THE NEARER. AND
FARTHER EAST
OUTLINE STUDIES OF MOSLEM LANDS
SIAM. BURMA AND KOREA
UC-NRLF
SAMUEL, M. ZWEMER,
, J. 9 BRQWW
LIBRARY
xOF THE
UNIVERSITY OF -CALIFORNIA.
Class
THE NEARER AND FARTHER EAST
> I;Bi * A ** ^S,
OF THt
UNIVERSITY)
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
NEW YORK BOSTON CHICAGO
ATLANTA SAN FRANCISCO
MACMILLAN & CO., LIMITED
LONDON BOMBAY CALCUTTA
MELBOURNE
THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, LTD.
TORONTO
40
20 Loag-itud* Wrat O Longitude 20 East iron 4O Greenwich
Copy right ^ 1907, by Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions.
H I N E. S E
sh.o"wirig the
PRESENT EXTENT OE ISLAM
With location of principal Mission Stations
to reach Moslems
AUSTRALIA
Moslem Population or Influence | |
Pagan Tribes 1~ ,1
Direction of Moslem Advance ^^
Principal Mission Stations Bombay
P. 156
THE
NEARER AND FARTHER EAST
OUTLINE STUDIES OP MOSLEM LANDS
AND OF
SIAI, BUBIA, AND KOREA
BY
SAMUEL M. ZWEMEB, F.E.G.S.
AND
AKTHUB, JUDSON BEOWN, D.D,
gorfe
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
1908
All rights reserved
COPYRIGHT, 1908,
BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY.
Set up and electrotyped. Published April, 1908. Reprinted
November, 1908.
PUBLISHED FOE THE CENTEAL COMMITTEE
ON THE UNITED STUDY OF MISSIONS.
J. S. Cushing Co. Berwick & Smith Co.
Norwood, Mass., U.S.A.
FOKEWOBD
THIS, the eighth text-book issued by the Central Commit-
tee on the United Study of Missions, while it begins a new
series, is closely allied with the seven volumes previously
published under Latin titles. These are now issued in library
edition with English titles, as follows : "The Beginnings of
Missions," Louise Manning Hodgkins ; " India," Caroline
Atwater Mason; "China," Arthur H. Smith; "Japan,"
William Elliott Griffis ; " Africa," Ellen C. Parsons ; " The
Island World of the Pacific," Helen Barrett Montgomery;
" Missions and Social Progress," Anna Kobertson Brown
Lindsay.
Our present volume, " THE NEARER AND FARTHER EAST,"
consists of two parts, " Moslem Lands," by Rev. Samuel
M. Zwemer, D.D., and " Siam, Burma, and Korea," by
Rev. Arthur Judson Brown, D.D.
Dr. Zwemer presents the terrible need and marvellous
opportunity of the vast almost untouched Mohammedan
fields, while Dr. Brown paints a picture of progressive mis-
sionary effort in comparatively small but important countries.
The study offers greater variety than those heretofore
presented, while maps, charts, pictures, and library issued
by the Central Committee will afford much illustrative
material.
Dr. Zwemer has edited the book and furnished valuable
assistance on maps and charts.
MRS. HENRY W. PEABODY,
Beverly, Mass.
Miss E. HARRIET STANWOOD,
Congregational House, Boston.
MRS. DECATUR M. SAWYER,
Montclair, N.J.
MRS. CHARLES N. THORPE,
Witherspoon Building, Philadelphia, Pa.
Miss ELIZABETH C. NORTHUP,
Waltham, Mass.
MRS. A. V. POHLMAN,
51U3 Race Street, Philadelphia, Pa.
Miss OLIVIA H. LAWRENCE,
25 East 22d Street, New York City.
Miss GRACE T. COLBURN,
SECRETARY AND TREASURER,
Newton Centre, Mass,
V
1797GO
OUTLINE STUDIES
Moslem Lands
Siam, Burmah, and Korea
vi
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
PAGE
ISLAM : ITS CHARACTER AND ITS CONQUESTS . 1
The scene around the Kaaba Many races
and many languages A world-wide religion
The extent of Islam from Sierre Leone to
Canton Present numbers and distribution
The situation in Africa and its peril The
strength of Islam in Asia In India The
Philippines Russia Languages spoken by
Moslems Bible translations The govern-
ments under which Moslems live The signifi-
cance of this fact Turkish misrule British
rule in India How Islam became a world re-
ligion Causes Mohammed's great commis-
sion Moslem conquest Xo caste What
Moslems believe The man and the book
The Moslem idea of God The spirit world
Jinn The Books of God The Koran
Verses Its defects The prophets major and
minor Jesus Christ Denial of Atonement
Mohammed The day of judgment Heaven
and hell Predestination E very-day religion
The confession of the creed Prayer The
Moslem Lent Legal alms The pilgrimage
A Mohammedan funeral Without Christ and
without hope.
CHAPTER II
THE SOCIAL EVILS OF ISLAM .... 37
Why missions to Moslems Mrs. Bishop's
testimony Low ideals of conduct and char-
acter Moslem ethics Un truthfulness
vii
Vlll CONTENTS
FAGB
When a lie is justifiable Livingstone's testi-
mony Lying a fine art Immorality The
seclusion and degradation of women Poly-
gamy and divorce Women regarded as a
chattel Laws of divorce Slavery The
slave market Cruelty and intolerance Igno-
rance and illiteracy Paucity of literature
General ignorance Superstition and quackery
Charms and amulets Tree worship The
Gospel the only remedy.
CHAPTER in
THE STORY OF MISSIONS TO MOSLEMS . . 71
The centuries of neglect Lull's complaint
Henry Martyn Dr. Jessup's classic Islam
passed by Typical pioneers and typical fields
Need of brevity in treatment Occupied
lands Three great pioneers Raymund Lull
His birth and early life Call Service
Martyrdom Henry Martyn His character
and call Voyages Controversy Death
Pfander A master of languages At Ker-
manshah Expelled from Russia His method
and success The Gospel in North Africa
Marks of early Christianity The North Africa
Mission Morocco Algeria Tunis Tri-
poli Converts in these lands Egypt and the
Christian Crusade The Church Missionary
Society The Nile press The Cairo Confer-
ence The Turkish Empire Moslems neg-
lected But much accomplished The Arabic
Bible Present status Arabia Long neg-
lected Keith Falconer and the Scotch Mission
The Danish Church Bishop French The
American Arabian Mission Peter J. Zwemer
Other martyrs Missions in Persia Early
efforts Growth of the C. M. S. Mission
The American Presbyterian Mission Work
CONTENTS IX
PAGE
for Moslems in India Results Converts
Gospel triumphs in the Dutch East Indies
Sumatra and Java Hester Needham Saint
and martyr Converts in Sumatra Java.
CHAPTER IV
THE WORK THAT REMAINS TO BE DONE . . 113
The unoccupied fields Where work has be-
gun Where it has not yet been attempted
Darkest Africa The Sudan Its call to-day
The Moslem peril Islam or Christ Pastor
Wurz's testimony Uganda Moslem women
in the Central Sudan and their condition
Immorality Darkest Asia Neglected oppor-
tunities Kafiristan Afghanistan and Balu-
chistan Neglected Arabia Russia and
Bokhara A pen-picture Victory is certain
Mohammedans in China Long neglected
Early entrance Present numbers Tur-
kestan The land and the people A mar-
riage ceremony Difficulties of work for
Moslems Divorce between morality and re-
ligion Intolerance Persecution Objec-
tions to Christian teaching The temporal
power No free press Encouragements
Change in the Moslem mind Thirst for a
Mediator Many opportunities A trumpet-
call from Algiers A challenge to faith
Fling out the banner.
CHAPTER V
SIAM 157
Siam Boundaries Area Climate
Physical Geography Flora Products Ex-
ports and imports Races Population
The people of Laos Chinese the strongest ele-
CONTENTS
ment in Siam Characteristics of the Siamese
Remarkable progress Police Schools
Railroads Desire for education Government
Unstable foundation of society Intemper-
ance Gambling Bangkok, the capital
Lack of sanitation Population Roads and
canals Commerce The white elephants
Ayuthia Important cities and towns His-
tory and government Boasted antiquity
Early wars Enlightened policy of present
king His commissioners Constitutional
features of government Protestant missions
Period of beginnings First missionaries
The Congregational Mission Early discour-
agements Lack of apparent success With-
drawal of mission to China American Baptist
Missionary Union Converts Disasters
Closing of mission Permanent results Pres-
byterian Missions Difficulties End of oppo-
sition Progress Proclamation of religious
liberty Stations Scope of the work Be-
ginnings in Laos Persecution Religious
liberty Present status Work at Chieng Mai
and Lakawn Results of missionary effort
Social reforms Favorable testimony Indif-
ferent attitude toward religion a great obstacle
Encouragements Religious expectation
Great opportunity.
CHAPTER VI
BURMA 209
Area Position Physical features Cli-
mate Flora Population Characteristics
of the race No caste Dress Comparative
freedom of women Vices The Karens
Their traditions Ready acceptance of the
Gospel The Talaings, or Mons The Shans
The Kachins and Chins Demon -worship-
pers Chinese East Indians Rangoon
CONTENTS XI
PAGE
Commercial importance Other cities Gov-
ernment Wars British rule Religions
Buddhism Missionary Societies China In-
land Mission Missionary Society of the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church Wesleyan Methodist
Missionary Society Society for the Propaga-
tion of the Gospel Their work among the
Karens Results American Baptist Mission-
ary Union Persecution Heroism of mis-
sionaries Success of work among the Karens
Difficulties of Buddhism Work among Te-
lains, Shans, and Kachins Converts among
the Chins Medical missionaries Educa-
tional work Efficient service of women mis-
sionaries Hopefulness of the field.
CHAPTER VII
KOREA 257
Korea Physical features Soil and scenery
Population Important cities Language
Characteristics of the people Position of
women Dress Customs Revolutions
Religions Buddhism Confucianism Sha-
manism, the prevailing religion Superstition
Sorcery Government Russo-Japanese
War Japanese Reforms Period of Recon-
struction The Presbyterian Mission The
Methodist Mission Persecution Effect of
War of 1894 Revival Sorai Christian
Village Life Important stations Work for
women Society for the Propagation of the
Gospel Southern Presbyterian Mission Co-
operation of Missionary Workers Canadian
Presbyterian Mission Other Workers Causes
for Spread of the Gospel Obstacles Koreans
an example to Christians A Tonic to Faith
Call for immediate evangelization.
INDEX 317
FOUR CHAPTERS
ON
MOSLEM LANDS
FOR THE
UNITED STUDY TEXT-BOOK (1908)
BY
SAMUEL M. ZWEMER, F.R.G.S.
"Mohammedanism is a profound theme, and one
which has occupied the minds of many accomplished
scholars. It has been the subject of much patient re-
search and careful thought by some of the greatest stu-
dents of history. Dr. Johnson once remarked that ' there
are two objects of curiosity the Christian world and
the Mohammedan world ; all the rest may be considered
as barbarous.' The subject is worthy of a careful exami-
nation, both for its own sake as one of the enigmas of
religious history, and also to prepare our minds for an
intelligent understanding of the amazing task to which
God is leading the Church ; viz. the conversion of the
Moslem world to, Christianity. The duty of Christianity
to Mohammedanism, the enormous difficulties in the
way of discharging it, the historic grandeur of the con-
flict, the way in which the honor of Christ is involved in
the result, and the brilliant issues of victory all combine
to make this problem of the true relation of Christian
missions to Islam one of the most fascinating and mo-
mentous themes which the great missionary movement
of the present century has brought to the attention of
the Christian church." REV. JAMES S. DENNIS, D.D.
MOSLEM LANDS
CHAPTER I
ISLAM : ITS CHARACTER AND ITS CONQUESTS
The Scene around the Kaaba. Let us imagine Scene
that we are standing among the vast throng of ~ ou ? d
worshippers facing the Kaaba in the sacred City
of Mecca, Anno Domini 1907. It is the month
of the pilgrimage, the twelfth of the lunar cal-
endar, and this is the second day of our pilgrim-
age. Yesterday the thousands on camels and
horseback and the ten thousands on foot reached
Mecca and, having assumed the garb of pil-
grims, a strip of white cloth, entered the
mosque, kissed the Black Stone and made the
circuit of the Kaaba seven times. They drank
from the holy well of Zem Zem and ran the
race between the hills Safa and Merwa like
Hagar of old in search of water. To-day, facing
the place where Abraham stood when he built
the house, as they believe, the mighty throng
recite with one accord :
" There is no god but Allah.
" God is great.
" There is no god save Allah alone.
" He hath performed His promise and hath aided His
servant and put to flight the hosts of infidels by Himself
alone. There is no god but Allah, and Mohammed is His
apostle."
B 1
MOSLEM LANDS
Many
Languages
A World-
wide Reli-
gion
The tongue spoken is Arabic, but those who
speak it all around us are surely not only Arabs,
but Moslems from every nation under heaven,
who show by feature and form that when at
home they speak Russian, Turkish, Persian,
Pashtu, Bengali, Urdu, Chinese, Malay, Swaheli,
Hausa, and other languages. Around the same
Kaaba diverse lands and civilizations meet
every year to profess one religion and repeat
the same ritual.
On the streets of Mecca one may see, drawn
together by a common faith, the Turkish effendi
in Paris costume with Constantinople etiquette;
the half-naked Bedouin of the desert ; the fierce
Afghan mountaineer ; the Russian trader from
the far north; the almond-eyed Moslem from
Yunnan ; the Indian graduate from the Calcutta
universities ; blue-eyed Persians, black Somalis,
Hausas, Javanese, Sudanese, Egyptians, Ber-
bers, Kabyles, and Moors, representatives of
the Mohammedan World.
A World-wide Religion. If we regard num-
bers, Islam is perhaps the mightiest of all the
non-Christian religions ; as regards its geo-
graphical distribution, it is the only religion
besides Christianity which holds a world-empire
of hearts in its grasp ; and its wonderful and
rapid spread proves beyond a doubt that it is a
great missionary religion and aims at world-
conquest. Mohammed's word has been ful-
filled : " So we have made you the centre of
the nations that you should bear witness to
men."
ISLAM 3
The old, almost unknown, pagan pantheon
at Mecca has become the religious capital and
the centre of universal pilgrimage for one-
seventh of the human race ! Islam in its
present extent embraces three continents, and
counts its believers from Sierra Leone in Africa
to Canton in China, and from Tobolsk, Siberia,
to Singapore and Java. In Russia, Moslems
spread their prayer-carpets southward toward
Mecca ; at Zanzibar they look northward to the
Holy City ; in Kansu and Shensi millions of
Chinese Moslems pray toward the west, and in
the wide Sudan they look eastward toward
the Beit Allah and the Black Stone, a vast
Moslem brotherhood.
Present Numbers and Distribution. The best Moslem
estimates of the total Mohammedan population p P ulatlon
of the world lead to the belief that there are
between 200,000,000 and 250,000,000 who are
at least nominally followers of Mohammed. At
the Cairo Conference, held in 1907, carefully
prepared statistics gave the total number of
Mohammedans as 232,966,170.
Islam has covered the largest area in Africa,
where its conquest and missionary propaganda
has resulted in a stronghold of Mohammedan-
ism along the whole Mediterranean. North of
twenty degrees north latitude the Moslems
constitute ninety-one per cent of the total
population ! Thirty-six per cent of Africa's
entire population is Mohammedan, or nearly
59,000,000 souls out of the whole number of
164,000,000. South of the equator there are
4 MOSLEM LANDS
already over 4,000,000 Mohammedans, and in
the Congo Free State there are said to be nearly
2,000,000.
Islam in The situation in Africa, as regards Islam, is
alarming, and can be summarized in the words
of Rev. Charles R. Watson, D.D., " The mis-
sionary problem of Africa is not paganism,
which fast crumbles away before the Gospel of
Christ, but Islam, which resists like adamant the
appeals of the herald of the cross." 1 Dr. W.
R. Miller, for many years a missionary in West
Africa, states that "Islam seems to be spreading
in Lagos, the Yoruba country, Sierra Leone,
and the French Sudan ; but in most of these
places, as also in the Nupe country, it is of a
very low order, and in the presence of a vigorous
Christian propaganda it will not add strength
finally to Islam. Still the number of Moslems
is undoubtedly increasing greatly. Islam and
Christianity between them are spoiling heathen-
ism, and will probably divide the pagan peoples
in less than fifty years." 2
in Asia In Asia there are 169,000,000 Moslems, one-
seventh of the entire population, while in Eu-
rope Islam has been crowded back through the
centuries, since it was defeated in Spain, and now
numbers less than 6,000,000 adherents.
The following countries in Asia are predomi-
nantly or wholly Moslem : Arabia, Asia Mi-
nor, Mesopotamia, Turkestan, Bokhara, Khiva,
Afghanistan, Baluchistan, Java, Sumatra, Cele-
1 "The Mohammedan World of To-day, " p. 47.
2 Ibid., p. 285.
ISLAM
bes, and the southern islands of the Philippine
group.
The chief numerical strength of the Moham- India
medan faith, however, is in India, which has a
larger Moslem population than all Africa and
far more than the total populations of Arabia,
Persia, Egypt, and the Turkish Empire com-
bined. By the last government census the
number of Moslems in India is 62,458,077. In
Bengal alone there are 25,495,416, and in the
Punjaub, 12,183,345. In the Dutch East Indies
there are nearly 30,000,000 Moslems out of a
total population of 36,000,000. The number
of Moslems in China is variously given from
20,000,000 to 30,000,000, the largest number
being in the province of Kansu, in the extreme
northwest, where 8,350,000 are reported. Some
6,500,000 are found in Shensi in the north, and
3,500,000 in Yunnan in the extreme south-
west. In Peking there are 100,000 Moslems,
and Canton has four mosques.
In the Philippines there are about 300,000 Philippines
Mohammedans, men of courage and wild fa-
naticism, who fought for their faith with
splendid devotion against the American troops
in 19021903, but suffered ignominious de-
feat. 1
In the Russian Empire there are 13,889,421 Russia
Moslems, most of them in Asia. It is re-
markable that we hear much more of the Rus-
sian Jews, who form only four per cent of the
population, than of Russian Moslems, who form
1 See pp. 221-226 in " Christus Redemptor."
6 MOSLEM LANDS
over eleven per cent of the total population in
that great empire.
Language Languages spoken by Moslems. The sacred
language of the Moslem is Arabic, and the
Arabic Koran is the text-book in all Moslem
schools from Morocco to Canton and from
Bokhara to Zanzibar. As a written language,
the Arabian tongue has millions of readers,
and yet to over three-fourths of the " true
believers" Arabic is a dead language. Sixty-
three million Moslems speak the languages of
India ; 30,000,000 speak Chinese, and as many
more the Malay tongue ; others Turkish, Per-
sian, Slavonic, and the languages of Africa.
All of which shows the polyglot character of
the Mohammedan world.
The Bible, in whole or in part, has been
translated into nearly every language spoken
by Moslems ; but not the Koran, their own
sacred book. This is generally circulated only
in the original Arabic. Interlinear translations
of the Koran with the original text exist, how-
ever, in Persian, Urdu, Pushtu, Turkish, Java-
nese, Malayan, and two or three other languages.
A missionary among the 25,000,000 Moslems
of Bengal is preparing a translation into Ben-
gali, with notes, so that the Moslems may see
for themselves the real character of their spuri-
ous revelation !
To the bulk of the Mohammedans Arabic is
a dead language, and the ritual and prayers
are no more understood by the people than
the Latin prayers are by the Roman Catholic
ISLAM 1
peasantry in Europe. The chief literary Ian- Literary
guages of Islam next to Arabic are Turkish, Lan g ua s es
Persian, Urdu, and Bengali. In all of these
languages there is a large religious literature,
dogmatic, apologetic, and controversial. Even
in Chinese there is a considerable amount of
Mohammedan literature. Some works are
published under the imprimatur of the Em-
peror, but a translation of the Koran is not
permitted.
From all these facts in regard to race and
language and the world-wide distribution of
the peoples that follow this greatest of non-
Christian religions, it is very evident that the
environment and conditions differ widely in the
Mohammedan world. Perhaps the most im-
portant factor that differentiates the Moslem
masses as regards their accessibility to the
missionary is government.
The Governments under which Moslems Live. Government
These may be grouped into three classes :
the Moslem lands, which are still under a purely
Mohammedan government; those where Mos-
lems live under the rule of those who are
neither Moslem nor Christian; and the lands
actually or nominally under Christian rule. To
the first class belong Turkey in Europe and in
Asia, parts of Arabia, Afghanistan, Persia,
Morocco, and Tripoli; to the second class, the
Moslems in China and in a few independent
states of Africa and Asia. All the other Mo-
hammedans in the world are under Christian
rule, protection, or suzerainty to the number of
8
MOSLEM LANDS
God's hand
in History
Turkish
Rule
161,000,000, or nearly three-fourths of the total
number in the world.
This fact is a startling evidence of the finger
of God in history and a wonderful challenge of
opportunity. Once the empire of Islam was
co-extensive with the faith of Islam. In the
year 907 A.D. the caliphate included Spain,
Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, Tripoli, Egypt, Asia
Minor, Syria, Arabia, Persia, Turkestan, Afghan-
istan, Baluchistan, and the region around the
Caspian Sea. To-day the Sultan, Abdul Hamid,
from his lordly palace on the Bosphorus, rules
over a smaller Moslem population by one-half
than does the Protestant Queen Wilhelmina in
her island possessions in Malaysia with their
29,289,440 Mohammedans. The balance of
political power throughout the whole Moham-
medan world is coming to be more and more in
the hands of Christian governments, and it is
no wonder that this has resulted in political
unrest on the part of Moslem leaders who are
zealous of their lost prestige and anxious to
strengthen the empire of Turkey as represent-
ing the old caliphate.
Turkey is perhaps as well governed as any
other state under Mohammedan rule, but of the
system of civil tyranny that obtains there, Dr.
James S. Dennis says : " A volume might be
written upon this one subject of Turkish mis-
rule. Would that some Dante of contemporary
literature might present it in its realistic
hideousness ! although we fear no touch of art
could sufficiently relieve the revolting ghastli-
ISLAM 9
ness of this hell upon earth to save the reader
from a shuddering misery in its perusal." 1
The actual condition of affairs was summed up
by a writer in the Congregationalist (April 8,
1897) as follows :
" Turkey skilfully and systematically represses what
Christian nations make it their business to nurture in all
mankind as manhood. In her cities there are magnifi-
cent palaces for her sultans and her favorites. But one
looks in vain through her realm for statues of public
benefactors. There are no halls where her citizens could
gather to discuss policies of government or mutual
obligations. Their few newspapers are emasculated by
government censors. Not a book in any language can
cross her borders without permission of public officers,
most of whom are incapable of any intelligent judgment
of its contents. Art is scorned. Education is bound.
Freedom is a crime. The tax-gatherer is omnipotent.
Law is a farce. Turkey has prisons instead of public
halls for the education of her people. Instruments of
torture are the stimulus to their industries."
Contrast these conditions with British rule British
in India or the freedom of the press and of Rule
speech in Egypt, and it is plain that govern-
ment can be a great help or a great hinderance
in the work of missions. Add to this that ac-
cording to Mohammedan law the death penalty
should be imposed on any one who becomes an
apostate from the state church of Islam, and
the contrast between different Moslem lands as
mission fields becomes very apparent. Thank
God the door of opportunity and of liberty is so
wide to-day that three-fourths of the Moharn-
1 " Christian Missions and Social Progress," Vol. I, p.
256.
10
MOSLEM LANDS
God's
Plough
Reasons for
Spread of
Islam
medaii world are entirely accessible to the col-
porteur, the preacher, and the teacher, man or
woman. God's providence, in the course of
history, is God's ploughshare to prepare the
soil for the sowing of His Word.
" Wise men and prophets know not how,
But work their Master's will;
The kings and nations drag the plough
His purpose to fulfil."
How Islam became a World- wide Religion.
The faith of Islam was once in a minority of
one, and Mohammed himself fled as an exile
from Mecca to Medina in A.D. 622, the year
of the Hegira, which dates the Moslem era.
What were the causes for its rapid spread and
wide conquest ? Many theories have been given,
and the true explanation of the spread of Islam
is probably the sum of all these theories. The
condition of Arabia before Mohammed ; the
weakness of the Oriental churches; their corrupt
state ; the condition of the Roman and Per-
sian empires ; the easy-going character and low
moral standards of the new religion ; the power
of the sword and of fanaticism ; the great truths
of Islam ; the genius of Mohammed and of his
successors ; the hope of plunder and the love of
conquest, such are some of the causes given
for the growth of the new religion from a mi-
nority of one into an army of 200,000,000 in
thirteen centuries.
Each one of these many factors played an
important part in the rapid spread of the new
faith as preached by Mohammed. In this brief
ISLAM 11
outline study of so large a subject we must
leave them to be worked out by reference to
the many books on this subject. 1
The last commission of Mohammed was in
accord with his whole life, and Sir Edwin Ar-
nold follows Moslem tradition when, in his
poem on the "Passing of Mohammed," he
makes the dying Prophet say to Osama, his
general, ready for the march:
"I, here consuming, cheat my fever's flame
Praising the Lord : but thou, why tarriest thou ?
Smite me the unbelievers ! Fall at dawn
Upon those dogs of Obna ! Let attack
Sound the first tidings of thee ! Send forth scouts,
And Allah give thee victory ! Guide my palm
That I may lay it on thy head, and leave
A blessing there. Go in God's peace ! "
By the example and precept of its apostle, The Early
Islam is one of the few aggressive religions Con( i uest
of the world. It began with the Saracen
conquest and continued for thirteen centu-
ries until the Wahhabi revival and the Pan-
Islamic movement of to-day. In the words
of the Koran, the Moslem must " fight against
infidels till strife be at an end and the religion
be all of God." And Mohammed said, "He
who dies and has not fought for the religion
of Islam, nor has even said in his heart, 'Would
to God I were a champion that could die in the
road of God,' is even as a hypocrite." And
again, still more forcibly, "The fire of hell
1 See Bibliography at the end of this chapter ; also u Lux
Ckristi," pp. 48-51 ; " Christus Liberator," pp. 58-62.
12 MOSLEM LANDS
shall not touch the legs of him who is covered
with the dust of battle in the road of God."
In spite of cruelty, bloodshed, dissension, and
deceit, the story of the Moslem missionary con-
quest, as given by Haines and Arnold, 1 is full
of heroism and inspiration. If so much was
done in the name of Mohammed, what should
we not dare to do in the name of Jesus Christ I
And before we consider what kind of creed
was carried by fire and sword, by force and by
persuasion, over three continents, it is well to
remember what is already evident from its-
No Caste world-conquest, that Islam is a religion without
caste. It extinguishes all distinctions founded
upon race, color, or nationality. All unbelievers
are out-castes, all believers belong to the high-
est caste. The Hindu who turns Mohammedan
loses his caste, but becomes a member of the
great brotherhood of Islam. Slaves have held
thrones and founded dynasties. The first one
who led the call to prayer was Bilal, a Negro of
Medina. There is no sacerdotal class of min-
isters in Islam. Each man offers prayer to
God himself ; the leader of prayers in a mosque
has no spiritual authority.
What Moslems Believe. Islam was a revolt
against paganism and idolatry and therefore
cannot, in a sense, be classed with the heathen
religions. Its popular creed, " There is no god
but Allah and Mohammed is Allah's apostle,"
i" Islam as a Missionary Religion, 1 ' C. R. Haines,
S.P.C.K., London, 1889 ; " The Preaching of Islam," T. W.
Arnold, London, 1896.
ISLAM 13
emphasizes monotheism with violent fanaticism.
The true Moslem man or woman is intolerant
of error in this matter. Even an Arab child
will grow hot-tempered when he hears a word
from the Christian missionary that seems to Belief
conflict with the Moslem idea of God's unity.
This Puritan spirit is a praiseworthy trait in
any religion. Islam has in it the stuff that
martyrs and reformers are made of ; its pro-
fessors are valiant for the truth, as they
understand it, and have the spinal column
of conviction.
The Koran is not the word of God, but the The Koran
Moslem believes it is, and believes it with his
whole heart. While their belief is unreasoning,
and though the Koran is anything but divine,
it is no small matter to realize that in these
days of universal doubt and irreverence there
are millions of Moslems who believe that God
has spoken to man by the prophets ; that His
word contains neither errors nor untruths ;
and that the end of all disputation is a "Thus
saith the Lord." Converts from Islam love the
Bible with a passionate love, and respect its
authority. But the Koran is not the only
source for Moslem teaching. Far more impor-
tant than the book is the man who gave it.
Mohammed's life and teaching, his table-talk, Mohammed
his manners, his dress, his behavior, to the
most childish details are the foundation of what
is called Tradition. And Moslem tradition is
the warp and woof of their creed and their
conduct. What Mohammed believed, they
14 MOSLEM LANDS
must believe, too, and believe it because he did.
The prophet said, " It is incumbent upon the
true believer to have a firm faith in six arti-
cles; viz., in God, His Angels, His books, His
prophets, the day of judgment, and the predes-
tination for good and evil." Let us see what
this belief includes.
idea of God (1) The Moslem Idea of God. St. James in
his epistle gives us a test as regards the
ethical and religious value of mere monotheism
apart from the Trinity in the words : " Thou
believest that there is one God ; thou doest
well ; the devils also believe and tremble."
Jews, Christians, and Mohammedans believe in
the only God, and yet differ very widely in their
interpretation of this idea.
James Freeman Clarke, writing of this " worst
form of monotheism," sums up the distinction
thus : " Islam saw God but not man ; saw the
claims of deity but not the rights of humanity;
saw authority but failed to see freedom there-
fore hardened into despotism, stiffened into
formalism, and sank into death. Mohammed
teaches a God above us, Moses teaches a God
above us, and yet with us ; Jesus Christ teaches
God above us, God with us and God in us."
Another writer calls Allah, the God of Islam,
"an absentee landlord, who, jealous of man,
wound the clock of the universe and went away
forever ! "
The Koran shows that Mohammed had a
measurably correct idea of the physical attri-
butes of God, but an absolutely false conception
ISLAM 15
of His moral attributes. The Koran concep-
tion of God is negative. Absolute sovereignty
and ruthless omnipotence are His chief at-
tributes, while His character is loveless as
a Despot. The Christian truth that " God
is love " is to the learned Moslem blasphemy
and to the ignorant an enigma. Islam is " the
Pantheism of Force." God is a Pasha arid not
a Father.
(2) The Spirit World. With God's name Spirits
always on their lips, and yet with so deistic and
fatalistic an idea of God (who is more of a
tyrant than a father), it is no wonder that Islam
makes much of other spiritual beings who are
God's ministers for good and for evil. Moslems
believe in angels, jinn, and devils, and their
belief in these spirits is not a matter of theory,
but intensely practical. They say angels were
created out of light and are endowed with life,
speech, and reason. Of the four archangels,
Gabriel reveals the truth, Michael is patron of
the Jews, Israfil will sound the last trumpet,
and Azrael is the angel of death. Angels are
inferior to the prophets (Surah 2 : 32). There
are two recording angels for each person, who
write down his good and his ill. Munkar and
Nakir are two black angels with blue eyes who Angels
interrogate men after burial in the grave and
mete out terrible blows to those whose replies
prove them not Moslems. Therefore, at a
funeral, parting instructions are given the
deceased in the grave.
One can go to the stories of the Arabian
16 MOSLEM LANDS
Nights to learn how large a place the belief in
jinn or genii occupies to-day in the Moslem
mind. There is no pious Moslem who doubts
that these spirits exist and are continually
the cause of many things that seem to be super-
natural or startling in nature. The Koran tells
how they helped Solomon to build the temple and
how they carried his throne ; how Mohammed
preached to a company of them and converted
them ; and how we are to pray that their evil
influence may not hurt us.
They were created from fire, are of diverse
shapes, often invisible, and of great number ;
they marry and propagate, but are morta" T ^or
the latter reason, the Arabs, after a mea,
throw away their date stones violently, for
jinn fear they might unconsciously hurt some jinn I
Solomon sealed some of them up in brass bot-
tles. The chief abode of jinn is in the moun-
tains of Kaf, which encompass the world. They
also frequent baths, wells, ruined houses, and
graveyards. For fear of jinn, millions of the
ignorant, especially the poor women and chil-
dren, are all their lifetime subject to bondage.
This article of the creed is the mother of a
thousand foolish and degrading superstitions,
yet it is fixed forever in the Moslem faith and
cannot be abandoned until the Koran itself is
rejected.
A third class of spiritual beings are the
devils. They believe in a personal Devil and
his demonic host. Noteworthy among the lat-
ter are Harut and Marut, two evil spirits that
ISLAM 17
teach men sorcery, and live near Babylon. No Demons
Moslem begins to read the Koran or starts a
prayer without " seeking refuge in God from
Satan, the pelted." The reason for this epithet
is that Mohammed said Satan used to be an
eavesdropper at the door of heaven until God
and the angels drove him back by pelting him
with shooting stars !
(3) The Books of God. Islam is decidedly The Books
a bookish religion, for Moslems believe that ofGod
God "sent down" one hundred and four sa-
cred books. Their doctrine of inspiration is me-
chanic al. Adam, they say, received ten books;
Seth i fifty ; Enoch, thirty ; and Abraham, ten ;
but jll of these are utterly lost. The four
books that remain are the Torah (Law), which
came from Moses ; the Zabur (Psalms), which
David received ; the Injil (Gospel), of Jesus ;
and the Koran. The Koran is uncreated and
eternal ; to deny this is rank heresy. And
while the three other books are highly spoken
of in the Koran, they now exist, Moslems say,
only in a corrupted form, and their precepts
have been abrogated by the final book to the
last prophet, Mohammed.
The Koran is a little smaller than the New Koran
Testament in extent; it has one hundred and
fourteen chapters bearing fanciful titles bor-
rowed from some word or phrase in the chap-
ter. The book has no chronological order,
logical sequence, or rhetorical climax. Its
jumbled verses throw together piecemeal, fact
and fancy, laws and legends, prayers and im-
18 MOSLEM LANDS
precations. It is unintelligible without a com-
mentary, even for a Moslem. Moslems regard
it as supreme in beauty of style and language,
and miraculous in its origin, contents, and au-
thority. From the Arab's literary standpoint it
is indeed a remarkable book. Its musical jingk
and cadence are charming, and, at times, highly
poetical ideas are clothed in sublime language.
Here are two typical quotations given with
the Arabic jingle as far as possible :
" By the star when it passeth away, your countryman
does not err, nor is he led astray, in what he preaches;
he has not his own way, but a revelation he does say ;
a Mighty One, of great sway, personally appeared to him
in open day, where there rises the sun's ray ; high in the
sky, he did fly ; then he drew nigh in his array, and only
two bows' distance from him he did stay, that the reve-
lations, which he had to say, he might to his servant
convey. How can Mohammed's heart a falsehood state ?
Why do you with him on his vision debate V He saw
him another time, in the same state, at the sidrah tree
of the limit he did wait; there to the garden of repose is
the gate; and whilst the tree was covered, with what at
the top of it hovered, Mohammed attentively looked, and
his eyes from the sight did not deviate ; for he saw the
greatest of the signs of his Lord." . . .
" I swear by the splendor of light
And by the silence of night
That the Lord shall never forsake thee
NOT in His hatred take thee ;
Truly for thee shall be winning
Better than all beginning.
Soon shall the Lord console thee, grief no longer control
thee,
And fear no longer cajole thee.
Thou wert an orphan-boy, yet the Lord found room for
thy head.
ISLAM 19
When thy feet went astray, were they not to the right
path led ?
Did He not find thee poor, yet riches around thee spread ?
Then on the orphan-boy, let thy proud foot never tread,
And never turn away the beggar who asks for bread,
But of the Lord's bounty ever let praise be sung and
said."
One must read the remarkable book in the
original to learn to admire its style. Much of
its teaching, too, is remarkable. But the Koran
is remarkable most of all, not because of its
contents, but for its omissions ; not because of
what it reveals, but for what it conceals of
"former revelations."
The defects of its teaching are many: (a) it Defects of
is full of historical errors ; (6) it contains mon- Koran
strous fables ; (<?) it is full of superstitions ;
(d) it teaches a false cosmogony; (e) it per-
petuates slavery, polygamy, divorce, religious
intolerance, the seclusion and degradation of
women ; and (/) petrifies social life. All this,
however, is of minor importance compared with
the fact that the Koran ever keeps the supreme
question of salvation from sin in the back-
ground and offers no doctrine of redemption
by sacrifice. In this respect the Koran is in-
ferior to the sacred books of Ancie-ut Egypt,
India, and China, though unlike them it is
monotheistic.
(4) The Major and Minor Prophets. Mo-
hammed is related to have said that there were
124,000 prophets and 315 apostles. Six of the
latter are designated by special titles, and are
the major prophets of Islam. They are as
[UNIVERSITY
OF A
20 MOSLEM LANDS
Prophets follows : Adam is the chosen of God ; Noah,
the preacher of God ; Abraham, the friend of
God ; Moses, the spokesman of God ; Jesus,
the word of God ; and Mohammed, the apostle
of God. In addition to this common title,
Mohammed has 201 other names and titles of
honor by which he is known !
Only twenty-two others minor prophets
are mentioned in the Koran besides these six,
although the host of prophets is so large.
They are : Idris, Hud, Salih, Ishmael, Isaac,
Jacob, Joseph, Lot, Aaron, Shuaib, Zacharias,
John the Baptist, David, Solomon, Elias, Elijah,
Job, Jonah, Ezra, Lokman, Zu'1-Kifl, and Zu'l
Karnain.
Some of these are easily identified, although
the names seem unfamiliar in form. Others
are not easily identified with historical person-
ages even by the Moslems themselves. Zu'l
Karnain signifies " the One of the two-horns,"
and is Alexander the Great. The account
given in the Koran of these prophets is con-
fused, yet we must give credit to some Moslem
commentators for doubting whether Lokman
and Alexander were really prophets ! Moslems
say that they make no distinction between the
prophets, but love and reverence them all.
Mohammed, however, supersedes all and sup-
plants all in the hearts and lives of his followers.
Jesus Christ Jesus Christ is always spoken of with respect,
and is one of the greater prophets. But the
idea Moslems have of Christ is after all a very
degrading caricature instead of a true portrait.
ISLAM 21
They say He was miraculously born of the
Virgin Mary ; performed great, and also puerile,
miracles ; was an apostle of God strengthened
by Gabriel, whom they call the Holy Spirit;
he foretold the advent of Mohammed as Para-
clete ; the Jews intended to crucify him, but
God deceived them, and Judas was slain in his
stead. He is now in one of the inferior stages
of celestial bliss ; he will come again at the last
day, will slay Antichrist, kill all swine, break
the crosses that are found on churches, and
remove the poll-tax from the infidels. He will
reign justly for forty-five years, marry, and
have children, and be buried in a grave ready
for him at Medina, next to Mohammed.
Islam denies the incarnation and the atone- NO incarna-
ment. Therefore, with all the good names and S r I l. ai ? dno
. Mediator
titles it gives our Saviour, Islam only proves
itself the Judas Iscariot among false religions
by betraying the Son of Man with a kiss. Mo-
hammed has usurped Christ's place in the hearts
and lives of his followers. His word is their
law, and his life their ideal. Every religion
has its ideals, and seldom rises above them. All
pious Moslems consider their prophet as the
ideal of perfection and the model of conduct.
To be perfect is to be like Mohammed. The
great sin and guilt of the Mohammedan world
is that it gives Christ's glory to another. All
the prophets that came before are supplanted.
In the Koran, Mohammed is human ; tradition
has made him sinless and almost divine. He is
called Light of God, Peace of the World, and
22
MOSLEM LANDS
First of all Creatures. What history calls the
faults of Mohammed's character, Moslems con-
sider his perfections or privileges, and therefore
the Mohammed of sober history and the Mo-
hammed who has all the halo of tradition are
two different persons. Koelle's life of Moham-
med shows this very plainly, and should be read
by all who want to know why Moslems admire
their prophet. 1
Moham- They believe he now dwells in the highest
med's Place h eaven an( j j s several degrees above Jesus, our
Saviour, in honor and station. His name is
never uttered or written without the addition
of a prayer. Yet a calm and critical study of
his life proves him to have been an ambitious
and sensual enthusiast, who did not scruple to
break nearly every precept of the moral law to
further his ends. (See Muir, Koelle, Sprenger,
and Weil ; but also the earliest Moslem biog-
raphy by Ibn Hisham.)
(5) The Day of Judgment. This occupies a
large place in the Koran. It is called the Day
of Resurrection, of Separation, of Reckoning, or
simply the Hour. Most graphic and terrible
descriptions portray the terror of that day.
1 As an example of the thousand fantastic stories related,
take this: "If the prophet put his hand on the head of a
child, one could recognize it by the exquisite perfume
which his hand had imparted to it. One day the prophet
was sleeping in the house of Annas, and he was perspiring.
The mother of Annas collected the drops of perspiration ;
and when the prophet asked her why she did so, she said,
4 We put this into our smelling bottles, for it is the most
refreshing perfume.' "
The
Judgment
ISLAM 23
Moslems believe in a literal resurrection of the
body. The bone called os sacrum, they say,
does not decay in the grave, and before the
resurrection day God will impregnate it by a
forty days' rain !
Moslems believe also in an everlasting life of Heaven
physical joys or physical tortures. The Mos- and Hel1
lem paradise in the words of the Koran is a
"garden of delight, . . . with couches and
ewers and a cup of flowing wine ; their brows
ache not from it nor fails the sense ; theirs shall
be the Houris . . . ever virgins." What com-
mentators say on these texts is often unfit for
translation. The orthodox interpretation is
literal, and so was that of Mohammed ; because
the traditions give minute particulars of the
sanitary laws of heaven, as well as of its sexual
delights. The Moslem hell is sevenfold, and
"each portal has its party." All the wealth
of Arabic vocabulary is exhausted in describ-
ing the terrors of the lost, and Dante's Inferno
is a summer garden compared with the Moslem
hell. 1
(6) Predestination. This last article is the Fatalism
keystone in the arch of Moslem faith. It is the
only philosophy of Islam, and the most fertile
article of the creed in its effects on every-day
life. As in the Christian Church, this doctrine
has been fiercely discussed, but what might be
called ultra- Calvinism has carried the day.
God wills both good and evil; there isnoescap-
!Read Chapter X on the " Hell of Islam" in Stanley
Lane Poole's u Studies in a Mosque."
24 MOSLEM LANDS
ing from the caprice of His decree. Religion is
Islam, i.e. resignation. Fatalism has paralyzed
progress ; hope perishes under the weight of
this iron bondage; injustice and social decay
are stoically accepted; no man bears the burden
of another; and the deadening influence of this
fatalism can be seen and felt in every Moslem
land. One of their own poets has summed it
up in the lines which we might call their Psalm
of Life :
" 'Tis all a chequer-board of nights and days
Where Destiny with men for pieces plays,
Hither and thither moves, and mates and slays,
And one by one back in the closet lays."
Every-day Religion. Such a creed as we
have briefly given in outline is matched by
certain practical duties which every Moslem,
man or woman, must perform to show faith by
The Five works. These practical duties are five, and
Duties constitute the ritual or every-day religion.
Mohammed said: " A Moslem is one who is re-
signed and obedient to God's will, and bears
witness that there is no god but God and that
Mohammed is His Apostle ; and is steadfast in
prayer, and gives alms and fasts in the month
of Ramazan, and makes a pilgrimage to Mecca,
if he have the means." We give a summary of
these five duties :
(1) The Confession of the Creed. It is the
shortest creed in the world, has been oftener
repeated, and is so brief that it has needed no
revision for thirteen centuries. It is taught to
infants and whispered in the ears of the dying.
ISLAM 25
Five times a day it rings out as the call to
prayer in the whole Moslem world : " There is The Creed
no god but God and Mohammed is God's
Apostle." On every occasion this creed is
repeated by the believer. It is the key to
every door of difficulty ; one hears it in the
bazaar and the street and the mosque ; sailors
sing it as they raise their sails ; hammals groan
it to raise a heavy burden; it is a battle-cry
and a cradle song, an exclamation of delight
and a funeral dirge. There is no doubt that
this continual, public repetition of a creed has
been a source of strength to Islam for ages, as
well as a stimulus to fanaticism.
(2) Prayer. The fact that Moslems pray Prayer
often, early, and earnestly has elicited the admi-
ration of many travellers, who, ignorant of the
real character and content of Moslem prayer,
judge it from a Christian standpoint. What
the Bible calls prayer and what the Moslem
means by the same name are, however, to a
degree, distinct conceptions.
A necessary preliminary to every Moslem
prayer is legal purification. Whole books have
been written on this subject, describing the
occasions, method, variety, and effect of ablu-
tion by water or, in its absence, by sand. The
ritual of purification is one of the chief shibbo-
leths of the many Moslem sects. In Mohamme-
dan works of theology there are chapters on
the proper use of the toothpick, on the different
kinds of water allowed for ablution, and on all
the varieties of uncleanness. After washing
26 MOSLEM LANDS
various parts of the body three times according
to fourteen rules, the Moslem is ready to begin
prayer.
The five proper times for prayer are at dawn,
just after high noon, two hours before sunset,
at sunset, and again two hours later. It is
forbidden to say morning prayers after the sun
Posture is risen. Posture is of prime importance, and
includes facing Mecca, as well as a series of
prostrations more easily imitated than de-
scribed.
The words repeated during this physical ex-
ercise consist of Koran phrases and short chap-
ters, which include praise, confession, and a
prayer for guidance. Often the chapters chosen
have no connection with the topic of prayer.
Personal private petitions are allowed after the
liturgical prayers, but they are not common.
The least departure from the rule in purifica-
tion, posture, or method of prayer nullifies its
effect, and the worshipper must begin all over
again. Special prayer is obligatory at an
eclipse of the sun or moon and on the two
Moslem festivals.
Lent (3) The Moslem Lent. The chief Moslem
fast is that of the month of Ramazan. Yet it
is a fact that Mohammedans, rich and poor,
spend more on food in that month than in any
other month of the year ; and it is also true that
physicians have a run of patients with troubles
from indigestion at the close of this religious
fast. The explanation is simple. Although
the fast extends an entire lunar month, it only
ISLAM 27
begins at dawn and ends at sunset each day.
During the whole night it is usual to indulge
in pleasure, feasting, and dinner parties. This
makes clear what Mohammed meant when he
said that " God would make the fast an ease and
not a difficulty." On the other hand, the fast is
extremely hard upon the laboring classes when,
by the changes of the lunar calendar, it falls in
the heat of summer when the days are long.
Even then it is forbidden to drink a drop of
water or take a morsel of food.
(4) Legal Alms. Compulsory alms were in Alms
the early days of Islam collected by the reli-
gious tax-gatherer, as they still are in some
Mohammedan countries. Where Moslems are
under Christian rule, the rate is paid out by
each Mohammedan according to his own con-
science. The rate varies greatly, and the
different sects disagree as to what was the
practice of the prophet. Moreover, it is difficult
to find a precedent in the customs of pastoral
Arabia for the present methods of acquiring
and holding property in lands touched by civ-
ilization. One-fortieth of the total income is
about the usual rate. The tithe of the Old
Testament was a much larger portion and
was supplemented by many free-will offerings.
Charitable offerings are also common in Islam,
but generally speaking, the Moslem who gives
his legal alms is satisfied that he has fulfilled
all righteousness.
(5) The Pilgrimage. The Pilgrimage to Pilgrimage
Mecca is not only one of the pillars of the
28
MOSLEM LANDS
religion of Islam, but it has proved one of the
strongest bonds of union and has always exer-
cised a tremendous influence as a missionary
agency. Even to-day the pilgrims who return
from Mecca to their native villages in Java,
India, and West Africa are fanatical ambas-
sadors of the greatness and glory of Islam.
For the details of the pilgrimage one must read
Burckhardt, Burton, or other travellers who
have risked their lives in visiting the forbidden
cities of Islam.
Other The Mecca pilgrimage is incumbent on every
Pilgrimages f ree Moslem who is of age and has sufficient
means for the journey. Many of them, unwill-
ing to undergo the hardships of the journey,
engage a substitute, and thus purchase the
merit for themselves. Most Moslems also visit
the tomb of Mohammed at Medina and claim
the Prophet's authority for this added merit.
Pilgrimages to tombs of local saints and the
ancient prophets, to "footprints" of the Apostle,
or to graves of his companions are exceedingly
common. But none of these pilgrimages equals
in merit that to the House of God in Mecca.
Death A Mohammedan Funeral. The nations that
are without Christ are without hope. At no
time is this so evident as in the hour of death.
Christ has brought life and immortality to light
in the Gospel, but, as Mrs. Bishop said, in Mos-
lem lands there is " only a fearful looking for
in the future of fiery indignation from some
quarter they know not what." At the hour
of death you may hear the same hopeless cry
ISLAM 29
of the Moslem women, whether in Morocco or
in Persia ; it is a mourning without hope.
One does not live long in an Arab town
without seeing funerals pass. Even at mid-
night you can often hear the loud wailing for
the dead. As soon as a person dies in Arabia,
he is washed and wrapped in a white shroud.
The funeral takes place as soon as possible ;
not only because of the climate, but because
they believe that the sooner a Moslem is buried
the sooner he will reach heaven. The body is Burial
put on a wooden bier which, in the case of a
man, has only a cloth put over it ; but in the
case of a woman a sort of arched cradle is
placed over the body and covered with a cur-
tain. Women and children are not generally
allowed to attend a funeral ; and if they do,
they follow far behind and must not approach
the grave until the men leave. The bier is
carried from the house on the men's shoulders,
and instead of going slowly, they run fast with
it. Every passer-by and neighbor tries to give
a lift, as they think such an act meritorious;
this makes the funeral procession very confused.
On the way to the grave the bearers cry out,
" There is no god but God and Mohammed is
His Apostle." A short prayer service is held
in a neighboring mosque or outside of the
graveyard. But the prayers are formal, and
scarcely a word is spoken of a resurrection
or of victory over death nor prayer for the
mourning ones. All is dreary and comfortless.
The grave is dug so that the body, lying on
30 MOSLEM LANDS
one side, shall have its face toward Mecca, or
rather toward the temple in Mecca. A niche
is dug on one side of the grave for the body
to rest in. This is done because Mohammed
taught his people that a dead person was con-
scious of pain, and therefore great precautions
are taken to prevent pressure on the body !
At the grave the Moslem teacher or leader
gives instructions in a loud tone of voice to
the dead person, putting his mouth close to the
ear of the corpse. These instructions are to
prepare the dead for the visit of the angels,
Without Munkar and Nakir, already mentioned. All
Hope Arabs believe that as soon as the grave is
covered in and the mourners depart, these two
black angels come to judge the dead. They
have blue eyes, and carry an iron club. If the
answers given to their questions are satis-
factory, the grave expands, and the dead person
is told to sleep on until the resurrection. But
if the answers are doubtful or wrong, the angels
proceed to pound with a club, and the dead
person roars out. All Moslems believe these
foolish teachings, and they say that animals are
often frightened away from the tombs by the
cries of the wicked dead.
"Without Christ, without hope." Nowhere
is this clearer than when you stand in a Mos-
lem graveyard, and how many millions of these
Christless graves dot the landscape in many
lands! Around Mecca there are acres upon
acres of the dead. The graveyards in Arabia
are generally very untidy ; one never sees
ISLAM 31
plants or trees or flowers in them. Only the Graves
rich have gravestones ; a Bedouin grave is on
the open desert, and his last resting-place is
marked by a camel's rib or a date-stick stuck
up in the dry sand. And every Thursday even-
ing many of these graveyards of the Moslem
world present a picture of Moslem womanhood
come to mourn their dead :
" Sorrowful women's faces, hungry yearning
Wild with despair, or dark with sin and dread ;
Worn with long weeping for the unre turning
Hopeless, uncornforted.
" * Give us/ they cry, ' your cup of consolation
Never to our outstretching hand is passed.
We long for the Desire of every nation,
And oh, we die so fast.' "
AUTHOR'S NOTE. A few of the paragraphs in this chap-
ter were adopted from my summary of Mohammedanism
in " Religions of Mission Fields" (Chapter IX). Student
Volunteer Movement, 1905.
HELPS FOR LEADERS
Lesson Aim :
To give a bird's-eye view of the Mohammedan world
and show the strength and the weakness of Islam in faith
and practice.
Scripture Lesson :
Dan. 8 : 9-26 ; Matt. 24 : 11 ; Matt. 6 : 5-9.
Suggestive Questions :
1. Why did Islam not enter Japan ?
2. What religions did Islam meet in its early con-
quests V
3. Give a picture of Arabian home life in the Middle
Ages ("The Arabian Nights").
4. How do the requirements of prayer and fasting
prove that Islam cannot be a universal religion ?
32 MOSLEM LANDS
5. Describe Mohammedan art and architecture in
Spain and in India.
6. The route, purpose, and probable effect of the pro-
posed railway to Mecca.
7. Was Islam a blessing to pagan Africa?
8. How are faith and works related in the Moslem
system ?
9. Which articles of the Apostle's Creed would be ac-
cepted by a Moslem ?
10. In praying for the Mohammedan World, what
special petitions does this chapter suggest?
BIBLIOGRAPHY
The standard Encyclopaedias, art. Mohammed and Mo-
hammedanism. Also, " Arabia, the Cradle of Islam,"
for a bibliography on the subject.
The Koran. Translations by Sale, Rod well, or Palmer.
" The Mohammedan World of To-day." Fleming H.
Revell Co. New York, 1906.
W. St. Clair Tisdall, " The Sources of the Quran/'
S. P. C. K. London, 1905.
H. H. Jessup, " The Mohammedan Missionary Prob-
lem." Philadelphia, 1879.
Hughes, "Dictionary of Islam." London, 1885.
S. M. Zwemer, " The Moslem Doctrine of God." Ameri-
can Tract Society, 1905.
