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ABADEH AND THE BABIS

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Abadeh and this neighbourhood is one of their strongholds. The Bab himself and hundreds if not thousands of his followers have been cruelly put to death'; latterly the Government has left them alone, finding martyrdom only caused them to grow. It is rather cheering to know that the Persians have such courage of conviction, for if they will die for the Bab, who was only a socialist leader, how much more might they do so for the Captain of our salvation! It is curious to find how many English trees grow on these hills, and in watered spots of the plain-willows, called beeds; ashes, called ban; elms, called visk; oaks, called babit; box-trees, called shamshad; poplars, called safedi; beside fruit trees-zaddalu, apricots; sev, apples. Potatoes also are coming into use. Tea is drunk more than coffee, and comes chiefly by

way of Russia.

Perhaps you will let Mary and Hilda see this, as some little things might interest them, though there are no adventures described. I should not like to do what they are ill-natured enough to say one traveller did, who paid some robbers to fire the wrong way that he might record his peril afterwards. I must say there is a charming gracefulness about the plains we now traverse, and the hills which surround them; at first it seemed all wildness and sternness of nature, and now it is winning grace.'

Next day he added in his journal :

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April 28. Four farasangs to Abadeh; more fatigued than almost on any day before, partly from the hardness of the road. I lay down an hour or more, and then prepared a sketch of St. Paul's teaching in the Galatians, read the life of W. Carus Wilson, the soldiers' friend, and purchased some wood-carving specimens. After this two Babi scholars, well read in the philosophy of Soofeeism, called and sat more than two hours; and I went through much of the sketch I had prepared on Galatians, into which they entered with some spirit and a measure of candid acceptance. I felt thankful that I had carefully thought over the subject. I pray God to bless His own word, and cause it to be received in demonstration of the Spirit and power. Two rich Babis in Ispahan were put to death (Mr. Yuhannes says 2) four years since. Two or three months ago the mujtahid represented to the Zill-iSultan that Babism was spreading and corrupting minds. Eighty men were seized and imprisoned, but by degrees most of them have been released; a few are still incarcerated. The terror, however, is great everywhere, and Babism not openly confessed much.

Mr. Yuhannes says the telegraph has had a wonderfully

1 See Curzon, vol. i. p. 496, for sketch of Babism.

2 Brother of the one at Dehbid.

civilizing effect these last twelve years. It took some time to be thought a fact at all, then afterwards was set down to the evil one, by the mujtahids especially. Now wilful damage is not done more than once in six months or so. Clearly the wires and posts represent a power to which they have to submit, and the "pes claudus" of "poena" follows at much swifter rate behind offenders. The boxes and spoons I bought to-day can only be made of "gulabi" pear-wood, it alone admitting such minute carving'.'

At Abadeh he rested for a Sunday, and the following reflexions are entered in his journal :

'April 29 (Sunday). The process of bringing good out of evil how wonderfully shown in the scattering of tongues! What lovely and charming beauties of the gospel are brought out by difference of languages, as illustrating differences of mind and heart-sentiments, affections, reasonings, imaginations bringing out the different natural similes which different scenes and pictures of life and nature exhibit. How beautifully is this shown in the stateliness and massiveness of Arabic, in the sweetness and lucidness of French and Persian! I must inquire what the Soofees really want and aim at. One of the two yesterday wanted exceedingly to know what the day of the Lord is, and the resurrection. Might read to them out of Thessalonians.

