Indian Antiquary Vol 56

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 56

44
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ MARCE, 1927
From that time to this day joy was prepared for the side of the Syrians, and for the side of the Franks sadness. The Syrians obey the Syrian Fathers, who, by order of the Catholicus of the East, 41a came from Jerusalem and Nineve and Bagdad, whereas the Franks obey the Frank bishops, who come from Rome and other provinces by order from the Pope of Rome.
Again, in the year 1705, by order of the Catholicus of the East, came lord Gabriel, 42 Syrian Metropolitan, and he saw both sides, and that there were many Syrians who had turned to the Franks, that they walked in all the abominable customs of the Franks and oblivious of the foundation and root of the Syrian prieste, that the priests of the Syrians who had turned to the Franks did not like their fathers the Syrian priests, take wives, but reprehended just marriages in the priests of both sides, and that, therefore, from those days onward and in future, (vs. 101) all the Malabar Syrians would adhere to the Franks, who day and night were exerting themselves. Therefore, lord Gabriel, the Syrian Metropolitan, embraced neither the Syrians his kinsmen nor the Syrians who had followed the Franks, but remained Bo to say in the middle between them, in the hope of bringing back the Syrian Collowers of the Franks. On that account, very many Syrians of both sides came to him, and of those who adhere to the Franks forty-two.43 To-day, however, through the deceit and exertions of the Carmelites and Franciscans(!)44, twenty churches have fallen away from him.
But, illustrious and blessed masters ours, 45 be pleased to learn that, provided the chief prefect 46 and blossed king of the whole of India and Malabar help this humble Syrian-the two sides will return to the Syrian fold and that the Franks will not for ever lord it in India.
Handwriting of Matthew, the poor, humble, and vilo Syrian Priest.464 Amen."
Notes by Land. (Page 179) About the Malabar Christians of St. Thomas soe especially(Page 180) J.S. Assemani's Bibl. Or., vol. IV, pp. 25899. and 435 sqq.; Cl. Buchanan, Christian Researches in Asia, 3rd edition. Edinburgh, 1812, p. 99 899.; Ch. Swanston, A Memoir of the Primitive Church of Malayåla, etc., in Journal of the Asiatic Society, No. II, London, Nov. 1834, and No. III, Febr. 1835; C. Ritter, Erdkunde, Bd. V, Berlin, 1835, pp. 601 899., 945 899., where most of the things said by others are carefully collected. As for my remark (at p. 8 of this volume) that the Amsterdam Public Library has another copy of our volume, I have found out that this was not very accurate : there are, however, rather long Syriac letters written by Bishop Thomas to Schaaf, of which I shall speak by and by. I derived almost nothing for my purpose from Missions in South India, by the Rev. Joseph Mullens, London, 1864 (but printed at Calcutta).
1 v. 1 800. In the year 52. Whish, Asiat. Journal, New Series, VI in Swanston, II, 177) says: "The Jews say St. Thomas arrived in India in A.D. 52, and themselves in the year 69."
2 The lord Thomas. On Thomas, the Apostle of India, seo chiefly Ritter's discussion (op. cit.) after Neander (Kirchengesch. 1). Those who have written on this subject seem to have forgotten too much three things: 1. That in the first centuries there was a tendency to assign to each of the Apostles of Jerusalem a special country, whereas it seems to be clear from Paul's epistles that they were loth to spread the Gospel beyond the limits of Judaism. 2. That Mesopotamia and Babylonia had long before been connected by trade with India, 3. That the name and story of Thomas of Jerusalem could easily be confused by the Malabars with the story of the Apostle. But this is not the place for a fuller discussion of the Thomas legends.
8 Maitapuram. In the MS.C with pětoh,d with the lowor dot (long 'ecoc). After this, the same word is written Mailopa' with zěqoph. Lacroze (in Assem., op. cit., 449): Meliapora ; Buchanan' (op. cit.); Melapoor : Swanston, II. 172: Mailápúr. However, Thomas is said to have come from the islands of Dioscoris (Sokotra) to Cranganor, next to have gone finally to Melicpor (Assem., 435, Buchanan, Swanston).
Moljokare. No vowel-points here; but at vss. 30 and 40 the vowels 0-0-G are added. Lacroze : Mavelicare: Buchanan, 106 : Mavelycar: Mullens, 129: Mavelikurray (s.e., Mavelicarro).
a Dr. Mingana's translation of this and of the letter of Bp. Thomas (1.n. 6 below) is given in the Bulletin of the John Rylands Library, vol. 10, No. 2, July 1926.-T, K, J.]
Where Land does so, does not appear, though I have searched his four volumes of Anecdota Syriaca. . Nim.
& Vare.