S. M. Zwemer, " Islam : A Challenge to Faith." Stu-
dent Volunteer Movement, 1907.
ILLUSTRATIVE SELECTIONS
The Sword of Islam. " This contempt for the lives of
the rebellious or vanquished was exemplified over and
over in the history of Islam in India. The slave Emperor
Balban once slew forty thousand Mongols, whom he sus-
pected of disloyalty, notwithstanding that they professed
the Moslem religion. Timur (Tamerlane) felt encum-
bered by one hundred thousand Hindu prisoners, taken
at the capture of Delhi. He ordered them to be slain in
ISLAM 33
cold blood. The Bahmanid Mohammed I, son of Hassan
Gangu, once avenged the death of his Moslem garrison at
Mudkall, by the slaughter of seventy thousand men,
women, and children. Such were the deeds of the prose-
lyting sword, which was unsheathed against the unbe-
lieving world by the mandate of the Prophet."
WHERRY'S "Islam and Christianity," p. 49.
Moslem Pride. " Personal pride, which like blood in
the body, runs through all the veins of the mind of Mo-
hammedanism, which sets the soul of a Sultan in the
twisted frame of a beggar at a street corner, is not cast on 3
in the act of admiration. These Arabs humbled them-
selves in the body. Their foreheads touched the stones.
By their attitudes they seemed as if they wished to make
themselves even with the ground, to shrink into the
space occupied by a grain of sand. Yet they were proud
in the presence of Allah, as if the firmness of their belief
in him and his right dealing, the fury of their contempt
and hatred for those who looked not toward Mecca
nor regarded Ramadan, gave them a patent of nobility.
Despite their genuflections, they were all as men who
knew, and never forgot, that on them was conferred the
right to keep on their head-covering in the presence of
their King. With unclosed eyes they looked God full in
the face. Their dull and growling murmur had the
majesty of thunder rolling through the sky."
The Garden of Allah," p. 153.
The Call to Prayer, heard from minarets five times
daily in all Moslem lands, is as follows. The Muezzin
cries it in a loud voice, and always in the Arabic lan-
guage : " God is most great ! God is most great ! God
is most great ! God is most great ! I testify that there
is no god but God ! I testify that there is no god but
God ! I testify that Mohammed is the Apostle of God I
Come to prayer ! Come to prayer ! Come to prosperity !
Come to prosperity ! God is most great I God is most
great ! There is no god but God." In the call to early
morning prayer, the words, " Prayer is better than sleep,"
are added twice after the call to prosperity. (For further
34 MOSLEM LANDS
details of the prayer-ritual, see Klein's " The Religion of
Islam," pp. 120-156.)
The Five Pillars of Practice. " The five pillars of the
Mohammedan faith are all broken reeds by the solemn
test of age-long experience ; because their creed is only a
half truth, and its 'pure monotheism* does not satisfy
the soul's need of a mediator, and an atonement for sin.
Their prayers are formal and vain repetitions, without de-
manding or producing holiness in the one that uses them.
Their fasting is productive of two distinct evils wherever
observed : it manufactures an unlimited number of hypo-
crites who profess to keep the fast and do not do so, and
in the second place the reaction which occurs at sunset
of every night of Ramadan tends to produce revelling
and dissipation of the lowest and most degrading type.
Their almsgiving stimulates indolence, and has produced
that acme of social parasites the dervish or fakir.
Finally, their pilgrimages to Mecca and Medina and Ker-
bela are a public scandal even to Moslem morality, so
that the holy cities are hotbeds of vice and plague-spots
in the body politic."
Missionary Review of the World, October, 1898.
The Moslem Paradise. According to Al-Ghazali
(4 : 337) Mohammed said, " The believer in Paradise will
marry five hundred houris, four thousand virgins, and
eight thousand divorced women." Al-Ghazali (A.H. 450)
is one of the greatest theologians of Islam, and no ortho-
dox Moslem would dispute his statement. In this very
connection Ghazali quotes the words, " things which the
eye saw not, and which did not enter into the heart of
man 1 " Ghazali 4 : 338.
" When travelling in Asia it struck me how very little
we had heard, how little we know as to how sin is en-
throned and deified and worshipped. There is sin and
shame everywhere. Mohammedanism is corrupt to the
very core. The morals of Mohammedan countries are cor-
rupt and the imagination very wicked. . . . These false
faiths degrade women with an infinite degradation. The
intellect is dwarfed, while all the worst passions of hu-
man nature are stimulated and developed in a fearful
degree ; jealousy, envy, murderous hate, intrigue running
to such an extent that in some countries I have hardly
ever been in a woman's house, or near a woman's tent
without being asked for drugs with which to disfigure
the favorite w r ife, to take away her life, or to take away
the life of the favorite wife's infant son. This request
has been made to me nearly two hundred times. . . .
It follows necessarily that there is also an infinite degra-
dation of men. The whole continent of Asia is corrupt.
It is the scene of barbarities, tortures, brutal punish-
ments, oppression, official corruption (which is the worst
under Mohammedan rule) ; of all things which are the
natural products of systems without God in Christ.
There are no sanctities of home ; nothing to tell of
righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, only
a fearful looking for in the future of fiery indignation
from some quarter, they know not what."
MRS. ISABELLA BIRD BISHOP.
86
CHAPTER II
THE SOCIAL EVILS OF ISLAM
Why Missions to Moslems? Two views have Why
been widely prevalent and held for a long Missions?
time regarding missions to Mohammedans.
Although diametrically opposed, they agree that
it is waste of time and effort to carry the
Gospel to Moslems. The one view is that the
work is impossible ; the other that it is un-
necessary. The one holds that Islam is too
hopeless to be meddled with ; the other that
Islam is so hopeful that it does not need
our help, but will work out its own salvation.
The one considers the Moslem so utterly un-
approachable that it is useless to go to him ;
the other says it is needless to go because
the Moslem himself is approaching to Christ
through Mohammed. The former view treats
Islam, as the foe of Christianity, with the
hatred of neglect ; the latter, considering " Is-
lam the handmaid of Christianity," welcomes
her cooperation for the redemption of Africa
from the evils of paganism, an opinion voiced
by Canon Taylor, Doctor Ely den, and others. 1
1 Ely den, " Christianity, Islam and the Negro Race,"
London, 1888. Ameer All, " The Spirit of Islam," Cal-
cutta, 1902.
37
38 MOSLEM LANDS
This chapter is intended to prove that the
latter view is surely at fault and that Moslem
lands and Moslem peoples sorely need the Gos-
pel. The next chapter will show that the
Gospel is not impotent over against Islam, but
victorious wherever it has entered.
Testimony Mrs. Isabella Bird Bishop, who travelled with
of Mrs. opened eyes through many Moslem lands, wrote
from Kirmanshah, Persia : " I have learned
two things ; one I have been learning for
nine months past, the utter error of Canon
Taylor's estimate of Islam. I think it has the
most blighting, withering, degrading influence
of any of the false creeds." 1 And when she
visited Morocco there was no doubt in her
mind about Islam being " a handmaid of Chris-
tianity." "It is at once the curse of Morocco,
and the most formidable obstacle in the way
of progress, chaining all thought in the fetters
of the seventh century, steeping its votaries in
the most intolerant bigotry and the narrowest
conceit, and encouraging fanaticism which re-
gards with approval the delirious excesses of
the Aissawa and the Hamdusha." 2
The present social and moral condition of
Mohammedan lands and of Moslems as a class
in all lands is not such as it is in spite of, but
because of, their religion. The evils are in-
herent in it. The law of cause and effect
has operated for over a thousand years under
every possible physical and ethnic environ-
1 "Life of Isabella Bird Bishop," p. 221.
2 Ibid., p. 365.
THE SOCIAL EVILS OF ISLAM 39
ment, among Semites, Aryan races, Negroes,
and Slavs. The results, are so sadly similar
that they form a terrible and unanswerable
indictment of the social and moral weakness Morals
of Islam. " By their fruits ye shall know
them," and the fruit always depends upon the
root.
Low Ideals of Conduct and Character. The The ideal of
measure of the moral stature of Mohammed is Character
the root and foundation of all moral ideals in
Islam. His conduct is the standard of charac-
ter. We need not be surprised, therefore, that
the ethical standard is so low. Raymund Lull,
the first missionary to Moslems, used to show
in his bold preaching that Mohammed had none
of the seven cardinal virtues, and was guilty of
the seven deadly sins. He may have gone too
far. But it would not be difficult to show that
pride, lust, envy, and anger were prominent
traits in the prophet's character.
To read the story of Mohammed's life as
given by Muir, Sprenger, or Weil is convincing
enough.
The three fundamental concepts of Christian Ethics
ethics are all of them challenged by the teach-
ing of Islam. The Mohammedan idea of the
Highest Good, of Virtue, and of the Moral
Law are not in accord with those of Chris-
tianity. " The highest good is the very out-
wardly and very sensuously conceived happiness
of the individual." Ideal virtue is to be found
through imitation of Mohammed. And the
moral law is practically abrogated because of
40
MOSLEM LANDS
Ceremonial
Law
Untruthful-
iiess
loose views as to its real character and teach-
ing and finality.
There is no distinction between the cere-
monial and the moral law even implied in the
Koran. It is as great an offence to pray with
unwashen hands as to tell a lie, and " pious "
Moslems who nightly break the seventh com-
mandment (according to their own lax inter-
pretation of it) will shrink from a tin of
foreign meat for fear they be defiled by eating
swine's flesh. The lack of all distinction be-
tween the ceremonial and the moral law is very
evident in many traditional sayings of Moham-
med, which are of course at the basis of ethics.
Take one example : " The Prophet, upon whom
be prayers and peace, said 4 One dirhem of
usury which a man takes, knowing it to be so,
is more grievous than thirty-six fornications,
and whosoever has done so is worthy of hell-
fire.'"
Dr. Dennis sums up the real character of
Moslem ethics as an "adoption of religious
ideas and social customs which are saturated
with error, loathsome with immorality and
injustice, antagonistic to both natural and re-
vealed ethics and stale with the provincialism
of the desert." In enumerating the social evils
which are the dead-rot of Moslem society, we
begin with that which saps the very roots of
character, untruthf ulness.
Untruthfulness. One of the ninety-nine names
of God in the Koran is that of M Hak, The
Truth, but of the absolute inviolability of truth
THE SOCIAL EVILS OF ISLAM 41
in the Deity or in ethics the Moslem mind has
no conception. To begin with, there is the
teaching of orthodox Islam that nothing is
right or wrong by nature, but becomes such
by the fiat of the Almighty.
What Allah or His Prophet forbids is sin, even
should He forbid what seems right to the con-
science. What Allah allows is not sin and can-
not be sin at the time He allows it, though it may
have been before or after. One has only to
argue the matter of polygamy with an intelli-
gent Moslem to have the above confirmed.
According to Moslem tradition, there are two
authenticated sayings of Mohammed on the
subject of lying : " When a servant of God
tells a lie, his guardian angels move away to
the distance of a mile, because of the badness of
its smell." That seems a characteristic denun-
ciation, but the other saying contradicts it :
"Verily a lie is allowable in three cases, to When a Lie"
women, to reconcile friends, and in war" (El is Allowable,
Hidayah, Vol. IV, p. 81). And the great theo-
logian of Islam, Abu Hanifa, alleges that if a
man should swear " by the truth of God," this
does not constitute an oath ! while the whole
subject of oaths and vows in Moslem theology
exhibits the crookedness of their moral legerde-
main in dealing with truth.
" The dastardly assassination," says Muir, " of
his political and religious opponents, counte-
nanced and frequently directed as it was in all
its cruel and perfidious details by Mohammed
himself, leaves a dark and indelible blot upon
42 MOSLEM LANDS
his character." With such a Prophet it is no
wonder that among his followers and imitators
" truth-telling is one of the lost arts," and that
perjury is too common to be noticed. Since
Mohammed gathered ideas and stories from the
Jews of Medina and palmed them off as a new
revelation from God, it is no wonder that
Arabian literature teems with all sorts of pla-
giarisms, or that one of the early authorities of
Islam laid down the canon that it is justifiable
to lie in praise of the Prophet. Dr. St. Clair
Tisdall says in regard to the Mohammedans of
Persia, " Lying has been elevated to the dignity
of a fine art owing to the doctrine of Kitman-
ud-din which is held by the Shi ah religious
community." 1
This doctrine, held by nearly ten million
Moslems of the Shiah sect, only adds one more
loophole for lies to those Mohammed made, and
permits a lie "to conceal one's true religion."
What the standard of truth is among the
Moslems of the Dark Continent, we know from
the testimony of David Livingstone :
Living- " The men sent by Dr. Kirk are Mohammedans, that
stone's is, unmitigated liars. Musa and his companions are fair
Testimony, specimens of the lower class of Moslems. The two head-
men remained at Ujiji, to feast on my goods, and get pay
without work. Seven came to Bambarra, and in true
Moslem style swore that they were sent by Dr. Kirk to
bring me back, not to go with me, if the country were bad
or dangerous. Forward they would not go. I read Dr.
Kirk's words to them to follow wheresoever I led. ' No,
by the old liar Mohammed, they were to force me back to
1 " The Mohammedan World of To-day," p. 117.
THE SOCIAL EVILS OF ISLAM 43
Zanzibar.' After a superabundance of falsehood, it turned
out that it all meant only an advance of pay, though they
had double the Zanzibar wages. I gave it, but had to
threaten on the word of an Englishman to shoot the ring-
leaders before I got them to go. They all speak of Eng-
lish as men who do not lie. ... I have travelled more than
most people, and with all sorts of followers. The Chris-
tians of Kuruman and Kolobeng were out of sight the
best I ever had. The Makololo, who were very partially
Christianized, were next best honest, truthful, and
brave. Heathen Africans are much superior to the
Mohammedans, who are the most worthless one can
have." x
What was true of the Moslems Livingstone
met, seems to be the case almost universally in
Moslem lands. In Syria, we are told, it was Syria
rare to find a Moslem who could be believed
under oath, and perjury is too common to be
noticed. 2 To be called a liar in the Levant is
considered a very mild insult. Lord Curzon,
in his authoritative book on Persia, remarks, " I
am convinced that the true son of Iran would
sooner lie than tell the truth, and that he
feels twinges of desperate remorse when upon
occasions he has thoughtlessly strayed into
veracity."
In Turkey and Egypt the whole routine of
daily life is filled with dishonesty and double-
dealing; while among the Arabs, oaths are
divided into two classes : those which one may
use in asserting a lie without fear of perjury,
and those which are sacred to affirm the truth.
1 Quoted from his journals in " Christus Liberator," p. 60.
2 H. H. Jessup, " The Mohammedan Missionary Prob-
lem," p. 50.
44
MOSLEM LANDS
immorality Immorality. On this topic it is not possible
to speak plainly nor to be wholly silent. One
must live among Moslems to see the blasting
and corrupting influence of an immoral religion
on its followers. " He that soweth to the flesh
shall of the flesh reap corruption."
Moslems have changed the truth of God in
their consciences for a lie, and for this cause
they -are given up to vile affections from the
day their Prophet married Zainab until now.
Many of the masses are past feeling, and " have
given themselves over unto lasciviousness to
work all uncleanness with greediness." In
consequence, the majority seem to have " con-
sciences seared with a hot iron " and minds too
full of the sensual to admit of a spiritual con-
ception. There is no mental soporific like the
Koran, and there is nothing so well designed
to hush all heart-questioning as a religion that
denies the need of an atonement. There is no
spiritual aspiration even for the Moslem, who
longs for heaven, because even there he can
only picture the " houris " of paradise and the
goblets of wine and rivers of milk. "To be
carnally -minded is death." Islam proves it by
the effect of its teaching on the lives of Mos-
lems.
Literature The sensuality of Islam is as deeply carved in
the Mohammedan literature as the immorality
of Hinduism is carved on their idol-temples.
Both are too deeply cut into the symbols of
their religion to be removed without destroy-
ing it. The Koran, the commentaries, the
THE SOCIAL EVILS OF ISLAM 45
traditions, Moslem theology, and the entire
range of Arabic literature, as written by and
for Moslems, contain passages and whole sec-
tions that are untranslatable.
And this kind of fireside literature breeds
a coarse vocabulary and corrupt conversation
among men, women, and children, to a degree
that is incredible. The very strongholds of
religion are strongholds of immorality in the
Moslem world. Mecca, Kerbela, and Meshed
Ali are examples of " holy cities " without Holy Cities
morality. " The Meccans," writes Burton
(the man who did not shrink from the unex-
purgated "Arabian Nights"), "appeared to me
distinguished even in this foul-mouthed East
by the superior licentiousness of their lan-
guage." 1
One who has been a missionary for years
in India testified: "However the phenomenon
may be accounted for, we, after mixing with
Hindus and Mohammedans for nineteen years,
have no hesitation in saying that the latter are,
as a whole, some degrees lower in the social and
moral scale than the former." 2
Polygamy has not diminished licentiousness Polygamy
in any Moslem land, but everywhere increased
it. " Immorality among African Mohamme-
dans is commonly indescribable. It is worse
among the Arabs of the intensely Mohammedan
1 Cf. "The Mohammedan World of To-day, " pp. 117,
139-141.
2 The Rev. J. Vaughan in Dr. Jessup's " Mohammedan
Missionary Problem," p. 47.
46 MOSLEM LANDS
countries to the north than it is among the
Negro races to the south." 1
The Seclusion and Degradation of Women.
The origin of the veil in Islam and the conse-
quent seclusion of women was one of the
marriage affairs of Mohammed himself with
its appropriate revelation from Allah. In the
twenty-fourth Surah of the Koran women are
The Veil forbidden to appear unveiled before any member
of the other sex with the exception of near
relatives. And so by one verse the bright,
refining, elevating influence of womanhood was
forever withdrawn from Moslem society.
The evils of the harem, the seraglio, the
purdah, or the zenana, by whatever name it is
called, are writ large over all the social life of
the Moslem world. And Moslems enlightened
by the torch of Christian civilization are them-
selves beginning to see the fact. At a Moham-
medan conference held in Bombay, in 1904, Mr.
Justice Telang spoke of the evils of the purdah
system, and named it as the chief cause for the
backwardness of the Moslem community.
After showing that the religious aspect of
the question was a delicate one for Moslems to
discuss, he remarked :
" As to the social aspect of the question, we have been
so accustomed to it from our infancy, we have seen it
prevail more or less amongst all the Mussulman coun-
tries of the world, and, therefore, we are naturally
prejudiced in its favour, and strongly prejudiced against
any modification of its rigour. Being so prejudiced, we
i " The Mohammedan World of To-day," p. 284.
THE SOCIAL EVILS OF ISLAM 47
magnify and exaggerate whatever advantages or benefits
there may be in it, and we strongly close our eyes to the
advantages of its abolition.
" Whether purdah is good or bad from a social point Moslem
of view, whether it is or is not entirely in accordance with Testimony
the religious doctrines as interpreted by some people, may
be a question, but there can be none, I think, as to the
effect of the purdah system on the health and physique
of our women. Gentlemen, if there is one thing more
clear than another in science it is that the human consti-
tution requires pure air and healthy exercise. How are
these possible if the present system of purdah is main-
tained ? How and where are our women to get pure air?
How and where are they to get healthy exercise ? And
consider the fact of the absence of pure air and the absence
of exercise on the constitutions of our women. Compare
their constitutions with the constitutions of the women of
other communities who, untrammelled by the purdah, go
into the open and move freely and give exercise to the
various parts of their body. Compare the health of
our women with the health of the women of other
classes.
" Look at the statistics, consider the vast proportion of
our women who die from consumption due to confinement
in the house, impure air, and want of exercise. Gentle-
men, we cannot ever hope to have healthy, strong, and
vigorous women among us so long as we confine them in
the way we have done for years and years ; and we can-
not hope to have strong, healthy, and vigorous children
so long as our women are weak and unhealthy and of
delicate constitutions."
And the learned barrister would have
strengthened his argument, had he spoken of
the effect of this loss of God's sunlight and
God-given liberty on the moral health of Mos-
lem women, and of the impure air that is the
only breath for their souls in the Moslem
zenana.
48 MOSLEM LANDS
Position of As regards the position of women in Islam
Women to-day, a perusal of the unimpeachable evidence
found in the recent symposium, " Our Moslem
Sisters," will make the most callous-hearted
hear a cry of distress from these lands of dark-
ness that appeals for help. In nearly every
Moslem land woman is held to be " a scandal
and a slave, a drudge and a disgrace, a temp-
tation and a terror, a blemish and a burden."
And this is shown " by the estimate put upon
her, by the opportunity given her, by the func-
tion assigned her, by the privilege accorded her
and by the service expected of her." l
We need not go for testimony outside of the
Koran and the Moslem theology. Al-Ghazali
sums up the question of women's rights in
Islam when he says, " Marriage is a kind of
slavery, for the wife becomes the slave of her
husband, and it is her duty absolutely to obey
him in everything he requires of her except in
what is contrary to the laws of Islam." Wife-
beating is allowed by the Koran, and even the
method and limitations are explained by the
law of ethics. 2
Polygamy and Divorce. A Moslem who
lives up to his privileges and who follows the
example of " the saints " in his calendar can
have four wives and any number of slave-con-
cubines; can divorce at his pleasure; hecanre-
1 Dennis, " Christian Missions and Social Progress,"
Vol. I, p. 104.
2 See Klein, "The Keligion of Islam," p. 190, and Mos-
lem Commentaries on Surah 4 : 38.
THE SOCIAL EVILS OF ISLAM 49
marry his divorced wives by a special abominable
arrangement ; and in addition to all this, if he
belong to the heterodox Shiah sect, he can con-
tract marriages for pleasure (Metaa) which are
temporary. 1
" The very chapter in the Mohammedan Bible
which deals with the legal status of woman,
and which provides that every Mohammedan
may have four legal wives, and as many con-
cubines or slave girls as his right hand can
hold," says Robert E. Speer, " goes by the title
in the Koran itself of 'The Cow.' One could Degradation
get no better title to describe the status of
woman throughout the non-Christian world."
This trampling the honor of womanhood is
only one of the evil results. A system that
puts God's sanction on polygamy, concubinage,
and unlimited divorce, that hellish trinity,
brings a curse on every home in the Moham-
medan world by degrading manhood. But,
alas, these social and domestic evils cannot be
1 " As to the degradation of women, one does not know
where to begin. You have heard a little about it ; but the
most horrible thing I have ever known is the system of tem-
porary marriages practised in the valley of the Tarirn, espe-
cially in Kashgar. The Russian Consul told me that during
the five years he had lived there, he had known many girls
to have twenty husbands before they were twelve years oldl
Temporary marriages are sanctioned for a week. I am not
sure whether they are not for a day, and it is common for
men there to change their wives five or six times a year ;
and that, be it observed, is in a place where Mohammedan-
ism has had full sway for a great many years, and where, if
the system were good, it ought certainly by this time to have
shown itself." DR. HENRY LANDSELL, M.R.A.S.
50 MOSLEM LANDS
rebuked or deplored by better-class Moham-
medans without reflecting on the career of
Mohammed and without contradicting the re-
vealed word of God and the consensus of the
theologians of Islam.
Moham- The Prophet in this respect, also, was to
med's Moslems the paragon of perfection. Although
when Khadijah died he found his own lax law
insufficient to restrain his lusts, and indulged
in at least ten additional marriages, it is not
put down as a disgrace, but as a "dignity in
the biographies of God's Apostle. No wonder
that some of his followers have aspired to a
like privilege. Among the Nomad chiefs of
Arabia polygamy is the invariable rule. One
Sheikh in North Arabia has more than forty
wives and concubines and does not know many
of his own children.
In Baluchistan concubinage is so common
that a missionary says he knows " several
chiefs who have thirty, forty, fifty, and sixty
women." Still darker shadows fall on the
picture of the life of our Moslem sisters in that
part of the world, if we open the government
of India census report:
" Owing to the system of buying wives, in vogue among
Afghans, a girl as soon as she reaches nubile age is, for
all practical purposes, put up for auction and sold to the
highest bidder. Her father discourses in the market on
her beauty or ability as a housekeeper, and invites offers
from those who desire a wife. Even the more wealthy
and more respectable Afghans are not above thus laud-
ing the female wares which they have for sale. Even
the betrothal of girls who are not yet born is frequent.
THE SOCIAL EVILS OF ISLAM 51
It is also usual for compensation for blood to be ordered
to be paid in the shape of girls, some of whom are living,
whilst others are yet unborn."
And again:
"Among Afghans and their neighbors, polygamy is Afghanistan
only limited by the purchasing ability of the man, and
a wife is looked on as a better investment than cattle ;
for in a country where drought and scarcity are continu-
ally present, the risk of loss in animals is great, whilst
the female offspring of a woman will fetch a high price.
Woman's tutelage does not end with widowhood. In the
household of a deceased Afghan she is looked on as an
asset in the division of his property. It is no uncommon
thing to find a son willing to sell his own mother."
Where woman is thus regarded as a mere
chattel, it is no wonder that every marriage
bond is easily broken, and that where, by
reason of poverty, polygamy is impossible,
caprice or lust is satisfied by frequent divorce.
The facility, the legality, and the universality of
divorce in the Moslem world is without a parallel
under any other religion.
The law of divorce is based on express in- Divorce
junctions contained in the Koran, and the
subject is deemed of such importance that it
occupies one of the largest sections in works on
jurisprudence. A husband may divorce his
wife for any cause whatsoever, at any time and
without any misbehavior on her part. Burk-
hardt tells of an Arab, forty -five years old, who
had had fifty wives, and history tells of early
Moslem leaders who far exceeded him in con-
jugal unfaithfulness. In Egypt, ninety-five per
cent of all Moslem marriages are followed by
52 MOSLEM LANDS
divorce. In West Africa, polygamy is the rule
among all Moslems, and only limited by lack of
wealth, while divorce is so frequent that " it is
rare to find a woman, past the prime of life,
living with her husband." 1
It is heart-rending to hear some of the cries
of suffering that ring out to heaven from the
lands of perpetual divorce. A lady missionary
Algiers in Algiers tells of the cruel treatment of three
cases, one of whom, a mere girl, was already
twice divorced from drunken, dissolute hus-
bands, and continues :
" Yet they have gone under without tasting the bit-
terest dregs of a native woman's cup ; for (save a baby
of the eldest girl's who lived only a few weeks) there
were no children in the question. And the woman's
deepest anguish begins where they are concerned. For
divorce is always hanging over her head. The birth of
a daughter when a son had been hoped for, an illness
that has become a bit tedious, a bit of caprice or counter-
attraction on the husband's part any of these things
may mean that he will " tear the paper " that binds them
together, and for eight francs the kadi will set him free.
This means that the children will be forced from the
mother and knocked about by the next wife that comes
on the scene; and the mother-heart will suffer a constant
martyrdom from her husband if only divorce can be
averted."
Slavery Slavery. This might as well have been the
heading of the previous paragraph. But in
Moslem law a separate section is given to the
traffic in human flesh, although the lot of Negro
slaves in the Mohammedan world has never
been much worse than the daily slavery of
i " The Mohammedan World of To-day," p. 49.
THE SOCIAL EVILS OF ISLAM 53
women (with its Damocles sword of divorce
hanging over every bridal couch) and is often
better.
Mohammed found slavery an existing institu-
tion both among the Jews and the idolaters of
Arabia, recognized it, and by legislating for its
continuance, perpetuated it. The teaching of
the Koran is very explicit. (See the follow-
ing Surahs: 4: 3,29; 33:49; 23:5; 16: 77;
24 : 33.) All male and female slaves taken as
plunder in war are the lawful property of their
master ; the master has power to purchase any
number of female slaves, either married or
single ; the position of a slave is compared to
the helplessness of the stone idols of pagan
Arabia ; yet slaves must be treated with kind-
ness and be granted their freedom when they
are able to purchase it.
The slave traffic is not only allowed, but Slave
legislated for by Mohammedan law and made Traffic
sacred by the example of the Prophet (Mish-
kat, Book 13, Chapter XX). In Moslem books
of law the same rules apply to the sale of animals
and slaves. There is absolutely no limit to
the number of slave girls with whom a Mos-
lem may cohabit, and it is this consecration
of carnal indulgence which so popularizes the
Mohammedan religion among uncivilized tribes
and so popularizes slavery in the Moslem state.
Some Moslem apologists of the present day
contend that Mohammed looked upon the cus-
tom as temporary in its nature ; but slavery is
so interwoven with the laws of marriage, of
54 MOSLEM LANDS
sale, of inheritance, and with the whole social
fabric, that its abolition strikes at the foun-
dations of their legal code. Whenever and
wherever Moslem rulers have agreed to the
abolition or suppression of the slave trade, they
have acted contrary to the privileges of their
religion in consenting to obey the laws of
humanity.
Arabia, the Holy Land of Islam, is still a
centre of the slave trade. It is also prevalent
in Morocco, although decreasing in Tripoli and
Zanzibar. Where Moslems live under Chris-
tian rule, the traffic in slaves has been pro-
hibited, but in no case has this been due to a
reformation in Islam itself.
The Mecca Dr. C. Snouck Hurgronje describes the public
Slave Mar- s i ave market at Mecca in full swing every day
during his visit in 1879. It is located near
Bab Derebah and the holy mosque, and open to
everybody. Although he himself apologizes for
the traffic, and calls the anti-slavery crusade
a swindle, he yet confesses to all the horrible
details in the sale of female slaves and the
mutilation of male slaves for the markets.
And we know that conditions have not changed
for the better to this day.
A book recently published describes the pil-
grim journey of Hadji Khan to Mecca in 1902,
and in the Appendix is a plea to stop the cruel
trade in slaves.
" Go there," says the writer, " and see for yourself the
condition of the human chattels for purchase. You will
find them, thanks to the vigilance of British cruisers,
THE SOCIAL EVILS OF ISLAM 55
less numerous, and consequently more expensive, than
they were in former years ; but there they are, flung
pell-mell in the open square. . . . The dealer standing
by, cried out : i Come and buy, the first fruits of the
season, delicate, fresh and green ; come and buy, strong
and useful, faithful and honest. Come and buy."
" The day of sacrifice was past, and the richer pilgrims
in their brightest robes gathered around. One among
them singled out the girl. They entered a booth to-
gether. The mothei was left behind. One word she
uttered, or was it a moan of inarticulate grief ? Soon
after, the girl came back. And the dealer, when the
bargain was over, said to the purchaser : i I sell you this
property of mine, the female slave, Narcissus, for the
sum of 40.' Thus the bargain was clinched. . . . Men
slaves could be bought for sums varying from 15 to 40.
The children in arms were sold with their mothers, an
act of mercy ; but those that could feed themselves had
to take their chance. More often than not, they were
separated from their mothers, which gave rise to scenes
which many a sympathetic pilgrim would willingly forget
if he could." l
Cruelty and Intolerance. Islam is a hard intolerance
religion toward those that do not embrace it
the " infidel " must be brought low ; and a
heartless religion toward all who abandon it
the apostate must be put to death. There is
neither precept nor example enjoining love to
one's enemies. Islam knows nothing of a uni-
versal benevolence or of a humane tolerance,
nor did Mohammed.
The Koran does not reveal a God of love. NoGoa
Allah is too rich, too proud, and too indepen- of Love
1 " With the Pilgrims to Mecca, The Great Pilgrimage of
A.H. 1319, A.D. 1902," by Hadji Khan. John Lane, London
and New York, 1905.
56
MOSLEM LANDS
The Sword
of Islam
El Azhar
dent to need or desire the tribute of human
love. In consequence, the loveless creed pro-
duces loveless character. That the element of
love was lacking in Mohammed's idea of God
is perhaps the reason also why the Koran, in
contrast with the Bible, has so little for and
about children. Of such is not the kingdom
of Mohammed. His was a kingdom of the
sword and for warriors who could spill blood.
And the lessons learned during the long wars
of conquest and the bitter strife of Moslem sect
with sect have never been forgotten.
The Armenian massacres, the condition of
Turkish prisons, the barbarities of Morocco,
the cruelties of the African slave-trade, the
excruciating tortures practised on criminals in
Persia, and the methods of self-torture used by
the Dervish orders, all these are topics that
would require volumes to include all the evi-
dence of their horror. Yet all these things
are connected directly or indirectly with the
Moslem religion and would cease in these lands,
if it did.
In the great Mohammedan University of El
Azhar at Cairo with its thousands of stu-
dents from every part of the world, we might
expect some little breadth of sympathy and
some breath of tolerance. But there is neither.
This missionary prayer was offered there, for
many years past, every evening :
" I seek refuge with Allah from Satan the accursed !
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Mercif u.1 !
O Lord of all creatures, O Allah 1 destroy the infidels
THE SOCIAL EVILS OF ISLAM 57
and polytheists, thine enemies, the enemies of the re-
ligion ! O Allah ! make their children orphans and de-
file their abodes ! Cause their feet to slip ; give them
and their families, their households and their women, A Prayer
their children and their relations by marriage, their
brothers and their friends, their possessions and their
race, their wealth and their lands, as booty to the Mos-
lems, O Lord of all creatures ! "
And where could we find stronger and more
recent instances of Moslem intolerance than in
the reports of many missionary societies labor-
ing in Moslem lands ; unless we care to listen
to Sheikh Abd ul Hak, of Bagdad, and his
"Final Word of Islam to Europe"? 1
Ignorance and Illiteracy. It is a disputed ignorance
question whether Mohammed could read and
write. Moslems themselves are not agreed, and
Western scholarship is still undecided as to
the evidence, 2 although Mohammedans gener-
ally speak of their Prophet as the "Illiterate."
But there can be no dispute in this respect
about the followers of the Prophet. The illit-
eracy of the Mohammedan world to-day is as
surprising as it is appalling. One would think
that a religion which almost worships its sacred
Book, and which once was mistress of science
and literature, would, in its onward sweep, have
enlightened the nations. But facts are stub- illiteracy
born things. Careful investigations show that
seventy-five to one hundred per cent of the
Moslems in Africa are unable to read or write.
1 See end of this chapter.
2 See the list of writers pro and con in "The Moslem
Doctrine of God," p. 92.
58 MOSLEM LANDS
In Tripoli ninety per cent are illiterate ,
in Egypt eighty-eight per cent ; in Algiers
over ninety per cent. In Turkey there has
been improvement in recent years, yet even
now it is forty per cent of the population.
Persia now has a constitution, but it has no
public-school system, and ninety per cent of
the people can neither read nor write. In
Baluchistan, according to the British census,
only 117 per thousand of the Mohammedan
men, and only 23 per thousand among the
women, can read.
illiteracy But the most surprising facts are in re-
gard to India, where the Mohammedans are
still put down in the census as a " backward
class." After over a century of British rule
and Christian missions and religious agitation,
over ninety-six per cent of the Mohammedans
in India are illiterate ! The figures given are
59,674,499 unable to read or write among a
Mohammedan population of 62,458,077 ! It is
almost incredible.
paucity And this widespread illiteracy is sometimes
oi Books ( j ue o a p auc it v o f literature of a character
suited for the home and for common people.
The literary style of Arabic, for example, has
become so artificially stilted and obscure that
only highly educated people can read some of
the daily papers, and poetry generally requires
footnotes to make it intelligible. " The paucity
of literature of all kinds in Turkey, where gov-
ernment press regulations prohibit any general
output of publications," we are told by a lady
THE SOCIAL EVILS OF ISLAM 59
missionary, " combined with the general poverty
of the people, makes many a home bookless and
the great majority of lives barren."
The Moslem village school is a caricature
of what lower education should be, and the
Moslem Mullah, with all his learned-ignorance
and fanaticism, is the finished product of the
higher education. In all Moslem schools not
yet influenced by Western civilization, the
Ptolemaic system is taught, not only in astron-
omy (as indeed the Koran compels), but the
whole realm of thought is made to revolve
around the little world of Mohammed and his
book. 1
For five hundred years Islam has been su- Turkey
preme in Turkey, one of the fairest and richest
portions of the Old World as regards natural
resources. And what is the result ? The
Mohammedan population has decreased ; the
treasury is bankrupt ; progress is blocked ;
instead of wealth, universal poverty ; instead
of comeliness, rags ; instead of commerce, beg-
gary, a failure greater and more absolute
than history can elsewhere present.
In most Mohammedan countries, the general NO Arts
ignorance of the people is plainly evident in
the rude and crude methods of agriculture,
building, and transportation. Wheeled car-
riages or carts are unknown in Arabia, Persia,
and Afghanistan, save as they are imported
from other lands. The first pump ever seen in
1 See The Missionary Review of the World, February,
1908.
60 MOSLEM LANDS
eastern Arabia was imported by the mission-
aries, and in Oman many children still use the
bleached shoulder-blades of camels instead of
slates at school.
No Banking The Algeciras Conference made much ado
about the new bank for Morocco, but a resident
of the country writes in the North American
Review : " And in regard to the bank. The
Moors have not the least comprehension of
the workings of a bank, and, moreover, their
religion forbids them to deposit their money in
one. Moors who have money bank it in the
ground. Many of them die without disclosing
to any one else their place of deposit. No
Moor dares to appear rich for fear of being cast
into prison and despoiled by the officials of his
Government, or for fear of assassination at the
hands of other robbers. The Government has
no public works, and the mass of the people
have no arts and trades. The bank will find
it next to impossible to deal with the Moors."
" Of other robbers " ! How eloquent is that
phrase to describe the condition of "life, lib-
erty, and the pursuit of happiness " in darkest
Morocco!
Superstition Superstition and Quackery. These twin-
sisters of Ignorance are also a curse in Moslem
lands. And both of them trace their lineage
back to the Koran and the traditions of Islam.
A volume might be written on the superstitions
of Mohammed, and a volume has been compiled
on all his ignorant quackery by a learned
Moslem and entitled " The Science of Medi-
THE SOCIAL EVILS OF ISLAM 61
cine according to the Prophet" (Et-Tub en
Nebawi) .
Mohammed gave instructions to his follow- Omens
ers in regard to omens, charms, talismans, and and Dreams
witchcraft. " If a fly falls into a dish of vict-
uals," he said, "plunge it in completely, then
take it out and throw it away ; for in one of its
wings is a cause of sickness, and in the other a
cause of health ; and in falling it falls on the
sick wing ; and if it is submerged, the other
will counteract its bad effect." To make a bad
drearn harmless, he thought it necessary to spit
three times over the left shoulder. He was
very careful to begin everything from the right
side, and to end with the left ; and he smeared
the antimony first in his right eye. His idea
of omens, however, was more sensible: he
admitted lucky omens, but forbade belief in
unlucky ones.
These are only single paragraphs from a
whole literature of superstition that has been
collected, treasured, augmented, and believed
for thirteen centuries.
A large part of current medical practice Medicine
among Mohammedans rests on superstition.
Kei) or actual cautery, is, according to Mo-
hammed, the last cure for all sorts of diseases ;
so also is Klielal, or perforating the skin surface
with a red-hot iron and then passing a thread
through the hole to facilitate suppuration.
Scarcely one Arab or Persian in a hundred who
has not some kei-marks on his body ; even in-
fants are burned most cruelly in this way to
62
MOSLEM LANDS
Amulets
The
Child-witch
relieve diseases of childhood. Where kei fails,
they have recourse to words written on paper
either from the Koran, or, by law of contra-
ries, words of evil, sinister import. These the
patient " takes " either by swallowing them,
paper and all, or by drinking the ink-water in
which the writing is washed off.
The following are used as amulets in many
Moslem lands : a small Koran suspended from
the shoulder ; a chapter written on paper and
folded in a leather case ; some names of God
and their numerical values; the names of the
Prophet and his companions ; greenstones with-
out inscriptions ; beads, old coins, teeth, holy
earth in small bags. Amulets are not only
worn by the Moslems themselves and to pro-
tect their children from the evil eye, but are
put on camels, donkeys, horses, fishing-boats,
and sometimes over the doors of their dwellings.
The Arabs are very superstitious in every way.
In Hejaz, if a child is very ill, the mother
takes seven flat loaves of bread and puts them
under its pillow; in the morning the loaves
are given to the dogs and the child is not
always cured. Rings are worn against the in-
fluence of evil spirits ; incense or evil-smelling
compounds are burned in the sick-room to drive
away the devil ; mystic symbols are written on
the walls for a similar purpose. Love-philtres
are everywhere used and in demand ; and name-
less absurdities are committed to insure child-
birth. The child-witch, called Um-es-subyan,
is feared by all mothers; narcotics are used
THE SOCIAL EVILS OF ISLAM 63
freely to quiet unruly infants and, naturally,
mortality is very large. Of surgery and mid- Surgery
wifery the Moslems, as a rule, are totally igno-
rant, and if their medical treatment is purely
ridiculous, their surgery is piteously cruel, al-
though never intentionally so. In all eastern
Arabia, blind women are preferred as midwives,
and rock-salt is used by them against puerperal
hemorrhage. Gunshot wounds are treated in
Bahrein by a poultice of dates, onions, and tam-
arind ; and the accident is guarded against in
the future by wearing a " lead-amulet."
There are many other superstitions in no
way connected with the treatment of the sick.
Tree-worship and stone-worship still exist in Tree-
many parts of Arabia in spite of the so-called worship
"pure monotheism" of Islam. Both of these
forms of worship date back to the time of idol-
atry, and remain as they were partly by the sanc-
tion of Mohammed himself, for did he not make
the black stone in the Kaaba, the centre of his
system of prayer ? Sacred trees are called Man-
ahil, places where angels or jinn descend ; no
leaf of such trees may be plucked, and they are
honored with sacrifices of shreds of flesh, while
they look gay with bits of calico and beads
which every worshipper hangs on the shrine.
Just outside of the Mecca gate at Jiddah stands
one of these rag trees with its crowd of pil-
grims ; in Yemen they are found by every way-
side and also in Baluchistan and southern Persia.
The Gospel the Only Remedy. It is very
evident that no remedy for these great social
64
MOSLEM LANDS
Islam
Bankrupt
We are
Debtors
evils can be found in Islam. The Moslem
world has long since suspended payment, it
never had reserve capital, and is socially bank-
rupt. There is no power of reform from within.
Falsehood, immorality, slavery, the degradation
of marriage, the pollution of the home, the crush-
ing yoke of universal ignorance and supersti-
tion, all these can be uprooted and destroyed
only by Him who is the Way, the Truth, and
the Life the Light of the world and the Sav-
iour of men.
" As a social system," writes Stanley Lane
Poole, " Islam is a complete failure : it has
misunderstood the relation of the sexes, upon
which the whole character of a nation's life
hangs, and by degrading women has degraded
each successive generation of their children
down an increasing scale of infamy and cor-
ruption, until it seems almost impossible to
reach a lower level of vice." But there is no
level of vice so low that the Gospel cannot
reach and uplift men and women from it.
There is hope for the Mohammedan home and
Mohammedan society and Mohammedan hearts
in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Because we know
this and they are ignorant of it, we are debt-
ors. And who can read of such social evils
without a thought of the Christ in His relation
to them and to us ?
"My God, can such things be?
Hast thou not said, that whatso'er is done
Unto Thy weakest and Thy humblest one
Is even done to Thee ?
THE SOCIAL EVILS OF ISLAM 65
" Hoarse, horrible and strong
Rises to heaven that agonizing cry,
Filling the arches of the hollow sky,
How long, O God, how long?"
HELPS FOR LEADERS
Lesson Aim :
To show the hopeless character of Islam for the pres-
ent life and its moral bankruptcy.
Scripture Lesson :
Rom. 1 : 18-32 ; Phil. 3 : 18, 19 ; Matt. 7 : 15-20.
Suggestive Questions :
1. Write a short paper on Child-life in Persia.
2. What are the chief amusements forbidden by the
Moslem religion ?
3. Has any land under Moslem rule a public-school
system or public libraries ?
4. Contrast the rights of women according to the
Mosaic law and according to the Koran.
5. What is the present commercial condition of
Morocco ?
6. Draw a map of the railroads in the Turkish
Empire.
7. Give instances of cruel native medical practice in
Arabia, Tripoli. Morocco.
8. Was Mohammed a kind husband?
9. Locate the present centres of the slave trade on
the map.
10. Describe zenana life in Hyderabad, India.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
" Our Moslem Sisters A Cry of Need from Lands of
Darkness " (Papers by Missionaries). Fleming H. Revell
Co., 1907.
Dr. James S. Dennis, " Christian Missions and Social
Progress," Vol. I, pp. 79, 91, 93, 98, 105-110, 115, 275-
277, 334, 335, 389-391. Vol. II, 375, etc.
66 MOSLEM LANDS
"The Mohammedan World of To-day." (Consult
index.)
Robert E. Speer. "Missionary Principles and Prac-
tice" (Chapters XXIV, XXV).
Hughes, " Dictionary of Islam." Articles on Divorce,
Marriage, Slavery, Women, Jihad.
Major Osborne, " Islam under the Arabs." London,
1876.
Major Osborne, " Islam under the Caliphs." London,
1878.
Lane, " Manners and Customs of Modern Egyptians."
ILLUSTRATIVE SELECTIONS
The Most Degraded Religion. " Mohammedanism is
held by many who have to live under its shadow to be
the most degraded religion, morally, in the world. We
speak of it as superior to the other religions because of
its monotheistic faith, but I would rather believe in ten
pure gods than in one God who would have for his
supreme prophet and representative a man with Moham-
med's moral character. Missionaries from India will tell
you that the actual moral conditions to be found among
Mohammedans there are more terrible than those to be
found among the pantheistic Hindus themselves; and
the late Dr. Cochran, of Persia, a man who had unsur-
passed opportunities for seeing the inner life of Moham-
medan men, told me, toward the close of his life, that he
could not say, out of his long and intimate acquaintance
as a doctor with the men of Persia, that he had ever met
one pure-hearted or pure-lived adult man among the
Mohammedans of Persia. Can a religion of immorality,
or moral inferiority, meet the needs of struggling men ? "
ROBERT E. SPEER, at the Nashville Convention, 1905.
The Pride of Fanaticism. Only five years ago Sheikh
Abd ul Hak, of Bagdad, a Moslem of the old school,
wrote an article on behalf of the Pan-Islamic league. It
appeared in a French journal, and was entitled " The
Final Word of Islam to Europe." From this remark-
THE SOCIAL EVILS OF ISLAM 67
able, outspoken, and doubtless sincere defiance, we quote
the following paragraph :
" For us in the world there are only believers and unbe-
lievers; love, charity, fraternity toward believers; con-
tempt, disgust, hatred, and war against unbelievers.
Amongst unbelievers, the most hateful and criminal are
those who, while recognizing God, attribute to Him
earthly relationships, give Him a son, a mother. Learn
then, European observers, that a Christian of no matter
what position, from the simple fact that he is a Chris-
tian, is in our eyes a blind man fallen from all human
dignity. Other infidels have rarely been aggressive
toward us. But Christians have in all times shown
themselves our bitterest enemies. . . . The only excuse
you offer is that you reproach us with being rebellious
against your civilization. Yes, rebellious, and rebellious
till death ; but it is you, and you alone, who are the
cause of this. Great God ! are we blind enough not to
see the prodigies of your progress ? But know, Christian
conquerors, that no calculation, no treasure, no miracle
can ever reconcile us to your impious rule. Know that
the mere sight of your flag here is torture to Islam's
soul ; your greatest benefits are so many spots sullying
our conscience, and our most ardent aspiration and hope
is to reach the happy day when we can efface the last
vestiges of your accursed empire." l
Mohammed's Ideas about Women. " The fatal blot in
Islam is the degradation of women. Yet it would be
hard to lay the blame altogether on Mohammed. . . .
His ideas about women were like those of the rest of
his contemporaries. He looked upon them as charming
snares to the believer, ornamental articles of furniture
difficult to keep in order, pretty playthings ; but that a
woman should be the counsellor and companion of a man
does not seem to have occurred to him. It is to be won-
dered that the feeling of respect he always entertained
1 Quoted in Der Christliche Orient, Berlin, Vol. IV, p.
145. And also at the time, in other papers from the French
original.
68 MOSLEM LANDS
for his first wife, Khadijah (which, however, is partly
accounted for by the fact that she was old enough to
have been his mother), found no counterpart in his gen-
eral opinion of womankind : < Woman was made from
a crooked rib, and if you try to bend it straight, it will
break ; therefore treat your wives kindly.'
" Kind as the prophet was himself to wards bonds wo men,
one cannot forget the unutterable brutalities which he
suffered his followers to inflict upon conquered nations in
the taking of slaves. The Muslim soldier was allowed to
do as he pleased with any * infidel' woman he might
meet with on his victorious march. When one thinks of
the thousands of women, mothers and daughters, who
must have suffered untold shame and dishonour by this
license, he cannot find words to express his horror. And
this cruel indulgence has left its mark on the Muslim
character, nay, on the whole character of Eastern life."
STANLEY LANE POOLE.
A Lawsuit in Morocco. " Moorish judges respect no
law in their decisions, but twist and turn the code to their
own private gain. To the mind of a modern judge, the
cleverest and most convincing argument is a goodly
bribe. Litigants are often forced to abandon their cases
because they find themselves unable to satisfy the greed
of the judges. The following is an example of modern
justice : Two adversaries present themselves before the
judge. The plaintiff states his case. The defendant
(who has already sent to the judge's house a handsome
mirror) states his case, at the same time casting a signifi-
cant glance at the judge. The judge is about to decide in
favor of the defendant, when the plaintiff (who is not at
law for the first time) gives the judge a knowing look,
and begs that judgment may be deferred until the follow-
ing day. The request is granted. The following morn-
ing, the plaintiff goes personally to the judge's house
with a magnificent mule. He finds the judge has already
gone to the court, so he leaves the mule and instructs the
servants to inform the judge of the animal's arrival. The
plaintiff then goes on his way to the court, where he finds
THE SOCIAL EVILS OF ISLAM 69
the judge and the defendant. While the adversaries are
standing before the judge, a servant of the latter enters,
and announces that i The mule has smashed the mirror 1 '
Judgment is at once rendered in favor of the plaintiff."
ASAAD KALARJI KARAM (in the North American Re-
view, November, 1906).
" There are weak points in Islam which, if persistently
attacked, must lead to its eventual overthrow, while
Christianity has forces which make it more than a match
for Mohammedanism or any other religion. From its
birth Islam has been steeped in blood and lust, blood
spilt and lust sated by the sanctions of religion. The
Koran is doomed." ION KEITH FALCONER.
" I long for the prayers of your band of intercessors,
offering this simple request that, as the Arab has been so
grievously a successful instrument in deposing Christ
from His throne (for this long season only) in so many
fair and beautiful regions of the East ... so the Arab
may be, in God's good providence, at least one of the
main auxiliaries and reinforcements in restoring the great
King, and reseating Him on David's throne of judgment
and mercy, and, above all, God's throne of righteousness ! "
BISHOP T. VALPY FRENCH (Muscat, 1891).
"I believe we are in the midst of a great battle. We
are not ourselves fighting, we are simply accepting every-
thing that comes. But the powers of light are fighting
against the powers of darkness, and they will certainly
prevail." HESTER NEEDHAM (in Sumatra).
70
CHAPTER III
THE STORY OF MISSIONS TO MOSLEMS
The Centuries of Neglect. Not without rea- Long
son did Raymimd Lull, even in the thirteenth Neglect
century, pour out his complaint of the utter
indifference in his day toward the spiritual
need of the Saracens.
" I see many knights," he wrote, " going to the Holy
Land beyond the seas and thinking that they can acquire
it by force of arms ; but in the end all are destroyed be-
fore they attain that which they think to have. Whence
it seems to me that the conquest of the Holy Land ought
not to be attempted except in the way in which Thou and
Thine apostles acquired it, namely, by love and prayers,
and the pouring out of tears and of blood."
And at another time he prays :
" Lot d of Heaven, Father of all times, when Thou didst Lull's
send Thy Son to take upon Him human nature, He and Prayer
His apostles lived in outward peace with Jews, Pharisees,
and other men ; for never by outward violence did they
capture or slay any of the unbelievers, or of those who
persecuted them. Of this outward peace they availed
themselves to bring the erring to the knowledge of the
truth and to a communion of spirit with themselves. And
so after Thy example should Christians conduct them-
selves toward Moslems ; but since that ardour of devotion
which glowed in apostles and holy men of old no longer
inspires us, love and devotion through almost all the world
have grown cold, and therefore do Christians expend
their efforts far more in the outward than in the spiritual
conflict."
71
72
MOSLEM LANDS
Henry
Martyn
Dr. Jes-
sup's Plea
But his was a voice as of one born before his
age and crying in the wilderness. Had the
spirit of Raymund Lull filled the Church, we
would not to-day speak of over two hundred
millions unevangelized Moslems. Even as Islam
itself arose a scourge of God upon an unholy
and idolatrous Church, so Islam grew strong
and extended to China on the east and Sierra
Leone on the west, because the Church never so
much as touched the hem of the vast hosts of
Islam to evangelize them. The terror of the
Saracen and Turk smothered in every heart even
the desire to carry them the Gospel. When the
missionary revival began with Carey, the idea
was to carry the Gospel to the heathen.
Henry Martyn was the first modern mission-
ary to preach to the Mohammedans ; he met
them in India, Arabia, and Persia ; his contro-
versial tracts date the beginning of the conflict
with the learning of Islam.
The tiny rill that flowed almost unnoticed has
gathered volume and strength with the growth
of missionary interest, until in our day it has
become a stream of thought and effort going out
to many lands and peoples of the Moslem world.
When Dr. Jessup wrote his little classic, " The
Mohammedan Missionary Problem," in 1879,
there were no missionaries in all Arabia, Tunis,
Morocco, Tripoli, or Algiers. Christendom
was ignorant of the extent and character of Is-
lam in Central Africa ; little was known of the
Mohammedans in China, and the last chapter in
the history of Turkey was the Treaty of Berlin.
THE STORY OF MISSIONS TO MOSLEMS 73
The problem has greatly changed; old factors
are cancelled and new factors have appeared.
