Sapah-Gulian met with renowned Hunchakian activist Paramaz (Matteos Sarkissian) in Nakhichevan and Meghri, and discussed revolutionary ideas.

He traveled throughout the Asian areas of the Ottoman Empire, and was later briefly director of the Armenian school in Jerusalem prior to his departure to Paris for continuation of higher education.

In 1895 he graduated from the École Libre des Sciences Politiques with future French Prime Minister Raymond Poincaré.

He became a leader of the party and founded and/or edited several journals, including Yeritasard Hayastan ('Young Armenia', 1903), Hunchak, Veradsnound ('Revival'), and Nor Ashkharh ('New World').

[1] While in Cairo, Sapah-Gulian was condemned to death (in absentia) along with other Hunchakian party members by the Ottoman government in 1915.