NESTORIAXS
NESTORIAKS
priests carry with them a small silver cross, which is often kissed by the people. They are very scrupulous respecting their religious ceremonies and fasts. Many Nestorians would rather die than violate their periodi- cal fasts, yet are they very far from Protestant in their ideas respecting their daily life; even their most intel- ligent ecclesiastics seem to have hardly any idea of the meaning of regeneration. Indeed, the Nestorians, take them as a whole class, are ignorant anil sujierstitious; lying, i)ri>fanify, and intemperance are common vices.
VI. Mi.<.iii>iig among the Xentoriti/is. — Probably no Christian mission in modern times has been so satis- factorily conducted, or so decidedly happy in its intlu- ences and results, as that among the Nestorians, in all its branches. British and American missionaries have labored among the Nestorians since the year 1833. The missionaries sent forth by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions were the first of Protestant missionaries to occupy the Held, and it is generally conceded that their labors have met thus far with a success beyond the most sanguine expecta- tions, proving clearly that these efforts for the evangeli- zation of the Nestorians are owned and blessed by the great Mead of the Ciiurch. Tiie first missionary of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was ^Ir. .Justin Perkins, who was taken from Amherst College, where he was teaching at the time of this ap- pointment. In the instructions given to him the main object of the mission was defined to be to bring about a change whicli would "enable the Nestorian Church, through the grace of God, to exert a commanding in- fluence in the spiritual regeneration of Asia." Con- sidering the past history of Nestorianism, its present state, and the character of the people attached to it, it was iio|)od tiiat, brought again to a fuller knowledge of the truth, and to feel the regenerating and sanctifying power of truth attended by the influences of the Spirit, the members of that belief would again become, not only themselves true disciples of Christ and heirs of life, but efficient laborers in the great work of building up Christ's kingdom throughout the world. iSIrs. Perkins joined in the work, and together they studied the lan- guage and customs of the people whom they were to serve until, in 1835, Dr. Grant, a physician, of Utica, N. Y., joined them. Dr. (i rant's ])rofcssional character served to secure tlie favor of the Persian governor, and the Nes- torian bishops and priests at once gave them their cor- dial co-operation in the prosecution of their mivssionary labors, regarding them not as rivals, but as coadjutors witli them in a necessary work of instruction and im- l>rovcment among the people. The first thing which tiiese excellent men attempted, after having obtained a mastery of the language, ancient and modern, was to commence the establishment of schools. One, for boys, was opened in 183G; it began in a cellar, with seven pupils. A school for girls was opened in 1838. It com- menced with four scholars, taught by JMrs. Dr. (irant. As the result of her exertions, it is said that " hers was , tlie privilege of creating such a public sentiment in | favor of the education of woman that her successors have found the gates wide open before them, and often wondered at the extent and permanence of the influ- ence she acipiired." In 1843 tlie first female boarding- school was started by advice of Miss Fidelia Fiske, who, after graduation at Mount Ilolyoake, joined this mis- sion ill 1«I3. In this school, wliicli was established at Orrtmiah, nearly two hundred women have been edu- cated, of whom alniut one half were hopel'idly jiious. Many of the young women after leaving tlie seminary have married young men who had lieeii educated in the male seminary. For some years there have been some seventy schools, with about twelve to thirteen hnndrcd pupils of U)th sexes in annual attendance. It is esti- mated that about six thousand persons have learne<l to read, most if not all of whom jiossess and read tlie sa- cred .Scri|)tures. A high school at Orumiah (which is the principal seat of the American mission ), opened and |
presided over by the late excellent professor Stoddard for several years, has been blessed in an extraordinary manner. Of the many young men who may bo con- sidered as graduates, more than two hundred and thir- teen left the seminary hopefully pious. Of the many others who did not complete a full course of studies not a few left it giving good evidence of piety ; and, better than all, many of the young men who left the seminary are now faithful preachers of the (jospel, effi- cient teachers in the village schools, or otherwise useful Christians.