But we can still say with the writer, although we
must add twenty-five million to the estimate
then made of the number of Mohammedans :
" It is our earnest hope and prayer that this re-
vival of interest in the historical, theological,
and ethical bearings of Islam may result in a
new practical interest in the spiritual welfare
of the Mohammedan nations. It is high time
for the Christian Church to ask seriously the
question whether the last command of Christ
concerns the one hundred and seventy-five
millions of the Mohammedan world."
There has been the work of illustrious pio- what has
neers, and wherever Protestant missions came been done
in contact with Islam, whether laboring for
the reformation of the Oriental Churches or in
heathen lands, a great work of preparation has
been accomplished. But the fact remains that
no part of the non-Christian world has been so
long and so widely neglected as Islam. The
task has either appeared so formidable, the ob-
stacles so great, or faith has been so weak, that
one might think the Church imagined her great
commission to evangelize the world did not
apply to Mohammedans.
There are to-day eighty-eight societies organ-
ized for the conversion of the Jews ; but no great
missionary society has yet been organized to
convert Mohammedans, and scarcely a dozen
missions are professedly working directly among
and for Moslems. In a recent sumptuous volume
74 MOSLEM LANDS
of six hundred pages, published in Germany, on
the history of Protestant missions, work for
Moslems is dismissed in a single paragraph and
labelled hopeless.
"Christendom," says Keller, "accustomed
itself, ever since the time of the Crusades, to'
look upon Islam as its most bitter foe and not
as a prodigal son, to be won back to the Father's
house." Islam had rooted itself for centuries
in every land before modern missions came to
grapple with the problem. The Church was
Lost ages behind time, and lost splendid opportunities.
Opportunity Christian missions came to Persia one thousand
years after Islam entered. In Arabia and North
Africa twelve centuries intervened.
The fatalism attributed to Mohammedans is
not one-half so fatalistic in its spirit as that
which for centuries has been practically held by
the Christian Church as to the hope or necessity
of bringing the hosts of Islam into the following
of Jesus Christ. There may have been reasons
in time past for this unreadiness or unwilling-
ness, such as political barriers and fear of death
from Moslem fanaticism. To-day we cannot
plead such excuse, for we have already seen how
large a part of the Mohammedan world is under
Christian rule and protection.
Typical Typical Pioneers and Typical Fields. It is
Pioneers impossible within the limits of a chapter to tell
the whole story of the conflict between Chris-
tianity and Islam in the wide Moslem world
during the past centuries. The work of the il-
lustrious pioneers in each of the fields now occu-
THE STORY OF MISSIONS TO MOSLEMS 75
pied would alone require many books. Whose
life, for example, was more worthy of an elabo-
rately written biography in two volumes, than
that of the seven-tongued Bishop of Lahore, Bishop
who labored for Moslems in India and laid French
down his life for them at Muscat ? Yet here
we can scarcely give him a paragraph.
The same is true of each mission field in the
Levant or in North Africa. The story is so
full of interesting material, and so eloquently
sets forth " the work of faith and labor of love
and patience of hope " of those who are toiling
on Moslem soil with plough and seed-basket,
that it seems almost impossible to condense it.
We have, however, attempted the impossible by
selecting typical cases, both of early pioneer
effort and of present activity.
Some of the Mohammedan lands have already
been treated or touched on in previous text-
books of this series. 1 Others require special
treatment ; and still others belong to the un-
occupied fields of the world where live the un-
reached millions for whom Christ died. A
following chapter treats of the last named ; this
chapter treats of the lands that are in a sense
" occupied," although nowhere the forces at
work are at all commensurate with the needs
and opportunities.
Three pioneers stand out prominently in the
i " Via Christi," pp. 47-51 ; "Lux Christi," pp. 48-52 ;
" Rex Christi," pp. 76, 222; " Christus Liberator," pp. 57-72,
61,62,69, 168, 178, 281; "Christus Redemptor," pp. 222-
226 ; "Gloria Christi," pp. 2, 11, 72, 259.
76 MOSLEM LANDS
story of missions to the Mohammedan world.
Three Raymund Lull was the pioneer martyr and the
Leaders g rgt o ur g e by WO rd and work the supreme
need of special training for the evangelization
of Moslems. Henry Martyn was the pioneer
of the Modern Missionary Century, and led the
way in the great task of giving the Mohammedan
world the Bible. Karl Gottlieb Pfander was a
pioneer in the preparation of controversial liter-
ature, and became a champion for the truth
whose message reaches the Moslem literati even
to-day, from Constantinople to Calcutta. All
three were preeminently missionaries to the
Mohammedans, and stand out, like Saul in
Israel, higher than any of their contemporaries
from their shoulders and upward in this respect.
Lull Raymund Lull. Eugene Stock, formerly
editorial Secretary of the Church Missionary
Society, declares " there is no more heroic
figure in the history of Christendom than that
of Raymund Lull, the first and perhaps the
greatest missionary to Mohammedans."
" Of all the men of his century," says another
student of missions, " of whom we know, Ray-
mund Lull was most possessed by the love and
life of Christ, and most eager accordingly to
share his possession with the world. It sets
forth the greatness of Lull's character the more
strikingly to see how sharply he rose above the
world and the Church of his day, anticipating
by many centuries moral standards, intellectual
conceptions, and missionary ambitions to which
we have grown only since the Reformation."
THE STORY OF MISSIONS TO MOSLEMS 77
Raymund Lull was born at Palma in the His Early
island of Majorca, in 1235, of a distinguished Llfe
Catalonian family, and when of age spent several
years at the court of the king of Aragon. He
was a court poet, a skilled musician, and a gay
knight before he became a scholastic philosopher
and an ardent missionary to the 'Mohammedans.
The manner of his conversion at the age of
thirty-two reminds one of the experience of Saul
on his way to Damascus, and of St. Augustine
under the fig tree at Milan. After his vision of
the Christ, he sold all his property, gave the
money to the poor, and reserved only a scanty
allowance for his wife and children. He entered
upon a thorough course of study, mastered the
Arabic language, using a Saracen slave as
teacher, and began his life work at the age of
forty.
The work to which he felt called and for Call
which he gave his life with wonderful persever-
ance and devotion was threefold. He worked
out a philosophical system to persuade non-
Christians, especially Moslems, of the truth of
Christianity ; he established missionary colleges
for the study of Oriental languages ; and he
himself went and preached to the Moslems,
sealing his witness with his blood.
In his fifty-sixth year, after vain efforts to
arouse others to a missionary enterprise on be-
half of the Mohammedans, he determined to set
out alone and single-handed preach Christ in
North Africa. On arriving at Tunis, he invited
the Moslem literati to a conference. He an-
78
MOSLEM LANDS
nounced that he had studied the arguments on
both sides of the question, and was willing to
submit the evidences for Christianity and for
Islam to a fair comparison. The challenge was
accepted, but the Moslems being worsted in
argument, and fanaticism being aroused, Lull
imprisoned was cast into a filthy dungeon by order of the
Sultan, and narrowly escaped death. After
bitter persecutions, he returned to Europe,
where he made other missionary journeys.
In 1307, he was again on the shores of Africa,
and at Bugia in the market-place stood up boldly
and preached Christ to the Moslem populace.
Once again his pleadings were met with violence,
and he was flung into a dungeon, where he re-
mained for six months, preaching to the few
who came, and befriended only by some mer-
chants of Genoa and Spain, who took pity on
the aged missionary of the Cross.
Banished Although banished for a second time, and
with threats against his life if he returned,
Lull could not resist the call of the Love that
ruled his life. " He that loves not, lives not,"
said he, " and he that lives by the Life cannot
die." So in 1314 the veteran of eighty years
returned to Africa and to his little band of
Moslem converts.
For over ten months he dwelt in hiding, talk-
ing and praying with those who had accepted
Christ, and trying to win others. Weary of
seclusion, he at length came forth into the open
market and presented himself to the people as
the man whom they had expelled. It was
THE STORY OF MISSIONS TO MOSLEMS 79
Elijah showing himself to a mob of Ahabs.
Lull stood before them and threatened them
with God's wrath if they still persisted in their
errors. He pleaded with love, but spoke the
whole truth. Filled with fanatic fury at his
boldness, and unable to reply to his arguments,
the populace seized him and dragged him out
of the town.
There, by the command, or at least the His
connivance of the Moslem ruler, he was stoned Mart y rdom
on the 30th of June, 1315. And so he became
the first martyr missionary to Islam. To be
stoned to death while preaching the love of
Christ to Moslems, that was the fitting end
for such a life.
Yet his was a voice crying in the wilderness,
and his loneliness was the loneliness of leader-
ship when there are none awake to follow.
" One step further," says George Smith, " but
some slight response from his church or his
age, and Raymund Lull would have anticipated
William Carey by exactly seven centuries."
Henry Martyn. Between the death of Ray- Henry
mund Lull and the year 1806, when Henry Martyn
Martyn, the first modern missionary to the
Mohammedans, reached India, five centuries
intervened. During these five hundred years,
Islam was spreading in all directions through-
out Africa, receiving a new lease of life through
the Turk in the Levant and taking root in new
lands and on the Malaysian islands, which had
not even a name or place on the maps of the
Middle Ages. While there were no missions to
80 MOSLEM LANDS
Moslems, the Moslems were themselves mission-
aries and propagandists.
After reading the story of the spread of Islam
during these long years, one cannot help feel-
ing that the sloth of the Church was the oppor-
tunity of the false faith. After five centuries
of inactivity, the mantle of Raymond Lull fell
upon Henry Martyn, saint and scholar, mission-
ary and martyr.
His " His life," says Dr. George Smith, " is
influence the perpetual heritage of all English-speak-
ing Christendom and of the native churches
of India, Arabia, Persia, and Anatolia in all
time to come." Born at Truro, Cornwall, on
February 18, 1781, he entered Cambridge in
1797 and was graduated with the highest aca-
demical honor of "senior wrangler." It was
his intention at one time to devote himself
to law, but the sudden death of his father
and the faithful preaching of Mr. Simeon led
to his conversion; and afterward, the perusal
of the life of David Brainerd brought the
decision to become a missionary.
Purpose He knew the struggle that was before him,
and wrote : " I am going upon a work exactly
according to the mind of Christ, and my
glorious Lord, whose power is uncontrollable, can
easily open a way for His feeble followers
through the thickest of the ranks of His enemies.
And now let me go, smiling at my foes ; how
small are human obstacles before this mighty
Lord."
And going out in that dauntless spirit, with
THE STORY OF MISSIONS TO MOSLEMS 81
his heart on fire for the benighted peoples of
the East, he sailed as chaplain of the East India
Company, and arrived in India in 1806. No
wonder that before his arrival and on the long
journey he had already studied Sanscrit, Per-
sian, and Arabic. He labored unceasingly by
tongue and pen, by preaching and by prayer, Burning out
" to burn out for God. " for God J
In 1808 he completed a version of the New
Testament in Hindustani, and later into other
languages of India. With a special desire to
reach the Mohammedans of India, he perfected
himself in Persian, the court language, and
began a version of the New Testament in that
language. In 1811 he sailed from Calcutta to
Bombay and for the Persian Gulf, partly be-
cause of his broken health, but more so, as is
evident from his journals, that he might give
the Mohammedans of Arabia and Persia the
word of God. On his voyage from Calcutta to
Bombay, he composed tracts in Arabic, spoke
with the Arab sailors, and studied the Koran.
He stopped at Muscat on April 20, and we can
tell what his thoughts then were in regard
to this Cradle of Islam, for a year earlier Journeys
he wrote in his diary : " If my life is spared,
there is no reason why the Arabic should not
be done in Arabia and the Persian in Persia.
. . . Arabia shall hide me till I come forth
with an approved New Testament in Arabic.
Will Government let me go away for three
years before the time of my furlough arrives ?
If not, I must quit the service, and I cannot
82 MOSLEM LANDS
devote my life to a more important work than
that of preparing the Arabic Bible."
He reached Shiraz by way of Bushire in June,
1811, and there revised his Persian translation,
also holding frequent discussions with the Mos-
lem Mullahs. One year after entering Persia,
he left Shiraz and proceeded to the Shah's camp
near Ispahan, to lay before him the translation
he had made.
With clamorous controversy and fanatic ha-
tred, they received his message and his book.
His Witness "My book," he writes in his diary, "which I had
for Christ brought, expecting to present it to the king, lay before
Mirza Shufi. As they all rose up, after him, to go, some
to the king, and some away, I was afraid they would
trample upon the book, so I went in among them to take
it up, and wrapped it in a towel, before them while they
looked at it and me with supreme contempt. Thus I
walked away alone, to pass the rest of the day in heat
and dirt. What have I done, thought I, to merit all
this scorn? Nothing, thought I, but bearing testimony
to Jesus. I thought over these things in prayer, and
found that peace which Christ hath promised to His
disciples."
From Shiraz Martyn went to Tabriz and there
arranged for the presentation of his New Testa-
ment to the Shah of Persia, through the Brit-
ish Ambassador. Unable to recover strength
after much fever, he left Tabriz on horseback,
September 12, 1812, with two Armenian ser-
vants for England, via Constantinople, a land
journey of one thousand miles. At Tokat, he
was compelled to stop from utter prostration,
and after a week's illness died, October 16,
THE STOET OF MISSIONS TO MOSLEMS 83
1812. He had " burned out for God," but be- Last Jour-
fore the flame died it had kindled a hundred
lives and still burns on.
His testimony was not wholly in vain, even
in those early days. We read of one, at least,
who accepted the truth and, as Martyn him-
self said, " Even if I never should see a native
converted, God may design, by my patience
and continuance in the work, to encourage fu-
ture missionaries." Only the Last Day will
reveal the extent of the influence of this man,
who, with no Christian to tend or comfort him
in his last illness, laid down his life for the
Mohammedan world.
The monument erected to him by the East
India Company at Tokat, bearing on its four
sides an inscription in English, Armenian, Tur-
kish, and Persian, is a fitting symbol of the
breadth of his life, which lay four-square to the
love of God and the service of humanity.
Karl Gottlieb Pfander. This great mission- Pfander
ary, linguist, and controversial writer, who left
so wide and permanent an impression through-
out the Mohammedan world, was born at Waib-
lingen, Germany, in 1803. He prepared for
missionary work at the Basel Training Institu-
tion, and was sent out in 1825.
Although only twenty -two years old, he be-
gan the study of three difficult languages, Tur-
kish, Armenian, and Persian. In 1829, he went
to Bagdad to learn Arabic, and two years later
to Ispahan. On a missionary journey to the
town of Kermanshah, after a discussion with
84 MOSLEM LANDS
the Mullahs, he came near to winning the same
martyr's crown that Lull received at Bugia.
He knew the danger of publicly preaching the
truths that opposed the teaching of Islam, but
putting his trust in God, he preached Christ
boldly. On this account the enraged Moslem
priesthood held a council that night, and it was
announced the next day in the mosques that
Life and his books must all be destroyed (because they
were bound in pigskin, which was unclean),
and that he must be killed. But God spared
his life and he labored on, first in Russia, then
in India, and finally in Constantinople. Every-
where his tongue and pen were mighty forces
in the proclamation of the truth. He died at
Richmond-on-the-Thames, December 1, 1865.
An Apology Pfander, when expelled from Russia in 1835,
Christianity s P ent/ mu ch of his time in making a revised
edition of his remarkable book, u Mizan-ul-Hak,"
The Balance of Truth, and wrote some other
books on Sin, Salvation, and the Trinity for
Moslems. The "Mizan-ul-Hak" is a wonderful
apology for Christianity, and has been trans-
lated into many languages. It proves the need
of a revelation, the integrity of the Bible, and
the necessity of the Atonement. The last chap-
ter refutes Islam and the claims of Mohammed
as Prophet.
Pfander felt, as many have since his day,
that the judicious use of such tactful literature
is one of the best ways of evangelizing Moslems.
It is often better to persuade a Moslem to read
a portion of Scripture or a book or tract than
THE STORY OF MISSIONS TO MOSLEMS 85
to speak to him directly. Ink is cold. A
written argument appeals to the mind and con-
science in solitude. There is no pride in an-
swering back glibly or irreverently to a printed
page. It was said of the old Romans that " as
they shortened their swords they lengthened
their territories." So will it be in the conflict
with Islam. The way for the Church to con-
quer is to come to close quarters with the foe.
And in the irrepressible conflict with Islam, The Use of
Pf ander's life and writings teach the truth of Such Books
Wolseley's war maxim, " Find out your enemy's
weakest and most vulnerable point and hit him
there as hard as you can with all your might."
Islam's strength is to be left alone ; put on the
defensive, its weakness is evident even to those
who defend it. Controversy is not evangeliza-
tion, and must not take its place, but in Moslem
lands especially it holds somewhat the same
relation to evangelization that ploughing does to
seed-sowing. Books like " Mizan-ul-Hak " break
up the soil, stir thought, kill stagnation, con-
vince the inquirer, and lead him to take a
decided stand for the truth.
The Gospel in North Africa. The unbroken North
phalanx lines of Moslem countries along the Afnca
Mediterranean were once the centres of Chris-
tian teaching. Origen, Tertullian, Athanasius,
Cyprian, and Augustine were all from North
Africa. But Islam swept across this region
like a desert simoom and withered the garden
of God. Yet there exist to the present day
among these Berber or Kabyle tribes of North
86 MOSLEM LANDS
Africa various customs which have come down
to them through twelve long centuries of Mo-
hammedanism, and which speak of the time
when they were a Christian people. For ex-
ample, the Kabyle women refuse to wear the
veil, and certain of these Kabyle tribes, al-
though they are Mohammedans, observe the
Christian Sabbath as a day of feasting.
The mark of a cross is tattooed on the fore-
head of many of the boys and men at Biskra, as
well as in other places. One such Mohamme-
dan in the town of Setif, being asked what was
the meaning of the cross on his forehead,
answered, " Jesus." Miss Seguin, in her most
interesting book, " Walks in Algiers," asserts
that the Kabyle women are in the habit of
Relics of the tattooing the form of the Christian cross on
their forehead. Sir Lambert Playfair writes
regarding the Kabyles of the Aures Mountains,
which lie immediately to the north of the
Sahara : " Their language is full of Latin words
and in their daily life they retain customs un-
doubtedly derived from their Christian ances-
tors. They observe December 25 as a feast,
under the name of Moolid (the birth), and keep
three days festival both at springtime and
harvest. They use the solar instead of the
Mohammedan lunar year, and the names of the
months are the same as our own."
Are not these interesting facts in themselves
a loud call to send the Gospel to North Africa ?
Yet all this region was neglected for twelve
centuries in a most unaccountable way. In
THE STOEY OF MISSIONS TO MOSLEMS 87
1880 Mr. George Pease began investigations in why this
Algiers which led to the formation of the North LcmgNeg-
African Mission. At that time there were only
three Protestant missionaries between Alexandria
and the Atlantic coast of Morocco, and not any
southward from the Mediterranean almost to the
Niger and the Congo.
Now this one mission, which works very Present
largely among Moslems, has eighteen stations Forces
in Egypt, Tripoli, Tunis, Algiers, and Morocco,
manned by eighty-six missionaries. A hospital
and dispensary are established at Tangier and a
dispensary at Fez. There are also other smaller
independent missions working in North Africa,
and very recently work was begun in the Sudan.
" But," says Dr. Charles A. Watson, " for every
missionary to the Mohammedans in Africa you
can find twenty missionaries to the pagans of
Africa, and for every convert from Mohamme-
danism in Africa I think you can find one thou-
sand converts from paganism in Africa. And
if this does not prove that the real missionary
problem in Africa is Mohammedanism, I scarcely
see how that point could be proved at all."
Darkest Mohammedan Africa, nearest to Eu-
rope, is the healthiest part of Africa, and yet
has by far the fewest mission stations.
Morocco has an area of about 260,000 square Morocco
miles (equal to five times the size of England),
and a population estimated at from 4,000,000 to
8,000,000. It is governed by a Sultan, whose
name is Abd ul Aziz. The country is divided
into districts, each of which is under the super-
88 MOSLEM LANDS
intendence of a Kaid. The semi-independent
hill tribes are ruled by their own chiefs, and
scarcely acknowledge the authority of the
Sultan. At present the whole country is dis-
turbed by revolutions and rebellion.
Algeria Algeria is the most advanced in civilization
of all the countries of North Africa, having been
held by the French since 1830. After great ex-
penditure of life and money, it is now thoroughly
subject to their rule. Its extent is about three
times that of England, and its population,
4,500,000, principally Moslems, with some hun-
dreds of thousands of French, Spaniards, Ital-
ians, Jews, etc. The country has a good climate
and much beautiful scenery; there are excellent
roads and extensive railways.
Tunis Tunis is under French protection, and practi-
cally under French rule, and has a population
of about 2,000,000, nearly all of whom are
Mohammedans.
Tripoli Tripoli is a province of the Turkish Empire,
several times larger than England. It has a
population of about 1,350,000, who, with the ex-
ception of a few thousands, are all Moslems.
They are more intelligent and better educated
than farther west, but much opposed to the
Gospel.
The soil in all these lands is hard, the plough-
ing was too late and the sowing of the seed was
in tears, but God is already giving the first-
fruits of the future harvest.
The latest reports of the North African Mis-
sion tell us that, at almost all the stations, there
THE STORY OF MISSIONS TO MOSLEMS 89
have in past years been some converts. At Fez
there is a band of Christians, nine or ten of
whom are employed as colporteurs ; at Djemaa
Sabridj there is another band, and these meet
in two stone halls, one built for men and one
for women. At Tangier, Alexandria, Shebin el-
Kom, and Tunis there are also some who regu-
larly meet with the missionaries to partake of
the Lord's Supper.
During 1906 some thirty Moslems were con- Results
verted at Fez, and two men and one woman were
baptized. At Algiers a Kabyle young man was
baptized and another converted. At Bizerta a
man was baptized. At Alexandria a well-edu-
cated man, long under instruction since his
conversion, was baptized. Several young men
were converted at Djemaa Sabridj. At Tripoli
a convert of many years' standing died, after
long proof of trusting Christ for salvation and
after preaching quietly to many others. At
Shebin el-Kom, on New Year's Eve, ten out of
a meeting of eighteen met around the Lord's
Table at midnight, and dedicated themselves
afresh to God ; seven years ago there was not
a single convert there. In addition to these
pronounced cases, most of whom have had
to bear persecution, there are many secret
disciples.
Egypt and the Christian Crusade. Among strategic
all Moslem lands to-day, perhaps the most
notable strategic point is Egypt. In Lower
Egypt the Moslems form about ninety -eight per
cent of the population, and in Upper Egypt about
90 MOSLEM LANDS
eighty-eight per cent. The need of the country
is therefore the need of the Moslems.
Egypt is under British rule and connected by
regular rail and steamboat service with distant
Cairo points in Africa. Cairo is the literary capital
of the Mohammedan world, as Mecca is its reli-
gious, and Constantinople its political capital.
And the streams of Moslem thought through
the printed page go out from Cairo to the utter-
most confines of the Moslem world. A book
sold at Cairo may be read the next month by
the camp-fires of the Sahara, in the market-place
of Timbuktu, or under the very shadow of the
Kaaba.
Early Effort Realizing this strategic importance, the
Church Missionary Society, as early as 1825,
sent a band of five Basel men to Egypt, one
of them the famous Samuel Gobat. There
were schools and distribution of the Scripture
and conversations with thoughtful Copts and
Moslems, but the encouragement was small.
Mohammedanism appeared unassailable. The
first American missionaries reached Egypt in
1854, and every student of missions knows how
their mission has spread along the entire Nile
Valley and grown in numbers, influence, and
results chiefly among the Copts, but also among
the Moslems. 1 For example, last year over
three thousand Moslem pupils were attending
the American mission schools, and for the past
1 See Charles R. Watson, " Egypt and the Christian Cru-
sade," for the story of this splendid mission and of the
other missions in Egypt.
THE STOET OF MISSIONS TO MOSLEMS 91
five years meetings for public discussion of The Ameri-
the difference between Islam and Christianity can Mission
have been held twice a week in Cairo. Spe-
cial literature for Moslems has also been printed
and distributed.
In 1882 the Church Missionary Society re-
sumed its work, especially among Moslems,
through medical and literary agencies, with
very encouraging results. Special effort is be-
ing made to reach the ten thousand students
of the Mohammedan University, El Azhar.
Other societies, too, are laboring in Egypt, and
the Nile Mission Press is scattering leaves of
healing. All the Protestant missions working other
in Egypt report one hundred and seven per- Workers
manent foreign workers regularly engaged in
mission work. This makes a parish of eighty
thousand souls for each missionary. The evan-
gelical church counts nearly nine thousand
members, most of them gathered from the
Copts. For every Protestant Christian in
Egypt there are : one Jew, about three Roman
Catholics, over twenty-six Copts, and three
hundred and sixty-nine Moslems.
Yet it is encouraging that Moslem life and The Future
thought in Egypt are undergoing great changes.
The leaven of the Gospel is reaching the Mos-
lem masses, and there are more inquirers and
converts from year to year. The first Ecu-
menical Conference of workers among Moslems,
held in Cairo in 1906, was a prophecy of the
day when this stronghold of Islam shall become
the possession of Jesus Christ.
92 MOSLEM LANDS
Turkey The Turkish Empire. The territory of the
Turkish Empire is well covered by mission
societies. The American Board is the oldest
in the field, and occupies European Turkey,
Asia Minor, and eastern Turkey. The Pres-
byterian Church (North) occupies Syria. The
Methodist Episcopal Church has work in Bul-
garia, the Reformed Presbyterians in northern
Syria, and the Church Missionary Society occu-
pies Palestine. These are the chief agencies
at work, and count a total of 637 foreign mis-
sionaries. Yet, according to the " Encyclopaedia
of Missions," " the Church Missionary Society is
the only one that has made a special effort to
establish mission work distinctively for Moham-
medans" !
indirect Until recent years the difficulties of the prob-
Work i em an( j the terror of the Turk seem to have
prevented direct work for Moslems, although
by printing press, schools, colleges, and hos-
pitals, many Mohammedans were reached indi-
rectly and incidentally.
" The missionaries have devoted a relatively small
part of their time and strength to the Moslem work,"
writes Robert E. Speer. " In Egypt, Syria, Turkey and
Persia the greater portion of the energy of the mission-
aries has been devoted to work for Copts, Maronites,
Greeks, Armenians, Jews and Nestorians. Apart from
the schools (and the number of Mohammedan pupils in
schools in Turkey is almost inconsiderably small), com-
paratively little has been done. Through medical mis-
sionaries many have been made accessible, and some
have been reached, but we do not have and have not
had for years a systematic and aggressive, though tactful
and quiet campaign for the evangelization of Moslems."
THE STORY OF MISSIONS TO MOSLEMS 93
The early ideals of direct work for Moslems, Early ideals
as held by Smith, Perkins, Grant, Pfander, and
others, seem to have been lost sight of, or more
probably they were crushed by the political
restrictions and continued persecutions in Tur-
key ; nevertheless, a world of work has been ac-
complished in the face of tremendous difficulty
and determined opposition for the future evan-
gelization of Moslems.
" Protestant missions have given the entire population Results
the Bible in their own tongue ; have trained hundreds To-day
of thousands of readers; published thousands of useful
books ; awakened a spirit of inquiry ; set in motion edu-
cational institutions in all the sects of all parts of the
Empire, compelling the enemies of education to become
its friends, and the most conservative of orientals to de-
vote mosque and convent property to the founding of
schools of learning. They have broken the fetters of
womanhood. . . . Every evangelical church is a living epis-
tle to the Mohammedans with regard to the true nature of
original apostolic Christianity. Encouraged by the spirit
of reform and modern progress, even the Mohammedan
doctors of Constantinople have issued orders that all edi-
tions of old Mohammedan authors which recount the
fabulous stories of Moslem saints and Welys are to be
expurgated or suppressed and not to be reprinted." l
As a single striking example, among hun- The Arabic
dreds, of this work for Moslem evangelization, Blble
take the Arabic version of the Scriptures by
Drs. Eli Smith and Cornelius Van Dyck. This
arduous task was begun in 1848 and not finally
completed until 1865. The completion of this
matchless version marked an epoch in missions
1 Dr. H. H. Jessup in the " Encyclopaedia of Missions,"
p. 757.
94
MOSLEM LANDS
for the Mohammedan world greater than any
accession or deposition of sultans. That Bible
made modern missions to Arabia, Egypt, Tunis,
Tripoli, and the Arabic-speaking world possible.
For an excellent account of all "the Chris-
tian forces now at work in the Turkish Em-
pire," see the article with this title in the
Missionary Review of the World for October,
1901, by Dr. Edward Riggs. He concludes
that
" The Christian forces now at work are not at present
in any sense arrayed against Mohammedanism. The
attitude of the state religion would not tolerate that.
During the Crimean War the Turkish government was
so deeply indebted to the Christian powers of Western
Europe that there came about a considerable relaxation
of the rigidity of this attitude. Religious discussion
was very free between Mohammedans and Christians.
It was to be heard openly in the market-places and on
the Bosphorus steamers. Preaching-places were opened
for the presentation of the Gospel to Mohammedans,
with some small net results. But this could not long
continue, and private persecution was later followed up
by an ill-disguised attitude of fanaticism on the part of
the authorities. This spirit of haughty intolerance has
been steadily growing for a quarter of a century, and
renders practically impossible all effort to influence Mo-
hammedans in favor of Christianity."
If this is true, how much more urgent is the
call to prayer. All things are possible with G-od.
Arabia the Cradle of Islam. Except for the
small colony of Sabeans on the Euphrates, and
the Jews of Bagdad, Busrah, and Yemen, all
Arabia is Mohammedan. With an area of over
one million square miles and four thousand
THE STORY OF MISSIONS TO MOSLEMS 95
miles of coast, the population is about eight Political
millions. Three-fourths of Arabia is under Dfrisioii
independent rulers, many of them under Brit-
ish protection. The remainder belongs, at least
nominally, to Turkey. Although Christianity
flourished in Arabia before Mohammed's time,
the form of the faith was not pure enough to
be permanent, and the Arabian Christians, as
far as we know, did not have the Bible in their
own tongue.
Mohammed's dying injunction was that his
native country might be inhabited solely by
" believers," and it was rigorously enforced in
the caliphate of Omar. Even before his death,
the Christians of Arabia had, through force
or gain of worldly goods, become apostate.
Wright says, " Whether any Christians were
left in the peninsula at the death of Moham
med, may be reasonably doubted." This was
in 632 A.D. From that date until the day of Long Neg-
Keith Falconer, the whole of Arabia was utterly, lect
continuously, and inexplicably neglected by the
Church of Christ in its work of evangelization.
The false prophet held undisputed sway in the
whole peninsula.
The story of Ion Keith Falconer's life is Keith Fai-
well known. He was, in the true sense of coner
the word, the pioneer missionary of Arabia
(for the Roman Catholic mission, founded at
Aden, in 1840, was not intended to reach the
Arabs, and even now confines its efforts to
the mixed population of Steamer Point).
Keith Falconer called attention to the neg-
96
MOSLEM LANDS
Mackay's
Appeal
The Re-
sponse
lected Arabs by the appeals of his voice and
pen and the sacrifice of his life. Being dead,
he yet speaks to all Christendom of that vast
region "shrouded in almost utter darkness,"
whose " millions suffer the horrors of Islam,"
and pleads for Arabia. The mission so nobly
begun has been faithfully continued by the
Free Church of Scotland, but, from lack of
laborers, the work has not yet extended beyond
Sheikh Othman (Aden) except through the
potent influence of their hospital.
The Danish Evangelical Church has recently
sent out missionaries who cooperate with the
Scotch Mission at Sheikh Othman and plan to
occupy some other station.
From Usambiro, Central Africa, Alexander
M. Mackay, 1888, sent forth his remarkable
appeal for a mission to the Arabs of Oman.
It was the trumpet-call to duty for the aged
Bishop French. After thirty-seven years of
mission labor in India, he resigned his bishop-
ric at Lahore, "moved by an inexpressible
desire to preach to the Arabs." He arrived at
Muscat on February 9, 1891, and died on May
14 of the same year. His plans never reached
execution, and he never reached the interior, the
goal of his desires. But the few months he spent
at Muscat were full of the work of faith and the
patience of hope, as well as the labor of love
in wonderful self-denial. Was it to shame the
Church that a lonely, aged man was permitted
to raise the King's banner in response to Mac-
kay's plea, and to die in doing it ?
STORY OF MISSIONS TO MOSLEMS 97
The Arabian Mission of the Reformed Church The Arabian
in America (1890) occupies Busrah, Bahrein, and M* 881011
Muscat on the Persian Gulf. It was at Busrah
that Kamil Abd el Messiah, a Moslem convert
of the Syrian mission, laid down his life in
earnest witness for the truth. He was the first
Mohammedan convert who preached Christ to
the Arabs of Hadramaut and East Arabia.
Beyond Busrah this mission has out-stations
at Nasariyeh and Amara northward, and at
Nachl in Oman.
Bahrein was entered in 1892, and offers
splendid opportunities because of the great
freedom enjoyed. It now has a hospital, a
chapel, and school building. Muscat station
owes its start and early development to the
devotion, practical energy, and patient endur-
ance of Peter John Zwemer. Alone he pene- Peter J.
trated far inland to plant the banner, which Zwemer
fell from the dead hand of Bishop French, on
the heights of Jebel Achdar. In the face of
stupendous difficulties and a most trying cli-
mate, he persevered in holding the fort, while
appealing in vain for the sinews of war and a
comrade in arms. He translated a tract for Mos-
lems, set it up in type, and struck off on a hand-
press, turned by one of his band of rescued slave
lads, the first Christian leaflet ever printed in
Arabia. The school for rescued slaves was the
outcome of his individual effort and enterprise.
Worn out by fevers and six years of toil, he went
on furlough ; after a wearisome journey and
three months in the hospital at New York,
MOSLEM LANDS
Other Wit-
nesses
Open Doors
in Persia
ever looking forward to recovery and to further
service in Arabia with patient expectancy (so
unwilling was he to lay off the harness), he fell
asleep on October 18, 1898.
In addition to those named, Arabia holds as a
heritage of promise the graves of other American
missionaries : George E. Stone, Harry Wiersum,
Dr. Marion Wells Thorns, and Mrs. Jessie Vail
Bennett. The Arabian Mission of the Reformed
Church in America, organized in 1889, now has
nineteen missionaries on the field, with twenty
native helpers. There have been converts and
baptisms, but the full harvest is not yet, although
the work is encouraging, and doors are opening
into the interior.
Missions in Persia. In many respects Persia
presents a weak point for our conquest of Islam.
The Persians themselves are sectarians and the
enemies of the orthodox school of Islam ; Per-
sia has always been Aryan rather than Semitic
in its thought, and therefore is more tolerant and
willing to discuss religious matters ; and in no
Moslem land are there so many sects and schools
of thought, rationalists and mystics. Add to
this that Persia has for the last fifty years been
convulsed by the new religion of the Bab and
its daughter faith, Behaism both halfway stop-
ping-places toward Christianity, or away from
it.
Persia has an area of 648,000 square miles and
a population of 9,500,000. Of these, 8,800,000
are Moslems.
After the pioneer journey of Henry Martyn.
THE STORY OF MISSIONS TO MOSLEMS 99
and the work of Pfander and his associates,
Frederick Haas, another German missionary,
came to Tabriz in 1833, and in 1838 Dr. William
Glenn, a Scottish missionary, began the transla-
tion of the Old Testament into Persian, thus
completing the work begun by Henry Martyn.
In 1869, Rev. Robert Bruce, D.D., located at Robert
Ispahan and awakened a deep interest in the Bruce
evangelization of Persia, so that in 1876 the
Church Missionary Society opened a station
at Julfa, a suburb of Ispahan. The wonderful
growth of this mission in one man's lifetime is
thus described in the Church Missionary He-
view :
" When Bishop Stuart went to Julfa in 1894 that was Wonderful
the only Church Missionary Society station in the Shah's Success
dominions, and it was an Armenian station outside the
Moslem citadel. Now Ispahan itself is occupied, and so
are Yezd and Kirman and Shiraz, all ancient and impor-
tant cities, and there are bands of converts in all of them.
Over a hundred adult converts have been baptized in
Persia since the new century commenced. In Ispahan
last Christmas Day some sixty converts knelt together at
the Lord's Supper, a sight to cheer the heart indeed,
to see converts from Mohammedanism, Babism, and
Parsiism, kneeling side by side with Armenians and
Europeans and receiving the tokens of the Saviour's
dying love.
" Dr. Carr, who has just come home from Ispahan, tells
the committee how the workers are cheered by the evi-
dent signs of reality and depth of conviction in the con-
verts, especially the women. They have borne the most
deadly persecution, and they show a readiness to bear
the loss of all things in loyalty to Christ. Moslem oppo-
sition is yielding before Christian benevolence, and the
medical mission is now not only a tolerated institution in
100 MOSLEM LANDS
Ispahan, where the work was a few years since so bitterly
opposed, but it is welcomed. Mohammedans themselves
subscribe nearly 100 a year toward its up-keep, and gave
lately a further 200 to extend the hospital buildings,
the land on which they stand having been provided by a
leading Mohammedan."
The Ameri- In 1827 Dr. Joseph Wolf visited Persia, and
can Mission ag a resu j^ o f n i s wr itmgs the American Board
determined to begin work among the Nestorians.
In 1834 Rev. J. L. Merrick went out under the
same Board and attempted work among Mos-
lems, but the way was not open. For many
years the work of the American missionaries
was chiefly among the Nestorians. In 1871 this
mission came under the Presbyterian Board, and
in more recent years there has been work also
among Moslems. Some have professed Christ
openly and several have suffered martyrdom,
among them Mirza Ibrahim. 1
In Eastern Persia this mission occupies Te-
heran, Kazvin, Resht, and Hamadan, with many
out-stations ; in Western Persia, Urumia and
Tabriz. The report of the mission for 1906
contains some very interesting accounts of
evangelistic work among Moslems. It is the
day of opportunity in Persia, and there is cry-
ing need for reinforcements.
Moslem Work for Moslems in India. The study of
India missions in India, " Lux Christi," has so well
covered the general work of missions that a
brief summary of work among Mohammedans
1 See sketch of his life in Robert E. Speer's u Men who
Overcame."
THE STOEY OF MISSIONS TO MOSLEMS 101
must suffice here. Henry Martyn was the fore-
runner of many other missionaries in India who
endeavored to give the Gospel to the Moslem as
well as to the Hindu. The Scriptures were Work of
translated into Bengali, Hindi, Punjabi, Kash- Fre P aration
miri, Sindhi, and Baluchi to reach every Moslem
tongue of India. A large vernacular literature
specially suited to Moslems was prepared. And
through hospitals, schools, colleges, and itinerant
preaching, many Mohammedans were reached.
Some societies have made special effort in this
direction, among them the Church Missionary
Society, the American Presbyterian Missions in
North India, and the Australian Baptist Mission.
In more recent years a few missionaries have
been set apart specially by their societies for this
important work, as it has become evident that
the successful worker among Moslems must
know Arabic and the Koran. But on the whole,
even in India, the Mohammedans have been
neglected more than any other race or religion
among its millions of people. This is evident
from the literature of missions on India, which
often gives scant notice of the Mohammedan
problem; but it is even more evident from the
fact that there are so few societies or mission-
aries that give themselves wholly to this work.
Is there not a call to-day for a special mission The Present
or special mission work on a large scale to reach Cal1
the largest Mohammedan population in any land
62,458,077 souls larger than that of all
Mohammedan Africa ?
The results of work for Moslems have been
102
MOSLEM LANDS
Indian Con-
verts
The East
Indies
considerable. Indirectly the whole attitude of
Islam toward Christianity has changed. The
literati have abandoned controversial positions
once thought impregnable, and thousands are
studying the Scriptures. And there have been
many converts.
" The accessions from Islam," says Dr. Wherry, "espe-
cially in northern India, have been continuous during all
the years since the death of Henry JVlartyn. One here
and another there has been added to the Christian
Church, so that now as one looks over the rolls of
Church membership, he is surprised to find so many
converts from Islam, or the children and children's chil-
dren of such converts. In the North, especially in the
Punjab, and the Northwest Frontier Province, every con-
gregation has a representation from the Moslem ranks.
Some of the churches have a majority of their member-
ship gathered from among the Moslems. In a few cases
there has been something like a movement among Mos-
lems towards Christianity, and a considerable number
have come out at one time. But perhaps the fact which
tells most clearly the story of the advance of Christianity
among Moslems in India is this, that among the native
pastors and Christian preachers and teachers in North
India, there are at least two hundred who were once
followers of Islam."
Gospel Triumphs in the Dutch East Indies.
It has been well said that " the Moslem propa-
ganda has accomplished its masterpiece in the
East Indies." Entering this region only four
hundred years ago, the result is that out of a
total population in Java of twenty-eight and a
half million, twenty-four and a quarter million
once heathen have become Moslems. And in
Sumatra, among its four million inhabitants,
THE STORY OF MISSIONS TO MOSLEMS 103
three and a half million profess the religion
of Islam. Similar conditions exist, or would
soon have existed in Celebes, Borneo, and the
other islands, had Christian missions not en-
tered and raised barriers to the Moslem con-
quest. Yet it is on these very islands, Java Signal Tri-
and Sumatra, that the most signal triumphs um P hs
of the Gospel have been won among Moslems
and the greatest number of converts gathered
into the Church of Christ.
The population of the entire Malay Archi-
pelago is equal to that of South America, yet
there are few parts of the world less known to
the average student of missions. The records
of the trials and triumphs here are largely
locked up in the Dutch and German languages,
for the most populous islands are Dutch posses-
sions, and the work is mostly carried on by their
societies and those of Germany.
Sumatra and Java are the principal and the Sumatra
typical fields of work for Moslems in Malay-
sia. A Baptist missionary reached Sumatra as
early as 1820, and in 1834 Munson and Lyman
went out under the American Board, but were
brutally murdered. The Rhenish Missionary
Society entered the field in 1861 and has had
marvellous success. Other societies from the
Netherlands also labor on the island. Dr.
Schreiber, the Inspector of the Rhenish Mis-
sion, says, " I do not know if there is any other
part of the mission field, with the exception of
some parts of Java, where such large numbers
of Mohammedans have been won for Christ as
104 MOSLEM LANDS
among the Battaks of Sumatra." The attitude
of the Dutch government, which was once bit-
terly hostile or critically neutral, has, in recent
years, greatly changed, and is now favorable to
missions. In Sumatra the issue between Chris-
tianity and Islam was boldly faced from the
outset; there was neither fear nor compromise
in mission methods, and this, together with con-
siderable freedom to preach, perhaps accounts
for the great success in winning converts.
Borneo A mutiny in Borneo was the means of start-
ing this wonderful mission among the Battak
people. In May, 1859, heathen Dyaks, incited
and led by Mohammedan fanatics, attacked
the Borneo mission, killing seven missionaries,
several children, and destroying schools and
churches. Four little children from one mis-
sionary's home were taken captive to the jungle
and treated cruelly, but afterward ransomed.
The survivors of the mission left for Sumatra
and began work among heathen and Moham-
medans there with many early hardships, but
finally with great success.
Hester Hester Needham, the Saint of Sumatra, was
Needhara one o f those wno u ma( j e U p that which was
behind of the sufferings of Jesus Christ " for
His elect among the Mohammedans. The story
of her life is like that of Henry Martyn, Allen
Gardiner, or David Brainerd. Her letters and
diaries glow with love for souls and show
clear evidence that she walked with God. Her
foreign missionary labor began when she heard
of " a place in Sumatra where for forty years
THE STORY OF MISSIONS TO MOSLEMS 105
the heathen had been asking for a missionary,
and none have gone, and now the Mohamme-
dans are going, but no missionary for Christ."
This was her call, and she at once went to Ger-
many to offer herself to the Barmen Mission.
She entered upon the work among the Bat- A Noble
taks of Sumatra at the age of forty-six, and for Llfe
eight years she labored there. Then, from a
life of arduous toil, in the teeth of extreme
physical suffering and debility, she entered her
eternal rest on May 12, 1897, in her own words,
" Thankful to stay, but delighted to go."
Money, social position, and gifts, and even a
sphere of great usefulness she forsook, knowing
that her place could be supplied, and at an age
when many consider their working days over,
and already suffering from spinal complaint,
she braved a life of incessant hardship and
humiliation, in a trying climate. 1
In Sumatra the Rhenish Mission now has Results
6500 converted Moslems, 1150 catechumens, 80
churches, 5 native pastors, 70 lay preachers,
while they baptized 153 Mohammedans in 1906.
In the district of Si Perok, a Christian convert
from Islam has become chief in place of a
Mohammedan.
Java is the richest and largest of Dutch j av a
colonial possessions. Six Dutch missionary
societies labor on the island, which has a dense
population of 28,746,688; of these, 24,270,600
are Moslems. Surely a large and difficult
1 " A Saint in Sumatra," Missionat-y Review of the World,
January, 1900.
106 MOSLEM LANDS
field. Yet by preaching, the sale of Scriptures,
and medical work, great numbers have been
won to Christ. The work in Sumatra is a
miracle of missions, but in Java there have
been still greater numerical results. Accord-
ing to latest statistics, there are now living in
Java over 18,000 who have been converted to
Christianity from Islam, and the converts from
Islam amount to between 300 and 400 adults
every year. 1
Results Although living in the larger coast cities, the
missionaries have succeeded in organizing many
churches in the interior of the island for Mos-
lems. The average number of missionaries for
the past twenty-five years who devote all their
attention to the Mohammedans was only about
twenty for this island. Surely God's rich bless-
ing has rested on their labors in giving so abun-
dant a harvest, and these miracles of grace
prove that the Gospel is the power of God unto
salvation to the Mohammedan as well as to the
heathen world.
HELPS FOR LEADERS
Lesson Aim :
To make vivid the long and general neglect of the
Church, and the work of preparation now accomplished ;
to show also that work for Moslems, though difficult, is
not hopeless.
Scripture Lesson :
Ps. 2; 1 Sam. 17:4-11; 41-50.
Suggestive Questions :
1. Trace Raymund Lull's missionary journeys on
the map.
i "The Mohammedan World of To-day, " p. 237.
THE STOEY OF MISSIONS TO MOSLEMS 107
2. In what sense were the Crusades a missionary
movement ?
3. Give an account of Henry Martyn's last journey
through Persia.
4. What influence has Robert College exerted on
Turkish Mohammedanism ?
5. Give the story of the Arabic Bible translation.
6. Give the story of Bishop French at Muscat.
7. Name all the missionary societies laboring in
Persia and Arabia.
8. Who was Imad-ud-Din? Mirza Ibrahim? Kamil?
9. What are the opportunities for medical work in
Turkey?
10. Where are the chief mission printing-presses for
the Mohammedan World located ?
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Herbert Birk's "Life and Correspondence of Bishop
T. V. French." London, 1895. 2 vols.
H. H. Jessup, " The Setting of the Crescent and the
Rising of the Cross, or Kamil Abd ul Messiah." Phila-
delphia, 1898.
Robert Sinker, "Memorial of Ion Keith Falconer."
Cambridge, 1886.
George Smith, "Life of Henry Martyn, Scholar and
Saint, First Modern Missionary to the Moslems."
W. A. Essery, " The Ascending Cross : Some Results
of Missions in Bible Lands, 1854-1904." The Religious
Tract Society, London, 1905.
Andrew Watson, " The American Mission in Egypt."
Pittsburg, Penn., 1897.
Cyrus Hamlin, "My Life and Times." New York,
1893.
H. O. D wight, " Constantinople and its Problems."
Charles R. Watson, " Egypt and the Christian Cru-
sade." Philadelphia, 1907.
E. M. Wherry, " Islam and Christianity in India and
the Far East." New York, 1907.
108 MOSLEM LANDS
Samuel G. Wilson, " Persian Life and Customs." New
York, 1895.
James L. Barton and others, " The Mohammedan
World of To-day." New York, 1906.
Annie Van Sommer, " Our Moslem Sisters." (A Sym-
posium.) New York, 1907.
J. Rutherford and E. H. Glenny, The Gospel in
North Africa." London, 1900.
Mary R. S. Bird, " Persian Women and their Creed."
C. M. S., London, 1899.
S. M. Zwenier, " Raymund Lull : First Missionary to
the Moslems." New York, 1905. (Funk and Wagnalls.)
"Arabia the Cradle of Islam." New York, 1900. (Re-
vell.) "Islam: A Challenge to Faith." New York, 1907.
(S.V.M.)
ILLUSTRATIVE SELECTIONS
A HUMAN DOCUMENT
DEAR EDITOR : I have read with astonishment your
leading article in the Egyptian Gazette of the 7th inst.
on "Missions to Mohammedans," in which you conclude
that Egypt's great need is not religion but sanitation. I
don't want to enter into a controversy with you, but
would like to tell you in a few words my own experience
as a Moslem. I was a strict follower of the religion of
Islam, and was educated thoroughly in all its precepts, and
that in lands where no other religion is known or taught,
the Hadramaut and the Yemen. Eventually I became
Kadi al Islam, and so zealous was I, that not only did I
observe all that was imposed upon me by the Koran, but
many things in addition, such as the pilgrimage to
Medina, the opening of my house to all Moslem strangers,
the spending of many of the nights of Ramadan in prayer
and reading of the Koran, and the supplying of the wants
of the poor to the utmost of my ability.
All that I did, in order to find peace with God and rest
for my soul ; but the only result was increased fear and
trouble of conscience, till I could find no pleasure in any-
thing. I thought that this state must arise from our neg-
lecting, as Moslems, the sacred duty imposed upon us by
THE STORY OF MISSIONS TO MOSLEMS 109
our religion, of waging war against the unbelievers, and
as I had not the power to do that, I tried to make amends
for it by hating them with all my heart, till I could hardly
bear the sight of a Christian.
And so I remained without hope and without rest,
until, coming to Aden, I met a friend who had a very dif-
ferent feeling towards me and my fellow-Moslems from
what you have. Having tasted the joy and blessing of a
living Saviour, he was anxious that all the world should
know Him too ; for the Christian religion differs from all
other religions in the world in this, that it consists in the
knowledge of a person, a living person, and not in the
holding of dogmas and creeds. He preached to me Jesus,
and I believed in Him as my Saviour, and found peace. It
meant that I lost everything, that my name was defamed,
my life attempted, and I became a poor outcast and
wanderer from my native land. Everybody forsook me,
and I have been at times without bread to eat, but in the
midst of it all my heart has been full of joy and love to
God and all men, especially my own people.
I am afraid, dear sir, from your article, that you know
not yet in your heart the presence of this Saviour, or you
would have a better Gospel to preach than the gospel of
sanitation. Is it possible that I, the poor Moslem, have
entered into the Kingdom of Heaven before you, the
learned citizen of a Christian nation ? even as He said of
old to the Pharisees, "the publicans and harlots shall
enter into the Kingdom of Heaven before you."
Yours sincerely,
SALEM EL KHAMKY.
SUEZ, February 9, 1905.
" WHO BEING DEAD YET SPEAKETH."
" While vast continents are shrouded in almost utter dark-
ness, and hundreds of millions suffer the horrors of heathen-
ism and of Islam, the burden of proof rests on you to show
that the circumstances in which God has placed you were meant
by God to keep you out of the foreign field." ION KEITH
FALCONER, Cambridge University Scholar and Pioneer
Missionary in Arabia.
110 MOSLEM LANDS
THE OLD ARGUMENT OF FORCE AT CAIRO
"Mr. Michael Mansoor, a convert from Mohammedan-
ism, who is in the service of our mission, and who has
been doing most acceptable work among Moslems, was
attending, by invitation, a Mohammedan literary society.
At the invitation of the president of the society, he gave a
brief address, praising the object of the society. There
were about a thousand present. He concluded his ad-
dress with a few verses of poetry of his own composition,
at which he was loudly cheered. He was scarcely seated
when a sheikh of the Azhar, the Mohammedan University
of Cairo, jumped to his feet and commenced speaking,
immediately bringing up the subject of religion, praising
Islam and making invidious comparisons with Christian-
ity. When he sat down, Mr. Mansoor leaned over and
whispered in his ear that if circumstances permitted, he
would not hesitate to reply.
" The sheikh then arose, and repeated in the hearing
of the audience what Mr. Mansoor had whispered to him.
Then Mr. Mansoor arose and made an explanation, saying
that this society is not for the discussion of religious ques-
tions, but if the sheikh wished to discuss with him any of
these subjects, he might come to the hall of the American
Mission on Monday night, when and where there were
such discussions. The sheikh invited every person he
met for the following four days, without our missionaries
having any suspicion of what was being concocted.
"On the following Monday, before the hour for the
meeting had fully arrived, a crowd had gathered at the
mission building. The doors of the chapel were opened,
and the room was soon packed, with men standing and
sitting in the windows ; the platform was packed as well.
Still they came, pressing in and crowding upon one an-
other, so that those who had occupied the seats got up and
stood on them. They broke in the back door of the court
and filled the court behind ; there must have been at least
one thousand people.
"It was manifestly impossible to keep such a crowd
quiet, and they were in no mood for a calm religious dis-
THE STORY OF MISSIONS TO MOSLEMS 111
cussion. The missionaries realized that for Mr. Mansoor
to attempt his usual meeting would doubtless occasion a
riot. The word was passed that a meeting, under the
circumstances, was impossible. But the audience was in
no mood to leave, and many still pressed in. Appeal to
the police was also without avail.
"At length, weary of waiting, and finding no prospect of
a meeting, one after another, they left. The room was
found quite the worse for the incident : benches broken,
seats scratched and smeared with mud. The entire inci-
dent was a display of usual Moslem tactics. The crowd
had come determined to win, if not by argument, then
by display of force. . . ." REV. C. R. WATSON in The
United Presbyterian, February 15, 1906.
