino-American superpower rivalry is raging; and if QAnon is still around, but hopefully not turned into another religion like Scientology; the illegal immigration is still going on, as it has been going on since Carter presidential bid, in 1976, when I came to the U.S.; and the racial divisions in the United States are not as harmonious as it should be in America turned great again. I am resigned to learn then, it is because the democrats, the “deep state”, the RINOs (Republican in name only), the Republican establishment, colluded and conspired against Donald J Trump to make America Great Again.

 For Trump’s vocal base, Trump is.

 

Ես իմ անուշ Լիբանանի ` գրեց թուրիկ

 I post this blog for my friend Krikor Kradjian who returned to Lebanon after spending some time in Switzerland with his son's family and wondered, why would someone want to return to Lebanon after living in the orderly country Switzerland is. Maybe because it is home. 

 I  don't think any other Armenian community has integrated itself with the host country’s political makeup and its social fabric and humors it, while retaining its own, as Lebanese Armenians have done and do. We should bear in mind that the Armenians in Lebanon assumed citizenship of the country with all the rest.

The attached humorous poem or limerick was penned by Mihran Tourikian, who wrote and was socially known as Tourig, an endearing nickname. He noted that he structured this humorous poem along Yeghishe Charents, famous poem “Yes Em Anoush Hayastani”. As expected, the object of his humorous love, was Lebanon. The humor was published in “Aztag” Daily, in 1946. The accompanying caricature is by Diran Ajemian.

Beirut sea post in 1954, courtesy Robert Zebib Facebook

 

Ես իմ անուշ Լիբանանի

Չարենցի ոտքով, Թուրիկի խելքով

 

Ես իմ անուշ Լիբանանի, նեղ ու նուազ հողն եմ սիրում,

Իր լեռների, ծմակների, կարճ ու գաճաճ ծառն եմ սիրում,

Մալարեայի իր դաշտերուն, անհոտ վարդի գոյնն եմ սիրում, 

Հազարամեայ իր գիւղերին, չոր ակերուն ջուրն եմ սիրում։

 

Սիրում եմ ես, առանց բառի, եալել երգող ճանճարը իր,

Պարտեզներում հազար տեսակ, կանաչավառ բանճարը իր,

Փողեցներում, տավուլ զուրնայ, զառնող հեզաճկուն պարողը իր,

Սոխ, պատընճան, էշին բեռցած, դռնէ  ի դուռ, ծախողը իր։

 

Ուր որ երթանք պիտի յիշենք ճերմակ սոխը, սխտորը իր,

Հիւրամեծար ֆուլ, համուսը, պանատուրան, բողկը կարմիր,

Ինչպէս նաեւ, տաք ու գաղցր, ճակընդեղը արիւնախում,

Աղ պղպեղով հում ճիկէրը, զահթէր հացը, ձէթով խխում։

 

Որքան անցնի, չեմ մոռանայ հազար տեսակ գանձերը իր,

Մէյրուպայի կէս օխանոզ, արեւահամ տանձերը իր,

Կէս արշննոց գլխարկ կրող, ազնուական կիները իր,

Կարճ գաւազան մը թեւին տակին, երկար եղունք տղաքը իր։

 

Իմ կարօտցած սրտի համար, խմելէն մեծ հաճոյք չկայ,

Սեղանին շուրջ, փոքերին պէս, հրապուրիչ ժամանց չկայ,

Դահլիճների կէս լոյսին տակ, պարելուն պէս վայելք չը կայ,

Այս գնացքով Լիբանանցուն, էս աշխարհում անկում չը կայ։

 

Աշխարն անցնի այս տեղի պէս, պոլ ու առատ քաղաք չը կայ,

Հազար, հազար, կին ու աղջիկ, չը ներկուած շրթունք չկայ,

Պախալին քով , ոսպ ու լուբիա, աժան գնով, բան մը չը կայ,

Որքան ուզէ, սուղ կը ծախէ, ձեռքը բռնող մէկը չը կայ։

 

Որքան անցնի, սիրում եմ ես, արաբագիր օրէնքը իր,

Աչքը գոցող, ձեռքը բացող, օրէնսգէտ անձերը իր,

Մէկով գնող, հարիւր ծախող, սուտով վսէմ, մարդերը իր,

Պաշտօններու ետեւ վազող, մեծահարուստ տեղացին իր։

 

