BV 2625 .M5 1906 Missionary Conference on Behalf of the Mohammedan Methods of mission work amona Moslems METHODS OF MISSION WORK AMONG MOSLEMS For Private Circulation Only Methods of iviission Work Among Moslems Being those Papers read at the First Missionary Conference on behalf of the Mohammedan World held at Cairo April 4th-9th, 1 906, and the discussions thereon, which by order of the Conference were not to be issued to the public, but were to be privately printed for the use of mis- sionaries and the friends of missions New York Chicago Toronto Fleming H. Revell Company London Edinburgh Copyright, i 906, by FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY CONTENTS INTRODUCTIOK liev. E. M. Wherry, D. D. Officers, Delegates, Program, Appeals, I. Relation of Missions to Moslems and Missions TO Pagans Dr. J. A. Lepsius. II. How TO Reach and Teach Illiterate Moslems Rev. W. Goldsack. III. "Work Among Illiterate Moslems Bev. T. Grahame Bailey, B. D IV. Work Among Educated Moslems in Cairo (a) The Western or Government School Men Eev. W. H. T. Gairdner, B. A. (6) The Eastern or Azhar University Men Eev. D. M. Thornton, 31. A. 7 12 23 29 41 59 V. Literature for Moslems .... Eev. W. St. Clair Tisdall, D. D. . 79 VI. Medical Missions • By Various Medical Missionaries. . 101 VII. Women's Work By Various Women Missionaries. . 110 VIII. Converts and Backsliders .... Eev. John Van Ess. . 128 IX. Conditions of Baptism .... Eev. H. H. Jessup, D. D. , 138 X. How to Win Mosleji Races Eev. G. F. Rerrick, D. D. , 158 XI. Presentation of Christian Doctrine Eev. W. Hooper, D. D. 5 . 173 6 Contents XII. CONTEOVEESY IN ALL ITS BEARINGS . . . 192 Rev. W. A. Shedd. XIII. The Need foe Peayke and Saceifice . . 205 Rev. W. Dickins. XIV. Peepaeation of Woekebs for Work Among Moslems 211 The Right Rev. G. A. Lefroy, D. D., Bishop of Lahore. XV. The Student Movement and Islam . . 231 Rev. S. M. Zwemer, D. D. INTRODUCTION The tliougLt of a world's conference to discuss the problem of Moslem evangelization had no doubt oc- curred to more than one of the many missionaries labouring- in Moslem lands, but the proposal to hold a conference in the year 1906, which should gather to- gether, if possible, representatives from all Moslem fields, to discuss this problem, originated with the Eev. S. M. Zwemer, D. D., of the Arabian Mission at Bah- rein. This proposal was first discussed privately at Mussoorie, in India, and later on at the Decennial Con- ference of missions, held in Madras. Correspondence with the American Mission in Cairo, Egypt, resulted in a cordial invitation to meet there. Final plans were matured by Dr. Zwemer and the Eev. Dr. H. U. Weit- brecht, who together drew up a tentative program and created a program committee, which completed the work thus begun. Later on an American advisory committee was established, which aided in carrying out the preliminary arrangements in various ways. By correspondence the various missionary societies were invited to send representatives to a conference to be held April 4th-8th in Cairo in Egypt. At the same time the various persons suggested as suitable to write upon the subjects of the program, were persuaded to undertake the task assigned them. From the very first there was manifest unanimity among all the mis- 7 8 Introduction sionaries and societies concerned, filling all hearts with the assurance that the proposed conference had the divine approval. The program, as finally adopted, provided for the extension of the conference over a period of six days ; April 4-9. The two committees on program and arrangements were constituted an executive com- mittee to control the business of the conference. The officers ofthis committee were Eev. H. H. Jessup, D. D., chairman; Eev. H. U. Weitbrecht, D. D., secretary, and Rev. John Giffeu, D. D., treasurer. At the time ap- pointed, delegates to the number of sixty-two were found to be present, not counting visiting members to the number of about sixty. They represented twenty- nine missionary societies of the Protestant Christian world, and even a greater number of missions estab- lished in the Moslem lands of Asia, Africa and IMalay- sia. Some of the delegates appointed were unable to attend. A few of those appointed to prepare papei-s for the conference were unable to attend, but these, with few exceptions, sent their papers to be read by others. On the evening preceding the opening of the confer- ence, a prayer-meeting was held to ask the blessing of God upon the meetings of conference. This prayer- meeting voiced what may be called the spiritual life of the assembly. Throughout the meetings were deeply spiritual ; prayer and praise preceded and followed al- most every subject discussed. The place of meeting was the Church Missionary Society house, the Bait Arabi Pasha, a place redolent Introduction 9 in historic memories. For prudential reasons, tlie executive committee determined to admit none but the delegates and such other friends as might be given permission to attend. All visitors were supplied with tickets entitling them to attend. At the hour appointed on Wednesday, April 4th, the conference assembled. The following officers were elected: Eev. S. M. Zwemer, D. D., chairman ; Eev. H. U. Weitbrecht, D. D., vice-chairman; Rev. John Giffen, D. D., secretary and treasurer; Eev. W. E. Lowther and Eev. E. Maclnues, clerks. An interesting event was the introduction of the delegates, each one arising at the call of the roll and indicating his or her field and church relationship. A list of the delegates and the program of events are given below. The addresses were read in the order given. After each subject had been presented by the reading of the papers, an opportunity was given for question and remark. It is much to be regretted that comparatively little of what was said during the dis- cussions upon the papers was preserved in a form that could be used in the report. Portions of the remarks made were excluded from the report by the speakers or by the editorial committee. This was felt to be neces- sary for prudential reasons. At all times these discus- sions were characterized by the utmost good feeling. It was decided by the conference, at the suggestion of the executive committee, to publish the papers in two parts : the historical and statistical papers to be pub- lished in a volume to be entitled TJie Mohammedan World of To-Day; the remaining papers with discus- lo Introduction sions, resolutions, etc., to be printed for private cir- culation only. Those, therefore, who desire to read the papers uot Ibuud in this volume may do so by securing the volume akeady mentioned and published by the Fleming H. Revell Co. The question may be asked, what have been the benefits resulting from this conference ? In reply, we would say : First, we believe we have now a more comprehensive knowledge of the Moslem missionary problem. The vastness and hopefulness of the field have loomed up before the church as never before. Again, much has been done to secure uniformity in methods in evangelistic effort. Many mistakes, born of inexperience and ignorance of Moslem i)eoples, have been indicated. The effect should be greater efficiency in the work all along the line. Still further, the conference has indicated a way by which greater efficiency in the production and publica- tion of a literature for Moslems can be attained. Prac- tical efforts have already been inaugurated to secure a world-wide movement in this direction. Another result of this conference should be the awakening of the church to a realizing sense of her duty to the Moslem world. She should see that in Islam she has her only rival for the conquest of the world. She should awake to realize the urgency of her duty to the millions of ignorant savages in Africa, the millions of the depressed classes in India and China and so forestall their conversion to Islam. This cannot altogether be accomplished, but much can be done to Introduction 1 1 lessen the evil. The day seems near at hand when those millions of idolaters will arrange themselves un- der the opposing standards of Islam and Christianity. The lesson of this conference is that the work of evan- gelization should be advanced all along the ordinary lines of missionary effort, and that a definite work for the evangelization of the Moslems should be undertaken by all societies. Men and women, specially fitted for this work, should be sent forth into every Moslem land without delay, who by tactful effort should seek es- pecially to win the Moslems back to the allegiance of Christ the Saviour of the world. Lastly, this conference filled all Christian hearts in Cairo with new hope and courage. Is it too much to expect that this joyful hope will also fill the hearts of God's people everywhere? We do not believe any Christian can read the papers now published, without feeling in his heart a new joy in the belief that God is answering the prayer of Abraham for his son Ishmael : ''Oh, that Ishmael might live before thee." (Gen. 17 : 18.) "Oh, that Ishmael might live before thee." (Gen. 17 : 18.) The editorial committee desires to express on behalf of the conference most hearty thanks to the Eev. S. W. Gentle- Cackett, secretary of the Bible Lands Missions' Aid Society, who with the consent of his society has made a speedy publication of these paj)ers possible for pledging £100 for that purpose. E. M. W. Officers and Committees of Conference Officers Chairman, Eev. S. M. Zwemer, D. D. Vice- Chairman, Eev. H. U. Weitbrecht, D. D. Secretary and Treasurer, Eev. John Giffeu, D. D. Clerics, Eev. W. E. Lowther, and Eev. E. M. Mac- Innes. Committee on Program Eev. E. M. Wherry, D. D. (Am. Pres., India). Eev. H. U. Weitbrecht, D. D. (C. M. S., India). Eev. Milton H. Marshall (Asst. Sec. N. A. M., London). Eev. S. M. Zwemer, D. D. (E. C. Am., Arabia). Committee on Local Arrangements Eev. H. H. Jessup, D. D. (Am. Pres. Syria). Eev. Douglas M. Thornton, M. A. (C. M. S., Cairo). Eev. J. P. Pennings (Dutch Mission, Calioub, Egypt). Eev. John Giffen, D. D. (U. P., Cairo). Executive Committee (Standing) Eev. H. H. Jessup, D. D. Eev. John Giffen, D. D. Eev. M. H. Marshall. Eev. J. S. Timpany, M. D. Eev. D. M. Thornton, M. A. Bishop F. W. Warne, D. D. Eev. E. M. Wherry, D. D. Eev. H. U. Weitbrecht, D. D. Eev. F. Wurz. Eev. S. M. Zwemer, D. D. List of Delegates to Cairo Conference Eev. George Alexander, D.D., American Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, New York City, V. S. A. Eev. J. E. Alexander, D.D., American TJ. P. Mission, Assiut, Egypt. Eev. W. B. Anderson, American U. P. Mission, Sialkote, Punjab, North India. Eev. Johannes Awetaranian, Deutsche Orient Mission, Schumla, Bulgaria. E. C. Carter, Esq., National Secretary, Y. M. C. A., 86, College Street, Calcutta, India. Eev. J. S. Chandler, American Board of Foreign Mis- sions, Madras, South India. Eev. A. A. Cooper, M.A., B. & F. B. S., Alexandria, Egypt. Eev. W. Dickins, North African Mission, 33, Sharia Haggari, Alexandria. Eev. C. A. Dodds, Eeformed Presbyterian Mission, Messina, Asia Minor. Eev. W. K. Eddy, American Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, Sidon, Syria. G. Sherwood Eddy, Esq., Y. M. C. A., Madras, South India. Eev. James Enderlin, German Pioneer Mission, As- suan, Upper Egypt. Eev. S. G. Ewing, D.D., American U. P. Mission, Cairo, Egypt. "W. T. Fairman, Esq., North African Mission, Shebin- el-Kom, Egypt. Eev. Thos. J. Finney, American TJ. P. Mission, Al- exandria, Egypt. 13 14 List of Delegates to Cairo Conference Miss M. T. Maxwell Ford, Dr. D. M. Steam's Bible Classes, Safed, Galilee, Palestine. Eev. W. H. T. Gairdner, C. M. S., Bait Arabi Pasha. Cairo. Eev. S. W. Gentle- Cackett, Bible Lands Missions' Aid Society, 7, Adam Street, Strand, Loudon, W.C. Eev. J. Gififen, D.D., American U. P. Mission, Cairo, Egypt. Eev. W. Goldsack, Australian Baptist Mission, Pubua, Bengal, Xortli ludia. Dr. F. G. Harpur, M.B., C. M. S. (Xile Itiueratiug), Cairo, Egypt. ^^' Dr. L-a Harris, M.B., American Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, Tripoli, Syria. Eev. W. Harvey, D.D., American U. P. Mission, Cairo, Egypt. Eev. G. F. Herrick, D.D., American Board of Foreign Missions, Bible House, Constantinople. Miss M. Y. Holliday, American Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, Tabriz, Persia. Eev. Olaf Hoyer, Danish Church Mission to Ai-abia, Aden, South Ai'abia. Eev. H. H. Jessup, D.D., American Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, Beirut, Syria. Eev. S. ]M. Jordan, M.A., American Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, Teheran, Persia. IMi'S. S. M. Jordan, American Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, Teheran, Persia. Miss L. Kitching, Palestine and Lebanon Nurses' Mis- sion, Baakleen, Lebanon, Syria. Miss H. La Grange, American Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, Tripoli, Syria. Eev. E. John Larson, Swedish Mission Society, Stockholm, Sweden. List of Delegates to Cairo Conference 15 Dr. Johannes Lepsius, Director of the Deutsche Orient Mission, Berlin, Gross-Lichterfelde, Zehlendor- firsh, 16. J. Gordon Logan, Esq., Egypt General Mission, Bel- beis, Egypt. Eev. W. E. Lowther, Methodist Episcopal Mission, Penang, Straits Settlements. Eev. E. Maclnnes, C.M.S., Cairo, Egypt. Eev. Chauncey Murch, D.D., American U. P. Mis- sion, Tanta, Egypt. Eev. E. L. Page, Society of St. John the Evangelist, Cowley St. John, Oxford, England. Eev. Pieter Jan Pennings, Presbyterian Mission of Holland, Calioub, Egypt. Eev. W. Eobertson, M.A., Church of Scotland Foreign Missions, Cairo. A. B. Scott, Esq., South Morocco Mission of TJ. F. Church of Scotland. Miss A. de Selincourt, Zenana Bible and Medical Mis- sion, Allahabad, U. P. India. Prof. A. E. Simpson, U. F. Church of Scotland, Ed- inburgh. Miss M. A. Smith, American U. P. Mission, Cairo, Egypt. Eev. J. S. Stewart, Eef. Presb. Board of Foreign Mis- sions, Latakia, Syria. G. Swann, Esq., Egypt General Mission Abbassiyeh, Cairo. Miss A. Y. Thompson, American U. P. Mission, Cairo, Egypt. Eev. J. S. Timpany, M.D., American Baptist Mission- ary Union, Hassan Eonda, Deccan, India. Eev. D. M. Thornton, C.M.S., Bait Arabi Pasha, Cairo, Egypt. A. T. TJpson, Esq., Nile Mission Press, Cairo, Egypt l6 List of Delegates to Cairo Conference Eev. J. Van Ess, Dutch Reformed Church in America, Busrah, Persian Gulf. Miss A. Van Sommer, Prayer Union for Egypt, Fair- haven, Palais, Ramleh, Egypt. Rev. F. Von Velsen, Rhenish Mission, Unna, Germany. Bishop F. W. ^yarne, D.D., Methodist Episcopal Mis- sion, Lucknow, Korth India. Rev. A. Watson, D.D., American TJ. P. Mission, Cairo, Egypt, Rev. H. U. Weitbrecht, D.D., C.M.S., Lahore, North India. Rev. E. M. Wherry, D.D., American Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, Ludhiaua, Punjab, North India. Eev. S. G. Wilson, D.D., American Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, Tabriz, Persia (via Russia). Miss R. T. Wilson, American U. P. Mission, Gur- daspur, Punjab, India. Rev. F. Wiirz, Evangelical Missionary Society, Basel, Switzerland. Rev. J. C. Young, M.B., U. F. Church of Scotland Mission, Sheikh Othman, Arabia. Rev. S. M. Zwemer, D.D., Dutch Reformed Church in America, Bahrein, Arabia. The Program Date. Houes. Subjects. Speakers, etc. Wedn., 4 — 9-12 — Constitution of Conference, Election of Officers, etc. Opening Address— Rev. H. H. Jessup, D. D. Quiet Hour. (Statistical Surveys ") -r, c, ni- r/ -rx -r^ of the Mobam- 1 5^^' ?«• «' ^.TT^""' ^- ^• medan World. jKev. C. R. Watson. Quiet Hour. " 5-7 — Islam in Africa: — Egypt and Eastern t -r, i -m- ^ -.^ -rv Sudan. \ ^e^- A- Watson, D. D. North Africa. Mr. W. Summers. West Africa. Dr. W. R. Miller. Thnra., 5— 9-12— Islam in the Turkish Empire : — Turkey. Rev. G. F. Herrick, D. D. Syria & Palestine. Rev. W. K. Eddy. ,, Arabia. Rev. J. C. Young, M. B. 2-4 — Islam in India — North. Rev. E. M. Wherry, D.D. South. Rev. M. G. GoldsmiLh. New Islam. Rev.H.U.Weitbrecbt.D.D. '• 5-7— Islam in— Persia. Rev.W.St. Clair Tisdall,D.D. Malaysia. | g^^- ^- pinion. (. Rev. J. Ver Hoeven. China, etc. I S"^" JT* ^o^,^''^- I Rev. Dyer Ball. Friday, 6- 9-12 1 I^^*«™*^^^^^«;^^ f Rev.W.St.Clair Tisdall.D.D. Educated Classes. | g^^' ^\?- J- Gairdner. I Rev. D. M. Thornton. 2-4-Illiterate Classes. I g*^-^.Goldsack (. Rev.T.GrahameBaiIey,B.D. Enquirers, Con- ] verts, Backsliders. I Rev. J. Van Ess. Support of Perse- f Mr. J. Gordon Logan, cuted Converts. J 5-7— Medical Missions, j S^- f- J- Harpnr, I Dr. Ira Hams. ~ " ;M( len. 17 Work among Mos- j Miss Holliday '( to open Dis- lem Women. / cussion). i8 The Program Date. Houbs. Subjects. Spbakkbs, etc. Satur . 7— 9-12— Christian Doctrine Rev. W. Hooper, D. D. ' ^ j Rev. W. Shedd. Controversy. | j^^^ q p Herrick, D. D. (Relation between ~l Heathen. J Conditions for ") Baptism and V Rev. H. H. Jeasnp, D. D. Confession J .4 0.4/ Missionaries and | j^^^ ^ Dickins. •*^ \ Helpers, etc. ) Preparation of "i r^j^^ gishop of Lahore. Labourers. J 5-7 1 ^'''^ *? ^2"^ *^^ I Mr. R. E. Speer. ^' \ Church at Home. / TheStudentMove- I ^^^ g i^_ Zweraer, D. D. ment and Islam. ) Pbayee and Peaisb Appeal From the Cairo Conference to the Churches The great needs of more than two hundred million Mohammedans and the present problems of work among them, laid upon the hearts of missionaries in several countries, led to the assembling of this confer- ence of delegates from missions in Moslem lands, which has been sitting at Cairo from the 4th to the 9th April, 1906. We have been presented with a series of compre- hensive reviews of the whole Mohammedan world, of its ethnic, social, religious and intellectual conditions, of missionary work thus far accomplished, and of the tasks and problems still presented by it to the Chris- tian Church ; we have considered, though too briefly, some of the chief methods of missionary work among Mohammedans in preaching, literature, medicine, and upbuilding of converts. These outstanding facts as to the great needs of the Mohammedan world, the first fruits of its evangeliza- tion, and the openings for a great advance in bringing the gospel to Moslems, have been borne in upon us as a strong call from God to His Church in the present day. Coming from many Mohammedan and Christian lands, and dealing with varied aspects of Islam, we unitedly and urgently call upon the Christian Church, as represented by her missionary agencies, for a fresh departure in the energy and effectiveness of her work 19 20 Appeal From the Cairo Conference among Mohammedans. We ask that it may be strengthened and promoted, (1) by setting apart more special labourers and by giving them a specialized training ; (2) by organizing more efficiently the pro- duction and distribution of literature for Mohammed- ans ; (3) by systematic common arrangements for the fresh occupation of important centres, and the more effective working of those already occupied, and for forestalling the entrance of Islam into territories, so far, pagan. With this view we draw the attention of the committees and boards to the volume under pub- lication embodying the surveys presented to the con- ference and we suggest that action on this basis be considered by the meetings held in each country for interdenominational missionary action. God wills it. May He enable us to do His will. Signed by the Executive Coinmittee : — John Giffen, D.D. (U. P. of K A.) H. H. Jessup, D.D (Am. Pres.) Milton H. Mahshall (N. Africa) Dr. J. S. TiMPANY (Am. Baptist) Eev. D. M. Thornton M. A. (C. M. S.) Bishop F. W. Waene (M. Episcopal, U.S.A.) E. M. Where Y, D.D. (Am. Pres.) H. U. Weitbrecht, Ph. D., D.D. (C. M. S.) Eev. F. WuRZ (Basel Ev. Mis.) S. M. Zwemer, D.D., F.E.G.S. (Arabian) Representing 29 Missionary Societies. Appeal From the Cairo Conference 21 Women's Appeal to Women's Boards of Missions We, the women missionaries assembled at tlie Cairo Conference, would send this appeal on behalf of the women of Moslem Lands to all the Women's Mission- ary Boards and Committees of Great Britain, America, Canada, France, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Holland, Australia, and New Zealand. While we have heard with deep thankfulness of many signs of God's blessing on the efforts already put forth, yet, we have been appalled at the reports which have been sent in to the conference from all parts of the Moslem world, showing us only too plainly that, as yet, but a fringe of this great work has been touched. The same story has come from India, Persia, Ai-abia, Africa, and other Mohammedan lands, making evident that the condition of women under Islam is everywhere the same — and that there is no hope of effectually remedying the spiritual, moral, and physical ills which they suffer, except to take them the message of the Saviour, and that there is no chance of their hear- ing, unless we give ourselves to the work. JVo one else will do it. This lays a heavy responsibility on all Christian women. The number of Moslem women is so vast — not less than one hundred million — that any adequate effort to meet the need must be on a scale far wider than has ever yet been attempted. We do not suggest new organizations, but that every Church and Board of Missions at present working in 22 Appeal From the Cairo Conference Moslem lands should take up their own women's branch of work with an altogether new ideal before them, determining to reach the whole world of Moslem women in this generation. Each part of the women's work being already carried on needs to be widely ex- tended. Trained and consecrated women doctors; trained and consecrated women teachers ; groups of women workers in the villages ; an army of those with love in their hearts to seek and save the lost. And, with the willingness to take up this burden, so long neglected, for the salvation of Mohammedan women, even though it may prove a very Cross of Calvary to some of us, we shall hear our Master's voice afresh with ringing words of encouragement: — '■^ Have faith in Gody — For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain " Be thou removed," and "Be thou cast into the sea," and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that these things which He saith shall come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he saith. — "Nothing shall be impossible unto you." RELATION OF MISSIONS TO MOSLEMS AND MISSIONS TO PAGANS De. Johannes Lepsius Discussion : ^ Dr. Zwemer asked, "Does this relation apply also to work amongst Copts and Armenians, etc. ?" Dr. Lepsius said yes. Dr. Wherry called attention to a book by Mr. Foland entitled Nazarenus or Jewish, Gentile, and Mahometan Christianity in which the author maintains that the errors of Islam are those of the Judaizing Christians who persecuted St. Paul. He maintains the idea that the church made a mistake in insisting on uniformity between Jewish and Greek Christians. The promises to the Jews were everlasting and hence the obligations were alone binding' on them. The Jewish Christian Church should be subject to the requirements of the Mosaic law, but in no case should the Gentile. There should have been a Jewish form of Christianity in the world now, in which case, probably all Jews would be Christians. Islam is an attempt to attain that posi- tion — hence they are Gentile-Jews or a Gentile-Judaiz- ing sect. * The editors of this section of the papers read at the Cairo Con- ference regret the failure of Dr. Lepsius' most interesting paper to come to hand in time for publication. Should it do so before the completion of the volume, it will appear as the Appendix. An outline of the discussion -which followed the paper is given here. 23 24 Mission Work Among Moslems He (Dr. Wherry) agreed with Dr. Lepsius that there should be special men set apart, with special prepara- tion, to enable them to be in sympathy with the Mos- lems and not treat them like the heathen. He should like to see this paper published amongst Christians. Dr. Herrick said how greatly this conference profited by the presence of friends from Germany. With re- gard to Dr. Lepsius' paper, he was profoundly im- pressed by it, and wished to second Dr. Wherry's de- sire that it should be given to the Christian world, not by the conference, but under Dr. Lepsius' own name. He did not mean to imply that he would endorse every sentence, but several important objects would be ac- complished, for it emphasizes the importance of special preparation of labourers, and makes a distinct, clear and correct statement showing that Moslems are not heathen. To classify them as a Judeo-Christian sect has merits, (1) That of sui-prise. (2) Stimulating thought. (3) It gives a grip on the Moslem himself and will not offend him. Dr. Watson said that in confirmation of the paper, one of their Moslem converts who is now giving lessons in the theological classes has recently proved that in his earliest years Mohammed himself was a nominal Christian. Mr. Page said he wished to call attention to one part of the paper which seemed to say that the Moham- medan God was the same as the God of Israel. Ought we not to be very clear in our own minds, for there is a great difference if not antagonism between the God of Missions to Moslems and Pagans 25 Mohammed and the God of the Christian. We wish to concede all we can, and to do nothing to irritate, but we must be very clear in our own minds as to the dif- ferences (1) in the being of God which is Triune ; (2) in the character of God. Mohammed was really an idolater because his con- ception of God was really a caricature. Br. Lejys'ms in reply said he would ask Mr. the convert from Islam, whether the God whom he now adores is the same or another. (He says "the same.") He thought the answer could only be given by a con- verted Moslem, though certainly we do not know God truly till we know Christ. Yet we may truly say that the God of the New Testament is the God of the Old, though in the latter He was not yet manifested in Christ. Another point he wished to mention was, ' ' What may have been the reason why the church was so late in taking np missions to Moslems." The answer was in his paper. We have a double movement in the history of the church. (1) A forward movement in missions to Pagans. This started from Jerusalem, and extended to the Eoman Empire, to Europe, and the North American world. (2) Simultaneously there was a retrograde movement, beginning with the ref- ormation of the Eoman Church — the Stundist move- ment — the beginning of reformation in the Greek Church. The reform in the American brethren, the Church of England and the next station in the back- ward road is the reform of Islam. It is by no means accidental that it has been taken up by those who have been led to attempt to reform the Churches of the East. 26 Mission Work Among Moslems Following this will come the last step, the conversion of Israel. The Lord does not come once only to the nations. With Him as with the Good Samaritan, He will repay all when He comes again. In this alone we see wherein the great difference exists. Missions to Moslems are for the reconversion of those who have lapsed ; but God is merciful also to the backslider. With regard to Islam we must " never let Him go." Dr. Eddy said. The question is a practical one. It is a point of contact if we take advantage of it as St. Paul did showing that ''the unknown God" is ours. It would only irritate the Moslems if we deny that they worship the one true God. Dr. Zwemer said that the Moslems lack the idea of the holiness of God. He agreed with Mr. Page. They agree in monotheism but the essence and attributes of their God are different. He is without love or holi- ness. Mr. Wilson of Persia, asked if a society or mission should devote themselves exclusively to Moslem work. Missions in Persia began in that way, but at times the difficulties had been such that they had turned their attention to the Armenians and Jews. Some places can only be occupied if ten families of nominal Christians or Jews live there and work is nominally among them. A society with this intention has