Page 219 - Neglected Arabia Vol 1 (2)

10 NEGLECTED ARABIA
somewhat better condition, as they had appointed one of their number,
tiie head teacher in their school, as their preacher; but they are still
dependent upon the hospitality of the military chaplains for a place
of worship. 1 conduct their sacramental services and occasionally
preach for them. There is great need for a church building where
those in Baghdad who prefer a non-episcopal service, and where also
the native congregation, who are more and more coining under uur
care, can worship. I trust it will not lie long before the United Mia-
simi ol our Uci'urmcd-l’rchliytcrian bodies can initiate some movement
towards this end. It seems strange to me that while one hears con­
stantly of Memorial hospitals and schools being erected on the mission
field, so seldom docs the benevolence of our large donors take the
form of a church building, or buildings that can be used directly for
evangelistic purposes.
The Bahgdad missionaries have recently enjoyed the fellowship of
two epochal gatherings. One was the first regional conference of
workers from adjacent Moslem lands. This under the guidance of Dr.
Zwemer gave us much of counsel and inspiration. The other was
the first Annual Meeting of our Mission. The Mosul missionaries were
all down and we spent busy days in the adoption of mission rules and
in deciding upon methods and means for the furtherance of our enter­
prise. For us in Baghdad, perhaps the plans which absorbed most of
our time, were those pertaining to the beginning of our educational
work in this city. And just here we must say how happy we all
were in the fellowship of Dr. and Mrs. Staudt, who have joined us
from the Reformed Church in the United States and who have this
work in view. Space forbids giving detailed comment on our gather­
ing, but the hearty co-operation and the abounding faith of the repre­
sentatives of the three bodies represented, give us a sure hope of the
successful issue of this new venture in the missionary world.
One cannot close this letter which should go over the desert route tu
the Mediterranean, without mentioning the great advantage accruing
from this material shortening of our communications with the outside
world. Not only will money and time—at least three weeks—he saved
in the journey to and from the field, but the Lebanon Mountains \n
Syria, now only twenty-four hours away from Baghdad, will providt
dial summer's change which is so necessary fur keeping our western
mental and physical machinery in the highest state of efficiency.
In closing, may 1 be permitted a personal word of appreciation and
thanks to our supporting churches and our friends in the home C!a>m
of Ulster, whose gifts and prayers have made possible the return oi
myself and wife to Arabia, and the part we, under Lod’s blessing,
take in the opening years of this attempt to carry the Good News oi
our Lord and Saviour to the uttermost parts of the Kingdom of lr^

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