Page:Islam, Turkey, and Armenia, and How They Happened.djvu/11



The frequent requests of many friends, and also realization of the need of a fuller account of the Turkish and Armenian question, have led to the publication of this book.

The object is to understand the life of Mohamet, "The Prophet;" the Koran and its teachings; Islam and its power over Church and State; the Sultan and the Palace; the school and home life of the Turks; also the origin and life of the Armenians, and the causes of the repeated massacres and their results.

The facts given in this book are of the interior of the Empire. Many of the books about Turkey and Armenia are written by men who have made short visits to or lived in the sea-coast cities, writing of what they saw there, which is far from the real Turkish life and practice. The typical Turkish life can not be seen in the sea-coast cities—as Constantinople, Smyrna, Beyrout, Jaffa, etc.—which have slowly lost their originalities through constant contact with Europeans and Americans, who are always present as missionaries and merchants, and visitors in great numbers.

Very few travelers undertake to enter the interior of the Empire. Such parties pass rapidly, and as a rule are guided by Turkish Zabteyahs and are led to the most favorable cities, where the Turkish authorities are prepared to give them a favorable impression. Thus these travelers can know but little about the real situation.

Names of persons and places of events are withheld, lest they cause greater suffering and death to innocent ones.

The attitude of this book toward the Turk is as charitable as the facts could possibly permit.