(?nrneU Untograitg Blihtatg 
 
 FROM THE LIBRARY OF 
 
 CYNTHIA MORGAN ST. JOHN 
 
 ITHACA. NEW YORK 
 
 PRESENTED 
 1920 
 
BV3150 .Y4T" ""'™™'*>' '-Ibrary 
 '''<*ian„church histoi 
 
 Jfl an account of 
 
 olln 
 
 3 1924 029 348 145 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tliis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029348145 
 
INDIAN 
 
 OR AN 
 
 ACCOUNT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 FIRST PLANTING OF THE GOSPEL, 
 
 IN 
 
 SYRIA, MESOPOTAMIA, AND INDIA : 
 
 WITH AN 
 
 ACCURATE BELATION 
 
 OF 
 COLLECTED 
 
 FROM THE BEST AUTHORITIES EXTANT IN THE -WRITINGS OF THE 
 
 ORIENTAL AND EIJROPEAN HISTORIANS, WITH GENUINE AND 
 
 SELECT TRANSLATIONS OF MANT ORIGINAL PIECES. 
 
 By THOMAS YEATES. 
 
 Eontion: 
 
 ' / 
 
 PRINTED FOR A. MAXWELL, 
 
 LINCOLN'S INN. 
 
 BELL YARD, 
 
 18 IS. 
 
 
Stibertifiiement. 
 
 The following sheets having originated -with' 
 various miscellaneous notes, anid translations of 
 some select pieces, which fell in the author's 
 way, in examining some manuscripts and print- 
 ed books in several eminent libraries, to which 
 he had access : he gave an arrangement to his 
 collection, and as nearly as convenient has 
 reduced them into an historical shape, design- 
 ing, to publish them for the present satisfaction 
 of those readers who delight in this depart- 
 ment of history, and.also; for the future benefit 
 of compila:tions of this description, in supply- 
 ing a hitherto very deficient part from the 
 purest sources of information : —he has more 
 
IV ADVEETISEMENl*. 
 
 particularly endeavoured to ascertain by va- 
 rious collateral evidences the histories of the 
 Syrian Christians of St. Thomas, and the origin 
 of that ancient Indian Church coeval with the 
 apostolic agej — he has likewise, with great 
 pains collected, and from the most unquestion- 
 able authorities, given an accurate relation 'of 
 the first. Christian Missions in China, presum- 
 ing, that such an interesting article of Chui*eh 
 History tnay be a matter of l-esearch in %h6 
 Chinese histories fbr that pe^^iodi if is«ch ave 
 eXtant; and that at the fea&t, tha* Pelatioh 
 serves for an example of MisSletoS On a grand 
 scale. 
 
 , s •- 
 
 The author ha& been largely indebted to 
 the Oriental Collections of Assemahnus^ from 
 whose works he still chepishesi the hope of 
 drawing much more valtiable infortosition) 
 should the Christian public istvotur the present 
 sttiaU work:-— what he has ad.van<^dt fespeott- 
 ing the transactions of the Catholic interest i^i 
 
ADVERTISEMENT. V 
 
 India could not be omitted, it being requisite 
 to a more perfect understanding of several 
 methods whereby that Church hath laboured 
 to subjugate those numerous Christians :-^and 
 he has added such further remarks and illus- 
 trations as seemed most conducive to the 
 perspicuity of the subject; and from the joint 
 reports of the Rev. Dr. Kerr, and Dr. C. 
 Buchanan, those distinguished evangelical 
 tourists in the East, very important matter is 
 elicited respecting the existing state of those 
 Indian Churches : and the probable happy 
 result of their being thus authentically repre- 
 sented and announced to the Christians of 
 Europe. 
 
-CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Oriental Christian Churches — a desirable, but 
 
 much neglected part of Ecclesiastical history . 1 
 
 Apostolic Period, and first planting of Churches 
 in Syria and Mesopotamia^ and other parts of 
 
 the East . . ' 11 
 
 Arabian Christians 35 
 
 Persian Christians 40 
 
 Armenian Christians^ with a List of their Churches 47 
 
 Christianity in China 71 
 
 Syrian Missions in China 85 
 
 Christian Establishments in India,' Tar tary and 
 
 China 97 
 
 State of the Christian Churches of Malabar, A.D. 
 
 1500—1600 107 
 
 List of Churches of Malabar .... 134 
 
 Namber and Population of the Christians of Ma- ,>/ 
 
 labar, and other parts of the Syrian Communion 140 
 
via CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Account of the Thomist Christians^ from the Re- 
 ports of the Danish Missionaries . . .147 
 
 Letters from Mar Thom^, Bishop of the Syrian 
 Church in India, to his Patriarch . . . 152 
 
 Pilgrimages to St. Thomas's Mpunt, and other 
 peculiar Customs ; . . .... 155 
 
 Christians of Malayala . . ... . ]6l 
 
 Dr. Kerr's Reflections on the moral, political, and 
 religious improvement of the natives of India, 
 subjpined to' his Report, and addressed to 
 Lord William Bentinck, Governor at Madras 178 
 
 Missionary Correspondence relative to the Iip- 
 provement of such Establishments in India . 183 
 
 Remarks on the Doctrine and Discipline q|^ th« 
 Syrian Christians . . . . . ,171 
 
 ,Rt!port of the Missionaries of Tranjore, respet^t- 
 
 ing the Syrian Christians . . , .185 
 Religion of the Chinese . . • . , 196 
 
 State of the Catholic Missions in China, m the 
 , beginning of the present century , . . 202 
 
INDIAN 
 CHURCH HISTORY, 
 
 1 HE history of the Oriental churichea re- 
 mains a desideratum in our 'Ecclesiastical his- 
 tories generally extant. The few notices of 
 those churches, even in the more elaborate' 
 compiiations,' fall exceedingly short of their 
 importance, and bear little or no proportion 
 with thatof theProtestf^t and Catholic church- 
 es of Europe: the reason is obvious — the 
 Gj'eek aod Latin historians for the most part, 
 confined their accounts within the bounds and 
 periods of their respective churches, and the 
 duration, and extent of their establishments 
 always furnished them with abundant matter 
 
2 APOSTOLIC PERIOD. 
 
 without seeking further, and extending their 
 inquiries to the Orientals. Historian succeed- 
 ed historian, each gathering as he went in one 
 uniform course, with little difference, excepting 
 as to lime or place, and our \vriters have ga- 
 thered from them, with some improvements, it 
 miist be allowed, but not so as to produce a 
 complete and intire Church History. 
 
 Most of those authors maybe comprehended 
 under the following heads, as to their contents : 
 1. The history of the church in the times of the 
 Apostles, and their immediate successors, until 
 the end of the third century. 2. The history of 
 the Greek church, and its dependencies from 
 Cotistantine, to the dissolution of the Greek 
 Christian Empire by the Mohammedan arms 
 in the fifteenth century, comprehending a pe- 
 riod of nearly twelve hundred yfears. 3. The 
 history of the church of Rome, and its depen- 
 dencies throughout Europe, until the age of 
 the Reformation, which event made a new 
 epoch in the Ecclesiastical state of Europe. 
 4. The history of the Reformed chttEches/fTom 
 that time, whose increasing number, extent, and 
 power, has been .obtained at the expense of 
 the; Romish communion. Aqdhere- we ob^ 
 serve are wanting : — . 
 
 .; 1. A complete .history of the Protestant 
 TMissiong, and Colonial churches, in all parts of 
 
APOSTOLIC PERIOD. Q 
 
 the world ; which will include the churches of 
 British India, and America.^ 2. A history of 
 the Catholic Missions, from their first establish- 
 ment to the present time: a subject that has 
 not yet found its way into our compilationsr 
 3»The history of the- African churches, especial- 
 ly the Coptic and Ethiopic: and, 4. The his- 
 tory of , the churches of Asia, viz. Greek, Rus- 
 sian, Armenian, Syrian, and Indian ; in which 
 latter countries Christianity has existed fpr 
 many ages, and to a large extent. 
 
 Now the reason why o«r authors have been 
 so much in the dark as to the history of the 
 Christian Religion in the East, may be the 
 obscurity of the more ancient historians, whos0 
 works they compiled from ; viz. the Greeks 
 and Latins, who, we may rely upon it, were 
 never the most forward to give a fair represen- 
 tation of the Oriental christians to the disad- 
 vantage of themselves; and therefore the splen- 
 dour and glory, of those churches hath been 
 hidden to Europe in general : an impediment 
 at length happily removing by new sources of 
 information, derived from all parts of the world, 
 by our travellers and missionaries. 
 
 We now proceed to enquire into the first 
 beginnings of the Christian Religion accord- 
 ing to our design,'- in countries eastward of Pa- 
 lestine. 
 
4 APOSTOLIC PERIOD, 
 
 ,Ia the First place, those Magians,: or wise 
 men, which the Evangelist Matthew records: to 
 have come from the East,.an6 who adored our 
 Saviour Christ at Bethlehem, having made 
 their presentations and homage, returned to 
 their own country, there to announce the birth 
 of Him whose star they had seen in the East. 
 The Chaldean christians have a tradition that 
 those Magians afterwards became preachers of 
 the gospel amongst Jhem. That they came 
 from Persia orChaldea, agrees with the best 
 accounts; and if we may conjecture from^the 
 names of three of them, recorded in the Ethio- 
 pic church-books, one at leastiwas a_:Ghaldeai), 
 whose name they say was: CAesdd; now ' CAe- 
 scidim is the name for the: country called Chal- 
 dea, and is known to any. one who reads the 
 Hebrew text of the Old Testament. But, how- 
 ever this may be, the return of those distio- 
 guished men to their own. country must have 
 claimed particular notice, and the news they 
 carried taught them to expect: some great ev6nt 
 at hand. This, we observe, made some pre- 
 paration for the introduction of the Gospel 
 among the Gentiles. 
 
 Secondly. The great and memorable event 
 on the day of Pentecost, immediately, after the 
 Ascension of Christ, the celebration of which 
 feast of the Jews in commemoration of 'ttoe 
 
APOSTOLIC PERIOD. 5 
 
 giving of the Law at Moant Sinai, had now 
 first become a memorial of the promulgation of 
 the Gospel at Mount Sion ; by the abundant 
 effusions of the Holy Ghost on the Apostles ^ 
 this event, we observe, concerns our present 
 enquiry. According to the custom of the 
 Jews, great multitudes resorted to their annual 
 feasts in Jerusalem : they repaired to the holy 
 City in companies from distant parts, in imita- 
 tion of which the Mohammedans now go in 
 great companies to their city of Mecca. There 
 were at this Pentecost great numbers of Jews, 
 and Proselytes of all nations assembled at 
 Jerusalem : -Parthians, Medes, and Islamites, 
 and dvdellers in Mesopotamia, and divers 
 others, Acts, ch. ii. These were mostly oriental 
 Jews, and from countries east of Judea; and 
 who, together with vast numbers of their bre- 
 thren of other nations, were witnesses of the 
 miraculous powers and preaching of the Apos- 
 tles, in their own languages and -dialects, to 
 their great astonishment. They were confound- 
 ed, because that every one heard them speak 
 in his own language ; they were amazed and 
 marvelled, saying, " Behold, are not all these 
 which speak, Galileans? — Parthians, and 
 Medes, and Elamites, and dwellers in Meso- 
 potamia ! how is this that we hear every man 
 in our own tongue wherein we were born?" 
 
Q APOSTOLIC PERIOD. 
 
 Here were Jews from Persia, and its confines ; 
 Jews of Syria beyond the tluphrates and CbaU 
 dea ; who, on their return to their own coun- 
 tries, could not fail to spread the news of such 
 extraordinary facts which thenaselves had heard 
 and seen in Jerusalem., 
 
 So si.^nal an event having taken place, in the 
 which the foundation of the whole Christian 
 church seems to have been laid, in the presence 
 of men of all nations, professing the Jewish 
 faith, and of whom it is' expressly recorded, 
 " devout men out of every nation under hea- 
 ven:" such a host of witnesses to the miracu- 
 lous and divine inspiration of the Apostles, 
 could not fail to constitute agraad preparation 
 for the Gospel, commanded to be published 
 among all nations. Such circumstances cbuld 
 ;iot fail to be the subject of scripture prophecy, 
 and the Apostle'quotes the volume of prophecy 
 on the occasion. Isaiah seems to have been 
 fiavoured with> a most luminous revelation re^ 
 specting it, in the close of his Prophecy, ch. 
 Ixvi. in which he predicts of an extraordinary 
 Sign or Miracle, which the Lord would set 
 among the multitudes of Gentile Converts at 
 Jerusalem, in the days of the Messiah. " It 
 shall come, saith the Lord, that I will gather 
 all nations and tongues, and they shall come 
 and see my glory. And I will set a sign 
 
APOSTOLIC PERIOD. J 
 
 among them, and I wiH send those that escape 
 of them unto the nations ; to Tarshish, Pul, 
 and Lud, that draw the bow; to Tubal and 
 Javan ; to the Isles afar off, that have not heard 
 my fame, neither have seen my glory, and they 
 shall declare my glory among the Gentiles." 
 The gift of tongues was amongst the signs 
 which our Saviour promised to the disciples, 
 Mark, ch. xvi. " And these signs shall follow 
 on them that believe : In my name shall they 
 cast out devils: they shall speak with, new 
 TONGUES." — And the Apostle Paul says, that 
 " Tongues were given for a sign," 1 Cor. xiv. 22. 
 that is, a miracle, which in the scripture sense 
 of the word, denotes a supernatural and omni- 
 potent act. Of work done by the power .of God, 
 and infinitely surpassing that of created beings, 
 and whether such miracles are or were effected 
 by the instrumentality or ministry of men or 
 angels, the sole author and cause is God. 
 
 The gift of tongues manifested, witlj the 
 other great powers of the Apostles on the day 
 of Pentecost, being so inconteslibly established 
 and confirmed, and the rapid conversion of 
 Jews, and. heathens, which thereupon ensu- 
 ed, deserve our most attentive consideration. 
 The sacred Ecclesiastical history, as far as 
 it may be collected from the apostolical 
 Acts, recorded by Luke, and the Epistles, 
 
8 APOSTOLIC PERIOD. 
 
 when properly understood, vvill explain many 
 things, and in a most easy and convincing 
 manner account for the rapid and amazing 
 progress of the Gospel in the times of the Apos- 
 tles. The question has been— How so few 
 persons,- and in so short a time, could possibly 
 disperse themselves over such vast and distant 
 countries, and plant the failh in such a multi-' 
 tude of nations? ,_ Hence also the ecclesiastical 
 writers on those times, and their histories, have 
 been thought; to enlar'ge beyond just bounds, 
 and consequently have not been feceived; with 
 due weight. Now the fact' is, : that persons 
 judge of these things in .propwtlon.as they 
 understand them, and particulsirly as to the 
 Evangelical history which has materially suffer- 
 ed, for want of duly examining the principles 
 whereby the important question is solved. 
 
 The Acts of the Apostles forms the ground 
 and basis of aM Ecclesiastical history from the 
 first moment of the Christian aera. The lan- 
 guage is concise, without ambiguity, and com- 
 prehensive, without prolixity. It abounds with 
 examples for all Christian churches, ai^d Mis- 
 sionsfor every succeeding age, and lays down 
 the divine plan- for the evaagelization of the 
 whole world. 
 
 In this divine history, we perceive that the 
 spiritual kingdom about to. be established by 
 
APOSTOLIC PERIOD. Q 
 
 Ihe promulgalion of the Gospel is found to bear 
 some proportion with the form of the Israelitish 
 government, according to the Mosaical insti- 
 tution.* This is a point material to our pur- 
 pose, especially as it will serve to cprreqt our 
 idqas relative to the number, rank, and qualifi- 
 cations of those excellent and inspired men, 
 who wei'e ord'ained for so great and stupen- 
 dous a work as the Conversion of Mankind. 
 These persons were not so few, nor their 
 powers afld spheres of action so limited, as some 
 incautiouslj' conclude: for as the work was 
 great, so were their numbers, means, and re- 
 sources, likevyise considerable. The twelve 
 Apostles," invested with the supreme power in 
 all things pertaining to the government of the 
 Church, correspond to the princes of the tvpelve 
 Tribes under the old Law. Next in order to 
 .the Apostles, were the seventy-two Disciples. 
 These corresponded with the number and dig- 
 
 * The form of civil government instituted by Moses in the 
 wilderness, according to the divine appointment, is justly and 
 elegantly termed, a THEOCRACY, implying, that it was a 
 ;cpns,titution of government peculiarly ordained for the Israel- 
 jtisl^ people, during that ^Dispt^nsation ; ado^ittiug it 30 to be, 
 .It may, like other Institutiop&ofthe Mosaic anc) Levi,tical Dis- 
 -peiiSiation, Jtiave exhjbjired ^ sfiodow of. goo(l tilings to come ; 
 and, on this,grpun.d, the »mlogy above sta(e^ is presumed, 
 ati^ fiot insi^t/id on. ; 
 
 C 
 
10 APOSTOLIC PERIOD. 
 
 nity of the seventy Elders of Israel. The third 
 order in the Apostolic church, was that of the 
 Brethren, which, according to number, corre- 
 sponded with the heads of thousands ordained 
 by Moses, And whereas we read of the hun- 
 dred and twenty, exclusive of the Apostles, 
 the like we also find in the IMosaical Institu- 
 tion. The Judges of forty-eight Levitical cities, 
 together with the seventy and two Eldigrs, 
 make up the number one hundred and twenty. 
 The Captains of thousands, in the time of 
 Moses, amounted to six hundred, and the 
 Brethren of the apostolic Church, amounted to 
 about the same number, according to St. Paul, 
 who were all witnesses of Christ's Ascension. 
 And that the apostolic Church consisted of 
 these thriee orders, the form of address observ- 
 ed in the celebrated epistle, Acts, ch. xv. v. 23. 
 is a sufficient proof. Thus did the civil go- 
 Ternraent, instituted by Moses,, bear some pro- 
 portion and likeness to the spiritual hierarchy 
 of the Apostolic church. 
 
 When the Word* was given from Sion, great 
 
 * The phraseology of the New Testament niakes use of this 
 ex-pt'ession, the Word, in several senses, in this place it denotes 
 the whole Revelation of the Gospel ; that is, th« whole Woid 
 of the Christian Revelation, as foretold by Isaiah and other 
 Prophets. Isa. ch. ii. " It shall come to pass in the last d^ys, 
 (i. e, the days of the Messiah) that the mountain of the Lord's 
 
APOSTOLIC PERIOD. 1 1 
 
 was the company ofthera that published it'. 
 The Messengers of the Gospel-, inereased more 
 and more, competent in the languages of the 
 nations, by a divine power, and variously gifted 
 in miracles and doctrine, to the astonishment 
 of all wherever they came, could- not fail of 
 producing conviction in some of all countries. 
 
 Thirdly. The history of the Acts of the 
 Apostles furnishes important notices Of the 
 early plantation of the Syrian churches, whichr 
 originafed with the church at Anttoch, where 
 was the first great harvest of Proselytes, and 
 whereof we shall now discourse more particu- 
 larly. 
 
 We read that immediately on the persecu- 
 tion which arose about Stephen the martyr, 
 the disciples were all scattered abroad, and 
 went every where preaching the Gospel : they 
 travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and 
 
 bouse shall be establisbed in tbe top of the mountaiDS^ and 
 shall be exalted above tbe bills, and all nations shall flow un- 
 to it. And many people shall go, and say, Come ye, and 
 let us go up to the mountain of the-Lord, to the house of the 
 God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his. ways,. and' we will 
 walk in his paths : for out of ZiON. shall go forth the Law, 
 and tbe Word, of the Lord from Jerusalem." This is the 
 WOBIX that was first published to the Jews and Proselytes, 
 and afterwards to the Gentiles of all nations, beginning at Je- 
 rusalentK. 
 
1 2 APOSTOLIC PERIOD. 
 
 Antioch, pbeaching the Word to the Jews only. 
 They were dispersed throughout Judea, and 
 all Palestine, in the islands of the Mediterra-%^ 
 nean sea, especially Cyprus,, and in Syria. 
 Pbjlip, the deacon, ill his way from Giiza in 
 the South, preached in all the cities until he 
 arrived at Cesarea, the chief cityof Cilicia, 
 north of Palestine, Acts, ch. viii. Those of 
 the disciples who fefught at Antioch found 
 great success^" a great nun^ber bdieved," ch. 
 xii^ and the neWs of this conveVsian soon reach- 
 ed the church of the Apostles at Jerusalem/ 
 who immediately sent there the faithfulBa'r-' 
 nabas. He had no sooner arrived, and opeiieid 
 his mission, than a second generiil Conversion 
 ensued. There were with; Barnabas' at An- 
 tioch several prophets , and teachers to assii^t 
 him in the work ; as Sinieoni • called' Niger/ 
 and liUcius of Cyrene, Minaen of^noble educa- 
 tion, and Saul: these, we are told, assemJbled 
 with the Church a whole year, and tauglit much 
 people; and we read that so great was the 
 number of Converts of this church, that they 
 were, of all believers^ the first honoured with 
 the christian name, as it is said, " the disciples 
 were called Chi^istians fitst' in AntldCh:" 
 ch. xi. 26. 
 
 We soon afterwards read of the church^SjOf 
 Syria and Cilicia ; and also that these churches 
 
- APOSTOLIC PERIOD. 13 
 
 mostly consisted of Jewish proselytes : for 
 thus runs the form of address in that celebrat- 
 £d Epistle, sent from the church at Jerusalem, 
 by Paul and Barnabas, to the church at An- 
 tioch, ch. XV. " The apostles, and elders, and 
 brethren, send greeting to the brethren which 
 are of the Gentiles in Aotioch, Syria, and 
 Cilicia," &c. Paul and Silas soon after visited 
 all these churches, confirming -them in the 
 Faith. It seems that Cillcia was antiently a 
 province of Syria, and therefore the Cilician 
 churches belonged to those of Antioch. 
 
 It is remarkable, that in the great dispersion 
 of the disciples, which ensued on the martyr- 
 dom of Stephen, the ApoSllids alone stood their 
 ground, in ; all the h^at and fierceness. of that 
 persequtiou. St. Luke notices this, ch. viii. 1. 
 " They were all scattered abroad throughout 
 the regions of Judea, and Samaria, except thiff 
 Apostles." The history explains the reason on' 
 the part of the Jews : the Apostles had already 
 given such convincing proofs of their authority 
 and divine mission, and hsid shown such acts 
 of power, that,th^ Jewish rulers were afraid to 
 approalch those holy men, but left them unmo- 
 lested j and at their own disposal ; they were not 
 dispersed with the disciples, having there A 
 work to do. 
 
14 APOSTOLIC PERIOD. 
 
 Hpw long the Apostles remained in Jerusa- 
 lem, is uncertain. James^-the brother of John^ 
 was the first of the twelve crowned with, 
 martyrdom, Acts, eh. xii. Their continuance 
 in Jerusalem appears to have been urgently 
 necessary for the concerting of such measures 
 as were required for the ordering of the church- 
 es then establishing in all parts east and west 
 of Jerusalem ; for which reason they might have 
 made that city the Apostolic seat, having from 
 thepce a ready communication with all coun- 
 tries. They had their messengers to the 
 churches, and as occasion required, made ex- 
 cursions and visits, confirming the churches^ 
 bestowing on them gifts for the furtherance of 
 the Gospel, and thus accomplishing a high part 
 of their sacred office. 
 
 Fourthly. The Apostolic missions were not 
 solitary : they went forth in companies, at the 
 least by two or three, according to the example 
 of Christ in the first mission of the seventy 
 disciples; Luke, ch. x. " He sent them two and 
 tvpo before his face into every city, and place, 
 whither he himself would come:" that so by 
 the mouth of two or three witnesses every word 
 might be established, and that the promise of 
 their divine Master might be fully accomplish- 
 ed in them by his presence and power ; "Where- ' 
 soever two or three are gathered together in 
 
APOSTOLIC PERIOD. )5 
 
 ttiy name, there am I in the raidst of them." 
 The history of the Acts affords examples of 
 this constitution of Missions. Barnabas and 
 Saul vvere fellow-labourers. Acts, ch.xiii. Paul 
 had his company in Cyprus, whom he took 
 with him to Perga, ver. 13. so likewise iu his 
 apostolic journey into Asia there accompanied 
 him seven men, besides Luke, Acts, ch. xx. 
 
 The powers of an Apostle are shewn in the 
 instance of Sti Paul at Ephesus, and the ordir 
 nation of those men on whom the Holy Ghost 
 came, whereby they spake with tongues and 
 prophesied, Acts, ch. xix. We are not to sup- 
 pose that these gifts were conferred in vain, 
 and for ostentation; but much rather for use 
 and benefit to the church, The number of the 
 men fitted, was about twelve ; and their gifts 
 destined them to the work oT the ministry. 
 " They spake with tongues," that is, with dif- 
 ferent tongues, whereby they might serve to 
 the promulgation of the Gospel in differentlan- 
 guages or dialects. These circumstances in 
 the Apostolical history explain how the work- 
 of an Apostle was extended to such numerous 
 and distant nations in a short time, viz. by 
 their numerous disciples, of whose names and 
 numbers we have no particular mention ; thus, 
 we remark, that the office of an Apostle was 
 that oif a leader, as a general in an army. 
 
10 APOSTOLIC PERIOD. 
 
 The, christian Religion having taken snch 
 root in Antio'ch, and Syria, soon begari to 
 spread itself eastward to Mesbpotamia and 
 Chaldea: all Mesopotaniia becaime chriistiati 
 at an early period, and it found a seat at Baby- 
 lon, in the days of the Apostles. Peter Wrote 
 his first Epistle from the church at Babylon, 
 as expressed in the close of that Epistle, which 
 in the Syriac text reads thus, " The elect church 
 which is at Babylon saluteth you, and Marcus 
 ray sOn,^'^ The Syriac' and Chaldee writers, in 
 
 *. " The ancient and famous Babylon was -not in being when 
 St. P^ter wrote this Epistle; as Pearson has shewn in his 
 Oper. Poslhiim. p. 49 — 54. so that Scaliger, Salmasius, and 
 de Mtirba,' are mistaken in supposing this Babylon to be 
 meant.' Fabriciu^, dti Pin, and Beausobrej take it to. have 
 be«n Seleucia, and that this city inherited the name of Baby- 
 Ion ; but'M. ]^osheim S'hews incontestibly that Seleucia never 
 bore that name. . If then it must be at Babylon, there was a 
 place of the name in Egypt, which Spanheim proves to have 
 been at that time a great and famous city. But as Papias, 
 even in the second celitary, took this Babylon for' Rome, and 
 Eusebins shews, that it was a common appellation of that, city 
 in his time ; it -is the opinion of Mosheim, that in a matter of 
 history, we ought to follow the ancients. It is at least not 
 impossible, that St. Peter might call Rome by the name of 
 Babylon, as it was usually called by that name among the 
 Jevvs." 'All this, says Michaelis, leaves the matter in doubt, 
 whether St. Peter wrote this Epistle at Bablyou, in Egypt, or 
 at Rome, atid M^ Mo&heim^c|iaowledges;9&jnuch throughQut 
 
APOSTOUC PERIOD 17 
 
 the lives o,f the Apostles and Martyrs, record 
 of thes Apostle Peter, that " He preached in 
 Syria, and Antjoch, and in Asia, Bithynia, Ga- 
 latia, and other regions." He sagnifies in the 
 close of his Catholic Epistle, that; he. also 
 brought the gospelto Babylon,.andflrom thence 
 wrote the said Epistle,^ and[ sent it by ^ilvanius. 
 Moreover, at the end of , his Catholic Epistle 
 he saith, " The elect church which is at Ba- 
 bylon saluteth you, and, Marcus qay son," Je- 
 sujabus, a Syrian bishop, writes that '.'Sirpon 
 Giephas niade disciples at Antiocji^; and Syria, 
 Rome, and Spain : he went also into the parts 
 of the East: — .. ,c :."■/. 
 
 " Hfe wrote his celebrated Epistle, which 
 
 that Preface. See Michaelis' rntroductory Lectures, Lond. 
 1780; p. 3^\. It is truly snrprising that none of the^ 
 learned men can agree on 'this master. Certaibly it belongs 
 to every critic in the Hebrew language of the Old Testamtilit' 
 to know, that sometime* the names of cities give name alsd 
 to the provinces and countries, where such cities are sita&ted : 
 the country being understood in such case, as, for instance, 
 Babylon sometimes means the land of Bkbylon, or the whole 
 country of the Babyl6niaris, Isa; xiv. 4., and here also by Bq> 
 byjon may be understood Babylonia:— 'Or indeed; as I e6n- 
 jecture, more properly. New Babylon, since called ;9iigd<(df, 
 situated upon the river Tigris, about forty, miles from the 
 place where the ancient Babylon stood, which is an easy solu- 
 tion', and seems confirmed by the history. 
 
Ig APOSTOLIC PERIOD, 
 
 occupies the second place among the Catholic^ 
 one's, and sent it by Silvanus, one of the LXXII, 
 He had Marcus with hirn for an associate and 
 helper; and having sown the church [viz. the 
 Chaldean church] with the spiritual seed, re- 
 turned to Rome." 
 
 From (hence it appears, that Peter was then 
 on an apostolic ' visit in those parts ; he also 
 made excursions into Mesopotamia, where 
 churches had been, planted by Thaddeus, Ma- 
 rus, and Agheus, of the Seventy sent thither by 
 Thomas the Apostle. Those disciples of the 
 Seventy above mentioned, afterwards removed 
 eastward into Chaldea, as their historians re- 
 mark, " During the time that Thaddeus, 
 Agheus, and Marus, spread the Evangelical 
 doctrine in Mesopotamia,. Chaldea, and other 
 parts of the East, Peter made excursions into 
 Mesopotamia ; Bartholomew, and Matthew, 
 and Thaddeus, came into Parthia, and into 
 Persia; and, lastly, Thomas having visited all 
 those places^ went to the utmost confines of the 
 East." 
 
 The 'above quotations, are taken from As- 
 semanaus, and are inserted here in order to 
 deterniine respecting the church at BabyloB, 
 which some commentators have disputed, sup- 
 posing Peter to have spoken in a mystical 
 
APOSTOLIC PERIOD. J^ 
 
 sense, or of some " elect " female conyeft,* 
 whereas the Syriac text says, '.' The elect 
 Church whrch is at Babylon," as also the above 
 quotations confirm: and hence may be collected 
 from the said histories, that there were churches 
 established in Syria, Mesopotamia, and Qhal- 
 dea, in the times of the Apostles. 
 
 In the next place, we shall collect who, and 
 what Apostolic men first planted the Gospel in 
 the eastern parts, viz. Mesopotamia, Chaldea, 
 and the adjacent countries. The Syrian and 
 Chaldean writers, according to Assemannus, 
 deliver, 'that " Thaddejis, one of the seventy 
 disciples, went into Mesopotamia, and that he 
 was sent by Thomas the Apostle, soon after 
 our Lord's Ascension : also that the sameThad* 
 deus had with him two disciples to assist in 
 the promulgation, of the Gospel, wthose name^ 
 were Marus and Agheus, both of the LXX." 
 
 "Thaddeus died in the twelfth year of his 
 preaching; Agheus survived his master three 
 years: and Marus, after the death of Aghei^s, 
 governed the churches of the East thirty, and 
 three years, having his residence chfefly at 
 Seleucia in Persia." 
 
 * " Salutat vos EA quae est Babylone vobiscum electa," 
 Vid. Text, Gr. but Bez^ inserts Eceleria in italics : whereas 
 the Vulgate Latin agrees with the Syriac, '.' Salutat vos Ec- 
 ctssiA, quae est in Babylone, ctfelecta," &c. 
 
20 APOSTOLIC period: 
 
 These dates e^tejid to the year of the Ascen- 
 sioti' 48, ahd to the Christian aera 82, within 
 which time Peter visjted the eastern churches; 
 ^nd wi-ote his first Epistle. 
 
 The Syrian christians, especially the Chal- 
 deans, celebrate Thaddeus, Marus,^andAgheus, 
 for their Apos^tles. Concerning Thaddeus, 
 whom they also call Addeus, and n^nie " the 
 chief and greatest of the assembly of the Seven- 
 ty and two." They relate-that, " when he came 
 to Edessa, they received him with great joy. 
 He blessed Abgar us and all his household, 
 and the whole city. He healed their sieifc- 
 nesses by the word of our. Lord, and declared 
 the miracles and signs he had wrought in the 
 world, confirming his words by miracles.'^ 
 He diseipled Edessa, and Mesopotamia, and 
 taught them the ordinances of the Oospel.' By 
 the assistance of Agheus, his disciple, he con- 
 verted and baptized all the region of the East, 
 as far 'as the eastern Sea. When he was 
 grbwH old and' aged, he improved his talent 
 more than double; he rooted but froi'n the 
 hearts," the thorns and thistles, and isowed them 
 with the purest wheat, and entered the joy ol 
 his Lord." 
 
 "JMar Addeus the Apostle, and one of the 
 Seventy, (says 4^|-us writing qn theApJsoi 
 Addeus), came to Edessa, rand healed king 
 
APOSTOLIC PERIOD. 21 
 
 Abgarus of his leprosy. He had for his asso- 
 ciate in preachiag the Gospel, Mar Marus, and 
 BaLrtlTolomew, at Nibesin, Mosul, Hazath, and 
 Persia. He built a church in Cephar-Uzel, in 
 the country of Adjaben, where is the inscrip- 
 tion of his name lo this day. He built another 
 chiurch in the city of Arzan, which also bears 
 his name at the present time. ^ St. Thomas 
 assembled with him, and remained with hjm 
 some time before his departure for India. They 
 both ordained Mar Marus, and confei-red on 
 him the priesthood, and the dignity of Patri^ 
 arch of Babylon, Arach, and parts eastward. 
 Mar Addeus having filled the office of preach- 
 ing twelve years and some months, departed 
 on the fourteenth day of the month of May, and 
 was buried in the great church at Edessa." 
 
 Barhebraeus wriies, that " the Apostle Ad- 
 deus; the Hebrew, and one of the Seventy, who 
 followed our Lord Christ, was sent into the 
 East by Thomas one of the Twelve." 
 
 '* Agheus laboured fifteen years in the work 
 of the Gospel, and survived his master Thad- 
 deus, or Addeus, only three years : to him suc- 
 ceeded Marus." 
 
 " After Agheus was Marus, another disciple 
 of Addeus. This Marus after the martyrdom 
 of his associate Agheus, could no longer ton- 
 tinne in Edessa, but weiit into the east, and 
 
22 APOSTOLIC PERIOD. 
 
 preached in Athur, (i. e. Assyria) ami in all 
 the land of Shinar. He taugiit three htibdred 
 and sixty churches, which were built during his 
 time in the east." 
 . " Marus first discipled some of the people 
 of Beth'igarrni ; he afterwards endured great 
 trials from them. Then he came to Seleucia, 
 a royal city of the Persians ; the same is the 
 Seleucia built by one of the kings, subdued by 
 Alexander the Great i another city was built 
 afterwards, called Katispon [Ctesiphon]. When 
 MaruS had entered the city, there was there a 
 sick man, whom having signed with the sign of 
 the life-giving cross, he opened his eyes, and 
 said unto his men, " I saw a vision of this 
 stranger, as one descended frOm' heaven, and 
 he took hold on me by the hands, and raised, 
 me up : and as soon as I opened my eyes, I 
 saw him sitting with me." Then the men of 
 that city received Marus as an angel of God, 
 and he taught arid baptized many of them, and 
 began to build churches in that city, where he 
 remained fifteen yeafs, confirming, them in the 
 Faith. Then he -went and passed through- all 
 quarters, working miracles, and wonderful 
 works; and having fulfilled his preaching for 
 thirty and three years, he departed to his Lord, 
 in a city named Badaraja, and was buried there 
 ih a church which he had built." 
 
APOSTOLIC PERIOD. 23 
 
 These extracts are sufficient for the preisent 
 purpose : they shiew from the Syrian chronicles 
 the progress and extent of Christianity in Syria, 
 Mesopotamia, Chaldea, Persia, and other ad-, 
 jaoent countries, at an early period of the apo- 
 stolic age, when churches were not only plant- 
 ed in the chiefest cities of the several countriesi 
 bu^t so founded and governed by the successful 
 labours and expedient wisdom of those apostolic 
 men, that they soon became the emporiums of 
 the gospel to remotest regions of the East: not 
 to mention that at the same time, the same work 
 w^s carrying on in various other parts of. the 
 world. 
 
 The eastern or Chaldean Christians through- 
 out all Asia, from Antioch to the walls of China, 
 celebrate Thomas for their chief and great 
 Apostle. He was the first preacher of Chris- 
 tianity amongst th^ Hindoos, and founded tbe 
 ,churches o/ Malabar, where, to this day, the 
 sincient monuments, traditions, and writings of 
 tbe Syrian Christians, afford the most indubi- 
 table proofs of his apostolic labours among 
 them. 
 
 , The Syrian Christians of India on the coasts 
 of Coromandel and Malabar, amounting to 
 more than two hundred thousand, hold with a 
 cbnstant and uniform tradition, thatThomas 
 the Apostle was the founder of their churches. 
 
^4 APOSTOLIC PERIOD. 
 
 The liomish missionaries, who have used the 
 utmost diligence in the investigation of SHcb 
 their tradition and church history, have every 
 where found it the same. 
 
 As far as I am able to collect from the writ- 
 ings of the learned Assemanuus, who q-uotes 
 many important extracts from writers on' the 
 subject, and also from authors since his tilliei 
 it appears from the accounts of the travels 
 of this Apostle, that after having preached 
 the Christian Faith in Syria, Mesopotamia, 
 Chaldea, and. Persia, he made advances further 
 east'war^d and«0u1;hward,.ti'll at length ;he*reaeh- 
 ed the coast of India and Malabar; where, 
 having exercised ' his apoMolic labours with 
 success, he passed through to the coast of Go- 
 romandel, and having made great conversions 
 to. the faith in those i parts, he passed over to 
 some coast on the east called Chitia,whictfmay 
 have been most probably that country now call- 
 ed poehiu-Gfoina; afterwiards he^ r6turnfed to 
 CoromaJidel, where having h&rri&ihe' crown of 
 raartyrdom, he was buried in the mouM, after- 
 wards called St. Thonlas^s Mount. 
 
 With Thomas the Apostle, the Syriaii writers 
 mention "otbers of the twelve ApOstle*,'and of 
 the seventy DisciplfeBy who- laboured in Ih^ 
 gosfKel in Syria^ Arabiia, .Mesopbil»«ii4y Chal- 
 de^i Peraiaj J?arthKi;>aad otbein ^co^tft)^, as 
 
APOSTOLIC PERIOD. ^5 
 
 ATill appear from the following miscellaneous 
 extracts from Assemannus: 
 
 " Tho(taas, as appears from the Edessiati 
 tables, was not only Apostle of the Syrians and 
 Chaldeans, but also of the I^arthians, Medes, 
 and the East Indians." 
 
 Elias, bishop of Damascus, writes that, " the 
 regions of Sindia add India, and adjacent parts 
 of the East, as far as the Indian oceian, became 
 Christian by the preaching of the Apostle ThoV 
 m&s, one of the fwelve. With" him joined 
 afterwards Jude the son of James, also of ith'e 
 Twelve," 
 
 Mariis bar Salomon, in the life of Adders, 
 writes/** Nathanael barTholemy, and Lebetrs 
 surnamed Thaddeus, and Thomas of the 
 Twelve, and Addeus, Marus, and Aghetis of 
 the seventy Disciples, planted the faith in the 
 East." 
 
 Ebedjiesus (iti lib. Margaritse) v^rites, " that 
 the blessed Apostles who taught in these re- 
 gions of the East, were Thomas, and Bartho- 
 lomew of ihe Twelve, and Marus of the 
 se»fe^Bty." < , 
 
 Amrus,(of the same Bartholomew and Tho- 
 mas) \'i rites, that " Nathanael Ebn-Totemy, the' 
 dis^ple of Thomas, and Lebeus of the Twelve, 
 together with Addews, Marufe, and 'Agheus of 
 the Ser€iity, tawght Nibisin, and Oezirstt, [i. e. 
 
