Page:The Nestorians and their rituals, volume 1.djvu/26

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xviii
INTRODUCTION.

lem on his journey into Coordistan, the author was provided with the subjoined additional letter from the late Bishop Alexander.

"To their Holinesses the Patriarchs and Bishops of the Christian churches in Mesopotamia and Coordistan, grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and Christ Jesus our Lord. This is the sincere wish and prayer of Michael Solomon Alexander, by Divine permission, Bishop of the United Church of England and Ireland in Jerusalem.

"It is one of the pleasing signs of the times in which we are privileged to live, that a desire is felt in the different Apostolic churches of Christ to hold out to each other the right hand of fellowship, and to endeavour by word and deed to promote each other's temporal and eternal welfare. We cannot but hail this as an indication of the speedy approach of that much longed-for period, when the kingdom of Christ shall be established, and when the Lord shall be One and His Name One. It was with a view to this, that I have, in the providence of God lately been placed here, and I have much pleasure in adding my brotherly salutations to those of His Grace the Primate, and the Lord Bishop of London, and to join with them in the request that your Holinesses will receive the bearer, our beloved in Christ, George Percy Badger, a priest of our holy Apostolic Church, with all fatherly love and kindness, as he comes to you with a message of peace and offers of assistance.

"It will at all times afford me pleasure to hear of you, and of your church's welfare, and to be in any way instrumental in promoting it. Praying that the King of Zion may bless His Church and people everywhere, and hasten the coming of His kingdom,

"I remain,

"Your Holinesses' humble servant
and brother in Christ,

"M. S. Angl. Hierosol."

l. s.

"Mount Zion in Jerusalem,
August 15th, 1842."

The foregoing instructions will make the reader acquainted