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Benyamin Mar Shimim, the Present Patriarch and the rjSth Catholicos of the 
Assyrian Christian Church, was consecrated April 12, 1903 

He nields hb authority from the little Alpine villase of Quchanis in the Kurdistan 



L sixth M the Council of Nicea 



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The 
Licath of a Nation 



Evtr V: rt^i:c,^u.^ N-^^sioriai's or 



vbialiam ^ r hannan, Ph.D. 



fA 




H'.Ti _' Ihu,.-dikK.s and a M.-.p 



G. P. Ptiinam's S^ -is 
New York and l^iii.iii 

iqi6 



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by Google 



The 
Death of a Nation 



The Ever Persecuted Neatoriaiu or 
Anyrian GhristianB 



By 
Abraham Yohannan, Ph.D. 



e 



With 27 lUaitrattoas and a Map 



G. P. Putnam's Sons 

New York snd London 

Vbe miciictt/oattt ptMs 

1916 



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A < »-VF>-H»RV«IU) 
TuisuuJuiUU, USBABT 

DEO 131816 

,_ ANDOVER 
I TgEomoiCAJ. SEimmr 



CorTBiOT, I9t6 
ABRAHAM YOHANNAM 






Qbc imklKAMiKc pttH. iww Ihclt 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



n AFFLICTED COmfOHITV OF THE 

ASSYRIAN CHRISTIANS 

I DBDICATB THIS WOKK 



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PREFACE 

*T*0 meet the wishes of my friends, I have 
^ consented to ^ve the history of the 
persecutions of the Nestorian Church in 
general, and to make public some further in- 
formation on the sufferings and massacres to 
which, as the result of this terrible war, they 
are subjected to^y. 

The persecutions and sufferings that the 
Nestorians are undergoing from time to time 
are similar to those that have been endured 
by the Armenians and the Jews, and their 
treatment by the hostile nations is identical. 
Of the troubles of the Armenians and Jews, 
however, we hear quite often, while the 
Nestfflians in Persia and Turkey, by reason, 
probably, of their small ntmiber and lack of 
literary representatives, have ezdted almost 
no interest. They have no advocates in the 
cities of Europe and Asia. In the hi^ilands 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



VI 



Preface 



of Turbey and Persia, they are without a 
leader or adviser, and are rarely visited by 
travelers. Of the world outside the region in 
which they live they know nothing. They 
are hemmed in by the fastnesses of the in- 
hospitable mountains. 

During a titanic struggle marking the death 
of nations, while the moral foundations of 
the world seem to be moved, it is not an 
easy matter to awaken int^est in small com- 
munities which heretofore have claimed but 
little of the thought or concern of the public; 
but the tragedy enacted against ' the Syrian 
Nestorians in Unmiia, Persia, in proportion 
to their numbers and social condition, is 
hardly equalled, and never exceeded in his- 
tory. It has brought baleful influence, de- 
vastating blight, and hideous crimes in its 
train. No such issues have ever before 
confronted Christian states as those raised 
during this war. 

A large part of the material used in this 
book has been gathered from various sources, 
and in order to be more accurate in the state- 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



Pre&ce vii 

ment, I have quoted them, aometimea ver- 
bally. As Montaigne wrote: "I have made 
only a nosegay of culled flowcars, and have 
brought nothing of my own, but the thread 
that ties them together." 

In preparing this little work I have tried 
to give credit, with appreciati(»i, to nqr pre- 
decessors; a glance at the footnotes win prove 
this. I have &eely quoted from the able 
wOTk of Dr. Wigram— fliriory of the Assyrian 
Church — and have often consulted Dr. 
Labourt's X^ CbnsHanisme dans I'Empire 
Perse. 

To Dr. Shedd, Mr. Labaree, and other 
members of the American Mission in Urumia 
I am indebted for their valuable information 
on the events that took place in Urumia and 
its surrounding districts during the Turkish 
and Kurdish invasion; and for the aid thqr 
have given me on special points. 

It is a pleasing duty to express my sincere 
thanks to Professor W. W. Rockwell of the 
Union TTieok^ca! Seminary, and Dr. Charles 
J. Ogden, for their generous assistance 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



viii Preface 

rendered in reading and correcting every p^e 
of proof as it came from the compositor, and 
for their counsel with regard to matters of 
general presentation. 

A.Y. 
New Yort, 
September, (916. 



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CONTENTS 

Preface v 

BiBUOGKAPHY zvii 

Introduction i 



A PERSECUTED CBURCB 

I. — Foundation of the Nbstosian 
Church under the Parthi- 

ANS (50-225 A.D.) 

II. — Edessa the Starting Point 

III. — Mission of Mari . 

IV. — The Church under the Sas- 
SANIAN Kings (235-651) 

V. — The Episcopate of Papa 

VI. — The Great Persecution of 

ShAPUR II., ZULAKTAF (339- 
379) 

VII.— Reorganization of Persian- 
Nestorian Church (379-399) 



40 

42 



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Contents 



VIII.— Chdkch during the Rbign of 

Yazdigird I. (399-420) 53 

IX.— Persecution of Yazdigikd 55 

X. — Persecution of Babram V., 

GUR 57 



XI. — The Patriarchate op Dadisho 

AND HIS Council (421-456) . 59 

XII. — Triuuth of Nbstorian Church 61 

XIII.— Patriarch Mar Abha, Anushir- 
wan, and Other Pro-Chsis- 
tiam Kings ... 64 

XIV.— The Nestorian Tablet 69 

XV.— The Election op Sabhrisho 

(596-604) . ... .71 

XVI.-— Other Means op Spreading 

C^RISTIANITT ... 75 

XVII.— Advent op Islam ... 77 

XVIII.— Striac Literature 80 

XIX.— The Christians under Arab 
Rule — The Constitution 
OP Omar .... 85 



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Contents xi 

MO* 

XX. — Calipss Intehbsted in Religi- 
ous Questions ... 88 

XXI. — Influence of the Assyrian 

Phtsicians iTPON Caliphs . 91 

XXII. — Persecution BY THE Caliphs , 95 

XXIII. — Christianization op the Ka- 

KiAT Tribe ... 99 

XXIV. — The Cluiax of the Nestorian 

QatURCH . .103 

XXV.— The Downfall of the Nes- 
torian Church under the 
Mongol Khans . . .104 

XXVI.— The Onslaught op the Tar- 
tars AND Kurds . .109 

n 

A CBAPTER OF BORRORS 

I.— Urumia the Storm Center 117 

11. — TheFught . -119 

III.— The House of Refuge . 122 

IV. — Statement of German Mis- 
sionaries . . . .126 



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Contents 



v.— A Heroic Missionakt . 


128 


VI.— A GiKL Hehoine . 


130 




»3i 


Vni. — Massacre akd Rapine Were 


THE OrDEE of the DaY 


133 


IX.— The Heaktless Assassins 


134 


X.— A Cowardly Slaughter 


135 


XI.— Statement op a Missionaki 






136 


XII.— Red Horror 


137 


XIII.— Rape .... 


139 


XIV.— Abduction . 


140 


XV.— ISLAMIZATION 


144 


XVI.— Extortion . 


145 


XVII. — Nestobians in the Kurdistan 




Mountains 


146 


Synchronistic Table . 


152 


Index 


■63 



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ILLUSTRATIONS 

Bentaiun Mas Smmm, the Psesent 
Pateiabch and the 138TH Cathoucos 

OF THE ASSTBIAN ChBISTIANS, WAS CON- 
SECRATED Afbil 12, 1903. 

FrotOispiece 

The ViiiAGE OF QuCHANis— The Patw- 

AECHAL Seat 

Courtes; of F. N. HeazeU and Mrs. Mar- 
golionth 

A Suburb of ITrumia . . . . i 

Eindiiesfl of Mr< PaqI Shinitm 

St. Mary's CmntcB, Usuica (where one 
of the Magi is Said to be Buried) . i 

RuBL Mar SHniuN, Late Patriarch of 
the Assyrian Christians . . . i 

Mar TmoTHEOs, Mbtrofoutan of Nes- 
torian Church, Trichur, Indu . 1 

Conrtesy of F. N. Hnz^ and Mn. Mar- 
goltoutli 

A Mansion in Uruioa .... 3 



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Illustrations 



Tee Two Gbeat Cqluuns on the Cnunsh 

ofEdbssa 33 

Conrtesr ot F. C. Bnddtt 

Edessa 38 

Cottitesir of p. C Baddtt 

Sbafuk 44 

From M»Tlfham, History rf Ptnia 

The Nestokian Tablet ... 68 

Courtesy of Dr. Frits V. Holm 

Portions of the Nestorian Tablet . 70 

Scripture Quotation, Sybuc and Ara- 
bic. St. Luke xu., 3-10. Dated 1276 

A.D. 80 

Tartar Wedding — Pursdit of a Bsidb 

(KSkbOri) 108 

Prom VamhSry, Traoeit in Central Asia 

TmUKLANG (TaUERLANE) . . . IIO 

Prom a MS. in the Poaaeadoa of Karf Kene- 

Abraham Mar SBDCtm, 136TH Patriasce 

OF THE Assyrian Christians 113 

Refugees from the Kurdistan Moun- 
tains IN THE Russian Consulate, 
Uruiua, Persia 118 



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Illustrations 



A Cakavan of the Chbistian Families 
Fleeing fkou the Tubxish Massacks . lao 

Stkiam Women of the Kurdistan Moun- 
tains in Fugbt . .123 

A Wedding Psocbssion m ITsumia 134 

Refugee Gikls fbou the Kurdistan 
Mountains 126 

Kxadaeas of Mr. Paul Shimtm 

Kurdish Infantry and a Turkish 
Officer 128 



The Jehad (Holy War) Declared in 
Constantinople .138 

Kurdish Tribesmen, Urdmia . . 142 

Courtesj' of Mr. Paul Shimmi 
A Glimpse OF Urumia . .146 

Highway through ~which the Patri- 
arch I^d the Refugees .148 
SndiHss of Mr. ^nl Shimitn 

Rev. K. Odisho and his Children, Mem- 
bers OF the Persecuted Christian 
Church in Urumia, Persia 150 

Map of the Territory of the Assyrian 
Christians .At the End 



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LIST OP WORKS REFERRED TO OR 
QUOTED PROM 

Acta S. Maiis, ed. Abbdoos. Bntzelles-Ldp- 

zig, 1885. 
Arnold. Preaching of Islam. Westminster, 

1896. 
AssemanL Bibliotbeca Orientalis. 4 Tcds. 

Rome, 1719-28. 
Attdo. Dictionnaire de la Langue Chald^enne. 

Mossoul, 1897. 
Badger. Nestorians and their Rituals. 2 vols.. 

New York, 1852. 
BailiebneuB. Chronicon Eccles. 3 vols., ed. 

Abbeloos and Lamy. Lovanii, 1872-77. 
Bedjau. Acta Martyrum et Sanctismm. 8 

vols. Paris, 1890 f. 
BenBon» A. C. Life of E. W. Benscm, sometime 

Archbishop of Canterbury. London, 1899. 
Bodge, llie Book of the Bee. Oxford, 1886. 
Borkitt Early Eastern Christianity. New 

York, 1904. 
Chronicon Syriacum, ed. Bedjan. Paris, 1890. 
CosmasLidicopleustes. Topographia. London, 

1897. 
Cnreton. Ancient Syriac Documents. London, 

1864. 

zvfi 



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xviii List of Works Referred to 

David. Grammaire de la Langue Aram^enne. 

Mossoul, 1897. 
Dictlonnaire d'Aichfidogle Chr£tienne et d« 

litatf^. I. Paris, 1907. 
D'Herbelot. BibUothdque Orientale. Paris, 

1781. 
Doctrine erf Addai. London, 1876. 
Dunt Histoire d'Edesse. Paris, 1893. 
DuvaL La Litt^tnie Syriaqne. Paris, 

1899. 
DuvaL Les Dialectes N^Aram^ens de Sala- 

mas. Paris, 1883. 
Elife Metropolitffi Nisibeni Opus Chronologicttm, 

ed. Brooks. Paris, 1910. 
Ensebius. Ecclesiastical History, ed. Cureton. 

London, 1861. 
GibtxML Decline and Pall of Roman Empire. 

London, 1S81. 
Giant. Mounts Nestorians. Boston, 1874. 
GnuL Nestorians, or the Lost Tribes. 

New York, 1 841. 
HeazeD, F. N., and Harg<rfiotttli, Uis^ eds. 

Kurds and Cbristians. London, 1913. 
ICstoire de Jabalaha et de tr<ns autres Patri* 

arches, ed. Bedjan. Paris, 1895. 
Hoffman. AuszQge. Ldp^g, 1880. 
BoworfiL History of the Mongols. l>oaA<m, 

1876-88. 
Jadnon. Peraa Past and Present. Nev Yoric, 

1906. 



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List of Works Referred to xix 

John of Ephesos. Ecclefflastical History, ed. 

Cureton. London, 1861. 
lAboort LeChristianisme dans rEmfnre Perse. 

Paris, 1904. 
Layard. Nineveh and its Remains. Nev edi< 

tion. New York, 1853. 
Loofs, F. Nestorius and his Place in the His* 

tory of Christian Doctrine. Cambridge, 

1914. 
HazGo Polo. Travels, ed. Wr^t. London, 

1899. 
Markham. History of Per^ London, 1874. 
MasudL Les Prairies d'or. Paris, 1866-77. 
Moore, G. F. The Theological Sdiocd at Nisibis 

(in Studies in the History of Religions. 

Presented to Crawfcttd Howell Toy by 

Pupils, Colleagues, and Friends. New 

York, 1912, pp. 255-267). 
Mosheim. Ecclesiastic^ ffistory, ed. Mur- 

dock. London, 1885. 
Mshikha Zkha. Sources Syriaques. Vol. i, 

ed. Mingana. Mossoul and Leipzig, 1907. 
Huir. Caliphate, ed. Weir. Edinburgh, 1915. 
Hurdocfc. Translation of Syriac New Testa- 
ment. London, 1896. 
Neale. Holy Eastern Church. London. 1850. 
Payne Smitbu Thesaurus Syriacus. London, 

1879. 
Shedd. Islam and the Oriental Churches. 

Philadelphia, 1904. 



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XX List of Works Referred to 

Sprenger. Das Leben tind die Lehre des 

Mohammad. Berlin, 1869. 
SynodicoQ Orientale, ed. Chabot. Paris, 1899. 
Tabaii. Gesch. der Sassaniden, ed. Ndldeke. 

Leiden, 1879. 
Thomas at Haiga, ed. Budge, 1893. 
WeUhaosen. Skizzenund Vorarbeiten. Berlin, 

1884-99. 
mgiam. The Assyrian Church, 100-640 a.d, 

London, 191a 



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The Death of a Nation 



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3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



The Death of a Nation 



INTRODUCTION 

WHO AND WHERE ARE THE 
NESTORIANS? 

npHEY have been known under various 
*■ appellations, as — 

Aiameans' — but the expression was dis- 
liked by them, as it seemed to smack of 
heathenism, and they insist that the term 
was a misnomer given by the Jews to all who 
were outside the pale of Judaism. 

Chaldeans' — is the name by which th^ 

■Payne Smith, Thesaurus Syriacus. Audo, Dietiim- 
noire ie la Lanpte Chaldienne, Introductioii, p. 9. David, 
Crammaire de la Languc Aramiemu, Introduction, p. 10. 

■ Assemani, iv., pp. t, 3. Layaxd, L, p. 317, new ed- 
Badger, The Nestorians and their Rituals, i., p. 179, Grant, 
The Nestorians, p. 170. Smith and Dwight, Jfumniar? 



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2 The Death of a Nation 

have been recorded in certain ecclesiastical 
documents and rituals, to designate ihar 
ancient origin as a race, and their relation 
to Abraham, who was frcun " Ur <rf the Chal- 
dees." Th^ may, therefore, justly lay 
claim to the title, as the descendants of the 
ancient Chaldeans, and no valid objection 
can be urged i^ainst the assumptdoa. It is, 
evidently, in this sense that Assemani uses 
the term, when he says: "Chaldeans or As- 
syrians; whom, from that part of the globe 
which they inhabit, we term Orientals." 
Ainsworth, in his Traods and Researches in 
Asia Minor and Mesopotamia, correctly 
styles them "Chaldeans"; and Mr. Layard, 
in his Nineveh and its Remains, adopts the 
same n<»nenclature. On the other hand, 
certain writers, like Gabriel, Bishop of Htir- 
mizdashir, and Daniel, of Resh Aina, identify 

JiMMrc&u, iL, p. 186. Duval, Lts DiaiecUs NithAramient 
de Saiamas, Introduction, p. 3. 

AccoidiaK to certain Oriental historians, the ancieDt 
Chaldeana inhabited Uw Kurdistan Mountains. Ba^ 
Eepa, Bar-hebtKus, Bar-Salibba, and others mBintwin 
that the ntountains should be called Chaldlstan (the 
habitation of Chaldeans) and not Kuidistac 



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Who Are the Nestorians? 3 

the Chaldeans mth astrologers and heretics, 
and treat them as such. Since 1681, when 
the Metropolitan of Diarbekdr was first 
consecrated, by the Pope, as the Patriarch of 
the Chaldeans, the term is ccmfined, almost 
exclusiTely, to those members of the cornmu* 
nity who have joined the Roman Catholic 
Uniats. 

Assyrians' r—There can be but little doubt 
that the Chaldeans were of the same family 
with the Assyrians. And the similarity c^ 
the physiognomy of certain tribes <rf this 
race to that tA the Assyrians and Chaldeans 
as sculptured upon the ancient monuments, 
whidi have been excavated in the ruins of 
Nineveh, is remarkable. 

Syrians*:— It is claimed that the term is 
merely the shortened form and a Christian 
adaptation of the wco-d, ".^Syrians, " which 

■ Badger, L, p. 179. Asaemaiii, iv., pp. I, 373. 

'Wright, Cemparatitt Grammar ef 0ie SamUe Lan- 
pMtef, p. 13. NOldeke, in Hermes, L, p. 443, and ZDMG. 
sv., p. 113. David, Grammaire de la Laniue Aramieime, 
IntrodQCtion, p. 11. Audo, DicUonnaire de la Lanpte 
CkeUtenne, IntroductioD, p. g. 



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4 The Death of a Nation 

they may with equal right take to themselves 
as their most proper name; and that, origin- 
ally, they are not from Syria proper as the 
term "Syrians" would suggest, but from 
Assyria. 

Nestorlans':— This name, which has a 
theological significance, was applied to them, 
probably centuries after Nestorius, and was 
first used by the Roman Catholics to con- 
vey the stigma of a heresy, who foimd it ne- 
cessary to bestow upon them such a title in 
contradistinction to the name "Chaldeans" 
which th^ appUed only to the Assyrian 
proselytes to Rome. 

Notwithstanding the fact that the name 
"Nestorians" is disliked and disavowed by 
the people themselves, still, since it has been 
forced upon them, and since by that name 
they are best known to the world, they have 
been obliged to recognize it. 

Mar Yohamian," the Nestorian Bishop of 

■Badger, Nestorians and their Rituals, i, p. 178. Lay- 
ard, Niameh and its Remains, i., p. 259. Assemani, iv., 
PP- I. 375- 

'Mnrdock's Tran^alion of Syriae New Teslamenf, 



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Who Are the Nestorians? 5 

Unuuia, Per^, said to the missionary, 
Justin Perkiiis: "We shall soon be at war if 
you do not cease calling us 'Nestorians. * " 

THE HOME OF THE NESTOKIANS* 

The original hcmie of the Nestorians is 
supposed to be in Assyria or Mesopotamia, 
with its headquarters at Seleuda-Ctesiphon, 
the twin capital of Persia, on the River 
Tigris. This beautiful country, as a connect- 
ing link between East and West, has been 
doomed to be the battlefield for the ever- 
lastingly contending races cd the Eastern and 
Western empires; first, between the Greeks 
and Parthtans, then between the Romans 
and Persians, and later between the Turks 
and Persians. A war between the Eastern 
and Western states always spelled persecution 

Introduction, p. 3o, n; Assemani, iv., p. i; Mosheim, 
p. 303, '^ I- Badger, i., pp. 178, 181; ii., p. 376. Lajrard, 
L, p. ai7, new ed. 

For the identification of tbese various appellations, see 
the author's introduction to his Modem Syriac-Ensliik 
DiaionoTy. 

■ Badger, i., p. 356. lAjaid, i., p. 304, new ed. Asse- 
ouuiii iVt p. I. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



6 The Death of Nation 

for them. A Persian war with Rome and a 
persecution of the Nestorian Christians had 
usually gone hand in hand; it made little 
difference to the persecuted "which caused 
which." And as the Christians were fotmd 
both in the Eastern and Western em^nres, 
in either empire they were looked upon as 
suspects, and sympathizers with their co> 
rdigionists in the land cd their enemies. 
Consequently, whenever the emperor erf 
either state returned from war defeated, he 
would wreak his vengeance on the Christians 
of his own land, and make them pay the bill. 
The other states, naturaUy, protected them. 
During the present war, however, the Turks 
and Persians, who had always been in arms 
against each other, forgot their quarrels, 
and jcnned hands against Christians. It is 
a Hdy War. 

Thus, this Christian community formed a 
buffer between the two ant^onistic faiths 
of Europe and Asia. Consequently, they 
were exposed to constant persecutions and 
massacres; their dties were destroyed, coun- 



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Who Are the Nestorians? 7 

try ruined, and the population partly exter- 
minated and partly banished into distant 
lands; the remnant who escaped the ravag- 
ing sword of the Persians and the Romans, 
in spite of all these vicissitudes still lingered 
around their ruins, spoke the language of 
their ancestors, retained the name of their 
race, and clung with many tenacious roots 
to the soil of their birth. 