«Ազդակ» Օրաթերթ

1946

Ա՜խ, Լիբանա՜ն, Ա՜խ, Լիբանա՜ն - Գրեց Թուրիկ

Ա՜խ, Լիբանա՜ն, Ա՜խ, Լիբանա՜ն

I don't think any other Armenian community identifies itself with the host country and its culture and humors it, while retaining its own, as Lebanese Armenians have done and do. We should bear in mind that the Armenians in Lebanon assumed citizenship of the country with all the rest. 

 

Ա՜խ, Լիբանա՜ն, Ա՜խ, Լիբանա՜ն

Գրեց Թուրիկ

 

Ա՜խ, Լիբանա՜ն, Ա՜խ, Լիբանա՜ն

Օրդ թեթեւ, ջուրդ թեթեւ, դուն թեթեւ,

Գիրքդ ու Թերթդ աnբովանդակ անարեւ,

Կռիւ, աղմուկ, եւ հայհոյանք մութ ու սեւ,

Կը թեւածեն, կը սաւառնին քո վերեւ,

Սուտ ու կեղծիք, չարիքին հետ թեւ ի թեւ,

Մարդ կը փտռեն սեւցնելու հեւ ի հեւ........

 

Ա՜խ, Լիբանան, քեզ վայելող  անձերը

Բաց ձգած են իրենց բեռնին սանձերը.

Թերթ ու քրքով, սա մանուկը , նա ծերը,

Դուրս կը թափեն իրենց մտքին գանձերը։

 

Ազատ երկիր, վարչութիւնն ալ դեմոկրատ,

Ո՞վ կը լսէ, ականջ կո տայ խօտք-խրատ,

Ձայն ալ հանես, քեզ կ՚անուանեն «մատնիչ – վատ»

Այդ դեռ քի՜չ է, ածականներ յորդարատ.....

 

Լիբանանէն մինչեւ Հալէպ սանձարկձակ,

Սափրիչ, խոշկար, մանրավաճառ կամ դերձակ,

Գրող դադրած, յօդուած թխեն եւ արձակ.

Առատ գրեն՝ ոչ ամօթ է, ո՛չ յանցանք.........

 

«Ազդակ» Օրաթերթ

1946

 

Year of human resources preparation: What will be its measure?

 Vahe H Apelian

On January 4, 2024 issue of the Eastern Prelacy’s newsletter “Crossroads” published His Holiness Catholicos Aram I of the Great House of Cilicia’s yearly pontifical message. This year the message was titled “2024, Year of human resources preparation”. The pontifical message was issued on January 1, from Antelias, Lebanon, the seat of the ancient catholicosate of Cilicia. It was addressed “To the prelates, the clergy, the community authorities of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia and to the daughters and sons of our people.” After analyzing the state of the Diaspora, His Holiness Aram I, a prolific writer and an impressive intellect, lists nine recommendations and ends his message stating that “we assure you that the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia is always ready to support and participate in the sacred mission of human resources preparation.”

As I write, a conference is taking place in Antelias. The ongoing conference has a broad agenda and pertains to the "Analysis and Awareness Platform" (AAP). The agenda includes addressing Azerbaijan's historical falsifications, exploring legal avenues for the collective return of the indigenous people of Artsakh to their homeland, anticipating developments in the regional political landscape, outlining strategies for the release of prisoners of war and abducted political leaders of Artsakh, and seeking commitments from international leaders to preserve Artsakh's spiritual and cultural heritage.”

I am not sure whether a similar conference will take place having its agenda the Catholicos’ 2024 pontifical message, making 2024 the year of human resources. Naturally it is not expected that the Catholicos necessarily preside over such a conference. His charge is to bring the issues to the attention of the secular and religious leaders across the nation. Catholicos Aram, I has been charging the Armenian nation with yearly charges or missions. What has been lacking in these charges in my view is the measure against which, at the end of year, progress or lack of progress is measured, simply because there is no measure. 

