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your highest happiness is greatly desired by us.

Amen.

"In the next place, we beseech of you a watch, a very excellent and beautiful one, the like of which shall not exist. Amen.

"And furthermore, we request you to communicate to us the time of your coming here, that we may know it, that the Kurds, those children of wild asses, may not come in your way to do evil. When we shall hear of your coming, we will send men to meet you, that they may bring you to us in safety. Amen.

"Much love and greeting from all the priests, from all the deacons, from all the great ones, from all the brothers of Mar Shimon, and all the members of his family, great and small.

"Continue prosperous and firm, in the word of our Lord now and forever. Amen."

27. To-day, in conversation with a bishop and priest, my translators, they stated a theory embraced by the Nestorians, respecting the origin of the Mohammedan system. "Not Mohammed himself," they say, "but his tutor, a learned Nestorian, by the name of Sergis, was the real author of the Koran." This learned Nestorian, they furthermore say, was not a bad, designing, but a very mistaken man; and in his zeal to make converts, turned off from preaching the pure gospel, and undertook to lure men to heaven by holding out to their imaginations the enticements of a sensual paradise.

Whether Mohammed ever thus received any assistance from a nominally christian tutor, I know not, but the world is full of well established examples of the fearfulness of attempting to soften down the gospel system and render it more congenial to the natural inclinations of men than the Bible presents it. And the oriental churches, from the fourth century to the present time, have been a most fruitful soil of follies, absurdities, and abominations, on which Mohammedanism, or any other corrupt system, might easily take root and extend itself. Alas! how different from the purity and simplicity of apostolic times.

28. Our Nestorian friends are much troubled respecting a girl, who has just been torn from her home by a Mohammedan, with the design of converting her to the Mussulman faith, and then making her his wife. The poor girl is crying and entreating to be given back to her friends; and the Nestorians are flocking by hundreds to the governor to

petition her release. The poor Nestorians often flock to us for aid, in their sufferings; but we feel at liberty to do little more than point them to an Almighty Deliverer.

June 3. To-day a catholic Nestorian called on me, and requested me to receive his brother into our school. Our bishops remonstrated, because the boy belongs to a Catholic family; but the applicant urged his request, saying that his brother was now only a child, and he himself had no wish that he should ever become a Catholic.

8. Rode fifteen miles with priest Abraham, to a village of Barandooz, in pursuit of ancient manuscripts, to aid us in translation. A ridge of hills runs down from the mountains several miles, and partly intercepts the district of Barandooz from the main plain of Oormiah. Our road led us, the first five or six miles, through delightful groves, meadows, wheat-fields, vineyards, and gardens. We then crossed the ridge, and entered the district of Barandooz. It is a delightful valley, studded with fifteen or twenty villages, and watered by the largest river, perhaps six rods wide, that exists in the province. We at length reached the village we were in scarch of, and were conducted to the house of its priest. We were invited into his best room, after waiting some time in the hot sun until it should be swept and prepared. It was a small old stable, containing three young calves. At one end was a piece of an old carpet, on which we sat. I talked with the priest respecting Bibles and schools, and he seemed much interested. "In former times," said he, "this village was the residence of successive christian bishops; but now we are sorely oppressed, and every thing has gone to decay. We have few books and no schools in this district." He engaged to send his son to our teachers' school, and I promised to give him a copy of the gospels, for which he seemed thankful. A dinner of bread and boiled eggs was spread before us, of which we gratefully partook, and then started on our return. Our whole ride was delightful. The numberless thick groves of this province, at this hot season of the year, cast a rich green hue over the land, lake, and sky, which makes the whole region appear almost unearthly, and fully justifies the poetic line of Watts, in his version of the seventy-second Psalm,

"There Persia, glorious to behold."

The almost innumerable fields of the finest wheat, and orchards, and gardens,

and one of the most formidable barriers to
the introduction of christian knowledge into
those regions.

Professional Labors-Intercourse with a
Kurdish Chief.