This ill-fated community has seen tm- 
ntunbered woes in its religious and secular 
history, but its bitterest cup had to be 
tasted in this twentieth century. TTiey have 
always tinned ibe cheek, but the enemy is 
not yet convinced that it is wrong to smite 
them. 

The Muhanunadans' hatred of the Chris- 
tians, in the East, where the religion is deter- 
minant of nationality, is unintdlig^le to 
the western people. They are dwelling in 
the same land, and living side by side for 
generations in peace and quiet; for all that, 
abating no jot of bitter hatred. And it 
Uazes up like the fires from a long dormant 



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« The Death of a Nation 

volcano at the least opportunity for its 
indulgence. 

After centimes of persecution, however, 
they were gradu^y driven farther east into 
Media and Persia. To-day they are found, 
roughly, in the district which lies between 
Lake Ununia, Lake Van, the eastern Tigris, 
and Mosul, partly under Persian and partly 
under Turkish rule. So they have always 
been caught between the upper and the nether 
millstones. Their number is given as one 
himdred and ninety thousand ; whereas at one 
time they boasted a population more numer- 
ous than all the other Christian bodies 
combined. 

Their present Patriarch, Benyamin Mar 
Shimim, who was consecrated in 1903, is the 
one hxmdied and thirty-dghth Catholicos of 
the East, and the fourteenth of those who 
have resided at Quchanis in the Kurdistan 
Mountains. 

For convenience they may be divided into 
three or rather four general groups: 

The first group, numbering about thirty 



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Who Are the Nestorians? 9 

thousand, are redding in the vill^es and 
the dty of the plain of Urumia, Persia, and 
its environs. These su£Eered terribly as tho 
tides of war between the Russians and Turks 
ebbed back and forth over the plain. 

The second group, consisting of about 
ninety thousand, were settled in the central 
Kurdistan Mountains, Turkey, ance the 
fourteenth century. 

The third group, numbering some seventy 
thousand, inhabited the vaUey of the Tigris 
or Bohtan-su region, between IHarbekir and 
Mosul, dose to the ruins of Nineveh. 

Besides these three groups, there are also 
the Syrian Jacobites who claim to have a 
community of two hundred thousand souls, 
and live in Diarbekir, Mardin, and other 
settlements of Armenia. 

THE PLAIN OF UKUHIA 

The alluvial plain of Unmiia* is the most 
picturesque and flourishing spot in the western 
part of Azerbaijan, the northwestern province 

■ Jackaon, Persia Fasf and Present, p. 88. 



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lo The Death of a Nation 

of Peraa; bounded on the east by the salt 
lake of that name, and on the west by the 
undidating and grassy slopes of the snow- 
capped range of Kurdistan or the Zagros 
mountains, whose imposing ranges sweep 
down quite to the waters of the lake at the 
extremities of the plain, and enclose it like 
a vast amphitheater and give it a salubrious 
climate. Prom the mountains descend three 
meandering streams which feed a thousand 
irrigation ditches, and give fertility to the 
innumerable orchards and vineyards, laden 
with a large varied oi fruit. In the summer, 
the whole plain is half sunk in shrubbery 
and in the numerous rows of willows, pop- 
lars, and sycamore trees planted along the 
wat^-coiu'ses. The whole scenery is like the 
"Garden of Edeo." 

Over three hundred villages are scattered 
about over the plain, in every suitable spot, 
and the Christian inhabitants number about 
forty thousand. In sc«ne cases they occupy 
a village exclusively, and in the others they 
live together with the Muhammadans. 



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Who Are the Nestorians? ii 

THE OTY OF URUMIA 

The compact city of Urmnia, which is 
situated in the center of the plain, contains 
a population of about thirty thousand; the 
bulk are Muhammadans, but it also com- 
prises a ccmsideTable sprinkling of Assyrians, 
Annenians, and Jewish families. 

Hie dty cd Urumia is the reputed birth- 
place of Zoroaster.' In the plain are numerous 
ash mounds, some of them covering many 
acres of ground. They are believed to be the 
fire places or temples of Parsees. Here is also 
the old church of St. Mary, wherein is the 
tomb of one of the three wise men, who died 
in Urumia cm bis way from Bethlehem. 
The date of the settlement of the Assyrians 
in this district is not known, but Urumia is 
menticmed as the see of one of their bishc^ 
called Abhdisho, as early as 1 1 1 1 A J>. 
URUUIA AS THE HEADQUARTERS OF CHKISTUN 
ACTIVITIES 

Here the American Missicm began its 
work in 1834, under the American Board; 

' JaclcKm, Ptnia Pott and Presmt, p. t02. 



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12 The Death of a Nation 

and in 1871, the mission was transferred to 
the Presbyterian Board. 

The Roman Catholics had started tbdr 
work long before that time. 

About the year 1872, a Lutheran Mission 
was established by a native. 

The Archbishop of Canterbury's Personal 
Missicm to the Assyrian Christians was es- 
tablished in 1886. The unselfish work of 
the self-sacrificing members of this Mission, 
who had devoted themselves to educate and 
uplift the people, has unfortunately just been 
discontinued on account of this war. 

In 1894 German misaonaries settled there, 
for a short period cdly, for the evangelizaticm 
of the Jews. 

THE ASSTKIAN CHKISTIAHS AS A I^:OPLE. — 
ESTKACTS PROU A LETTER OF THE BISHOP 
OF GIBRALTAR, WHO VISITED THE ASSY- 
RIANS IN 1907' 

"As to the Assyrian people, I lost my heart 
to them completely; and I think there can 

' Heazell and Margoliouth, Kurds and Ciriilians, 
PP- >95. 196- 



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Who Are the Nestorians? 13 

be no question that they are afiner race than 
the Aimeniao, the Georgian, and indeed 
any other of the peoples in that part of the 
world. The defects in races vriudi have long 
been subject to the Turk, which usually 
disgust Western observers, are almost insep- 
arable bxaa long-continued c^pres^cm; but 
the poorest Assyrian of the mountains has 
preserved a natural dignity, courage, and a 
freshness which are veiy lovable, whilst he 
has far more of resourcefulness and 'saving 
common sense' than most of the people 
round about. And this, be it remembered, 
subsists in the face of tyranny and hardships 
which seem almost to become worse year by 
year. ' The freedom of their strictures, and 
the manliness of their moral lessons, will 
hardly be conceived by those who have been 
accustomed to annex to Eastern minds the 
feelings alone of servility and terror. * 

'"Mar Shimun's people' struck me much 
in their ethnic capacity; I was not less struck 
with them as a Church. That they are 
still very ignorant and backward goes with- 



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14 The Death of a Nation 

out saying; it could hardly be otherwise 
after centimes of seclusion and persecutioa. 
But there is a naturahiess, a simplicity^ and 
a spcoitaneity about their religion which is 
very attractive. In many ways they seem 
to me to illustrate the life of Christians of 
very early days, both in its strength and in its 
weakness; and again, whilst they have plenty 
oi ethnic superstitions of their own [some 
derived from Magian sources], there is a 
remarkable absence erf modem 'corruptions* 
in their religion, or of such a mixture of 
pagan and Christian superstition as is to be 
found, for example, amongst the Orthodox 
in some of the Greek islancfe." 

INFLUENCE OF NESTORIAN UISSIONARIES 
IN INDIA 

There is a constant tradition of the 
Church, that Christianity was introduced 
into India by St. Thomas the Apostle,' and 
it continued ica many centuries to flourish. 

■ Eusebius, Hist. Etc., lib. i., cap. iii. Assemam, iv., 
pp. 4. 35. 33-34. 435 (• 



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Ruel Mar Shimun, Late Patriarch of the Assyrian Christians 



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Who Are the Nestorians? 15 

One of the bishops at the Council of Nioea 
signs himself as the Prelate of Persia and 
' Great India. At length they grew so power- 
ful that they were enabled to elect a king 
trom among themselves. The first of these 
monarchs was called Baliart, who assumed 
the title of King of the Christians of St. 
Thomas. His descendants succeeded him 
for several generations. A recent account 
puts the number td the Nestcmans in India 
at two hundred thousand, by far the gj-eater 
part being Roman Catholics now. Tbdr 
headquarters is at Malabar. 

This body, the Nestorians, which, after 
long struf^les in the courts in India, has won 
definite recognition of its right to exist, and 
to hold certain not inconsiderable endow- 
ments, is that portion of the Church of St. 
Thomas which still remains loyal to its 
ancient Patriarch. Anciently, the Church 
of Malabar was indisputably cme of the 
many provinces whose Metropolitans owed 
allegiance to the Patriarchs of Baghdad, 
whose representative is the present Mar 



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i6 The Death of a Nation 

Slumtm. Roman Catholic (t. e., Portu- 
guese] mterferencecutthem c^ in the fifteenth 
centiuy from all communication with thdr 
chief , and these " Nestorians " in consequence 
became Jacobites in preference to becoming 
Roman, and submitted to the Patriarch 
Ignatius of Mardin. They could hardly 
have given a better proof that their separa- 
tion from the bulk of Christendom was for 
national rather than theological reasons. A 
portion of the Church, however, remained 
in more en: less uneasy subjection to the 
Pope, and these "Syro-Chaldeans" are a 
later separation frcnn that portion who split 
off about 1850, and then sought, and ob- 
tained, a Bishop fr<»n their original and un- 
forgotten Patriarch, whose seat had in the 
meantime shifted several times, and was at 
last at Quchanis. 

These Nestorians of India for several 
years had been anxiously asking Mar Shimun 
for a Bishop, as the present Bishop was very 
old. In 1908 he consecrated the Arch- 
deacon Abimdech (now Mar Timotheus), a 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



Mar Timotheos 

Metropolitan of Nestorian Church, 

Trichur, India 

tourUsy of P. N. Heasell and Mn. MargoUou 



Lr,,l,;.d:,G00gie 



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Who Are the Nestorians? 17 

member of his family, as a Metropolitan 
for the Syrian Nestorian Church of Travan- 
core and Cochin, in South India. 

One of the settlements of the Nestorian col- 
onies was at Malabarnear Madras, Here the 
Hindushavenowajointworship, partly Hindu 
and partly Christian. Ramanuja Acharya 
(nth century), the author of the great pro- 
test against the Vedantic pantheism of San- 
karacharya, was bcnn and educated within 
a few miles of Mylapore or Malabar. His 
doctrines differed widely from those of the 
orthodox Hinduism of his time, and where 
they differed from it they agreed with Chris- 
tianity. His most important doctrine was 
that the Supreme Deity was a personal loving 
All-Father, and that the released soul was 
not absorbed into God after death, but 
maintained an everlasting personal existence 
near Him, and became in its nature like Him. 
From tliis was derived the doctrine of Bhakti, 
or of loving personal devotion to a personal 
God, who became incarnate to relieve the 
world from sin, and who is now in heaven 



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i8 The Death of a Nation 

still a loving and personal Deity watching 
and guarding His fdlowers. In the Puranas 
there was the extraordinary fact that the 
ceremonies celebrating the birth festival of 
Krishna did not agree with the current 
legends of his birth, but had been altered so 
as to coincide with the Gospel narratives of 
the birth of Jesus Christ. The vernacular 
Bhakti literature was full of reminiscences 
of Christianity. This dated from the 
fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, when the 
doctrine was first preached in Northern India, 
and was very widely adopted, causing the 
greatest religious revolution which India had 
seen — a revolution little considered by Euro- 
pean writers because the evidence dealing with 
it was not written in Sanskrit. There were 
Indian saints of those times who m ai n tained 
that right initiation meant being "bom 
again." One plucked out his eye and cast it 
from him because it had offended him. An- 
other cut c^ his right hand for the 
same reason. Kabir's doctrine of the 
Sabda, or Word, must have been borrowed 



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Who Arc the Nestorians? 19 

from the opening verses of St. John's 
Gospel. The Kabir sect refused to worship 
any Hindu deity or perform any Hindu 
rite. In the sacramental meal of Kabir's 
followers food and water were distri- 
buted as Kabir's special gift conferring 
eternal life, and portions of this food were 
reserved for the sick. This evidence showed 
that the great Indian r^ormation of the 
fourt^th and fifteenth centuries was sug- 
gested by ideas borrowed from the Nestorian 
Christians of Southern India. 

THE FAITH OF THE NESTORIANS* 

The Assyrian or Chaldean Church accepts 
the first two CEcumemcal Councils of the 
Christian Church, but it was cut oflE from 
the commimion of the Catholic Church in 
the fifth century after Christ for rejecting 
the third Council, held at Ephesus in 431, 
which condemned Nestorius and his opinions. 

When the Church was free of persecutions 



., pp. 190-203 and 310-^33. 
pp. 199-203. Wigrara, p. 132. 



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20 The Death of a Nation 

for a while, its internal life was disturbed 
by a new element — the vexed Christological 
controversy that brought heresies of various 
names in its train. 

The Nestorians and Monophysites at- 
tempted to explain the question in two difiFer- 
ent ways, which superficially seemed to be 
opposite but essentially were the same. The 
former declared the Incarnation to be a mere 
association of a man with the Divinity, the 
latter believed the manhood was annihilated 
by assumption. In either case, the explana- 
tion Ues in the belief of the incompatibility 
of the human and Divine. Each side vigor- 
ously asserted that the other was teaching a 
doctrine which the other as vigorously denied 
that it taught. Monophysites stretched the 
Nestorians' tenets to their extreme logical 
conclusion, and presented them as their doc- 
trines. Nestorians returned the compliment 
to Monophysites. Each called himself "or- 
thodox "and the other "heterodox." It was 
a battle chiefly of words and names. 

Of course every hiunan expression falls 



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Who Are the Nestorians? 21 

to describe fully the mystery of the Incarna- 
tion. The common seekJJie commonplace ex- 
planation of a mystery. But ^en one seeks 
to express infinite truth in finite terms, he de- 
tracts &om its importance. The words can 
only suggest the idea back of them, rather 
than accurately explain that idea. In this 
case each party as a rule only half remem- 
bered the inadequacy of their own terms, 
and quite forgot it as regards those of thar 
opponents. Neither side made any attempt 
to get "behind the words." 

The theological doctrines held by both 
were essentially almost identical, and only 
verbally different; at least, they did not 
differ as widely as one may infer from the 
rancor of their debates. Of course each 
word was capable of interpretations that 
could not possibly be read into the other, but 
the theological sense of one word, as used by 
one party, was identical with the theological 
sense of the word as tised by the other. 

"The evidence of the sincerity of the Nesto- 
rian Christians is not to be sought In meta- 



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22 The Death of a Nation 

physical dlscusdons and hair-splitting 
theology, but in the teais of saints and the 
blood of martyrs." That they should have 
withstood all attacks and have kept the 
faith during the centuries of tyranny and 
bitter persecution, is no small tribute to 
their Christian character and to an in- 
qjiring fidelity to their Divine tord and 
Master. " The love of Christ must sweep 
away the hollow, ^lallow distinctions which 
part men asunder." 

The Nestorian Church has always been 
a Church, in fact, not of cities and villages, 
but of mountains, and caves, and dens of 
earth. These were the sanctuaries in which 
this unarmed and d^enseless diurch in- 
trenched itself against the oppressors in the 
midst of never-ceasing war. 

Out of these sufferings and cmflicting 
elements was formed a type of character in 
which fortitude, sincerity, and sympathy 
were blended with the most daring courage, 
which made the Christians stand fast in the 
face of death. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



Who Are the Ncstorians? 23 

Eastern Christiamty was bound by the 
local peculiarities, from which the Church 
of the West had shaken itself free. The 
Nestorian Church had been profoundly in- 
fluenced by the geographical situation, physi- 
cal constitution, mental temperament, and 
the racial characteristics of the Asiatic races 
who formed the bulk of the Church. And 
as the Christians themselves were making 
constant efforts to hold fast their faith, and 
at the same time to avoid the incessant 
persecutions, they were constrained to modify 
some of their teachings, and adapt them- 
selves totheirenvironments and requirements. 

Such efforts as these took the shape of the 
corporate adoption of a form of Christianity, 
which those in more favc^-able circumstances 
complacently call heresy. 

It is true there is a real difference between 
the Church of the East and the Churches of 
Antioch and (^ Rcane. The Greek theo- 
logy does not suit well the Eastern mind, 
nor does it sound well in the Syriac language. 
Thus, they were divided by the barrier of 



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24 The Death of a Nation 

language, which, though it did not estrange 
them, separated them, so that the Eastern 
Church grew up under influences different 
from those which helped to mold the 
Grseco-Roman Church. Nevertheless, the 
Nestorian Church had an apostolic origin, 
and was in full communion with all the 
chief centers of Christianity. Many of their 
Saints are recognized as Saints by the Church 
UniversaL 

Such are the antecedents of these historical 
Christians, whose remnants the Muham- 
madans are seeking to destroy root and 
branch. 

A CHURCH MILITANT 

This Church has been fighting hand to 
hand, for almost eighteen centuries, with 
all kinds of enemies, and never relaxed in its 
labOTS. When the legions of Arabs poured 
out of Arabia to conquer the world, Persia 
fell before them; Asia Minor and Alexandria 
also bowed low before the crescent, and 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



Who Are the Nestorians? 35 

the Empire of the Caesars was vanquished 
and contracted. This Church did not quail 
before the successive billows c^ devastation, 
but rode out the storm; her spiritual power 
did not stoc^ to the victor, but won many 
noble victories for Christ and sacrificed many 
glorious martyis for him. The Caliphates 
rose and fell, the Seljuk dynasty glared for 
a while and soon became extinct, the Mon- 
golian hordes devastated the East and West, 
and finally the Tturks closed the annals of 
the Eastern Empire; because their hour had 
come. But the Eastern Church, hated and 
persecuted by all, humbled to the dust, sur- 
vived all and modced at their destruction. * 

BUSNED BUT NOT CONSUUED 

It is true that Christianity in the East is 
being crucified once more, and looking arotmd 
with dimmed eyes into the dark horizon, 
she is crying out aloud, "My God, my God, 
why hast Thou forsaken me?" But is she 

■ Ncale, Holy Eastern Church, L, Intndnctioii, p. 5. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



26 The Death of a Nation 

going to die? No! Crucifixion does not 
imply the absence of God, but rather tibe 
nearness of salvation and the certainty of 
resurrection. 

The faith and prayers of these persecuted 
Christians have been in time past mighty 
factors in overccamng the total destruction 
intended by the cruel persecutors. Who 
knows but that this gigantic struggle of 
nations to-day is breaJdng the dawn of a 
new day for the world; and if "the blood of 
the martjTS is the seed of the Church," 
the Christians in Persia have truly made 
their sacrifice there for nearly eighteen him- 
dred years; they have surely some right to 
"hope against hope," to have a share in 
evangelizing the blood-bespattered Per^ 

THE IN7I.UENCE OF THE CHRISTIAN MISSION 
IN PEESIA 

The influence of a true Christian spirit, 
earned by long years of the unselfish service 
of the devoted American missionaries in 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



Who Are the Nestorians? 27 

Persia, has won the respect and omfidence 
even of the hostile elements, who have al- 
ready begun to show their appredaticm. 

Tuesday, March 9, 1916, during the mas- 
sacres, a Muhammadait orator made a 
speech in a garden in Unuma to a crowd of 
several thousand people, practically all Mus- 
lims. He said that Italy and Peraa had 
joined in the alliance with Germany, Austria, 
and Turkey, and, of course, were in the way 
of victory. America had taken no part in 
this war, but was dcong good all over the world 
without regard to race or religion, caring for 
the dck and wounded, feeding the hungry, 
and b^riending the needy. The American 
missicmaiies here, he said, have done and 
are doing this, and everyone should honor 
them and stand up for them. At this tbene 
was great applause. 

That little Mission Ark whose maker and 
pilot is God, driven on the disturbed sea of 
persecution, was tJie only hope of the Per- 
sian Church — the tempest-tossed bark, on 
the waves of the deluge, as the winds were 



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28 The Death of a Nation 

fighting against it and the perils were just 
ready to overwhdm it, and "Jesus slqit." 
The occupants were prayerful and penitent, 
even the little children seemed to know their 
Litany. They were striking their breasts 
and saying: "O Lord, have mercy upon us! 
O Jesus, save us.*' Evennore the Church is 
saved from destruction, because Jesus is in 
it. Roused by the prayers, the earnest cry 
of his servants, he rebuked the winds and 
waves before they quite engulfed it. 



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A PERSECUTED CHURCH 



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I 

A PERSECUTED CHXJRCH 



FOUNDATION OF THE NESTORIAN CHURCH 
UNDER THE PARTHIANS (SO-235 A.D.) 

TIMOTHY I., ■ the Patriarch of the Nesto- 
arins, who wrote at the end of the eighth 
century, states that the Magi had introduced 
the Christian religion among them, by pro- 
claiming the message of the Gospel throughout 
the Persian Empire, after their return from 
that holy pilgrimage, and that Christianity 
was established among them about twenty 
years after the Ascension of oior Lord. At 
about So A.D. tbe missi(»iaries' activity 
among the flourishing Jewish community at 
Babylon is well known from the Jerusalem 



uii, iv., p. 3. Laboort, Le Chriitiamsme dans 
t'Empire Perse, p. 10. 



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32 The Death of a Nation 

Talmud, where it is stated that Khanaiii of 
Capernaum was sent by his uncle Joshua 
to Babylon to counteract their influence.* 
Probably the Chnscian movement in these 
regions was started by the Parthians, Medes, 
Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, 
who were in Jerusalem on the day of Pen- 
tecost and saw that great miracle mentioned 
in the Acts of the Apostles. * It has com- 
monly been held by the Assyrian Qiristiana 
that St. Peter wrote his First Epistle from 
the real and not from the figurative Babylon 
(i Peter 5, 13). 



