'Persia and the Persian Question by the Hon. George Nathaniel Curzon, M.P.' [‎541] (604/714)

THE NORTH-WEST AND WESTERN PROVINCES 641
I now come to the missionary efforts that have been made in the last
Missionary half century either to evangelise, to confirm, or to recon-
enterprise struct the different branches of thisancient Church, and that
have brought its name so prominently under the notice of Europe.
The American Presbyterians were the first in the field. In the
year 1829 Messrs. Smith and Dwight came out to report; in
1833 the Rev. J. Perkins was appointed to the Mission, and
hi 1835 he opened the work, which, supported by active in-
i Ameri ( ^ ustr y ancl large funds, has been vigorously and success-
can Pres- fully pursued (largely by means of British Consular pro-
bytenans tec ^ on f rom Tabriz) ever since. At first the Americans
disclaimed all intentions of proselytism, and announced reform and
not reconstruction as their programme. Accordingly they were
received with acclamation by the native Church and bishops; an
attitude which gave way to sullen hostility and finally to embittered
resistance when the new-comers began ostentatiously to make con
verts and to set about the creation of a new Church. In 1868 the
body of Protestant Nestorians thus formed, and numbering at that
time 2,400 persons, felt itself strong enough to secede ; and a Con
fession of Faith and rules of discipline were drawn up for the infant
organisation. In 1870 the Mission, which had previously been
settled at Urumiah alone, extended its field of operation, and
decided to embrace both Mussulmans and Armenians within the
range of its propaganda. It established missions at Tabriz, Teheran,
and Hamadan, all of which, well appointed and liberally endowed,
have worked with great success. The head-quarters of the Mission
are still at Urumiah, where they possess a town house and a large
building, known as the College, outside the town, containing chapel,
schools for ordinary and for technical instruction (carpentering
and smithy), a hospital, and a printing press ; as well as a country
residence for the summer upon Mount Seir, five miles from the
city. According to the latest report that I have seen, their esta
blishment consists of six missionaries at Urumiah, one on the plain
of Salmas, four at Tabriz, two at Teheran, two at Hamadan, a con
siderable number of ladies being also resident at the stations, and
a medical missionary being attached to each. One of these gentle
men, Dr. Holmes, held for a time the appointment of consulting
entrances to which—it is said so as to inculcate reverence, but in reality to escape
defilement by cattle—often consist only of small apertures in the wall not three
feet high, reached by a ladder from the ground.