opportunities of working which it could not have if directed exclusively to Moslems, Dr. Wurz said, In certain ways and places the two cannot be separated. Many people are on the Missions to Moslems and Pagans 27 verge between heathen and Moslems. One man must work amongst both. Half the work amongst Moslems in the world is being done by those who are also mis- sionaries to the heathen. His society is constantly confronted by this problem in West Africa. But it is a time of specializing and we shall come to the point when there must be the special man for the special work to Moslems. Bishop Warne said he had never been a missionary distinctly to Moslems, but he would remind us how much has been done for Moslems by missions to other people in the country wherever it may be. His society had never specialized in missions to Moslems, but he found there were fifty ordained natives who were con- verts from Islam in his district. One Moslem in a good position has gathered round him 5, 000 converts. Where a country is wholly Moslem a specialty must be made. Also in Java where the people have re- cently been converted to Islam much can be done. In India there is a multitude of low caste people who will become Moslems or Christians. Ten millions in Bengal have become Moslems. Hence we should push work amongst them to save them. Some say that they will afterwards become Moslems, but this is not our experience. He mentioned one who had resigned 120 rupees a month to take ten rupees a month as a preacher. Pastor Wurz said the general tendency of our con- ference is that missions to the Mohammedans should be worked separately and not blended with other mis- sions to the heathen ; I fully agree with this. 28 Mission Work Among Moslems But in the very interest of this conference, and to pre- vent its tendency being misunderstood by missionaries to the heathen, we ought freely to acknowledge that in cer- tain countries and at certain times both missions can- not be separated but must be worked by one and the same man. One might say that one-half of the mission work which goes on among Mohammedans is done by missionaries to the heathen. This is quite natural, as, to mention but one reason, millions of people are just on the verge between heathenism and Mohammedan- ism. On the other hand, missious to the heathen are indebted to the Mohammedan problem. It is a stim- ulus to them. First, because it compels them to haste. There are numbers of tribes all through tropical Africa and elsewhere, which will be Mohammedans if the heathen missionary is not there very soon. Second, because it compels us to do solid work ; if not, we may make the people Christians to become Mohammed- ans afterwards. Third, because it compels us to take a high standard for the preparation of young mis- sionaries to the heathen, including a good acquaintance with Islam. But, after all, it is but natural that both missions should be separated in due time. n HOW TO REACH AND TEACH ILLITERATE MOSLEMS Eev. W. Goldsack The question, "How to reach and teach illiterate Moslems," is not an easy one, and can scarcely be sat- isfactorily dealt with by one whose experience is lim- ited to the semi-Hiuduized masses of Bengal Moham- medans. With an unchanging Quran as its principal guide to faith and practice, it might have been ex- pected that the problems connected with the evangeli- zation of the Moslem world would be much the same everywhere ; yet it does not require any very wide ac- quaintance with the literature of the subject to show that conditions differ very widely in various countries in their practical outworking. We have been asked to deal briefly with our sub- ject ; and shall proceed at once to take up in order the important questions, how to reachy and how to teach unlettered Moslems. I. How TO Eeach Illiterate Moslems We place as the first and foremost requisite a sympa- thetic attitude. It is a significant admission that we, as missionaries, should need to remind ourselves of such an elementary truth. Yet is it not a fact that, too often we approach ignorant and bigoted Moslems with feelings of contemptuous pity, which increase in pro- 29 30 Mission Work Among Moslems portion to the density of our hearers ? Yet woe to the missionary who fails to overcome such feelings ; for these sous of the soil, who have been brought uj) in the school of nature, are quick to read the thoughts of the heart, but slow to forget a fancied insult. Let us first assure the people amongst whom we work that we love them, and we shall have done much to prepare their hearts to receive the gospel story. There is a lan- guage which all men understand — the language of love — and too often we fail to reach our Mohammedan brethren because we have forgotten this truth. I say, forgotten, because the young missionary, when he first lands upon the scene of his life's work, is usually, brimming over with love for the people and enthusiasm for his work. It is after many a sad disillusionment, the non-realization of many an ideal, the shattering of many a cherished hope, that love is apt to grow cold, and enthusiasm wane. There come times to most of us when loyalty to truth and conscience demands un- sparing condemnation of what is false and evil ; but there are few occasions, indeed, when an intense sym- pathy and love for the people will not enable us to do so without estranging the people themselves. Espe- cially should the sympathetic spirit for which we plead manifest itself in controversy. It is a commonly accepted dictum that work amongst Moslems is impossible, if controversy be interdicted. But there is controversy and controversy, and it is here, if anywhere, that the constraining love of Christ should make it possible for us to so present the truth in love that we may win men to Christ. Let us first How to Reach and Teach Illiterate Moslems 31 convince the people that we love them, and we shall have learned much of the lesson how to reach them. One of the most effectual ways of proving that we love the people is the establishment of medical missions in their midst. As this subject will be dealt with in a later paper, we content ourselves here with expressing the conviction that there is no more potent means of breaking down prejudice and of disarming suspicion than the ministry of healing ; and we would take this opportunity to express the hope that, in its proper place, a resolution will be passed by this conference bringing before all mission boards and committees the desirability of establishing medical missions wherever mission workers are located among Mohammedans. As a method of reaching ignorant and bigoted Mos- lems the medical mission is facile priticeps. In Bengal, one of the greatest helps to the evangelist in reaching illiterate Moslems is the so-called ^^ magic lantern.^ ^ Whether it is equally useful in other coun- tries, we cannot say. By the aid of the '' lantern," we have frequently preached the gospel to audiences of 200 and 300 people, who have listened with sustained interest and delight whilst the wonderful life and min- istry of our Lord have been portrayed, and His teach- ings explained. Every successful schoolmaster knows the value of teaching through the eye ; the Christian missionary to illiterate Moslems is much in the position of the schoolmaster, and his audiences are children in all but years. To fix great facts in the memory, to bring vividly before the hearer the person of the Son of Man as He trod "those holy fields," or hung **for 32 Mission Work Among Moslems our advantage on the bitter cross," we know of noth- ing which will help the preacher more than the "magic lantern." We often undervalue the power of song as a means to gain the ears of the people. Yet au audience may be often gathered, and prejudice and suspicion dis- armed by the attractive power of song. Let us, breth- ren, cultivate this gift and consecrate it to the Master's service amongst these Eastern peoples, who are, as a rule, passionately fond of music in any form. It may sound paradoxical to some to advocate the establishment of primary schools as a means of reach- ing illiterate Moslems : in other words, to tell you to reach the illiterate by first making them literate ; yet we are persuaded that the village school is often greatly used of God in giving the Christian worker an entrance into Moslem homes. No mission field, I be- lieve, is more indebted to the school for help in break- ing down prejudice and banishing fear than that of Egypt itself; whilst in the Soudan it is the school alone which, hitherto, has given the missionary a right to exist at all as such. "We have only repeated commonplaces ; yet they need to be emphasized again ; for do we not still hear some good people affirm that the missionary's business is only to preach the gospel, and not to teach the three R's? And does not the poor unoffending '' lantern " still call forth an occasional indignant protest ? Yet we are persuaded that these, together with the mission dispensary and a truly sympathetic heart of love, will prove the best means of reaching illiterate Moslems. How to Reach and Teach Illiterate Moslems 33 n. How TO Teach Illiterate Moslems Most of us find that it is one thing to reach, and another thing to teach unlettered Mohammedans. To many of us the second is infinitely the harder, and, therefore, more important as a subject for discussion at this conference. Given your audience, with, let us suppose, prejudice and bigotry disarmed by the min- istry of healing, or interested for the time being, by the novelty of the " magic lantern," the supreme ques- tion arises, how to buy up the opportunity so that our message will not only become intelligible to our hear- ers, but will command their assent, and lead them to acceptance of our evangel. Our great business is to win men to Christ, and our success is bound to depend largely upon the wisdom of the methods we employ, and the form in which our message is delivered. As a first requisite to the successful teaching of illit- erate Moslems we unhesitatingly place in the very forefront a thorough knowledge of the vernacular of the masses. Some may not agree with us in giving a knowledge of the language such a prominent place, but we are persuaded that one of the very greatest ob- stacles to the intelligent presentation of the gospel is a defective knowledge of the vernaculars. An educated listener will often catch the drift of a preacher's ad- dress, even if that address be punctuated with gram- matical errors and idiomatic monstrosities, but for the unlettered, something more even than mere grammat- ical precision is required in order to make our message intelligible to him. That something can only be learned in close personal contact with the people them- 34 Mission Work Among Moslems selves. The young missionary usually gains his first knowledge of the language in which he is to work from books — a training ill suited, in itself, to fit him for addressing illiterate audiences. The language of the masses can only be gained through close personal intercourse with the masses ; and as well address an East London audience in the language of Exeter Hall, as attempt to unfold the plan of redemption to unlet- tered Asiatics through the medium of the language learned from the teacher and his books. We have heard of a missionary who, after haranguing a crowd of rustics for some time, was politely requested by one of his audience to speak in the vernacular as they did not understand English ! We cannot vouch for the truth of this story ; but we do plead, nevertheless, for a thorough knowledge of the vernacular of the masses as an indispensable preliminary to effective teaching of the masses. Too often, the mission boards at home are to blame, and the young missionary, before he has been six months in his new sphere of work, is so over- burdened with responsibilities as various as they are fatal to study, that a thorough mastery of the language becomes an impossibility. Yet it is a well-known fact that if a missionary does not gain a grip of the lan- guage in his first year or two, he seldom gains it at all. It is generally "picked up," and, as a result, his audiences ever after are usually " muddled up." Amongst the practical results of this conference we should like to see a strong appeal to all home commit- tees to study the best interests of the great work which we all have so much at heart, by allowing their How to Reach and Teach Illiterate Moslems 35 agents ample time for the thorough acquisition of the vernaculars, in which they are to work. Such a policy will amply repay itself in enhanced usefulness and more effective service. In the next place, let us, having acquired a good working knowledge of the language of the masses, make it a first principle in our address to illiterate Moslems to work up from admitted truths. Too often our message arouses opposition and resentment at the very outset, because we begin by dilating upon the sonship of Christ, or the reasonableness of the Trinity. It was not thus that the early apostles sought to reach and teach monotheistic Jews. It was, "Jesus of Nazareth a man approved of God," ''His Servant Jesus," or the "Prophet" whom the Lord would raise up amongst them of whom Peter and his companions spoke, and whom they held up before the people. Much bitter resentment is fostered and needless con- troversy aroused by using, at the beginning of our teaching, injudicious language regarding the person of our Lord. The way not to secure a hearing is to begin by insisting upon the divinity of Christ. That subject will come up later — who would wish to avoid it ? — but to begin with it is to begin at the wrong end, and to effectually bar the way to further instruction. The miraculous birth, the prophethood and Messiah- ship of Jesus, His wonderful miracles and not less sublime teachings are all acknowledged in Islam, and are known, more or less, to every Moslem. Let us be- gin with these, and then, slowly and almost impercep- tibly, our hearers will be led to see, as did the centurion 36 Mission Work Among Moslems of old, that truly this was the Son of God. We believe if such a plan were more generally adopted, much of the unprofitable controversy and useless wrangling, which seem so inseparable from work amongst un- lettered Moslems, would, in a large measure, be avoided. In this connection the Quranic titles of Christ, es- pecially if they are also Scriptural, may often furnish the basis of Christian teaching, both conciliatory to the hearer, and useful to the missionary. Most Moslems assent to the statement that Christ is the "Word of God" ; let it be ours to show what is the content of that title. An interesting point arises here ; and we hope the discussion which follows this paper will not leave untouched the question as to how far the mission- ary should go in his use of Quranic terms which are not strictly Scriptural. For instance, every Christian worker amongst Moslems knows that the distinctive title which Islam gives to our Lord is, '' Euh Ullah " — the Spirit of God. Even these terms, however, are not Quranic. How far, then, are we justified in using this " Kalimah " of Jesus Christ in order to lead on our hearers to a belief in His divinity 1 The Bible speaks of the second Adam as a '^ Life-giving Spirit" ; shall we then accept the Moslem title, and use it in argu- ment, or must we brand as mistaken the ascription of a title to the Son of Mary, which really belongs to the third person of the blessed Trinity ? Yet again, in this same connection, should we or should we not make use of Moslem terminology with respect to the person of our Lord ? For example, are How to Reach and Teach Illiterate Moslems 37 ■vre compromising our position by using such words as Hazart before the name of Jesus 1 There is no ques- tioning the fact that the nearer we can approach the Mohammedan style of address in our preaching, the more likely we are to secure and hold the attention of our audiences ; on the other hand it is equally true that the more foreign and unfamiliar our mode of speech, the less likely are we to secure a sympathetic hearing from those whom we seek to teach. In pre- cisely the same way some missionaries, conforming to Moslem phraseology, speak of the Quran sharif, others feel that tlie use of such a term tacitly carries with it an acknowledgment of the "content" of the word as understood by Moslems. It seems to us, however, that if this objection be valid, then every quotation made from the Quran carries with it precisely the same imputation ; indeed, are we not often told by our Moslem friends that we ought not to quote in argument from a Quran in which we do not believe ? Our posi- tion, then, is this : if the missionary be free to quote from the Quran without thereby necessarily leading his hearers to think that he regards it as authoritative, he is equally at liberty when speaking of the Quran to use Moslem terms of respect which will prove concilia- tory to his hearers. In like manner, we personally feel no compunction, in our addresses to Moslems, in speaking of Sazrat Isa. The Christian attitude with regard to the person and position of Christ is too well known amongst Moslems for much fear to exist that we shall be misunderstood ; on the other hand, such a policy of accommodation, if you will, often goes far to 38 Mission Work Among Moslems secure the missionary a sympathetic hearing. To n», at least, it involves no sacrifice of principle. The practice of basing oui' addresses to ]\Ioslems upon admitted truths carries with it many advantages, not the least of which is the respect which the missionary's knowledge of Mohammedan faith and practice en- genders in the minds of his hearers. Mohammedans generally believe in the necessity and efficacy of in- tercession ; the tactful missionary will lay hold of this admission, and show his hearers that intercession is needed now. In our own experience we have found few truths which are so effective in addressing Mos- lems as the blessed fact of the present exaltation and intercession of our Lord. We have here two great truths, both of which are admitted by Moslems ; the need of an intercessor, and the fact that Christ is now alive. Let us make the most of the admission. In order, however, to make use of admitted princi- ples in our preaching, it is first of all necessary that we should know clearly what those truths are. Thus we urge as a further requisite for successful dealing with Moslems, a clear and adequate knoicledge of their religions beliefs. We are sometimes told that it is the mission- ary's business to preach Christ, and not to waste his time in the study of non-Christian systems. We once had a letter from a Delhi missionary, who, in auswcr to a question, replied with considerable bravado that he had never once read the Quran through ! We find it difficult to find language in which to speak of such an admission. We regard such an attitude as an insult to the people themselves, and a source of untold loss How to Reach and Teach Illiterate Moslems 39 of power to the missionary who takes it up. Every missionary cannot be an expert, but to remain igno- rant of the main teachings of the Quran and the tradi- tions, and to be insensible to the main facts of Moslem history is to curtail our influence with and largely nullify our attempts to teach Moslems, whether liter- ate or illiterate. Upon the other hand, an apt quota- tion will invariably gain for the preacher the respect and attention of his audience. We are persuaded that the success of a missionary iu his attempts to teach illiterate Moslems will largely be proportionate to his knowledge of the thoughts, beliefs and prejudices of those whom he addresses, and for this reason we plead for a careful study of Islam by every missionary en- gaged in work amongst Mohammedans. Again, to be practical, is it not possible for this con- ference to make earnest representation to all mission boards and committees, pointing out the wisdom of re- quiring all missionary recruits to make some study of the faiths which they are seeking to displace ? It has been our misfortune to meet with missionaries in India, most estimable people in other respects, who had the most vague and shadowy ideas of the main principles held and taught by the peoples amongst whom they were sent to labour. Brethren, these things ought not so to be. In the next place, in addressing illiterate Moslems, let our message be brought down to the level of the capacity of our hearers. This remark would seem superfluous, were it not a fact that too often addresses may be heard dealing in philosophical abstractions and hair-splitting 40 Mission Work Among Moslems disquisitions on the rationale of the atonement and which are absolutely beyond the comprehension of those to whom they are addressed. But the human heart cries out for reconciliation with God ; let us re- spond to that cry by speaking of a present and per- sonal Saviour from sin, together with the glorious cer- tainty of assurance of forgiveness here and now. The human heart longs for personal relationships with a personal God such as the Moslem's God " sterile in his inaccessible height " fails to give ; let us emphasize the Fatherhood of God, and show that He is accessible to real and personal fellowship through Christ ; that from slaves of law we may become the enfranchised sons of God, rendering the works, not of obedient routine, but of filial and loving gratitude. The Moslem heart, de- spite the Quran, feels the need of atonement for sin, and the blood which flows at the Baqr Id furnishes a text to point to the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. Above all, let us never forget that the Moslem is ''a believing rather than a re- ligious" person, trusting in his own self- righteousness and the ceremonial performance of his allotted works. The greatest hindrance to successful evangelization is the Moslem's lack of the sense of sin. Do we speak enough of the holiness of God, or of the hideousness of sin f Let us make this the burden of all our prayers, and the dominant note in all our preaching, until the Moslem's heart, thawed in the presence of that love which passeth knowledge, turns in glad and willing surrender to Him who died that we might live. in WORK AMONG ILLITERATE MOSLEMS Eev. T. Graham Bailey, B.D., M. E. A. S. The problems which come up for discussion under this heading must vary to some extent with the pecul- iar conditions of the countries in which work amongst Mohammedans is carried on. The author of this paper deems it advisable to confine his attention to the country in which he works — North India ; for though he has had the privilege of staying for five weeks in Egypt and nine weeks in Palestine, and has had, dur- ing that time, especially in Palestine, many opportu- nities of conversing with the people, his knowledge of the peoples and of their difficulties is worth nothing in comparison with that of missionaries present in this conference who have made those countries the scene of their life work. In many respects the problems will be found to differ very slightly or not at all, and where they do differ, the differences can be alluded to in the discussion which will follow the reading of the papers. Work amongst illiterate Moslems divides itself into preaching in villages or towns, medical work, work in zenanas, and private conversation with individuals ; or dividing it otherwise we may say that the work consists of giving addresses to larger or smaller audi- ences and speaking privately to one or more indi- viduals. For convenience' sake we will consider the 41 42 Mission Work Among Moslems public preaxihiug to Mohammedans as the typical form of work amongst them. When we have consid- ered this subject it will be possible to point out the modifications which may be necessary for other forms of work and to lay stress on any special elements which are found in different branches of effort among them. Let us take up first the preparation for the address. I. Preparation (1) No preparation is more important than the spiritual preparation of the missionary's own soul. We need no excuse for insisting upon this. The most brilliant intellectual gifts, the most thorough mastery of the details of Mohammedan controversy, and the completest knowledge of the Quran or of the language in which it is written will avail little if the missionary has not got the wisdom which cometh from on high, and is not endued with the power of the Holy Ghost. Some who would feel the necessity for spiritual gifts in order to lead the devotions of Christians do not so readily recognize the same necessity in preaching to Moslems and are tempted to go forth to preach without having sought power through prayer. We may say then that in order to work among Mohammedans we ought in our daily lives to experience the joy of the presence of God and the indwelling of Christ, and be equipped with the fullness of the Holy Spirit, and also in connection with every special effort we should wait upon God for power. (2) We need the preparation of thorough acquaint- Work Among Illiterate Moslems 43 The Turkish Imam. 122 Mission Work Among Moslems WoEK Ajviong Moslem Women in Caieo Miss A. Y. Thompson On returuiug from a prayer-meetiug on Tuesday of this week in Boulak, iu company with a Bible woman, going along one of the narrow streets, we heard the beating of drums, the kind used when evil spirits are being cast out. We entered the house to find about ten Moslem women who were going through terrible contortions, clad in white garments, swaying and bending, as the three professionals were vigorously beating their drums above their heads. The woman of the house came to the door, the Bible woman asked a few questions and we passed out, full of pity and sympathy for these poor women who thought they were the spiritual wives of Moham- med. One woman some time ago, who was taking lessons, described fully what was done on such an oc- casion, as her daughter was under the power of an evil spirit. The awe which such influences excite is pathetic. There are many who, though not nominally under the influence of evil spirits, are like evil spirits in their actions. Some women once told me that as they did not know how long their husbands would keep them, they tried to get out of their pockets all the money they could in the way of clothes and furni- ture, which would remain theirs iu case of a divorce. On Tuesday of last week at a women's prayer-meeting, there were sixteen women in a Mohammedan house, whose bright little mistress can read pretty well. She afterwards asked the Bible woman to bring her the Psalm selections from which we sang. The Psalm Woman's Work 123 which takes hold of the Moslem mind more than others, is the fifty-first. This was used to good effect with two Moslems on the train last week, by another Bible woman, as some of us were returning from Tanta, where we had been having our Presbyterial Mission- ary Society. She saw the men in the seat opposite her reading some book she did not think was profitable, and said, "Would it not be better to read about God"?" and handed them her copy of the prose Psalms, which she had with her. When they came to the word mercy, they stopped to talk and ask questions ; and she with all earnestness and apparent self-forgetfulness, talked and answered with explanations and comment. Thus the time passed till we reached Benha, where she gave one a copy of the Proverbs to take with him, as he left the train, and she continued to talk with the other man till we reached Cairo, where she presented him with the book. Another Bible woman goes from door to door among the huts, in a district which was opened up in 1891. The women gather from different neighbouring houses, and she sits and reads the Bible to them and to any man who may stop to listen. She says they have given up much quarrelling, praying to saints, tombs, etc. , as a result of the reading. One old blind Moslem said to