The times., 1898-01-17
LOOK TO AMERICA.
Christians of Persia in Eepiors
able Condition.

abIe COnnItlOHs
New York, Jan. IG.-Tbe Rev. Ysroo
NJ Neesap, who has been for the last eight
years an American missionary 70 Persia,
where his field OF labors Iiy among the
Assyrians. returned to this country about
| a month ago, aud il making his head
| quarters at tire General Theological Semi
nary, in Chelsea Square. sIr. Neesan is
an Assyrian bY birth, and came 10 this
country about fifteen years ago 70 be
educated for his present calling He is
now American citizen. He was gradu-
ated from the General Theological Semi
| nary. ard in March. 1889, he went to
Persia as an American missionary, work
| ing in connection with the English mis-
| sion at Uruh, which works in the interests
! of tile American church. and not Il
| rival 20 IL.
Mr.. NeesaH, when seen yesterday. in
/ formed reporter that the troubles be-
tween the Mussulmans and native Chris
| tians in the East had not been at all
exa ggerated In the dispatches. He said:
! The Armenia us are prosecuted becaase
| they have aspirations toward becoming
nation, and wish TO maintain their in
diyiduaIity, and in consequence, they are
i
| Turks, which is directed against them
more on this account than because OF
| their religious convictions. The unfor-
/ tunate syrians. although Of the same race
I as the Armenians, have no political am
billions, and have no desire TO become
separate ration. They are, nevertheless,
as relentIessly persecuted as their cousins,
the Armenian ns, and today there are over
I 10000 of them wandering over Persia.
homeless aud hopeless, and pursued 10y the
hatred Of the Turkish Kurds, who have
destroyed their property and driven them
/ into exile. Over 100 Of their villages
have been ruthlessly piIlaged. and many
\ Of them totally destroyed.
''Just before lea yineN Persia 1 received
the following pa thetic letter from the
Metropolitan of the syTians OF the East,
urging me to lay before the American
1 public their Condition. Here is the letter.
JAH.
From the Metropolitan Palace, Pra yers and
blessings rest.
From Mar Khnan Ishu. Metropolitan OF
the syrians OF the east, to the reverend
and exalted. excellent ID work and rich in
good WORKS. that is, Mr. Neesan, priest
and apostle Of the archbishop tOf Can
terbury. Peace and love, and peace full
OF love increase TO you. Amen.
Now, o beloved. If you are preparing
to 90 TO our Christian brethren in Europe
/ and America, let il he know u that you act
in my behalf, and IL behalf or 1hy peo-
pie, because re nave no one like YOU: be-
| Cause you are acqua inted with all the con
ditions OF our people, and familiar with
! Europeans make known all our grierances
Your eyes hare seen. We are murdered,
robbed and prosecuted FROM our place:
! and lO.wego abOutat the doors 0fstrar9srs,
naked barefooted and hungry; hated,
I despiSed and no man to pity US. But if
/ YOU seeany fuan that has the spirit nd fear
/ OF God. make known to him our af1lictons.
( that he may help our weakness. He who
I has government in his hand. let hin help
us through the government. ana he " no has
wealth IN his hand let him help Us by aims.
| If no help comes from European and Amerf-
can Christians. in this winter our people
viii perish OF hunger, because nothing re-
mains in their hands 70 eat LOi we are
brought to naught. You, o beloved, in
every place YOU go and every one you see
or hear quickly write 10 me. perhaps there
VIII coune To rue comforting word. b.
cause allOurpeople thus hink that the " hole
world is under the power or the IShtnaeIites
! 'i>idiHl- dIu tilcy sly ludt lt Is not True
that there are Christian kings. who have
arUIies- because, they say, ii there are
kings, tins Sheik Mohanmed Sadie. a
ues;ised I,Gr'l. would not re d bIe to bring
10 naueht the Christian religion without
command from a kingdom.
To the wise these stat etBents are
sufficient. Amen
August :. 1897.
Syrian Christians in KurdIstan, southeast
Of Armenia. west Of Urni, Persia. especially
the home and diocese of the Metropolitan.
And all tbese cruelties are done by the
Kurds and their leader, Sheik Sadig. Since
then I have received another letter from
His Grace. Mar khnau Ishu. from which
gather the following facts.
''First That he has left his home auc
diocese to the mercy Of Kurds. ahd has
taken shelter in the archbishop's mission
house in Urmi.
''Secohd-That Sheik Sadig has caused
the murder of twelve PROMINENT men Of ms
diocese aud one priest. oil of whom we're
the relatives of the Metropolitan. and that
he has robi,ed two villages. and has put a
guard on The frontier that none should es-
cape to Persia.
--Third-And he further states that unless
Christian powers VIII bring pressure on the
SuIsan OF Turkey to send this sheik to
exile, none Of the KurdiStan Christians will
be left.
''Sheik Sadig has magic influence over
2,oG0 .o00 Kurds- They obey him as their
king His father and brother were exiled
seventeen years ago. The former is dead.
the latter is still in exile.
THE people comprised under the general
head of Syrians are subdivided into three
different groHps. The ASsyria us come from
NiHeveh, the SyTians from Damascus and
the thaldeanS from babylon. but they are
one and the same people. and OF a quiet
peace-ioving disposition. These are some
photographs we had taken OF syrian refu-
gees, which the various missions in Persia
are aiding. and / wish particularly To call
your attention to the large number Of
young children among them. They aIc
robbed inceSSa ntly by the KuTds. and in
many cases have attempted 10 protect
themselves from further depredations by
resisting force by force; bot is is q hopeless
aud desperate effort, which Is invariab bly,
overcome by their fierce and warIik9
enemies.