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The East

BC 4 AD 1400 The Gospel in the East - Syria and Persia - Churches in Persian Empire separated from those in Roman Empire - Eastern churches retained Scriptural character longer than those in the west - Papa ben Aggai federates churches - Zoroaster - Persecution under Sapor II - Homilies of Afrahat-Synod of Seleucia - Persecution renewed - Nestorius-The Bazaar of Heraclides - Toleration-Influx of western bishops-Increase of centralization Wide spread of Syrian churches in Asia-Mohammedan invasion-Catholikos moved from Seleucia to Bagdad-Genghis Khan -Struggle between Nestorianism and Islam in Central Asia-Tamerlane-Franciscans and Jesuits find Nestorians in Cathay-Sixteenth century translation of part of Bible into Chinese-Disappearance of Nestorians from most of Asia-Causes of failure.

THE "WISE MEN FROM THE EAST" led by the star to Bethlehem, worshipped the Child newly "born King of the Jews"; presented to Him "gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh", and "departed into their own country" (Matt. 2), where they doubtless related what they had seen and heard.-Among the multitude assembled at Jerusalem at Pentecost were "Parthians - see glossary and Medes - see glossary and Elamites - see glossary and the dwellers in Mesopotamia - see glossary ", who were witnesses of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and of the signs and wonders that accompanied it, and heard Peter preach that "God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2).-By them the Gospel was carried in its earliest days to the synagogues - see glossary of the East.

Eusebius, writing of events which took place in the second century, * relates that many-of the disciples at that time "whose souls were inflamed by the Divine Word and with a more ardent desire of wisdom, first fulfilled our Saviour's-commandment by distributing their substance to those that were necessitous; then after that, travelling abroad, they performed the work of evangelists to those who had not yet at all heard tine word of faith, being very ambitious to preach Christ and to deliver the books of the Divine Gospels.

{* "The Syrian Churches" J. W. Etheridge,}

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"This is copyright material, reproduced by kind permission © The Estate of Dora Broadbent 1999. For personal use only. Multiple copies may not be taken without written permission".     The Book has been Republished - Click Here for Links.