^:'C- 
 
 m^^
 
 I 
 
 L I B RARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 U N IVLR.SITY 
 
 or ILLINOIS 
 
 n
 
 THE 
 
 SYRIAN CHEISTIANS 0! MALABAR: 
 
 OTHERWISE CALLED 
 
 THE CHRISTIANS OF S. THOMAS: 
 
 BY THE 
 
 EEV. EDAVALIKEL PHILIPOS, 
 
 CHOREPISCOPUS, CATHANAB OP THE GREAT CHURCH AT COTTAYAM, 
 IN TRAVANCORE. 
 
 EDITED BY THE 
 
 REV. 6. B. HOWARD, B.A. 
 
 CHAPLAIN OP S. MARY'S HOME, STONE, NEAR DARTPORD ; AUTHOR 
 OP " THE CHRISTIANS OP S. THOMAS AND THEIR LITURGIES ;" AND 
 FORMERLY SCHOLAR OP S. JOHN'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE. 
 
 OXFOED and LONDON : 
 JAMES PARKEK AND CO, 
 
 1869. 
 
 ^
 
 ®hf ^jrian Ojhriatians of Jtlalakr.
 
 TOorks bg tj)£ lEUitor. 
 
 THE CHRISTIANS OF S.THOMAS AND THEIR LITURGIES: 
 
 comprising six different AnaphorcB, together with the Ordo Commu- 
 nis : translated from Syriac MSS., obtained in Travancore. Crown 
 8vo. Parker and Co. 1864 
 
 Also (shortly), 
 
 THE CANONS OF THE HOLY COUNCILS OF NIC^A, AN- 
 CYRA, NEO C^SAREA, GANGRA, ANTIOCHIA, LAODICEA, 
 CONSTANTINOPLE, AND CHALCEDON, numbered in consecu- 
 tive order from 1 to 187 ; with the Nicene and Niceno-Constantino- 
 politan Creeds, lists of subscribing Bishops, Letters, &c. : translated 
 from a Syriac MS. (14,528 in the British Museum) of the early part 
 of the Sixth Century. 
 
 UIUC^
 
 PREFACE BY THE EDITOR. 
 
 THE preparation of the following Treatise is due, I believe, 
 to a hope indulged by its Author that some interest in be- 
 half of his suflfering countrymen had been awakened in this 
 country by a work of mine published in 1864, entitled, " The 
 Christians of S. Thomas and their Liturgies." It was sent 
 to me more than two years ago for publication, but as no funds 
 were sent to meet the expense, and none could be expected so 
 far as the Author was concerned, I was unable to put it at once 
 into the printer's hands. However, as I had promised my 
 native friend to do what I could, and as I had led him, I fear 
 somewhat too rashly, to expect that I should be successful in 
 getting his work published, I have determined to issue it with- 
 out further delay. 
 
 The kind reception accorded to the little work already 
 alluded to, induces me to hope that this Treatise will meet with 
 at least equal favour. Those who take an interest in the affairs 
 of Oriental Churches generally will find here a sketch of the 
 First Four General Councils (together with the Latrocinium) 
 made from the stand-point of an Eastern Jacobite, with no in- 
 considerable amount of information as to the ecclesiastical 
 observances and tenets of the Jacobites. Those again, who, 
 whether they enter deeply or not into subjects such as the 
 foregoing, are possessed by an earnest missionary spirit, will 
 be able to judge how far the object of their hearts would be 
 likely to be promoted by any steps they may have thought 
 practicable in conjunction with the Christians of S. Thomas. 
 And lastly, to those who yearn, above all things else, for the 
 advancement of the Visible Reunion of Christendom, as the 
 fulfilment of our dear Lord's most earnest prayer, and as 
 essential to the completeness of the Church, and to her ulti- 
 mate victory over evil, these pages will afford matter for deep .' 
 reflection, and possibly a basis for active exertion also. '' 
 
 While on this subject I would beg leave to add a word or 
 two on a question which is intimately connected with it. The 
 "Church Review" for August 15, 1868, contained an article 
 
 B
 
 PREFACE EY THE EDITOR. 
 
 advocating co-operation with the Christians of S. Thomas in 
 missionary work. A similar desire led, in the early part of 
 the present century, to the establishment of the College at 
 Cottayam under the auspices of the Church Missionary Society ; 
 but the position of that Society in regard to the native Church 
 has for very many years past been one of violent antagonism, 
 I had myself cautiously hinted at the possibility of a renewal 
 of our relations with this interesting Church some years ago, 
 (see the "Christians of S. Thomas," &c., pp. 112, 113, 171, 
 172,) — cautiously, because I was then to a certain extent aware 
 of their Jacobitism. I was willing to hope, however, and 
 would fain have persuaded myself, that its members were not 
 consciously implicated in that heresy, and that the expressions 
 in their Liturgies and other services which tended in that 
 direction were merely the result of habitual usage. The pre- 
 sent Treatise, I fear, precludes us from continuing to entertain 
 any such hope, and — with grief I say it — I do not see how, 
 knowing their tenets as we now do, we could co-operate with 
 them, without thereby becoming partakers with them in that 
 heresy by which, alas, they are separated from the One Holy 
 Catholic and Apostolic Church of the East and West. 
 
 Liheravi animam mecini I But having felt constrained to 
 say thus much, I am anxious to add that I would go to meet 
 them to the farthest possible extent that might be consistent 
 with loyalty to the Church. Hard words and harsh treatment 
 have ever failed to bring back wanderers from the Faith: 
 gentleness and love have brought back many a one. More- 
 over, the contention between the Orthodox and the Jacobites, 
 so far as my weakness is able to apprehend its nature, is one 
 that none but the most profound theologians could enter into, 
 so deep is the Mystery concerning v»'hich the dispute arose. 
 Surely this consideration should make us cautious as to the 
 language we use in reference to these separated Churches, 
 even while, following the guidance of the holy Fathers, we 
 ourselves adhere rigidly to the teaching of the Catholic Church. 
 But indeed it does not seem to me an easy thing to discover 
 the exact nature of the question in dispute. The language of 
 our Second Article might lead an Anglican to suppose that the 
 question lay as to the superior fitness of applying the term 
 XJxiON" or CoNJuxcTiON^ to express the mysterious " con- 
 course" — I use S.Cyril's word — of the Two Natures in the 
 Person of our Lord after His Incarnation. I formerly held 
 -this idea, and gave expression to it in the " Christians of 
 
 &
 
 PREFACE BY THE EDITOE. 
 
 S. Thomas,":pp. 169, 171. But I believe it is erroneous. There 
 seems to be no special stress on the word conjunct<2 of our 
 Second Article : indeed, so far as the use of the term Union is 
 concerned, the holy Councils and the Catholic Doctors agree with 
 the Monopliysites. S. Cyril of Alexandria continually employs 
 the words union^ united^ unification, and expressly rejects the 
 word avva(f)eia, conjunction, as insufficient to express the Mys- 
 tery. (See the passage quoted in my note at p. 6.) And the 
 Council of Chalcedon itself adopts the term Union in the very 
 sentence in which it anathematizes the followers of Eutychus, 
 as those *' who speak of two natures before the Union and 
 feign one after the Union J' This is not a mere quotation of 
 terms used by the Eutychians, for, a little farther on, the 
 Council again employs the term in the well-known passage, 
 €va Kal Tov avTov Xp. " One and the Same Christ, Son, Lord, 
 Only-begotten, to be acknowledged in two Natures, incon- 
 fusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably, the distinction 
 of the Katures being in no wise taken away by the Union 
 {evaaiu), but rather the property of each ISTature being pre- 
 served," &c. 
 
 The Jacobites also — if Assemani correctly represents their 
 teaching in what he gathers from the writings of Xenajas or 
 Philoxenus (tom. ii. p. 25) — expressly reject the notions of 
 conversion, confusion, commixture, or separability, in defining 
 the mode of the Union : and, if it be so, what is there to hinder 
 their subscribing to the Definition of the Council of Chalcedon ? 
 It has not been my fortune to come across any exposition of 
 the Jacobite doctrine as given by their own pens, in which 
 these notions are each and all of them rejected, except in 
 a letter from Cathanar Philipos to myself, dated January 6 
 (18), 1868. This letter is written in Syriac, and for fear 
 I should not understand it, the writer added a compendious 
 translation. The following is the passage I refer to : — 
 
 Literal Translation of the Ca- 
 
 thanar's Syriac. The Cathanar' s 'English. 
 
 " And behold, concerning the " Although I have stated more 
 
 Faith of the Syrians that are in plainly and widely about the 
 
 Christ, I have written openly in doctrin of the Syrians in my 
 
 that little book of mine (i.e. this tract which I had already for- 
 
 present work) ; and now also warded to your honour, yet at 
 
 I write concerning it. present I briefly state about it 
 
 " We Syrians, then, believe in this also.
 
 vm 
 
 rEEFACE BY THE EDITOE. 
 
 Literal Translation of the Ca- 
 tJuinar's Striae. 
 
 that the Word of God, One of 
 the Holy Trinity, came down 
 from heaven, and was begotten 
 in the Elesh of the Spirit of 
 HoUness, and of the blessed 
 Mary, the Virgin, the Mother of 
 God. And He is Perfect God, 
 and Perfect Man. And after 
 that the Two Natures were united 
 in Him — that is .to say, the Na- 
 ture of His Godhead, and the 
 Nature of His Manhood — it can- 
 not be that they shall be sepa- 
 rated or divided for ever. Amen. 
 Now Nestorius, with his here- 
 tical companions, taught that 
 Mary the Virgin brought forth 
 a Man, Christ. And in that 
 Man the Divinity entered and 
 went forth as was necessary. 
 Wherefore Two Natures were 
 separately in Christ, the Nature 
 of the Godhead, and the Nature 
 of the Manhood; as water with 
 oil : and this is not so. 
 
 " But the Syrians believe that 
 the Nature in Christ is one : 
 that the Two Natures were 
 united one with another ; because 
 in Christ the Two Natures were 
 mingled together {ethmazeg) — 
 the Nature of the Godhead and 
 (that) of the Manhood — like 
 wine with water. And whereas 
 it is said that there is One Na- 
 ture in Christ, it is for the con- 
 firmation of the Unity of the 
 Two Natures one with an- 
 other," &c. 
 
 The Cathanar^s English. 
 
 "We believe that the Word 
 of God, One of the Holy Trinity, 
 came down from heaven, and 
 was Incarnate of the Holy Ghost, 
 and of the blessed Virgin Marry 
 tlic Mother of God. After Go'd 
 the Word was incarnate, the two 
 perfect Natures, both Godhead 
 and jManhood, were joined toge- 
 ther in one nature, without con- 
 fusion, toithout mixture, without 
 change, without decision for ever 
 and ever ^ 
 
 "The doctrine of Nestor, 
 the Virgin has brought forth 
 a person, the Christ : in the same 
 person the Divinity will some- 
 times rest, and sometimes leave, 
 as is necessary. By that, both 
 two natures, Godhead and Man- 
 hood, as water and oil, were 
 separately joined: this is wi'oug 
 in their belief. 
 
 " But the belief of the Syrians, 
 that in Christ, the Two Natures, 
 Godhead and Manhood, as water 
 and wine, were joined together 
 in one person ; and that two 
 Natures together in one Nature. 
 But we say of the One Nature, 
 that the junction of Two Na- 
 tures should be firm and per- 
 fect," &c. 
 
 [I have given my friend's words 
 and spelling as he wrote them.] 
 
 Here, then, we have an explanation of the sense in which 
 
 ' I notice that the words I have printed in italics are exact repeti- 
 tions of my own expressions in a letter I had previously sent to my 
 friend. Only he has changed tlie words " in the One Person of our 
 Lord," into " in One Nature."
 
 PEEFACE BY THE EDITOE. 
 
 the Author would illustrate the Mode of Union by the Analogy 
 of a mingling of wine with water. It is an emphatic protest 
 against Nestorianism. 
 
 The following extracts from the writings of Xenajas will, 
 I think, throw some additional hght on the question before us, 
 as tending to shew that the Monophysite Doctors (among 
 whom Xenajas was prominent) were actuated by the fear 
 that a Quaternity might come to be acknowledged and adored 
 instead of the Most Holy Trinity. Hence perhaps the earnest- 
 ness with which they inculcated the absolute Oneness of the 
 '^ Nature" — and the word in their mouths seems to be equi- 
 Talent to Person — of our Lord Jesus Christ after the Incarna- 
 tion. The original is to be seen in a Syriac MS. of venerable 
 antiquity (the sixth or seventh century), now in the British 
 Museum, numbered Additional MSS. 14,529. 
 
 At fol. C5 verso we have the following : — 
 
 "Again, Mar Xenaja his (Treatise) on the distinction of those 
 heresies that are held in error. 
 
 "Mani and Marcion and Eutyclia denied the embodiment of the 
 "Word of God of the holy Virgin Mary ; and thought the Mysteries 
 of the Dispensation a Spectre and a Phantom ; and said that the 
 Word passed through the Virgin as through a conduit, receiving 
 nothing of Mary. 
 
 " Valentinus and Bardesan said that the Word sent down a body 
 from Heaven, and that the Humanity of the Word was not from 
 Mary. 
 
 "And ApolHnaris thought that the Embodiment of God the 
 Word was without Intelligence. 
 
 "AndEunomis said that the Word received only a Body from 
 Mary, but did not receive a Soul. But he said that the Divinity 
 filled the place of a Soul. 
 
 " And Diodorus, and Theodorus, and Theodoreta, and Nestorius, 
 .... and Bar sum a, said that Christ was simple Son of Man, 
 a Man who was made illustrious by His good works ; and God loved 
 Him, and dwelt in Him, and by Him redeemed the Sons of Men ; 
 saying that He died, and He that dwelt in Him raised Him up. And 
 they divide Him into Two Sons, and Two Natures, and into the 
 Two Persons of God the Creator and the Son of Man the Created. 
 
 " Arius said that the Son of God was a Creature. 
 
 " Paul of Shamishatia said that Christ was simple Son of Man, 
 like one of the Prophets and the Righteous. 
 
 " And the addition that was made in Chalcedon speaks of a Fotcrih 
 Number, and brings in the Messiah after the Trinity. 
 
 " And the Jews say, &c 
 
 "Orthodox Christians, Sons of the Holy Church, confess One
 
 PREFACE BY THE EBITOE. 
 
 Nature (Chino) of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy 
 Ghost ; believini^ that One of the Persons (Chanumo) of this Essence, 
 medial in the Trinity, came down, and was incarnate from the Holy 
 Ghost (and) from the Virgin Mary, and took a body from her ; 
 thougli His embodiment did not make any addition to His Person 
 (Chanumo). Por the Trinity remains as it was, a Trinity. Also 
 after He was incorporate, He was one of the Trinity, God the 
 Word. And He was truly born, and was seen in the World, and 
 ate and drank, and was weary, and was refreshed, and in truth 
 tasted sufferings ; and was crucified and was buried, and rose the 
 third day accordmg to the Scriptures, both by the Will of His 
 Pather, and by the Will of His Holy Spirit ; and sitteth on His 
 Eternal Throne on the right hand of His Pather ; and He will come 
 to judge the dead and the living : To Whom be glory," &c. 
 
