[Illustration: PLAIN OF OROOMIAH, FROM THE SEMINARY AT SEIR.]

WOMAN AND HER SAVIOUR IN PERSIA.

BY

A RETURNED MISSIONARY.

With

Fine Illustrations, and a Map of Nestorian Country.

PREFACE.

Our Saviour bade his disciples gather up the fragments, that nothing be lost; and many who have known of Miss Fiske's fifteen years of labor for woman in Persia, have desired her to prepare for publication the facts now presented to the reader. The writer was one of these; and it was only when he found that she could not do it, that he attempted it, in accordance with her wishes, simply that these interesting records of divine grace might not be lost.

The materials have been drawn from the letters and conversations of those familiar with the scenes described, and especially from Miss Fiske. In all cases, the language of others has been condensed, as much as is consistent, with the truthful expression of their ideas; and, in the translation of the letters of Nestorians, it has not been deemed essential to follow slavishly every Syriac idiom, for, instead of these letters owing their interest, as some have supposed, to their translators, they may have sometimes rather suffered from renderings needlessly idiomatic.

It was at one time proposed to embrace the history of both the Male and Female Seminaries, but the proposition came too late, and the memoir of the lamented Stoddard gives so full an account of the former, that now we need to hear only the story of its less known companion; but let the reader bear in mind that as much might have been said of the one as of the other, had the design been to give an account of both.

A strict adherence to the order of events in the following pages would have produced a series of disjointed annals. To avoid such a breaking up of the narrative, each subject has been treated in full whenever introduced, though that has involved a freedom somewhat independent of chronological order.

The notices of the revivals are mere incidental sketches. Their complete history remains to be written.

The beautiful Illustrations introduced are all new, copied from sketches taken on the spot by the skillful pencil of a dear missionary brother, whose modesty, though it will not consent to the mention of his name, yet cannot prevent a grateful sense of his kindness. The Map is an improvement on others previously published, and, besides adding to our geographical knowledge, will be found valuable to the friends of missions.

If the readers of these pages enjoy but a small part of the delight found in their preparation, the writer will not regret his undertaking. May the day be hastened when heaven shall repeat the hosannas of a regenerated world, even as now the abundant grace bestowed upon the Nestorians redounds, through the thanksgiving of many, to the glory of God.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

WOMAN WITHOUT THE GOSPEL.

POLITICAL CONDITION.--NESTORIAN HOUSES.--VERMIN.--SICKNESS.--POSITION AND ESTIMATION OF WOMAN.--NO READERS AMONG THEM.--UNLOVELY SPIRIT.--SINS OF THE TONGUE.--PROFANITY.--LYING.--STEALING.--STORY ABOUT PINS.--IMPURITY.--MOSLEM INTERFERENCE WITH SEMINARY.

CHAPTER II.

MARBEESHOO.

VISIT THERE.--NATIVE ACCOMMODATIONS.--HOSPITALITY OF SENUM.--MOHAMMEDAN WOMEN.

CHAPTER III.

THE SCENE OF THE NARRATIVE.

NESTORIANS.--THEIR COUNTRY.--FRONTISPIECE.--LAKE.--PLAIN.--FORDING THE SHAHER.--MISSION PREMISES IN OROGMIAH.

CHAPTER IV.

MISSIONARY EDUCATION.

OBJECT.--MEANS.--STUDY OF BIBLE.--PUPILS KEPT IN SYMPATHY WITH THE PEOPLE.--PEOPLE STIMULATED TO EXERTION AND SELF-DEPENDENCE.-- TAHITI.--MADAGASCAR.

CHAPTER V.

BEGINNINGS.

MRS. GRANT.--EARLY LIFE AND LABORS.--GREAT INFLUENCE.--HER SCHOOL.--HER PUPILS.--BOARDING SCHOOL.--GETTING PUPILS.--CARE OP THEM.--POVERTY OF PEOPLE.--PAYING FOR FOOD OF SCHOLARS.--POSITION OF UNMARRIED MISSIONARY LADIES.--BOOKS.

CHAPTER VI.

THE SEMINARY.