Almost all equations in science have an author. We know that Einstein is the author, maybe the most recognizable scientific equation that energy equals the mass of the object multiplied by speed of light squared. There is another equation that may not be as readily recognized as Einstein’s but nonetheless is fairly well known.  It has to do with WORK. I do not know if there is a single scientist to whom the work equation is attributed. But scientists have accepted that, work is equal to the force applied multiplied by distance covered due to the application of the force.

That equation makes brutally clear that whatever force is applied, or efforts made, if there is no distance that has been covered, or progress made, work is not done. We have a beautiful Armenian word for it, deghkayl – տեղքայլ. It is a discipline boy scouts do during parades. They stay put at a spot but have their legs and arms moving. There may be an English word for it, but it is alluding me, as I type. I remember once Sarkis Zeitlian alluding to deghkayl during a lecture he gave to the ARF Zavarian Student Association members. On the contrary, if distance is achieved, with hardly the force that was applied in a parallel situation, work has been done.

I cannot say that Diaspora organizations have been negligent or not negligent to the year's charge, or whether they have considered the year's charge or simply ignored it,  simply because there is no accounting towards the year's stated mission.

What has been lacking with Catholicos Aram’s mission statements for the year is the measure against which an accounting is given at the end of the year. Surely it is much wider scale, across the Diaspora. It may be that it is the sum total of what organizations have done. Was church attendance increased? Did organizations experience a spike in their membership or a decline? Was donations for charity increased or not increased?. Whatever the object or the mission was,   there has to be a measure The year ends and there is no accounting of the progress made or not made, simply because there was no charge to each organization to have set a measure for the year, and account for progress made or not made at the end of the year. 

The year ends, so does the year's mission.  It ends just like that,  and the new year comes with  a new mission.

Should there be a conference whose agenda is the Catholicos Aram’s charge for the year, the conference should set measure against the issues or the specific goals, so that an accounting is done at the end of year whether progress was made or not made.

An Armenian Library is Closed

Catholicos Aram has declared year 2024 as the year of “Human Resources Preparation”. He has already organized a meeting of concerned experts. The Armenian Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation has for its mission: “strengthen Armenian language, culture and education in the Diaspora, and foster research and critical thinking in Armenia”. There remains the obvious and the inevitable, the demise of the Armenian language in the Diaspora and of Armenian readership, with its umistakable adverse affect on what constitutes the Diaspora Armenian community. The attached article was penned by Dr. Armenag Yeghiayan five years go. Its concerns are as valid today as it was then. Attached is my abridged translation of the article. I have linked the original as well. Vahe H Apelian

A glimpse of Ardashes Khatchadourian's  library 

This week I had not read an article that fired my imagination, so I was about to pass the week with a feeling of deep dissatisfaction. I would certainly not say that there was no such article, but I simply had not come across one.

But this weekend, as I sat to write, I found myself against the article that had alluded me throughout the week. It was Dr. Herand Markarian’s, “Farewll books, have a good journey”, article in “Armenians Today” that was posted on March 13, 208. ( դոկտ. Հրանդ Մարգարեանի «Բարի ճանապարհ, գիրքե՛ր, ճանապա՛րհ բարի» յօդուածին, («Հայերն այսօր», 13 մարտ 2018), 

In his especially smooth style of writing and colorful narration, Markarian made the history of an Armenian library, that was born more than a hundred years ago in the New York city in the United States, come alive. The library had come about through the efforts of the early Armenian immigrants. Over time it had grown in size, shelves were added, its location had changed, but its mission had remained the same, as a source of spiritual and mental nourishment. But lately the books had to be stored in boxes as the “New York Armenian Center” was about to be sold. An unexpecting reader will continue reading the article with  optimism that after caring for the books for over 100 years, the books will now find a new location and continue on with their mission as they had done before. 

“The Armenian book should never be orphaned”, wrote Markarian – “it always needs an adopting parent. When the Armenian book is orphaned, it foretells that the whole community is in decline. How to have them not left orphaned, has taken a hold on all of us. Finding a home, a caring place for these books, have occupied our thoughts. These “inanimate” beings have in them human blood and sweat. They will be leaving the New York Armenian Center to a NEW HOME to a NEW place where they will continue their mission. Newer generations will be visiting them and will be enthused by them. They will take care of them. They will not let dust accumulate over these books and be orphaned. Young and old will be visiting them.” 