20 APOSTOLIC PERIOD. 
 
 Mesopotamia] aurl Mosul, BabyJon, and Chal- 
 dea; Arabia, the East country, Nebaioth, Hnz- 
 zath, and Persia. Also going into the greater 
 Armenia, he converted its inhabitants to Chris- 
 tianity, and there built a church : lastly, he re- 
 moved to India as far as China." 
 
 Eiias, bishop of Damascus, writes, that" Ge- 
 zirat, Mosul, the country of Babylon, and Sar- 
 vad, [i. e. Chaldea] and the regions lying ou the 
 south, Hazzath, and its confines; likewise, Ara- 
 bia, and the borders thereof, were called to the 
 Faith by Addeus and Marus, of the seventy 
 disciples, whom followed Bartholomew." 
 . In the epitome of the Syrian canons, they 
 write, " The fifth seat is Babylon, in honour of 
 the three constituted Apostles; Thomas, the 
 Apostle of the Hindoos and Chinese ; Bartho- 
 lomew, who- also is Nathanael of the Syrians; 
 and Addeus, one of the Seventy, who was 
 master, to Agheus and Marus, the Apostle of 
 Mesopotamia, and all Persia." 
 . *'Jude, the son of James, was one of the 
 Twelve,, and he also is called Lebens, and 
 Thaddeus. Jude, the son of James, surnamed 
 Lebeus, and Thaddeus, preached the gospel 
 in Aiitarus and Laodicea. Then he went to 
 Thadmor [i. e. Palmyra], and Raca, and Cir- 
 cesum, and Temun, and certain other parts/of- 
 the East, and there followed him Thomas itito 
 India." 
 
APOSTOLIC PERIOD. 27 
 
 Ebedjesus says, " India, and all the regions 
 roiind about unto the utmost sea, received the 
 priesthood from Thomas, who presided and mi- 
 nistered in a church which he had built there." 
 — During the time thatThadd'eHs, Agheus, and 
 Marus, spread the evangelical doctrine in Me- 
 sopotamia, Chaldca, and other parts of the 
 East, Peter made excursions into Mesopota-- 
 mia; Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thad- 
 deus went into Parthia, and into Persia; and, 
 lastly, Thomas having visited all those parts 
 went into the utmost confines of the EaJst." 
 
 .According to- the Syrian writers, the preach- 
 ing of the Gospel was extended, far into the 
 northern Asia, by the disciples of the Seventy, 
 and their assistants. Ebedjesus Sobensis, 
 Elias Damascenus, and Mares Salomonis re- 
 late that " All Persia, all parts of Assyria, and 
 Acmenia, and Media ; the regions about Baby- 
 loQv Huz, and Gala, to the borders of India, 
 as far as Gog and Magog, received the Priest- 
 hood from Agheus the silk-weaver, the disciple 
 of the Apostle Addeus." 
 
 Elias says, " They of Gebal, [i. e. Parthia}^ 
 and Persia, and Huz, unto the coasts of Sindia, 
 even unto Gog and Magog, were called' to the 
 faith by Agheus, the disciple of Addeus." 
 
 Ma^esSalomonis Sobensis says, Aghens the 
 Apostle, after Addeus had returned to the city 
 
2g APOSTOLIC PERIODb 
 
 of ^j^dessa, illu mined Gebal and Huz, land the 
 coasts of Sindia, with the adjacent countries 
 Gog. and Magog. Afterwards lie returned to 
 Churdan, andiBazabad, and Mesopotamia, dnd 
 Edfissa, and there died on the thirtieth day of 
 July." This wa^ about the year of the Ascen- 
 sion fifteen, for Addeus; who died in the twelftl* 
 year of his preaching, was succeeded by Aghe- 
 us three years. 
 
 i*.* Thomas the Apostle (says the Syrian 
 chronicle, quoted by Assemannus) was the 
 first Bishop of the East. We learn from the 
 book of the doctrine Of the holy Apostles, that 
 the divine Apostle Tho-mas announced the 
 (yhristian message in the Eastern region in tho 
 second year after our Lord's ascension : As he 
 passed throngb on his journey to India, he 
 preached to divers njitions, the Parthians, Car- 
 mahians, Bactranians,'Margires, and Indiatis/- 
 With which Sophrobius agrees, who relates 
 that " Thomas the Apostle, according totradi- 
 ti5n, preached' the gospel of the Lord in Par- 
 thia, Media, Persia, Car-mania, Hyrcania, Bac- 
 tria, and Margae." 
 
 To the testimonies of the Oriental wtiters 
 abJQve qudted, I shall herse, subjoin some inter- 
 esting notices from, the coUecliohs of Baronius, 
 and as I find the same quoted by Witsius; and 
 other authors. Barouius, on the history of the 
 
APOSTOLIC PERIOD. QQ 
 
 Apostles' times, relates of Johh the Apostlej 
 AnnaL Tom. I. pag. 320. " John remained not 
 always in Asia, but traversed other regions b( 
 the East, preaching the Gospel, of which there 
 are many testimonies extant ; for that he went 
 also among the Parthians is easily shewed by 
 the title of his first Epistle, which formerly was 
 read, inscribed to the Parthians;" but he more- 
 over penetrated to the extreme parts of th>e 
 East, and instructed the BasSoreans in the 
 Christian Faith. And we receive for certain, 
 in the accounts of the religious of the order of 
 the Jesuits, who, in our own times, have gone 
 among the Indians for the sake of pre^/^hiog 
 the Gospel, that the same is the tradition re- 
 ceived by that people from their ancestors. 
 And the Historian, pag, 321 thus relates of the 
 Apostle Thomas; " Thomas the Apostle first 
 went among the Parthians, as Origen and Eu- 
 sebius writes; and Gregory of Nazienzen de- 
 livers, that th6 same Apostle went among tbei 
 Indians. He also went ibto Ethiopia, as John 
 Chrysostom attests, when he says, " He made 
 the Ethiopians white." And Theodoret says, 
 that, " the Parthians, the Persians, the Medefe, 
 the Brachmans, the Indoos, and other border- 
 ing nations, received the Gospel of Christ from 
 Thomas." " Nicephorus delivers also that he 
 
30 , Apostolic perioi), 
 
 went to the Island of Tapobrana:"^ Those 
 Christians which are found among the tndianis 
 in the province of Narsinga.f affirm by a con- 
 stant and uniform tradition, that the Apostle 
 Thomas preached the Gospel in those regions: 
 that there ajso he raised churches, and effected 
 other things pertaining to the institution of 
 Christians. Likewise Osorius; Bishop of Sil- 
 vens, who wrote, most clearly of the Indian 
 affairs testifies^ tha.t those who live in the coun- 
 try of India,, called Cranganore, and adjacent 
 places, profess the same things of that Apostle." 
 y id. JET, Witsii Exercitationum Academica/Fum. 
 Ultrajecti, 1715. pag.25. ^. 
 
 ■■ — ■■'~- ■ ,- _ ■ ■ ■ •.-.,■ ' ■ ■■ ■ 1 1 
 
 . * Tapobrana or Ceylon. This celebrated island is called by 
 the nativesi, Selan; by the Arabs, Seilan; by the Turks in Eu- 
 rope, Zeilan; by Paul the Veaetian, corruptlyi Seilam; and by 
 the Europeans, Zetflon and Ceyton : but the learned Hyde re- 
 jharks, that this Island is always called in the Orienlal Bobks, 
 Serandih, which name is compounded of 5eir<itt for Setan, and 
 Oib, yehicb in.the Malabar language, signifies an Island, q. d. 
 the Island of Selan : and by the same Etymology, the Ma^ive 
 Islands denote the /our Islands which are thechief and princi- 
 pal of the groupe so called in the Indian Sea. The situation, 
 tnaguitiide, produce, arid inhabitants of this Island, certify it 
 to be the same with the ancients, Ptolemy, and other ^*riters,'^s 
 with the moderns. 
 
 t Narsinga: a city on the coast of Coromande), situated 
 near a great river, formerly considerable foriraffic,^ and num- 
 ber 0/ inhabitants 
 
APOSTOLiC PERIOD. Q] 
 
 ■ The limit of the Apostolic period is no where 
 precisfely agreed upon byatilhors: some extend- 
 ing it only to the last surviving of the twelve 
 Apostles, and others, to the lives of their imme- 
 diate successors, when the whole multitude of 
 the witnesses of the Ascension of the Lord be- 
 came extinct ; which latter may be presumed 
 the most complete, having a duration of about 
 fifty years after the Ascension, or about A. D. 
 90, when the age of miracles may have ceased 
 on the full establishment of the Christian Faith 
 in the world. In this period, Jerusalem takes 
 the pres.idency of alt other Patriarchates, where 
 the seat of Apostleship first originated : the 
 next in rank appelars to be Antioch; the third, 
 Rome; and the fourth, Alexandria, m Egypt; 
 to which some add a fifth, viz. Babylon, accord- 
 ing to the Syrian canons above quoted ; " the 
 fifth seat is Babylon, in honour of the three 
 constituted Apostles, Thomas, the Apostlfe of 
 the Hindoos and Chinese; Bartholomew, who 
 also is NathianaiBl,vOf the Syrians ; and Addeus, 
 one of the Seventy, who was master to Agheus; 
 and Mar us, the Apostle of Mesopotamia." 
 
 During this period the Gospel extended .it- 
 self in the sevefal countries of Europe, Asia, 
 and Africa. In Europe; — Illyricum, Dalmatia, 
 and Spain are mentioned, in the Epistle^of St. 
 Paul, Rom. xv. 19, 26. 2 Tim. iv. 10, and all 
 
32 APOSTOLie PERIOD. ' ^ 
 
 Italy may be considered visited by the Gospel 
 in tbe days of that Apostle. Mention is made 
 of Bishops and Martyrs in thd paints of Illyri- 
 cura and Dalmatia, as early as the second and 
 third century : and St. Jerome, a native of 
 Iliyricum, is by some supposed to be the first, 
 who, for' the use of his countrymen, translated 
 the Bible into his own mother-tongue.* 
 
 In Africa ; Egypt and Ethiopia embraced 
 the Gospel in the days of the Apostles, and 
 therfe the Patriarch at this day confirms his seat 
 by a long saccessionj even from the beginnitig 
 of Christianity. The Patriarchs of Alexandria, 
 \yhose authority extends over ail Egypt aind 
 Abyssinia, take the name of Mlc(rk,f and by the 
 last accounts tbe present Patriarch reckons 
 hitjiself the CVIII, from Mark the Evangelist. 
 The celebrated Council of Carthage, convened 
 by KiagHuneric, A. D.'484, when that pri'nce 
 required all tbe ortbodox Bishops to attend 
 
 * That ist the ISclavonic^ cit^ Slavonian fongiie. 
 
 t The Patriarchs of the Capts, or Christiaiis in Egypt, who 
 also bear the titk 61 Patriarch of AtexaDdria,Jerasalein, Abys- 
 sinia, and Nuibia, are called after the Evangelist Mark, who 
 is said to have founded the church at Alexandria. The Patri- 
 arch of Alexandria, in the year 1753,, was Mark th^ CVI. 
 Siie A^H^ent and Modern History of the Brethren, by David 
 OrKntJC-ttaAsIatedbyrhe Rev. Beuj.La'Trdbe. Loild'. 1780. 
 pag. 43^. 
 
^ho, to the ttutnber rtffbu'r hundred iii^eAVbl^eifl 
 on that occasion from various provinces of 
 Africa, dttd the Islands of the Mediterraiieati 
 Sea, , exclusive of the nunierous Martyrs of 
 those countries, sh6\vs the thdh extent of thfe 
 African churches. ; 
 
 In Asia, tli6 Christian Religion sirrdaid it^df 
 eastward with the rapidity of lightning, froiii 
 Jerusal^lii to the siin-risiiig, in tli<3 uttn0st 
 cohfines of Persia, India, and Chitita, if we liiay 
 credit the historians : and not only eastwaW, 
 but north wardi as far sis, the ancient Pdr'tliia 
 arid Hyrcania, now Bijkkaria, ih TatrtElr'y, to 
 thC'sbUthern ftidia.and Cape Coraorin. 
 
 Gosmiis, in his Tttpographia Christiana, 
 written about A. D. 530 agrees with'th^ Bbbave 
 a(d6dunt^ as to the ^t'eat extent bf Christianity 
 in Asia. '• Itiem apud Bactros, Hunfld^,- relir 
 quosque Indos^ Persafmenos, Medos, Elami- 
 tas, atque in tote Persidis regione, Secllesise ih- 
 fitiitse erant, Episeopi, Christisirtique, poptili 
 magno noinero;" Lnkei^'ise among thfe Bactia- 
 rians, Huns, a.nd the rest of the Indians, the 
 Persians, Medes, El^mites, add in all the r^- 
 giobi of Persia, weire ttlultitddeS of chtijfclie^ 
 and Bishops, #ith a great' ntfmber of Chris- 
 tian people." 
 
 ChfysOstom attests, that by the «ftd Of th^ 
 foffrtb ce^ttrry, the Christian faith \*as prbpsi- 
 
34 APOSTOLIC PERIOD. 
 
 gated in India, and the northern Asia- " But, 
 says he, consider, and think within yourself, 
 in how short a tjme the whole world became 
 ftlled with so many churches, and such popu- 
 lous nations, converted to the faith : People 
 persuaded to abrogate their country's laws, 
 rooting out their old habits and- customs,^aDd 
 every where overturning the heathen altars in ' 
 the regions of the Romans, Persians, Sythiaas, ~ 
 Maurie^ns, and the Hindoos, to. the world's 
 end." 
 
 . As a necessary supplement to this period of 
 the church, one cannot but admire how the 
 means used by the Divine Providence so effec- 
 tually obtained in the evangelization of so great 
 £1 part of the world : in enduing with the most 
 transcendant qualities and firtues those emi- 
 nent Apostles, and other apostolic men raised 
 up for. so stupendous a work: their going forth 
 among nations of. every rank and degree in the 
 scale of human condition : from the prejudiced 
 and obdurate Jews, the civilized nations of 
 Greece and Rotne^ Persia, and other countries, 
 as well as among the most fierce and illiterate 
 Pagans ; every where manifesting the benign 
 and salutary influence of a Religion, alone 
 calculated to relieve and restore human nature. 
 The gift of tongues opened to them a great and 
 effectual door, which none could shut against 
 
' ARABIAN CHRISTIANS. 35 
 
 thjem; and the humerous other gifts variously 
 imparted to those teachers of Christianity ena- 
 tnerated by St. Paul,* add to this their speaking 
 and interpreting of tongues, the very words and 
 wisdom, how, and what to speak upon all 
 proper occasions : the gift of healing all manner 
 of sicknesses and diseases by the word of God 
 and prayer, and sometimes by special miracles,f 
 was moreover a most welcome virtue wherever 
 they came, and led them into the admiration of 
 men of all ranks, who could not but receive 
 them with open arrn^ as servants of the living 
 Godr these ministrations of mercy freely be- 
 stowed, were immediately followed with' the 
 manifestation of the grace of the Gospel, and 
 the knowledge of the only true God and Sa- 
 viour; enlightening their eyes, and so turni'ng^ 
 them from darkness to light, and from the 
 power of satan to God, that they might receive 
 the forgiveness of sins, and inheritance in the- 
 kingdom of grace here, and of glory hereafter, 
 —But to proceed with a few remarks on the 
 progress of the Gospel in Arabia, Persia, and 
 China, and first of the 
 
 ARABIAN CHRISTIANS, 
 
 Arabia, is so named, from the great mixture 
 of tribes and people inhabiting that extensive 
 
 * 1 Cor. xii. t Acts xix. 11, 
 
^li^PfiF^?/ The ^^g^endants of Ishiioaeil the son 
 0i5iAlNr«U%<»iiKepW^ IghlD^eliteSj peoplediaqne 
 ^t;pC ft, ,^nfii§flrtly cposisUng of twelve triWs, 
 q^i i(ic}fpen^i^l>t §pveifgi^i;\tie.a, G^n. cb.|XixiVk 
 llbe ;Pr«^Jfer ^f jjlbifsh^fli; fpr J^latraaiel was, l>fear^ 
 ip; tj^e grQwifig prospp^ity ofbi* dgscendantfi, 
 <?};», ^^vii, b^ut ^^sppci^jly i,p .tbtek <?ln^racing the Is- 
 ja^ftj^; reljgip,^, \yhe,a the di\nne promise,, t^gjt, 
 if), ilib^aba^ e^pdhis ^ei?d ^IJ the fqimilip? of the 
 ^gr^J;i,^hpu||c|: bi?;jt4f§?^d. ^as esxl^ended to tl^p 
 ija,^ipp5 of .^rabjia; i^beii^gj fjerta\ii tha^ Aral?i^ 
 j^j^f^ and;proseJjrtes inade \i^\i^ ^ppps(,onie(^ pjj|- 
 g§yn^^j-|»,,J,%UjSalern^^t ^j^9;f€5^fsts, aud \)\^f?Si 
 epumer^ted atl%,P^njfcec9is.^, Afts^iq^ ii;; ai^d 
 
 '^fih^;i§c^k^ ireaspq to consider, thattfthe-^iwene 
 ag^fjqg?^ tkft'Tia^^^^svfipbracing tk4 ,t4ig'i0n Qi 
 ttf/?if>r^PJ^4. Mess;ia<h. : It; is t,o b'e Jiegrettfid, 
 tliKit QjisJiistofiies wijiinoA allo\\! us to ext#id ouK 
 en^fliiii.e?, oil tljji^i sHhi)e9it. feej^gmdija vieryfeiWi 
 aod lijmited rt©$jj3^s ; an^drift iscpf^esHimd, thate 
 thWigt)<?W?i*@f to QuriigporjaoiGe of th,e AnifeiaJw 
 lagtoffiies#atij«?e afliajrsj rather thaf^f the sib&o- 
 Ij^t^sil^pce-pf hi^t^rjf itselfer ifij <'L^ yii <? 
 St. Paul, immediately afteroljisj.cpnyer^ion,, 
 went into Arabia, ^s; he, himself .writes to the 
 Galatians, where' ft is supposed he first preacb- 
 ed' the Gospel; but whether to the Arabian pror 
 sel'yfes of the Jewish, reWgion.^Acts, ch. ii.' v.'il. '^ 
 or lo"TIie, idoJatrQu^ Arabs, is micerte\n, Most 
 
writers agree that tbfe Christian , Religion was 
 early planted i$/Arat)ia- from the great numb,er 
 of Jews fiispersed ampwg those tribes, wjip; 
 claiqaeei thpir. descent froija, Al^raham and Ish- 
 raael. Andrifldeed, $oaie have held for certain, 
 that several tribes amjqpg the Arabians had re- 
 ceived the ChtFJgitiaiiif JReJigion long before the 
 tinie of M<>hainnted. ' Withoiiit lookiiig intij, 
 ^Ome miQiQ;UinentK of Chrisiia^q aqtiquity, says 
 an afelei; writer,* and which it wete no hard 
 matter to produqe, frpm , the. third and fourth-t 
 centti).^ieS)Of the Church : history; makes men- 
 tion of one Phylarelius, and a whole tribe of 
 AE?iibtiai>s, who in the, fifth ^ century made pro- 
 fessjoti o| the Christian Religion. Even thfe 
 Arabian hisjojriaos tbiemselve^ own^ that the 
 Christians! vv-einQ^veiiy numerous in Ara.bja at, 
 and long b/efpr«,; the time of Mohammed, as 
 appears from numeroiis passBges^ W the Koran, 
 ^.hevebiPithf Christians apd Jews are > mention- 
 ed, as well a^s, it) tfceii^ common bistorjes cited 
 by. Pocock, and other Orientalists. The prin- 
 cipal t^ihes that) erajbraced Christianity, were 
 Hamy^r., and according to others, the whole 
 ki^gc^nii of the Momerites, GJiassan^ Rabi^, 
 Tfighjlfkkf, Bahra, l^jonmh,. part of the-tribes of 
 
 *-'' HiistoriiGaliReflectioiis on Afahometani^mjand.SciitaokDigiiii. 
 
38 ARABIAN CHRISTIANS. 
 
 Tay, and £o<74a, the inhabitants of Najran, 
 and the Arabs of Ilira. See Mr. Sale's Pre- 
 lim. Discourse, pag. 29. It doth not appear, 
 however, that Religion found a fixed seat 
 among those unsettled and wandering, people, 
 nor yet that they had any thing like a church 
 establishment subject to episcopal order ; for, 
 although the learned Sale allows, that Ghrisli- 
 anity made a great progress in Arabia, and 
 consequently supposes they had' bishops in 
 several parts, for the ' orderly governing of the 
 churches ; yet it seems that history is too silent 
 to prove it,' and the contrary appears to be the 
 case: the bishops presiding over the Arabian 
 churches, being no other than exiles - and 
 schismatics of all religions, which, during the 
 disputes and broils of the Greek and other 
 churches of the east, found an asylum in the 
 freie, unconquerable, and independent country 
 of Arabia. Mr. Sale mentions a bishop of 
 Dhafdr ; and we are told that Najrdn was also 
 a bishop's see. The Jacobites, of which sect 
 the Arabs generally were, had two bishops sub- 
 ject to their Mafrian, or Metropolitan of the 
 East; one was called the Bishop of the Arabs 
 absolutely, whose seat was for the most part at 
 Akula, which some authors make the same 
 with Ciifd, others- a different town near Sag^ 
 dhad. The other had the title of Bishop of the 
 
AKAUIAJN UMKISl'lAnS. Hy 
 
 Semite Arabs, of the tribe of Thaalah in Hira, 
 or Hirta, as the Syrians call it, whose seat was 
 in that city. The Nestorians had but one 
 bishopi who preisided over both these dioceses, 
 of Hira and Akuld, and was immediately sub- 
 jecjt to their patriarch, which the author col-, 
 lects from the historians. All which amounts 
 to a confirmation of the general opinion, that 
 Arabia was the receptacle of all religions, Jews, 
 and Christian^ of all sects, subject to no settled 
 government nor regular church establishment. 
 
 Neither, indeed, does it appear, that the Ara- 
 bians had the use of letters, or more properly, 
 a method of swift writing, convenient for copy- 
 ing and preserving the sacred records of Chris- 
 tianity sufficiently early to give permanency to 
 the doctrine of our holy Religion among them. 
 The ancient Homerite character * called the 
 JHosnad, from its pillar form, was principally 
 used for inscriptions, and other monumental 
 
 *The modern Arabic characters are isaid to have been form- 
 .cd from the ancient Kufic, about: the tenth century, by the 
 authors Abu Ali Ben Mokla, and Abul'bouab. Vid. Adier 
 Descriptio Cpdicum quorundam Cuficorum, Micliaelis Arab, 
 Gram, and Fessler's InstHutiones Ling. Orient, pars posterior^ 
 cap. I. The Arabic vowel points were first applied to the 
 ancient character, but in a simple form : and future times 
 gave to these vowel feints their present use and improve- 
 meat. 
 
40 PERSIAN CimiSTPA'Iire. 
 
 reetfrdsj an'd therefore fourid incofiveiiie'ot ; .so 
 that at length the,£i<;^c character »u«iei^eded, 
 in, which the Koran was first written, and' con- 
 tinued in use, until about the tenth centiirjf, 
 when a new and improved method of writing 
 served to the publication of the Koran in all 
 nations u^ing the Arabic tongue: and, here I 
 shalladd a valuable remark of the s^iitie author 
 above quoted ; " It doth not appear,- says/lwe, 
 that The Holy Scriptures had been trlaa^Iat- 
 edioto their tongue, even to that: time; by which 
 either through the fault of thdr leaders, or Mieir 
 own negligence, they were deprived of thfe surest 
 means, of preserving among them; thd truth of 
 Religion." This reflection naturally offers it- 
 self to the mind : "All nations, that haV&the 
 Scripture in the language of their couritry,have 
 8tbod either in whole, or part, agaitist thte 
 seduction of Mahorti^anism : sOfih are tMe 
 Greeks, Syrians, Armeniatts, A{jyssiiiiatiS, Gop- 
 ticks, and some others." 
 
 PERSIAN CHRISTIANS4 
 
 ... *>i 
 
 in Persia and its Provinces, 'afflifeiehtlj>:'M*!- 
 diat and Elam, tbere we're bdth Je'^sattid Pro- 
 selytes, in the times of the Apostles, Acts, 
 ch. ii. 9. and the Church histories, martyrolo- 
 gies, and other sources of infornration, fully 
 
authenticate the early planting of the Chris- 
 tian Faith in that ancient kingdom. The 
 convnlsions and revolutions which had al- 
 most eradicated even the name of the Chris- 
 tian Religion, in that extensive country, have 
 not, however, wholly effaced the notices of 
 Christians, Bishops, and Churches, formerly 
 existing in those parts of the East. The 
 dreadful persecution, which under the Em- 
 peror Dioclesfan, had raged with the utmost 
 .fury in. the West,. had scarcely ceased, when a 
 most heavy persecution arose against the Chris- 
 tians in Persia, under their kingSapores, about 
 A. D. 330, which commenced with the martyr- 
 dom of the most eminent Ecclesiastics, and 
 other illustrious men, recorded by Simeon Me- 
 lasthenes, when Simeon the Archbishop of 
 Seleucia, with Ctesiphon another Bishop in 
 Persia, and other Ministers, and religious men 
 of that country, to the number of one hundred 
 and twenty eight, were put to death. The 
 number of Christians, at that time, was so 
 great in Persia, that the king commanded that 
 they should not be put to death generally, but 
 only the teachers and leaders of the flock: 
 whereupon the whole heat of the persecution 
 was directed against the Bishops and teachers 
 -of the Church, who, in all places, went to 
 slajughter, and especially in the province of 
 
 G 
 
4^ J'ERSIAN CHRISTIANS. 
 
 Diohenot, that part of Persia being above 'all 
 other the most christian. Miserable, and almost 
 innumerable, were the slaiughters tinder the 
 reign of Sapores, of Bishops, Ministers, Dea- 
 cons,, Religious men, holy Virgins, and other 
 Ecclesiastical persons, such as s'tood stedfast 
 in the d.octrine of Christ, and suffered for the' 
 saiile. The names of; the Bishops, besides the 
 multitude- taiken away during this persecution 
 are recited, as quoted by Mr. John Fox, the 
 eminent. Marty rologist. Book 1. p. 127, where, 
 according to, his author Sozomen, • the number 
 of Bishops and Ecclesiastical persons, amount- 
 ed to two .hundred and hfty persons, and the 
 wholp multitude of them that suffered in that 
 perseciition, the raannenqf their apprehending, 
 the cruelty of their torpaents, how, qnd where 
 they ^suffered, it being not possible for any 
 history to dis^arge, neither were the Persians 
 thehiselvesy as Soz^mon records, able to recite 
 them. .'In iine, the multitude and number of 
 those whom they were able to recite by nara«, 
 amounted to the sum of sixteen thousand men 
 and women. The which miserable havoc of the 
 Christians in Persia, coming to the ears of 
 Constantine, induced him to. intercede by 
 letters to Sapores, the King of Persia, in be- 
 half of the Christians. Thpse circumstances 
 are a sufficient testimony to verify the early 
 
planting of the Christian Faith in Persia, ex- 
 clusive of other testimonies. <.i/ 
 
 Jesujabus, of Adjaben, Patriarch of the 
 Nestorians, who wrote about A.'D. 630, in a 
 letter of his, written to the Bishop of Persia, 
 shews the then state and extent of the churches 
 in those parts of the East. " Be thou mind- 
 ful, says he, of these things, O Brother, belov- 
 ed of God, that forasmuch as ye have shut the 
 door of the Priesthood against many of the 
 people of India, and have prohibited the gift of 
 God for filthy lucre's sake, and the nourishment 
 of carnal lust ; so have ye closed against your- 
 selves the door of the gift of the Lord, and 
 against your own necessities. The state of pub- 
 lic affairs is even now become desperate with 
 you, as ye yourselves are best able to know. 
 But how doth the gift of God flow forth and 
 increase by good leaders in the rules of the 
 Canons! behold, the world itself is filled with 
 bishops, and priests, and faithful men like the 
 stars of heaven, and continues more and more 
 increasing daily. But in your province, since 
 the time that ye have taken upon you to reb^l 
 against the Canons -of the church, yie have cut 
 off the succession of the Priesthood from the 
 Indian people, so that they are left in darkness, 
 which had the light of the divine doctrine by 
 the ministry of the orthodox bishops : and not 
 
44 PERSIAN CHRISTIANS. 
 
 only India, from the shores of the kingdom of 
 Persia, unto that called Culah, an extent of 
 country reaching more than twelve knndred 
 parasangs, but even to your own province also." 
 Thus we see that by the seventh century there 
 was a great establishment of churches in the 
 East, in all the countries bordering on Persia 
 unto India: which then by heresy, and other 
 disorders, began to lose ground : there never- 
 theless had been a great harvest of the faithful 
 in all those parts. 
 
 This Bishop of Adjaben was also Metro* 
 politan of all Persia, and presided over church-- 
 es beyond the boundaries of that kingdom, as 
 far as India. We learn from the contents of 
 the letter from the zealous patriarch ofNibisin, 
 that there existed at that time a great number 
 of churches in India ; and that the Metro- 
 politan of Persia, regardless of the Canons, 
 had withheld ordination from the Indian cout 
 verts, to the great distress of their churches. 
 The Patriarch does not scruple to charge him 
 with making unlawful gains; as if he had sold 
 those churches over to such as best favoured 
 his particular interest, to the disadvantage of 
 the Indian believers. He mentions the eccled-' 
 astical affairs of Persia to have become already 
 desperate, the causes whereof he does not spe- 
 cify; and, lastly, that by those ineasures, a 
 
rtKSlAlN CHKISTIANS. 4£> 
 
 great track of country, which had formerly 
 enjoyed the light of the Christian doctrine was 
 reduced to a state of spiritual darkness; and 
 he warns him of the approaching fate of Persia 
 itself. 
 
 Here then, we remark, is an important point 
 in the church history of tliat period, when Mo- 
 hammed arose and first began to publish his 
 grand Imposture. The year of the Hegira was 
 622 of the Christian aera, and the Patriarch of 
 Nibisin died in the year A. D. 660. By this 
 time all Arabia had embraced the Mohamme- 
 dan doctrine, and Ali had transferred his seat 
 from Medina to Chaldea, and the establish-^ 
 ments of the chaliphates severely menaced the 
 interest of the Christian churches iu all Asia. 
 It is easy to determine, that within a generation 
 or two, all the churches of Persia, and India, 
 lay exposed to the inroads of Mohammedan- 
 ism; even Persia itself, soon became inundated 
 with the rising flood of superstition : future 
 conversions to Christianity were stopped, and 
 all the Christian churches of the East, except 
 those of the Greek, Armenian, and Syrian 
 communions, were unable to stand their ground 
 for want of faithful pastors, and soon fell into 
 one common ruin. 
 
 This was the first attack of the Arabian 
 Innposture against the interests of Christianity ; 
 
40 PERStAN CHRISTIANS. 
 
 namely, the reduction of those deplorable 
 churches which were left without the scrip- 
 tureg, pastors, and teachers : this was the case 
 in Arabia, and all those countries where Mo- 
 hammedanism found 9n easy conquest. It 
 was not so, howevev, with the generality of the 
 Eastern churches, especially the Nestorian 
 christians, who were by far the most numerous, 
 and were long before this- time extended over 
 all the East, as far as China; they were already 
 too well armed with the scriptures of tfuth 
 against so gross a fdrgery, and their establish- 
 ments being numerous and formidable, they 
 were not so easy to be reduced. 
 
 The Christian religion has maintained its 
 ground in all countries of the East, in a greater 
 or less extent, from its first establishment, to 
 this day, in the S^yrian communion: and though 
 it has been subject to various changes of go- 
 vernment, in different countries, it nevertheless 
 exists in the noble remains of that ancient and 
 venerable church. From all which, we may 
 find abundant argument to prove the excellence 
 and importance of the divine Scriptures ; that 
 wherever they are found, religion stands: 
 wherever they are taught, religion holds its 
 seat: and no powers on earth. are able to eradi-' 
 cate it. ,^ 
 
 Even the convulsions and wars of Asia, and 
 
the overflow of the Mohammedan arms, and 
 doctrine in Chaldea and Persia, became else- 
 where beneficial to Christianity. Many emigra* ' 
 tions of christians ensued from those causes, 
 and thousands retired Eastward, and fixed 
 their seats in the more remote and tranquil 
 regions of India. The coasts of Malabar and 
 Coromandel gave them a safe retreat among 
 their brethren, the Christians of St. Thomas, 
 which had there existed from time immemorial. 
 The great numbers of Nestorian and Jacobite 
 Christians in Travancore are a decisive proof 
 of such emigrations having taken place. All 
 those Christians are found to have the same 
 scriptures. of the Old and New Testament in 
 common. with all Christendom, and they cele^ 
 brate their divine service in the ancient Syriac 
 -totigue, having rituals peculiar to their respect- 
 ive communions. Of these Christians, we shall 
 speak more p^irticularly hereafter. 
 
 ARMENIAN CHRISTIANS. 
 
 The Armenian Christians being exceedingly 
 numerous, and dispersed over all the countries 
 of the East, it may be acceptable here to collect 
 some few notices respecting them. Their whole 
 ecclesiastical establishment is under the govern-i 
 ment of four Patriarchs ; the first of whom has 
 
48 AIliViENIAN' CHRISTIANS 
 
 his residence at Echmiadzin or JSgmiathin^ ne'ar 
 Erivan:* the second at Sis, in the lesser Ar- 
 menia: the third in Georgia : and the fourth at 
 Agtaniar or Aehtamar, or as others pronounce 
 it Altamar, on the lake of Van : but the ppvyer 
 of the two last is bounded within the limits of 
 a single diocese. The patriarch of Sis presides 
 over Anatolia, S^ria, and the neighbouring 
 provinces; and the patriarch of Aehtamar has 
 nine bishops under him ; but the patriarch of 
 Egmiathin is acknowledged by all the rest of 
 the Armenians. 
 
 Mons. Cerrif admits the same four patri- 
 archs of ihe Armenians; and says, " that the 
 Armenians subject to the king of Persia are 
 governed by one of those patriarchs, who has 
 fifty-nine bishops under him in the Turkish 
 dominions." The patriarch of Egmiathin has 
 eighteen suffragan bishops under him in his 
 own province, besides those who are Priors of 
 Monasteries. 
 
 The archbishop of Ispahan, the capital of 
 Persia, presides over twenty churches in that 
 
 * Or Irivan, a city in the greater Armeiiia.-'on the frontiers 
 of Persia. 
 
 f- Account of the Roman Catholic Religion throughput the 
 world ; written for the iiseof Popie Innocent XI. by M.Cerri, 
 Secretary to the Congregation de propaganda Fide. Trans* 
 lated from the Italian, by Richard Steele. Svo. Lond. 1715. 
 
e%, itibladitig abdtkt ^r^t thbufednti Arfflfe-^ 
 ttfert»s,al Maoist all iiiftffctiatfts: and in the! p^d- 
 ili^cGs the nnvobets df Ai-tnieiiidfa CfrflsliafliS Arfe 
 likewise considerable. 
 
 Illr. Sirti^rft,* who was pfergbtiailjr dcqitjtirfted 
 Wkfc an AhifleQidn bishop, named Vscan, ctJitt- 
 tijfe^ioned bjr his pattrial^cli to Visit Elii-dpe Foi* 
 the parpo^fe of pritititig dn eflkibtt df the AthiA- 
 iiiah Bibl6, Hbbbt th^ ye^r 1664, dbtdlded frdhi 
 tbiat bishop an exact itidS^fai^iloto ^^lati^e to thfe 
 tihtli'^fae^ of his cottmctnion, dnd at t\i^ dicta- 
 tion of thd bishop, ddll^^tdti sin ^stkct fist Qt the 
 trfshop^icf* arid ehttrche^ 6ff the Artoeniaa^; 
 Whi^h h^la^ iieii autheilti6 doetthietit, t b»^6 
 thought proper, for th*f ^tisfattiOh of iYik 
 «|(de*; to subjoin a cd|jy of ft*, and t<!ir ^Hxcii 1 
 ref'et'the ciiridtrs. 
 
 In the aforesaid list of the Arttieniah' chdrch- 
 e$, ihera Are named e^ht^Vi a^^bhb^{t6pi^f6^ in- 
 the ^otfece of:^g^iathiii, the s^atOf thfe ^atri- 
 ai'ch ; the arch'bfehoprie of HdWiitk oit Cdfalniii, 
 contains dght blsho^ici'. The arcfhbisho^ 
 0)S> Mtx&u has nridei* hintf fiv^ suffkgato bishops / 
 bi^ se^ is at Macu, iff the p^dv^rrfce Of AHM, 
 where^ the oiathedri^l fchiir'dh they pretend liei^ 
 
 * Religion and Customs of the Eastern nations, written 
 originally in Frencb,^by tiie learned Father Simon. Load. 
 
50 ARMENIAN CHRISTIANS 
 
 the body of St. Thaddeus. It is evident the 
 mone^stic order has, been in great esteem 
 amongst the Armenians, of which that of St. 
 Basil is the chief. 
 
 The Armenians every where p^rfqrm .their 
 divine service in their own tongue, in, which 
 .their Jiturgy and offices are written. , They 
 have the whole Bible translated from the Sep- 
 tuagint Greek, and assert that their translation 
 was made about the time of St. Chrysostom by 
 some of their doctors, who had previously 
 learned the Greek language, of which among 
 others, they name Moses the grammarian, and 
 David the philosopher; they attribute the in- 
 vention of . the Armenian characters to one 
 Misrop, a herrOite of the town of Balu, on the 
 Euphrates, and who lived in the time of St./ 
 John Chrysostom. 
 
 ', The Armenian confession: js similar with that 
 of the Jacobite christians, both coining under 
 the denomination of Monoph^sites, who aeknow- 
 ^dgebut one nature in Jesus Christ, which dis- 
 tinction, as Mr. Simon observes, is merely 
 nominal, consisting in little else than ambigu- 
 ities about words, and that in reality concern- 
 ing that matter, they may pass for orthodox, 
 agreeing hi essentials with the Latin church. 
 Yet notwithstanding, the same' hath given rise 
 to great disputes, and some divisions amongst 
 
ARMENIAN CHRISTIANS. 5 \ 
 
 toe Armenians, who tlibugh they are for the 
 most part ignorant of theological subtilties, do 
 rationally discourse on the mystery of the In- 
 carnation. , •> 
 
 The Roman Catholics, aware of the exten- 
 siye usefulness of the Armenian christians 
 likely to ensue from a union of that church with 
 their own, have not failed to use their endea^ 
 Tdurs to effect it; considering that by such, 
 anion no people might more conduce to the 
 Catholic interest in regard to the promulgation 
 of religion :than the Armeniains, who are every 
 where dispersed, and hold commerce with most 
 nations/ 
 
 A certain Patriarch, of the lesser Armenia, 
 went to Rome in the year 16tJ7, where, having 
 made profession of his Faith, he was cordially 
 received} and maintained in a college, and on 
 his departure, furnished with money and passr 
 ports for his journey homewards. But he had 
 scarcely. set out, when news was brought that 
 he still persisted in the confession of his own 
 church, having discovered himself upon this 
 point at Jjeghorn and .Venice, and was there- 
 fore not allowed to proceed by the way of 
 Leopol, for fear he should prejudice the union 
 already agreed on among the Armenians in that 
 city. 
 
^^^^ve:d ofi tte persecutiftias of the G^holic 
 09pv^ts in Armema^ wrote a brief to th« kitog 
 of Persia in their favour : the answer to tMs 
 bfijef-waa returned hf two. Etooiiriicans, * dis- 
 ^gtdbedi'lbr tliat purpose to Rome, in t>be time^ 
 QfJPope doBfitlt the Xth, about the year lftf0, 
 As^li^n thejyi wereseiait bacfe with iiew briefe aud' 
 pl'^gnt^' awJi another DoiiiiQiean acGonvpstni^^ 
 thi^m in qualitty of Ambass^or, f^om, the Pope, 
 wiiQ rettuitnefl; agiaint to R^me with letters IVbm 
 the Pateiarch of'CemkdsA'a. How this Hiatter 
 siu;cc«ede(i, very little is saisdi. 
 
