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Christianity Revived in the East or a Narrative of the Work of God Among the Armenians of Turkey,
This book, from the series Primary Sources: Historical Books of the World (Asia and Far East Collection), represents an important historical artifact on Asian history and culture. Its contents come from the legions of academic literature and research on the subject produced over the last several hundred years. Covered within is a discussion drawn from many areas of study and research on the subject. From analyses of the varied geography that encompasses the Asian continent to significant time periods spanning centuries, the book was made in an effort to preserve the work of previous generations.
334 pages, Paperback
First published February 11, 2009
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July 21, 2013
This week I went through H.G.O Dwight's book on some of his recollections in Armenia as a missionary. Of-course I find it very interesting that this work has no ratings or reviews anywhere. Kind of sad in my opinion on the part of Armenian Evangelicals at least. If anyone wants to go into the mission field in Armenia as a reformed missionary then this book would be profitable to read.
H.G.O Dwight is writing his book in the early 1850's and records many events that took place from 1830 through 1850 within the country and the surrounding regions. He mentions some good advice when dealing with the leading religious people of the land namely, the Apostolic religion.
He comes out and says that he is reformed and follows the teachings of Luther and Calvin and other reformers and mentions republishing and reprinting some of their works. However, he and his missions crew seemed more modern day baptistic evangelical than historic reformed. I could be mistaken and they can be truly reformed but from the writing style and stories told it didnt look like it. Very little emphasis is placed on the covenant of God and the Law.
Dwight also mentions some help from the Free Church of Scotland, which put a smile on my face. Specially as it was the Free Church of the 19th century and not the watered down Free Church now!
Mr. Dwight mentions a lot of Armenian translations of the “Bible” but only those in the New Testament. His emphasis seems to be on those 27 books even to the gospels alone “!”. He is correct to criticize the Apostolic Church of its error but as a “reformer” by name he cannot claim “Sola Scriptura” if he is only focused on the New Testament. Armenia needs a revival and that by the “whole counsel of God”. –pgs. 7, 8 of Christianity Revived.
Also Dwight mentions the first Armenian reformer [In 1760] “…Debajy Oghln, to whom the honor belongs of having made the first attempt in modern days, for the reformation of the Armenian Church. He wrote a book, in which, in a very forcible and fearless manner, he exposed some of the most glaring errors of his Church.” –Dwight, pg. 6
Some other valuable quotations are:
“In October, 1838, Mr. Schneider began a regular preaching service at his own house, every
Sabbath, in the Turkish language, for the benefit of both Armenians and Greeks.” –Dwight, pg. 67
“It must be noted as one of the signs of progress belonging to the period now under review, that family worship, consisting of reading the Scriptures and prayer in the vulgar tongue, was established in many households ; and often did the request come from females living in different quarters of the city, that meetings might be opened in their neighborhood expressly for the women” –Dwight, pg. 143
[These charges were brought on the Protestant Armenians by the Apostolic Armenian Church. In this we can see the strictness of their religion at least with regards to praying and keeping the Sabbath day, Sunday, holy] “Three principal charges were now brought against the accused, namely, attending the preaching of the Americans ; shutting themselves up in a room alone to pray ; and refusing to go to market on the Sabbath, when ordered by their father.” –Dwight, pg. 171
[there seems to be some ambiguity as to what the “Sabbath” could mean in Dwight’ book, but here he says, “On Sunday, Jan. 25, after the usual morning services in the patriarchal church were finished…” meaning that they met on Sunday, and those would be the days that people closed their shops and wouldn’t work] pg. 187
“I am an Armenian by birth, and a Christian by faith. I receive the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as my guide, and I acknowledge nothing that is contrary to their testimony.” –Dwight, pg. 195. Armenian Translation: “Ես հայ են ծննդով(?), եւ Քրիստոնյա հավատքով, հավատ եմ Գիրքերը հին եւ Նոր Կտակարանները իմ ուղեցույցը, եւ ես ընդունում եմ ոչինչ-որ դա հակառակում է իրենց վկայության”
“It was whispered from mouth to mouth, " These are the Protestants. See how the government protects them !" Some of the Mussulmans said, ' Look! There are no crosses ! no singing ! This is as it should be."” –Dwight, pg. 243
“Probably not fewer than seventy or eighty different works have been published by the missionaries of the Board, in the Armenian and Armeno-Turkish languages. Many of these have been written on the ground, though most are translations from the English and other languages. Among the latter are Pilgrim's Progress and D'Aubigne's History of the Reformation. The whole Bible has been translated and published in the Armeno- Turkish, and the New Testament, and a large part of the Old, in the modern Armenian dialect” –Dwight, pg. 262
H.G.O Dwight is writing his book in the early 1850's and records many events that took place from 1830 through 1850 within the country and the surrounding regions. He mentions some good advice when dealing with the leading religious people of the land namely, the Apostolic religion.