EDESSA THE STARTING POINT' 

It is believed by the Assyrian Ouistians 
that Christianity was planted in Edessa in the 
first century,* by Addai or Thaddeus (who 

■ A.ssemani, iv., pp. 7, 435 f. Graetz, BitMre des 
Juifs, iii, p. 51. 

■ Assemani, iv., p. 7. Acta a., 9. 

9 Assemani, !., pp. 387-^0. Duval, Bistoire d'Edesse. 

*Cureton, Ancient Syriae DociimenU, p. I f. Doctrint 

of Addai, p. 5. Compare Labourt, [^. 10, 18. Wiktwh, 



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A Persecuted Church 33 

IS variously considered as either the Apostle 
Thaddeus or cme of the "seventy"), who had 
been commissioned to go there, in response to 
a letter from King Abgar to our Lord. This 
legend, as contained in the book called the 
Doctrine of Addai,' is as follows: Abgar 
Ukama or Abgar the Black, one of the kings 
of the native dynasty, who died in 50 A.D., 
sent an embassy to Sabinus, the deputy of 
the Emperor Tiberius in Palestine. The em- 
bassy ccmsisted of the nobles Mariyable and 
Shamshagram, with a scribe called Hannan. 
On thdr way home they stayed in Jerusalem 
ten days, where they saw and heard Jesus. 
Hamum wrote down everything which he 
saw tiiat Jesus did. So they returned to 
King Abgar. When Abgar heard he wished 
to go himself to Palestine, but was afraid 

p. aS. Burkitt, Easltm Christianity, pp. lo f. Duval, 
Bisl«ire d'Bdttst, 1893. 

' Doctrine ef Addai, p. at Cureton.pp. 10-23. Sources 
Syriajiies, t. i., Mshikha Zkha, ed. Mingana. Mshikha 
Zkha was ■ scholar of the Coll^re of Niabin, and the 
author ot an ecclesiastical history, nhidi be compiled 
•bout the sixth century, from the works of the earlier 
fniten. Dktionnaire d' Arehiologia Chr&iatne, i, pp. 87-98. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



34 The Death of a Nation 

to pass through the Roman dotninions. 
He therefore sent a letter to Jesus by Hatman 
the scribe: 

"Abgar Ukama, Amir of the country, to 
Jesus, the good Deliverer, who has appeared 
in Jerasalem, Peace. I have beard of thee 
and of the cures wrought by thy hands, 
without any medicine or herbs; for it is re- 
ported that thou makest the blind to see, the 
lame to walk; thou cleansest the l^)ers, cast- 
est out unclean spirits and demons; thou 
healest those who are tc^mented with chronic 
diseases and raisest the dead. 

"And when I heard these thti^ about 
thee, I settled in my mind one of two things; 
either thou art God, come down from heaven, 
or the son of God. I request of thee that 
thou wouldest trouble thyself to come to me, 
and cure the disease which t have. I have 
also heard that the Jews murmur against 
thee, and wish to do thee harm . But I have 
a city, small and beautiful, which is enough 
for both of us." 

When Jesus received the letter, he replied 



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A Persecuted Church 35 

to Hannan the scribe: "Go and say to thy 
lord that sent thee tmto me, Blessed art 
thou, that believest in me, though thou hast 
not seen me ; for it is written of me that they 
which see me will not believe in me, and 
they which see me not, they will believe and 
be saved. Now touching what thou hast 
written to me, that I should come imto thee 
— it is meet that I shall fulfil that for which 
I was sent hither, and I shall go up imto my 
Father that sent me; and when I shall have 
gone up unto Him, I will send thee one of my 
disciples, that whatever disease thou hast 
he may heal. And all that are with thee he 
shall bring to life etemal, and thy town shall 
be blessed." 

This famous letter of Christ to Abgar 
seems to have been translated very early 
into Greek, and incorporated by Eusebius 
into his Ecclesiastical History.' It is con- 
tained in some fragments of Greek papjmis, 
owned by the Bodleian, dating from the 

■ Eusebius, Eccltsiastical History, i., p. 43. Assenuuii, 
iv., p. a. 



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36 The Death of a Nation 

fourth OT fifth century. In 1901 a lintel was 
discovered at Ephesus with the letter of 
Abgar to Christ and that of Christ to 
Abgar inscribed on it in the characters 
ahnost contemporary with Eusebius himself 
(fourth century). Providence in the story 
of Abgar both shows the need and fills the 
desire, like the master musician who presses 
two keys on a piano as he chooses, and makes 
them respond in a chord. After the Ascen- 
sion, Add^ (the Apostle Thaddeus) came to 
Edessa, healed Abgar, and christianized him 
and his people.^ 

Thus, Edessa is the traditional starting 
point and the center of the early Christian 
life and literature. From the end of the 
second century on, it was the center of very 
active missions and a "nursing" mother to 
the national Churches of Persia and Armenia. 
Edessa was the capital of a small kingdom 
east of the Euphrates, the district of Osrhoene 
or Orrhoene, from which comes the modern 
name Urhai or Urfa for the town, which in 
., pp. 9-15. 



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A Persecuted Church 37 

^le^ible is known as "Ur of the Chaldees." 
It had belonged to the Sdeudd kings of 
Antioch, but as that region was divided 
between the Romans and the Parthians, 
and Edessa lay on the frontier, its history- 
followed the usual fortunes of a border state. 
"Until the end d the second century of our era 
Edessa was within the Parthian suzerainty. 
In the August of 1 1 6, however, it was stormed 
and sacked by the Roman general Lucius 
Quietus; and in 216, or ten years before the 
fall of the Parthian monarchy, the Romans 
took po8sessi(»i of Edessa and it became their 
colony." y 

m 

laSSION OF MASI 

The ancient traditions of the Assyrian 
Christians declare that Man,' the disciple 
of Addai (Thaddeus), was sent by his fellow 

* GibboOt I., pp. 307 f. 

•Ada S. Maris, di. viii., ed. Abbeloos. Assemani. 
iv., M>. 17, i«. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



38 The Death of a Nation 

workers at Edessa to Seleuda as a nussioD- 
ai7; he wrote back to them, "this land is 
like the soil full of thorns and thistles, a land 
of hills and mountains; its inhabitants are 
worthless heathen, I am not able to do any 
good; now, if you say so, I shall return to 
you or go elsewhere." His fellow-Christians, 
being very anxious for the salvation of Sel- 
eucia, wrote to him thus: "Thou art not 
allowed to leave the field, but shalt have to 
climb those hills and mountains, and till and 
sow them that they bring fruit for an offering 
unto the Lord." So he did, and his efforts 
were crowned with success. He worked also 
in Adiabene and the Aramean province, but 
chiefly in Khuzistan. 

"The most fertile fields for the seed of the 
K ingdom have been those previously the 
most barren of good, or desperately fruitful 
of evil. The tenacity with which men cling 
to error is a pledge of their tenacity to Chris- 
tianity when converted. The more fanatic 
non-Christian people become more enthu- 
uastic Christians." Natural impossibilities 



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A Persecuted Chxirch 39 

can never be pleaded in view of the commis- 
sion, "Go ye into all the world." 

A writer in the reign of Marcus Aurelius 
(161-180 A.D.) notices the spread of Christian- 
ity in Parthia, Media, Persia, and Bactria, 
steadily increasing among all ranks. 

Ahd-Mshikha' of Arbil (190-225) was 
the last Bishop imder the rule of the Arsacid 
kings of Parthia. At this time the Oiurch ex- 
tended from the Kurdistan Mountains to the 
Persian Gulf, and was governed by twenty- 
five bishops, whose sees were distributed 
throughout the country named. Mshikha- 
Zkha, a writer of the sixth century, gives us 
the names of seventeen of these sees. 

Amobius the African, who wrote in the 
third centmy, mentions the Seres as among 
the Oriental nations who had embraced 
Christianity, and Mosheim regarded these as 
Chinese.* The Church among the pagans 
advanced rapidly. The oi.d faiths were 



■ Sources Syriaqua, L, p. 27, ed. Mingana. 
•Moshom, Ecdesiattical Hilary, p. 97. 
., p. 18. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



40 The Death of a Nation 

outgrown, the very force which devdoped 
them provided for their decay. Hence it 
was that they turned so readily to the new 
light of Christianity, and embraced it with 
startlii^ readiness.^ 



THB CHUKCH UNDER THE SASSANIAN KINGS 
(225-651) 

In 225 the rule of the Parthians gave way to 
that of the Sassanians;' the Arsadd dynasty 
was replaced by the House of Sassan, whose 
founder, Ardashir I., was called in Pahlavi, 
Malkan Malka or Shahinshah, Kong td Kings, 
who wrested the scepter from Ardaban. 

Christianity at this time was widely spread 
and well organized in Persia ; on that ground 
the Sassanian rulers had to recognize its 
legal right to be tolerated, provided that the 
missionaries' activities should be confined 
to their own people, and that any con- 

■Tf^gmm, rb Assyrian Clmrck, p. 33. 
■ Wigmm, p. 37. Labourt, p. 15. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



A Persecuted Church 41 

version from Zcn'oastrianism to Christianity 
should be punishable with death. But as 
it is not in the nature of Christianity to 
be restricted and limited, here also it could 
win converts from the strongest and the 
most prominent Zoroastrians, who became 
churchmen of the most saintly character. 
The fertile soil of Prai^a, that had raised 
vigorous weeds, now grew robust Christians. 
Even the marred and hostile dements were 
made tributary to the final triimiph (tf 
Christianity. The worst people without 
Christ become best with him. 

It was about this time that the eloquent 
Bishop o( Beth Zabdai preached so vivid a 
sermon in Seleuda,' that it almost pro- 
duced a general persecution. He called on his 
hearers not to envy the Shahinshah, for in 
the days to come he would be burning in fire, 
but they would be victorious. It was very 
stimulating to them, but the King was gen- 
uinely lightened to think the fire he wor- 
shiped would turn into bell, and consume his 

' Ingram, p. 43 f. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



43 The Death of a Nation 

"divine person." With great difficultythe 
enraged King was quieted and the persecu- 
tion averted. 



TBE EPISCOPATE OF PAPA 

In the end of the third century, Papa* 
was consecrated as Bishop of the capital, 
Seleucia. He organized the episcopate of the 
Eastern Church. It was here that the re- 
action came. He attempted to unite all 
the Christians in Persia under the leadership 
of the royal city, Seleucia, in other words, 
claiming supremacy in right of his position 
as Bishop of the capital. 

His project raised bitter opposition, and 
the first council in the history of the Church 
of the East met at Seleucia about 315 to 
investigate the matter. Feeling ran very 
high when the council met; the opponents 
accused Papa of disgraceful morals,' intol- 

■ Labourt, p. 30. W^ram, p. 45. 

■ BaifaebrEBUs, Chron. Eccles., iii., p. 30. 



*i=dbvGoogIe 



A Persecuted Church 43 

erable arrogance,' and of little respect for 
ecclesiastical orders,' fen* he had ordained 
two bishops to one see.> Papa grew indig- 
nant and refused to submit to the authority 
of the council. Bishop Miles of Tehran, a 
Zoroastrian by birth, who was presiding, 
put the Gospel in the center, and said: "If 
you wUl not be judged by man, be judged by 
the Gospel of our Lord which says, 'He that 
is chief among you, let him be a servant. ' " 
Papa was not able to answer, and seized 
with furious rage, he strudc tiie book with 
his hand, ^daiming: "Then speak, Go^>el, 
speak! why are you silent at this injustice." 
The council was shocked at such sacrilege; 
Miles ran and took the Gospel, kissed it, 

'"Asstmftni, Ada itiUt, M. O., p. 73. 

■ The Nestorian Chuich has cine orders of minlstiy, 
ooneqtondiog to the sine orders of angels in three hier- 
archies, each including three subdivistona, thus: (i) Sera- 
phim ■•Patriarchs, Cherubim, — Metropolitans, Thrones 
— Bpiscopj; (a) Dominations— Archdeacons, Principali- 
ties— Chorepiscopy, Powers— Priests; (3) \^rtues— Dea- 
cons, Archangels —Subdeacons, Angels •• Readers. The 
Book <4 the Bee, ed. Vohannan, p. 57. 

» Mail, p. 7. Assema ni , iv., pp. 49-51. Vngnun, p. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



44 The Death of a Nation 

and put it upon his eyes, but the fury of 
aged Papa then overcame him — ^he was struck 
with paralysis,* which was taken as a 
judgment from Heaven. His condemnaticm 
immediately followed as a matter of course. 
He was deposed from his rank, 'and his arch- 
deacon, ^liman Bar Sabba'i, was consecrated 
in his room. 



THB CRBAT PERSECUTION OP SHAPUR U., 

2UIAKTAF (339-379) 

Christianity liad already extended its 
influence far eastward; in 334 bishops were 
settled at Tus and Mashad, and Barsabha 
became Bishop of Merv in Khurasan, for 
fifteen years. But the mis^on work was 
interrupted by the terrible persecution c4 
Shapur, which b^an in 339 and lasted forty 
years.' 

■ Ada it S. 3iikt, M. O. p. 73. Bedjaa, fi., p. 366. 
iv., pp. 49-51. Wigram, p. 5». 
Acta de S. Miles, M. O., p. 73. ^^gnm, p. 53. 
1., p. 16. 



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From Marliham, History of Persia 



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by Google 



A Persecuted Church 45 

As long as the Roman Empire was pagan, 
the Persian Chtux^ was tolerated, but with 
the Clmstianizati(m of the Emperor himself 
and his empire, things were changed. Chris- 
tiat^ in Persia were locd^d upon by the 
Zoroastiians as political suspects and as 
sjrmpathizers with their co-religionists in 
Rome. The suspicion became their death- 
warrant. 

Thus, when Shapur returned from the war 
with Rome, sore at his humiliating defeat, 
he turned furiously upon Christians, declar- 
ing: "At least we will make these Roman 
sympatiiizers pay." 

A firman was issued reqiairing the Chris- 
tians to pay exorbitant taxes, as a contribu- 
tion to the cost of a war in which they were 
taldngnopart, theMarShimtm BarSabba'i, 
Catholicos, being ordered to collect the same. 
He ref jised to obey the order, ' on the double 
ground that his people were poor, and that 
tax-collecting was no part of a Bishop's 

■ Assemani, M. 0.. p. 30. Lsbourt, p. 46. Wignun, 
p. 63. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



46 The Death of a Nation 

business. On this it was easy to raise the 
cry, "he is a tiaitor and wishes to rebel"; 
a second firman was issued, ordering the 
arrest and death o£ the clergy and the general 
destruction of all the Christian churches. 
Finally another jSrman was given, command- 
ing that all Christians should be imprisoned 
and executed. Tlie persecution lasted forty 
years, during which period men of all ranks 
suffered martyrdom, among them oflBcers of 
the King who had embraced Christianity. 

The firman contained the following accu- 
sations: "The Christians teach men to serve 
only one God and not to honor the sun or 
fire, to defile water by their ablutions, to 
refrain from marriage and the procreation of 
children, and to refuse to go to war with the 
King. They have no scruple about the 
slaughter and eating of the animals. They 
bury their dead in the earth; and attribute 
the origin of the light and darlmess, and of 
snakes and creeping things to a good God." 

Shapur offered freedom, both for Mar Shi- 
mim and his people, if he would consent to 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



A Persecuted Church 47 

adore the sun but once; on his refusal the 
order of execution was given. 

The flock of Bar Sabba'i, five tnshc^ and 
Eibout one hundred dergy, were gathered 
together to liear his last w<x^ and to receive 
his solemn blesang. "May the Cross of 
our Lord be the protecticm of the people of 
Jesus; the peace of God be with the servants 
of God, and establish your hearts in the 
faith of Christ, in tribtdation and in ease, in 
life and in death, now and for evermore."' 
Th^ sealed their testimony on the morning 
of Good Friday, 339 aj). The scene took 
place outside Karka of Lapat or Susa, where 
the persecution in this case began, but it soon 
spread into most of the Christian centers of 
the kingdom. 

Wigram says: "The ascetics were as much 
the object of persecution as were the clergy; 
the ZoFOastrians regarded the ceUbate life 
with horror. Nuns were commonly oflEered 
their lives if they would consent to marry; 

■ Bedjan, ii., 154. Assenmni, i., p. 613, Wignun, p. 



3,q,l,i.:dbvG00gIe 



48 The Death of a Nation 

Martha, as usual, was offered freedom, by 
the Mobed who tried her, if she would con- 
sent to many. She explained that she was 
scHTy, but that she was betrothed to Jesus, 
and enjc^ed the confusion of the Mobed," 
who asl^ after the family and village of the 
supposed bridegroom, and declared that he 
would send for him. Later the fearless girl 
indulged in some similar parley with the 
executioner. The martyrs were glad at the 
scaffold, because they were gcnng home. 

"Yazdun-dodit, a noble lady, cared for 
(me htmdred and twenty ccmfessors d Se- 
leuda, during their imprisonment, and only 
revealed to them the fact that the day 
of their 'release' had come, by the final gift 
of white raiment that she made to each of 
them, and the prayer that they would inter- 
cede for lier before the throne. The bodies 
of martyrs were as a rule surrendered to their 
friends, and the lady was allowed to complete 
her pious task by the burial of these bodies 
in the great martyrium. 

■Zmoastrian priest. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



A Persecuted Church 49 

"On OTie occasion the friends of a martyr 
having worn the costumes of the Magi, 
applied to the guards, saying, the governor 
has ordered us to look after the remains of 
James, lest you sell it to the Oiristians, so 
they took away the body and entombed it 
in a magnificent martyrium. 

"On another occasicm, when the right of 
burial was refused and the bodies left by 
the roadside, panic was spread among the 
Magi, and triumph among the Christians, 
by a mysterious light that hovered above 
the corpses. It was, of course, some kind of 
phosphorescence, but was universally re- 
garded as a proof that these were holy men 
that had been dcme to death; and the bodies 
were interred with all h<mor." 

Up to the very end of his life Shapur con- 
tinued to persecute relentlessly; and it is 
only natural that, as the persecution goes 
on, a bitter and resentful tone should creep 
into the minds of the sufferers, and should 
find expression in sayings like, "You accursed 
King," or, " I wiU not worship fire, but you 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



50 The Death of a Nation 

will be burning forever in it seme day"; these 
are to be regretted, though one cannot wonder 
that a generation of suffering should have 
produced them. A man in a fuiy is apt to 
be off his guard. 

In the forty years of persecution, sixteen 
thousand Christians suffered martyrdom 
whose names were known, and an immense 
nimiber of imrecorded sufferers, but the 
severest persecuticois were endured with joy. 
The spirit was always ready but the flesh 
was weak. 

The long-Uved ^lapur also died at last, 
August 19, 379 A.D., after a ragn of seventy 
years, de^>airing of destroying Christianity.' 
The persecution practically died with him. 
The worst of the storm was past, and the 
Church which had endured such a severe 
trial could rest a while, recoup her energies, 
and repair her organizations. 

The persecution, like war, famine, or any 
other disaster, made no permanent imprea- 
sion at all; the moment the external pressure 

■ Tabftri, ed. NAlddEe, pp. 410, 411, n. I. 



DiqiiiicdbvGoogle 



A Persecuted Church 51 

was removed the work was resumed. This 
submisdon to the decrees c^ Providence, 
even when they are not beneficial, has always 
been the keynote of the oriental mind. 

"Persecutions with explosive violence 
drove disciples from their original home, to 
the very bounds of the Orient. The Church 
was shattered that it might be scattered and 
the fragments were fotmd in Africa, Arabia, 
Persia, India, and China. And so persecu- 
tions became the parent c^ early Christian 
missions — strange parentage! Out of the 
eater came forth meat!" 

The martjTS stood fast in the face of death, 
and refused to take their view of life from 
its immediate circumstances. Anaxarchus 
crying out while being beaten to death. 
"Beat on at the case of Anaxarchus; no 
stroke falls on Anaxarchus himself," was 
undoubtedly a disciple of the wider vision. 
These early Eastern Christians, dreaming of 
things to come, reused, in the name of the 
soul within them, to estimate life, with all its 
wealth and happiness, in tenr^ of the visible 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



52 The Death of a Nation 

and temporal. They convinced themsdves 
of the good purpose in what appeared sheer 
cruelty, and were enabled to endure any 
amount of pain. They were willing to spend 
and be spent for Christ. 

They were in the war but carried a charm 
about them. Their comfort was not the 
kind yielded by padding. It flowed from 
the action of the loftiest spiritual energy. 
Surely, in such a world, theirs is a secret 
worth knowing. 



BEORGANIZATION OF PEKSIAN CHCKCH 
(379-399) 

This long period of persecution had left 
the Church of Persia in a most shattered and 
disorganized condition, and almost without 
any clergy. 

A considerable number of cleigy were 
ordained. Bishop Tamuza urged the yotmg 
people to marry and recoup the loss. Such 
an experience was repeated in certain parts 
of Armenia after the massacre cd 1896; the 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



A Persecuted Church 53 

advice was found to be sound and successful 
under the circumstances. 

In recommending such marriage, bishops 
had to guard against the incestuous unions 
of Magianism which, due to the influence of 
Christianity, became a thing of the past. 



CHURCH DURING THE REIGN OF YAZDIGIRO I. 
(399-420) 

Yazdigird in the early part of his reign 
stood by the Christians; Magians pelt him 
with epithets as "apostate," "the wicked," 
"the persecutor of Magi," "the friend of 
Rome and of Christians." But in spite of 
all this opposition, he continued to show 
favor to his Qiristian subjects. 

