the fold, and by their sophistical treachery have they led away the flock, so that they obey not the staff of the true and lawful Shepherd. Nor do these deceivers cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord levelled out for us by the Saviour Himself and His holy Apostles.
"But as we dwell apart from these in a separate country called Tyari, these wolves have not as yet been able to come to us. Such was our condition, remaining in our own country in perfect peace and security, when about three years since persons came to us from the new world called America, and represented themselves to us as true Catholic Christians; but when we became acquainted with their way, we found that they held several errors, since they deny the order of the Priesthood committed to us by our Lord, nor do they receive the œcumenical councils of the Church, nor the true traditions of the holy Fathers, nor the efficacy of the sacraments of salvation, which Christ hath bequeathed to His Church, viz. Baptism and the holy Eucharist; on which account we must beware of their working among us. But when your messenger, the pious presbyter George came to us, and delivered into our hands your letters, we were filled with joy when we read their contents, and learned therefrom your spiritual and temporal prosperity. Whereupon we gave thanks to God, since before we had thought within ourselves what thought Elijah the prophet, when he said: They have slain Thy prophets, thrown down Thy altars, and I even I only am left; but when we saw that the Lord had reserved to Himself many thousands who had not bent the knee to Baal, and these in the Land of Angels,[1] we exulted and rejoiced, and gave thanks to the Most High. And we have now given up all others that we may be united with you in brotherhood and true Christian love. And this our confidence was awakened in us, when we became acquainted with your truly evangelical faith, clearly made known to us by your presbyter George. And since he in his praiseworthy and excellent conversation has apprised us of your great love towards us, we would make your brotherhood acquainted with the grievous afflictions which have lately befallen us.
- ↑ Mar Shimoon was fond of calling England by this name after I had related to him the paronomasia of Pope Gregory.
T
