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 130 HISTORY OF THE PARLIAMENT. I also request the representatives of the ethnic or non-Christian faiths to send me each a list of the best books in English relating to his particular faith. I shall take great pleasure in announcing these lists and giving them to the press for publication. A LETTER IN BEHALF OF THE ARMENIANS. New York, September 16. The Rev. John Henry Barrows, D.D., Cylicago — Reverend Sir: In the lamentable state of political and religious persecution of our fellow- countrymen in Armenia, while the unanimously chosen successor of St. Gregory, the Illuminator, still languishes in exile in Jerusalem, while bishops and other clergymen were banished and imprisoned for their zeal and fidel- ity to their church, and no prominent clergyman was permitted to leave the country to come to this land, you could not invite a worthier representative to speak in behalf of the oppressed Church of Armenia than Prof. Minaz Tcheraz, a thorough student of the Church and history of Armenia, an intrepid champion of her national and religious rights, the ex-Secretary of Patriarchs Varjabedian and Khrimian, and the faithful interpreter of their faith, hope, and feeling. It is no less consolation to us in our present troubles to have such a delegate in the Parliament of Religions to speak for our beloved Church, one of the most ancient and most liberal churches of Christianity, one always surrounded by non-Christian tribes, persecuted for centuries, and bearing always high the banner of the cross, and testify- ing even to-day to the sincerity of her faith and devotion by the blood of thousands of martyrs. The Philarmenic Association of America begs you to accept the heart- felt thanks of the Armenian colony in the United States for the courtesy with which you have honored the representative of the Church of Armenia, and hopes that his present mission, with your kindly assistance, will bring into light the true spirit and the liberality of the institutions of the Church of Armenia, and increase the number of sympathizers with Christian Arme- nians in their present persecution and suffering. Your faithful and obedient servant, P. Matthews Ayvad, Secretary. A SOCIETY FOR THE RESTORATION OF THE BUDDHIST HOLY PLACES. Shiba Park, Tokyo, August, 1893. To the Rev. John Henry Barrows, D.D. — Dear Sir: I do not believe it totally uninteresting to give here a short account of our Indo Bus- seki Kofuku Society of Japan. The object of this society is to restore and reestablish the holy places of Buddhism in India, and to send out a certain number of Japanese priests to perform devotional exercises in each of them, and promote the conveni- ence of pilgrims from Japan. These holy places are Buddha Gaya, where