History of the missions of the American board of commissioners for foreign missions to the oriental churches, Volume I.Anderson, Rufus
Religion
History of the missions of the American board of commissioners for foreign missions to the oriental churches, Volume I.
Anderson, Rufus
American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions; Missions -- Eastern churches
The removal of the press from Malta to Smyrna, at the close of 1833,
was eminently seasonable. The importance of the measure was well
understood by the enemy, and a combination of Roman and Armenian
influences induced the Pasha to order Mr. Temple's departure from
Smyrna, with only ten days' notice. The Romanists opposed, because
of their settled hostility to Protestantism, and a free Protestant
press. The Armenians were specially scandalized by the presence of
Bishop Dionysius as a Protestant, after he had broken the rules of
the Church by taking a wife. The opposition was increased by an
ex-patriarch of the Armenians then residing at Smyrna, who was a
personal enemy of Dionysius, and took part in these proceedings. The
Pasha had acted under misapprehension, and revoked his order, on
hearing the explanations of the American consul; but it was thought
best for the bishop to return to his former home at Beirut.
The Armenians were found to be well supplied with spelling-books,
reading-books, arithmetics, and grammars in the modern language,
also with works on geometry and trigonometry. There was, therefore,
much less preparatory work to be done for them in the way of
education, than was supposed. A geography was needed, and the part
relating to ancient Armenia was prepared by Peshtimaljian. A high
school for the Armenians was opened at Pera in October, 1834, under
the superintendence of Mr. Paspati, a native of Scio, who had been
educated in America, and was regarded as well fitted for the post.
The next year, however, he went to Paris to study medicine, and
Hohannes was appointed his successor. The school had its full number
of scholars, which was thirty. There were classes in the English,
French, Italian, Armenian, Turkish, Ancient Greek, and Hebrew
languages, and lectures on various branches of natural science,
illustrated by apparatus.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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