 On fol. 68 of the same MS. we have ten sentences of Ana- 
 thema against the Council of Chalcedon, from which I extract 
 the following : — 
 
 "No. 8. And again we anathematize and set aside the Council of 
 Chalcedon, because in the One Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-begotten 
 Son of God, it separates the Natures and the Properties and the 
 Actions, and the Heights and the -Humiliations, and the Divinities 
 (plur.), and the Humanities (plur.) ; and thinks of Him as Two ; and 
 brings in a Quaternit;^, and worships the simple Son of Man ;" &c. 
 
 A similar dread of worshipping a Quaternity instead of the 
 Trinity is shewn in the following extract from the nest follow- 
 ing leaf of the same MS. ; — 
 
 " Again, responsive sentences of Mar Xenaja, when one is asked. 
 How believest thou ? 
 
 " My Paith is in the Trinity ; and the Trinity is not defective or 
 wanting that It should be a Duality ; and not added unto Itself, so 
 that It should grow to a Quaternity. Not defective from Its per- 
 fection : and not receiving another Person extrinsic to Itself. Every 
 thing extrinsic to the Trinity is a Created thing ; and whatsoever 
 is in It is Essence, and adorable. There is not anything extrinsic 
 to It to be adored : nor within It is aught that doth adore. . . , 
 
 " One of the Persons, therefore, of this Trinity came do\Mi from 
 heaven by [? means] of exinanition, and of the Holy Yirgin became 
 the Son of Man, because He is God. And in His Entity — or rather, 
 perhaps, in His becoming (the Son of Man) — His Nature was not 
 changed ; and addition to His Person there was none." 
 
 Such teaching as the above does not seem, in its intention 
 and purport at least, so far from that of the Catholic Churchy 
 as to exclude the hope that, old animosities being laid aside, 
 the Jacobites of the present day might be induced to come to
 
 PREFACE BY THE EDITOR. XI 
 
 an agreement with us, especially as no new formula of Faith 
 would have to be imposed ; for as the Athanasiaii Creed 
 (which would present the greatest difficulty) has never yet 
 "been adopted by any CEcumenical Council, it cannot claim 
 any such paramount authority as would have belonged to it 
 if it had been adopted by the Universal Church. 
 
 So long, indeed, as the Jacobites continue to anathematize 
 the CEcumenical Council of Chalcedon, one cannot but feel 
 that to unite with them would be an act of disloyalty, and 
 even perhaps of ipm facto schism. Yet I cannot forbear ex- 
 pressing a hope that this need not always be. Might not 
 some basis of a Concordat be found in the examination of the 
 meaning of the word Nature as used by either side ? The 
 extracts given above furnish us with at least one instance 
 in which the word Nature is used to signify the Eternal 
 Essence of the Godhead ; and others might be easily quoted 
 from the language of S. Cyril. This subject is examined at 
 some length, I think, in a most able article by Dr. Newman, 
 published in the Atlantis some years ago. 
 
 It is time to return to our Author and his Treatise. It 
 was written, he tells me, first in Malayalim, and afterwards 
 translated into English by himself. With becoming modesty 
 he invited me to make whatever alterations I pleased ; but, 
 as will be seen, very few have been necessary. Where there 
 is any correction of my own it is alivays indicated by curved 
 Brackets : square Brackets are such as have been introduced 
 by the Author. This remark, however, does not apply to the 
 spelling, in which I have taken the liberty of making a few 
 corrections here and there without calling attention to them ; 
 such are J^icene for Nicen, Quick for Quicks, JN'icsea for Nice 
 (though to be sure that name is often spelled Nice, even 
 among ourselves), choosing for chossing, Virgin for Vargin 
 (repeatedly). Thirdly for Thard, Archdeacon and Subdeacon 
 for Archdiyacaon and Hupdiyaknon, cursed for coursed, &c., 
 some twenty.five or thirty words, I think, being all that re- 
 quired correction in the whole work. In the Proper Names 
 I have seldom ventured to make any correction, feeling that 
 the Syrian method of spelling them, where it can be properly 
 represented by English characters, has a peculiar interest of 
 its own. 
 
 The following is an account of the Author's family, as given 
 by himself in one of his letters to me : —
 
 XU PREFACE BY THE EDITOR. 
 
 "And again, thou askest of me, in thy letter concerning my 
 quality, my beloved Brother. Aiid many priests have stood up 
 in my family, one after another, for a long continuance of times : 
 and they have all been irreproachable Doctors, and I am weak and 
 simple. My Father also was a zealous Priest in the Apostolic and 
 well-known Faith; and he performed his life in the reading and 
 study of the Holy Scriptures, and did not at all care for anything 
 concerning his bodily matters. And he is gone from the life of 
 this world : and I, by the power of God, am named a Priest of the 
 house of the Syrians of Malabar, also (of) the house of our Lord 
 the holy Patriarch of Antioch, and (of) the house of all the Syrians 
 in the Land of Turkey. And I am not rich in money, but I am 
 poor and straitened. May God, Who bedeweth all flesh, bedew me 
 also by His grace : Whom we glorify and bless for ever and ever. 
 Amen." 
 
 In another letter he tells me that some years ago he — 
 
 ** purchased a Lithographic Press, with a determination of printing 
 all other Syriac Books except the Bible ^, and estabhshed a school 
 for the education of ministers in the Church." 
 
 " Unfortunately," he adds, " a famine arose, such as was never 
 before felt in this country, and being unable to carry on the works 
 I commenced, I discontinued it with the hope of carrying my views 
 into effect, whenever such an assistance would come as that bestowed 
 upon the Widow of Zarephath of Zidon, through the great Prophet 
 Elijah (1 Kings xvii. ^)r— Letter of Bee. 17, 1866. 
 
 2aeturn, irre Wzt^ W^zz, (B ®ot« of frosts : 
 
 2Look tioirrit from Jeaben, ant( ibcj^oltJ, anti ijfsit tjis Fine, 
 
 Greenhithe, 
 F. ofS. Barnabas, 1869. 
 
 *> They have the Bible already, beautifully prhited for them by the 
 British and Foreign Bible Society.
 
 ®n ih ^ntnxt 4 th ^grtair (Llxnxtk 
 
 Q. 1. What is the belief of the Syrians with regard to God ? 
 A, They believe in the Holy Trinity^, which is the Father, 
 the Son, and the Holy Ghost^, the only^ and true God. 
 
 1. Gen. i. 26 ; and xi. 7. 2. Matt, xxviii. 19. 
 
 3. 1 Tim. ii. 5 ; Mark xii. 29, 32.. 
 
 Q. 2. How do they believe in the Father ? 
 A. They believe in Him, the Almighty Creator of heaven 
 and earth, and of all things both visible and invisible. 
 
 Rom. xi. 36. 1 Cor. viii. 6. Eph. iii. 9. 
 
 Q. 3. How do they believe in the Son? 
 
 A. They believe Him to be the Only-begotten^ Son of the 
 Father, before all worlds^, the true God^, one equal to the 
 Father ; and that, for the salvation of Mankind, He of His own 
 will* descended from Heaven, and became Man, having taken 
 His body from the Holy Ghost ^ and from the Virgin Mary 
 the Mother of God ; and that He suffered and was crucified^, 
 dead', and buried^, and that the third day He rose^, and 
 ascended to Heaven, and sat on the right hand of the Father ^°, 
 and that He cometh in great glory to judge both the quick 
 and the dead^^ 
 
 1. John i. 14, 18. 4. John x. 18. 9. Matt, xxviii. 6. 
 
 2. Rom. xvi. 25. Gal. i. 4. Rom. i. 4. 
 
 1 Cor. ii. 7. 5. Matt. i. 10. 1 Cor. xv. 4, 20. 
 Eph. iii. 9. Luke i. 35, 43. 10. Mark xvi. 19. 
 
 2 Tim. i. 9. 6. Matt, xxvii. 35. Ps. ex. 1. 
 Titus i. 2. Acts ii. 23. Acts vii. 55. 
 
 1 Pet. i. 20. 7. Rom. v. 8. 11. Matt. xxv. 31. 
 
 3. Rom. ix. 5. Rom. vi. 10. Rom. xiv. 10. 
 Acts XX. 28. Rom. xiv. 15. 2 Cor. v. 10. 
 Heb. i. 8. 1 Cor. xv. 3. 1 Pet. iv. 5. 
 
 1 John V. 20. 8. 1 Cor. xv. 4. Rev. xx. 12.
 
 Tlie Nicene {Comtantinopolitan) Creed. 
 
 Q. 4. AVhat do they think concerning the union of Christ's 
 Divinity with His Humanity ? 
 
 A. 'Not like oil and water, but like wine and water they are 
 joined together and are become One ; and they believe in Him 
 as Perfect God and Perfect Man both at His Conception and 
 Birth, His Sufferings, Death, and Resurrection, and at His 
 Coming at the last day ; and that He had not destroyed (did 
 not destroy) His Humanity by His Divinity, nor His Divinity 
 by His Humanity. 
 
 Matt. i. 23. Col. ii. 9. 
 
 John i. 14. 1 Cor. xv. 47. 
 
 John viii. 58. 1 John v. 20. 
 
 Q. 5. How do they believe in the Holy Ghost ? 
 A. They believe that He proceeds from the Father, and that 
 He is equal to both the Father and Son. 
 
 John i. 32. Matt. iii. 16. 
 
 John xiv. 16, 26. Mark i. 10. 
 
 John XV. 26. 
 
 Q. 6. How many different Creeds have the Syrians ? 
 A, They have only one Creed, called the Nicene Creed. 
 It is as follows : — 
 
 THE CREED. 
 
 "I. We believe in the Almighty Eather, the true and Only God ; 
 and we believe He is the Creator of Heaven and Earth, and of all 
 things both visible and invisible : 
 
 " And in Jesus Christ, the Only Lord, Who is the Only Son of 
 God ; and we believe that He was begotten of the Eather before all 
 worlds ; Light of Light ; Very God of Very God ; Begotten, not 
 a Creature ; Equal m essence to the Father ; By Whose hand every- 
 thing was made ; and that He for us men, and for our salvation, 
 descended from heaven, according to His Sovereign Will, and became 
 Man, having taken His body from the Holy Ghost, and from the 
 Virgin Mary who brought forth the God : He M'as crucified for us 
 in the days of Pontius Pilate ; He suffered, and was dead and buiied ; 
 and that He rose on the third day, and ascended into Heaven, and 
 sat on the right hand of His Father : and He, to Whose kingdom 
 there is no end, cometh in great glory to judge both the dead and 
 the quick. 
 
 " II. Aud in One Holy Ghost, Who quickens all, and Who is the 
 Lord :^ and we believe that He proceeds from the Eather, and is 
 worshipped and glorified together with the Eather and the Sou,, and 
 that it was He that spake by the Prophets aud Apostles.
 
 The Council of Niccaa. 
 
 *' III. And in the One lioly Churcli ; and we believe that it is the 
 Catholic and the Apostolic Church ; and we acknowledge one Bap 
 tism for the remission of sins ; and we look for the Eesnrrection of 
 the Dead, and for the New Life of the World to Come. Amen." 
 
 Q. 7. What is it that you say in this Creed, We believe in 
 the One Holy Catholic Church ? 
 
 A. When the whole Church was going on in one only faith, 
 certain men, differing as to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, 
 taught errors, and explained arguments mentioned in the Bible 
 to suit this (their) erroneous opinions. Therefore, lest cor- 
 ruption should pervade the whole Church, the Fathers held 
 meetings, and examined the whole Eible and its hidden misti- 
 ness i) mysteries), as well as the traditional doctrines of the 
 Apostles^; and we believe the three holy Synods to be the 
 Catholic Church, because those Synods established the doctrine 
 of faith- in the Holy Trinity, and certain other rules, and put 
 out all erroneous doctrines from the Church. 
 
 1. 2 Tim. ii. 2. 2 Thess. ii. 15. 
 
 1 Cor. xi. 34. 3. Acts xx. 31. 
 1 Cor. iv. 17. Heb. vi. 12. 
 
 Acts xviii. 11. Heb. xiii. 7. 
 
 Phil. iv. 9. 
 
 Q. 8. Let me hear a brief account of those who taught errors, 
 and of those three Synods which established the true faith. 
 
 A. Tirst Arius the Bishop {sic) of Alexandria taught of the 
 Humanity of Christ, that Christ was not the Creator, but 
 a Creature ; and that His body was not a real body, but that 
 He feigned to be a man. Therefore, by the influence of Con- 
 stantine the Great, a Synod of 318 Bishops was called together 
 at ITice (Nicsea) a.d. 336 % who, after having examined all the 
 Scriptures, made the first part of the above Creed. And, as 
 there were many^ Gospels, they chose (the) four Gospels as 
 four witnesses, and appointed the Canonical Books of the Old 
 and New Testaments, and certain Fasts and Festivals, as also 
 the Liturgy and the Canons, as well as a Patriarch in each of 
 these places, Antioch, Eome, Constantinople, and Alexandria, 
 
 1. Rom. ii. 16. Eom. xvi. 35. 3 Tim. ii. 8. 
 
 a In a very ancient Syrian Manuscript of Councils (14,528 in the 
 British Museum) the Council of Nicsea is said to have been held " in 
 the year 373 of the Computation of the Antiochians, and in the year 
 636 of the Computation of the Macedonians," i.e. A.D. 325. This MS. 
 is of the early part of the sixth centuiy. — Ed.
 
 The Council of Constantinople, 
 
 Having thus divided the Earth into four parts, and given full 
 powerto each Patriarch in his Patriarchate, (and having) con- 
 ducted the people orderly in one Paith, and {rather^ they) de- 
 posed Arius, having pronounced a Curse- upon him. 
 
 2. 1 Cor. xvi. 22. 1 Cor. v. 5. 
 
 Gal. i. 8, 9. 2 John i. 10. 
 
 1 Thess. v. 14. 2 Tliess. iii. 14. 
 1 Tim. i. 20. 
 
 Furthermore, as is found in the Book containing ITar 
 Ephraim's history, Mar Ephraim also went with Mar Jacob, 
 Bishop of Nisibin, to this meeting ; when all that was settled 
 and sanctioned there was written by Mar Ephraim. 
 
 Secondly, Macedonious, the Patriarch of Constantinople, 
 erred in the Doctrine of Faith in the Holy Ghost, (asserting) 
 that He is not the Creator, but only a Creature ; and that He 
 proceeds not from the Father, but from the Son, as though 
 He should obey the injunctions of the Son even in His Incar- 
 nation^, and that He is a separate Being. 
 
 Therefore, by the instrumentality of Theodosius the Great, 
 a meeting of one hundred and fifty Bishops was held at Con- 
 stantinople, A.D. 394*', when they drew up the second part of 
 the above Creed, and sanctioned certain prayers and hymns 
 made by Mar Ephraim and others to be inserted in the Service 
 Book, and appointed certain Canons and Rules, and deposed 
 Macedonious, having anathematized him, choosing in his room 
 one Gregory Thevalogos. 
 
 Thirdly, Nestorious, the Patriarch of Constantinople, erro- 
 neously taught the Divinity of Christ ; that the Virgin Mary 
 brought forth only the Human Body of the Son of God, and 
 not His Divinity ; and (that) as He grew up. His Divinity 
 was sometimes present with, and sometimes absent from, that 
 Body ; and that there are two distinct Natures, and two dis- 
 tinct Persons, and two distinct Wills in the Messiah ; and 
 that, therefore, the Virgin Mary should not be called the 
 Mother of God, but only the Mother of the Messiah (or Christ), 
 or the Mother of the Son of Man. 
 
