the European manner, has on the other infected them with deeper superstitions; and the only benefit which they have derived from a change of name and commun- ion is the promise of political protection from France, with occasional presents of ecclesiastical vestments, pict- ures of saints, and rosaries — "Gifts," says Mr. Badger, " which they know not how to use, and show no dispo- sition to learn." It is worthy of note that, notwith- standing the number of the Church rituals, and the ex- tent of country over which they are scattered, there is a striking uniformity in all the copies now in use both among the Nestorians and " Chaldajans," except where these latter have omitted parts of the original text, or altered it to suit their present conformity with Rome. The only way of accounting for this coincidence is af- forded by the operation of that canon which made it obligatory upon all the metropolitans and bishops to appear in person or by proxy to testify of their faith and obedience before the catholicos— that is. the patri- arch. Yet it appears that there is no standard confes- sion of faith — nothing entitled to be considered a sym- bol of the doctrines held by this community. See Chal- D.EANS ; Nestorian Monastics.
IV. The Chrixtians of St. Thomas, in East India, are a branch of the Nestorians. They are named after the apostle Thomas, who is supposed to have preached the Gospel in that country. It is probable also that dur- ing the persecution in Persia a number of Christians emigrated to India. A bishop and priest, it is said, went in 345 from Jerusalem to ^lalabar. Cosmas In- dicopleustes (in the 6th century, about 530) speaks of a Church in Malabar. At Calliana there was a bishop or- dained iu Persia, and in the island of Ceylon a Church with a presbyter, deacon, etc., also ordained in Persia, but these served simply for the Persian merchants in the island, the inhabitants not being Christians. About 570 Bud, the presbyter, visited the churches of India as periodeutes (an office still existing among the Nesto- rians ; see Assem. Bibl. Or. iii, 219), but Jesujab of Adia- bene (patriarch, 850-860) complained in his letters to Simeon, the metropolitan of Persia, that through his fault and that of his predecessors the churches of India were in a very bad state (it was patriarch Timotheus who first gave them a metropolitan [see below]), and that Christianity had almost died out in Korassan. He commanded the readers no longer to obey their bishop, who was deposed by a synod of Seleucia, and to elect a new one to be sent to him for ordination. It is proba- ble that Christianity spread thence into China, and a stone monument discovered there (whose authenticity there does not seem to be any reasonable ground to doubt) testifies to the success of the Nestorian Church from the time of its introduction under Jesujab of Ga- dala in 636-781. Salibazacha (patriarch, 714-726) ap- pointed the first metropolitan of China. About the same time there were also metropolitans appointed to Herat and Samarcand. Nestorianism spread subsequently also into Tartary.
But to return to the Nestorians of St. Thomas. They first attained to a metropolitanate in the 8th century. The first incumbent of the office was patriarch Timo- theus (A.D. 778-820), and since then their bishops also have been immediately appointed by the patriarchs. They secured from the different governments great privileges, which date chiefly from the beginning of the 9th century. This and their great increase in numbers led them to establish a state and to elect a king, after the death of which their little kingdom fell into sub- jection to the emperor of Cochin-China. In consequence of the quarrels of the Indian princes with each other — quarrels of which the Mohammedans knew how to take advantage — they were gradually much oppressed, and in 1502 they were induced to offer the crown to the re- nowned Vasco de Gama, who had landed on their shores. Their connection with the patriarch of the Nestorians appears to have soon come to an end. About 1120-1130 their spiritual chief is said to have gone to Constanti-
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nople for tlic purpose of beinji made bishop, and thence to Koine. Ill after-times tlie Indian churches were re- (Uiced to a very small number, only one deacon remain- in';, who held all ecclesiastical offices. On this account ( ieorgius and Joseplius were sent in 1490 to the Ncsto- rian patriarch Simeon to ask him to give them a bishop. 'I licy were both ordained priests, and the two monks, Thomas and John, sent back with them as bishops, .hihii remained in India, settling at Cranganor, but Thomas soon went back again. Patriarch Elias (f 1502) instituted three monks, Jaballaha as the metropolitan, .lai-ol) and Denha as bishops, and sent them with Tliomas to India. They found ]ilar John still alive, and stated that they discovered 30,000 Christian families, distributed in twenty provinces; later Portuguese authorities ro.-trict the number to 1(5,000 families. These gradually declined, being oppressed in many ways, and were thus led to place themselves under the protection of Portugal, of- fering to recognise king Kmmanuel as tlieir only ruler. This led to tlieir ruin, for they were then treateil worse than ever by the native princes, and afterwards op- pressed by the Portuguese. Papal emissaries— iiameU', Jesuits — were sent to them, who sought to subject them to the pope by violence and cunning. The archbisliop of Goa, Alexius Menez (q. v.), obliged them to recognise the decisions of the synod held in 151)9 at Diamper, so that but few communities, and those lost in the moun- tains, remained true to the faith of their forefathers (comp. JIarsden, IJist. of Chi-istian Churches and Sects, p. 09).