DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4752#0248
238 THE AMERICAN MISSIONARIES
to the pet conceptions of the nation. If the Ar-
menians think that a particular architectural form
is conducive to the sacredness of a building, it
is, surely, advisable to humour them. It seems
not at all necessary or wise to teach them that
every one of their little prejudices is false and
wrong. But I am loath to criticise with inadequate
knowledge persons whose work I admire so much
as that of the American missionaries.
It is regrettable that Mr. Barkley, after enjoy-
ing the cordial hospitality of an American mis-
sion family for a week, should think it right to
print such an estimate of their ways as he does on
p. 152. "The missionaries in their zeal for their
work even lay aside self-respect, and I think I am
justified in saying so, for a man such as our host,1
must have lost much of his before he could patiently
submit to seeing his pretty, refined young wife
subjected to such indignities." It is unjustifiable
to live in a man's house and then speak of him like
this. The host had a different conception of duty
from his guest; but the guest seems wholly blind
to the fact that it was a thousand times harder for
the missionary to submit to the insult offered to
his wife than to turn his own cheek to the smiter.
He chose his cross, and bore it; but, though neither
1 The name, Mr. S., is given in full.
to the pet conceptions of the nation. If the Ar-
menians think that a particular architectural form
is conducive to the sacredness of a building, it
is, surely, advisable to humour them. It seems
not at all necessary or wise to teach them that
every one of their little prejudices is false and
wrong. But I am loath to criticise with inadequate
knowledge persons whose work I admire so much
as that of the American missionaries.
It is regrettable that Mr. Barkley, after enjoy-
ing the cordial hospitality of an American mis-
sion family for a week, should think it right to
print such an estimate of their ways as he does on
p. 152. "The missionaries in their zeal for their
work even lay aside self-respect, and I think I am
justified in saying so, for a man such as our host,1
must have lost much of his before he could patiently
submit to seeing his pretty, refined young wife
subjected to such indignities." It is unjustifiable
to live in a man's house and then speak of him like
this. The host had a different conception of duty
from his guest; but the guest seems wholly blind
to the fact that it was a thousand times harder for
the missionary to submit to the insult offered to
his wife than to turn his own cheek to the smiter.
He chose his cross, and bore it; but, though neither
1 The name, Mr. S., is given in full.