 ^ This sentence is not clear. 
 
 ••■ In the ancient MS. before alluded to, the date is thus given : " In 
 the ninth year in the Consulship of Euchar and of Hevagrius, in the 
 niontli Ah (August) of the year four hundred and twenty and nine of 
 the Computation of the Antiochians." This is the same as A.D. 381, 
 the date usually received. — Ed.
 
 The Council of Ej^hesus, 
 
 Tlierefore, by the influence of Theodosious the younger, 
 a Synod was called at Ephesus in a.d. 449 '^j consisting of 220 
 Bishops and Kalystinos (Celestinus or Coelestinus) the Pa- 
 triarch of Rome, Koorilos (Cyril) the Patriarch of Alexandria, 
 and John, the Patriarch of Antioch, Chrisostom, who was 
 also called Evanious (i.e. Evans or John)*; when they came 
 to the same conclusion as that formerly held at Nice (Nicsea), 
 namely, that Christ is perfect God and perfect Man, and that 
 there is one Nature "^j one Person, and one Will in Christ; and 
 
 f* The date usually received is A.D. 431 j tliat of the Latrocinium, 
 mentioned by our Author in the answer to Question 10, being usually 
 assigned by the Western Church to the year 419. — Ed. 
 
 ^ S. Chrysostom died A.D. 407, according to the accounts usually re- 
 ceived among us. — Ed. 
 
 ^ Tliis important statement, bearing (as it does) on the very point at 
 issue between the Jacobites and Catholics, ought surely to have been 
 supported by a quotation from the language of the Council, or at least 
 hy a reference to the action or definition on which the author relies 
 for his assertion. As it is, it is Cathanar Philipos's statement, and no- 
 thing more. Nevertheless, I have thought it my duty to examine the 
 records of the Council of Ephesus with reference to this very point ; 
 and so much the more, because, as S. Cyril is known to have used the 
 express ioQ jxia (pvais (T^aapKccp-ivT] with reference to our Lord after the 
 Incarnation (Ep. i. ad Succensum), I thought it not improbable that 
 some of his language, adopted hy the Council, might peradventure 
 seem to give some colour to our Author's statement. Of such expres- 
 sions the following are the strongest that I have been able to dis- 
 cover : — 
 
 1. In his second Letter to Nestorius, S. Cyril wrote thus : " We affirm 
 .... also that the Natures which were brought together unto true One- 
 ness are indeed different ; yet of them both there is One Christ and 
 Son : not as though the difference of the Natures were removed through 
 the Union, but rather the Godhead and the Manhood, by their ineffable 
 and inexpressible running together into Oneness, perfecting for us One 
 Lin'd and Son, Jesus Christ." 
 
 Again, in the same lictter : "Thus will we confess One Christ and 
 Lord, not as worshipping a Man together with the Word, that a fancy 
 of a division may not be admitted by a side wind through saying toge- 
 ther with — hut as worshipping one and the same, because His Body is 
 not foreign to the Word, nay He even sitteth therewith together with 
 the Father Himself: not as though two Sons again are sitting together 
 with (Him), but One, in regard of Union with His own Flesh. But if we 
 decline to admit the Union in regard of Substance (Hypostatic Union), 
 either as unintelligible or as unseemly, we fall into speaking of two Sons. 
 For (there would be) all need to make a distinction, and to speak of the 
 one, properly Man, as honoured by the appellation of the Son ; hut of 
 the other again, properly the Word of God, as having naturally both 
 name and reality of Sonship. We must not therefore divide into two
 
 The Council of Epiiesus. 
 
 that the Virgin Mary should be called tlie Mother of God; 
 and (that) should any speak against these doctrines esta- 
 blished and confirmed by the Synods of Nicsea, Constanti- 
 nople, and Ephesus, he should be taken as a heretic, and 
 excommunicated. And calling these three Synods the One 
 and Only Catholic Church, they drew up the third part of the 
 aforesaid Creed ; and having cursed and deposed Nestorius, 
 they appointed Maximus the Faster in his room. 
 
 Furthermore, in this meeting at Ephesus, Mar Chrysostom, 
 who was also called Evanious, cried aloud first without fear, 
 that the Virgin Mary was the Mother of God, when there 
 came a voice from heaven, saying, *'Thy mouth is of gold." 
 
 Sons, the One Lord Jesus Christ. But it will in no wise advance the 
 right account of the Faith, that it should be so, even if some add as 
 a saving clause a Union of Persons : for the Scripture hath not said that 
 the Word united a man's Person to Himself, but that He was made 
 Yle^hr—Lahhe and Cossarf, iii. 869, 872, ed. Coleti. 
 
 2. In his third Letter S. Cyril, alluding to S. John's statement that 
 " The Word was made Flesh, and dwelt among us," coupled with that of 
 S. Paul, that " in Him dwelt aU the fulness of the Godhead bodily," 
 says that It dwelt in Him not as It is said to dwell in the saints ; but 
 that rather the Word, being united in respect of Xature, and not 
 turned into flesh, made such an indwelling as the human soul may be 
 gaid to have in regard to its proper body. " Christ, then," he adds, 
 " is One, not as though Man held simply a conjunction with God, such 
 as consists in oneness of dignity or aixthority with God : for equality in 
 honour does not unite Natures. Nor do we understand the mode of the 
 conjunction by way of apposition ; for this is not sufficient for a natm'al 
 Union (eVwcrii/ (pv(nK7]v) ; nor yet by way of afiectual (qy. relative or sym- 
 pathetic) participation (/x^de^iu o-x^tikt}}/), in which respect we also are 
 joined to the Lord, as it is written, &c., yea rather we do repudiate the 
 name Conjunction (crvuacpela), as insufficient to declare this Union." — 
 Lahhe and Cossarf, iii. 949. 
 
 3. Lastly, in the Anathemas subjoined to this Letter we have the fol- 
 lowing : "If any one, in the One Christ, divide the Substances after the 
 Union, connecting them only by a conjunction in respect of dignity, that 
 is to say authority or power, and not rather by a concourse in respect 
 of natural union : let him be accursed." 
 
 I will not trust myself to make any comment on the foregoing ex- 
 tracts : but will only add that the second Letter was accepted by the 
 Council in Action I. by acclamation ; and that the third with the Ana- 
 themas, was also apparently accepted by the Council — though the dis- 
 cussion went off into a question as to whether the Letter had been duly 
 given to Nestorius — for the Council expressly acknowledge S. Cyril's 
 Letters (in the plural) as agreeable to the Nicene Creed in all respects. 
 See the Council's Letter to the Emperors. [Lahhe and Cossarf, iii. 
 1100.]--Ed.
 
 ' Second Synod of EpTiesuB — Uutyches. 
 
 Therefore he is to this day called Chrysostom, interpreted the 
 Gold-mouthed. 
 
 Q. 9. Can you mention what the different passages are, 
 which were falsely explained by Arious and the rest, to suit 
 their opinion in matters of faith ? 
 
 A. 1. That of Arious : — 
 
 Matt. xvii. 2. Mark xiii. 32. Luke iv. 30. 
 
 Jolmx. 29; (and) xiv. 28. 
 
 2. That of Maced^nious : — 
 
 John xvi. 7, 14 ; (and) xx. 22. 
 
 3. That of Nestorias :— 
 
 Matt. xix. 17 ; and xxvi. 39. Luke xxii. 44. 
 
 Mark xv. 34. John xi. 34. 
 
 Q. 10. "Were there no other Synods of the Eathers besides 
 these ? 
 
 A. There was a second Synod convened at Ephesus, besides 
 several others assembled on different occasions, but none of 
 which (them) is considered as a holy Synod. The name 
 Holy Catholic Church, properly belongs to the above-men- 
 tioned three Synods collectively. 
 
 Eutychus, a priest of Constantinople, asserted that God the 
 Messiah was compelled to suffer and die against His "Will, and 
 he was therefore excommunicated by Ablanious (Flavianus) 
 the Patriarch of Constantinople, but on his repentance, it 
 became a question whether he could be received back into 
 the Church. To settle the question, a second Synod was 
 convened at Ephesus in the year 451, consisting of 130 
 Eishops. The Patriarch(s) of Antioch and Rome did not 
 join it. The Synod considered the questions (question) 
 whether Eutychus could be admitted to the Church without 
 re-baptism. It was inferred from the Creed that there is 
 only one Baptism for the remission of sins, and Eutychus was 
 on that ground received without a re-baptism. 
 
 Q. 11. Upon what grounds in Scripture did Eutychus make 
 the abovesaid heretical assertions ? 
 
 A. Matt, xxvi. 39; Mark xiv. 34, 36; Luke xxii. 42—44. 
 
 Q. 12. Do those above-mentioned four Patriarchs still con- 
 tinue their former friendship and unanimity of purpose } 
 
 A. With the exception of the Pope, who is the Patriarch 
 of Rome, the other three continue to hold the same doctrines.
 
 8 Po2)e Leo Mid Dioscorus. 
 
 Q. 13. What is the cause of the Pope's separation ? 
 
 A. Pope Leo adopted certain of the heresies of Arius and 
 the rest, and made a mixture of the true faith with false doc- 
 trines, (asserting) : — 
 
 1 . That the two Natures of Christ, namely, His Divinity 
 and His Humanity, are like oil and water; and that He is 
 One Person ; and that His Divinity had gone from Him at 
 the time of His Death. 
 
 2. That the Holy Ghost proceeds from both the Pather 
 and the Son. 
 
 Having thus (therefore) drawn up his faith, and a certain 
 Liturgy, he, by the favour of Bulkara (Pulcheria), the Queen 
 of Ptome, and her husband Markanos (Marcianus), whom he 
 had gained over to his interest, called together a Synod in 
 A.D. 472 s, at Chalcedon, consisting of 636 Bishops, Priests, 
 and Deacons. With a view to make this meeting more re- 
 markable, and its Canons more stable than the Nicene Insti- 
 tutions, determined by 318 Fathers, he forced these 636 per- 
 sons to sign the Institutes against their will ; threatening 
 those who would not conform to this Council with severe 
 punishments. Thus he propagated these doctrines in all those 
 countries then included in the Koman Empire ; and on the 
 Pope sending the large book containing the new Rules and 
 Offices for the members of this Synod to read and affire 
 (affix) their signatures, Deuscorous, the Patriarch of Alex- 
 andria, took and read it, and then sent it back, having written 
 in it, "He who conforms to this (these) rules is cursed," and 
 affired (affixed) his signature to it. This caused a great 
 quarrel, and the Pope having taken Deuscorous and his par- 
 tisans, confined them on the sea- shore, where they died. It 
 is on account of this that the Papists curse Deuscorous and 
 his partisans, at the time of their Ordination. And the Pope, 
 it is said, altered certain words in the Bible, in order that 
 those errors which he supported in the Synod should be justi- 
 fied. Besides this, he made some alterations in the Creed, 
 too. Por there is some difference between the Creeds of the 
 Italians, Maronites, and Chaldeans, who are all Papists. 
 
 Q. 14. You say that the Synod of Chalcedon established 
 a Paith partly true and partly false. Explain how it was. 
 
 A. (1.) The Synod of Nice (Nicsea) established the true 
 faith, that the Son of God was of 0?ie Nature and of Otie Per- 
 
 « The date usually received is a.d. 451 ; Marciau died in 457.
 
 The Synod of Chalcedon, 9 
 
 son. Nestoreos said that He was of Two Natures and of Two 
 Persons. The Synod of Chalcidon (stc) proposed that he was 
 of Two Natures and of One Person : that Christ died in the 
 Nature of Man, and that His Second Coming is also in the 
 Nature of Man. 
 
 (2.) The Synod of Nice (Nicsea) ^ called Mary the Mother 
 of God; Nestorious called her the Mother of Man; the Chal- 
 cidon Synod called her Virgin Mary. 
 
 (3.) The Nicen (Nicene) Synod proposed that the Birth, 
 Death, &c,, of Christ was of His oivn accord; Eutichos said 
 that Christ died against His Will; (the) Chalcidonian Synod 
 said that Christ died to fulfil the Prophecy. 
 
 (4.) Nice (Niceea)' — The Holy Ghost proceedeth from the 
 Father; Maccedonious (Macedonius) — the Holy Ghost pro- 
 ceedeth /row2 the Son; Calceedon (sic) — the Holy Ghost pro- 
 ceedeth from the Father and Son. 
 
 Q. 15. Can it be shewn that such discrepancies exist in 
 the Creed ? 
 
 ^ Eather Ephesus, in adopting the Anathemas of S. Cyril. And Glial- 
 cedon in the Definition of the Faith. — Ed. 
 
 ^ The Nicene Creed, according to very ancient copies of it, including 
 the Syriac copy already mentioned — and I suppose no older MS. of the 
 Councils is known, at least in Europe — ran thus : " And I believe in the 
 Holy Grhost." The Council of Constantinople added the words " Who 
 proceedeth from the Father." The words and the Son were added, it 
 is thought, first at the third Council of Toledo, a.d. 589, at the instiga- 
 tion of King Eeccared. See the Council, in Labbe (ed. Coleti), vi. 697. 
 Mr. Ffoulkes gives an able resume of this matter, and of the subsequent 
 history of the Filioque clause, in '* The Church's Creed, or the Crown's^ 
 Creed ?" 
 
 But although the clause was, so far as is known, now first added to 
 the Niceno-Constantinopolitau Creed, Ave certainly hear of it before. 
 I do not propose to enter into the question at any length, and will 
 merely add the following memorandum : — 
 
 The Filioqtte, or And the Son, clause. 
 
 We find it a.d. 400. Toledo I., in a Creed altogether different from 
 that of Nicsea. Labbe, vol. ii. p. 1475. 
 A.D. 411. Braga I., if genuine. Labbe, iii. 345. 
 A.D. 431. In S. Cyril to Nestorius. Labbe, iii. 956. 
 
 Pagi says that S. Cyril was taken to task 
 for it : see extract in Labbe, iii. 347. But the 
 Letter was adopted by the Council of Ephesus. 
 A.D. 589. Toledo III., as stated above. 
 Cf. also the Letter of Hormisdas to the Eastern Emperor.— Ed.
 
 10 
 
 The duration of the Natures of Christ. 
 
 A. It will be seen from the following statement : 
 
 STRIINS. 
 
 ¥AROITIT(E)S 
 THE PAPISTS. 
 
 PAPISTS (sic.) 
 
 PAPISTS (Sic.) 
 
 Nicene Creed. 
 
 Micene Creed. 
 
 Creed. 
 
 Apostles' Creed. 
 
 We believe 
 
 We believe 
 
 I believe 
 
 I believe 
 
 From the ^ Virgin 
 Mother of God 
 
 Of the Virgin 
 Mary 
 
 Of the Virgin 
 Mary 
 
 Of the Virgia 
 Mary 
 
 Dead 2 
 
 Dead 
 
 o 
 
 Dead 
 
 As His will 3 
 
 According to the 
 Scriptures 
 
 According to the 
 Scriptures 
 
 o 
 
 He Cometh ■* 
 
 He cometh 
 
 He shall come 
 
 He shall come 
 
 He sat ^ 
 
 He sat 
 
 He sitteth 
 
 He sitteth 
 
 Proeeedeth from 
 the Father ^ 
 
 Proeeedeth from 
 the Father and 
 the Son. 
 