 Thus have the Catholics long been attempt^ 
 ii;i@,a unloQ with, the Armenians, or rather^ to 
 g^; th^na. over to their, own (Tbureh. But 
 Waving, theimposingiandichimeriical' ideas abbut 
 uoaJioiB; of, the Ari»eiiiiaa» wi4h foreign- churches, 
 thigvropceprofitable part wifitbe to Joofc forward 
 to tlmti pedod, when the ArJnenians' shall posh 
 se§s. th^c ancient Mfoenties^^ andi <^el%i0n and 
 Iq&r/qing iioiiiKisb, amongst thiem J with the art of 
 pfifiJing; when no doubt t&eywili become the 
 gr#atest publisher^, of the Bibk of any people 
 0O» e»Rth, and powerfoiljj assist in the renova- 
 tioni^f alii Asia. ' ' 
 
arivIenian churches. 53 
 
 A. List of the Churches depending' on the Pairi- 
 arch of Armeniu, testing at Mgndathin, 
 accordifig to Uscan, JBishop of Uscavaneh. 
 
 Egmiathin, the seat of the Patriarchof the ^^^r- 
 
 menians; a Bishopricji. 
 ' Algusgvanch or Akusvanch, a, small Bishoprick. 
 Aring, oear ^rvan,a. small Bisboprick,. having 
 
 there a Convent. 
 JBaleseh, or by, the Turks Bitlis, in the Pra- 
 
 vince of Varaspuracan ; a Bishoprick, hav- 
 , ing three Conventsof the Monks of St. JBasiL 
 Elevard. in tb^ province of Ararat^, late a 
 
 Bishoprick, but novr a Church,, served, by 
 
 secular priests,, in. the province of Ararat. 
 Gesargel, in the province of Ararat, near Ariiig, 
 
 a large Bishoprick. 
 
 EGMIATHIN, Sedes Patriarcbae Armenoruini Effseopatus 
 
 iOMne^diiU^. su]»j«cti Patriarchae. 
 Algusgvanch vel Akusvancb, Episcopatiis parvus. 
 Atmg,,Mpkcttp0UtSi. paryus ; ptoph. Etvaa Axdnej^oppaiuBi: 
 
 ibt etma. esU Cmveiaius^, u«4«i. vocatur^ eti»m, At'mg^air 
 
 B'fiiis ap^d; T4irca«, veJBitlesch.apudArinenos, Jn;Promci» 
 Varaspuracan Episcepatus: ibi.sunt tres Conventus iMooa- 
 
 Elevard £j»isco^0^,aHte^, sed st, 30.. . aonis' e^tinctus : Eocle^ 
 si^;tain«n.jiiserjuunt Sacerdates secul^rcfc EstiaJ^oviocia: 
 Ararath. 
 
54 ARMENIAN CHURCHES. 
 
 Goscavanch, near Egmiathin, in the province of 
 Ararat, a Bislibprick. ' 
 
 Hoi, or Coi, a Bishoprick near Salmast and the 
 great Lake. 
 
 Johanavanch, or St. John, a large Bishoprick in 
 the province of Ararat. 
 
 Karenus, six leagues from Egmiathin, a Bi- 
 shoprick and a Monastery. 
 
 Kiekart, near Egmiathin, formerly, a Bishop^ 
 rick, but now a Church. 
 
 Munei, four leagues north of Egnjiathin, a^ 
 Bishoprick. 
 
 Macharavanch,' distant fifteen leagues north of 
 Erevan, in the province of Alsten, formerly a 
 Bishoprick. 
 
 Salmasavanch, five leagues distant from Egmia- 
 thin, a Bishoprick. Here was a church were 
 
 Gesargel, Episeopatus magnus in Provincia Ararath prop^ 
 Aring, qui est prop^ Egmiathin. 
 
 Goscavanch, Episeopatus prope Egmiathin Proviocis Ara- 
 rath. 
 
 Hoi, seu Coy, Episeopatus prope Salmast & Lacum magnum. 
 
 Johanavanch, id est,' S. Johannes, Episeopatus magnus in 
 Provincia Ararath, : distat quatuor leucis ab Egmiathin. 
 
 Karetms, Episeopatus Sc Monasterium : distat 6 leucis ab 
 Egmiathin. 
 
 Kiekart, Episeopatus deletus prope Egmiathin. Kiekart, id 
 est, lancea Christi, qnae erat in hac Ecclesia. 
 
 Mueni, Eptscopattis novus k 90 annis : distat 4 leucis ab Eg- 
 miathin versus Septentriaoem. 
 
ARMENIAN CHlURCHES. 55 
 
 formerly was perpetual Psalin:singing, from 
 whence it was called in Armenian, Salmasa- 
 vanch. 
 
 Tiecervanchy or Tiecheravanch, threes leagues 
 from Egmiathan, a Bishoprick^. 
 
 Tiplis, or Teflis, in Georgia, a Bishoprick. 
 
 Varthehair, in the province of Casan, a Bishop- 
 rick, now destroyed. 
 
 Virap, not far frbm Mount Ararat, a Bishop- 
 rick, where are three Convents. 
 
 Ouscohvanch, a Bishoprick, where Uscan, the , 
 author of this list, and Proctor-general to the 
 
 > Patriarch, waS Bishop, 1 670. 
 
 Macbaravancb, Episeppattu deletus Provinciae Altsten : distat 
 
 ab Erevan ] 5. leucis versus Septentrionem. ■ 
 iSalmasavaucb, Episcopatus prope Mueni : distat 5. leucis ab 
 
 Egmiathin. In bap Ecclesia olim erat perpetua psalmodia. 
 
 Salmes Armeniac^ est Psalmus, unde dictum est Salmasa- 
 
 vancb. 
 Tieceravancb, vel Tiecheravancb, Episcopatus: 3. leucis 
 
 distat ab Egmiatbin. 
 Tiplis, seu Teflis, Episcopatus. Domioatur ibi Princeps 
 
 Oeorgianorum, in quem tamen Persae & Turcse babent ali- 
 
 quod Dominium. 
 Vartbehair, Episcopatus deletus Provinciae C^svan sub Turcis 
 
 prope Van civitatem. 
 Virap, Episcopatus ; sed vocatur Archiepiscopatus, quia habet 
 
 sub se tres Conventus nempe, 1. Vanstan. 2. Ureavancfa. 
 
 3. Musahbjuruvanch. Distat ab Egipiathin 12. leucis 
 
 versus Meridiem Orieutalem non longl k moote Araratb. 
 
5@ AR,MENIAN GHJJR€HES. 
 
 Th/6f«^w%ng «re AJfbgy$i,or Monmten^^ of the 
 
 .• iiu* . Oxder qf Si. BmiL . 
 
 Surh-Astuasasin, in the province of Afatfat, 
 
 called also Ntgg«Ta. 
 
 Surh-Astuasinettik fotm%Y\^ it MoiiSi^ier'y, two 
 
 leagues distaatfroiJi N^garai 
 
 !%«« al-e besides, ttir^e Cdhv^nts of Huds of St. fia^fi, iA 
 Armetfiii.. 
 
 Jtm^wAp&fkhit^t^^^&A ad Archbtshdpricky bet- 
 cause it hath mair^ Moniasterieg, bat \^ pi-o- 
 perly a Biab«ipriGk. . ; , „«Q 
 
 Agwl, an Arcfabi»kH>J)i'ick, in the pr«^>^^'B of 
 Golthan, havjiQg na ^i^oprick^^ bec^tise 
 destroyed. It has now five Convents and 
 Churches. 
 
 Acthatnar, ot Attdmar, an Arehbishoprict, in 
 the Island of the;^eat Lake Varaspunacan, 
 ^laving eight or nine. BisbsipElek^, amd somie 
 
 Oascohvanch, E^eopatus, cujusi £pis<!Opu& Dominus U'Sem' 
 
 Anoo 1670, qui hxc mihi dictavit. 
 Praeter kos 11, vel 18. Ejn»(iopaUi»~ Saffraganeos Patriatefat:' 
 
 at&s Egpiiat|»iBr« seqoentes Abbatk&aut MonaSten^ Ordinis 
 
 S. Basilii. 
 SoKb^Astuasuin^ id es^ SfMcta Dtei G«iWtoiK> in PtOvinciK 
 
 Ararath, alio nomine vocatar Nigg^na^ qjuodje^t aomen 
 
 vUlasy in qna» eiat MbhasteriuBiv & Surb>-i^tmsasiil noraeil 
 
 e&bEeelieisise. 
 Sucb'Astiiasinda}, Mona^riudi dtiami ddFtaray d. leabis, dis- 
 
 ti|i»'i>7ig^rat / 
 
ARMENIAN CHURCHES. 57 
 
 Convents: but the Churches fallen to ruins, 
 not being suffered to be repaired, because 
 under the Turks. 
 
 Basttis, a Bishoprick. 
 
 Gasgus, a Bishoprick. 
 
 Sasan, a Bishoprick. 
 
 Amehaphreic, or Ameniapherkhik, an Arch- 
 bishoprick : a Monastery, and residence of 
 the Archbishop, in the province of Ararat, 
 near the city Garni : it governs the city Ere- 
 van, having about 4000 houses. It is a 
 Bishoprick properly, but called an Arch- 
 bishoprick, because it hath a number of Con- 
 vents. 
 
 Praeterea tres ; sunt Coaventiis, Monialium S. Basilii in Ar- 
 menia. 
 
 Armenaperkhich dicitut /irchiepiscopatus, quia habet sub se 
 multa Monasteria ; sed ver^ est lantiiim Episcopatus sub 
 Egmiatbin. Monasteria ilia sunt Hogevanch, Masctos Yar- 
 dapiet & alia destruiita, 
 
 Agulii Arcbiepiscopatus in ProvinciaGolthan prope Naxtivan, 
 k quo distat 1$. leucis yersiks Orientem Meridionalein. 
 Nullos babet sub se Episcopatus, quia sunt destructi,.sed 
 taDtitinbos.5, Conventus S. Basilii, 1. Hafnasfavancb, Ec- 
 . clesia est Sufb-Mesrop. j 2. Best'Ufartch;;EccIesiaestSurb- 
 Uscan. .3. Est Pharracuvanch, Ecclesia est Snrb-Stepbanus 
 & Surb-Jacpb. 4. Tseouvancb, Ecclesia est Surb-Ste- 
 pbanus. 5. Est SurbrJoannes. 
 
 Atithamar, sea Altamar, Arcfaiepiscopatus in insula Lacus 
 magni Varaspunacani. Habetur Arcbiepiscopatus Schis- 
 I 
 
58 ARMENIAN CHURCHES, 
 
 BarduUmeoSf that is, St. .Bartholomew i an.Ardi- 
 .bishoprick in the; province of Hacbac: it 
 formerly had Bishopricks, but they are now 
 destroyed. 
 
 3etchnu, or Begnu, an Archbishojjrick, in the 
 province of Salcunus-Stuer, fornaerly.a great , 
 city, but since destrdyed by the Persians. It 
 hath three Bishopricks. 
 
 Hair-Johcm, or Hainivanch ; a Bishoprick, in 
 the province of Gerlarchun. 
 
 Kietcharvasanch, a Bishoprick in the village of 
 thcprovince of Salcunus-Stuer. 
 
 maticus k Patriarcha Egmiathin ^ Ecclesia Armeni, quia 
 ab annis 500. &'aniplius dibit se Patriarcham contra decre- 
 tiiDi Ecclesia^ Armenae. Habet sub se 8; vel p. Episcopa* 
 fus^ fer^ omnes circa Lacum Varaspuracani & Van, nempe 
 Sasan, G^sgi, Basti & alios, nee non aliqnos Copventus. 
 Ecclesise ver6 paulatim coUapsse ruiiii; uon resedifieantur 
 
 "' subTurcis. i 
 
 Basti Episcopatua, Gasgi Episcopatus, Sasaq EpiscOpatUs. 
 N.N.N. 
 
 Amenapbreic, vel Ameniaperkbik ATchiepiscopaf us, id est, 
 omnium redemptor, est Monasterium in quo Archiepiilco- 
 patAs sedes in Provincia Araratb, juxta civitatem Garai : 
 10. leucis distat ab Egmiathin versus Orientiem. Gubernat 
 
 ' civitatem Erevan, quae est circiter quatuor milU domorum, 
 k qua distat 5. leucis. Dicitur Arcbiepiacopatas,~qura 
 habet sub se multos Conventus, ■ Chogevancb, Masctos, 
 Vardapiet* alios deletes : sed verfe est tantitm Episcopatus 
 £ub Egmiatbio. 
 
ARMENIAN CHURCHES. 5Q 
 
 iShalvachuvanch, a Bishoprick formerly, but now 
 
 destroy e<K 
 Sevan, a Bishoprick in the Province of Sal- 
 
 cunus-Stuer. 
 Karienusvaneh, a Monastery of St. Basil, under 
 
 the Archbishop of Besenu. 
 CeBsarea, an Archbishoprick of the province of 
 
 Cappadocia, having only two Suffragans. 
 Surb-Astuasasin, a Bishoprick, three leagues 
 
 distant from Ceesarea. 
 
 Bardulimeos, Archiescopatus, id est, S. Bartholomaeus in Pro- 
 viocia Hacbac : habebat olim Episcopatns sub se, qai nunc 
 sunt destructi; nung autem est SuiTraganeus Arcbiepisco- 
 patus maxiini Van. 
 
 Betcfanu, vel Bgnu, Archiepiscopatus in Provincia Salcunu^- 
 Stuer, antea luagna civitas, nunc destructa k Persia, pcto 
 leucis distans ab Erevan versiis Septentrionem : habet sub 
 se Episcopatns sequentes. 
 
 1. Hair-Johan, vel Hairuvancb, Episcopatus iii Proyincia,. 
 Gelarchuni. 
 
 2. Kietcharvasvancb Episcopatus in vill&PrnvinciaeSalcunus- 
 Stuer. 
 
 3. Schavachuvancb Episcopatus-: deleta civitas & Episcopal! 
 tus: nullus Monachus superest in Cbnventu. 
 
 Sevan, Episcopatus in Provincia Salcunus-Stuer; 
 Karienusvaneh Monasterium "S. Basilii sub Archiepiscopatus 
 
 Besenu. 
 Casarea, Archiepiscopatus Proviaciae Cappadociae : iiabjet 
 
 tantlim duos SuiFraganeos. 
 
60 ARMENIAN CHURCHES. 
 
 Hisia,B. Bishoprick, six lea^ies distant from 
 Caesarea, where is a Monastery t>f the ojcder 
 of St. Basil. 
 
 Surh-Carapet, or Karapiet, in the province of 
 Taron : an Archbishoprick, having two Bi- 
 shopricks. 
 
 MatfiLOLvanchmescu, a Bishoprick, in the province 
 of the same. 
 
 Bitlis, a Bishoprick, of the same province. 
 
 Cepar, formerly an Archbishoprick, but now 
 destroyed. 
 
 Derganavanch, an Archbishoprick, in the pro- 
 vince of Dergan. 
 
 Farhapat, or Ferdh-hat, an Archbisihoprick, or 
 
 1. Surb-Asiuasasin, Sta. Dei Genitrix, Mpwopatus 3. leucis 
 distans.k Cassarea versA;! Meridkm. 
 
 2. Hhia Spiscopatus, 6. leucis versus Sepleiitrionem.distat^ 
 Caesarea : ibi etlam est Monasteriuin Ordinis S. Basilii, 
 quod dicitur Surb-Sergiiis. 
 
 Surb-Carapef, Archiepiscopatus, vel Karapief, id est, praecur- 
 sor.S. Joannes, in provincia Taron, Vulgd Muse propfe 
 Bitlis. Habet sub se. 
 
 1. Matn^yeLnchaficUj Episcqpatus in eadein Provincia. 
 
 2. Bitlis, Episcopatns'm eadein Provincia. 
 
 Cpar.ant^ Archiepiscopatus, nunc delelus,& Provincia prop^ 
 civitatem Ranni & Provinciam Sciracvam Armeniae niagnae. 
 
 Derganavanch, Archiepiscopatus in Provincia Dergan inter 
 'Aj>'zei;uin & Arsingham : subjecta Turcis est ilia regie. 
 
 Fahrapat, vel Perah-bat, vel Ferawavu, Archiepiscopatus, vel 
 potii&s Episcopatns in Provincia Mansanderam. Surb- 
 
ARMENIAN CHURCHES. 6 ] 
 
 rather a Bishoprick, in the province of M?in- 
 
 sander Snrb-Grigor, i. e. St. Gregory the 
 
 Archbishop; the same is called Lusavaric, 
 
 having a Monastery. 
 Surb-Asttmsasin, a Bishoprick, in the province 
 
 of Karin. 
 Ginisuvanch, a Bishoprick. 
 Mamruanavanch, a Bishoprick, in the province 
 
 of Mamru, near the city Ohtic. 
 HacJibat, about twenty leagues distant from 
 
 Tiflis : a large Archbishoprick, having three 
 
 Grigor, id est, S. Gregorius, Archiepiscopatus, idem qui 
 vocatur Lusavaric, & idem Monasterium in Provincia Carin 
 vel Arzerum. Vocatur quoque Archiepiscopatus Arzerum, 
 nam Monasterium Lusavarich distat tantitm leuc^ versus 
 Orientum ab Arzerum. 
 
 1. Surb-Astusasip S. Dei Genitrix, Episcopatus in Provincia 
 Karin : distat autem 4« leucis versus Orientera Septenlrio. 
 naleni ab Arzerum. 
 
 2. Ginisuvaucii, llpisc.opati/ts sub Turcis : distat 8. leueis 
 versi!ts Occidentera ab Arzerum. 
 
 3. Mamruanavanch, Episoopatus in Provincia Mamruam pro- 
 pe civitatem Ohtic. 
 
 Hacbat, Archiepiscopatus magnus in Provincia Aimenije Fas- 
 cir, vulg6 Lorri : distat Hacbat 20 leucis circiter versfts 
 Meridiem Orientaleml Tiplis. Habet Suffraganeos. 
 
 1 . Goruvanch, Episcopatus in Pravincia Gorl prope civitatem 
 Gori in regione Georgidnorum- 
 
 2. Hacartiuwancb, Episcopatus dejetus, ; 
 
 3. Macaravanch Episcopatus deletus. ^ 
 
02 ARMENIAN CHURCHES, 
 
 SufFraa^ans, (1.) CrorMwanc^, a BisHoprick'in 
 the, province of Gori in Georgia. (2.) Hacar- 
 tinwanch^ formerly a Bishoprfck, (3.) Mac- 
 aravanch, formerly a Bishoprick. 
 Hamith, or Caramitk, as called by the Syrians, 
 from Car, i. e. black, or Black Hamith, be- 
 cause built of black stones. It is an Arch- 
 bishoprick, having eight Suffragan Bishops, 
 (1.) Ael, or Agel. (2.) Arcan. (3.) Balu. (4.) 
 Edessa. (5.) Germuc. (6.) Mardin. (7.) Sen- 
 chuse. (8.) Thulguran. 
 
 Hamith, Arcliiepiscopatus, seu Caramith, sed Syri Chaldaei 
 & Armeni vocant tantikin Hamith. Car, lingui vulgari sig- 
 nificat nigrum ; & quia sita est ad radicem moritis in'quo 
 sunt multae partes nigrse, ideo dicitur Car-Hainilh. Ar-* 
 meni volunt esse antiquam Tigranatensetn. Ibi sedet quo- 
 qae Patriarcha Syrorum Jacobitarum ab aniio ] 662. qui 
 ledebat ante in Orfa. Sedet quoque ibi Suffr^ganeus Epis- 
 copatus Patriarchse Nestorianorniii, qui nunc sedet in EI- 
 chong, 8. leucis distante verst^s Septentrionem ^ Mozul 
 seu Ninive antiqua, ut fert illorum Traditio. Habet Suffra- 
 gaueos Episcopos. 
 
 1. Ael, Tel Agel, distat uni leuc^ ab Haidith. 
 
 2. Arcni, distat 2. diebns ab Hamith. 
 
 3. Balu Ephcopatus, distat ab Hamith 3. diebus. 
 
 4. Edessa Episcepatus, distat 4. diebus ab Hamith verstlis 
 Meridiem Occidentalem. , 
 
 5. Germuc Episcopatus, 3 diebus distat ab Hamith, 
 
 6. Merdin Episeopatm, Orientis Meridionalis respectu Ha- 
 mith. 
 
ARMENIAN CHURCHES. QQ 
 
 Haberdu, or Harherd, an Archbishoprick, in 
 the province of Harberd, the Church or Mo- 
 nastery is called Surb-Astuasasin, near Ha- 
 fliith, having four Bishopricks, and three^ 
 Convents. 
 
 Hispahan, Ispahan, or Sphulmn, by the Arme- 
 nians, the royal city of Persia ; an Arch- 
 bishoprick, having twenty Armenian church- 
 es, viz. 1. Surb Astusasin. 2. Surb Nicolaus. 
 3. Surb Jacub. 4. Surb Amenaphrdc and 
 Monastery of St. BaSil. 5. Surb G rigor. 6. 
 Surb Johan. 7. Amirrastheu. 8. Karametlch. 
 9. Porteun. 10. Norascen. 11. Karachen. 
 12. St. Jacub. 13. Anapatuin. 14. Erivane 
 
 7. Senchvise. Episcopatus distans ab Hamith 4. diebus. 
 
 S>Thulguran Episcopatus, distat ab Hamith 2. diebus. ' 
 
 Harberdu, vel Harberd Archiepiscopatus in Provincia Har- 
 berd, Ecclesia aut Monasterium est Siirb-Astuasasiii proijl 
 Hamith ipsi Occideivtalem : habet sub se 4. Episcopatus & 
 3. Conventus, quorum nomina ignorabat D. Arcltiepiscopa- 
 tusUskan. .' ' 
 
 Hispahan, vulg6 Armenis Sphuhu'n, Archiepiscopatus, regia 
 civitas Persarum k tempore tanti^im Scha-Abas, qui Armeuos 
 plurimos collegit in parte civitatis, aut subiirbio' quod 
 dicitur Gulfa, aliis Ciolfa, in quo sunt Armenorum Ecclesiae, 
 20. I . Snrb-Astuasasin. 2. Surb-Nicplalis. 3. Surb- 
 
 I Jacub. A, Surb-Amenaphreic, id est, omnium redemptor, 
 Sceat Monasterium S. Basilii. 5. Surb-Grigor 6.' Snrb- 
 Joban. 7' Amirrasthenesi. S. Karametichens. 9, Portuens. 
 10. Norasdeuciui. Il.Kaiachein. 12. S. Jacub. 13. Ana- 
 
04 ARMENIAN CHURCHES. 
 
 the Greater. 15. Erivane the Less. 16. 
 Gazge. 17. Schaspanin. 18. Ckocin. 19. 
 Convent of Nuns, 20. Choga Abedik. 
 
 Gulfa or C«o//a, and Erevan, a town adjacent 
 toHispahan, havhig about 8000 Armenians, 
 almost all merchants. It has two Suffragan 
 Bishops., 
 
 Kftrmiupanch, in the province of Ecega^or, dis- 
 tant from Erevan two days : an Archbishop- 
 rick, having four Suffragans. 
 
 Capisvanch, a Bishoprick and Monastery of St. 
 Basil. 
 
 Caputusvauch, a Monastery. 
 
 patinn. 14. Erevaneseos magnus. 15. Erevaneseos minor. 
 
 l6. Gazge. 17. Schsapanin. 18. Ckocin. \Q. Est Con- 
 
 ventus Monialium. ^20. Cbbgia Abedik. 
 In Gulfa vel Ciolfa & Erevan, villa vicina Hispaban, $unt circi- 
 
 ter octo mille Armeni kxh omnes mercator^s. Habct Sulffra- 
 
 ganeos. , . 
 
 \.'2\i2LT'wi Episcopatns versvls Occidentum : distat abjHispa- 
 
 han tribus circiter diebus, ~ 
 2. . . . . 
 
 Karmiuvanch Archiepiscopatus, id est, ruber Conventus, quia 
 lapides sunt rubri, est in Provincia Ecegazor : distat ab 
 Erevan & Naxuvan 2. diebus. Habet SufFraganeos. 
 
 1. Capisvanch, Ejdscapatus & Monasterium S. Ba^ilii prop^ 
 civitatem Capis, quae nunc est deserta. > . 
 
 Caputusvanch, id est, c^rulei coloria Moti9$l^tiii|it, autatri 
 
ARMENIAN CHURCHES. 05 
 
 ikrhavtmch, a Bishoprick of the province of 
 
 • Ecegazor.- 
 
 Hermonivanch, a Bishoprick of^ the province oi 
 Ecegazor. - > ■ 
 
 Azpter, a Bishoprick, in the province of Sab- 
 hunissor, distant twenty leagues east from 
 Erivan. 
 
 Mashimusvanchi an Arch bishoprick, in the 
 province of Gelarchun,'but hatbno Bishop- 
 rick*, because destroyed. 
 
 Macu, a large Arcbbfshoprick, in the province 
 ■of Artaz; in the Cathedra] Cbtircb is the 
 body of St. Thaddeus: it hath five Bishop- 
 ricks, "r- • 
 
 Auhar, a Bishoprick, distant five daj's' journey 
 from Macu, to the south-east. 
 
 in Provincia Ecegazor : nunc non est Episcopatus, sed tan- 
 tiim Monasteriuin : olim erat Episcopatus. 
 
 2. Derbavancb, Episcopatu$ Proviaciae Ecegazor. 
 
 3. Hermonivanch, EpUoppatmJSioNmdx Ecegazor. 
 
 4. Azpter, Epkcopatvs. Provincia Satthunissor: distat ab 
 Erevan vers^? priejjtemcirciter 20 leucis., ■>,(.. > 
 
 Macfaienusvanch, ArchiepUcQp^tus^prqp^ villain Machienus in 
 Provinci^ Gelarcbuni :. -distat versus Orientum ,l^..lieucis 
 circiter-ab Erevan: nnllos fanbqt sub aB,Epis(iopfitus, qma, 
 s9nM*istructi & lyiouast^ria. , , 
 
 Macu, Afcbiepi^c^patus magnus io Provincia ArUz: in Ca- 
 thedr^^li Ecclesiaest Corpus S. Tbaddaei, Habet sub se. 
 
 1. Auhar, Epist(^(itut.: diktat versiks, Meridiem Orientalem h . 
 Macu 5. diebus.; . ; ; .>, 
 
 'K 
 
QQ ARMENIAN CHURCHES. 
 
 Hoi, a Bishoprick, distant two days' journey 
 south of Macu. 
 
 jormi, a Bishoprick, distant a day's journey 
 from Tabor, and three days' from Macu, 
 south-east. 
 
 Matatha, a Bishoprick, to the east of Tabor, 
 where 300 years ago resided an Italian Bish- 
 op, who translated many books into the Ar- 
 menian tongue, and made, many others. 
 
 SoUmast, a Bishoprick, near Maraga. 
 
 Surh'Narcave, or aS^. Stephen, proto-martyr, 
 
 . an .Archblshoprick, having formerly many 
 -Suffragans and Monasteries, but now they 
 are all destroyed, excepting one or two, vi2. 
 ^stapat and Nachiovan. 
 
 2. Hoi, Episcopatue : distat veisiis Meridiem h Macu 2 
 diebus. 
 
 3. Jormi, Episeopatua idiwit \xn&. die k Tabrh, tiibus veid 
 versiis Orientem Meridionalem £1 Macu. - 
 
 4. Maratha, Episcopatus ad Occidentem Tabris. Ibi sede- 
 bat Episcopus Italicus k SOO. aonis, & Yertit miiltos Itbros 
 Armenic^,& fecit multos Vardapiet. 
 
 5. Salmast, Episcopatus propi Maraga. 
 Surb-Narcavea,4d est, S. primus Martyr Stepliauus, Archiepts- 
 , copatus versills MeridiemOccidentalem; distat 12 leuris ^ 
 
 Naxuvan : SufFraganeos habebat olim multos & Monaste- 
 ria ; sed praster Astapat omnia sunt destructa. Olim Gulfa 
 -d'Hispaban crat sub ditione Arcbiepiscopi, ' 
 
 1, Astapat, vel Surb'Stiephan, cui Ecclesia est dicata. 
 
ARMENIAN CHURCHES. 6j 
 
 Swb-Usccm, or the Holt/ Cross, an Archbishpp- 
 
 riclc, having three Bishopricks. 
 Azptiruvanchi a Bishoprick, in the province of 
 
 Ascbar. 
 Andreasic, a Bishoprick, in the province of 
 
 Acscan, where is the church of Surb-Asta- 
 
 asasin. 
 Surh-Hresctacapet, u e. St. Archangel, a Bish- 
 oprick, in S^bastia. 
 Sanachin, in the province of Tascir, an Arch- 
 
 bishoprick, having formerly Bishops and 
 
 Convents, but now destroyed. 
 Scammaph, or Acva/a, near the Caspian Sea,, 
 
 3. Nachiovan-. 
 
 Surb-Uscan, id est, sigDiim Stae. Crucis, quia ibi est pars- 
 Sanctae Crucis : est idem Arcbiepiscopatus q^uilm Sebaste 
 sub Turcis. Habet sub se; 
 
 1. AzptiruvaiKh, Episcopatus Provinciae Ascharu. 
 
 2. Andreasic, Episcopatus Frbviociae Acscan: Ecclesia est 
 Surb-Astuasasin. 
 
 3. Surb-Hresctacapet> id est, S. Atchmgeliis, Episcopalus in 
 Sebastia. 
 
 Sanacbin, Arcbiepiscopatus in Provincia Tascir, vel Lorri, 
 
 versvts Tiplis : qui erant snb illo Episcop/itus & Conventus, 
 
 sunt destructi. 
 ScamHnachi, vel Acuanis, Arcbiepiscopatus prop^ mare Cas- 
 
 pium: quieranh sub eo Episcopatus & CbnTentus, suut 
 
 destructi. 
 
gg ARMENIAN CHURCHES. 
 
 an Archbishoprick, formerly having Bishops 
 
 and ConvcH'ts under it, but now destroyed. 
 Tathevanch, an Archbishoprick, in the province 
 
 of Kapan, having four Bishopricks, or naore, 
 ' besides Monasteries, ' ''-■■ - • 
 Mecri, a Bishoprick, and three others, whose 
 
 names are wanting.; The Monasteries are 
 
 1. Surb Carapiet. 
 
 2. Tanza Pharac. , < 
 
 3. Vagath6vanch. .-.'..•.h >.;> 
 
 4. Anapa t, of which are more than 100 Her- 
 mits in the deserts. 
 
 5,-and 6. Two Convents of Nwns. • 
 
 TMvaravanch, or St. Ann,- an Jlrchbishoprick, 
 
 Tathevanch, Archiepiscopatus magnus in prqv'incia .Kapan. 
 Hahat spb se. 
 
 1. Mecri Episcapatum. , 
 
 2. 3. 4. Sunt alii Episcopatmt, quorum: non recardatar D. 
 Uskan. Habetetiam Archiepiscopatus Tathevanch. sub se 
 Mouasteria. .' ^ 
 
 1. Surb-Carapeit. 
 
 2. Tanzapharac. ._,,-. 
 
 3. Vagathevanch. , ^,(,,;^ 
 
 4. Aaapat, in quo s^nt ])lu^ i}uan] centQmEremitae in deserlo. 
 
 5. 6. Duo Conyentus Monialium, unus Scbiiher, alius Zan- 
 
 TJu^at^yapch, id est, St. Anna,! Archiepiscopatus prqp^; civi- 
 , tatem Thucat vicinam Amasis, olim Eudochia versiks Oeci- 
 
 dentem Septentrionalem, distat ab Egqiiathin 1 50. leucis 
 
 circitor. Habet sub se. 
 
ARMENIAN CHURCHES. QQ 
 
 near the city Thucat, ISO leagues distant 
 from Egmiathii), having three Bishopricks, 
 all under the Turks. 
 
 Nazianzen, a Bisho prick, uader theTtirks. . 
 
 Marzunavaneh, a Bishoprick,. of the province 
 
 ' , of Marzan-. 
 
 Neoctssarsa,ia. Bislaoprick. , .. 
 
 Van, a large Archbishoprick, having a Con- 
 vent, where the Archbishop presides. Van 
 is a city near the great Lake Varaspuracan ; 
 having several Suffragan Bishops. (l.)Arces, 
 or Arcisavanch, near the great Lake^ (2.) 
 Clath, or Chelath. (3.) Crusuvanch, or Ctus, 
 where are three Convents of Monks and 
 
 1. Nazianzenum, Episcopatus sub Turcis.. 
 
 2. Marzuanavancb, Episcopatus provinciae Marzuan sub 
 Turcis. . ■ . . 
 
 d. Neucaesaria, Episcopatus 'SHb Torcis. 
 
 Van, Arcbiepiscopatus tna'gnu^, idein 'qiii & VarScb, est Con- 
 ventus in quo sedet Archiepisiioptii, '& Van '>«9t ciritas 
 vicina juxta Lacum magnum Varaspuracani. Habet sub se 
 Suffraganeos. ' 
 
 1. Arces, vel Arciauvanch, Episcopatus, seu Argens prop^ 
 Lacum magnum. 
 
 2. Clatb, Episcopatus, seu Chelath juxta Lacum. 
 
 3. Crusuvanch, vel Ctus, juxta Lacum versiis Occidentem : 
 ihi sunt tres Conventus Monarchorutn & Eremitarum, qui- 
 bus praest Episcopus. • 
 
 4. Lita iu ipso Lacu versiis Occidentem, Episcopatus. 
 
70 ARMENIAN CHURCHES. 
 
 Hermits, having a Bishop. (4.) Lim, situ- 
 ated in the Lake. (5.) Ustan. (6.) Hu- 
 sanus. 
 
 S. Ephannivanch, a Monastery near Van. 
 
 Virap, or the cavern in which St. Gregory lay hid 
 thirteen years, where also Mass is perform- 
 ed : it is a Bishoprick, sabject to Egmiathin, 
 but called an Archbishoprick, because it has 
 three Convents, viz. (J.) Vanstan. (2.) Vza- 
 vanch. (3.) Mtiscacbiurvanch. 
 
 %* This Memoir of the Armenian Churches 
 in the seventeenth century, is copied' with little 
 
 5. Ustan, Episcopatus versiis Septentrionem laci Varaspura- 
 cani. 
 
 6. Husanus Episcopatus. • -^ 
 S. Epannivancfa, Monasterium tantilin prope Van. 
 
 Virap, id est, caverna vel abyssus, in qua S. Grigorlatuit & 
 visit 13. annis: ibi celebratur Missa: esttantdm Episcopa- 
 tus sub Egmiathin, \ quo versiks Meridiem Orientalem 
 circa Ararath distat 12. leucis; sed dicitur Archiepiscopa-^ 
 tus, quia sub se habet tres hos Conventus. , 
 
 1. Vanstan. 
 
 2. Uzavancfa. 
 
 3. Muscacbiurvanch. 
 
 Subseripsi Uscanus Episcopus Uschavanch If Varda- 
 piet at Vicaritis geturalis in Armenia, aigillum- 
 que apposui. 
 
CHRISTIANITY IN CHINA. 71 
 
 variation from the original,* in Mr. Simon's 
 collection, at the end of his History of the 
 Religions of the Eastern Nations, where it may 
 be seen more fully : though I have not omitted 
 any article of importance. He had it from 
 the dictation of the Armenian Bishop, whose 
 name it bears ; and who, for the procuring an 
 impression of the Armenian Bible, for the sup- 
 ply of the Churches of his communion, had 
 come to Europe. He arrived at Amsterdam 
 about the year 1664, and died at Marsailles. 
 
 CHRISTIANITY IN CHINA. 
 
 Whether the Gospel had reached China in the 
 times of the Apostles, is an important question. 
 Certain.it is, however, that the Apostles. had 
 received a very high commission, and the fullest 
 powers for extending the kingdom of their Di- 
 vine Master, to the utmost bounds of the habit- 
 able eayth. They knew the force of those 
 words of Christ, " Go ye forth into all the 
 world, and preach the Gospel to every crea- 
 ture,"t and they, doubtless, fulfilled the sacred 
 
 * The original Latin has been subjoined for the satisfaction 
 of the curious. 
 
 t Mark, ch. xvi. 1^. 
 
72 CHRISTIANITY IN CHINA. 
 
 charge^- either personally or virtwally, in all its 
 extent. The wonderful gift of tongues, and 
 miracaloits 'powers, wherewith they and their 
 irame'diate snccessors were endowed, qualified 
 them for the work beyond the calculation of 
 all human conception ; we are not, therefore, 
 at libierty- to reason about human possibility, 
 for the gift of tongues is alc^ne sufficient to 
 silence the whole world itself, as to the SiUipply 
 of means for the accomplishment of the divine 
 purpose: as far as these wentj they went; and 
 where these were withheld, they went no fur- 
 ther: the. ways of the Gospel being first ex- 
 plored, and inarked out by them, were' then 
 left for their successors in after ages, to 'pursue 
 and follow up in every, part of the earth. 
 
 Indeed, when we reflect on the vast country 
 of China, and also how rapidly Christianity 
 made its way eastward in Persia, India, and 
 Tartary, it is scarcely possible to deny its 
 entrance into those vast dominions. The only 
 rational impediment is the distance of place : 
 but are not the eastern parts, of India also dis- 
 tant? and we are certain from history that 
 Christianity had, in the apostolic times, reach- 
 ed those countries; so that the tli«tance of 
 China could not be unsurmountable. 
 
 The^Syrian chronicles relate, "that Thomas 
 having gone through Mesopotamia, Chaldea, 
 
CHKlSTIASlTr IN CHINA, 7^ 
 
 Persia^ anil l*iirthia, and visited the churched 
 in those' comitries, went to the utmost cdtuBhes 
 of the East:" audi in the epitome of the Syrian 
 canons, quoted by Asseraanus, they name 
 "Thomas the Apostle of the Hindoos and Chi- 
 nese." 
 
 The Malabar Christians, sa*;^s Antonius Goi 
 vea, relate, " that St. Thomas, having arj-ived 
 at Cranganor, he continued some time with the 
 king of Malabar; and when he had fbundied 
 many churches at Cranganor, he went to 
 Culm, a city of the same country, and there 
 brought over mjiny to the Faith of Christ. Then 
 he went to the country over against Malabar, 
 which is now called Cororfiandel, and remain- 
 ed in Meliapore, where he converted the kiiig, 
 and all the people, to the Christian Faith. From 
 thence he went to China, and preafched th6 
 Gospel in th6 city of (jambala,* and there he 
 built a church." 
 
 , Another j>oint to be remarked is, that the 
 tradition goes so far as to name a city of Chihai 
 Where the Apostle built a bhiirch, said to be 
 
 * Cambala, Cambalac or ^dnbaluc, as the learned Hyd 
 renders it from the Mogul-Tartar language, the Imperial city 
 or city of the greatlbrd or emperor : situated in the north of 
 Tariai^', and capital of Catkdi, or China, the seat of \\i^ 
 ancient einpi^rbrs!, and supposed to be the same witli Pekin. 
 
74 CHRISTIANITY IN CHINA* 
 
 the ^ity of Cambala, supposed by some to be 
 a <:ity of northern. China. Cam, or Cham, Cam- 
 bala, and Camboja, are doubtless of Chinese 
 origin ; but since the situation of the ancient 
 city^o.f, Cam balaj seems doubtful and uncer- 
 tain, we may as well look for it in the kingdom 
 pjf Camboja, with which name it hath some 
 
 As for the conversion of the king of Melia- 
 pore, mentioned in Antpnius Govea's report, 
 thai is , also attested by the Syrian writers, 
 " Thomas baptized the king and his brother, and 
 a great many nobles.*' He then made his expe- 
 dition to China as related ; " From thence he 
 went , to China, and jpreacked the Gospel' in 
 Cambala." 
 
 On inspection of. the. maps of those lands 
 east of the Coromandel coast, the , shores of 
 Slam were the first, land the Apostle made, 
 supposing him. to have taken a course by sea 
 directly east;, irom whence he might -easily 
 make excursions into Camboja^ , and Cochin- 
 Chinavall which. parts formerly belonged to 
 China, and are by the Syrian writers called 
 Masin, Matsin, or South China. 
 
