ARMENIA'S LIBERATION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2838, 1 August 1916, Page 6

ARMENIA'S LIBERATION

LAST AND WOUST OPPEESSOB DRIVEN OUT. The Bussian conquest of Armenia was referred to by the Anglican Bishop of Wellington (Dr. Slprott) in tho course of his sermon at St. Paul's Pro-Cathedral on Sunday night. Sprott said he was surprised that this great event had not attracted luore'attention. Christian people throughout our Empire had been praying that the right should prevail in this war, and he saw in the Bussiau .victories tho working of the "power that makes for righteousness." Tho Armenians had endured terrible oppression for over three thousand years. The sufferings of Poland and Belgium were as of yesterday, and wero merely as a drop in 'the bucket when compared with tho sufferings of Armenia. The last and worst' oppressors of tho Armenians wore the Turks. But, in spite of all, and through it all, tho Armenians had retained their nationality. They were tho first nation to mako Christianity a national religion. Beforo 'Constantino had made Christianity the Teligion of the Roman Empire, a National Church existed in Armenia, and it had continued to exist down to the present day. Last year, according to Lord Bryce, fully a million Armenians—equal, to the whole population of Now Zeabind—were done to death by massacre and starvation. Now that .the Eussians had driven the Turks out, he (tho Bishop) hoped that tho sufferings of tho Armenians had ended for ev6r. Gallipoli was an enduring witness to tho final abandonment of Britain's pro-Turkish policy. This would be the glory of Gallipoli in the pages of history. It was time that. Christian people ceased to think of pott? things, and to think of big things. Wo must be more prepared for peaco than wo were for war, and should do our utmost to see that the settlement after the war was based on Christian principles. Wo should think and pray with the object of bringing about a solution of tho great after-war problems on Christian lines. We had seen what tho neglect of Christian principles had brought tho world' to, and it. was our business to do what we could to create a strong public opinion in favour of the application of Christian ethics to international relationships. We must hold our own religious beliefs more 6trongly—not as mere opinions, but rs convictions by which wo wore prepared to. live, and even die if necessary. The v Bishop hoped that after tho war was over Christian' principles would play a greater 4 part in world politics, and that a hew order of things, something like the Kingdom of Heaven, would he established on earth.