 Proeeedeth from 
 the Father and 
 the Son 
 
 o 
 
 In One Church, 
 the Catholic 
 and Apostolic 
 
 In One Church, 
 the Catholic 
 and Apostolic 
 
 One Catholic and 
 Apostolic Ro- 
 mish Church 
 
 In the Holy Ca- 
 tholic Church 
 
 In One God the 
 Father 
 
 In One God the 
 Father 
 
 In One God the 
 Father 
 
 In God the Fa- 
 ther 
 
 In One Lord Jesus 
 
 In One Lord Jesus 
 
 In One Lord Jesus 
 
 In Jesus 
 
 In One Holy Ghost 
 
 In One Holy Ghost 
 
 In the Holy Ghost 
 
 In the Holy Ghost 
 
 1. Luke i. 43. 
 Luke ii. 11. 
 John XX. 28. 
 
 2. Heb. ii. 9. 
 
 Rom. viii. 34. 
 John X. 18. 
 Gal. i. 4. 
 Titus ii. 14. 
 
 4. Jude i. 14. 
 
 5. Mark xvi. 19. 
 
 6. John xiv. 16. 
 John XV. 26. 
 
 Q. 16. What is the belief of the Syrians with reference to 
 the duration of the fulness of Godhead and Manhood of Christ ; 
 ■viz. its end ? 
 
 A. The Syrians believe that Christ was {sic) fully God and 
 fully Man until the time shewn 1 Cor. xv. 28, where it is said, 
 *' Then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that 
 put all things under Him, that God may be all in all." God 
 in the first place created Man with earth ^, and second (secondly) 
 endowed (him) with a spirit. But the name Adam his allusion 
 (? alludes) only to the first occurrence, and not to the second. 
 Again Christ converted Water into Wine at Galilee ; hence it is 
 said that they drank water- in allusion to the predicate water. 
 In the same way, God first descended into the belly (womb) 
 of the Virgin, and then took flesh. And in reference to the 
 first occurrence, viz. the Descent of God, the Syrians believe 
 
 1. 1 Moses ii. 7; v. 2. 2. John ii. 9.
 
 The Clip — Honour paid to Saints. 1 1 
 
 that God was born, that God died, and that the Virgin Mary 
 is the Mother of God. 
 
 Q. 17. Why are the Syrians called Jacobites ? 
 
 A. When Nestorious and his partisans insisted on many 
 Bishops and people conforming to and using the newly-made 
 doctrine, and threatened those who refused compliance, the 
 Saint Mar Jacob Boordana (Baradceus), who was clothed with 
 skin^, coming to know of this from God, when he was living 
 in the woods-, how the Nestorians had subverted and hindered 
 the true faith, came out from his seclusion and boldly exhorted 
 many, and turned them to the true faith. Therefore they are 
 called Jacobites, by which we understand those who were rC'- 
 deemed from the Nestorians by the means of Mar Jacob. 
 
 1. Heb. xi. 37. 2. Heb. xi. 38. 
 
 Q. 18. What is their belief concerning the holy Ceremony 
 of the Kooroobana and the Bread and Wine ? 
 
 A. They believe the Offering of the Kooroobana to be a holy 
 Sacrifice ^ and the Bread and Wine in it to be the real Body 
 and Blood of Christ^ 
 
 1. 1 Pet. ii. 5. 1 Cor. x. 16. 
 Heb. xiii. 15. 1 Cor. xi. 27. 
 
 2. Matt. xxvi. 26. John vi. 53, 55. 
 Matt, xxvii. 28. 
 
 Argument. — As it is said in the fourth verse of the first 
 chapter of St. John's Gospel that the Word was made Flesh ; 
 and as God, Who is the Word, became Plesh and Blood; so 
 by Word, these also, i.e. Bread and Wine, become Flesh and 
 Blood. 
 
 Q. 19. As (Does) the Syrian Church allow the partaking 
 of the Consecrated Wine, just as thev do of the Consecrated 
 Bread } 
 
 A. In the time of Consecration the Bread and Wine are 
 mixed, and as (the) Bread is a mixture of Wine (probably = 
 is mixed with the Wine), therefore the mixed Bread is usually 
 given. Acts xx. 7, ii. 42. 
 
 Q. 20. How do they honour and regard the Mother of God 
 and all the Saints } 
 
 A. They do them honour^ and worship as due to them, 
 thinking they are holy persons and the friends of God'. But 
 they do not hold them in the same light as they do God, or 
 give them (the) praise and worship which are due to God alone.
 
 12 Br ay cr for the Dead — Fasts — Churches. 
 
 3 . Rom, xiii. 7. James ii. 23. 
 
 Luke i. 48. 2 Clirou. xx. 7. 
 
 James y. 11. Isaiah xli. 8. 
 2. Jolm xi. 11. 
 
 Q. 21. Do they remember Saints in their Churches? 
 
 A, They remember and celebrate the birthdays and days 
 of death of some of the Saints, but only the days of death 
 of some Saints (others). 
 
 Matt. xxvi. 13. Ps. cxii. 6. 
 
 2 Moses xxviii. 12. Prov. x. 7. 
 
 Q. 22. Do they pray to the Saints > 
 
 A. They pray to the Saints to pray to God on their behalf, 
 and they not only think that the Saints will hear their prayers, 
 and pray for them to God, but they also expect that God will 
 help them for the sake of the Saints. 
 
 Luke xvi. 27, 28. 1 Sam. xxviii. 14, 19. 
 
 Acts xix. 12. 1 Kings xi. 12. 
 
 Rom. i. 9. 2 Kings xiii. 21. 
 
 Eph. i. 16. 2 Kings xix. 34. 
 
 Heb. xii. 23. 2 Kings xx. 6. 
 
 Eev. viii. 4. Tobit xii. 12. 
 
 Rev. V. 8. 2 Mac. xv. 12. 
 
 Q. 23. Do they pray for the Dead ? 
 A. They pray for the Dead. 
 
 1 Cor. XV. 29. Neliem. ix. 2. 
 Eph. vi. 18. 2 Mac. xii. 34, 45. 
 
 Q. 24. Do they observe fasting, either entire or partial, and 
 do they expect any good from it ? 
 
 A. During some fast days they entirely abstain from food ; 
 and during others they eat very little, and administer all their 
 holy rites with fasting. Besides this they fast on "Wednesdays 
 and Fridays, and believe that much good is derived from 
 fasting. 
 
 Matt. iv. 2. Judges xiii. 4. 
 
 Matt. xvii. 21. Esther iy. 16. 
 
 Luke xviii. 12. Jonah iii. 5. 
 
 Acts xiii. 3. Joel i. 14. 
 
 2 Moses xxxiv. 28. Nehem. ix. 1. 
 4 Moses vi. 3. 
 
 Q. 25. Do they found Churches in the name of Saints } 
 A. There is not one Syrian Church which is not named
 
 Confession—tJhction^-'Sign of Cross— ^Marr. of Clergy/. 13 
 
 eitlier by the Kame of the Mother of God or of one of the 
 Saints. 
 
 1 Kings xviii. 31. Eph. ii. 20. Rev. xxi. 14 
 
 Q. 26. Do they confess their sins before the Priests ? 
 A, It is commanded that all persons above seven years of 
 age should confess their sins. 
 
 Matt.iii. 6. IJohni.O. 
 
 Acts xix. 18. Nehem. ix. 2. 
 
 James v. 16. Prov. xxviii. 13. 
 
 Q. 27. Do they make holy oil, and anoint men with it? 
 
 A. Three ointments are ordained : two to anoint those who 
 are baptized, and one to anoint the sick. Holy Mooron, the 
 chief of these, is consecrated by the Patriarch. Metrans have 
 power to consecrate the other two. 
 
 1 Moses xxviii. 18. James v. 14. 
 
 2 Moses XXX. 30. IJ ohn ii. 20, 27. 
 Mark vi. 13. 
 
 Q. 28. Do they make the form (sign) of the Cross with their 
 fingers, by touching with them first their forehead, then the 
 breast, and then the two shoulders: and (do they) worship 
 the Cross and place it in their churches .f* 
 
 A. In all holy actions they make the form of the Cross ^ 
 with their fingers, by touching with them their forehead, 
 breast, and shoulders; and (they) worship'' it-, and place it 
 in their churches. 
 
 1. Gal. vi. 14. 1 Moses xxxiii. 3. 
 1 Cor. i. 18. 1 Moses xlii. 6. 
 Phil. iii. 18. 1 Moses xlviii. 12. 
 Matt. xxiv. 30. 2 Moses xviii. 7. 
 
 2. Ps. xcix. 5, 9. 
 
 Q. 29. Do they prohibit the Clergy from getting married? 
 
 A. It is appointed that a layman or a Deacon who has once 
 got married, and whose wife is still alive, may become a Priest; 
 and when an unmarried Deacon is once ordained a Priest he 
 may not get married ; and one who has married a widow, or 
 bondwoman, or any of low extraction, should not be ordained 
 a Priest. 
 
 1 Tim. iii. 2, 11. Titus i. 6. 
 
 ^ I believe this signifies nothing more than regard it with vene- 
 ration. — Ed.
 
 14 Pairiarch — ILqrlam — lletroj^ol'ian. 
 
 Q. oO. Have they any objection to give the Order of Priests 
 to one who is unmarried ? 
 
 A. They have no objection. And they have appointed to 
 give the Order of Priests to one who hkes to hve in convents, 
 notwithstanding his unmarried state. 1 Cor. vii. 7, viii. 32. 
 But if one who was ordained a Priest after his marriaiie 
 get married a second time, after the death of his first wife, 
 and one who was consecrated to the cfiice of Priest when the 
 vow of cehbacy was upon him, gets married, these two are re- 
 garded as having fallen from their office. 
 
 Q. 31. Do they consecrate married men to the office of 
 Patriarch and Bishop } 
 
 A. They consecrate those who keep the vow of celibacy, 
 and those who keep that vow on the death of their first wives, 
 to the office of Bishops, but only those who keep the vow of 
 perpetual celibacy to the office of Patriarchs. 
 
 1 Cor. vii. 1. Rev. xiv. 4. 
 
 Q. 32. How many kinds of holy Orders are there ? 
 
 A. The following three: 1st, Bishops; 2nd, Priests; 3rd, 
 Deacons. 
 
 Q. 33. What are the different degrees in the office of 
 Bishops ? 
 
 A. The following three : 1st, Patriarch ; 2nd, Mapriana [i.e. 
 Catholic] ; 3rd, Metropolitan, or Episcop. 
 
 Q. 34. What is the authority invested in the office of a Pa- 
 triarch ? 
 
 A. He is the overruler and lord of everything connected 
 with the Syrian Church. 
 
 Q. 35. What is the authority invested in the office of a Ma- 
 priana ? 
 
 A. He can do everything belonging to the office of a Pa- 
 triarch, with his sanction. He is the heir, if he likes, to the 
 office of Patriarch, on the death of the then living Patriarch, 
 and he signs himself the Chief Bishop of the Eastern Countries, 
 or the Chief Bishop of the Tigris. 
 
 Q. 36. What is the authority of a Metropohtan? 
 
 A. He is to govern the differer;t Parishes entrusted to 
 his care by the Patriarch, and to ordain both Priests and 
 Deacons. 
 
 Q. 37. How many kinds of Priests are there ? 
 
 A. The following three: — 1st, Rampan; 2ndly, Chor-Epis- 
 copa; 3rdly, Kashisha.
 
 Consecration of Metr am. 15 
 
 Q. 38. What is the difference between these three kinds 
 of Priests ? 
 
 A. 1st, Eampan is one who lives in convents, having taken 
 upon him the vow of celibacy. Chor-Episcopa is one who 
 has married, and whose business it is to report to the Metro- 
 politan after having investigated serious matters in the Church, 
 to examine the Priests, and to appoint whatever is deficient 
 in the Church government and reprove those who are in 
 error. 3rdly, Kashisha is one who has married, and is a ruler 
 in his own parish. 
 
 Q. 39. How many kinds of Deacons are there? 
 
 A, The following three: — 1st, Archdeacon; 2ndly, Ma- 
 shamshana ; 3rdly, Hypodiaconon (Sub-deacon). 
 
 Q. 40. "What is the difference between these three orders 
 of Deacons ? 
 
 A. 1st, Archdeacon is the chief Deacon, whose business it 
 is to examine the Deacons, and to help the Bishops when 
 Ordination, and such holy services, take place ; 2ndly, Me- 
 shamshana; 3rdly, Hypodiaconon. These are to help the 
 Priests in all the holy services of the Church, and they have 
 authority to read both the Old (Testament) and the Epistles 
 in the Churches. But they have no authority to read the 
 Gospel in the Churches. 
 
 Q. 41. Who are the Karoya and the Masamarana? 
 
 A. They are children who have received permission from 
 the Metran to sing Psalms in the Churches. 
 
 Q. 42. Can a Metran consecrate a man to the office of 
 Metran, with the sanction of the Patriarch, as is the custom 
 of the Papists ? 
 
 A. If it is the Patriarch himself that consecrates a Metran, 
 he must do it in conjunction with two or three other Me- 
 trans. Besides this, even the Patriarch has no power to per- 
 mit a Metran to consecrate another as a Metran. But on 
 just and reasonable grounds it is appointed that three Metrans 
 should come together and consecrate a Metran, with the sanc- 
 tion of the Patriarch. 
 
 Matt, xviii. 20. Acts xiii. 3. 
 
 Q. 43. Do they confer special names on the Bishops besides 
 their own names ? 
 
 A. The person who was appointed to the office of Bishop 
 at Antioch, after the death of St. Peter, was St. Ignatheous
 
 16 Names of Patriarch — Tenets of Syrians. 
 
 (Ip^natius), the child whom our Lord took in His arms^ and 
 who afterwards became the disciple of St. John the Evan- 
 gelist. Therefore all the Patriarchs of Antioch are called 
 Ignatheous after'his name. Those who are appointed to the 
 office of Maphriana are called Baselious (Basil). Those who 
 are consecrated to the office of Bishop of Jerusalem are called 
 Gregorious. And all the other Bishops are called by any one 
 of the following twelve names, as the Patriarch chooses : — 
 
 Severious (Severus). Julios (Julius). 
 
 Theoscorus (Dioscorus). Pelexeinos (Philloxenus). 
 
 Athauasious (Athauasius). Authemos. 
 
 Dewanasious (Dionysius). Clemis (Clement) 
 
 Timotheos (Timothy). Coorilos (Cyril). 
 
 Osthatheos (Eustathius). ' Ewanious (Evans). 
 
 1. Matt, xviii. 2. Mark ix. 36. 
 
 Q. 44. When are these offices and names conferred upon 
 them? 
 
 A. All the Dignities belonging to Holy Orders are given 
 to them during the Koorbana. Then this name also is given 
 'by the person by whom (the) consecration is performed. 
 
 Q. 45. Has the Bishop of Jerusalem more authority and 
 dignity than the rest of the Bishops ? 
 
 A. He has no special dignity in his office and authority. 
 Yet because he is the Metropolitan of the Holy City, he is 
 considered as a general^ and ^eminent Bishop, and'^^ calls him 
 the Fifth Patriarch. 
 
 Q. 46. How are the Syrian Priests [Catanars] supported ? 
 
 A, They are supported by portions from Laity allowed 
 them for certain religious ceremonies. 
 
 Q. 47. Do the Syrians think that those who do not con- 
 form to the persuasion of the Patriarch of Antioch will not be 
 saved, as the Papists say ? 
 