He comes out and says that he is reformed and follows the teachings of Luther and Calvin and other reformers and mentions republishing and reprinting some of their works. However, he and his missions crew seemed more modern day baptistic evangelical than historic reformed. I could be mistaken and they can be truly reformed but from the writing style and stories told it didnt look like it. Very little emphasis is placed on the covenant of God and the Law.
Dwight also mentions some help from the Free Church of Scotland, which put a smile on my face. Specially as it was the Free Church of the 19th century and not the watered down Free Church now!
Mr. Dwight mentions a lot of Armenian translations of the “Bible” but only those in the New Testament. His emphasis seems to be on those 27 books even to the gospels alone “!”. He is correct to criticize the Apostolic Church of its error but as a “reformer” by name he cannot claim “Sola Scriptura” if he is only focused on the New Testament. Armenia needs a revival and that by the “whole counsel of God”. –pgs. 7, 8 of Christianity Revived.
Also Dwight mentions the first Armenian reformer [In 1760] “…Debajy Oghln, to whom the honor belongs of having made the first attempt in modern days, for the reformation of the Armenian Church. He wrote a book, in which, in a very forcible and fearless manner, he exposed some of the most glaring errors of his Church.” –Dwight, pg. 6
Some other valuable quotations are:
“In October, 1838, Mr. Schneider began a regular preaching service at his own house, every
Sabbath, in the Turkish language, for the benefit of both Armenians and Greeks.” –Dwight, pg. 67
“It must be noted as one of the signs of progress belonging to the period now under review, that family worship, consisting of reading the Scriptures and prayer in the vulgar tongue, was established in many households ; and often did the request come from females living in different quarters of the city, that meetings might be opened in their neighborhood expressly for the women” –Dwight, pg. 143
[These charges were brought on the Protestant Armenians by the Apostolic Armenian Church. In this we can see the strictness of their religion at least with regards to praying and keeping the Sabbath day, Sunday, holy] “Three principal charges were now brought against the accused, namely, attending the preaching of the Americans ; shutting themselves up in a room alone to pray ; and refusing to go to market on the Sabbath, when ordered by their father.” –Dwight, pg. 171
[there seems to be some ambiguity as to what the “Sabbath” could mean in Dwight’ book, but here he says, “On Sunday, Jan. 25, after the usual morning services in the patriarchal church were finished…” meaning that they met on Sunday, and those would be the days that people closed their shops and wouldn’t work] pg. 187
“I am an Armenian by birth, and a Christian by faith. I receive the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as my guide, and I acknowledge nothing that is contrary to their testimony.” –Dwight, pg. 195. Armenian Translation: “Ես հայ են ծննդով(?), եւ Քրիստոնյա հավատքով, հավատ եմ Գիրքերը հին եւ Նոր Կտակարանները իմ ուղեցույցը, եւ ես ընդունում եմ ոչինչ-որ դա հակառակում է իրենց վկայության”
“It was whispered from mouth to mouth, " These are the Protestants. See how the government protects them !" Some of the Mussulmans said, ' Look! There are no crosses ! no singing ! This is as it should be."” –Dwight, pg. 243
“Probably not fewer than seventy or eighty different works have been published by the missionaries of the Board, in the Armenian and Armeno-Turkish languages. Many of these have been written on the ground, though most are translations from the English and other languages. Among the latter are Pilgrim's Progress and D'Aubigne's History of the Reformation. The whole Bible has been translated and published in the Armeno- Turkish, and the New Testament, and a large part of the Old, in the modern Armenian dialect” –Dwight, pg. 262
Displaying 1 of 1 review