her, '' Come and moisten our souls with the words of our Master Jesus." In our last statistics for my own work, there are en- rolled as taking reading lessons thirty-nine Moslem 124 Mission Work Among Moslems women, and seventy-four regular hearers ; and one of the nine Bible loomen is a converted Moslem. It is difficult to know how much of religious exer- cises should be engaged in, as if prayer is offered some may be repelled ; and yet others wish to learn to pray. The schools afford the best method of reaching some Moslems, especially those who board in schools, and who come under the constant religious influence of their Christian teachers. In our schools in Egypt we have a large number of Moslem girls, fifteen being now boarders in our mis- sion house in Cairo. Ex-pupils are often found, in visiting towns and houses. The great need is to find teachers and Bible women who are " on fire with love to God." It seems to me that medical work and the hospital are the best means of reaching a class of people who do not come to the schools, and whole districts can thus be reached. In our hospital in Assiout 666 Mos- lems were patients in one [year. In the clinics there are regular Scripture reading and religious exercises, as well as in the hospitals, carried on by missionaries and assistants. In Tauta, where we have three lady physicians in a hospital for women and children, ninety per cent, of the patients were Moslems, and thus homes and vil- lages were opened to the gospel and to those who ex- plain the word. In the Benha clinic fifty towns were represented whose sick had come to our lady physician there for treatment. Woman's Work 12c Kindly visits can be made to many of the better classes by those who understand eastern ways, and many towns and people can be reached by means of the mission boat His, by the missionaries appointed to that work. Great preparation of heart is necessary for the work, and I often think of Christ's words : ''This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." Miss Ford told of work in North Galilee, where there were 300 villages, 280 of these being Moslem. They are invited to the villages, and choose one central one for a week's visit, from which they can visit seven or eight others. The work is entirely evangelistic, and everywhere they meet with attention. At first they had no helpers— now they have thirteen. In each village from 100 to 300 would listen daily (mostly men). At one time they made special prayer that they might be sent to those who were soon to die. Their prayer was answered, and on several occasions they were able to point the dying one to the Saviour. Miss de Selincourt said she had worked in Bombay and Calcutta with freedom. Now she works in North India with the same freedom. The women are often very stupid and very ignorant. The most acute prob- lem is in connection with the training of women workers ; very few are trained at alL A mistaken charity often gives a woman a post as teacher, for which she is not prepared. The need of workers is Jipw also an acute problem. The government now 126 Mission Work Among Moslems trains workers amongst Moslem women, and has ap- pealed for a university lady to go and organize their work. If we do not take the matter in hand govern- ment will oust us. The missionaries also feel the need of more training. Most of us are too old to learn much now. Knowl- edge of the Koran is a great help even in the zenanas ; we are often called upon to discuss with men of the family who naturally must know what we teach and why. We need, also, closer cooperation between men and women workers. In Agra there are 500 women and girls under instruction, but no one to work amongst the men. Many are ready to come out, but the ques- tion arises, is it right for them to leave their homes ? Miss Betvley spoke of the work in Khartoum, where a new school for girls has recently been built. The children number eighty to ninety, of whom six are small boys and the rest girls. Nearly all are Moslems. In Khartoum we are obliged to have a conscience clause whereby children may be exempted from the New Testament teaching if the parents or guardians so desire. A few were exempted last year, but this year not one has claimed this right. There are four sisters in the school, the daughters of an ofBcer in the district. The mother has Moslem prayers with her family daily, and when these are finished the daughters kneel and say the Lord's prayer together. They know much of the Bible and at heart are really Christian. They cannot go and read the Bible to the people in Woman's Work. 127 their homes unless asked to do so, but they are some- times asked to do so and this has occurred in the house of Zobair Pasha, the former slave dealer. Here the favomite story is that of the Prodigal Son. Mr. A. D. Cooper asked for an expression of opinion on the real value of the work of Christian Bible women among their Moslem sisters. Br. Jessup said, " It depends on the woman. They should be instructed to read the Bible only and to answer questions on it. Otherwise they may spend their time in ordinary talk." Miss Wilson (India) said that a normal class in con- nection with the girls' school at Dehra Doon, India, trained Bible women to be sent out to teach the women. vm CONVERTS AND BACKSLIDERS Eev. John Van Ess If ever I felt poignantly the need of divine wisdom. and guidance, it was three months ago in an inland town of Mesopotamia, when an Arab called on me at the khan and, after a few preliminary remarks, laid bare to me what I consider to be the vitals of the whole Mohammedan missionary problem. It was un- intentional on his part, and yet he set me thinking, and all that night I thought, and all the days that have followed I have been in a new world. I have found my academic deductions of psychology and philosophy failing me, and feel as if I must start anew to study theology, must get a new world- view, perhaps a different God-view if I would be a successful mission- ary to the Moslems and make a telling breach in the bulwarks of Islam. I will not detail to you all that passed in that conversation with the Arab, only that he said he was tired of Islam, not because of its falsity as a logical system ; all such systems were arbitrary he said, not because of its failure to guarantee a man peace of mind and soul which he said he had. He said there was no such thing as right, and proved it by showing that we need the word xorong to define right. He said you cannot 128 Converts and Backsliders 129 conceive of absolute right ; you must posit wrong to give shape to your idea of right, and therefore sin is a landmark, so to speak, and therefore righteousness is a norm. But who says that that norm avails in the world beyond. If God is absolute, and heaven is His home, then we have no place in heaven, for all our theology. Christian, Moslem, and Jewish needs sin to think aright, and therefore cannot prepare us for a life with God. Our education in this world is arbitrary and temporal. He admitted there was a life beyond, but that life is unknown. Perhaps you would spring up at once and reply to his notions of system, of right and wrong, sin and righteousness, God and man and life. I know what arguments you would use. I used them myself, and they did no good. That Arab asked one thing. He said, ' ' Prove that Jesus Christ can guide beyond the grave, and if you can prove that, I will follow Him here." It was the first good glimpse I had ever had into the mind of an oriental. I can see now why the Mohammedan can hold his false system without wincing, how he can believe two contradictories, why he is a fatalist, and why he is reckless of this life, and why all is based on God who is merciful and compassionate. The Semitic is above all else a religious being, be he Jew, Christian or Moslem, whose whole life, his think- ing and his acting, is on a religious basis. You and I can talk business for six hours and not mention God's name once ; no two Semitics of any creed can do so without invoking God's law to prove or dis- prove several times. Now the problem is this : — By 130 Mission Work Among Moslems what criterion are we to judge an oriental convert to Christianity ? Shall we impose upon him the same criteria as those by which we recognize an occidental convert? We have several such conditions. One is the broken heart. That is not always a test for us, as you know, much less for a Semitic. If that fails we ask simply, "Does a man give evidence of the fruits of the spirit ?" Love? and yet an oriental Catholic Christian loves Christ and is exceedingly jealous of His honour and prestige, yet is sadly enough often not a converted man. Joy? It is joy run mad in an oriental Christian. Peace? His peace is fatalistic. Long-suffering? The Armenians suffered much for Christ, and yet many of them are not truly born again. Kindness ? Kindness is a trait of all orientals as witnessed in their hospitality. Goodness? Their idea of goodness is an obedience to the letter of the law. They are right from their point of view. The Semitic cannot think for himself, has no power of initiative ; his is a soldier's obedience, and therefore a soldier's goodness, and we cannot require them to have initiative and to be positively good as we are. Faith ? Their faith is superstition, and yet it has all the elements of faith. Gentleness? If we eliminate local conditions and make due allowance for them they are gentle enough. Temperance ? Take for ex- ample that type of temperance which we call toler- ance. Many oriental Christians are not tolerant, and yet are true childi-en of God. Or temperance in the use of earthly goods. I think thej^, as a whole, will bear comparison with us. Or would you require of Converts and Backsliders 131 them a statement of doctrine, or a consistent world- or God-view I I know native Christian priests and bishops who can give you all that, and yet they are not satisfactory as Christians. I will not enumerate any more of what we consider possible criteria of conversion. I simply stated the foregoing as sugges- tions. I want your conclusion. Personally my own conclusion is half formed. I think we may well take Jesus Christ's methods as our model. He was Himself a Semitic, and understood the workings of the Semitic mind, and I regard the Gospel of Matthew as a pecul- iarly fitted guide written, as it was by a Jew for Jews under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the author of wisdom. The Gospel of Matthew is unique in its full statement of the Sermon on the Mount. That sermon is full of illustrations. Dlustrations to us are no argument. We demand analogy. And yet Jesus Christ in dealing with the Jews used illustrations and parables almost entirely. His arguments are only rarely a fortiori, as for example the egg, and the fish, and the scorpion, and the serpent, and almost always d posteriori and deductive, therefore His miracles. Now an oriental's whole view of life and of men's relation to each other is patriarchal. The sheikh idea pervades all their thinking. So the Holy Spirit made allowance for that, and we find in Matthew the royal genealogy. And Christ to prove that He was rightly sheikh, so to speak, quotes Moses and then contrasts Himself and says, "But I say." He puts forth His claim over against a rival and therefore speaks of two gates, two ways, two trees, two foundations. He is 132 Mission Work Among Moslems greater than Solomon, than Jonah, "before Abraham was I am." He is the true temple. His covenant the lasting one. Christ presents Himself to the Semitic as the true leader, the true Saviour, the true king, the true sheikh, if I may say so reverently. You see He led the Jews along the line of least resistance. He wanted allegiance. The Arab for example shows his allegiance by being always ready to follow the flag of his sheikh that glory may accrue for his leader and the tribe. In other words propaganda is his watch- word and the test of his loyalty. And so I venture as my conclusion this criterion of conversion, '^ Is the Moslem ready to propagate the new faith ? ' ' You see it is taking the idea which has made Islam a mission- ary religion and which has been found to be agreeable to the Moslem liking and appropriating it for Christ's advantage. True enough Islam is not now so mission- ary as it was, yet Moslems are not as true Moslems as they were. If a Mohammed ibu Abd el Wahhab could appeal to this sentiment and use it to so great an advantage, I think the Christian missionary may profit by the example. When Paul was converted, people were not so surprised at his outward manifesta- tions, emotional or religious, but the disciples could not believe that he had become a propagandist. ' ' He preacheth the faith which before he destroyed." So Nicodemus in coming to Christ was attracted to Him as a miracle worker, and as such a self-vindicated, powerful and authoritative sheikh. He wanted to compromise and recognize Christ as a teacher, but Christ at once leads him back of it all, and sets forth Converts and Backsliders 133 His Kingdom idea into which Nicodemus must be born anew. He must transfer his allegiance to a dif- ferent leader and his works must be made manifest. The vital criterion therefore is, I think, whether a Moslem is willing to engage in active Christian propaganda. His needs as a convert then are primarily two. 1. To be placed as soon as possible in a place in which he must propagandize, without remuneration, and the missionary must carefully and oh, so prayerfully, watch the extent of his progress, and must push him to the limit always. 2. And the second need, and here I come to what probably is the heart of the whole problem, and that is : — a living example on the part of the missionary of unselfish, untiring, loyal activity. This will entail hardship ; we must be willing to sacrifice our dignity and even be willing to do what the world calls foolish- ness. I admire both the sense and devotion of a mis- sionary at Diabekr who would boldly enter the govern- ment serai and announce to the Turkish governor and his staff that he had come to pray with and for them. I fear that in my own life and work the devil would persuade me that under like circumstances caution and tact would be better policy. Perhaps the Church of God has too long tried to win the day by policy and statecraft— and perhaps a little more hammer and tongs, reckless, defiant, uncalculating faith would be consummate statecraft. I fear that in my own life this will strike to the quick. A man's own person is his most precious and best kept treasure and in order to 134 Mission Work Among Moslems face the contumely which surely will result we will need to keep close to the Lord Jesus. Only by spend- ing much time in the dust before Him can we ever consent to grovel in the dust for our fellow meu'ssakes. Paul said he travailed in birth, he became hideous, he had a thorn in the flesh. He uses many of such figures to express the suppression of his person. "I buffet my body and bring it into bondage lest by any means after that I have preached to others I myself should be rejected" — a castaway, an old edition, true enough as far as it goes, but unused, shelved, be- cause it does not conform to the times and demands. On the basis of what I have said I think the inquirer can be judged along the same line as the convert. Only this I add. I would prefer calling every man an inquirer who, whether in mockery or in earnest, asks for a defense or statement of our faith. If in earnest, of course he can be readily dealt with and I think effectually reached by following the method presented in Matthew. K in mockery or out of curiosity, he surely will bear at any rate such a plain statement of Christian faith and doctrine as might prove offensive to another. The point therefore is to get in- quirers, and I think the best way to get them is by a fearless and yet inoffensive parade of Christ's per- son and work, by the missionary in a bold even in- tensely conspicuous life of propaganda. I feel myself too inexperienced to venture any sug- gestion for the treatment of a backslider. Only this : — Never let him go ! That same pity and yearn- ing compassion that followed Judas to the end and Converts and Backsliders 135 called him friend and loved him always will not, I be- lieve, let any fallen brother lie alone. God's eternal covenant of grace, our blood-stained fields of labour, our prayers will and must prevail. Oh, for greater and more Christlike love to sympathize with the Mo- hammedans, and oh, for grace to keep from falling back too. Finally — Our aim is to make converts ; to that end we stretch all our energies and spend our money. But IS that really our aim ? Suppose now that we have the convert, does our endeavour stop there — suppose the whole world were converted — is that our goal ? Our duty, rather our real work, only begins there. As the mechanic who by patient toil has repaired and made anew the broken parts of his machine but whose eye and heart are all the time set on the moment when he can draw back the lever and let the mighty steam into the waiting parts, so patiently, prayerfully and persistently we try to set God's world right, turn it right side up, only then, however feeling our task really beginning when with Christ high in the steam-guage, and willing hands and hearts and heads, the Christian Catholic Church shall begin to render to God Triune the praise so long His due. Our aim then is not converts, not churches, not schools, but harmony, harmony with God and communion with Him. This paper was followed by an address by Eev. Gordon Logan upon the question of how to provide for persecuted converts, which address was unfortu- nately not written out for the use of the committee on publication of the conference report. As a result of 136 Mission Work Among Moslems that address a committee was appointed to formulate resolutions upon this subject. These resolutions were adopted at a subsequent sitting of the conference. They ar3 as follows : Report on How to Provide Support for Inquirers and Persecuted Converts The committee appointed to consider the best methods for dealing with indigent and persecuted con- verts, considers the following course advisable : 1. Whenever a missionary believes an inquirer or refugee to be sincerely trusting in Christ as his Saviour and desires to aid him, he should endeavour at once to place him in some employment which, however, should never be more remunerative or of higher social status than his previous position. 2. Young converts and children of converts should be placed in schools, literary or industrial according to their capacity. 3. By cooperation of the various agencies at work among Mohammedans, such institutions for children as that of the Dutch mission at Calioub and the many similar institutions in India, might have their positions strengthened and made a valuable aid to the societies generally. 4. Industrial undertakings for adults and ranches, such, for example, as the one started on the Sobat River, might, with mutual advantage, be used for placing persecuted converts of the illiterate classes. 5. To facilitate the spread of such information, aa Converts and Backsliders 137 has been indicated above, to foster cooperation, and to give advice and assistance to the missionary as each case comes forward, your committee think that a cen- tral bureau should be established. rx CONDITIONS OF BAPTISM Rev. H. H. Jessup, D. D. 1. * ' Baptism is a sacrament wherein the washing with water in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost doth signify and seal our en- grafting into Christ and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace and our engagement to be the Lord's" (Westminster Assembly's ShoHer Catechism, Q. 94). 2. In Eomans 6:3, it is said, we "were baptized . . . unto Christ Jesus." 3. "He who receives baptism professes to stand in that relation to the Father, Son and Spirit which those who receive the religion of Christ sustain." That is, he proposes to receive God the Father as his Father ; God the Son as his Saviour ; and God the Holy Ghost as his teacher and sanctifier ; and this iuv'olves the en- gagement to receive the Word of which the Spirit is the author, as the rule of his faith and practice " {Hodge, Vol. 3, 539). 4. " Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible church, till they profess their faith in Christ and obedience to Him" {Shorter Cate- chism, Q. 95). 5. "Baptism is not only a sign of profession, a mark of difference, whoreby Christian men are dis- Conditions of Baptism 139 cerned from others that be not christened, but it is also a sign of regeneration or new birth, whereby as by an instrument they that receive baptism rightly, are grafted into the Church," etc. {Church of England^ Article 27). 6. Dr. Strong declares that " the proper subjects of baptism are those only who give credible evidence that they have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit" {Theology, p. 530). 7. Baptism involves : First, a profession of faith in Christ ; second, a promise of allegiance to Him. Christ's command is to " make disciples" of all na- tions, baptizing them, etc. A disciple is both a recipient and a follower. He receives Christ as his Teacher and Lord, and professes obedience and devotion to His service. Philip said to the eunuch, "If thou believest with all thine heart, thou may est" (i e., be baptized), and this discloses the principle on which the apostles uni- formly acted in this matter. This has in all ages been the practice of the Church. No man was admitted to baptism without an intelli- gent ;profession of faith in Christ and a solemn engage- ment of obedience to Him. The practice of Eomanist missionaries in baptizing the heathen in crowds does not invalidate this statement. Faith supposes knowl- edge of, at least, the fundamental doctrines of the gospel. In the early church there were classes of catechumens who were under instruction. This course was from a few months to three years, and embraced not only 140 Mission Work Among Moslems young men, but often persons in mature life and of all degrees of mental culture. At the celebration of the Lord's supper the minister said, ''Depart ye, cate- chumens !" Baptism implies (1) a credible profession of faitli, (2) a holy life — conversation void of offense. In general the qualifications are the same as for church membership, i. e., for the Lord's supper. In the early church there seems to have been no dif- ference as to preparation for baptism between converts from Judaism and paganism. All were put on proba- tion and under instruction. But the apostles, as in the case of the Day of Pente- cost, the eunuch, Cornelius and his household, Saul in Damascus and Philip's converts in Samaria, did bap- tize at once on credible evidence of faith without wait- ing for extended instruction. Our questions pertain to Mohammedan converts to Christianity. If the convert is simply intellectually convinced of the divinity of Christ, His atoning work as our Eedeemer and the divine authority of the Scrip- tures, etc. , he is then on the same footing as a nominal Christian who has not been baptized in infancy. "We need something more than a mere intellectual accept- ance of certain historic facts. We must insist upon a living personal faith or trust in Jesus Christ as the only Saviour. And the best preparation for this, is careful instruc- tion in the word of God and prayer. The Mohammedan idea of prayer is sadly mechan- ical, diy and heartless, vain repetitious, a lip service. Conditions of Baptism 141 A Moslem present at our family prayers said at the close, " Why, you pray as if God heard you ! Does He indeed hear prayer ? I never thought of it in that light before." When Kamil el Aietany first came to my study in 1890, he asked what we believed and how we prayed. I read to him from the New Testament and a few an- swers from the Westminster Catechism, and explained the atoning sacrifice of Christ, the Incarnate, Eternal ''Kalimet," the Word of God, and then offered an earnest prayer of petition, thanksgiving and confes- sion, he repeating the words after me. He was deeply affected, and rose from his knees with tears in his eyes. He was overcome with the thought of the wonderful love of God in Christ, and opened his heart to receive Christ as his Saviour. He was then placed under regular instruction in one of our high schools, and made remarkable progress ; and when he presented himself for baptism, there could have been no question as to his faith, knowledge and godliness of life, all of which were fully demonstrated by his subsequent career. After the first apprehension of his need of an atoning Saviour, he never seemed to have the least intellectual difficulty about the doctrine of the Trinity, or the divinity of Jesus Christ, although he was a mas- ter of the Koran and its peculiar doctrines. Another case was that of Jedaan, a young Bedawy Arab of the Anazy tribe of East Syria. Coming to Mt. Lebanon with a flock of sheep to sell, he begged a Protestant Christian teacher to teach him how to read. There was no apparent religious hunger and thirst as 142 Mission Work Among Moslems in Kamil's case. He learned to read and then entered the B. S. M. boy's school in Beirut. Here he had faithful instruction, attending Arabic preaching and the Sunday-school. His great difficulty, strange to say, was with the Trinity and the divinity of Christ, al- though he had never read the Koran. But by degrees his difficulties vanished, and at length he asked for Christian baptism and the communion of the Lord's supper. Both of these young men were baptized after full examinatiou by the session of the native evangeli- cal church, and in the presence of a goodly company of Christian brethren and sisters. Another case was that of a young Shia Moslem or Metwaly, taught from his childhood in our mission school in his native village in Lebanon. At the age of fourteen he asked Dr. Ford of Sidon to baptize him. Dr. Ford asked him to get the consent of his father. The father, a venerable peasant, said, ''My son, you are too young to know your mind. If you continue of the same mind until you are twenty, then you can do B/S you please." He came to Beirut and worked as a baker's boy for six years, and attended the Protestant night school and evening meetings, until at length he asked and received baptism after regular instruction. Afterwards, his father having died, he brought his younger brother, placed him at his own expense in the Friend's boarding school in Brumana, Mt. Lebanon, and he gave early signs of true piety, and I baptized him at the age of thirteen. Another was a young man, liom another province Conditions of Baptism 143 of the empire, who fled from persecution some ten years ago. He changed his name, entered a high school, and then the theological class, and has become a faithful teacher and preacher of the gospel. I have asked him to give what he regards as the necessary conditions of baptism for Mohammedan converts and he replies as follows : (See Appendix, page 147.) In the year 1866, a Moslem carriage driver in Beirut, with a wife and children, announced that Jesus Christ had appeared to him and bidden him believe in Him and be baptized. His wife was a papal Greek, born in Acre. He told his Moslem employers of his belief in Christianity, and they tried by alternate threats and bribes to shake his resolve, but in vain. The Turkish Pasha proposed to send him to Damascus, but bj^ telegraphing to Constantinople we obtained orders that he be left unmolested. Meantime he was given quarters on the American Mission premises, and the Pasha advised his leaving the country for Egypt, lest the "lewd fellows of the baser sort" molest him. There was great excitement among the more fanatical Moslems. Hassan begged to be baptized, declaring his readiness to die, if need be, for the sake of Christ. We examined him, prayed with him and instructed him, and then baptized him and his children