 A. They do not think as the Papists do, but believe that 
 God through His mercy ^ will give eternal salvation to those 
 who (are) baptized, and who believe in the Trinity in the 
 proper way, and keep the commandments contained in the 
 
 1. Luke xiii. 24. John vi. 44, 65. 
 
 Eph. ii. 8. Rom. ix. 15, 16. 
 
 ' May tliis he a translation of CathoUcos ? See Q. 33.— En. 
 " Some word omitted. Of. Canon 7 of Nicsea. — En.
 
 Purgatory — Daily Prayer — Fasts. 17 
 
 37th, 38th, (and) 39th verses of the twenty-second chapter 
 of St. Matthew. 
 
 Q. 48. Do they believe in the existence of Purgatory ? 
 
 A. They do not believe in the existence of such a place. 
 
 Q. 49. Do they make images and worship them ? 
 
 A. IS'o. 
 
 Q. 50. In what light do they hold the Pope now? 
 
 A. In the same light the Protestants hold him. 
 
 Q. b\. "What are the hours of prayer in the Church? 
 
 A. Every morning and evening all the priests assemble in 
 the Church ^ when they pray and read portions of the Bible, 
 ^s regulated in their office-book, and offer Incense ^. But on 
 certain Pestivals, and during Lent, and on other Fast-days, 
 they pray^ thrice a-day, and perform the other Rites as ex- 
 plained above. 
 
 1. Acts iii. 1. 3. Ps. Iv. 17. 
 
 2. 2 Moses xxx. 7. Dan. vi. 10. 
 Luke i. 11. 
 
 Q. 52. In the answer of the 24th question you told me that 
 they observed certain Fast-days. How many Fast-days are 
 there in a year ? 
 
 A. Seven. 
 
 Q. 53. Let me hear an account of these, 
 
 A. 1. Fast-days of Nineveh ; they begin on Monday and 
 end on Thursday. 2. Bawoosa Fast-day " ; it ends on the 
 seventh day. 3. Lent; it ends on the 50th day, the day of 
 our Lord's Resurrection. These are changeable Fast-days. 
 4. Fast-days of our Lord's Nativity, which commence on 
 December 1st, and end on the 25th of the same month, the 
 day of our Lord's Birth. 5. The Fast-days of the Apostles, 
 beginning on the 16th of June, and ending on the 29th, the 
 Festival day of the Apostles Peter and Paul. 6. The Fast- 
 days of the Virgin, which commence on the 1st of August, 
 and end on the 15th, the holy day which is the Ascension-day 
 of the Virgin Mary. 7. The Fasting of the Virgin. It com- 
 mences on the Ist of September, and ends on the 8th, the 
 holy day of the Birth of the Virgin Mary. 
 
 Q. 54. How do they know when to observe the Festival of 
 Easter? 
 
 A. The date (rather, the method) of calculating the Day 
 
 " I should have spelled it Baootho or Boiitho. The Malabar Syrians 
 jpronounce the Syriac letter tau as s. — Ed.
 
 18 
 
 Syrian 3Ionths — The Korhan — Vestments. 
 
 of (the) Resurrection depends upon an epoch made by Ebese- 
 vios, and upon the numbers of the days of the year and 
 month ; and it is from these that the Day of (the) Resurrec- 
 tion, and all other moveable Feasts and Fasts, are determined. 
 Although it is difficult to make a translation of its computa- 
 tion, but (yet) I will try to make a translation. I will en- 
 deavour to give an example of it. That (this) is a Table of 
 the moveable Fasts for the next ten years according to the 
 above calculation : — 
 
 A Table of some of the Moveable Fasts, Syrian Date. 
 
 Tear. 
 
 Fast of Nineveli. 
 
 Lent. 
 
 Easter Sunday. 
 
 1867 
 
 February 6 
 
 February 26 
 
 April 16 
 
 1868 
 
 January 21 
 
 February 10 
 
 March 31 
 
 1869 
 
 February 10 
 
 March 2 
 
 April 20 
 April 12 
 
 1870 
 
 February 2 
 
 February 22 
 
 1871 
 
 January 18 
 
 February 7 
 
 March 28 
 
 1872 
 1873 
 
 February 6 
 
 February 26 
 
 April 16 
 
 January 29 
 
 February 18 
 
 April 8 
 
 1874 
 
 January 21 
 
 February 10 
 
 March 31 
 
 1875 
 1876 
 
 February 3 
 
 February 23 
 
 April 13 
 
 January 25 
 
 February 14 
 
 April 4 
 
 Q. bb. When is the New Year of the Syrians? 
 
 A. The 1st of January is their New Year('s Day). This 
 1st of January of the Syrians is the 13th of January with 
 the Europeans. This difference, therefore, exists in all the 
 months. 
 
 The Bays of Every Month : — 
 
 January (Second Chauon) . 31 July (Thamuz) 31 
 
 February (Shebat) ... 28 August (Ab) 31 
 
 March (Adar) ..... 31 September (Ehil) .... 30 
 
 April (Nisan) 30 October (First Teshrin) . . 31 
 
 May (lyar) 31 November (Second Teshrin) 30 
 
 June (Chaziran) .... 30 December (First Chanon) . 31 
 
 Q. 56. On what special days, and at what time, is the Holy 
 Koorobana administered ? 
 
 A. It is administered chiefly on Sundays and Holidays, 
 and other days as occasions require, before 12 o'clock in the 
 day, with fasting. 
 
 Acts ii. 42 ; XX. 7. 
 
 Q. 57. Have the Bishops and Priests any dress of honour 
 indicating their office }
 
 The B. V. M. ever Virgin — Paradise. 19 
 
 A. They have dresses of honour. 
 
 2 Moses xxxix. 1, 27, 41. 1 Sara. xxii. 18. 
 
 Q. 58. "What is the beh'ef of the Syrians with regard to the 
 saying of some who assert that Joseph knew the Yirgin Mary 
 after the birth of the Lord, and that she brought him forth 
 children; since it is said in the 25th verse of the 2nd (1st) 
 chapter of St. Matthew, " He knew her not till she had 
 brought forth her first-born son 1" 
 
 A. They believe that she never afterwards brought forth 
 children, but that she is a holy, and perfect, and perpetual 
 Virgin ; just as we cannot think that Michal, the daughter of 
 Saul, brought forth children after her death, since it is said 
 in the 23rd verse of the 6lh chapter of the 2nd Book of 
 Samuel, "Therefore Michal, the daughter of Saul, had no 
 child unto the day of her death °." 
 
 Q. 59. Who do they think was the Mother of James, 
 Joses, &c., who are spoken of as the Brethren of our Lord, 
 in the 55th verse of the 13th chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel? 
 
 A. They think them to be the sons of (another) Mary (that) 
 she brought forth to Joseph P, she being supposed to be the 
 married wife of Joseph {sic), and one of the women who 
 ministered to our Lord. 
 
 Matt, xxvii. 56. Mark xv. 40, 47. John xix. 25. 
 
 Q. 60. Where do the Souls of the Saints stay till the Judg- 
 ment Day ? 
 
 A. It is supposed that they stay in Paradise. 
 
 Luke xxiii. 43. 
 
 Inference. They believe that the Souls of the Saints abide in 
 Paradise till the Judgment Day, since the Paradise from which 
 Adam was expelled is to be enjoyed by Adam and his de- 
 scendants, and since it is said in the ord verse of the 14th 
 chapter of St, John's Gospel, "I will come again and receive 
 you unto Myself." 
 
 Q. 61. Which (of what kind) is the abode of the Souls of 
 the AVicked till the Day of Judgment ? 
 
 A. They live in utter sorrow, in a place of fire and dark- 
 ness. 
 
 2 Pet. ii. 4, 9. Jude i. 7. 
 
 • One might add Gen. xxviii. 15 ; Ps. cxii. 8 ; Dan. i. 21, &c. — Ed. 
 1* This must surely be a clerical error for Alphseus or Cleophas. Cf. 
 Matt. X. 3; Mark xv. 40 j John xix. 25.— Ed.
 
 20 
 
 Canon of ScripfAire. 
 
 Q. 62. When are they put in possession of Heaven and 
 Hell ? 
 
 A. It is supposed that it is after their Judgment. 
 
 Matt. XXV. 46. John v. 29. Kom. ii. 5, 6. 
 
 Q. 63. Do the Saints also judge Sinners } 
 A. Yes, they do judge the Sinners. 
 
 Matt. xix. 28. Rev. iii. 21 ; and xx. 4. 
 
 Luke xxii. 30. Dan, vii. 22. 
 
 1 Cor. vi. 2. 
 
 Q. 64 "J. What Books do [they (the Syrians) receive (as) 
 Canonical ? 
 
 A. The folio winsr Books: — 
 
 THE OLD TESTAMENT. 
 
 1 Moses. 
 
 Job, 
 
 Habakkuk. 
 
 2 Moses. 
 
 Psalms. 
 
 Zephaniah. 
 
 3 Moses. 
 
 Proverbs. 
 
 Haggai. 
 
 4 Moses. 
 
 Ecclesiastes. 
 
 Zechariah. 
 
 5 Moses. 
 
 Song of Solomon. 
 
 jNlalachi. 
 
 Joshua. 
 
 Isaiah. 
 
 Kest of Esther. 
 
 Judges. 
 
 Jeremiah. 
 
 Best of Ezra. 
 
 Euth. 
 
 Lamentations. 
 
 Tobias. 
 
 1 Samuel. 
 
 Ezekiel. 
 
 Jiiclith. 
 
 2 Samuel. 
 
 Daniel. 
 
 ^V'isdom. 
 
 1 Kings. 
 
 Hosea. 
 
 Jesus,the Sonof Sirach. 
 
 2 Kings. 
 
 Joel. 
 
 Baruch. 
 
 1 Chronicles. 
 
 Amos. 
 
 Song of the 3 Children. 
 
 2 Chronicles. 
 
 Obadiah. 
 
 Sasannali. 
 
 Ezra. 
 
 Jonah. 
 
 Bel and the Dragon. 
 
 Nehemiah. 
 
 Micah. 
 
 Mauasses. 
 
 Esther. 
 
 Nahum. 
 
 Maccabees. 
 
 THE NEW TESTAMENT. 
 
 The Eour Gospels. 
 The Acts. 
 Twenty-one Epistles. 
 
 Revelation. 
 
 The Canons and Liturgy as re- 
 gulated by the Bathers "■. 
 
 ^ Ik'tween Q. 63 and 64, tho following was inserted and afterwards 
 crossed out : " Q. 64, Are the Heaven and the Hell everlasting ? or is 
 there any end to their existence ? A. The Treatise my Father, Rev. 
 Philipo.i mule in Malayalim on.'* — Ed. 
 
 "^ One ^\•()nld be glad to know the sonrce Avhence this list is derived. 
 It looks as if it were compiled from a combination of the Canonical and 
 Apocryphal Books mentioned in the Sixth Article of the Church of 
 England, with the addition of " The Canons and Litm*gy." It may be
 
 Other Boohs — Patriarchs of Antioch. 21 
 
 Q. Q5. Are there any other books besides these written 
 by the Fathers of the old times, and the Fathers of later 
 times ? 
 
 A. Those written by the Fathers of the old times are the 
 Book of Asenath, the wife of Joseph ; the History of the de- 
 struction of Jerusalem, by Titus ; the History of King Herod; 
 the Book of Josephus, &c. There are many Books written 
 by the Fathers of later times, viz. Mar Ephraim, Mar Jacob, 
 Clement, Severus, Gregorius, &c. These Books have become 
 scarce now, since they are manuscripts to this day, and some 
 are not even extant now. 
 
 Q. 66. How many Patriarchs are said to have occupied the 
 Chair of St. Peter at Antioch ? 
 
 A. Including the present Patriarch there have been 142 
 Patriarchs. Some of them were martyrs, being persecuted 
 and killed by the Jews, Bomans, Kestorians, and Maho- 
 medans. Some were oppressed and persecuted. So most of 
 them lived a life of great sorrow and misery. Moreover, it 
 is to be found in some books of the Fathers that the persecu- 
 tions of the Mahoraedans were not so severe as those of the 
 Eomans. 
 
 Q. 67. What is the name of the present Patriarch of An- 
 tioch ? 
 
 A. His name is Jacob the second, Mar Egnatheous (Igna- 
 tius). His Holiness lives in the Convent called in the Syriac 
 Koorkuma, and in the Arabic, Sapran, which is in the town of 
 Marden ^ in Turkey. 
 
 Q. 68. Is there any one besides who is called the Patriarch 
 of Antioch } 
 
 A. In (a.d.) 1427, Maron, the Bishop of the Churches on 
 the mountains of Lebanon, rebelled against the Patriarch of 
 Antioch, and joined the Pope, together with the Churches 
 under his care. He displaced the Prayers of the Liturgy, 
 
 observed that (apart from the addition last spoken of) the list is not 
 exactly that of the Vulgate, nor of the ancient Syriac Version of the Holy 
 Scriptures called the Peschito, nor of the Council of Laodicea — indeed 
 no Syriac MS. of that Council that I have seen, and I have examined 
 several, contains a nominal list of the Sacred Books (Mr. B. H. Cowper, 
 with a much larger experience of the Syriac MSS., bore the same testi- 
 mony in personal conversation with myself)— nor, lastly, is it that of 
 the list of the Apostolical Canons, as it is found in either Sj^iac or 
 Greek copies.— Ed. P.S. I am not sure about the Peschito list. 
 « Lat. 37° 15', Lon. 40« 40'.— Ed.
 
 22 Other CIaima?its to tins Title. 
 
 making: the first last, and the last first*, besides adopting- the 
 belief of the Pope. He calls himself Patriarch of Antioch, 
 but no one would (will) acknowledge him as the Patriarch of 
 Antioch. His followers are chiefly called Maronites. There 
 are two or three Bishops besides, who, being excommunicated 
 by the Patriarch on account of their misconduct, joined the 
 Pope, and embraced his religion. Their followers have in- 
 creased in number, and they rule the churches in Bagdad, 
 and in the neighbouring places, and the Pope has conferred 
 on one of them the title of the Patriarch of Antioch. Even 
 this creature of a Patriarch is ashamed to sign himself as the 
 Patriarch. Their followers have not yet been called by any 
 general name. 
 
 Q. 69. By whom was the Church of the Syrians in Malabar 
 founded and governed ? 
 
 A. In A.D. 52. The Apostle Mar Thomas came to Malabar 
 in the reign of Choshen. He was so successful in his preach- 
 ing that seven Christian churches were founded by him there '^. 
 But for a long time after his death Christianity was in a de- 
 clining state in Malabar. But as India and the countries in 
 the East fell to the share of the Patriarch of Antioch in the 
 Nicene Synod, he appointed a Maphriana at Tigris in Bagdad, 
 to conduct all the religious affairs of the Eastern Churches 
 under the care of the Patriarch. This Maphriana, coming 
 to know from Thoma, a prince of Canan, of the decline of the 
 Churches in Malabar, informed the Patriarch of the same ; 
 when, in pursuance to (of) the orders of the Patriarch, he 
 sent the above-mentioned prince Thoma, and Joseph the 
 Bishop, a native of Orfa'^, and other Bishops, Priests, and 
 Deacons, and a Colony of Syrians with their families. They 
 
 ^ Tills perhaps alludes to the Invocation of the Holy Gliost in the 
 Liturgy. See Dr. Neale's Malabar Lit,, or Renaudot, or my " Christians 
 of S. Thomas," p. 40, for an example of a similar transposition. — Ed. 
 
