Page 83 - Neglected Arabia Vol 1 (3)_Neat

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We had been at work only three days when some unexpected troublci
arose. As 1 said before, the Omanies are an extremely cordial people.
Nowhere in any part of our Mission held do we get the same whole- •
hearted greetings and cordiality shown by these Omanies. They too arc
more ready to listen to our message than any other Arabs. You get the
idea that they are as yet unprejudiced, unpoisoned against us and uur
message. And so it had seemed to us till now.
A series of unfortunate circumstances came to a sudden climax. The
Sunday before we had paid our respects to the Qadhie, the religiou*
sheikh and judge. We went through the very large fort in which he
lives without really receiving his wholehearted consent. Recause of
large numbers of women coming to the dispensary, we set aside, with*;
the consent of the sheikh, special days for women only. The large •
number of men who came also on those days objected strenuously agaiiui
preference to the women, and some others objected particularly against
their women being without male escorts though there were at least two
hundred women in the mob. During the dispensary song and talk, d* •
wmnefi .responded with loud umens, mucus. In attempting In disproof;!
some Woks and tracts iu the court yard, a group of boys constantly i
followed, and it seemed as though these hoys were the special object fuf./
proselyting. And worst of all, a man by the name of Suleiman Rurooni^ -
exile from Tripoli, was in Someil, and because the white man in t^ '
forrm of a European government kept him out of his country, he wrote
letters to the religious teachers of the town, to the Sheikh and the Inui*
with various accusations for the express purpose of keeping the. white
man out of Oman.
The accummulation of all these unfortunate incidents was, of cour**,
enough to upset even the hospitable Omanies. Sheikh Hilaal came *
noon and forbade dispensary talks; the Qadhie sent a letter forbidding
Mr. Van Peursem to address the people, leave the house or dispu*: uf
books. Fortunately, these orders were rescinded the next day. but
had learned to be more cautious. The show was not yet over, ho\vc\a.
Two days later all the religious leaders and teachers were called lugetlwr
by the Qadhie to discuss the situation. Our Omanie helper was called
before this body and given to understand that he was not to accomjiaiij
Mr. Van Peursem or to assist him in any way. This was Saturday.
The next Monday Sheikh Hilaal came. He called me aside and
“You received a letter from Sheikh Isa today?’*
“Yes.”
“He is not coming for an operation.”
”Not now, but perhaps later.”
“No, he is not coming. I know. You came here particularly fc*
Sheikh Isa, didn’t you?”
“No, partly for Sheikh Isa, but more for the poor people of (Jm*
who can’t come to Bahrain.”
“No, you came especially for Sheikh Isa, and now he isn’t comi* ?
So 1 think you had better quit working. Stay here a few more dayufc'j-
your operative cases are well and then you had better go. The "
(religious teachers) are making too much trouble. They are writer *:
» letters to the Imam and the Sheikh, they are trying to stir up trouble Jjj