We read these inspiring words and comforting comments and continue on reading.

But….

It soon becomes evident that these books, stored in 50 boxes, are not being transported to a new location in New York city for the benefit of the New York Armenian community. They are being sent to Artsakh. Markarian seems to be pleased with this arrangement and does not shy from expressing his joy because this time around the books will serve to educate generation of Armenians in Artsakh.

Artsakh is one side of the issue. There is also the other side. How will the Armenian Americans in New York be nourished? The old generation, who read these books, cared for them, and kept them to pass to the nextt generation, is no more. But since the “next generation” cannot read Armenian anymore, this ancient library is now changing hands.  

The fact of the matter is that, this is not the farewell that my old-time friend is bidding. It is the breaking of a sad ending. This is a banishment. It is not the heralding of a bright dawn for the Artsakh Armenians. It is rather the breaking the news of the passing away of the Armenian American, Armenian readership.

Artsakh Armenians, can find ways to fill the void of Armenian books. Fortunately, they never had a scarcity of Armenian readership there. Armenian readership thankfully is alive and well there. Wherever Armenian readership is alive and well, so are readers aplenty and Armenian books will always be available there. The issue is the Armenian readership in the New World. The scarcity, if not the lack of Armenian readership, is the concerning issue. Nothing will bring these books back. They are the witnesses of the last pages of a sad story that has ended.

There was a time when we were used to come across letters sent by young members of a family asking discontinuing their aging parents’ subscription to Armenian newspapers as their parents have passed away and they cannot read in Armenian. The newspapers the older family had kept over the years get thrown away, and soon later the books follow the same fate. In the best of circumstances, they are given away to a library for storage. 

More or less the same fate awaited Ardashes Der Khatcharourian’s library which, after the libraries of the Cilician Catholicosate and  Haigazian University was the richest library. During the last years of his life, he tried to sell his library but he was not successful. After his unexpected sudden death, his inheritors tried the same. Eventually the representative of the Armenian Library division of the London’s Library of Great Britain bought the entire library and had them shipped to England. It is hard to imagine what will be the fate of these books that had come about by the life-long efforts and the meager salary of an Armenian teacher who taught Armenian and literature. It is also hard to imagine that these books will be read.

 

Բնագիրը՝

http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2018/03/blog-post.html

 

Kudos and Accolades to Dr. George Apelian

 Vahe H. Apelian

 

Dr. George Apelian receiving his Kessab Man of the Year recognition

On this past Sunday, January 14, 2023, the members of Kessab Educational Association of Los Angeles, had their first annual meeting in their center, in Reseda, and honored Dr. George Apelian and bestowed upon him the Kessab Man of the Year recognition. It is customary that KEA of LA recognizes each year a fellow Kessabtsi as the person of the year. This year, the board recognized Dr. George Apelian as the Man of the Year.

Naturally the Kessabtsis congratulated George for this well-deserved recognition.  Many congratulatory comments were made on the Facebook and will be made. Among the many congratulatory comments that were made in the Facebook regarding this well-deserved recognition, I singled out the comment of Ara Apelian, MD. The two are of the same age and had a shared experiences as teenagers in their formative years when they came from Kessab and became boarded in the Armenian Evangelical Community’s Chanits center, as they studied In the Armenian Evangelical College along with Stepan Apelian, Ara’s brother, Rev. Soghomon Kilaghbian, pastor Antranig Injejikian in Australia. Ara Apelian wrote:

“Beautiful and worthy of applause

Dr George Apelian is a true hero in every sense of the word.

His generosity, kindness, resilience and love for Kessab/Keorkune and the annual Masara festival at his house to celebrate the history, the culture and the spirit of community as awareness of the plight of Kessab after the brutal invasion by the terrorists and yet the miracle of survival and endurance in face of adversity.

Who else would represent that spirit of overcoming adversity better than my dear childhood friend, Dr George Apelian

God’s blessings to you, my friend.”

Indeed so, George’s family members, friends, and fellow Kessabtsis know that life challenged and tested George. But he bore them all with grace and kept his spirit of generosity, kindness, resilience, hospitality and love especially for his fellow Kessabtsis and Keorkunetsis. 

