DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4752#0247
AND THE ARMENIAN PROTESTANTS 237
"brothers" by persons unknown and unprepos-
sessing in appearance, who slink terrified of Turks
through the streets. Such familiar forms of address
do not accord with English ideas and manners, and
are to us, as a rule, either ridiculous or disgusting—a
fact which the Socialists would be wise to recognise.
But other men, other manners! Mr. Barkley per-
haps was possessed of an unfortunately fraternal
appearance ; and hence his sad experience which
evidently he could not forget or pardon. I have
never been saluted as " Brodder" by any Ar-
menian (though sometimes a Greek workman,
after a certain amount of acquaintance, has slid
into the address "adelphe"); but I suppose that I
have not so captivating a manner and look as my
predecessor in travel.
The missionaries have, perhaps, made a mistake
in creating a system too rigid and inelastic. They
sometimes, perhaps, aim at making their converts
into American Congregationalists, which seems to
me unsuitable to the Armenian character and cir-
cumstances. The true Armenian Protestantism
should adapt itself more readily to the Armenian
prepossessions. For example, Armenians have a
prejudice that a church ought to have a dome;
the pastor at Kaisari recognised this and built
accordingly, and, as I think, rightly. But the
missionaries hardly accommodate themselves enough
"brothers" by persons unknown and unprepos-
sessing in appearance, who slink terrified of Turks
through the streets. Such familiar forms of address
do not accord with English ideas and manners, and
are to us, as a rule, either ridiculous or disgusting—a
fact which the Socialists would be wise to recognise.
But other men, other manners! Mr. Barkley per-
haps was possessed of an unfortunately fraternal
appearance ; and hence his sad experience which
evidently he could not forget or pardon. I have
never been saluted as " Brodder" by any Ar-
menian (though sometimes a Greek workman,
after a certain amount of acquaintance, has slid
into the address "adelphe"); but I suppose that I
have not so captivating a manner and look as my
predecessor in travel.
The missionaries have, perhaps, made a mistake
in creating a system too rigid and inelastic. They
sometimes, perhaps, aim at making their converts
into American Congregationalists, which seems to
me unsuitable to the Armenian character and cir-
cumstances. The true Armenian Protestantism
should adapt itself more readily to the Armenian
prepossessions. For example, Armenians have a
prejudice that a church ought to have a dome;
the pastor at Kaisari recognised this and built
accordingly, and, as I think, rightly. But the
missionaries hardly accommodate themselves enough