Since the autumn of 1870 the Nestorian mission has passed from the control of the American Board of Com- missioners for Foreign Missions to the care of the Pres- byterian Board of Foreign Missions, and it is expected that the work so gloriously begun will be prosecuted by that body witli equal zeal and success. This mission, being on the western borders of Persia and the eastern borders of Turkey, in the very heart of the Moham- medan world, and on the dividing line of its two great sects, the Sunies and Shiites, certainly occupies a posi- tion of transcendant importance. We insert below a table from Dr. Anderson's work on Oriental Missions (ii, 498-9), showing the laborers employed, etc.
YII. Probable Origin of the Nestorian Peojjle.—AYe have seen above that the Nestorians claim to have
MISSION TO THE NESTORIANS.
Ordained Missiona
Time of Entering.
Time of Leaving.
*Jusiiu Perkins, D.D
* Albert L.Holladay
*WilliamR. Stocking...
* Willard Jones
* A. H.Wright, M.D
*Abel K.Hinsdale
* Colby C.Mitchell
* James Lyman Merrick. Thomas Laurie, D.D
* David T. Stoddard
•Joseph 6. Cochran.
George W. Coan
* Samuel A. Rliea
Edwin n. Crane.
*Thonins L. Ambrose . John H. Shedd
* Amherst L. Thompson.
Benjamin Labaree . . .
Henry N.Cobb
Mrs. Chnrlotte Perkins . Mrs. Anne Y. Holladny. ,
Mrs. Jerusha R. Stocking. Mrs. Miriam Jones
Mrs. Catharine A.Wright. *Mrs. Sarah C. Hinsdale. .
'Mrs. Eliza A. Mitchell. ' Mrs. Emma Merrick. . .
*Mrs. Martha F. Laurie.
* Mrs. Harriet Stoddard.. Mrs. Sophia D. Stoddard.
Mrs. Deborah W. Cochran. . Mrs. Sarali P. Coan
*Mrs. Martha Ann Rhea. Mrs. Sarah Jane Rhea
'Mrs. Ann E. Crane [after- ] wards Mrs. P. O. Powers] )
Jlrs. Sarah Jane Shedd — Mrs. Esther E. Thompson.
Mrs. Elizabeth E. Labaree. Mrs'. Matilda' E. Cobb! '.'.'.'.
Missionary Ph i/sicians
* Asahel Grant, M.D.
*F.N.H.Yonng,M.D... T. L.VanNordeu,M.D..
* Mrs. Judith S. Gram
Mi's. Mary M. Van Norden.
* Edwin Breath.
Mrs. Sarah Ann Breath
•Miss Fidelia Fiske
Miss Catharine A. Mvers )
[afterwards Mrs.Wright] j
Miss Mary Susan Rice
"Miss Ma'rtlia Ann Harris )
[afterwards Mrs. Rhea] J Miss Aiua Jeaniiette Beach. *Miss Harriet N. Crawford.. Miss Nancy Jane Dean
November, 1835. November, 1835. June 7, 1837. June 7, 1837. June 7, 1S37. June 7,1837. November 17, 1839. November 17, 1839. July 25, 1S40. June 14, 1843. June, 1S41. June, 1841. June, 1841. June, 1841. December,! 842. December, 1S42. November 11, 1842. November 11, 1S42. June 14, 1843. June 14,1843. June 26, 1851. September 27, 1847. September 27, 1S4S. October 13,1849. October 13, 1849. June 20, 1S51. July 1, 1852. October 25, 1S60. October 20, 1852. October 20, 1852. November 27, 1S.58. November 11, 18,59. November 11, 1859. July 2, 1800. July 2, 1800. October 25, 1860. October 25, 1860. October 25, 18C0. October 25, 1860.
October 15, 1835. October 15, 1835. October 25, 1860. October 6, 1860. October 6, 1800.
November 7, 1840. October 13, 1849. June 14, 1843. June 14, 1843. November 20, 1847. July 1,1852. July 2, 1800. July 2, 1860.
May 28, 1869.
■ , 1857.
Spring, 1840. Spring, 1846. June, 18.53. June, 18.53.
, 1844.
Winter, 1S44. •January 4, 1805. Ans:ust,lS59.
* December 26, 1.842. October 21. 1844. *June 27,1841.
* July 12. 1841. Sunmier, 1845. Summer, 1845. November 10, 18t4. •December 16, 1843. •January 26, 1857. •August 2, 1848. July, 1858. •November 2, 1871.
•September 2, 1865.
* September 16, 1857. Mny, 1809.
* August 27, 1854. November, 1857.
October 19,
August, 1801. ■ — =—,1870.
•August 2.5,1860. Summer, 1801.
•April 24,1844. •J;umary 14,1839. Summer, 1863.
•November IS, ISGl. Summer, 1862. July 15, 1858. August, 1859.
• September 16, 1857. September, 1862. May, 1865.
NESTORIAXS
972
NESTORIUS
been early instructed in Christian trntlis. Dr. Orant.a learned American missionary, lias recently put forth an ari^ument to show that the Nestorians are the descend- ants of the lost tribes of Israel. He cites as jiroof of his tliL'ory their Jewish physiognomy, the frequency of those proper names which occur in the Old Testament, the peculiarities of their customs, and other points of re- semblance. His proofs are not re{,'arded as salislaciory by his co-missionaries, nor by Mr. Hadsor, who ( nntr-t^ his facts. It is a question, however, of detail and re- search, and we can only here make mention that such a theory of their origin is espoused, and refer to Dr. (Jrant's and Mr. Badger's writings. One service of the Nestorian Churcli certainly partakes much more of a Jewish than a Christian character: this is a commem- oration for the dead celebrated in all the mountain vil- lages once a year, on some Saturday in the month of October. For some days previous to the festival each family prepares its offerings. These consist of lambs and bread, which are carried into the church-yard. Af- ter the people have partaken of tlie holy eucharist, the jiriest goes out, cuts several locks of wool off the fleeces, and throws them into a censer. While a deacon swings this to and fro in the presence of the guests the priest recites an anthem, in which the oblation is fiffcred to the Lord, and prayers are made both for the living and the dead. The service concluded, the lambs and the bread are divided among the company. jMany come from distant villages to join in the commemoration. Those who can afford it kill a lamb and distribute bread and other provisions among the poor, after the death of their relations, hoping that the offerings will, in some way, prolit the souls of the departed. Dr. (irant men- tions another sacrilice which is offered occasionally as a thnnk-ottV'ring for blessings received. A lamb is slain before the door of the church, when a little of the blood is put on the door and lintel ; the right shoulder and breast belong to the officiating priest, and the skin is also given to the priest as was recjuired in the law of burnt offeringj (Lev, vii); but these strange customs may have been derived from the Mohammedans, who often sacrilice a lamb with the same intention at the doors of their shrines throughout Turkey, and sprinkle the building with the blood, after which the animal is distributed among the people of the village. As might be expected in a i)eoi)le so ignorant, the Nestorians are superstitious. Tiiey observe many fasts. Their ritual contains offices for the purification of those who have touched the corpse of an unbeliever, and a service for the purification of unclean cisterns and fountains, some p;irts of which are extremely beautiful. Tfie Nestorians l)lace a high value on charms and talismans, and the clergy are generally the authors of these jirofane and absurd effusions which they transcribe and sell to the people.