Death would probably have been the consequence of joining the Armenian Church in Persia, but why did Martyn's teaching stop at inward faith instead of insisting on outward confession, the test fixed by the Saviour Himself?
On the 24th of May, Mr.Martyn and another English clergyman set out to lay his translation before the Shah, who was in his camp at Tebriz.

There they were admitted to the presence of the Vizier, before whom two Moollahs, the most ignorant and discourteous whom he had met in Persia, were set to argue with the English priest.

The Vizier mingled in the discussion, which ended thus: "You had better say God is God, and Mahomet is His prophet." "God is God," repeated Henry Martyn, "and JESUS is the Son of God." "He is neither born nor begets," cried the Moollahs; and one said, "What will you say when your tongue is burnt out for blasphemy ?" He had offended against the Mohammedan doctrine most strictly held; and, knowing this well, he had kept back the confession of the core of the true faith till to withhold it longer would have been a denial of his Lord.

After all, he was not allowed to see the Shah without the Ambassador to present him, and descended again to Sultania--a painful journey, from which he brought a severe ague and fever, through which he was nursed by Sir Gore and Lady Ouseley.
As soon as he had recovered, he decided on making his way to Constantinople, and thence to England, where he hoped to recruit his health and, it might be, induce Lydia to accompany him back to India.

His last letter to her was written from Tebriz on the 28th of August, dreading illness on the journey, but still full of hope.