 " When the Orientals, says De Herbelot, 
 speak of China in general, they call it Tchin 
 and .itfafcAm, in the same^manner as they call 
 Crreat Tartary, Jagiug and Magivg, or Gog 
 
^ CHRISTIANITY IN CHINA. 75 
 
 and Magog, as mentioned in Holy Scriptare. 
 There are, says he, geographers who contend 
 that by the name Tchin-, a certain northern 
 part of China is signified, and which inost 
 writers suppose to be the same as Khathm ot 
 Kathai, but that by Matchm is to be iinder- 
 stood south -China, which comprehends Co- 
 chin-China, Tonquin, the kingdom of Arian, 
 together with that of Siam and Pegu." Vide 
 Assemannns, Tom. III. par. ii. pag. 436. 
 
 " There is," says Mon. Cerri, (iw his Account 
 of the State of the Roman Catholic Religion^ 
 which he drew up for the use of Pope Innocent 
 XL) in the kingdom of Camboja, a very 
 ancient temple, as famous an!long the Gentiles, 
 as St. Peter's church at Rome, among the 
 Christians. Many Talap6ins, who arptheir 
 priests, live in that temple ; and all the neigh- 
 bouring nations resort to it to consult the 
 Oracle, and go thither in Pilgrimage.- The king 
 of Siam himself, though an enemy, sends every 
 year an Embassy to that place/' Such an ex- 
 traordinary veneration observed towards, this 
 temple, and the pilgrimages,, and offerings 
 annually made there, denote some su{>erior 
 sanctity.. It is in the possession of the Pagans : 
 but was it always in their possession ? That 
 place may formerly have been christian ground, 
 9Qd many others, where,, now of a long tinie. 
 
70 CPRISTIANITY IN CHINA. 
 
 paganism aqd mahometanism have reared their 
 temples, propagated their doctrines, and ob'- 
 SGureri those place? with "their primitive dark- 
 ness 1 It should be a matter of strict enquiry, 
 Whether any, and what remains, or vestiges of 
 Gbristianity are discoverable in China. 
 - Now the preaching of the Apostle Thomas 
 ip the remote country of China, being a point 
 in Ecclesiastical history little known among 
 our writers, and deserving theriidst scrupulous 
 enquiry, I shall collect what further notices I 
 can from the purest fountains of infdrmation on 
 this subject. (1.) That the ^postle, Thomas, 
 having preached the Gospel first on the Mala- 
 bar coast, and afterwards on the coast of Coro- 
 mandel, from whence he went to China, hath 
 already been stated. (2.) The Apostle's return 
 from China to the coast of Cdr-omandel, and 
 to the city, of Meliapore, where by reason of the 
 innumerable conversions to the Faith of Christ, 
 he exposed himsey^ to the hatred and envy oj two 
 MrandnSi who having vaistd an uproar against 
 the Apostle^ buried him ivith stones ; hut another 
 of the Bramins, when he. pfirceived, that he was 
 yet alive, thrust him through with a lance, and 
 he expired. So says the Syrian historian, 
 " Thomas baptize4 the king^ dnd his brother, 
 xind a great many of the nobles, and. began, to 
 preach the Gospel with great boldness. Then 
 
CHRISTIANITY IN CHINA. '^'^f 
 
 fie. went up into a mountnin of India, and there 
 proclaimed the Gospel of God : and being there ' 
 thrust through with a lance by one of the hea^ 
 thens, his sacred body was conveyed to Calamina, 
 and there buried.'' This Calamina is near Me- 
 liapore, and is no other than the sepulchre of 
 the Apostle hewn out in a rock in the mount, 
 afterwards called St. Thomas's mount. (3.) Ac- 
 cording to the Indian tradition, the martyrdom 
 of the Apostle happened in the siity-eighth 
 year of the Christian aera, and in the reign of 
 their king Salivahau, or Salbahan. (4.) In the 
 year ofth6 Greeks, seven hundred afid five, (i. e. 
 A. D. 380.) in 1the month Ab, (i. e. August) on 
 the twenty second day thereof, they deposited the 
 coffin of Saint Thomas the Apostle, (which had 
 at an immense expetice been brought ftom India) 
 in the great Temple dedicated to him in the time 
 of St. Cyril the Sishop" The city and cathedral 
 of Edessa was ever after held in the greatest ve- 
 neration on account of this sepulchre of St.Tho- 
 rnas: though the Indians will have it, that only 
 h\^ coffin was taken'from India, but that his saj 
 cfed dust remains with them at this day. Even 
 the day of the removal Of the body of St. Tho- 
 mas is coramernorated with gr^'t solemnity at 
 this time in India, when even the Pagans anite 
 with the Christians, in the celebration of their 
 Apostle and Martyr. 
 
78 CHRISTIANITY IN CHINA. 
 
 Rufinus, who went into Syria in the year of 
 Christ, 371, and remained there twenty-five 
 years, makes mention that the remains of the 
 Apostle St. Thomas, were in the city of 
 Edessa-in the time of the Emperor Valens, 
 " Edessa, says he, is the city of the faithful 
 people of Mesopotamia, enriched with the relics 
 of the .Apostle, Thomas." LAb. ii. And here 
 we renaark, that as the removal of the body 
 of the. Apostle from India to Mesopotamia, 
 and from Meliapore to Edessa, is sufficient 
 proof that he had been in India, and was mar- 
 tyred in the vicinity of' Meliapore ; so what is 
 said of his going from Cororaandel to China, 
 and of his return from thence to Meliapore, 
 appears a relation altogether consistent,: and 
 to'be depended on, that the Christian Religion 
 was preached both in India and China by 
 Thomas " the Apostle of the Indians and, Chi- 
 nese," as he is emphatically styled by the Syrian 
 writer in the epitome of the canons, quoted by 
 Asseinannus, " 2-he fifth episcopal seat is Baby- ' 
 Ion, in hommr of th€ three Apostles, and great 
 teachers of Christianity j ThomMs^the ^Apostle of 
 the Hindoos .awd Chinese ; Bartholomew, who 
 is.Ndithanael, of the Syrians; and Addetis, who 
 was one of the Seventy, the Master of Agheus 
 and :Marus, the Apostle of Mesopotamia, and 
 all Persia." - 
 
CHRISTIANITY IN CHINA. ^Q 
 
 In the Chaldean ritual there is an office for 
 the celebration of St. Thomas the Apostle and 
 Martyr, and particularly that in use with the 
 Christians of Malabar, quoted by M. Riccius, 
 and Nicolaus Trigautiiis, wherein are the 
 following versiclea in praise of their Apostle : 
 " litf the blessed St. Thomas, the error of Idola- 
 try vanished from among the Hindoos. Bi/ the 
 blessed St. Thomas, the Chinese and Chv- 
 SHiTHS were converted to the Truth. Sy the 
 blessed St. Thomas, they received ths sacrament 
 of Baptism, and the adoption of Sons. Sy the 
 blessed St. Thomas, they believed and confessed 
 the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. By the 
 blessed St. Thomas, they kept the Faith of the. one 
 God. By thk blessed St. Thomas, the illumina- 
 tions of the Life-giving Doctrine arose upon all 
 the Hindoos. By the blessed St. Thomas, the 
 kingdom of heaven was extended, and opened to 
 the Chinese." And in a certain antiphone, 
 they say after this manner, " The Hindoos, 
 .the Chinese, the Persians, and other Re- 
 gions :^Aey o/" Syria, Armenia, Greece, and 
 Rome, offer memorial* of celebration to the 
 sabred name of Thomas!" See Assem. Vol HI. 
 part ii. pag. 516. 
 
 It ought to be noticed that the Indian Bishops 
 and Metropolitans of the Christians of St. Tho- 
 mas, have ever retained the name of China in 
 
80 CHRISTIANITY IN CHINA. 
 
 their titles and subscriptioHS, When the Por- 
 tuguese first came, to Cochin, Mar Jacdb,: the 
 Bishop of the Churches of Malabar, at that 
 time, subscribed himself, Metropolitan of 
 Hindoo and CJhina." In like manner also 
 did the unfortunate Mar Joseph his successor, 
 who died at Roine... " Metropolitan of all 
 Hindoo and China," is the most ancient title 
 of this Church, says Trigautius. 
 
 The traditions of the Christians in the East 
 deliver that the Apostle Thomas preached the 
 Gospel also in China: so wriiesAntoniusGovea 
 of the traditions current amongst the Christiails 
 of Malabar,. " Thomas the Apostle, say the^, 
 *^' having converted the kirig of Meliapbre, arid 
 many people to the Christian Faith, , he went 
 fr&m thence into CHiSfA, and preached the 
 Gospel int he cit^ of Gambala, and there bui^t 
 a chtirch."- — " On his return froim China by 
 '• reason of the innumerable conversiions of 
 f people to the Faith of Christ he stood expos- 
 " ed to the hatred and envy of tv^o Brarrtins, 
 "who having raised an Uproar against thfe 
 " Apostle, buried him with stones ; but another 
 '^'of those Bramins, when he perceived he was 
 •'yet alive, thrust him through with a lance^ 
 " and he eXgired," 
 
 " It appears from the ancient Tables of the 
 diocese of Anrgaiilala, says the same An tool as 
 
C'EHilStlANITr IN CHmA. 81 
 
 Govea, that it used formerly fjo send f^om that 
 coast a superior, and two sttffragatis, to that 
 part over which th« name of tim archbishop 
 now bears rnle: one in tlie Island Socotora, 
 and the other in the country of Masin, for so is 
 that country called in the ancient titles." That 
 is to say, the ancient records of the episcopal 
 church' df Angamala, on the coast of Malabar^ 
 shew, that it formerly used to send to Goa a 
 superior, under whom were two suffraganis^; 
 one in the great Island of Socotora, ,in the- gulf 
 of Baba'lmandel, and One in the southern 
 China." 
 
 Aceoi'ding to this account, the churches of 
 Coromandel were dependent on those of'Ma- 
 labar, which' had the right of nominating stiffra- 
 gans. It is well known that Angamala is a 
 very ancient city, and famous for being the re- 
 sidence of the bishops of St. Thomas in former 
 ages. It was in this city, as being the ancient 
 seat of the archbishops of Angamala, that 
 Alexius Meuezes opened his first conference 
 with the Christians 6f St. Thdmas, all which-, 
 I obseryej perfectly agrees with the account of 
 the first preaching of the Apostle Thoafas in 
 that part of India. 
 
 ^The celebrated Du Hcdde, in- his description 
 af China, having made some valiiabFe remarks' 
 
82 CHRISTIANITY. INCHINA. 
 
 qn the rise aud progress qf ChTJstianity in that 
 country,; and which account opens with the 
 second volume of his work; it may be accept- 
 able here, to insert from; that author, what- 
 ever may <Jonduce tq elucidate a subject hither- 
 to, so ob'sci;trely,«odejstood, ,but of sucb, great 
 religious importance as the. first planting.and 
 labours of Christianity in that vast empire. 
 
 Though the Jesuit missionaries, says Du 
 ■H.alde,, m)io ^firni entered China, about the 
 middle of the fifteenth century, found no traces 
 ef Christianity; there, this is no proof, that it 
 never had been_ enlightened with the Truth, of 
 the Christian religion: for two venerable, monu- 
 Twents make it plain, that anciently thje. Gospel .n 
 was preached, to this mighty people, i The first 
 is'a very : ancient Breviary of the Church, Orf 
 Malabar, written in Chaldaic, where, in a lesson 
 of the second nocturn of the, oflBce of, St. Tho- 
 mas, are these wqr4s, ",It was hy means of St. 
 Thomas, ihat the errors of the Indian idolatiry 
 were dispelled. Sy means o/" "St. Thomas the 
 Chinese: «(««? Ethiopians were converted io ihe 
 faith, and embraced the Truth. It washy means 
 &f, St. ThQ'va^^that^^th^ received the virtue, <f 
 Baptism, and the Adoption of children'^ by him 
 the Mngd(m^\ of heaven .petvetrated, even to 4he 
 empire q/".China." 
 
 " In an anthem of the same Breviary are 
 
CHRISTIANITY IN CHINA. ^^i 
 
 read the following words,' " The Indians, Per-' 
 sia, a»<^ China, offer tq the memory of St. Thb-' 
 mas the adoration due to his name.'^ 
 
 In the nineteenth chapter of the second part 
 of the sjrnodal constitutions there is a Lessoli' 
 of the Patriarch Theodosias, conceived in these^ 
 terms, " In like manner the IBishops of the great' 
 Provinces, such as are for the most part •Metro- 
 politans of China," &c. 
 
 " When the Portuguese came to Kochin,' 
 they found iheve Don Javms', who presided over 
 the churches in the mountains of Malabar, and 
 assumed the title of Metropolitan of the Indies', 
 in which China vras included." 
 
 " The famous Quan-yun-€hang who lived in- 
 the beginning of the second century certainly- 
 had a knowledge of Jestis Christ: as the monu- 
 ments written by his h^nd, and afterwards en- 
 graven upon stones plainly prove. This may' 
 be gathered fi;om copies found almost every- 
 where, of which nothing can be made unless he' 
 speaks of Christianity; because he mentions, 
 the Birth of the Saviour in a grotto, exposed 
 to all the winds; his Death; his Resurrection; 
 his Ascension, and the impression of his holy- 
 feet; mysteries, which are so many riddles 'to 
 the infidels." 
 
 " If the image of this great man was wor-- 
 ^hipped. after his death,, this'error of the people^ 
 
§4 CIHWSTIANITy m C^INA. 
 
 pUQViesdit^jjMiigS^alnst Chriatianityv aad is only 
 a jlif stioftQiny of his viirtue. But ?ivhen©e eould 
 the Christians of tGh^ftg,, in ifce JUeg^ioning lOf the 
 Sj^iQpd century, oorae? unless from the instruc- 
 timh either of St, 3?ii©i»«i«, whoaa every body 
 k»o,ws to be tjie; Apostle .of fhe Iiiijijians, or of 
 bis JJis^j^pies,! wbjch last is the iijor^e jwrobathJ-e 
 opi,iaion- Howeyer t^t^tt be, thwe is not th« 
 least footsteps to be found of the time when the 
 Christi;an Rell^jian flourished, ^or what success 
 ,these Apostolical l.abt»iirs «iipt with: as the 
 Chinese history seldom ,'Sp^aks^of any leji^ents, 
 butt tthose that .GOiie^^fi civil gtoyiernment: all 
 that appears by it is, that abowt that tiiaae, aji 
 extraordinary person arriv,ed in China, whd 
 tjiHgbit a doctrine purely spiritual, and drew 
 tbe admiralioi^ of the ;»^orld upon hJjn:; by ll^ 
 faiine of th(e viftfles he possessed ; by the -sanc- 
 tity, of th^ lifp be led, aud by the nu'mber ol 
 the {niracles be wjrougbt." Du HaMe, whos« 
 words are here quoted, deolaires himself very 
 plaiinJy re^&^^f:\mg%hisfiystwmmmrit of Chris- 
 tjlujiity in China, which is comprehended with- 
 in.Ah^ llrst two centuries <>f the Christian 2&f9; 
 {(lE^QI'ding to the Chinese hisjtorjes. 
 
 " The second inQnoj^ent proves, ,tfeat a long 
 time after, that is, towards the sevpntb century; 
 a I*^tria^ch of the ladies sept missionaries to 
 Gkm^h ^^ these Eyjapgeil^p;gil tsi^f ^ej^ preach- 
 
IN CHINA. 85 
 
 ed the truth of the -Gospel with success; and 
 that their ministry was both respected and 
 countenanced by authority.^ 
 
 The particulars relating to this noble moniu- 
 ment are as,here under carefully collected from 
 the works of the learned Kircher and Assem- 
 annus, to which I subjoin the circumstances of 
 its discovery from Du Halde and Le Compte* 
 
 SYRIAN MISSIONS IN CHINA. 
 
 Suc.h was the state of the Syrian churches, in 
 the SjBventh cenjtury, that they were not regard- 
 less of missions for the extension of the Chris- 
 tiaa religion/ Of which a famous example is left 
 on record to this day in the Chinese empire, 
 engraven on stone ; whereof take the following 
 brief account. 
 
 * " This monmoent was dkoevered, A.D. l625, in the' 
 " following manner : — Some workmen digging the ground' 
 '' near Si-ttgan-fil, the capital of tfae Province of Shen-si, 
 " found a long table of marble, wbicb probably had been 
 " buried under the ruins of some building. This table' 
 ^ is ten feet long, and five feet broad. On the upper' 
 " part, which is shaped like a pjrramid, there is engraved 
 " a cross, that &till appears very distinct,' wlioseextreuii- 
 " Ues terni.inate.in a kiud of Flomer-de-Hs, pretty much 
 " resembling those which are found engraven upon tJie 
 " tomb of St. Thomas in the city of MeJAp.for, which is 
 " at present called San Thomit. The surface of tjie. 
 
gQ SYRIAN IVflSSIONS 
 
 In the year 1625, there was found in a town 
 liear^Si-ngan-fa,* the metropolis oiFthe province 
 of Shen-si, a stone having the figure of a cross,- 
 and inscriptions in two languages and sorts of 
 writing, which on examination, were found to 
 be Chinese and Syriac; the latter in the ancient 
 character, called the Estrangelo. The lines 
 of the inscription are thus described. The title 
 consists of three lines, of three words each, in 
 Chinese, whereof the 'signification is ^ given as 
 follows, " This Stone was erected to the 
 
 HONOVR AND ETERNAL MEMORY OF THE LAW 
 OF LIGHt AND TRVTH BROV&HT FROM TA-CINf 
 
 "marble contains along discourse in Chinese characters, 
 " explaining the principal mysteries of the Christian 
 " Religion, and praising such of the Emperors as had 
 " favoured the ministers of the Gospel. One of the 
 " sides, and at the bottom of the marble, there is a long 
 . " inscription, partly in the eastern Syriac or Chaldaic, 
 " and partly in Chinese characters." 
 
 " The original copy, taken from this monument, was 
 " sentto>72i»»e,and is preserved in the library of the Je-' 
 " suits College there : another copy is in the Records of 
 " the house of the Profession, Such as are cuiions to 
 
 * Si-ngan^fu is a city of the first rank, situated on the 
 south-side of the Whang^^or yellow river, in lat. 340 1 5' 36'" 
 and long. 1069 25min. east of Paris. ' 
 
 t Ta-cin or Tatsing, i. e. Judea, or rather the whole coun» 
 try of Syria, iucluding Judea. 
 
IN CHINA- 87 
 
 AND PROMVLGATED IN CHINA." Bfeneatb this 
 
 title which is written in form of a square, and 
 composed in nine words, are twenty^ejght lines, 
 each line consisting of sixty-two words, all in 
 Chinese, so that the number of words o^ cha- 
 racters, is about 736. 
 
 On one side of this inscription is a column 
 of, Chinese words, in number twenty and five. 
 On the other side is a column of Syriac ;, which 
 two columns form margins to the inscription 
 above mentioned : and at the bottom forming a 
 base to the whole, is likewise writing in :the 
 Syriac language. 
 
 The body of the inscription is divided into 
 twenty-one sections or verses. The first con- 
 tains a summary of the fundamental articles of 
 
 " see a transcription in the same characters with those , 
 " upon the original marble ; will iind it in Pere Kircher's 
 " China Jllustrata, with a literal translation, and a para- 
 " phrase by that father. 
 
 " Pere Alverezg-Viho had leisure enough to consider 
 " this monunlent upon the spot, made an exact tfansla- 
 " tion of it, which may be found in his relation, printed 
 " Anno 1667. For passing by Kechin, he went to 
 " Krangandre, the residence of the Archbishop, and 
 '^procured an explanation of the ^riac from Pere >4n- 
 " .tony Pernandez, a, missionary well .versed in the books 
 '". of the first Christians of St. Thomas. I shall content 
 "myself withgiving the abstract which Pere Le Compte 
 -f'. has made of it."' 
 
$S SYRIAN MISSIONS 
 
 the' Christian faith: th^ rest form a sort of 
 cht-oniele of the desigfi, labours, progress; and 
 success of the mission from its first arrival in 
 China, to the erection of the stone, viz. from 
 A. b. 636 to A. D. 780. Thte chronicle men- 
 tions (1.) That the mission entered China', 
 in the reign of the Emperor Tai-cum, i. e. A.D. 
 636. (2*) In the twelfth year of that EmperoFi 
 i. e. A. D. 63.9, an imperial edict passed* in 
 favour of the Christian religion. (3.) A graiat 
 for building a church at the impei^iat charg:e, 
 and an appointment of twenty-one attendants 
 to Olopuen, or chief of the mission. (4.) The 
 Success of the mission under the reign of the 
 Emperor Cao»cvm, son of Tai-ovm, whotei^n^ 
 ed from A. D. 650, to A. D. 684', whea chris' 
 
 Le Compt^s Abstract. ' 
 
 " There are seen in this Moiiunient, in Syriae charac- 
 " ters, the names of the ihissionati'ies, who came from 
 " JuDEA into China to preach the Gospel ; consisting 
 " of Bhhops, Priests, and Deacons', whose -entrance into 
 " China, is confirmed by some Arabilb, and other oriental 
 " manuscripts, found by Mr. Le Abbi Renauiot', and 
 "Mr. D? Thenenot, keeper of the king of France's 
 " Library. 
 
 " As^soon as the Chinese bad dug up the marble, (hey 
 " washed it, and looking upota it as Something very pre- 
 ** cious, botb on account of its antiquity, and the strange- 
 " ness of its chafracters, immediately ran t-o acquaint the 
 " governor, who came to the place, and having attentive- 
 
IN CHINA, d 80 
 
 lianity was promulgated in the ten provinces 
 of China, and churches built. (5.). A persecu- 
 tion against the christians in China, A. D. 699. 
 (6.) A second persecution, A. D. 713. (7.) 
 The happy state of the christians under the* 
 Emperor Hiven-cvm, who put an end to the 
 persecution. (8.) A second mission arrived in 
 China whose leaders were Kie-ho, John, and 
 Pavl. (9.) Grant of the Emperor So-cvm, 
 for the building of a number of churches. (10.) 
 State of the christians in the reign of the Em- 
 peror Tai-cvm, who reigned from A..D. 763 
 to A. D. 780. He used to honour the com- 
 memoration of Christ's Nativity with a pro- 
 
 " ly considered the monumen), caused it to be fixed on a 
 " pedestal, and covered it with a roof, supported by 
 " pillars ; as well to defend it from the inj,uries of the air, 
 " as to gratify the curiosity of numbers of learned men, 
 "-who flocked from all quarters to see it. Afterwards, 
 " it was removed by his order to a Paged, within a mile 
 " of the cit^ of 5»-ng'«Bn;/t«, where it is preserved with 
 " great care." 
 
 "There is a first intelligent and spiritual Being, who 
 " from nothing created all things, aud is one substance 
 " in three persons : When he made man, he clotlied him 
 " with original righteousness ; he coh^lituted him king 
 " of the universe, and master of hispassious : but the 
 "Demon made him yield to temptation, corrupted his 
 " intellectual faculties, and . confounded his inward 
 " peace : Whence proceeded all the calamities that have 
 N 
 
00 , SYRIAN tollONS 
 
 foiKid respect; abdnnded in chanty towards 
 
 all men, and observed an especial regard for 
 
 the minister^ of the sacred law, bestowing oa 
 
 them many munificent gifts. (11.) State of 
 
 Christianity under the reign of the Emperor 
 
 KlEN-cvM Or TetCvm, who reignied from thfe 
 
 year A. D. 760 to A. D. 805. He was a great 
 
 favoufer of Christianity, through the preaching 
 
 of Us6.* He had the churches repaired, and 
 
 new ortes built; was very munificent to the 
 
 christvau priests, and eminent in all the acts of 
 
 fcbarity. (12.) Then followeth the date^and 
 
 el^ctioTa of the stone in the Chinese language, 
 
 as follows: — 
 
 " attended mankind, and hence arose the di-ffereitt sects* 
 " amongst thera*" 
 
 " Men, who from th^t fatal moment walked in con-' 
 " tinual darkness, had. never been able to find the ,patb» 
 " of trutli, if one of tbebe divine persons had not under 
 " a human form concealed his divinity. This man wa» ' 
 " called the Messiah ; an angel foretold his coming, 
 " and he was born soon after pf a virgin in Judea. 7bis - 
 " niire^ci^lous birth was manifested by a new star that 
 ", appeared. Some kings who understood th^ mtianing 
 " of it, came and offered presents to the divine infant. 
 
 * Usii i.e. J-Esu*. Heb. JW Jeshda or Jeslifl, i.e. S aviour j 
 by the Jews atfd Turks corrupily written ItyV Isii ancT Ijry 
 EisUj ha. See Hyde's Cnstigiitio in Angelum a St. Joseph, alias 
 dictum de la Brosse. Itinera Mundi.. 
 
yt IN CHINA- . Ql 
 
 IN^THE SECOND YEAR OF KIEK-CVM OP.OVR ., 
 IMPERIAL FAMILY TAM: ON THE .SEVENTH 
 DAY OF .THE MONTH OF AVTVMN : ON THE 
 LORDS DAY : THIS STONE WAS EREdTED IN 
 THE MINISTRATION OF mM-CIV BISHOP OF 
 THE CHVRCH OF CHINA: LIV-SIE-CIFEN BEAR- 
 ING THE TITLE OF CIAO-V-CUM: WHO IN 
 OFFICE SVCCEEDED TO TAl-CIEV-SIE-SV-CAff- 
 KIFN WROTE THIS INSCRIPTION. 
 
 The second year of the Emperor above nam- 
 ed, corresponds with the year 780 of the 
 Christian aera. 
 
 " that the Law, and the predictions of foi)r and twenty 
 " Prophets rai^ht be accomplished.— -He opened hea- 
 " ven to the just, and ascended thither himself in 
 " the face of day ; leaving for the conversion of the 
 " world seven and twenty volume^ of his doctrine. He 
 " instituted Baptism to wash away sins, and made iise 
 " of the Cross to save all mankind without exception. — 
 " O-lop-wen came from Judea to China in the year of 
 " our Lord, 636, having escaped great dangers both 
 " by sea and land. Tiie emperor when he heard of 
 " his arrival, sent his Kolau to meet him as far as the 
 " suburbs of the imperial city, with orders to conduct 
 " him to the Palace. When h^ came there, his Law 
 " was examined, and its truth acknowledged : a{id {hp 
 " Emperor made an Edict in its favour.- — r-H« then 
 " ordered a Church to be built, and named one and ' 
 " twenty persons for its service."— Z)» Hajdf, Vol. II, 
 Rise and Progret$ of Cfi,mtianity in China, 
 
92 
 
 SYRIAN MISSIONS 
 
 The Syrian inscriptions on the border of the 
 above table have been interpreted and arranged 
 in the following classes: — .t 
 
 
 CLASS i. 
 
 1, 
 
 Mar Johanao, Bishop. 
 
 7. Christian, Priest, 
 
 2. 
 
 .Isaac, Priest, , 
 
 8. Epbraini, Priest. 
 
 3. 
 
 Joel, Priest. 
 
 9. Abi, Priest. 
 
 4. 
 
 Michael, Priest. 
 
 10. liavid. Priest. 
 
 5. 
 
 George, Priest. 
 
 11. Moses, Priest. 
 
 6. 
 
 Mabadad,' Priest. 
 
 
 
 CLASS II. 
 
 
 1. Achaicus, 
 
 Priest and Monk. 
 
 
 2. Elias, ; 
 
 Priest and Monk. 
 
 
 3. Moses, 
 
 Priest and Monk. 
 
 
 4. Ebedjesu, 
 
 Priest and Monk. 
 
 
 5. Simeon, 
 
 Priest and Monk. 
 
 
 6. John, 
 
 Priest and Monk. 
 
 
 CLASS III. 
 
 
 1. Aaron, 
 
 S. John. 
 
 
 2, Peter. : 
 
 9. Sabarjesus. 
 
 
 , 3. Job. 
 
 10. Jesudadus. 
 
 
 4.; Luke. 
 
 11. Luke. 
 
 
 5. Matthew. 
 
 12. Cbnstantinc. 
 
 v 
 
 6. John. 
 7' Jesueme. 
 
 ,13. Noah. 
 
 
 "■■" " CLASS^IV. 
 
 
 1. Adadsaphas. 
 
 6. John 
 
 
 ' 2. John., 
 
 7. Phuses, 
 
 
 3. Enos. 
 
 8. Simou. 
 
 
 4. Mar Sergius. 
 
 9. Isaac. 
 
 
 &. Isaac.' 
 
 ' 10. John. 
 

 IN CHINA. 93 
 
 
 CLASS V. 
 
 1. Jacob, Priest. 
 
 
 5. Simeon, Priest. 
 
 S. Mar Sergius, Priest and 
 
 6. Adam, Priest 
 
 Chorepiscopus* of Shian- 
 
 7- Elias, Priest. 
 
 gathus. 
 
 
 8. Isaac, Priest. 
 
 3. George, Priest and 
 
 Arch- 
 
 9. John, Priest. 
 
 deacon of Cumdan 
 
 1. ;■ ^ 
 
 10. John, Priest. 
 
 4. Paul, Priest. 
 
 4 
 
 
 11. Simeon, Priest. 
 
 
 CLASS VI. 
 
 1 . Jacob, Priest. 
 
 
 7. Simeon. 
 
 2. Ebedjesu, Priest. 
 
 
 8. Ephraim. 
 
 3. Jesudadus, Priest. 
 
 
 9' Zecbarias. 
 
 4. Jacob. 
 
 
 10. Cyriacus. 
 
 5. John. 
 
 
 11. Baccus. 
 
 6. Sergius 
 
 
 12. Emmanuel. 
 
 
 CLASS VII. 
 
 1. Gabriel. 
 
 
 4. Isaac. 
 
 2. John. 
 
 
 5. John. 
 
 3. Solomon. 
 
 
 
 
 ALSO, 
 
 1. Constantine. 
 
 
 8. Zuhan, Mizrkite.j 
 
 2. Saba, Cuslie^.i- 
 
 
 9. Matthew, Cushets. 
 
 3. Mar Sergius, Tabennita. 
 
 10. Annania, Gybtns.§ 
 
 4. Isaac, Cushe^. 
 
 
 11. Gabriel, Priest. 
 
 5. Paul, Priest. 
 
 
 12. Luke, Priest. 
 
 6. Simeon, Priest. 
 
 
 13. Susen, Bishop. 
 
 7. Adam, Priest. 
 
 
 14. Jacob, Priest. 
 
 • An officer in the Giee^churchj nearly the same with that of Arch- 
 deacon. " ' 
 
 t Those names joined with-Cushee denote Ethiopians or Blacks. 
 ^ if Mizraile, signifies an Egyptian. 
 
 § Gyptus, denotes a Copt, ^ 
 
94 SYRIA'N MISSIONS 
 
 15. Mahadad, Priest. 20. i Abraham, Priest. 
 
 l6: Arittsj Priest. 21. Simon, Priest. 
 
 17 David, Priest. 2^. Peter, Priest. 
 
 18. Asba, Cushefe, Priest. 23. Liike, Priest. 
 
 19. Abbaj Syrus. 24. Matthew, Priesf. 
 
 Here follows 'the Syriac Subscript: — 
 
 « IN the days of the Chief Father MAR HANAN lES'V*; 
 " Catholic PATRIARCH. ADAM the PRIEST CHO- 
 " REPISCOPyS AND PAPVS of the KINGDOM of 
 " CHINA. .. 
 
 " In the year of the Greeks, One Thousand and Nitifcty and 
 " Two. MAR JAZEDBVZID PRIEST and CHOREPtS- 
 " COPVS of CVMDAN a Royal City, Son otftie Meek 
 " MAILAS. PRIEST of BALACH a City ofTVRKESTAN 
 " set up this Stone Table, whereon is inscribed the Dispen- 
 " satiou of our REDEEMER and the Preaching ' of oUr 
 "' Spiritual FATHERS to the KING of CHINA. 
 
 " ADAM the DEACQJ^ Soii of JAZEDBVZID CHO- 
 " REPISqOPVS. 
 
 " MAR SERGiyS PI^IEST, and CHOREPISCPPVS. 
 " SABARJESVS PRIEST. 
 
 "GABRIEL PRIEST. ARCHDEACON and ECCLE- 
 ♦' SIARCH of CVMDAN and SARAG." 
 
 The year of the Greeks, 1092, correspohds 
 with the year A. D. 78T, and s(s the aatntis of 
 the several dkiinos^ £Ei]peroirs> in th@ Inscrip- 
 tion of this noble niontffnent of ftf^q^il^ are 
 
£p4iiiid lo agree with ttieir bwn? histories the 
 precise time of the erection is indisputably de- 
 termined. ■-.■:■' ;i,.; 
 
 This mission is supposed to have consisted 
 ■of sieveiity persons, of three orders, Olopuen the 
 nanae of the chief and superior, appears to be 
 a compound of <wo Syriac words, Aloho and 
 pimoya, sigftifyifig the conversion of God. Tlie 
 country from which they came is tilled in the 
 said Inscription, Ta-chin, which the learned 
 Kircher interprets Judea, but Assemanhus ex- 
 plains it to mean all Syria and Pdhsline, 
 according to the Chinese geographers. The 
 Chinese having no name for the true God iti 
 Iheir la»ig«age, this deficiency, it is observed, is 
 supplied from the Syrian Aloho, fexprfesised in 
 the Chipese characters, with several others; rbe* 
 loiigingto Theology, • ^ m 
 
 In the chponicle afor^aiti, we feave a notice 
 of a seootid mission which arrived in Oiina 
 soon after the perseteiitioa of 713 bad ceased. 
 The names of the beads of this mission arfe 
 meotio'tived, buft we have no account of their 
 company, nor the number .of them, anjess tiiey 
 are enuniefated in the sevetith class. This 
 circumstaiice carries with it all the marks of a 
 genuiae Jaistory, The persecutions wliich had 
 aj'isen ;ag^fnst the preachers of Christianity in 
 ihe year 690, was followed by another more 
 
g0 syjiiAN MISSIONS 
 
 fierce in 713/ wheii a great many Christian 
 churches were destroyed, and doubtless num- 
 bers suffered martyrdom : an account whereof 
 reaching the Christians of the West, the/seiit 
 into China a supply of evangelical men under 
 the guidance of Kie-ho, John, and Paul : a 
 grant' was at length obtained, and Religion 
 revived under the benign government of the 
 Emperor So-cum, » 
 
 The success of the first mission, as mention- 
 ed in the chronicle, deserves a remark, con- 
 sistent with the design Qf these sheets, and, 
 that is, the extension of' the Gospel in the reign 
 of the Emperor Cao-cum ,when it was promul- 
 gated in all the provinces of China, and church- 
 es built.. What progress it bad tnade in the 
 course of one hundred and forty-four years,' 
 viz. from A. D. 636, to A..D. 780, can aloiie be 
 obtained from these records. It is very pos- 
 sible, that every; part of this account may be 
 authentic, and that yet in a few centuries after, 
 Christianity should become unknown in China: 
 New governors, and new edicts, probably ex- 
 cluded a succei^sion of those evangelical men 
 fbr the supply of that Empire, and> Christianity 
 became at length proscribed. Here is, how- 
 ever, sufficient evidence to prove that Chris- 
 tianity was kiiown in China in the seventh cen- 
 tury. 
 
CHRISTIANITY IN INIMA, Ac. 97 
 
 CHRISTIAN ESTABLISHMENTS £N 
 INDIA, TARTARY, AND CHINA. ^ 
 
 A. D. 800—1200. 
 
 In the £ipis£0{ial canons, the canon of The<^ 
 odbtius. Bishop of .Edessa, who lived about 
 Aw D. ,800, appointed six Metropolitan Elector^ 
 for the ondinatiou of a Patriarch chosen from 
 the six principal and nearest seats, viz. pliant, 
 Nesib, Perath, Assyria, Jieth-gei'ma, and Ha^- 
 lack. This canon did not prohibit other metro- 
 politans the right of election, and enjomed 
 that the electors should convene with the 
 Patriarch every four years. *' But the other 
 metropolitans, says the canon, namely, ot 
 China, Hikdi a, Persia ; of the Me-hozSTES, 
 of SciAM, df the«RAzicHEs, theHAiiivNS, and 
 of Samarcand, which are far distant^ and 
 which by reason pf infested mpuntains, ^fi,d 
 ^rbuient s^as^ are prevented jpurneyipg ,aSi 
 they .would; they send letters of, salut^jtioB to. 
 th«i Patriarch once every si x.^years, ih Whjiqh 
 l^tters'also tfiey niakei known all the ptiblic 
 affairs Of those regions which require direction; 
 when alLcities, great or, small, according to 
 tlj^f, ability,, a^d the jprecept of the caaqng of 
 the Fatb0s;t setod to. the Patriarch what.is' 
 
96 CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA, &c. 
 
 appointed for the liiaintainance of the Patri- 
 archate," 
 
 The above meiitioiied six Metropolitan seats 
 I also find in a list of Metropolitans of the Nes- 
 . torians of that period ; and it belongs to this 
 place to insert that list as in some measure it 
 britigs within view the great extent of Chris- 
 tianity formerly in Asia: and the same is ta^ken 
 from the Oriental collections of Asseraannus, 
 
 ' Metropolitans formerly subject to the Patriarch 
 of the Nestorians.* - 
 
 1, Metropqlitan ofElam, residing at Gandisa- 
 
 por, a. city of Chusistan. , > 
 
 2>. Metropolitajn. of Nisibiu, Nesib or Soba in 
 Mesopotamia. 
 
 , *The Nestorian Christians of the Syrian name are not to be 
 confounded with the Greek Nestorians, as they too generally 
 are ; for although both have one common tenet respecting th^ 
 one nature of JesusXbrist, yet in qther things they materially 
 differ: and even in that article, pf the one nature of Christ, 
 they have a partial difference ; so that the Nestorian name is 
 tlie unhappy brand applied to a great mass of Christians of 
 those times. It is true, indeed, th^t the Syrian Nestorians hold 
 with the one nature ; yet it is so qualified, that they consider 
 the nature of the humanity absorbed in the glory of the divini- 
 ty ; nor do they differ in faith from the Athanasians on thi» 
 head^ when properly understood. A^ for the Greek Nesto- 
 rians, see their doctrinej under the name of Nestorian, in Tlff- 
 ologieal Dictipnaries, and other books' of all Religions. 
 
CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA, &c. 99 
 
 3. Metropolitan of-Perath-mesiii, or Bassora. 
 
 4. Metropolitan of Adjaben and Mosul. ; 
 
 5. MetropttUtdn of Beth-gerraa (Begerma, or 
 Beth-^selucia) and Carach. 
 
 6. Metropolitan of Halavan or Halach, a city 
 on the confines of Media. 
 
 1.' Metropolitan of Persia. 
 
 8. Metropolitan of Mara in Chorasan. 
 
 9. Metropolitan of Hara in Camboja. 
 
 10. Metropolitan o( AY?Lh\^. 
 
 11. Metropolitan of China. 
 
 12. Metropolitan of India. 
 
 13. Metropolitan oi AYvaex\\2t. 
 
 14. Metropolitan of Syria and Damascus. 
 
 15. iHfe/rojBo&Vaw of Bardo, or Adorbegen. 
 
 16. Metropolitan of Raja and TarTiistau, on the 
 shores of the Caspian Sea. . 
 
 17. Metropolitan oiD^-Wexa^ 
 
 18. Metropolitan ot Samarkand and Mavaral- 
 
 nahar. 
 
 19. Metropolitan of Cashgar and Turkestan. 
 
 20. Metropolitan Qi'&d\2ic)L\ and Tocharestani 
 3,1. Metropolitan of Segestan. 
 
 22. Metropolitan of Hamaden. 
 23 Metropolitan of Chantekk. 
 
 24. Metropolitan of Tanchet or Tanguth, a, 
 country of Great Tartary, : 
 
 25. Metropolitan of Chaserogar and Nuachet. 
 
I®0 CHRISTIANITY IN INMA, *c. 
 
