RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Persia
communions joined the new movement, but the tide turned again. There is, however, every probability that the majority will remain in the Russian Church. Statistics for 1909 are as follows: Russian clergy, 1 archimandrite, 3 priests, 1 deacon; Syrian clergy, 3 bishops, 30 priests, and 3 monks; Orthodox Syrians about 15,000; schools, 2 higher with 55 boys and 30 girls, 68 village schools with about 2,000 pupils.
Four missions representing the great divisions of Christendom might well suffice for a body of Christians not exceeding 30,000 souls; but neither the importunity of the Syrians nor the foolish zeal of western Protestants has been content. The result is that Urumia has been the seat of constantly changing but usually wasteful efforts by Lutherans, Baptists, Plymouth Brethren, and others. The outburst of sympathy among German Christians caused by the massacres of Armenians in Turkey in 1895 left its mark in the establishment by the " German Orient Mission " of Berlin of two orphanages, one in Khoi for Armenian boys and one in Urumia for Syrian girls, each containing about 60 children.
There is, it will be seen, an extended missionary work by Protestants in every part of the country, except the extreme East, and by Roman Catholics in the three chief cities. Besides there is a concentration of missionary effort on the part of all the great churches in the region of the Syrians. This work for Syrians is, except on the part of the Russian mission, connected with work for the larger body of Nestorians living in the Turkish Empire, carried on either by the same body or on the part of the Roman Catholics by a different body, the Dominicans instead of the Lazarists.
The question of results can best be answered by considering separately the different classes. Among the Syrians the most obvious effect has been to project into a very small compass the 5. Results, great divisions and some of the smaller divisions of Christendom, with the result that in Persia the ancient national church has nearly reached the point of extinction. This is surely to be deplored for other than antiquarian reasons. Other and perhaps more unfortunate results of this undue multiplication of missionary agencies have been sectarian spirit, degeneration in morals, the cultivation of an undue feeling of dependence, and the promotion of mercenary aims in religion. On the other hand, it must be pointed out that the preservation of the old ecclesiastical allegiance without a revival of spiritual and intellectual life could not have stemmed the tide of demoralization due to social and industrial influences. From the Protestant point of view it may further be remarked that under very special difficulties a Christian body has been built up, which has taken firm hold of Evangelical truth, has its independent organization, exerts an influence out of proportion to its numbers, and proves its sincerity by its gifts. It is the only considerable body of native Christians animated by missionary purposes. The influence of missions on the Armenians has been much less. The ecclesiastical bonds have been merged into the bonds of nationality, of which the Armenians are
unusually tenacious. A small number of Armenians have left the Gregorian for the Protestant and Roman Catholic communions. The Roman Catholics have done something and the Presbyterians and the Church Missionary Society have done more for the education of Armenians, both directly and by stimulating the Armenians to raise the grade of their national schools. Evangelical views have also made progress among the clergy and laity of the Gregorian church. The Jews and Parsis have benefited to some extent from the missionary educational work; and in Hamadan a small church is made up of Jewish Christians.
Lord Curzon, while he acknowledges in his monumental work on Persia (G. N. Curzon, Persia and the Persian Question, 2 vols., London, 1892), the benefits of the humanitarian work done by missions, denies both the fact and the possibility of converts from Islam to Christianity. One can not but suspect that his disbelief in the possibility of conversion affects his judgment of the fact. Of course the reality of conversion must ultimately be a question of opinion, and opinions will differ; but there is probably no Protestant missionary long resident in the country who has not in his own experience and to his best judgment known more than the halfdozen genuine converts allowed by Lord Curzon as the utmost limit of such converts from the days of Henry Martyn. Still converts are few, and are nowhere numerous enough to be collectively of any influence. There is no open movement toward Christianity. Nevertheless real and important advantages have been gained. Christianity was very imperfectly known and that only as the despised faith of the ignorant fragments of conquered peoples. The political changes of the past century have brought Christianity to notice as the religion of powerful and civilized nations. Increase of commercial intercourse has been another powerful influence for change. This impact of civilizations and religions was inevitable and necessarily changed the conception of Christianity. Political power and commercial enterprise could at best most inadequately represent Christianity, and it is due to missions that the humanitarian and benevolent side of Christianity has been presented. It is still more true that missions alone have presented the doctrinal and spiritual elements of Christianity, or, in other words, Christianity itself. The Gospel as a message of salvation has been preached to multitudes and the Bible has been put in the hands of very many of the educated. Through these agencies Christian truth is entering the current of religious speculation, which is never stagnant in the Persian mind. The medical work has made many personally grateful to the followers of the merciful Jesus. Missionary schools lead the educational movement in the country. The special representatives of Christianity are recognized as men of the highest character. Christian missions have gained a place not merely of tolerated existence but of real honor in the land.
Much might be said as to the conditions of work in Persia. Perhaps in no other country does Islam present so interesting a history as in Persia. Here the history is one of dissent, of schism, of heresy,
Persia
Pessimism