The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-11


OF traditional friendship with the Ca
thollcos Of the HISTORIAN Christians;
therefore he can scarcely be as black
as his master has been painted, mot so
devil as he is black" in the classic
words Of Dom Pedro Carolinho.
II.
We come upon less creepy ground
when our travellers lead us into the
country of the HISTORIAN Christians, Of
ficially the East Syrian Church. Yet we
are not. after all. so far removed from
the frank devotces of the devil, for their
SheiRh Adj Is that Thaddeus who was
sent by st. Thomas to spread the gospel
through the Sassanid empire and the
results ~ his work yet remain in India
and have somewhat recently been iden-
titled In the heart Of China.
As with tho Mira OF the Yezldis the
headship Of this Christian and apostolic
church is hereditary In single family.
the present Catholics Mar Shimun
being now but 20 and he has been con-
secrated no less than nine years. As
the Catholics must he Of the monastic
clergy, therefore celibate, the family
succession is from uncle to nephew.
The custodian Of the HISTORIAN theology
at present is Mar Shmun's sister
Surma. She is described as "a singu-
larry cultivated and high minded
woman. she has been thoroughly we'll
educated. she speaks English well and
Is we'll read In such authors as Scott,
Stevenson and &. NJ Yonge" One
could wish that r. L. s. had lived long
enough to find himself bracketed in the
culture Of this Oriental abboss along
with the pious author Of the Daisy
Chain and the Heir Of Redclyffe."
Omittng the d!sputable matters Of the
relation Of the HISTORIAN Christians 70
certain Of the General Councils of the
church which establish them as some
what hcrctical even before the compile
ton of the great schism between Easter n
and Western rites. the East Syrian
Church Is AT least regarded as an apos-
tolic church and recognized by other
apostolic churches as comforting valid
orders Its liturgy is one of the oldest
now in the use of Christian COM
muuions: it l. practically certain that
II existed in its present form by the
year iiO and tradition assigns It to a
period Of very close approximation TO
the period Of the Apostles themselves.
Where other ~ the apostolic churches
lay great stress upon the succession ~
the cpiscopatc this being n point NJ
irrcconcilahility between tho Anglican
communion and that Of Rome, the Mes
torians attach great importance 10 tho
Succession Of the Lcavcn.
Like all Orien ais. they celebrate the
Eucharist with leavened bread. and a
certain amount OF this Is reserved after
each Qurbana communion for one pur-
pose and for one only. That purpose Is
neither communion Of the sick MOI
alteration. but the leavening Of the dough
tina; Is to be baked for the next celebra
ton. That baking OF the bread. as Is
general with Orlentals. Is performed by
the priest himself and in the sacrlsty oi
the church at n special preliminary Of
liCc and the admiXture Of the reserved
crumbs at once leavens II and puts II
into ConneXion' with that used on the
previous occasion. And SO they hold /,
!" pat into connection with that used al
all previous celebrations also back e
tn" institution in the upper room al
Jerusalem. ~ a matter Of history the
fact can OF course be neither proved moi
disprovcd. As a piece Of instructive and
interesting ceremonial We imagine thai
Mt the least nobody could object to It
while many would envy such a pos
session
The cathedral Of the Catholics is the
Church OF Mar Shaltha q Qusshanis. ir
the heart Of the mountains. by no mean,
secure from the raids Of the Kurds
Within its surrounding wall il consist,
Of TWO churchcs-one for use In the sum.
mcr heat, consisting Of an open cour'
before a rooted sanctuary; the other ar
enclosed nave and sanctuary for he win,
tcr services. It Is not stately fame
this cathedral If the supreme head OF
aN apostolic church. The nave Is bu
thirty feet square. II is lighted diml,
by n single slit of window Its only
furniture is the table of the Gospel or
one side of the sanctuary door. and or
q tho other ON tho table Of the Cross. which
Is kissed by all who enter the sacred
precincts. The decorations ore the cur
tains which shut off the altar from Wow
+ in the sanctuary and small votivc offer
.ngS of aromatic herbs hung upon tn,
heams. The HISTORIANS are posltiyel,
purltanical In RETAINING from the U.s.
Of pictures and images.
The relation of Occidental Christian
ity To- the HISTORIANS is no little inter
: "siing. II Is necessary 10 bear in min,
! that the East Syrian Church is recog
nized as apostolic. Inasmuch as It wa
schismatic In regard Of the Byzantin,
, Church before the great schism tn,
/ Latin rite and the Anglican rite regar,
1t as orthodox relative to themselve =
Accordingly Rome has established tn.
Z tuiat churches in this nearer East an,
. permits marriage to the secular clergy
/ The Church Of England which Rom,
does not recognize as apostolic bu
rather schisnatiC, enjoys communion
with the HISTORIANS and in that obtain
recognition of its apostolic status,
condition which is less completely en-
joycd with the Greek rite in general
The attitude OF the English missionn
/ rlcs. therefore. is particular in the main
tcnance Of the HISTORIANS as one of tn,
. churches OF Christendom with which
, II is in communion in order that 1t ma,
obtain the moral support of recognitio,
as apostolic by an apostolic church
It's missionaries confine their efforts il
~" field to inspiring "A ripper spritualt,
than IL quite normal tn these rud
mountain folk and To the Performance
OF the duties of social uplift In tn
I conditions of life in this nook of tn
B nfthnaD Er,piro uharo fa,,1 I,u, ,,o