ABSTRACT
The aftermath of the massacre of 1909 proved to be a turning point in the author's life. A serious shortage of Armenian pastors had been created by the murders at the Adana retreat. At Adana he received help from the Reverend Hampartsoum Ashjian, Uncle A vedis's brother-in-law and protege. His uncle had invited him at the age of fifteen to help in the Jernazian import-export business, then had supported him through Aintab College and Marash Theological Seminary. Reverend Ashjian attended Yale Divinity School from 1894 to 1897. Having been ordained by the American Congregational Council in 1899, he returned to Turkey to serve his people. In 1909 he was serving in Adana. Sensing that violence against the Armenians was coming again, he had vainly tried to convince the Turkish officials of Adana, who respected him highly, to prevent that massacre.
