Page 144 - Neglected Arabia Vol 2

4 SliGUiCTlii) JKMU.l
missionary societies as this pioneer of the Student Volunteer Movement
who has been known and loved by Christian college students tor over
forty years.
I)r. Wilder has not found his new task an easy one. Quoting from his
report we read, “To keep in touch each year by personal visitation with
all parts of the held would require almost continuous travel. 1 o cover the
ground even by correspondence also takes much time. Cooperative work
faces the difficulty due to a battling variety of problems in some hfteen
countries, under governments as varied as those ruling Turkey, the Balkaii
States, Syria, Palestine, Persia, Eritrea, Abyssinia and the North African
littoral. The difficulties are increased by the fact that the dominant re­
ligious problem found in this area is that presented by Islam, and Islam
under Moslem jxditical rulers. One wonders if any Christian Council
faces a harder task than that which confronts the Council for Western
Asia and Norilicni Africa,"
Dr. Wilder has, in the past eighteen months, visited (ireece, Bulgaria,4
Kninania. Constantinople, Syria, Palestine, Iraq. Egypt, Sudan, Algicn
and Tunis. The Arabian Mission is eagerly looking forward to a visit
from him next November.
During the meetings of the Literature Committee there were reports
of the production and distribution of literature for Moslems. There wa»
a display of the recent publications put out by the Mission press in various
parts of the field. Thus missionaries could gain knowledge of the book*
and pamphlets of other fields which might with advantage he used iq ;
their own work. There were also very attractive posters for use in work
tor women and children, concerning not only religious subjects but abo
health subjects for use in hospitals and baby-welfare work. One of d*
great advantages of the cooperation offered by this Committee is that 4
a very small cost a mission can borrow for its own publications the attrac­
tive illustrations produced by the artists of another part of the field. -
i One of the most interesting projects of the Committee is that of pn>;
ducing literature in the vernacular languages of different parts of Africv
Sir William Wilcox has done much to further the production of six|
literature in Egypt. Although not all workers for Moslems approve q(
printing Christian literature in the vernacular which, they contend, k
ically no language at all. there are many missionaries who find such pubfcf
cations of inestimable value in reaching the mass of the people. Am<**;
the pagan tribes of Africa the use and teaching of the vernacular f
Romanized alphabet constitutes an important point in strategy. Mohan*
medanism has made great strides in converting these pagan tribes to Islaa
For missionaries to teach these illiterate people the classical Arabic wouU
fuciliiulc ilie touching of (lie Korun, wlim'iin liy building up u new Ua*
guage and literature, easier than classical Arabic for the people to Uiuln^
stand and learn, a real barrier is formed to obstruct the progress of LbUT!
Thus Christian workers obey the injunction to be as wise as serum*!
although as harmless as doves!
The reading of reports from the various countries was most interest^
There was much to encourage and some items to stir the sympathy *
call forth the prayerful consideration of the Council. Of the latter son