A GOOD FOUNDATION FOR A BIBLE HOUSE
" When the foundations of the Bible House at Constan-
tinople were laid, the removal of the surface soil revealed
the broken walls of a Christian church built on that site
fourteen hundred years ago. Upon the foundations of
that ancient church edifice rests a part of the Bible House
walls to-day. The site is holy ground, consecrated by
the prayers of the Christians of that sixth century, which
sent its missionaries to heathen Britain in the West, and
to Central Asia and China in the East. Is it an acci-
dent, think yon, that after all these years the prayers
offered in that old church for the coming of the King-
dom have begun to be answered by the establishment
again of witnesses for Jesus Christ upon this very spot?
There are no accidents in God's administration of His
Kingdom. Then the missionary century of the hoary
past joins its plea to the present missionary century for
Christians everywhere to rally to the effective endow-
ment of this mission publishing work, which is rooted
in the broad principles of Jesus Christ himself, even as
its material habitation is established upon the rock-like
foundations for Christian service laid by the earliest colo-
nies of his followers in this city."
REV. HENRY O. DWIGHT, LL.D.
THE MOSLEM BEGGAR
[NOTE. Poor destitute men, many of them deprived of
their eyes as punishment for law-breaking, infest the towns
of Morocco and other lands of the East. Their common cry
is " Ya Mai Allah," " Give me what belongs to God 1 " J
" In shadow of a crumbling mosque he stands,
An aged mendicant with want outworn,
Eyes from their shrunken sockets ruthless torn,
For crimes in lawless youth, for so demands
The cruel Moslem code. With trembling hands
Outheld for aid he only lives to mourn,
Till kindly Death beyond the earthly bourne
Shall carry him at last, and loose his bands.
* To motley crowds that careless come and go
He murmurs, < Give me what belongs to God/
That cry proclaims the debt that Christians owe
His country where Mohammed's legions trod,
And with the sword their creed unholy spread,
Bobbing her children of the Living Bread."
S. S. McCuRRY.
112
CHAPTER IV
THE WORK THAT REMAINS TO BE DONE
The Unoccupied Fields. In the previous Unoccupied
chapters we have seen something of the work Fields
of missions for Mohammedans direct and in-
direct in lands like Egypt, Turkey, Persia,
India, Sumatra, and Java, where for many years
the Moslem populations have, more or less,
come in contact with the missions. These
lands and others more recently entered may, in
a sense, be considered occupied. Yet there is
not a single one of them where the total
number of laborers is in any sense adequate
for the work of evangelization. Even in
Egypt, for example, only a small fraction of
the Moslem population is reached in any way
by the Gospel.
In Turkey, where there are many missionary
agencies at work, the bulk of the Mohammedan
population is either inaccessible or neglected.
And even in India, where there is an open India
door to 62,000,000 Moslems, the number of
those specially qualified and set apart for work
among them is altogether too few.
Aside, however, from the vast work that
remains to be done in these lands, in which
the strategic centres of population are already
mission stations, and whose territory has been
i 113
114 MOSLEM LANDS
divided among various societies by the laws
of comity, there are lands wholly untouched
or almost entirely unreached by the Gospel.
These unoccupied lands and regions are those
where nothing has yet been done, and where
there are neither mission stations nor mission
workers.
Our Watch- In our study of missions we must never for-
get that " the evangelization of the world in
this generation," which has become the battle-
cry of missions, is an impossible ideal unless
these unoccupied fields, hitherto utterly neg-
lected, are entered and evangelized. The field
is the world. Therefore the perfect cultivation
of one section, however large or important, to
the neglect of other corners of the field, cannot
be the fulfilment of the will of the Great Hus-
bandman.
Darkest Darkest Africa. The darkest part of Africa
Africa to-day is Mohammedan Africa and those great
border-marches of Islam where paganism is
rapidly and surely giving way before the
Moslem advance. In the point of numbers,
Mohammedanism claims thirty-six per cent of
Africa's population, or 58,864,587 souls out of
a total population of 163,736,683.
Of this Mohammedan population, the over-
whelming majority, or 54,790,879, are to be
found north of the equator. Of these, again,
two-fifths, roughly speaking, are north of
twenty degrees north latitude, and three-fifths
are south of that latitude.
"While in actual numbers there are more
WORK THAT REMAINS TO BE DONE 115
Mohammedans between the latitude indicated
and the equator than north of that latitude,
yet, in proportion to the population of the
countries involved, Mohammedanism is far Islam's
stronger north of twenty degrees north lati- stron g hold
tude; for, north of this latitude, the Moham-
medans constitute ninety-one per cent of the
population, while between twenty degrees
north latitude and the equator, the Moham-
medan population is only forty-two per cent."
If these statistics, given by Dr. Charles R.
Watson at the Cairo Conference, are compared
with a map of mission stations in Africa, we
find that the centres of light are " like a little
candle burning in the night" of Islam. So
few and far between are the points occupied.
" Taking the parallel of latitude that would touch the A Great
northern bend of the Niger as the northern limit, and
that which would touch the northern bend of the Congo
as the southern limit, and modifying these boundaries at
either side of the continent so as to omit the mission
stations on the West Coast and on the upper courses of
the Nile, we find a territory about equal to that of the
United States, and far more densely populated, without
a single representative of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
With a mission station just established by the United
Presbyterians of America on the Sobat River, of the
Upper Nile basin, and with stations opened by the
Church Missionary Society and the United Sudan Mis-
sion in the Niger basin, 1500 miles to the west, the situa-
tion presented is as if the United States, with her 85,000,000
of people, had one missionary in Maine and another in
Texas and no Gospel influence between." l
1 Nay lor' s ''Unoccupied Mission Fields in Africa," The
Missionary Review, March, 1906.
116
MOSLEM LANDS
Growth of
Islam
The Sudan The Call of the Sudan. The great central
and thickly peopled Sudan is one of the most
needy fields in the world, and only the merest
beginnings have been made in its evangelization.
According to Professor Beach, " we have here
a population numbering two-thirds that of the
United States who cannot by any possibility
reach a Protestant Mission Station." Taken
in its widest extent, this " Country of the
Blacks," for that is the Arabic meaning of the
name, includes almost a fourth of the continent
both as to area and population.
And the problem in all this vast region is to-
day the problem of Islam. Hear the testimony
of the Rev. J. Aitken: " When I came out in
1898, there were few Mohammedans to be seen
below Iddah. Now they are everywhere, ex-
cepting below Abo, and at the present rate of
progress there will scarcely be a pagan village
on the river banks by 1910. Then we shall
begin to talk of Mohammedan missions to these
people, and any one who has worked in both
heathen and Mohammedan towns knows what
that means." 1 If Dr. Karl Kumm's estimates
are trustworthy, this great destitute district
of the Sudan, one of the most strategic and the
most important unoccupied territories in the
world, has a population of at least fifty millions.
And yet less than a score of missionaries are
found in the entire area.
Ten of the fifteen great provinces have not
one mission station or missionary. If a new
i " The Call of the Sudan," Missionary Review, January, 1907.
WOEK THAT REMAINS TO BE DONE 117
worker was sent out every day, and each one
took a parish of 10,000 people, it would take
over sixteen years to occupy the Sudan.
Dr. Karl Kumm gives the following summary The Situa-
of these unoccupied fields :
tion
THE LAND
SIZE
GOVERNMENT
MISSIONARIES
Kordofan
Daffur
England
France
British
British
None
None
Wadai
Bagirmi
f Italy and
[Ireland
Switzerland
Holland
French
French
None
None
- Belgium
and
Tasmania
Kanem
J Greece and
French
None
Adamawa
Bornu
Sokoto
Gando
\ Denmark
J Turkey in
\ Europe
England
Japan
{Scotland
German and
British
British
British
British
None
None
5 C.M.S.
None
Workers
and
Ireland
Nupe
Bulgaria
British '
6 Canadian Workers
Islam or Christ. It is true that these countries
are not wholly Moslem, but Islam is becoming
more and more predominant in them all. And
one point to be emphasized is that if the Church
does not go now to these pagan tribes in Africa
that are threatened with a more or less forced
conversion to Islam, it will find the task of evan-
gelizing them in the future a most difficult one.
Islam or
Christ
118
MOSLEM LANDS
After visiting the Sierra Leone Missions,
Canon Smith writes :
Now or " The Christian Church in Africa needs to wake up
never and take alarm, if she would even hope to maintain a
place in the Hinterland ! Everywhere you turn, be it on
the byway or on the high road, you find the < Mori ' men
thrusting themselves among the people and gaining ad-
herents. They gather together a few children and with
the aid of wooden tablets, inscribed with Arabic sentences
from the Koran, succeed in teaching these children the one
great doctrinal < fact ' of the Mohammedan faith. It is
useless for Christians to try to weaken the effect of the
warning by saying that these children do not understand
what they are taught ; look to the net result, which is,
that over the whole land determined Mohammedans are
being made every day."
Instead of the pliant pagan villager, with his
grotesque idols and simple religion, there will
be opposing us a people with their faith fixed
on Mohammed's ability to save all his followers,
and with fanatic hostility to the proclamation
of Jesus as the one true God.
The Peril The Moslem Peril in Africa. It is for this
to-day reason that missionaries and students of mis-
sions speak of a Mohammedan peril in the Dark
Continent. Those who know of the conditions
in West Africa, for example, say every effort
should be made to forestall the entrance of
Islam into the border-lands before this religion
renders evangelization tenfold more difficult
than it is among African pagans. In Western
Africa, Islam and Christianity between them
are spoiling heathenism, and will probably divide
the pagan peoples in less than fifty years.
Pastor F. Wurz, Secretary of the Basel Mis-
WORK THAT REMAINS TO BE DONE 119
sion, in a recent pamphlet speaks with dread of
this Mohammedan aggression as a peril to the
Native Church. He states that the situation on
the Gold Coast is alarming. In one village a
native preacher and his entire congregation went
over to Islam. " Missions will scarcely be able
to prevent the entrance of Islam among a single
tribe, much less into large districts. Islam is
spreading with the certainty and irresistibleness
of a rising tide. The only question is whether How to be
it will still be possible for missions to organize met
Christian Churches, like breakwaters, able to
resist the flood and outweather it, or whether
everything will be carried away headlong."
The Sudan United Mission calls the attention Hausa-land
of Christendom to the present crisis in Hausa-
land. All the heathen populations of the Cen-
tral Sudan will go over to Islam unless the
Church awakes to its opportunity. It is now or
never ; it is Islam or Christ ! In other parts
of Africa, the situation is one full of peril to the
Native Church. This aspect of the problem
was treated in a masterly paper, by Professor
Carl Meinhof, of the University of Berlin, at a
recent conference, under the title, " Do Missions
to the Pagans of Africa Compel us to Carry on
Work for the Moslems as well?" His argu-
ment proves that every mission in Africa, north
of the equator, will be compelled sooner or later
to do direct work for Moslems or imperil its
very existence.
A writer in Uganda Notes gives the same
testimony :
120
MOSLEM LANDS
Islam in
Uganda
Can Islam
be a Bless-
ing?
" Egypt draws perceptibly nearer to Uganda. The most
northerly station of the Uganda Mission at Condokoro,
whither two Baganda evangelists were sent in February,
is distant only one hundred and twelve miles from Bori,
where the Sudan party are settled. Lower Egypt is a
stronghold of Islam, and the followers of that religion are
ever busy carrying their creed southward through Upper
Egypt towards the confines of this Protectorate. Many
of the Nile tribes have already embraced Islam, though
the tribes to the north of our missions in Bunyoro are
still heathen. If these tribes are left to accept Moham-
medanism before the Gospel is carried to them, the diffi-
culty of our work in these regions will undoubtedly be
seriously enhanced. ... As far as Uganda is concerned,
Islam is, of course, infinitely less a power than it once
was, when, in the troublous early days of Christianity it
threatened to overwhelm the combined heathen and
Christian forces arrayed against it. But it is not only
from the north that the followers of Islam are threaten-
ing an invasion.
" From the eastern side the railway has brought us into
intimate association with coast influence ; Swahilis and
Arabs coming up the line leave Islamism in their wake,
for almost every Moslem is more or less of a missionary
of his faith. Would that the same might be said of
Christians ! Not a few Moslems are holding important
positions in Uganda, while the larger number of those in
authority in Busogo are, or were till quite recently, also
Mohammedans. The followers of the false prophet have
a great influence among the natives, which does not give
promise of becoming less as time goes on. There is a dis-
tinct danger of the Eastern Province becoming nominally
Moslem before Christianity has made for itself a favorable
impression on the minds of the people."
Mohammedan Women in the Central Sudan.
Whether Islam is a blessing to Africa in ele-
vating the pagan races to a higher level or is
not, was once thought an open question. Un-
WORK THAT REMAINS TO BE DONE 121
doubtedly the entrance of Islam has in many
regions developed a desire for clothing and
certain social comforts ; occasionally it has dis-
couraged cannibalism, promoted personal clean-
liness through its prayer ritual, and given the
ability to read Arabic. But we must not leave How far it
out of account the blighting influence of Islam civilizes
in its sensual teaching and the horrors of the
slave traffic which .has been the trade-mark of
the system. Canon Taylor, Reclus, Thomson,
and Blyden were strong advocates of the re-
forming power of Islam, but equally strong and
more competent authorities, like Livingstone,
Stanley, Schweinfurth, and Burton, contradict
their conclusions. The reason why Islam found
favor among the Negro races was just because of
its low moral standards. As a Moslem once
said to a European : " You must not wear our
clothes. They are given us of God to set forth
the character of our religion, as yours set forth
the character of your own. Our clothes are
wide, easy, flowing ; so is our religion. We can
steal, lie, commit adultery, and do as we wish,
and our Prophet will make it all right for us at
the last day. Your clothes are like your re-
ligion : tight-fitting, narrow, and restraining."
The condition of Mohammedan women in the A Hopeless
Central Sudan is sufficient proof of the utter s y stem
hopelessness of such religion for African woman-
hood. We read the testimony of a missionary:
" Social and moral evils, which may have a thin cloak
thrown over them in the East as well as in those lands of
Islam in the North of Africa, are openly and boldly un-
122
MOSLEM LANDS
Cruelty
Darkest
Asia
covered in the Hausa States. The late Emir of Zaria was
terribly severe to all his people, and cruel to a degree with
any of his wives who transgressed in any way, or were
suspected of unfaithfulness. In one instance in which a
female slave had assisted one of his wives to escape, both
being detected, the wife was immediately decapitated, and
the slave given the head in an open calabash, and ordered
by the Emir to fan the flies off it until next night !
" There is a very vicious and terribly degrading habit
amongst the Hausas, which is known as ' Tsaranchi.'
One cannot give in a word an English equivalent and
one does not desire to describe its meaning. It has the
effect of demoralizing most of the young girls and mak-
ing it almost certain that very few girls of even eleven
or twelve have retained any feelings of decency and
virtue." l
Such are some of the everyday conditions in
the unoccupied Moslem lands of Africa.
Darkest Asia. Turning from darkest Africa
to Asia, we find in this continent a situation
hardly less needy and with even greater, be-
cause more varied, opportunity. In Asia the
following lands and areas of Moslem popula-
tion are still wholly unreached:
ESTIMATED
MOSLEM POPULATION
Afghanistan 4,000,000
Hejaz, Hadramaut, Nejd, and Hassa (Arabia) . 3,500,000
Southern Persia 2,500,000
Kussia in Caucasus 2,000,000
Russia in Central Asia 3,000,000
Bokhara 1,250,000
Khiva , 700,000
Mindanao (Philippines) . . , ^ 250,000
Siberia (East and West) 6,100,000
China, unreached sections 20,000,000
43,300,000
i" Our Moslem Sisters," pp. 119, 121.
WORK THAT REMAINS TO BE DONE 123
These unevangelized millions in Asia, all of
them under the yoke of Islam, are in some cases
a rebuke for the neglect of the Church. Kafir-
istan, one of the five provinces of Afghanistan,
is a sad example :
" It was a sorrowful day for them, " writes Colonel G. Rebuke for
Wingate, " when by a stroke of the pen in the British Neglect
foreign office eleven years ago, their country was brought
within the boundaries of Afghanistan. At last the
Kafirs were the subjects of the Ameer. In consultation
with Ghulam Haider, his commander-in-chief, he deter-
mined to convert them and bring them into the fold of
Islam. The distasteful offices of the mullah were offered
at the muzzle of the breech-loader, the rites of the Mo-
hammedan belief were enforced upon an unwilling peo-
ple, mosques took the place of temples, the Koran and
the traditions of the Caliphate would be the spiritual
regeneration of the pagan Kafir. Yet twenty-five years
ago a message from the Kafirs of the Hindu Kush stirred
the Christian church ; they asked that teachers might
be sent to instruct them in the religion of Jesus Christ.
It is a sad example of how an opportunity may be lost,
for to-day there is imposed between the ambassador for
Christ and the eager Kafir the hostile aggression of a
Mohammedan power intensely jealous of the entrance of
the foreigner." 1
Afghanistan and Baluchistan. Although not
at all the largest in area or in population, yet Af-
ghanistan is of strategic importance among the
unoccupied regions of Asia. It lies in the heart The Heart
of the continent, the kernel of a vast Mos- ofAsia
lem domain and the objective of foreign influ-
1 " Unevangelized Regions in Central Asia," by Colonel G.
Wingate, C.I.E., in the Missionary Review of the World,
May, 1907. Kafiristan signifies " Land of unbelievers," and
the name was given to the province by Moslems.
124
MOSLEM LANDS
Strategic
Location
Area and
Population
ence from several quarters. On the west is
Persia, with its copious language and polite peo-
ple, influencing Afghanistan through its speech
so that Persian has become the court language;
during the progress of his tour in India the
Amir made all his speeches in that language.
On the east is Mohammedan India; on the
south, Baluchistan; and on the north the classic
Oxus divides Afghanistan from Russian Tur-
kestan, with its millions of Mohammedans and
the ancient city of Bokhara. To the celebrated
Moslem schools of Bokhara, the youths of
Kabul, Herat, and other cities of Afghanistan
are sent to join the thousands of students who
are receiving education. From its orthodox
schools, teachers also have gone out to all parts
of Asia to preach the very letter of the Koran.
It will thus be seen that in the midst of Mo-
hammedan Asia lies this mountainous country
of Afghanistan, with a people who love to be
free and yet show hospitality to the stranger.
Having an area of 215,400 square miles and
a population of about 4,000,000, but without a
Christian missionary, surely this land is a chal-
lenge to faith ! The door seems closed at present,
and yet Colonel Wingate writes : l
" The Amir, on his recent tour in India, stated in his
address to the students of the important Mohammedan
College at Aligarh, that in his dominions there were re-
siding Sunnis and Shiahs, Hindus, and Jews and others,
to all of whom he had given full religious liberty, and he
begged them not to give credence to the report that he
!In the Bombay Guardian, May 11, 1907.
WOEK THAT EEMAINS TO BE DONE 125
was a bigot. The time is perhaps opportune to commence
a Medical Mission in North-Eastern Afghanistan, where
the climate is suitable for Europeans, and the attitude
of the people is favourable."
Baluchistan is nominally a part of the Indian Baluchistan
Empire, of which it forms the extreme western
border. The northeastern part of the country
is directly administrated by British officials
and garrisoned by British troops. Another sec-
tion is under native government, with British
supervision, and a third part is inhabited by no-
mad tribes. Out of a population of 1,050,000
there are 995,000 Mohammedans. The only
mission station in Baluchistan is at Quetta,
where the Church Missionary Society has nine
missionaries, men and women; schools and a
hospital.
The social and moral conditions in Baluchis-
tan, as well as in Afghanistan, are indescribable,
as we have seen in a previous chapter. But the
people are many of them Moslems in name only,
and are willing to hear the Gospel if only
there were messengers of the truth.
In regard to the district of Khelat in Baluchis- Kheiat
tan, the Rev. A. D. Dixey testifies that the in-
habitants are still only nominal Mohammedans,
and not bigoted. " They will listen now, but
in a few years they will have become fanatical."
Neglected Arabia. The cradle of Islam is Arabia
still a challenge to Christendom, a Gibraltar
of fanaticism and pride that awaits the conquest
of the Cross. The present missionary force
in Arabia is utterly inadequate to supply the
126 MOSLEM LANDS
A Neglected needs even of that small portion of the field they
Land have occupied. There are only four points on
a coast of four thousand miles where there are
resident missionaries. There is not a single
missionary over twenty miles inland from this
coast. No missionary has ever crossed the pen-
insula in either direction. The total number of
foreign missionaries in Arabia to-day is thirty-
one, for a population of 8,000,000 souls.
The Keith Falconer Mission is scarcely as
strong in numbers as when Keith Falconer died.
The Arabian Mission has only recently received
enough reenforcement to man its three stations
adequately and permanently. The only part
of Arabia that is fairly well occupied is the
River-country ; that is, the two vilayets of Bag-
dad and Busrah. Here there are two stations
and two out-stations on the rivers ; colporteurs
and missionaries regularly visit the larger vil-
lages ; several native workers are in regular
employ, and the Bible Society is active. Yet
in these two vilayets scarcely anything has yet
been done for the large Bedouin population.
Unoccupied Looking at Arabia by provinces : Hejaz has
Provinces no m i ss i onar y; Hadramaut has no missionary;
Jebel Shammar and all the northern desert have
no missionary ; Nejd has no missionary ; Oman
has two missionaries. Again, the following
towns and cities are accessible, but have not one
witness for Christ : Sana, Hodeidah, Menakha,
Zebid, Damar, Taiz, Ibb, with forty smaller
towns in Yemen ; Makallah, Shehr, and Shiban
in Hadramaut ; Rastak, Someil, Sohar, Sur, Abu
WORK THAT REMAINS TO BE DONE 127
Thubi, Sharka, and other important towns in
Oman ; not to speak of the important towns of
Nejd and " the holy cities," Mecca and Medina,
still closed to the Gospel.
Arabia is in truth a neglected field, even now.
Thus far the work has been largely preliminary ;
the evangelization of Arabia is the goal; not
until every province is entered and every one of
the strategic points specified is occupied can we
truly speak of Arabia as occupied.
Russia and Bokhara. These are also typical Kussia
cases of unoccupied fields and neglected millions
in the Mohammedan world. The great empire
of Russia, convulsed with social and religious
unrest and in the throes of a new political birth,
will soon be an empire of missionary opportunity
and responsibility. Among its population of
126,666,000 there are 13,889,000 Mohammedans,
mostly in Asiatic Russia and Siberia. Mission
work has been attempted at different times in
different parts of the empire by the Moravians,
the Basel Mission, the London Missionary Society,
etc., but the attempts made were futile because
of the repressive action of the Russian gov-
ernment. The Bible societies, however, enjoy
great freedom, have many privileges, and accom-
plish much. There is little special work done
for the Mohammedans.
Bokhara is a Russian dependency in Central Bokhara
Asia, with a population of over a million, nearly
all Turkish Mohammedans. There are no es-
tablished missions in the country, and no for-
eigner is allowed entrance without a Russian
128
MOSLEM LANDS
passport. Yet from the Swedish missionary,
Rev. E. John Larsen, who visited the capital,
we have this interesting pen picture :
A Wonder- " The capital city of Bokhara, which is a state vassal
ful City to Russia, is a stronghold at present for the spiritual
power of Islam in Central Asia. From all Moslem coun-
tries in Central Asia young men come for their higher
education to the celebrated Moslem schools of Bokhara.
Generally there are several thousands of students in these
schools. Bokhara is one of the most interesting cities
in the Orient. It is remarkable that a large proportion
of the Moslems in the city can read. The reason, I think,
is the number of schools.
" Once I remained in Bokhara two months. From our
bookstore in the city, our native helpers distributed the
New Testament even among the people of Afghanistan.
One old professor in the high school of Bokhara received
from us the Bible in Arabic. He was very thankful, and
early in the morning he used to come to visit us for read-
ing, prayer, and conversation. One morning he said, 1 1
am convinced that Jesus Christ will conquer Mohammed.
There is no doubt about it, because Christ is king of
heaven and on the earth, and His kingdom fills heaven
and will soon fill the earth.' "
The Gospel
Victorious
Such testimony from the heart of Moham-
medan Asia is full of encouragement.
" Say not the struggle naught availeth,
The labor and the wounds are vain,
The enemy fainteth not, nor faileth,
And as things have been they remain.
" If hopes were dupes, fears may be liars ;
It may be in yon smoke concealed,
Your comrades chase e'en now the fliers,
And, but for you, possess the field.
WOEX THAT REMAINS TO BE DONE 129
" For while the tired waves, vainly breaking,
Seem here no painful inch to gain,
Far back, through creeks and inlets making,
Comes silent, flooding in, the main.
" And not by eastern windows only,
When daylight comes, comes in the light,
In front, the sun climbs slow, how slowly,
But westward, look, the land is bright."
The Mohammedans in China. The thirty isiamin
(some say forty) million Mohammedans in China
China are a neglected problem in the evan-
gelization of the Middle Kingdom. There is
not a single society that has yet made them
the objective of a special effort, and there are
scarcely any missionaries in China who have
qualified themselves to deal with the Moham-
medans through knowledge of their literature
and religion. There is, for example, a large
Mohammedan literature in Chinese, but no
Christian literature prepared specially to reach
these monotheists, who live among the vast
heathen population as distinct, religiously, as
the Jews were from the Gentiles in the Roman
Empire.
Dr. Timothy Richard, who is at the head of Need for
" the Society for the Diffusion of Christian and
General Knowledge" among the Chinese," wrote
in a recent letter : " In China there is no one at
present writing for the Mohammedans. One
or two tracts were written in Chinese some
thirty-three years ago by a friend of mine, but
none since." It seems almost incredible. No
wonder that a missionary doing literary and
130 MOSLEM LANDS
A Bengal evangelistic work for the Mohammedans of
Volunteer Bengal, when he heard these facts, wrote:
"When I think of all those millions of Chi-
nese Moslems without a Christian literature
specially suited for them, I feel like packing
up and going to China. And Chinese Mos-
lems are the most tolerant and un-Moham-
medan of any in the world, too."
The Mohammedan religion entered China
very early. For centuries preceding Moham-
med there was commercial intercourse by sea
between Arabia and China, and when the Arab
merchants, the Sindbads of history, became Mos-
lems, it was only natural that they carried
their religion with them on their long voyages
for silk, spices, and gold. We read that Mo-
hammed utilized these early trade-routes in the
When Islam sixth year of the Hegira by sending his mater-
nal uncle Wahab bin Kabsh with a letter and
suitable presents to the Emperor of China, ask-
ing him to accept the new religion. Arriving
at Canton the next year, he went to the capi-
tal and preached Islam for two years. His
preaching, which is mentioned in an inscription
on the mosque at Canton, produced consider-
able and permanent results.
The first body of Arab settlers in China was
a contingent of four thousand soldiers de-
spatched by the Caliph Abu Jafer in 755 (or,
according to others, by the Caliph Al Mansur
in 758) to the assistance of the Emperor Hsuan-
Tsung. These soldiers, in reward for their ser-
vices and bravery, were allowed to settle in
WORK THAT REMAINS TO bti DONE 131
China, where, by intermarriage and preaching,
they won over many to their faith. In. the fol-
lowing century we read that many thousands of
Moslems were massacred in China, and Marco
Polo speaks of the large Moslem population
of Yunnan.
The chief centres of Moslem population to- Numbers
day are the provinces of Kansu, Shensi, and
Yunnan. Regarding the present growth of
Islam in China and the total number of Mos-
lems in the empire, there is the greatest dis-
agreement among writers. In 1889, Dr. Happer,
of Canton, thought the numbers given by De
Thiersant very excessive, and estimated the
total Moslem population at not more than
three millions. De Thiersant, who secured his
data from Chinese officials, put it at twenty
millions. A. H. Keane, in his geography of
Asia, and in accordance with the Statesmen's
Year Book, one of the best authorities on
statistics, says that China has thirty million
Mohammedans ; while an Indian writer, Surat
Chandra Das, C.I.E., in the Journal of the
Asiatic Society, estimates it at fifty millions ;
and Seyyid Suleiman, a prominent Moslem offi-
cer in Yunnan province, states that there are
now seventy million Moslems in China! l
Some missionaries are not at all apprehensive
of Islam in China, and look upon this faith as
a negligible factor in the evangelization of the
empire. But those who have studied its prog-
ress in other lands in the past may well pon*
1 Wherry, u Islam and Christianity," pp. 21 and 22.
132
MOSLEM LANDS
der the following account of its methods as
given by Arnold in his interesting chapter:
" In the towns, the Mohammedans tend little by little
to form separate Mohammedan quarters, and finally do
not allow any person to dwell among them who does not
Islam in go to the mosque. Islam has also gained ground in China,
China because of the promptitude with which the Mohamme-
dans have repeopled provinces devastated by the various
scourges so familiar to China. In times of famine they
purchase children from poor parents, bring them up in
the faith of Islam, and when they are full-grown, provide
them with wives and houses, often forming whole villages
of these new converts. In the famine that devastated
the province of Kwangtung in 1790, as many as 10,000
children are said to have been purchased in this way
from parents who, too poor to support them, were com-
pelled by necessity to part with their starving little ones.
" Seyyid Suleiman says that the number of accessions
to Islam gained by this every year is beyond counting.
Every effort is made to keep the faith alive among the
new converts, even the humblest being taught, by means
of metrical primers, the fundamental doctrines of Islam.
To the influence of the religious books of the Chinese
Moslems, Seyyid Suleiman attributes many of the con-
versions that are made at the present day. They have
no organized propaganda, yet the zealous spirit of pros-
elytism with which the Chinese Mussulmans are ani-
mated secures for them a constant succession of new
converts, and they confidently look forward to the day
when Islam will be triumphant throughout the length
and breadth of the Chinese Empire." l
Turkestan Turkestan or Tartary. These terms are
loosely applied to all the region east of the
Caspian Sea, south of Siberia, west of Man-
churia, and north of Afghanistan and India.
It includes three divisions, West Turkestan,
1 T. W. Arnold, "The Preaching of Islam," p. 357.
WOEK THAT EENAINS TO BE DONE 133
Jungaria, and East Turkestan. The former
belongs to Russia, the other two are Chinese
dependencies. West Turkestan has an area
of about 1,600,000 square miles and a popula-
tion of eight and a half million, Aryans,
Mongols, and Turanians. The bulk of the
population is Moslem.
The physical features of this large area vary
from mountain peaks of perpetual snow to deep
gorges and valleys, some marvellously fertile,
and others barren desert. East Turkestan has
a small area and a much smaller population,
The climate is severe, and there is no great
fertility. The chief cities are Yarkand and
Kashgar. The Swedish Missionary Society
began work among Moslems at Kashgar in Two Mission
1894 and later at Yarkand the only light- stations
houses in all this region of the shadow of
night.
Chinese Turkestan was long counted one of Chinese
the inaccessible fields of the world, as were so
many other Moslem lands before pioneer faith
knocked at their doors to find that Christ
had opened. Paster Hogberg describes the
entrance to this stronghold of Islam as "a
journey on horseback over the mountains be-
tween Osch and Kashgar, most interesting, but
most difficult. One must cross some ranges of
mountains which reach an elevation of from
11,800 to 13,200 feet, and many times the road
is very narrow, with a mountain on one side
and a precipice on the other." Nature in this
part of Asia is wild and grand. The Russian
134 MOSLEM LANDS
side of the mountains is more or less covered
with verdure and shrubs, and trees are to be
seen here and there ; but the Chinese side
is barren and desolate. During spring and
summer the traveller must frequently ford large
rivers, often at the risk of his life.
And the mission work surely is also " with a
mountain on one side and a precipice on the
other." Concerning the home life of the people,
he says :
Home Life " The rich man lives in ease and luxury, surrounded
by his harem, but sluggishness and idleness are the
characteristics of the poor. . . . Babies spend their lives
in a cradle, and are seldom taken up in the arms. Many
a poor child is frozen to death in winter because of its
being left alone, tied up in its baby basket. In summer
the little ones run naked until they reach eight or ten
years of age.
"In the city, children of both sexes begin to go to
school rather early, but the instruction is so poor that very
few have learned to read and write, even w^hen they have
attended school for five or six years. Instead of a spell-
ing-book, they use a piece of board on which the mollahs
write the characters, or the passage of the Koran which
the child is expected to learn.
" Young men are expected to be married in their six-
teenth or seventeenth year, and the girl at ten or thirteen.
Here is an account of a marriage ceremony told by a
native woman : * I was twelve years old. The friends of
my mother and of my intended had settled the prelimi-
naries of marriage. I knew nothing about it. One day
a man arrived, bringing with him rice, flour, a sheep,
clothes, etc., and then a great feast was prepared. I was
peeling carrots, and this being finished, I ran into the
garden, playing with my comrades. We were just run-
ning into the street when my brother gave me a severe
blow on my ear. Upon complaining to my mother, she
WORK THAT REMAINS TO BE DONE 135
said that it did not suit me going on to play in that way A Child
when it was my wedding day. Hearing this, I began to Wife
cry bitterly. The guests were assembled, and I was clad
as a bride. The mollah, being in another room, had al-
ready asked my intended whether he would marry me,
and now it was my turn to be questioned. When, not
saying a word, he repeated his question again and again,
until I must whisper my "makbool" (yes, or accepted).
The day after, I and one of my playmates mounted a horse
and went to the home of my husband, where the marriage
festivities were continued. My husband was thirty- two
years old.' "...
This pen picture of "things as they are"
in darkest Asia may well close our brief and
partial survey of the great occupied and unoc-
cupied lands under the curse of Islam.
It remains to consider the special difficulties
of work for Moslems and the encouragements in
the coming conflict.
The Difficulties of the Work. The evangel- Difficulties
ization of these Mohammedan lands of which we of the Work
have had glimpses in the foregoing paragraphs
and chapters so great in their extent, so deep
in their degradation, so hopeless without the
Gospel and so long neglected is one of the
grandest and most inspiring tasks to which
Christ calls His Church. It has, however, because
of its manifold difficulties, long been spoken of as
the Mohammedan Missionary problem. Every
land and people has its own angle of approach,
its own peculiar environment, its own speech
and climate and government. In this respect
the Moslem mission fields also differ from one
another. And yet in each and all of them the
136
MOSLEM LANDS
Divorce be-
tween Reli-
gion and
Morals
Intolerance
Mohammedan problem has practically the same
factors.
There is, first of all, the utter divorce be-
tween morality and religion. Islam is a for-
mal religion, and the Koran is a soporific for the
conscience. It is hard to arouse the moral sense
after so many centuries of formalism and bar-
ren ritual. All workers among Mohammedans
speak of this condition. A good illustration is
given by Dr. H. H. Jessup : "An Arab high-
way robber and murderer was once brought for
trial before a Mohammedan pasha, when the
pasha stepped down and kissed his hand, as the
culprit was a dervish or holy man who had been
on several pilgrimages to Mecca, and had been
known to repeat the name of God (Allah) more
times in a day than any other man." The tale
is not incongruous to a Moslem.
Then there is the intolerance and pride of the
Moslem creed which stands diametrically op-
posed to the broken heart and humble spirit
demanded by the Gospel. Mohammedan arro-
gance is encouraged by the words of the
Koran (Surah 3 : 106), " Ye are the best nation
that hath been raised up unto mankind."
Doughty, the traveller, gives a characteristic
illustration of how the average Moslem in Ara-
bia regards a " Nasrany " or Christian : " Our
train of camels," he writes, " drew slowly by
them ; but when the smooth Mecca merchant
heard that the stranger riding with the camel-
men was a Nasrany, he cried, 6 Akhs ! A Nas-
rany in these parts ! ' and with the horrid inur-
WORK THAT REMAINS TO BE DONE 137
banity of their jealous religion, he added, * Allah
curse his father ! ' and stared on me with a face
worthy of the Koran." The typical mullah of
the Moslem faith, whether in India or Persia or
the Sudan, often stares at the missionary " with
a face worthy of the Koran."
Another difficulty is the almost universal hos-
tile attitude of Moslems toward a convert from
their religion to Christianity, and even to all
inquirers who begin to abandon Islam. What
Adoniram Judson said of Burma is the rule in
nearly every Moslem land. " When any person Hard to win
is known to be considering the new religion, all Converts
his relations and acquaintances rise en masse ; so
that to get a new convert is like pulling the eye-
tooth of a live tiger. " A veteran missionary in
Egypt writes, " Even in this land occupied with
British troops and governed by British brains,
it is next to impossible for one of a Moslem
harem to come out and profess her faith in the
Saviour of men."
Again there are the hundred and one intellec- intellectual
tual difficulties which must be met, the popular
Mohammedan objections to Christianity and
Christian doctrine, nine-tenths of which are due
to the ineradicable tendency on the part of Mos-
lems to look upon everything carnally. They
misunderstand the Bible, grossly misinterpret
its spiritual symbolism, and make stumbling-
blocks of the Trinity, the Incarnation, the
Atonement, and the Deity of our Saviour ;
while the Moslem's belief that the gospels are
abrogated by the Koran, or have become so cor-
138
MOSLEM LANDS
Death for
Apostates
Passports
rupted that they are not reliable, is a funda-
mental difficulty in all argument.
All these difficulties are common in every
Moslem land in greater or less degree.
Finally, in Turkey, Morocco, Persia, Tripoli,
Afghanistan, and parts of Arabia, the union
between the temporal and spiritual power in Islam
blocks evangelization. Apostasy in Turkey is
treason against the state. Wherever Moslem
rule obtains, every convert runs the risk of
martyrdom. Death is the only legal right of the
apostate according to the Koran; and the Koran
is the only Magna Charta of liberty in such
lands. Not only are converts persecuted, but the
missionary is terribly handicapped in his work.
The first part of our Lord's last command is,
" Go ye ' '/ but Turkey has tried to put all pos-
sible obstacles in the way of obedience even to
this. It is the only country claiming a species
of civilization where an American passport is
worthless away from the sea-coast. A Turkish
tezkere* or permit to travel, not only requires a
fresh vis for each journey, but must be regis-
tered a half dozen times during each trip, with
a corresponding loss of time. Yet an American
missionary can hardly reckon his difficulties in
this regard as worthy of mention in comparison
with those of a native preacher or colporteur.
No missionary physician can practise medicine
in Turkey without a diploma obtained (or with-
out valid reason often refused) at the capital.
No book or newspaper can be printed or circu-
lated without official permit ; no school opened
WORK THAT REMAINS TO BE DONE 139
or church service held or hospital erected with-
out a special license. The hinderances placed
in the way of publishing Christian literature
are such as would have commanded the respect
of the Spanish Inquisition. So many stories of
Turkish press censorship have been told that Censorship
a quarto volume of them might be gathered
together. The American Bible Society was
recently publishing a revised edition of the
Turkish Scriptures when a zealous censor de-
manded that such verses as Prov. 4 : 1417 ;
19:29; 20:21; 21:7; 22:28; 24:15,16; 26:
26, be omitted, as bearing too pointedly on the
present condition of affairs in Turkey. It
took some exertion to convince him that the
right to publish the Word of God intact had
been secured by treaty.
The editor of the weekly religious paper
Avedaper was recently publishing a series of
articles about Christ's Second Coming, but was
forbidden to use the word millennium, as that
seemed to intimate that there could be a more
blessed period than the reign of Abd-ul-
Hamid II. I
Encouragements. In spite of all these diffi- Encourage-
culties, the outlook is not hopeless but hopeful. ments
We are on the winning side, and have nothing
to fear save our own sloth and inactivity. The
love of Jesus Christ, manifested in hospitals, in
schools, in tactful preaching, and incarnated in
the lives of devoted missionaries, will irresistibly
win Moslems and disarm all their fanaticism.
It has done so in the hardest fields, is doing so,
140
MOSLEM LANDS
Doors Open and will do so more and more when the Church
realizes her unprecedented opportunities in the
Moslem world and seizes them. " Altogether,"
says Dr. Rouse, the author of a series of tracts
for Moslems and the veteran missionary of
Bengal, " the situation is most interesting and
encouraging. It would be much more so if I
saw any sign of appreciation on the part of the
Church of Christ of the special opportunities
for missionary work among Mohammedans
which are now to be seen everywhere." Three-
fourths of the Moslem world is wholly accessi-
ble. Distances and dangers have become less,
so that the journey from London to Bagdad
can now be accomplished with less hardship
and in less time than it must have taken Lull
to go from Paris to Bugia. Henry Martyn
spent five long months to reach Shiraz from
Calcutta ; the same journey can now be made
in a fortnight. There will soon be a railway
to Mecca built by Moslems themselves.
The Mohammedans themselves seem to real-
ize that their religion is disintegrating and losing
ground. The frantic efforts at reform are evi-
dence of the widespread dissatisfaction with
their system. In India Islam has abandoned, as
untenable, controversial positions which were
once thought impregnable. Instead of denying
the integrity of the Bible and forbidding its use,
they now read it and write commentaries on it.
Mighty and irresistible forces are at work in
Islam itself to prepare the way for the Gospel.
Thousands of Moslems have grown weary of
Railway to
Mecca
WORK THAT REMAINS TO BE DONE 141
their old faith, and of ten thousands it is true Hunger for
that they are thirsting for a living Mediator.
The Babis, the Behais, the Shathalis, the Sufis,
and other sects and schools of thought, are
all examples of this unconscious search for our
Redeemer, whom Mohammed and the Koran
have so long eclipsed.
" Far and wide though all unknowing,
Pants for Thee each human breast ;
Human tears for Thee are flowing,
Human hearts in Thee would rest."
Even where fanaticism forbids open preach-
ing, the opportunities for medical mission work
among Moslems are unprecedented because there
is a demand for Christian physicians on the
part of Moslems themselves, and, of all the
methods adopted by Christian missions in Mos-
lem lands, none have been more successful in
breaking down prejudice and bringing large
numbers of people under the sound of the Gos-
pel. The work at Sheikh Othman, Busrah, Medical
and Bahrein in Arabia, at Quetta in Balu- Missions
chistan, and at Tanta in Egypt are examples.
Regarding the latter place, Dr. Anna Watson
reports that ninety per cent of the cases treated
are Moslem women who come from villages
scattered far and wide, untouched by any other
missionary agency. The medical missionary
carries a passport of mercy which will gain
admission for the truth everywhere. All the
vast unoccupied territory in the Mohammedan
world is waiting for the pioneer medical mis-
sionary, man or woman.
142
MOSLEM LANDS
Education In many Moslem lands also there are unpre-
cedented opportunities for educational work.
The spread of the New-Islam, the increase of
journalism, the political ambitions of Pan-
Islamism l and the march of civilization are all
uniting to produce a desire for higher education.
Then there is the world-wide opportunity
even in the most difficult fields for the distri-
bution of the Word of God among Moslems
by colporteurs and missionaries. Not without
reason does the Koran always speak of Chris-
tians and Jews as "the people of the Book."
Ours is the opportunity to prove it by carrying
the Book to every Moslem in the world. We
can safely leave the verdict on the Book to the
Moslem himself. In 1905 there were issued
from the Christian presses at Constantinople
and Beirut, in languages read by Mohammedans,
over fifty million pages of Christian literature.
A Trumpet-Call from Algiers. The power
A Trumpet- of prevailing prayer must be applied to this
mighty problem. And who can better call us,
at the end of our study, to this service for
the King than one of His faithful soldiers in
Algiers, who is giving her life to this conflict.
Miss Lillian L. Trotter writes :
"A few years ago all was dormant: the Church
acquiesced in the fact that Missions to Mohammedans
were a barren affair, and the powers of hell were satisfied
1 See articles on this subject in the North American
Review for June, 1906, and in the Nineteenth Century for
October, 1906, by Archibald R. Colquhoun and Professor
Vambery.
The Press
Call
WORK THAT REMAINS TO BE DONE 143
with her decision. There was therefore nothing to fight
over; and the tiny band of sappers and miners at the
front could only plod away doggedly, often for years
together, without the impetus of seeing a skirmish, let
alone a victory.
" Now, some of the most far-sighted of God's servants The Battle
tell us that the Moslem question may be the very crux is on
of the whole battle in non-Christian lands ; and the throb
of faith at home pulses to one after another on the field.
" And the result of growing faith and prayer is this :
the Prince of Darkness has already felt its touch, and
has moved; that is an immense point gained. We
have drawn the enemy's fire. In a vantage-ground
which he has held in massive, motionless power for
ages, he would not move unless forced : mental inertia,
spiritual torpor, were the spell he has used in Moslem
lands. To allow this spell to be broken by a breath of
active resistance, such as the rally of Pan Islam shows,
means a change of tactics. Such resistance is the first
phase of victory.
"The powers against us have accepted our challenge. The Chal-
Praise God ! Their counter-challenge is the clearest call lenge Ac-
to our faith to press on. In the late war the Japanese ce P te< *
were storming an all but impregnable fort, falling in
crowds in the trench, as they knew how to fall ; and the
pile of bodies rose higher and higher up the glacis.
Suddenly for one instant the Japanese flag waved at the
summit only for one instant, before the bearer was
cut down. But all had seen it. Where the flag had
swung for a moment was its place. Over the backs of
the dead, on the shoulders of the living, the host swarmed
in one great onset that overpowered the defenders, and
the flag rose to stay.
"We have seen the flag wave; we have seen that
Christ can save Moslems. It may be that in many cases
it has seemed but a hardly earned, momentary victory,
scarcely worth calling by the name. Shall not that very
fact fire us, as it fired those Japanese heroes? for that
Christ has had the least foretaste of His triumph in a
crucial point like this, is a challenge to His soldiers to
144 MOSLEM LANDS
Shall we make it good. Shall we not fling ourselves up the glacis
Win? in a reckless passion of loyalty a passion that shall
make giving, or praying, or going, a mere easing of our
hearts, if only we may have our share in the setting up
His banner on the hardesi^to-be-won of the enemy's
fortresses ? "
HELPS FOR LEADERS
Lesson Aim :
To show something of the perplexing difficulties and
dimensions of the Mohammedan Problem and to give a
clear idea of the vast regions and populations still un-
touched. Or the lesson can be used to set forth the need
of many more especially qualified missionaries for pio-
neer work in Moslem lands.
Scripture Lesson :
Matt. 28 : 16-20 ; Rev. 19 : 11-21 ; Gen. 21 : 14-20.
Suggestive Questions :
1. What is the total area of the Moslem lands still
wholly unoccupied by missions ?
2. Mention the chief difficulties in work for Moslems
under Turkish rule ? Under British rule in Egypt ?
3. What are the opportunities for medical missions
in Afghanistan, Bokhara, Turkestan, western Arabia?
4. What opportunities are there for literary work on
behalf of the Mohammedans of China?
5. What opportunities are there for women as medi-
cal missionaries in the following cities : Hyderabad,
Kabul, Bagdad, Sanaa, Fez, Timbuktu, Muscat?
6. What Bible promises are there for the final and
complete success of missions in Moslem lands? (Zwe-
mer's " Arabia," pp. 396-407.
7. Which large denominations in America have no
missionary work whatever among Moslems ?
8. Mention seven Mohammedan objections to Chris-
tianity or the Gospel.
9. What is the relation between the national move-
ment in Egypt and Pan-Islamism ?
10. Write out a brief missionary prayer for the needs
of unoccupied Moslem lands.
WOEK THAT REMAINS TO BE DONE 145
BIBLIOGRAPHY
In addition to several of the books given in previous
chapters and standard books of travel on the unoccupied
fields, the following are suggested :
W. St. Clair Tisdall, " A Manual of the Leading Mo-
hammedan Objections to Christianity." London, 1904.
"Islam and Christianity," Anon. (Most Interesting
Letters by a Lady Missionary.) American Tract Society,
1903.
" Sweet First Fruits." (A story.) Translated from
the Arabic by Sir William Muir. London, 1893.
" Methods of Mission Work among Moslems." Flem-
ing H. Revell Co., New York, 1906. (Report of Cairo
Conference and discussions.)
Nay lor, " Unoccupied Mission Fields in Africa," in The
Missionary Review, March, 1906.
Karl Kumm, " The Call of the Sudan," in The Mission-
ary Review, January, 1907.
Karl Kumm, " The Sudan." London, 1907.
Colonel G. Wingate, " Unevangelized Regions in Cen-
tral Asia," in The Missionary Review of the World, May,
1907.
Harlan P. Beach, " Geography and Atlas of Protestant
Missions." See pp. 493-515 in the Geography.
SOME RECENT ARTICLES ON MOHAMMEDAN
LANDS AND WORK IN THE MISSIONARY
REVIEW OF THE WORLD.
Islam and Christian Missions, Rev. Jas. S. Dennis, D.D.,
August, 1889.
A Glimpse of Moslem Homes, Rev. Geo. E. Post, De-
cember, 1901.
Notes on Islam in India, James Monro, May, 1903.
The Malay Archipelago, H. Grattan Guinness, D.D.,
May, 1898.
Moslem Women, Mrs. S. G. W r ilson, December, 1901.
Islam in Persia, Rev. S. Lawrence W r ard, May, 1903.
Signs of the Times in Islam, Henry Otis Dwight, LL.D.,
November, 1903.
146 MOSLEM LANDS
The Effort to Reform Islam, Mohammed Sarfaraz Khan,
August, 1902.
The Moslem Attitude toward Christian Missions in the
Holy Land, Rev. Arthur J. Brown, D.D., December,
1902.
In Darkest Morocco, George C. Reed, June, 1902.
The Gospel in North Africa, Rev. John Rutherfurd, B.D.,
June, 1893.
Christian Forces at Work in the Turkish Empire, Rev.
Edward Riggs, D.D., October, 1901.
Fifteen Years of Progress in Egypt, Rev. J. K. Giffen,
October, 1904.
A Mohammedan View of the Mohammedan World,
Anon., October, 1899.
A Saint in Sumatra (Hester Needham), January, 1900.
The Gospel in Persia, Rev. W. St. Clair Tisdall, M.A.,
October, 1898.
An Appeal for Hadramaut, Arabia, Rev. S. M. Zwemer,
October, 1902.
The Revival of Islam, Canon Edward Sell, D.D., Octo-
ber, 1902.
How to Win Moslems for Christ, various authors, Octo-
ber, 1904.
The Normal State of Affairs in Turkey, Its Bearing on
Missionary Work, Anon., October, 1904.
Open Doors in Oman, Arabia, Rev. S. M. Zwemer, May,
1901.
How Abd-ul-Hamid II. became the Great Assassin, Octo-
ber, 1898.
Babism The Latest Revolt from Islam, October, 1898.
ILLUSTRATIVE SELECTIONS
A Moslem " Endless Chain Letter." The following
curious epistle was brought to West Africa and into the
Gold Coast Colony by a pilgrim from Mecca, and is now
being passed from hand to hand among the people. It
attracts much attention. Whoever reads it is expected to
pass it on to his next friend, or to copy it and hand it on
to several. The people, like those who receive u endless
WORK THAT REMAINS TO BE DONE 147
chain " letters in this country, feel constrained to send
the document on, because the letter insists that they may
not break the chain :
"In the name of God, the Merciful and Compas-
sionate :
" Blessed be Mohammed, his family and his people, on
whom with all holy prophets may peace rest.
" This letter is written for all true believers living on
the west of the desert. It comes from the holy men of
Mecca, who seek to follow the paths of righteousness,
from the disciples of the holy Abd ul Kadir, to whom be
glory forever, and from those who walk in the footsteps
of Abd Illahi and Abd-ur-Rahman. 1
" Take heed to its contents.
" During his long sleep our Lord Mohammed has seen
that our world and all that is in it will certainly be de-
stroyed.
" We beseech Thee, O Almighty God, for the sake of
Mohammed and his family, save us ! ... (Here follow
promises and threats to accept Islam.)
"In conclusion : Whoever receives this letter must
needs pass it on to another district under pain of hell
fire. Before long the gate of repentance will shut itself
forever. Repent ! The day of Judgment is near !
Fast; give alms; pray. Whoever reads this letter to his
brother shall be rewarded for it; paradise shall be his
portion ; in the Day of Judgment he shall not be judged.
Whoever, on the other hand, neglects to do it, shall be
sent with the idolaters into the seventh hell. Pray;
fast ; and pay tithes, without which you will not be re-
ceived into paradise. God will not disappoint those who
follow His paths. It is finished." Condensed from
The Missionary Review of the World, September, 1905.
Our Duty. "The Church must awake to her duty
towards Islam. Who will wake her and keep her
awake, unless it be those who have heard the chal-
lenge of Islam, and who, going out against her, have
1 These are names of saints of the Dervish orders.
148 MOSLEM LANDS
found her armour decayed, her weapons antiquated, and
her children, though proud and reticent, still unhappy ;
stationary or retrogressive in a day of progress and life.
Happy are we to have a share in this great movement.
Woe unto us if we are timid and fearful, on the one hand,
or tactless and imprudent, on the other. We are those
who need wisdom and zeal the wisdom that will do
nothing unwise, the zeal that will not let wisdom be so
cautious as to do nothing." ROBERT E. SPEER.
Why the Gospel is a "Hard Saying "to Moslems. "The
manifold and irksome ceremonies that constitute part of
the daily life of a Mohammedan, not only mean a return
to that bondage from which mature man should be free,
but they are thought to constitute an obligation to be
repaid by the Deity. The fact that a Mohammedan will
probably have performed them regularly from boyhood,
constitutes a serious bar to missionary effort ; for it turns
him who would fain bring good tidings into a messenger
of bad news. His message is that all this credit is imagi-
nary ; the sum amassed by such long exertions does not
exist. Go and tell the bankers in Lombard Street that
the gold coin in their vaults and those of the Bank of
England is all counterfeit ; that the slightest test will ex-
pose it; that in a few days or hours no one will give
commodities in exchange for it. He who brought such a
message now would simply incur ridicule ; for the owners
of the coin could immediately convince themselves that
the tale was false. But supposing that they knew in their
secret hearts that it was true ; that they dare not go down
into the vaults or test the coin, for fear it should show
base color ; that numerous incidents coming into their
memory all confirmed the news. What in that case
would happen to such a messenger? Even to-day he
would not be safe from pistol or dagger.