 To the foregoing list of the Oriental M«etro- 
 politan^, tbefeis also another list of Epis<«opal 
 seatsv foirnierly subject to the 3,e€^ of Anfijpch. 
 shewing that both east ancl west the- ecclesias- 
 tical jurisdi(5<iiQn of the Syrian Church did 
 widely extend abqut Afi. 1000, which list was 
 taken by William an Englishman, and' first 
 prior of the Canons regular of thi& Church of 
 the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem, afterwards 
 made Archbishop of .Tyr0.* I shall onJy insert 
 the names of the resp.ectij^^>i^jeats, with the num- 
 ber of Bishopricks depeilid'itig oijieavjh, and? Ihose 
 who are curious for the- pEa»tieularSj I refer to 
 the author frotff Wbeiice thfe said- list is tafte'en.f 
 
 List of Churches, or Archiepiscopal Seats, for- 
 merly dejsending on the P'atriarch of An- 
 tioch : — ■ 
 
 1. Tyre, having XIV Bishopricks. 
 
 2. Tarsqs, having V Bishopricks. 
 3 Edessa,^ having X Bishopricks. 
 
 4. A.pamia, having Vll Bishopricks. 
 
 5. fiierapolis, having Vill Bishopricks. 
 
 * Guilielmus seu Gallus, seu Germanus, seu ut alii Syrus 
 abAn. 1 175. Tyri Archjepiscopus in Gallias vebit An. 1188. 
 Vid. Cave*s Cbartbphylkx' ^cdesiasticui. fiondl t^8S; pafe: 
 250. 
 
 t'CliflftiJittographicj) or Beserijitioh jof'the. sundj^ sbrts of 
 Christians in the world. Second Edition^ London, 1 636. 
 
CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA, &c. tOl 
 
 6; Bostra, havitjtg XIX Bishopricks. 
 
 7. Anerverfesl, havinl^IX Bishopricks. 
 
 8. Seleucia, having' XXIV BiShopricks; 
 
 9. .Damascus, having XI Bishdpricks. 
 10. Aitoida, having VII Bishbpi'ickst 
 
 11'. Sergid^olis, having IV Bishopricks-. , 
 121 Theodosiopolis, havin^sf VII Bishopricks. 
 13. Emi^sa, hiaving IV Bishopiicksl Besides 
 which' are reckoned VIII Independeiifc Mti-^- 
 tropolitails, anrd XIII Archbishops; v 
 
 JVKircus PewiIus, who lived some years' in 
 Ta*tary, mentiotis the Christians in thos'e parts* 
 a'gf qijoted by Brerevutood. " The JStestorifAis 
 ihha<bit a gVeat part of the Orient, for besides' 
 tfte coiku tries <*f Bkbylon, awd Assyria', and' 
 Itlfesbpotariila', arid Parthia, and Mediae where-' 
 •tn'vei*y illafriy'of them are fouhd ; that seGtf is 
 spreati- and- scattered- far and wi^e^ifl- t4i«-^as*5 
 both florttierly to Gatbaf, aiuTA mvithefliy to 
 Iridia : so tl^At Mafbus Paul'uS, his histoi'f dP 
 the ifilast region, and in others we ffad' riVentibYt 
 of them, and of no sect of Christians but tliem 
 in Very many parts and provinces- of Tartary. 
 As namely ih (I.) G^ssar. (2.) Satnarehand* (3.) 
 e'jWchdtti'. (40 Ghintehiiitaltas; (5i) T4iflg«i.tte»' 
 (el.y Siichii'. (f.) Er^imiil. (SJ'TendUtth'. (9.) 
 C^al'aim. (10.) Mangi, &c. 
 
 Marcus,., Paul us relates, that, " in Tenduch- 
 
1 02 CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA, &c. 
 
 were many cities and camp-towns, were for- 
 merly the so called Presbyter John had his 
 residence, biit afterwards that province became 
 tributary to the great Cham, having a king 
 of the family of that name:* and although' 
 there are there some idolaters and Mahomme- 
 tans, yet the greater part of them hold the 
 Christian Faith, and these Christians have the 
 chief places in the province. Lib. I. cap. Ixiv. 
 Agheus brought the Gospel into these parts, 
 calJed Gog and Magog, but by the Tartar 
 nations Jagog 2iaA' Magog, a\fio iMg and Man- 
 gug. Vid. Kircheri Prodromus, cap. iv. p. "91. 
 Comestabulariu's, an Armenian, who, about 
 the year 1248, wrote a letter to the king of. 
 Cyprus, concerning, the Christians of Tan- 
 guth, says, " This is the country out of which 
 came the three kings to Bethlehem to adore 
 
 * About A. D. 1253, William de Rubrique was sent by Lu- 
 dovlcus IX. king of the Galls, to the Great Cham of Tartary ; 
 whp relates, that at the time the Galls took Antioch, a certain 
 one named Con Can held dominion in Kara, Kithay, and adja- 
 cent regions to the nortb, whence the Turks emerged. In 
 the same Kara Kithay, a certain Nestorian, named Opilo.was 
 a mighty prince of the people of Yayman, and after the death 
 of Con Can he invaded the kingdom of Kithay, called Jotat 
 by the Nestorians, , of whose greatness many fabulous things, 
 have been narrated, whence all those fables about Presbyter 
 John have .^originated amongst the 'Europeans.' '' He tiad a 
 brother named Unt, who dwelt beyond the mountains of I^ara 
 
CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA, &fr. 108 
 
 Christ ; and the people of this country are 
 Christians. I myself have been in their church- 
 es and seen paintings of /Jesus Christ, and of 
 the three kings ; one presenting the gold, a 
 second the frankincense, and the third the 
 myrrh. ' Through these three kings they had 
 the knowledge of the Faith of Christ, and 
 through them the Cham and all his people 
 were made Christians^ When they go to salute 
 the great Cham, they first euter the church, 
 and salute the Lord Jesus Christ, anc^ thengo 
 to salute the Chain. We found also many 
 Christians dispersed through the East country, 
 ami many goodly churches, lofty and ancient, 
 which had been despoiled by the Tartars. 
 The Christians of the country, when tliey come 
 into the presence of the Cham, who now reigns, 
 he receives them with the greatest- honour, uses 
 
 Kilhay, three days' journey uorth ward from his brother : bis 
 subjects were called Crits^pr Mirkits, and were Nestorians, 
 his city, was called Caraca i but he departed froin Christ to 
 idols^.amd succeeded his 'brother John, who died without 
 issue, and tooktlie name of Chan, &c: But the learUed Hyde, 
 from the relation of Paul the Venetian, who penetrated into 
 thoee regions, plainly shews from his book, Lib, I. cap. li. lii. 
 that he who is Called Unt, or more properly Uncka, was the 
 real John, vulgarly and improperly called Presbyter and 
 Prester John : but in the Tartar language, Prestdr Ghan, 
 Fid. Hi/de'» Note, llinenMundu Cap. xxv, pag. 153. 
 
104 CHRISTIANITY IN miHA, &c. 
 
 them liberally, and saffers none^lbaonoy them. 
 And thottgh hy leasonof their sins, Christ Ka;tli 
 nofte to preach his name in, those > regions,' yet 
 he hintselfijjreacheth for himself, and declareth 
 it by his own niQst holy virtues in such manner 
 timt the natians of those ooUntries believe in 
 Christ." 
 
 Mams Sobenais writes, that " AgMusiUwmmi 
 ed.mith theFaitHi, Gebal land ,JSuz, and the 
 Q9»sts ^fjSindia,. and the adjacent countries as 
 far as G-0g .and Magog." , Ebedjesus saysj 
 ''.i/^iK Persia^ all parts of.Assyiiiamtd iAmtenic^ 
 t^nd Media, and the regions about Babtfiott, 
 X^tz, . and Gala, to the cor^nes of India, > as far 
 osiGog aud.Magogi received the priesthood from 
 i4^hem, the silkr-weaver, mtd discipie of the 
 fipiessik Addeus." 
 
 M^igog wasone of the sons of Japheth^ Genl 
 oil. X. his land and- people were also called 
 Gog, and his seat was in the northern parts of 
 Asia, Ezek. ch. xxxvii. He is called the chief 
 Prince of Meshech and .TvJkiI, ,nai;nes implying 
 Jh^wer^of.t,hejl/iqm,m^ifff^ngi(!Mih so j,agis 
 j^.y<tesGrdptbVie of the.«ho*des > in I'aFtary: they 
 are -also '^described as warriors, and famious 
 horsemen, ibid- ver. 15. The Togarn^ahs, or 
 western Tartars, were famous for breeding- 
 horses in ^zel^jel's time, as ,th^y ?^jfex,tQ.ihis 
 day ; ibey supplied the markets of Syria siad 
 
eHRIStlANWY IN mmA^Ard. 100 
 
 PaHfe^thiiB with liiors&s and lAutes, Ezek, xxvife 
 14. Tbfere can be lio doubt «f the identity 6f 
 th^fe* people; aind that by Gogi^ihd Mago^, 
 \^e rrtsy understand the whole of the Tairtai* 
 iiatidtt» -i^'h 
 
 As -for tljie (hBchtte of ©hristianity in , the 
 \«'hble of AiSia/ the cowtinilanEe of heatheti and 
 idolatfdus pfactiees, and the jirc^ffessr of MPb- 
 h^hrmM^nism dtrioiig them; the reason is evi<< 
 detjt to air Whiy hkvetb«' least knowledge of 
 those (Joontries : evigd 'A'bat is said abov^ df 
 thfeir chUi-ches vfritfaottl; priests, id enoo^ti to 
 Convince aby' on^ ^b& ^r6dtt^ that report; that 
 v^h^t^^er w^>th6 state of CHristiielnity form^" 
 ly in thosef parts, &\^ <*^nt of Christian priests 
 has beeii the ruin df Religion there, as in otb^r 
 cduntrife^,^specidly'F'e»siaahrf'India, afe hath 
 been' alreiidy re[haj*ked, {jdge Ml To dompiete 
 the rnitJ; reyolt and war dbsolated those couw- 
 trieis, and left them an easy prey to" the Mo- 
 hahim^d^n conquerors, under Gb^ngis K.hSn, 
 in the twelfth centiiry, sinde wMcii' pferiofd 
 /;jZd»ti'*»i has greatly sjjread'in all Tartafy. 
 
 'tli^ destruction, and ' aJtoost extermJnatJtfni 
 of so many Christian chui-dhes in thie Efl[«t, 
 itttfk be looked for in thfe"histbri€S of thdse 
 nf^krns, a«d the \^ars' and revolutionis which 
 cail^'cf sddfc a f4tM overthrow. .' The spirit of 
 walr atgaihst thfe ChH«tktt'pdW§rs of Asia afrtd 
 
100 CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA, jfeQ. 
 
 Africa,, which, withio a century after thedeatti 
 of Mohamiiiea, began to shew itself in enter- 
 prises on other countries, already stfengthened 
 byjthe reduction of all Arabia, first discovered 
 itself in the exhortations of Abubekar and his 
 followers, by a general incitement to a holy 
 expedition against Syria, to wrest from the 
 Christians that fine and populous country ; and 
 siioh was their success; that in a short tinae 
 they carried the religion of Mohamnaed from 
 Arabia to Syria and Persia, and by their sub- 
 sequent conquests all -the ' towns of Syria aiid 
 Persia 'possessed by , the ; Cbris^tians, became 
 subj^ to the Turkish dominiofl. Temur, 
 called ;TaiBerfaiie, who in 1-370 began to spread 
 . bis conquests, over a ;^great' part , of. Asia, Tar* 
 tary^ Persia, Syria, and Egypt, gathered im- 
 mense treasures. He sent from Damascus 
 eight thousand camelis, laden with the spoils of 
 that city, at one time; and is said to have con- 
 quered more king;d0ms in the space of thijrty- 
 five^ years than the old Romans did in eight 
 bundled y^rs. He carried his victories to 
 ^abylOA, Mesopotamia; Syria, Persia, Parthia, 
 Eg^pt,^ Indisi, and China; and boasted of.jhav-. 
 ing subdued tbree parts of the world. He had 
 his palace at Saraarpband, where be celebrated 
 bis victories, blended with the Scythian festivi- 
 ties of Attila and Ghengis, and those of the 
 
CHRISTIAN CHURCHES OP MALABAR. 107 
 
 Ottonran court. Ghengis ravaged ail the east-, 
 ern Asia, makidg conquests in China; Tran- 
 sox^nia, Syria, Asia minor, Siberia, Kara, &c. 
 Ghengis-Khdn and Timour were the scourge 
 of' every Christian and Mohadimedan state 
 which invited or resisted their ambition ; the 
 Christiatis of those unhappy countries visiited 
 by their victorious sword, were scarcely allow- 
 ed a choice. offered them by the Koran, of 
 tribute, or of dtath. 
 
 STATE OP THE CHRISTIAN CHURCHES 
 OF MALABAR. 
 
 A. D. 1500—1600. 
 
 Such was the deplorable state of the Chris- 
 tians of Malabar in the fifteenth century, 'that 
 they had more churches than priests, and congre- 
 gations than pastors : the distress of ihe people 
 was great; and more than thirty thousand fami- 
 lies were but JU siipplied with spii-itiial guides. 
 They at length deputed three faithful men with 
 a representation of their case to the Patriarch, 
 A. D. 1499: one Of' them died on the way, the 
 other two arrived safe, and were recrfved with 
 great joy. The object of their mission was to 
 prdcure Bishops for the Indian dioceses, And 
 for the better ordering of their charches. The 
 Patriarch, Mar Simedn, ordained them bbth 
 
Pliep%p.ni m^t tlsienpt for a tjtne^Qfjljif^ jsPfl?^'- 
 tj^yy of ;^t, Eug^iqs.„,I^e. thg^ fOB^e^/a^^tJ 
 tyAfo pippfcs, pf t\^e s^id j?i?qqi*?|e<-,35j8 Ujs>o|vs^/fcr 
 the Iqdi^n, cbujcchfs,, jwfhqpi , he ,pjpied,.Mar 
 T|?ppi»s aod MwJQbp, iiJJ:?iying? fjiFP^§h§j4 
 them mtk ample poiwer,s,^nd qppi!iwfind!ai,t^i/y 
 letters, he dismissed th^pa with prgyfj:^ . and 
 befl§4i<;tipP!§j:^o^ spot %li§ifi J;pgpt;h!e^.jWi.tbi t|ii$ 
 |;wo pi(ip,sjs tp India, " Wheij they ha,di arrived, 
 the faithful received thecn with very great joy : 
 they met them on the way with the Gospel, 
 a,u(J the qifoss, ^od th^ qettseri,, and torches, 
 and conducted thepa tp^the Qjii^ch with great" 
 pomp, and singing of psalms and hymns. Then 
 they sanctified the Altar, and ordained many 
 pri^^sts; fpr^tha-t of ^ long tii?)^ th^ey h,^^, no 
 ^jcitual fHthers.^' •; . n;M > 
 
 One of the bishop^, IN^ar /ifhomas, having 
 remained there ab(Out a year, left Indiafpr Jll^e- 
 sppptamia, with ^ report to the Patri,arch, but 
 that Patriarch died before his arrival, A. D, 
 |502. To hioi succqefie^ in the patriarchate 
 Mar Eli^s, of the monastery of St. Eugenius, 
 who took \yith him from thence three excellent 
 i):^^,nks whorg he had, desigpe^^ fp,r,.Indija : pge 
 of them he constituted Metropolitan, and named 
 hji^. ]5l^^r Jaballaha; the, other tvyo, he Cp^^e: 
 
accpD^paQiff) then^ in the following year, viz. 
 A. D. 1^03. Their destination was Iiijlia and 
 Chiqa, ^yith the Islands thereon depending^ 
 " |Ie J?ent these four Fathers into the land of 
 the Hindoos, and to th« M>aods of the ses^ 
 lying about JOfabag, and Tsin, and Matsiny and 
 they de{>artf@d,. the four of them, and arrived 
 safe and well, by the, help of our Lord Christ." 
 In the following year the above mentioned 
 £^|s;hopis gent an Epistle to their Patriarcb> 
 Ms^r Elifis, which begins in the following style, 
 "Fathers of India, Tsin, and Matsin;" then 
 follow ample salutations in the farm and man- 
 ner of the Orientals, in which Mar John above 
 mentioned is styiled/'. Bis.hap, and Metropoli- 
 tan of Athel,"i. 16. Ghtnese-Tartary, according 
 to Assemann us. This Kpistle was written in 
 Siyriac, and dated. >in the year of the Greeks, 
 181-5, i. e. A. D- 15104 ;i it contains some par- 
 ticulars best related in its-own words. " There 
 are here [i. e. on the Malabar coast of 'India] 
 aboutithirty thousand famii«s of the Christians 
 
 of our communion- they now begin to build 
 
 more churches, having abundance of every 
 thing, and are, blessed be God, meek and 
 peaceable. And, moreover, the monastery of 
 Man Thomas begins to be occupied by Chris- 
 tian men, who am sedulous for their degree. 
 These livef remote from the aforesaid Christians, 
 
lio 
 
 CHRISTIAN CHURCHES 
 
 about twenty-'five days' journey, situatednear 
 the^ea,in the city called Meliapore, of the pro- 
 vince. of Seilan. The proivinces of India are 
 ma;uy, and take up a journey of six months, 
 [meaning for the visiting of the churches,] 
 Every province , hath iis own proper name, 
 whereby it is called, and our's where the Chris- 
 tians inhabit, is called Malabar,- ha'ving in it 
 about twenty cities, three of which are cele- 
 brated for strength, viz. Cranganore, Palor, and 
 jCulam, and others adjacent, these have in them 
 many christians and churches, and are not far 
 from the great and strong city- of Cal.icut, rfcity 
 of. infidels and idolaters." 
 
 In the yekr 1512, the Indian Bishops of Ma- 
 labar,* iu their Syriac letter to. the Patriarch in 
 Mesopotamia reported the state of their church- 
 es, with the number of families, > " There are 
 here," say, they, " about thirty thousand fami- 
 lies oT our communion :"i. e. about two hun- 
 dred ; thousand souls, those; of other commu- 
 nions not being included in the said account. 
 
 The Christians inhabiting the Coromandel 
 coast, according to the learned Brerewood, 
 were reckoned at 70,000, before the Portoguese 
 frequented those parts; his words are these, 
 " Abput the cities, of Coulan and Crauganor, 
 on the virest side, and about Maliapur and 
 Negapatam,.on the east side, do these Chris- 
 
OP MALABAR. 
 
 Ill 
 
 tians of St. Thomas (Jwell, being esteemed be- 
 fore the Portuguese" frequented those, parts; 
 about 15,000 or 16,000 faimiltes; or, after, 
 another account, 70i000 persons : but on the 
 west, coast, the far greajter number of them is 
 found, and. especially their habitation is thick- 
 est about Angamalej fifteen miles from the city 
 of Cochin northward, where the Archbishop 
 keepeth residence." Thus it appiears from the 
 several accounts that the Syrian Christians, in 
 that part of India, amounted to about three 
 hundred thousand; , , ;, . • . ,; 
 
 Previous to the, discovery- of the Indies by 
 the Portuguese, the ChTistians of Malabar re- 
 mained almost unknown to Europe* ! Those 
 navigators, in quest of the coast of India, first 
 made the Gape of Good Hope, A. D. 1454, 
 when Bartholomew Dias named that point of the 
 coast of Africa, Cabo de hon Speranzp, because 
 then they had a G^ooe/lfope of a passage to the 
 East Indies: Vasco de Gama first made land 
 at Calicut, May 20, 1498, which was the dis- 
 covery of an expedition some years after the 
 forriaer : when, having explored those coasts, he 
 made the Cape Comorin, the southernmost 
 pointof that ;great peninsula, Cochin, Goa,. and 
 other Hiaritime cities. The peaceable natives, 
 and especially the poor Christians, little think- 
 ing that men in tall ships visiting them, at that 
 
1 1 SJ CHRISTMN cmmcHEs 
 
 time in aflrieadly niahner,' came 1i6 spy out thsir 
 Wfeie»%, and* lo bring theM ander bondage. Tiie 
 im^s of new iattds sobtf ^teached B^fdpe^ and 
 the diecbvery of Ghri^tiliWghiatfdhes iii those 
 parts soon eiccif^d th«' md&t liVel-y intei-est, 
 es^^cfalfy atiton^St: those Vt»hO' were f(*r c^fti^ 
 pasSihg^ sda and' I'aiid' to niake prOselyi^Si ■ 
 ' The relations Of Alarco Paulo of a feFradr 
 i^4 hid given sipirlt to i^ose eniierfiri^es in the 
 eastern navigktiOi*sf, which bbtiaiiiied during that 
 period, when vdyk^s of discovery, and a thif^ 
 for commerbe and conquest had ^o efffecfually 
 subeged^d atiidog the Fortdgub'sd. In ihe 
 c&tir^e 6{ al^iat forty y^siW artierWardS, the' cidi 
 ^rid esccle^aSticEtl establishriifecits- of the south- 
 ern India bebome so far uhdeirstood that several 
 Mi^iori^ w^re agitated, Wi# tte Axo^ed dbi- 
 ject of unitiiig those Olft4ti&M df Iridtk vi^ith 
 th6'6hurch df Romeia\iJjt ultimately of reddStiigf 
 fh^ to the (JdWdr of that dhiWch : and in oi-der 
 to carry sueh' resolution irito effect, iboii Jbhii 
 Albuquefqtae!, of the order of Sti Francis; Wa^' 
 nomlhated first Archbishop Of Go^, aiid uitdefr 
 hini there Was a dollege erectfed at Crahgsiridr^; 
 in the year 1546, forthd purpd^'of inslTue^g 
 the native Christiari youth of those parts' in thd 
 Cdrdilnonies of the Latins: but the Jesiiit mis*^ . 
 sionaHes i^don perceived, that thd youiig^ GhriMi 
 tiaii na€ivd»^ called by tiievA ChUMedm, bdiidat^ 
 
ed ^ft^r the X^atin inaniier were useless : and 
 that it was in vain to think of converting, the 
 Chnstian^ of that country without the know- 
 ledge of the Chaldee or Syriac tongue: they, 
 therefore, erected another college about a 
 leiagne from Cranganore in the year 1587, 
 where they taught those youths the Chaldee 
 tongue, to the end that being grown up, they 
 inight be received into the ministry of tliose 
 chnrches as real Chaldeans, being so far quali- 
 fied to celebrate the Rooii&b offices in the Chal- 
 dean or Syriac tongue. But neither did thvs 
 do any great service^ because that it was not 
 enough for them to be: instructed ia the lan- 
 guage of the KeligioiQ^ there being a meeesslty 
 also of an agreement in doctrine and* sentiment 
 witik those Prelates in order to have- the liberty, 
 of vpreaching in their churches :- whereas their 
 beiiBg taught by the Jesuits, their doctrine and- 
 way of'speakingi were very different from^ what: 
 was commonly received in the eountisyr and, 
 therefore,, those Jesuits ^finding it im^ssible 
 to make them forsake their own ancient cus-. 
 toms, aad to withdraw them from their own 
 communion to* the Pope, had recourse to other 
 measures. * 
 
 Djiriug these' transactions, the initended Mis- 
 sion i«vaiB prepaHng to carry jntd effect by flat- 
 tery or force, the reduction o£Uxe ChrjptiaiiiiS of 
 
/1 14 CHRISTIAN Churches 
 
 Malabar; and to this t^nHi Alie'xiode Menfexes, 
 of the order ot St. Angiis^iine was appointed 
 Archltishop of Goa and Viceroy of that coixltry, 
 and endued with fidi powers, and accoinprtnifed 
 with able persons, embarked for the ImHed, 
 ■where in 1599 he opened his mission in assem- 
 I'bling asynod of the Syrian clergy^ srncfe called 
 the Synod of Diamper, when a part only of 
 that, clergy attended, to the nuniber' of one 
 hundred and ^fty ; the issue of ;which matter 
 hot proving satisfactory- to the Viceroy, the 
 following stratagem was adopted, whi^hlshall 
 "here verbally relate from Mr. Simoq: ". The 
 reriiedy that was found, was to seize jhe person 
 of a certain Bishop, called Mm- Joseph, wbio 
 bad been sent from the Patriarch oC'Babylon, to 
 the end that the people having no- pastor, their 
 design might the more easily be brought about, 
 "bnt that Bishop^ being aware of the. design, 
 prdered that mass should be celebrated accord- - 
 ingto thft RoiiHsh custom with ornaments, after 
 'the Latin fashion, and that they should even 
 wakei use of wine and wafers of the Latins: 
 nevertlieless he still persisted in Nfes'torianrsnty 
 and taught the Poptnguese who sp^rved bim to 
 say, " Holy Mary, Mother pf Christ;" and not, 
 i" Mother of God;" which pbliged the Arch- 
 bishop and Viceroy to arrest hinii in order to 
 his being cSiryied to Rome. 
 
OF MALABAR, IK 
 
 But the> Saiid Maf Joseph having arrived it 
 Portugal, So well manaiged his affairs, that ht 
 obtained letters to be receivfjd again into his 
 Bishopric at Serfa. In the mean time, there 
 was another Bishop ^Ireddy put in bis place, 
 named M(tr Abraham, •vi\\q, to maintain hims^li 
 in his Bishopric, went afterwards to, Rome to 
 submit to the I*ope, wherje having made an 
 abjuration 6f his heresies, he was re-ordained, 
 having all the orders given him anew from the 
 tonsure to thepriesthpod'; then he was conse- 
 crated a Bishop, and the Pope erapowered him 
 by b]ulls for govern itig his church at Serra io 
 India; adding thereunto letters of rfeconiTnen- 
 dation tOithe Viceroy,- ^Thich stood. hrm in littl^ 
 assistance; for he was no sooner arrived there, 
 than the Archbishop.of Goa caused his bulls t;o 
 be examined, and finding that the Pope had 
 been, misinformed by Mar Abraham, and that 
 the Pope had been imposed upon, he was. shut 
 up in a Monastery inr expectation of aa answer 
 from-Rprae; but he escaped, and retired to the, 
 churches of his Bishopric, where he was wel- 
 cqniely: received. 
 
 , In, tbe triean tinre Mar Abraham, who, still 
 distrusted the Portiiguese, retreated far up into 
 the country, apd to ^hew that he was sincerely, 
 in the Pppe'^. communion, he ordained afresh 
 all tbope whqm he had already ordaine^, thaj 
 
1 1 § CttRISl'Ul* e*tJftCHE8 
 
 be SbAight cofeif&rm to tfie Roilnis<h Hte, and en< 
 dcia^uured all be could, both witb the Viceroy 
 and the Archbishop, that he iiiight appear to be 
 really in the judgment #f the Latin church : bttt 
 all this ^hile, he persisted; ia Bl'estorianism, and 
 preaching in his church aigainst the Pibpe, not 
 sUflfie^itig him to be catted Head of the Church, 
 so a6k'n<!>wledg^g no other Patriarch, than the 
 Patriarch of Babylon; whilst on the other 
 haridt, tbe aged Bishop of Serhi, Mar Jesfepb, 
 was accused of teaching thq heresies of Nies- 
 tOiriub, and being thereupon questioned, he 
 ahs'wer'ed freely, that he having had a revela- 
 tion frbin] God, asistrripg him that the Keliigida 
 ^hich he had i^eCeived from his "ancestors wa» 
 <^e trntJ ReKgioh: whereupon he was imme- 
 diately iinfade a prisoner and sent to Iloiiie, 
 whtere he died. 
 
 ' From this hifetory, the impartial Mr. Simbtt 
 makes the , fdllowing remarks : " it may "bfe 
 gafhered, slays he, that the Portuguese have 
 trSed great violence towards the Ne^storiahs 
 about matters of religion ; that the emissarife^, 
 being men unacquainted \yith the theology of 
 the East, have disturbed and molested them for 
 t?ereriaoniies of little or no importance, iattd tlfal 
 they have thereby occasioned the temporfsitfg 
 bf the Nestbrian Bishops, by inti-odu'dihg riOvel- 
 tieB into their churches, to which they were 
 
OF MALABAR. It? 
 
 coiistrained h^ viotenee. And therefore it was 
 that the sairae Mar Abraham, having been ob- 
 liged by the Pope's bri«f, and more by the fear 
 that he had o( the Viceroy, who gave him a 
 passport, to repair to a council, he there aigain 
 abjured all the§^ errors, and made profession of 
 the Roman Catholic faith. But no sooner was 
 he come back to his church, but that he taught 
 Nestorianism as before; and even wrote to his 
 Patriarch of Babylon, that the Portuguese had 
 forced him to be present at the Synod of Gba. 
 The seqitel of that history discovers more plain- 
 ly the violences used by the Portuguese to- 
 wards the Nestorians, to bring them to an 
 anion with the Church of Home, aud to oblige 
 them to subscribe to the Confession of Faith of 
 Pius IV. which happened in the time of Alexis 
 de Menexes, ArchlHshop of Goa, who went 
 into the Indies with a brief of ClenientVIII, 
 to inform against Mar Abraham. In that 
 vthole relation there appears great ieal in the 
 Nestorian Christians of that country, for the 
 d'efence of their Faith, which they pretended' to 
 i*etain as being once delivered unto them by St» 
 Thomas : in so much that they put their hands 
 beifOre their eyes at the mass of the Latins, when 
 the priest elevated the host to be adored by 
 those that were present. Above all, they 
 shewed themselves zealous for their Patriarch 
 
118 CHRISTIAN; CHyftCHES 
 
 of Babylon ; and wfien they were asked whe- 
 ther the; Pope was not head of the CJrurch, 
 they- made answer, thai he was head of the 
 Church of Romej which is a particular Church, 
 otherwise called the Church of St. Peter, and 
 not of the- Church ofSU Thomas, as being in-, 
 dependent one of another,' which they obstinate- 
 ly; maintained. They, moreover, resol^itely 
 Avithstood the sacrament of confirmation, which 
 Archbishop Menexes would, have administered 
 unto them ; and they accused him of envy and 
 ambition, alleging that he endeavoured to . 
 overturn the religion of St. Thomas, to make 
 them embrace that of Rome, to, the <gnd that 
 by that artifice, he might remain absolute mas- 
 •ter qfall the Churches of the Indies. And, 
 therefore, say they, that Archbishop calum- 
 niated the Patriarchs qf,,Babylpnj; protesting, 
 however, that they would persevere in submis- 
 sion and obedience to their Patriarch, and that 
 they would never forsake their religion,, to, em-: 
 brace that of liqme. . 
 
 Notwithstanding all these oppositions on the 
 part of the Nestorians, ^^chbishop Menexes . 
 still persisted to inculcate to them that their 
 Patriarch was an heretic, and exconnnunicat- 
 ed ; and that, therefore, they could not pray for 
 him* This he did so vigoiuously, sparing nei-, 
 ther pains nor money, that at lengthf he soften- 
 
OF MALABAR. 
 
 119 
 
 led them. 'Sometimes be used violence, and 
 was thefefore often in dangef of his^life. For 
 under pretext that he had full power, from the 
 Pope, he exercised his jurisdiction in all places, 
 -without minding the ordinaries ^f the places, 
 eveli before they had acknowledgeicl his cha- 
 racter. And in this manner that envoy of the 
 Pope planted the Roniish Religion in that 
 country, aqd spared no means to accomplish 
 his design. He gave orders in spite of the 
 Diocesan Bishops, and made those whom he 
 ordained first abjure the errors of the Nesto- 
 rians. Besides the Confession of Faith, they 
 who enteied into orders were obliged to swear 
 obedience to the Pope, and to acknowledge no 
 other Bishops, but ^uch as were sent from 
 ■him. But let us no\v come to the errors of 
 which Meuexes accuses the Christians of St. 
 Thomas.* 
 
 '*^ Charges brought against the Christians of 'Malabar, hy 
 Alex. Menexes, tM Catholic Arehhi^hog :\ — 1 . " They obsti- 
 " nately maintained the errors of ^estorius, and besides that, 
 f they received no images, adipittin^ only the rrosvwhich they 
 " niucli honoured : nevertheless, tl^ere were images of some 
 ."saints iu Churches adjacent to the Portuguese." 
 
 S. " They afRrmcd that the souls of the saints did not see 
 f! God before the day 6f jttdgment." 
 
 . t Hist. Orient, dea progr. d'Alexis Menexes, Chap. xx. 
 
120 CHRISTIAN CHURCHES 
 
 The g^reatest part of the errors which Arcl> 
 bishop Menexes pretended to have found 
 amongst the Christians of St. Thomas, have 
 been exaggerated by the compilerof that history 
 to stiew that extraordinary labour was needful t 
 for gaining theise people. But if that Arch- 
 bishop, and other emissaries into the East, had 
 bedn well acquainted with the ancient Theolo- 
 gy, they would not have so murtipljed errors. 
 In edect, seeing they measured all things by the 
 rule of the Theology which is taught in. the. 
 schools of Europe, it is not to be thought 
 strange, that they would needs reform the orien- 
 tal flsttions according to that standard. I con- 
 fess, there were abuses there that needed 
 a«iendraent; but they ought not to have been 
 rectified according to our customs. The course 
 that was to have beentak^n on these occasions 
 was to have turned bacR unto their ancient 
 books, arid to have reformed them according to 
 
 S. "They acknowledged but tbree Sacranieuts, to wit, 
 " Baptism, Orders, and the £ucbarist: and in the Form ef 
 '.' Baptism there was so great an abuse amongst them, that iq 
 " one and the same Charcb, different forms of Baptism were 
 " in use : and by reason of that, ii happened often that-the 
 " Baptism was null : so that Arch'bishop Menexes siecretly rc- 
 " baptized most part of that people. Tiiere were also a great 
 " many,'especially the poor, who lived in the woods, who had 
 " never been bajptized, because 1>aptism cast inraey; and^ 
 
©fmalabab. ^J* ,121 
 
 the contents^ thereof; and' that m-ight have heejt 
 easily done, as will appear in the sequel of this 
 discourse. But we must first relate the rest of 
 that history that we may be able to make the 
 better judg^ment on the cdndHctof Menexes, 
 and of the pretended erirors of the Nestorians. 
 Archbishop Meneatesr c»lled , a Synod the 
 twentieth) of June, 1599, where the deputies of 
 the Nestorians were present, to deliberate joint- 
 ly ;with the Archlyishop about matters af reli- 
 giODu And that it might appear that the NieS'^ 
 torians had all the Wiberty that is necessary 
 upoH such occasions^ and that on the other 
 hand', they might give their consent to all that 
 should be-d*ecreed there, the Archbishop gain- 
 erf eight of thfc most faiiions churchmen, and 
 fully informed them of his design, and of' the 
 ways that were to be t-aken fbrsucceeding in it^ 
 giving them the particulars of alt the decrees" 
 that were to be made there, and' asking their 
 . cdi-OfJi - - , , , 
 
 ■ " nevertheless, though theyliaid never-been baptized; yet they 
 '."^wen^ to Church, and - re.ceive() the jSacrament, Besides,, 
 " they^often enOsugb, delayed Baptisrp for several month;?, nayt 
 '< and for several years." . . 
 
 4. " They, made no iise of holy oil in the adnainisJration of 
 " Baptisni,.unle$s. that finding; ip ,the.ii; rituals that there was 
 '^ mention made of anoiuting. after jSiaptjstni, Uiey anointed 
 "children with an unguent made of Indian nuts> without any 
 " benedictiau : and they esteemed that uaction holy." 
 
 R 
 
122 CHRISTIAN CHURCHES 
 
 opiniou upon every distinct point, as if nothing 
 had as yet been resolved wpon; to the end that 
 beijjg present in the Synods they might do the 
 samp, and thereby oblige the rest to follow tbeit- 
 example. He took many other measures for 
 succeeding in his designs, which, it wauld be to 
 BO purpose, to relate; anti sill fhat hath been 
 hitherto alleged, is only la show the manner 
 how the Romish religion hath been established 
 in the East, and that it is not tq be thought 
 strange, that all the reconciliations that have 
 been made with those people, whom we call 
 schismatics, have been of no long duration. 
 
 It Avas then decreed in thatSynod, that the 
 priests, deacons, sub-deacons^ and besides all 
 the deputies of towns that were present, should 
 si^ the Confession of Faith, that the Arch- 
 bishop had privately made by himself, which 
 was- done, and all solemnly, swore obedience to 
 the Pope, whom they acknowledged to be head 
 
 of "the Church, swearing also that they would 
 
 I 
 
 5. " They had no knowledge of confirmatioB, nor extreme 
 " unction ; uay, not so much as the naipes of them." 
 
 6. " They abominated auricular confession, except a feSi 
 "that were neighbours to the Portuguese: and as to the 
 " eucharist, they communicated on holy Thursday, and many 
 " other festival days, without other preparation, than coming 
 " to the sacrament fasting." 
 
 7. " Their Books- were full of considerable: errors, and in 
 
OF MALABAR. 
 
 123 
 
 entertain ndniore commerce with the Patriarch 
 of Babylon. Moreover they anathematized the 
 person df Nestorius, and all his errors, owning 
 Cyrill, Patriarch of Alexandria, for a saint 
 Besides, a great many particular statutes were 
 made in that Synod, for reforming the errors 
 that Archbisop Menexes pretended to. be in 
 the administration of their sacraments, and>in 
 their books. And therefore he caused their 
 ^liturgies and, other OflSces to be rectified. He 
 regulated the matter of marriage,, according to 
 the decrees of the Council of Trent.. The sar 
 craments of penance, confirmation, and.exjtrem? 
 unction, were likewise reformed, according to 
 the practice of the Church of Borne.. Priest? 
 w6re- for the. future prohibited to marry, and 
 r^ulations were made for those, who were 
 already married. In a word,. the Archbishop 
 introduced the religion of. the L?iiins amongst 
 the Chaldeans, as well in that Synod, as. in the 
 
 " their mass .there were a great many additions inserted by the 
 
 " Nestoriaos." 
 
 8. " They consecrated with little cakes made with oil and 
 '" isalt, which tlie deacons and other churchmen,, who were 
 
 "bat HI inferior orders, baked in a copper vessel-, having-.for 
 
 " that purpose' a separated place iii the form of a little tower ; 
 ,« aod'whilst the cake was a baking, tlieyisang'several.'Psajms 
 
 *' and hymns : and when they were ' ready to consecrate 
 . " throitgh a hole that w.as in the floor, of that little tower. 
 
124 CHRISTIAN CHURCHES 
 
 visitations which he ma'de of several Churches. 
 But let usnow consider, if he ha'H reason to in- 
 trodu-ce so many novelties amongst the Chris- 
 tians of St. ThoriiVas; vv'hich'will serve to dis- 
 cover ihe religion of those people. , • 45 
 
 Mr. Simons defence of the ^alabw" Christiaits 
 on the charges pt^fe^t^d ^ fugainst them by 
 ". -Archbishop Meneaoes;-^ <, '^ > 
 
 ^' I. As 10' thfe errors whieh the Archbishop 
 Men'exes imputes to the Chris'tians of Malabar 
 the way that th% Archbishop should have pro- 
 ceeded vdtli them, if he intended to have estilV 
 Wished a lasting reformation, i;n my anthoKs 
 opinion, he ought to h^ve hdard them, b^fotfe 
 he conideraned them, for beings called Nesto- 
 rians. When it had been made clear to thelii, 
 that all the disputes which they had' with the 
 Church of Rome, 'consisted only in the am- 
 biguity of terms, they would have become a 
 greatTdeai more tratrtabte and tiocife.- 
 
 " tbey let the cake in a little basket inar]e of leaves slide down 
 " upon the altar. Moreover^, they made use of wine made 
 "of water, in which some dry grapes had only beeq'iiifus- 
 ^'ed." 
 
 9. " They said. mass but' very seldom, and he that served 
 '* at it, wore a kind of a siole over his ordinary cloathts, though 
 "he Was not ade3eon,j He had alwaj^lbe censer in hisMn^> 
 
QF MALABAR. Iti,^ 
 
 II. As to images, the Chaldeans reverence 
 them not so much as the Greeks do, becaqse 
 that grieat veneration of images was not soiirm- 
 Jy established in the Greek Church, but since 
 the second council of Nice, which was posterior 
 to all the sects of the Chaldeans, who common- 
 ly are satisfied with a cross in their hand ; and 
 that cross wherewith the Priest blesseth the 
 people, is of plain metal, wit^iout any figure. 
 The Archbishop might very well hg-ve let the 
 Cbristians of St. .Tfhomas glone in that ancient 
 simplicity, becau^,eaJIth^t hath been since that 
 time decreed concerning images, is but barely 
 matter of discipline. . , 
 
 III. It is very true, they administer not Bap- 
 tisiti after the manner of the . Latins ; but it is 
 not therefore to be Ihougbt, that tl?e forii^ of 
 their baptism is invalid ; and it w^s far 'less ne- 
 cessary to re-baptisze those who had been bap? 
 tized according to the Chaldean rite. That 
 
 -" and said almost as many prayers as he that celebrated, 
 "adding tliereto many unknown ^nd impious ceremonies." . 
 