and vineyards, also impress the mind, at
this season, with the idea of boundless
and universal plenty, in every earthly
enjoyment. And such would be the
case, were the gospel to rule here and
regulate society. But the fact is far
otherwise. And my heart is often for-
bidden to enjoy this enchanting drapery
of nature and these abounding gifts of
My labors among the sick have con-
Providence, by a recollection of the tinued to increase; and although the sea-
wickedness and wo that actually reign duous. Almost daily I have patients who
son is yet healthy, my task is very ar-
among them. One class of the popula- have come three, or four, or five days'
tion of this fine country revel in reple-
tion and sensual indulgence, and the rest journey to obtain relief. Some of these
who came quite blind have returned see-
are ground down to the dust. In this
ing. I have performed the operation for
single city are from one hundred to one
hundred and fifty khans, or nobles of the cataract more than fifty times, with a
highest rank, besides begs, or nobles of success equal to what is usual in such
cases. This gives me quite a celebrity
the second rank, innumerable. Each of
these nobles has his retinue of from with this complaint has been considered
in a country where every person affected
twenty to fifty, seventy-five, or one hun-
dred servants around him; and a village diseases of the eyes are more common
as doomed to hopeless blindness. While
or two of the peasantry are kept toiling than I have seen in America, you will
to their utmost to sustain the establish-
ment; and for the hundreds of nobles, in remember that these cases are not con-
this city, hundreds of villages of the sur-
fined to the populous plain of Oormiah,
rounding country are thus borne down but have been collected from a large ex-
One of
under intolerable servitude. By and by tent of surrounding country.
come the king's tax-gatherers and the them was a Kurdish chief from the banks
poor laborers must then often turn out of the Tigris, ten days journey from this
the bread of their families, or their cloth-place. Other surgical operations, though
ing, to answer the royal demand and the numerous, have not been in the same
proportion. I have sometimes prescribed
still more exorbitant exactions of his ra-
for nearly or quite a hundred patients in
pacious deputies. It is not in Persia, as
a day. But the necessary exertion is so
a country, and especially this part of it,
to be wretched; but it is her army of exhausting to body and mind, that I sel-
idle despots, and the general corruption On the Sabbath our gates are closed, and
dom let the number much exceed fifty.
of her morals, that fill this fair inheri-
tance with wailing and wo.
none but the most urgent cases receive
Said my
attention.
meerza this morning, "My country is
wretched and has no health." Why? I
inquired. "Because the great men are
poor, and have no money," he replied.
Poor man! May he and his countrymen
learn the real cause of their wretched-
ness their wickedness; and embrace
their only remedy-the gospel.

LETTER FROM DOCT. GRANT, DATED at

OORMIAH, JULY 1ST, 1836.

THE Kurds, to some of whom Doct. Grant seems to have gained access under very favorable circumstances, are a bold and hardy race of men, living in a number of different and independent communities on the mountain ranges of Armenia; leading a wandering life, and subsisting mainly by robbing

caravans or plundering the villages situated in the vallies and plains beneath them. They have been regarded as the terror of all travellers between Turkey and Persia,

VOL. XXXIII.

in

The young Persian meerza mentioned my journal, [p. 455 of last vol.] continues to take lessons, and is making good proficiency in acquiring a knowlIn conedge of the English language. nection with Mar Yohanna and his brother, who are in the same class, he has read the whole of Matthew very carefully. We render the whole into Turkish, comparing it with the Persian and Syriac; and not a sentence passes until I am satisfied that it is fully understood. Thus this interesting young man is daily receiving impressions from that word which we are assured shall not return void; and many interesting inquiries are called forth in relation to the precepts of He is fully acthe religion of Jesus. of Henry Martyn in this country, and quainted with the labors and discussions speaks very highly of him.

While our attention is directed primarily to the Nestorian population, our intercourse with the Mohammedans con

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tinues friendly and interesting. Since our last date I have returned most of the numerous visits we have received from the nobility of the city, and was every where received with truly Persian politeness.

which, it is said, rarely admit of room for half a dozen in a place. The Roman Catholic missionaries in that region conformed to the customs of the country so far as to wear long beards, and to a considerable extent, at least, oriental costume. Several of them formerly resided at Amadieh, where they gained the attachment of the people by administering medicine to the sick.

The pasha manifested much interest in my proposition to visit his country, and strongly urged me to go and settle there. He says the people there would be truly grateful for all that we should do for their benefit; whilst here there is no such thing as gratitude known. Upon one occasion, while speaking of the Eng

At a wedding of one of the principal khans, to which we had received an urgent invitation, we were conducted to the highest seat of a large room filled with the chief personages of the city. Here we were first made acquainted with the Kurdish pasha mentioned in my journal, for whose brother I had prescribed. His dress surpassed all present in richness and elegance; and his countenance and whole personal appearance would have graced any circle in America. He had just returned from the cap-lish, as we are called, he remarked that ital, and spends a few months in this people say that the English visit every city. He speaks Persian fluently, and country and write what they see, and has a competent knowledge of Turkish. then send and take it. Upon my observBeing desirous to cultivate his acquaint-ing, the he certainly could have nothing ance, I was about to make him a visit, when he anticipated me by calling for medical aid. A very familiar and friendly intercourse has since been continued between us, and much valuable information elicited respecting the Nestorians of the mountains. In my journal I spoke of him as the pasha of Mosul; but although his people occupy a large extent of country in that vicinity, his residence is at Amadieh, about an equal distance from Mosul and Jolemerk.

