History of the Missions of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions to the Oriental | Page 5

GREEK HIERARCHY.--1847-1869.
Returns to Athens.--His Reasons.--The Reception.--Resumes his
Labors.--His Chief Accuser discredited.--Cheering Incident.--The
Greek Synod demands his Prosecution.--An Outbreak.--Quelled by
raising the United States Flag.--Answers to a Judge.--Effect of a New
Publication.--Allegations for a New Trial.--The Trial at
Athens.--Decides to go to the Court-room openly and on foot.
--Extraordinary Sources of Proof.--His Condemnation.--Ground of the
Condemnation.--Is imprisoned.--Appeals to the Areopagus.--Which
confirms the Sentence.--Greek Lawyers dissent from the Courts.
--Appeal to the United States Government.--The Rights of
Missionaries.--The Appeal responded to.--Opinion of the President.
--Justice partially rendered.--Sentence of Banishment revoked.
--Opinion of the American Minister.--Favorable Change in the Popular
Sentiment.--Temporary Outbreak of the Old Enmity.--Unexpected
Citation.--The Judges decide not to proceed.--Coöperation of other

Missionaries.--A Revolution in the Government.--Disgrace of Old
Persecutors.--New King and Constitution.--Association of Editors.
--An Act of Public Justice.--Visit to the United States.--Return to
Greece.--Zealous Native Labors.--Conference with the President of the
Synod.--Death of Dr. King.--General Reflections.
CHAPTER XIX.
THE NESTORIANS.--1841-1848.
Visit of Dr. and Mrs. Perkins to the United States.--Accompanied by
Mar Yohannan.--Schools and the Press.--Improved Type.--Health
Station.--New Missionaries.--Dr. Perkins's History of the Mission.
--His Return.--Version of the Scriptures.--Religious Influences. --The
Jesuits and French Government.--Counteracting Influences.--The
Patriarchal Family.--Hostility of the Patriarch.--Dismission of the
Schools.--Female Seminary revived.--Boys' Seminary reorganized.--On
employing the Higher Clergy.--Mr. Merrick's Connection with the
Mission.--Ordinations.--Protection for Native Christians.--The First
Revival.--Its First Fruits.--Brother of the Patriarch.--Interest at Geog
Tapa.--Interest in the Boys' Seminary.--Estimated Number of
Converts.--Modern Syriac New Testament.--Translation of the Old
Testament.--Nestorian Hymn Book.--New Missionaries.--Devastation
by the Cholera.--Dr. Wright's Visit to Bader Khan Bey.--Wonderful
Change in the Mountains.--Homeward Route.--Mar Shimon invited to
Constantinople.--Flees to Oroomiah.--Conflicting Influences upon
him.--His Apparent Friendship.--Throws off the Mask.--His Power
circumscribed.--His Unfriendly Acts.--The Government interposes.
--His Combination with the Jesuits.--Prejudicial to Both.--Death of the
King.--Providential Interpositions.--Persecution of Deacon
Tamo.--Deposition of the Great Koordish Chieftains.
CHAPTER XX.
THE NESTORIANS.--1848-1852.
Mr. Stoddard Visits the United States.--Death of Mrs. Stoddard. --State

