Page:The Nestorians and their rituals, volume 1.djvu/345

Rh you, nor can they give you any assistance, neither do they keep their promises. Moreover I am certain it will be a source of deep regret to you, brethren, should you hear that so ancient a church as ours, viz. the Chaldean Church, is destroyed or broken up into sects; and so much the more because you yourselves have tasted of the cup of divisions in your own country. And shall this also befal our Church after it has continued one for so long, even from ancient time?

"Therefore I entreat you, for the sake of our, that you do not reject this our petition, seeing that it is not a great thing with you, that you should continue to us the presbyter George Badger to assist us, and because the whole is for the glory of and for the welfare of men. Nor can I think that this is a hard matter to a nation holding the true faith, and which sends forth so many messengers among the people and brethren, so that in you is accomplished the saying of the Psalmist: Their sound is gone out into all lands, and their words unto the end of the world. Is it not a small matter to such a nation to give up one person to those who are in so much need of his assistance? Moreover  has said: Call upon Me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee. We are now in great trouble, and shall our brethren betake themselves far from us? This is contrary to our hope. I therefore entreat you, and not I only but all my bishops, priests, and deacons, nay all my people join with me in the same request, that you will continue the presbyter George Badger to us until our urgent necessity is removed.

"Moreover we would acquaint you that we have made arrangements, when it shall be the 's will to deliver us out of our troubles, to open schools for the instruction and education of our people, and to take many other measures for their benefit, such as rebuilding the churches which have been destroyed, and bringing together and establishing the numbers who have been scattered about in Persia, in the mountains, in the plains, and in the villages and cities of the stranger; for great diligence is required to restore things to their former state, nay, but as we hope, even to a better condition.

"And now, brethren, I commit this matter into your hands, and expect an answer from you, that you will leave with us the