When Yazdigird fdl sick, and the Zoro- 
astrian physicians were unable to cure him, 
he sent to the Roman Emperor for a ddlful 
doctor. The Emperor sent Marutha of 
Mdpherqat, who was a bishop as well as 
phyadan.* 

i, iii., p. 366. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



54 The Death of a Nation 

Yazdigird showed such honor to Marutha, 
that the Magians began to fear the conversioii 
of their King, who was no strict Zoroastrian, 
and devised various ways and means to 
prevent it, and to prove to the King that the 
fire was angry at his attitude towards Chris- 
tians. When Yazdigird was at one trf the 
services in a fire temple, a voice was heard 
from the midst of the fire,' "Turn out that 
apostate." Yazdigird was fairly fri^tened 
and hurried away from the temple ; he thought 
of sending Marutha away. But Marutha 
assured him that it was fraud and advised 
him to search the groimd next time he heard 
the voice, which he did, and succeeded in 
finding a man concealed in a place in the 



The loss of the physicians in the massacre, like the man 
who cut off the brandi on which he was standing, was pain- 
fully felt by the enemies; as it happened in the present 
massacre in Persia. In their ignorance and frenaied blood- 
lust they destroyed those whose life was invaluable for the 
existence of themselves and their community. The influ- 
ence of the Christian physicians in the East is ^milai to 
that d the miracles of old. 

< But. Eccks., vii., p. 9, Wignm, pp. 88, 89. La- 
bourt, pp. 89, 9a 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



A Persecuted Church 55 

grotand under the fire, and trying to utter 
supernatural messages. Many Zoroastrians 
were put to death, and Marutha was greatly 
hmored. 



FBBSECUnON OF YAZDIGIBD 

As martyrdom had ceased for a while, 
Christians made energetic efforts to preach 
the Gospel freely; and their efforts were 
crowned by the large number of converts 
frcnn the Zoroastrians. Many high func- 
tionaries' of the state and members of the 
noble families of Persia had embraced 
Christianity. The alarmed Magian hier- 
archy soon attempted to check this whole- 
sale apostasy by drastic means. 

The "King was really moved by the state 
of things; so far he had protected the Quis- 
tians from the attacks of their enemies, but 
now he had to give way to the demand of 
the great corporatiMi of the Magians. 

■AssemanI, MaHyr. Orient., i., p. 334. Bedjan, iv., 
pp. 253-363. 



Jm,l,z.:d=,G00gIe 



56 The Death of a Nation 

In addition to the apostasy, the 6nniiess 
with which some Christians held their pecu- 
Uar rights provoked the King to go back on 
his promise of protection. As an illixstration 
— "one Narsai' of Beth Razqayi, cm* Tehran, 
was a friend of the priest called Sapor. This 
priest had converted a nobleman whose 
name was Aderperwa, who built a church for 
Sapor, and gave him a regular deed of gift 
for it to be his legal property. The case 
was brought before the King. Yazdigird 
permitted Aderbozi, a Mobed, to use such 
means as in his opinion would be effective 
in gaining back the Zoroastrian nobles that 
had been converted to Christianity. He 
succeeded in reconverting Aderperwa, and 
the latter demanded the restoration of the 
church. Sapor fled by the advice of Narsai. 
The Mobed took possession of the building 
and turned it into a fire-temple. Shortly 
after, Narsai, ignorant of what had taken 
place, entered the chiu-ch, and was surprised 

■ Hoffman, AuaSte, p. 36. BedjaOt iv., pp. 170-181. 
Labourt, p. 115. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



A Persecuted Chiirch 57 

to find the sacred fire btinung in it. He ex- 
tinguished the fire, an act of sacrilege for 
which he was beaten, arrested, and taken to 
the Mobed at Seleuda for trial. The Mobed 
was anxious to release the prisoner, if he 
would simply rekindle the fire. Narsai de- 
clared himself unable to do so, and declined 
to purchase his own release by such an act 
of apostasy, consequently he was imprisoned. 
At a second trial, it was decided that he 
should collect fire from 365 places and put it 
in the temple; agaiin he declined to comply, 
therefore he was put to death. The execu- 
tioner was a renegade Christian, who hesi- 
tated to act till the martyr bade him ' strike,' 
for it should not be imputed to him." 



FERSECUnON OF BAHBAM V., GUK 

In 420 Yazdigird met his death from the 
kick of a horse, probably in Khurasan,' 
and Bahram V.,* his son, succeeded him, 

■ Tabui, p. 71. a. i. ■ Tabari, p. 90, a. t. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



5S The Death of a Nation 

and continued the horrible persecuticm with 
great ferocity and torturous executions. But 
it showed the true and divinest mettle of the 
confessors. 

St. James "the dismembered,"' a digni- 
tary in the Persian court, denied his Chris- 
tianity to please the King. When he went 
home his mother and wife refused to recognize 
him and turned away from him in disgust. 
Through this attitude, James realized his 
laxity of conduct painfully. "If my mother 
and my wife treat me in this manner, how 
terrible it must be when I appear before the 
supreme Judge," he said; and he presented 
himself again before the King, declaring that 
his denial was null and void, and that he was 
a Christian. The executioners, by the order 
of the enraged monarch, cut off his limbs 
one by one, hence his epithet "the dismem- 
bered." 

A similar case was that of one Piruz of 
Beth Lapat, which took place in September 
of the same year. 

■Labonrt, p. tts. 



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A Persecuted Church 59 

This persecution of four years' duration 
was as cruel as any that this Chuxch has 
ever been called upon to face. 



THE FATRUSCHATE OF DADISHO AND HIS 
COUNCIL C42 1-456) 

The continuous misfortunes had a baleful 
influence on the life of the Persian Church. 
Now that the storm of the persecution had 
left it in ruins, it was of great importance to 
reconstruct out of its debris a Church of an 
independent and self-governing character. 
Accordingly, a council was called, in Mar- 
kabta of Tayyayi,* a town of the Arabs. 
Thirty-six bishops were present, headed by 
their metropolitans. Among the pontiffs, 
several had come from Merv, Herat, Isfahan, 
and Oman. 

The details of the proceedings are too 
many to be mentioned here; the council 
ended with definite proclamation of the 

■ Syn. Orient., p. 676. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



6o The Death of a Nation 

autonomy of the Church of Ver^, and its 
absolute independence of the "Western 
Fathers,"' which process led to iirecon- 
cilable schism between the Churches of the 
East and West. 

The decision of this council is fundament- 
ally justified on the following grounds. For ' 
almost two hundred years now, they had 
been always under the shadow of persecu- 
tions, and the persecutions had never been 
separate from the feeling " Rome is Christian, 
therefore, no Christian in Persia can be 
loyal." TTie Westernization always spelled 
persecution in the East. A Persian war 
with Rome and a persecution of the Persian 
Christians had usually gone hand in hand; 
it made little difference to the persecuted, 
which caused which. It is true, the Ro- 
. mans would put an end to the persecution 
in Persia by force, sometimes, but this course 
always provoked the Persian state to further 
acts of violence. * Weary of suffering, finally 

■ Syn. Orient., pp. 5i-»96. 

■ ka iUustiatioii of this may be seen in the ftwt that 



:!m,l,i.:db,G00gIe 



A Persecuted Church 6i 

they cut themselves off from the Western 
Church; and showed that they had no rela- 
tion to the Christian Romans, and need not 
be persecuted whenever the Emperor and 
the Shahinshah had a quarrel. In so doii^ 
they destroyed the deep-rooted prejudice 
that cost dear to their co-reUgionists. 

This spirit of independence contained the 
germ of that deplorable division, which 
was connected with the everlasting Chris- 
tological controversy between Cyril and Nes- 
torius, and between the Dyophysites and the 
Monophysites, for which they paid a heavy 
penalty. 

xn 

TRIUMEH OF THE NESTORIAN CHURCH' 

The new state gave birth to new acts. 
Barsoma," the great advocate of Nestorian- 
ism, and particular favorite with King Piroz, 
became Archbishop of Nisibin, third see in 

the sympathy of the European or Western states with 
the Eastern Christians caused or occasioned the massacres 
that are going on now in Persia and Turkey. 
' Assemani, i., p. 351, and iii., p. 393- 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



62 The Death of a Nation 

the Church. He held a council at Beth 
Lapat in 484, And issued a confession of faith. 
He forced on the bishops a canon allowing 
Episccq^al marriage.' And, finally, the 
closing of the famous school of Edessa by 
order of Zeno the Emperor in 489* affcn-ded 
Barsoma a splendid opportunity to achieve 
a most important work for the Church of 
the East. Ife set up a great school at Nisi- 
bin,* which was to supply the Church with 
patriarchs and bishops for future generations, 
and be a channel for the conveyance of the 
Eastern culture into medieval Europe. 

As the result of these acts "Nestorianism" 
^read over all Persia; and hereafter the 
histoiy of Persia included its history. 

The Church was growing with singular 
rapidity in the East, where sixty-six bishoprics 
had ah-eady been established; among them 
are mentioned those of R^stan, Tehran, 
Isfahan, Herat, Merv, Khurasan. 

Such a peaceful period, however, in the 

' Laboort, p. 135. ■ Labourt, p. 140. 

■ L^Murt, p. 141. Moc^e, The Theological School at 
Itittbia. 



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A Persecuted Church 63 

activity of the Church did not last. Yazdi- 
gird II. furiously persecuted botii Syrians 
and Aimeniaas. On August 34, 446 aj}., a 
general massacre took place; 153,000 [!] clergy 
and ten bishops, and John, Metropolitan 
of Karka d'Betii Sluk, were martyred on a 
mound outside the city of Karka. Local 
tradition still asserts that the red gravel o£ 
the hUIock was stained that color by the 
martyrs' blood, and the martyrium built 
over the bodies remains to this day. ' 

Among the martyrs of the following day, 
August 25th, were the woman Sbirin and 
her two sons.' As he was conducting the 
massacre, Tohm Yazdigird, totiched by their 
courageous attitude at the time of their mar- 
tyrdom, which he attributed to their faith 
in God, confessed Jesus Christ and was 
"baptized in his own blood," on September 
25, 446. The memorial church that stands 
tibere still, bears the name ai Tohm Yazdigird 



> Bedjan, ii., pp. 310-531. Wigram, p. 138. Labotut, 
p. "7. 

■ \ngnun, p. 139. Labourt, p. 137. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



64 The Death of a Nation 

or Tamasgird. After the persecutions, a 
solemn annnal memorial of those who per- 
ished there was decreed. The Christians 
of that place still gather year by year to 
commemorate the event, on the 25th day of 
September.' 

The details of these persecutions as well 
as those that occurred in Annenia, recorded 
by Sozomen, Theodoret, Socrates, and EUsha, 
in their ecclesiastical histories, are of thrilling 
interest. 

PATRIARCH UAR ABHA, ANXJSHIRWAN AND 
OTHER PRO-CHRISTIAN KINGS 

Mar Abha, the Great, was bom in a 
Zoroastrian family, a man of great talent and 
versatility and a scholar in Greek and Syriac ; 
he held the office of the secretary in the 
province of Beth Aramayi. His conversioo 
to Christianity was due to circumstances 
entirely unforeseai. On one occasion Mar 

■ Bedjan, ii., p. 531. Mshikha Zkha, p. 147. 



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A Persecuted Church 65 

Abha coxlered Joseph, a monk, out, and his 
baggage removed. Twice they attempted 
to cross the river and twice the craft was 
driven back by the fury of a stormy 
wind, which subsided only when Joseph was 
admitted into the ferry-boat. Mar Abha 
implored pardon frcnn Joseph. The latter 
replied, "A disdple of Jesus Christ must 
guard against any ill-will." Struck by such 
gentle spirit, Mar Abha decided to become a 
Christian, and in spite of the urgent entreat- 
ies of bis hierarchical superiors, he relin- 
quished his official career and was baptized. ' '_ 

He entered the college at Nisibin to spend 
some time in preliminary study;* here he 
distinguished Tiimgplf as an eminent scholar. 

He was conscious that his consecration as 
Patriarch, which took place in 540, would 
expose him, as an apostate Zoroastrian, to 
bitter persecution and in aU probability 
would cost his life, but he took no count 

'Mari, p. 43. 'Amr, p. 33. Labomt, p. 164. Vi- 
gram, p. 184. Assemam, iv., p. 75. 
ani, hf ., p. 95. . 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



66 The Death of a Nation 

of danger, and immediately became engaged 
in the work of organization and reform;' 
this aroused the jealousy of the Mobeds, 
who caused his arrest and accused him as an 
apostate, whose punishment was death. 

Chosroes I. or Anushirwan heard the case, 
and called on the Patriarch for his answer. 
"I am a Christian," he said. "I preach my 
own faith, and I want everybody to join it; 
but of his own free will, and not of compul- 
aon." "And, if you would but hear him, 
sire, you would join us and we would wel- 
come you," cried a voice from the crowd. 
It was a Christian in the King's service. 
The infuriated Mobeds demanded the death 
of the man. The King, however, not wish- 
ing to lose a good servant, sent him away 
on some business of his own. But about 
the Patriarch he was in great diflBculty. 
Anushirwan wished not to condemn him; 
both because of his respect for his lofty char- 
acter, and because the Christians were 
powerful enough to make trouble, the King 
1, p. 191. 



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A Persecuted Church 67 

hesitated to offend them; on the other hand, 
he was also seeking not to offend the Mo- 
beds and their established hierarchy, as the 
law in this case was on their side. 

On one occasion the King told him frankly 
that, as a renegade, he was liable to be put to 
death. "But you shall go free if you will 
stop receiving converts, admit those married 
by Magian law to communion, and allow 
your people to eat Magian sacrifices." The 
Patriarch could not accept the terms, £md 
the King, annoyed at his attitude, ordered 
him to prison for a time, then banished him 
to Azerbaijan.' But he escaped and re- 
turned to his work again. 

In the autumn of 551, Anushirwan sent 
him to the disturbed district of Khuzistan, 
to warn the Christians there not to join the 
rebellion which his son Nushizad had stirred 
up against him. Worn out by his toilsome 
hfe, Mar Abha fell ill, on his return to Seleu- 
cia; the King sent his own [^ysician to tend 
him, but hardship and imprisonment had 

' Wigram, p. 203. Assemani, iii., p. 408. 



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68 The Death of a Nation 

done their work, and Mar Abha the Great 
passed to his reward on February 29, 553. 

Of the reign of Anushirwan, an interesting 
incident is related. " His queen was a 
beautiful Christian lady whom no persuasion 
could prevail upon to forsake her faith. 
The heir-apparent, Nushizad, was a sincere 
Christian, having imbibed the faith from 
his mother.' His love for Christianity 
and contempt for Magianism provoked his 
father, who threw him into priscm. After 
his father's death Nushizad escaped and 
rose in revolt. He was slain in battle; his 
last request was that his body should be 
sent to his mother, that he might have a 
Christian burial." 

Cosmas,' a Christian merchant and trav- 
eler, who wrote about 535, says: "Among 
the Bactrians, Huns, Persians, Persarme- 
nians, Elamites and in the whole cotmtry of 

' Wigram, p. 307. 

* Coamas Indicopleustes, Topograpkia Christiana, iv., p. 
93. Gibbon, chap, slvii., n. ii6. Moshdm, Hist. Tart. 
Becks., pp. 8, 9. Layard, i., p. 205, new ed. Aastimani, 
I.. PP- 335-353. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



The Nestoriaa Tablet 

Comics/ of Dr. Prita V. Holm 



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by Google 



A Persecuted Church 69 

Persia, the churches and the bishops are 
without number, and the Christian popula- 
tion very numerous. 

In this century, Christianity had been pro- 
pagated in the East so extensively that the 
Nestorian paMarchs sent metrc^Utans as 
far as China, which implies the existence o£ 
bish(^s, priests, and churches, and that 
Christianity had been established in that 
countiy for a long time. 



THE NESTORIAN TABLET 

The famous Nestorian Tablet' — a marble 
monument, the authenticity of which could 
not be impeached, discovered at Sianfu, 

' Layard, i., p. 305, new ed. DUerbekit, BiM. Orien- 
tak, ii., pp. 356, 257, and iv., pp. 53*-553' Arnold, 
Preaching of Islam, p. 346. Mosheim, p. 339. Gibbon, 
ch. zlvii. L^^, tfestcrian Monument, p. 50. A replica 
of the moimnieiit, which was made by the undaunted 
efforts of Dr. Frits Hobn of Denmark, is for the present 
in the MetropoUtan Musetim of Art, in New York CSty; 
he did a graceful service that bears a silent testimony to 
the forgotten wcn'ks of the Nestorian missionaries in the 
Par Bast. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



70 The Death of a Nation 

China, in the seventeenth century — contains 
the oldest Christian inscription yet found 
in Eastern Ama, and so far is the only known 
vestige in China itself of a once prosper- 
ous Mission. The sixty-seven Nestorian 
missionaries whose names and labors are 
recorded on this tablet must have been 
residents in some pcotion of China at a 
much earlier date than that named upon the 
tablet, for the eggs of the silkworm were 
brought from China to Constantinople in 
551 A J), by Nestorian monks. The tablet 
was erected in the sea>nd year of Kien- 
chung of the Tang dynasty (781 a.d.}, on the 
seventh day of the first month, being Sun- 
day, in the time of the Nestorian Patriarch 
Khnanisho. Such is tiie testimony (tf this 
silent witness to the faithful labors of the 
Nestorian branch of the Church in early days. 

"The Nestorians," says Mosheim,' "in 
the fifth century and after they had obtained 
a fixed residence in Persia, and had located 
the head of their sect at Seleuda, were suc- 

■ MoBhdm, pp. 199-003. Tabari, p. 28. 



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3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



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A Persecuted Church 71 

cessful as they were industrious in dissemi- 
nating their doctrines in the countries lying 
outside the Roman Empire." It appears from 
miquestionable documents still existing, that 
there were nmnerous societies in all parts of 
Persia, India, Armenia, Arabia, Syria, and 
other coimtries, under the jurisdiction of the 
patriarch of Seleuda. 

Hurmizd IV., the successor of Anushirwao 
(583-591), was a pro-Christian ruler. It 
is said that the Magi tried to arouse him to 
persecute the Christians, on the ground that 
they were a danger to his throne. "My 
throne stands on four feet, not on two," 
said the King, "On Jews and Christians 
as well as on Zoroastrians"; and so the 
matter dropped. ' 



THE ELECTION OF SABHRISHG* (596-604) 

Sabhrisho, a native of Piruz-Abad in 

Beth Gannai and who later had been Bishop 

' Wigram, p. 314. ' Assemani, iii., pp. 441-449. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



72 The Death of a Nation 

of Lashom, was elected Patriarch on April 
19, 596, by the favor of Chosroes II. or 
Khusrau Parwiz, who preferred him to five 
other names which were presented to him by 
the electoral body. Shirin or Maiy, accord- 
ing to the Romans, the wife of Chosroes, who 
is celebrated in Persian poetry for her beauty 
and varied accomplishments, and was a 
devout Christian, had the greatest reverence 
for him.' Chosroes himself was accustomed 
to ask for his prayers; and the Emperor 
Maurice once sent him a relic, a piece of the 
true cross, asking him to send his (X>wl in 
exchange." 

Khusrau revered him because, during his 
campaign gainst Bahram, he had in a 
dream seen his horse' led forward by an 



., p. 412. * Assemam, ui., p. 444. 

> Ehasrau Parwiz had a horse called Shabdiz, beau* 
tiful and mteUIgent beyood all others; and so greatly did ' 
the King love Shabdis that he swore to slay the man who 
should bring the tidings of his death. So when Shabdiz 
died, the master groom of the horse prayed Bahlabad 
(Rudagi) to make it known to the ^ng in a song, of which 
Parwiz listening dinned the purport and cried: "Woe unto 
thee! Shabdiz is dead!" "It is the King who sayetb 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



A Persecuted Church 73 

aged man, whom Shirin, when he told her 
the vision, declared must be Sabhrisho. 
Indeed Chosroes is said to have recognized 
the figure of his dream, when he met the 
Bishop, and through those varied influences 
Chosroes was in favor of the Christian reU- 
gion, whose Turkish mercenaries had the 
cross tattooed on their breasts as a charm 
against the plague. 
At the close of the sixth century, the Nes- 

it," replied the minstrel and so escaped the threatened 
death and made the King's oath of no effect. Thus is the 
tale told by the Arab poet, Ehalid b. PayTad, who lived 
little more than a century after Khusrau Parwiz: 

"He with an oath most Eoloun and most binding. 
Not to be loosed, had sworn upon the Fire 
That whoso first should say, 'Shabdiz hath perished,' 
Should die upon the cross in torments dire; 
Until one mom that horse lay low in death 
Like whom no horse hath been since man drew breath. 

"Pour strings wailed o'er him, while the minstrel Idndled 
Pity and passion by the witchery 
Of his left hand, and, while the strings vibrated. 
Chanted a wailing Persian threnody, 
Til] the Tfing cried, 'My horse Shabdiz is dead!' 
' It is the ^ng that sayeth it, ' they said. 

'Thousayest.'" 
fotroduction to Brown's Literary BUtory o/ Persia. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



74 The Death of a Nation 

torian Church was well organized. Its 
patriarch was one of the great dignitaries of 
State, ranking apparently next to the Mobed 
Mobedan,' therefore very important. Out- 
side the circle of Magian influence, in Herat 
and Khurasan, what little we know of the 
Church shows Christianity as a growing 
force, able to win Ttirks and other Mongols. 
The risk that a Zoroastrian ran in becoming 
a Christian had much diminished. King 
Hurmizd IV., when told once of the conver- 
sion of a Magian noble, only observed, " Well, 
let him go to hell, if he prefers it."* 

Yazdigird III., a lad of about fifteen years, 
and apparently of a weak character, became, 
in 632, the last of the line of Sassanid kings, 
whose empire was shattered by the Arab 
invasion. Yazdigird was treacherously slain, 
the Sassanid dynasty, whose rule lasted over 
fourcenturies(A.D. 226-651), was overthrown, 
tile Zoroastrian faith deposed, and Islam 
took its place as the national religion of 
Persia, in 651. 

