Page 148 - Neglected Arabia Vol 2

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6 NliGLiteral> ANAHIA

and northeast of Abyssinia each convert becomes automatically, so to
speak, an evangelist to his own people.”
Most encouraging of all to the Arabian missionaries of the Reformed
Church in America, is the recent success of Missions in Persia. After
years of work, which like our own had produced few converts from Islam,
Moslems are now being baptized in increasing numbers in all the stations.
The ruler, Shah Ruza. is strong for progress and education. Although
missionary schools have been going through hard times, government re-
strictions on Mission schools now seem to be satisfactorily settled. Plans
are on foot for the establishment of a United Church of Persia. The
American Presbyterian Church and the Church Missionary Society of the
Church of England have been working side by side in love and harmony
in this difficult field and now the converts from both Missions want a
Union Church. We shall not soon forget the thrill it gave us at Brum-
mana to hear Bishop Linton, the Bishop of Persia of the Church of Eng­
land, tell of his own efforts to assist in the formation of an undenomina­
tional church of Christ for Persia!
It is tor just such results as this that the Missionary Council is work­
ing, in order that missionaries of all nationalities and creeds, welded to­
gether by their love for Christ, may present a solid front in their advance
against the forces of Islam.

Coffee-House Visitation Evangelism
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Kiev. Ai.iikkt (I. Kdwakuh
Noth: Mr. Edwards, the author of this article, is a missionary of the United
Mivtinu in Mesopotamia. He is called "Father of the Houkbag" by his coffee home
friends because he carries his literature in a small brown hand bag.—En.
“O, Father of the Bookbag, what are you reading?”
“Is it Arabic?”
“Let me see it!”
Thus a portion of Christian literature goes into circulation, for the
Arab takes the tract, sits down on another bench in the coffee house, and
reads it. Before long, attracted by his interest, others are almost sure to
make the same request.
This describes in essence the method of evangelism we have been led
to use in Hillah. During our first few weeks here in the fall of 1926 many
came to our house for conference and reading, and this gave us an oppor*
tunity for interesting discussion and reading of the Gospel. Soon, how- 1
ever, the Shiah religious leaders forbade the people to visit us; our house * I
was effectively boycotted, callers were afraid to come. What was to I* I
done? * 3
If the Arab would not come to hear the Gospel, then the Gospel must '■ j!
be taken to the Arab. Our Iraqi evangelist, Michael, and I, taking hand I
bags of books and tracts, went out into the bazaars, giving tracts to those ^
who seemed to want them, and selling some of the larger books. As we *1
went we found many opportunities for conversation and religious di*.