Armenia and its sorrows

26 ARMENIA AND ITS SORROWS
persecuted the new religion, and threw the great
evangelist into prison, but being healed of a dangerous
disease through the good man's prayers, he himself
embraced the Christian religion, and his example was
followed by the majority of the people. The firetemples
were swept out of existence, and Christian
churches and schools were established in every part
of the land. Zoroastrianism received such a blow
that all the machinations of its seven hundred magi
were powerless to save it. Armenia became henceforward
the bulwark of Christianity in Asia.
Needless to say, this meant for many years bitter
opposition from the Persians—the great upholders of
fire-worship—who not only resented the slight cast
upon their national religion, but suspected that the
Armenians would secure the powerful support of
the Roman Empire. For a long period Armenia was
the scene of continual struggles between these two
great Powers, until finally the Roman emperor,
Theodosius the Great, ceded the eastern part of the
country to Persia, and annexed the western portion
to the Roman Empire. Both Powers appointed representatives
of the Armenian royal family to govern
their respective provinces.
In the year a.d. 428 the last native ruler of Persian
Armenia was \
deposed, and for two hundred years
the country was governed by Persian officers, and the
Christians were cruelly persecuted.
The sixth century saw a man arise who was to
exercise an unique influence in Western Asia, and to
shape the destinies of millions of human beings.
The sandy plains of Arabia gave l^irth to
Mohammed, that strange combination of propliet,
warrior, and law-giver, under whose banner so
much blood has been spilt and so many enormities
committed ])y the fanatical hordes who have called
themselves by his name. From A.D. 632 till 839