together, in the church, in the presence of an invited and interested company of Christian friends. Soon after this we shipped him to Egypt where he resumed his work as a carriage driver. Boman Catholic missionaries believing in baptismal 144 Mission Work Among Moslems regeneration will baptize men in order to make them Christians. We baptize men, whether Moslems or not, because they are Christians. Article 27 of the Thirty-nine Articles of the Protes- tant Episcopal Church of England declares that, " Bap- tism is not only a sign of profession, a mark of differ- ence whereby Christian men are discerned from others that be not christened, but it is also a sign of regeneration or new birth, whereby as by an instrument, they that receive baptism rightly are grafted into the Church." \ye take this to mean that baptism is a sign of a re- generation already affected, and which entitles the ap- plicant to baptism. The practice of certain North India missionaries, who labour among the simple hill tribes, and baptize men, women and children in multitudes on the basis of a wish to declare themselves Christians and thus separate themselves from heathenism can hardly be followed among Moslems. As a general thing Moslems do not move in masses. Some day they may. I earnestly expect the rise of men from among them- selves, who with almost prophetic zeal and influence, will proclaim Jesus the Sou of God to be the true Prophet, Priest and King and the only Saviour of mankind ; and that then Moslems will become Chris- tians by thousands and tens of thousands. Then it may be wise to clinch the outward profession by a brief course of instruction, and baptize them as did our Lord and His disciples. The different evangelical Churches differ widely as to conditions of baptism, but I apprehend that all Conditions of Baptism 145 agree as to the importance of faith, knowledge and purity of life. We who live in the lands of the old Oriental Churches, hear constantly the claim that baptism is es- sential to salvation, and in the few cases I have known, where adult Moslems, Druses or African pagan slaves have professed Christ, in one of the Oriental Churches, the priest hastens to baptize the convert to ensure his salvation. Mohammedans living in these lands would naturally infer that baptism is essential to salvation. Where such a view obtains, we should teach the true mean- ing and import of baptism, lest too much dependence be placed on an outward rite ; while at the same time, we should insist upon the outward rite as a proof of obedience to our divine Lord's command. The lenffth of probation before baptism must depend largely upon the known character of the catechumen. The ignorant, whose previous moral character is un- known or not above reproach, should be kept long enough under instruction and observation to make sure of his true repentance and sincerity, as well as his in- telligent understanding of the nature of the rite. Whereas, an ingenuous youth like Kamil, whose life is blameless, and whose only motives are religious, should not be delayed longer than to give him proper doctrinal instruction, and ascertain his own preference in the case. As to the public or private administration of baptism to Moslem converts, great wisdom is necessary, — much depending upon the degree of religious liberty enjoyed 146 Mission Work Among Moslems by the people. To attempt to baptize a Hajji in the streets of Mecca would insure instant death to both parties in the transaction. To baptize publicly, in Damascus or Teheran or Morocco, where the govern- ment is purely Mohammedan, and the population ignorant and fanatical, would be a serious mistake. In countries under Christian rule, English, French, German or Dutch, it may be both safe and wise to ad- vise a convert to profess Christ boldly in baptism, as a proof of his sincerity and a testimony to others. The battle for religious liberty must be fought and won at some time, but no one can decide for another when that time has come. One of the distinctive features of Islam is intense pride, exclusiveness and religious pharisaism, and death to apostates. The apostate is to be punished by death if, after being warned three times, he refuses to recant, and Christian baptism is a sure sign of such apostasy. With a whole population fully convinced of the divine injunction to execute all apostates, and a government unwilling to interfere for the protection of those professing Christianity, it becomes foreign mis- sionaries to be "wise as serpents and harmless as doves." India is far in advance of Egypt, and Egypt still farther advanced than Asia Minor, Syria, Palestine and Arabia, in the matter of liberty of conscience. Our forefathers gained this precious right at great cost. The people of the East, the followers of Ishim, may yet rise and secure the same rights at whatevei cost. But such a movement amonji the fatalistic Mos Conditions of Baptism 147 lems is very uulikely. It is far more likely to come through the increasing influence of Christian govern- ments in the Mohammedan world. APPENDIX I. A Moslem Convert's Views Obtained in An- swer TO Inquiry as to the Faith Required FOR Baptism 1. The unity of God in Trinity. — This is essential in the faith of a Moslem convert to Christianity. The unity of God is the vital and fundamental prin- ciple and doctrine of Islam. In this it agrees with Christianity, and is in accord with it to a certain degree. But the doctrine of a Trinity is the most diffi- cult of all doctrines to a Moslem, and if he has actually accepted this, all the other tenets connected with atone- ment and redemption will be accepted, together with the ordinance by which we profess our faith, the sign of which is baptism. 2. He must believe in the need of redemption and sauctification. This system is built on divine mercy. Now mercy is a thing Moslems understand, but what they mean does not honour God, as does His mercy in the redemption of Christ, the Son of God. No other religion teaches the mercy of God in the atoning work of Jesus Christ, as does the religion of Jesus Christ. Sanctification is not understood by Moslems, al- though the Bible regards redemption and sanctification as of vital importance in dealing with sinful man. Christianity reveals God as Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier, i. e., as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 148 Mission Work Among Moslems 3. He must believe in the gospel of the New Testa- ment. It is easy for the Moslem to believe the Old Testament (Tourat). Man is a sinner, carnal, and re- ceives a carnal religion sooner than a spiritual one. He cannot accept the Christian religion unless changed by a spiritual power from God. Every religion has its book, and the Moslem convert must receive the Bible, not because of its philosophy, but because it is inspired of God and of divine authority. 4. He must believe in the divine authority of the New Testament from its external and internal evidence. II. How Much Knowledge Must he Possess ! 1. The degree of the knowledge required depends on his faith. If he believes in the Trinity and the divinity of Christ, and that the gospel is the word of God, this faith is fundamental and leads to '' the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls" (1 Pet. 1 : 9). Since " not many wise, not many mighty, not many noble are called," we cannot make great intellectual knowledge a condition, but rather the spiritual and religious knowledge. Salvation depends on simple faith and imperfect knowledge should not hinder baptism. 2. The degree of knowledge depends also upon his zeal in following the gospel. " If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine" (John 7: 17), and this is as true of the wise as of the ignorant Mos- lem converts. The learned Moslem will not accept Christ until he is convinced of its superiority to Islam, Conditions of Baptism 149 and the ig-norant and simple minded Moslem Tfill ac- cept Christian doctrine without being troubled by the sophistical arguments of the sheikhs, and will receive it with simplicity and honesty. 3. The degree of knowledge also depends on his desire to live a holy life. He should understand that redemption and sanctification belong together, and that a holy life is more important than great knowledge, because it proves sincerity and fidelity. 4. In some respects the true Moslem convert should be more sincere than others. (1) Persecution tries and purifies him, and few Moslem converts escape this severe trial. (2) It is a great thing for a Moslem to change his faith and doctrine for that of the Christian. Moslem doctrine is like that of the Christian with re- gard to God, and angels, and books, and prophets, and apostles, and creation, and resurrection, day of judg- ment, rewards and punishments : but unlike it in points no less important. The two are thus near each other and far from each other, and the Moslem convert sees the distance between them, and not the nearness to each other. He has therefore done a great work and made a great change in his views and doctrine, and consequently in his principles and aims. He has therefore counted the cost and acted with sincerity. Islam contains many doctrines not contrary to man's intellect, and he cannot be required to give them up or regard them as false. The word '' Unity of God" is the honour and glory of Islam, and if a Moslem can- not see a greater glory in the Christian doctrine of '' Trinity in Unity," he cannot accept baptism. 150 Mission Work Among Moslems Therefore I cannot conceive of a Moslem's leaving his faith for any other than the Christian faith ; and for the same reason he will prefer Protestant evangeli- cal Christianity to the other Christian sects. If then a Moslem accepts Christianity, it will be for sufficient reasons or ample conviction, which will suffice without great knowledge as a condition of baptism. III. What Degree of Holy Living Should be Eequieed ? 1. In general a change in his life. But he should be judged by his principles and point of view and ob- ject. The weak should not be judged like the strong, nor the simple as the learned. A difference in non- essentials of habit and life is no proof of a true or false Christianity, and the habit of judging all by one standard will produce suspicion, imputing false motives and perhaps revulsion. You graft a tree. The graft grows and bears good fruit. Other shoots spring up below the graft and bear bitter and worthless fruit. Do not cut it down. It is better than it was before. Try to prune the old shoots and leave the new. 2. The life required of the Moslem candidate for baptism is that which is in principle and in general better than his former life. And the greater the differ- ence between it and the former life, the better it is. *' Old things are passed away, behold all things are be- come new." The Apostle Peter says (1 Pet. 1 : 15, 16) '' As He which has called jon is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation : because it is written, Be Conditions of Baptism ijfl ye holy for I am holy." If both the vital and funda- mental points and the incidental and non-essential are holy, that is the best that can be hoped for ; but let us not judge accidental errors as if they were essential, nor allow non-essential mistakes to stand in the way of baptism. IV. How Long Should be the Probation of the Moslem Candidate for Baptism ? 1. Baptism should follow faith at once. He who believes that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God, believes in His divinity, and thus receives Him as his sufficient Saviour, and thus receives and acknowledges the Holy Spirit ; and thus he has accepted the Trinity and the vital condition of baptism. (See Mark 16 : 16.) The people asked Peter and all the apostles, ' ' Men and brethren, what shall we do f" Peter said, ''Re- pent and be baptized, every one in the name of Jesus Christ," i. e., at once and promptly. The eunuch said, "See here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized ? " And Philip said, '' If thou believest with all thy heart, thou may est." And he answered and said, '' I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." And he baptized him (Acts 8 : 37, 38). See also other passages in the Acts. If now all these were baptized at once on profession of their faith and whole families and children on the faith of their par- ents, I see no reason why a Moslem convert should not be baptized as soon as he professes his faith in Christ as the Son of God and a divine Saviour and Redeemer, for it is on this ground that he is baptized. 152 Mission Work Among Moslems 2. Circumstances may differ and some may reqnire probation to test their sincerity, but the apostolic rule seems the right one to follow. V. Should a Baptized Moslem be Eeceived at Once to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper! He should examine himself, as all Christians are bound to do. As a rule he should be received at once. Postponement should be the exception. Moslem converts usually have sufficient probation and testing by persecution, before baptism ; their longer delay should be exceptional. They have been in fellowship with Christ in suffering — let them have fellowship with His people at His table. VI. Should Doubts as to the Trinity and the Divinity of Christ Prevent Baptism ? If these doubts prevent trust in Christ as a Saviour, they should prevent baptism, as the object and end of faith is salvation. He who says, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God is a Christian, and who can forbid his baptism ? ^ Discussion on Paper on Conditions of Baptism by Dr. Jessup : Dr. Wherry asked, "In case of a Moslem enquirer who was living with more than one wife, or a woman who was one of several wives, what should you ad- vise?" 'Those who wish to preach to Moslems and baptize them, should, after asking divine help, read Kindy's book, and Anselm'a Cur Deits Hotno, which are both translated into Arabic. Conditions of Baptism 153 Dr. Jessup said in his erperience it had not occurred. There would be the same difficulty in Africa, India and elsewhere. It must be decided by the conscience of the man. He should not allow him to continue liv- ing with more than one. Dr. Wherry mentioned a case in India where a man and his two wives all wished to be baptized, but neither was ready to leave her husband j another case of a man baptized, and later his two wives were converted. One eventually retired voluntarily. Dr. Zwemer mentioned a book. Missions and Polyg- amy, issued in Dutch from Utrecht, and reviewed in the Missionary Revieic of the World during the last five months. He said that up till the period of the Eefor- mation the Church had not been united on the ques- tion. Since then it had been united, but at the pres- ent time the matter was being discussed again. Dr. Eddy asked what is the actual practice? To administer baptism because they leave Islam, or be- cause they are converted to Christianity. Dr. Dickins spoke of a convert who left his wife by her wish. He knew this would be the case if he be- came a Christian. Bev. B. Maclnnes, Dr. Ewing, and Dr. Young all stated that converts would be baptized because they were believed to be truly converted, not because they left Islam. Mr. Gairdner asked if the separated women might marry again. Dr. Young thought not — the husband would con- tinue to support them. 154 Mission Work. Among Moslems Dr. Pennings said that iu the Ea«t Indies all •vrer© not of one view. Some would insist on the convert for- saking all but the first wife — others would debar them only from church office. Dr. Eiolng said a man with two wives had recently come to him. It had been decided he must not retain both. Mr. Van Ess spoke of a man who asked if he might divorce his wife before becoming a Christian. Dr. WeitbrecM said we were touching the fringe of a very complicated question. The Lambeth Conference discussed the matter in 1888 and there was great dif- ference of opinion. The Western and Indian bishops would admit them. The African bishops said if that were done it would ruin the position of the church. Eventually it was recommended that polygamist con- verts should only be admitted as catechumens, except on their death-bed. The decision was a provisional one. We need light from all possible quarters. What is to happen to the wife ? According to Moslem law the marriage is dissolved. If they rejoin one another is a new marriage necessary ? What amount of instruction should he given before baptism? It is usual to demand the elements, i.e., an understanding of the Apostles' Creed as the rule of faith, the Lord's Prayer as the rule of devotion, and the Commandments as the rule of life. There is great facility for a relapse, and hence the period of proba- tion or catechumenate, i. e., admission as a catechumen by a definite service and then the testing of the life for six months or a year before being admitted to Conditions of Baptism 155 holy baptism. In the course of the catechumenate it is considered desirable to make a renunciation of Islam — i. e., to " bui-n his boats behind him." Dr. Zwemer said, What can baptism do for the con- vert? He becomes an exile — but in addition to the sign and seal, is it not a means of grace ? Have we the right to withhold it 1 A man in Arabia was kept for a long time under instruction. He was exiled before baptism. True, he was ministered to elsewhere, but he might not have been. I think a converted Moslem has the right to receive the help and means of grace by baptism. To sign the pledge is good for the drunkard — it clinches the turn- ing. For his sake, even though he may afterwards fall away, it should not be denied. By even reading his Bible he suffers — he has a right to the help of baptism. Dr. Jordan said the subject divides itself into two parts : (1) Baptism in lands of freedom ; (2) baptism in lands of persecution. Where persecution is certain, converts cannot be baptized too soon after being really convinced. Mr. Larson : The Bokhara baptism can take place quickly because the people are true ; elsewhere this is not so. Dr. Pennings asked for an opinion with regard to the baptism of minors, especially of orphan children (eight to sixteen years). Dr. Jessup spoke of such a child baptized in Jaffa, who has remained true under persecution. Dr. Heirick said, One point has not been brought 156 Mission Work Among Moslems forward. For a long time it was a rule that any con- vert baptized was received into the existing Christian church. Often baptism was long postponed because the convert must be received into the English or American church, neither of which languages he un- derstood. Dr. Zwemer said this could not occur where there was no church. He must be admitted into a future church. Mr. Gairdner said he thought there was a tendency to be too long in baptizing, and gave instances in his experience. In Uganda they were quick at first but have become slower. In the early history of a church baptism can be more speedy than later. He further asked with regard to minors what should be done when the parents, or one parent has become a Christian. Dr. Jessup would baptize them. Dr. Jordan spoke of two unmarried girls whose father would give consent to their baptism except for his own financial ruin. Dr. Jessup said such a matter must be left to the girls' own decision. Dr. Wherry said that if a man divorces his wife, it would be but to be remarried to her if she returned. Dr. Pennings said. If you baptize the Moslem chil- dren of Christian parents, would you not baptize children in an orphanage ? Dr. Zwemer said yes, and instanced rescued slave childi-en who had been forced to become Moslems. Mr. Goldsaclc said, Moslem civil law gives guardian- Conditions of Baptism 157 ship of children to the mother up to a certain age. In India women often claim this right. Dr. Wherry : There is such a law, which is some- times made to work both ways, the girls being given to the mother till fifteen and the boys till seven. Dr. Jessup said that in the case of the children of a Christian wife and Moslem husband, the law would give the children back to the wife. Dr. Alexander mentioned a case where a man with two wives was baptized with the children of the sec- ond wife. He put away the mother of the children. The older chose to go with the father and the younger with the mother. HOW TO WIN MOSLEM RACES Rev. G. F. Hereick, D. D. The writer claims to speak only for the country with ■which he is acquainted. Others will judge whether or not the principles here enunciated will apply in other lands. On my arrival at Constantinople, in 1859, appointed as a missionary especially to Mohammedans, I found already established in work for the devotees of Islam the well-known Dr. Pfander, of the Church Missionary Society. He had adopted here, as he had before done in India, the method of theological controversj'. He was just publishing his Mizan ul HaJck, and other books, printed in England, but prepared for the press here, with the able assistance of a Turkish scholar, very competent for the task, a man who, though he filled, from time to time, for more than forty years, various high offices under the Ottoman government, yet was always handicapped by the knowledge, shared by a few rivals, of his relation to the controversial work of Dr. Pfander. Four years later, in 1864, the government became thoroughly aroused in anger against Dr. Pfander' s work. His books were pro- scribed and confiscated. Any Moslem person found reading his books, or attending any place of Christian worship, or fiecjuenting the house of a missionary, 158 How to Win Moslem Races 159 was put under surveillance, and, if he persisted, "was arrested and exiled. This illiberal policy was pursued from that time on, and the reaction against the comparative freedom of the years immediately following the Crimean War has been much accentuated during the thirty years of the present reign. Indeed appeals are no longer made to the Hatti Houmayoun of 1856, which was long since repudiated by the Turkish government as having any application to those who were born Moslem. The work begun by Dr. Pfander was continued a few years in a less controversial manner by Eev. Mr. Weakley and Eev. Dr. Koelle, but was long since abandoned. The work undertaken by the A. B. C. F. M. for Mo- hammedans was, because of the storm raised by con- troversial methods, in 1864, no longer conducted as a distinct and avowed branch of missionary work. The aim to reach the Mohammedans with the gospel mes- sage was, however, never lost sight of, nor was effort relaxed. The Bible was retranslated into the Osmanli Turkish, and is widely circulated. A number of books of a non-controversial character have been is- sued with the government imprimatur. In one in- stance replies to coarse attacks upon Christianity were published. These books have been widely sold, while, of portions of the Bible, chiefly single books, not less than one hundred thousand copies have been pur- chased by Turks within the last twenty years. This does not mean that there is, among that people, any general turning towards acceptance of Christianity. It means inquiry. It means a shattering of old preju- l6o Mission Work Among Moslems dice. It means, in very many instances, a silent and secret protest against the excessive jealousy existing in palace circles of any leaning of their own people to- wards Christians and Christianity. The general sentiment even among those who are most liberal, is not so much friendly towards us as Christians as it is a desire to share in the benefits of the philanthropic work, i. e. , the educational, medical and literary work, in which we are engaged among the other races. Both the Christian doctrine and the Christian life of which the Turk has known, has been lacking in winning power. Could we expect him to be convinced of the deeper truth and the more com- manding claims of Christianity from what it has been possible for him to know of it until veiy recent years? An intelligent Turk, — and there are many of them, — is as familiar as we are with lurid pages of the his- tory of Christianity in Mediaeval Europe. There is not among the races of the nearer east a more in- genious and mentally honest race than the Turks, and one upon which controversy will be certain to produce more baleful effects. There are no people more sus- ceptible to considerate kindness, none who respond more gratefully to the help we bring in answer to their perhaps unvoiced appeals for our help in times of general distress, or in personal illness and suffering. More important than this the Turks appreciate the contrast between the life and character of Mohammed, as the Koran and their traditions make it known, and that of Christ as presented in the gospel narratives. How to Win Moslem Races 161 Observe we have no occasion to draw out the contrast. They will themselves do that. If we will stop wasting our ammunition and our strength in effort to make trinitarian doctrine intelligible and acceptable to Moslem unitarians, and give all our strength to a presentation to Mohammedans whenever they will lend us their ears, of the life and character of Jesus the Christ, we shall find a response more ready and more hearty than many of us dare hope for. But an- other and yet more difficult problem still faces us, viz., that of surrounding Mohammedans with a truly Christian atmosphere, created by the pure, the truly Christlike living of those who bear His name. If we ask the Turk, — in his native character no tru- culent barbarian but a very human man, let us remem- ber, — "What can we do for you I" let us not be sur- prised if he replies, at first, " We want nothing to do with your religion." Let us accept it in all humility, but with more enduring courage, that it is a longer and more difficult road than is generally supposed, along which we must lead men of Oriental races and of alien creeds to Christ, the Living Way. Now let us see what the observing, fair-minded Turk of to-day, when free to speak his mind, does say to us. Listen. "We are watching your work among us, and we see first your schools. These in the ability, the no- ble impartiality, the pure morality that characterize their administration, challenge our admiration and our imitation, and attract our youth. "Again, we recognize the purity and the excep- tional value of the moral, educational and scientific l62 Mission Work. Among Moslems issues of your press. You care nothing for rumours and sensation in your news columns. We say of your Messenger, ' It never laughs and it never lies.' ''The heart of our people has been deeply touched by the treatment some of us have received in your hos- pitals, kind and self-sacrificing beyond any care we ever received elsewhere or even dreamed of. "We have also noted, and have sometimes shared in the benefit of your efforts to relieve suffering in times of distress, efforts limited by no conditions of race or religion. We like these evidences of philanthropic enterprise, with no ulterior or selfish designs upon our country." Turks often speak to us in just this way. What shall be our answer to such a welcome as this ? Shall we say, " We are missionaries of the Christian religion, and of the Protestant branch of the Christian Church, and our sole errand among you is to convince you of the falsity of your ancestral faith, and to win you to faith in Christ alone." Shall we say that? For one I hold that Christianity alone deserves to be called a missionary religion, because it alone confers spiritual blessings upon men, with no expectation of personal or national gain to those who are its heralds. But for this very reason, viz., because it is purely and unqualifiedly beneficent, the representatives of Christianity in the East, as soon as they gain a correct conception of the conditions under which they live and work, learn that the way to reach Moslem peoples is not by theological discussion but by winning them, through living a Chrislike life before