 10. " They had so great'a veneration for orders, that tl|ere 
 " was not a family where someone was not in orders : and the 
 " reason of that was, because, as ordefs niad^lhem not incapa- 
 " lile of other endploymenls, so they, hadi^very, yfhere the pre- 
 " cedence." " ^ 
 
 " Beside&, they observed not the age r^quiMle for priest- 
 
126 CHRISTIAN CHURCHES 
 
 which dieceives the emissaries, when they treat 
 about affairs of Religion with the orientals, is 
 the prejudices which they have learned in the 
 schools concerning the matter and form of 
 sacraments. When, for instance, they see that 
 the child is not baptized at the same time that 
 the words which denote the action are pro- 
 nounced, they take the baptism to be null; 
 without considering that the manner of adminis- 
 tigring the sacraments amongst the orientals, 
 consists chiefly in certain prayers which they 
 say, and that they are not so great metaphy- 
 sicians as the Latins; which makes them igno- 
 rant of a vast number of difficulties, that out- 
 divines handle with much subtilty ; but the be- 
 belief of the Nestorians is not therefore less 
 pure, nor less ancient. 
 
 TV. The unction which they use after Bap- 
 tism, is with them the sacrament of confirma- 
 tion, that differs much from that of the Latins ; 
 
 " hood, and the other orders ; for they made priests at the 
 " age of seventeen, eighteen, and twenty years : and when they 
 *' were priests, they married, even with widows, and past to 
 " second or third marriages. The priests' wives had some 
 " place before others, as well in the churches a.s elsewberev and 
 '' they were to be known by a cross which they carried aboiit 
 " their neck, or some other thing that distinguished them." ' 
 11." They went tlaily to Church to read th» Liturgy aloiid 
 
OF MALABAR. 127 
 
 and it was not needful that Archbishop Menexes 
 should have introduced another unction that wa» 
 practised in his church, and.which at most was 
 no more than a ceremony. He ought to have 
 known that the Nestorians, according to the 
 ancient practice of the Eastern Church, admi- 
 nister to children confirmation and the eucha- 
 rist, with Baptism. It had been then fit, to 
 have exaniined their rituals, to see whether any 
 abuse might not have crept into the administra^ 
 tion of that sacrament : wfhereas Menexes his 
 t^ief care seertis to have been to abolish most 
 ancient customs, because they were not agree- 
 able to the practices of the Latins. 
 
 V. The Archbishop is mistaken, when he 
 says that the Christians of St. Thomas had no 
 knowledge of confirmation, nor of extreme 
 unction, and were ignorant of the very names. 
 It may be, they might have been ignoraiit' of 
 the names of these sacraments, . especially of 
 
 " in the Chaldaic tongue : but they did not think theiiiseiVes 
 " obliged to repeat it elsewhere, neither had tbey any breViar- 
 " ies for saying it in private." . . . ' 
 
 12. ,'* They committed simony in the administration of 
 " Baptism and the £ucharist, setting rates of the price tbey 
 " were to receive for them. For their marriages, they made 
 ," use of the first Priest that they fuuud, especially those who 
 ':' lived in the: country." 
 
1!^ GHRI&TIANA&HURCHES 
 
 extreme unction-, which ■ is I no where kiiown, 
 but in the Latin church : fer th<Jugh the East- 
 ern Church hath "the castom of anointing the 
 sick, according to the words of St.- James, yet 
 she calls not that eereraoay extreme unction, 
 for the reasons w© mentioiled before, wfeeii we 
 spoke of theGreeks^and the saine.reasons riiay 
 be also applied to cbnSrmation.; The Priests 
 administer that sacranieint amongst theNesto- 
 rlans, asVell as^aroowgst' the Greeks, at the 
 same time they do' Baptism, of which, accord- 
 ing to them, it "is a jaerfeciiou that ought never 
 to be separated from it. As to auricular con- 
 fession, which- they had in abhorrence, it is cer- 
 tainly an abuse introduced into that Church, 
 because th^ use' of confession is in all the Bast, 
 tliough most part think rnolt themselves obliged 
 to it by Divine right. ~ s'? , - 
 
 VI. As to the errors which the Archbishop 
 preteiids to have found in their books, so fal- 
 
 ls. " They had an extraomJiiiary respect for rheir Patriarch 
 " of BEtbylon, a schismatic, and head of the N«!>toriaD sect ; 
 '' on the contrary, they could not endure that the Pope should 
 " be named in their churches, where-most commonly they had 
 " lieithec curate nor vicar but the ancientest presided ih 
 "them." 
 
 14. " Tbiough on Sundays they went to mass> y«t they did 
 "not think themselves obligedcto it in conscience ; so Uikt 
 
OF MALABAR. l^Q 
 
 as that they would have entirely abolished the 
 office of advent, it was easy to have giten a 
 good meaning to all these pretended errors; 
 besides -that, the reformation which he made 
 in their .Liturgy was improper: for there is 
 nothing worse digested than the mass of the 
 Nestorians, in the manner as it is found insert- 
 ed in the Mibliotheca Patrum. The wholiei 
 order of it is changed, in endeavouring to 
 accotiamodate that Liturgy to the opinion which 
 the Latiq divines have of consecration, -which 
 they make to consist in these words, This i$ my 
 hody^ && whereas the N,est6rians believe, as all 
 the orientals do, that the consecration is not 
 completed, till the Priest hath ended the prayer,^ 
 which they call thte Invocation of the Holy 
 Ghost. Nevertheless Menexes makes the Nes-- 
 torian Priests adore the host, so soon as they 
 have pronounced these words, This iis my body,. 
 though they believe it not to be as yet conse- 
 
 " they were at liberty not to go, nay, there were some places 
 " where mass was said but once a year, and others where 
 *' none was said in six, seven, and ten years." 
 
 15, "The Priests discharged secular employments.^ Th^e 
 "Bishops were Babylonians, s6ut by their Patriarch,'! and 
 " lived only by sordid gain, and simony, selling publicly holy 
 " things, as the collation of drders, and the administration ofb 
 *' other sacraments." 
 
 s. 
 
180 CHRISTIAN CHUURCHES 
 
 crated. About this q«estion, the. notes on Ga- 
 briel of Philadelphia may be consulted, where 
 the author particularly jostifiesthe Nestorians, 
 and .proves clearly, their liturgies, even that 
 which carries the name of S.-Nestorius, oontain 
 nothing^but what is orthodox: wliich is- far from 
 the sentiment of Menexes, who calls them im- 
 pious and heretical, and who only defends tbei 
 correction that he hjath made, by these general 
 terms, that their Liturgies were full of blas- 
 phemies. The same author affirms that in one 
 of the liturgies for the use of the Nestoriaus, 
 which. he had from a Babylonian Priest, the 
 name of Nestorius,-with many other things, 
 were blotted out, and other's adjJted that were 
 not of the same hand writing, because the Nes- 
 torian Priest, who made use of that Litiitrgy,' 
 was reconciled, at least in appearance, to tke 
 Roman Church, which obliged him to, jefarm 
 in his missal al} that niight disgust the divines 
 of Rome, The Nestorians have also done the 
 like on another occasion, as Stroza* relates: 
 
 16. '^ They eat flesh on Satutdayc, and were in this error in 
 " regard of the Fasts «f Lent and the Advent, that if they had 
 "failed to fast one day^ Ihey fasted no more, thinking'theim-' 
 «' selves not' obliged to it, because thiey had already broken 
 »' their fast." 
 
 P0tr. Stroica de dugm. Ch^M* 
 
OP MALABAR. \ 131 
 
 for SO soon as they come to Rome, and hear 
 Nestorias spoken of as an impious person and 
 heretic, they tare out the leaves of their books 
 where mention is made of him, taking away all 
 that they believe to be contrary to the theology 
 of the Church of Rome. 
 
 VII. Their custom of consecrating with 
 leavened bread, mingling therein oil and salt, 
 ought not to be reckoned amongst their errorsj 
 since that does not alter the nature of bread. 
 The ceremony, besides, which they observe, to 
 render, in some sort, the bread more holy be- 
 fore the consecration, is laudable, nay, and 
 ancient. They thereby distinguishy as - the 
 Greeks do, the bread that is destined to be 
 made the body of Christ, from all common 
 Jbread, which they look upon as profane, before 
 they have said over it a certain number of 
 prayers and Psalms. 
 
 " Vill. It is no matter of wonder that the 
 Chaldeans do not say mass so often as .the 
 Latins do, and that many priests are present at 
 the Bishop's mass, and take the cooimunion 
 from- his hands. That is an ancient practice 
 in the Church^ whereas the custom of saying 
 so many masses in the Latin Church, is very 
 late, and hath been chiefly introduced by tflen- 
 dicant monks, as it is observed by Cardinal 
 Bona; which practice hath befea m«ch fortified 
 
133 Christian churches 
 
 since the introduction of the new law. It is 
 Also a very ancient custom that they whp serve 
 atid are present at mass, rehearse a good, part 
 of it ; and that because the Liturgy is a public 
 action which concerns the peopleiiand may be 
 •easily proved, even by the prayfers of the Latin 
 mass. 
 
 IX. It is true, thie Nestorians and other 
 Orientals, are grown, remiss in the ancient dis- 
 "^ipliue as to what relates to onders, and that 
 they observe not the age required by the canons : 
 "but if that wanted to be reformed, as well as 
 . ^hat concerns the, marriage of priesits; the 
 Teformattpn should have been taken from their 
 laws, rathet than from.those of Romew Every' 
 pne knows that in the Eastern Church, priests 
 are allowed to marry before their ordinatidn. 
 This Archbishap Menexes ought to have con- 
 sidered in reforming 1;hero, and not to have dis- 
 solved the marHage of priestts^. that he i might 
 tionform, to some statute^ made in the Synods 
 heldiat Gpa by some Latin emissaries, .tyi',^ 
 
 aX. Menexes seems to have been^iiiistaken in 
 reckomiig the custom of not sayiugi the breviary 
 out of the Church amongst their errors, because 
 that practice is ne\v^ smd that the breviary was 
 not,.made to be said in private. 
 
 XJ. It is to be doubted whether the fees that 
 the. Negtorian Priests, set for the administrar 
 
OP MALABAR. 133 
 
 tion of Ihe sacraments, onglit to be called 
 simooy, because that is to them instead of a 
 benefice. 
 
 XII. The^ submission that the -Nestorians 
 have for their Patriarch, ought not to be reckon- 
 ed an error, because the Orientals look upon all 
 Patriarchates, even that of Rome, as powers 
 established by positive law : and if it be object- 
 ed to them 9S a reproach, that they have an 
 aversion to the Pope, they answer, that the 
 Pope takes to himself rites over the Churches 
 of the East, which these Churches do not 
 acknowledge* As to their not having curates 
 nor vicard, but that the eldest Priest presides 
 in their assemblies ; that cannot, rationally, be 
 called an error: on the contrary, it is an excel- 
 lent discipline ; and it were to be wished, that 
 it were established in all Churches for a reme- 
 dy to many abuses, which are at present in 
 Benefices. ' 
 
 XIII. In fine, most part of that which Me- 
 iiexes calls corruptions amongst the Nestorians, 
 is not so in efiect, unless it be in the imagina- 
 tion of some emissaries, "who measure religion 
 according to what they have been taught in 
 their schools. Can it be said, for instated, that 
 it is an error in these people, and" other Chris- 
 tians of the East, to eat flesh on Saturday, 
 which amongst them is a festi veil day, agree- 
 
1S4 GHRISTIAN CHURCHES 
 
 able to the ancient practice of the Church ? 
 Can it be said also> that' the Nestorians err in 
 relation to marriage, because they take the first 
 Priest that they meet with to marry th^m?- 
 We must know that in' the Eastern Ghurch 
 the- Priest is not barely a witness of the raar- 
 riiige, but that he is the only and true minister 
 of it, as of- the other sacraments" and ceremo- 
 nies. 
 
 A Catitlogue of the Churches of the Syrian 
 Christians of St. 'Phomas, of Malabar. — 
 Frbm the Synodical Acts at Diamper. ' 
 
 Angamala, three churches j — 'Alangatta, or M an- 
 ga,ttai a church, and two oratories.— Ambal- 
 ^catta, a church, and an oratory.— ^Callur- 
 catta, a church.— Cbrolongatta, a church and 
 an oratory. — Pallipuram, a church. — Mut- 
 tam, a church. — Odiamper, a church. — ^Te- 
 Henparur, a church. — Nhararael,! a church. 
 — Caririgiacera, a church. — Palicare, a church. 
 — Cadanatite, a church* — Curupenpadi, a 
 church*— Perumettjux), a church.i-^Coda«- 
 iaog^lam, a church^ — Maleatur, a church and 
 ■ an.oratory.-^Puttenp'ali, a church. — Canhur, 
 a church. — Clovare, a church. — Ceuotta, a 
 church.^-^Verapoli, a church. — Ps^run, a 
 
 . chuTcb^'^Nharica, a ch,urch.-^Erap4'CHl|ita, 
 
OF MALABAR. 135 
 
 or Augicaimal,k church. — Palurti, a church. 
 — Pattencera,a church. — Corretti, a church. 
 — Cailacudi, a church. — Beleanate, a church. 
 — Palur, a church. — Pashur, a church. — • 
 Jplnamaca, a church. — Parapur^nngari, a 
 church.— Cottapadi, a church. — Mattatii, a 
 church. — Calparamba, a church.-^Mushcol- 
 lara, a churcli. — Aargoshe, a church. — ElAr, 
 two churches and an oratory. — Ciungatta, a 
 church.- — Nediale, a church.; — Mailacomba, 
 a church. — Parrdtta, a cbngr. — R^maratta, 
 a church. — Elanguil, a church. — Badagore, 
 a church.— ^Cenabi, a church.^- Muttiera, a 
 church and..oratory.— Adirampushe, a church.^ 
 -^Codamalur, a church. — Codalur, a church. 
 —Manhapra, a church.— Cottan}attil,achurch. 
 -^Coittotta, a church. — Ed>apulj orRapolim, 
 tuvo churches.^ — Badeate, a church. — Pullin- 
 gune, a church and an oratory.— Modelaco- 
 dafn, a church. — Nagapushe, a church. — 
 Cainada, a church.— Paincollata, a church. 
 — -Iratnshe, a church.— Cangnarpalli, a church. 
 ' — Gianganaceri, a church and an oratory. — 
 Pudupu]la,va church. — Punatlna, a church. 
 Cerphungel, a church. — Pal^ya, a church 
 and Syro-chald. seminary. — Punhada, a 
 church. — Vaypur, a church. — Veciur, a 
 church.-^Aanacallunghel, a church. — -Aala- 
 puahe, a church. — Totampali, a church, — 
 
136 CHRISTIAN CHURCHES 
 
 Pom.cada, a church.— ^Calicqt, a churchj Lat. 
 Mah^. 
 
 Churches of the Jacobite Christians, 
 
 Gadamattam, a chtircb. — Tekenparnr, mixed 
 cong.— Garingacera, mix. cong. — Nharamel, 
 mix. cong. — Molanturuti, a church.— Miam- 
 alaceri, a church. — Pallicare, a 'church. — 
 — Gollendera, a church. — Gurupenpadi, a 
 church. — Parur, a church. — ^Angamala, a 
 church.--Agamparambil, a church.-^GalJu- 
 pare, a church. — Manarg^da, a churchj — 
 Cengani!l:r, a church. — Neranatta, episcor- 
 pal church where Mar Thoiue resides. — Cal- 
 lucera, a church. — Coshanceri, a chut'bh. — - 
 GayamcoUam, a church. — Puttencaya,- a 
 church. — Bemanil, a church. — Gartyapalli^ 
 a church. — Teke'bcollamgere, a churchy — 
 TumbonAr, a church.— ^Omelur, a chnrchw — 
 Tevelacare, a church.— Gatare, a church. — 
 Gadambara, a church. — Mavalicare, a cong. 
 ■ r^Gondur, a church. — Tiruvanc^da, Trayan- 
 core, a church. — Gaddeuata, a church,-^ 
 Godameingalam^ a church.— Gollamj a church. 
 Parotta, mix. cong. 
 
 Churcfies of Latinized Christians. 
 
 Granganor, a church and an oratory'.— ^Palli* 
 port, a church.— Vwpoly, a church.-*-Get- 
 
OP MALABAR. 137 
 
 tiate, a church. — Vaupin, Lat. cong.— An- 
 ^icaimal, a church, Lat. and Chald. — Ben- 
 durd, a church. — Matincera, a church; — 
 Castella, a church.-^S, Lewis, a ^ihurch.-— 
 , Saude, a church.; — Artunk, a church. — 
 Tapghi. — Tuinboli. — Cattdr.— Alapushe, an 
 oratory. — Manacodam. — Peli'cada, J^at. and 
 Chal, 
 
 The above are all subject to the Apostolic 
 Vicar, appointed by the Romish Seei. 
 
 Iditin , Churches subject to. the Romish Bishop !: 
 of Cochin. ; ,,i 
 
 C4yamco;llani, a church.-^Coitatta, a^chiirch. — 
 Aybica, a churfch.— ^CoUacnj a church.— -Cat- 
 tere, a church.— Canharacotta, a church. — 
 Maogada^a church.— Church of three kibgs. 
 — ^Tuyam, a church.-^Ereboram,. a church.,, 
 Maynada, a church.-^Mampuli^ a church. — 
 Asjenga, a church.— Cerot, a church.— Mun- 
 
 , gotto, a church.— Navaeollam, a church. — 
 Areturuti, a church. — ^Tayampalli, a churchy 
 — Puducurici, achurch.---Plitten1topb, achurcb* 
 — S. Andrew, a church. — Vdy, a church. — 
 Valliatorra, achurch.—Pullnrvaley, a church. 
 Adityentorra, a church. — Patpara, a church. 
 — S. Barbara, a church.— Eneas, a church. 
 Mural has, a church. — Curampana, a church* 
 , — Coleci, a church.— ^^eyitU^gare, a church^ 
 
138 CHRISTIAN GHtJRCHES 
 
 Travencore, Latin. — Patamaiiabararai ' a 
 
 - church— (Edeagari, a church.— Cariapatnain, 
 
 - a church,^ Marcudi, a church.— Cottate, a 
 church. — Alandel, a church.— Comorio, a 
 church;— VadakencoHam, a church.— Pale- 
 
 '. aracotta, a church.:— Tutucuri, a church. — 
 i Manapar, a church.- Tirunavely, a church. 
 The above are all situated in Travancofe, con- 
 ■ ■ si'sting of Latinized Christians. 
 
 INQUISITION Vt go a. 
 
 The history of th^Inquisition is a history of 
 horror, at which every humane mind recoils, 
 and which true Christian charity, must hold, 
 ■with the utmost detestation and abhorrence. 
 -This engine of oppression and torture has been 
 jn. force and exercise for three whole, centuries 
 past, and has obtained in , all. countries where 
 the. Romish, religloft has made ah y regular 
 jBstablishnient. . "The Inquisitioii, says Liim- 
 bofeh, is the master-piece of policy and cruelty, 
 and such an invention for the, suppression, of 
 .truth and ; religion, liberty and knowledge,* 
 
 * History of the Inquisition by Philip a Limborcb, translat- 
 ed by Sam. Chandler, 2 vol. Loiid." 1731. Vol. I. pag. 135. 
 "Open thy mouth for the dumb, in the cause of all such 
 as are.appointed for destruction," JProv. xxxi. 8. Solitary con- 
 finement is' one branch of the systetil oJT nientalantT refined 
 torture/ where to the imhiureti inhabitant, the only compahions 
 
OF MALABAR. ISQ 
 
 innocence ;ai)d.virtiie,'as could proceed from no 
 other , wiisdom but that which is earthly, sen- 
 sual, and devilish; > "The Lisbon Inquisition 
 was erected by Cardinal Henry, second Inqui- 
 sitor : genera;l, A. D. 1539. The Inquisition 
 was setup at Goa, in, the Indies, at.the instance 
 of Francis Xaverius, who signified by letters 
 to Pope John III. Nov. 10, 1545, " That the 
 Jewish wickedness spread every day more and 
 more in the parts of the East Indies, subject to 
 the kingdom of Portugal, and therefore he 
 earnestly besought the said king, that to cure 
 so great an evil, he would take care to send the 
 office of the Inquisition into those countries," 
 Upon this. Cardinal Henry, then Inquisitor 
 general in the kingdom of Portugal, erected the 
 Tribunal of the Holy Inquisition in the city of 
 Goa, the raetropoliis of that province, and sent 
 into those parts Inquisitors, Officials, and other 
 necessary Ministers, who should take diligent 
 care- of the affairs of the Faith. The first In- 
 quisitor was Alexius Diaz Falc^nOi sent by 
 
 admissible are hope and despair, whose unremitting attendance 
 are the gloomy shades which add to the horrors of the cell ! 
 Public crime desefves public punishment, and it is very much 
 to be doubted where the civil authorities adopt this species of 
 private punishment for reforniation of manners whether it 
 does, or ever caq. produce, the desired effect. 
 
140 — CHRlSTlAlir CHURCHES 
 
 Cardinal Henry, March 15, A-'B. 1560, wha 
 
 Arrived ^t<Joa the end of that year, and began 
 
 to execute the office of Inquisitor." The lao- 
 
 g^iage rif'F/Xaviefjused on this Occasion, w 
 
 truly stis{ifcibiis» and that under the mask of 
 
 correcting "the Jevvish wickedness," is rather 
 
 to be construed an avowed design against the 
 
 liberties, the indeji^ndence, and the firmness of 
 
 the native Christians of Malabar, who refused 
 
 to acknowledge the Pope's supremacy, and 
 
 witha true Protestant zeal bravely resisted the 
 
 Catholic tyranny.* 
 
 Of the number of Chrisiim Churches: collected 
 ' frdm sevetal RepoHs. 
 
 ' . I !;jyT'; ,i.;; 1!., .•! .■ ;•■ >, ,i > ... a-.-i 
 
 : Mon.'Cerri/^ecretary t9 th&, cpqgreggttioft De 
 propaganda Fide, who wrote, an account of 
 the state of the Roman Catholic Religion for 
 the u^e of Pope Innocent XI, de^cribipg the 
 stgite of the Christians of Malabar, says, "Chris- 
 tianity was established in this country by the 
 glorious Apostle St. Thomas. The Christians 
 
 * Those who are desirous of information on this subject 
 may consult Dellon's Account of the laquisition at Goa, and 
 a most interesting account of this Inquisition in' the Rev. 
 t)i-. C. Buchanan's Letters from Goa. Art. Romish Christians 
 la lodia. CSliristiau Researches, Lend, 1812. pag. 159. 
 
OF MALABAR. 
 
 ur 
 
 who live in the states of twenty-one petty 
 kings, have fourteen hundred villages, great and 
 smilJ, and a hundred and twenty-seven church- 
 fes,' with their priests; and the number of these 
 Christians amounts to two hundred thousand." 
 
 " The whole coast of Malabar abounds with 
 Christiatis. Their principal seat is Malayala, 
 Xhose provinces reach from Cape lUi to Tovo- 
 td, extending one hundred and twenty In- 
 dian miles in length, and from the chain of 
 mountains called theGauts to the sea, between 
 twenty-five and thirty in breadth: the whole 
 population is'estiarated at two millions of inha- 
 bitants, according to my author, whereof two 
 hundred thousand bear the Christian name. 
 
 «<Jn the year 177 1, the Christians of St. Tho- 
 mas, according to M. Florentinus k Jesu, the 
 bishop atid apostolic vicar on the coast of Ma- 
 labar, amounted td' ninety-four thousand, six 
 hundred. In the year 1787, when a poll-tax 
 was about to be imposed on them by the king 
 of Travancore, they estimated their number 
 -themselves at one hundred thousand persons* 
 Ten thbilsandof them had then lost their lives 
 during the war against Tippoo Sultan, but still 
 there will remain ninety thousand Christians 
 following the Syrio-Chaldaic ritual. .They 
 have in their -possession sixty-four churches, 
 some of which, however, were destroyed by 
 
142 CHRISTIAN' CHURCHES 
 
 Tippoo. The Ja,cpbites have thirty-two church- 
 es, to which b^Jong fifty thousand. These* 
 therefore, iform all -together one hundred and 
 forty thousand Christians, who adhere to the 
 Syrio-Chaldaic rites.. There are, likewise, 
 seventy-five churches of the Mucoas and JPara- 
 vm* on the coast of Travancore; and twenty 
 churches belongitig to the Latin ritual, which 
 lie in the district, between Porrocarflof and Cape 
 lUi^ Ail these churches can muster more than 
 one hundred thousand Christians. This account 
 is taken from Fra.Paolino, who was there on 
 a mission between the years 1776 and 1789." 
 
 " The Christians, found, on the Coromandel 
 <;oast are not so numerous: there were reckon- 
 ed to be in Madura, in the (ime of the above 
 author's residence in India, eighteen thousand 
 Christians; in Cca'nada, twenty thousand; and 
 in Tranjore, ten thousand, exclusive of t,he Pr-o- 
 testant missions." 
 
 *- These are the fishermen employed in the pearl fistheries,. 
 who are very numerous, inhabitiag the coast, and amount to 
 thirty thousand, according to Dr. Bucliaiian's Christian Re- 
 searches, pag. 152. Ed. 1812. For an authentic and enter- 
 'tertaining account of these pearl divers, who go out in fleets, 
 and precipitate themselves to the bottom of the sea, after this 
 .precious cpmn|odity,.see:Le Compte's Memoirs and Observa- 
 don< of China. 8vo. Lipd. l698|. pag. 408. 
 
? OF MALABAR. 143 
 
 Extracts from the Rev. Dr. Kerr's Report. 
 i Dated Madras, 1806* 
 
 " The Metropolitan of the St. Thom^ Chris- 
 tians, says Dr. Kerr, has several archdeacons 
 and deacons rntder him. ^\iey \i^\B' fifty-five 
 churches, and the number of theit people, as 
 given in to the resident at TravanCore, is twen- 
 ty-three thousand. The residence of their 
 Metropolitan is at Cadienatte, twelve or four- 
 teen miles inland from Cochin. ' In some of 
 their Churches Divine service is performed in 
 the Syrian and Latin ritual alternately by the 
 priests of the Christians of St. Thom^, who 
 have adhered to their ancient rites, and those 
 who have been united to the Church of Rome-^ 
 
 When the latter have celebrated mass, they 
 
 i ' ■ ■ 
 
 carry away the images from the Churfch, before 
 
 the others enter, — Their numbers, it is con- 
 jectured, are under-rated in the statement given 
 in td the resident, as it is generally supposed, 
 that they may be estimated at sfeventy oi* eighty 
 thousand." '■ > * 
 
 "The, Syrian Roman Catholics were con- 
 strained to join the Latin 'church after a long 
 struggle fbr the power of maintaining their 
 purity and independence; and still appear a 
 
 * This jReport is,so closely connected with the preceding, 
 that I could not possibly deferit.' • 
 
144 CHRISTlAlSf CHURCHES 
 
 people perfectly distinct from the Latin churcb, 
 being allowed to" chant and perform all the 
 services of the church of Rome in the Syro- 
 Chaldaic language, by a dispensation from 
 the Pope., They live under the authority of - 
 the lyietropolitan of Craoganore,and the Bishop 
 of Verapoli, and dress differently from other 
 priests^ They wear a white surplice, while, the 
 priests of the^ Latin coffiQiunion wear black, 
 go wps, like the Capuchin friars of "M^dfr^s- 
 The Jloman Catholic Syrians, it is thought, are 
 much more numerous than the members of the 
 original ,Chiirch, Their , clergy are spretad 
 through the aodeat churcbesj ^sd by retaining 
 their language; and acting under the direction 
 of the church of Rome, they leave no queans 
 unessaypd to draw over their primitive brethr^a 
 to the Latin communion. — There are said to be 
 eighth-six parishes of Roman-Csttholic Syr^^tis^ 
 subject to the diocese&ofCranganore an4 Verai 
 poll. • Their priests, to, the number oifovr hun- 
 dred, are styled Catanars, which is a ^jiri^ 
 appellation, their congregations are reported at 
 ninety thousand, old and young included, agr^er 
 ably to the last Teturns transmitted to Rpim^i— r 
 There is an inferior order of Priests, w^o are 
 called ChiamUSfia number about one hijindred. 
 and twenty, — Attached to each chiirch is » 
 Convent, where the Ca/awar* reside. in c.^pamu- 
 
OF MALABAR. 145 
 
 mity, there being three, four, or five to each 
 church, and the service is performed weekly ifi 
 rotation." 
 
 " College of Ferapofe'.— There is a seminary 
 at the college of VerapoU for the education of 
 the Syro- Roman Catholics, and also one for the 
 Latin Church. The Syro-Rondan Catholics 
 are chiefly engaged, as already mentioned, in 
 drawing their ancient brethren within the 
 Romish pale; but it appears that some of them 
 have been employed formerly in extending the 
 general object of conversion over the Penin- 
 sula. — The priests attached to the college of 
 Verapoli are all Carmelites, united to the apo- 
 stolic mission at Bombay, but not subject to it. 
 T%ie jurisdiction of.e^ch is not marked by 
 distinct bounds ; the parishes and churches 
 being so intermingled, that it- is difficult to form 
 a right notion of their extent. — ^The Bishop of 
 Cochin, however, may be said to have controiil 
 over all the Romish churches, situated on the 
 sea coast, immediately with few exceptions, 
 from Cochin to Ramnad, and thence round the 
 whole island of Ceylon: the churches are 
 numerous, but as they are in general poor, and 
 are obliged to be supplied with priests from 
 Goa, it would appear that one Yicar holds, 
 upon an average, five or Bii churches. The 
 number of christians composing these churche«„ 
 
 t ■ 
 
CHRISTIAN' CHURCHES 
 
 ;mHSt be gf feat, a&all'and every off he ifishernieH 
 are Roman Catholics. — The bishoj3:of Coehin 
 usually resides at Cochin. — There a,re. few Eu- 
 ropean clergy, not 'above seven or eight under 
 the three jurisdictions, and none of them men 
 -of educalirtn'; ^^d it cannot be expected, that 
 the native priests, who have been educated at 
 -Goia, or at the seminary at Verapoli, should 
 'know riitich beyond their n"^«/* and missals:.' — 
 The Latin comrtiiinicants, in the diocese bfVe- 
 rappli,' are estimated at-thirty-five thousand'. — 
 -The.'catecihuman suffersno persecution on ac- 
 count "of hi« religion, wheta once converted : but 
 the country governments are excessively jealous 
 lipon.this point, and do their utniost to discoun- 
 tenfince any .conversion. The converts are 
 from {Various casts j viz.(Chegasor Teers, MucJc- 
 was, and PuUars ; and] there can be no doubt, 
 'but that many higher casts would be baptized, if 
 they did not dread the displeasure of their 
 fg0verntoej):ts." '.. ^ '>,*: 
 
 , is" The Latin Roman Catholics within the 
 provinces of Travancore and> Cochin have one 
 Archbishop'and two bishops: the. Archbishop 
 ,of Cranganore, and the bishops of Cochin and 
 'Veriapoli :■ — the two former have sees, the latter 
 is titular; . TbeArcbbishopof Giianganore, and 
 the bishops !df- Gochra are nominated , by the 
 qiieen of Portugal, after the folldvviflg' manner: 
 
OF MALABAR. 147^ 
 
 — tbree'«a|!iJes are sent when either .of these 
 sees become vacant by the'sovereign of Portu- 
 gal to the Pope^ and the Roman pon-tiff is bound 
 to select th& name. that stands tirst,;aHd to issue 
 his brevet or patent! accordingly. They are 
 sttbjiectnn all spiritual concerns ta the primate 
 of Goia, who has also the power of sending from 
 Gbaa locum tenenSj who is styled Pad!re6?o- 
 vemador.,hcAh sees are at this moment- filled- 
 with .such.* The titular bishop, who residies at 
 Verapoii, is appointed direetly by the 'Pope, 
 and is subject to no jurisdiction but that of hisi 
 holiness, or the Propaganda at Romei" 'jtJ!.. '■'» 
 
 '^Account of the Thomist Chrisliaris, from the 
 Reports of the Ddriisht Missionaries, 
 
 V On the western coast fare found the so< 
 called ; Thomist Christians, J. but of whom those 
 things which the papists have reported, and 
 especially they of St. Thomas's mount, relate 
 of the cross, the fountain, the scourge, and other 
 reliques, and also.of the miracles of this Apos- 
 tle are intitled to uo credit. There are some. 
 
 * Dated Madras, A, I>. 1806. , t Coast of Malabar. .^ 
 
 I Niecampfi Hktbria Missionis Evaiigelicae in India Orient 
 tali, in Lingaam Littinanr translata S:- Joll. Hen. Grischovioj 
 4to. Halae, 1747* Pars. I. chap \. § II. '^' ' 
 
1'48 CHRISTIANS OF 
 
 m4&s^i who doubt whether that Apostle evet 
 came into these regions ; esteeming rather, that 
 those things which happened there many ages 
 ago, in the titne of a certain Syrian preacher, 
 liamed Thomas^ hawe been by error ascribed to 
 the boljf Apostle. Ib; thfe mean' while the com- 
 mon opinioa is, that this disciple 'of the Lord, 
 baling come first from Calicut by sea, pceaicb- 
 «^U tithe Crospel as far as the coast of Coroffiaur' 
 delj b«rt espleeially to those of Mailap^r, and 
 was flierei dasiln. In this latter place, however, 
 the Tboinist Christians, are not allowed, -but 
 ^the papi^s have tiffiy chapeh in the greater and 
 lesser monntt)f St. Thomas : and the Mail purs 
 :bay& a bishop to whose diocese pertains the 
 Coromandel' coast and Bengal. They yet shew 
 there the sepulchre of St. Thomas, although 
 l^e AitDtieniatis contend tlrat his body wast te~ 
 «oved intky their own country by theif arae^s- 
 tors. This, however, is certain, that to or 
 a)boiut tile year of Christ, 189, PantiSneUs * and 
 
 '^ Paiftaii^us was a Greek, and' Chri^iih l^hildsblihier, 
 -celebrated for his griiat lektnmg, aiid Ptsttect of a scfaidol at 
 Alexandria ; being a man of eminent jpiety, Peoietrius, bislio{> 
 of that city, sent him jnfo the Indies, to preach the Gospel, 
 where he Is said to Mvle found the Gospel of St. lilatthew in 
 Hebrew, left there by St. Bartholomew. See Cave's Ch«nto>- 
 pbylax Eecleuasticus. iF^oxe's ActsandMouuments^Tom.I. 
 yag.7i3V 
 
: MALABAR. 149 
 
 certain others, eitizens of Alejtandria, tvere call- 
 ed into India; and in siibi^equent years sOmfr 
 Armenian .merchants, and some bisliops sent 
 thither from Antioch, propagated the: Christian 
 Religion in these countries^ until the Portu- 
 guese, after their coming to the western cdast; 
 endeavoured by subtilty and force, to sub- 
 jugate the Thomist Christians to the papal 
 yoke, after having clandestinely taken away 
 the bishops which had come there from An-, 
 tioch. Afterwards Cochin being occupied by 
 the Dutch, about the beginning of the year 
 1663, a fall liberty of conscience was restored 
 to the Thomist Christians; nevertheless, there 
 yet remained many among them who acknow- 
 ledged the Pope for their sapreme head, the 
 inspection of whom pertained to the Portu- 
 guese Archbishop of Cranganore. These c6li9- 
 brate mass according to the Roman missal, 
 but in the Syriac tong«i6, and celebrate Easter 
 in both kinds. Their clergy do bat very little 
 favour the Jesuits and Carmelites, not accept- 
 ing any thing from them besides orders: strict- 
 ly adh«»idg to theit o<vn proper ceremoniei^, yet 
 with them they worship saints, and live in 
 celibacy. The rest who have shaken otf the 
 Romish yoke ifeject transubstantiation, and re- 
 ddve the supper under both kinds, using in the 
 deficiency <Jf itine the juiCe of raislhs. The 
 
15Q CHRISTIANS OF > 
 
 » 
 
 worship , of images .atnpng them- , is , no where 
 tolerated, and th«y, read the Bifeleiii the Syfiac 
 language: th«ir clergy are likevi^isejg-aid to live 
 in celibacy..-" /.!..;''■ i 
 
 "SomeNestorianS acknowledge: thelPati-iarch 
 of Mosul or Ninive, but the Eiitychians or Ja>' 
 cobites: acknowledge the Patriarch' of Antioch 
 for their head. Concerning which matter, since, 
 the year 1710, there arose a schism amongst 
 them, Wiheu one part of them adhered to Mar 
 Gabriel the archbisliop, who came thither. from 
 Jerusalem, but who died id the year 1730, 
 when Mar Thomas, a native blapk; bishop, suc- 
 ceeded, and he being dead, they nominated his 
 sister's son, calling him by the same name, and 
 him they refused to acknowledge.; Thedifferr- 
 ence between both parties, besides other causes,! 
 consisted in this, that vybereas the latter used 
 leavened bread, but the others unleavened 
 bread; in the celebration of the 'Eucharist. 
 Things happening thus, their union with the 
 Protestant church may so ranch ; the less , be 
 hoped for, because, not only do '■, they most 
 strenuously adhere to the opi.nions and, ceremo- 
 nies of their country, but also because, of the 
 difference of the language, they being unable to 
 read the books printed at Tranquebar.: to; 
 which may be add«d, that the way to those oq 
 the eastern coast is exceeding long, molested; 
 and perilous." 
 
MALABAR. 151 
 
 ' The condition of the Christians of St. Tho- 
 mas was so low at th© commencement of the 
 last century, that they reported their case tO 
 their Patriarch of Antioch, as may be seen in a 
 letter at that time from the Syrian bishop of 
 CadennattCi to the Patriarch of Antioch, for 
 the supply of two bishops, and two learned 
 Priests, for the Indian churches. This letter 
 came to notice in the following manner : The 
 Indian bishop haying expejienced some diffi- 
 culties in his province, was desirous of trans- 
 mitting an accomit to his Patriarch: at that 
 time the Dutch Governor of Cochin being 
 about to embark for Europe, that Bishop wait- 
 ed upon him with a request to trausnlit his 
 letter to Antioch, and delivering to the Gover- 
 nor his Syriac letter, gavie him also a copy for 
 his private satisfaction.. When the Governor 
 ar^iyed at Amsterdam, he immediately dis- 
 patched the letter he had received in charge for 
 Antioch, and his own copy he submitted for 
 the- inspection bf the learned in the Univer- 
 sities, where it lay a twelvemonth under- the 
 care of a professor, who made nothing' more 
 of it than reported it was not Syriac, Or at least 
 «nintelligible, and badly written: when at last^ 
 it was put into the hands of C. Shaaf, who, had 
 SQ far a.knoyvledge of Syriac, that lie imme- 
 diately pronounced it to be writtep in the Syriac 
 
?52 r CHRISTIANS OF 
 
 language, and translated it into Latin, which 
 gave a general satisfaction amongst the Chris- 
 tians of Holland and elsewhere. The Latin 
 translation by Shaaf being much top stiff and 
 obscure, I have attempted a more fluent one 
 from the Syriac copy published at Ajjitsterd^m, 
 and here subjoin it : — 
 
 '• Thoma, the Infirm ; Bishop of the antient and 
 " orthodox Syrian Christians of Hmdoo. 
 
 " To the Primate of the Royal Syrian Priesthood, 
 ** raised to the throne of Principality: holding the 
 " power of binding and loosing above and below ; 
 *' the most benign, compassionate, and indulgent^ 
 ^"- our Father, and lord, Mar Ignatius,. Patriarch, 
 *■' triumphing with tbe^ triumphs of Apostles, and 
 '' exalted with the exaltations of the Faithful ; 
 '<' President of the illustrious throne of Antiocb, 
 " the fourth Patriarchate, by the decree of the 
 " three hundred and eighteen Fathers assembled 
 "in the city of Nice, whose fame and renown is in 
 « all parts of the world : steward of the honse of 
 « God in truth, and {lead of the Catholic Cbur«b.»<^ 
 ^ Maintainer of all Cfanrch order, and good shep- 
 « lierd of the sheep; diligently f^e^ing the flocl? of 
 '< the Eastern pasture, and bringing into the fo)d>- 
 ." door all the sheep of bis care. 
 
