Dr.Azariah Smith organized a small church at Diarbekir in the spring of 1851.

It included both Armenians and Jacobites; but only those were to be received who gave satisfactory evidence of piety.

As soon as this restriction was announced, the most influential Syrians in the congregation resolutely set themselves to secure admission to the church for all Protestants of good moral character.

For a time their efforts to unite the congregation in opposition prevented attention to their ordinary business; and but for the conservative spirit of the Armenian portion, perhaps the audience, as a whole, would have gone back to their churches.

In the end all were persuaded to listen to a discourse on the subject, by Dr.Smith, and the character of the young ruler, in Luke xviii.
18-30, was unfolded in connection with Acts ii.