their eyes, and How to Win Moslem Races 163 by bestowing upon them those blessings that they crave at our hands. Controversy is opposed to sympathy, and, while it lasts, displaces sympathy. But a genuinely sympa- thetic attitude of mind as well as of feeling is a sine qua non to the possibility of influence which touches the heart, and it is with the heart that man believeth unto righteousness. It is often confidently asserted, quite in the form of a challenge, " The life and character of Christian peoples, when compared with the life and character of Moslem peoples, is convincing evidence of the truth of Christianity." Granted, on all sides, in respect of all that relates to material progress and pros- perity. But dare we go further ? Multitudes of intel- ligent Mohammedans, in our day promptly accept the challenge offered. The Turks point the finger of scorn at the scenes to which ''Christian " Eussia last autumn, at Odessa and elsewhere treated the observing world, and say, " That is your Christianity. It was you who, a little while ago, mercilessly condemned us, because, in suppressing sedition, we shed some comparatively innocent blood." We have got to live better, and the Christian world has got to live better, before our arguments for Chris- tianity will, in the judgment of fair-minded Moham- medans, bring down even the intellectual scales against Islam. Our hopes that evangelical Christianity, sin- cerely and loyally lived before the eyes of the Turks, would win them to faith in Christ, suffered a grievous disappointment, when, in the events of a decade ago some Armenian Protestants were found accessory to plot- 164 Mission Work. Among Moslems tings against the government under which they live You may, if you will, at other times and in other places — for with political questions this conference has no concern, — justify the aims of those who rose in se- dition. But you will never convince the Turks that a Christianity which permits acts like those of the avowed revolutionists has a claim upon them superior to their own religion. To give account of the reason for the hope that is in us, because we trust in Christ is quite another matter than the attempt, buttressed with however cogent reasons, to show to another the baselessness of the hope on which he, like his ancestors for forty generations, has trustingly rested. "Win the heart of men to see Jesus as He is and oui- work is done. We have no apologetic to construct. The founda- tions of our faith are too firm for that. Our tone should be that of ringing confidence. We have a divine Saviour to offer to men, the only name given whereby men can be saved. But I deprecate the free use of military terms. Our object is to mn men. If we do that the chains of the false systems that have enslaved them will fall to pieces of themselves. Fighting is a scriptural term, but it is used for that spiritual conflict which is no small part of our life on earth, a conflict with sin, temptation and the unseen powers of evil. Our love for souls enslaved should be so sympathetic that we shall shun the use of terms that will strike those we would save as meaning personal hostility. The hour will come, when, under the light of God's word and spirit, they will themselves see that their How to Win Moslem Races 165 deadliest foe is the damning error which is interfused with the basal truths of their ancestral faith. Winning is the word and winning is to be our en- deavour, and along that path success is waiting. Christ healed the sick. We can do that, in these days, with unrivalled success. Christ taught, in very simple language, that God is not only our sovereign but our Father. Islam not only has not this doctrine in its creed. It repels the idea, but how the human heart everywhere responds to this evangel. We often have occasion to revise our preconceived notions of the way in which men will respond to the gospel message. I once asked a learned Arab Koord, a dear friend of mine, who was led to believe in Chi-ist by careful reading of the Bible, with the guidance of a deacon of the Evangelical church at Mosul, just what it was that finally led him to accept the Christian faith. I ex- pected he would point to some of those words in the Gospels which I knew had deeply impressed him. He replied, "It was a comparison of Islamic tradition concerning Solomon with the Old Testament narra- tive." The turning of the face towards Christ may be much more indirect than this. Western science is a power- ful uplifting lever to the Oriental mind. " I am read- ing your book on Natural Theology for the fifth time," said the governor of an interior city to me some time ago. "You have done our people a most valuable service," said a high officer of state to the translator of a standard book on Physical Geography, on its issue in Osmanli Turkish. When the Turkish manuscript of i66 Mission Work Among Moslems my book on Xatural Theology was before tlie board of censors, some years ago, all approved except one white- turbaned Tui'k. "What do you object to in the book ? " they asked him. "To nothing in the book," he replied, " but one of us ought to have written it." Several years later, a little book of very high moral tone entitled Christian Ilanliness was toned down as to distinctively Christian instruction, and offered for publication with the title Manliness. Again a member of the Ulema objected. " We see nothing to object to in this," his colleagues said. "It smells of Christian- ity all through," he replied. To the insane desire to fling the Turk, bag and baggage, not only out of Europe, but off the surface of this planet, let our answer be, "Please God, we will win the Turk to trust us, and in all friendliness invite him to share the blessings that Christian civilization has conferred upon us." Suppose the Turk were every whit as bad as some represent him, is not, then, the call more urgent and compelling, for us to go to him, in deeper and more loving sympathy, with our hands full of our choicest, richest gifts'? We do open our schools to him. We receive him, when sick, into our hospitals. We offer him, through our press, the ripest and choicest things in our own language. Then let us be both patient and hopeful while we wait for his acceptance of what we offer. Let us give a Moslem what he feels the need of and will be grateful for, and then let God, by His providence and spirit, and through the winning power of a prac- tical Christianity accomplisli all that for which we How to Win Moslem Races 167 pray. Let us not forget our Lord's words, "The Kingdom of heaven cometh not with observation," and let us work on unanxious about any public heralding of the results of our labours. There will be some mutual surprise, it is believed, during the sessions of this conference, to see how much of beneficent result has already been achieved, and shall we not return to our several posts with deeper gratitude and more robust confidence in God ? Are we not, at the present day, at least, approach- ing, though at a slow pace and far from the goal, the time when the representations of Christianity, person- ally known to Mohammedans, will illustrate in their lives noble self-sacrifice for others' welfare, in contrast to narrow self-seeking, whether personal, national or denominational ? That passion for righteousness, love of peace, con- siderateness for others' rights, which increasingly dominates international relations in the world's lead- ing powers and peoples, which is making the English motto shorter by omitting the ' ' my ' ' and making it the fit motto for the Christian world, God and right, is bound to bring forth blessed fruit in the interest of the kingdom of Christ. When human governments limit us most, let us more loyally trust in God. Let us show the Mohammedan, what our age is rapidly learning, viz., that Christianity is not a creed, not a cultus, not a polity, but a life, and life entire ; that Christian principle, nay that Christ Himself rules in society, in business, in national and international relations and affairs ; that Christianity and Christians l68 Mission Work Among Moslems lov© justice and sincerity and purity ; and hate in- justice, hypocrisy and impurity, love truth and hate falsehood, love modesty and humility and hate all sham and pretense. Are we unbelieving enough to doubt that in time, in measurable time, the one wondrous life that has been lived on our planet, that life from which all Christian life that is truly Christian, draws its vital nourishment, will through Christian life and example, permeate and leaven human life in all lands and in all races, the whole world over ? To live Christ is the one and only way to solve the problem of saving and blessing men of all creeds, all races, all languages, because for all men Christ lived and died and liveth forevermore. After the reading of Dr. Herrick's paper the follow- ing personal testimony was given by Johannes Awe- taranian, a convert from Islam : After two years' study of the gospel I, by the grace of God, came to know my Saviour Jesus Christ. For three years I was persecuted by my relations and my nation, the Turkish. Next to God I thank the Amer- ican missionaries, Mr. W. and E. Chambers at Erze- rum, as well as Mr. Wilson at Tabriz, for having during this time procured a refuge for me. After having been baptized at Tiflis, the Swedish mission- ary, Mr. Hoyer, brought me to Sweden where I studied in the *' Missionsskolan " at Kristinehamn. In 1887 I was sent abroad as a missionaiy. For three years I worked in Caucasia amongst Mo- How to Win Moslem Races 169 hammedans and Armeniaus making missionary jour- neys. The Lord blessed my work. One Mohammedan was baptized, and many others heard the gospel. In 1892 I was sent to Western China, to Kashgar. I found there two nominal Christians, one of them was the Eussian Consul, and the other a political agent from England, both of whom were living outside the town of Kashgar. These two nominal Christians dis- couraged my companion, Mr. Hoyer, by telling him that it would be utterly impossible to begin a mission in Kashgar as the Mohammedans were more fanatic there than anywhere else. He turned back. I my- self, however, stayed confiding in the protection of God. I took a room in the bazaar where I exhibited the different books I had brought with me, Arabic, Persian and Chinese Scriptures. I put on the Kash- garian dress. Mohammedans of all classes of the population came to call upon me in order to ask me who I was and why I had come to Kashgar. My an- swer was almost always as follows : You are Mo- hammedans, and in your Koran it is written that God sent the Old and the New Testament in order to lead mankind to truth. I have brought these books here, and if anybody is willing to hear what is written in them, I am going to read it to you. They were will- ing to listen and when I had read the fifth chapter of Matthew they said to me : " That is the word of God ; a man could not have spoken in this way. Let us hear more about it." So I went on reading. The educated Kashgarians know Persian, but as to Kashgarian, no part of the lyo Mission Work Among Moslems Scriptures had ever been translated into that language. Therefore after having learned it myself, I began to translate the gospel by the help of a moUah. By and by another mollah, Maza-Achund, the minister of the late King of Kashgar, as well as Fushang Daloj the dragoman of the Chinese Taotai, became my friends, and it was by these two persons that I got an oppor- tunity to see the educated Mohammedans as well as the Begs, the princes of Kashgar. After having trans- lated one or two chapters of the gospel, I went to sec those who always received me kindly. I talked to them, and whenever there was an opportunity, I read to them what I had written asking them to tell me what mistakes they found in my work. Very often they were astonished at the sublime contents, whereas they did not pay so much attention to the mistakes. It may be that they could find none, for I had asked them repeatedly to correct me. In this way I read the whole New Testament to them ; but I was not yet satisfied with my work. I wished to know if the illiterate Kashgarians too would be able to understand the translation. So I read it to them and received the same satisfactory answer. One young man became a believer and asked me to baptize him ; I refused to do so saying that he would be perse- cuted, perhaps even killed, by the Mohammedans, and I should not be able to protect him. But as he was not at all afraid, I baptized him. Then the mollalis began to persecute and threaten him, but when they saw his courage, they left him alone. For five years I continued to labour at Kashgar, How to Win Moslem Races 171 Farkend, Hauarik, Terim, Maralbashi and Yengi Hissar. Then I came to Europe with the complete translation of the l^ew Testament. The four Gospels were printed in Berlin at the expense of the British and Foreign Bible Society, and I sent them to my suc- cessors in Kashgar. Since however the British and Foreign Bible Society repeatedly put off the printing of the other parts of the New Testament, I myself could not go back to Kashgar. While I was staying in Germany, God gave me a fellow worker in my wife, and I entered the Deutsche Orient Mission. These last six years I have been working in Bul- garia. "VVe have got a little printing-press and till now have issued three numbers of the Shahid ul Haga- jig, a magazine for educated Mohammedans, as well as two little tracts for the illiterate population. Bun- yan's Filgrim^s Progress, too, has been translated into Turkish and printed in 2,000 copies, moreover three brochures and two books in the Armenian language, one in Kashgarian and one in Persian. These latter books have, though not a direct, still an indirect mis- sionary value. Our mission-house in Schumla has been a refuge for persecuted believers from Islam. Nine of them have come, though some stayed only for a time. One young Mohammedan from Persia has become con- verted, was baptized in our house, and is now studying in Berlin. Another young Mohammedan, who had been baptized at Tabriz, is now being taught by us. Four Armenian orphans, two boys and two girls, have also been educated in our house, and just now a little 172 Mission Work Among Moslems Mohammedan girl is taught to read. Four times a week I preach the gospel in the Turkish language. We have a bookstore and employ two colporteurs, one in Bulgaria and one abroad. Our fellow- workers are Fraulein Gertrud Mierendorff at Schumla and Pastor Krikor Keworkian, who preaches the gospel at Eust- schuk. This year we hope to begin with the printing of the New Testament in the Kashgarian language. XI PRESENTATION OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE Rev. W, Hoopee, D.D., C. M. S,, Allahabad, India Two preliminary observations are necessary. (1) I can claim no right to be heard on this subject, except the very general one of interest in it. I have never given my attention particularly to work among Mo- hammedans, and hardly know more on what is called the Mohammedan controversy than what every North Indian missionary is compelled to know, if he is to do his perfectly obvious duty to the people around him. Hence I must beg that what follows may not be re- ceived critically, and that all notion of my speaking with authority may be absent from the minds of those who hear this paper. (2) The subject was allotted to Dr. Griswold of Lahore as well as myself. But he has definitely declined to take part in it, and so the whole has fallen to me. This fact will still further decrease the value of this paper, and I can only throw myself on the forbearance of the hearers of it. I. "While there is the great advantage, in dealing with Moslems, that according to their own judgment we are as truly ^^Ahl-i-Kitab" as they, and that they expect us to substantiate all our beliefs by quotation from books which they, as well as ourselves, regard as inspired, even though in their eyes both corrupted and abrogated, — in other words to use ^'naqli " rather than 173 174 Mission Work. Among Moslems '' 'aqli " argumentation — at the same time I have never been able to feel this such a great advantage as many of my brethren do, or to go to the bazaar, as dear Bishop French used to do, armed with the Scriptures in the original, and with the Hindustani Bible in two or three bulky volumes. And that because the Mos- lem idea of inspiration is, as I take it, essentially and radically different from our own. As I have often said where I was sure it would not offend, the only instance in our Scriptures of inspiration such as Moslems con- ceive it is that of Balaam's ass, and the next nearest approach to it is in the case of Balaam himself. Hold- ing, as I do, that while the very words of Scripture have been in varying degrees (perhaps most in St. John's Gospel) dictated by the Holy Ghost Himself, yet inspiration consists essentially in the illumination of the speaker's or writer's mind and not in the words in which that illumination is expressed, I am undis- turbed by the real or apparent contradictions to be found in different parts of Scripture, and am not much interested in the question whether each of them is real or only supposed ; much less am I under any obligation to twist the natural meaning of a passage in order to escape a contradiction. But all this is anath- ema to the Moslem. He cannot understand its com- patibility with inspiration at all. Therefore, while urging to the utmost the circulation of our Holy Scrij)- tures among Moslems, and delighted to find them studying them, I dare not commence my presentation of Christian truth to them by insisting on the inspira- tion of our Bible, because they would start with a Presentation of Christian Doctrine 175 totally wrong idea of what we meant by inspiration, and because any attempt of mine to give them the right idea of it would only bewilder and repel them. I would rather trust to the Holy Spirit Himself illumi- nating their minds, little by little, through the study of His Word, and so eventually bringing them, through belief of the great truths to be found, in their original form, only in the Bible, round at last to the correct view of inspiration. II. I think we ought to take every opportunity of dwelling, in dealing with Moslems, on our cordial agreement with them in belief in the unity and per- sonality of God ; and of showing them that the first part of their Kalima expresses the fundamental tenet of our religion quite as truly as it does of theirs. I often think we ought to do more than we do towards disarming their opposition by enlisting them on our side in the conflict, not only with open idolatry and polytheism, but also with that far more subtle Panthe- ism which, in varying degrees, seems to me to be creep- ing over modern thought, and which is certainly the outcome, in many cases at least of the Neo- Islam taught at Aligarh. In this connection I may add that I wish missionaries in other than Arabic-speaking countries would more regularly speak of God as " Allah." III. As regards the relation to the One, Personal God of our Lord Jesus Christ, I was lately startled, not to say shocked, to find from a public utterance of a well-known and justly-esteemed Bengal missionary, that he holds that while we may well call our Lord "the "Word of God," because He is so called in the 176 Mission Work Among Moslems Quran, yet we should not call Him "the Son of God," except in reference to His birth of a virgin, according to Luke 1 : 35. Now, while we might make more use than most of us do of the fact that the Quran acknowl- edges our Lord to be Kalimatullah, and though we may well bring forward Luke 1 : 35 as proof that Mos- lems have no right to object to the expression " Son of God," seeing that they believe, with us, in the virgin- birth — though this will not carry us far with them, for, as I remember a Moslem retorting, when I used that argument, that in that way Adam had as much right to be called a Son of God as Christ had, as indeed Adam is called in Luke 3 : 38 ; yet I cannot for a mo- ment admit that we are not bound, when the occasion demands it, to insist on our Lord's being the Son of God in a far higher, indeed an eternal, sense. For three verses in the whole New Testament in which He is called " the Word," how many thousands there are in which He is called "the Son " ; so that if we keep the latter title in the background for fear of offending, yet the very New Testament which we urge the Mos- lem to read will bring that stumbling-block in his way in its every page. And though we may admit that the title was given by our Lord's first followers without any definite thought of eternal Sonship, but only be- cause the Old Testament clearly gave it to the prom- ised Messiah, yet it was unavoidable that a deeper study of those very Old Testament passages should gradually lead those followers to the eternity of the Sonship ; so that, e. g., in the Epistle to the Hebrews, the title " the Son " seems everywhere to connote true Presentation of Christian Doctrine 177 and proper Deity, and therefore eternity. Therefore I say that, if by way of oikonomia we abstain from call- ing our Lord the Son of God in dealing with Moslems, the New Testament itself will soon press it upon them, if they become the diligent students of it which we de- sire. And, indeed, the insisting on the eternity of the Sonship has a positive and great advantage in dealing with Moslems. While, to their carnal notions, our dwelling on the virgin-birth as the reason for Christ's being called the Son of God may well seem to them to encourage their parody of the Trinity by representing God as the Father of Jesus in the same sense as Mary was His mother ; on the other hand the doctrine of the Eternal Sonship at once lifts the whole subject out of the region of possible carnality, and shows that Chris- tians mean by the Sonship of Christ something to which ordinary Moslem objections do not apply. At the same time, I have often thought that we do not make as much use as we ought of that representa- tion, so thoroughly scriptural, and specially frequent in the theologically profoundest book of the Bible, of our Lord as the sent one of the father, the Easul, in fact, of God ; an idea, as we all know, which Islam makes delightfully much of, only it applies it to him who, intentionally or unintentionally, did his utmost to nullify the Easalat of God's own Rasiil. Only we must show that the sending of Christ differs essentially from that of all other Easiils, in that while they were sent, on earth, to a particular people or to do a par- ticular work. He is the One " whom the Father sancti- fied, and sent into the world." 178 Mission Work Among Moslems As to the forms iu which we should present our Lord's personal and ofi&cial names, I feel strongly (1) that we should never call Him '"Isa," unless our hearers would not otherwise know whom we were talk- ing about, because this topsy-turvy form of the name is an unintentional insult to its wearer, and entirely prevents our showing the meaning of the name ; and (2) that we should show that '' Masih " is not a part of our Lord's personal name, but an official title whose history is full of instruction. This, which would be intelligible to every intelligent Moslem, would also pave the way in his mind for higher thoughts of our Lord. IV. As to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, the Bengal missionary above alluded to (1) dwells on the fact that there is no explicit statement of it in the New Testament, and (2) deprecates the use of the word '' Person" iu connection with it. He also (3) opposes the use of the argument, as old as Kaymund Lull, de- duced from the truth that ''God is love." With regard to the first of these points, I think we may quite agree not to begin by thrusting the doctrine of the Trinity, as it were, down a Moslem's throat, or setting it, in its full-blown form as elaborated by the Chuich, before him as an obstacle which he must somehow sur- mount before he continues his inquiry into the Truth. But, all the same, the New Testament is full of pas- sages which cannot really be explained except by the Church doctrine ; and it would be unfair and unkind to our inquiring friend to withhold from him the teaching on the subject by which the Holy Spirit led Presentation of Christian Doctrine 179 the Church, in the first centuries, into clear and con- sistent belief of it. Yet the Trinity should not be urged on his acceptance as a Chui-ch doctrine, but only as an explicit statement of what is implicitly contained in the New Testament, and without which the latter cannot be consistently received. With regard to the second point, I do not know that we are in any danger, in dealing with Moslems except through the medium of European languages, of confusing their minds by the use of the word " Person " at aU. I have always regarded it as a most fortunate thing, that the Arabic word "aqnum" is wholly innocent (at least so I have been assured, for I do not know Arabic) of any such denotation or connotation as the word "Person" un- fortunately has. Thirdly, I fully agree that the argu- ment for the Trinity from the statemeut that "God is love" is not one which appeals to Moslems at all, and therefore should not be employed with them. From the Christian point of view, the argument alluded to is a perfectly sound one. It is, that God not only loves, but is love ; in other words. Love is essential to His nature, in a way that mercy, justice, etc., etc., aro not. And therefore, while the fact that God is merci- ful and just is no proof that He must have from all eternity had objects on and with whom to show mercy and justice, yet the fact that He is love is a proof that He must have had an object, or objects, to love from all eternity, and therefore cannot be a bare Unity. But this argument falls flat on those who do not know what love is. And no one knows what love is, till he has "known and believed the love that God hath l8o Mission Work Among Moslems to us." "We love" — uot God only, but at all — "be- cause He first loved us. " " Hereby perceive we love, in that He laid down His life for us." Kow of ail this, of course, the Moslem knows nothing. And this was just Eaymuud Lull's mistake in urging this proof with him. As to the proper word for the Trinity, there are as far as I know two words, Saliis and Taslis (Thaliith and Tathlith). Until the last few years, in India the latter was exclusively used. In Arabic-speaking coun- tries, if I am rightly informed, the former is stiU ex- clusively used. May I suggest that the usage lately adopted in India is the right one, and ought to be uni- versal I The word "Trinity " has two different mean- ings, viz., God Himself conceived as existing in three Aqanim, and the conception itself that He does so exist. For the former meaning Salus, "the Triad," is obviously the right word ; for the latter, it seems to me as clear that the word is Taslis. In other words, the doctrine of the Trinity is Taslis ; the Trinity as the object of our worship is Salus. V. A few words will suffice on the doctrine of the Atonement. I suppose there can be no question that, if our object is not to make a Moslem merely intellectu- ally convinced of Christianity, but also a true Chris- tian, we must as far as possible approach the truths we have hitherto been considering through what has been well called "the Love of the Atonement" ; as- sured that, when once the heart is " constrained by the love of Christ," the mind will not be very loug in ac- cepting whatever is seen to be the teaching of the Presentation of Christian Doctrine 181 Eedeemer, the new and blessed object of the inquirer's affections. And in connection with this, and as a means of disarming that opposition of the mind which will prevent the heart from acting as it otherwise would, I have often, at first, spoken of the Atonement, in thoroughly scriptural wise, as a sacrifice