"And it is precisely such a message as that which the
Christian missionary brings to those who all their lives
have supposed that the five daily prayers, and the fasting
month, and the pilgrimage to Mecca, are the service
which God desires. They have to be told that all this is
WORK THAT REMAINS TO BE DONE 149
of no value ; that what God requires of them is something
very different, and far less flattering to their vanity ; and
that even so, what their discharge of it will represent is
not assets, but a deficit. < When ye have done all, say,
" We are unprofitable servants." '
" And if the message of the Gospel be in any case that of
bankruptcy before it can tell of the greater and truer riches,
what must be the character of the message to those whose
lives have been spent in discussing the minutiae of those
childish rites, and whose profession is thought to be the
most honourable that a man can follow ? Truly it can
only be the grace of God that makes the blind to see and
the deaf to hear." PROFESSOR MARGOLIOUTH, of Ox-
ford, rn the C. M. S. Intelligencer.
THE LOST SHEEP OF THE HOUSE OF ISHMAEL
" ' O tender Shepherd, climbing rugged mountains,
And wading waters deep,
How long would'st Thou be willing to go homeless
To find a straying sheep ? '
" ' 1 count no time,' the Shepherd gently answered,
' As thou dost count and bind
The days in weeks, the weeks in months ; My
counting
Is just until I find.
" l And that would be the limit of My journey.
I'd cross the waters deep,
And climb the hillsides with unfailing patience
Until I found My sheep.' "
Selected.
" Ask and Ye shall Receive." " Let us have another
triumph of prayer. If the Church of Christ will march
around this mighty fortress of the Mohammedan faith,
sounding her silver trumpets of prayer, it will not be long
before, by some intervention of divine power, it will be
overthrown. Let it be one of the watchwords of the
150 MOSLEM LANDS
Church, that Christ, the Child of the Orient, and the divine
Heir of her tribes and kingdoms, shall possess His inherit-
ance. The Moslem world shall be open to the gracious
entrance of the Saviour and the triumphs of the Gospel.
The spell of twelve centuries shall be broken. That voice
from the Arabian desert shall no longer say to the Church
of the living God, Thus far and no farther. The deep
and sad delusion which shadows the intellectual and
spiritual life of so many millions of our fellow-men shall
be dispelled, and the blessed life-giving power of Christ's
religion shall supplant all the dead forms and the out-
worn creed of Islam." JAMES S. DENNIS, D.D.
Men Wanted. "We need the best men the Qhurch
can afford men who, in the spirit of Henry Martyn,
Isidor Loewenthal, Ion Keith Falconer, Bishop French,
Peter Zwemer, and many others gone to their reward,
hold not their lives dear ; men who carry the burden
of these millions of Moslems upon their hearts, and
with Abraham of old cry out: O, that Ishmael might
live before thee ! " EDWARD MORRIS WHERRY.
An Appeal. " The number of Moslem women is so
vast not less than one hundred million that any
adequate effort to meet the need must be on a scale far
wider than has ever yet been attempted.
" We do not suggest new organizations, but that every
church and Board of Missions at present working in
Moslem lands should take up their own women's branch
of the work with an altogether new ideal before them, de-
termining to reach the whole world of Moslem women in
this generation. Each part of the women's work being
already carried on needs to be widely extended. Trained
and consecrated women doctors, trained and consecrated
women teachers, groups of women workers in the villages,
an army of those with love in their hearts to seek and
save the lost. And with the willingness to take up this
burden, so long neglected, for the salvation of Mohamme-
dan women, even though it may prove a very Cross of
Calvary to some of us, we shall hear our Master's voice
afresh, with ringing words of encouragment : ' Have faith
WORK THAT REMAINS TO BE DONE 151
in God ; for verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say
unto this mountain, " Be thou removed, and be thou cast
into the sea," and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall
believe that these things which he saith shall come to pass,
he shall have whatsoever he saith/" Appeal of the
Women Delegates at the Cairo Conference.
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF SOME IMPOR-
TANT EVENTS IN THE HISTORY OF ISLAM
AND MISSIONS TO MOSLEMS
A.D.
570. Birth of Mohammed at Mecca.
595. Yemen passes under Persian rule.
610. Mohammed begins his prophetic career.
622. The Hegira or flight of Mohammed from Mecca
to Medina. (A.H. 1.)
623. Battle of Bedr.
624. Battle of Ohod.
628. Reputed mission of Abi Kabsha to China.
630. Mecca entered and conquered.
632. Death of Mohammed. Abu Bekr, first Caliph.
634. Omar Caliph. Jews and Christians expelled from
Arabia.
636. Capture of Jerusalem by the Caliph Omar.
637. Conquest of Syria.
638. Kufa and Busrah founded.
640. Capture of Alexandria by Omar.
642. Conquest of Persia.
644. Othman Caliph.
661. Ali assassinated. Hassan becomes Caliph.
711. Tarik crosses the straits from Africa to Europe,
and calls the mountain, Jebel Tarik = Gibraltar.
711. Mohammed Kasim overruns Sindh (India) in the
name of Walid I. of Damascus.
732. Battle of Tours. Europe saved from Islam.
742. First mosque built in North China.
754. Mansur.
756-1258. Abbasid Caliphs at Bagdad.
786. Haroun er-Rashid Caliph of Bagdad.
153
154 MOSLEM LANDS
A.D.
809. Amin.
813. Mamun.
833. Motasim. Islam spread in Transoxania.
847. Mutawakkel.
889. Rise of Carmathian sect.
930. Carmathians take Mecca and carry away the .Black
Stone to Katif.
1000. Islam invades India from the North.
1005. Preaching of Sheikh Ismail at Lahore, India.
1019. Mahmud Ghazni, champion of Islam in India.
1037-1300. Seljuk Turks.
1055. Togrul Beg at Bagdad.
1063. Alp Arslan, Seljukian Turkish Prince.
1077. Timbuktu founded. Islam in western Sudan.
1096-1272. The Crusades.
1169-1193. Saladin.
1176-1206. Mohammed Ghori conquers Bengal.
1276. Islam introduced into Malacca.
1299-1326. Reign of Othman, founder of Ottoman
dynasty.
1305. Preaching and spread of Islam in the Deccan.
1315. Raymund Lull, first missionary to Moslems, stoned
to death at Bugia, Tunis.
1330. Institution of the Janissaries.
1353. First entrance of the Turks into Europe.
1369-1405. Tamerlane.
1389. Islam begins to spread in Servia.
1398. Tamerlane invades India.
1450. Missionary activity of Islam in Java begins.
1453. Capture of Constantinople by Mohammed II.
1492. Discovery of America. End of Moslem rule in
Spain by defeat of Boabdil at Grenada.
1500. Spread of Islam in Siberia.
1507. The Portuguese take Muscat.
1517. Selim I. conquers Egypt and wrests caliphate from
Arab line of Koreish for Ottoman sultans.
1525-1707. Mogul Empire in India.
1538. Suleiman the Magnificent takes Aden by treachery.
1540. Beginning of Turkish rule in Yemen.
1556. Akbar the Great rules in India.
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE 155
A.D.
1603. Islam enters Celebes and New Guinea.
1627. Shah Jehan, Mogul ruler in India.
1630. Arabs drive out Turks from Yemen.
1659-1707. Aurangzeb in India.
1683. Final check of Turks at gates of Vienna by John
Sobieski, king of Poland, September 12. Eastern
Europe saved from Islam rule.
1691. Mohammed bin Abd ul Wahab born.
1739-1761. Afghan Mohammed invasion of India and
sack of Delhi.
1740-1780. Wahabi reform spreads over all southern and
central Arabia except Oman.
1757. Battle of Plassey. British Empire in India.
1801. Wahabi s invade Bagdad vilayet and sack Kerbela.
1803. Mecca taken by the Wahabis.
1806. Henry Martyn reaches India.
1820-1847. British treaties with Moslem chiefs in Per-
sian Gulf.
1820. Levi Parsons and Pliny Fiske, first missionaries
from America, reach Smyrna.
1822. American Mission Press founded in Malta.
1826. C. M. S. attempt a mission in Egypt.
1827. Dr. Eli Smith begins translation of Arabic Bible.
1839. Aden bombarded by British fleet and taken.
1857. Indian (Sepoy) Mutiny.
1356. End of Crimean War. Treaty of Paris.
1858. Bombardment of Jiddah by the British.
1860. Civil war in the Lebanon s. Dr. Van Dyck's trans-
lation of Arabic N. T. issued.
1863. Syrian Protestant College founded.
1866. First Girls' Boarding School, Cairo.
1869. Corner-stone laid of Roberts College.
1870. Second Turkish invasion of Yemen.
1875. C. M. S. begin mission work in Persia.
1878. Treaty of Berlin. Independence of Bulgaria.
England occupies Cyprus.
1879. Royal Niger Company founded. (Britain in
Africa.)
1881. Rise of the Mahdi near Khartum.
1882. Massacre of Europeans at Alexandria.
156 MOSLEM LANDS
A. D.
1882. British occupation of Egypt. C. M. S. Mission.
1883. Defeat of Anglo-Egyptian forces to the Mahdi.
1883. Mission work began at Bagdad.
1885. Fall of Khartum. Murder of Gordon.
1885. Keith Falconer Mission began at Aden.
1889. The (American) Arabian Mission organized.
1889. Mahdi invasion of Egypt.
1890. Anglo-French protectorate over Sahara.
1891. Bishop French died at Muscat, May 14.
1892. French annex Dahomey and conquer Timbuktu.
1893. Mirza Ibrahim martyred in Persia.
1894. Anglo-French-German delimitation of Sudan.
1895. Rebellion of Arabs against the Turks in Yemen.
1895. Great Armenian Massacres.
1896. Massacre at Harpoot.
1898. Fall of the Mahdi. Occupation of the Sudan.
1900. British Protectorate declared over Nigeria and
Hausa-land.
1906. The Algeciras Conference regarding Morocco.
1906. The first general Missionary Conference on behalf
of the Mohammedan world held at Cairo.
Condensed from " Islam a Challenge to Faith."
SIAM
BY
THE REV. ARTHUR JUDSON BROWK, D.D.
AUTHOR OF
44 NEW FORCES IN OLD CHINA," "THE NEW ERA IN THE
PHILIPPINES," u TiiE FOREIGN MISSIONARY,"
AND
WHY AND How OF FOREIGN MISSIONS"
CHAPTER V
SIAM
THE COUNTRY
SIAM is an irregularly shaped country, the Siam
main part of which lies between the twelfth
and twenty-first parallels of latitude, but which
sends a long peninsula southward to within
four degrees of the equator. It is bounded on
the north by the British Shan States and the
French Tong King; on the east by Anam and
Cambodia, also French; on the south by the
Gulf of Siam and the Federated Malay States
(British); and on the west by the Indian
Ocean and British Burma. Except, therefore,
for a part of the peninsula, the country is com-
pletely hemmed in by the French and British,
'though there is a coast-line on the Gulf of Siam
and Indian Ocean of 1760 miles. Siam has lost
considerable territory to France in recent years,
but the country is still far from being insignifi-
cant in size. It is 1130 miles long, 508 miles
wide along the fifteenth parallel, and the area
is 220,000 square miles. In other words, it is
about as large as Japan and Korea combined,
larger than Germany, and about equal to the
combined area of the American States of New
York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, Dela-
ware, Maryland, and all six of the New Eng-
land States.
159
160 SIAM
Climate The climate is tropical. The writer was in
Siam in the late fall and winter, which are
called " the cool, healthy season." The condi-
tions, however, were about those of an Ameri-
can July. The nights were fairly cool, and on a
few exceptional mornings the thermometer fell
to 56 degrees ; but on seven typical January
days, the midday heat averaged 70 in the shade
and 136 in the sun. The Laos " cool season "
is about that of a New York May a decided
improvement on the midsummer " winter " of
Siam. Cholera, which is always present in
Bangkok, occurs only in rare, sporadic cases in
Chieng Mai, and then only as the result of
infection from Lower Siam, while dysentery
is more infrequent than in China. The cool
season, however, is short. Malarial fever is
common, as it is everywhere in southern Asia,
and the isolation begets in some persons a lone-
liness which is more trying than disease.
The climate is not bad, however, for the
tropics, and the most dreaded diseases result
from causes which a missionary can ordinarily
avoid. The general health of the missionaries
in Siam and Laos has been about as good as
that of missionaries in China, though more
frequent furloughs are necessary. Dr. Dean
wrote at the age of nearly fourscore : " Do not
represent the climate of Siam as insalubrious.
People die here ; so they do everywhere else,
except in heaven. The report that Siam is un-
healthful is a libel on the climate." The best
season for the visitor is between the first of
THE COUNTRY 161
October and the middle of February. From
the latter date to May is the hottest and un-
healthiest season. Moreover, until the comple-
tion of the railway, Laos could not be visited
in these months on account of low water in the
Me Nam and Me Ping rivers. From June
to October, heavy rains and inundated roads
render travel unhealthful and impracticable.
We may add that there are no inns in Laos, so
that the traveller should provide himself with a
tent and camp equipage.
Physically, the northern part of Siam is Physical
greatly diversified. It is a land of mountains Ge s ra P h y
and valleys and rushing streams, one of the
most beautiful regions in the world. The cen-
tral and southern part is more level, a vast
area being occupied by the broad, flat valley
and delta of the Me Nam River. This mighty
stream is fed by many smaller ones, which rise
among the mountains of Laos. At Paknampo
it receives the waters of the largest of its tribu-
taries, the Me Ping. The Me Nam is the great
highway of Siam, and for centuries has been
the only means of communication between the
north and the south. It is navigable, at high
water, for light-draught steamers as far as
Paknampo, and for some distance above that
point by launches. In the dry season, how-
ever, the water becomes so shallow that only
the small native boats can be used. East of the
Me Nam valley there is an elevated plateau.
The other great river, the Me Kawng, runs
along the eastern boundary of Siam. This
162 SIAM
also is a very long stream, but its course is
broken by so many rapids and obstructions
that it is not navigable. The southern penin-
sula is traversed almost its entire length by a
mountain range of moderate height, although
there are spacious grassy tracts near the coast.
Generally speaking, we may characterize the
northern part of Siam as a hill country ; the
eastern part as a table-land ; the central part as
an alluvial plain ; and the southern part as a
mountainous peninsula.
Flora The soil is, for the most part, exceedingly
rich. The tropical climate and abundant rain-
fall nourish a prolific vegetation, except on
the eastern table-land, which is not so well
watered. The delta of the Me Nam is clothed
with a dense growth of tall jungle grasses and
bushes. In the north, and also on the peninsula,
there are vast forests, which include some rare
and valuable woods. The chief part of the
world's supply of teak comes from here, and
British trading companies have agents all
through this region, getting out this greatly
prized lumber under concessions from the gov-
ernment.
Everywhere one sees palms of many varieties,
and almost every imaginable kind of tropical
plants, vines, and flowers.
Products The staple products of the country are lumber
in the north, tin in the Malay Peninsula, where
some of the greatest tin mines of the world are
located; rice in the valleys, particularly on the
rich delta of the Me Nam; and everywhere, in
THE PEOPLE 163
unlimited quantities, bananas, cocoanuts, limes,
yams, and other tropical and semi-tropical fruits
and vegetables.
The chief exports are rice, teak, and tin, and Exports and
the chief imports, we are sorry to note, are wine, Im P rts -
beer, spirits, and opium. Siam thus gives to
the Christian world better products than she
receives.
THE PEOPLE
The native inhabitants of Siam belong to the Races
Tai (or Shan) race, whose original home was
in central and southern China. They were not
Chinese, being more nearly allied to the Aryan
races of India than to the Mongolian. They
probably retreated before the stronger Chinese.
They are now scattered over the whole Indo-
Chinese Peninsula. Dialectic differences sub-
divide this race as follows :
1. Eastern Shan (or Tai): those living in the
territory drained by the Me Kawng River
and the northern tributaries of the Me Nam
River.
2. Western Shan (or Tai) : those living in the
territory drained by the Salween and
Irrawaddy rivers.
3. Siamese (or southern Tai): those living in
southern Siam.
NOTE. The word " Tai " is used by all of these peoples
when giving the name of their race. It means "free."
" Shan " is the English equivalent of a Burmese word to des-
ignate the people of the Tai race. The local terms used are
legion; e.g. " Tai Nua" (northern Tai), those living in
southwest China; "Lem," those living in Muang Lem;
164
SIAM
"Chao Yawng," those living in Muang Yawng ; " Chao
Chieng Mai," those living in Chieng Mai; "Lao," those
living in Luang Prabang and adjoining provinces ; Lii-Kun-
Yuen, etc. The word "Laos" is from "Lao," the term
applied by the Siamese to all those classified under subdivi-
sion 1.
Population It is not easy to get accurate statistics of
population, as Asiatics are not as particular
as Americans in taking a census, and usually
count only the men and guess at the women
and children. The best estimate is 6,070,000.
The population is far from being homogene-
ous. The table given notes only the subdivi-
sions of the Tai race. The following table
gives the other elements of the population, the
Laos being included for statistical purposes :
Siamese 1,766,000
Chinese 1,400,000
Laos 1,350,000
Malays 753,000
Cambodians and Annamites .... 490,000
Mons 130,000
Karens 130,000
Shans (chiefly Western Shans from Burma) . 46,000
A few minor tribes and a small number of
Europeans and Americans .... 5,000
6,070,000
Physical
Characteris-
tics
The Siamese are, of course, the dominant
race. They are about medium in height and
physical development, brown in color, with
straight black hair, cut short, slightly flattened
nose, and eyes not so oblique as those of the
Chinese and Japanese.
THE PEOPLE 165
The Laos-speaking people extend from The People
Utradit on the south to Chieng Hoong on the of Laos
north, and from the Nam Ur River on the east
to the Salween-Me Kawng watershed on the
west. They overflow these boundaries on all
four sides, but beyond them they shade off
rapidly into other tribes, so that for practical
purposes the limits named are approximately
correct. With the exception of a small number
of Burmese Shans who are scattered among
them, the Laos have practically exclusive pos-
session of this extensive area. As we have
already noted, there are 1,350,000 of these
people in northern Siam, but there are several
hundred thousand more in French territory
east of the Cambodia and several hundred
thousand others in British territory in the Shan
States. They differ from the Siamese in lan-
guage, dress, and many customs and characteris-
tics. The missionaries among them insist that
they are superior to the Siamese in intelligence
and character. Politically, however, the latter
appear to have no difficulty in maintaining their
supremacy. The author found the Laos the
most attractive people in Asia. They are clean,
speaking comparatively of course, kindly, in-
telligent, and far more responsive to new reli-
gious teaching than the Siamese.
The Chinese, next to the Siamese, are the Chinese
most numerous race in Siam. They are to be
found all over the country. The Bangkok re-
turns for the poll-tax in 1900 gives 65,345
adult males for that city alone. It is difficult
166 SIAM
to give exact figures anywhere, for the Chinese
have been coming to Siam for so long a period
and have intermarried with the natives to such
an extent that a large part of the population
now contains more or less Chinese blood. The
King himself is said to be part Chinese. The
blending of races is very noticeable in the mis-
sion schools, a majority of the scholars usually
having some Chinese blood. The queue is
everywhere in evidence, being often worn by
those who are only a quarter Chinese, partly
because the Chinese in Siam are recognized as
the strongest and wealthiest element in the
country, partly because the law, instead of dis-
criminating against them, really favors them
by exempting them from certain burdens which
bear heavily upon the Siamese. As in Burma
and the Philippine Islands, the Chinese almost
absolutely control the trade of the kingdom.
Every arriving steamer brings scores and some-
times hundreds from Canton, Swatow, Foochow,
and Hainan, while in Laos the Yunnanese
traders are to be seen in every important town.
These Chinese immigrants are introducing a
more virile strain into the blood of Siam. They
bring a stronger fibre, greater skill and energy
and persistence, and by their intermarriage with
the Siamese are in a measure communicating
these qualities to them.
Other Races The other elements of the population need not
detain us, further than to note that the Cambodi-
ans and Annamites have crossed the Me Kawng
River from their original home and, like the
THE PEOPLE 167
Chinese, readily mingle with, the Siamese, and
that the Malays are chiefly to be found in the
south and on the Malay Peninsula.
The Siamese lack the persistence and Indus- Charac-
try of the Chinese. Here, as in Burma and the teristic s
Philippines, a tropical climate begets indolence,
and reduces wants to a degree which prolific
nature readily supplies. It is therefore not sur-
prising that people take life easily. They need
but little clothing in their warm climate, and no
fuel except for cooking. Fish are easily caught
in the sea and the innumerable streams. The
banana, cocoanut, betel, mango, pomelo, or-
ange, jackfruit, and lime grow with little or no
cultivation, while the simplest tillage suffices for
abundant yields of rice and vegetables. As for
a house, one can be built of the ever-present
bamboo and thatched with attap in a couple of
days and at practically no cost.
The population is so small for the area of the Distribution
country that there is no such struggle for exist-
ence as that which developed the vigor of the
Pilgrim Fathers on the rocky hillsides of New
England, or of the Chinese on those densely pop-
ulated plains where the individual must toil
alertly and incessantly or starve. The bitter
poverty of China and Korea is unknown in Siam.
The typical Siamese is sleek and well-fed, and
he wears more gold and silver ornaments than
any other native of Asia, even naked urchins
playing in the streets being adorned with solid
silver anklets, wristlets, and necklaces.
In these circumstances, we marvel not that
168 SIAM
Extraordi- the people are so backward, but that they are so
nary Ad- forward, and that they have made improvements
which cannot be paralleled in any other Asi-
atic country except Japan. In China, Korea,
and the Philippines, there are improvements
where foreigners have made them. But in
Chieng Mai we were driven for hours over roads
which were an amazement and a delight after
the ridges and hollows which are euphemisti-
cally called roads in China. At Pitsanuloke,
250 miles from Bangkok, the neat whitewashed
picket fences lining the river for more than a
mile, the well-kept lawns of the public build-
ings, and the residences of the officials would
greatly surprise a traveller who had expected
to find barbarians in this interior region of
Siam. At Ke Kan, where we stopped for the
night, there is not a single foreigner, but we
strolled for a long distance on a level, beauti-
fully shaded, though narrow, street along the
river bank. We saw a sign bearing the word
" Post-office " in English, Siamese, and Chinese.
We passed a telegraph office, and on the ve-
randa of the magistrate's residence we saw two
bicycles. One Sunday we camped near a ham-
let in the heart of a mighty forest, about as far
from civilization, one might suppose, as it would
be easy to get. But in the police station we
found a telephone connecting with the telegraph
office in Chieng Mai, so that, though we were
12,000 miles away from home and 600 miles in
the interior of Farther India, we could have
flashed a message to any point in Europe or
THE PEOPLE 169
America. The government postal, system, in-
augurated in 1884, now extends all over the
country, and in the correspondence of a dozen
years with the missionaries in various parts of
Siam and Laos, letters have seldom miscarried.
The police stations are models of neatness Police
spotlessly white buildings in well-kept grounds,
adorned with carefully tended flower beds and
potted plants. A new system of accounts and
auditing is reducing to order the hitherto hope-
lessly confused finances of the country. A
Bureau of Forestry has stopped the prodigal
wastefulness of timber lands. Legal procedure
is being reformed, so that an accused man can
now obtain justice in the courts. The prisons
are being remodelled. We inspected one in Siam
and one in Laos, and found clean, well-fed pris-
oners in roomy, well-ventilated wards. Free
public schools have been opened all over the Schools
land, and several have good buildings, foreign
desks, and an abundance of maps, though the
teachers are inferior to those in mission schools.
A royal decree, dated February, 1899, made
Sunday a legal holiday. It is not strictly ob-
served, but it can hardly be more of a dead let-
ter than similar laws in some parts of America
and Europe. Telephones are numerous in
Bangkok. Trolley cars run through the streets.
An electric-light plant illuminates the King's
palace. Manufacturing motors and automobiles
are coming into use, and thirteen of the twenty-
six steam rice mills of the city have their own
electric plants, as have also the Bangkok Dock
170
SIAM
Company, two forts, five naval vessels, and the
navy yard.
Bicycles A few missionaries brought their bicycles
with them. The Siamese were keenly inter-
ested, and when, in 1896, an American dentist
imported several wheels to sell, they were
quickly bought. Now there are 3000 wheels
in Bangkok alone. The King frequently rides
one, and the Minister of the Interior is presi-
dent of a bicycle club of 400 members. Chieng
Mai, Laos, is said to have more in proportion
to the population than any other city in the
country.
Railroads Three railroads are in operation, one a narrow-
gauge from Bangkok to Paknam, another a broad-
gauge of 163 miles from Bangkok to Korat, and
the third from Bangkok to Petchaburi. Most
important of all is a trunk-line from Bangkok
to Lakawn, Laos. It was projected many years
ago, but the Siamese are not persistent, and the
construction might have been delayed indefi-
nitely if the Shan rebellion of 1902 had not
rudely reminded the government that its valu-
able possessions in the north might be seriously
jeopardized long before a Siamese army could
march 600 miles over a roadless country, or be
poled in boats up a shallow river. Since then,
construction has been pushed with all speed,
and the line is now in operation over half way.
Soon the tedious river journey of six weeks
it once took Dr. Wilson 108 days will be
cut down to two days. The resultant changes
can be easily imagined. Everywhere tickets,
THE PEOPLE 171
signs, and notices are printed in English and
Siamese.
The younger Siamese are eager to learn, and Desire for
they not only flock to the mission schools, but Education
numbers of the more ambitious go to Europe.
Some have gone to Germany, Denmark, and
Russia, but most of them have preferred Eng-
land. Several of the famous English schools
and universities usually have one or more Siam-
ese students. There are a few in the United
States, two having recently been enrolled in a
Western university.
It is significant that Siamese students abroad
have no difficulty in maintaining equality with
foreigners in the class room. Mr. Verney says
that when they first went to the famous Harrow
School in England, the Head Master said to him :
" You are trying an extraordinary experiment in Character
sending young Siamese to Harrow, and you are
wonderfully sanguine in supposing that they
can adapt themselves to our public school life;"
but shortly before his death he spoke of the re-
markable success they had achieved, and said
that there was not a master at Harrow who
would not gladly welcome them to his house.
All this, left without qualification, might give
a wrong impression, for even more than in Japan
foreign civilization is a veneer. It has as yet
no solid basis in character. The real life of the
people has not been so essentially modified as
their modern improvements might lead one to
suppose.
The King is, undoubtedly, next to the Mi-
172 SIAM
Government kado of Japan, the most enlightened and pro-
gressive monarch in Asia, and he has a few
capable men who sympathize with his views
and energetically assist him in executing them,
such as Prince Damrong, Minister of the Inte-
rior ; Prince Devawongse, Minister of Foreign
Affairs, and some of the Commissioners. But
his Majesty and these officials are far in ad-
vance of the rest of the nation. There is 110
middle class to give that substantial support to
reform movements which has been the salvation
of England and America. There are practically
but two classes, the high and the low. The
revolutionary changes have come from above
instead of from beneath, as in Europe, and
they have not penetrated the masses of the
people. The King is simply trying to fasten
the fruits of Christian civilization on to the
dead tree of a Buddhist nation. The effort
should not be criticised. It is well meant, and
it is beneficial so far as it goes. It is unques-
tionably doing much to open up Siam to the
influences of the outside world.
Unstable But no civilization can endure which rests
Foundation on an uns fcable foundation in morals. Has Siam
an unstable foundation ? The most cursory
glance beneath the surface will show that it
has. Home and society are what one might
expect where polygamy and concubinage are
openly recognized. Missionaries find the great-
est difficulty in convincing the native Chris-
tians that immorality is something more than a
venial sin. Boarding schools for girls have to
THE PEOPLE 173
be unceasingly watched, and a great majority
of the cases of discipline in the church are for
violation of the seventh commandment.
While public drunkenness is not conspicu- intemper-
ous, there is a great deal of drinking, and the ance
"Spirit Farmer," who has the government con-
cession for the manufacture and sale of liquor,
is one of the mighty men in every community.
Scotch whiskey, French brandy, and Australian
beer are everywhere. We saw shops with rows
of foreign bottles in the remotest towns, and
several times in Bangkok we read the English
sign : " Place for the Drinking of the Delight-
ful Juice." Some of the Siamese nobles who
were educated abroad have learned not only
European manners but European intemperance,
and one of the highest judges of the land has
died as the result of excessive drinking which
he began in England.
The cigarette and betel nut are universally Smoking
used, not only by men, but by women and chil-
dren. The tobacco is mild and is smoked very
slowly. Our carriers in the jungle would take
two or three puffs and then thrust their cigar-
ettes into holes in the lobes of their ears.
There the cigarettes would remain for an hour
or two, when one would be relighted, puffed a
few times more, and then returned to the ear.
Sometimes our men would carry three half-con-
sumed cigarettes at once, one in each ear and
one at the top of the ear, as an American clerk
carries a pen. Betel-nut chewing so stains the
teeth and lips that it is a disgusting habit to
174
SIAM
Bangkok
Lack of
Sanitation
Population
Roads and
Canals
a foreigner, but the dark-red color is highly
prized by the Siamese, and physicians told me
that the habit is not so deleterious to health
as the tobacco habit in America. Opium
smoking is not common, except among the Chi-
nese. Gambling is the national vice. We
shall refer to this in another connection. The
traveller in Siam quickly learns to love the peo-
ple for their hospitality and good nature, but
he sees indubitable evidences of their need of a
vital regenerative faith.
Bangkok, the capital and chief city of Siam,
lies upon both sides of the Me Nam River,
about twenty miles from the sea. The site is
low and swampy. Nothing but the current of
the river, aided by the tide, keeps the city from
being depopulated by epidemics. The govern-
ment is doing much to lessen the dangers of the
situation by studying prevention and sanitation.
It employs a foreign medical inspector, and it
cooperates with the medical missionaries and
freely adopts their recommendations.
The population is variously estimated. The
American Minister, the Hon. Hamilton King,
says that the population is nearly a million.
Almost all the races and tribes in Siam are
represented, so that the visitor finds the streets
filled with a motley throng.
Some excellent thoroughfares have been laid
out in recent years and others are projected;
but the chief thoroughfare is the river. Its
broad surface is crowded with canoes, launches,
houseboats, and foreign ships, while the splendid
THE PEOPLE 175
private steam yacht of the King and the gun-
boats of the Royal Navy add to the picturesque-
ness of the scene. Numerous creeks and canals
run in on both sides and are used as highways
by innumerable small boats. Bangkok is often
called the Venice of Asia.
Trade and commerce are represented by scores Commerce
of steam rice and saw mills and by thousands of
shops and offices, including several large Eu-
ropean and Chinese firms. Four clubs, three
consulates, nine legations, and the Court of
Siam make the city a centre of social as well
as political activity.
Chief interest naturally attaches to the King's The Palace
palace. The royal enclosure occupies an exten-
sive section of the upper part of the city on the
east side of the river, and includes several
splendid buildings which would grace a Eu-
ropean capital. There are some famous wats,
too, of superb beauty and costly decorations.
One contains the celebrated statue of the sleep-
ing Buddha, another the Emerald Buddha, and
still another several relics of Buddha. A pagoda
with a carpet made of pure silver tape is the
receptacle of a richly inlaid cabinet in which is
preserved with jealous care the sacred Pali
Manuscripts. The Royal Library occupies a
fine building, and contains not only rare Bud-
dhist books in beautiful and expensive bindings,
but many modern books and periodicals in
English.
Every visitor eagerly inquires for " the white White Eie-
elephants " about which so much has been P hants
176 SIAM
written. But disappointment is invariable.
The elephants are not white, except in the eyes,
and a few light-colored spots about the ears and
the top of the head. The rest of the body is
almost as dark as that of an ordinary elephant.
White-eyed elephants, however, are very rare
and are highly prized. They are the exclusive
property of the King, and when a wild one is
caught, it must be sent to the royal stables.
Of the five that we saw, three were so savage
that the keeper would not allow us to touch
them, but the others were very tame, and saluted
us by raising their trunks ; one kneeled and
bowed her head to the ground before us.
Ayuthia Bangkok is the only large city in the country,
but there are several other places of considerable
interest. North of Bangkok is Ayuthia, the
second city of the kingdom. As the ancient
capital, it is a place of historic interest. Ruins
do not last long in a humid, tropical climate,
but the visitor to Ayuthia can still find very
interesting traces of former splendor, including
an old temple and an enormous statue of Bud-
dha, which is famous. A considerable popula-
tion centres in Ayuthia. Indeed, as we travelled
up the Me Nam River in a houseboat, we were
impressed by the fact that, for about 75 miles
from Bangkok, both banks are practically con-
tinuous village streets, while above that point,
villages are numerous away up to Paknampo,
204 miles from the capital.
Korat Korat, at the terminus of the northeastern
branch of the railway, Paknampo at the junction
HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT 177
of the Me Ping with the Me Nam, Pitsanuloke
on the upper Me Nam, Raheng on the Me Ping,
where the overland mail runners from Moul-
meiii, Burma, strike the river, and Chieng Mai,
Lakawn, Nan and Chiieng Rai in Laos, are
the most important places. Chieng Mai and
Lakawn, in particular, are influential centres.
Both are attractive cities, the former with
100,000 people, spread over an area of about
18 square miles. The latter has only 20,000,
of whom 100 are Chinese ; but with the com-
pletion of the railroad, Lakawn will probably
become the most important centre in Laos.
South of Bangkok, the leading towns are Other
Ratburi and Petchaburi, the latter being the Towns
terminus of the railway, Chantaboon, so long
occupied by the French, and Nakawn, 400 miles
from Bangkok on the Peninsula.
HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT
While the Siamese boast of their antiquity Antiquity
as a nation, there is no authentic history that
runs back of 1350. This is quite convenient,
for the Kings are supposed to be lineal descend-
ants of Buddha and the people of the first dis-
ciples of Buddha, so that no one can prove to
the satisfaction of the Siamese that these beliefs
are unfounded. For the same reason, many
miracles in those legends are implicitly ac-
cepted. Buddha is represented as doing the
most amazing things, and the imagination of
the people is stirred by the alleged victorious
178
SIAM
Changes of
Rule
Present
King
wars of their ancestors and by tales of sup-
pliant embassies, brilliant alliances, and extraor-
dinary manifestations of supernatural power.
The territory now covered by Siam was for-
merly divided among several petty kingdoms.
There were many wars between the Siamese
and neighboring kingdoms, principally those
of the Pegu and the Laos. The Siamese were
generally victorious, and by 1350 had gradually
extended their power until they ruled over a
very extensive territory, their capitol being at
Ayuthia. Then for two centuries peace pre-
vailed ; but in 1556, war again broke out with
the Peguans, who succeeded in defeating their
former conquerors. The change of power, how-
ever, was but temporary, and the Siamese soon
regained ascendancy. The Burmese invasion
of 1759 overturned their power for a time, but
in 1782 the Siamese line once more regained
the throne.
The present King is the fifth sovereign of the
Chakrakri dynasty. He was born September
20, 1853, and ascended the throne on the death
of his father, King Mongkut, in 1868, a regency
being established until he became of age. He
rejoices in the name of Somdet Prabart, Prah
Paramender, Mahar Chulalongkorn, Baudin-
taratape, Mahar Monkoot, Rartenah Rarcha-
wewongse Racher Nekaradome Chatarantah
Baromah Mahar Chakrapart, Pr.ah Chula
Chaumklow, Chow yu huah. Those who feel
that life is short call him simply King Chu-
lalongkorn. He was the first monarch of Siam
HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT 179
to visit other lands, and his travels in Europe
in 1897 and 1907, and also to India and Java,
greatly broadened his mind. He has abolished
the abject custom of prostrations at court, in-
troduced European dress, established a royal
museum, adorned his capital with excellent
streets, public gardens, and a group of state
buildings which would be considered handsome
anywhere.
An interesting feature of the policy of the The King's
King is the commissionership. The kingdom,
as already noted, includes several smaller king-
doms and provinces, each with its hereditary
ruler. These petty potentates were formerly
supreme in their respective regions. Corrupt,
oppressive, and accustomed to regard the people
and all their possessions as personal property,
these feudal lords were a formidable obstacle
to the King's plans for administrative reform.
So he adopted the plan of sending a commis-
sioner to reside at each provincial capital to
" advise " with the local governor and to form
a medium of communication between him and
the King. The latter in turn transmitted his
wishes to the commissioner and gave him a
force of gendarmes, equipped with modern
guns, to execute them. The outcome has been
the gradual transference of power from the
local lord to the commissioner, the unifying
of administration and the strengthening of the
power of the King, who is now the absolute
monarch of the whole kingdom. The local
prince, particularly in Laos, is accorded much
180
SIAM
The King
Absolute
His
Successors
ostensible honor, as in the case of the native
princes under British rule in India ; but, as in
India also, he finds obedience to his " adviser "
conducive to health and- prosperity.
The King is therefore the source and centre
of all power. In theory, he is the owner of the
whole country and all its inhabitants. Practi-
cally, however, he has voluntarily introduced
some constitutional features. He administers
affairs through ten departments of state. The
heads of these departments form a Council of
Ministers. There are also a Council of State and
a Privy Council. The King has thus surrounded
himself with a considerable number of his wisest
subjects, and he freely advises with them.
The enlightened and progressive policy of the
King will probably be followed by his successor,
for the Crown Prince Maha Vajiravudh, born
January 1, 1881, is a young man of many excel-
lent qualities. From 1893 to 1902 he studied
in England. Before returning to his native
land, he visited several European capitals, and
journeyed home by the way of the United
States and Japan. Nor is he the only prince
who has been educated abroad. Several of his
many brothers, for the royal family of a po-
lygamous country is numerous, have studied
in England, Germany, Denmark, and Russia.
" There is no royal family in the world of
which the members have had such varied ex-
perience in almost every country in Europe." 1
1 Frederick Verney, late Councillor of the Siamese Lega-
tion, London.
MISSIONS 181
PROTESTANT MISSIONS
The beginnings of Protestant missionary Period of
effort in Siam date back to 1818 and to the ^^^ S B
honored name of Mrs. Ann Hasseltine Judson,
of Burma. She never visited Siam, but she
met some Siamese in Rangoon, and through
them heard such accounts of their country that
she became deeply interested, learned the lan-
guage, and translated a tract, a catechism, and
the gospel by Matthew. The English Baptist
Mission press at Serampore printed the cate-
chism in 1819, "the first Christian book ever
printed in Siamese."
The first Protestant missionaries to visit First Mis-
Siam were the famous Dr. Gutzlaff of the sionaries
Netherlands Missionary Society, and the Rev.
Jacob Tomlin, of the London Missionary Society,
who came to Bangkok from Singapore in 1828,
and began work among the Chinese. Ill health
forced Mr. Tomlin to return to Singapore the
following year, and Dr. Gutzlaff left for China
in 1831. He baptized only one convert in
Siam, a Chinese named Boon-tai, but he had
set in motion a force which did not stop with
his departure. Not only did he leave somq
translations, but he and Mr. Tomlin had united
in an appeal to the American churches to un-
dertake permanent work in this needy field.
That appeal was conveyed to America in 1829
by Captain Coffin, of the American trading
vessel which brought those physical freaks,
the Siamese Twins.
182
SIAM
Rev. David
Abeel
Disasters
Lack of
Apparent
Success
Rev. Jesse
Caswell
THE CONGREGATIONAL MISSION
The first Board to respond was the American
Board, which sent the Rev. David Abeel from
Canton ; he arrived June 39, 1831, shortly after
Dr. Gutzlaff had left. Ill health compelled
him to leave November 5, 1832 ; but in 1834 and
1835, seventeen missionaries, including wives,
arrived, and for a time everything looked
bright.
But soon disasters began to come. Mr. Ben-
harn was drowned. Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Brad-
ley, and Mr. French died, and Mr. Robinson,
broken in health, left only to be buried at St.
Helena on his way home. In 1846, the Amer-
ican Board, whose main thought from the
beginning had been for the Chinese rather
than the Siamese, concluded that the time
had come when the former could be reached
in China more effectively than in Siam, and it
therefore transferred Messrs. Peet and Johnson
to Foo-chow. The few remaining missionaries
struggled on among the Siamese; in 1848 Mr.
Caswell died, and when ill health drove out Mr.
Hemenway and his family in December, 1849,
the mission of the American Board was closed.
Fifteen years of hard labor had not resulted in
any baptisms, but the toil of those devoted
missionaries, in that hot, steaming climate,
formed an essential part of the foundation
upon which others were to build.
Two members in particular of this early
American Board Mission did much to make
MISSIONS 183
possible the subsequent development of Siam.
One of these was the Rev. Jesse Caswell, who
had arrived in 1840, and whose ability and wis-
dom so impressed Prince Chow Fah Mongkut,
that this future King chose him as his special
instructor, and for a year and a half (1845
1846) studied as a docile pupil of Mr. Caswell.
The enlightened and progressive policy of
King Mongkut, which was the real beginning
of modern Siam and which gave the widest
opportunity to all missionary work, was due in
no small degree to the training that he re-
ceived from this missionary of the American
Board.
The other notable missionary of the American Dr. Daniel
Board was Dr. Daniel B. Bradley. He was a B - Bradley
man of unusual gifts, and speedily obtained
large influence. He brought the first printing-
press to Siam in 1836. Finding that multitudes
of the Siamese died annually from the small-
pox, he introduced vaccination in 1840. When
the American Board withdrew its missionaries
from Siam, he felt that he could not leave the
people to whose spiritual welfare he had con-
secrated his life. He transferred his connec-
tion to the American Missionary Association,
and though the Association soon gave up the
field, he continued his work until his death
in Bangkok, June 23, 1893. He was remark-
able alike as a physician, a scholar, and a mis-
sionary, and his name is still venerated by the
Siamese.
184
SIAM
Rev. John T.
Jones
First Con-
verts
Discourage-
ments
THE BAPTIST MISSION
The American Baptist Missionary Union also
had a part in these early efforts to give the
Gospel to the Siamese. The Baptist mission-
aries in Burma answered the appeal of Dr.
Gutzlaff and Mr. Tomlin by sending the Rev.
and Mrs. John T. Jones, who arrived in Bang-
kok 011 March 25, 1833. The Rev. William Dean
came in 1835. He was in great sorrow, for the
young wife who had left Boston with him a
year before had died in Singapore during the
weary months of waiting for a steamer to take
them to Bangkok.
The Baptists, like the Congregationalists, felt
that the most inviting opportunities at that
period were among the Chinese in Bangkok,
though some work was done among the Siamese.
The first converts, however, were Chinese.
Results came slowly, but by 1848 sixty per-
sons had been added to the little church. Mr.
and Mrs. Reid and Mr. and Mrs. Davenport,
who arrived in July, 1836, brought the first
printing-press to Siam, and before the end of
that year the printed page began giving the
people the good news of the Gospel.
Reinforcements came in 1840 and 1843, but
sickness and death made sad havoc among the
little band of workers, and the Siamese showed
little disposition to accept Christ, the major-
ity of the converts being Chinese. When the
Anglo-Chinese treaty of 1842 opened five ports
of China, the Baptist Missionary Union, like the
MISSIONS 185
American Board, decided that the mighty empire
in the north offered the more promising oppor-
tunities. Part of the Siam force was accordingly
transferred to China. The mission was not at
once given up, however, and from time to time
recruits were added, until all together thirty-two
men and women had been connected with the
mission, and considerable work inaugurated.
But the difficulties were felt to be great. One
by one, the number of missionaries diminished
by death and resignation and transfer, until, by
1871, Dr. Dean was the only Baptist missionary
left, and on his lamented death, in 1884, the
mission was finally closed.
While no distinctive work among the Siamese Permanent
has been done since 1869, a small work among Results
the Chinese continues. There are now two
Chinese Baptist churches in Siam. One of them,
the Watkok Church, has 70 members, and is an
active force in a part of Bangkok that is thickly
settled by immigrants from Swatow. There are
also two small churches among the Mons or
Peguans, a section of the Talains who have
entered Siam from Burma. All together, there
are four Baptist churches in Siam, with an
aggregate membership of 138, under the care of
native helpers superintended by H. Adamson,
M.D., a resident Eurasian physician in private
practice in Bangkok, who is a devoted Christian.
The Baptist mission in Siam left many gra-
cious influences and aided not a little in the
pioneer effort to gain a foothold for the Gospel.
Some of the missionaries who afterward became
186 SIAM
prominent in China began their careers in Siam.
Among these were the famous William Ashmore
of Swatow, Josiah Goddard of Ningpo, and J.
L. Schuck of Canton.
PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS
The withdrawal of the Baptist and Congre-
gational missionaries left the Presbyterian
Mission the only one in the field. The Pres-
byterian movement for the evangelization of
Rev. R. w. Siam had begun with the Rev. R. W. Orr, a
missionary from China, who made a visit of in-
quiry to Bangkok in November, 1838, and then
strongly urged the Presbyterian Board to open
a mission there. The Board complied by send-
ing the Rev. and Mrs. W. P. Buell in 1840.
The failure of Mrs. Buell's health obliged them
to leave in 1844, and three years passed before a
successor arrived ; but in 1847 the Rev. Stephen
Mattoon and Samuel R. House, M.D., arrived,
and permanent work was inaugurated. Mr. and
Mrs. Mattoon were privileged to labor in Siam
for nineteen years, and Dr. and Mrs. House for
twenty-nine years.
Dangers of An incident in the career of Dr. House shows
Touring fa e quality of the man. One day, while in the
country on an itinerating tour, he was attacked
by a rogue elephant, which threw him to the
ground and with one of its tusks ripped his
body open so-that the intestines protruded. Dr.
House's medical knowledge enabled him to see
at once that the wound would be fatal unless
MISSIONS 187
instantly treated. There was no one near but
a few frightened natives, so the sorely wounded
man put his intestines back with his own hands
and took a sufficient number of stitches to close
the wound temporarily. Then he instructed the
trembling natives to carry him to the station.
He suffered long, but his first aid to himself
had been so prompt that he finally recovered.
The annals of war do not record greater forti-
tude.
Mrs. House interested herself in the education
of the girls of Bangkok. She founded the first
school for girls in Siam, and the Harriet House
School for Girls in Bangkok is her memorial.
Mr. Mattoon and Dr. House labored for two Reenforce-
years before reinforcements came. In 1849 they ments
were joined by the Rev. and Mrs. Stephen
Bush. Their stay, however, was brief, Mrs.
Bush dying in 1851 and Mr. Bush leaving the
field with impaired health in 1853. The First
Presbyterian Church in Siam was organized
August 29, 1849. There were no native Chris-
tians connected with the mission at that time,
and the membership of the church was con-
fined to the missionary families. A Chinese
teacher, Qua Kieng, had been baptized in 1844,
and another Chinese, a young man from Hainan,
in 1851, but no Siamese convert gladdened the
missionaries till 1859, nineteen years after the
arrival of Mr. Buell. " With tears of joy," Dr.
House wrote, "the missionaries received the first
fruits of labor among the Siamese." Nai Chune
was the name of the man who thus headed the
188
SIAM
The Difficul-
ties of the
Situation
roll of Siamese Christians. It required no small
courage to cut loose from all the associations of
his lifetime and to stand alone among his coun-
trymen for Christ. Bat he proved faithful.
Many difficulties attended this pioneer mis-
sion work. The slow and wretchedly uncom-
fortable sailing ships of those days made Siam
much more isolated and difficult to reach than
it is to-day. The climate, always trying to a
foreigner, was doubly injurious when the mis-
sionaries were forced to live in native houses ;
when supplies of native food and clothing could
not be obtained except at long intervals and
great cost ; and when there was no experience
of predecessors to guide the new arrivals in
adapting themselves to the climate, in learning
the language, and in getting into touch with
the people.
The attitude of the government, too, was
The King, a strong but
narrow-minded and fanatical man, used his
influence to the utmost to thwart the mission-
aries. He opposed them not because they were
missionaries, but because they were foreigners.
When an embassy from the United States ar-
rived in March, 1850, to open friendly negotia-
tions with a view to a treaty, the King refused
to receive it. Even England's ambassador, the
famous Sir James Brooke, who came in August
of the same year, fared no better. Sir James
felt so outraged by the insulting treatment he
received that he sailed away in a rage, threat-
ening dire punishment. Indeed, the policy of
The Hostile
Attitude of decidedly hostile.
the King
MISSIONS 189
the King so irritated England that for a time
war appeared imminent.
The missionaries were not subjected to per- Personal
sonal violence, but several times the danger R an fr e . rs . to
seemed great. The unfriendly attitude of the
government and the ruling classes was so well
known and was exerted in such effective ways,
that obstacles confronted the little band of mis-
sionaries at every step. No Siamese landlord
dared to rent or sell them property, and they
were often sorely beset for suitable shelter.
Finally, one Siamese, braver than the rest, sold
a site, and the money was actually paid over.
But before building operations could be begun,
a high official declared the sale void and forced
the owner to return the money, the reason
given being that "the residence of foreigners
there was contrary to the custom of the coun-
try." Wh^n Dr. Bradley 's medical work be-
gan to win the favor of the common people, the
Buddhist priests made the odd complaint that,
if these foreigners were allowed to show kind-
ness to everybody every day, their merit would
soon outstrip that of the best men of the king-
dom. Once the missionaries were ordered to
leave their premises and had to find shelter as
best they could, one family in a houseboat
and another with the Baptist missionaries, while
Dr. Bradley sought temporary refuge with a
friendly English merchant, Mr. Robert Hunter.
The few native converts were fiercely perse-
cuted, the helpers were imprisoned, and it looked
as if the end of all mission work had come.
190 SIAM
Changes for Suddenly, when the prospect was blackest,
the Better the hostile King died (April 3, 1851), and his
half brother, Prince Chow Fah Mongkut, as-
cended the throne. For twenty-seven years
he had lived quietly in a Buddhist monastery,
studying and thinking and showing rare open-
ness of mind and heart to all good influences.
He was in every way superior in character to
his predecessor, who had seized the royal power
years before. When the missionaries from the
West arrived, this priestly prince had welcomed
them and, as we have already noted, engaged
Mr. Caswell to instruct him in Western learn-
ing. Not only this, but he gave the missionary
free use of a room on the temple grounds for
daily preaching services after the royal pupil
had taken his lesson.
Favor of the The new King showed himself as friendly to
Throne missionaries on the throne as he had been in a
monastery. He invited them to his palace and
showed them many kindnesses. Instantly oppo-
sition vanished. Ground was secured without
further difficulty, and buildings were erected.
The missionaries wrote : " The princes and
nobles now courted our society ; our teachers
and servants returned to their places ; throngs
came to our houses to receive books and to talk
with us respecting their contents ; and we were
permitted to go where we chose, and to speak
in the name of Jesus with the confidence that
we should not be avoided, but obtain a respect-
ful hearing."
The King even permitted some of the mis-
MISSIONS 191
sionary women to enter the royal harem and Access to
teach. Missionary teaching was a little too toe Royal
serious for the frivolous ladies within the royal
enclosure, and most of them did not prove very
apt pupils. But several were impressed by the
words of their visitors and gladly invited them
to their rooms and read the tracts which were
given them.
The work now made steady progress. New Progress of
arrivals strengthened the missionary force. theWork
The Christian Boys' High School was opened
in 1852, and the Harriet House School for Girls
in 1873. In 1860, Petchaburi, whose Governor
had, in 1843, treated Mr. Buell with contempt-
uous indignity, gave polite attention to Dr.
House, Mr. Telford, and Mr. Wilson, and in the
following year a station was formally established
there. Ayuthia was made a station in 1872,
though it has since been merged into the Bang-
kok field. 1878 saw a second church organized
in Bangkok.
The death of King Mongkut in 1868 was Further
deeply mourned ; but his son, the present King, 5; e j iglo ? s
has continued the broad and tolerant policy of
his father. A proclamation of religious liberty,
was issued in 1870.
The influence of the missionaries was recog-
nized on every hand. In 1878, the King ap-
pointed one of the members of the mission, the
Rev. S. G. McFarland, who had come to Siam
in 1860, Superintendent of Public Instruction
and President of the Royal College at Bangkok,
the first college to be opened in Siam. Dr. and
192
SIAM
Stations
Scope of
the Work
Mrs. McFarland were freely permitted to use
their enlarged opportunities for Christ. Their
son, the present Superintendent of the Govern-
ment Hospital in Bangkok, works in close sym-
pathy with the missionaries and has helped
them in inestimable ways.
The Presbyterian Board now has in lower
Siam, exclusive of the Laos Mission, five sta-
tions : Bangkok, Petchaburi, Ratburi, opened in
1889, Nakawn Sri Tamarat and Pitsanuloke,
both of which were opened in 1899. The story
of the opening of Nakawn is peculiarly interest-
ing. The good-will of the people made it
easy to secure land, a residence was soon
erected, and since then a fine hospital has been
built, the King himself having made a liberal
contribution.
The total force of the Presbyterian Mission in
lower Siam consists at this writing of thirty-
seven missionaries and twenty-nine native
workers. There are seven organized churches,
eight schools, four hospitals which treat
25,000 patients annually and a printing-press
which issues, during the same period, about
5,000,000 pages. The work includes the Chi-
nese as well as the Siamese, the former being
found in all the schools, hospitals, and churches.
The pastor of the First Church of Bangkok is
a Chinese, and almost the entire membership
of the Third Church (Rajawong) is Chinese.
The blending of the two races is such prac-
tically every Chinese having a Siamese wife and
half-caste children that it would now be quite
MISSIONS 193
impracticable to undertake to separate them in
mission work.
Four of the mission institutions in Bangkok Christian
have special interest for the visitor. One is
the Christian Boys' High School. Its hand-
some site was paid for by gifts of the Siamese
themselves, the King heading the subscription
and his nobles and people joining him in sub-
stantial evidences of their appreciation of this
noble institution. The buildings, erected by
American funds, are excellent. In spite of the
fact that the School charges fees which make it
wholly self-supporting, except for salaries of the
missionaries, it is crowded to its utmost capacity,
and could easily have many more students.
