The De-Christianising of Asia Minor

Extract

We imagine that few besides those specially interested in the fate of Christianity in the East paid much attention to a tiny paragraph which appeared among the obiter dicta of the newspapers some weeks ago. The news was not considered worthy of prominence; even an important Catholic paper placed it at the foot of the column. Those who discovered the paragraph learned that two Christians had been murdered at Smyrna and a Catholic priest stoned; that was all.

But in the days when European Christendom was still a reality such items of news have stirred up whole countries, and have gone far towards the promotion of a new crusade. Times and sentiments have changed. Perhaps some excuse may be found for our apathy in the fact that the events of the past ten years have so accustomed us to the thought of death, murder and the massacre of thousands, that the slaughter of two individuals even on account of their Christian faith can hardly be expected to stir up interest, not to speak of indignation. Besides, did not this happen in Asia Minor? And how can we be expected to be moved with righteous indignation over two wretched Asiatics, when we have watched the slow massacre of a Christian people, the Armenians, in the same country?

Further, the general ignorance of the course of events in Asia Minor during the past three years conceals from our minds the tragedy that lies behind this announcement of the massacre of those two fellow-Christians of ours.