f4rf 



de Reisendes Opmaerksomhed, som i nycre Tid have besogt de 

 Christne i Oslen*j. Grant liar imidlertid Ret i at fremhaeve 

 nelop hos dc oinmeldle Stammer saavel hiin Eiendommelighed 

 som de Fortrin, hvorved de oslerlandske Christne ovcrhovedet 

 udmaerkc s\g fremfor den romersk-kalholske Kirkcs Tilhaen- 

 gere. Jo mere den sidshiaevnte Kirke allerede i meget lang 

 Tid har bestraebl sig for at drage Ostens Christne over i sit 

 Skjod, og jo heldigere den har vseret, ofle ved temmelig hen- 

 synslos Anvendelsc af alle Midler til delle Oiemeds Opnaaelso, 

 desto mere nalurligt er del, at kun de ved deres fjerne og af- 

 slutlede Opholdssted mere beskytlede Bjergboere have kunncl 

 bevare deres religiose og kirkelige Eiendommelighed mod dc 

 Forandringer^^'^'^), som romersk-katholske Missionairer med mere 

 cller mindre Held have bevirket andenstcds i disse Egne. 



Der er al Sandsynlighed for, at Christendommen allerede 

 i de forsle Tidcr af dens Udbredelse er bleveji prsDdikct ved 

 selve Apostle og Aposteldisciplo for Joderne Oslen for Euphrat, 



*) „The first impression that the inquircrjnto the slate of Eastern Chrislen- 

 dom, would probably entertain, when he came to reflect on the objects of his 

 survey, would be that the services, rites and liturgies of the Orientals were, 

 in their construction , the models of a pure Hebrew type. The form of 

 their edifices and the aspect, dress, and general appearance of their 

 pricsls would almost recall the days of the temple worship, and the 

 stranger who inhaled the odours of the incense, listened to the Chaldean 

 or Syriac tones, and marked the sacrificial bearing of the whole service, 

 might almost imagine himself an assistant at one of the symbolical obla- 

 tions of the Levitical law. As his enquiries penetrated still deeper, he 

 would meet with sironger trails of rcseniblanco." 



Fletcher, Notes from Nineveh, I p. 351. 

 *") „Their ignorance of the superstitions of the church of Rome, and their 

 more simple observances and ceremonies may be clearly traced to a pri- 

 mitive form of Christianity received by them before its corruptions. Iso- 

 lated amongst the remote valleys of Kurdistan and cut off from all in- 

 tercourse with other Christian communities, they have preserved, almost 

 in its original purity, their ancient faith Corruptions may have crept in, 

 and ignorance may have led to the neglect of doctrines and ceremonies; 

 but on the whole, it is a matter of wonder, that after the lapse of nearly 

 seventeen centuries, the Chalda?ans should be what they are. 



Layard I, 268. 