 ™ That there was communication between Rome and the Malabar 
 coast in the Apostles' days is be.vond a doubt. Roman coins of this 
 period are frequently found in the neighbourhood. In May, 18J2, an 
 earthen pot was found near Coimbatore, containing 522 silver denarii, 
 135 of which were coins of Augvistus, 378 more of Tiberius. See tlie 
 account of these and others in the Madras Journal of Literature and 
 Science, for ] 844-5, vol. xiv. p. 212. The editor has in his possession 
 an Aui'eus of the Emperor Tiberius, which, with "several hundred" 
 more, none later than Nero, were found near Calicut, about 1850. 
 
 ^ i.e. Uraha or Edessa, as appears from a letter in the Editor's 
 possession.
 
 Origin and Sistory of the Christians of S. Thomas, 23 
 
 landed at Kodungaloor^ in the reign of Cheruan (Cheruman) 
 Perumal% a.d. 345, when the king received them gladly, and 
 gave them certain privileges and names of honour as ac- 
 counted by the natives, and a place to live in. By them and 
 their successors to the office of Bishop who came from An- 
 tioch, were the Syrian Churches founded (? = firmly settled) 
 and governed. 
 
 "When the Syrian Church was in this state, the Portuguese 
 not only persecuted and killed all the Bishops as they came 
 from Antioch, but their Metran, Dom Pre Alleskes De Mene- 
 sis (Alexius de Menezes), residing at Goa, came to the Ma- 
 layalim country in 1598, and having visited all the SNrian 
 Churches, (he) bribed the petty princes then ruling the country, 
 and some Syrians, in order to gain them over to his interest. 
 And those Syrians who opposed his designs were persecuted 
 and put to death. So by main force he assembled all the 
 Syrians in the Church at Odyamperoor and persuaded them 
 to embrace Popery, besides burning all the Syriac Bibles, and 
 many other Syriac books. Then all the married priests were 
 separated from their wives. (Menezes) also drew up a book 
 regulating their future mode of living, and enjoined a strict 
 obedience to these laws on the part of the Syrians. And 
 any one may know the great enmity and wickedness which 
 this Alleskes practised towards the Syrian Church, if he 
 thoughtfully reads that book containing his visit news (? visit- 
 news) of the different churches, printed in Portuguese, in 
 1606, in the office of Deogoo Gomis Low Tire, printer, of 
 
 y This place, anciently called Mahodeverpatnam, and more recently 
 Cranganore, lies at the mouth of a small river in lat. 10°, 13'. — Ed. 
 
 ^ The dynasty of the Perumals is thought by a writer in the Royal 
 Asiatic Soc. Jour., vii. 343, to have flourished in the ninth century. 
 Whatever may have been their date, there are still extant in Malabar 
 two very ancient documents, inscribed on copper plates, facsimiles of 
 which, with translations, may be seen in the Madras Journal of Lite- 
 rature and Science, vol. xiii. part 1, (and facsimiles alone in the Royal 
 Asiatic Society's Journal, vol. vii.). One of these documents consists 
 of a single plate inscribed on both sides, and is a grant from the Rajah 
 Vira Raghava Chacravarti (apparently one of the Perumals) to one 
 Iravi Corttan of Mahodeverpatnam, creating him Grand Merchant of the 
 Cheraman world, and conferring on him certain privileges of nobility, 
 with the Lordship of the Manigramam (which word appears to signify 
 a Christian, or perhaps a Manichean, community). The other, a much 
 longer document, is a grant of land and privileges to the Tarisa Church 
 built by Isodata Virai. The plates are in the college at Cottayam.— Ed.
 
 24 Different Jdnch of Syrians. 
 
 a place called Vni Wersi Dadi, in the country Coempra in 
 Goa. After this, in 1685, IMar Evanious the Bishop came 
 from Antioch, and with much difficulty redeemed the now- 
 existing Syrian churches from the Portuguese ; and those 
 Churches which could not be reclaimed by Mar Evanious still 
 continue Eomish : yet their Liturgy is to this day in the 
 Syriac. 
 
 Q. 70. Did any of the Syrians in Malabar rise against the 
 Portuguese before this Mar Evanious came from Antioch ? 
 
 A. A priest named Itly Thoraen, of the Church at Kallus- 
 herry, in Malabar, boldly came forward and fought well with 
 the Portuguese. He made certain rules for strengthening the 
 Syrian Churches, and wrote certain books for the same. The 
 Portuguese often sought diligently to kill him, but Grod kept 
 him from their hands, and in 1659, on (the) 27th of April, he 
 died peaceably, and was buried in his own church of Kal- 
 lusherry. 
 
 Q. 71. Why are the Syrians of Malabar called Pothen- 
 koorkar, and such of those w^ho have joined (such as have 
 joined) with the Pope Palayakoorkar ? 
 
 A, Eor eighty- six years all the Syrians were Papists, as 
 Alleskes (de Menezes) made all the Syrians embrace Popery in 
 the meeting at Ydyamperoor in 1599. But in 1685, when 
 Mar Evanious came, those who forsook Popery by the instru- 
 mentality of that Bishop, and who at once newly adopted (re- 
 adopted) Syrianism, were called Poothenkoorkar, (i.e.) Wew 
 Partisans, and those who still clung to Popery after they had 
 embraced it for eighty-six years olden {sic), were called Palay- 
 akoorkar, (i.e.) Old Partisans. 
 
 Q. 72. How many different kinds of Syrians are there now ? 
 
 A. The following six: — 1st, Jacobite Syrians; 2nd, the 
 Maronites, who once were Jacobites, but have lately joined 
 the Pope ; 3rd, the small company at Bagdad, who also have 
 lately joined the Pope; 4th, the old Chaldees, who have 
 adopted the Nestorian faith ; 5th, the New Chaldees, who 
 have embraced Popery; 6th, the Palayakoorkar, or such of 
 the Syrians of Malabar as have adhered to Eomanism. 
 
 Q. 73. Who is the present Bishop of the Syrian Churches 
 in Malabar ? 
 
 A. The present Bishop, who is appointed by the Patriarch, 
 is Mar Cooiilos Joyakim. But as his health was (has lately 
 been) in a declining state, another Bishop, named Mar Be- 
 vanasioiis, was (has) arrived in Malabar within a few days
 
 Athanasius Matthew. 25 
 
 before (within the last few days) from the Patriarch of 
 Antioch. 
 
 Q. 74, Who is Athanasious Matthew ? 
 
 A. He is a native of Malabar, who, when a Deacon, had 
 been (was) expelled from the Syrian Church on account of his 
 great misconduct. He also learned in the Church Mission 
 School at Madras. And as he was prosecuting" his studies 
 there, he was dismissed from that place too, owing to his bad 
 behaviour. Consequently he set out like a vagabond, and 
 reached the country Moosul in Turkish Arabia {sic), and im- 
 posed on the Syrian Christians there, (asserting) that he was 
 a Priest, and administered (administering) the Kooroobana (i.e. 
 the Korban, or Oblation, the Eucharist), the Holy Ceremony 
 which no Deacon has the power to administer. Thence he 
 went to the Patriarch of Antioch. He also forged and pro- 
 duced a letter to the Patriarch, as though it had been a general 
 recommendatory letter from the Syrian Churches, to the intent 
 that he should be ordained a Bishop. Having thus deceived 
 the Patriarch, and obtained the consecration of a Bishop, and 
 the name of Athanasious, he received a letter from the Patri- 
 arch, as to his consecration, to the Travancore Government, 
 and returned to Malabar in 1843. 
 
 Q. 75. What did the Patriarch do when he came to know 
 the truth of this } 
 
 A. The Patriarch deposed him from all his offices, and in his 
 room appointed the aforesaid Mar Coorilos Joachim, and Mar 
 Athanasious Stephanos as his assistant Bishop, whom he sent 
 to Malabar, together with letters to the Syrian Churches and 
 the Travancore Sircar, as to the deposition of Athanasious 
 Matthew, and the appointment of this (these) two persons in 
 his stead. 
 
 Q. 76. How do you know that the Travancore Sircar had 
 received the Patriarch's letter sent by these Bishops .'' 
 
 A. I can prove it by the following copy : — 
 
 (Copy.) 
 
 "No. 421 of 1849. 
 
 " To Major-General W. Cdlen, Resident of Travancore. 
 
 *' Sir, — I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your 
 letter of the 15th instant, No. 350, accompanied by a letter to His 
 Highness the llajab, from the Patriarch of Antioch, brought by Mar 
 Athanasious Stephanos.
 
 26 Athanasius Matthew 
 
 "The letter lias been presented by me to His Highness, agreeably 
 to your desire, and I will duly communicate to you His Highness' 
 sentiments regarding the matters referred to when I am favoured 
 with the same. 
 
 " I have the honour, 
 
 (Signed) V. Krishno Bow (? Row), Dewan. 
 
 " Hassoor Catchery, 
 " Trevandrum, 29th March, 1849. 
 
 " A true copy. 
 " (Signed) " W. Cullen, Resident. 
 " To Mar Athanasious Stephanos, Cochin, for his information." 
 
 Q. 77. What were the proceedings of the Travancore Sircar 
 after this with regard to this case ? 
 
 A. The Government, without minding the aforesaid letter 
 of the Pitriarch, made a Proclamation favourable to the de- 
 posed Athanasious Matthew, which is as follows : — 
 
 "Translation of a Proclamation of His Highness the Maharajah of 
 Travancore. 
 
 " No. 249. Rayasum, dated 15th Carcadavem [July], 
 1027 [Malabar date]. 
 
 "Whereas Mar Dionosious Metrapolitan, residing at Cottayam, 
 being old, and having abdicated his dignity ; and as [we] appointed 
 Mar Athanasious to that post as Metrapolitan, who is come with 
 letters from Antioch, it is hereby notified that All Poothencoor 
 Syrians belonging to the Malangara Edavaka [Malabar Diocese] 
 should obey the aforesaid Mar Athanasious Metrapolitan, and be- 
 have themselves as heretofore observed." 
 
 Q. 78. Where is the Assistant Mar Athanasious Stephanos 
 now? 
 
 A. He left Malabar for England, and succeeded in getting 
 an order from the Honorable Court of Directors, having com- 
 plained for the same. But as his health was in a declining 
 state, he has returned to the Patriarch.
 
 and Mar Athanasius Stephanos. 
 
 27 
 
 (Copy.) 
 
 *' Ecclesiastical Department. 
 
 ** Extract from a Despatch from the Honourable Court of Directors, 
 « dated 13th May, No. 6 of 1857. 
 
 11 and 12, also 
 para. 12 of letter 
 dated 11th Nov. 
 (No. 13) 1856. 
 
 " Explanation 
 of the Resident 
 of Travancore 
 with reference to 
 the interference 
 alleged to have 
 been exercised 
 by him in rela- 
 tion to the indi- 
 viduals claiming 
 the office of Me- 
 trapolitan of the 
 Syrian Church in 
 Travancore." 
 
 "Extract mi- 
 nutes Consulta- 
 tion, dated 14th 
 July, 1857. 
 
 " 6. Copy of 
 this para, will be 
 communicated to 
 the Resident at 
 Travancore for 
 his information 
 and guidance. 
 That officer will 
 pay particular 
 attention to the 
 wishes of the 
 Honour ah 1 e 
 Court for the 
 future." 
 
 " 20. Lieutenant - General Cullen 
 rests his refusal of permission to 
 Mar Athanasius Stephanos to enter 
 Travancore in 1849, on the practice 
 of former Residents in analogous cases. 
 We regret that our previously ex- 
 pressed desire for absolute non-inter- 
 ference was not strictly attended to, 
 and that some ground was thus af- 
 forded for the allegations of Mar Atha- 
 nasious Stephanos. It is stated that 
 there is now a general acquiescence 
 in the rule, as Metrapolitan, of Mar 
 Athanasius, the first appointed of the 
 existing claimants to that dignity. 
 This is a matter, the determination 
 of which rests with the members of 
 the Syrian Church alone, and it is for 
 them to recognise or not the preten- 
 sions of any ecclesiastic who may be 
 hereafter sent into the country by the 
 Patriarch of Antioch. We desire that 
 strict attention be paid to our instruc- 
 tion in this respect. 
 
 *' True Extracts. 
 
 "(Signed) E. Maltby. 
 
 " Acting Chief Secretary. 
 " To the Resident of Travancore and Cochin. 
 " True copy. 
 " (Signed) W. Cullen, Resident. 
 ** Examined, I. A. Wilson." 
 
 Q. 79. Where is the above-mentioned Mar Coorilos Metra- 
 politan now ? 
 
 A. He still remains in Malabar, and teaches such as come 
 to him the Scriptures, and ordains priests and deacons. He 
 also ordains a second time those priests and deacons who were 
 (have been) ordained by Athanasious Matthew, on account of 
 their going to him and confessing that they had done wrong- 
 fully in that they were ordained by him who was deposed by
 
 28 The Metropolitan. 
 
 the Patriarch. But (I) suppose he [Coorilos] will go to (the) 
 Patriarch, because another Metran is now reached from (the) 
 Patriarch. 
 
 Q. 80. How does the aforesaid Athanasious Matthew go 
 on now ? 
 
 A. Because the Syrians of Malabar are poor and charac- 
 teristically deficient of energy, he entices some by his winning 
 speech, and frightens others with his threats. In this manner 
 he travels through all the Churches, and takes all the Church 
 properties by force, and ordains such of the people as are not 
 approved of by the community ; and he is taking to his house 
 all the prices of the compound and paddy grounds belonged 
 (belonging) to the Cottayam Seminary [College] in common 
 (? with the Syrians), by selling them ; thus creating dissensions 
 and tumults in the churches, and ever continuing an enemy to 
 the Patriarch and Syrian religion ^. 
 
 Q. 81. Why do they fear his threats, and yield to his win- 
 ning speech ? 
 
 A. On account of the Proclamation mentioned in the answer 
 to the 77th question, and a Circular Order of which the follow- 
 ing is a copy : — 
 
 "Translation of a circular order, No. 2,455, dated the 3rd Coom- 
 bum [February], 1038 [1863], addressed by the Dewan to the 
 Tasildar of the different districts from Quilon to Paravoor, the 
 Superintendents of Police at Trevandrum and Alwaye, and the 
 Police Ameen at Paravom : — 
 
 "1. I have received a communication from Mar Athanasious, 
 Syrian Metropolitan of Malabar, under date the 28th Thy last, 
 in which he represents that one Mar Coorilos, assuming the office 
 of a Metropolitan, is going about clandestinely from Church to 
 Church, creating dissensions among the community, and that, join- 
 ing those offenders who were excommunicated by the Church, he 
 disturbs the peace, and perpetrates outrages, and therefore the Me- 
 tropolitan finds it difficult to enforce the rules of the Chmch. 
 
 " 2. There is no ground for the Sircar's interference in lleligious 
 Matters, yet it is necessary to adopt measures to prevent the com- 
 mission of outrages. 
 
 " 3. If there are any persons who are unwilling to follow the 
 Church under Mar Athanasious, such persons may, after duly ob- 
 tainuig the permission of the Sircar, have Churches of their own 
 
 " The C.M.S ought to look well to their title, if, as seems to be im- 
 plied, Athanasius is selling' to them the share of the Sjriaus iu lands 
 left for their joint possession. — Ed.
 