to fear from the Americans who live eight thousand miles distant, he very shrewdly inquired whether America was not very far from England, and if the English did not first learn what that country was, and then take possession of it. Having heard it surmised that Dr. Shultz fell a sacrifice to that kind of jealousy, I inquired whether the Kurdish beg at Jolemerk caused him to be put to death on that account. He started with surprise, and inquired who told me that he was killed there? His astonishment was inexpressible when I assured him that I knew it before I left America. My friend was acquainted with the whole affair, and told me that Soolieman beg, the governor of the Hackary tribe of Kurds gave orders to the guard, whom he had given professedly for protection, to murder Shultz and his two companions, for their money; the beg's nephew having charge of the guard.

The Nestorians belonging to the pa. triarch, Mar Shimon, he says, inhabit a strong mountainous district, extending from Jolemerk nearly to Amadieh, a distance of four days' journey. They are a bold, hardy people, and have always maintained their independence, never paying tribute to any other government. The Ravendoose Kurds, after having subjected all the surrounding country, attempted in vain to conquer these hardy sons of the mountains. They have their In answer to my inquiries respecting dwellings literally among the rocks, the safety of travelling in that region, he which present an almost insuperable said there would be no danger, if we barrier to any invasion; and it is said took a number of men from some person they are always prepared to encounter of consequence in those parts; but it their enemies. The pasha says he has would be quite impossible to effect a always maintained a friendly relation journey unattended. He very kindly ofwith these Nestorians, and whenever he fered to send men to accompany us, has invited any of them to his court, has whenever we wished to go; and upon my always dismissed them with presents. pleasantly reminding him of the fate of He has a very high respect for them. In Shultz, he pointed to a favorite brother regard to their numbers he is not confi- who sat near, and said that he might be dent, but estimates the number of vil-kept here as a hostage until our return, lages belonging to them and the papal Nestorians at twelve thousand. If this is not greatly an over estimate, it must include the numerous small collections of houses scattered among the rocks,

and that his head should be the forfeiture in case we were not brought safely back. To this his brother readily assented, and I have no doubt but all was said in good faith. Both of them expressed their be

a copy of the gospels translated into the modern dialect of Mosul.

2. The people are very desirous to have us visit them and devise means for their improvement. With the encouragement given by the patriarch at Elcoosh to Mr. Perkins you are well acquainted. The patriarch at Jolemerk appears equally friendly, and manifests a strong desire to see us. His brother spent a week in my family, and manifested a wish to return and live with us. Although there is a certain wildness of expression in his countenance, he is one of the most noble looking men I ever saw. The independence of every motion showed that he knew little of the extreme oppression which is likely to form one of the strongest barriers to immediate success in our labors here.

lief that an escort from Mar Shimon would ensure entire safety. As the patriarch has very kindly offered to send men for that purpose, as well as for other obvious reasons, we shall doubtless accept his offer. But yet I cannot but hope that the friendly acquaintance I have been permitted to cultivate with this interesting pasha may be of very essential use in case we go into his vicinity, as we shall doubtless do, when we visit the Nestorians of the mountains. I pray, too, that my intercourse with him may be sanctified to his soul's everlasting good. At our last interview I spent most of the time in conversing upon the great interests of eternity, and I was agreeably surprised to find that, Mussulman as he is, he knew so much of the contents of the Scriptures. He was much pleased with a copy of the New Testament as translated by Martyn, which I showed him, and intimated a wish to read it, saying he would use it carefully and re-visiting them as soon as practicable, that turn it in a few days. I need not say that I was most happy to give him this precious treasure, for which he seemed grateful.

Contemplated Visit to the Nestorian
Villages in the Mountains.

There are many reasons why we should visit the Nestorians of the mountains as soon as practicable.

3. The great importance of doing something directly for the benefit of that people pleads strongly in favor of our

we may carry there the word of God, and prepare to establish schools, and give them the living preacher. Let this branch of the church of God be purified and quickened by the life-giving influence of the Holy Spirit, and a fountain would be opened in the very centre of the dominions of the false prophet, whose purifying streams would make the desert rejoice and blossom as the rose.

4. We have ascertained that there is so much diversity in the dialects spoken by the Nestorians in the different parts of the country, that it will be inexpedient to make translations into their

tent, until we are able to learn and reconcile, as far as possible, the various idioms in common use. This we cannot accomplish without making the journey I am contemplating. Were there no other reason than this, for undertaking the journey at the earliest practicable moment, this would absolutely demand it, or the most important part of our work must go undone.

