Page 19 - Protestant Missionary Activity in the Arabian Gulf

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"On the platform were the Wall, the Commander of
the Troops, the Commander of the Battleships, and Ahdel
Wahah Pasha. First the Wali made an address in Turkish,
in which he signified his pleasure in having a part in
the laying of the cornerstone of a building that was
erected for such a purpose. He expressed his appreciation
for the work of the doctors, and also his warm hopes for
the success and usefulness of the hospital." 21

Shaihk Mubarak of Kuwait was so impressed by what he

had seen of the mission doctors in Iraq that, in 1910, he in­

vited Dr. Arthur Bennett to come to Kuwait to establish a hos­
pital there.22 The Kuwaiti ruler sent his personal launch to

transport the missionaries and provided them with land and
building materials to get the hospital started.23 a women’s

dispensary was also opened and work began on a proper hos­

pital, which was completed in 1915.

The Mission’s schools also found a receptive audience,

particularly for English and science. A small boys’ school

was started in Basrah in 1904, soon to be followed by one in
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Bahrain. A small school in Muscat, initially started by Peter

Zwemer to ediicate the orphans he had rescued from a slave ship

captured by the British, grew steadily. Attendance at these

schools was large and regular, and a large, enthusiastic crowd

including the Shaikh’s vizier attended the Bahrain graduation

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ceremonies in 1907. English classes in particular were very

popular, and b3r 1908 five members of the royal family were

studying English at the missionary school.25 By 1912, the

student bodjr in Basrah had grown so large that a new school

was called for, and the appropriately named "School of High

Hope" was founded.

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