offered by God's great Servant and Messenger, in obedience to His command, for the sins of other men. And this representation may suffice — though I cannot say I know an instance in which it has sufficed — for intro- ducing into the heart that arrow of God's love, there to rankle until the soul bows down before it, and gives itself up to it. But, as soon as the mind begins to work upon such a representation, it is inevitable that diffi- culties will occur, insuperable except on the accept- ance of the true and proper Deity of Christ, and in fact all that we mean by the Trinity. VI. In conclusion, I would just say two things. (1) Though Islam is a historical religion, and therefore we have common ground in arguing with Moslems, yet, as I have already implied, the heart and the conscience are not only the best means of approach to them, but without these the approach through the intellect is useless. (2) I know no better advice to give a Moslem inquirer than this : Eead the whole Old and New Testaments, and then the Quran right through, in strict order as they stand, thoughtfully and above all prayerfully. When the mind and heart have been gradually penetrated with the divine revelation grad- ually unfolded in the first two of these volumes, they will at once, on opening the third, revolt from the ut- i82 Mission Work Among Moslems ter tanazzul manifest throughout it, and exclaim : ' ' The old is better !" Rev. S. G. Wilson, Tabriz, Persia. In presenting Christian doctrines to Moslems, an im- portant prerequisite is to know the mental attitude of the individual or group to be addressed. For this pur- pose it is necessary to learn when possible the sect to which they belong. This is certainly true in Persia, in which Shiahism — a sect itself, is honeycombed with sects which form so considerable a proportion of the whole number. In various points their peculiar tenets arc akin to the fundamental truths of Christianity and the recognition of their position gives the missionary a common basis on which to begin. (1) This is true regarding the doctrine of divine in- carnation. Many sheikhs have no repugnance to the idea of God manifest in the flesh, of God incarnate in man. There seems to be even a positive tendency to develop and hold such a doctrine. (I presented this subject before the Congress of Sciences and Arts at the St. Louis Exposition and can now simply call attention to it.) Take, for instance, the sheikhs. Their founder, Sheikh Ahmad of Ahsa, exalted the twelve Imams to al- most divine rank. In each Imam an attribute of God was incarnated. One was the " Will of God," another the "Power of God." (The Light of God is their super- natural endowment. Imam Ali is mighty in power. It is his voice that is heard in the thunder's peal, his sword's gleam in the lightning's flash.) In the Hyat- Presentation of Christian Doctrine 183 ul-Qalab, the excellency of the Imams is expressed in words which equal and even surpass those used of Christ in the Epistle to the Ephesians. So highly do they exalt the Imams, that their opponents accuse them of holding to fourteen persons in the Godhead in place of the Trinity of the Christians. (At the same time they hold, as a Mujtahid said to me, that the attributes of God cannot be separated from His essence, admit- ting, what he was unwilling to express in words, that the Imams are divine.) Or take another example, namely, the Ali AUahis, who number 500,000 in Persia under various names. They hold that Imam Ali was God— a manifestation of Deity, the author of Life and Death, worthy of wor- ship and entire devotion. But he was only one mani- festation. (Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Jesus, each in his time, was God in the flesh. ) A divine incarna- tion may be expected at any time, — born of woman. One sect of them believes that he is already on the earth, is manifested to his followers and will make him- self known in power to all the world inside of three years. One of his priests encouraged his deluded fol- lowers in vain to resist the Shah's orders, a few years ago, in the belief that they would be invulnerable to the royal artillery. The name of this incarnation was Sayid Mohammed Hussain, a poor and humble vil- lager. Once he made an appointment to visit me in Tabriz. My samovar is steaming with tea according to Persian custom, but he failed to keep his appoint- ment. He fled at night because the governor-general wished to seize him. This incarnation, who died this 184 Mission Work Among Moslems year, was said by his followers to conceal his divinity so perfectly that no one would suspect its presence. One might mention further Qadir Agha, an incarna- tion of God who lives at Maragha, northwest Persia, and has a large following from among the Shiahs or the leaders of the Zahahis who declare themselves to be personal habitations of the divine Holy Spirit, but not to be tedious, the history of Babism shows the same tendency among Shiahs. After the Bab was put to death in Tabriz there was what Professor Browne of Cambridge, the special interpreter of Babism, is led to call "a chaos of Incarnations." It is a familiar fact that the followers of the late Baha Ullah regarded him as true God and worshipped no other. My Mirza, who belongs to this sect, declares that he was very God of very God, the Father, superior to Jesus who was only the Son. Time will not permit us to inquire, whence comes this tendency among Shiah Moslems to believe in the doctrine of Divine incarnations. It is certainly not due to Sufism, for this doctrine is clearly distinct from the Pantheism of the Sufis, whose Persian devotees, whether dervishes, philosophers or poets, have for the most part no sympathy with these sects. Eather it seems to have its root far back in Persian life-story — in a tendency of the Persian mind. It is an expression of their re- ligious consciousness. The ancient Persians were ac- customed to regard their kings as divine. In the early days of Islam, a Persian sect refused to acknowledge the supremacy of a Khalif, because he declined to re- ceive divine titles and worship. The assassins, Is- Presentation of Christian Doctrine 185 mielians, and followers of the veiled prophet of Khor- assan, looked upon their leaders as God. The Fatimite and Druse sects whose Khalifs were regarded as God, were the offspring of Persian thought and Shiah in- fluence. From the first the rigid Unitarianisni of Is- lam has been opposed by the tendency of the Persian consciousness to desire a God manifest in the flesh. The Persian mind seems to be groping, if haply it may find the God-man. Hence I have no hesitation in pre- senting boldly to Persians, the Lord Jesus Christ as a divine incarnate Saviour. I would not begin with the doctrine of the Trinity, but let that develop in the inquirer's mind as a sequence to his acceptance of Christ as God incarnate and of the Holy Spirit as a divine personality, the Guide for every age, coupled as these truths will be with that of the divine unity. This was the sequence in the primitive Church and will be so now. (2) In presenting the second doctrine mentioned in the printed topics, namely the atonement, to Shiahs, we are met by a condition of belief in them which greatly facilitates the task. On the one hand it is an accepted fact that Mohammed rejected the doctrine of sacrificial atonement from his system. (Of sacrifices he says, "Their flesh is not accepted of God, neither their blood, but your piety is accepted of Him." The terms kafara and fidyah are used with the meaning of expiation for sins, but never with reference to the shed- ding of blood in sacrifice.) Among the Shiahs, on the contrary, the idea of atonement has gained a place. When we are setting i86 Mission Work Among Moslems forth the story of the cross to Persians, they often re- ply, "In like manner the blood of Imam Hussain avails for us as an offering to God." Sometimes, too, they bring out the idea that Christ's death was but of one, whereas Hussain and his retinue of the holy seed of the prophet all shed their blood for the salvation of their people. Extending the doctrine still wider, the sufferings and deaths of the Imams Ali, Hassan and others are made to have expiatory efficacy. This comes out emphatically in the Passion Play of Muhar- ram. Its dialogues are not historical nor even approxi- mately accurate representations of events, yet they may be relied upon as setting forth the doctrinal beliefs of the Shiahs at the present day. Pelly's translation of the Passion Play shows in scores of passages their ad- herence to a vicarious atonement by the Imams. The condition of belief prepares them to hear and understand the Christian doctrine of the atonement. It can be presented to them as to a Christian audience. Discussion Mr. Gairdner asked : 1. Is it not a fact that the constitution of the Koran, the traditions concerning its delivery, and the process of its transmission, are toto caelo different from those of the Old Testament and I^ew Testament, and therefore must yield a totally different idea of inspiration ? 2. Is it not a fact therefore that any attempt to square the inspiration of the Old and New Testaments to the ideas current among Moslems, must end in dis comfiture ? Presentation of Christian Doctrine 187 3. Is it not a fact that Christians (Orientals) do as a matter of fact thus try to square the two, and the cause of truth is thereby very seriously endangered 1 4. Is not this because Mohammedans have a clearly thought-out idea and some Christians have not ? 5. Has not the time come to get to a clear mutual understanding in the matter, simply taking into ac- count clear undoubted facts ? Mr. Thornton said he wished to emphasize some of these points, not with a view to unsettling his audience and appearing to join the campaign of criticism, but because we must have some constructive ideas on which to work. In conversation with Professor Margoliouth last year the professor said, Do not attempt to put the Bible (New Testament) on the same footing as the Koran with regard to inspira- tion. It corresponds more to the Hadith, i. e., the Gospels are reports of eye-witnesses, not verbatim re- ports of the conversations of Christ with the Father, except in the two prayers of John 17:2. All others are reported, and do not correspond with Mohammed's statements which resemble more closely those of the Old Testament,— " God said," "God spake." If we admit this we put them on a different platform of as- sumption from the Koran. "We are able to come, not with a clear cut theory, but to say ' ' Take it to form your own estimate of it and God the Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth." Mr. Van Velsen (by translation) : A director of the Rhenish Mission said to me some time ago that he l88 Mission Work Among Moslems thought the Mohammedau would compel us to revise our historical doctrine of the Trinity. Without ad- mitting myself such a statement I would lay stress upon the fact in dealing with the differences between ourselves and Islam, that it is not so much a set of doctrines to be received as a living Saviour. Get them to accept Christ as a present and living Saviour. Dr. Herrick : We have an immense advantage over the Mohammedan, in our view of inspiration — the spiritual is above the mechanical inspiration. We stand on entirely different grounds. We do not ac- cept a purely verbal inspiration. No, it is the uplift of the human soul under a divine spirit and power. If the man sees power in the life with the message, he will go away thoughtful. Our course is plain and the strength of our position impregnable. Mr. Zwemer referred to a book by Otto Pautz on the Moslem doctrine of inspiration and voiced the feel- ing of this conference, " no compromise" with Islam. He said he would challenge the statement in Dr. Hooper's paper that we should accept the Moslem cry, ** There is no God but God." If the Mohammedan had a correct doctrine of God he would accept Christ. If in Arabia we accepted a different statement of the Trinity the Moslems would flock in, but the battle would have ultimately to be fought over again. It is better to make the Moslem take the leap over the gulf clear into evangelical Christianity. l)r. Wherry called attention to the fact that the Presentation of Christian Doctrine 189 teaching of the Quran in regard to the Old and New Testament Scriptures (the Taurdt and the Injil) is not that they are a tradition (Hadith), but that they are books (Kitab), and that for this reason Jews and Christians are called Ahl i Kitab or People of the Books. Unless therefore we insist upon the inspired character of the Bible and our own position as People of the Book we have no standing in the sight of Mos- lems whatever. In regard to the doctrine of the In- carnation, the Divine Sonship, the Holy Trinity, we should present them as mysteries to be believed upon the authority of God's word. Inspiration is therefore fundamental. If we cannot offer the Bible to Moslems as an inspired Book, we have absolutely no standing among them. To concede that the New Testament is a bundle of traditions in the sense of the Moslem Hadith would be fatal. It would give away the whole position. Br. Lepsius said he had had much to do with mis- sions to Moslems in the East. Our modern theology is practically a new Islam. Inspiration is not verbal but dynamic. The strength of modern critics is that they use the verbal contradiction to overthrow the his- torical facts. A large number of difiSculties can be overthrown by textual criticism. There should be a freer view of textual criticism ; it enables us more fully to confirm the historical accuracy and thus arrive at a better theory of inspiration. We are redeemed not by words, but by deeds. The salvation offered by Islam is a sal- yatjon offered through the words of the Koran. We 190 Mission Work Among Moslems are redeemed not by the words of Scripture but by the facts of redemption. The actions of God need the ex- planation of Scripture through the words of Scripture. The natural man does not understand the deeds of God, so we need the word of God to understand the deeds of God. I believe, therefore, the way to understand God is to recognize the action of God in redemption. . . . The way to understand the person of Christ is the way of the Cross. It is impossible to explain redemption to one who does not understand Him. God's divinity is analytical, not synthetical. Take the presence of Christ as He really is and how He is described in the New Testament, and eventually you will find no other expression to describe what you have arrived at than " He is God." So be patient with any inferior apprehension of Christ for the time. It is impossible to give up our own concept of Christ in favour of any other. "We are " not to bring our Moslem brethren to a true concept of Christ by letting down but by drawing them up" by the Holy Spirit. Our chief work is to vindicate the historical facts of the Bible, not so much the verbal inspiration to Mos- lems. Mr. Weitbrecht : One of the doctrines in which Mo- hammed fell far below the Christian mark is that of the Holy Spirit. The Angel Gabriel is the messenger who brings down the Koran. The Holy Spirit draws men up to the true idea and concept of God. The Holy Spirit is intimately connected with the historical Presentation of Christian Doctrine 191 revelation. It is He who prevented also the accept- ance of what was fundamentally false as the Word of God. We can show that the Koran does not contain the pure words of Mohammed as he pronounced them. As a principle surely we must deal with Moslems as with other persons. We must consider their psychol- ogy as we should that of a child. Two great ideas of the Moslem mind are God : (1) His absolute will. (2) The law of life laid down for men. We should thus represent them : 1. The law of God, binding on the conscience, and sin necessitating forgiveness. 2. Holiness, love and real justice of God, the true conception on which the doctrines of redemption, etc., are based. xn CONTROVERSY IN ALL ITS BEARINGS Kev. W. a. Shedd, Urumia, Peesia [The attempt has been made in preparing this paper to make it comprehensive and suggestive rather than thorough, and also to avoid topics covered in other subjects mentioned in the program. The subject is taken to refer primarily to oral discussion and not to controversial literature. ] I. The Dominant Purpose Christianity and Islam, with greater definiteness than any third religion, each makes the claim to be the sole, universal, and final religion. Manifestly their claims are contradictory, and the establishment of the validity of the claim of one disproves the claim of the other. It is not, however, true either in logic or ex- perience that the disproof of one proves the other. The great aim, therefore, in controversy should be to make good the claims of Christianity, and not to refute the claims of Islam. Other lines of discussion are use- ful in proportion to the extent to which they lead up to and strengthen the proof that Christianity is the sole and suflicient religion. Much in the fabric of every religion crumbles before the disintegrating influ- ences of time and change, and it is no difficult task to find flaws in the body of superstition and tradition that constitutes popular Islam. It is a far more difl&- cult task so to present Christ to men that He will draw them to Himself. Although this dominant pur- 192 Controversy in All Its Bearings 193 pose is thus in a sense the most difficult, it is often the most practicable. The way is often open for a free presentation of the teachings of our own faith where it is not open for argument against the belief of those with whom we are talking. 11. The Burden of Proof It is clear that this rests upon Islam, since on its own premises it makes the claim either to supplement or to supersede Christianity. K Islam supplements Chris- tianity, it must contain new truths not found in the Bible and its teachings must be harmonious with those of the Bible. The question arises whether the Chris- tian revelation admits of a supplement and whether it does not claim to be and is not complete. Or if Islam supersedes Christianity, its superiority must be shown in its revelation of the character of God, its book bringing the revelation to men, its rule of life, and its fruits in individuals and in society. This burden of proof may fairly and in a way to demand attention be pressed on every apologist for Islam, and experience shows that this is an effective mode of argument. III. The Peactical Aim in Controversy By this is meant the personal effect on those with whom discussion is carried on. Perhaps this must vary with circumstances, and it is impossible to define it precisely, and yet some suggestions. may be helpful. It seems to me that arousing a sense of personal sin and need should be a part of this purpose. One of the deepest deficiencies of Islam is its defective concep- 194 Mission Work Among Moslems tion of sin, and the practical effect of this error is one of the greatest obstacles to reaching Mohammedans. A real sense of sinfulness leads to dissatisfaction with the whole system of Islam, for the fault is in the sys- tem as a whole, and not merely in some single point. The conceptions of God and of human nature aie inad- equate, and closely connected with them are the super- ficial notions of sin and its forgiveness. Hence a soul with a true sense of need will be on that account read- ier to leave Islam and to hear the message of Christ. Another necessary element in the impression to be made on those with whom discussion is carried on is that of the character and sincere purpose of him who presents Christianity. This can be gained only by genuine Christlikeness in character, but the mode and spirit of our controversy have their influence. Back of all there must be a real love for the souls of those whom we meet and a desire to lead them to the Saviour. IV. Attitude of Islajm to Christianity In considering this relationship three points are im- portant, (a) Islam recognizes the genuineness of the Christian revelation. (&) Islam assumes a definite position with reference to Christianity, (c) Islam con- tains in its very foundation a misrepresentation of Christianity. The fact that the Koran and the traditions acknowl- edge the rightfulness of the claims of Christianity to a divine origin has rightly been seized upon by Chris- tian controversialists. This gives to Christ and to the Controversy in All Its Bearings 195" Bible an incontestable claim to tbe reverence of all Moslems. It furnishes a sure basis for discussion. In his own estimation and that of his followers Mohammed raised and answered the claim of Christ. He assigned to Him His place and titles, one of the greatest prophets, the Spirit of God and the Word of God. He claimed that there had been but one true faith from the beginning preached by all the great prophets, one in essence though differing in form. But he denied to Christ the title of the Son of God, and with this denial placed Him on a level with Abraham and Moses and Mohammed himself. He also denied to Christianity the claim to be the final relig- ion. This assumption of a definite position is a chief reason why Mohammedanism has been the hardest of all faiths to dislodge. It is a common law of human nature that it is difficult to induce men to reconsider a position once assumed. In this case the difidculty is increased by the fact that apparently so much is con- ceded. Every true Moslem is ready to yield to Christ high honour and to ascribe to Him lofty titles, and this is a great obstacle to giving the complete alle- giance which Christ demands. At the same time the inherent inconsistency of the Moslem position offers a basis for cogent argument. Mohammed denied the doctrine of the Trinity as an infringement on the divine unity and, furthermore, misunderstood and misrepresented the doctrine itself. The same remark applies also to the doctrines of divine Fatherhood and Sonship. The Koran and still more tradition contain confused and contradictory nar- 196 Mission Work Among Moslems ratives, which claim to be a part of Biblical History. This misrepresentation of Christianity is a dif&culty, in that it makes it necessary to clear the minds of Mohammedans of misconceptions and of prejudices. On the other hand here is a flaw in the foundations of the structure of the religion, easily shown and obviously incompatible with the claims of the religion to a divine origin. V. TttE Beliefs in Common and those Peculiae TO Christianity The stress must be laid not on the doctrines held in common but on those peculiar to Christianity. No one will think of disturbing belief in the former, but Christianity can be accepted in place of Islam only be- cause it differs from the latter. An exception may be made of the doctrine of the unity of God, because of the impression that Christians deny this. Very often too, the resemblance in doctrine is superficial and it is important to point out the differences. For example, both religions are built on the belief in the fact of rev- elation, and yet the two conceptions of this process are vitally different. Moslems believe in successive revelations. Their claim is that one faith — Islam — has been delivered to a succession of prophets, each super- seding the last preceding. Christians believe that rev- elation is progressive and cumulative, culminating in Jesus Christ. The Moslem thinks of each revelation as a separate book sent down from heaven, while the Christian recognizes the providential process in the history of individuals and of a chosen nation that is an Controversy in All Its Bearings 197 integral part of revelation. Plainly enough the differ- ences are fundamental and affect some of the vital points in controversy, such as the form and character of sacred Scripture. It is not too much to say that every doctrine held in common on careful considera- tion will be found to exhibit vital differences. This is true of repentance, of faith, of good works, and, above all, of the divine nature and character. Making the most therefore of all that is true in Islam and in no unfair way minimizing the amount of truth taught, we must strive always to pass beyond to new truth un- known to it. VI. The Polemic Against Islam However clearly the great aim of presenting Christ be maintained, no one can avoid sooner or later the necessity of attacking Islam. Some of the lines of argument have been noted, and some will depend upon local or sectarian beliefs and practices. The impor- tance and divergence of these last is often overlooked in discussions of Mohammedanism. In general the polemic should not be directed against the person of Mohammed. It may be that a conclusive argument against Islam can be built upon a study of the charac- ter of its founder, for his relation to the system is unde- niably close. At the same time an equally conclusive argument can be made without reference to the char- acter of the prophet. Interesting as it is, his charac- ter is not the main issue. His magnificent courage in preaching one God proves little as to the moral ade- quacy of his conception of God's character. Whether 198 Mission Work Among Moslems Mohammed was a social reformer or a profligate, po- lygamy aud easy divorce are curses perpetuated by Mohammedanism wherever it goes. Furthermore, argu- ment is generally carried on with people whose moral standards and judgments are on a low plane, and whose knowledge of the life and character of Mohammed is legendary and as far as possible from being critical. Nothing arouses fanaticism as surely as an attack upon the founder of the faith. The Koran itself is another vulnerable point in Islam. The abrogation within itself of certain parts, the relation of the ''revelations" to the private life of Mohammed, aud the fact that it contains material clearly derived from contempo- raneous sources in spite of the claim that it descended from heaven, are some of the damaging characteristics. Nevertheless the Koran is not the main object of at- tack. The great object in attacking Islam should be to show its inadequacy. Perhaps two points may be singled out in this connection. One is the inadequacy of the means presented for the forgiveness of sins. The atonement by the Cross is denied, and nothing is offered in its place. The lack is testified to most im- pressively by the attempts to find intercessors and martyrs in whom hope may be centred, but who have no proper place in the system of belief. The other is the impotence of Islam to bring about a moral refor- mation, either in the individual or in society. It pre- sents no sure basis for ethical obligation, no example for imitation, and no promise of the divine presence in the soul which is struggling upwards. The Chris- tian law of love as a principle of character controlling Controversy in All Its Bearings 199 the life is infinitely above the conceptions of Moham- medanism, VII. The Spirit in Controversy Two points only can be mentioned here. One is that in no part of missionary work do we need more deeply to show the spirit of Christ, fairness in argu- ment, patience with ignorance, and, above all, a sin- cere love for those with whom we are carrying on religious controversy. The other is that a necessary qualification is a complete dependence on the Holy Spirit, of whom the Master promised : "He will con- vict the world in respect of sin, and of righteousness, and of j udgment. " "He shall take of Mine and declare it unto you." The Spirit is promised to work in us and with us. VIII. The Mohammedan Controversy in Christian Lands There is another phase of this controversy less directly connected with missionary work and yet important. The estimate of Islam current in Christian lauds and in literature is important on account of its bearing on the missionary sentiment in the Church. Students of religion, of politics, and of history are forced to take Islam into account as a great factor in human life. They will contribute much which is of value to the missionary, to the true estimate of this religion, much also which the missionary cannot contribute. The missionary also ought to contribute much that no one else can. Others may know Islam more comprehen- 200 Mission Work Among Moslems sively but none more intimately than he. In order that his words should have an influence, especially on the thoughtful and well informed, he must be accurate and fair in his statements. Too often this has not been the case, and the cause of missions has suffered in cousequence. The case against Islam is invincibly strong, if it be not weakened by unwise statements. While valuable contributions have been made by mis- sionaries and friends of missions, there is need of more such work both in finished literary productions and in the public addresses and the private conversa- tions of missionaries on furlough. Islam stands before the bar of the world as well as of the individual. Discussion Question read by chairman : When the Moslem ad- mires the fruits of Christianity, is it not the practice of every missionary to direct attention to the root and offer Christ as a personal Saviour ? — My reply is, do so by all means. Eev. D. M. TJiornton presented the following axioms and canons for controversy : Axioms — 1. A simple gospel for simple people. 