'The apostles laid the greatest stress on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the basis of all faith, hope, love; no true death in the world of the evil and untrue but this. To Abraham it was revealed that Christ came as God's great blessing; to David as God's mercy and faithfulness; to Isaiah as God's righteousness and salvation; to Samuel as God's true High Priest; to Jeremiah as the Branch of the Lord; to Jacob as the Lion of the tribe of Judah; to Moses as the Faces of God—the prophet like him, "in whom My name is "; whosoever rejected Him should be cut off. The Babis yesterday much surprised at hearing about the spiritual body; had not conceived of it evidently. The amens of Christ might be dwelt on with Babis profitably, and the great end answered by the Lord's Day and the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

'I used the word Makrūm yesterday to express the taking man's nature as being in affinity with the love of man and delight in man which belonged to the eternal Word and Wisdom of the Father, as in Prov. viii. They quite agreed it was the right word to use for being in harmony or affinity with. What cause have I to praise God for making my bishopric the means of giving me

1 Curzon describes these spoons as 'veritable works of art, the bowls being hollowed out from a single piece of wood till they are almost as thin as paper, and quite transparent, while the handles are models of fragile and delicate filagree work.'

YAZDEGAST.

DR. BRUCE

69

this missionary journey and deeply interesting insight of many minds in Persia! It is to me deeply affecting and surprising. Mr. Y. said he had never heard a European before speak Persian so readily and fluently. May this crown be laid at the feet of Jesus!

Two hours and a half with a party of Soofees. There was much that was disappointing in the conversation. Much listened to and agreed to, and yet the pantheistic tinge and the modern literary view as to all religions being at root alike crept in constantly and showed the worm at the root. I could not get into the "amens" well, because in the very first the word heaven sug gested questions as to whether heaven was a real place. I told them what a wonderful day it would be for Persia if a preacher of those twelve " amen amens of Christ were to be sent forth in a martyr-spirit, but I fear they required a fuller setting forth of St. John's deep teaching, and a more solemn call to render loyal obedience to the commands of the great kingdom than I gave them. They asked whether baptism could not be by words as well as by water. All sat on chairs. Tea and manna cakes spread. They wanted me to become acquainted with the writings of the Bab, whom one of their ideas is to regard as a second appearing of Christ. How true it is, "false Christs and false prophets,' &c. I gave them what I considered true criteria of an inspired prophet and prophecy. If they could only get out of the Persian dilettante discussion of truth as a philosophical pastime and weighing of problems not of vital and eternal importance! It is curious to observe the bitterness they feel towards Mohammedanism, and express whenever it is mentioned. It is a stab in the side of that system at least, as Keshub Chunder of Hinduism.'

From Abadeh the bishop passed through Shugalistan, Yazdegast and Maksag Beg to Kum-i-Shah, where, on Ascension Day, May 3, he had the pleasure and refreshment of meeting Dr. Bruce.

'Yazdegast,' said the bishop, 'is a singular place, in a deep and not very broad ravine, through which a little river from the great snowy steep beyond runs quite white with the white lime rocks which it rolls between. Most of the houses are perched up on the cliff-sides, and look more like rock-birds' nests than the abode of men. They are not cut out so much from the cliffs as the Petra houses, but lodged on terraces one above the other, so that the roof of one house seems to be the floor of the house above. I never saw houses so completely founded upon a rock. . . . On either side of the stream are wheat-fields of brightest emerald green at present. Thus white and green are the only two colours visible-white snows, white rocks, and buildings, and deep green

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fields below with a few green trees of no great size. There is rather a handsome and solid little bridge across the stream. the whole the place reminds me of Veii in the Campagna. Like Veii, you never would dream of this break in the level plain, which suddenly discloses to you this scene of rather unusual beauty, till in a moment it breaks upon you when you reach the brink of one of the cliffs.'

The loan of Dr. Bruce's fine horse made the remainder of the ride by Maghur and by Marg to Ispahan much easier.