 Sircar Order of 186S— The Dewan. 29 
 
 erected, and perform their religious duties in a peaceable manner. 
 If there should be any among them who suppose that they have any 
 lawful claim on the Church buildings under the authority of Mar 
 Athanasious, they should have recourse to civil actions for the settle- 
 ment of such claim. But it appears to me that if the Sircar permit 
 persons to enter the Churches and act contrary to previous pos- 
 session, it might lead to a breach of the peace, and the adequate 
 punishment of those who might be so guilty. To obviate such con- 
 sequences, it is my desire that my sentiments should be made known 
 to both parties concerned, and that the Tasildars and others should 
 clearly understand them, and act accordingly. If either the Metro- 
 politan or any members of the community report that, notwithstand- 
 ing these orders, any persons prove disobedient, and entering the 
 Churches, act in a way contrary to previous possession, such per- 
 sons should immediately be sent for, and tried by the police officers, 
 and duly punished, if guilty, and the result reported. 
 
 " (Signed) T. Madava Row, Dewan." 
 
 Q. 82. What is to be considered about the Dewan (i.e. 
 Prime Minister) of Travancore in enacting the above-mentioned 
 Circular Order ? 
 
 A. It is to be conjectured that T. Madava Eow, the Dewan 
 of Travancore, having believed that Athanasious being (is) 
 a Bishop, will not utter falsehood ; and he in future will enact 
 another Circular Order contrary to the former, if he would 
 happen to know the certainty of the fact. Besides, the Dewan 
 is a person endowed with capacity and knowledge, and grate- 
 ful to the inhabitants, especially to the Christians. After 
 (Since) his appointment to the office, he has entirely abolished 
 from the territories of Travancore the sin of bribery, and even 
 the violence which the sub-officers are doing to the indigent 
 inhabitants. 
 
 In a letter dated 17th Dec, 1866, the Author desires 
 that the following Question and Answer may be added to 
 the Tract:— 
 
 Q. Are there now any in Malabar who have adopted the 
 Nestorian Faith } 
 
 A. No. 
 
 (Here follows) 
 A copy in Syriac (of) one of the letters of his Grace, the 
 Eight Rev. Father in God the Patriarch of Antioch, and
 
 30 The Patriarch's Letter of Matj, 1 847. 
 
 Primate of all Jacobite Syrians, about the dismissal of Atha- 
 nasious Matthew ^ : — 
 
 (The translation of the same.) 
 Copy. 
 
 "In the Essential, Eternal Name, the necessary Essence that con- 
 taineth all : Ignatius, Patriarch ot' the Apostolic Throne of Antioch, 
 who is Jacob the second the humble. 
 
 " May the Divine grace and heavenly blessing descend upon the 
 head of our spiritual son and right arm, the dear merchant and noble 
 foreigner, and head and great one, rich in spiritual things, and 
 treasurer of the King of kings "", one zealous for the orthodox Faith, 
 and that presideth over spiritual riches ; a v^ise man of science, and 
 a skilled philosopher ; constituter of Dominical Definitions and Apo- 
 stolic Laws and Judgments ; beloved of our Lord Jesus Christ ; to 
 wit, our beloved and dear son Maman of the land of Rhanni : — May 
 the Lord God prolong his life, and bless him, and his house, and all 
 that his right hand and his left hand collects ; by the hand of the 
 prayers of Mary the Mother of God, and of all the Saints. Amen. 
 
 " And then, my son, first of all our infirmity inquires concern- 
 ing thy quality (= how thou art), and concerning the manner of thy 
 conversation in this afflicted and even tide-like time, while we ask 
 of God that thou mayest be in rest of soid and body. Amen. 
 
 " And repeatedly do we make known to thy love concerning the 
 matters of our beloved son, and the light of our eyes. Mar Koorillos 
 Joyakim, Metropolitan of your parts. When formerly there came 
 one whose name was Matthew, an impostor, from the land of India, 
 and brought a letter of Galtho as if from the mouth of all the people 
 of your land, and requesting by it of our Lord the Patriarch, the 
 pious Elias, that he would designate him Metropolitan of Malabar ; 
 he thus deceived our Father the Patriarch, and obtamed by fraud 
 from him the divine gift, like Simon the Sorcerer ; and he returned 
 to your land with abundance of letters from the pious Patriarch to 
 the Rajahs and the Governours, and to all the people. And a little 
 afterwards our people, the priests and the religious and the chief 
 men of your land, reported to us that the accursed Matthew had 
 acted impiously, and was a heretic, and had changed his profession, 
 and had abolished the fasts and the customs and the Canons Apo- 
 stolic, and had taught new customs at his own pleasure, and was 
 a heretic notable in heresies, and wished to mislead all our people, 
 such as would listen to him, and many had wandered after his vaiii 
 doctrine. And therefore the people sent and asked for a Metro- 
 politan from hence, and exceedingly urged the compliance of our 
 Father the Patriarch Ehas the holy. And he arose and consecrated 
 
 ** Tlie order of this title is here transposed, having been bungled by 
 the native writer. — Ed. 
 
 *•■ rerhaps a title of some Rajah. — Ed.
 
 The Patriarch's Letter {May, 1847). 31 
 
 for you his beloved secretary and treasurer Mar Koorillos Metro- 
 politan, who is Joyakim the honoured. And he sent him to India 
 hour before hour, that he might expel the reprobate Matthew, and 
 keep from him all the flock of Mar Thomas, and might stand before 
 the face of the people, and administer the affairs of all the people, 
 and of the Churches that remain there to the Jacobite Syrians, and 
 likewise dispose the causes and administrations that happen before 
 the kings and sultans, that occur by reason of the neglect of the 
 governours. And he also anathematized the accursed Matthew, and 
 took care concerning him, that no man should agree with his frau- 
 dulent doctrine, or receive it, but should come to us. And again 
 he informed the Rajahs and the Governours concerning him, in order 
 that he should not be received by them in consequence of the letters 
 that he had given him for his reception. And especially he took 
 
 Eains and care for the monks and for all the people, that instead of 
 im they should receive our beloved son Mar Koorillos, who is the 
 pious Joyakim the honoured, and taught that they should walk in 
 his footsteps in soul and in body. 
 
 "And now, in these days, our Lord the Patriarch, holy Elias, 
 died and went to his Lord. And all the people and the chosen 
 Fathers assembled, and took counsel in love with one another. And 
 by the will of God, and of all the assembly of the holy Fathers and 
 chief men and governours, the Patriarch designated me (or made me 
 Bishop) according to the custom of our Pathers that are blessed (= 
 dead). And we sit on the Throne of Peter whicli is fixed in the 
 monastery of Choorchoma, in the principality of the City Mardin : 
 and are invested with all the administration of our people without 
 and within ^. And it was necessary that we should (?) also cause 
 to flow these weak words of blessing to thy true love ; that thou 
 mayest acknowledge our administration, and mayest thyself write 
 to us concerning the goodness of thy spirit, and the mode of thy 
 conversation in all respects, that our heart also may be comforted 
 by thy suavity. This therefore do not thou forget. Be thou pre- 
 pared to fulfil the commands of God, and of our spiritual son the 
 pious {= the Bishop) Mar Koorillos who is Joyakim the honoured : 
 for we have given to him the authority of the honourable head priest- 
 hood, even as our Lord the Patriarch gave it to him before, as thou 
 hast heard. And we have appointed him to bind and loose, as the 
 Apostolic Canons in the laws of our blessed Fathers command. And 
 let any one take heed that he do not secede. And thus again do we 
 anathematize the audacious Matthew, as our Father the blessed 
 Patriarch anathematized him. And no man shall in any wise have 
 authority to receive him, or to hear his words, and none shall pray 
 with him or consort with him on any ground whatsoever. 
 
 " Moreover I beg of you, my beloved son, to assist this our son 
 Mar Koorillos, and to be prepared for all whatsoever he saith with- 
 
 ^ Does this expression refer to exterior and interior jurisdiction ? — Ed.
 
 32 The Patriarch^ s Letter, 
 
 out hindrance, because he hath borne much distress for your sake. 
 It is riglit that ye should know his worth : and do ye console him 
 in his sojourning. And may the God of gods who filleth all, may 
 He comfort you with His hope, 
 
 " And again, my beloved son, we have heard that our spiritual 
 son Mar Koorillos hath appointed thee fidejussor of our monastery 
 of Choorchoma. We rejoice greatly : and now also confirm it that 
 thou shalt be our fidejussor over all properties that we have, to 
 wit, at (or for) our monastery of Choorchoma, in these blessed 
 regions. And mayest thou ever stand in presence with our spiritual 
 son Mar Koorillos, who is Joyakim the honoured. And from time 
 to time write letters to us, and inform us of thy quality. And thus 
 know. And may the grace of our Lord be with you all for ever and 
 ever. Amen. Our Eather which art in the heavens, et cetera. 
 
 " Written the 29th day in the month Ojar (May), in the year 1847 
 of Christ, from the city Mardin."
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Note. The two letters that follow were sent to me (in their 
 original form) in confirmation of the Author's statements re- 
 garding Athanasius Matthew. The writing in both is ex- 
 ceedingly small, that of the Patriarch's Letter being so di- 
 minutive that I have frequently used a glass to assist me in 
 deciphering the characters. It is written on one side of 
 a piece of paper measuring barely 5^ by 8^ inches, of which 
 fully a quarter is occupied by the superscription and the seal. 
 
 I regret that I could not give these seals ; but a description 
 of them may not be uninteresting. 
 
 That of the Metropolitan of Uraha is circular, 1^ inches in 
 diameter ; the centre being occupied by a bearded figure 
 in a vestment ornamented with six crosses : in the right hand 
 he holds a cross-headed stafi", and in the left a crozier with 
 the crook turned outwards. Bound the margin is the Legend — 
 Timotheos Metro, of Urahi.who is Abraham . . . [two curtailed 
 words are illegible]. 
 
 The seal of the Patriarch is a little more than l^ inches 
 in diameter. The centre is occupied by a bearded figure 
 without the tonsure, the expression being severe and dignified. 
 He wears a Yestment ornamented in front by a representation 
 of glory rays, perhaps of the sun ; but these are partly con- 
 cealed by the Orrho or Stole, which,'after the Eastern fashion, 
 comes down in a single piece in front. In the right hand is 
 a cross, and two keys depend from it : and the left hand holds 
 a crozier turned outwards. Around it is the Legend — Ignatius 
 Fatr. of Antiochia, who is JElias . . . [The rest seems to be 
 a date]. Round this again are twelve heads, which may per- 
 haps indicate the Apostolic College. 
 
 The lines of the Syriac are of very unequal lengths, being 
 written according to the intended folds of the paper, and 
 ohliqueli/ in the margins. The Persian king alluded to on p. 34 
 was Chosroes II., and the date a.d. 627 — 629. — Ed.
 
 34 Appendix. 
 
 The Metropolitan'' s Letter. 
 
 " In the Name of the Essential, Eternal, Necessary Essence That 
 containeth all, Whom we glorify, Tiraotheus, Metropolitan of the 
 Throne of Uraha (Edessa) and Keeper of the Tomb of St. Mar 
 Ephraim, Who is Abraham of Jerusalem the humble. 
 [Here is the Seal.'] 
 
 " May the tranquillity of the Essential Eather, and the peace of the 
 Only-begotten Son, Who is equal to His Father in Eternity, Who 
 reconciled His Father with His creatures by His birth of the Virgin, 
 and the overshadowing and illapsus of the Holy Ghost, Who is 
 equal to the Father and to the Son in Eternity, Who descended 
 upon and overshadowed the holy disciples in the upper room of 
 Sion, and taught them wisdom and hidden mysteries — come and 
 abide upon, and overshadow the heads of our dear and beloved sons, 
 and of our beloved the priests and deacons, and on our Syrian 
 5 people, and on all the Churches of Malabar, and upon all true 
 Christians who dwell in the cities of India the blessed. The bless- 
 ing of the Lord God descend upon you, and upon your sons, and 
 upon that which is conceived among you, by the prayers of the 
 Mother of God, nnd of all the Saints and Saintesses, and of all 
 the holy Martyrs. Amen. 
 
 " And again we ask your peace, and how your matters fare, because 
 10 your love is planted and settled upon the tables of our hearts. Yea, 
 do we not diligently and continually bear you in prayer and suppli- 
 cation, especially at the hour of prayers, and at the Oblation of 
 Korbans ? And before the abodes of the Saints, Mar Peter and 
 Mar Paul, and before the Tomb of the holy doctor of the Church of 
 the Syrians, Mar Ephraim, and of all the Saints, we ask, we sup- 
 pHcate of God, that they may be assistants and helpers, and may He 
 continually cause us to hear good reports from among you. And 
 may the Lord God grant us to see and to receive one another. 
 Amen." 
 
 In reply to their enquiry as to his health, he thanks God myriads 
 and myriads of times that he is strong, and able to be a suppliant 
 for the prolongation of their lives, &c. 
 
 He then speaks of the decay of Faith in India, and quoting 
 S. John xxi. 1 8, laments that men had risen up from among them 
 who had drawn them " away from the true Faith, like the Throne of 
 Simeon, which led him whither he would not." They had " deserted 
 the honour of Mary Mother of God, and the honour of the Cross," 
 &c. Having quoted 1 Cor. i. 22, " For the Jews ask signs," &c., 
 he proceeds to extol the glory of the holy Cross : — 
 
 34 " But glorious stands the name of the honourable and worshipful 
 Cross. The great name was invoked for Heraclius, the king of the 
 
 35 Komans, who spoiled the king of the Persians, and gained authority 
 over his cities, and put to flight his armies, and acquired great 
 riches, and took the wood of the victorious Cross, which they had
 
 The Metropolitan's Letter. 35 
 
 taken when the king of the Beth Medians spoiled Jerusalem, and the 
 holy House, and all the Christian places. And when he reached Jeru- 
 salem, he would not enter into it excepting according to the custom 
 of (?) conquerors. Wherefore the sons of his city went to meet 
 him, and did him great honour, Patriarch and Governor, and both 
 great and small, when they saw the King carrying the saving wopd 
 in his hands. Now he rode on his horse, and they went before him 
 till they reached Jerusalem. And the King's horse stood still at 40 
 the Gate of the City ; and all men came (and) gathered round, and 
 they were not able to go up within the gates of the city. And all 
 men began to question, and the King also. After this the Patriarch 
 came to the Kiug, and spoke to him; and the Patriarch said to 
 (him), ' King, this is the gate through which our Lord our Sa- 
 viour went. Who bore the Cross and bowed the head ; and if thou 45 
 wilt enter thereby, descend from the horse, and put off the vest- 
 ments of thy royalty, and walk beneath the yoke of the Hfe-giving 
 Cross, that thou mayest enter therein." And when the King heard 
 the Patriarch's counsel, he put off his royal robes, and clothed him- 
 self in lowly raiment, and bowed his neck under the honourable 
 Cross, and in this guise went to the city, till he came to Golgotha, 
 and placed the Cross in the (?) honoured place. This is the holy 
 Cross which we venerate every day." 
 
 The Metropolitan continues the subject, addressing himself espe- 
 cially to the Presbyter Philipos " his dear and beloved Brother," 
 and praying God to give him — or as he puts it " to my littleness" — 
 *' mouth and wisdom to explain from the Divine Scriptures con- 
 cerning these things." 
 