1. The general interests of the mission call for an early acquaintance with the people and literature of this most interesting portion of our field of labor. There is obviously much in the charac-modern tongue to any considerable exter of these mountaineers which would call forth our admiration, and encourage the hope that there is a large field open there for the speedy ingathering of a plentiful harvest. Mar Joseph assures me that there is the greatest reverence paid, not only to the word of God, by Mar Shimon's people, but (what I have not seen in any oriental country) to the institution of the Sabbath. He says they observe the day as we do, but added in the same connection, that if any one worked or traveled upon the Sabbath, he would be shot for it. The men are said to be tall, and remarkably fine looking. They cultivate the Indian corn and live plain, but have always an abundance. Famine is never known. From all we can learn of their literary character, we are encouraged to hope that books may be found among them which would be invaluable to us, if not to the christian world. We have providentially obtained

Under all these circumstances, we feel very desirous to commence this tour at as early a day as practicable the coming year, and shall make our arrangements accordingly. There are but two objections which present themselves as likely to intervene. The first is that we may not be joined by an associate with whom we might leave our families. This we should exceedingly regret, as it would hardly seem judicious for one of us to undertake the journey alone; nor would it be more so to leave our families for

months to the care of strangers. But the Lord can provide, and he may render it practicable for one of our German brethren to remain here while we are gone.

pre

The second objection is one that we have all contemplated for a long time, and it may never be wholly removed. It is the danger to be apprehended from the lawless banditti who roam over the mountains. What I have already said will show you the care I have taken to provide for this difficulty, and the unexpected facilities which Providence has given me to form a friendly acquaintance with so many of this class. I have scribed for some hundreds of Kurds from various parts, and one chief brought his wife four or five days' journey for medical aid. Should the Ravendoose Kurds remain in their present hostile mood, the roads may be less safe. But I have just learnt that a Turkish army is at Amadieh to subdue them. There is also an army here and at Tabreez, which, it is said, will soon march upon the same expedition. There is no calculating with certainty upon the future state of any part of Persia. But perhaps we may as reasonably expect Kurdistan to be open to the traveller next year, as at any future time. Nor must the followers of Him who spared not his own life calculate too closely upon theirs. It was while in the act of conversing with one of your agents upon the dangers of this portion of the missionary field, that the tidings of the untimely death of Munson and Lyman first reached my ears. But the work seemed so immensely important that I could scarcely go back to avoid a similar fate. Let me be instrumental of leading these Christians in name to become such in heart, and this vile body may remain upon the rocks of the mountains. The emissaries of the pope have long understood how important must be the part that the Nestorians of the east will act upon the theatre of the world. They well know what an immense advantage their position would give them to send forth an influence through the length and breadth of this vast continent, peopled with so many millions of immortal souls.

have long ago been met by the messengers of the man of sin? It must not be.

Mohammedans in Persla.

EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS OF MR. MER-
RICK.

THE last communications from Mr. Merrick,
inserted at page 375 of the last volume,
were dated at Tabreez, in February, when

he was expecting, about the beginning of the next summer, to proceed further on his exploring tour in Persia. On the 6th of June he took his departure from Tabreez, accompanied by Messrs. Hoernle and Schneider, of the Basle Missionary Society. Going by way of Oormiah, and making a short visit with the missionary brethren there,

they continued their route and reached Teheran on the 28th. Teheran is the present capital of Persia. Isfahan, also mentioned in these communications, was the ancient capital, and Shiraz has in former days been the literary emporium of the empire.

For a general view of this field of missionary labor, the religious systems of the Persians, and the most important places, the reader is referred to extracts from the instructions given to Mr. Merrick, inserted at page 402 of the volume for 1834.

On the 28th of June Mr. Merrick thus writes from Teheran.

Journey from Tabreez to Teheran.

I wrote you on the 20th ult., informing you that I was about to start for Isfahan in company with two German missionaries who were also travelling as explorers. We left Tabreez on the 6th instant, and through the good providence of God, safely arrived in this city on the 24th of the month. It was considered a matter of regret that we could not commence this journey a month earlier, as inconvenience if not danger was apprehended from the heat at this season. But we all have much occasion for I seems almost by a miracle that God grateful thanksgiving that health and has preserved so large a portion of his comfort have been richly granted us on primitive church for so many centuries our way thus far, by our kind heavenly from the beast and the false prophet, Father. In particular am I under the who have both stood ready to devour strongest obligations of gratitude and her. What will the Savior say of those love for the mercy and blessings I have whom he sent forth as sheep among enjoyed on the journey. My health, as I wolves, if they let the lambs be devour-informed you, was very low when I left ed while they shrink at dangers which Tabreez, having been greatly impaired

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