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'As we approached towards evening the ridge beyond which Julfa stands (like the Delhi ridge, only very broad as well as long), we met various parties come out to "istikbal us-men, women, boys; then the agent, Mr. Agenor; one of the priests of the Armenian church sent by the bishop; a few cavalry and foot soldiers, with some one of rank sent by the Zill-i-Sultan, called Hazrat-i-Wala. It was an ovation such as I never had before, and shows how much Bruce is respected. A cloud of dust announced the approach of the little body of attendant retinue. There were evolutions and caperings of cavalry, firing off guns, &c. The poor priest's horse reared and threw him heavily, falling on him in part from behind, as he slipped on a rock which cropped up from the road. There is a fountain called "Chashma Khundai-hafiz," i. e. of benedictions to parting travellers or greetings of in-coming guests. All along the Julfa lanes numbers of men and women came out of their house-doors to look. It was a gay scene. We were kindly entertained by Mrs. Bruce and her party on arrival at their lovely house and garden, where church and school, and buildings for residence, libraries, &c., are a most pleasing coup d'œil.'

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May 6 (Sunday after Ascension). A fairly full church. Persian service; about ninety present, women and men on different sides. Bruce preached Acts i. 8. I celebrated for sixty or over. Called

to ask after the priest who fell; found him better. Gordon stopped some six weeks in this house on one of his two visits to Ispahan. In afternoon preached to small congregation (about forty) in English on Elijah's ascension. Very few Europeans.'

'May 7 The Armenian bishop called with several of his priests. Conversation partly in Persian, partly through the English and Armenian agent, who spoke in Armenian with him and interpreted to me in Persian. I spoke of the kingdom of God, and of the new creation, and the Church as the Bride, illustrating the glory and goodness of the Bridegroom if taught and led of the Spirit. I gave him my views of true Catholicity. He was fairly affable and polite, dressed in a black cowl with satin robe to his feet, and two decorations on his breast. I wore

ISPAHAN.

ARMENIANS

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(for the first time perhaps since my consecration) the long bishop's vest reaching to feet, and coat over it. Bishop's hat in hand.

"The Roman Catholic priest (Armenian by birth) called. He had seen Lahore several times. He has been almost all along a crafty subtle enemy of Dr. B., yet talks plausibly, though not religiously. Speaks Persian well, English a little. Said he regarded English and Romish clergy as one.'

May 8. Went to call on the Armenian bishop and his clergy; sat an hour or more. I told him of the joy I had at the increased union and approximation of friendship and fellow-help between the Church of England and Eastern (Armenian and Nestorian) Churches. I promised to convey his messages of brotherly love and regard to the new Primate of England, of whose goodness and learning I spoke to him. I spoke of my hope that both they and we would be growingly like the woman clothed with the sun.

'My relation to the Bishop of London with reference to this visit to Persia he wished to understand, and I explained it to him.

The Armenians, he said, have been here 280 years, brought hither by Shah Abbas. Tea and sweetmeats were brought. He showed me over his cathedral, and seemed not to know that our churches had ornaments on the Holy Table, crosses, vases, &c. I told him we had all these in moderation (mutawarzil); and our views were to have moderation and hit the right mean in these things, neither "ifrat" nor "tafrit" (excess or defect). The Romish priest interpreted for me in Persian just here: rather a curious combination this. There was a beautifully painted dome above the sanctuary, where also the bishop's throne was occupying too much space and prominence, in front of the altar slightly to the left, with heavy canopy over it. There were semi-arched recesses

of the shape given here over the altar, and to the right and left, with pictures from the Old Testament above, and New Testament below: and there were two of the same arched or vaulted recesses with flat tops in the other part of the church outside the sanctuary, on which were pourtrayed the fourteen torments of St. Gregory Illuminator, ending with his triumph over Tiridates, turning him into a crowned pig, and then restoring and baptizing him. A place was pointed out where two priests were martyred in the time of the preceding Nadir Shah. At the bishop's house we met in a long room, elegant, not sumptuous in furniture, with pictures along the wall of the apostles and celebrated saints of the Armenian Church.

Last night an Armenian priest named Minas, from villages eighty miles off, called with three or four of his headmen and

1 There is a good picture of this Armenian cathedral, Curzon, vol. ii. p. 55.

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