The Siamese opinion of the School is indicated,
not only by the gifts and fees referred to, but
by the statement of a Cabinet officer that the
government would be glad to take into its
employ every graduate that the School can turn
out. Character, training, and efficiency count
in Siam as elsewhere.
The second institution is the Harriet House
School for Girls.
The influence of this School is very great. School for
Half of its pupils come from the families of
noblemen. Several are royal princesses, nieces
of the King. Others are daughters of govern-
ors and ministers to European capitals. The
entire female teaching force of the Bangkok
public government schools, thirteen in number,
are graduates of Harriet House, twelve of them
being Christians. At the recent government
194 SIAM
examinations, the School elicited the outspoken
admiration of the Prince Director-General of
Public Instruction by excelling all other schools
in the kingdom, including the Queen's Own
College, in the proportion of pupils who credit-
ably passed the examination.
The Only The Bangkok press, founded in 1861, is the
Siam m kest equipped institution of the kind in Siam,
and, with the exception of a few gifts, its entire
plant has been paid for out of its earnings. It
publishes school and religious books, myriads of
tracts, a monthly magazine, and all the issues in
Siam of the American Bible Society, besides a
great amount of job work for the government
and private firms and individuals. It is the
only press in Siam which confines itself to
morally clean work, and it is thus a powerful
influence for good in the business community.
Other presses will print anything. This refuses
opium, liquor, gambling, and like advertise-
ments.
A Native The Boon Itt Memorial is the centre of a
Mart y r far-reaching work for young men. The Rev.
Boon Itt was a native Siamese of mixed Cam-
bodian and Chinese blood, who was taken to
America in his boyhood by Dr. House and
educated at Williams College and Auburn
Theological Seminary, and who then returned
to Siam and engaged in Christian work. As
the head of his " clan," whose family home is
in Bangkok, he was widely known in the
capital. Young men liked him and resorted to
him for advice. The government repeatedly
MISSIONS 195
offered him lucrative posts, and a trading cor-
poration in Laos was eager to employ him at a
salary of $4000 gold. As a minister of Christ
he received $650 and a humble native house,
and he preferred being a preacher. His death
from cholera in 1903 was greatly lamented.
The Siamese raised funds for a centrally located
site for a memorial, and an American commit-
tee, headed by Williams and Auburn class-
mates of Boon Itt's, erected the handsome
building.
One of the churches has an interesting his- A Noble
tory. Several years ago, Phya Montri, a Si- Memorial
amese nobleman of great influence, who was
educated at Columbia College, New York, be-
came interested in Christianity. After varied
spiritual experiences, he was drifting away
from Christ, when his beloved and only son
suddenly died. In his grief, a missionary
gently told him of the Good Shepherd who,
finding that a sheep would not follow Him,
took the lamb in His arms. The father's heart
was deeply moved. He sketched an outline of
the incident and had an artist paint it. We
saw the picture in his house a shepherd, with
a face so kindly and sweet, a face like unto that
of the Son of Man, carrying a lamb in his
bosom, while afar off two sheep, which had been
walking away from the shepherd, were, with
wistful eyes, turning around to follow their
loved one. Now this father, in grateful recog-
nition of this spiritual call, gave 10,000 ticals
to build a church. Something was added by
196
81AM
Beginnings
in Laos
Immediate
Results
other Christians, and a beautiful house of wor-
ship was dedicated in 1903.
The mission among the Laos began in 1867.
Several years before this, the Rev. Daniel
McGilvary, then stationed at Petchaburi, had
become interested in a small village near the
station, whose people spoke a different lan-
guage and appeared to be distinct in many ways
from the Siamese about them. Through them,
he learned of the vast hill country to the north,
from which their ancestors had come. He
formed an ardent desire to know more of these
people and to carry the Gospel to them. In
1863, he and his colleague, the Rev. Jonathan
Wilson, made a long tour of exploration to the
Laos country. It was a journey into an abso-
lutely unknown land. For months the devoted
missionaries made their way up the Me Nam
River, their half-naked boatmen wading, pull-
ing, and pushing by turns in order to get the
boat over sand bars and through rapids, until
they finally arrived at Chieng Mai, 600 miles
from Bangkok. Their report on their return
was so enthusiastic that, in 1867, Mr. McGil-
vary returned to Laos with his wife and founded
the mission, and a year later Mr. and Mrs. Wil-
son joined them. The visitor to Chieng Mai
never fails to visit the bo tree, under whose
wide-spreading branches Dr. and Mrs. McGil-
vary lived for the first year of their stay.
Results came more quickly than in Lower
Siam. The missionaries were scholars, and
they foretold the eclipse of August, 1868, a
MISSIONS 197
week before it occurred. The natives were pro-
foundly impressed, and one of the ablest and
most influential Buddhist scholars of Chieng
Mai, Nan Inta, was converted. He became a
Christian of great beauty and strength of char-
acter, and labored indefatigably for Christ till
his death in 1882.
The conversion of Nan Inta was soon fol- TWO noble
lowed by that of seven others, and everything Mart y rs
pointed to a rapid development of the work,
when the governor of Chieng Mai began to
persecute the Christians. Noi Su Ya and Nan
Chai were arrested, and, on being brought be-
fore the authorities, confessed that they had for-
saken Buddhism. " The death-yoke was then
put around their necks, and a small rope was
passed through the holes in their ears (used for
ear-rings by all natives) and carried tightly
over the beam of a house. After being thus
tortured all night, they were again examined
in the morning; but, with a fortitude worthy
of the noblest traditions of the early Church,
steadfastly refused to deny their Saviour even
in the very presence of death. They prepared
for execution by a reverent prayer, closing
with the words, 4 Lord Jesus, receive my
spirit.' They were then taken to the jungle
and clubbed to death. One of them, not dying
quickly enough to suit the executioners, was
thrust through the heart by a spear." The
whole record eloquently testifies to the genu-
ineness of faith and courage of fidelity on the
part of these first martyrs of the Laos Church.
198 SIAM
Persecution The persecution, however, proved to be short.
Ended The hostile governor died, and his snccessor
was less truculent. More converts were bap-
tized. In 1878, another crisis occurred over
the desire of two native Christians to be married
by the missionaries without providing for the
feast to evil spirits, as custom required. The
relatives appealed to the magistrate, who sus-
tained them and forbade the marriage. The mis-
sionaries promptly sent a petition to the King
in Bangkok, which resulted in a " Proclamation
of Religious Liberty to the Laos." This ended
all persecution. Chieng Mai became the centre
of a widely extended work. It remained the
only station, however, till 1885, when Dr. and
Further Ad- Mrs. S. C. Peoples opened a station at Lakawn.
Lampoon (since consolidated with Chieng Mai)
was occupied in 1891, Pre in 1893 by Dr. and
Mrs. W. A. Briggs, Nan in 1894 by Dr. and
Mrs. Peoples, and Chieng Rai in 1897 by Mr.
and Mrs. W. C. Dodd and Dr. and Mrs. C. H.
Denman. Thus stations were located at the
capitals of five of the six Laos states in Siam,
the sixth, Luang Prabang, being inaccessible
on account of French influence, as explained
elsewhere.
Present The mission has steadily and encouragingly
status developed, until now there are 44 missionaries,
six hospitals and dispensaries treating 30,000
patients annually, 26 schools, a printing-press,
18 organized churches with 3168 communicants,
and a much larger number of inquirers and
adherents.
MISSIONS 199
Chieng Mai and Lakawn are the stations Work at
where the largest work has been developed. Chieng Mai
Here the institutional work centres. The
Girls' Boarding School at Chieng Mai is as
famous in the north as the Harriet House
School for Girls is in the south. It has trained
hundreds of girls who are now wives and
mothers of the best men in Laos, while others
are usefully employed as teachers and Bible
women. The Prince Royal's College at Chieng
Mai received its name from the Crown Prince,
who, in January, 1906, personally laid the
corner-stone of the new building with im-
pressive ceremonies.
The hospitals and boarding schools for boys Work at
and girls at Lakawn are also doing a fine work, Lakawn
though their equipment is not so large as that of
the Chieng Mai schools. They have new build-
ings, and their accommodations are fully taxed.
The press at Chieng Mai is important as the
only press in the world which uses the Laos
language, so that it is the sole means for giving
the Bible and a Christian literature to the Laos-
speaking people. Twelve native workmen are
employed under the supervision of a missionary,
and though the equipment is far from large, the
press exerts a wide influence not only through its
distinctive missionary publications but through
the relations which it sustains to the officials,
who have all their printing done by it. Vice and
intemperance can get no aid from the printed
page in Laos, for the mission press will not
print their books, circulars, or advertisements.
200 SIAM
RESULTS AND INFLUENCE
Results and While the people of Siam, from King to
influence coolie, are kindly disposed toward the mission-
aries, and while there is an almost entire absence
of that opposition which has been encountered
in some other lands, the number of converts
has not been great, there being now only about
4000 adult communicants connected with all
the missions, and most of these are in Laos.
A change in mission policy has undoubtedly
affected numerical tables temporarily. Unlike
Korea and Uganda, Siam did not have the ad-
vantage of beginning after the necessity for
self-support had become generally recognized,
and, like most of the older missions, it had to
reconstruct much of its work, in some cases
being obliged to begin all over again. Ac-
customed to a liberal use of all foreign money,
the native Christians resented the new policy.
The missionaries persisted, and to-day most of
the schools, hospitals, churches, and native
helpers are supported by the people. It is not
fair, therefore, to contrast the present statis-
tical tables with those of a decade ago, with-
out taking this fact into consideration. The
work is now on a sound basis.
A Marvel- What Christ can do for these people is abun-
lous trans- dantlv shown by the transformation which He
formation J *
has effected in the lives of those who have ac-
cepted Him. The head chief of a village on the
peninsula was notorious as a hard character.
He was converted under the faithful preaching
EESULTS 201
of Dr. Dunlap. How do we know that the
conversion was genuine ? The chief summoned
all the people of his village, and announced to
them his determination to follow Christ. Then
he asked the forgiveness of those whom he had
wronged. He brought out his bottles of liquor
and broke them to pieces. He amazed his cred-
itors by paying their claims in full. He put
away all his wives and concubines, except his
first wife, making provision for their support
and that of their children, so that they might
not suffer. Then, in the presence of all his
people, he kneeled down and solemnly dedicated
himself and all his possessions to the service of
God.
The Christian is a marked man among his
fellows, distinguished not merely for his differ-
ence in faith, but for his superior intelligence,
morality, thrift, and integrity. No wonder that
the governor of Puket says : " Wherever the
Christian missionary settles, he brings good
to the people. Progress, beneficial institutions,
cleanliness, and uplifting of the people result
from his labors;" while the high commissioner
of the same province told Dr. Dunlap, in 1907,
that he would give 5000 ticals for a hospital in
Tap Teang and 10,000 ticals for one in Puket, if
the missionary would open permanent stations.
It should be noted, too, while the number of Social
conversions has been comparatively small, the re . sul . ts of
i TJ. e t i i missionary
social results 01 missionary effort have been un- effort
usually large. In most lands converts are
the first permanent results of missionary labor,
202 SIAM
and social changes come later. But in Siam this
order has been reversed. True, converts have
not been lacking, but their number is small in
comparison with the reforms which missionary
influence has been the chief factor in producing.
Indeed it is probable that missionary teaching
lias been more influential in establishing the
general policy and developing the public senti-
ment of the country than in many lands where
the number of converts has been much larger.
The reforms inaugurated by the King are di-
rectly traceable to the influence of the mission-
aries. The ruler of a country in which Buddhism
is the state religion, he has not personally
accepted the Christian faith, but he has not
hesitated to adopt the suggestions which the
Christian teachers have made.
Some Won- The late ex-regent remarked in 1871 to the
derfuiTesti- Hon4 George F. Seward, then American Con-
sul-General at Shanghai, that "Siam had not
been disciplined by English and French guns
as China, but the country had been opened by
missionaries."
The present King said to Dr. Dunlap in 1898,
"I am glad you are here working for my peo-
ple, and I wish you success." Such words from
such a ruler mean much. Strict Buddhist
though he is, he and his officials not only grant
full religious toleration, but assign valuable
property to Christian mission work at a nomi-
nal value, as at Nakawn, or for nothing, as at
Ratburi. Not only this, but the King person-
ally contributed 12400 in 1888 to enlarge the
RESULTS 203
mission hospital at Petchaburi. He also gave
at various times 11000 to the girls' school at
the same station, 4000 ticals to the mission
hospital at Nakawn, and headed a list of donors
of the new site for the Christian Boys' High
School at Bangkok, over 80 of his princes and
nobles adding their names, till the gifts aggre-
gated 17,000 ticals. The Queen, in 1895, gave
the money for a women's ward at the Petcha-
buri Hospital, and $1500 to form " The Queen's
Scholarship Fund " at the Harriet House Girls'
School. Prince Devawongse personally said
to the author in Bangkok, " Your missionaries
first brought civilization to my country." The
American Minister, the Hon. Hamilton King,
says that, at a banquet in 1899, Prince Dam-
rong, the Minister of the Interior, declared in
the hearing of every one at the table: "Mr.
King, I want to say to you that we have great
respect for your American missionaries in our
country, and appreciate very highly the work
they are doing for our people. I want this to
be understood by every one, and if you are in
a position to let it be known to your country-
men, I wish you would say this for me."
The Hon. John Barrett, American Minister
to Siam, 1894-1898, bore frequent and em-
phatic testimony to their high character and
the great value of their work. His successor,
the Hon. Hamilton King, writes : " Siam is a
country in which the American missionaries
have made no mistakes of importance and where
they enjoy the fullest respect and the entire con-
204 SIAM
fidence of the government. It is not only their
preaching that is making their influence felt ;
these men are a power for good along all lines
of influence. . . . And by endeavoring to make
the people to whom they were sent a little
stronger, a little happier, and a little better, they
have gradually been commending their gospel of
a good and holy God, who is everywhere working
out the best for His children, of which great
family all men are members."
OBSTACLES AND ENCOURAGEMENTS
Obstacles Obstacles to missionary effort are not want-
ing. Many vices, against which there is little
or no public sentiment, weaken the character
of the people. The Roman Catholics are so
much more numerous than the Protestants, and
their alliance with French political designs is
so open and aggressive, that to many Siamese
the term Christian suggests a Roman Catholic.
The commissioner of a certain province told a
Siamese pastor that religion was only a matter
of form, anyway, and as Buddhism was their
national religion and Christianity the national
religion of the French, he saw no reason for
abandoning their faith and taking that of the
foreigners.
indifference Languid indifference is the special obstacle to
mission work in Siam as national pride is in
Japan, ancestral worship in China, and caste in
India. A tropical climate, a prolific soil, and a
comparatively sparse population remove those
THE FUTURE 205
incentives to energy which a sterner cliine, a
poorer soil, and a denser overcrowding supply
in China. The religious beliefs of the people
intensify this physical and mental sloth by com-
mending the passive rather than the active life.
In spite of these obstacles, Siam and Laos Encourage-
are promising mission fields. There are notable ments
advantages in the openness of the entire coun-
try, the good-will of all classes of people, the
avowed favor of the government, the willing-
ness of high officials to send their children to
mission schools, the disposition of the authori-
ties to prefer graduates of mission institutions
for official positions, the frankly expressed
gratitude of the King and his ministers for the
services which the missionaries have rendered
to Siam, and the comparative absence of that
bitter poverty which so oppresses the traveller
in India. Then there is no caste, no ancestral
worship, no child marriage, no shutting up of
women in inaccessible zenanas.
In no other country of Asia, except Korea, Friendliness
are Protestant missionaries regarded with
greater friendliness by people of all ranks.
Their lives and property are as safe as if they
were under British rule in India. Princes
and nobles are their friends. Men trained in
the universities of Europe ask them questions.
Missionary educators teach the sons of gov-
ernors, judges, and high commissioners, and
missionary physicians are called into the homes
of the proudest officials.
Most significant of all, there is a general
206 SIAM
Religious expectation of another and more perfect incar-
expectation na tion of Buddha.
The result is, that as the missionaries go
about with the good tidings of Jesus Christ,
the people ask one another in awed tones,
"Is not this He for whom we look?" Bud-
dhist monks, instead of being bitterly hostile,
like the priests and mullahs of other lands,
invite the missionaries to the temples and
eagerly inquire of them further of this matter.
Mr. Dodd says : " Most of our auditors looked
upon Jesus as the next Buddha, the Saviour,
Ahreyah Mettai. Many lifted both hands in
worship of the pictures, the books, and the
preachers. Our colporteurs were treated in
most places as the messengers of the Buddhist
Messiah. Offerings of food, flowers, and wax
tapers were made to them. In return, they
were expected to bless the givers. They ex-
plained that they themselves were sinners de-
riving all merit and blessing from God, and
then reverently asked a blessing from Him.
Thus Christian services were held in hundreds
of homes."
Dr. Briggs writes of one of his tours : " The
message was received with outspoken gratitude
and intelligent interest, many of the people
remaining till long after midnight, reading the
books and tracts by the light of the fire, and
asking questions of the Christians in our
company. The people, hungry for truth that
satisfies and longing for light, are very anx-
iously awaiting the coming of the promised mes-
THE FUTURE 207
siah of Buddhism. What a preparation for the
true Messiah ! "
Never has the Christian missionary had a Great Op-
better opportunity to take tactful advantage P rtumt y
of a national belief for the introduction of the
Gospel of Christ.
My heart lovingly lingers upon my journey-
ings through the Land of the White Elephant
the month upon its mighty rivers, now
towed by a noisy launch, now poled by half-
naked tattooed boatmen, now shooting .tumult-
uous rapids through weirdly savage canons ;
the days of elephant travel through the vast
forests, slowly picking our way along the
boulder-strewn bed of mountain streams, trav-
ersing beautiful valleys, and climbing rocky
heights, the huge beasts never making a mis-
step even in the most slippery steeps ; the
nights when we pitched our tents in the heart
of the great jungle, the camp-fire throwing its
fitful light upon the boles of giant trees and the
tangled labyrinth of tropical vines mid which
monkeys curiously watched us and unseen
beasts growled their anger at our intrusion.
Most delightful of all are my memories of the
unvarying kindness of the people, who, from
his Majesty the King down through princes,
commissioners, and governors to humble vil-
lagers, showed a hospitable friendliness which
quite won my heart ; while it would be hard
to conceive a more loving welcome than was
extended to us by the missionaries and by our
208 SIAM
able and sympathetic American Minister and
his family. More profitable to us than they
could possibly have been to the workers were
our long conferences regarding the Lord's
work in that far-off land. It is prospering in
their hands, and it will prosper to a far greater
degree if the Church at home will give to them
that loving, prayerful, and generous coopera-
tion which the missionaries in Siam and Laos so
well deserve.
BUBMA
Scale of Statute Miles
16
Stations of A. B. M. U.: Shwegyin Capitals
Tribes : KARENS Railroads ' '
A 94 Longitude B East 9
BUKMA
THE REV. ARTHUR JUDSON BROWN, D.D.
CHAPTER VI
BURMA
BUEMA forms the northeastern part of Great
Britain's vast empire in India. The political
readjustments of the last century have changed
the boundaries at various times, but the region Position
which now bears the name includes both Upper
and Lower Burma and the Shan States. The
areas are : Lower Burma, 81,138 square miles;
Upper Burma, 87,435 ; Shan States, 68,165 ; a
total of 236,738 square miles. In other words,
Burma is larger than France, and almost as large
as Texas. The length, north and south, is about
1100 miles, and the breadth at the widest point
is about 700.
The physical configuration may be roughly Physical
described as a series of parallel mountain ranges Features
running north and south, and separated by fer-
tile river valleys. The largest river is the Irra-
waddy, which is navigable for 900 miles. The
next largest, the Salween, is not navigable.
Between these two river basins is another con-
siderable stream, the Sittang. There are sev-
eral smaller streams, the principal ones being
the Chindwin, the Myitnge, and the Tenasserim.
All the rivers have numerous tributaries, on
which the natives journey and transport their
produce by canoes.
211
212
BURMA
Natural
Divisions
Climate
Flora
The lines of communication naturally run
north and south along the valleys. Travelling
east and west is difficult, as jungle-covered
mountains have to be crossed. This jungle
teems with monkeys, birds of tropical plumage,
and some of the largest and fiercest game in the
world, the tiger, buffalo, elephant, and rhi-
noceros. About 2000 people and 10,000 cattle
are killed annually by serpents and poisonous
insects.
The climate is tropical, Burma being in about
the latitude of Cuba. As in most tropical re-
gions, there are practically but two seasons, wet
and dry. In the wet season, from May to Oc-
tober, the rainfall is over sixteen feet at some
points on the coast. There is a belt in the re-
gion of Mandalay where there is so little rain
that irrigation is necessary ; but north of it, at
Bhamo, the downpour is again heavy. Life in
the wet season is even more uncomfortable than
during " the hot season " which immediately
precedes it. The sodden land literally steams
under the continued heat, and shoes, books, and
clothing are covered with mould in a single
night.
The soil of the valleys is very fertile. Though
nine-tenths of the people subsist by cultivating
the soil, and the average farm is sixteen acres,
less than twenty-four per cent of the total area
is now tilled. The chief products are teak,
lumber, rice, wheat, and other food grains, petro-
leum, oil seeds, cotton, tobacco, sugar cane, tea,
and indigo. Excellent amber is found in some
THE COUNTRY 213
quantities. Rubies are exported to the value of
about $ 500,000 annually. Four million pounds
of jade are mined in an average year.
The population is 10,490,624, of which about Population
one-half (5,405,967) are in Lower Burma,
3,846,908 in Upper Burma, and 1,237,749 in the
Shan States. This gives Lower Burma 67 in-
habitants to the square mile, Upper Burma 44,
and the Shan States 18, an average for the
whole country of 44.
The Burmans proper form about four-fifths Race and
of the population. The original stock is sup- p hara .c-
^ \ & r tenstics
posed to have migrated in prehistoric times
from the borders of Tibet. The typical Bur-
man is of medium height, heavier in form than
the Hindu, has long black hair and rather flat
features. He is fond of theatrical amusements
and loves to array himself in bright colors.
To the traveller from India, the contrast is
striking. Instead of emaciated, sad-faced peo-
ple, he sees happy, sleek, and well-fed men and
women. There is no caste, and all classes min-
gle freely. Like the Siamese, the Burman is
indolent and regards work as beneath him.
The soil of his country is so rich, the climate
so well adapted to vegetation, and the popula-
tion so comparatively sparse that wants are
fewer than in the more temperate clime from
which his ancestors came. His taste is not fas-
tidious. His staple food, rice, is clean enough,
but he flavors it with nga-pee, putrid fish.
His Buddhist objection to taking life does not
trouble him in the least, for, he argues, he does
214 BURMA
not kill the fish; they simply die when he takes
them out of the water. He " dries " them on
mats in the sun, without dressing, pounds them
to a paste, adds a little salt, drains off the oil,
and then spreads the paste on his rice and eats
it with keen relish. We shall never forget the
odor of those decaying fish. We could tell a
mile away when we were approaching the " dry-
ing " mats. As the other tribes are equally care-
less in eating and drinking and disposal of
garbage, and as there is total ignorance of the
real causes of disease and of proper methods
of treating it, Burma affords many victims for
cholera, plague, malaria, dysentery, and other
tropical diseases.
Dress The dress of the common people is simply a
strip of colored cotton cloth around the loins
and another on the head. With some varia-
tions in the method of draping, the loin cloth
serves for both sexes, the women simply let-
ting it fall a little lower on the limbs. Chil-
dren wear nothing at all.
In spite of his laziness, his poverty, his shift-
lessness, and the ease with which a handful of
the British have defeated him in war and a
few thousand Chinese have made themselves
masters of his trade, the Burman is one of the
most self-satisfied of mortals, proudly regard-
ing himself as superior to all other races. He
smokes his cigarette, chews his betel, eats his
" fragrant " fish, lounges in his bamboo hut, and
is calmly indifferent to the rest of the world.
" Custom " is his law of life. No matter whether
THE COUNTRY 215
a new way is better or not, he follows the old,
and if you ask him why, he shrugs his shoulders
and replies, "It is custom."
Let us be careful in our judgment, however.
The Burmans are not the only conceited people
on earth. There are a few in America. Nor
do we have to travel halfway around the world
to find the indolent and careless. The Burman
has some good qualities, and if he had the in-
vigorating teachings of the Gospel, he would
develop them. Here is our opportunity and
our duty.
Women have considerable freedom. There Women
is no such seclusion of females as in India.
They freely mingle with men and attend to the
business matters of the family. The marriage
tie is loose, and concubinage is common. The
use of tobacco and betel nut is universal, not
only by men, but also by women and children.
British law also deals so sternly with gambling,
theft, and violence that outwardly the Burmans vices
seem less lawless than some other peoples. But
their natural disposition is not changed by these
laws, but simply held in check. Drunkenness
and opium smoking are not so common as the
former is in England and the latter in China,
but both are rapidly increasing under the in-
fluence of the European in one case and the
Chinese in the other. Most foreigners in Asia,
outside of the missionary circle, drink heavily,
and the native soon learns to imitate them.
The remaining fifth of the population is made
up of heterogeneous elements, fifty-seven in-
216
BURMA
digenous peoples or tribes being enumerated
by the British census, besides a considerable
number of non-indigenous races. We mention
those which are most important from a mission-
ary view-point :
The Karens The Karens, 714,000 in number, are descend-
ants of a people who also originally migrated
into Burma from the western part of China,
forced out apparently by the ever-advancing
Chinese. They are divided into several scat-
tered tribes, the three leading ones being the
Sgaws, Pwos, and Bghais. The Sgaws number
about 260,000 and the Pvvos 310,000. Both
these tribes are in Lower Burma. The Bghais
are more warlike in temper, and are to be found
among the mountains farther north. They are
a simple-minded people, distinctly lower than
the Burmans in civilization, and, before the
arrival of the British, suffered much from the
cruelty of their stronger neighbors.
Traditions There has been much speculation as to where
and how the Karens obtained some of the tra-
ditions which they jealously guard and hand
down from generation to generation. This
folklore apparently points to an earlier knowl-
edge of the biblical narrative, for it includes
tales of the creation of woman from the rib of
the first man, of the sin of the first man and
the first woman, of the wrath of God on ac-
count of transgression, but of His promise to
send deliverance and happiness through " white
foreigners " who were to come " in ships from
the west."
THE COUNTRY 217
It will readily be seen what a remark-
able preparation for the Gospel message such
traditions afford. The missionary with his
proclamation of Christ seems to these poor,
oppressed people the fulfilment of their long-
cherished dreams. It is not surprising, there-
fore, that mission work has made far more
rapid progress among the Karens than among
other elements of the population.
The Talaings, or Mons, as they prefer to call Taiaings
themselves, are supposed to be the oldest of the
peoples of modern Burma, having moved south-
ward from Tibet in an unknown antiquity.
They resemble the Burmans in many ways, but
their language is different. For a considerable
period they maintained a separate kingdom,
with Pegu as their capital. Frequent wars
with the Burmans resulted in their final sub-
jugation by Alompra in 1755. There are now
321,898 Talaings in Burma and a consider-
able additional number in Siam, to which there
have been several emigrations.
The Shans, descendants of a migration from Ths Shans
western China before the beginning of the
Christian era, number 751,759, and occupy the
valleys and hill slopes of the Shan States in
northeastern Burma. Their kings once ruled
over a territory in northern and central Burma,
which varied in area as they were conquerors
or conquered in their numerous wars with the
Burmans, who, however, finally succeeded in
subduing them. They are roughly divided
into Eastern Shans and Western Shans, the
218
BURMA
Salween watershed being the general dividing
line. Each of these main divisions, however,
is subdivided into several tribes. The East-
ern Shans belong to the Tai race and are,
therefore, more like their cousins, the Laos
and Siamese, than the Burmans. The Shans in
general are more alert and self-reliant than the
Burmans. They are famous as traders. Like
the Burmans and Laos, they are fond of jewel-
lery, and all men and boys are closely tattooed
from below the knee to the waist.
Kachins The 65,510 Kachins are hill-dwellers in Upper
Burma, hardy, clannish, warlike mountaineers,
who frequently raided the Burman villages
of the plains and scoffed at the rage of the
softer people, until British machine guns put
an end to their forays. They are lower in
the scale of civilization than the Burmans
and Shans, ignorant, superstitious, and filthy
in dress and habits, but still aggressive and
disposed to press the Shans southward. They
are demon-worshippers in religion.
The Chins The Chins, of whom there are 180,000, inhabit
the mountainous region in the northwest. Like
the Kachins, whom they resemble, they are not
Buddhists but demon-worshippers For a con-
siderable period, they gave the British much
trouble, and it was not till 1890 that they
were really subdued. Morally, they are low,
impurity and drunkenness being almost uni-
versal.
The Chinese are in evidence in all the lead-
ing cities, as they are in Siam and the Straits
THE COUNTRY 219
Settlements. There are 63,000 in Burma, half
of whom are in Rangoon. Their industry,
patience, and thrift easily secure commercial
preeminence, and the bulk of the business of
the country is in their hands.
East Indians are also numerous, particularly East
in the cities. The facts that Burma is the most Indians
prosperous province of British India, that the
population is less crowded, and that wages are
much higher than in India proper, attract large
numbers of the poverty-stricken natives from
the provinces west of the Bay of Bengal.
There are several cities of considerable local
importance. The first of these, of course, is
Rangoon, the capital and metropolis, on the
Rangoon River, about fifteen miles from the
sea. From a wretched fishing village, in 1852,
it has grown to a city of nearly a quarter of
a million inhabitants. Commercially, it ranks
third in all British India, being exceeded only
by Calcutta and Bombay. Its rice mills and
lumber yards are of great size, and every visitor
curiously watches the trained elephants pick
up timbers and carefully pile them.
Religiously, Rangoon is celebrated for its Kangoon
pagodas and monasteries. The Shwe Dagon
Pagoda is the most famous in all Indo- China.
It is 370 feet in height, 1335 in circumference,
and is gilded to the summit, the upper part hav-
ing been laid in 1903 with sheets of beaten gold
at a cost of over $250,000. The great "ti" or
umbrella which surmounts it is so lavishly em-
bellished with gold and jewels that it alone cost
220 SURMA
.50,000. Innumerable silver bells are sus-
pended from it, and when they are swayed by the
wind, the soft music is very beautiful. Standing
upon the summit of a terraced mound 166 feet
high, this lofty and splendid pagoda can be seen
from a great distance, blazing with burnished
splendor in the tropical sunshine. It is be-
lieved to contain genuine relics not only of
Buddha but of his three illustrious predecessors.
Innumerable pilgrims visit this shrine, some com-
ing as far as from Ceylon, Siam, and Cambodia.
The throngs of people of many nationalities,
the variety of brilliantly colored garments, the
wealth of cloth and jewels and goods of every
description in the little shops, the lights of
thousands of burning candles, the tinkling of
bells, the chatter and laughter of myriad
voices, the never-ending chants of worshippers
and, high over all, the stately glory of the
great Pagoda, combine to make a scene which,
once seen, can never be forgotten.
Moulmein, on the Salween River, eight hours
by steamer from Rangoon, is a beautiful city of
56,000 inhabitants, and is famous for its teak
lumber trade and for its wood and ivory carv-
ings.
Mandalay Mandalay, 386 miles from Rangoon, is a city
of 180,000 inhabitants. It was the capital of
Burma from 1860 to 1885. While it was the
residence of the King, it was a place of large
importance, but since the downfall of the native
dynasty and the transfer of the seat of govern-
ment to Rangoon, it has lost ground. It is
GOVERNMENT 221
still, however, a place of considerable impor-
tance. Some of its pagodas are magnificent
in size and splendor, and the bazaar is crowded
with people of many tribes.
There are a few other cities of considerable Bhamo
local influence. Bhamo is at the head of navi-
gation of the Irrawaddy, and is a military trade
and mission centre. Prome is an ancient capi-
tal and has about 30,000 population. Bassein
also has 30,000 people and a good local trade.
Pegu, though now having but 12,000 inhabit-
ants, boasts a history dating back to 573 A.D.
It was the capital of the Talaing Kingdom, and
in the sixteenth century it is said to have been
a splendid city. Smaller places are, of course,
numerous.
GOVERNMENT
As Burma forms a part of British India, Government
its government is, of course, the same as that
of India. The story of the white man's con-
quest is a stirring one, but only the barest
outline of facts and dates can be given here.
Portuguese and Dutch traders entered Burma
in the sixteenth century, but in the early years
of the seventeenth century the future masters
of Burma appeared in the agents of the Brit-
ish East India Company. Disputes with the The East
haughty Burmans were frequent, and in 1759, India
King Alompra caused 10 Englishmen and 100 Company
of their East Indian employees to be killed and
their factories destroyed. In 1824, the vain-
glorious Burmese undertook to teach the Brit-
222 BURMA
ish a sharper lesson by invading Assam and
Manipur and marching toward Bengal. They
proved to be the learners, however, for the
British declared war, expelled the invaders,
and captured several Burmese cities, includ-
ing Rangoon. Sixty thousand Burmese tried
to drive them out ; but, though ravaged by
disease until seventy-two per cent died and
only 1300 English and 2500 Indian troops were
able to fight, the little army easily scattered the
unorganized hordes of natives. Strengthened
by reinforcements, the British pressed on till,
in February, 1826, the defeated native ruler
was glad to sign a treaty of peace ceding Arra-
kan, Assam, and the coast of Tenasserim, and
paying an indemnity of 1,000,000 toward the
cost of the war. A British resident came in
1830 " to advise " the native King.
War of 1852 A renewal of indignities to British subjects
led to the Second War, in 1852, which resulted
in the annexation by the British of a consider-
able part of the province of Pegu. In 1862,
the provinces of Pegu, Arrakan, Tenasserim,
and Martoban were constituted the province
of British Burma under the administration of
a chief commissioner.
In 1878, the notorious Thibaw ascended the
throne. He began his reign by inviting several
score of his royal relatives to the palace and
then murdering them. These murders were
followed by others in Mandalay and elsewhere,
until more than a thousand princes, princesses,
nobles and officials and their children had been
GOVEENMENT 223
slaughtered. Thibaw's treacherous and bloody Thibaw
reign, his insulting treatment of the British
resident, his negotiations with France and
other continental powers, his imposition of a
fine of 230,000 on the Bombay Burma Trad-
ing Corporation, and his refusal of the Indian
government's proposal to arbitrate the question
at issue, combined to lead the British to send
him an ultimatum, October 22, 1885. The fat-
uous King haughtily rejected it, and ordered his
troops to drive the hated white men into the
sea. The British promptly marched on Man-
dalay, captured it, sent Thibaw and his Jezebel
Queen prisoners to India, and January 1, 1886,
formally annexed Upper Burma to the British
Empire. Conventions with China in 1886 and
1894 recognized British supremacy in Burma
and defined the frontier, and in 1897 the whole
country was made a province of British India
under a lieutenant-governor.
The British have done for Burma substantially British Rule
what they have done for other parts oi their In-
dian Empire. A railroad runs fiom Rangoon
to Myityna on the frontier, and the line is sur-
veyed as far as Chung-king in China. There
are excellent carriage roads, particularly in
Lower Burma, aggregating 9368 miles, with
rest-houses at convenient intervals built and
furnished by the government and available for
foreign travellers. The India post-office and
telegraph system reaches all the important
cities and most of the smaller towns of the
country.
224 BURMA
KELIGIONS
Religion Of the 10,490,624 people of Burma, 9,184,121
are Buddhists. The others are distributed as
follows : Animists, 399,390 ; Mohammedans,
339,446; Hindus, 285,484; Christians, 147,525;
Sikhs, 6,596; Jews, 685; Parsees,245; Jains, 93;
miscellaneous, 127,039.
It will be seen, therefore, that Burma is dis-
tinctively a Buddhist country. There are over
20,000 monks. As in Siam, every male is ex-
pected to spend some time in the monastery.
He must shave his head and don the yellow
robe. Pagodas, temples, and monasteries are
literally innumerable. No hamlet is so small
that it does not have a temple and monastery,
and the larger towns have scores of them. The
Buddhist teaching, which assigns great " merit "
to the man who erects a religious structure, leads
to constant additions to the number.
MISSIONS
Missions Missionary work in Burma is conducted by
the American Baptist Missionary Union, the
Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary
Society, the China Inland Mission, the Society
for the Propagation of the Gospel, and the
Evangelistic Lutheran Mission of Leipzig. The
following undenominational agencies are also
engaged in the special lines of work for which
they are organized: the British and Foreign
Bible Society, the Missionary Pence Association,
MISSIONS 225
I
the Mission to Lepers in India and the East,
the Young Men's Christian Association, and the
Young Women's Christian Association.
The C. I. M., of course, seeks only the Chi- China in-
nese. Its work, begun in 1875, is small, there
being but one family at Bhamo and five con-
verts. The Lutheran work is also small. The
Wesleyan Mission, begun among the British
soldiers by the Rev. W. B. Simpson in 1885,
and among the natives by the Rev. W. R. Win-
ston in 1887, now has five stations, eight
missionaries, 30 schools, and 503 communicants.
There are good high schools with boarding de-
partments at the principal stations. The large
Leper Home in Mandalay is manned by the
Wesleyan missionaries, though supported by the
Mission to Lepers in the East. The points occu-
pied are Mandalay, which is the chief centre,
Pakokku, Monywa, and Kyaukse.
The work of the American Methodists was The
inaugurated by Bishop James M. Thoburn, of Methodists
India. In compliance with an urgent invita-
tion, he visited Rangoon in 1879 and organized
an English-speaking church. The congregation
started with an encouragingly large member-
ship, which made it self-supporting from the be-
ginning. A church edifice was dedicated March
25, 1880. Mr. Carter soon arrived from Amer-
ica, with his wife, and became pastor. The
church became an influential factor in the re-
ligious life of the city, doing considerable local
work among the Tamils and Telegus, and giving
liberally to various causes. Bishop Thoburn
226 BURMA
says, "The Rangoon congregation is the best
working church I have known in any land."
The need of a school for girls was soon felt,
and the Rangoon Girls' High School was estab-
lished by the Woman's Foreign Missionary
Society in 1882. The government showed its
good- will by donating a commodious site and
$5000 toward the cost of a building, besides
several hundred dollars more for furnishing.
Friends in Rangoon raised a generous additional
sum, so that the principal, Miss Ellen Warner,
who arrived in 1881, had the satisfaction of
moving the school into a handsome building
worth -$15,000. Within a year, a hundred girls
were in attendance. Current expenses as well
as property were secured on the field, and, apart
from the salary of the missionary in charge, no
help was received from America until 1899,
when friends of Mrs. Charlotte O'Neal, Secre-
tary of the Pacific Branch of the Woman's
Foreign Missionary Society, erected a dormitory
and residence now known as the Charlotte
O'Neal Institute. The school has developed
into a large institution, with 40 boarders, and
270 day pupils. About 50 of these are Jews
or Parsees, and the rest are Eurasians. A
school for Burmese girls was added in 1892.
This also has prospered. In 1904, an addi-
tional building, " Shattuck Hall," was erected,
and the year 1907 saw still another building,
" Hagerty Home," added. Over 200 pupils are
in attendance.
Sympathy for friendless and destitute orphans
MISSIONS 227
led to the opening of an Orphanage and Indus- Orphanage
trial School in 1887. Friends in Rangoon came
forward nobly, with gifts aggregating $5000.
$1300 from America were added, arid in 1889 a
good property was secured. In 1897, it was
deemed expedient to remove the institution to
Thandang, 160 miles north of Rangoon, where
conditions were not only more healthful, but more
favorable to the training of such girls than in a
large port city. The friendly government made
a lease of a hundred acres of land for a low figure.
" Beginning in the most primitive and isolated
surroundings, with a bamboo hut having but
one door and no windows," this institution pros-
pered to such an extent that it outgrew a first
and then a second building, and now it is housed
in the " Elizabeth Pearson Hall," erected in
1907, at a cost of $21,000. The property is self-
supporting, and its beneficent care has blessed
hundreds of orphans for time and for eternity.
The Anglo- Vernacular Boys' School in Ran- Schools
goon has also flourished. It opened January
11, 1904, with the surprising number of 75
boys, nearly all Burmese Buddhists, and two
months later the number rose to 250. Bronson
Hall was begun in 1907. The government pays
nearly half the cost of $14,000, and $5000 of the
remainder have been given by the Rev. Dr.
Dillon Bronson, of Boston. The corner-stone
of this building, and also the corner-stone of
the new Epworth Memorial Church were laid on
the same day by Bishops Thoburn and Fitz-
gerald, at the Annual Conference of 1907.
228 BUEMA
Gradually the work extended beyond Ran-
goon. Pegu was occupied in 1893, Thongwa in
1894, and work for the Chinese was opened in
1897. The Bengal-Burma Conference was organ-
ized in 1893, but by 1901 Burma had become
important enough to stand alone, and on Feb-
ruary 2 of that year the Burma Mission Con-
ference was organized by Bishop Warne.
The Methodist Mission is the smallest of the
nine missions of that Church in southern Asia,
and changes in the personnel have been so nu-
merous that no one of the present force has been
on the field more than three years. But the
missionaries are full of enthusiasm for their
work. Good progress has been made, consider-
ingallthe circumstances, and larger development
is planned, particularly among the Burmans,
upon whom missionary effort has thus far made
comparatively little impression, the large suc-
cess having been among the other races of the
country. The Mission feels, however, that it
has a message for each of the various peoples of
Lower Burma. The cosmopolitan character of
its work is indicated by the fact that at the
A polyglot Annual Conference in 1907, Secretary A. B.
Conference Leonard of the Board preached to a congrega-
tion in which nine languages were spoken. " It
was called a united vernacular service. The
languages were English, Burmese, Telugu,
Tamil, Hindustani, Chin, Karen, Kanarese, and
Chinese. The sermon was translated into Bur-
mese as it was delivered. Then interpreters
who had made notes, gave it in Telugu, Tamil,
MISSIONS 229
and Chinese, so that it was given five times in
all. For once in my life I spoke with tongues
the tongues of other people."
There are now nine circuits: Pegu-Sittang,
Thandaung, Thongwa-Twanta, Syriam, and five
in Rangoon : Burmese, Chinese, Tamil, Telegu,
and English. The mission force consists of 16
missionaries, including three wives and seven sin-
gle women of the Woman's Society. There are
15 schools, of which 10 are for boys and five for
girls, 31 Sunday-schools, and a Christian com-
munity of 530 full members, 416 probationers,
and 187 baptized children.
The S. P. G. work is older and larger than
that of the other Boards mentioned. The be-
ginnings were at Moulmein, where, in 1852,
Chaplain W. T. Humphrey started among the
British residents a " Burmese mission fund,"
which his successor, Chaplain C. S. P. Parish,
increased to rupees 11,168. Interested by their
reports, the Society, in 1859, appointed the Rev.
T. A. Cockey a missionary, and a few months
later he was joined by the Rev. A. Shears, who
started a boys' school, which enrolled 100 pu-
pils within the first year.
1860 saw the arrival of a man who was des- j. E. Marks
tined to have a large influence in the evan-
gelization of Burma, Mr. J. E. Marks. He
developed the boys' school so rapidly that the
Bishop of Calcutta, who visited it in December,
1861, said that he had " never seen in India a
more promising school or one containing better
elements of success." In 1864, Mr. Marks was
230 BURMA
transferred to Rangoon. His successors carried
on the work for a time, but discouragements
multiplied. Chaplain Parish had baptized the
first Burmese convert in 1863, but additions
were few, and in 1872 it was thought wise to
discontinue the station. It was reopened in
1879 by the Rev. James A. Colbeck, who found
only three or four Burmese Christians, but "a
considerable number " of Tamils, while the or-
phanage for Eurasians was still in existence.
Progress of The work quickly revived. Within two years,
the work forty converts from Buddhism had been bap-
tized, a large school established, and a church
building begun. " Seldom in the history of
missions," wrote the Bishop of Rangoon, " has
there been so rapid and effective a revival of
lapsed labour." When Mr. Colbeck left for
Mandalay in 1885, the station was well estab-
lished and it has continued to 'flourish.
It was a chaplain also, the Rev. H. W. Crof-
ton, who in 1858 advised the Society to open
work in Rangoon, and began collecting funds
for it among the British residents. When Mr.
Marks came from Moulmein in 1864, he founded
a school which enrolled 220 boys within nine
months and which developed into the famous
St. John's College. By 1892 it had 650 stu-
dents, of whom 300 were boarders. All together
this College has now educated wholly or in part
over 15,000 boys.
St. Mary's School, founded in 1865 by Miss
Cooke, is a less extensive but very important
school for girls under the care of the Ladies'
MISSIONS 231
Association. It was said of it in 1869 that
" almost every race in Rangoon is represented
in it," and the statement is equally true
to-day.
From these two institutions as centres, the
work was developed in various directions among
Burmese, Chinese, and Tamils. In 1864, Mr.
Marks, with ten of his students, visited several
towns on the Irrawaddy River. This was the
beginning of the S. P. G. work north of Ran-
goon. Schools were established at a number
of places, though some of these had to be closed
for want of suitable teachers and sufficient su-
pervision by English missionaries. The Rev.
and Mrs. C. H. Chard opened a boys' school
at Thyet Myo in 1886, and in 1871 went
there to reside, Mrs. Chard founding a girls'
school.
Prome, which like the places mentioned above
had also been visited by Mr. Marks in 1864, saw
the beginnings of a fine girls' school in 1871,
under the care of the Ladies' Association. St.
Mark's Church was built in 1878, by which
time both the educational and evangelistic work
had developed promisingly.
The spiritual receptivity of the Karens was Work
brought to the attention of the society by
Chaplain J. Young in 1862. It was not until
1873, however, that a resident missionary, the
Rev. C. Warren, reached Toungoo to begin
work among them. Before his lamented death
in 1875, he declared that the station might
prove to " be the key to one of the most flour-
232 BURMA
ishing and extensive missions in the world."
September 7, 1878, was a great day, for at that
time St. Paul's Church was consecrated, four
Karen teachers were ordained deacons, and 62
persons were confirmed by the Bishop of Ran-
goon; while in the same year a Normal and In-
dustrial School was opened, more than half the
cost being borne by the Karens themselves. A
medical department was added in 1879, and in
1881 new and larger school buildings, a chapel,
and clergy house were added to the equipment.
A printing-press greatly extended the influence
of the work. A Karen girls' school, begun in
. 1884, opened a door of hope to a large number
of ignorant and neglected girls, and by 1888
gave promise of supplying a considerable num-
ber of village teachers and hospital nurses.
The province of Arakan had also attracted
the indefatigable Mr. Marks during that mem-
orable tour of 1864, and the good seed then
sown had taken root. When Bishop Titcomb
visited Akyab, there were a church, a parson-
age, a government school and hospital, and by
1890 the Bishop could describe the station as
"a most useful and promising work."
Mandalay The S. P. G. station at Mandalay is another
of the many stations in Burma which owe their
origin to St. John's College. A Burmese prince,
who had quarrelled with his father and taken
refuge in Rangoon, was found by Mr. Marks
in 1863 and given some Christian books. When
he returned to Mandalay after his reconcilia-
tion with his father, he invited Mr. Marks to
MISSIONS 233
visit him. The good missionary complied with
the request in 1868. He was introduced at
once to the King, upon whom he made a pro-
found impression. Influenced partly by his
high regard for Mr. Marks and partly also, as
events proved, by the hope of securing some
political advantages from the British govern-
ment, the King gave the missionary land for
church, school, and residence, and placed nine
of his sons under Mr. Marks's care. The con-
secration of the Church of our Lord Jesus
Christ, by the Bishop of Calcutta, July 30,
1873, was a notable event. Queen Victoria,
who had been greatly impressed by the fact
that a Buddhist King was building a Christian
church, presented a baptismal font.
Political complications, however, so alienated Difficulties
the fickle King that he withdrew his support
and warned Dr. Marks " that it would not be
safe to stay longer in Mandalay." The Viceroy
of India, Lord Northbrook, urged the Bishop of
Calcutta to recall the missionary at once, on
the ground that " his life was in danger " and
"for fear of complications between the two
governments." But Bishop Milman wrote to
Dr. Marks, and he fairly represented the at-
titude of mission boards in general at such
times : "I replied that it was not our custom to
recall missionaries from their posts at the first
appearance of danger, that you had my full
permission to retire, if you thought it necessary
to do so; but that while you judge it needful
for your work to remain in Mandalay, I should
234 BURMA
9 support you in so doing. But pray let me ad-
vise caution, etc.*' 1
Mr. Marks stayed until 1875 and was not
injured. Other missionaries soon reenforced
the station. The violent days of King Thibaw,
who succeeded to the throne on the death of
his father in 1878, compelled the withdrawal
of both the station and the British Residency.
Mr. Marks made several efforts to get into
touch with his former pupil, and if he could
have succeeded, some bloody events might not
have occurred; but the Prime Minister barred
Light after the way. The King afterward protested that
he knew nothing about the effort, and intimated
that he would have been glad to see Mr.
Marks. It is interesting to note that "the
Register of the Royal School at Mandalay con-
tains a record of Thibaw from the time of his
admission in 1869 to his dethronement in 1885."
The station was reopened by the Rev. James
A. Colbeck after the capture of Mandalay by
the British in 1885. The schools were rees-
tablished, and within six months the number of
Burmese converts rose to 75, and of schoolboys
to 150. The work spread to the surrounding
villages, and on Christmas Eve, 1887, Mr. Col-
beck had the joy of seeing 20 men and 11 women
baptized at one time. During a visit in 1889,
Dr. Marks wrote: "Here in the golden apart-
ment in which I had so often walked barefoot,
and weary and anxious, waiting for hours for
the appearance of one of my prince-pupils with
1 Digest of S. P. G. Records, 649.
MISSIONS 235
the joyful words, ' Caw daw moo thee,' ' The
King calls you,' I now stood with my back to
the throne and preached to a large and attentive
congregation from the words, 6 The Power of
His Resurrection.' '
Archbishop Tate recognized the worth of Honor con*
this devoted pioneer missionary by conferring
upon him in 1879 the Lambeth degree of D.D.,
and Bishop Titcomb spoke of him as " one of
the most skilful and successful of schoolmasters
who . . . has . . . learned to speak Burmese
like a native, and is not only known throughout
the chief part of British Burma, but is so loved
and admired by the Burmese as to possess in-
fluence over them wherever he goes. ... In
many ways, I found him quite a power among
them.'"
Work was begun at Shwebo in 1887. It was
not long before sixteen persons were baptized,
one of them being a young princess, first cousin
to Thibaw. She refused to return to her home
in Mandalay, and devoted herself to evangelistic
work at Shwebo. The word spread to the sur-
rounding villages, and a girls' boarding school
was opened, of which the Bishop of Rangoon
said in 1901, "I know of no school of a similar
character in all Burma to equal it." The Rev.
H. M. Stockings has labored at this station
since 1889, and now has the satisfaction of seeing
a beautiful stone church and other buildings and
a substantial work.
Some work has also been done at Bhamo and the
Andaman and Nicobar Islands, though the force
236 BURMA
has been small. Native catechists visited many
places where the missionaries themselves could
Results not reside. " Children are taught to repeat
over and over again in their own tongue short
sentences on the goodness, love, and holiness of
God and His mercy and lovingkindness in the
gift of His Son, to be repeated hereafter in many
a Nicobar hut where the blood of pigs and fowls
has been sprinkled for fear of demons sweet
sounds strangely mingling with the weird, ex-
cited, and drunken utterances of Menloonas."
All together, the S. P. G. now has in Burma
thirty-two missionaries. The work is cosmopoli-
tanin character, being conducted among Burmese,
Tamils, Chinese, Karens, Eurasians, and Euro-
peans. In 1877, Lower Burma, which had hith-
erto formed a part of the Diocese of Calcutta,
was created a separate Diocese under the name
of Rangoon, and its first bishop, the Rt. Rev.
J. H. Titcomb, D.D., was consecrated in West-
minster Abbey, with imposing ceremonies, De-
cember 27th of that year. His episcopate was
brief, for ill health resulting from a fall com-
pelled him to resign in 1881.
During those four years he laid broad founda-
tions and saw the work well organized. His
successor, the Rt. Rev. J. M. Strachan, was
consecrated at Lambeth Palace Chapel in 1882.
His experience of twenty-one years as a mission-
ary in southern India gave him a rare equipment
for his work in Burma. After an episcopate of
twenty years, filled with good works, failing
health compelled him to resign in 1902. His
MISSIONS 237
death occurred May 2, 1906. "Though unable
to master any of the languages of Burma, his
episcopate will be memorable for his deep, fer-
vent piety, his kindliness of manner, genial-
ity, and benevolent liberality. He bequeathed
Rs.50,000 for the diocese and Rs. 10,000 to his
old college, St. Augustine's, Canterbury." His
successor, Bishop A. M. Knight, is carrying on the
work of his predecessors with zeal and success.
The S. P. G. missionaries have not overlooked Literary
the importance of translations. The prayer-
book, hymn-books, tracts, catechisms, and
school-books have been translated into both
Burmese and Karen; while Dr. Marks trans-
lated a part of the New Testament in 1863,
the work being subsequently revised and ex-
tended by a committee of missionaries.
The Ladies' Association, organized in 1866
"for promoting the education of females in
India and other heathen countries in connection
with the missions of the Society for the Prop-
agation of the Gospel," has effectively coop-
erated with the S. P. G. in its work in Burma,
conducting the schools for girls and doing a gra-
cious work in the homes of the people along the
many lines which womanly tact and sympathy
suggest. We have already referred to St.
Mary's School, which now has 335 pupils, of
whom 112 are boarders. At the last annual
examination, eighty-six per cent passed with
satisfactory grades. The All Saints Girls'
School at Shwebo has 33 boarders and 50 day
scholars.
238 BURMA
The Ameri- The oldest and largest missionary work in
can Baptists Burma is that of the American Baptists.
