Page 88 - Neglected Arabia Vol 2

NEGLECTED AKA El A 5

beside the River of the Arabs tell with what measure of devotion Henry
Wiersum and Christine Bennett followed the commandment of tlu-ir
Lord,
Un u n|iuduun compound slumlod liclwccu the two sections of the
city arc two residences, two large buildings occupied by the Boy’s Sclmul,
and an inadequate Chapel. These testify that the Mission has dug its
roots deep into the city in the passing years. But far more vital than
these are the roots which have twined themselves about the hearts of the
people. Although it is more than ten years since the Lansing Memorial
Hospital was closed here in Basrah one hears almost daily reference to
the work of mercy there carried on. Only ten days ago there came a
woman from tar up the Tigris seeking the Hospital, not knowing that it
had been moved to her very door at Amarah. As one goes about his
business in government and other offices he is constantly surprised at the
courtesies and favors shown him until the clerk says, 'T was a pupil in

CALISTHENICS. BASRAH BOVS’ SCHOOL
. j
your school so many years ago." The breaking down of prejudice and
the building up of friendship among the rich and poor is an imponderable
part of the record but yet the most important part. Even the short span
of one generation yields much cause for thankfulness to Him who called
our church to this hoary, barren land.
Hut so brief a history in so ancient a land is soon told and it would be
unfitting to magnify these few years where time is remembered in mil­
lenniums. Not how much we have done but how much we still may do
n our chief concern. With the record of even so brief a past as the
promise of the future, what do we see in the coming'generations? A
town, sun-dried mud brick with strange hieroglyphics scratched upon it
eight well symbolize the past in Mesopotamia. Let us then take hard,
wllow, kiln-burned bricks as the symbol of the future. And what do we
•re?
Here are two airy buildings set in their surrounding of date palms and
fruit trees—the Jubilee buildings. These are the Girls’ School and

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