 " Blessed art thou our Father ; chosen of God with 
 
 ' *' abundant blessedness, which thou hast received 
 
 "from Peter the chief of Apostles ; wherefore thou 
 
 <' art a most pare vessel to receive the grace of the 
 
 « most high God. 
 
MALABAR. 153 
 
 •' My Lord, I implore tby benediction with thy right 
 " hand, full of cordial love : professing obedience 
 " and subniission to your high authority ; where- 
 " fore God bless thee on thy throne, &c. Aihenf *' 
 
 " I ask of thee, my lord, the peace of our Lord' Jestis 
 " Christ which he imparted to his most pure Disci- 
 " pies in the Upper room at Sion : may the same be 
 " with thee ! 
 
 " I am utterly unworthy to write this letter becom- 
 " ingyoureminency; but I wrote solely on account 
 " of the great distress of the Syrian Believers, well 
 " worthy of pr&ise, now dwelling in Hindoo; and 
 '* that you would be pleased to send unto us a Pa- 
 '< triarch and a Metropolitan, and two Elders, sach 
 << as are learned, and qualified in the reading of the- 
 " Holy Scriptures. For these Hindoos are like 
 " sheep, having no shepherd ; they have scarce 
 " the understanding to discern between godd and 
 '* evil, but dwelling among heathens, infidels, and; 
 " idolaters, are sunk in the deep gulf of sin, neither 
 " have they any certain dwelling. O my lord^ put 
 " forth thy right hand, and bring us tip from this. 
 " gulf of sin ! 
 
 " There came sometime ago into our country Mar 
 " Gregory, a Patriarch of Jerusalem; and after him. 
 " came the renowned Basil, a catholicon of the:, 
 " East, and with him Mar Junius, a metropolitan^ 
 " After their death we were as sheep without a 
 "shepherd. Then came a certain one who said, 
 " that he wasMetropolitan ofNineve, andthatMar 
 "£liBs,the catholicon, had sent him. -His name 
 '* was Grabriel, and his &ith in Ohrist was.thii$»^ 
 
154 CHRISTIANS of 
 
 "' there in"e /ico natures and two persons.' SatndaM •• 
 ," He sp^l^e m^ucfa, against Mary tliemcftter of Godj 
 " wherefore we believed him not. But a certain 
 "'excommunicated elder, named: Matthew, went 
 " oyer to him, and believed him, whereupon arose • 
 " much c()nfusion among us. . 
 
 "After this, I went to the Viceroy of the Fort of 
 " Cochin, and related to him these circum>stanees. 
 •* Then said he to me,. send a letler by m* to your • 
 "spiritual Fathers,, and I will deliver it to Mar 
 " Igiiatius of Antioch.. Wherefore I look unto yoii 
 " for the said bishops, %nd for the cause of God, 
 <* send us the missionaries with all speed. So bie it. 
 .♦'Amen, , : 
 
 " ^his letter is written froin the church of Cadenatte, 
 « called 6«r Lady. V. M. G. 
 
 •' In the cup of our Lord : in the year one thousapcl, 
 " seven hundred and nine. . 
 
 " Foldrdoor, Cadenatte, Hindoo." 
 
 The public curiosity being so highly g'ratifiefl 
 on the contents of this letter being kiiown; that 
 it intitled the interpreter to a professorship, 
 and soon afterwards an edition of the New 
 Testament in Syriac wag determined on, with 
 a Latin ■fersion, under the joint' superititiend- 
 ance of Leiisden and Shaaf, with a view, to 
 send it to the Indian Christians; and the work 
 having been printed at Amsterdam, 1717, a 
 Syriac ..letter composed by Shaaf was sent to 
 ibf Syrian bishop in India. The reception' of 
 
malabah. 165 
 
 this edition we know little of; no copies having 
 been found there by the author of the Christian 
 ' ' Researches in India; whereas that author found 
 . ^ one of the copies of Widmanstad's original 
 edition, and it is to be found in the Cambridge 
 collection. 
 
 St. Thomases Mount. 
 
 Not far from the city of Meliapore, on the 
 ~ ' Coromandel coast, called the city of St. Tho- 
 mas, stands the famous mount called the Mount 
 of St. Thomas, celebrated for the martyrdom 
 of that Apostle; it consists of seTeral rocks, 
 and hcis a steep ascent to the top, wh^re is a 
 small church formed according to the modern 
 ^ plan, but like many other ancient temples in 
 India, is hewn out in a solid rock. The surface 
 of the mountain is covered with cocoa-nut trees, 
 and in the lovrer part inhabited, having a nani- 
 ber of well built houses and cottages. All the 
 Indians, Christians as well as Pagans, (says my 
 author) unanimously assured me, fhalt this was 
 ' ' really the mountain on which the Apostle Tho- 
 mas had been martyred. The christians who 
 reside on the coast of Malabar, and even the 
 christians of St. Thomas, though Nestoriahs 
 make many pilgrimages to the tomb of this 
 Apostle, and through religious zeal, carry home 
 with them bits of earth which they pick up 
 
1513 CHRISTIANS OF 
 
 near it, iSmc^ which they afterwards use for pre^ 
 paring tljeir holy water. This has beep done 
 aiiice the e?irUest period, not by a few, but by 
 inany thousands; so that the question whether 
 St. Thomas actually lost his life on this moun- 
 tain cannot any longer remain a matter of doubt. 
 The event took place under the government 
 of the Indian king Saliimhan or Salbahan, who 
 a9qording to the Indian tradition, died in the 
 sixty-eighth year of the Christian aera. On 
 mount Gfand^ al^o there is a church much 
 frequented by pilgrims, and where the catholics 
 from Bengal, Pegu, Siam, Ceylon, Malabar, 
 and every part of Hindostan, as well as the 
 Nestorian and Armenian Jacobites, perform 
 their devotions. Even Pagans and Mahomei- 
 tans resort thither, and carry with them, as 
 offerings, butter, milk, cheese, candles, oil, 
 goats, and cows. In a word, every person in 
 India is convinced that this, was actually the 
 place where St. Thomas suffered martyrdord." 
 " It is -very singular," says Professor Forster, 
 (who furnished the Geripan edition of Fra. 
 Paolino's Voyage to the East Indies with 
 Kotes) " to find people in the eighteenth cea- 
 tury, bringing forward evidence to prove that 
 the. Apostle Thomas was stoned to death, and 
 intfxred seventeen hundred years ago, at Mali- 
 pur, or St. Thomas. The Mac Thomas of 
 
MALABAR. 157 
 
 Tvhotn there are so many traditionary accounts 
 in India, was probably Thomas Catia, an Ar- 
 menian, who must have gone to India before 
 the sixth, century, and have there diffused the 
 doctrines of Christianity among his own follow- 
 ers. In the year 82*2, two Nestoriaui priests 
 from Syria, called Mar Sapor and Mar Parges, 
 went from Babylon to India, and landed at 
 Coulan. The Indian princes granted exten- 
 sive privil«^es to the Christians of Mar Tho- 
 mas, and to the two priests from Babylon, by 
 which they -were raised above the Nairs, or 
 Malabar nobility. Thpse privileges were en- 
 graven on plates of copper, and it is believed 
 were not long ago extant somewhere in India." 
 Vide. Note, Chap. V. pag. 90, of the English 
 edition,4ranslated from the German, by Willian? 
 Johnston. Lond. 1800. 
 
 In rejply to the author of th^ above note, we 
 may observe, tha,t it is still more singular to 
 find a writer, in this age of research, setting up 
 prob^ibility^ and mere conjecture, against the 
 constant and uniform tradition of the Christians 
 of all India. That Thomas Cana, vvhOi,liive4 
 in the fifth centi:|ry> >s not to be confoundied 
 with Thonnas the Apostle, of the number of the 
 twel^^e: there is no. ground for the conjecture 
 in all the Syrian histories : the traditions about 
 St. Ti)ptnas amofig the ImdiE^Rs, and in the 
 
158 CHRISTIANS OP 
 
 Chaldean 'Writings, correspond only with' an 
 ApoStte and one of the twelve; and the name 
 of Thofnds, with the appellation of «$lam^ ah nexr 
 ed, denotes oneof an apostolic order, superior to 
 the rank of Mar, ascribed to doctors or eminent 
 teachers of Christianity ; such for instance, as 
 were MSr Thomas the disciple of Manes, arid 
 Mar Thomas Cana, Mar Sapor, Mar Parges, 
 arid many others. 
 
 " Thomas, the disciple of Manes', lived in the 
 sfecond century. Thomas Cana in the fifth. > Sa- 
 pdr and Parges abont the close of the eighth 
 century, and were no other than heads of 
 .missions in their times, or superiors sent for the 
 ^sistance of the Indian churches. 
 
 Agdn, Thomas Cana is called by some 
 writers an Armenian, and an Armenian mer^ 
 chant: both of these are allowed to be incorrect 
 by the more able writers on the Syrian ecclesi- 
 astical affairs. Mar Thomas Cana was an 
 Atcmite, i. e. a Syrian by nation; and was not 
 an Armenian, but a Nestorian Christian; 
 heiiher was he a merchant by profession, biit 
 a-priest and a bishop. " As for Thomas, the 
 disciple of Manes, (says Paolino, a learned mis- 
 Stanary resident there thirteen years, and who 
 diligently enquired into these things) be is 
 entirely unknown to the Christians of Tndia.";v 
 
 To inquire iflto the the origin atid intrpduc- 
 
MALABAR. 150 
 
 tion of Christianity in India, was amongst the 
 first objects in Dr. Kerr's mission from the 
 government of Madras, and his Rejjort opens 
 with this reply: "That there can be no donlit 
 whatever, that the St. Thoni^ ciiristians settled 
 on the' Malabar coast at a very early period of 
 the Christia,n church : from whence they, at 
 one time, spread in various directions as far 
 even as Meliapor, and St. Thomas's Mount:— 
 but to derive authentic information as to the 
 time of their arrival, is at present no easy task. 
 From the confusion arising from the Hindoo 
 chronology, from the desire which these chris- 
 tians have to derive their origin from the 
 earliest possibk times, which may perhaps have 
 introduced false traditions amongst them,' and 
 as all their authentic records are reported to 
 have been destroyed during the; persecution* 
 of the. church of Rome:* from all these circum- 
 stances, whether we refer to the Hindoo ac- 
 counts, to the St. Thom^ christians themselves, 
 or to their persecutors the Roman Catholics, 
 we are riot likely to arrive at any certain con- 
 
 • — ; I , ,i ' . • r . ' Il l r.v 
 
 * The author of this .Report had certaioly .not 'looked into 
 the Liturgies of the Indian churches, nor known ' that the 
 Portuguese Inquisitors took care of their anciept hittorie^, 
 and caused translations to be made. of them. by men learned in 
 the Syriac language. It was their church-books against whiqh 
 their fury was directed. 
 
160 CHRISTIANS OF 
 
 elusion as to th^ exact time of theii? establish- 
 ment in Malabar. Some circurastancieSj how- 
 ever, may be collected from undoubted autho- 
 rity, by which it may be inferred,' that they 
 have been'for nearly fifteen centuries establish- 
 ed in India; for we find in Ecclesiasticah histo- 
 ry, that at the first council at Nice, in the year 
 325, a bishop fro tti India was am<Sngst the 
 number composing that venerable Synod." 
 
 Pecilliaf Cu&toms of the Indian Christians. 
 
 The ehriistifms of St. ThOHias, .says Ffa: 
 Paolino, still celebrate their Ag'hpdb, ov love- 
 feasts, as was usual in former times. They 
 give them t\iens.meo(Nercia,pki>ii&voiV3. On 
 sudh occasions they colteGt and store up a great 
 quantity of sugar-canes, rice, bananas^ honey, 
 and rice-flour, of which th^ey bake a Certain 
 kind of small ca:k€»^ called Appam. These 
 Appam, or rice-cakes, are prepared pilbticly in 
 an apartment adjoining to the church. On thfe 
 day of the solemnity all the people assemble in 
 th€ch«rch-yar^,aBd the ^riestr^jkciiig hitnself 
 in the door, distributee to them his blesfeing. 
 They then arrange themselves in rows, and 
 each spreads before hiin a banana leaf, to 
 supply the place of a trencher. When, this is 
 done, the priest commands silence^ and the 
 
overseers of the church, walking thfomg^h be- 
 tween the rows» give to each his J^ortiori of 
 Appam, and a few slices of banana. ■'- 
 
 No christian departs without having a share; 
 What is left is given to the Pagans, that they 
 also may partake in this love-feast, and be ex- 
 cited to embrace the doctrines of the Chri-stian 
 religion. It is certainly, says my author, an 
 affecting scene, and capable of elevatfng the 
 heart, to behold six or seven thousand person^ 
 of both sexes, and all ages; assembled, an'd re- 
 ceiving togetha*, with the utmost reverence and 
 devotion, their Appaim, the pledge of mutual 
 union and love. ' :■• 
 
 Another custom which has tended to> cement 
 these ancient christians together for so iUany 
 ages in those regions surrounded with Pagan- 
 ism is, that of ther Ciata, or annual commemo- 
 ration of their deceased relations, observed with 
 great solemnity in their houses once a .year,, 
 when no strangers are allow; ed to be present t 
 this denotes a great virtue, -, 
 
 CHRISTIANS OF MALAYALA 
 
 Malayala proper, denotes the south<ern part 
 of the kingdom of Mysore, in the interior of the 
 Peninsula of Hindostan, and is a country 
 environed by mountains, especially by a ran^e 
 of vast mountains called the Gades, or Ghauta 
 
 Y 
 
102 CHRISTIANS OF 
 
 on the west, which separateis it from Malabati 
 the inhabitants are called Male4ms,; among 
 which live the christians of;St, Thorp^as, Th^ 
 are said to differ from the Majabarians chiefly 
 in their complexion, besides some difference 
 also in their language. They are represented 
 as brave, honest, good natared, aad charitable; 
 courageous, and ingenious: theft is a habit un- 
 known among them^ for they live with their 
 doors open, except some fences against, ele- 
 phants, tigers, &c; their lands are very fertile, 
 but little cult^iyated' They are governed with a 
 few simple laws of their own, under the juris- 
 diction of judges appointed to the several dis-i 
 tricts, to whom they pay strict obedience, TAey 
 allow a man no more than one wife at a time: 
 t\my dress ill a plain manner like the Malabars, 
 except on- their festivals, when they wear along: 
 ]gown, with turban and jewels, and pfiiake use of 
 divers methods for exciting and expressing 
 their mirth* ,■ '; ■.:../ 
 
 The moral character of this interesting people 
 is attested by the joint reports of the Rev. Dr. 
 Kerr, and the Rev. Dr. Buchanan. " The cha- 
 racter of these piBople, says Dr. Kerr, is mark- 
 
 * Martin's Philosophical Geography, 8vo. Lond. 176^. 
 pag. 461. 
 
MALAYALA. 
 
 16a 
 
 fed by a striking superiority over the Heathens 
 in every moral eXGellence : and they are remark- 
 able for their veracity, and plain dealing. They 
 are extremely attentive to their religious duties, 
 and abide by the decision of their priests and 
 metropolitan in all cases ;,whether in spiritual, 
 or in temporal affairs." As an example of this 
 attachment and firmness of pripciple, may be 
 instanced this following trait in their history, 
 and of their brethren on the coast : " When the 
 Portuguese first arrived in this country, in the 
 beginning of the sixteenth centuryj they found 
 a christiari church using the Syro^Cfaaldaid 
 language, established in the neighbourhood of 
 Crahganore; and, though it was published to 
 the world many centuries before that period, 
 that such a church existed, yet we find their . 
 ignorance expressed in the wonder which it 
 excited. These christians met the Portuguese 
 as natural friends and allies, and rejoiced at 
 theircoming: — ^but the Portuguese were much 
 disappointed at finding the St. Thora^ chris- 
 tians firmly fixed in the tenets of a Primitive 
 church;' and soon adopted plans for drav?ing 
 away froni their pure faith this innocent; inge- 
 nuous, and respectable people: however, after 
 using for nearly a century, all the customary 
 ■ arts and abominable persecutions of the chnrcli 
 of Rome to no purpose, &oq Alexis deMenex- 
 
CHRISTIANS OP 
 
 es, the archbishop of Goa appeared amongsl 
 th«eai; and by his commanding inflaence, his 
 zeal, and his learning, and on the authority of 
 w,hat he caUed the Council of Udiamper, forced 
 the Syrian metirc^pojitan, his priests, and people 
 into the Homan pale. The Archbishop, bow- 
 ever, bad .mot long quilted the scene of this 
 triumph of bigotry, before the people sighed for 
 thejjr old religipn, and cherished it in private: 
 but on the 22nd of May, l(>53, they held » 
 ^QiPgress at Alipgatte, and grteat numbers, 
 beaded by their Metropolitan, revolted public- 
 ly from th^ Romish communion ;. nor has all 
 the in#uence of ^be Koman Poi^tiff, and the 
 kings of Portugal, been able to draw them 
 away again from their old Faith."* 
 
 There is a very beautiful and picturesque 
 description of the christian settlements in Ma- 
 layalja given by Dr. Bachanan in his Report, 
 ajad published in his Researches ; one would 
 imagine him impressed at the time with the 
 scene of the sucient Israelite!; in the plains of 
 the wilderness. " How goodly are thy tents O 
 Jacpb, and thy tabernacles O Israel ! as the 
 ¥aU<ies are they ispread forth, as gardens by the 
 j^fn^s ^ide, as the trees of lign aloes which the 
 Lord. hath planted, and as cedar trees beside 
 
 V. 
 
 •Dr. Kerr's Report. 
 
MAtATAt.A. 105 
 
 the wafers !"* Dr. Buchanaa having taken his 
 route frpro Qujlon near Cochin, in a north east^ 
 erly direction, reached the Ghauts for the in- 
 terior, when the prospect opened to him which 
 he so admirably de^icribes. "The face of the 
 country in general, in the vicinity of the moun- 
 tains, exhibited a varied scene of hill and dale, 
 and winding streams; the streams falling from 
 the mountains, and preserving the vallies in 
 perpetjjal verdure. The woods producing pep- 
 per, cardamons, ^nd cassia, or wild cinnamon, 
 frankincense, and other gums ; and what added 
 to the grandeiar of the scenery, the adjacent 
 mountains of Travancore covered with teak 
 forests, producing the largest timber- in the 
 world."f He proceeds to describe th« pleas- 
 ing emotions sexcited on the first appearance 
 of the christian churches, their antique struc- 
 tures, with other particulars of ecclesiastical 
 curiosity and importance. 
 
 " The Syrian christians in Malayala, says Dn 
 Buchanan, still use the Syriac language in their 
 dburclies ; but the Malayalim, or proper Mala- 
 bar, a dialect distinct from the Tamu), is the 
 vernacular tongue." The Malabar language i» 
 which the Danish missionaries translated , the 
 
 * Num. cb, xxir. t Cbri»tiaa Resea^dies, pag. 112. 
 
106 CHRIStlAl^S OF 
 
 Bible is called tiie Tamul by way of distiti'Ctiorii 
 because, as those missionaries report, thecoai- 
 nion Malabar differs as much from the Malaya- 
 lam or Malabar, proper, as ihe difference between 
 the Portuguese and Spanish.* Dr. Buchanan 
 mentions that " they had made some attempts to 
 translate the Syriac scriptures into Malayalim; 
 but had not the suitable means of effecting it : 
 on suggesting the necessity and importance -of 
 4heir:being furnished with a translation in their 
 .vernacular language for the supply of their 
 churches and people — " their elders replied, 
 that so great, was the desire of the people in 
 general to have the Bible in the vulgar tongue, 
 that it might be expected that every man who 
 could write would make a copy for his family." 
 Dr. Buchanan states the number of church- 
 es in Malayala at ^ty-Jive^of the orthodox and 
 ancient confession acknowledging the Patrialrch 
 of Antioch, and subject to their metropolitan, 
 at -that time. Mar Dionysius, of Travancore. 
 TheirxLiturgy is derived from the early church 
 of Antioch, called the'^ Liturgy' of James the 
 Apostle, whence they are usually denominated 
 Jacobites; besides which also they have Litur- 
 gies < of other Apostles used in their service. 
 Dr. Buchanan reports, that the Romish priests 
 
 * Niecanipii Hist. Missianis Evaiig. p. 38. ' 
 
OF MALAYALA. 
 
 107 
 
 do not travel araong them, there being no 
 church of their communion in that qnarier. 
 
 It was in these sequestered riegions that 
 copies of the Syriac scriptures found a safe 
 asylum from the search and destruction of the 
 Romiish inquisitors, and were found with all- 
 the marks of ancient purity, mutilated only by 
 the hand of time: particularly a large folio 
 Bible in MS. written on vellum, containing all 
 the Books of the Old and New Testament, 
 which the author of the Report has acdnrately 
 described in his Christian Researches, in its 
 several particulars.* Having myself often ex- 
 amined the text in this venerable monument of 
 sacred antiquity, and compared very many 
 passages both of the Old and New Testament, 
 I cannot but reflect with the highest satisfaction 
 on the important testimony this copy bears to 
 others in our own and Foreign Libraries 
 brought from various parts of Asia, and also 
 the printed text. 
 
 The order in which the sacred books stand 
 in this copy,- being somewhat different from 
 that observed in general, and not noticed else- 
 whei-e, I shall here insert it from my note-book, 
 viz.- — . r • 
 
 * Christian Researchesj.pag. 141. 
 
108 CHRISTIANS OP 
 
 ,G^«i^isj Exodys, Leyiticus, ^umJuers, Deuter- 
 ■ onomy :-^Book ofJdb, Joshua^ Judges, Sa«iu«l I & 
 II: — Book of Psalms, Kipg^s, I & II. Chroni- 
 cles, I & II:— Proverbs of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, 
 Song of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, or Wisdom of 
 Jesus son of Sirach: — Isaiali, Jereniiah, Lamenta^ 
 tions and Epistles of Barucih, Ezekiel, Hosed, Joel, 
 Amos', Obadiah, Jonah, Micbah, Nahum, Habaccuc, 
 Zepbaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi: — Daniel, 
 Bel and Dragon, Ruth, Susannah, Esther, Judith, 
 Ezra, Nehemiah, Book of Wisdom, Mac^bees, I. 
 11. III. & IV. or Book of Josippoo,. Esdras and 
 Tobit. 
 
 BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT: — 
 
 The four Gdspelis : — The fourteen Epistles of St. 
 Paul, viz. Romans, Corrntbians I. & II. Gralatians^ 
 Bphesians, Philippians, Oolossians, Thessalonians 
 I. &II. Timothy I. &-II. Titus, Pfailemoir, Epistle 
 to the Hebrews :'^Acts of the Apostles,, and Catho- r 
 lie Epistles, viz. James, Peter I. Jphn I. Peter II. 
 John II. & III, Jude: Then follow the eight Books 
 of Clemens, of which a few fragmenits only are 
 preserved, the rest' of the MS. being mutilated and 
 lost. 
 The Apocalypse, or R^velalion of St. John, is 
 not herein extant, but it is found in their other 
 v<}lumes. 
 
 There are several other Syrian MSS. of 
 the books of the Old and New Testatn^t 
 brought from those parts, and deposited in 
 the Library at Cambridge: a list of ' which 
 I have inserted in my Preliminary Disserta- 
 
MALAYALA. 
 
 im 
 
 tion,^ and whatever may be the future, use and 
 importance of those manuscripts, one thing is 
 certain, and that is, they establish the fact that 
 the Syrian Christians of India have the pure 
 unadulterated scriptur'es in the language Of the 
 ancient phurch of Antiochj derived from the 
 very times of the Apostles. 
 
 Dr. Buchanan assigns a populqitioQ of tvio 
 hundred thousand Christians, speaking the Ma^ 
 layalim, and conceives that a translation of the 
 Bible into that language would be of incalcu- 
 , lable benefit for their furtherance and improve- 
 ment in the^Cliristian religion. The Reverend 
 Mr. Martyn agrees with our author in this 
 statement, with some explanation : " The third 
 class of christians," says this eminent oriental-* 
 ist, " are those who speak the Malayalim or Ma* 
 labar. These are, first, the Roman Catholics, 
 in number one hundred and fifty thousand, 
 Gompbsed partly of converts from heathenism, 
 and partly of Proselytes from the Syrian 
 church ^ and, secondly, the Syrians who retain 
 their ancient form of worship. No estitnate 
 has. been made of their population, . but the 
 number of their churches is ascertained to be 
 
 * Collation of an Indian Copy of the Hebreyv Pentateucb, 
 &c, 4to. Cambridge, 1812. pag. 15. , V, :. 
 
 Z 
 
ito 
 
 CHRISTIANS OF 
 
 fifty-five. There are then, perhaps, ndt fewer 
 that! two hundred thousand Christians whoyse 
 the Malabar language. A translation of the 
 scriptures into it was undertaken ibur years 
 ago by, their bishop, assisted by some of his 
 clergy, and < it is presumed, that :the, wark is 
 going on. The four Gospels are ^in the press 
 at Bombay, and nearly printed off. Syriac 
 •befng formerly -spoken hy these mountaineers,* 
 the Liturgy and Scriptures are in thatjan- 
 guage."t 
 
 ; To t-hwse who have read the^'hislory of the 
 tDanish missions in the East Indies, it may-not- 
 appear strange, but to others who.have not* ,it 
 . may. seem a. little paradoxical, that those mis- 
 sionaries after labouring so many years in trans- 
 4atitig.: the- Bible info the Malabar languag(^/*a 
 yersion, should still be wanting: bwtw'hen.itis 
 jinderstQod; that the translation -made by the 
 Danish missionaries, is, properly spedkiug,. the 
 kParml ; the Malabar ^proper, is then, known to 
 mean:the Malayalira.a different dialect. 
 
 '• * The derivationof the word JWb/a^afeimports a hill^eua- 
 tr^> (]<.<^- (be land of mountains^ 
 
 t Vide "^Christian India," or an Appeal on behalf lof nine 
 htiradred thousand Ghristiansin-Iridiarwlio want -the- Bible. 
 A Sermon preached at Calcutta January 1, 1811, for promot- 
 ^g the objects of the British and ]foi«fgn Bible Society. % 
 Henry Martyn, B. D. Calcutta. 
 
MALAYALA. 1 71 
 
 '' After the researches that have been made 
 among the christians of India, we shall expect 
 that future tourists will furnish us with exact 
 lists of their churches, the names of the places 
 where situated, their relative distances, and. 
 other stationary marks, whence to form a more 
 correct idea of their true- uumber and extent, 
 which, with some topographical remarks, may 
 fu^ish the Christian public with, copious and 
 instructing information. A map of the coun- 
 tries, the situation of their churches, the boun- 
 daries of their parishes and dioceses, would 
 make a pleasing additiou. The Jesuit mission- 
 aries have not failed to coUyect and arrange all 
 such particulars : and with proper instruments 
 have taken the surveys, of countries, and pro- 
 duced some of the most valuable geographical; 
 and ecclesiastical maps extant. 
 
 Remarks on the Doctrine and Discipline of the 
 Syrian Christians. 
 
 It being impossible^ under the present cir-. 
 cumstances, to give a systematic view of the 
 doctrine and discipline of these christians, from 
 the scantiness of the materials ; we mustthercr 
 fore be content with a few remarks only, until 
 further information is obtained. It appears 
 that the denomination of Christians qf Sh 
 
172 CHRISTIANS QF MALABAR: 
 
 7%o»w8* com prebends all the nativeChristiaiis of 
 Hindostan, conforming with the Syrian or Syro- 
 Chald^ic Ritual :-^that the Nestoriaus and Ja- 
 eobites following the Liturgy of 3t. James, are 
 two communions of the same church, differing 
 in some ceremonies, at\d articles of doctrine, 
 but are understood to agree in essentials — that 
 they have all the same scriptures without differ- 
 ence, and agree in the confession of the Holy 
 Trinity ;— that the Latinized Syrians have only 
 obtained since the ai-rival of the Romish. mis- 
 sionaries in those parts of the Indies, and com- 
 prehend such as conform to the church of 
 Rome, and who by education are trained up 
 in the Romish doctrine: of these some conform 
 to the Latin ritual ; but the greater part from 
 their unalienable attachment to ancient custom 
 are allowed by a dispensation of the Pope to 
 celebrate mass in the Syriac language. 
 
 The Articles of Religion of the .church- of 
 England being- the comnion standard of faith 
 and discipline amongst us, it would be impor- 
 tant to furnish a coinparative view in this re- 
 spect; but too many, documents are wanting 
 to satisfy our enquiry on this head, therefore 
 We shall notice only the first leading Articles:' — • 
 
 Article I, " Of Fuith in the Hyly Trimly^ 
 In regard to this Article, certainly the Syrian 
 Christians of India must pass for orthodox : 
 
THEIR CREEDS, &c. ^ 173 
 
 there beitig nothing that can be advanced 
 against ihem on this raost essential Article of 
 FaiJh, which they hold by universal consent. 
 
 Article II. " Of the Word, or Son of God, 
 which was made very man." It is certain that 
 these Christians do believe in the doctrine of 
 the Incarnation of the Word, or Son of God; 
 and the human and divine nature of our Lord 
 and Saviour Jesus Christ, and in the union of 
 the two natures in the person of Christ, accord- 
 ing to the express forms in the Athanasi9.n 
 creed: and are so far understood orthodox in 
 the opinion of several late writers, particularly 
 the impartial M. Simon, who has largely dis- 
 coursed on these points, and shewn that the 
 confession of the Jacobites, or Christians of St. 
 James, who call the Virgin Mary the mother of 
 God, and that of the Nestorians, who name 
 the Holy Virgin the mother of Christ, differ only 
 in expression, bnt not in faith, as to doctrine 
 hereby enjoined ; and as to the words nature 
 and person, he vindicates them on this head 
 from being chargeable with any real departure 
 from the orthodox confession, -an^d shews that 
 the simplicity of the orientals hold the same 
 truth under more simple ideas, and expressed 
 in more simple forms and terms than those in 
 use with the subtilizing Greeks and Latins. 
 The Rev. Dr. Kerr has furnished us with a 
 
1 74 CHRISTIANS OF MALABAR 
 
 valuable communication relating to this part of 
 the subject, which, as an official document, com- 
 municated from the Syrian Metropolitan to the 
 Resident at Travancore,* is here subjoined, and 
 as the same is published in his Report. 
 
 Version of their present Creed :^— ' - 
 
 « In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, 
 " We, the Christians, believers in the religion of 
 " Jesus Christ, subject to the jurisdiction of Mar 
 " Ignatius, patriarch of Antioch, being loyal Jaco- 
 " bians, hold the following creed : — 
 
 « We believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, 
 " Three Persons in one God, neither confounding 
 " the persons, nor dividing the substance; One in 
 " Three, and Three in One. 
 
 " The Father Generator, the Son generated^ and the. , 
 " Holy Ghost procejeding. 
 
 "None is before, nor after other in majesty, honour,. 
 " might, and power ; co-equal, unity in trinity, alid 
 " trinity in unity. 
 
 * The resident fur the British government was at this time 
 CoL' Macaulay. This officer, we are informed, resided for 
 about eight or ten years in th«e vicinity of -the Syrians, had 
 constant official intercourse with them, saw them very fre- 
 quently, and often visited and received visits from their me<- 
 tropolitan and chief priests. We also, understand this officer 
 to have declared, that the account which states the Syrian 
 Christians in Malayala, who are not in the connection of Roiflc, 
 to be Nestoriaus, and that they worship tbe Virgih Mary, is 
 utterly groundless; for that the metropolitan Mar Dionysins, 
 
THEIR CREEDS, &c. 1 75 
 
 " We do not believe with Arius and Eunoninius, 
 
 "that there are three different and separate sub- 
 
 " stances. 
 " We do not believe, as Sabellius believes, by confu- 
 
 " sion of substance. 
 " We do not believe, as Macedonius said, that the 
 
 " Holy Ghost is less than the Father and Son. 
 " We do not believe, as Mawney and Marcianus said, 
 
 " that the body of Christ was sent down from 
 
 " Heaven. 
 " We do not believe, as Julianus said, that Christ was 
 
 " only man. 
 " We do not hold, as Nestoriiis, the doctrine of two 
 
 natures^ and two substances', in the Messiah. 
 *' We do not believe,* as the Chalcedonians said, that 
 
 " there are two natures in the Messiah. 
 "jBut we believe, by the doctrine of the Trinity, that 
 
 " the Son is co-equal with the Father, without be- 
 
 " ginning or end ; that, in the appointed time, 
 
 "through the disposition of the Father and Holy 
 
 " Ghost, without disjoining from the right side of 
 
 (whom he is said to describe as having been a man of great 
 piety and respectability) had sent to him the creed of his 
 Church, which diselaims^ the errors of Arius and Nestorius 
 bi/ name. Dr. Kerr has stated in his report, that " the direct 
 protection of the British Government had been extended to 
 the Syrians." This *as done through this British resident, 
 (ColoBei Macaulay) who, if we are not misinformed, constant- 
 ly exerl^ed his influence with the Rajahs of Tt^vancore and 
 Cochin, to defend the old Syrian Christians, and also the Sy- 
 rians of the Romish Church, against the oppression of the 
 
176 CHRISTIANS OP MALABARs 
 
 ?' the Father, he appeal-ed on earth for the salvsl*- 
 « tioftvof mankind-^thatbe was born of the Virgin 
 *' Mary, through the means of the Holy Ghost, atid 
 « was incarnate, God and man. So that, in the 
 " union of the divine and human nature, there was 
 "one nature and one substance. — So we believe." 
 
 J3r. Kerr remarks of these Christians, that the 
 tenets df the Nestorian heresy, believed to have 
 been held by them is a charge not maintaiinable 
 —that their present creed denies that heresy, 
 and seems in several points to coincide with 
 the creed of St. Athanasius, but without its 
 damnatory clauses. " That with respect to 
 their religious tenets, writers may, and will 
 disagree: Upon such subjects, human reason 
 avails nothing. The disputes on these points 
 have agitated the world, and are n6 better than 
 thfe perverse offspring of verbal differences." 
 
 The Rev. t)r. Bbchanan likewise reports 
 favourable on these Christians and their creed,. 
 
 i 
 Rajah's officers, and particularly of theDewan of Travan.care, 
 
 the chief «yho afterwards foniented thewarof 1808— 9 against 
 
 .the English, which ended in the humiliation of the Travancore 
 
 power. It Was to Colonel Macaulay, also, that the Syrian 
 
 Bishop entrusted the portions 6f the New Testaineiii, as lie 
 
 translated them into Malayalini; and the ptrinting of thew 
 
 afterwards at Bombay was conducted under the direction of 
 
 j;he same officer.. 
 
THEIR CREEDS^ &c. . 1 77 
 
 and his remarks furnish a very excellent com- 
 mentary on the above creed, which the reader 
 raay consult in page 123, &c. of his Re- 
 searches.* 
 
 Articles Vi and VIL " Of the sufficiency of^ 
 the Holy Scriptures for Salvation" and of tlle^ 
 Old Testament. There cannot be any scruple 
 or doubt on this head, since it is so well known 
 th_at those Christians acknowledge the whole of 
 the scriptures of the Old and New Testament, 
 i^hich they have as complete and entire as our- 
 selves: and the books called Apocrypha, which 
 latter they use with the like caution as our- 
 selves, as examples of Iv^e, and instruction of 
 manners; grounding matters of faith on thc; 
 canonical books only* We shall quit liis part 
 with a general sunvraary. 
 
 1. They deny the supremacy of the Pope as 
 universal head of the chprch:: admitting, that 
 he is head only of the church of Romey which is 
 a particular church* «J -•'^' '>-' 
 
 2. They deny Image worship,: and although^ 
 they reverence the cross, it is not with them, 
 an act of adoration ; neither do they admit 
 crucifixes. 
 
 3. They allow of the marriage of Priests;: 
 
 ■ — - - ■ -■ — '- ■ 
 
 * Christian Researches, Lond. Ed. 1812*. 
 A A. 
 
178 CHRISTIANS OF MALABAR : 
 
 and marriage before or after receiving: hofy 
 orders is with them no disqualificiation; 
 
 '4. They do not admit of purgatory, nor of 
 prayers for the dead. . 
 
 5; They- hold with two sacraments, Baptism 
 and the Lord's supper. 
 
 6. They celebrate the Eucharist in both 
 kinds, both clergy and people: the: consecrated 
 bread Ihe priest layeth on the palm of the com- 
 municant's hand, and the wine he drinketh 
 from the- cup held by the priest with both 
 hands.' 
 
 7. Thej' bury the dead with the feet toward 
 the east, in token, of the resurrection, aud the 
 second advent of Christ, whose comiqg shall be 
 from the east. 
 
 J)r. Kerr^s Rejections on the moral, political, 
 and religious '<" Improvement of the natives 
 of India,- subjoined to his Report, and ad- 
 dressed to Lard William Sentinch, governor 
 
 „; at Madras. • '^ 
 
 *' Reflecting on the whole subject^ several suggestions 
 " present themselves to my mind; and I think I 
 « shall. not be eonsidered as deviating from the line 
 « of my profession, or the intention of your Lord- 
 " ship, in calling for my Report, by oflTering some 
 « opinions ,to government, which, in a moral and 
 *< political view, seem of the {highest importanee« - 
 
THEIR CREEDS, &c. 1 79 
 
 ** It appears, from the foregoing' statement, that' 
 ':•* pure Christianity is far, very far, , from being a 
 '^ religion for which the highest cast of Hindoos 
 "liave any disrespect; and that it is the abuse of 
 " the-Ghristian name, under the form of the Rom- 
 *' ish religion, to which they are averse. We have, 
 " my Lord, been sadly defective in what we owed , 
 " to God and man since we have had a footing in 
 ** this counti'y, as well by departing most shameful- 
 ** ly from our Christian profession .ourselves^ as in 
 " withholding these sources of moral :perfection 
 ''front the natives, which true Christianity alone 
 "can establish^'T-aHd, at the same time, we. have 
 '^^ allowed the Romanists to steal into our territo- 
 " ries, to occupy the ground we have neglected to 
 " cultivate, and to bring an odium on our pure and 
 ^ iionourable name as Christians. The evil would 
 '" be less, were it not well known that many of the 
 * Romish priests, and their people, who have thus 
 " been allowed to grow numerous under our autho*' 
 '*' rity, are supposed to be far from well afiected to 
 *' the government under which they reside : indeed, 
 ** in many instances, the Romish clergy are the 
 '" natural ^ubjeots of nations at enmity with our- 
 *' selves, at the same time that they are eminently 
 " qualiiSed by their influence in their profession, to 
 *' do us the greatest mischief, by spreading dis- 
 " affection throughout every part of this extended 
 *' country. The . Roman Catholic religion, my 
 "Lord, I believe I may say, without offence to 
 *' truth or charity, has. almost always been made a 
 " political engine in the bands of its governments; 
 
IBO CHUISTIANS of MALABAtl i 
 
 " and. we must be blinded indeed by our own coflN 
 ^' fidence, if we do not calculate on its being so 
 " used in this greiiit and rich country, where it has 
 ^ established a footing amongst an ignoratit 
 ** people : e^peeially,, when, it is so well unde'r- 
 >^ stood that our eastern possessions have been a 
 '^subject of the greatest jealousy to all the rival 
 '" nations of liurope. In my humble opinion^ my 
 " Lord, the error has been in not baring long ago 
 "established Free Schools* throughout every 
 *** pkrt of this country, by which the children of the 
 " natives mjght have learned our langnagie, and 
 '' got acquainted with our morality .-^S.ueh an esta» 
 " blishment would, ere this> have made the peopled 
 " at large fully acquainted with the divine spring,^ 
 
 * " To |»ve"'English morals to the natives in their purity, we 
 must, I imagine, make Ihem read English books. Traiisla- 
 lions have hitherto been very defective, -in the different coun- 
 ■try languages ; besides, ,tfaey must be extremely circumscribed 
 4n number. I do not think the natives will come to us freely, 
 but to learn English. This they consider as the key to for- 
 tune ; and, on the coast, the most strict of Ihe Bramins wilt 
 liaVe tittle hesitation, as far as lean learn, in permitting their 
 children to attend a free school for the purpose of learning it, 
 for they despise us too much to suppose there is any danger 
 of overtnrning the principle} of Braminism. But their iU 
 "founded, ridiculous principles mast be shaken to the -very 
 foundation, by the communicarion uf such liberal knowledge 
 as a Christian can instil into the minds of youth, and fix there 
 by means of English books ; and all this, without making any 
 alarainjg attack directly on the religion of the Hindoos." 
 
