Page:The Nestorians and their rituals, volume 1.djvu/325

Rh this second onslaught, most of whom were sent to Jezeerah to be sold as slaves, or to be bestowed as presents upon influential Mohammedans. No quarter was given to the men, and there remained no safety for the vanquished but in flight. Numbers fled to the almost inaccessible fastnesses of the mountains, whilst others took refuge in the Berwari districts, where an almost similar fate awaited them. Mar Shimoon, accompanied by one of his brothers, two attendants, Kash' Auraha and his family, effected their escape to Mosul, which they reached on the 27th of July. The Patriarch's party were hospitably received by Mr. Rassam into the British Vice Consulate, and the archdeacon and his family became part of our household.

But I cannot better describe the ravages committed by the Coords upon the unfortunate Nestorians, and the appeal made by the Patriarch for help, than by laying before my readers the following copy of a letter written by Mar Shimoon to the Archbishop and Bishops of the English Church, and forwarded by me to his Grace the Primate on the 12th of August, 1843.

"From Mar Shimoon, by the grace of, Patriarch of the Chaldeans in the East, to our most reverend and dearly beloved brethren, the good shepherds, Mar William, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Catholicos of England, Mar James, Bishop of London, and all our brethren, the reverend Bishops of the orthodox English Church, the successors of the Apostles, the master builders of the churches, and the confirmers of the true Christian faith—Peace.

" so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should be saved. And this Only-begotten (to whom be worship) has given us an especial precept, saying: A new commandment I give unto you, that ye should love one another. And again: By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, &c. Also when He commenced His Divine ministry, He gave us an example whereunto to conform ourselves, saying: Greater love than this can no man have, than that a man should lay down his life for his friends. And truly, my brethren, love is stronger than death; and we may