Page 179 - Neglected Arabia Vol 1 (2)

Regional Conference of Missionaries to
Moslems at Baghdad

T HE illustration on the opposite page is a group picture of iIiom-
taking part in this conference which met April 14-lu, 1924. I;
was one of a series arranged and conducted by Dr. Mon • >n
behalf of the International Missionary Council, that at Jerusalem tor the
whole Near East preceding it; Dr. Zwemer conducted this one at Bagh
dad. In point of numbers this was probably the smallest of these
regional conferences but nevertheless, as being the first meeting of the
kind in that area, it is unique and marks a stage in the development of
mission work there. Friends will readily recognize Dr. Zwemer in the
front row with Dr. Gamine beside him. Dr. McDowell, formerly of the
Persia Mission, now of the United Mission in Mesopotamia, is seated uii
the extreme left and Rev. Calvin K. Staudt of the United Mission from
the Reformed Church in the United States is immediately behind Dr.
Canline. Mrs. Zwemer is standing behind Dr. Zwemer and beside her
Mrs. McDowell. Miss Benz of the Persia Mission is seated on the extreme i
right beside Mrs. Cantine. The four chaplains in the back row belong
to the Royal Air Force. There are also other members of the United
Mission and of the Persia Mission, among them several Nestonan
Protestant clergymen. Mission work was discussed in all its pha M'S
and the results recorded in a series of findings.
"The Conference broke in on our organization meetings which we
resume today. We are very happy in having ten members to ‘float’ the
new enterprise.” Thus writes Dr. Cantine under date of April 17th
and since then word has come that Thu United Mission in Mesui-o
taMIa has completed its organization on the held by adopting a consti­
tution. Already Baghdad and Mosul are occupied and preparations are
well advanced towards entering the Kurdish hill territory to the east «»f
Mosul. The daily papers of June 11th report the ratification of the
Anglo-1 raq treaty on that date and it is hoped that the country will
settle down now to a period of peaceful development for which tlu-re
are great possibilities and which is so sorely needed. While the area
covered by this Mission is not large, roughly 50,000 square miles, there
are a number of important so-called holy cities which are inviting
centres of missionary activity.
Dr. and Mrs. Zwemer proceeded to Basrah after the Baghdad con­
ference where they had a few days with the members of the station and
ilie native community. "We had a happy Easter Season and were all
greatly helped by the messages Dr. Zwemer gave us at both services.
\\'e had meetings on Friday and Saturday afternoons for the mission
helpers and then in the evening for all the Protestant congregation and
we hope they caught a vision of their responsibilities as representatives
of Christianity in a Moslem land.” They then proceeded down the (lull,
it being possible for them to spend a few hours on shore at Kuweit,
the schedule requiring that they go on at once to Bahrein which for so
utility year* was their station.

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