THEIR CREEDS, &c. 181 
 
 ^' from whence alone British virtue must be ac^ 
 
 '*' knowledged to flow. This would have made 
 
 ^' them better acquainted with the principles by 
 
 ^* which we are governed : they would have learn- ■ 
 
 ^ to respect ourlaws^ to honour our feelings, and to 
 
 " follow our maxims : whereas they appear to me, 
 
 * generally speaking, at this moment, as ignorant 
 
 " of their masters, as on their first landing on 
 
 " these shores. I speak not of interfering with 
 
 *' their religious prejudices, or endeavouring to 
 
 *• convert the natives by ah extraordinary effort on 
 
 " the part of ihe British government. Conversion, 
 
 " in my opinion, must be the consequence which 
 
 " would naturally flow from our attention to their 
 
 " moral instruction, and their more intimate ac- 
 
 " quaintance with the English character. 
 
 *' I do not mention this as an experiment, the result 
 " of which inight be cojisidered as problematical : 
 *< the experiment has been already made, and the 
 " consequences have proved commensurate with the 
 *' highest Expectation which reasonable men could 
 "entertain. The Danish Mission, united with the 
 " Society for Propagating the Gospel, have sent 
 *' some good men into this country, with the laud- 
 " able view of spreading true Christianity through- 
 " out our eastern possessions; and the names of 
 '' Swartz, Gerricke, and others, will ever be re- 
 " membered by numbers of our Asiatic subjects, 
 " of every cast and description, with veneration 
 '' and affection : and there are happily still, living 
 ** some amongst us of the same character. 
 
 " It is true, that the objeq^ they had more particular- 
 " ly in view hasj in some measure, failed : and few 
 
1 82 CHRISTIANS 'OP MALABAR : 
 
 " good converts, it is generally imagined^ have 
 "been made: but let it be remembered also, .ibat 
 "they-bavie laboured urider every possible tdisad" 
 " vantage; tbey bave iscarcely enjoyed a mere tole- 
 " ration under our government, and received.no 
 •' kind of assistance whatsoever ; tbat tbey wiere 
 « few ill number, and perbqps I may sayj without 
 » injustice, that tbey erred (as the best might err,) 
 " in the means which they adopted : but tbat they 
 " have done much good by the purity of their 
 " lives, and by their zeal in spreading instruction. 
 " This will admit of no denial i and I doubt not 
 " that I may say, withou|: the danger of contradic- 
 " tion, that few and poor as these men have beeii, 
 '' without authority or power to support them, a 
 '^ greater and more extended portion of heartfelt 
 " respect for the European character has been dif- 
 ''fused by theirnieans throughout ibis country, 
 " than by all the other Europeans put together. 
 *' We ha.ve, in my humble opinion, my Lord^ kept 
 " ourselves too far from the natives : we have 
 *< despised their i|^orance, without attempting to 
 " remove it, — and we have considered their timidi- 
 " ty (the natural result of their being trampled 
 " upon by one race of conquerors after another) 
 « also as an object for our contempt ; at the same 
 " time, that we have viewed the cunning of their 
 " character (which is ever the natural resource of 
 <' ignorance and weakness) as the completion 6f all 
 " that is vile and deceitful. — Thus have we con- 
 " tinned A system of neglect towards the interests 
 " of our native subjects, in points the most essential 
 '' to their every happiness, throughout the whole 
 
THEIR CREEDS, &c. 
 
 183 
 
 " of our governments in this country. Fain, my 
 « Lord, wduld I see a change in this particular ; 
 " and I seize the opportunity which the present 
 *' moment affords, to press the justice and the 
 " policy of the measure on the attention of your 
 " Lordship's goFernment, 
 
 " R. H. Kerr, 
 " Senior Chaplain of Fort. St. George. 
 
 " Madras, Nov. 3, 1 806." 
 
 The Society for Promoting Christian Know- 
 ledge, have, been the constant and liberal cpn- 
 tributors to the Danish Missions, in the East 
 Indies, the century: past. It has been throtigh 
 the munificence of this society th?it those Mis- 
 sions flourished at several periods under the 
 labours of Ziegenbalg, Schultz, the eminent 
 Swarlz, anditheir assistants, whose usefulness 
 was thereby greatly enlarged and encouraged. 
 But the most extraordinary, circumstances are, 
 that during the experience of a whole century, 
 that excellent society has not been able from 
 this country to furnish and establish Missions 
 of their own, but is still indebted to foreign 
 churches for. a few persons to proceed abroad 
 in quality, of Missionaries; whereas in every 
 other quality and capacity men are to be found 
 ready to embark at any time in the military, 
 naval, and civil departments ; men of talent, 
 
18,4 CHRISTIANS OF MALABAR r 
 
 and of the highest class of society. I shalt 
 not presume to make any further remafk on this 
 point. 
 
 The Missionary stations of the I>anish, and 
 if I may so be allowed Anglo-Danish Society,, 
 were 1. Tranquebar, in the country of Tran- 
 jore: commenced 1708. 2. Madras^ or Fort 
 St. George, for the conversion of the heathen: 
 first opened by the Rev. Mr. Schultz, 1728. 
 3. Cudalore, near Fort St. David, 173.7. 4. 
 CalcuttEi, in Bengal, J758: and 5. Madura, at 
 Tirutchinapally, the capital of that kingdom,, in 
 the year 1766. 
 
 There is every reason to conclude that the 
 Society for promoting Christian Knowledge 
 have endeavoured under all the circumstances 
 to produce the requisite supplies of missitoni 
 aries: and amongst other plans for this end, 
 one appears to have been projected df a new 
 and most flattering aspect, and this I shall now 
 relate, with the circumstances of it, as I find it 
 so well, and ably drawn up by a gentleman^ 
 who had the best information in several impor- 
 tant parts of this whole relation.* . "i ,.. 
 
 The Society for promoting Christian Wtk}^- 
 ledge put a question to their Missionaries stime- 
 
 * Christian Observer, vol. xi. Feb. 1812. 
 
•THfil'Il CREEDS, &c. 1 85 
 
 lidaeago, Whether it would be practicable to 
 employ the Syrian Christians in their'Indian 
 Missions in conjunction with them, the Ger- 
 man and Danish Missionaries. In reply to 
 this query, the Missiotlaries drew up a memo- 
 randum, stating their reasons why they declined, 
 a wnion with those Syrian priests, as they held 
 doctrines which militate against the Thirty- 
 nine Articles' of the Church of il^ngland, the 
 Augustine Confession, and the Nicene Creed. 
 This Memorandum the Board deemed proper 
 to be submitted to public inspection. The 
 memorandum Js as follows:*—- 
 
 " Already, in^ 1725 and following' years, our predeces- 
 " sors; the missionaries at Tranquebar and Madras, 
 *' by the advice of their friends in Europe, endea- 
 ** voured to make acquaintance with the dignitaries 
 ^ and priests of the St. Thoriias or Syrian- Cliiris- 
 " tians, and to unite tliem with the Protestant 
 " Church; or, at least, to bring them to agree in 
 " doctrine with the Protestants. They hoped tha* 
 ••'the hatred of the Syrians against the Papists 
 *' would favour such a union. They employed for 
 *' this purpose a very learned divine of the Re- 
 -formed Church at Cochin, the Reverend Vale-' 
 " rius Nicolai, and they spoke with several Syrian 
 " priests that came to the coast ^t different times. 
 
 * Account of the SpwlJ for Promoting Christian Know- 
 ledge, 1811. 
 
 B B 
 
1 80 tHRISTIANS OP MALABAR : 
 
 *' But they were at last obliged tagivfe up al? hopes 
 " of such a unioDi The following abstract of the 
 " result of these researches will shew how unfit 
 " the Syrian clergy are to be Protestant mission- 
 " aries. 
 
 '* The Syrian Christians are split into two sects di- 
 " rectly opposed to each other, yet equally reced- 
 " ing from the orthodox doctrine of the Christian 
 " church; Nestorians and Eutychians. They pray, 
 " moreover, to the Virgin Mary and to the liaints 
 '^ (though not precisely to the same as the Church 
 " of Rome,) and desire their mediation. They be- 
 " lieve that good works are meritorious. They 
 "hold the doctrine of works of supererogation.^ 
 " Their public prayers and administration of the 
 " sacrament are in a tongue not understood by the 
 " people. Celibacy has grown customary among 
 " their prrests, though it is not enjoined. Thus 
 " their doctrine militates against the 2d, 5th, lltb, 
 " I4th, 24tb, and in a manner also against the 
 " 32d articles of religion, and against the Nlcene 
 « Cr^edi 
 
 " They are so ignorant that they could not even be 
 " used as sub-assistants to our native Catechists, 
 "and of course, as such people used to be, they 
 " are obstinate and would demand of us tocoiiform 
 *' to their persuasion and ritual, instead of con- 
 " forming themselves to that of the Church of 
 *• England^ 
 
 « Their proper language is not Syriac, but the Ma- 
 '' layalim idiom. They only make shift to read as 
 *' much Syriac as is necessary for celebrating the 
 
THEIR CREEDS, &c. 1 87 
 
 <* mass, att dreading their liturgy, which are almost 
 •' the same with those of the Armenians. 
 
 " The cast out of which alLthe priests are taken are 
 " the Cassanares^ and the priests claim an equality 
 ** with the highest cast of that country, the Nairs 5 
 " and, on this account, they have hardly any inter- 
 *• course with people of lower casts, whereby they 
 *' incapacitate themselves for the propagation of 
 " Christianity. 
 
 « We hope that the above reasons will justify our r«- 
 " quest, that we may he excused from admitting 
 " those Christians to a union of faith with our- 
 " selves, and to the office of teachers in our ortho. 
 " dox congregations, in violation of our ordination 
 " oath." 
 
 Such is the report of the Danish and Ger- 
 man missionaries whom the society in England 
 •^ere pleased to consult in order to determine 
 on their benevolent plans : it is, however, sin^ 
 cerely to be regretted, that things were not 
 better , understood by those missionaries, who, 
 certainly had not sufficient grounds to move 
 without exception, such a formidable charge 
 against the main body of the Indian Christians: 
 neither had the opportunity of travelling among 
 them, and examining for themselves their cha- 
 racter, but from hear-say and report only. 
 There is, moreover, a want of that discernment 
 necessary in the marks of difference of the 
 communions of those Christians ; and, also. 
 
] 88 CHRISTIANS OF MALABAR : 
 
 some warran table-conclusions from their books, 
 their liturgies, and rituals, requisite in this 
 affair, of which we have not the least notice, 
 and consequently s^ch a report is justly ques- 
 tionable in every form of it, and not to be de- 
 pended on. 
 
 ' Whatever, might be the cauSe, it is certain, 
 those missionaries were not very well pleas- 
 ed with the proposition ; nor did they vcant' 
 for associates^ the priests of the Syrian church, 
 whose language they did not understand, and 
 whose books they could not read; the event 
 prjoved disastrous, in preventing the ihlended 
 benevolence of the Church of England. But 
 that an affafr of such interest may be fairly 
 canvassed, I sh9.ll, with the permission of my 
 reader, here subjoin the arguments of the well 
 informed -writer above alluded to.* 
 
 1." "J^he jnission)aries therefore, it is obvious, bad no 
 " knowjedge themselves of the Syrian^ who live in 
 " a country far remote from them ; but they had 
 " found some notices of them in looking over the 
 " journals of their brethren the Danish niissioti- 
 " aries.betwieen the years from 1725 to 1738, as 
 " appears from the extracts above mentioned, 
 " w.ha'e no allusion is made to apy communication 
 " of a later date; 
 
 * Christian Obseitvir, vol. «. pag. 107. ,; n*' 
 
THEIR CREEDS, <fec. 1 80 
 
 By the XlXth Article of the Church of Eng- 
 land, " The visible church of Christ is a con-' 
 gregation of faithful men, in the which the pure 
 word of God is preached, and the sacraments 
 duly ministered, according to Christ's ordinance, 
 in all those things that of necessity are requisite 
 to the same:" — and by the same Article of Re- 
 ligion, fAeCA?<rcAo/'Jcn/5«Zem, Alexandria, An- 
 tioch, and Rome, are condemned as having erred 
 not only in their living and manner of ceremo- 
 nies, but also in matters of Faith: — at the same 
 time, the Church of England prays for the Holy 
 
 2. " These former missionaries alsd had not them- 
 " selves visited the Syrian Christians; but they 
 " had seen^ as appears by the e>£tracts from their 
 "journals, some Syrians evidently of the Romish' 
 " church, who came to Madras on a pilgrimage to 
 '< St. Thomas's Mount, as is usual with the Roman 
 " Catholics in India. 
 
 3. " That the only Syrians they saw were of the Ro- 
 " mish church is fully proved by these very ex- 
 " tracts, which ascribe to them the use of " mis- 
 " §als" and " mass," the acknowledgment of " the 
 " supremacy of the Pope>" and « subjection to a 
 " Portuguese bishop," &c, &c. Such Syrian Chfis- 
 '* tians as have joined the Church of Rome are 
 '^ well known to be in a degenerate and most 
 " illiterate state^ and they are justly so described 
 " by the missionaries. But it does not appear that 
 « they ever saw one of those Syrian Christians of 
 
190 CHRISTIANS OF MALABAR: 
 
 Church universal:* and for thejiniversal Churchy 
 that it may he inspired continually with the 
 spirit of truth, unity, and concord ;\ and also, 
 for the good estate of the Catholic Church,X from 
 all which it may be concluded that the Church 
 of England charitably hopes, and prays for the 
 faithful of all nations professing the Christian 
 name, notwithstanding the outward and visible 
 differences of other large porlious of the Chris- 
 tian world, and their departures from 4;he pure 
 light of the Protestant faith, and primitive insti- 
 tutions of Religion. Likewise in the Ecclesi- 
 
 " Malayalawbo continue separate from the Church 
 " of Rome. They state, indeed, their having seen 
 " a Nestorian Syrian priest ; but he also must have 
 « belonged to that church, for he spoke of " the 
 " adoration of the mother of God," and informed 
 " them, that he had been ordalnedby Mar Gabriel, 
 " a Nestorian bishop, who " celebrated mass/' and 
 " used a " missal/' and who, we are afterwards 
 " told, when solicited to unite in the true orthodox 
 « doctrine, answered *' in a papistical strain." 
 4. " The journals of the Danish missionaries further 
 " record, that they had some correspondence with 
 '' Valerius Nicolai, a Dutch minister at Cochin, re- 
 
 * Litany. 
 t Prayer for the whole state of Christ's church militant 
 liere in earth. 
 
 X Prayer for all conditions of men. 
 
THEIR CREEDS, &c. 101 
 
 astical Canons it is enjoined, Canon LV. " JBe- 
 Jbre all sermons, lectures, and homilies, the preach- 
 ers and ministers shall move the people to join 
 with them in prayer, in this form, or 1o this 
 effect, as briefly as conveniently they may: Ye 
 shall pray for Chrisfs holy Catholic Church, that 
 is, for the whole congregation of Christian people 
 dispersed throughout the whole world," &c. By 
 which we may see the manifest difference be- 
 tween Protestant charity and Catholic bigotry, 
 
 " spectiug the Syrian Christians. It appears that, 
 " about the year 1729, Mr. Nicolai had written 
 " several letters to a Syrian bishop, one Mar Tho- 
 *' mas, with a view to reclaim him from an error in 
 *' doctrine by proofs from holy writ, (the bishop 
 " maintaining, as is alleged, a tenet of Eutyches, 
 " that Christ had but one nature,) but this bishop 
 '' had declined giving any answer till he should • 
 " receive permission from his patriarch in Syria. 
 
 5. " From the perusal of these journals the Society's 
 " present missionaries had come to the conclusion, 
 " that the Syrian Christians of Malayala " are Nes- 
 " torians, and worship the Virgin Mary," and that, 
 " therefore, they cannot be admitted to an " union 
 " of faith with themselves." 
 
 6. " Such is the account which, in the year 1811, the 
 " Society for promoting Christian Knowledge have 
 " thought proper to publish respecting the Syrian 
 " Christians of Malayala. 
 
 " Its publication, however, could only have been 
 
1 92 CHRISTIANS OF MALABAR : 
 
 and learn that Christianity is not cgnfiqed to one 
 country or nation, but is dispersed over the 
 face of the whole earth; wheresoever the name 
 of Christ is named, and his holy gospel preach- 
 ed ; and that in every nation wheresoever even 
 two or three meet apd assemble together in his 
 name, he is present with them. Christianity 
 forbids the thought that all those churches have 
 perished from the salvation of the gospel,' which 
 in ancient times have been pronounced heretical 
 
 *' proper on the supposition that no more recent 
 
 " and authentic accounts of this interesting' people 
 
 " could be obtained. It is possible, indeed, that 
 
 " the worthy Missionaries of the Society, who are 
 
 *' chiefly Germans, and have little intercourse with 
 
 "the English in India, were ignorant of the exist- 
 
 " ence of any such accounts. 
 
 '' But it seems hardly possible that^ to some members 
 
 ^' at least of the Board for managing the affairs of 
 
 " this society, it should not have been known, that 
 
 " in the year 1805, the Madras Government sent 
 
 «« the Rev. Dr. Kerr, senior chaplain at the pre- 
 
 " sidency of Madras, on a special mission to Mak' 
 
 «' bkr and Travancore, (before Dr. Buchanan visit- 
 
 " ed those countries,)' in order to investigate the 
 
 " state of the Syrian and other Christians ; and 
 
 " that the official Report which this esteemed and 
 
 " much-lamented clergyman made to Lord William 
 
 " Bentlnck, was -afterwards published under the 
 
 •^ authority of the Supreme Government of India. 
 
THEIR CREEDS, &c. 1 93 
 
 by dogmatical councils, too often the result of 
 bigotry and opposition, rather than dispassion^ 
 ate truth and reason. 
 
 The existing remains of the oriental church- 
 es are standing monuments of the everlasting 
 truth of Christianity, which, neither time has 
 destroyed, nor human power overthrown ; and 
 
 '* If they had paid the slightest attention to this 
 " Report, it would probably have prevented their 
 " present publication. It would, at least, have 
 '* prevented their charging tbe Syrian church of 
 ** Malayala with the errors of Rome ; for it would 
 ** have clearly pointed out to them the distinctions 
 " which exist among the Christians on the Mala- 
 " bar coast, and must have convinced them that the 
 " account which they have given to the world, 
 '* under the sanction of their authority, referred 
 " principally, if not wholly, to the Syrian Romaa 
 *' Catholics, and ftot ta the true Syrian Church of 
 « Malayala." 
 7. " In one important particular* the journals of the 
 '< missionarie« confirm the more recent intelli- 
 "gence; we mean, as to. the respectable character 
 ^' of the Syrian clergy in, their own nation. It is 
 " stated, " that the priests claim an equality v^ith 
 " the highest cast of that country, the Nairs." It 
 <' may be expeetej, that when 8uch shall be led to 
 " turn their attention to biblical literature^ they 
 <' should make some proficiency in it. As to their, 
 ^ incompetence to instruct the poor on account of. 
 
194 CHRISTIANS OF MALABAR: 
 
 which, like the adamantine roeks, have with- 
 stood the rage of persecuting violence, and the 
 revolutions of empires ; and considering all the 
 circumstances in which their history stands 
 connected, it seems a duty incumbent on the 
 flourishing churches of Europe at this elapsed 
 period, to^strengthen and build up their vene- 
 
 " their difference of rank, such an objection would 
 " apply equally to the clergy of England. Give 
 '^ them the means of studying the Bible in their 
 " vernacular tongue, and let them imbibe its spirit, 
 " and we have no doubt that any difficulties arising 
 " from difference of rank will speedily vanish. 
 8." In regard to a-unionwith the Syrian Christians in- 
 " India, even supposing it to be at present imprac- 
 *' ticable, either on account of the political circum- 
 " stances of the country— they being the subjects 
 « of another state — or on account of certain differ- 
 " ences of religious opinion or practice ; yet surely 
 " there is nothing, even now, to prevent a friendly 
 '< intercourse with them ; or, as the late Bishop of 
 " London expressed it," such a connection as might 
 " appear to both churches practicable and expe- 
 " dient;" such a connection as should tendto their 
 " improvement in scriptural knowledge, as well as 
 " to their civil happiness. Such a Connection as 
 ", this, we will venture to add, in' the words of that 
 *' lamented prelate, woiild be a " happy event, and 
 " favourable to the advancement of religion." 
 g. « A union, therefore, with the Syrian Christians, at 
 
t'HEIR CUtEOS, &e. 1^5 
 
 f^le ruins, to cherish and enlighten their faith- 
 ful priesthood^ and to restore them to that con- 
 dition whereby they may become the grand 
 luminaries of evangelical truth to the nations 
 around them. 
 
 " a future time^ ought not to be accounted a visionv 
 " ary object. At present, htowever, they only want 
 " our countenance^ and the means of instraction^ 
 " They are descended from the first Christians at 
 " Antiocb, (at least with more certainty than ife 
 '^ can trace the descent of almost any other people,) 
 *' they maintain a primitive character, and can 
 " boast of an antiquity to which we cannot pretend ; 
 " and althoug^h, in respect of refinement and learn- 
 '< mg, they may not be deemed worthy to sit at 
 " mieat with us, yet ^e may give to theniy and it 
 " appears that they would thankfully receive, *' the 
 *' crumbs that fall from our table." 
 10. " What can we, as a society embodying within its 
 ^' pale the constituted authorities of the English . 
 " episcopate — what can we do to raise this ancient, 
 " but fallen and oppressed church, to a participa- 
 *' tion of the privileges with which the Divine 
 *• ipercy has favoured us? Can any thing be done 
 " to enlighten her darkness ; to rectify the errors 
 ♦* produced in the long lapse of ages, by her 
 " isolated state, and by her destitution of the means 
 « of religious knpwledge? Can any thing be done ; 
 " to protect her agalni^t the oppression of the na- 
 « tive governments, and against the insidious arts 
 " of the Romish church, aided by the terrors of an 
 *' inquisition V &c. &c. 
 
190 'fHE RELIGION 
 
 ; u:* 
 
 THE RELIGION OF THE CHINESE. 
 
 The religion of this vast empire mast be 
 allowed a subject of some importance truly to 
 ascertain. Our only sources of information 
 are the relations of the Romish Missionaries, 
 whose abilities and penetrating genius al], the 
 world knows equal to the task of this enquiry. 
 From their accounts, as published in several 
 authors, one point seems conclusive, and that 
 is, that the Chinese religion is the most sitnple 
 and refined species of paganism, different from 
 all other, and peculiar to that ancient arid 
 extraordinary people. It is a religion withotut 
 altars, temples, or priests, except one ouly, wbo 
 is the emperor, and sovereign pontiff, receiving 
 tithes of all; and who, annually performs the 
 rites of sacrifice or oblation in behalf of the 
 whole empire. 
 
 It does not appear that the learned Mission- 
 aries are agreed as to the supreme object qf the 
 Chinese \vorshlp, or v^herein the imperial and 
 national religion consists. Tien is named to 
 be the object of their worship, which in their 
 langnage, signifies Heaven : but in what sense 
 they so understand the word Tieft when re- 
 ferred to acts of religion, or when used in a 
 
OP THE CHINESE. IQT 
 
 religious sense, is a point to, be inquired into: 
 some of them understanding it of the material 
 heaiiens^ and others of the immaterial heaven or 
 spirit of thfi heavens: concerning whjch neither 
 their own -learned men, nor the Missionaries 
 themselves can absolutely decide: that is, whe- 
 ther the Chinese worship Gcm? or Heaven; the 
 Creator or the creature ; likewise, whether by 
 the spirit of heaven, or immaterial heaven, they 
 understand an Almighty ^d intelligent Being, 
 or only an energy or power devoid of life and 
 intelligence; which diversity of opinions first 
 gave rise to sects amongst the Chinese. 
 
 The determination of this question has given 
 rise to warni disputes between the Jesuit Mis- 
 sionaries, and their adversaries, for more than 
 a century past. Du Halde, who was a Jesuit, 
 tells us, " that the chief object of the Chinese 
 worship was denoted by the name Chang-ti, 
 i. e. Supreme Emperor ; or Tien, which ac- 
 cording to the interpreters, signifies the same 
 thing, though it is also frequeptly taken for tht 
 material heavens : Tien, say. they, is the spirit 
 that presides in heaven, because heaven iS the 
 most excellent work produced by the first 
 cause." But here it is asked, " Did they re- 
 gard this Tien as an intelligent Being, Lord 
 and Creatoi* of heaven, earth, and all things ? 
 Is it not likely that their vows and homage 
 were addressed to the visible and material hea- 
 
108 THE RELIGION 
 
 vens; or, at least.to a celeslial'energy void of 
 understanding, inseparable from the identical 
 matter of which they are composed. But this, 
 says the author, I shall leave to the judgment 
 of the reader." Navarette, and many others, 
 strongly maintained the latter point: and in 
 1704, Pope Clement XI. issued a bull forbid- 
 ding " that the two Chinese words Tien and 
 Chang-ti should any longer be applied to 
 God, but instead of them, the term Tien-chu, 
 which signifies Lord of Heaven, should be in- 
 troduced.'* , But neither this, nor the other, 
 papal prohibitions had much effect, and thte 
 matter has slept for many years.* 
 
 Thus it appears that neither the Chinese 
 themselves, nor the Romish Missionaries can 
 decide absolutely on the religion of that empire: 
 wherefore it is most safely and reasonably to 
 be concluded, that they worship they knoiv not 
 tvhat-^Vike the pagans of old, they have raised 
 an altar to an unknown God — and have lived in 
 the utmost darkness of superstition Without 
 the knowledge of God, and without hope in the 
 ■world. 
 
 The religion of the Bonzees is gross idolatry : 
 there is no diflSculty in pronouncing that vagrant 
 
 1 " ■ ■ ' *" — ■ ' " 
 
 *Le ComptCi Tom. II. p. 141. Navare tie's Account of 
 the Empire of Chiiia, p. 21, 22. Mosheilns Authentic Me- 
 nioirs 0f China, p. 27* 
 
OF THE CHINESE. 109 
 
 priesthood the worshippers of idols, who in 
 common with the whole mass of ancient and 
 modern paga:ns, have changed the glot'y of the 
 incorruptible and immortal God into the image 
 and likeness oj" corruptible man, and to birds, and 
 four footed beasts, and creeping things: and thus 
 being led captive hy the devil at his will, have 
 changed the truth of God into a lie, and wor- 
 shipped and served the creature more tlian the 
 Creator, as the great Apostle of the Gentiles 
 has so justly described them.* 
 
 In reflecting on the religion of the Chinese, 
 or rather their superstition, there seems to be 
 elicited one great and evident maxim, which is, 
 that in the example of China, the most refined 
 and civilized nations of the world, unenlighten- 
 ed with Divine Revelation, are in point of reli- 
 gion, on the common level with the most barba- 
 rous and uncultivated nations : that even the 
 inhabitants of the most isolated portions. of 
 the globe, and the natives of the South Seas 
 have equal, if not more exalted concieptions of 
 a Deity, than the boasted wisdom of China any 
 where discovers : and herein is proved by an 
 infallible and universal testimony the assertion 
 of the divine Apostle above quoted, " that the 
 world by wisdom knew not God:" nor could in 
 
 * Epist. to theRomaps, ch. i. 
 
200 THE RELIGfON 
 
 any ways- attain to any just ideas, of his eternal 
 and unchangeable attributes. 
 
 It is certain also, that if we look for any 
 thing like natural reb'gion, or natural theology-, 
 it must be sought in the unenlightened empire 
 of China, where it is to be found in all its native 
 perfection, and where its pestiferous fruits have 
 been maturated, and displayed themselves in 
 the tyranny, the despotisms and cruelty of that 
 empire. 
 
 Their great and eminent moralist, Confucius, 
 was born about the year 551, before the Chris^ 
 tian aera, a little before the death of Thales, one 
 of the seven sages of Greece. He was co* 
 temporary with Pythagdras, and Socrates ap- 
 peared not long afterwards. This oracle of the 
 Chinese, and model of virtue and human per- 
 fection, was famed for bis prediction of a saint 
 who should arise Jrotn the West, or Holy One 
 who should there appedf : which some have 
 understood as an obscure ititiiqation of a Re- 
 storen According to a tradition universally 
 received among the Chinese, he was often 
 heard to' repeat these words, Sifyng yeou ching 
 gin, the meaning of which is, " That in the 
 West, the Most Holy was to he found. And it 
 is recorded that Ming-ti, the fifteenth emperor 
 of the family of Han, was so struck with this 
 declaration, and the image of a man who ap- 
 
OP THE CHINESE. 204 
 
 peared to him in sleep, that he sent two of his 
 graiidees towards the West, whence the vision 
 seemed to have come, with orders not to returri 
 before they had found this Holy Person, whom 
 heaven had given hirini some kiiowledge of, and 
 till they had learned the doctrinfe which he 
 taught. 
 
 But the messengers, diseoWaged with the 
 dangers and fatigues of the journey, stopf/ed in 
 some place by the way, where they found the 
 idol of a man called Fo or F'Se, who had in- 
 fected the Indies with his monstrous doctrine 
 about 500 year^ bfefbfe the birth of Confucius. 
 They instructed themselves in this superstition, 
 arrd upOn ~ their return to China spread it 
 tbi^otighout the Empire. This happened about 
 65 yefars aft6r Chi'ist, about the time when Sf. 
 Thttmas preachted the Gospel' in the Indies, so 
 that had these man'diari'i^s dttl^ 6bs6rved their 
 orders', China might probably hav6 scared iti 
 the labours of this Apostle.* 
 , As to their idol F&, his origin is s'O obscure 
 th^t there is no certain account of him extant ; 
 some making nO more df him thati an appa- 
 ritionj whilst~othi6rs say he was born above a 
 thousand yi^ars before the Christian aeria, in a 
 
 *T)u Halde, vol. iii. pag. 300 ; and Le Compte, Tom. i. pag. 
 4l6. 
 
 DD 
 
202 CATHOLIC MISSIONS 
 
 kingdom of the Indies near the Line, perhaps 
 a little above Bengal, says La Compte.* Thus 
 far have we an account of the religion: of the 
 Chinese, which no doubt, very sodn, our Eng- 
 lish Missionaries will relate to us in a more 
 perfect and satisfactory manner, when they 
 have the convenient opportunity to cQnsult 
 the ancient books, and penetrate into that 
 empire. 
 
 CATHOLIC MISSIONS IN CHINA. 
 
 The Romish Missionaries first made their 
 way into China about the year 1583, and hav- 
 ing introduced themselves at court, soon be- 
 came the Emperor's favourites by their extra- 
 ordinary address, and skill in the sciences and 
 mechanic arts, serving him, it is said, in every 
 capacity, from the highest to the lowest, down 
 from a minister of state to a watchmaker. At 
 length, their influence was such, that in 1662 
 they obtained an edict, granting a general to- 
 leration in favour of Christianity, This how- 
 ever, was revoked about 30 years afterwards by 
 the successor to Cam^hi, but was again, in a 
 good measure, restored by Kien-long, who suc- 
 ceeded to the empire in 1737. 
 
 * Memoirs of Cliiua, pag. 320. 
 
IN CHINA. 203 
 
 The zeal of the Catholics for the propaigation 
 of their religion in China, has been truly great 
 and persevering. It has been computed that 
 within the first century after their establish- 
 ment in that country, there have been about six 
 hundred Jesuits, and two hundred priests sent 
 into China. The state of their missions in the 
 the years 1800 and 1806, is briefly as follows : 
 There are at Pekin four houses of European 
 Missionaries, who are only allowed to go thi- 
 ther by leave of the Emperor, under the title 
 of astronomers, physicians, watchmakers, &c. 
 It is only required, that among these Mission- 
 aries, some should excel in the different sciences 
 or arts, -to be employed according to the good 
 pleasure of the Emperor. The Missionaries 
 employed by the Emperor, attend to the exer- 
 cise of their ministry ; whilst f he others are ex- 
 clusively occupied with it, and traverse the 
 whole province of Petchily, of which Pekin is 
 the capital, as well as the adjoining province of 
 ChantoBg. The first of these houses is occur 
 pied by the French Missionaries ; the second 
 house belongs to the Portuguese, where thei 
 bishop resides, who is regularly a native of 
 Portugal, his jurisdiction extends over the 
 whole provinces of Petchily and Chantong; 
 the third house belongs to the Propaganda at 
 
^04 CATHOLIC MISSIONS 
 
 Rome,^ which sends thither religious of dif- 
 ferertt nations ^nd different religious orders. 
 Each of these houses has ipissions iri the city 
 of Pekin, and in the province of Petchily and 
 Ghantong; they have likewise each of ihem 
 
 * Ti^is is the Romish Migsip^n^^ and Sible Society, of that 
 fame and c^(i>'ity> that, as a great and noble religious iusti- 
 f ution, and the pride and glory of the Catholics throughout 
 the world, cannot be passed over in silence. This society 
 was instituted for the " Propagation of tlie Faith," by Pope 
 Qrego,«;y, io 1622. Its prigijiml m^iix^,ers wfcre thirtepn cardi- 
 nal^, t>yo priests, ^nd one monfc, to w^oni was add^d 3 Se« 
 CjCet^ry ; tlieir office was to e.:^tend the, Catholic faith in every 
 part of the world. This college wa^ increased and enriched 
 afterwards by the munificence of Pope Urban VIII. and other 
 charitable and illustrious persons. Hs revenues have beeir 
 employed in the tranal^ting books of religious instructipin, it) 
 diffierept i^uropestn a^d Asiatic languages, and in ediicating 
 UP^ foi;uiing, for the piriest^ooiji, yon^g men of theii; ow;n a^ 
 foreign, nations at a va$t expet^ce. In, the palace of the con- 
 gregation, there is a room of large dimensions, which is their 
 printing'office, furnished with characters in all languages, witit 
 abl<; correctors and printers continually employedin works foJe 
 the propagation of their religion, Ijhis; great iqstitutioli has 
 received large aci^^si^iptis of funds, and cqdowments, at variour' 
 times, by several pther eminent fou||iders.^ It. has been from . 
 these means, that young men of various nations of Asia and 
 Africa; have been brought to Rome, and there qualified for 
 ecclesiastics in their several countries, especiatlyj where the 
 Catholics have made any griquiid ; vi», Geqrgi^i,' Persia, Syria, 
 
IN CHINA. 205 
 
 a correspondent at Macao.* The French 
 house has a small college, or semiuary in the 
 interior, to educate the natives for the priest- 
 hood. There are in China three titular bi- 
 shops ; one at Pekin, one at Nankin, and one 
 at Macao : eaqh of these bishops has two or 
 three provinces under his jurisdiction, and are 
 
 Arnienia, Egypt, Ethiopia^ the Indies, and China. Here 
 also they have able professors in the languages, and sciences, di- 
 'Vinity, philosophy, and other branches of learning. Besides 
 there are at Rome, colleges for vfirious nations, as, the Gieek 
 college ; a college for the Maroniteg, and other eastern people, 
 well endowed^, and by which their extensive missions have 
 beeij supplied. in all parts of ihe world. 
 
 l^'his society printed in forty-eight different languages with- 
 in the first fifty years of its institution ; but the troubles of the 
 French Revolution reduced' it to the almost state of annihila* 
 tion : amongst ot-ber losses, the wliole of their printing ma* 
 trices were taken t^o Fari$, but have been since restored, and 
 the Consregeition, de Progagandfi have resumed their fufic- 
 tibps. 
 
 '^ Macao is an island<situated at; the soutberu extremity of the 
 Chinese empire. It is a CQlony; of the. Portuguese, though part 
 Qf the island belongs to the Chinese, and is within sight of 
 Chii^a. There are in this island, fifteen churqhes or chapels, 
 fifty ecclesiastics, and four convents, one of the Augustines, 
 one of the Franciscans, one of the Dominicans, and one of 
 the nuns of St. Clare, Besides the military governor, the 
 public administration is in the senate, composed of the bishop, 
 the judge, and a few of the principal inhabitants. 
 
206 CATHOLIC MISSIONS 
 
 invariably natives of Portugal. Besides these, 
 there are three bishops who are 'vicars -;aposto- 
 lie, in the provinces of Fokein/Satchuen, and 
 Chensi: the first is generally a Spanish Domi- 
 nican, the second a Frenchman from the semi- 
 nary of foreign missions at Paris, and the third 
 an Italian religious. 
 
 The Mission of the province of Pekin, inclu- 
 ding the capital, computed at the lowest, seven 
 thousand Christian converts in the year J 806, 
 divided into a hulidred different districts, and 
 dispersed through a vast tract ofnear six hun- 
 dred miles i a extent. 
 
 The Mission in the province of Sutchuen in 
 the year 1785, reckoned twenty-four thousand 
 converts; but by the last accounts the number 
 increased to sixty thousand, which composed 
 515 Christian settlements, widely situated 
 throughout this extensive province. To admi- 
 nister to all these, they have four Europeans, 
 including a bishop, and twenty native priests : 
 they have likewise many schools in this. pro->- 
 vince, amounting nearly to a hundred in num- 
 ber. The province of Sutchuen, the capital of 
 which is Tching-tou, extends nine hundred 
 miles from east to west, and nine hundred and 
 sixty from north to south. It contains twelve 
 cities of the first rank, nineteen of the second, 
 one hundred and ten of the thirds and ten call- 
 
IN CHINA. 207 
 
 ed 7%g. The province is divided into four 
 parts, eastern, western, northern, and southern. 
 In the western part of Tonkin and Cochin- 
 china, there are also missions. In Tonkin they 
 have two bishops, an apostolic vicar, and his 
 coadjutor, four European priests, and about 
 fifty native priests. Here they have also a col- 
 lege for studying divinity, and preparing for 
 the minor orders ; with a senolnary, containing 
 in all about one hundred students. 
 
 In the western part of Toakin were reckon- 
 ed one hundred and eighty thousand neophytes 
 administered by the French Missionaries. The 
 eastern district is under the care of a bishop 
 and the Spanish dominicans, reckoning about 
 one hundred and forty thousand Christians. 
 
 The Mission at Cochin-china, is computed at 
 about sixty thousand Catholics under the care 
 of a bishop, and twenty evangelical labourers. 
 There are here also two colleges for students in 
 theology, situated in the upper and lower part 
 of this kingdom. 
 
 The two kingdoms of Tonkin and Cochin- 
 china are at pi-esent under the dominion of the 
 king of the latter country, who exercises the 
 
 * For the character of the reigning Monarch of this csun- 
 try, who is known by the name of CaungitShung, read Bar- 
 row's Voyage to Cochin-china, pag. 277. 
 
208 CATHOLIC MISSIONS IN CHINA. 
 
 most unlimited, power over his subjects, and 
 althoiigh he aUows the Romish Missionaries the 
 fall Uherty to go where they please and preach 
 the gospel, yet he greatly oppresses them by 
 his military levies,r which compels the third 
 part of his subjects to enrol themselves in his 
 armies, from which a very small number can 
 exempt themselves ; whilst, others of them are 
 employed in public wcrrks, and overwhelmed 
 with labours, are reduced to a state 0f abso- 
 lute slavery, to the great disadvantage of the 
 Missions.. 
 
 , According to a general es4inp(ate theiTd are 
 pne hundred Catholic Missionaries- in Cochiii- 
 china and Tonquin,, and about two hundred 
 thousfiud .Christians,;, but according tO a more 
 recent accoun*, there were' , reekotied in Ton- 
 q-uin alone three humdfed^ and tw^snl^ thousand. 
 Tonkin; or Tonq,uin, is nearly as I^rge as 
 France, situated in the Torrid zone, very fi'uiV- 
 ful, whose soil, is irrigated j wi4h about fift^^ 
 rivers, and bounded. on both sides, by the sea. 
 
 ft^is.,. 
 
 f&miko BY bT EioWARDS, , "" 
 CBAME COURT, FLEET l^gJEETt