' Zoroastriaii high priest. • Wigram, p. 331. 



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A Pereecuted Church 



OTHER MEANS OF SPBEADDIG CHRISTIANmf 

The three important factors in the spread- 
ing of Christianity in these distant lands of 
the East were captives, commerce, and 
monasticism,' Slaves wa« not infre- 
quently Christian captives. When they were 
carried off en masse tiom the Christian empire, 
as sometimes happened under Sassanian 
kings, their ecclesiastical leaders were taken 
with them. The captivity of the Jews in 
Babylon is an illustration of this. 

Commerce was then more than even now 
the handmaid of the Gospel. The clergy 
would follow the merchants in order to supply 
them with the ordinances of the church. And 
so episcopal dioceses would be established. 
"Whence has Al-Asha his Christian ideas?" 
says an Arab poet. "Prom wine-dealers of 
Hira of whom he bought his wine; they 

'Thomas of Marga, U., p. 506. 'Barhebncua, Ecc. 
QtroH^ p. 195. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



76 The Death of a Nation 

brought them to him."' Commercial and 
colonizing enterprises were made to minister 
to the cause of missions. 

The chief aim of the monks was a life of 
solitude and tranquility, fasting, prayer, 
and study, but the ascetics of both sexes were 
moved with the true missionary spirit and 
lived in commimities. The nuns were very 
often women self-dedicated to a life of good 
deeds, but wearing plain garments and 
working in their own homes. 

Hie monks who durii^ the reign of the 
Arab Caliphs did not enjoy full freedom to 
work among the Muhammadans, did a great 
work among the pagans in the most unculti- 
vated regions of the East. 

In many instances the patriarchs, bishops, 
and priests were dragged out of their cells 
and ordained, almost by force. In some 
cases they gave up their offices and went 
back into their cloisters. 

Isaac of Nineveh was much against his 
will consecrated Bishop of that city (660). 

* WellhanEen, Shiittn tmd Vorarbeiten, p. 200. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



A Persecuted Church ^^ 

Shortly after his consecration, two litigants 
brought their complaint to him, one demand- 
ii^ immediate payment of what the other 
owed him; the other admitted his indebted- 
ness, but wanted time to make the payment. 
"The Gospel says, of him that taketh away 
thy goods, ask them not again," said the 
Bishop. "Leave the Gospel alone, just 
now," said the creditor. " If the Gospel will 
not be obeyed what am I doing here?" said 
Mar Isaac. Seeing that the episcopal office 
would interfere with his solitary life, he re- 
signed the office and retired to the desert of 
Skete, in Egypt, where he wrote his many 
ascetic works.' 



ADVENT OF ISLAU 

The rise of Islam formed an epoch in the 
Nestorian mission. The tradition that Mu- 
hammad acquired his knowledge of Christian 
Scriptures, which he embodied in the Koran, 

■Assemanl, i., p. 444. Wigram, pp. 136, 137. See 
lahodooch's Booh oj Ckaslity, ed. Chabot, 1895. 



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78 The Death of a Nation 

from the mstruction of Sergius, a Nestorian 
monk,' is well known, as at that period 
the Nestorian missionaries had an extensive 
influence in Arabia. 

Barhebraeus informs us that a Christian 
prince of Nejran, called Sa'id,* interested 
in behalf of his co-religionists, had procured 
from the prophet Muhammad himself a 
firman, in which special privileges were 
granted to the Church and the patriarch. 
At any rate the Christians were freed from 
military service; the clergy were exempted 
from the payment of tribute; the taxes im- 
posed on the rich and poor were limited to 
twelve and four pieces of money respectively. 

The document was preserved till 1843, 
when it was lost during the massacre 
of Bedr Khan Bey. 

■ Sprenger, Das Leben und die Lehre des ifohammcds, 
a., pp. 367, 380. ZDMG., viii., p. 557; is., p. 799; xii., 
pp. 33S, 699. Buchari speaks of a Christiaii who said: 
"Muhammad knows nothing than that which I have 
written for him." Gottheil, A Christian Bakira Legend, 
p. 190, n. I. 

'Assemani, iv., pp. 94, 95. Layard, i., p. 307. La< 
bourt, pp. 344, 245. Barhebrseus, iii., pp. 113-117. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



A Persecuted Church 79 

When in 642 the Arabs invaded Persia, 
established their supremacy over the whole 
empire, and spread their faith through- 
out Asia, they found the Nestorian Church 
already powerful in the East, with an exten- 
sive influence even in Arabia. A bishopric 
was established in Cufa, and the seat of 
the patriarchate was later transferred from 
Seleucia-Ctesiphon to Baghdad, the new 
capital of the Caliphs. 

Almost all of the Christians observed a 
neutrality that was favorable to the invaders. 
It is no wonder that the Christians did not 
assist the Persians against their foes. They 
were hard pressed for centuries by the 
violent law of the Achaemenians, Seleucids, 
Parthians, Sassanians, and the Byzantine 
Empire, and weary of their persecutions, 
they welcomed the advent of the Arabs,' 
hopii^ to enjoy the privileges of the monastic 
life under their rule. 

• Thomas of Marga, ii., p. 196. Aasemeiu, iil., pp. 
138-139. Barbebnnis, Bcc. Ckron., p. 474. 



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8o The Death of a Nation 



STRIAC LITESATURE' 

Syriac literature commences with the 
most prominent version of the Holy Scrip- 
tures, called Pshitta, "the simple" or "plain 
version," the Syriac Vulgate, which seems 
to have been on the whole the work of the 
second century. 

"All the Assyrian Christians, whether 
belonging to the Jacobites or Roman com- 
munion, conspire to hold the Pshitta author- 
itative, and to use it in their public services. " • 

The'beginnings of Syriac literature are un- 
fortunately lost in the earliest ages of our 
era. It flourished principally in the period 
between the fourth and tenth century of 
our era, displaying a wonderful ability of 
writii^ with a vast amount of intellectual 
energy. 

The literary catalogue drawn up by the 

' Lajrard, i., pp. 307-309. Mosheiiii, p. 2T$, Wright, 
Syr. Lit., p. 2. 

• Westcott, Canon cf N. T., i., p. 219. 



by Google 



by Google 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



A Persecuted Church 8i 

learned Mar Abhdisho (Ebed Jesu), as far 
back as 1298 A.D., contains the names of no 
less than one hundred and fifty authors, 
whose works extend over almost all branches 
of knowledge, and in a special manner over the 
department of theolc^y. The catalogue ac- 
quaints us with at least twenty commentators 
on the whole or parts of the Bible, many 
ritualists, controversialists, canonists, eccle- 
siastical and profane histcnians, more than 
one hundred poets, several lexicographers 
and grammarians, logicians, writers on na- 
tural philosophy, metaphysics, geography, 
and astronomy, beddes many learned essay- 
ists on miscellaneous subjects. 

In the celebrated schools of Edessa, Nisi- 
bin, Makhuza, and Dorqoneh, were taught 
Greek, Arabic^ rhetoric,' poetry, arithmetic, 
geometry, music, astronomy, and medicine. 

Mar Ephraim (Ephrem Syxus), "the pro- 
phet of the Syrians,"* was one of the most 
voluminous and widely read writers.' His 

1 Assemani, iv., p. 493. • Assemani, i., p. 35 f. 

> Assemani, i., pp. 61 1. Wright, p. 33. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



82 The Death of a Nation 

death took place in 373 a.d. His works 
have been extensively translated into Greek, 
Armenian, Coptic, Arabic, and Ethiopia. 

Nor did the Assjoians confine the work 
of their vigorous minds to compositicHis in 
their own language; but they carried their 
investigations into the wider field of Greek 
eccledasticat and profane Cterature. Their 
plodding diligence has preserved for us in fairly 
good ttranslaticms many valuable works of 
Greek fathers which would otherwise have 
been lost. 

Besides the Greek, the Nestorians seem to 
have acquired great eminence in the Persian 
and Arabic languages. "To them belongs 
the merit of having passed cm the lore of 
ancient C^«ece to the Arabs." 

When the Arabs saw that the learning of 
the East was chiefly to be found among the 
Nestorians, they intrusted them with prom- 
inent positions, as treasurers, physicians, 
and scribes. They translated for the Arabs 
the works of Greek philosophers and physi- 
cians like Aristotle and Galen. Assemani 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



A Persecuted Church 83 

gives a long list of the trandators and com< 
mentators upon the treatises of Aristotle. 

Caliph al-Mamun sent learned Nestorians 
to Syria, Armenia, and Egypt, to collect 
manuscripts and translate them. He replied 
to someone who asked him how could he 
trust the translation of the books to a Chris- 
tian, "If I confide to him the care of my 
body in which dwell my soul and my spirit, 
wherefore should I not intrust him with the 
things which do not concern our faith or his 
faith?' He has eaten my bread and salt."* 

' Lajrard, i., p. 309. 

■ If you axe admitted to the tent of the sheikh among 
Ambs, your reception there is shelter and security. If 
you partake of food at his table, your person is sacred, 
and his word is your safeguard. And this Bedouin of the 
desert will pass you on, with an escort, from camp to camp, 
unmolested, as if you were one of his tribe. 

' Amr ibn el-As (who lived in the middle of the seventh 
ceotuiy) entered the presence of 'Omar when the latter 
was at his table, sitting crossed-l^ged, with his compan- 
ions about ^m in the same attitude, while in the dish 
before him there was hardly enough for one of the com- 
pany. 'Amr greeted the Caliph, and the latter returned 
the salaam, exclaiming: '"Amribnel-As!" "Yes," was the 
reply. Then 'Omar put his hand in the dish and filled it 
with therid, when be reached toward 'Amr, saying: "Take 
this." So 'Amr sat down and took the tkerid in his left 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



84 The Death of a Nation 

Mar Abhdisho has left us an Arabic trans- 
lation of the Nestorian creed, which for 
vigor of style, purity of diction, and elegance 
of arrangement deserves to be ranked with 

hand, eating it with his right, while the deputation which 
had accompanied Mm from Egypt looked on. As soon 
as the; had come away, the membets of the deputation 
said to 'Amr: "What, pray, was that which thou didst?" 
'Amr replied: "He certainly knew well enough that I, 
coming from Egypt in the way that I did, could have done 
without therid which he c^er^ me. But he wished to try 
me; and if I had not accepted it, I should have met with 
trouble from him." "Yea, mine own fafniiior friend, in 
whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted 
up his heel against me" (Ps. xH., 9). 

A public robber in Persia broke open by night the treas- 
ury of the governor of Sistan. He advanced, and per- 
ceived, in the obscurity, an object that sparkled at a 
distance, as if it might be a gem. He touched it, then 
applied it to his Hps, and discovered that it was salt. 
Immediately he withdrew from the chamber, without 
carrying <£ a angle article ot plunder. On the following 
morning, the governor, informed of what was done, pub- 
lished a request, that the invader of his premises should 
come to the palace, and promised hiin entire immunity for 
his deed. Yacoub presented himself as directed, and on 
being asked how he could break open the treasury, and 
then retire, leavii^ jewels and every precious thii^ un- 
touched, answered: "I had tasted your salt, and thus be- 
come your friend, and the laws <k friendship would not 
permit me to rob you of anything you possessed." "As I 
eat the salt of the Palace" (Ezra iv., 14). Tmmbull, th« 
Onienata of Suit. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



A Persecuted Church 85 

the compositions of those Arabic classics to 
which is given the first place of genitis and 
glory. 

Thus, for their learning and skill, the 
Christians were tolerated, but not in the 
sense of religious equality. The restrictions 
imposed were those found in the so-called 
ordinance or constitution of Omar bin Khat- 
tab, in the early seventh century. 

This formula is traditionally said to have 
been the one adopted by the Christian popu- 
lation of the cities, who submitted to the rule 
of Islam. 

XIX 

THE CHRISTIANS XnTOER ARAB RXJLE— THE 
(MNSTITUTION OF OMAR' 

"In the name of God, the Merciful, -the 
Compassionate! This is the writing from 
the Christians of such and such a city to 
Omar ibn al-Khattab. When you marched 
against us, we asked of you protection for 
ourselves, our families, our possessions, and 

'Arnold, pp. $3, 53. Von Kremer, i., pp. 102-104. 
PP-57£- 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



86 The Death of a Nation 

our co-religionists; and we made this stipu- 
lation with you, that we will not erect in our 
city or the suburbs any new monastery, 
church, cell, en* hermit^e; that we will not 
repair any of such buildings that may fall 
into ruins, en* renew those that may be situ- 
ated in the Muslim quarters of the town; 
that we will not refuse the Muslims entiy into 
our churches either by night or by day; that 
we will open the gates wide to passengers 
and travelers; that we will receive any Mus- 
lim traveler into our houses and give him 
food and lodging for three nights; that we 
will not harbor any spy in our churches or 
houses, or conceal any enemy of the Mus- 
lims; that we will not teach our children the 
Koran; that we will not make a show of the 
Christian religion nor invite anyone to 
embrace it; that we will not prevent any of 
our kinsmen from embracing Islam, if they 
so desire. That we will honor the Muslims 
and rise up in our assemblies when they wish 
to take their seats; that we will not imitate 
them in our dress, either in the cap, turban, 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



A Persecuted Church 87 

sandalSt or parting of the hair; that we will 
not make use of their expressions of speech, 
DOT ad<^t their surnames; that we will not 
ride on saddles, or gird on swords, or take 
to ourselves arms or wear them, or engrave 
Arabic inscriptions on our rings; that we will 
not sell wine; that we will shave the front 
of our heads; that we will keep to our own 
style of dress, wherever we may be; that we 
will wear girdles round our waists; that we 
will not display the cross upon our churches 
or display our crosses or our sacred books in 
the streets of the Muslims, or in their market- 
places; that we will strike the bells in our 
churches hghtly; that we will not recite our 
services in a loud voice, when a Muslim is 
present, that we will not carry palm branches 
or our images in procession in the streets, 
that at the burial of our dead we will not 
chant loudly or carry lighted candles in the 
streets of the Muslims or their market-places; 
that we will not take any slaves that have 
already been in the possessicoi of Muslims, 
nor spy into their hovises; and that we will 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



88 The Death of a Nation 

not strike any Muslim. All this we promise 
to observe, on behalf of ourselves and our 
co-reUgionists, and receive protection from 
you in exchange; and if we violate any of the 
conditions of this agreement, then we forfeit 
your protection and you are at liberty to 
treat us as enemies and rebels." 



CALIPHS nrtERESTED IN REUaOUS QUESTIONS 

The Arabs required the services of the 
Christians for governmental and literary 
purposes, and Christians held positions of 
high influence in the court of the Caliphs. 

These also appear to be somewhat inter- 
ested in Christianity by discovering a simi- 
larity between the Bible and Koran in certain 
points. On one occasion, when Gewei:gis 
(George) andKhnanisho, two bishops and can- 
didates fCH* the patriarchal seat, were visiting 
Mahdi, the governor of Baghdad, they were 
put to some kind of examination. Mahdi 
asked Gewerg^s, in the presence of a large 
assembly, as to the kind of tree of which the 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



A Persecuted Church 89 

rod of Moses was, with which he wrought 
many miracles and signs; Gewergis said, "it 
is mentioned neither in the Torah nor in the 
prophets." Mahdi turned towards Khnan- 
isho; the latter said: "It was of an abnond 
tree, because, in the case of Dathan and 
Abiram, the rod of Aaron budded and yielded 
almonds." "But what is the proof that the 
rod of Aaron was the same rod of Moses?" 
asked Mahdi. Khnanisho answered, because 
Moses said to Aaron, "Take the rod." 
Mahdi criticized Gewergis and liked Khnan- 
isho, his old age and his dignified manners. 
Gewergis was offended and henceforth sought 
to censure Khnanisho. * We read later that 
Khnanisho was thrown down a precipice by 
his enemies and was crippled for life." 

■Assemani, iii., p. 155. 

■ The o]d ciBtom of hastemng the death of very old 
tnen, by throwing them down a precipice, is still beii^ re* 
ported in certain r^ions of the East. And it was stopped 
by a Idnd-hearted son, who was touched, as he heard his 
father, whom he was carryii^ on his back to his fate, sob- 
bing. "Why are you weeping, father? "he said. "Youknow 
this is a general custom among ns." "lam not weeping 
for myself, my son, but for you, as I am thinking of the 
day when youi son will.have to do the same thing to you." 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



90 The Death of a Nation 

When the Patriarch fell ill bloodletting 
. was prescribed for him; Abi! Abbas of Tus, 
who was not on good terms with him, said 
he was greatly grieved for him; and s^it his 
servant to bleed him, the blade of the lancet 
being smeared with poison; the Patriarch's 
neck was swollen and he died after three days* 
illness, in the year 779. 

On anoth^ occasion, Ali Bar Isa, Vizier in 
Baghdad, asked the Patriarch Abraham if it 
was true that the Christians partake of the 
eucharist with a spoon'; the Patriardi, em- 
barrassed by the unexpected question, an- 
swered, thoughtlessly, "You know well that 
Nestorians do not commune with a spoon." 
The Vizier felt greatly disconcerted, fOT his 

■ la the NeEtoriaa Htuigf, both the bread and wine 
are directed to be given to laymen as well as detgy sepa- 
rately; the bread by the oEBdating priest, and the wine by . 
the deaccm, the bread being put into the hands of the 
controumcants. But in some cases, omng to the igno- 
rance oi the dergy, there is a departure from the plain 
letter of the ritual; they allow, especially the women, to 
partake only of the bread, and put it in the mouths of the 
communicants. Badger, The Natvrians and their RUuali, 
ii., pp. 174,343. Barhebraeus,iii., p.339,n.i. Assema n i, 
in., part i, pp. 355, 535; part 3, p. 311. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



A Persecuted Church 91 

assessors were present; and the answer would 
ojnvey the idea that the Vizier was not a 
stranger to the Christian mysteries, but 
rather in favor c^ the rite. This Intensified 
his hatred against the Patriarch. 

According to Barhebneus, "the Nestorians 
like other Christian people partook of Holy 
Communion, during the fast of forty days, 
early in the morning on Saturdays and Sun- 
days; after the Communion they would go 
out for merriment and feast in the gardens 
and vineyards. Patriarch Abraham (905- 
937) fin order to prevent this improper custom, 
changed the time of the celebration of the 
Sacraments to the evenings of Saturdays and 
Stmdays, so that tiie Communicants would 
stay and eat in their houses. ' 



INELUBNCB OF THE ASSYRIAN FHYSICIANS 
UPON CALIPHS 

The Christians during the reign of the Sas- 
sanian kings had attained eminent station 
., p. 44I. Barhebnens, iii., pp. 343-345- 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



92 The Death of a Nation 

in the cotut, as physidans. Similarly, in the 
times of the Caliphs (651-1258) they main- 
tained and increased their prestige in this 
respect. We are told that the profesaonal 
income of the court physicians of Harun- 
al-Rashid amounted annually to over thirty 
thousand dinars, or fifteen thousand dollars. 
Muhammadans have not much faith in 
medicine and sanitary science. ' 

' MoGtem iflfK^a are wanting la common sacitftry 
knowledge. "The French Statistical Department, aimous 
to obtain definite information on certain matters from 
Turkish provinces, sent lists of questions to which they 
requested replies, to the various provincial Pashas. Cer- 
tain of the questions were addressed to the Pasha of 
Damascus, a very learned man, and his replies ran as 
follows: 

"Questioni What is the death rate per thousand in < 
your city? 

"Answer: In Damascus it is the will of Allah thatttll 
must die; some die old, some young. 

"Question: What is the annual number ct tnrths? 

"Answer; We don't know; God alone can say. 

"Question: Are the supplies of drinkinK water sufQdent 
and of good quality? 

"Answer: From the remotest period no one baa ever 
died of thirst. 

"Question: General remarks on the hygienic condition! 
of your city. 

"Answer: Since Allah seat ua Muhammad, His prophet, 
to purge the world with fire and sword, there baa been a 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



A Persecuted Church 93 

This interesting incident is related by 
Barhebneus. A physician called Sergius,' 
a follower of Arius, one day in the presence 
of Caliph Mutawalddl, while discussing the 
question of their faith with the Patriarch, 
said: "We are better Christians by not 
accepting Christ as the son of God and equal 
with him." The Patriarch asked the Arab 
doctors and scribes that were present, if it 
was not true tliat their book, the Koran, 
pronounced Christians all who believe in the 
Divine nature of Christ. They said, "Our 
Boc^ testifies, that Christians believe Christ 
is the son of God"; the Patriarch proceeded: 
"You may judge now, whether or not one 
who does not confess Christ as the scm of 
God is a Christian." They all agreed that 
the physician Sergius was in error. 

vast improvement. But there still remains much to do; 
everywhere is opportunity to help and to reform. And 
now, my lamb of the West, cease your questioning which 
can do no good either to you or to anyone else. Man 
■hould sot bother himself about matters which concern 
Oily God. Salaam ala^twn," 

Lancet. 
■Barhebrsus, iii., pp. 198-303. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



94 The Death of a Nation 

On another occastm, Honain, a phyadan, 
accused Israel, also a phy^cian, befco^ Muta* 
waJddl, as an idolater and that he was really 
not a Christian. The Caliph ordered the 
searching d the house of Israel; an image 
was found and brought before ^e Caliph; 
Honain saidt " That is the idol I referred 
to." Israel asl^d him if he can spit upon 
it. Honain showed no hesitancy in doing so. 
Mutawakkil sent for the Patriarch and asked 
his judgment. The Patriarch said, "That is 
not an idol, it is the figure cd the mother of 
our Lord." The Caliph very indignantly 
ordered the Patriarch to excommunicate 
Honain.' 