Burma has a large place in their affections, for
it was their first and, for a considerable time,
their only foreign mission field.
The beginnings of their missionary effort are
Adoniram associated with the splendid name of Adoniram
Judson, their first missionary. He had in-
tended to go to India, but the bitter opposition
of the East India Company compelled the
missionaries to move from place to place, and
finally, to avoid forcible deportation to Eng-
land, to escape on the wretched sailing vessel,
The Greorgiana, to Rangoon, Burma, where
they arrived July 13, 1813. It was in this
strange and unplanned way that the great
Judson reached his field, and that the Baptist
Church began its work in Burma. Three
years of loneliness passed before any associates
arrived.
There were no helps in language study, and
Dr. Judson had to compile his own dictionary
and grammar. But so diligently did he toil,
that by 1816 he had completed a translation
of the gospel of Matthew and a few tracts.
Other translations were gradually added until
Judson had given the Burmese a version of the
Word of God and had contributed helps for
its study and for the instruction of the people
which have placed his name among the great
constructive bibliographers of history.
The troubled state of the country frequently
caused anxiety. When war with England
MISSIONS 239
appeared imminent, the British traders in Persecution
Rangoon hurriedly fled. Dr. Judson was
away from home at the time, and indeed was
supposed to have perished. Mrs. Judson's
frightened associates urged her to flee with
them before all were killed ; but she refused to
desert her husband. The result justified the
courage of the devoted wife. Storms had
thwarted Judson's plans, he was unharmed,
and within a week he returned in good health.
Mr. and Mrs. Hough had become discouraged
and soon left, but nothing could dismay Dr.
and Mrs. Judson, and they stayed on alone
till 1818, when Mr. and Mrs. Colman and Mr.
and Mrs. Wheelock joined them. Two joyful
events marked the next year, 1819. In April
the first church building was opened, and June
19, six years after Judson's arrival, the first
Burman was baptized. This convert, Moung First
Nau, was notable, not only as the first-fruit of Ba P tism
Christianity in Burma, but as the first Buddhist
to accept Christ. November 7 saw two more
converts, and the first church in Burma was
organized with the three Burrnans and the three
missionary families.
The prospect was encouraging, when clouds
again appeared. Wheelock sickened and sailed
for home, only to commit suicide in delirium
before his ship had gotten out of the Bay of
Bengal. Officials and priests, who had at first
despised the missionaries, became hostile as the
work prospered. Intimidation quickly emptied
the church. Judson and Colman went to Ava
240 BURMA
to ask an audience with the King. He refused
to see them. Mrs. Judson's health gave way
and she was compelled to leave for America.
Loneliness Dr. Judson heroically remained at his post, a
solitary man in a hostile heathen city, till Dr.
Jonathan Price arrived in December, 1821.
The tide of official favor now turned again.
The King heard of Dr. Price's medical skill
and invited him to Ava and offered him a
house. Judson went with him. Mrs. Judson
returned. Mr. and Mrs. Wade arrived and,
with Mr. Hough, who had come back, manned
Rangoon, which now had eighteen converts,
while the Judsons and Price opened the work
at Ava under royal patronage.
TheBurman As before, the day of prosperity was short.
The first Burman war with England naturally
led the Burmans to hate all white men. Hough
and Wade were thrown into prison. They were
liberated when the British captured Rangoon,
May 23, 1824, but the station was destroyed
and the missionaries removed to Calcutta.
Judson Meantime, Judson and Price had been arrested
at Ava, June 8, and for a year and seven
months they lay in a foul native prison, chained
so that they could move only with great diffi-
culty, breathing hot, fetid air, and surrounded
by the filth of native criminals of the lowest
class. Their jailers gave them no food, and they
would have starved if Mrs. Judson had not
brought provisions to them. When her money
was exhausted, she was forced to beg food like
a mendicant from house to house to keep her
war
MISSIONS 241
husband alive, adopting native dress to lessen
the probability of insult. Once thieves broke
into her house and stole everything that could
be carried away. Twice she was dangerously ill,
once by confinement and once by spotted fever.
But the courage of the heroic pair never Heroism
faltered. "What about the prospects of the
conversion of the heathen ? " sneered a fellow-
prisoner to Judson. " The prospects are just
as bright as the promises of God," calmly re-
plied the missionary.
At last, the captives were released through His Release
the kindly intervention of the British General
Campbell, and with his devoted wife Judson went
to Amherst, the British headquarters, arriving
July 2, 1826. " A sadder spectacle has seldom
been presented to living human beings than that
which was offered to the English camp by those
liberated captives. They were covered with
filthy rags, they were worn to skin and bones,
and their haggard countenances, sunken, wan-
dering eyes, told but too plainly the frightful
story of their long suffering, their incessant
alarms, and their apprehension of a doom worse
than death."
As soon as Judson was able to travel, the Brit-
ish asked him to return to Ava to act as inter-
preter for the commissioners who were negotiat-
ing peace. While he was absent, the exhausted
body of Mrs. Judson succumbed, and she died,
October 24, 1826, with no companions but a few
natives. " So passed away one of the genuine
heroines of earth. She was the first woman to
242 BURMA
enter upon Christian labors in a purely heathen
kingdom in the East, and was the heroic pioneer
of those who have followed her as she followed
the Lord Jesus Christ."
The victory of the British enabled Judson to
continue his work under more favorable auspices.
He married twice more. His second wife, to
whom he was married in 1834, was Mrs. Sarah
Hall Boardman, the widow of one of his former
associates. She died in 1845, at St. Helena,
when they were on their way home on furlough.
The third wife, Emily Chubbuck, to whom he
was married in the United States in 1847,
survived him. It is interesting to recall that
all three of these wives became famous in mis-
sionary annals as women of unusual strength
and beauty of character and efficiency of mis-
His sionary service. The great Judson himself,
death after a career of extraordinary usefulness, finally
broke down in 1850, and left Burma, in the hope
that a sea voyage would restore his shattered
health. But within a few days he died, April
12, 1 850, and his body was buried at sea. Thus
pathetically ended the life of one of the world's
great men, a master-builder for God. There is
no grave over which a stone can be erected, but
redeemed Burma will be his monument.
The mission was now well established.
Reinforcements were added from time to time.
New stations were opened, and churches and
schools multiplied.
There are two methods of developing a field,
the intensive and the extensive. The former
MISSIONS 243
concentrates as large a force as possible on a Character
given area with a view to its complete evangeli- of work
zation within the shortest practicable period.
The^. other distributes a force so as to occupy
more countries, getting the Gospel started in
each, with the expectation that it will spread.
Both methods have their advantages and dis-
advantages, and most of the boards have adopted
one method in some fields and the other in
different fields. The Baptists in Burma have
adopted the intensive method. They have sent
more money and more missionaries to Burma
than to any other single region. Their pres-
ent expenditure on this one mission is now
1238,000 annually, and the members of the
Mission number 192. This is a larger expen-
diture and a larger force, in proportion to the
population, than for any other mission of any
board with which we are acquainted, and the
proportion is increased when we remember that
three-fourths of the work is among less than one-
tenth of the population, the Burmans having
proved less responsive to Christianity than the
Karens. Already prepared for the Gospel by
their traditions, the first Karen convert, baptized
by Dr. Boardman at Tavoy, May 16, 1828,
proved the first-fruits of a mighty harvest.
This convert, Ko Tha Byu, was a remarkable KO Tha Byu
man. At the time of his conversion he gave
little promise of his future power. He had
already attained middle life ; he had no educa-
tion, and indeed appeared to have rather a dull
mind. When roused, however, his temper was
244 BUEMA
furious. He was, however, notorious for robbery
and violence, no less than thirty murders hav-
ing been ascribed to him. The Holy Spirit
wrought an extraordinary change in this man.
He immediately gave himself wholly to Chris-
tian work, and soon wielded such an extraordi-
nary power over his people that he became
known as the Karen Apostle.
The work among the Karens was now pushed
vigorously in various directions. The indefat-
Dr. Vinton igable labors of Dr. J. H. Vinton in relieving
suffering in the famine which followed the war
added to receptiveness of these long-oppressed
people. Baptisms multiplied. By 1852, the
year of the second Burmese War, Karen Bap-
tist churches had a membership of over 6000.
Self-support kept pace with evangelization.
Karen evangelists were almost wholly sup-
ported by the Mission, but the Rev. E. L.
Abbott early began to press the importance
of self-support, and he was powerfully reen-
forced by the Rev. E. H. Beecher and Dr.
Vinton. The readiness with which the Karen
Christians responded proved the genuineness
of their faith. By 1849, the Karen Church
at Bassein voluntarily assumed self-support.
The next year it formed a Home Mission
Society, and this was followed in 1854 by a
similar organization in Rangoon. These socie-
ties are notable in the history of missions, as
they are believed to be the first organizations
of native Christians for giving the Gospel to
their own people.
MISSIONS 245
The Ko San Ye Movement was an interesting KO San Ye
development of this spirit. It took its name
from an illiterate man who was converted in
1890, and who became a preacher of such
spiritual force that he has come to be known
as the Karen Moody. He founded an indepen-
dent movement supported by the Karens them-
selves, but in friendly cooperation with the mis-
sionaries, who watched it with deep sympathy
and great rejoicing, though not without anxiety
at times. Ko San Ye's influence over his people
became almost absolute, yet in spite of all the
reverence and even adoration which were ac-
corded him, he preserved his humility of spirit. 1
A British official has gladly testified to the
change which the Gospel has wrought in the
Karens :
" Forty years ago, they were a despised, grovelling,
timid people, held in contempt by the Burmese. At the
sound of the gospel message, they sprang to their feet,
as a sleeping army springs to the bugle-call. The dream
of hundreds of years was fulfilled ; the God who had cast
them off for their unfaithfulness had corne back to them ;
they felt themselves a nation once more. Their progress Success
since has been by leaps and bounds, all from an impetus among
within themselves, and with no direct help from their Karens
rulers ; and they bid fair soon to outstrip their Burmese
conquerors in all the arts of peace/*
While the largest and most successful work
continued to be done among the Karens, other
races were not neglected. A general conven-
1 Cf. " Ko San Ye, the Karen Moody and His Remarkable
Work in Burma," a leaflet by the Rev. S. R. Vinton, pub-
lished by the A. B. M. U.
246 BURMA
tion of all the Baptist missionaries in Burma
at Moulmein in April, 1853, decided to open
work among the Burmans as opportunity
offered, and the first Burman association of
1860 at Thonze and the Burma-Baptist Mis-
sionary Convention which was formerly organ-
ized at Rangoon in 1865 gave earnest attention
to the spiritual needs of this numerous people.
By 1885, the year of the third war with Eng-
land, missions to the Burmans were being con-
ducted at Rangoon, Moulmein, Tavoy, Bassein,
Henzada, Toungoo, Shwegyin, Prorne, Thonze,
andZigon ; while the British annexation of Upper
Burma, which followed the war, gave the mis-
sionaries an opportunity which was immediately
utilized of establishing a station at Mandalay.
This was soon followed by opening of work
among the Burmans at Myingyan, Sandoway,
Meiktila, and Pegu in Lower Burma. Pyinmana
was added in 1905.
Difficulties The work among the Burmans has proved to
be much slower and more difficult than that
among the other races. Inordinate pride and
indolence make a combination hard to over-
come. All agree with the Church of England
Bishop of Calcutta, who, after a visit to Burma
in 1870, wrote : " The difficulties of Buddhism
are extreme. Every one, lay and clerical,
speaks of them as even greater than those
of Hinduism and Mohammedanism." How-
ever, the Baptist Union reported, in 1907, 3017
communicants in connection with its Burman
work. The missionaries point with satisfac-
MISSIONS 247
tion to the Burman Church at Moulmein, which
has a membership of over 300, and which owns
its excellent property, pays all its current ex-
penses, and contributes liberally to Christian
work both home and foreign.
Work among the Talains began as far back Work
as the days of Dr. Judson, who baptized the
first Talain convert, Ko Myat Kyau, in 1828.
The Rev. J. M. Haswell was the first mission-
ary to learn the Talain language and to trans-
late the New Testament. The work was
conducted in connection with the Burman
Church until 1901, when the Rev. and Mrs.
A. C. Darrow were set apart specifically for
the Talain work with headquarters at Moul-
mein. A church of 24 members was organ-
ized December 2, 1905, and the work has
spread among many of the Talain villages
near Moulmein, the present number of con-
verts being 278.
The Rev. Moses H. Bixby founded the andShans
work among the Shans in 1860 at Toungoo,
in whose district there were about 10,000 of
these people whom the civil war had driven
from their own habitat. The work was con-
ducted through native interpreters, until 1867,
when the Rev. and Mrs. J. N. Gushing and
Miss Gage arrived and began to study the
Shan language. Dr. Gushing made several
expeditions into Shan territory in 1869, push-
ing his trip as far as Keng-tung. In 1876, work
among the Shans was opened in Bhamo. In
1890, stations were opened at Hsipaw and
248 BURMA
Mongnai ; in 1893, at Namkham; and in 1901,
at Keng-tung. The Baptists now report 6342
communicants among the Shans, 6100 of these
being in the Keng-tung field.
First The first convert among the Chins was "a
Convert poor, disfigured, tattooed woman," who was led
to the Saviour by a Burman Christian woman,
and was baptized by Dr. Mason at Tavoy in
1837. It was not until 1852 that she was
joined by another Chin woman ; but by 1858
there were fifteen Chins connected with the
Church at Prome. Mrs. B. C. Thomas took
a special interest in them, and with some of
them for helpers started a school and began
evangelistic work among the Chins of Henzada
and Sandoway. Later, a station was opened
at Thayetmyo. In 1899, the Rev. and Mrs. A.
E. Carson made the long and toilsome journey
up the Chindwin River and through the wild
mountain region to Haka. They found the
natives "filthy beyond imagination, given to
awful drunken revelries, having strange and
weird ceremonies, indulging in tribal feuds at
frequent intervals, and dwelling in darkness
which could be felt." It was a peculiarly
lonely and trying field, but the missionaries
stuck to their posts, save when illness com-
pelled them to leave temporarily, and Haka
has now become the centre of a small but en-
couraging work. The number of Chin con-
verts in connection with the Baptist Mission
is now 776.
The Kachins attracted the attention of Dr.
MISSIONS 249
Kincaid as far back as 1837; but his effort to TheKachins
reach these turbulent barbarians in their moun-
tain fastnesses ended at Bhamo, where he was
seized and forced to return. Two missionaries
of the China Inland Mission, in 1876, succeeded
in reaching the Kachins and in doing some work
among them in connection with their mission
to the Chinese, and in 1877 the Rev. J. Lyon
and the Rev. J. A. Freiday were sent out by
the Baptist Union for this work. Mr. Lyon
died of quick consumption within a short time
after his arrival ; but before the year 1878
ended, the Rev. and Mrs. W. H. Roberts had
come to take the vacant place. Establishing
their residence at Bhamo, Mr. Roberts made
many itinerating journeys into the hills, and
his account of them forms an interesting leaf-
let. 1 The experiences of the missionaries among
the Kachins abounded in incidents of hardship,
privation, and sorrow. The health of both Mr.
and Mrs. Roberts was wrecked, the latter dy-
ing, and the former being obliged to return to
America, though he was able about a year later
to go back to his work. Undismayed, suc-
cessors took their places. In 1893, the Rev.
George J. Geis started a station at Myitkyina,
which has now become well equipped. There
are schools for the Kachins at Bhamo, in two of
the Christian villages and in six of the moun-
tain villages. "Mr. Roberts, who through dark-
ness and difficulty as well as in the brighter
lu Pioneering among the Kachins," published by the
A. B. M. U.
250 BUEMA
days of its history, has stood by the Kachin
Mission, feels profoundly grateful for what has
been wrought in the lives of these people."
We have already referred to the Telugus and
Tamils who came to Burma from India. The
Rev. and Mrs. W. F. Armstrong were set
apart for work among them in 1894. Ran-
goon, Moulmein, Bassein, and Mandalay are
the chief centres of this work. There are two
large schools, one at Rangoon and one at Moul-
mein, which have taught all together about 5000
pupils since their establishment.
English Baptist work among the English-speaking
Work people of Burma, who include a very large
number of Eurasians, is conducted at Ran-
goon, Moulmein, and Mandalay. There are
good churches in each of these cities, Immanuel
Baptist Church in Rangoon being particularly
large and well organized. Many Eurasian chil-
dren attend the Rangoon Baptist College, and
in Moulmein there is a high school for Eu-
rasians in charge of three devoted women.
Comparatively little has been done among the
Chinese in Burma, but there is a Chinese Bap-
tist congregation in Rangoon under the care of
a native pastor.
All together, the Baptist Missionary Union
reports (1907) 29 stations, 192 foreign mis-
sionaries, of whom 79 are men, 1909 native
workers, 58,642 communicants, 843 organized
churches, of which 679 are wholly self-support-
ing, and 691 schools of various grades, of which
548 are self-supporting. The number of self-
MISSIONS 251
supporting churches and schools eloquently
testifies to the genuineness of the native Chris-
tians as well as to the wisdom of the mission-
aries. In one district among the Karens, the
13,000 Christians raised last year 73,823 rupees Results
for the full cost of their pastors, evangelists,
teachers, and students, gave 6450 rupees to
their home missionary society, and supported
two workers among the Kachins, and within
recent years they have raised 100,000 rupees
to endow their church.
The Baptist Union and its missionaries early
realized that their work would require not only
a large number of ordinary schools, but some
institutions of higher grade for the training
of native pastors and helpers and teachers. A
Burman Theological Seminary was therefore School
founded a,t Moulmein in 1838 by the Rev. Dr. Work
E. A. Stevens. The Seminary was moved to
Rangoon in 1862, and its scope widened so as to
include students of other races. It was soon
seen that the Karen work would require
such an exceptionally large number of native
preachers as to justify a separate theological
seminary for them, and one was established at
Moulmein in 1845 by the Rev. Dr. J. G. Bin-
ney. It was afterwards found, however, that
Rangoon was a better centre for this institu-
tion as well as for the Burman Seminary, and so it
also was removed to the metropolis. These theo-
logical seminaries have come to be indispen-
sable parts of the Baptist movement in Burma.
They are beautifully located at Insein, a suburb
252 BURMA
of Rangoon. They have good faculties both
foreign and native, and a curriculum which
gives an admirable training to the young men
who are to go out as preachers of Christ among
their own people. The Burman Seminary now
reports 31 students, and the Karen, 138.
College The year 1872 saw the beginnings, also by
Dr. Binney, of Rangoon Baptist College, an
institution which has become a power for Chris-
tian education. Under the Rev. C. H. Car-
penter, who became president in 1873, an ex-
cellent property was secured. His successors
in the presidency extended the work and equip-
ment, until the Rev. Dr. J. N. Gushing, who
presided over the institution from 1892 until
his death in 1905, developed the curriculum
from that of a high school to that of a full col-
lege in affiliation with Calcutta University.
The College now reports 1060 students, and its
graduates are to be found in positions of leader-
ship all over Lower Burma. The new building,
" Gushing Hall," now about completed, is to
cost 160,000, of which the government furnishes
one-half.
Medical The Baptist Union has not attempted medical
Work work in Lower Burma, as there are civil hospitals
and the usual staff of physicians and surgeons
in connection with the government service ;
but medical missionaries have been appointed
to the more isolated stations in the north. The
Union now reports thirteen physicians, three hos-
pitals, and seven dispensaries, which all together
treated last year 13,697 patients.
MISSIONS 253
In nearly all the work of the Baptists in Burma,
the Woman's Baptist Foreign Missionary Society
has effectively cooperated. The Society sent out
the first medical missionary to Burma, Miss Ellen
E. Mitchell, M.D., who, after twenty-one years
of devoted service, died at Moulmein in 1901.
We have already referred to the heroic and
self-sacrificing labors of the first Mrs. Judson,
and much might be said of many other mis-
sionary wives and of the considerable number of
single women who have labored in Burma, many
of whom have been supported by the Woman's
Society.
An interesting pamphlet entitled " Retro-
spect," published by the Woman's Society, de-
scribes 23 boarding and high schools in Burma
which have been either founded or are maintained
by the Society, and this list does not include a
considerable number of village schools. The
Kemendine School in a suburb of Rangoon, three Woman's
and a half miles from the city, has a fine campus Work
of eight acres with two large school buildings
and a residence for the missionary teachers, be-
sides the usual outbuildings. The Pegu High
School, also at Rangoon, was established by Mr.
and Mrs. Vinton during the revival in the fifties,
and the present building is appropriately called
the Vinton Memorial. The Burman Woman's
Bible School at Rangoon, founded in 1893 by
Miss Ranney and Miss Phinney, has a good
building at Insein, and enrolls several students
from other races as well as the Burman. The
Karen Woman's Bible School, founded at Thaton
254 BURMA
by Miss E. Lawrence and moved to Rangoon in
1897, is also doing excellent work. At Moul-
mein one finds the Morton Lane Boarding School
for Burmese girls, the Burmese Boys' School,
and the English Girls' High School. Both at
Rangoon and Moulmein, the visitor should not
fail to see the kindergartens which are conducted
by the missionaries of the Woman's Society,
while many of the other Baptist stations in
Burma have schools which are doing an excel-
lent work, the Burman Boys' High School at
Mandalay reporting 300 pupils. The Baptist
Union testifies that the women "have now so
extended their sphere of influence that a large
part of the school work of the Missionary Union
has passed to their care, and their many repre-
sentatives are rendering a service, than which
none is acknowledged to be more strongly evan-
gelistic, or more influential in the making of the
character of the people of Burma. Some of
these women have been called upon at times to
stand alone in stations where there were no men,
and in such trying situations have rendered a ser-
vice to the Union of unquestioned importance,
their wisdom and perseverance having been ex-
ceeded only by their patience in assuming re-
sponsibilities far heavier than they should ever
have been called upon to bear."
Printing- The printing-press came to Burma with Felix
press Carey, and after many vicissitudes developed into
the great institution now known as the Ameri-
can Baptist Mission Press of Rangoon. It has
published the Bible complete in Judson's trans-
MISSIONS 255
lation of Burman, 1840, Mason's Sgaw-Karen,
1853, Brayton's Pwo-Karen, 1883, and Cushing's
Shan, 1891, besides several editions of the New
Testament and innumerable portions and parts
of the Bible in four other dialects. Many
books and countless tracts have been issued,
and two religious papers of considerable cir-
culation are regularly printed, The Religious
Herald in Burma, founded in 1842, and The
Morning Star in Karen, founded in 1843.
With the efficient government, security for Prospects
life and property, good roads, railways, and
telegraphs, which British rule brings, the open-
ness of the whole country to missionary work,
the broad and deep foundations that have been
laid by the devoted missionaries of pioneer
days, the well-established churches and institu-
tions, and a large and rapidly growing native
church, the outlook for the evangelization of
Burma is most encouraging. Serious obstacles
still exist, but if the faith and courage of the
immortal Judsons animate their successors of
to-day, these obstacles will be overcome, and all
Burma shall know the Lord.
KOREA
BY
THE REV. ARTHUR JUDSON BROWN, D.D.
CHAPTER VII
KOREA
THE COUNTRY
KOREA projects from the northeastern part Area
of Asia as Florida projects from the southern
part of the United States, though Korea is
larger than Florida, estimates of its area vary-
ing from 82,000 to 92,000 square miles. It is
therefore nearly as large as New York and
Pennsylvania combined. It is 660 miles long,
150 wide, and has a coast-line 1740 miles in
extent.
The eastern side is rather precipitous and has Coast
a small tide, only about two feet. The west
coast slopes more gradually and the tide some-
times reaches thirty-eight feet. There are sev-
eral harbors, chief among which are Wonsan
(sometimes spelled Gensan), on the northeast
coast, Masampo and Fusan at the southern end
of the peninsula, and Chemulpo, Chinampo, and
Yong-ampo on the west coast. Many islands
border the southwest coast, and the channel be-
tween them is so tortuous and so inadequately
charted that navigation in bad weather is haz-
ardous.
Lying between the thirty-fourth and forty- Mountains
third parallels, the climate is that of the north
temperate zone. A range of mountains runs
irregularly the entire length of the peninsula,
259
260 KOREA
with outflanking ridges of varying height.
The range is not lofty, few peaks reaching an
altitude of 5000 feet. In the north, however,
Mt. Paik-to-san (Ever White Head Peak)
attains 8000 feet. It is, therefore, a famous
mountain in Korea, and is regarded as sa-
cred. It is an extinct volcano, and the crater
is filled with water, forming a lake of great
beauty and of unknown depth. Celebrated
also are the Diamond Mountains in the prov-
ince of Kang-wen. 1
The general surface of the country is much
diversified. Korea is a land of mountains and
valleys and streams, though there are few
important rivers. The Noctong River in the
south, the Han River in the centre, the Ta-
tong in the north, the Tumen on the north-
eastern frontier, and the Yalu on the north-
western are the chief streams. The soil of the
valleys is rich. Rice and beans, the staple food
of the Koreans, are grown almost everywhere.
Soil and The thrift of the Chinese or Japanese or the press-
Scenery ure O f a larger population could bring under
cultivation many large areas which now lie
idle, for of the 7,000,000 acres that could easily
be tilled, only 3,185,000 are under cultivation.
North of Pyeng Yang, the scenery becomes
even more striking than it is in the central and
southern parts of the country. The mountains
are higher and the valleys narrower. Some
of the villages are of Alpine picturesqueness.
1 Cf. description by Mrs. Isabella Bird Bishop in " Korea
and Her Neighbors."
THE PEOPLE 261
Kwallondong, for example, nestles in a gorge
that would make it famous if it were more
accessible, while Kwen Myen lies cosily in one
of the most lovely valleys in the world.
THE PEOPLE
The population is estimated to be 12,000,000. People
The most prominent cities are : Seoul, the
capital, on the Han River, 26 miles from the
coast, population 250,000 (all figures are esti-
mates) ; Song-do, 50 miles northwest of Seoul,
the capital in the preceding dynasty, popula-
tion over 60,000 ; Pyeng Yang, on the Ta-tong
River, 50 miles from the sea, an ancient
capital of historic fame, next to Seoul in
present importance, population about 60,000;
Chemulpo, the western gateway and port of
Seoul, population 15,000 ; Fusan, the southern
gateway, population 25,000 ; Taiku, 100 miles
north of Fusan, population 50,000 ; Won-san,
the northeastern gateway, with a particularly
fine harbor, population 15,000 ; Eui-ju, the
northwestern gateway, on the Yalu River,
population 25,000. Small cities and market
towns with populations ranging from 5000 to
12,000 each are numerous, and villages are
innumerable, the rural population not being
scattered on farms as in England and America,
but being segregated in hamlets for protection
and companionship.
The language differs from both the Japanese
and Chinese, though the written characters
chiefly used by the higher classes are Chinese.
262 KOREA
Language A different dialect is used by the common peo-
ple. Formerly, this was held in contempt and
was never used in writing. The missionaries
have done much to give new dignity to this
native dialect. They have translated the New
Testament and many books, prepared gram-
mars and dictionaries, and are fast rehabilitat-
ing the language in some such way as Luther's
translation of the Bible exalted the native Ger-
man and as Wiclif's translation inaugurated
a new era for English. Official papers are
now usually published in Chinese, Korean, and
Japanese.
Race The people of Korea are often characterized
as weak. It must be admitted that they lack
the energy and ambition of the Japanese and
the industry and persistence of the Chinese.
But it should be remembered that for many
centuries their position has been unfavorable
to the development of strength and character.
A comparatively small nation, hemmed in be-
tween warlike Japan and mighty China, the
Land of the Morning Calm was doomed from
the outset to be a tributary state. The Kore-
ans have become so accustomed to being pulled
and hauled by contending masters, have been
treated so unjustly by those who dominated
them and so ground down into utter poverty
by the greed and cruelty of their own magis-
trates, that they have come to accept subjuga-
tion and poverty as the natural concomitants
of their life. It is not suprising, therefore, that
the superior power of neighboring nations has
THE PEOPLE 263
taught the Koreans dependence, that the exac-
tions of tax-gatherers have fostered deceit, and
that the certainty that the results of toil could
not be enjoyed has begotten indolence.
The general poverty appears in the architec- Poverty
ture. A country merchant in America lives in
a better house than the Emperor of Korea,
while hundreds of stables at home are more
attractive than the official residence of a pro-
vincial governor. The buildings are not only
plain, but usually dilapidated. It seldom oc-
curs to a Korean to make repairs, and so on
every side and even in palaces and temples
one sees crumbling walls and dirty court-
yards.
The most trying characteristic of the people Filthiness
to a foreigner is their filthiness. The higher
classes and the mission converts are clean, but
the common people are as a whole unspeakably
dirty. Garbage and offal are thrown on the
ground and left to rot under the hot sun.
Open ditches in the principal streets become
choked with filth. Beside the average house
is a tiny open trench into which all slops are
cast. The trench ends a few feet from the
house, and the filth seeps into the soil, often
near the wells from which the drinking water
is drawn. In the hot, wet months of July and
August, a Korean city becomes a steaming cess-
pool. Accordingly, dysentery, cholera, typhus
and typhoid fevers, and kindred diseases rage
at frequent intervals. The Japanese are ener-
getically grappling with the problem of sani-
264 KOREA
tation, and have made marked improvements,
particularly in the capital. But it will be a
long time before the peasant Korean will be
decently clean, except under compulsion.
Position of The position of woman is, of course, distinctly
Women Asiatic. Her marriage is arranged without
consulting her. There is no family life, as we
understand the term. " A Korean regards his
wife as far beneath him. He rarely consults
her on anything serious, and though living
under the same roof, one may say that hus-
band and wife are widely separated. The
female apartments among the higher classes
resemble, in most respects, the zenanas of
India." "What is woman in Korea!" bit-
terly exclaimed a woman to a missionary who
was urging her to send her daughter to school.
"After the dogs and pigs were made, there
was nothing left to be done, so woman was
created lowest of the low ! "
Dress The dress of the Korean is so distinctive
that there is no possibility of mistaking him,
no matter how many other nationalities may
be represented about him. His garments are
white and his hat of black thread or horsehair
has a broad brim, a small round crown, and is
tied under his chin. Not only does his dress
indicate his nationality, but it plainly tells a
number of interesting things about him. If
the hat is white, he is betrothed. If a thin
white cloth covers his nose and mouth, he is
in mourning. If he wears his hair done up in
a topknot, he is married.
THE PEOPLE 265
This topknot is one of the most curious cus- Topknot
toms in Korea. It is as characteristic as the
queue in China, and more significant, for it
originated, not as a badge of submission to a
conqueror, but as an expression of a people's
most ancient and venerated beliefs.
When, after their murder of the Queen, the
Japanese directed that the topknot should be
cut off, excitement and consternation were
unparalleled. The Koreans submitted with
little or no protest to many other changes
that would have aroused an Anglo-Saxon peo-
ple ; but when their topknot was touched, the
anger of this peaceable race flamed up. The
capital began to suffer for want of supplies.
Business was paralyzed. The Japanese regime
was brief and the order was soon rescinded.
Now that the Japanese are again in control,
they are renewing their efforts to abolish the
topknot. No order has been issued, but the
new Emperor, the Crown Prince, and several
members of the court were induced to cut off
their topknots at the time of the coronation,
August 27, 1907 ; and under royal example
and the known wishes of their rulers, the days
of this notable native custom appear to be pass-
ing with the bound feet of Chinese women.
Physically, the average Korean is strong and Physique
well developed. His personal courage is good,
as he has repeatedly shown in his former wars
with the Japanese ; though his lack of organi-
zation and competent leadership and his igno-
rance of the weapons and methods of modern
266 KOREA
warfare make him helpless before the Japanese
of to-day. Intellectually, he is quite the equal
of either the Japanese or the Chinese. He
develops quickly under education. By com-
mon consent, the best address at the Inter-
national Student Federation in 1906 in Tokyo,
where all the leading races of Asia were repre-
sented, was made by a Korean.
Friendliness The people are naturally kindly and peace-
able. We had some opportunity to test their
feeling, for we made a long journey through
the interior in chairs, on ponies, and afoot.
We ate in native huts and slept in native inns,
with our luggage and supplies piled in the open
courtyard. The people manifested great curi-
osity, following us in crowds. They had seen
a few foreign men, but a white woman was
rare, and aroused as much excitement as a
circus in an American town. The Korean
women thronged about Mrs. Brown, feeling
of her shoes and dress, trying on her hat, ask-
ing her to undo her hair, endeavoring to take
off her wedding ring, and rubbing her cheek
to see whether her complexion would come off,
all the while excitedly jabbering and laughing
Our at so strange an object. Privacy was impos-
experience gibi^ and she was obliged not only to eat but
to retire at night and to dress in the morning
with the inquisitive eyes of Korean women at
every chink. If there were none, the oiled
paper on the windows was broken and the
space quickly filled with the tousled heads of
the curious. This, of course, is the experience
THE PEOPLE 267
of every woman missionary who goes among
the villages.
But not once was the slightest insolence
shown, and not a penny's worth was stolen.
Everywhere we were treated with a kindly hos-
pitality which quite won our hearts. There
were indeed a few places where it was difficult
to purchase supplies; but as a rule the best
that a village afforded was gladly placed at our
disposal, and in several places the people re-
fused to receive any compensation. The inva-
riable salutation was a smiling inquiry : " Have
you come in peace? " And when we left, the
people would escort us some distance on our
way, and then politely bid us good-by with
the words : " May you go in the peace of God ! "
It need hardly be said that these were usually
Christians ; but we saw multitudes who were
not, and while the heathen were more unkempt
than the Christians, they, too, were invariably
kind. He must be a hard-hearted man who
could not love such a people and long to help
them to higher levels of thought and life.
With a good government, a fair chance, and a
Christian basis of morals, the Koreans would
develop into a fine race.
Among a dozen millions of people there are
of course some turbulent elements, while the
most patient will sometimes turn upon their
oppressors. The Tong-haks represent both
classes. Some of the members of this famous
society are mere robbers; but many are men
who have been goaded to desperation by wrong
268
KOREA
Choi Chei
Ou
Revolutions and oppression. Revolutionary outbreaks have
often occurred, and occasionally they have
reached formidable proportions, as in the great
uprising of 1894. There is much in the Tong-
hak movement to stir the interest of the student.
It began, like the Tai-ping Rebellion in China,
as a religious reformation. Its founder, Choi
Chei Ou, who had seen something of the Roman
Catholic missionaries and had vaguely grasped
some of their teachings, alleged that he had a
vision in 1859, at his home in Kyeng Chu, in
southern Korea. He forthwith proclaimed a
new faith which was to include the best ele-
ments of Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, and
Romanism, and which he called Tong-hak or
Eastern Learning. Followers multiplied. Per-
secution naturally followed. Loyal at first to
the dynasty, the hostility of the government
and the sorrows of the people developed the
Tong-haks, like the Tai-pings in China, into
revolutionaries. With all their errors, the
Tong-haks represent the blind but earnest
groping of Korea after better things. Since
the coming of the Japanese, this element of the
population has received large accessions from
patriotic Koreans who resent the domination of
their new rulers.
RELIGION
Religion The traveller who comes to Korea from either
Japan or China will be struck with the absence
of those outward manifestations of religious
observance which are so numerous in other
EELIGION 269
lands. " Indeed the visitor at first fails to see
any visible signs of religious life among the
people, and he is apt to jump to the conclusion
that here is a people without a religion, a con-
clusion both hasty and unwarranted." A closer
study will show that while there is no out-
wardly established religion with its temples
and prescribed observances, there are religious
customs which have great power over the lives
of the people. Indeed Korea may be said to
have three religions.
Buddhism has only a nominal hold. It en- Buddhism
tered Korea from China as far back as 371 A.D.,
and at one time attained great influence. But,
like the Jesuits in some European countries,
fondness for political intrigue resulted in over-
throw. The priests made themselves so much
disliked and feared that for more than 500
years they were forbidden to enter the capital.
Not till a short time ago was this prohibition
repealed. To-day the priests can often be seen
outside the walls, but they appear to have but
a small following, and they look dejected and
dirty.
Confucianism is also a religion in Korea, Confu-
though, as in China, it is really not a religion
in the strict sense of the term. Ancestral wor-
ship prevails very generally, and it may, there-
fore, be classed among the religions of the
country. A well-to-do Korean usually has a
small separate building behind his house where
he keeps his ancestral tablets.
Shamanism is the dominant faith, or rather
270
KOREA
Shamanism the dominant superstition. It peoples air,
earth, and water with evil spirits, and leads
the terrified people to adopt all sorts of expedi-
ents to propitiate or outwit the angry demons.
Near almost every house may be found a small
stake driven into the ground, the exposed part
being wrapped with straw and topped with a
bit of white paper, on which some words of
alleged mystical power have been inscribed.
The object of this stake is to keep the god of
the site in good humor.
Many a time, as we travelled in the interior,
we saw by the wayside a tree about whose
trunk were piles of stones and from whose
branches were fluttering bits of colored rags.
We learned on inquiring that the poor people
imagined that an evil spirit inhabited the tree.
The spirit was, however, believed to be curious
as well as malignant, and so to divert his atten-
tion the traveller would toss a stone about the
base of the tree, or tear a strip from his garment
and fasten it to a limb; and while the curious
demon was examining the stone or rag, the
frightened Korean would dodge past. Hill-
Shrines tops have shrines, small, dilapidated buildings
containing images or paper pictures of mythi-
cal beings. The ridge-poles of public buildings
and of city gates are usually adorned with queer,
misshapen figures which are believed to be a
protection to the occupants of the building or
the dwellers in the city.
Almost every object in nature is supposed to
be animated by a demon and almost every sound
THE GOVERNMENT AND JAPANESE 271
in the air to be caused by one. Pain means that
a demon has gotten into the body, and the method
of treatment is to kill the demon that is causing
it. Officers of exalted rank call in blind sorcer- Sorcery
ers to perform magical ceremonies over a sick
or injured member of the family, or to select a
lucky day for the marriage of a son or a daugh-
ter. No right-minded person will ridicule this
superstition. Rather will he be deeply moved
by its pathos and often by its tragedy.
THE EMPEROR, THE GOVERNMENT, AND THE
JAPANESE
The Emperor boasts a lineage which many a Government
more powerful monarch night envy, for the Yi
dynasty, to which he belongs, ascended the
throne in 1392. He is the thirty-first in direct
line of succession from the founder of the dy-
nasty, and ascended the throne in 1907. The
circumstances of his accession were inglorious.
The limits of this little volume do not permit Recent War
a discussion of the Russo-Japanese War in its
relation to Korea. Suffice it here that Korea's
weakness and its position in the Far East ren-
dered its subjugation by some foreign power in-
evitable. The only question was: " Under which
King, Bezonian " Russia's or Japan's ? The
latter won, and therefore her first act was to
occupy Korea.
The Emperor at that time, Yi Heni, who had
ruled since 1864, was naturally restive under
the domination of the Japanese. A man of
flabby will and helpless incompetence as a ruler,
272 KOREA
he was nevertheless not destitute of royal pride,
and he would not have been human if he had
not felt aggrieved when he was despoiled of his
power. He hated the Japanese, partly because
he regarded them as hereditary enemies, and
partly because they were less disposed than the
Russians to flatter him and to supply his finan-
cial necessities. Failing to recognize the hope-
lessness of his situation, he made his palace a
centre of intrigue against the Japanese. He
was too helpless to do anything that could seri-
ously affect their plans, but he could do quite
enough to irritate the Japanese in a hundred
ways which Oriental duplicity so well under-
stands.
Korean The limit of Japanese patience was reached
Diplomacy when ^ in the sprillg of 190 7 ? the Emperor sent
a delegation to the International Conference at
The Hague, to urge the interference of Western
nations. There was something pathetic in the
appearance of the forlorn but patriotic Koreans
pleading for a lost cause, for of course The Hague
Commissioners could not receive them. The
Japanese were naturally furious. The Korean
Emperor denied that he was responsible for the
delegation, but no one believed him.
July 18, the Korean Cabinet Ministers waited
upon his Majesty and humbly but firmly rep-
resented to him the serious dangers to which
he was exposing his country by his continued
opposition to the Japanese, and advised him to
abdicate. The Emperor listened with mingled
rage and consternation ; but after long and
MAP OF
KOREA
Based on Korean Maps, and Japanese,
American and
SCALE OF MILES
40 01
Rail
Proposed Railways =====
irine Cables
Telegraph Connection* in
addition to those along
Rai -__._ g _
Mission Stations
Revised to January, 1908,
Shin Po Anchorage
eung
in-cKbn j) I Q
Hai-iu Kan-u
THE GOVERNMENT AND JAPANESE 273
stormy conferences with them and his Elder
Statesmen, the crushed and humiliated monarch
tremblingly affixed his signature to an imperial
decree announcing the transfer of the throne to
the Crown Prince.
There was an immediate storm of protest from
patriotic Koreans. Mobs surrounded the pal-
ace, and for a time it looked as if there would be
serious trouble. But the Japanese troops were
ready, and gradually the tumult subsided, though
many of the people remained sullen.
Of course the Japanese virtuously announced Japan's
that they had nothing whatever to do with the Attitud e
Emperor's abdication, that the step had been
taken solely on the advice of wise and patriotic
Koreans who had become firmly convinced that
the retirement of the Emperor was necessary in
the interests of the people themselves, that the
Japanese would have preferred to have the
old Emperor remain on the throne, etc. Of
course, also, no one with intelligence enough
to be out of a kindergarten doubts that the
Japanese virtually deposed the troublesome old
Emperor. Those Korean Ministers never would
have taken such a step if they had not sup-
posed that it would be pleasing to the Japanese ;
and if they had been mistaken, the Japanese
would have stopped them in a hurry. We need
not waste sympathy, however, on the old Em-
peror. He deserved all he got, and more.
A great deal has been said about Japan's dis-
regard of treaty rights in this matter; but the
Japanese defend themselves by saying that
274 KOREA
they did not violate any treaty, as they left
the throne in the hands of the Korean royal
family, simply anticipating by a few years the
transfer from father to son. However this
may be, the Japanese lost no time in putting
themselves into such relations with the situa-
tion that the new Emperor would be even more
helpless than his royal father. July 24, Yi
Wan-yong, an able and well-educated, but no-
toriously corrupt and easily bribed, official,
acting by authority of the Emperor and Mar-
quis Ito, signed an agreement at the Japanese
Residency which declared that " the Govern-
ment of Korea shall follow the directions of
the Resident General" in enacting laws, ap-
pointing and dismissing officials, and adminis-
tering reforms.
The Japanese are now reorganizing every
department in accordance with their own ideas.
Roads and railways are being constructed,
telegraphs, telephones, waterworks, banks, and
post-offices established, the currency reformed,
courts reorganized, and sanitary measures en-
forced.
Whether the Japanese are brutally unjust in
their dealings with the Koreans is a hotly dis-
puted question into which we have not space
to enter at length. 1 Undoubtedly the con-
1 For the pro- Japanese view, cf. "With Marquis Ito in
Korea," "by Professor George T. Ladd ; for the anti-Japan-
ese view, cf. "Japan; An Experiment," by Professor
Homer B. Hulbert and "The Unveiled East," by F. A.
McKenzie.
THE GOVERNMENT AND JAPANESE 275
duct of the Japanese has been characterized by
both good and evil. There never was a worse
Augean stable to be cleansed than they found
in the Land of the Morning Calm, and the situ-
ation required decisive measures. Corrupt
officials of course hoped for the triumph of the
Russians, for Russia in Korea meant abundance
of foreign gold, the continuance of profligacy,
misgovernment, and filth, and, in general, the
policy of laissez-faire.
The Japanese, on the other hand, are reformers Reforms
in Korea. They do not always act according
to Occidental altruistic ideas. They are Ori-
entals, their moral standards are low, and their
methods often ruthless. But they insist on
efficient government. The common people are
resentful because the Japanese compel them to
work on the roads, docks, railways, and other
public improvements. The Japanese usually
pay something for what they take, but the
Korean interpreter or magistrate steals some or
all of the money, so that the people get little.
Besides, the indolent Korean does not like to
be hustled, and his resentment bursts into fury
when he is forced to clean his filthy alleys and
adopt ordinary sanitary precautions.
Such a process of reconstruction almost in- Reconstruc-
evitably involves more or less irritation and tlon
many individual cases of hardship. There are
grave reasons for believing that the Japanese
are making the process needlessly trying to the
helpless natives. Many of the Japanese who
poured into Korea after the war were greedy
276 KOREA
and unscrupulous adventurers, and their treat-
ment of the Koreans was brutal and oppressive.
Instances of outrage have been numerous.
There are now more than 100,000 Japanese in
Korea, and their attitude toward the natives
is, as a rule, contemptuous or worse. Marquis
Ito, however, declares that he is endeavoring
to put a stop to this and that he will govern
Korea for the benefit of the Koreans.
Whatever may be thought of the justice of
Japanese methods, the outcome will probably
be the improvement of Korea. At any rate,
the new era cannot possibly be worse than the
old. Meantime, Americans, who are in a posi-
tion to know wherein the Japanese are in the
wrong, have the undoubted right to criticise,
and if their criticisms are temperate and con-
structive, they may help materially in securing
just treatment for the helpless natives. But
the foreigner who indiscriminately denounces
the Japanese may discreetly remember that the
alleged Christian nations have not set Japan
a very good example in dealing with subject
races. To say nothing of French misrule in
Madagascar and Spanish in Cuba and the Phil-
ippines, is any American proud of his coun-
try's treatment of the Indians for 200 years
after the white man came ? Can any Northern
man think without shame of the " carpet-bag "
days which followed the Civil War in the
South? As for the Philippines, while the
Executive Department of our government has
done admirably, Congress has been deaf to all
MIS SIGN AEY WORK 277
appeals for some laws which, are imperatively
required not only by justice but by humanity.
Can we reasonably expect the non-Christian
Japanese to do better by the Koreans than
Christian nations have done by their conquered
peoples ? We are not excusing the Japanese ;
we are simply reminding ourselves of the mag-
nitude and difficulty of their task and of our
unfitness to be unduly censorious in judging
them.
MISSIONARY WOKK
The Protestant churches of America have Missions
large interests in Korea. The first missionary
visitor was a Scotchman, the Rev. John Ross,
of Manchuria, who in 1873 made a tour across
the border into northern Korea and studied
its language to such effect that he was subse-
quently able to translate the New Testament
into Korean. Permanent mission work did
not begin till the treaty of May 22, 1883, had
brought Korea to the attention of the outside
world and set the door ajar. Then far-seeing
men in the United States began to consider the
new opportunity and to plan for the outreach
to the people whose need was so apparent. In
February, 1884, Mr. D. W. McWilliams of Pioneers
Brooklyn, N. Y., offered the Presbyterian Board
$5000, for this purpose, out of the sum
received by him from the estate of Mr. Fred-
erick Marquand. There were the usual objec-
tions to opening new work when the old was
ill equipped ; but God was plainly leading, the
278 KOREA
gift was accepted, and a cable sped to Shanghai
bearing the single word "Korea." Except
for the efforts of the Scotchman on the
northern border already noted, "this cable-
gram was the first voice from Protestant Chris-
tendom to molest the age-old heathenism of
Korea. It was destined to wake the echoes
from end to end of the kingdom." That mes-
sage meant that a young physician and his
Dr. Allen wife, Dr. and Mrs. H. N. Allen, who were wait-
ing in Shanghai, were to go at once to Korea as
the ambassadors of the Gospel of Christ. Dr.
Allen promptly sailed, and reached Seoul Sep-
tember 20, 1884, Mrs. Allen joining him a few
months later.
They met a hostile reception, and it is
doubtful whether Dr. Allen could have re-
mained if the American Minister, General
Lucius H. Foote, had not appointed him
surgeon to the Legation. December 4, a ban-
quet was given at the palace to celebrate the
opening of the first Korean post-office. A
revolutionary, Kim Ok Kiun, took advantage
Violence of the opportunity. In the tumult, several
high officers were assassinated, and Prince Min
Yong Ik, a nephew of the King, was badly
wounded. Days of violence followed. The
Japanese Legation, the post-office, the resi-
dences of foreigners were looted, and on the
tenth, the American Minister, the British and
German Consuls-General, and all the other
foreigners in Seoul, except Dr. and Mrs. Allen,
fled to Chemulpo. The heroic missionary and
MISSIONARY WORK 279
his wife stood at their posts. Dr. Allen
wrote : " We couldn't if we would and we
wouldn't if we could. I came to do just such
work. I can't leave these wounded people.
. . . We shall live in the Legation with the
old flag flying and trust the kind Father to
care for us."
Nor did the missionary shut himself up in Victory
the empty Legation. He bravely made his fo? Medical
way to the palace and offered to help the
wounded. He found thirteen native physicians
about to pour boiling wax into the gaping
wounds of the Prince. By the exercise of tact,
he succeeded in getting an opportunity to dress
the wounds. To the surprise of every one, the
Prince recovered, and Dr. Allen became the
most famous man in the capital. The grate-
ful King became his friend, and February 25,
1885, a government hospital was opened under
royal patronage, with the missionary in full
charge. The King himself named it Hoy Min
So, the House of Civilized Virtue. The 40
beds were quickly filled, and within the first
year 10,000 patients were treated.
In this beneficent way, mission work obtained
a foothold. April 5, 1885, the first resident
ordained missionary arrived, the Rev. H. G.
Underwood, also a Presbyterian, who speedily
became a tower of strength to the infant
mission. June 21, J. W. Heron, M.D., was
added to the little company.
Meantime, the Methodists were also plan-
ning missionary work in Korea. Their atten-
280 KOEEA
TheMetho- tion was first directed to the country by the
dist Church Rev j ohn F Goucher, D.D., president of the
Woman's College, Baltimore, who, during a
trip across the continent in 1883, met the first
Korean Embassy on its way to Washington.
He formed a pleasant personal acquaintance
with Prince Min Yong Ik, and invited him and
several of his official associates to visit his
home in Baltimore. He was so much inter-
ested that he wrote to the Rev. Robert S.
Maclay, D.D., superintendent of the Meth-
odist Mission in Japan, suggesting that he
visit Korea and report upon its possibilities as
a mission field. Dr. and Mrs. Maclay made
the desired visit in June, 1884, and sent back
such a favorable report that Dr. Goucher was
confirmed in his first impressions as to the im-
portance of the field. He had already offered
the Missionary Society of the Methodist Church
$2000 for the opening of this work. To this
sum the Board added $2000, and in the latter
part of the year 1884, the Rev. H. G. Appen-
zeller, William B. Scranton, M.D., and his
mother, Mrs. M. F. Scranton, who was to do
such a great work for the women and girls
in connection with the Ewa school, were ap-
pointed the first Methodist missionaries to
Korea. They were delayed by the December
revolution, but Mr. Appenzeller arrived at
Chemulpo Easter Sunday, April 5, 1885, and
Dr. Scranton the third of the following May.
Both men developed qualities of leadership
and soon became influential.
MISSIONARY WORK 281
July 5, 1886, three American school teachers,
Messrs. Homer B. Hulbert, Dalzell A. Bunker,
and George W. Gilrnore, arrived, sent out by
the American government at the request of
the King to establish an English school. With
them came a trained nurse and medical stu-
dent, a Presbyterian, Miss Annie Ellers, who Annie Eiiers
soon became physician to the Queen and
swung the door of royal favor more widely
open. After her marriage to Mr. Bunker, who
joined the Methodist Mission, she was succeeded
by Miss Lillias Horton, M.D., now Mrs. Under-
wood, who arrived in 1888, and by her skill and
tact gained great influence at the palace.
But for several years progress was very slow.
The missionaries were endeavoring to commu-
nicate totally new ideas to a people who had
been made sodden and apathetic by an inheri-
tance of centuries of the rankest heathenism.
It is difficult for us, who were born and bred
in a Christian land and who have been familiar
with the Gospel from our infancy, to understand
how difficult it is for the Oriental mind to grasp
the new conceptions which Christianity incul-
cates. We need to remember that our own an-
cestors were slow in grasping them and that
more than one or two centuries passed before
Christianity was clearly understood even by
Anglo-Saxons. It is not surprising, therefore,
that the superstition-clouded Korean listened
dully and thought the missionary "a setter
forth of strange gods." Gradually, however,
the truth made its way. Dr. Underwood bap-
282 KOEEA
First tized the first convert in 1886, and the Metho-
Baptism digt Mi ss i on rec eived its first convert a little
later in the same year. The first Protestant
Church in Korea was organized in Seoul, Sep-
tember, 1887, and the Sacrament of the Lord's
Supper was administered the first time, Christ-
mas Day of that year, in Mr. Underwood's
house. Only seven persons gathered about the
Lord's table at that small but historic service.
After ten years of patient labor by the mission-
aries of several denominations, there were still
only 141 baptized Christians in all Korea.
Pyeng The work early found a foothold in Pyeng
Yang through a few Koreans who had been in-
structed by the missionaries. By 1887, there
were several inquirers, and a native helper was
stationed there to preach to them. Soon after
the Rev. Samuel A. Moffett arrived in Korea
in 1889, he went to Pyeng Yang. He found
appalling moral conditions, for the city was no-
torious as the wickedest in Korea. The diffi-
culties were numerous and formidable. A
faint-hearted man would have been discouraged
and driven out, but Mr. Moffett took a poor
little Korean house, the only one available,
lived among the people, and by patience and
tact made his way into their confidence. In
1892, he was joined by the Rev. Graham Lee,
also a Presbyterian, and by Dr. M. J. Hall, of
the Methodist Mission.
One of the notable Korean Christians was a
man by the name of Kim Chang Sik. Brought
by a Korean friend to the home of a missionary
MISSIONARY WOEK 283
in Seoul, he was converted, and in 1894 was sent
lo his own home in Pyeng Yang to aid Dr.
