Page 263 - Neglected Arabia Vol 1 (3)_Neat

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NEGLECTED ARABIA
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M\Vc have had our disappointments. The effect of these preach­
ings and stories and conferences and threats appeared almost im­
mediately’* T here was a time when I had as many as eighteen con­
vert* and inquirers coming to me for Bible-readings, Bible-study and
conferences. .. . First of all a man, who was a butcher, came to
tell me that his customers had left him declaring that he was ‘un­
clean.’ They then reported him to the religious leaders who in turn
him up in their midst where they so threatened him and fright­
ened him that he has never come near us since. But he did more
damage. He had a friend whom I considered one of the best of the
ioquirers. Not immediately but soon after, he persuaded this friend
Ui forsake his interest in and attendance at our meetings. . . . We
bad a spy among the inquirers, who visited the different religious
leaders to tell them the names of their near apostates. You can im­
agine the result. One man took such fright that he immediately left
(own and has not been heard from again.
-But we have kept hopeful. We praise God and £ive thanks for
\h« live! and witness of our Christiuns. Their 'lines have not been 1 • ■
ia pleasant paths/ Their own people—father,, mother, sisters and
bcothcri—have set unon them to cast them into prison if possible, 1 1
tod to slander them nere and there; but they have come through it
^ll and are, I believe, stronger for it. . . . Five inquirers have
remained interested and faithful in attendance at the meetings and
U Bible-classes twice each week. They have their tales of troubles
tad threats by the enemy; but they are brave to take part in the
Scaday testimony meeting/’

Sometimes the opposition goes too far, as witnessed by Mr. Bilkert:
"After Muharram the Mission was the object of some very bitter
txucks on the part of some Shi’ah Mujtahids (Zealots) who preached
a the bazaar. Christianity in general was attacked and our schools * •
a particular. But in their zeal to do us harm the preachers seem to
Vi\c overshot the mark with their absurd statements and we have
telieed no evil effects/’
These are the discouragements without, in our actual contact with
opposition. But there are those within and who shall say which
Mins the missionary’s heart the more? I refer to the^-shortage of
tefcsib. Each year we try hard to stretch the shrinking blanket of
Uadi available over the ever-growing horse of our opportunities for
**rfk. This year because of lack of funds it was deemed advisable
» dose the Ashar Girls’ School. As Miss Kellien writes, “the *,
Kcessity for the closing of the second school has cast a shadow on
&c whole year’s work. Considering the funds available and the
.ared for improving our staff, there was no other remedy, but those
micrcsted must always regret the giving up of a growing concern.
Tfce numbers in Ashar kept up well to the very end and Moslem
pjcuU exclaimed as loudly as the Christians over the news that the
*kttl would not reopen in the autumn/’
It hurts us all to feel that this grqund has had to be surrendered
'•.the opposition. It makes us wonder if we must surrender some-
&iag else next year. God grant that His work in Arabia may not

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