350 



JRetnarlcs on the Word Tersai. [No. o5, 



numerous records are extant to the effect, that Nestorian Missionaries 

 have, in early ages, settled in that region, where they appear to have 

 propagated the doctrines of their sect, \Yith varying results. The 

 monument of Siganfu, illustrated by Kircher, Assemanus, Bayer and 

 others, presents a history of the fortunes of the Syro-Sinic Church. 

 But that fact, by no means invalidates the question about tlie word 

 Tersai. According to the testimony of Trigautius, the appellation 

 was originally employed by the Saracens to designate Armenian 

 Christians, and afterwards introduced by the Tartars among the Chi- 

 nese, at the period of their settlement in that region. Tlie term, 

 moreover, can lay no claim to be considered as originating from the 

 Chinese ; for, we are informed by the same writer, that in the lan- 

 guage of the " Celestial empire," the Christians were styled Hoei — ■ 

 a circumstance remarked by Muller, Assemanus himself and others. 

 Concerning the relation of the Armenians with the Persians, Saracens 

 and Tartars, proofs are in existence, which strongly and irrefragably 

 bear out the point. As early as the fifth century the Armenians engag- 

 ed in religious warfare with the Persians on account of the faith 

 of Christ. A minute and faithful narrative of the whole transaction 

 has been transmitted to us by Elisseus, Bishop of the Amatunians, an 

 English version of which, made by Professor Neumann, was publish- 

 ed by the Oriental Translation Committee in 1830. The subsequent 

 history of Armenia presents a series of struggles or perpetual hostili- 

 ty with the Moslem powers for the protection of the Christian religion. 

 The commendable spirit of the Armenians in refusing to accept the 

 Koran, has subjected them and their country to miseries and devasta- 

 tions from the fanatical followers of the Prophet of Mecca. And who, 

 but the Saracens, could admire their courage in the cause of their 

 God, and style them with propriety the true believers of the Lord 

 Jesus — Tersai. Under the descendants of Genghiz Khan, the state 

 of things improved, only at times. According to Haithon (Historia 

 Orientalis, sive de Tartaris, c. xxiv.) Mango Khan became a convert 

 to Christianity, and received baptism at the hands of an Armenian 

 Bishop. Many nobles followed the example of their king, and thus 

 encouragement and support were extended to the Armenian per- 

 suasion. The visit of Hethum I., prince of the Cilicio-Armenian 

 kingdom, to the great Khan of Tartary, the said Mango, in 1254, 

 procured considerable immunities to the Christians of Armenia in 

 general. A contemporary historian, Kirakus Ganzakensis, has given 

 an interesting account of the progrei^s of Hethum, which has been 



