History of Armenia, by Father Michael Chamich; from B. C. 2247 to ...

264 HISTORY OF ARMENIA.
needless to say that we never will do ; if we
abide by the second, it is certainly true that we
shall obtain the glorious crown of martyrdom;
but our country will be entirely converted by
the sword to the Persian religion, and in the
lapse of time the light and glory of Christianity
will be lost to Armenia, and the name of our God
be daily blasphemed. There is another alternative.
Let us not passively earn the crown of
martyrdom. Let us give up ourselves to the
Most High, and not think of personal protection.
Let us fight for the honour of the holy church
whichChrist has madehis bride."—On this being
heard, everyone determined to meet the Persians
in war, and not to allow them to introduce their
doctrine into Armenia ; and individually swore on
the holy evaneelists to shed in battle every drop
of blood in defence of their religion. The Armenians
then assembled their forces, amounting to
about
100,000 men, and made a simultaneous
attack on all the Persians in the kingdom, as well
as the troops which Vasak, together with other
apostates, had collected. They were every where
attended with success.
They stormed the villages
and cities where the Magi had taken up their
residence, seized their persons, and put them
to death. They also demolished all the temples
of fire which had been erected, and purified all
the churches in the vicinity of which they had