2. The nearer East is tired of theological hair splitting. 3. There is a need in the East for a moral and spiritual religion. Canons — 1. Never begin or provoke a controversy with Moslems. Controversy in All Its Bearings 201 2. Conduct a controversy only occasionally, and only if physically, mentally and spiritually qualified. 3. Never refuse to remove misunderstandings of Christianity even if it leads to controversy. 4. Always lift a controversy on to a higher plane and utilize it for pressing home the gospel. 5. Never accept a controversy with ignorant and gross minds. 6. As soon as qualified native converts are ob- tained, stand by them, but let them lead. Bev. Van Ess : You must read up a variety of sub- jects. . . . One has no difficulty in getting a hear- ing after square dealing with a Turk. Dr. WeithrecM : We must show that the Christian religion is one of absolute openness and fairness in argument. If there is a real difficulty, say so, and do not try to get round it by diplomacy. Controversy does not do away with sympathy. A book discussion is the best method. It was on one occasion carried on in Amritsar as follows : Taking the Bible and Koran, find out what both say on certain subjects. For instance. Being and attri- butes of God. Sin and Eedemption. Each side taking a quarter of an hour for discussing the subject. From a lady in the conference : An Armenian evan- gelist and a Turkish companion were in a wild fanat- ical district. They had been warned by the governor, himself a secret inquirer, and very friendly, and others, not to speak plainly but under a veil. In a 202 Mission Work Among Moslems wild village, they were each silently praying for guid- ance but resolved on extreme caution. The Armenian was struck forcibly by the thought, " If I do not speak plainly to these people, who will 1 " At the same mo- ment the Turk raised his head saying, "Fear not, speak plainly. He that is with us is more than those who are against us." Before a large audience the Armenian told the truth in love and a voice cried out from the crowd, " Woe to us, we are undone, our hope is cut off," and they had a good work in that place. Chairman : In Arabia we find the best results come from the preaching of the plain unvarnished truth of the gospel. Our mistake is that we have been afraid of Islam. Dr. Watson : For two years we had a public discus- sion two nights every week. Sometimes friendly, oftener otherwise. The results were not what we ex- pected. They did much good to the Christians present. It showed them how their religion might be defended. It brought out the weakness of the Mohammedans. Our native converts came off with the victory every time. Public discussion of this kind is of very little use in influencing the Mohammedans to accept Christianity. We have changed our plan. Our native worker, every Monday evening, gives Christian addresses, with something for the Mohammedans present. We must depend a great deal on personal conduct. Dr. Martin : Eeformed Presbyterian Church, Anti- och, Syria (extract from a letter) : As I am novc in my thirty-fifth year of missionary service I would mention Controversy in All Its Bearings 203 a few of my main principles respecting mission work among the Mohammedans. First, — convinced that so long as a Mohammedan holds that all things must be tested by the Koran I can expect no effect from any teaching I may give him, it is, in addressing Mohammedans, my fiist endeavour to persuade them that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, and these alone, arethe Wordof God. And I always warn my co-workers, colporteurs and others, to beware of so quoting the Koran in convers- ing with Mohammedans as to give them the impression that we treat it as from God. Br. IlerricJc: I find it desirable to hold the dis- cussion to the New Testament. Keep their minds on the life of Christ. Do not allow their minds to wan- der off by taking up Old Testament stories which are difficult problems. In regard to the position of native pastors with ref- erence to their neighbours, many are much in earnest to bring them into close contact with the Gospels. They must be wise and tactful, but never forget their obligations to the people amongst whom they live. In this rests our hope very largely. We should bring them to that spirit. Dr. Zwemer heartily endorsed the general principles laid down by Dr. Thornton. Dr. Weitbrecht said„that in India the native worker when employing controversy often gets into difficulties and needs the English missionary with wider outlook to save the situation. Dr. Wherry: I would avoid controversy in the 204 Mission Work Among Moslems sense of public debate, but would discuss with one or more in a private place. He said he had twice been asked to speak at a so- ciety established by natives of Saharanpur for the study of comparative religion ; once on The Mysteries of the Christian Religion and again on The Christian Doc- trine of Sacrifice. His hearers listened for a full hour ia which he opened each subject. Subsequent discus- sion was carried on without anything offensive beiug allowed to be said against the speaker or the subject itself, and at the end opportunity was given to reply to objections raised. The discussion was followed by a friendly social gathering and banquet. Dr. Simpson thought the axioms equally suitable for workers amongst the slums of our own large cities. Mr. Gairdner emphasized the great bearing which tliis question has on our views of inspiration. "We must be perfectly sure of our ground. Our arguments must be true in themselves^ as well as meeting our op- ponents. xin THE NEED FOR PRAYER AND SACRIFICE Kev. W. Dickins I VENTURE to define a missionary among Moslems as any one who has been constrained by the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ to go from his country and people to live among a Moslem population as His ambassador ; one who in such circumstances represents Him to them as He is set forth in the Old and New Testaments. He may be and often is sent also by a church and a missionary society, the members of which stand behind him by their prayers and means, but this although very important is not essential to his mission. And if the spiritual constraint be absent, no human creden- tials can make him a missionary to Moslems. The missionary among Moslems then is an ambassa- dor of Christ among a people, who are not only morally opposed to the righteousness and holiness of God, but doctrinally opposed to the claims of Christ as the eternal Son of the Divine Father, and His equality with the Father and to all those Scriptures which set forth the fact that Christ died for the sins of men. So he has constantly to press these claims upon a people unwilling to grant their validity and bitterly opposed to their influence. By day and by night he must pon- der the problem, " How to bring these claims home to their hearts and consciences." And for this great 205 2o6 Mission Work Among Moslems service he needs to be a man of incessant prayer, and always be ready to make sacrifices in harmony with the revealed will of God. It may be asked, In what way does one need to exercise prayer and a spirit of sacrifice ? First, I suggest, by focussing his work to a sharper and sharper outUne as experience grows. A deeper study of the Bible and comparison with every idea in the Koran, if possible comparing the Hebrew, Greek and Arabic terms, that he may be able to say, ' ' This is the particular difference between the word of God and what the Moslem thinks to be the word of God." * ' This one thing I do. " Are we ready to pray for this and to follow the prayer by sacrificing whatever would hinder its accomplishment % Secondly, by extending his efforts to unoccupied quarters. There is much land still to be possessed. The true missionary to Moslems should long to preach in other cities also, yea to every creatui-e. While the Moslem population around my own house has had my first and chief attention, I have occasionally gone out to the villages. Only a fortnight ago I was at the point where the Mahmudieh canal enters the Nile and had a most sympathetic crowd listening to the gospel for half an hour outside a Greek grocer's shop, while I spoke to them from the veranda. But on my way I passed village after village, with no one there to rep- resent our Lord to them. And each missionary here can say the district around him is in a similar plight. Shall we not pray that our efforts may be so concen- trated and extended that multitudes shall hear, believe The Need for Prayer and Sacrifice 207 and live, and are we prepared to sacrifice whatever would hinder its accomplishment ? Thirdly, by treating all our converted native helpers as brethren indeed. One is our Master and all we are brethren. All feeling of superiority must be laid aside. It is the fly in the ointment. I knew a missionary lady once who showed by her whole manner towards a native Bible woman, and sometimes expressed it in words, that she considered her altogether in an inferior position. This is a delicate subject, but unless we are willing to stoop low, even as the Master did, we shall never win the Moslems. Oh ! is there not need for prayer for the humility of our Lord and the sacrifice of every racial feeling and of every social custom which would hinder the realization of true brotherhood and sisterhood ! Fourthly, by simplicity of church organization. What I think is needed is the founding of churches in the New Testament sense. Two or three gathered to- gether by the Holy Spirit around the person of the living Saviour to read and expound His word, baptized on a profession of their faith and breaking bread to- gether at His table in the simplest possible way, all simply professing submission to all clear teaching in the Old and New Testaments. Can we all pray for this with a clear conscience *? Shall we not be willing to dispense with all pictures in the place of meeting, all crosses and other ritualistic practices, that we may not offend the consciences of Moslems in what seems to them is idolatry ? Fifthly, by urging constantly upon each convert the necessity of using whatever gift the Lord has bestowed 2o8 Mission Work Among Moslems upon him in making known what he has experienced of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, at all costs. ' ' Go and tell thy friends what great things the Lord hath done for thee," is a message often needed. The carry- ing of it out may mean difficulties for us as well as for the converts. Shall we pray for grace to meet them and sacrifice all that would hinder the possibility of such a consummation to our labour ? Lfistly, in rejoicing over every victory the native helper wins as if it were won by us personally. Let us pray for the spirit of John the Baptist and say, " The native Christian must increase but we must decrease." Then the great need of prayer and sacrifice is em- phasized by the special temptations that beset the mis- sionary and his helpers among Moslems. 1. The temptation to regard the Moslem as in a hopeless condition. The Copt often has urged me not to give the Bible to the Moslem on the ground that he has his own sacred book, and any other is useless for him. I can take you to some Moslems, in my own quarter, who have clung to Christ Jesus amid all sorts of petty insult for more than three years, and whom I have watched and rejoiced over again and again, as they have in prayer confessed they were resting on His infinite sacrifice for sin and coming to God in His name alone. After speaking last Sunday week for the third time in a large hospital on Jesus as our great High Priest, I was urged to come again soon and spend three hours with them instead of one. Such in- stances can be multiplied all over the Moslem world. They show that the case is not only not hopeless but The Need for Prayer and Sacrifice 209 hopeful to tlie highest degree, if we will but be faithful to our Lord. 2. The temptation to be drawn aside by Satan to take an unauthorized road to reach the end in view. The Jesuitical method based on the end as justifying the means. The means as well as the end must be scriptural. There can be no sending of unfaithful re- ports to gain support, no using the respect given to spiritual position for the advancement of material ends. By all means do good to all men, but let the good ever flow from pure love to our Master and be for His glory. 3. The temptation to hold back some particular truth because it would be unpleasant to the hearer, such as the incarnation of the Word of God, and His atoning death, or the denial of the Scriptures which do not fit in with our theories or the convictions of those to whom we are sent. Time fails me to tell of besetting perils for the mis- sionary among Moslems which still further emphasize the need of prayer and sacrifice, such as climatic and sanitary perils, the presence of robbers in places, the use made of bribery even to put away enemies, revenge, and outbursts of fanaticism on the slightest provoca- tion. But I must say one word on the need of prayer and sacrifice in the face of the fewness in numbers. "We are told on good authority that there, are districts oc- cupied by 68,450,000 Moslems unoccupied by any Christian missionary. Owing to my daily and hourly duties as a missionary among a Moslem population, I 210 Mission Work. Among Moslems have not been able to investigate the question as to how many missionaries and helpers are at work among the remaining 135,150,000, but judging from my ac- quaintance with this land, I should say they are but as a drop in a bucket. New missionaries need to be called of God and prepared through years of education for such a work. Then in what way should the present missionaries and their helpers seek to supply the over- whelming demand? I answer, first, by more definite prayer. Shall we begin to pray for one hundred fresh missionaries at once to be distributed throughout all Moslem lands ? Are we prepared for the sacrifice it involves? Second, by faith in the provision "If ye ask ... I will do." Are we willing to pray yet more earnestly and sacrifice yet more sacrificing! y ? Third, by looking out for the answers till they can be registered. "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the har- vest, that He may send forth labourers into His harvest." XIV PREPARATION OF WORKERS FOR WORK AMONG MOSLEMS The Right Rev. G. A. Lefeoy, D. D., Bishop of Lahoee It is probable that intellectual preparation was up- permost in the minds of those who thus defined what the subject of my paper was to be. And to such in- tellectual preparation I attach, for reasons to which I shall refer later on, very great importance indeed ; I consider it lamentable that, in the vast majority of cases, so little attention has been paid in the past to the need of quite special intellectual training for those whose purpose it is to devote their lives to work amongst Mohammedans, and it will be to me a cause of singular rejoicing and thankfulness if one result of the Cairo conference is to set forward a really practical and well-devised scheme to this end. But yet, partly because I feel so sure that much consideration will in any case be given to this need, partly because I attach so much more importance and skill to another kind of preparation with a view to this work, I am going to devote the chief part of my paper to it — viz., the need of moral and spiritual preparation. The preeminence of such qualifications will, I know, be admitted instantly, though perhaps it may be urged that they should be viewed rather as indispensable conditions, or prerequisites, for any satisfactory course of training than as a part of such training itself. 211 212 Mission Work Among Moslems Id this, however, I do not altogether agree ; I beliere that if the absolute necessity of such qualificatious is recognized with sufficient cleai'ness and sufficiently in- sisted upon, much can be done, alike by the individual student in the culture of his own life, and by any insti- tution in which he may be pursuing his coui-se of study, to develop such virtues and qualities in him, and anyhow I want to emphasize in the strongest way in my power, that these are the things which are abso- lutely and invariably indispensable for any good, solid work on behalf of our Lord and Master amongst Mo- hammedans ; and that if a man does not possess, or has no prospect of acquiring, them in some reasonable de- gree, the best devised and most effective system of in- tellectual training will, in his case, be thrown away. I will, therefore, specify in some detail the qual- ities, chiefly moral rather than spiritual, which I con- sider of primary importance in this regard, mentioning them not in any order which I would claim to be of absolute value, but in that in which my own individual experience has led me to think of them. 1. Entire fairness and truthfulness in conducting an argument. What a truism it sounds in words, how in- tensely difficult it is to observe in practice ! A ques- tion — perhaps a very ingenious or subtle one — is asked, and we are not really sure of the answer. But a listening, eager and hostile crowd are waiting for our reply, and we know quite well that any unsatisfactori- ness or weakness in it, much more any admission that we cannot reply, or have not got a satisfactory an- swer, will be immediately hailed as an acceptance of Preparation of Workers 2 13 defeat not of ourselves only but of the cause, dearer to us than life, which we represent. Perhaps too there comes — how often there has come to me ! — the most insidious thought, " I can give an answer that will do for them quite well enough. It may not be in itself a very scholarly one, or one that I feel very sure of my- self. I might not care to put it forward in a meeting of English clergy — perhaps I know in my heart that if I were to do so it would not hold water — or be accepted — for an instant. But these people don't know enough to see its weak point. It will do for them." And the catechist, too, by our side is waiting anx- iously for our reply, looking as though the fate of Christianity depended on that reply being plausible, at least, and catching, even if nothing more. What shall we do ? Can we resist the temptation ? Can we confine our answer to what we really do feel honestly sure and personally convinced of, deeming it wholly unworthy, and most unscholarly, to trust to the igno- rance of those to whom we speak not to detect the weakness of our reply ? Or, harder still, can we say quite simply and quietly, "That question is too hard for me at this moment. I have not thought out the point before, and I would sooner not say anything just at once" — can we say that, and not mind in the very slightest the hoot of derision, the claim on our ques- tioner's part of entire victory ? It is most hard. It really is, I think, for the most part beyond the power of our catechists. I would often have rejoiced more if I could have got them simply to say at such a time — "I don't know," than if I could have supplied them 214 Mission Work Among Moslems with the most conclusive answer possible, for I should have felt how far greater a moral triumph it repre- sented. To thera it seems, as I have said, as though Christianity itself depends on a catechist — to say noth- ing of a clergyman — not admitting that he has no re- ply to give to any question, concerning things either in heaven or earth, that may be sprung upon him at a moment's notice. And yet, if we would only believe it, the moral ef- fect on our antagonists themselves — or if not exactly on the leading antagonists, who are perhaps often proof against any such impressions, yet at any rate on the majority of those who are listening — of an honest and candid answer like that, is infinitely greater than of the cleverest and most convincing intellectual reply that can be given. Clever replies are not difficult to the Eastern mind — very clever indeed, as I know full well to my cost, and as I am sure all others know equally well, who have engaged at all in intellectual discussions with Mohammedans or Hindus. It is not likely that we shall beat them much on that line. But I venture to believe that the number of Mohammedan Moulvies who have the moral strength in such circum- stances to reply, honestly and humbly, "I don't know ; I can't answer that question at present," is in- finitesimally small, and if in the power of the Holy Spirit we can win that great victory more often, be perfectly sure that as a testimony to the superhuman strength of our faith its value will be immeasur- able. Practice then from the earliest day of your training Preparation of Workers 215 for this •work, the most rigid fairness and truthfulness in the conduct of every argument. 2. Large hearted sympathy, and a desire not to win a controversial victory, but to see the best side of your opponent's case, and to lead him on from it — from such truth, that is, as he does already hold, to the knowledge of Him who is — absolutely — "The Truth." This point follows very closely on the last, is indeed almost an outcome from it, for real fairness in argu- ment will always compel us to see that the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, does not lie exclusively on our side, but that those to whom we are speaking have also learned at any rate something from the " light which lighteth every man coming into the world." Still, though it follows so closely on that other position, it is in some degree separable from it, and as it also is of extreme importance I give it sepa- rate notice. Do not argue for the sake of victory, but to lead your opponent gradually nearer to the truth, — once again what a truism in words — how intensely difficult in practice ! We have suffered perhaps much at the hands of some prominent bazaar debater, and now he has more or less given himself away, we see a delight- ful opening for a smart — perhaps a crushing — re- joinder. Shall we avail ourselves of it? Far be it from me to say that such crushing rejoinder ought never to be given. It too has its place. Yet even it can be delivered in two ways — in two manners, from two standpoints — which will be perfectly distinguish- able to the listening crowd, either in a good-humoured 2i6 Mission Work Among Moslems and pleasant way wliicli, while establishing the point just as clearly, will yet take off a good deal of the soreness of defeat j or in a hard and dialectically-tri- umphant way — as of one who has scored a good point and wants to make the most of it, to rub it in well. Against this latter temper I am sure we should always fight. We shall all admit that it is not the real Christ- temper, and when that is admitted I need say no more. And to help us in fighting against it let us try to see in each and every individual whom we may be ad- diessing the latent Christ, if I may be allowed the ex- pression, let us see Him as the Father sees Him, who sees in Him the work of His own hands, one therefore whose essential and deepest relationship is with the truth — not with error, however deeply he may have committed himself to that. Also — and I have often fouud this consideration an immense help in maintaining under difl&cult circum- stances the sympathetic, forbearing attitude which I now urge — let us remember that, at any rate in some cases, bitterness in opposition really means that the truth is beginning to tug at the heart-strings of the speaker, and that he is seeking to reestablish his — possibly wavering — orthodoxy by strongest resistance to the preachers of error. We shall never know, I suppose, with any certainty how far feelings of this kind were at work in St. Paul, and were contributing to drive him forward on that journey to Damascus to make havoc of the faith. But there seems not a little to be said for the view that he was really in some such state as this at the time, and, be this as it may, our Preparation of Workers 217 oifu experience is, I am sure, ample to convince as how true this is in the case of others. But if so, how supremely important it is that we should not by a hard and dialectic manner repel our opponent, but rather strive to win him a step nearer still by the manifestation of the mind — the Spirit — of Christ. I suppose scarcely anything goes deeper by way of an explanation — if the term may be used — of our blessed Lord's extraordinary success in appealing to, and winning back to repentance and new life, some of the willful sinners of His day, than to recognize how magnificent was His belief in the possibilities for good inherent in every soul of man with which He came in contact. It was because He did so profoundly believe that at bottom they were true, and would respond to the truth, that His truth and His human sympathy and love alike went home to them and nourished into flame that tiniest spark of goodness which was yet within them, but which no eye less acute or eager than His would have discerned, and which might so easily have been quenched altogether by a different manner of dealing. Perhaps I ought to have said that it was to the latent possibility of moral goodness, rather than of affinity to the truth, that He thus, in such instances, primarily appealed. But assuredly the same holds good of that affinity to the truth as well, and few things are I believe more vitally important for the preachers of His Word than to start from — and keep ever quick and dominant — a profound belief in the 2l8 Mission Work Among Moslems testimonium animce naturaliter Christiance. Be perfectly sure that, if you can only iDresent it aright, the truth which you proclaim is that which at the bottom of their hearts — however unconsciously — those you ad- dress are seeking, are craving for. We, too, come to declare to them Him whom even now they iguorantly worship. We, too, can rightfully and wisely throw ourselves — would that we did so far oftener and far more trustfully — on their moral sense with the appeal, ' ' Why even of yourselves j udge ye not what is right ? ' ' It is, I am sure, diflacult to exaggerate the impor- tance of maintaining this— essentially Christlike atti- tude. 3. Entire good-temper and patience. The necessity of this is so obvious that one need say little about it, except that here again the maintenance of it is often so intensely dif&cult. No one knows, I think, but those who have themselves practiced bazaar preaching to, or religious discussion with, a Mohammedan audieuce — how supremely great the trial to good-temper and equanimity can be ! It may take a dozen different forms — the least dif- ficult one, though also trying, of open abuse and up- roar — or that