My younger brother Garo and George are contemporaries. In 1988, my brother was diagnosed with leukemia and was undergoing treatment, part of which entailed the inordinately terrible state when he was intubated. His arms and legs were restricted, tied to the frame of the bed on which he was laying, and a machine pumped air into his lungs through a tube inserteted in his trachea.. Once freed, he would later tell us that he had to synchronize his regular breathing pattern along consistency of the machine pumping air and God forbit if that synch got disturbed.  It was George who stood by him in the room, next to his bed for hours on end, holding Garo’s hands tied to the bed, and continued encouraging him to bear it for it will be soon over. And it was George who gave a moving eulogy at Garo’s funeral.

No.1 our paternal ancestral house, No. 2 Pahsa's - Apelian-Konyalian house,
No. 3 Zarouhi, Missak, Vatche, George Apelian paternal house.

George is younger than I by a few years, enough to make his coming onto this earth a memorable experience for me and for my cotemporaries in Keorkune. I remember it as if it was yesterday when I, with a few of others of my age, were sitting on the low partition around Pasha;s, - the Apelian, Konyalian - house, the very first house that was built with cement in Keurkune, facing George’s paternal house across the dirt road. There was a commotion in the village. Women hurriedly were entering and moving out of their house. My grandmother Sara, the unschooled and illiterate but the established and reputable health custodian of the village, was in the house and we were told to look up to the roof because from the chimney on the roof, a baby will be coming into the house. That is how we welcomed George to this earth. 

From there George literary travelled far. After finishing Keorkune’s school, he attended school in Kessab. “Neither snow nor rain, nor heat. nor gloom” deterred him and his contemporaries walking from Keourkune to their school in Kessab every day.

From Kessab, George, my paternal cousins Ara, Stepan, Soghomon, Antranig, came to Beirut as boarding students in the Armenian Evangelical Chanits center, as noted, and attended the Armenian Evangelical College in Beirut. From there George came to the. United States to join his brothers Missak, Vatche and sister Zarouhi.  From Los Angeles, George attended a Chicago dental school. After graduation he moved back to Los Angeles, did specialty training and set up his dental practice, always rendering care to those in need, especially visitors from Kessab and Armenia. He also set up a dental clinic in Armenia servicing the needy and named it after his first-born son who is severely autistic.

Almost two decades ago, George initiated a yearly tradition of inviting his fellow Kessabtsis and friends to his Thousand Oaks hill top house for masara, which for Kessabtsis is the most festive occasion when grape molasses and “prpoor”, grape molasses froth, is savored. Masara is rooted in Kessab culture. Even Miss Effie Chambers, the beloved American missionary among the Kessabtsis, noted in a letter, dated October 20, 1906, to the Board of Commissioners for Foreign Mission (ABCFM), on whose behalf she was doing mission work, that  “The first part of the (school) term is greatly interrupted by gathering in the vineyard products and the making of molasses, which is a sort of general good time for everybody.” She was alluding to masara, for which George had containers fabricated and make special provision for heating the grape juice for making the grape molasses.

I also extend my heart felt congratulations to his wife Victorya, to his sons George Jr., Peter and Nareg, his brother Missak, his sister Zarouhi and his nieces and nephews, for this well-deserved recognition and wish George a long and a healthy life. 

George Apelian at Keurkune spring.

The First Evangelical Church, the First Ordination, the First Marriage

Perhaps no other American missionary’s name is more tied to the Armenian Evangelical Movement in Constantinople, than that of Missionary Rev. William Goodell, who was an eyewitness to the agony and ecstasy of the birth of the Armenian Evangelical Church in Constantinople, Turkey, that would render much service to the Armenian nation to this day. The attached excerpts are from his book. Vahe H Apelian. 

