Grange, a farming establishment, especially such as belonged to ancient monasteries. Most monasteries had farm-houses on their estates, to which were attached chapels, as well as barns and other offices. Many of these buildings, as well as the chapels, were built in fine architectural taste. (G. F. C.)
Grant, Asahel, M.D., an American missionary, was born in Marshall, N. Y., August 17, 1807. He early commenced the study of medicine, and at the age of twenty he married and settled in Braintrini, on the Susquehanna ; but, losing his wife four years after, he removed to Utica, where he acquired a large and lucrative practice as a physician. The meeting of the American board at this place in 1834 wrought an en- tire change in his destiny. His attention was strongly directed to foreign missions, and, after carefully consid- ering the subject, he made an offer of his services to Dr. Anderson. Having expressed a preference for the mission contemplated among the Nestorians, he was directed to join Dr. Perkins, who was already on his waj- to Persia. Accompanied by his second wife, he sailed from Boston May 11, 1835, and on the 27tli of October the}' arrived at Oroomiah, their future home. "The district of Oroomiah is in the western part of Azerbijan, the ancient Atropatane, and forms the fron- tier line of Persia in the direction of the Turkish em-' pire. The scenery is unrivalled even beneath a I'er- sian sky." To the missionary the scene was endeared bj' the most sacred associations. ' ' In the city of Oroo- miah, and amid the three hundred villages of the plain, there still lingered the scattered remnant of a once il- lustrious church — a chvirch which had disputed with Rome herself the spiritual dominion of half the world." See Nestorians. When they were first visited bj' American missionaries, the vast jurisdiction which had once comprehended twenty-five metropolitan provinces had shrunk to a petty sect, hardly able to maintain it- self against Mohammedan oppression. The checkered history of the Nestorians had made a deep impression on the mind of Dr. Grant; and lieing, moreover, liuoy- ed up with the belief that tlie Nestorians were treas- ured up for final restoration as remnants of the lost tribes of Israel, he entered upon his woi'k with the ut- most zeal. Dr. Perkins was already in the field, and
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Mr. Merrick had joined liim at Constantinople. To- gether they conmienced the work of establishing the mission. Dr. Grant's character as a physician secured the favor of the Persian governor, and the Nestorian bisho[)S and priests gave him a heaity welcome. A school was at once commenced, and the work soon extended in every direction. (For details, sec Nesto- KIANS.) In 1839 Dr. Grant visited tlie almost inac- cessible region in which the Nestorian patriarch, ]\lar Shimon, resided. On the sides of the rugged hills of Koordistan, and within their deep ravines, dwelt the "Waldenses of the East — the Protestants of Asia." Among those hills were thousands w ho had preserved, with few corruptions, an apostolic faith. The difficul- ties in the way of missionary labor among them were numerous and formidable ; but Mr. Grant was not to be deterred, and finally received an invitation from tlie patriarch, with the promise of a guard through the Koord villages. His fame as a physician had been carried to the mountain districts, and, indeed, his pro- fessional character not only gave him many opportuni- ties of doing good, but often saved his life. Dr. Grant remained among them five weeks, gaining all the in- formation he could, and, soon after, his wife's death and the failure of his own health compelled his return to America (1840). In consequence of his report, the board decided at once to establish a mission among the mountains. Being appointed to that work, he return- ed to his labors in April, 1841. In compaiij' with the patriarch, Mar Shimon, he now made an extensive tour through the different villages and districts (1842). A school was opened at Ashita in April, 1843, and Mr. and Mrs. Laurie took charge of the station. Soon af- ter, Dr. Grant ascertained that the barbarous Moham- med, pacha of Mosul, was forming an alliance with the Koords against the Nestorians, who had always before maintained their independence. Dr. Grant was con- vinced that this independence was now at an end, and tried to persuade them to make terms with the Turks. This the infatuated Nestorians refused to do ; but Dr. Grant did not relinquish his hopes of sustaining the mission ; and, though abandoned by all his native as- .sistants, when hostilities commenced he hastened with Mr. Stocking to the Persian emir, and gained the prom- ise of his protection. They then proceeded to the pa- triarch, but all their efforts were unavailing to induce him to unite with the Persians against the Turks and Koords. The infatuated patriarch had entered into cor- respondence with ]\Iohammed of ]\Iosul. The wily Turk deceived him w ith ])romises, and the unsuspect- ing Nestorians allowed the enemy to close against them without resistance. At last the storm burst, and there ensued such a massacre as has few parallels in history. The bodies filled the valleys and choked the mountain streams. All the efTbrts of Dr. Grant to avert the catastrophe were useless, though for some time the protection of the emir was observed, and tiie missionary buildings ^s•ere left undisturbed. Soon, however, they too were destroyed, and the mission- aries fled for their lives. After Dr. Grant reached Mo- sul, "all his energies were devoted to the work of re- lieving the wretched fugitives who crowded the city." In the spring he looked forward to a return home, but early in April his health l)egan to fail, and on tlie 25tli he died at Mosul. Dr. (irant j)ublished The Xestoriaiis, or the Lost Tribes, u-ith t^ ketches of Travel in Ass;/rici, A rmenid, Media, and Mesopotamia (Lond. 1841 ; Bost. 1843, 2d ed.). — See Lothrop, Memoir of Asahel Grant, M.D. (N.Y. 1847, 18mo) ; Laurie, Grant and the Moun- tain Nestorians (Bost. 1853 ; od ed. 1856, 12nio) ; Di- man, in Nero Enffander, August, 1853, art. vii ; New- comb, Cyclop, of Missiiins, p. 5(;i sq.