of subtle innuendo or bitter jest — or that of an invincible, hopeless unfairness and obstinacy in dealing with every single question, every single point, that may arise — or many more. But most certain it is that any one who sets his hand to this work at all must lay his account for having his patience and good temper tried to the utmost degree possible, and must also remember that here at any rate Preparation of Workers 219 victory — the victory over oneself— is essential. Meek- ness, forbearance, good -temper, are qualities which the East always ranks very high amongst those which should characterize the religious teacher, and surely they have a perfect right to demand them of the follow- ers of Him who when He was reviled, reviled not again ; of Him who defined, once and for all, the essen- tial characteristics of His true disciples in the terms of the Sermon on the Mount. It is, I fear, unfortunately true that they are virtues which, in some aspects at any rate, do not come nearly as easily to the Western as to the Eastern, and possi- bly for this reason we are tempted to condone in some measure, our all too frequent failures in them. But this is wholly wrong. Let us recognize that as a most elementary and obvious qualification for this work — without which we have no right to engage in it at all — there must be the real mastery of our own temper, the thorough self-control, the keeping oneself under all provocations thoroughly in hand. It is one of the truest and most distinctive marks of the discipleship in which we serve, and invariably produces its efiect upon the crowd. I suspect it might not be much to say that if — per impossible — an analysis could be ob- tained of the ultimate causes of such conversions as have taken place as the result of bazaar preaching, or discussion of this kind with Mohammedans, it would be found that in a majority of cases what had first com- mended the truth to the conscience of the individual had been, not the intellectual ability or force with which it had been presented, but the good temper and 220 Mission Work Among Moslems kindliness of the preacher in the face of bitter opposi- tion and insult. While on the other hand, nothing need be said to show how fatal to the cause which we represent is any failure in this respect. No recipe can be given for attaining the temper thus commended. It must be the outcome of the training of the life, and of the continual habit of self-mastery, self-control, coming, of course, moreover, far more easily to some dispositions, some temperaments, than to other. But, whether easily or with difficulty, it must he attained. As one very little hint, I may perhaps say that I have myself on more than one occasion smothered an openly abusive opponent by heaping upon him in re- turn those honorifics, and expressions of overflowing courtesy, in which Eastern languages are characteris- tically abundant. An element of irony may no doubt enter into their use at such a time, but if this is done good-humouredly, the fancy of the crowd is usually tickled by the ludicrous contrast between the coin which the Mohammedan champion is tendering, and that in which he is being repaid, with results which prove infinitely more disconcerting to him than any violence of retort could possibly have done — to secure which indeed has been his chief hope and aim. 4. Never lose hope for an instant, be always sure that you are on the winning side. So often one is tempted to resume the work rather as a duty, in ordinary routine, than with any real hope and expectation of seeing definite results from it. But this is simple fail- ure of faith. If we do indeed believe — in our very Preparation of Workers 221 hearts and lives— that we serve a living and reigning Lord — if we are sure that all authority has been com- mitted to Him in heaven and earth, that He has over- come the world, that moreover He is with us all the days even to the end of the world, how can we possi- bly doubt what the outcome of it all is to be — whether we, personally and individually, are permitted to see much of the great end, the glorious victory, or not? No motto, I think, better becomes the banner of those who are engaged in this warfare than the triumphant cry— with its trumpet-like ring— of St. John, " This is the victory which hath overcome the world, even our Faith." And remember in thus feeling perfectly sure that we are on the winning side, we are only reechoing a note which sounds often and deeply amongst Mohammedans themselves, for, as we know, they give expression in not a few ways to the conviction — so sad, as they think, for them — that in the end the Cross will win. Let this hopefulness then be a continual mark of our words and temper, and to promote it, when it seems specially difficult, let me commend to you those singu- larly beautiful and inspiring stanzas of Clough's : "Say not the straggle nonght availeth, The labour and the wounds are vain, The enemy faints not, nor faileth, And. as things have been they remain. " If hopes vrere dupes, feara may be liars; It may be in yon smoke concealed, Your comrades chase e'en now the fliers, And, but for you, possess the field. 222 Mission Work Among Moslems "For while the tired waves, vainly breaking, Seem here no painful inch to gain, Far back, through creeks and inlets making. Comes silent, flooding in, the main. "And not by eastern windows only, When daylight comes, comes in the light, In front, the sun climbs slow, how slowly. But westward, look, the land is bright," I have dealt now with the moral and spiritnal quali- fications to which I wish to call special attention. It only remains to refer shortly to reasons which seem to me to make some quite distinctive course of intellectual preparation so very incumbent on all who desire to give themselves to this work, and so certain in fruitful result. First of all I would say, to put it quite shortly, it is incumbent upon us because it is so essentially practi- cable and possible. Of the study of Hinduism, I know, myself, nothing whatever, and of course I may in my ignorance be exaggerating the difficulties which it really presents to a wise and methodical student. But I confess that, viewing it thus from outside, I always feel appalled at its vastness — shall I say, its vagueness! — and at the supreme difficulty of really coming to grips with it. But I do not think that this objection can be urged with any truth -whatever to the study of Mohammedanism. First of all, of course, there is the study of the Quran itself— I mean the simple mastery of the Arabic. It must be assumed that this is not beyond the intellec- tual ability of those whose preparation we are discuss- Preparation of Workers 223 ing, but in and by itself the power which it gives ua in dealing with Mohammedans is perfectly extraordi- nary, I speak with reticence on the point lest it should be thought that I know Arabic myself. I know practically nothing whatever of it, having forgotten the little I once knew. But during the short time in Delhi in which I was giving myself to the careful lit- erary study of it, hoping to become really acquainted with it— before the call came to me to enter on other and all-engrossing pursuits — I used to be fairly aston- ished at the increasing power which one seemed to get with every fresh Sura, it is scarcely too much to say every fresh verse, that one read. Some opportunity of using it seemed to invariably come almost at once, and the fact that one was able thus to refer to it, in- stantly deepened the hold that one was able to get on one's listeners. This study of course comes first of all. But then, in the second line, the really authoritative books— the Darsi Kitaben as they are called in Delhi, I know not how far the term is a standard one — are so comparatively few, so universally recognized and so manageable for any real student. If, as commentaries, one had got some real hold of two — Beidhawi and Jalalin — if in addition to them one was fairly well acquainted, on the side of traditional lore, with just the Sahihain — Bokhari and Moslem, I can not help thinking, though I have scarcely any right to express an opinion in a scholarly matter of this kind, that one would occupy a position of very great strength indeed, and be able at any rate to secure for 224 Mission Work Among Moslems the truth which -we bring a measure of respectful con- sideration which would be of supremest value. I cannot elaborate the point, but it is this conviction which I entertain of the entire practicability of some real acquaintance with Mohammedan literature and theology, that has in my mind accentuated the impor- tance of securing it, and has also made me so deeply deplore the wide-spread absence of it amongst so very many of those who have hitherto given themselves to this work. Not infrequently during my years in Delhi, when I wanted to refer to some tradition which I knew existed in one of the well-known collections, but the exact source of which I did not know, it was a cause of real pain to me— and, as I thought, a reproach to the missionary cause — that there was scarcely a single mis- sionary, so far as I knew, in upper India, to whom I could turn for the needed reference — not more than two or three indeed in the whole of India, and to them I sometimes turned in vain. Surely this reproach ought to be wiped away. Secondly, there is the fact that some scholarly and fairly wide study of this kind is essential as the intel- lectual counterpart of that general moral attitude of sympathy and fairness on which I have already laid pri- mary stress. In order to be able effectively to lead, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to the full truth as it is in Christ Jesus, those to whom we are sent, it is of im- mense importance that we should understand pretty clearly the point which, in the providence of God, they have already reached, the elements of truth which they already hold, and the general texture and colour of Preparation of Workers 225 their thought. It is, for the most part, only by hav- ing done this in some true measure that we shall be able to present to them the sacred message with which we are ourselves charged, in a " tongue understanded of the people." I cannot say how lamentably great has been, in my opinion, our failure in the past to do this — to put our- selves, I mean, first by some degree of brotherly sym- pathy, love and insight, on to the platform which they occupy, in order thus to lead them on with us up to the apprehension of the truth in Christ Jesus. Most of the older controversial literature, on the Christian side is, I think — with all that it contains of valuable and true — very hard indeed, as though in- tended rather to confute the enemy than to win the dis- guised friend. Similarly much of our preaching seems to me rather as though we were hoping to convert men by throwing brick-bats at them, in the form of truth. You may knock a man down by this process — you often do — but I much doubt whether the resulting frame of mind is very favourable to conversion. I cer- tainly do not think it would be in my own case. I, however, most thankfully recognize that a new spirit — and, in this respect at any rate, a more Christ- like one — is making itself felt in our literature, and — as I fully believe — in much of our preaching as well. In the department of literature I would call special at- tention to the two most valuable little books, as I es- teem them. Sweet First-Fruits and The Beacon of Truth. Alike in spirit and in method they seem to me to be quite admirable. I know of no books that I believe 226 Mission Work Among Moslems may be more \risely, and Trith greater hope of allaying prejudice and winning a favourable consideration for the truth, given to Mohammedan enquirers than these. In this connection I should like also to refer to Arch- bishop Trench's invaluable course of Hulsean Lectures for 1846, on Christ the Desire of all Nations; or, The Unconscious Prophecies of Heathendom. Would that every Christian apologist working amongst non-Chris- tian people were steeped alike in the spirit and in the method of those lectures. I can imagine scarcely any more valuable preparation for the work we have in view. In the matter of preaching also we are beginning to see a new departure in this respect. Thus in the Pun- jab itself there is a well-known convert from Moham- medanism, a good Arabic scholar and a man of marked ability and earnestness, whose attitude towards the faith he has left is markedly different from, as it is far more generous and large-hearted than, most of those who have preceded him into our faith. He not only entirely declines to attack Mohammed or, in most re- spects, his creed, but he distinctly claims him as the ''schoolmaster" who has brought him to Christ. I think it very possible that he goes really somewhat too far in this direction, and it is quite certain that he has brought upon himself in consequence much suspicion as to his orthodoxy on the part of other Christians in the diocese. Yet for my own part I welcome with my whole heart this novel attitude, as not only far more liberal, and therefore wise, in itself, but as beyond all telling more calculated to win to the truth those to Preparation of Workers 227 whom he addresses himself. We are watching his coui'se with the utmost interest and sympathy, and I personally believe that, if he is sustained by the grace of God, there is a career of the utmost value and use- fulness before him. On all these grounds then, spiritual, moral, and in- tellectual alike, I attach the utmost importance to a really thorough and well-devised scheme of training for those who propose to devote their lives to work amongst Mohammedans, and I shall most truly thank God if some such is established as the outcome, or one of the outcomes, of this conference. Discussion Dr. Jessup testified to the value of the Beacon of Truth. Mr. Finney said in a recent visit to mission-stations up and down the Nile he had found many Moslems talking intelligently of the gospel who had got their knowledge from elders of the church whom they had met in social life. One said to him, "There are many of us who know the truth," and he believes that some day they will have courage to confess it. Bishop Warne said they have introduced a summer school for native agents. One hundred to three hun- dred workers are put through a course of preparation and sent back to work for a year. They are then brought back for six weeks' more training. Dr. Zwemer said he and his colleague had used Ramadhan for the last four years as a time for a month's training for Moslem controversy, studying 228 Mission Work Among Moslems the Koran, Traditions, Mezar el Hakk, etc., going over them carefully. This keeps the agents busy when they cannot be at work. Dr. Weitbrecht said that it is better far to have no native agents than to have one who is not fit for his work. Spiritual men for spiritual work are a neces- sity. Eveiy time we depart from this rule we regret it, and such an agent may be a permanent hindrance and very difficult to get rid of. Mr. Bodds, speaking of publications, asked for a list of six or eight books as preparation of workers for work amongst Moslems. Dr. Zwemer said Dr. Tisdall's list of Moslem objec- tions to Christianity is most valuable — but for workers we must go to the soui'ce — i. e., Koran and Tradi- tions. Dr. Weitbrecht suggested Canon Sell's Historical De- velopment of the Kora7i, which could be had with a translation of the Koran. Mr. Anderson asked for an expression of opinion, whether in Moslem lands each missionary should not have to take a course of study in the problems which face him, and in the Arabic language and the religious ideas of Moslems. Dr. Zwemer said this is embodied in the appeal and report. Dr. Weitbrecht also mentioned the second edition of The Christian Doctrine of Salvation Compared tcith Hin- duism and Mohammedanism, by Dr. Hooper. After prayer by Mr. Carter, Mr. Eddy, of the T. M. 0. A. in India, spoke on the Students of the Orient. Preparation of Workers 229 Mr. Eddy told how the S. V. M. U. in Jaffna, Ceylon, gave birth to the new missionary society to send mis- sionaries to South India to the Moslems. Growing out of the same movement the young men in Tinnevelly founded the missionary society of Tiu- nevelly. At first this was intended for the Tamil field, but finding there was no place where their com- ing would not be resented, they went to Hyderabad and opened a mission there. At the end of six months there were already many enquirers. In one place of 15,000 Christians, the native church is self-supporting (in Tinnevelly) and the missionary's bungalow is empty, the work being carried on by native pastors. Last Christmas Day at Serampore, was founded the National Missionary Society of India (including Bur- mah and Ceylon), in the room formerly occupied by William Carey. It would have done Henry Martyn's heart good to see Moslem converts, Brahmins and Hin- dus, high and low, forming this Indian missionary society to evangelize India and neighboui'ing lands such as Afghanistan. Each man is loyal to his own church, and men and money are already coming in. One man whose son was shortly to return from a European university said if his son would go he would support him ; if not, he would support another in his place. God has begun to lay the burden of evangelization on the Indian. We shall never be relieved of our responsibility of laying the burden on the native church. Our work would never succeed unless our 230 Mission Work Among Moslems few missionaries are supplemented by large numbers of native missionaries. The second message of hope is the message of Bevival beginning in Assam ; it is breaking out already in twenty places. The Punjab is ripe for it. In one college it is arranged for every man to be interviewed about Christianity in his first term. In West India and South India many have been praying for this re- vival for seven years. The battle must be spiritual. Some one said, "The hope of the Moslem world is in this room." If so, a fearful responsibility rests with us. It is a matter of quality and of faith. It largely depends upon ourselves and the kind of lives we are living. Last Sunday he stood where our Lord wept over Jerusalem but near the spot where He also lifted up His eyes over the world and said, "Tarry, until ye be endued with power from on high," to make such men as God cau use. Are we such, that God can trust usi XV THE STUDENT MOVEMENT AND ISLAM Rev, S. M. Zwemee, D, D. In the absence of Mr. John E. Mott, who had been expected to present this topic, but was unable to be present, Dr. Zwemer spoke extemporaneously, urging the following points : (a) In the last analysis the evan- gelization of the Mohammedan world depends, under God, on an army of volunteers prepared to do pioneer work and ready to sacrifice life itself, if need be, to enter and occupy Moslem lauds. (&) The organized Student Volunteer Movement exists for this very pur- pose, viz., to awaken the student world to the need of the non-Christian world and urge upon them the call to go. (c) Therefore the Cairo Conference has a special message to the Student Movement and that message should be carried to the universities of Europe and America by every delegate present in every way pos- sible. On the other hand and in a real sense the Cairo Conference is one of the results of the Student Volun- teer Movement for foreign missions. An attempt at a general survey of the Mohammedan world (although inadequate and necessarily inaccurate) was first made at the Cleveland Convention of the S. V. M.. in 1898. This survey was the beginning of the present conference in the Providence of God. It is the motto of the Student Movement that we read on the map be- 231 232 Mission Work Among Moslems fore us : The Evangelization of the Moslem World in thi» Generation. This same map carried its message to the thousands of students at the Nashville Convention in February last. And our appeal to the Student Volunteers will not fall on deaf ears. Mr. Zwemer then read some paragraphs from the report of the Student Volunteer Movement during the past decade by John E. Mott as presented at the Nash- ville Convention. BIBLE LANDS MISSIONS' AID SOCIETY, A Few Facts About it. Its President— Tn^ Right Hon. Earl of Aberdeen. Vice Fresideni— Sir Wm. Muir, K.C.S.I., LL.D. Treasurer — The Right Hon. Lord Kinnaird. Late Hon. Sec. — Rev. W. A. Esseky. Secretary — Rev. S. W. Gentle-Cackett. The idea of such a Society was first ex- . . pressed in the house of Rev. Dr. Cyrus o ' HamUn of Constantinople when he was entertaining certain English Christian travellers who, in visit- ing the Crimean War scenes had been struck by the work of the American Mission in Turkey. The idea, brought to Eng- land by one of the travellers, immediately struck root, and on the third of July, 1854, " The Turkish Missions' Aid Society" was duly launched at a public meeting in the Lower Exeter Hall ; Earl Shaftesbury occupied the chair as President of the new and unique Missionary Society ; he held the post till his death. J. pjpifi At first the Turkish Empire was its area of J . . operations ; which has since been enlarged and now includes the Bible Lands of Greece, Macedonia, Asia Minor, Persia, Arabia, Egypt, Palestine and Syria. These countries have a population of over 30,000,000 ; about five millions belonging to the old Christian sects, the re- mainder being Moslems. According to Sir Wm. Muir, "The Sword of Mahomet, and the Coran, are the most stubborn enemies of civilization, liberty and truth which the world has yet known," The Rev. Dr. Jessup of Bey rout affirms that the old Christian sects " all hold the doctrine of transubstantiation, of baptismal regeneration, priestly absolution, mariolatry, and saint-worship, image and picture worship, auricular confession. 234 Bible Lands Missions' Aid Society and prayers for the dead." The aim of this Society is to lend a helping hand to the evangelical missionaries, who are seek- ing by evangehzation to overthrow this gigantic mass of deadly error, and to regain these lands for Christ. Its Source*! Being absolutely undenominational, the - _ Society has no organized body on which to of Income. , r • t» u r ,. u i rely for mcome. It has to fall back upon the common obligation of Christians of every name to further the evangelization of the world. It urges the peculiar claim of these Lands upon all who love the Bible and have benefited by its Holy teachings. Funds are received from Donors to special objects, from auxiliaries and individual Collectors, from occasional collections ; our chiefest source consists of regular annual subscriptions from all parts of the country. It Aids ^° grants are made to the foreign mission- T f- ^"^^ ^" Bible Lands, but the Society's ^ ■ strong point is to give help to the native labourers who are publishing the Glad Tidings to their fellow countrymen. There are over 500 of these recognized workers, pastors, preachers, and Bible-women scattered abroad and under missionary oversight. Our aids are of the highest service to these humble pioneers, who are preparing in the desert a highway for our God. Without these aids many villagers would be in total darkness, many a pastor would end his labours and many a Bible-woman would cease to read the words of eternal hfe to her ignorant and degraded sisters. It AiHs Children's schools are now a very power- _ , . ful arm for uplifting the sunken races of Education. 1 • j .u- • n . r .1 j mankmd ; this is specially true of the de- generate inhabitants of Bible Lands. Many hundreds of elementary mission schools exist in Egypt, Syria, Asia Minor, Turkey-in-Europe, and in all the Bible is taught and ex- pounded. There are high schools, boarding schools, and even colleges. Seminaries are at work training converted young Bible Lands Missions' Aid Society 235 men to become preachers of the Gospel. Every year a portion of our income is devoted to aiding these varied institutions. The effect on the condition of women is marvellous. Fifty years ago in Central Turkey only one woman out of a popula- tion of 30,000 could read, wives and daughters were treated as menials ; now in thousands of households by education, women have been raised to their true equality with men. T>. A-j ««• J- 1 These missions, humane and beneficent in It Aids Medical , , , r , ■ , ^ ■ u. . themselves, have for their definite object Missions. ^j^g spreading abroad of the Gospel of Christ. They are meant to soften and prepare men's hearts, that the good seed may be sown into good soil. Our aids to medical work are sent to Arabia, Syria, Asia Minor, etc. One Missionary writes, " Your favour of last year was used in dispensary work, it enables us to secure very eligible quarters in the crowded quarters in Busrah ; thus we have two dis- pensaries in good working order chiefly through your aid. Out of 749 patients in May, 420 were Moslems." Another says, " Hospital work brings Christian truth, not merely to those who are seeking it, but even to those that are hostile. There is no other agency for preaching the Gospel that finds so open a road into the human heart." We plead for Medical Missions where parents have no other treatment for themselves and their children than that of the branding-iron or charms. Tt Air1<5 thp From the beginning of the Society's ex- istence the persecuted for Christ's sake have looked to us for relief. During the late massacre we responded to hundreds of cases. One of the native pastors unjustly thrown into prison, was supported for over two years and his wife and children, by our exertions. Quite lately an appeal came on behalf of ten innocent prisoners in Eastern Turkey, and not in vain : we sent once and again to feed and clothe these confessors of the Cross, Ever and anon we are called to befriend Christ's persecuted ones, 236 Bible Lands Missions' Aid Society Tt A'H fh Upwards of £12,000 were received and dis- bursed for relief and orphanage work, on " ' account of the Armenian massacre. Over £1,400 were also dispatched last year for the relief of the suf- ferers in Macedonia, and £700 to the orphans. The chief portion of the latter went towards establishing the first Protes- tant Orphanage in Macedonia, which bears the name of the " Essery Memorial Orphanage " in memory of our beloved Secretary. These funds have been an immeasurable blessing to thousands of the poor persecuted race who have thanked God for the relief we have sent them. Hundreds of massacre- orphans have been sheltered, fed, clothed and educated by our donors and subscribed. This work is not yet finished. Tt NppH«5 ^^ have been obliged to tell the mission- aries in charge of the orphans hitherto sup- " ' ported by us, that our fund is run dry, that we have already sent them all the money we have, that there is little prospect of a rising tide, this is sad, sad news for many an orphanage ; who will come to our rescue ! Five pounds a year will provide all the needs of an orphan in Armenia, but in Macedonia the cost is six pounds. Large gifts are required, either individual or collective. We need help for the spiritual work, for the self-denying native labours of every kind. With- out our aid school doors will be shut, medical mission work will languish, churches will be left without preachers, Bible-women will be dismissed, the work of our Lord will stagnate, and souls will pass hence without salvation. Our Society needs a large accession of new and enthusiastic helpers. We beg of you " Hold tbe ropes " while our Brothers and Sisters " at the other end " proclaim tbe unsearchable riches of Christ N.B. — Further information on the Society's work may be obtained in "The Star in the East " sent free. Subscriptions and donations should be sent to Rev, S. W. Gentle-Cackett, Secretary, Bible Lands Missions' Aid Society, Alliance House, 7, Adam Street, Strand, London, fV.C, Date Due »P 26 "39 $ i, 'i' '^-- ^^^ l». ^ ^t'i. 1 1012 01100 6568