"مسائل متنوعة. بلاد فارس ١٨٨٢-١٨٩٨: خرائط، أوراق حكومية ... إلخ". [و‎‎١‎٥] (٢٠٢/٢٩)

[This Document is the Property of Her Britannic Majatrty s Government.
NO. 1 . PARUAMENTARY UhlDERSECRE/ARY.
ASIATIC TURKEY.
CONFIDENTIAL.
No. 1.
[July 26.]
Section 2.
Consul-General Wood to the Marquess of Salisbury.—(Received July 26.)
(No. 1.)
My Lord, Tabreez, June 21, 1897.
I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith the copy of a despatch I have this day
addressed Her Majesty’s Charge d’Affaires at Tehran, on the subject of the establish
ment of a Russian Ecclesiastic Mission to the Nestorians in the districts of Urumiah
and Sal mast.
I have, &c.
(Signed) CECIL G. WOOD.
Inclosure in No. 1.
Consul-General Wood to Mr. C. Hardinge.
(No. 2.)
Sir, Tabreez, June 21, 1897.
I HAVE the honour to report, for your information, that a Russian Ecclesiastic
Mission passed through Tahreez, a short time ago, on its way to the south-western
districts of Azerbaijan, where it is intended to establish a congregation of Nestorian
converts or adherents to the Orthodox faith.
The Mission is composed of two popes, or priests, one a Russian, who is the
custodian of the Orthodox Cathedral in Erivan, and the other, “ Kasha ” Shimoon, a
Nestorian, horn and educated at that place.
These religious have made it known that they would settle permanently in the
districts of Urumiah and Salmast in the event of their succeeding in finding 300 Nes
torians who would join the Orthodox creed.
On leaving Tabreez they directed their steps to Khoi, which town, however, owing
to the absence of Nestorians, they but passed through on their way to “ Jamalabad,”
or, as it is pronounced by the Syrians, “ Jamalava ” and “ Gavilan,” two Nestorian
villages, of which the inhabitants went forth to meet them and give them welcome.
From these places they travelled towards Urmi, and were met and greeted at the
“ Shankarlui ” Bridge, some 13 miles from that town, by the Nestorian Bishop of the
plain, Mar Yonan, great numbers* of the clergy, and practically the entire Nestorian
residents, among whom many “ Chaldeans ” (Roman Catholic Nestorians) and Presby
terian converts.
Having stayed a day or so at Urmi, receiving visits of welcome and ceremony, they
left for the village of “ Superghan,” in the neighbourhood of the Lake of Urumiah, the
residence of Mar Yonan, by whom they were accompanied.
At this place, on Thursday, the 4th instant, on the occasion of the celebration of
Ascension Day (old style), the Russian priests read a declaration in the churchyard,
containing the terms on which Nestorians would he admitted into the bosom of the
Russo-Greek Church, and, eventually to Russia protection.
Almost l,200 names representing, it may he said, the entire population, were
signed, and among them those of many of the Nestorian clergy, headed by Mar
Yonan.
At Mushabad, a village close to Superghan, they obtained, according to trustworthy
report, 700 adherents, and are said to he still occupied in extending their action.
It is noteworthy that, notwithstanding the fact that the Russian Mission has not
favoured, so far, the Armenian communities in those parts with its attentions, the
inhabitants of Ganabat, a small Armenian village near Urmi, gathered together the
church ornaments, and went out in procession to welcome them with the Nestorians
on the occasion of the Nestorian demonstration at the Bridge of Shankarlui.
The addition of another religious missionf to those already existing in the districts
* From 8,0(10 to 10,000 people.— C. G. \V.
+ The German Lutheran Mission, which had closed its schools, &c., some years ago, has again quite recently
returned to Urumiah.—C. G. W.
[1544 i—2]