On the Christmas day of the year 768, 
Abu Jaafar, the governor of Baghdad, pre- 
sented Geoige, his physician, with three 
beautiful damsels and three thousand dinars 
($1500). George accepted the money but 
sent back the rest. Abu Jaafar asked, sur- 
prisingly, about the refusal of the pretty girls. 
"I have one wife," said the phyacian, 

* BartidwiBas, lii., pp. 19S, 19Q. Assemani, ii., p. 438. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



A Persecuted Church 95 

"and we Qmstians are not allowed to take 
more."' 

FEK^CUnONS BY THE CALIFHS 

The Arabs were found to be not as toler- 
ant as was expected by the Christians. The 
chief cause of the persecutions during the 
reign of the Sassanian kings were those Zo- 
roastrians who apostatized to Christianity; 
while the poh'cy erf the Arabs or Muslims 
was to force all to accept Islam, and in ord^ 
to attain to this purpose, they employed 
means of a false, treacherous, and insidious 
character, which are practised in Persia to 
this day. 

Theodosius, Patriarch of Beth Garmai 
(852-858), was accused at one time before 
Cah'ph Mutawakkil of Baghdad, as having 
communication with the Romans.' The 

■ BUM UanpMa Nuibmi Opus Cknmctovcum,_ ed. 
Brooks, p. 179. 

■AssaDani, iiL, pp. 509, sta Barbebrtmis, Chrtm. 
EecUs., m., pp. 191-193. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



96 The Death of a Nation 

Patriarch denied the charges, the Caliph 
ordered him to take an oath to confirm his 
statement, the Patriarch objected, as being 
against the sacred law, upon which he was 
imprisoned for three years; and a decree 
was issued for the destruction of the monas- 
tery of Donjoneh, and many other churches, 
the bones of Mar Abraham were disinterred 
and cast into the river Tigris; religious ser- 
vices were stopped. Christians were not 
allowed to ride a horse, or wear a dyed gar- 
ment with open bosom, as Arabs did. They 
should not appear in bazaars on Friday, 
their children should not be taught in Arab 
schools. Their houses were taxed for the 
benefit of the mosques, and pictures cd Satan, 
made of wood, were put up above the doors 
of their houses. 

An old Arab who used to read prayers in 
a mosque was in the habit c^ asking alms 
at the patriarchal door. He became very 
indignant when he was refused on one occa- 
sion. One day when a funeral procesaon of 
Arabs was passing the convent, a friend of 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



A Persecuted Church 97 

the old Arab threw a stone at the bier, from 
a covert. The Arabs were fiirious when 
someone, probably the old beggar, said 
that the stone came £rom the direction of the 
ccmvent. They robbed the patriarchate, 
and disinterred the body of Mar Anush, cut 
oS his head, put it on a pole and carried it 
about the dty oi Baghdad.' 

Shortly after this, a false report came frmn 
the governor of Daquq that, " Christians have 
thrown the head of a pig into the mosque."* 
This fanned up the embers of the persecution 
into a blaze. The Christians gave up all hope 
ci deliverance; "for the elect's sake God 
shortened those days." But they did not 
cease. These incidents are typical of what 
is not infrequent to-day. 

Caliph Qadir, in 1015, issued a decree that 
an Christians should be forced to accept 
Islam or else they should be expelled from 
the coimtry, and their property appropriated. 
The order was carried out to its full extent; 
many emigrated to Roman territory, some 
,,p. 311. ■ BarfiebrtettB, iii., p. 359. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



98 The Death of a Nation 

accepted Islam, but a large number endured 
persecution; these were compelled to wear 
large wooden crosses, weighing four pounds,' 
around their necks, instead of their gold and 
silver ones. Resistance was met by capital 
punishment. The most noteworthy fact in 
t-Tii's case was, that Qadir, unlike his prede- 
cessors and for an unknown motive, regretted 
these merciless acts and recalled the decree, 
allowed the converted Christians to apos- 
tatize, those expelled to return, and ruined 
churches to be rebuilt. 

The lust of persecution was not satiated 
as yet; an Arab, a member of the Hanbalite 
sect, designed to usurp a piece of land which 
belonged to the Jacobite church in Baghdad 
which was attached to the building; when his 
plan was frustrated he became very Indig- 
nant, and caused the dead body of an Arab 
to be carried about the streets ctf the city, 
crying out: "The Christians have killed 
this man," It was enough for the uprising 
of the whole town against the poor Christian 

' BarhebTEms, ed. Victor Josepb, Paria, 1891^ p. 904. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



A Persecuted Church 99 

conununity; they started to kill and plunder. 
They robbed the church and set it on fire, 
burning five hundred persons that had taken 
refuge in it,* 

To their surprise they found a manuscript 
of the Gospel undamaged, and they ex- 
claimed: "Verily, this is a true religion, we 
are doing wrong in not obeying the command 
of our Prophet who gave these people a fit' 
man not to be molested."" 



CHRISTIANIZATION OF THE KAKIAT TSIBE * 

At tliis time, the influence of the centuries 
of persecutions began to show in the life of 

., pp. 263-265. 

., p. 270. 

* Marco Polo's Travels, lib. ii., ch. iL Moaheiin, p. 
324, &. I. Arnold, p. 188. Layan], Ninevdi and its 
Remains, eta. viii., pp. 209-213. The authority for thia 
account is a letter of Abhdisho, Archbishop of Merv, ad- 
dressed to John, the Nestorian patriaich, and preserved 
by Barhebneus, Ckron. Syr., m., p. 380; and thsnce pub- 
fished by Assemani, ii., p. 444, 445; iii., p. 486, and iv., 
487 f. DIleTbelot, iii., p. 418. Catholic Encyc., xii., 
pp. 400 f. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



loo The Death of a Nation 

the Christians, into whose sound faith there 
entered some foreign elements of superstition. 
But stin the Nestorians were successful in 
preaching the Gospel in the farthest parts of 
Tartary and the regions whose peoples were 
entirely ignorant and uncultivated. Among 
them was a tribe of Turks known as Kariat. 
They accepted Christianity in the early 
eleventh century; when Mar Abhdisho was 
metropolitan of Merv in Khurasan, he wrote 
to the patriarch, probably Yohannan II., 
thus: 

"The king of the people called Kariat, 
inhabiting the northeast region of Turldstan, 
lost his way while hunting on the high moun- 
tains of his country, in a snowstorm ; when he 
became despondent, and despaired of his 
life, a saint appeared to him in a vision, who 
said, ' If thou believest in Christ I shall guide 
thee and thou shalt not perish.' The king 
promised that he would be a lamb in the 
fold of Christ, and he was directed out to the 
open. He called some Christian merchants 
into his camp and learned of them about the 



3,a,i,zMbvGoOgIe 



A Persecuted Church loi 

Christian faith. They told him that he 
must be baptized. He obtained a Gospel 
of them which he worships every day. And 
now, he wants me, or a priest, to go and per- 
form the rite of baptism. Also, he would like 
to know how to observe the fast as their 
food consists only of meat and milk. He 
also says the number of those who believe 
with him amoimts to two hundred thousand." 

The patriarch wrote back to the metro- 
politan ordering him to send a priest and a 
deacon with church vessels to baptize all who 
believed and teach them the tenets of Chris- 
tianity, and to let them use milk during the 
fast, if, as they said, no ordinary fast pro- 
visions were found in their cotmtry. At his 
baptism, the king bore the name of John, 
and in token of his modesty assumed the 
title of presbyter, his first name being Unk 
Khan. His successors are supposed to have 
retained this title down to the fourteenth 
centiuy, and each one was txsually called 
John Presbyter, or Prester John. 

The Kariat tribe is mentioned in the travels 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



102 The Death of a Nation 

of Marco Polo, who visited them in the thir- 
teenth centuiy. Al-Biiuni, a Muslim writer 
who lived at Khiveh in looo, in his His/ory 
of India, mentions Christians as comprising 
the bulk of the population of Syria, Iraq, and 
Khurasan. 

The two Christian c^neteries at Fitshpek 
in Russian Turkistan bear alent witness to 
the extensive mission work achieved by the 
Nestorian missionaries, among the Turkish 
and Mongol tribes of those regions, especially 
among the Uighur tribes,' to whose Qiris- 
tianity the literature of the Mongol period 
has frequent ref«%nces. The tombstones 
are covered with Syriac inscriptions. The 
oldest of them is dated 858, and marked "the 
grave of Mengku-Tenesh the believer"; but 
most of them belong to the thirteenth and 
fourteenth centuries. The Mongols had a 
modified kind of Syriac alphabet, which is 
still in use by certain of thar tribes.' 

■Arnold, p. 947. Moeheim, p. 334. ABsemani, ti., 
p. 257- 

' ChwolatMi, Syrische Grabiiuchriften atu SetiirjetKkie. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



A Persecuted Church 103 



THE clucax of the nestosian chukch 

In the beginning of the eleventh century the 
power of the Nestorian patriarch cuhninated, 
there being then over twenty-five metro- 
politans throughout the countries lying be- 
tween China and the Tigris.' Marco Polo,* 
at a later date, saw the Nestorian churches 
all along the trade routes, from B^hdad to 
Pekin. Those metropolitans whose sees 
were near Baghdad were expected to visit 
the patriarch every sixth month; while the 
others whose sees were too far to allow them 
to go and tender their obedience to him in 
person were expected to send to him, every 
sixth year, a report respecting the condition 
of their flock, and a renewed confession of 
their faith.' 

During the eleventh and twelfth centimes 

' Layard, i., p. »i5. 

' Marco Poh'i Traoels, lib. ii., cap, u. De Seponibus 
OrienUdibut, lib. i., cap. iv., aad lib. ii., cap. vi. 
I Moshom, ii., p. i6i. Layard, vol. i., pp. 314, 315. 
.■P.439- 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



104 The Death of a Nation 

the activities and influence of Nestorian 
missionaries continued to attract multitudes 
into their Church. There were Christians 
in many parts of Central Asia, even among 
the princes and queens of Tartaiy, vho con- 
fessed the Nestorian creed and were subject 
tO'the patriarch in Chaldea. 

In mi EUas II., Bar Moqii, was conse- 
crated Patriarch by eight bishops; among 
them was Abhdisho, Bishop of Urumia. At 
the same time, one Batadai was also conse- 
crated Bishop for Urumia. * 

XXV 

THE DOWNFALL OF THE NESTOUAN CHDKCH 
UNDER THE MONGOL KHANS* 

Early in the thirteenth ceutuiy the Mongol 
hordes under the leadership of Jengiz Khan, 
"the terror of the world," began their west- 
ward march. It was the old war of "Iran 
and Turan." It is doubtful if a more blood- 



i, pp. 448, 449. 
■ HowoTth, Hittory of tkt Uottgals, Mceham, p. 4^ 



DiqiiiicdbvGoogle 



A Persecuted Church 105 

thirsty person was ever bom erf a woman. 
As he swept on frcon the banks of the Oxus 
to Asterabad, every town of any importance 
was reduced to ruins and its inhabitants 
slaughtered,' with neither age nor sex 
spared to amuse his monsters. In one week 
alone at Merv, he massacred over one million 
htunan beings. In Nishapur all were decapi- 
tated. It has been said that he was re- 
sponsible for the death of at least twenty 
milHons of people. He found the Mongolians 
weak and insignificant, but left them the 
masters of China, Persia, and Central Asia. 
He made even Europe tremble, for his rufBan 
warriors spread terror as far as Bulgaria. 

In the year 1258, Khulaqu Khan, the grand- 
son of Jengiz Khan, the Emperor of China, 
led forth his hordes, captured the city ci 
Baghdad, put Musta'sim, the last Abbasid 
Caliph, to death, with whom the Caliphate 
also ended. Khulaqu was tolerant to the 
Christians. His wife, Duquz Khatun, was 

■ Howorth, History oj the MohioIs, L, p. 93. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



io6 The Death of a Nation 

a Christian lady.* On his return from the 
conquest of Baghdad, he made Maragfaa the 
capital of his dominion. Here the famous 
astronomer Nasir-ad-Din constructed the 
astronomical tables known as the "Tables 
of Ilkhani,"' which still remain. In 1265 
the Christians inhabited twenty-five Asiatic 
provinces and over seventy dioceses. Bar- 
hebrseus says, in one instance when the 
Christians of Arbil wished to celebrate Palm 
Sunday, believing that the Arabs were pre- 
pared to make disturbances, they sent for 
Tartar Christians that were in that nei^bor- 
hood to come over and help them. The 
Tartar horsemen, crosses suspended from 
the points of their spears, led the procession, 
while the Nestorian patriarch and the people 
followed them. But still the Arabs mobbed 
and dispersed them.' 
Abaqa Khan (1265-1282), the son of 

■ Markham, History <^ Persia, p. 167. Arnold, pp. 
18S, 19a. Assemaai, iv., pp. 108-109. 

■Malcolm's SkOchei of Persia, pp. a73-274. Mark- 
bam, History nf Persia, p. 168. 

* Barbebrasus, Chron. Syr., pp. 575 f. 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



A Persecuted Church 107 

Khulaqu Khan, was one of the most favor- 
able Mongol Khans to Christiani^. He 
presented Patriarch Denkha, after his con- 
secration, with magnificent gifts of a diploma, 
staff, and umbrella.' Tlie Patriarch was 
accompanied by three Mongol amirs and 
bishops, who rode to the court, and from 
there to Seleucia-Ctesiphon where he was 
consecrated. He established schools, built a 
chtirch, and convents. Abaqa Khan revived 
and encouraged science and education in 
general. The great poets, Sa'di and Jalal-ad- 
Din Rumi, frequented his coiut. He married 
a daughter of the Greek Emperor, Michael 
PaUeologus, in Oriental pomp and splendor,* 

I Layard, Nintveh and tit Remaina, IL, p. 353. The 
umbrella or parasol, that emblem of royalty so umrersally 
adopted by the Bastera nations, was generally carried 
over the kmg in time of peace, and sometimes even in war. 
It was reserved exclusively for the monarch, and is never 
represented as borne over any other person. 

■Marriage among the Tartars: — Vizier Nizam relates 
in the following manner some particulars of the moniaga 
of his sovereign, the Sultan Malikshah, with the daughter 
(rf the Caliph: "The Sultim was encamped on the west 
side of the Tigris, and the Caliph's palace was on the east. 
On the day chosen for the ceremony, the Sultan gave 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



io8 The Death of a Nation 

and is suspected of having been himself a 
Christian. Just before his death in 1282, 

oideni that all the great mea who were present should ga 
to the palace of the Caliph to solicit his consent ; for accord- 
ing to the custom of the Turkomans, at the time of the 
courtship the bridegroom's people go to the father of the 
futtue bride, and in a supplicating manner request him 
to give his consent to the match. 

" In like manner the great men, then assembled from most 
parts of the earth, went in procession to supplicate the 
Caliph: and, to show the regard due to his palace, direc- 
tions were given that th^ should all go on foot. When 
thej b^an to march, the Caliph, who had notice of their 
motion, immediately sent a messenger, who said that the 
Cnnmander (^ the Futhful had ordered Niaam ai-MiM 
to come on horseback. So I alone mouuted, and all the 
great men of the world accompanied me ou foot. On our 
arrival at the palace, I was introduced into a most mag- 
nificent hall. Slid seated on an eminent place, and all the 
rest on my right and left. Then robes <^ honor were 
brought for all ctf us, and on that for me was curiously 
wrought the following words: 'For the wise and just \^sier 
Suam al-lfvlk. Amir at-2£omni». ' And from the bc^- 
mng of WHhammnHa nigm to this day no Vizier has been 
dignified with the title of Prince of the Faithful." 

Introduction talRichardson's Penian-Entfisk Dictionary. 

Among the nomads of Central Asia, the marriage cere- 
mony is of a romantic character; the young maiden, attired 
in bridal costume, mounts a high-bred courser, taldng on 
her lap a lamb, and setting <^ at full gallop. The bride- 
groom with his party, also on horseback, follows her at fidl 
■peed. If he overtakes her, she becomes his bride, other- 
wise the match is broken. But she always tries to be 



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A Persecuted Church 



he celebrated Easter Day with the Christians 
at Hamadan.' 



THE ONSIADGHT OF THE TASTAKS AND EUKDS 

' After the fail of the Caliphs, the power 
d the Nestorian Patriarch in the East rapidly 
declined.* But the invasion of the four- 
teenth century fell with crashing force on 
the Nestorians. About 1385, came the 
scourge of humanity, the crael Timurlang 
or Tamerlane,^ whose mere nod caused 
multitudes to abandcm Christianity, and 
whose name struck terror even long after his 
death. He followed the Christians with re- 
lentless fury, destroyed their churches, and 
forced them to accept Islam or be put to 
death, or doomed them to perpetual slavery. 
Four thousand Armenians were buried alive. 



> Dllerbebt, BiU. Onmt.,i., p. 6. 
• Badger, i., p. 257. LayiiA, I, p. 257, 
■ Badger, i., pp. 357. Mosheim, p. 485. 
p. aij. Assemaiu, iv., pp. i35-»37' 



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no The Death of a Nation 

He regarded himself as appointed to exter- 
minate the Christians, being persuaded that 
this was the duty of every tnie disciple of 
Muhammad.' 

The Nestorians who could escape took 
refuge in the almost inaccessible fastnesses of 
the Kurdistan Mountains,' which during the 
massacre of Bedr Khan Bey in 1843, were 
stained with the blood of their children.' 

Prom this time on there were no churches 
found in Transoxiana, Turkistan, Hyrcania, 
and Khurasan. 

The small number of the Nestorians who 
had survived were active enough to send 
misaonaries into the world. In 1490, Patri- 
arch Simon sent a metropolitan into China, 
and Patriarch Elias, in 1502, sent four bishops, 
Thomas, Yabhalaha, Denkha, and James into 
India and China, as they were united at this 
time in one metropolitan see. 

■ Moahdm, p. 485. I^jard, i., p. 357. 

' This was, probably, the beginnms of the emigration 
of the Nestorians to Central Kurdistan. Badger, i., 257. 
Layard, i., p. 315, new ed. 

* Grant, Mountain NetloHaiu, p. 363. 



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Tinmrlaug (Tamerlane) 
in the Pcoaesaion of Karl Hi 



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A Persecuted Church m 

In 1842 and 1843, Bedr Khan Bey,' a 
Hakkari Amir, with combined Kurdish forces, 
attacked the descendants of the Nestorians 
who were driven into the Kurdistan Moun- 
tains by Timurlang, intending to bum, kill, 
destroy, and if possible exterminate the Chris- 
tian race from the mountains. The fierce 
invaders destroyed and burned whatever came 
within their reach. An indiscriminate mas- 
sacre took place. The women were brought 
before the Amir, and murdered in cold blood. 
Those who attempted to escape were cut off. 
Three hundred women and children who 
were fleeing were seized and ^killed." The 
following incident illustrates the revolting bar- 
barity. The aged mother of Mar Shimun the 
Patriarch was seized by them, and after having 
practised upon her the most abominable 
atrocities, they cut her body into two parts 
and threw jt into the River Zab, exclaiming; 
" Go and carry to your accursed scm the in- 

I Badger, i., pp. 370, 271. Grant, pp. 348-363. 
Layard, i., pp. 153-302. 
■ Layard, t., p. 30i. 



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112 The Death of a Nation 

telUgence that the same fate awaits him."* 
Nearly ten thousand were massacred, and 
as large a number of women and children 
were taken captive, most of whom were sent 
to Jezireh to be sold as slaves, or to be be- 
Stowed as presents upon influential Muham- 



It is the in^gniflcant number that has sur- 
vived all these massacres, which is now being 
exterminated by the Turks and Kurds. 

■ Badger, i., p. 270. Gmnt, p. 349. 
■BadEW, i., p. 371. Layard, i., p. 153. 



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Abraham Mar Shimun, 136th Patriarch of the Assyrian Christiana 



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n 

A CHAPTER OF HORRORS 



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A CHAPTER OP HORRORS 

T^HE civilized wcwld has been horrified by 
'■ the monstrous crimes and most pathetic 
tragedy in history ancient or modern to which 
the Assyrians and Annenians have been 
once more subjected. 

We are witnessing to-day the greatest and 
the most ruthless atrocities in modem history. 
The entire Christian nations of the Armenians 
and Assyrians are undergoing the process of 
extermination, by cruel methods of executirai 
which surpass anything that ever preceded 
them anywhere. The atrocities that are being 
committed now against these harmless and 
helpless Christians in Turkey and Persia are 
of a long standing character. S<»netime5 
the storm has abated its fuiy^ only to start 
up again with inoeased enei^, and the 



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ii6 The Death of a Nation 

present relentless persecutions and brutal 
massacres are but the culmination of the 
generations of terror. 

The following statements are based upon 
various trustworthy sources, such as consular 
reports, unimpeachable testimonies of eye- 
witnesses, and official documents, which have 
been corroborated by the narratives of the 
missionaries of the neutral countries who 
have just arrived from the scene of these 
horrors and have been through them all, 
and are unquestionably confinned by men of 
honorable position, men for whom it would 
be impossible to misrepresent the facts in the 
case, and who could have no other motive 
than the sense of justice and humanity. A 
large amount of the material has been secured 
from the Bulletins of the American Comtoittee 
for Armenian and Syrian Relief. 

It is one's duty always to avoid exaggera- 
tion; in this case, however, there is no room 
left for ex^geration. How can one exag- 
gerate where the powers of language hardly 
suffice to describe even the facts I 



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A Chapter of Horrors 117 
I 

URUMIA THS STOKU CENTER 

Consonant with the provisions of the Anglo- 
Russian convention of 1907, which was made 
ostensibly to arrange questions concerning 
their respective "interests" and to afford 
protection to Peraa, the Shah was as- 
sumed to be merely a passive figurehead of 
authority, lending automatic sanction to the 
acts of ministers of those Powers. At any 
rate, Ururoia and its neighboring districts 
in the province of Azerbaijan, which lies 
within the Rusdan sphere of influence, were 
garrisoned by a few thousand Russian sol- 
diers, llie presence of the soldiers had a 
great effect on the morale of the Turks and 
Kurds; the inroads were checked, life and 
property protected, and peace and quietude 
restored. 

