Page 20 - New English Book L

19

In 1888 Father Benjamin was back again in Persia. In
his native village, Digala, about a mile from the town, he
opened a school gratis. The next year he was sent by the
Ecclesiastical authorities to take charge of the diocese of
Salmas, where a sharp and scandalous conflict between
the Uniate Archbishop, Khudabásh, and the Lazarist
Fathers for a long time had been menacing a schism.

Onthedayof NewYear1900, Father Benjaminpreached
his last and memorable sermon to a large congregation,
including many non-Catholic Armenians and others in
the Cathedral of St. George’s Khorovábád, Salmas. The
preacher’s subject was “New Century and New Men.” He
recalled the fact that the Nestorian Missionaries, before
the appearance of Islam.

They preached the Gospel in allAsia and had numerous
establishments in India (especially at the Malabar Coast),
in Tartary, China and Mongolia. They translated the
Gospel into the Turkish Uighurs and other languages. The
Catholic, American and Anglican Missions, in spite of the
little good they had done for the Assyro-Chalden nation
in the way of preliminary education, had split the nation –
already a handful - in Persia, Kurdistan and Mesopotamia
into numerous hostile sects. Their efforts were destined to
bring about the final collapse.

Consequently, he advised the natives to make some
sacrifices in order to stand upon their own legs like men,
and not to depend upon the foreign missions, etc.

The preacher was perfectly right in principle; but
his remarks were unfavourable to the interests of the
Lord’s Missionaries. This sermon hastily brought the
Apostolique Delegate, Mgr. Lésné, from Urmia to Salmas.
He remained to the last a friend of Father Benjamin. They
both retuned to Urmia. A new Russian Mission had already
been established in Urmia in 1899. The Nestorians were