 " If thou inquire, man, denying that the Cross is honourable 
 above all ; we also say to your love as said the Prophet, Cursed is 
 he that is crucified on a tree. Formerly, if any suiner was guilty 
 of death, they used to crucify him on a cross, and did not leave his 
 corpse on the tree, but used to bury him the same day, because he 
 that was lifted up on a tree was accursed of God. None were cru- 
 cified but blasphemers and worshippers of idols. Therefore after- 60 
 wards when our Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the worlds, was 
 lifted up upon it. He sanctihed it by His precious blood, and en- 
 nobled it in the person of His Godhead. And the tree of shame 
 was changed and became glorious : and the curse also became 
 a blessing: and the Stevros {aTavp6s, cross) was honoured above 
 everything that is on earth; as the Apostle Paul testifies to the 
 Corinthians the first, saying. The Jews ask signs and the Gentiles 
 seek for wisdom ; but we preach Christ crucified, a sn/ire to the 
 Jews, and to the Gentiles foolishness ; to them that are called, 
 Jews and Gentiles, Christ is both the power of God and the wisdom 
 of God. And again, by the Cross was revealed the love of God 65 
 towards us. Por it was not of necessity that Christ came down 
 from the bosom of His Father and suffered ; but of His own will
 
 Appendix. 
 
 He took our nature and clothed Himself with our body, and took 
 on Him the Cross for our redemption. And truly the Cross is the 
 Wisdom of God, because by the Cross was manifested the power of 
 God. And martyrs testified concerning His (its) Name, and powers 
 and prodigies were made known by them. As said the Golden 
 mouth (i.e. St. Chrysostom), The Cross is the hope of the faithful : 
 The Cross is the resurrection of the dead: The Cross opposeth 
 devils : The Cross is the teacher and preceptor of the unskilful : 
 70 The Cross is the hope of them that are without hope : The Cross is 
 the conductor of them that are girded for journies : The Cross 
 is a Father of Orphans, and a Guardian of Widows : The Cross is 
 a light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death : 
 The Cross is an honour to Kings: The Cross is the Guardian of 
 Monasteries, and the illustrator of Monks and Virgins : The Cross 
 is the joy of priests and the foundation of Churches : The Cross is 
 strength to the weak, and healing to the sick, and nourishment to 
 the hungry. Paul the Apostle saith, I have no glory except in the 
 Cross of Christ; for the world is crucified unto me, and I unto 
 
 the world 
 
 " Again we ? praise [the word is not clearly legible ; the sense 
 would seem to require admonisJi] you concerning the honour of Mary 
 the Mother of God, the Mother of true Christians, and Mistress of 
 Angels. Especially is it fitting for us to honour her more than all 
 the Saints and Apostles and Martyrs; and to acknowledge the 
 85 honour of the Saints ; as it is written in the holy and worshipful 
 Gospel in Matthew, He that receiveth you receiveth Me, &c. . . . 
 
 "And again we make known unto you, even I Timotheos Me- 
 tran% Abraham of Jerusalem, least among Bishops, and a servant 
 90 of the Tomb of Mar Ephraim, the Doctor of the Churches of the 
 Syrians that is in the place strong in God, Euraha blessed herein, 
 that all doctors after him have taught both peoples and nations by 
 his sweet doctrines and satiating sermons, whose bones give voices 
 from his tomb and say. My bones shall cry out from the sepulchre 
 that the Virgin bare God, and the rest. 
 
 " Again, when your letter reached us by the hands of our spiritual 
 son Nelomeh Allah Ozor Barwaaya the Syrian, we both read it and 
 understood it, wherein is written concerning the doings (a word 
 or words illegible here) by the hands of the Metran Matthew and 
 95 Abraham who is not a Presbyter, et cetera. They have both seduced 
 you from the true faith, and have deserted the honour of Mary the 
 Mother of God, and the honour of the holy Martyrs, and (of) the 
 worshipful Cross, and the remembrance of the dead, et cetera. And 
 they have abolished the genuflections, and the Bemembrance of our 
 Lord and our God from the order of the Corbano, and they have 
 blotted out the Canon of the Saints from the Book of Prayers, and 
 the Eaith is blotted out from blessed Malabar, and some of our sons 
 
 " I suspect this is a contracted form of the word Metropolitan.
 
 TJie M'etropolitmi's Letter. 3? 
 
 have been deceived and have gone after the corrupters, and have 
 left the true Taith, and have gone after that which is notliing. 
 
 " Again, holy Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria, (gives) instruction 
 concerning the advantage that is (derived) from the Oblation for the 
 dead and for the living. It happened then, in his time, that holy 100 
 Cyril was saihng on the sea on a certain day, and came to an island, 
 and found on it a man who was kept there, who, when he saw them, 
 begged of them that he might be carried in the ship and go to his 
 own place. The Saint then asked him, What is the reason that you 
 stand here ? He then answered him, I was sailing for merchandise 
 in a ship, and the ship sunk, and the men that were in it were 
 drowned, and I was saved on one of the planks, and was brought to 
 this place. The holy Cyril then asked him. How many years hast 105 
 thou been in this place ? And he said. Three years, more or less. 
 The Saint said to him. With what hast thou been nourished ? He 
 said to him. From Sabbath to Sabbath there came (?) an abundance 
 (or perhaps, a Victim) of bread, and thei'ewith have I been nourished, 
 and it preserved my life to me all the week. He sailed and was 
 brought to his place, and came to his masters seeking his house. 
 When it was so that his wife heard of the sinking of the ship, she 
 gave up all hope, as over the dead, and her employment every week 110 
 by week (was that) she made Oblation for him. And when he came 
 himself, and related all the history, all men perceived that it was by 
 the Oblation that had been made for him, that he had also himself 
 been assisted when there. And this is consoling to those (who) value 
 Corbanos for their dead and also for their friends. Ye see, my 
 brothers and beloved, how profitable is the Corbano to those that are 115 
 gone. Thus do ye as ye see from the holy Eathers and from the 
 Orthodox Doctors. Amen. 
 
 " When the message came by the hands of our beloved and dear 120 
 son, Nelomeh Allah Ozor the Syrian, and we had read it, we also 
 wept, and our tears ran down our face, and great was the anguish of 
 our heart. We wept : day and night we had no comfort. Come, O 
 thou prophet Jeremiah, weep this day with us, as thou didst weep 
 over Jerusalem ! Come thou father of lamentations, weep over the 
 great city Malabar, and over the other cities of India and them that 
 dwell in them, our Syrian people ! How is the fine gold become 125 
 dim, and the beautiful colour changed ! Forasmuch as the Metran 
 Matthew hath invaded you like a pernicious wolf, and an owl that 
 cries in the wilderness, ye must not Ksten to him, nor join yourselves 
 to him, nor go after him ; but ye must fly from him, as a lamb flies 
 from a wolf ! This bold fellow hath undone his soul and body. Im- 
 pudently came he to our Lord Mar Ignatius the Patriarch, who holds 
 the Apostolic Throne, who is Elias the honoured — the Lord God exalt 
 his throne ! This fellow came to our Lord, representing himself to 130 
 be one of our people, and he deceived our Lord the Patriarch, and 
 rapaciously obtained from him the High Priesthood. And our Lord 
 the Patriarch was holy and sincere and simple and straightforward : 
 he did not know the deceit of this corrupter. He is a serpent,
 
 38 Appendix, 
 
 [Then four words I cannot make sense of.] If thou nourishest a ser- 
 pent, thou wilt have no advantage therefrom, but bites only. And 
 
 135 ye, stand ye on the Foundation of Peter, and the true and Orthodox 
 Faith, and on the three holy Synods. Change nothing from the 
 Customs of the holy Fathers, and labour and toil in the vineyard of 
 Christ our Lord, and walk in the paths of the holy Fathers, those 
 that are fitting for us, and do not lead us away from anything that 
 they have commanded us, who have gone before and are passed away. 
 
 140 And ye, may ye be rich in the gifts of God. Every one that is not 
 rich in God is poor ; and he that is rich in God is higher than kings 
 and governours of the earth, and very rich. 
 
 " Thus know ye : and from us abundance of blessing and peace 
 (be) upon priests and deacons, and upon the princes of our people, 
 upon great and small, and upon men and women, and upon boys and 
 girls, and upon virgin men and virgin women. May the blessing of 
 God, which rested on the table of our Father Abraham, rest on your 
 
 145 houses, and on your children, and on all that you have. Amen. 
 
 " If you ask from Edessa to Brujo, it is a road of five days. And 
 when our letter comes to your hands, read it, and hasten answering 
 words, for our eyes are on the way. If ye write to us, hither may 
 (the letter) come to the city Uraha, to the holy Church of Mar Peter 
 and Paul. 
 
 "And it is delivered by the hands of the Metran Abraham of 
 Jerusalem the humble, 
 
 "Our Father who art in the heavens, and the rest." 
 
 In a vacant corner near line 40 is the date as below : — 
 
 "It was poured forth 13 in the month Tisrin, the year 2156 of 
 the Greeks." (i.e. a.d. 1845.) 
 
 There is something additional of little importance, and four stanzas 
 that I cannot translate, on the back. 
 
 The Patriarch's Letter. 
 
 " In the Name of the Essential, Eternal, Necessary Essence That 
 containeth all, Ignatius, Patriarch of the Apostolic Throne of 
 Antioch, who is Elias II. the humble. 
 
 [^Here is the Seal.'] 
 
 " Ignatius the humble, by the grace of God the Father, and the 
 will of the Only-begotten Son, our Lord and our God, and our 
 Saviour Jesus Christ, and the communion and illapsus of the Holy 
 Ghost, Patriarch of Antioch the opulent, and the Place of the 
 rivers (Mesopotamia), and Syria, with all the East, the Mother of 
 Light ; Peace. To my true son and branch that standeth upright 
 in the discipline of the Truth, and (is) diligent and watchful in 
 chaste conversation (conduct) to the confirmation of the orthodox
 
 The Patria/rcNs Letter. 39 
 
 Faith, the honoured monk Mar Dionysius, blessed old man (two 5 
 words here uncertamly legible). May the Lord preserve him from 
 all hurtful things that afflict soul and body, and honour his blessed 
 old age, and make him seasoning salt to insipid faith, and a per- 
 former and partaker in the Divme Mysteries, and sound and pleasant 
 to them that are pleasing to God, by the hand of the prayers of Mary 
 the Mother of God, and all the elect and saints. Yea and Amen. 
 And after repetition of peace, with no brief prayer and supplication, 10 
 then my weakness asks concerning your quality in this transitory 
 and dissolving life, and concerning your conversation in these times 
 when we ask that in verity ye may be diligent and zealous in the 
 true faith, and further, firm in the hope that is not ashamed 
 (the hope) of the new world that is coming for the refreshment of 
 the diligent, and the reward of the righteous, and in words and 
 deeds careful for good works, a good example to such as behold, 
 a light to the dark, and a rebuke to the vile and indolent. 
 
 " And mayest thou be a Governour to thy brethren in the love 
 and concord of the Spirit, that they may know thee a true disciple 15 
 of the lively Gospel of our Saviour, who said. Herein shall every 
 man know that ye are My disciples, when ye love one another ; and 
 hereby gave us an example, that we should be bound with one 
 another in Divine Love, and be far removed from anger and all 
 envy, and not reproach one another, lest one be doubly quarrelsome 
 with us. Herein hath He strongly cautioned us, that if we do not 
 love one another, He receiveth us not as disciples in His service, 
 yea, even though we please him in all other things ; as the Divine 
 Apostle testified, when he said. Although I do pjI good things in 
 what things soever, without abundance of charity I have no ad- 20 
 vantage. And if I deliver my body to be burned, and if all I have 
 I make to feed the poor, and if I keep all the law and the rest of 
 the commandments, and charity be not in me, I profit nothing, and 
 I am nothing, yea, though I remove the mountain. Now from 
 hence it is certain that without charity towards God and towards 
 the neighbour, we do not in any wise acquire a good name. And 
 now we will pray to our Lord, though we are unworthy, that He 
 may enable you to keep his commandments in all fear of God, and 
 (that) ye may be to Him good servants and sons of obedience. Yea 
 and Amen. 
 
 And further, there hath come to us a letter from your love, and 25 
 one from my beloved son and light of my eyes. Mar Koorillos 
 Joyakim the honoured, Metropolitan of India, Land of Malabar 
 the blessed : and it is known to us that, when this beloved son 
 arrived among you, ye went forth to meet him with joy and praise, 
 and he was received with abundance and numbers, when he con- 
 fessed the true love that ye beheld with him. And we have been 
 informed that, lo, ye sit with one another, as it is right for true 
 brethren. And (when) we heard this, there was added to us glad- 
 ness of heart that thou wast subject in Divine love with my son, 
 whom I sent unto you. And again now I desire that ye may in
 
 40 Appendix. 
 
 30 truth love one another, that God may direct your way. And know 
 that tliis my son Mar Koorillos Metropolitan Joyakim, hath made 
 mention of his (?) desolation, not without care. Nevertheless do 
 thou stand with him, with the honour that is meet, in all his 
 matters, because he is very dear to me, and all that he commands 
 from us is the same that I have signified by his hand for all neces- 
 sities of your uses. And now know ye that whosoever receivetli 
 him receiveth us ; and whosoever sets him at naught and despiseth 
 him, despiseth us. And especially I pray you to be in concord one 
 with another, and to drive out the accursed and anathematized 
 Matthew from all the land of Malabar, if possible. And behold 
 
 35 I have written letters regarding him to the Rajahs who rule over 
 you. Do ye also be girded about, and loose not your hand among 
 your people. And we also in very truth stand in supplication before 
 the living God for you, that ye may perfect a good contest and also 
 receive a crown that fadeth not. Be ye observant and zealous ; and 
 the grace of our Lord be with you. Amen. 
 
 " 2 in the month 
 
 written 
 
 Adar, the year 1847 of Chiist. 
 
 40 "And again I have a longing to see you before I die. I hear, how- 
 ever, that ye are old, and there remaineth not in you the power to 
 come. And we also, all weak, would cause (you) to understand 
 
 45 this, that, behold, I am bent with age, and am not able to come to 
 you. Nevertheless, by the power of God we are perpetually present 
 in spirit, inasmuch as we do not cease to be in prayer for you. And 
 
 50 I trust in God that He will be a good Shepherd to you, and a tender 
 Father, and will lead you on. And this is the sum of our request 
 to your true love, that ye would honour my beloved son whom we 
 
 55 have sent unto you, by the example of the Apostle Thomas, accord- 
 ing to the custom of the Fathers before (us), one after another. 
 Receive his words, and obey him as ourselves, and as a Father and 
 
 60 true Shepherd. And comfort him much because the place is strange. 
 And know that it is meet that he should have greatness of honour 
 at your hands, because he hath despised kindred and family, in sad- 
 
 65 ness, and hath raised himself up for your sake. Whereas we have 
 urged many Fathers, truly brethren, to go unto you, and not one 
 
 70 hath disposed himself to go abroad like him : and he hath done all 
 for your love to the glory of the living God. And now there are 
 prepared with him before the Kings, and the Governour and his 
 assistants, in all that happens concerning him, whether from the 
 
 75 accursed Matthew, or whether from the tenants of the land, or 
 whether from the accusations of enemies : they are with him pre- 
 pared without ]irolonged delay, so that he may not be molested in 
 
 80 anything : for the circumspect are very dear to me. And may the 
 help of God assist you. Amen. 
 
 " And Our Father which art in the heavens," &c.
 
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