With the outbreak of the European war, 
however, thii^s took a different turn; the 
Kurds b^an to raid the nearest Christian 



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ii8 The Death of a Nation 

districts and the inhabitants were put to 
flight. 

The month before the dedaraticm of war 
between Russia and Turkey, in October, 
1914, the district of Urumia was invaded by 
the reinforced Turkish troops and Kurdish 
irregulars. For a time they were successful in 
resisting the counter-attadc of the Rusaans, 
and in plundering and destroymg the vil- 
lages, until the arrival <ji the Russian rein- 
forcements. By the help of these and some 
native Christians who were anned by the 
Russians, the enemy was checked. The 
slightest defense on the part of the Nestorian 
Christians a^tnst a raid has always been 
trumped up as a sufScient pretext for their 
death-warrant and an absolutely unlimited 
opportunity for plunder and massacre. 

Such were the prdiminary acts of the 
terrible catastrof^e that took place shortly 
afterwards. 

Matters apparently quieted down for a 
few days, until the war between Russia 
and Turkey had actually begun. Then the 



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A Chapter of Horrors 119 

aggressive Turks amassed overwhelming 
numbers of soldiers on the Caucasus fron- 
tier and tried to cut off the Russian communi- 
cation and surround the soldiers in Ururoia; 
consequently these were compelled to with- 
draw. Of the order of withdrawal that 
reached Urumia on December 30, 1914, 
Christians knew nothing until three days 
afterwards. On January 2d the news was 
flashed like a clap of thunder in a clear sky: 
"The Turks are coming, the Russians are 
Withdrawing, flee for your life." The Rus- 
sians' departure was the herald for the Kurds 
to pounce upon the prey from which they 
had so long been held at bay. 



THE VLIGBX 

"Then it was that that terrible stampede 
took place. There was absolutely no human 
power to protect these unhappy people from 
the savage onslaught of the invading hostile 
forces. It was an awful situation. At mid- 



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120 The Death of a Nation 

night the terrible exodus began; a concourse 
of twenty-five thousand men, women, and 
diildren, Nestcnians and Armenians, leaving 
the cattle in the stables, all their household 
goods and all the supply of food for winter, 
hurried, panic-stricken, on a long and pain- 
ful joum^ to the Rusdan border, enduring 
the intense privations of a foot journey in the 
snow and mud, without any kind of prepara- 
tion. The horrible details of that dreadful 
flight can never be adequately told. 

"The English missionary who left Urumia 
with the fugitives describes the flight in 
these words: 'As far as eye osuld reach in 
both directions there was a constant stream 
of fugitives, sometimes so dense that ^e 
road was blocked. It was a dreadful sight, 
and one I never want to see again, many of 
the old people and children died on the way.' 

"If anyone possessed a horse or a donkey 
or any other beast of burden, he was for- 
tunate, and if he happened to have ready 
cash in his home, he was even more so. But 
well to do as a man may be, cash is not always 



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A Chapter of Horrors 121 

on hand in the villages, and so many who, 
according to the standard of the country, 
were rich, started on their long journey with 
a mere pittance. 

" Before the seven days' hard walking to 
the Russian border was accomplished, all en- 
cumbrances were cast aside, such as quilts, 
extra clothing, even bread, for it became a 
question with the poor, tired, struggling 
crowd which they would cany, their bedding 
or their babies. A nimiber of women were 
delivered on the road; the mothers tore off 
their dresses, wrapped t^e babies in the pieces, 
and resumed their tramp. The weaker ones 
died by the roadside, of exhaustion, exposure, 
and hemorrhage. Under the severe strain, 
some individuals became demented. 

" The sick and the ^ed and the wee chil- 
dren feU by the way, and did not rise again. 
The twenty-five thousand who passed into 
the Russian border lines were so haggard 
and emaciated that their own friends did 
not recognize them. Almost worse than the 
weary tramping by day in the deep mud. 



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122 The Death of a Nation 

were the nights, passed by those who could 
find no shelter and lay out all night in the 



TBE HOUSE OF KEPUGE 

All who could flee towards the Russian 
border did so, though without provision; still 
many thousands remained behind, simply 
because they could not flee, their villages 
being so situated that flight was impossible. 
These panic-stricken people made a rush into 
the mission house in the city ; a large mmiber 
of them, however, had been intercepted on 
the way and murdered; oth^s who had nar- 
rowly escaped arrived cold, hungry, and 
exhausted, with frozen and bleeding feet. 
They were robbed and stripped on the roads 
of everything they had. Not far from twenty 
thousand souls took refuge in the mission 
compounds; some three thousand of these 
concealed themselves in the quarters of the 
Frendi mission. As things moved on with 



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A Chapter of Horrors 123 

lightning speed, the missionaries were utterly 
imprepared for this impending catastrophe. 
But still, they took all in, they cared for them 
and fed them for nearly five months. They 
were jammed in the rooms and church like 
sardines. In some rooms even the sick had 
to sit up. The rally comfortable person in 
the crowd was found to be a woman with a 
babe in her arms, leaning against a pillar 
for months; she laid the infant to sleep on 
tiie desk in front of her. 

"Children are being bom every day," says 
one report. "We have managed to give 
two small rooms to these women, many of 
whom haven't even a quitt. Children were 
bom even in the crowded church. One of the 
women who was reporting these cases com- 
plained in a very aggrieved tone that some 
were even bringing two, as if one wasn't 
enough to satisfy anybody imder existing 
circumstances." 

The problem of feeding these multitudes 
was difficult; without the wise management 
of the missionaries hundreds would have died 



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124 The Death of a Nation 

of starvaticm. They were fortunate enough 
to be able to borrow money for bread, dis- 
tributing over four tons of bread a day, or 
fifteen thousand loaves of about ten and a 
half ounces a loaf, each person getting one 
loaf a day, and that only dry bread; but 
man cannot "live by bread alone," week 
after week. 

As the refugees were huddled tt^ther in 
a most unsanitaiy condition, hungry, ragged, 
and filthy, a serious epidemic of typhoid, 
typhus, and dysentery broke out among 
them, carrying off from ten to twenty-five 
every day, the breath passing from bodies 
which had long before been soulless. It was 
like a nightmare quickened into life. 

TTie terrible disease of dysentery was due 
largely to the lack of proper food. When the 
ack became helpless and offensive, it was 
almost imposable to get anybody to care 
for them. 

From the fear of the enemy outside the 
mission premises, the dead could not be 
taken out to the burial ground, they were 



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A Chapter of Horrors 125 

interred unwept in the mission yard; most of 
them were just dropped, without cxifBns, into 
a great trench of rotting humanity. In some 
cases bodies of the little ones were wrapped 
in ragged pieces of patchwork. 

Death became one thing to be longed for; 
the people were exclaiming- "Blessed are 
the dead," and, "Let us fall now into the 
hand of the Lord and not into the hands of 
the Kurds." The condition of the living 
was really more pitiful than that of the dead; 
they were hungry, ragged, dirty, sick, cold, 
wet, swarming with vermin. 

Finally, of the eighteen adult members of 
the American mission, who were attending 
the refugees, thirteen contracted diseases and 
three lost their lives. 

German missionaries in Persia have been 
fully as indignant at the sight of these hor- 
rors, fully as sympathetic with the sufferers 
as the missionaries of neutral nations. 



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126 The Death of a Nation 



STATBMEtrr OF GERHAN IHSSIONASIES 

The following heartrending accounts are 
taken from the letters of the German mis- 
sionaries in Persia; the letters were published 
in Der chrisUiche Orient, and republished on 
Octobn 18, 1915, in the Dutdi newspaper 
De Nieuwe RoUerdamsdie Cottrant, the leading 
journal of Holland. 

"The latest news is that four thousand 
Sjnians and one hundred Armenians have 
died of disease alone, at the missicms, within 
the last five months. All villages in the 
surrounding district with two or three excep- 
tions have been plundered and biant; twenty 
thousand Christians have been slaughtered 
in Armenia and its environs." 

"On the road," writes another German 
missionary in Azerbaijan,' "I found four 
little children. Th.& mother sat on the 
ground, her back resting against a wall. 
The hollow-eyed children ran up to me, 

■ Ver ehrumcht Orient, Sept.-Oct., 1915, p. 74 f. 



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A Chapter .of Horrors 127 

stretching out their hands and ciying: 
'Bread! Bread!' When I came closer to 
the mother, I saw that she was dying." 
Here is a description from anoth^ letter: 
"In Haftewan, a village of Salmas, 750 
corpses without heads have been recovered 
from the wells and cisterns alone. Why? 
Because the commanding officer had put a 
price on every Christian head. In Haftewan 
alone more than five hundred women and girls 
were delivered to the Ktmds of Saudjbulak. 
One can i m agine the fate of these unfortunate 
creatures. In Diliman crowds of Christians 
were thrown into prison and driven to accept 
Idam. Tlie men were circumcised. Gul- 
pashan, the richest village in the XJrumia 
district, has been wholly ransacked. The 
men were slain and the good-looking women 
and girls carried away. So also in Babarud. 
Hundreds of women jumped into the deep 
river, when they saw how many of their 
sisters were violated by the bands of brigands, 
in broad daylight, in the middle of the road. 
So also at Miandoab and in Sulduz district." 



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128 The Death of a Nation 

A large number of captured girls were 
taken into various cities and sold as slaves 
to Turks for a nominal price. In the streets 
of Beirut they were offered for twenty piasters 
(eighty cents). A man bou^t one for that 
price, but he was soon stabbed, and the girl 
taken from him, because it was discovered 
that he was a Christian. 



A HEROIC MISSIONAXT 

Geogtapa, one of the largest villages of the 
plain of Urumia, was besieged by the Kurds. 
Many of the inhabitants of other villages 
had reached that place on their way to the 
city, and these, together with the village in- 
habitants, kept up a fight for days to defend 
their families and themselves. They were 
finally driven to their last stand in the two 
churches situated on a high hill fonned of 
ashes of Zoroastrian fires. The women and 
children were crowded like sheep in the 
churches. It was at this time that Dr. 



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A Chapter of Horrors 129 

Packard, tiie missionaiy physician, made a 
valiant intervention, determined to see what 
his long and intimate relations with many 
of the Kurdish chiefs would do. At the risk 
of his life he visited the Sheikh and begged 
that the lives of the villagers might be given 
him; the property would gladly be given to 
the Kurds, and he prevailed. When Dr. 
Packard arrived, a lively battle was going on, 
with no hope for the Christians. He had 
great difficulty in getting to the chiefs with- 
out being shot; but he finally reached them, 
and they knew him. Some of these Kurds 
had spent weeks in his hospital and had been 
operated upon by him; so they listened to him 
while he was pleading for the lives of the 
people inside, and agreed to let them go 
with him if they would give up their guns 
and ammunition. They did, and he brought 
them with him into the city in the middle 
of the night, over a thousand men, women, 
and children, who, but for his mediation, 
would have been massacred in the usual 
horrible way. He '"plucked them as a fire- 



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130 The Death of a Nation 

brand, out c^ the burning," and he himself 
had "no hurt." 



A (HSL HER0D4B 

Another incident of thrilling account was 
that of a girl of seventeen. When her 
family left Salmas for Russia she stayed 
with her old father. The Kurds entered the 
Tillage and came to her house. She, with a 
boy about eighteen years old, fled to the 
roof from which she shot the Kurd who killed 
her father and then fled from roof to roof 
till she reached the edge of the village and 
took the road to Diliman!. She shot five 
Kurds who pursued her in the village, and 
being followed by a horseman, shot his horse 
GO that he desisted from the pursuit, ^e 
todc refuge with a Kai^;uzar and the Muslims 
wished her to become Muhammadan, prom- 
idng her a rich husband, to which she replied 
she would first kill whoever attempted to 
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A Chapter of Horrors 131 

herself. 'Die Turkish commander sent for 
her and took her gun away, saying she was 
braver than any of his soldiers. She went 
back to the Karguzar's house, and the Turks 
sent word to have her killed, but the Kargu- 
zar hid her, so she was saved by the return 
of the Russians. 

It requires extraordinary courage and forti- 
tude to fight with a Kurd who is a walking 
arsenal, armed to the teeth with guns, 
cartridge belts, daggers, and spear. 



TOE AMERICAN FLAG F£ASED 

While the people had partly fled to Russia 
and partly taken refuge with the missionaries, 
the blood-mad Turks and Kurds had sur- 
rounded the mission premises with threats of 
death against the refugees. They were 
warded off, however by the American flag, 
and the refugees were untouched. To them 
the m^sion was a heaven in the midst of a 
heU. 



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132 The Death of a Nation 

Citizens of the United States unfurled the 
flag high in the air from their mission gates; 
neither Turk nor Kurd would dare to break 
in. 

During eighty long years the American 
mission has ministered to the spiritual as 
well as the temporal needs of that community 
found in the plain of Urumia, its neighboring 
districts, and in the Kurdistan Mountains ; but 
at no time has it perfonned a more praise* 
worthy and nobler service than during these 
massacres. It is a meritorious record that 
can very seldom be equalled in the annals 
of missionary work. 

If it were not for the assistance rendered 
by the little band of these devoted American 
missionaries in Urumia, none of the Chris- 
tians, probably, could have escaped the sword 
of those most inveterate foes of Christianity. 
The protection of those Christians who sur- 
vived death and destruction was accom- 
plished only by their constant vigilance 
during the six months of that fiendish 



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A Chapter of Horrors 133 

The Rev. Dr. miliam A. Shedd. who is 
thoroughly conversant with the men and 
manners of the countiy, through his most 
unremitting exertion secured the co6pera- 
tion oi the Persian governor and other 
authorities to save the lives of many. Even 
the Kurds re^x>nded sometimes to his 
appeals for mercy. 

vm 

llASSACRE AND KAPINB WEKE THE ORDER OF 
THE DAY 

Am<mg the villagers who had not fled, the 
reign of terror took place. The troops were 
engaged, wholly imchecked, in the work of 
depredation and murder. 

During the last days of February, shortly 
after the arrival of Reghib Bey, the Turkish 
Consul-General at Tabriz, about forty persons 
were taken out of the French mission at mid- 
night, and told that they would be transp(»ted 
to Turkey; they were tied together, and shot 
at a place about two miles from the dty of 



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134 iThe Death of a Nation 

Urumia. The dead and wounded were left 
piled up. Among the murdered were Mar 
Dinldia, a Nestoiian bishop, and an aged 
Catholic priest. Every possible means was 
tried to mollify the officers, but they were 
obdurate and implacable, and intent to cany 
out the orders of the Turkish authorities. 



THE HEAKTLSSS ASSASSINS 

Dr. Shimun of Sipurghan, Urumia, was 
captured by the Turks while hiding in the 
Ganbil Daghi near the lake of Urumia. They 
saturated his clothes with oil and set him on 
fire, shot him while fleeing, and cut c^ his 
head. 

On March 24th, a still more horrible deed 
was committed at Gulpashan, the most pros- 
perous vill^e in Urumia; fifty men were 
taken out into the cemetery, the soldiers 
made them all dt down on the ground, and 
then shot at them. They then looked them 



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A Chapter of Horrors 135 

over, and anyone who was found to be 
breathing was shot the second time. Similar 
acts were performed in other places. 



A COWARDLY SLAUG^TBR 

A dastardly massacre took place shcutly 
after that. Seventy-five Christians had 
been employed by the Turks to bring tele- 
graph wire from Gawar, Turkey, a district 
about sixty miles distant, across the border. 
They were kept here in confinement with 
very little food. On the way back they 
were taken into a mountain valley fifteen or 
twenty miles from the city of Urumia, and 
massacred in cold blood. Three of them 
escaped, after pretending to be dead, and 
returned woimded and bloody. In the ad- 
joining regions of Turkey, according to 
reports confirmed by many persons from 
there, and by the fact that the refugees from 
Gawar are almost all women and diildren, 
similar massacres took place. 



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136 The Death of a Nation 



STATEUENT OF A HI55I0NASY IN URUHU, 
PERSIA 

"Yesterday I went to the Kalla c^ Ismael 
Agha and from there, Kasha and some others 
went with me up the road to the place where 
the Gawar men were murdered by the Turks. 
It was a gruesome sight! Perhaps the worst 
I have seen at all. Tliere were seventy-one 
or two bodies; we could not tell exactly 
because of the conditions. It is about six 
months since the murder. Some were in 
fairly good condition, dried like a mummy, 
their faces pinched into horrible death masks. 
Others were torn to pieces by the wild ani- 
mals. Some had been daggered in several 
places, as evident from the cuts in the skin. 
Most of them had been shot. The ground 
about was littered with empty shells. It was 
a long way off from the Kalla, and a half 
hour's walk frcnn the main road into the 
most rugged gorge I have seen for some time. 
I suppose the Turks thought no word could 



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A Chapter of Horrors 137 

grt out from there, a secret, solitary, rocky 
gorge. How those three wounded men suc- 
ceeded in getting out and reaching the city 
is more of a marvel Uian I thought it was 
at the time. The record of massacre burials 
now stands as follows: 

"At Charbasb, forty in one grave, among 
them a bishop. At Gulpashan, fifty-one in 
one grave, among them the most innocent 
persons in the country; and now, above the 
Kalla of Ismad Agha, seventy in one grave, 
among them leading merchants of Gawar. 

"These one hundred and sixty-one persons, 
buried by me, came to their death in the 
most cruel maimer possible, at the hands of 
regular Turkish tnx»ps in company with 
Kurds under their command." 



The worst of all these massacres took place 
in Salmas, a district to the north of Urumia 
and adjoining it; it is inhabited by the Arme- 



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138 The Death of a Nation 

nians, Nestorians, and Muslims. la Mardi, 
when all the males above the age of twelve 
were killed in the village of Haftewan, many 
of them were hacked to pieces. Tliis was 
done by order of Jevdet Pasha, the son of 
Takis Pashai commander oi Turkish forces 
in that region. He is a man who has studied 
in the French school in Beirut, Syria. It 
was he who ordered and planned the nmssacre 
here. I will not multiply the monotonous 
tale of barbarity; these instances will suffice 
to show the cold-blooded deliberateness and 
savage barbarity that exceed anything we 
have ever heard ot, even in that part of the 
world. 

The object of all these massacres was to 
strike a blow that would never need repetition. 

Inciting such barbarous troops by the cry of 
Jihad, holy war, against the non-combatants 
and unarmed people is absolutely unjustified. 
"The providon of the sacred law of Islam 
forbids the Christians to possess arms." 
There is no case in history of human de- 
pravity, certainly not since the time of 



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A Chapter of Horrors 139 

Tamerlane, in which any crime so hideous 
and upon so large a scale has been recorded. 

Every incident turns upon pillage or mur- 
der or rape or torture. The brutal creatures 
plundered the villages, killed the men, dis- 
honored the women, seized the portable 
property, and returned leisurely home, con- 
scious of having done a good day's work. 

The fact that these acts were often com- 
mitted by the bloodthirsty Kurds does not 
exonerate the Turks who issued the orders. 
The Persian Muslims joined the Kurds to 
give vent to their everlasting and mortal 
grudge gainst their Christian neigbbors. 



There is, however, something more re- 
volting than the murder, pillage, and torture 
perpetrated upon these tmhappy Oiristian 
people of the East, and that is the assault 
made on women's honor — the women whose 
chastity and purity are proverbial. When 



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140 The Death of a Nation 

the male population (^ a village were done 
away with, many oi the women were not 
killed but reserved for a more hmnilialing 
fate. The vmmea who were unable to flee 
or did not succeed in hiding themselves were 
deHberately dishonored, and the girls de- 
flowered. We weep for them because they 
were not kiUed by the butcher's knife. 



According to the missionary reports 
"many of the good-looking girls and wcnnen 
were taken captive by the Turks, Kurds, and 
Persian Muhammadans, to be consigned to 
harems, a life that is worse than death." 

The report goes on: "Lucy came in 

yesterday with her baby from the village to 
which she had fled, living in temx of Kurds 
who surrounded the village, by day and by 
ni^t. There was no avenue of escape. The 
Kiuxls came to the roofs and commanded the 



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A Chapter of Horrors 141 

people to go down. Lucy, with erne Kurd 
below her cm the ladder and two above her, 
her baby on her back, got down. In the 
yard she saw her younger sister, Sherin, a 
pretty girl of about fifteen, being dragged 
away by a Kurd. She was imploring Lucy 
to save her, but Lucy was helpless. When 
she was telling me this with tears and sobs 
she said: 'Every night, when I try to sleep 
I hear her entreaties, *'0h, Lucy, I'll be your 
sacrifice. Save me, Lucy!" I called to her: 
"Pull your head-kerchief over your face; 
don't look into tbeir faces." She tried to 
(xmceal her face, and daubed it with mud, 
but ^ has such beautiful dark eyes and rosy 
cheeks ! The Kurds grabbed her, and peering 
into her face, they dragged her away. Oh ! if 
th^ had only killed my sister we could say: 
"She is dead, like many others." But that 
she should be in the hands of a Kurd, we 
cannot bear it. ' 

"On Sunday, January 25th, a Jew iMxiught 
us word from Ushnuk that Sherin is there in 
the house of a Kurd and that eveiy ^ort 



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142. The Death of a Nation 

is beiiig made by gifts, persuastoa, and tbreats 
to make her prc^ess Islam, but that she always 
answers: 'You may kill me, but I will never 
deny my £aith.* Later she was liberated un- 
Ecathed,byaKurdishwoman. Truly a miracle. 