Missionary Rev. William Goodell’s Mission

 “When Mr. Goodell went to Constantinople, his mission was in the Armenians, who were descendants of the ancient inhabitants of Armenia. The nation embraced Christianity about the commencement of the fourth century; but, like all the Oriental churches, the Armenian had become exceedingly corrupt. It was almost wholly given up to superstitions and to idolatrous worship of saints, including Virgin Mary, pictures etc.  The Armenians hold to ……..and worship, the host: and worship  the host: and, indeed, hve adopted most of the errors of popery. Nearly half the days of the year are feast -days. Their feast-days are regarded more sacred than the Lord’s Day……” (p. 127)

 

The Frist Armenian Evangelical Church.

“The evangelical Armenians had, for a long time, met together for mutual counsel and comfort, but they had not separate ecclesiastical organization. Driven therefore, to the last extremity by persecution, they resolved to unite as a branch of the new catholic church of Christ; and with the advice of the missionaries, who prepared for them a platform or conditions, on the 1^st July,1846, they entered in solemn covenant as the First Evangelical Church of Constantinople.  Of this event Mr. Goodell wrote: -

“This done! On the 1^st inst.-an evangelical church was organized upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner-stone. It was a most interesting occasion. The meeting continued four hours and a half, and was one of great solemnity. Forty persons of whom three were women, voluntarily entered into covenant with God and with each other; and we, in the name of all the evangelical churches in Christendom, rose and formally recognized and acknowledged them as a true church of Christ. Then they chose by ballot a pastor and two deacons, together with three others, who are to hold office for the term of one year, and who with the pastor and deacons, form a standing committee or church session, for the examination of candidates, the bringing forward of cases of discipline, etc. To this church some thirty of forty more will probably be added by profession just as soon as time shall be found to examine and propound them.

I did not expect to live to see this day, but I have seen it and glad. ‘This is the day which the Lord hath made, and we will rejoice and be glad in it’.  When I removed to Constantinople fifteen years ago, I felt assured either that the day would come, or the Armenian Church as a body would be reformed; and I never had any anxiety as to the result. I always felt that we were engaged in a great and good work, so great and so good that I would without any impatience have labored on in the same was fifteen years longer, had it so please the great Head of the church.”  (p. 317)

 

The First Ordination

“The pastor-elect of the new church, Mr. Apisosoghom Khachadurian, an Armenian, was ordained on July 7, 1846, all the American missionaries and the Rev. Mr. Allan of the Free Church of Scotland, taking part in the services. Of this occasion Mr. Goodell wrote: -

‘Although the ordination was kept secret on account of our strained accommodations, yet as many as one hundred and eighty or two hundred must have been present, filling every seat and every passage, and standing around the doors. Perfect stillness reigned during the whole, and the attention was profound and solemn. The hearts of the brethren seemed stirred up from their innermost depths. One said the whole place seemed full of angels of light; another, that his very flesh trembled for fear of the Lord and for the glory of His majesty, so sensible did he feel the divine presence.’

The evangelical Armenians who united in their organization adopted a paper containing the reasons which induced them to take this step. It was signed by the pastor, deacons, and committee of the church, and was address, “To the much respected and honored members of the American Board” and is as follows: - (p. 318).

 

The First Marriage

“The first marriage, according to the simple rites of the Protestant Armenian Church, was celebrated on the 4^th of November 1947.  Hitherto all marriage ceremonies had been performed by the clergy of the old church; but now that the Protestants had a separate organization, they had no occasion to go back to the old ecclesiastics, nor could they obtain from them any official services. They were excommunicate. The bride, in the marriage alluded to, was a pupil of the Female Seminary of whom Mr. Goodell gives the following sketch: - ” ( p. 327)

Missionary Rev. William Goodell’s farewell address:

“When we first came among you, you were not a distinct people, nor did we expected you ever would be; for we had not sectarian object in view, it being no part of our plan to meddle with ecclesiastical affairs. Our sole desire was to preach Christ and Him crucified. Our object was precisely the same as that of the missionaries to that ancient church in Persia. The labors of those missionaries have produced no separation in that church; but they have been permitted to labor side by side with the bishops and priests, to preach in their houses of worship, to assist in supporting and superintending their schools, and to do much in every way to enlighten and elevate the whole community.” (p.441) (see below for full farewell address)

Rev. William Goodell: His farewell address.

http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2024/01/rev-william-goodell-his-farewell-address.html

Missionary William Goodell Among the Armenians.

http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2017/04/goodell-among-armenians.html