It appears therefore that this Jesuit missionary desired the pope and the
king of Portugal to establish the inquisition in that part of the Indies
subject to Portugal, in order to root out the Sabbath from those ancient
churches. The inquisition was established in answer to this prayer, and
Xavier was subsequently canonized as a saint! Nothing can more clearly
show the malignity of the Roman pontiff toward the Sabbath of the Lord;
and nothing more clearly illustrates the kind of men that he canonizes as
saints.
Since the time of Xavier, the East Indies have fallen under British rule.
A distinguished clergyman of the church of England some years since
visited the British Empire in India, for the purpose of acquainting
himself with these churches. He gave the following deeply interesting
sketch of these ancient Christians, and in it particularly marks their
Sabbatarian character:—
“The history of the Armenian church is very interesting.
Of all the Christians in Central Asia, they have preserved
themselves most free from Mahometan and papal corruptions. The
pope assailed them for a time with great violence, but with
little effect. The churches in lesser Armenia indeed consented
to an union, which did not long continue; but those in Persian
Armenia maintained their independence; and they retain their
ancient Scriptures, doctrines, and worship, to this day. ‘It
is marvelous,’ says an intelligent traveler who was much among
them, ‘how the Armenian Christians have preserved their faith,
equally against the vexatious oppression of the Mahometans,
their sovereigns, and against the persuasions of the Romish
church, which for more than two centuries has endeavored,
by missionaries, priests and monks, to attach them to her
communion. It is impossible to describe the artifices and
expenses of the court of Rome to effect this object, but all in
vain.’
“The Bible was translated into the Armenian language in the
fifth century, under very auspicious circumstances, the history
of which has come down to us. It has been allowed by competent
judges of the language, to be a most faithful translation. La
Cruze calls it the ‘Queen of Versions.’ This Bible has ever
remained in the possession of the Armenian people; and many
illustrious instances of genuine and enlightened piety occur in
their history....
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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