"Another sad case was that of the mother 
d a girl of twelve, who was being taken away 
to a life of slavery. The mother protested 
and tried to save her child, who was ruth- 
lessly torn from her. As the daughter was 
being dragged away the mother made so 
much trouble for her oppressOTS, and clung 
to them so tenadously, that they stabbed 
her twelve times before she fell helpless to 
save her little girl &om her fate. This -woman 
recovered frcon her wounds. Some pec^le 
were shot as they ran, and children that they 
were carrying were killed or wounded with 
them. In some cases men were lined up so 
that several could be shot with one bullet in 
order not to waste ammimition on them." 

An Assjrian priest was escaping cm horse- 
back with his daughter; he was killed and the 
girl carried off to Kurdistan, where she was 



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A Chapter of Horrors 143 

married by force to a Kurd. Pour months 
later came the sad news that she had died. 
During her illness she had as companion 
another Syrian ^I, also a captive. This 
other giri relates that the Muslim women 
came and turned the sick woman's face to- 
wards Mecca. The invalid begged her com- 
panioQ to turn her face to the east, that she 
might die a Christian. 

Another pathetic case, a woman, fleeing 
with her two children — ^her husband was 
abroad — met a Muslim mullah in her flight. 
He took the children, stripped them of their 
clothing, and threw them both into a stream, 
which was on the point of freezing. He then 
offered to marry the wconan. On her refusal 
he left the woman cm the load to her fate. 
She returned to the stream, and, taldng her 
children frcmi the water, carried them to a 
vineyard near by, where she placed them 
in a hollow place with some straw over them 
to try and warm them; both children died 
in the morning. Later the sorrowing woman 
found her way to Urumia. Five months 



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144 The Death of a Nation 

afterwards the Russians caught this inlmmftti 
brute and made him suffer for bis crime. 



ISLAMIZATIOH 

Many attractive girls and yotmg women 
were fcHxnbly taken into harems. Many 
others were promised their lives on accepting 
Islam, if they would merdy pronounce its 
formula and abjure Christ. But instead of 
doing so, with a few exceptions, they gave 
their sotds to God and their bodies to the 
tormentors, defying hell itself by their bound- 
less trust in God and Jesus Christ. 

Such martyrdom deserves to be appre- 
ciated for the light it throws on the disposi- 
ticm of these people which has diaracterized 
them as a martyr nation for almost nineteen 
hundred years. 

Hie poor people, cut oS from all prospect 
of Christian aid, and deprived, by the fewness 
ctf their numbers and the want of arms, of 
the opportunity of showing any courage in 



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A Chapter of Horrors 145 

cdf-d^ense, were able to display that still 
higher courage which consists in facing death 
for t^ Bake of the faith. 

XVI 



Another fonn of outrage was tjiat c^ 
seizing persons and levying fines on them; 
the refusal was met with death; as inter- 
mediates, the missionaries redeemed many, 
by paying fcv them and for those who fled 
to the mission for protecti<m a ransom of 
several thousand dollars directly to the Turk- 
ish military or consular authorities. Prison- 
ers thus hdd were beaten and incarcerated) 
to be hung or. shot if the money was not 
fortlKoming. Hie most notable instance 
was that of a bishop, who was taken out d 
the misaon premises, and for whom the 
Turks donanded a ransom of fifteen thou- 
sand tomans, ten thousand tomans, eight 
thousand ttmians, and finally accepted fifty- 
five hundred. 



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146 The Death of a Nation 

To visualize the villages in that beautiful 
plain of Urumia, lying in ruins, the homes 
buraed, the men massacred, the' girls taken 
captive, the wcnnen, even childien, outraged, 
is so horrible that one recoils, it makes the 
flesh creep. 



NESTOBIANS IN THE KTJKDISTAN UOUNTAINS 

The suffering Nestorians who live in the 
extreme eastern part of Turkey and in the 
western part of Persia, adjoining Tiu-key, 
have suffered as greatly, and perhaps more 
generally than those in Persia. They are 
the remnants of the old Nestorian Church, 
numbering about ninety thousand, and did 
not escape the massacre and pillage suffered 
by the others. They are a sturdy people who, 
like the Kurds about them, have maintained 
a state of semi-independence and have been 
more or less able to defend themselves against 
attacks. Last summer their turn came and, 
as the following stoty indicates, they were 



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A Chapter of Horrors 147 

forced to leave the mountain valleys and go 
over into Persia. Perhaps half of the total 
number have reached Pema. Some others 
may have reached Rus^; many have per- 
ished in the mountain valleys — how many, 
no one can tell. 

For months they had been holding their 
own in the mountain fastnesses, hoping for 
succor frcnn the Russians ; when this failed and 
their enemies increased on every hand they 
had to flee ; many perished in the attempt. 

The first attack by the combined force of 
Turks and Kurds was made in June, I9i5,and 
was partially successful. The people were 
driven out of their valleys into the high moun- 
tains. In this movement not many Uves were 
lost, but many villages were destroyed. The 
hostile forces were for some reason or other 
withdrawn, and for some weeks there was 
comparative quiet, broken only by spasmodic 
attacks hy local forces. About three weeks 
later there was another concerted attadc 
made by the Turks and Kurds on their 
stronghold in the mountain top, and they 



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t48 The Death of a Nation 

were driven out. About thirty thousand, 
with great difficulty, made their escape, part 
of their road being held by the Kurds. Th^ 
came down southward to the Tal Valley, fol- 
lowed by the Kurds, and attempted to turn 
up the Zab to get out by way of Jidamerk. 
They found the Kurds in force at the Julameric 
bridge, and were forced to turn downstream. 
At the border of Tiaiy th^ crossed the Zab 
and went up into the hills, which they foimd 
deserted by the Kurds, who had gone to 
war. They then made thdr way around 
back of Julamerk, meeting no hostile force 
until they reached the ridge between Qu- 
chanis and the Zab. Here again they found 
a force of Kurds waiting for them. They 
had quite a sharp fight with them and the 
Kurds were worsted. From there on they 
had no more trouble, reaching Bashkala in 
safety, and later coming down to Salmas, 
Persia. They number about thirty thou- 
sand. Among them is Mar Shimun, the 
Patriardi. They are mainly women and 
diildren, the men being massacred. 



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A Chapter of Horrors 149 

With refCTence to those who were left in 
the motmtains, perhaps a thousand more 
succeeded in getting through. There are 
still scmie thousands shut up there, and their 
fate is still uncertain. How many were 
killed in this last attack, no one could give 
even an estimate, but undoubtedly the 
ntmiber must be large. 

A general massacre took place in the third 
group of this community, which numbered 
thirty thousand and occupied the valley of 
the Tigris, close to the ruins cd Ninev^. 
Among the diief settlements of this region, 
which have been wiped out of existence, 
are Jezireh Ibn-Omar, Mansurieh, Shaldi, 
Hassan, Sert. 

We are told that by order of the govem- 
m^it the Kurds and Turkish soldiers put 
the Christians c^ those villages to the sword. 
Among the slain were several Presbyterian 
preachers and teachers. Some of the men 
of Shakh were killed by Turkish soldiers who 
had been stationed in their village by the 
government. The women and children who 



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ISO The Death of a Nation 

escaped death were carried away captive. 
Among these were the families of the above 
mentioned ministers. Many c^ the women 
of Mansurieh threw themselves into the 
river to avoid faUing into the hands of the 
Kurds. 

The massacre was repeated; after the first 
slaughter, there were Kurds who tried to save 
some of the Christians alive, but the govern- 
ment would not aUow it. The decree was 
to ccmiplete the work or be punished. Of 
course some must have escaped, but as to 
their whereabouts no one knows. 

The prospect of the forlorn remnant who 
have escaped the massacre is piteous in the 
extreme. Some fifty thousand men, women, 
and children from Persia and Kurdistan are 
naked, hungry, and homeless. 

Such, in outline, is the story of what has 
happened to the Nestorian community which 
was dwelling in Persia and in the Kurdistan 
Mountains. 

I have not told the whole story — the whole 
story is too gruesome and horrible — but have 



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A Chapter of Horrors 151 

confined myself in these statements to the 
usual course of the crime. I have not 
mentioned the extravagance of wickedness, 
the barbarity of tortures, and the details of 
the outrages against the women, that would 
make a shameful and terrible page of modem 
history which is unfolding in Persia and 
Tvakey. 

"May God forgive the Turks and Kurds, 
'for they know not what they do.' May 
God open their eyes to see whtnn they are 
persecuting, lli^ are what centuries have 
made them. 'Verily they think they are 
doing God service.' Like Saul c£ Tarsus, 
may they become some day lilffi Paul of 
Damascus!" 



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— , iaa, 100 

Abd-Mshikha, Bishop of Arbil, 39 

Abgai, King, 33; his letter to Qmst, 34, 35; convenioa of, 

Aaba, Patriarch, birth of, 64; conreTSioii of, 65; consecra- 
tionof, G5;in thepresencecrf AIlUslu^waII,66liIDpIisoa- 
IIlCIlt 0E, 67:deathof, 68. ^wMarAUu. 

Abhdisho, Bishop of Merv, 99 

Abhdisho, Bishop of Unimia, 11, 104 

Abil 'Abbas <^ Tus, 90 

Abimelech (Mar Timotheus), Archdeacon, 16 

Abraham, Patriarch, 90 

Abu Jaafar, Governor of Baghdad, 94 

Addai (Thaddeus), apostle, 33, 33; chiistiamzed Abgar, 
36.37 

Aderbon, a mobed, 56 

Aderperwa, a Zoroastrian nobleman, 56 

Adiahene, district, 2 " 



Aeha (landlord), 136 
Af-Asna,75 

Al-Binini, Muslim writer, 102 
Ali Bar Isa, Vider. 90 
Al-Ma'mtm, Calipi), 63 
'Amr ibc el As, 83 n. 
Anaxarcbus, st 

Anoahirwan (ChoBToes I.), 64; tOlenQt to Mar Abha, 66, 
67; wife of, 68 



Arbil, dty. Christians of, to6 
Ardaban (Artabanus), Parthiaii ldiu;^40 
Ardashir I,, Malkan Malka (King of Kings), 40 
Armenians, persecutions of, 115 
Amobiua. African, 39 
Arsadd ^raastf , 39, 40 

Assyrian Christians, 3: as a people, 13, 13; ethnic capacity 
<K, 13, i4;Chri3tianityof, r4iperGecuticuisof, 115 
163 



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i64 Index 

AfltemtNid, c!t7, dertromd t^ Jengis Khon, t< 
AsoriMiJAn, province 01 Penw, 117, 136 



L Patiiuch of, 15; cspiUl of CalipfM, 105 
■d (Rodagi), court pact of Ehuaiau Panris, J3 n. 
a v., Sine « Persia, 57 

Palqj^ai^ BishoP of TTr nTTIig^ IQA 

Baliart, Qiristiui King, i^ 

Bar Kepeu a Naatorian wnter, a a. 

Bar Moqb (Blias), Pattiaich, 104 

Bar Saboa'i, Patnarcb, 45, 46^nuut^oiii of, 47 

Banabha, Bishcq) tji Merv in Khurasan, 44 

Bar SaUtaa^ Ncttorian writer, a n. 

Bar Soma, Bishop of Nisibia, favorite with King Pinu, 

63; hdd a council at Beth Lapat, 63 
Baahkala, citjr, 14S 

Bedr Eban B^, 78; penecntion of, no, tit 
'BenTanun Mu Shimun, the present Patriarch (d the 

Asnriaa Christians, 6, in, 148 
B«th GannaL district, 71 
Beth Lapat (Gondisapur), 63 
Beth Razqayi (Tehran or vicinity}, sfi 
Beth Sluk, 63 

Beth Zabdai, town. Bishop of, 41 
Bhalcti, doctrine of, 17; literature of, 18 
Bohtan-Su, district, 9 

Central Asia, Christians c^, 104 
Chaldeans, I, 3, 3, 4, 19 
Chaldistan, 3 n. 
Charbash, village in Urumia, 37 



Cyril of Akxandiia, 6t 

DadisbcL Patriarch, conncil of, 59, 60; decision of the 

councd,6o,6i 
Danid of Rcsh Aina, a writer, a 
"»aaq,citr,97 



Daquq, dt 
De^cha, I 



Denkha, Patriaixih, to7; Ehulaqu Khan presenting him 

with a diploma, 107 
Diarbekir, seat of the Romaa Metnqxilitan, 3, 9 
Diliman. dty, 137, 130 _ 



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Index 165 

Dorqoneh, town, scbool of, 81 ; Monutery cf , 96 
Duqoz Ehftttm, wife <A Ebulaqn Khan, 105 
DTophysites, 61; doctrine of, ao-Zl 

Edessa (Ur ti Oialdea), 32; center of the eariy Chrlstiaiu, 

361 ntuBtuMi of, 36: bistoiy of, 37, 38; Kbool of, 63 
Elanutes, cburchee of, 68 
Eliaa, Patriarch, no 
Elios n. (Bar Moqli), patriarch, 104 



Firman (edict), 45, 46 

Gabrid, Bistwp of HtimuHlaahir, a 

Ganbil Daghi, mountain, 134 

Gawar, district, 135 

G«(^[t^ia, village m TJrumia, 138 

GecH^ge, phv^idaa. 94 

Gew^xis CGe□I:ge)^ Bishop, 88 

Gulpa^ian, viU^e in Drumia, 137, 134, 137 

Hoftewan, village in Solmaa, 127, 138 

Hamadan, 109 

Hanbalite sect, 9S 

Hannan, scribe ^ Abgar, 34; Mission of, 34, 35 

Hanm u-Rashid, CaUph, gt 

Hassan, village, 149 

Herat, Bishop of, 59, 63 

Hira, city, 75 

Honain, physician, 94 

Huns, churches of, 68 

Hurmizd IV., King, pro-Christian attitude cf, 71 

Hurmizdashir, town, 3 

Hyrcania, no 

Ignatius, Jacobite Patriarch, 16 
Isaac, Bishop, 76; Patriarch, 77 
Isfahan, Bisnop of, 59 
Israel, physician, 94 



Jacobite^ o, 16 

James, Bishop, no 

James, Martyr, 49 

James, St., the dismembered," 58 

Jengiz Khan, I04; massacres of, 105 



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i66 Index 

Terdet PkdM, oomnModer of Toridih fofcti, 138 

Jexireli, 1 13 

Jeareh ibo-Omar, 149 

Jihad (holy war), lU 

jc^ Pncoyttr (Uiuc Ehu), 101 



Eabir, doctrine of, t8v 19 

Ealla (fortreaa), 136, 137 

KMigaiMX (oEBcer), 130, t^i 

Euut tribe, 99: uuiatiantzatira of, too 

Karica fcountiy), 63 

~ ■ K Cpriest), 136 

id D. Pajfyad, 73 n. 



Ehnanidn, Patriarch of Baghdad, 88; fate of, 89 

KhulBquEban,ios;coac|uestof, 109, toG;wifeo(, i< 

Kbunsaa, Bishop of, 63 

Ehusrau Parwiz (Cbosroes IL), 73, 73 n. 

Khuzistan, 38 

Krishna, the festival c^ bis tnrth likened to that of Jei 

Lashom, city, 73 

Mahdi, governor of Baghdad, 88 

Ma If hi IM school of, 81 

Malikshah, Sultan, 107 n. 

Mallmn Malka, Kmg of Kings, Ardaalur I>, 40 



Mar Abhdisho (Ebed Tesu) Metropolitan of Merv, too 
Mar AUidisho (Ebed Tesu), 60; catalogue of, 81; hia 

Arabic translation of u>e Nestoriaa cned, 84 
Mar Atwaham, Fatriardi, Us bonea dinntened, 96 
Mar Anush, Patriarch, Ids body diantemd, 97 
Mar Denkha, Bishop, massacred, 134 
Mar Ephntim (Bphrem Syrus), 80; works of, 81 
Mar Timotheus, Abimelech, 16 
Mar Yohannan, Bishop cd Urumia, 4 
Maragha, capital of Mongols, 106 



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Index 167 

Mftrkabta, town, 59 

Martha, a nun, 48 

Maiutha, Bishop and physician, 53; honored by Yasdigiid, 

54. 55 
Ma^, St., ChoTch of , ii; figure of, 94 
Mai^ (Stuiin), Cfaosroes' wife, 73, 73 
Ma^ad, Bishop of, 44 
Menglra-TeneGh, tombstooe of, 103 
Merv, city, Bishop of, 59, 62; Metropcditao of, 100; 

destruction^ 105 
Merr, aty of Khtiraaan, 44 
Mtandoab, city, 137 
Miks, Biwop, 43 
Mis^ons in Uninua, American, 11; Roman Catbdic, is; 

Lutheran, 13; English, 13; Gennao, 13 
Mobed, Zoroastrian priest, 48, ^6, 57 
Mob^ Mobedan, Zoroaitrian high priest, 74 
Monophysite's doctrine, 30^1 
Mshildia-Zkha, Bishoi>, 39 
Musta'sim, last 'Abbasid C^ph, . 
Mutawakkil, Caliph, 93, 94, 95 

Narsai, martyi. 56, 57 
Naar ed-Din, Astronomical Tables of, 106 
Nejran, Qiristian prince of, 78 
Nestonan Church, "'■ ' •*-':•— 

43 n.! triumph o . 
Nestorian Tablet, 69-70; replica of, 69 n. 
Nestorians, various app^tions of, 1-4: bcnne of, 5; their 

influence in India, 15-19; faith of, 19-34; litmgy^, 90 n. 
Nestorians' doctrine, 30-31 
Nineveh, 3, 9, 76, 149 

NishajMir, dty, destroyed by Jengiz Ehan, 105 
Nisibm, 61 ; school of, 63, 65 
NiatM al-Mulk, loA n. 
Nushizad, prince, 67 ; as a Christian, 68; death of, 68 



Oman, Bishop of, 59 
Omar, Caliph, 83 n. 
Omar ibn al-Khattab, 85; constitution ct, 85-108 



^pa, bishop of Selwicia, 43; his daim tl wipr e ui aqf, 4a; 
que8tiontreatedinaGonncil,43, 431 resignation of, 44j 



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i68 Index 

PwtbiMis, u. 37. 79; «»1 o< thdr nde, 40 
Peridns, mmlaiuTy, s 
PenanneoUna, chtarcnes of, 68 
Pinu-Abwl, dty, 71 
Piiux, KioK, 61 



Ckliph, 97, 98 

' viluge, the place of the Patriarchal seat, 8, 16; 
148 

R^hib Ber, TWIdsh Consnl, 133 
Rcgiatan, Bishop of, 6a 
R^ Aina, vilk^ 3 

SaUiriiho, I^triarch, 71 ; elected by the bvor cJ Qtosroea, 

73, 73; honored bjr Emperor Maurice, 73 
Sa id, Cbristiaii prince, 78 
Salmaa, district, 130, 137, 148 
Sapor, priest, s^ 
Ssndibulak, dly, 137 

Seleuda-Ctesipbcai, twin capital, s, 79, 107 
Seljuk dynasty, 35 
Seres (Qiinese), 39 
Sereins, monk, 78 
Sergins (Sergia), pl^sidaii, 93 



dugram, embassadtv of Ab^ to Sabinns, 33 

Shapur II., Zulaktaf , 44; pcrsecutiOQ of, 45^49; death of, 50 

P>™i™*, Ku Sabfaa'i, I^tiiarch, 44 

Sdmun, vhyadaa, torture and murder of, 134 

Siiiio (Mai?), Cbosroes' wife, 73, 73; ccilebrated in Per^aa 



poetry, 73 ^ 
Sbirin, mar^, 63 
Suldna, distnct, 137 
Syriac Uteratun, 80 

Syro-cfidlfeani, 16 



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Index 169 

l^ maa g ir d fIV>Iiin Taidtprd), dttudi, 64 

Tamuza, Buhtw, 53 

Tartars, OuisUaiis of, 106; marriage of, 107 n. 

Tacvjxji (Aiabs), 59 

TeDiBii, Bishop (4, 62 

Thatldeas CAddai), 33, 33 

TheodoatuB, Patriarch, 95; nnpriaotmieiit of, 96 

Tbomas, fitahop, ito 

Thonta^ St, the Apovtle of India, 15; the dmch of, 15 

Harjr, dutiict, 148 

Timothy L, Patnanib, 31 

'Hmmlaiig Cl^meriane), 109, Ttt, 139 

Tohm Yacoigird, ZcHtMstnan officer, con v eraiop of, 63; 

church named after bim, 6^ 
Tomans, 145 (toman ia a Peraan denominatiai of moocy 

d account, equal in vahie to about f i) 



U^ Khan (Prater John), 101; lost in stonn, lOO; coo- 

vernoa of, loi 
W(Edessa),37 
Urfa (Edeesa), 36 
Urtiai (Bdesaa). 36 
Urumia, plain, 9-10; aa the atorm center, 1 17; d^e of, 1 19: 

destructi<n cd, 14G 
Urumia, dty ot, auppoaed tnrtlqdace of Zoroaater, 

headquarters tanr-—— " 
Uahnnk, dtjr, 141 

Viaier Niaam, 108 n. 

Yabhalaha, Patriarch, ito 

Yazdi^ird I., friend to Chriatians, 53; his attitude toward 

Chnstians threatened, 54; persecuting the Christiana, 

55, 56; death of, 57 
Yazdigird III^ 74 
Yazdua^docht, 48 
Yobamiaa U., Patriarch, lOO 

Zab, river, 148 
Zagroa, mountaina, 10 
Zeno, Emperor, 63 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



170 Index 

Zorowter, II 
ZoroastTJAiium, 41 

Znlaktaf (bttxid-clKNilderad), >m Shapur a., 44 



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3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



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3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe 



3 2044 037 682 093 



OIK APR I r 1911 

OUtMAy 6 1934 

«;n4 '57 

FEB 1 2001 



:,G®0<iIC 



3,q,i,i=dbvGoogIe