e, who not only spoke the Syriac and Arabic, but the Turkish
and Koordish.[1] "He came to us," wrote Dr. Perkins, "for the
benefit of his impaired health. Yet was he buoyant as a lark, being
overjoyed to find himself in our happy circle, after his perilous
journey across the mountains." Two days after his arrival he was
seized with a fever which proved severe and obstinate. But he
recovered, and was able to give much thought to the somewhat
peculiar method of proceeding in that mission; in which no separate
Protestant community had been formed, and no church organized;
though the missionaries had the communion by themselves, to which
they invited only those whom they believed to be truly regenerated.
His preconceived opinions had been somewhat adverse to the plan, and
he and his brethren at Mosul had adopted other methods. But he wrote
to the Secretaries of the Board his approval of the main policy of
his brethren in Persia, as justified by their peculiar
circumstances, and ratified by the blessing of Heaven. He specified
some things in which he thought more decided measures might be
taken; but advised that the mission be left to follow the leadings
of Providence, until a crisis should come in the Nestorian Church,
and then to act as they should deem wise at the time.

[1] _Missionary Herald_, 1854, pp. 18-22.

Before returning, Dr. Lobdell made an excursion of three weeks in
the province of Azerbijan, going as far as Tabriz. It was while he
was at Gawar, on his way home, that Deacon Tamo was liberated from
his long imprisonment. Messrs. Rhea and Coan accompanied him to
Mosul. Dr. Lobdell represents the two highest peaks of the Jelu
Mountains as distinctly visible from Mosul. Every step through
Koordistan reminded him of the devotion, courage, and energy of Dr.
Grant.

Some difficulties existed in the Protestant community at Diarbekir,
growing out of the old leaven of baptismal regeneration, from which
the church itself had not been thoroughly purged. The church then
contained eleven members,--eight men and three women. Six of the men
were Syrian Jacobites, and four of these were formerly deacons in
their church. The difficulties encountered by Dr. Smith in 1851,
when he declared his intention of admitting to the church none but
such as were truly pious, and baptizing only them and their
children, were now revived.

In view of these things, a meeting of the Assyria Mission was held
at Mosul for ten days, in March,