Page 407 - Neglected Arabia (1911-1915) Vol II

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Missionary News and Letters

Published Quarterly by

THE ARABIAN MISSION

The Arabian Campaign Completed

Rev. James Caxtine,.D.D.

It has^ been suggested that some account be written for Neglected
Arabia of the campaign for $25,000, which recently has been brought
to a successful completion.
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I suppose the idea itself was born of the debt, which has increasingly
hampered the work of the Mission for several years. This debt had
slowly mounted up to more than $12,000, and was occasioning much
hardship on the field as well as worry at home. Our twenty-fifth
anniversary, coinciding with the furlough of one of the oldest mission­
aries. was considered a propitious time for focusing attention upon
the needs of the Mission, and Dr. Zwemer was asked to come from
Egypt and assist in an effort to put us on a sounder financial basis.
The plan as approved comprised not only the raising of the debt, but
also of a sum for needed dwellings and general extension, the whole
amounting to $25,000.
Dr. Zwemer arrived towards the end of July, and work was im­
mediately begun in the West, taking advantage of the August and
September Mission Fests, those very efficient methods of disseminating
missionary knowledge and enthusiasm. The message from Arabia was
heard at more than a dozen of these Fests. scattered over nearly an
the extent of our Church field. Generally there was but one ot us trom
Arabia on the platform with those representing the Home 'vork ^
the other Mission Fields: but at certain points Dr. Zwemer tvou
speak in Dutch and the writer in English. The financia re ,
these gatherings were not a large factor in the total receip s. T
procedure being to divide the collection between the Home and Foreign
helds, and give*Arabia its proportion of the ‘^ter; but the^certainly
did serve to fittingly introduce us and our plea u in as
'"unities. On the°Sunday after the Fest we would y °
many of the neighboring churches as possible. foilfrom half a
-eek with ? speedy canvass in each one o t thenn of front haUa
I 'lozen to twenty members, whose names would be gi\ en oy l

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