Page 178 - Neglected Arabia Vol 2

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NlttiUiCTtlU ARAIJIA \ s
i. Then the lirst one spoke uguin. "1 remember the time when it was
considered absolute unbelief when u man let his hair grow as long as mine
A is now. You were considered to be following in the paths of the Chris­
tians and men cursed you as you walked along the strtets. I also remem­
ber when little-boys were taught to throw stones at Christians and to curse
i them and if possible to do even meaner things. To be seen talking with
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a Christian was a very unpleasant experience, for you were suspected of
s1 being interested in the man’s religion and might be subjected to a good 4
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many insults before the affair was forgotten.”
This made the other friend remember how he had been beaten when
his father had found out that he was going to the Mission school, “In
those days, fathers would not let their sons go to the Mission school, but
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thank God, today they are glad that they can send their sons, for they
appreciate what value there is in a good education and they want their sons ■
to know more.”
And so the conversation went on until I finally excused myself and : .
left. On the way home my thoughts turned to these experiences and the
thought was forced upon me that even though there are not many converts
in Arabia, the people have come a long way and the way is being cleared •is,
ior the time when a man can confess Christ and live with his fellow Arabs.
A great amount of prejudice has been overcome, a great amount of ignor­
ance is being wiped away and has been wiped away and men are beginning
to get a liberal outlook upon life and their relations to their fellows. It ' ; l
also struck me that those weapons that we have been counting on to open
the way for the Gospel have been doing their work, for did not two of •:
these men make that clear in their conversation ? Kvcn the bigoted mutti-
wuh cun fawed that good wus being done and that the missionaries always
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stood ready to help the people. Some day these people will see the reason ? I
why missionaries are always ready to help. The mutowah’s question as to ’ i :
why we have come here also seems suggestive to me. If he has begun to '• I
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feel that we have some other reason than the hope of reward from God : !
for our work here, that we are preaching Christ, a different Christ than :
ihey have, there must be others also inquiring as to the reason for our
presence and who this Christ is that we preach. God grant that this spirit
of inquiry, of liberal mindedness, of knowledge that missioijaries are here
only for the eternal good of these people, may increase and lead them to a
javing knowledge of Christ.
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