PREFACE.

the beginning of the document. Abgar, the king of Edessa at that time, sent Hannan, the keeper of the archives, and others to Sabinus, the deputy in the East for the emperor Tiberius, with letters concerning the affairs of the kingdom. The messengers, having most probably heard of the fame of Christ, took that opportunity of going to Jerusalem to see Him. Having entered that city, they saw Christ and rejoiced. Hannan wrote down what he saw and heard of Christ to make a full report to Abgar of our Lord's wonderful deeds upon his return to Edessa. The king was greatly impressed by what was related to him. As he himself was afflicted with a disease and unable to obtain a cure, he wrote a letter to Jesus, entreating Him to come and heal him. Hannan, the bearer of the letter, delivered it to Jesus. A verbal reply was returned by our Lord to Abgar. In it, He promised that after He had gone up to His Father, He would send one of His disciples to cure him of the disease. After Christ had ascended to heaven, Addai was the disciple selected by Judas Thomas to go on the mission to Edessa. His arrival at the city was soon made known to Abgar, who sent immediately for him. Abgar, surrounded by his nobles, received Addai. In their presence, he cured the king of the disease from which he had for a long time been suffering.

A very important inquiry is that which concerns the genuineness, the authorship, and related matters of "The Doctrine of Addai, the Apostle." It is necessary to continue into this inquiry.