of the Schools.--Mar Shimon returns to the Mountains.--A Visit to
Mosul.--A Second Revival.--Deacon Guwergis.--Third
Revival.--Deacon John.--Deacon Jeremiah.--Various Tours.--The
Mission Enlarged.--Advance in Female Education.--Village Schools.
--Sabbath-schools.--The Monthly Concert.--Preaching Tours.--Deacon
Isaac.--Station at Gawar.--A Remarkable Youth.--Adverse Influences.
--Persecution of Deacon Tamo.--Intervention of Lieut.-Col.
Williams.--Powerful Friends.--Release of Tamo.--Favorable Results.
--Modern Syriac Bible.
CHAPTER XXI.
SYRIA.--1845-1856.
Good News from the North.--Mr. Thomson Visits Aleppo.--The People
characterized.--Greek Catholic Archbishop.--Visit to Hasbeiya.--Mr.
Laurie's Return Home.--Unsuccessful Appeal for Laborers.--Relation
of the Druzes to Mohammedanism.--Successful Appeal of the
Hasbeiyans to the Turkish Government.--Desperate Resort of the Greek
Patriarch.--Formation of a Purely Native Church.--Translation of the
Scriptures into the Arabic.--Station of Aleppo.--Visit to Northern
Lebanon.--Death of Bedros.--Intelligent Men affected by the Truth.
--Another Visit to Hasbeiya.--English Protection.--Seminary at
Abeih.--Improved Arabic Type.--The Native Church.--Outrages at
Aleppo.--Effect of the Proceedings.--Pupils in the Seminary.--The
Church at Hasbeiya.--John Wortabet.--Drs. Bacon and Robinson.
--Female Boarding School.--Native Church at Abeih.--Experience in
Different Localities.--An Interesting Conversion.--Hopeful
Developments.--Opposition and its Effect.--A Church built at
Hasbeiya.--Progress of the Arabic Translation of the Scriptures. --The
Gospel at Ain Zehalty.--Northern Syria transferred to the Armenian
Mission.--Accessions and Bereavements.--General View.
CHAPTER XXII.
THE ARMENIANS.--1845-1846.

The Grand Crisis.--The Persecuting Patriarch.--Mention of Bishop
Southgate.--The Patriarch's Mode of Proceeding.--His Treatment of
Bedros Vartabed.--Priest Vertanes.--The Chief Persecutors.
--Persecution at Erzroom.--Its Effect.--Central Position of
Erzroom.--Progress at Trebizond.--Persecutions.--The Patriarch resorts
to Excommunication.--Temporal Penalties enforced.--The Patriarch and
the First Protestant Pastor.--Appeals of the Persecuted.--Charitable
Aid.--Good Resulting from Evil. --Intervention of the
Government.--The Patriarch's Subterfuge.--Case of Priest Haritûn.--A
Temporary Triumph.--Cruelties at Adabazar and Trebizond.--A British
Consul interposes.--Effect of the Persecutions.--Barbarities at Erzroom.
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE ARMENIANS.--1846-1848.
Continued Persecutions.--Interposition of the English Ambassador.
--Designation of "Protestants."--A Vizierial Letter.--The Patriarch's
Hostility to the Seminary.--Its Effect.--Seminary for Young
Ladies.--Perpetual Excommunication of the Protestants. --Consequent
Organization of an Evangelical Church at Constantinople.--Choice of
Officers.--Ordination of a Pastor. --Public Declaration of Faith.--Other
Churches formed.--Early Death of the Pastor.--The Pastor's Wife.--Der
Haritûn.--Reformation at Aintab.--Visit of Mr. Van Lennep.--Visit of
Mr. Johnston.--Arrival of Dr. Azariah Smith.--Mr. Schneider's
Visit.--Trying Situation of the Protestants.--Power of the Patriarch
reduced.--Number of the Protestants.--The Churches.--Additional
Native Pastors.--Revivals of Religion.

INTRODUCTION.
We may not hope for the conversion of the Mohammedans, unless true
Christianity be exemplified before them by the Oriental Churches. To
them the native Christians represent the Christian religion, and they see
that these are no better than themselves. They think them worse; and
therefore the Moslem believes the Koran to be more excellent than the

Bible.
It is vain to say, that the native Christians have so far departed from the
truth that they do not feel the power of the Gospel, and that therefore
the immorality of their lives is not to be attributed to its influence. The
Mohammedan has seen no other effect of it, and he cannot be
persuaded to read the Bible to correct the evidence of his observation,
and perhaps also of his own painful experience.
Hence a wise plan for the conversion of the Mohammedans of Western
Asia necessarily involved, first, a mission to the Oriental Churches. It
was needful that