Hall. But by this time the opposition had
become violent. Persecution broke out, and Persecution
Kim was one of the first to be arrested. He
and other Christians were cruelly beaten, placed
in stocks, and warned that if they did not give
up the foreigner's religion they would be pun-
ished still more severely. The others, in their
pain and terror, yielded, but Kim remained
steadfast. He was taken to the death cell, but
though believing that he would be decapitated
if he did not recant, he nevertheless exclaimed
in a spirit worthy of the ancient martyrs : "God
loves me and has forgiven my sins. How can
I curse Him! The foreigner is kind and pays
my honest wages ; why should I forsake him ? "
Fortunately, orders came from Seoul to release
the prisoners, and the mangled and half-dead
Kim went out with the others. His fidelity
made a profound impression upon all who knew
him, and people began to say that there must
be something real in the new religion when a
man was willing to suffer so much for it.
The war of 1894 between China and Japan War of 1894
powerfully influenced the work. As during
the earlier stages of the Russo-Japanese War,
Korea became the battle-ground of the contend-
ing forces. Soon it became evident that the
decisive battle of the war would be fought in
the vicinity of Pyeng Yang. The wildest ex-
citement prevailed. In the crash, much Korean
property was destroyed, the fields were ravaged,
284 KOREA
and many of the unhappy people, caught be-
tween the upper and the nether millstones,
suffered from wounds and sickness as well as
terror.
Though the situation was known to be full
of danger, the missionaries heroically remained
at their posts. At the risk of their own lives,
they went about among the panic-stricken
people, binding up the wounds of the injured,
caring for the sick, burying the dead, and do-
ing everything in their power to allay terror
and to urge trust in God.
Devotion of Then the Koreans realized for the first time
missionaries fa^ ^ ne American missionaries were the best
friends they had. Public sentiment began to
change. An epidemic of cholera in Seoul
brought out like devotion on the part of the
missionaries there. They toiled indefatigably
for the sick and dying, performing offices from
which the bravest Koreans shrank, and expos-
ing themselves without stint. Their skilful
treatment of the sick saved hundreds of lives.
" All these recoveries made no little stir in the city.
Proclamations were posted on the walls, telling people
there was no need for them to die when they might go
to the Christian hospital and live. People who watched
missionaries working over the sick night after night said
to each other : ' How these foreigners love us ! Would
we do as much for one of our own kin as they do for stran-
gers?' Some men who saw Mr. Underwood hurrying
along the road in the gray twilight of a summer morning
remarked : * There goes the Jesus man ; he works all night
and all day with the sick without resting.' * Why does
he do it ? ' said another. < Because he loves us/ was the
MISSIONARY WORK 285
reply. What sweeter reward could be had than that the
people should see the Lord in our service." 1
From that time the work made rapid prog- AWonder-
ress. In the Pyeng Yang field, the develop- fuistor y
ment was remarkable. The story of the last
decade is one of the most inspiring chapters in
the history of Protestant missions in any land.
The people who had been living in darkness,
bondage, and superstition, who had seen ghosts
and evil spirits in every rock and tree, in the
murmur of the waves and in the roar of the
thunder, heard the missionaries teach in their
villages that the power above was not a demon
trying to injure them, but a loving Father,
whose heart went out to them as His wander-
ing children, who had given His only begotten
Son for their redemption, and who, if they
turned to Him in repentance and faith, would
bestow upon them the joy and the dignity of a
new life. Eagerly the people listened. This
time the truth sank deep into their hearts, and
erelong the good news began to spread in all
directions. As these pages are written, a re- Revival
vival, never surpassed in all the history of
missions, is sweeping over Korea. Perhaps it
is hardly proper to state that it began in the
early part of 1907, for a revival had been
almost continuous there for years; but at that
time it assumed wonderful proportions. The
Rev. W. L. Swallen gives the following account
of what occurred at Pyeng Yang:
1 Mrs. Underwood, p. 144.
286 KOREA
"The entire city was mapped out, and each church
made responsible for its prescribed territory. Some
2000 persons have been led to accept Christ as their
Saviour. The churches are all filled and overflowing,
and in order to relieve the congestion, the men and
women are compelled to meet for worship at separate
hours.
" Immediately after the city campaign, the Methodist
Mission's Class for Preachers and Christian Workers
was held. About one hundred of their best men were
gathered for a month's study. Here, too, the blessing of
the Holy Spirit was received and the same agonizing for
sin was experienced as in the former meetings. These
men have gone out from this class possessed with a love
for God and man unknown before.
Women's "No sooner had this company left the city, than in
meetings came 550 of the leading women from the country
churches to attend the Woman's Training Class of the
Presbyterian Mission, which continued for twelve days.
Conviction and confessions began almost from the first.
At times the whole congregation would wail together
and cry out to God for mercy. When any one would
become so overcome with grief as to be unable to cease,
the congregation would break out together in audible
prayer, after which a song might be sung. If still there
were those who could not get comfort, then those sainted
women who had previously gone through with such an
experience themselves and had gotten peace would go
through the congregation like angelic messengers, seek-
ing out such and, putting their arms about them in un-
mistakable love, speak peace to their agonizing souls.
With few exceptions, these women went to their homes
with their hearts filled with a new joy, and a noble
purpose to live better lives in the future.
"Again, before these 550 women had reached their
homes, 75 theological students were gathered from every
part of Korea to spend three months in study. Daily
united prayer had been offered by the missionary com-
munity for some time previous. It was felt that of all
men these upon whose shoulders the main burden of the
MISSIONARY WORK 287
young Korean Church must rest should be Spirit-filled
men. Indeed the blessing that has actually come upon
the Korean Christians in general is such as to make it
next to impossible that any but Spirit-filled men should
hope to hold the places of authority in the church.
" From the first, these evening meetings were intense Fervent
with fervent prayer. Saturday night, the meeting was prayer
allowed to continue until midnight. The Spirit was
present in wonderful power, compelling men to reveal
what lay hidden in their past lives. On Monday and
Tuesday, regular recitations were out of the question,
so the whole day and evening were devoted to prayer
and confession. Under the Spirit's illumination, these
men felt themselves to be all unclean, unworthy sinners,
and a cry for mercy went up to God that no words can
describe.
" As nearly all had confessed at one time or another,
the evening was now given to praise and thanksgiving.
This, too, was a most marvellous meeting. One after
another and sometimes many together arose and testified,
until most of the 75 theologues gave joyful testimony to
the peace received. For three hours, an uninterrupted
volume of praise and thanksgiving ascended like sweet
incense to God."
Surely the people of God in all lands may
share in the rejoicing over this mighty mani-
festation of Divine power, especially as it
shows no sign of abating. Nor is the move-
ment confined to the central stations where
there are missionaries. Much might be writ-
ten of many out-stations where a remarkable
work has grown up. At Kang Kai, an isolated
northern city of 10,000 inhabitants, 250 miles
from Syen Chyun, there has never been a resi-
dent missionary, only a visiting one at rare
intervals. " The people come long distances to
288 KOREA
meet him ; they crowd the rooms of the inns
and often stand outside for hours in the snow
to hear the one message of the year from the
Lord. From this scanty seed-sowing, there
are now over 1200 adherents of the Christian
Idols Church who have thrown away their idols and
thrown fetiches, have given up the worship of evil
spirits, are keeping the Sabbath, and often amid
persecution and earthly loss are following the
dim light they have seen."
Sorai The reputation of Sorai ought to be as wide
as Christendom. Think of a place of fifty-
eight houses, in fifty of which all persons over
fifteen years of age are Christians ; a com-
munity in which there is no liquor, no brawl-
ing, no vice of any kind ; where the Sabbath
is scrupulously kept, and the entire popula-
tion attends church, Sunday-school, and prayer-
meeting ! The church is a notable building
for Korea, almost imposing in comparison with
the humble homes of the people.
Two brothers were God's instruments in
creating this model Christian village. About
twenty years ago, the elder was converted
through the Rev. John Ross, during a visit
in Manchuria. Soon after his return to Korea,
he met Dr. Underwood, who gladly gave him
the instruction he was so eager to obtain.
Then, filled with joy and zeal like Andrew of
old, "He first findeth his own brother, and
saith unto him, ' We have found the Mes-
siah,' and he brought him to Jesus." Re-
moving to Sorai, these brothers preached the
MISSIONARY WORK 289
Gospel with such power and exemplified it
with such beauty of character that the whole
village was transformed. No missionary re-
sides in Sorai, and none is needed, for practi-
cally the whole community is Christian, and
Sau Kyung Jo wisely shepherds the flock. I
know of no more remarkable illustration of the
inherent vitality and self-propagating power of
Christianity.
As we gazed upon the Christian homes clus-
tering at the foot of the hill, the wide expanse
of meadow beyond, and farther away but in
plain view the quiet sea, the clouds which
had heavily lowered during the day suddenly
broke, the setting sun burst forth in tender
glories, and at evening time there was light.
The sound of a trumpet was heard. Softly
and yet clearly it echoed among the trees and
through the village, and soon answering groups
of white-robed figures were wending their way
up the hillside to the House of God, where we
communed long with them as the shadows
fell and the stars came out.
Our entire trip through the villages of in- Christian
terior Korea was a revelation to us. Almost
every night we had a picture in chiaroscuro
of the spiritual condition of Asia. A hum-
ble church, whose flickering oil lamps filled
the interior with a light not strong indeed,
but yet sufficiently clear to make the room
bright in contrast with the surrounding dark-
ness, was filled with believers who were
rejoicing within the pale of "His marvellous
290 KOREA
light." Beyond them, and crowding the doors,
were many others, not yet wholly in the light,
but partially illuminated by it, their eager
faces turned toward the place from which it
was shining, and where a man was speaking
of the Light of the World. Behind these were
still others whom I could not count, standing
in deeper shadows. Now and then a flare of
the lamp shot a ray of light into the gloom
and showed scores of spectators, some indif-
ferent, some curious, some gravely wondering;
and then the darkness would silently enfold
them again so that only indistinct masses of
heavier blackness showed where an unnum-
bered multitude was gathered. As I looked
upon this scene night after night, I was en-
couraged by the number of those who had
come into the light, but I was " burdened for
those who are standing in the dark."
Number of But the number of enlightened ones is rapidly
Christians increasing. Dr. Underwood declares that there
are now no less than 150,000 Christians in
Korea, and the movement seems to be only
beginning. Surely this is a remarkable record
when we consider that the first missionary did
not arrive until 1884, and that practically all
of these converts have developed within the
last fourteen years.
The Presbyterians alone now report seven
stations, 767 out-stations, 78 foreign missionaries,
358 schools, of which 334 are entirely self-sup-
porting, six hospitals, 492 native helpers, 15,079
baptized communicants, and 16,721 catechumens.
MISSIONARY WORK
291
The oldest station is, of course, at Seoul. Seoul
The institutional work includes the John D.
Wells Training School for Christian Workers,
founded by the family of the late Rev. Dr.
Wells, of Brooklyn, New York ; a board-
ing-school for girls, built by Mr. John H.
Converse, of Philadelphia, and the Severance
Hospital, the largest and the best-equipped
institution of the kind in Korea, erected by
Mr. Lewis H. Severance, of Cleveland, Ohio.
There are four churches. On a recent Sunday,
there were 1500 present at the Yun Mot Kol
Church. All Korean congregations sit on the
floor, the men with their hats on, and the men
and women divided by a partition, the preacher
standing so that he can see both sexes. When
the minister wishes to make more room, he calls
upon the congregation to rise ; then he asks the
people to move forward and to sit down again.
The Presbyterian work centering in Pyeng Pyeng Yang
Yang is one of the most famous mission works
in the world, from the viewpoint of rapidity of
growth and of the self-support and self-propa-
gation of the native church. There are now
no less than 6089 communicants, 5784 cate-
chumens, 16,746 Sunday-school scholars, and
20,414 adherents. I looked with wonder on
a congregation of 1800 reverent worshippers
where mission work was not begun till 1894,
and the wonder increased when I found the
whole congregation in four sections studying
the Bible in the Sunday-school, while the
Wednesday evening prayer-meeting was afr
292 KOREA
1200 People tended by 1200. The city church is the largest
meetfng yer " in Korea > ^th a membership of 1076 and a
catechumen roll of 385. The growth of the
church has been attended with the difficulty
of providing for the increasing congregation.
Three other churches have been organized from
this one, and still, although a gallery providing
for 200 has been put in, it is filled every Sun-
day, and at times many are turned away. The
midweek prayer-meeting is probably the lar-
gest in the world, the attendance rarely falling
below 1000 and often rising to 1400. A theo-
logical seminary has 75 students.
Comity The Methodists and Presbyterians amicably
divide the territory and cooperate in the most
brotherly fashion. The medical and educa-
tional work is conducted in common. The
two hospitals, Caroline A. Ladd (Presbyterian)
and Hall Memorial (Methodist), are operated
as one under a joint staff of the Presbyterian
and Methodist physicians, and together they
treated 17,698 patients last year. The Union
Academy for boys has 400 students. The boys
are required to be self-supporting as far as
possible, and there is an industrial department
which includes farming, gardening, printing,
carpentering, blacksmithing, and other trades.
The education of girls is not yet so well
developed, but there are several primary schools
and a union boarding-school. The difficulties
are greater than with boys, owing to the Korean
feeling that girls are not worth educating.
The Christians, however, are quicker to see the
MISSIONARY WORK 293
need of education for their girls, and as the
ideals of the Gospel become known, new am-
bitions are stirred.
Taiku Station was opened in October, 1897, Taiku
by the Rev. and Mrs. James E. Adams, who
were joined in December by Dr. and Mrs.
W. O. Johnson. The loneliness and privation
of life at this inland city were trying, and the
little mud-walled Korean houses were unhealthy.
Several times sickness prostrated some members
of the circle, the physician himself being brought
to death's door by typhus fever in 1900. But
the missionaries persisted with unfaltering faith
and courage. After a time, a cheap hillside
was bought and residences were erected. Other
missionaries have joined the original number, a
hospital has been built, the gift of Miss Mary
H. Wright, of Philadelphia, and a successful
work is being pressed in all directions. In
1902, 177 adults had been baptized. In 1903,
the number had increased to 477, in 1904 to 780,
and in 1907 the Christian community in Taiku
and the outlying villages numbered 6145, and
formed no less than 84 distinct groups, several of
which have erected their own chapels.
Syen Chyun, 100 miles north of Pyeng Yang, Syen Chynn
though only an ordinary town in size, has
recently sprung into prominence for its remark-
able missionary work. The station was not
organized until 1901, but it already reports 102
out-stations, 4039 communicants, 4667 cate-
chumens, and 15,348 adherents. 1085 baptized
adults were received last year.
294 KOREA
Fusan At Fusan there are six missionaries, includ-
ing wives, an excellent hospital, " The Junkin
Memorial," and an extensive evangelistic work.
There are 578 communicants, of whom 227 were
added last year, 662 catechumens, and 2017
adherents. The stations at Chai Ryong and
Chong Ju are new, but very promising. A
special work among the Japanese in Korea has
recently been inaugurated, the Rev. and Mrs.
F. S. Curtis having been transferred from Japan
for this purpose.
The Methodists, who sent their first mission-
aries to Korea in 1885, have stations at Seoul,
Pyeng Yang, Chemulpo, Hai-ju, Kong-ju,
and Yeng-byen. They report 42 mission-
aries, including wives and 14 missionaries
of the Woman's Society, 220 native preachers,
teachers, and other helpers, 3885 members,
19,570 probationers, and 16,158 catechumens
and other adherents, 153 Sunday-schools, 49
churches and chapels, and yen 27,016 contrib-
uted by the Koreans. The mission has Bible
Training School, three high schools, and 103 day
schools, with 3538 pupils.
The work at Seoul is extensive. The Woman's
Hospital is in charge of three devoted women
physicians. Boarding-schools for both boys
and girls are housed in large and well-appointed
brick buildings. The Boys' Boarding-school is
an institution of great influence. Its Korean
name is " Pai Chai Hakdang," which may be
translated, "Hall for the Rearing of Useful
Men," a name given to it by the King in 1887.
MISSIONARY WOEK 295
The Methodist Press was founded in 1889. Printing-
Its original object was to give employment to press
deserving students in the Boys' School, but it
soon grew to be an important agency in the
evangelization of Korea. It does printing not
only for that denomination, but for other de-
nominations as well, the latter, of course, pay-
ing for their work at job rates.
The First Methodist Church is a large brick First
edifice, and a counted congregation recently
numbered 1100. This church has a night-
school entirely supported by the church, has
gained over 1000 in membership during the
past year, and pays all its own bills.
The Methodist work centering in Pyeng Yang
is also very interesting. There are two churches
in the city enrolling 261 communicants, 602
probationers, and 1573 adherents. The church
building in the compound on the hill is a prom-
inent feature of the city. The medical and
educational work is in union with the Presby-
terians, as already indicated. Four country
circuits are included in the Pyeng Yang dis-
trict, the total number of members and proba-
tioners being 4195, besides 3735 adherents.
The Presiding Elder, the Rev. William A. Noble,
writes : " The total increase in followers dur-
ing the year has not been paralleled during the
history of our work in northern Korea. Our Great
numbers have doubled. The district now Progress
records a total following of more than all our
work in Korea three years ago. . . . The im-
mediate effect of the revival has been to revolu-
296 KOREA
lionize the character of the church. It has-
given the people at large a different idea of
what it means to become a Christian. Now
they are discriminating in judgment. A man
will take a stand in relation to moral questions
with intelligence, and commit himself only when
ready to make a change in his life."
The Biblical Institute was held in two sections
last year, one at Seoul, and one at Pyeng Yang.
At the close of the session for the training of
lay workers at Pyeng Yang, when the men had
been asked to consider the claims of God's min-
istry upon their lives, volunteers were called
for, and 178 of the finest men in the north vol-
unteered to give themselves to the ministry.
Chemulpo The work at Chemulpo is comparatively new.
It began in 1889 as an out-station of Seoul, with
a native helper in charge. In 1891 a chapel
was erected, and in 1892 the Rev. George Heber
Jones took up his residence, and began to push
the work with energy and success. There are
now a church, two schools, and six missionaries,
including wives. The Chemulpo District in-
cludes three circuits on the mainland and three
on 14 islands within a radius of 40 miles of
the port of Chemulpo. During the past year
work has been opened in 34 new villages, seven
churches have been built, and schools estab-
lished in 12 villages. Two of the circuits have
doubled the number of their preaching places.
A village on one circuit is practically Christian,
having now only one heathen home. Wesley
Church, Chemulpo, has not only been self -sup-
MISSIONARY WORK 297
porting, but has helped several needy churches,
contributed to the Boys' School, and kept two
girls in school in Nagasaki, Japan. The three
other stations are comparatively small as yet,
but they are well located, and afford excellent
promise.
The beginning of Methodist woman's work in Work for
Korea, by Mrs. M. F. Scranton in Seoul, in the Women
fall of 1884, has already been alluded to. A
boarding-school was organized, arid in spite of
suspicion and opposition during the earlier years,
its success was continuous. In 1887, Dr. Meta
Howard, the first woman physician, arrived in
Seoul, and in the spring of 1888 the first hospi-
tal for women was opened. This is about to be
replaced by the Lillian Harris Memorial Hospi-
tal. Some years later a dispensary was opened
at the opposite end of the city. A training
school for nurses, established by Miss Margaret
Edmunds in 1903, is proving a valuable aid in
the medical work.
In 1898, work was begun in Pyeng Yang by
Dr. Rosetta Sherwood Hall. The hospital here
was burned to the ground in November, 1906,
and is soon to be replaced by a larger one. Dr.
Esther Kim Pak, one of the first pupils of the
boarding-school, and the first Korean woman to
receive the degree of M.D. in the United States,
has been associated with Dr. Hall since 1900.
Methodist woman's work now includes one
boarding-school, with an enrolment of 104 ; 28
day schools, three of which are self-supporting,
with 1200 pupils; 35 Bible women; 10,000
298
KOREA
The S. P. G.
Bishop
Turner
women on the church rolls, and as many more
waiting for instruction. During 1907, 12,000
women and children received medical treatment
in the hospitals and dispensaries.
Other churches are having a part in this
great movement, though their work is as yet
conducted on a smaller scale than that of the
Presbyterians and Methodists.
The Society for the Propagation of the Gos-
pel (the Church of England) had received a
suggestion from the Rev. A. C. Shaw, one of its
missionaries in Japan, as early as 1880, for the
founding of a mission in Korea. This suggestion
was reenf orced in 1887 by Bishops Scott, of North
China, and Bickerstaph, of Japan, who visited
Korea in that year. The Society did not deem
it practicable, however, to open work until
the Rt. Rev. Charles John Corfe, D.D., who
had been consecrated the first missionary Bishop
of Korea in Westminster Abbey on All Saints'
Day, 1889, arrived September 29, 1890, with six
ordained men and two physicians. Property
was acquired at Seoul and Chemulpo, and work
begun. September 30, 1891, the first Anglican
Church in Korea was dedicated at Chemulpo,
and on the following Sunday, the first confirma-
tion was held, " the candidate being a little
serving-maid of a pious German family."
The resignation of Bishop Corfe was followed
by the election of Bishop H. B. Turner in 1905.
Within the last two years, the work has grown
more rapidly. Four points are now occupied.
Chemulpo has a well-equipped hospital, under
MISSIONARY WORK 299
the care of Dr. Weir, assisted by several nurses,
though there is no resident clergyman. Seoul,
which is the residence of the bishop, has a church
under the care of the Rev. W. N. Gurney, who,
however, reports to the Society that the field is
a very difficult one, and that there is little to
show for fifteen years of occupation. The
Society reports little evangelistic work in either
Seoul or Chemulpo. . Sou-won, a walled town
40 miles south of Seoul, was opened as a station
in 1905, and the work has started encourag-
ingly, several hundred inquirers and catechu-
mens having already been enrolled, and the
Sunday congregations numbering about 300
worshippers. The largest work of the Society
in Korea is on Kanghwa, an island off the west
coast, about the size of the Isle of Wight.
There are missionaries at two towns, Kanghwa
City and On Sou Tong, and the Society has a
high school, several day schools, and a large
central church.
In September, 1906, the Rev. S. H. Cart-
wright, of the Japan Mission, began a special
work among the Japanese in Korea, making
Seoul his headquarters. The Society now has
in Korea seven clergymen, two lay missionaries,
and three single women.
The Southern Presbyterian Mission was Southern
established in 1892, when six missionaries,
arrived. They began their work in Seoul, but
later removed to the two Chel-la provinces in
the southwestern part of Korea. Here they
are now maintaining three effective stations.
300 KOREA
Chun-ju, a walled city of 25,000 people, is the
capital of North Chel-la province and the
market town of one of the most fertile and
thickly populated rice plains of Korea. The
natives have a saying which indicates their
estimation of it : " If you can't go to see Seoul,
see Chun-ju." The mission station here was
opened in 1896.
Kun-san, also opened as a station in 1896, is
the treaty port at the mouth of the Chang-po
River, 150 miles south of Chemulpo. There
are many villages in the adjacent region.
Mokp* Mokpo and Kwang-ju are usually associated
as one station. The work was begun in 1898
at the former place. But although Mokpo is a
treaty port with a fine harbor, it has "an un-
fortunate scarcity of two things essential to
a prosperous mission station, viz. fresh water
and Koreans." So the main part of the station
has been transferred to Kwang-ju, a city of
10,000 inhabitants, 60 miles in the interior, and
the capital of South Chel-la province.
Chon-ju The Chun-ju and Kun-san station fields each
have an estimated population of 500,000, while
Mokpo-Kwang-ju has 1,000,000. The Southern
Presbyterians are therefore seeking to reach
two millions of the population of Korea. There
are 27 missionaries, including wives, all dis-
tributed among the three stations mentioned,
except one family in Seoul, and 75 native
helpers. No organized churches are reported,
but work is regularly conducted at 140 dif-
ferent places ; 991 communicants are enrolled,
MISSIONARY WOEK 301
besides 8410 adherents ; 22 Sunday-schools
have a membership of 1390. There are no
boarding or high schools, but there are 18 day
schools with 381 pupils. Sixteen of the schools
are entirely self-supporting. Yen 4176 were
raised on the field, and 12,234 patients were
treated by the physicians of the mission at the
Kun-san hospital and the Chun-ju and Mokpo
dispensaries.
The Southern Methodist Church also has an
excellent work in Korea, though it is not as
large as that of the Northern Methodists. It
originated in 1895, when Bishop E. R. Hendrix
and the Rev. C. F. Reed visited Korea. The
mission was not formally opened until the next
year, but from that time the work has been
vigorously prosecuted from three strategic cen-
tres, Seoul, Wonsan, and Song-do.
A fine illustration of comity occurred at Won- illustration
san in 1901. The Northern Methodists, who of Comity
had opened a station there in 1892, transferred
it to their Southern brethren, as the latter had
been in the field first and it was deemed unnec-
essary for both churches to occupy it. As these
pages are written, word comes that the Board
has secured a tract of 72 acres for a new com-
pound at Song-do and that it will erect build-
ings for academic and industrial schools, a hos-
pital, and five residences, the total cost to be
$35,000. This will give a fine equipment at
this important centre.
All together the Southern Methodists have 15
missionaries, including seven wives, 40 native
302
KOEEA
Results
Australian
work
Canadian
Presby-
terians
workers, one college (Song-do), four day-
schools, and one dispensary (Wonsan). The
dispensary treated last year 4056 patients.
The number of converts increased from 759 in
1905 to 1227 in 1906, a net gain of nearly sixty-
two per cent, besides 1694 probationers who were
receiving instruction preparatory to church
membership. "The people are turning to
Christ as I have never seen in any field," writes
Bishop Candler.
A ustralian Presbyterian work centres in Fusan.
It was founded in 1889 by the Rev. John H. Da-
vies and his sister. Other missionaries followed
them, and a considerable work has developed,
though practically all of it is conducted from
this port. There is not a large local popula-
tion, but the country districts are thickly settled.
The population of the province is estimated at
about 750,000. The outlying field has been
happily divided with the American Presbyteri-
ans, the latter taking the region north and west
of Fusan and the Australians the region along
the east coast. Including both missions, organ-
ized work is conducted in fourteen counties of
the thirty in the province.
The Canadian Presbyterians were first inter-
ested in Korea by the heroic and devoted W.
J. McKenzie, who was stirred by reading Dr.
Griffis's " Korea, the Hermit Nation," in 1888,
and who in 1893 went to Korea under the sup-
port of his university. His sad death two years
later, in the delirium of typhoid fever, touched
all hearts. It was not until 1897 that the Gen-
MISSIONARY WORK 303
eral Assembly felt that the way was clear to
found a mission, and September 8 of the follow-
ing year three missionaries reached Seoul. After
consultation with the Council of Missions, th?
province of Ham Gyong on the northeast coasu
was agreed upon as the field of the Canadian
Presbyterians. Central stations are now main-
tained at Wonsan, Han-heung, and Song-chen,
while evangelistic work is regularly conducted
at 47 places. There are 14 missionaries, in-
cluding wives, 11 schools, three organized
churches, 644 communicants, besides 552 per-
sons under instruction.
The Plymouth Brethren have a family doing other
itinerating evangelistic work from Seoul. A Workers
Young Men's Christian Association was estab-
lished in 1900 in Seoul, and is doing excellent
work under the leadership of an American sec-
retary, Mr. Philip L. Gillett. The British and
Foreign Bible Society, the American Bible So-
ciety, and the National Bible Society of Scot-
land unite in the support of the work in Korea,
the Scotch Society paying one-fifth the cost of
translations and the other Societies two-fifths
each.
An undenominational Home for Destitute
Children, outside the wall at Seoul, is main-
tained by a local board of directors, chiefly
missionaries, and cares lovingly for many little
ones. The property was secured by Dr. Under-
wood, and the resident matron is Miss Perry,
formerly a missionary of the Australian Pres-
byterian Church.
304 KOREA
Unity The spirit of unity which pervades the mis-
mrkers sionaries of most of the churches is a delightful
feature of the work. The Northern, Southern,
Canadian, and Australian Presbyterians early
associated themselves in the development of a
union Presbyterian Church in Korea. Up to
1907 the governing body was the Presbyterian
Council, which was composed of representatives
of all the Presbyterian missions. In that year,
however, an independent Presbyterian Church
was formally constituted with the approval of
the respective General Assemblies of the home
churches.
Nor did union stop with Presbyterians. An
Evangelical Council of Missions was organized
in 1904, which included the four Presbyterian
bodies mentioned above and the Northern and
Southern Methodists. This Council meets an-
nually, and exerts large influence in unifying
the work. One of its beneficent results is the
readjustment of boundary lines, so as to pre-
vent overlapping of fields and churches. The
latest instance of this was the amicable agree-
ment regarding division of territory between
the Northern Presbyterians and Southern Pres-
byterians in the fall of 1907.
Training Training classes for Christian workers have
Classes come to be a characteristic feature of mission
work in Korea. The classes usually last from
ten to fourteen days and are held at the stations,
though smaller ones led by native helpers are
conducted at some of the out-stations. Pyeng
Yang has become famous for its large classes,
MISSIONARY WORK 305
the number attending often exceeding 1000.
About 500 Korean workers cooperated with
the missionaries in holding classes last year at
250 different places in northern Korea, the at-
tendance being over 12,000. It is not uncom-
mon for Koreans to walk more than a hundred
miles, bringing their own food with them, to
attend these classes, and -some have journeyed
as far as 300 miles. Then these eager Chris-
tians go back to do personal evangelistic work
in their villages. There is something inspiring
in the contemplation of such devotion, and it
accounts in no small measure for the splendid
success of the missionary movement in Korea.
The missionaries find results multiplying with Overtaxed
such rapidity that they are overworked in the Workers
effort to organize and superintend them. Every
missionary assigned to evangelistic work is vir-
tually a bishop of an extensive diocese, and is
obliged to toil and travel almost incessantly in
order to keep any kind of oversight of his nu-
merous and scattered out-stations. Over 15,000
children are attending mission schools, but prac-
tically all of them are from Christian homes,
not only because the missionaries feel that this
is a wise policy, but because such children are
so numerous that they tax the school facilities
which can be provided. Hardly any attempt
has been made to recruit pupils from the non-
Christian population.
The following causes may be indicated to
account for the rapid spread of the Gospel in
Korea :
306 KOREA
Causes for First : Koreans are naturally more docile and
Success affectionate than Chinese and Japanese, so that
it is easier to make an impression on them.
Second : Politically small and weak in com-
parison with the mighty Powers about them,
the Koreans have become accustomed to being
led from the outside. There are, therefore, less
national pride arid prejudice to be overcome
than in China and Japan.
Third : While ancestral and demon worship
are formidable obstacles, there is no powerful
State religion, as in most other non-Christian
lands.
Fourth : Poverty, oppression, and distress
have begotten a longing for relief and a hope
that the missionary can secure it for them.
Fifth : The fidelity and sympathy which the
missionaries manifested during the Chino- Japan-
ese and Russo-Japanese wars.
Sixth : The favor of the court. When, after
the murder of the Queen, the terrified Emperor
expected his own assassination, he found coun-
sel and moral support in three missionaries.
He frequently expressed his appreciation of
their fidelity in his hour of peril. His favor
meant no spiritual help, but the imperial smile
counts for much in an Oriental country.
These conditions created a state of receptivity
in the public mind, and unquestionably in them
the Holy Spirit prepared the soil for the plant-
ing of the Gospel seed. As compared with
China, Korea was like a western prairie, ready
for the plough of the husbandman ; while the
MISSIONARY WOEK 307
vaster, prouder, more stubborn, phlegmatic, and
self-satisfied population of the Celestial Empire
was like the densely forested land of the East-
ern seaboard, on which weary years of toil had
to be spent in hewing down the wilderness,
uprooting gigantic stumps, and gathering out
the stones. Comparisons are, therefore, unfair.
Conditions independent of the missionary have
made the task of evangelization less difficult in
one field than in the other.
And yet it would be wrong to give the im- obstacles
pression that there are no obstacles to be en-
countered in Korea. It is not easy to convert
any heathen nation. Indolence, superstition,
dirt, the apathy of despair, the jealousy of the
literary class, the demoralizing example of
officials, the antagonism of a powerful Roman
Catholic Church, all these heavily reenf orce
the ever-present influences of the world, the
flesh, and the devil. The human heart is not
any more prone to spiritual things in Korea
than elsewhere.
The special credit of the missionaries is that
they have been wise and faithful in taking ad-
vantage of the peculiar conditions of the land.
Coming, in the providence of God, in "the
fulness of the time," they discerned the signifi-
cance of the hour. It was not necessary to be-
gin with schools, as in some Moslem lands.
Korea was ready for the direct preaching of the
Gospel, and to that preaching the missionaries
gave themselves with unceasing zeal. There-
fore emphasis as a cause should be placed on :
308 KOEEA
Self-support Seventh : Insistence by the missionaries, from
the first, on the duty of self-support and self-
propagation. As soon as converts appeared,
they were required to give according to their
ability and to be messengers of Christ to their
own people without pay from the foreigner.
They gladly obeyed. The Koreans now sup-
port a large majority of their native leaders,
churches, and day-schools. They contribute as
much per capita in amount as Americans give
to foreign missions, and in effect they give
many times more, for an American believer is
far better off than these poverty-stricken Ori-
entals. They preach as willingly as they give,
first scores and then hundreds and now tens
of thousands of believers joyfully proclaiming
Christ to their neighbors and friends. Indeed,
the chief work of direct evangelization is now
ardently done by the Koreans themselves. Not
only the appointed leaders but the Christians
generally seek earnestly for souls. Willingness
to try to lead others to Christ is deemed a test
of fitness for church membership. Thus the
Korean churches are to a remarkable degree
working evangelistic bodies.
Koreans If any one feature of the Korean method
needs to be heralded as an example to Chris-
tians both at home and abroad, it is this the
duty and privilege of the individual disciple to
witness for Christ without depending upon his
pastor to do it for him and without expectation
of financial reward, but living and teaching the
Gospel in the sphere of life in which he was
our
Example
MISSIONARY WORK 309
before, and in the occupation which he already
followed. And God has wonderfully blessed
the ministry of His servants. " With great
power give they witness of the resurrection of the
Lord Jesus, and great grace is upon them all ! "
I asked the leaders of the Korean Christians What
in several conferences, " What is it in Chris- |VPP eals to
tianity that particularly appeals to the Korean
mind ? " The answers naturally varied, but
the ones most frequently recurring were, " sal-
vation," " joy." The poor Koreans were living
in wretchedness and despair, oppressed, poverty-
stricken, literally "having no hope and with-
out God in the world," knowing nothing of
anything better, but knowing well their own
bitterness and sorrow. Suddenly, they heard
the clear, sweet invitation of the Gospel, tell-
ing them of pardon, deliverance, and peace.
Eagerly and trustfully as children they came
and found rest for their souls. Nowhere else
in the world to-day is there a more marked
illustration of the preparation of the soil by
the Holy Spirit, the inherent vitality of the
truth, the joy of the believer in Christ and the
value of personal work for souls. Many a time,
as I studied the movement, it seemed to me
that the Son of Man was again walking upon
earth and calling to lowly men, " Follow me,"
and that again men were "straightway " leaving
all and following Him. As I sat in the lowly
chapels and communed with them, I saw how
the Gospel had enlightened their hearts and
how their once joyless lives now centred in
310
KOEEA
Our First
Meeting
Korean
Song
the Church of God which gave them their only
light and peace.
Our first meeting with the Korean Christians
in Fusan will not soon be forgotten. After a
felicitous address of welcome by one of the Ko-
reans, a hundred voices rose in a song of praise.
Such congregational singing ! It was so hearty
and yet so truly worshipful that it was a physi-
cal and spiritual tonic. But not a line could I
understand, till suddenly I caught the words,
"Jesus, Hallelujah." There being no Korean
equivalents for them, the missionaries had
taught the people to use the terms so familiar
to us. We could have had no more inspiring
theme, and so we preached on the meaning of
" Jesus, Hallelujah."
Our experience in Fusan was repeated many
times in other places. A stranger in a strange
land enters a room filled with strange people,
who greet him in a strange tongue and then
begin to sing a strange tune. The voices were
not always melodious nor did they always keep
the key. But the singing plainly voiced the
aspirations of a fervent and genuine spiritual
experience. The Koreans sing as they pray,
with all their hearts. Unfamiliar as the lan-
guage is, the visitor is thrilled by the exultant
ring of a living, joyous faith.
I have since journeyed far and have seen
many places and peoples. But there still lives
to my vision the humble chapels on those Ko-
rean hills, with worshipping Koreans sitting,
Oriental fashion, on the floor. I can see their
MISSIONARY WOEK 311
faces light up as I spoke to them of Jesus as
our revelation of the love of God, Jesus as our
Saviour from sin, Jesus as our Friend and King,
Jesus as the Giver of such peace and joy that
there is no word so appropriate for the true
disciples as " Hallelujah." Even as I write, I
seem to hear the unison of those eager voices
as, in glad response to my closing request, they
joined me in repeating the words, "Jesus,
Hallelujah," and then with the reverent peti-
tion of their leader as he prayed for us all,
while the white-robed worshippers bowed with
their faces to the floor.
A visit to Korea is a tonic to faith. As one A Tonic to
journeys through the country, facing crowds of Faith
Christians from Fusan to Pyeng Yang, it is
difficult to realize that Protestant missions in
Korea date only from 1884, and that the great
host of communicants and adherents in the
Pyeng Yang field alone began with the baptism
of a handful of men in January, 1894. "Is
it genuinely spiritual ? " " Will it be perma-
nent ? " some are asking. Well, a willingness
to support their own work without dependence
upon the foreigner's money, an eagerness to
extend the Gospel to their countrymen, a per-
sistence in Christian fidelity when left without
missionary supervision, a patient endurance of
persecution, an extraordinary growth which,
after fourteen years, shows no sign of abating,
but on the contrary is becoming more and more
extraordinary, these are surely encouraging
indications of genuineness and stability.
312 KOREA
An Mr. John R. Mott, who visited Korea in
1907 > declares that iij bids fair to be the fir st
of the non-Christian lands to be evangelized;
and Mr. William T. Ellis, the newspaper cor-
respondent, wrote at the close of his journey :
" Cannot you say something or do something to make
the Church in America realize that here in Korea just
now is the Christian opportunity of centuries? This
situation is extraordinary and amazing. The whole
country is fruit ripe for the picking. The Koreans
are ready to turn to the Living God. If the Christian
Church has any conception of strategy and appreciation
of an opportunity, and any sense of relative values, she
will act at once not next year, but NOW ! "
HELPS FOR LEADERS
ON CHAPTERS V, VI, AND VII
SI AM
Lesson Aim :
To give a general view of the missionary environment
and the problem of reaching diverse races with the one
Gospel.
Scripture Lesson :
Mark 16 : 15-20 ; Ephes. 5 : 8-21.
Suggestive Questions :
1. What is the area and population of Siam as com-
pared with New England?
2. What commercial products are exported to Europe
and America?
3. Make a paper model of a Siamese house.
4. In what languages is the Bible found at the Bible
depot in Bangkok ?
5. Describe the religion of Siam before the advent of
Buddhism.
6. Mention some superstitions prevalent to-day.
7. What is the total Moslem population of Siam ?
8. What effect has gambling, the characteristic vice
of Siam, had upon the character of the people?
9. Sketch the life of Gautama Buddha.
10. Make a table of special difficulties and special en-
couragements in this field.
Bibliography :
Campbell, J. G. D., Siam in the Twentieth Century.
Carter, A. Cecil, M.A., Kingdom of Siam.
313
314 HELPS FOR LEADERS
Curtis, Lillian Johnson, The Laos of North Siam.
Fleeson, Katherine Neville, Laos Folk-Lore of
Farther India.
Hallett, H. S., A Thousand Miles on an Elephant in
the Shan States.
Siam and Laos as Seen by our American Missionaries.
BURMA
Lesson Aim :
To give a general view of the land, the people, their
rulers, and their religion in relation to missions ; or what
Buddhism did for Burma and what Christianity is doing
now for this country.
Scripture Lesson :
Isa. 55 ; Matt. 13 : 1-9.
Suggestive Questions :
1. Indicate by color on an outline map of Asia the
extent of British rule and the strategic importance of
Burma.
2. What is the daily life of a mendicant?
3. When did Buddhism enter Burma?
4. What teachings of the Gospel are special stum-
bling-blocks to the sincere Buddhist ?
5. Write a review of Edwin Arnold's "Light of
Asia."
6. Describe the " Wheel of Life." (See Rhys Davids's
"Buddhism.")
7. Write a character sketch of Dr. Judson.
8. Of Ko Tha Byu.
9. What are the present missionary problems?
10. Show the possibility of completing the work of
evangelization in Burma in terms of men and money.
HELPS FOR LEADERS 315
Bibliography :
Cochrane, Henry Park, Among the Burmans.
Curtis, William Eleroy, Egypt, Burma and British
Malaysia.
Griggs, W. C., Odds and Ends from Pagoda
Land.
Judson, Edward, Life of Adoniram Judson.
Willson, A. M., Lives of Mrs. Ann H. Judson, Sarah
B. Judson, and Mrs. Emily C. Judson.
Smith, Julius, Ten Years in Burma.
Brockett, L. P., Story of the Karen Mission in Bassein.
KOREA
Lesson Aim :
To show the possibility of evangelizing a land in one
generation. The power of a supernatural Gospel.
Scripture Lesson :
Acts 2 : 1-5 ; 43-47.
Suggestive Questions :
1. Why called the Hermit Nation?
2. What is demon-worship? Shamanism? (Mrs.
Bishop's " Korea and her Neighbors.")
3. Describe Korean marriage customs.
4. Which of Korea's neighbors has had the largest
influence on her history?
5. Discussion whether Japanese rule has been of
benefit to Korea.
6. Compare the Pyeng Yang revival with that in
Wales as to character and results.
7. What Christian literature is there for Koreans in
their own language?
8. What are the dangers of too rapid evangelization
in Korea?
316 HELPS FOR LEADERS
9. What place do women occupy in the Korean
church ?
10. Show the location of every station and preaching
place on the map of Korea.
Bibliography :
Bishop, Mrs. Isabella Bird, Korea and her Neighbors.
Gale, James S., D.D., Korean Sketches.
Gale, James S., B.D., The Vanguard.
Griffis, Kev. William Elliott, Corea : The Hermit
Nation.
Hulbert, H. B., The Passing of Korea.
Underwood, L. H., Fifteen Years among the Top-
knots.
Underwood, Horace G., The Call of Korea.
Jones, G. H., Korea : The Land, People, and Customs.
GENERAL INDEX
Abbott, Rev. E. L., 244.
Abdul Hamid, 8.
Abeel, Rev. David, 182.
Abraham, 1.
Abu Hanifa, 41.
Adams, Rev. James E., 293.
Adamson, Dr. H., 185.
Aden, 95.
Afghanistan, 7, 59; popula-
tion of, 124.
Africa, 3, 7, 118; Islam in, 3;
Moslems in, 57; West, 52,
118; Central, 72, 96 ; North,
74, 77, 85 ; North, spread of
Islam in, 85 ; Mohammedan
population of, 114.
Ahreyah Mettai, 206.
Algeciras Conference, 60.
Algeria, 88.
Al-Ghazali, 48.
Algiers, 8, 142.
Allah, 14, 41, 46.
Allen, Dr. H. N., 278.
Alms, legal, 27.
American Baptist Missionary
Union, 184, 224; discour-
agements of, 184; closing
of mission of, 185; results
of work of, in Siam, 185.
American Bible Society, 194,
303.
American Board, 92.
American Missionary Associa-
tion, 183.
Amulets, 62.
Animists, 224.
Antichrist, 21.
Appenzeller, Rev. H. G., 280.
Arabia, 4, 7, 27, 54 ; cradle of
Islam, 94; population of,
95, 126; neglected, 126.
Arabian Mission, Reformed
Church in America, 97, 126.
Arabic, 6, 58, 101 ; sacred
language of Moslems, 6.
Arabs, 30, 43.
Armstrong, Rev. W. F., 250.
Arrakan, 222.
Ashmore, William, 186.
Asia : Moslems in, 4 ; unoc-
cupied fields of, 122.
Asia Minor, 4, 8.
Assam, 222.
Australian Baptist Mission,
101.
Ava, 240.
Ayuthia, ancient capital of
*Siam, 176.
Bab, the, 98.
Bagdad, 126.
Bahrein, 63, 97.
Baluchistan, 8 ; Moslem popu-
lation of, 125.
Bangkok, 160, 174; mission
institutions in, 193.
Baptists, American, in Burma,
238.
Barrett, Hon. John, 203.
Bassein, 221.
Beach, Professor, 116.
Bedouin, 31.
Beecher, Rev. E. H., 244.
Behaism, 98.
Beit Allah, 3.
Bengal, 5.
317
318
INDEX
Bennett, Mrs. Jessie Vail, 98.
Bhamo, 221.
Bible, 25, 199; translations
of, 6, 238.
Binney, Rev. Dr. J. G., 251.
Bishop, Mrs. Isabella Bird, 38.
Bixby, Rev. Moses H., 247.
Black Stone, 1, 3.
Blyden, Dr., 37.
Boardman, Mrs. Sarah Hall,
242.
Bokhara, Moslem population
of, 127.
Boon Itt, Rev., 194.
Bradley, Dr. Daniel B., 183.
Briggs, Dr. and Mrs. W. A.,
198.
British and Foreign Bible
Society, 224, 303.
British rule, 8, 58, 180, 223.
Bronson, Rev. Dr. Dillon, 227.
Brooke, Sir James, 188.
Bruce, Rev. Robert, D.D., 99.
Buddha, 175.
Buddhism, state religion of
Siam, 202, 246.
Buddhist, first, to accept
Christ, 239.
Bugia, 78.
Burckhardt, 51.
Burma : area of, 211 ; climate
of, 211 ; physical features
of, 211 ; country without
caste, 213 ; population of,
213 ; government of, 221 ;
Upper, annexation of, 223 ;
religions of, 224; progress
of missions in, 229 ; medical
missions in, 252; a hopeful
field, 255.
Burmans : characteristics of,
213 ; custom law of life,
214; vices of, 215; work
among, difficult, 246.
Burton, 45.
Bush, Rev. and Mrs. Stephen,
187.
Busrah, 97.
Cairo, literary capital of Islam,
90.
Cairo Conference, 115.
Cairo Universit}*-, 56.
Cambodia, 159.
Canton, 166, 182.
Carey, 72.
Carpenter, Rev. C. H., 252.
Carson, Rev. A. E., 248.
Cartwright, Rev. S. H., 299.
Celebes, 4.
Chard, Rev. and Mrs. C. H.,
231.
Chieng Hoong, 165.
Chieng Mai, 160, 168 ; mission
work at, 199.
Chieng Rai, 177.
China, 7, 72; Moslems in, 5,
131 ; Moslem population
of, 129.
China Inland Mission, 225.
Chinese : strongest element in
Siam, 166 ; in Burma,
218.
Chins : demon-worshippers,
218; converts among, 248.
Choi Chei Ou, 268.
Christianity, 37, 74; early, in
Arabia, 95.
Christians : in Burma, 224 ;
persecution of, in Korea,
283; number of, in Korea,
290.
Chubbuck, Emily, 242.
Chun-ju, 300.
Church Missionary Society,
90.
Clarke, James Freeman, 14.
Cockey, Rev. T. A., 229.
Colbeck, Rev. James A., 230.
Colman, Mr. and Mrs., 239.
Commissioners, of the King,
179.
Confucianism, 269.
Congo Free State, 3.
Congregational Mission : trials
of, 182; withdrawal of, to
China, 182.
INDEX
319
Constantinople, political capi-
tal of Mohammedan world,
90.
Converts : from Islam, 97,
105; in Siam, 200.
Corfe, Rt. Rev. Charles John,
D.D., 298.
Creed : confession of, 24 ;
use a strength to Islam,
25.
Crofton, Rev. H. W., 230.
Curtis, Rev. and Mrs. F. S.,
294.
Gushing, Rev. and Mrs. J. N.,
247.
Danish Evangelical Church,
96.
Darrow, Rev. and Mrs. A. C.,
247.
Davenport, Mr. and Mrs., 184.
Dean, Dr., 160.
Dean, Rev. William, 184.
Demon-worshippers, 218.
Denman, Dr. and Mrs. C. H.,
198.
Denmark, 171.
Divorce, 48.
Dodd, Mr. and Mrs. W. C.,
198.
Dunlap, Dr., 201.
East India Company, 221.
East Indians, 219.
Ecumenical Conference, Cairo,
91.
Edmunds, Miss Margaret, 297.
Egypt, 43, 51 ; Moslem popu-
lation of, 89.
El Azhar, Mohammedan Uni-
versity of, 56.
Ellers, Miss Annie, 281.
Ellis, William T., 312.
Emperor of Korea, 271.
England, 171.
Europe, 4.
Evangelistic Lutheran Mission
of Leipzig, 224.
Fasting, month of, 26.
Fitzgerald, Bishop, 227.
Foochow, 166.
Foote, General Lucius H., 278.
Free Church of Scotland, 96.
French, Bishop, 75, 96.
French Sudan, 4.
Fusan, 294, 302.
Geis, Rev. George J., 249.
Germany, 159.
Glenn, Dr. William, 99.
Gobat, Samuel, 90.
God : books of, 17 ; Moslem
idea of, 14; Mohammed's
idea of, 56.
Goddard, Josiah, 186.
Gospel, causes for rapid spread
of, in Korea, 306.
Goucher, Rev. John F., 280.
Gurney, Rev. W. N., 299.
Gutzlaff, Dr., 181.
Haas, Frederick, 99.
Hadramaut, 126.
Hagar, 1.
Hague, International Confer-
ence, 272.
Hainan, 166.
Haka, 248.
Hall, Dr. M. J., 282.
Hall, Dr. Rosetta Sherwood,
297.
Han-heung, 303.
Harem, evils of, 46.
Haswell, Rev. J. M., 247.
Hausa-land, 119.
Hegira, 10, 130.
Hejaz, 62, 126.
Hell, Moslem, 23.
Hemenway, 182.
Henzada, 246.
Heron, Dr. J. W., 279.
Hinduism, 44.
Hindus, 224.
Hodeidah, 126.
Horton, Miss Lillias, 281.
House, Dr. Samuel R., 186.
320
INDEX
Howard, Dr. Meta, 297.
Hsipaw, 247.
Humphrey, Chaplain W. T.,
229.
Hurgronje, Dr. C. Snouck, 54.
Illiteracy of Islam, 57.
India, 8, 51, 113; Moslem
population of, 5 ; work for
Moslems in, 100.
Indies, Dutch East, Moslems
in, 102.
International Student Federa-
tion, 266.
Irrawaddy, 211.
Islam : character and con-
quests of, 1 ; world-wide re-
ligion, 2, 10; present num-
bers and distribution of, 3 ;
literary languages of, 7 ;
explanation of spread of, 10 ;
aggressive religion, 11; re-
ligion without caste, 12 ;
doctrine of angels, 15;
spirit world, 15; Day of
Judgment, 22 ; philosophy
of, 23 ; predestination, 23 ;
doctrine of fatalism, 24;
religion without hope, 28;
social evils of, 37; low
ethical standard of, 39 ;
lack of truth in, 40 ; ethics
of, 40; sensuality of, 44;
illiteracy of, 57; traditions
of, 60; attitude toward
Christianity, 102 ; strong-
hold of, 115; present peril
of, 118; early entrance into
China, 130; peril of, not
cause for discouragement,
139 ; disintegration of, 140 ;
in Africa, 4 ; in Asia, 4 ; in
China, 5 ; in India, 5 ; in
the Philippines, 5 ; in Rus-
sia, 5; in Turkey, 59; in
Arabia, 94; hi Malaysia,
103.
Ito, Marquis, 274.
Jains, 224.
Japan, 159; attitude toward
Korea, 273.
Java, 103; converts in, 106.
Jessup, Dr., 72.
Jesus Christ, 20, 64, 74 ; Mos-
lem belief concerning, 20;
only hope for Moslems, 64;
regarded as second Buddha,
206.
Jews, 53, 224; societies for
the conversion of, 73.
Jinn (genii), 15; belief in, uni-
versal, 16.
Johnson, Dr. W. O., 293.
Jones, Rev. and Mrs. John T.,
184.
Jones, Rev. George Heber,
296.
Judson, Adoniram, 238; im-
prisonment of, 240; hero-
ism of, 241.
Judson, Mrs. Ann Hasseltine,
181, 242.
Kaaba, 1, 63.
Kachins, 249 ; demon-wor-
shippers, 218.
Kamil Abd El Messiah, 97.
Kansu, 5, 131.
Karens, 216; tribes of, 216;
work among the, 231.
Keith Falconer, Ion, 95.
Keith Falconer Mission, 126.
Ke Kan, 168.
Keller, 74.
Kerbela, 45.
Khadijah, 50.
Kim Chang Sik, 282.
Kincaid, Dr., 249.
King, Hon. Hamilton, quoted,
203.
King Mongkut, 178; policy of,
result of missionary influ-
ence, 183.
King of Siam, absolute mon-
arch, 179 ; enlightened pol-
icy of, 180.
INDEX
321
Knight, Bishop A. M., 237.
Koran, 13, 40, 44, 55; inter-
linear translations of, 6 ;
Arabic, sealed book to most
Moslems, 6; translation of,
not permitted in China, 7;
uncreated and eternal, 17;
unintelligible without com-
mentary, 18; defects of
teaching, 19; inferior to
sacred books of other na-
tions, 19.
Korat, 176.
Korea : area of, 259 ; physical
features of, 259 ; population
of, 261; language in, 262;
lack of sanitation in, 263 ;
religions of, 269; govern-
ment of, 271 ; period of
reconstruction in, 275 ; re-
vival in, 285 ; a tonic to
faith, 311.
Koreans : character of, 262 ;
peculiar customs of, 265.
Ko San Ye Movement, 245.
Ko Tha Byu, first Karen con-
vert, 243.
Kumm, Dr. Karl, 116.
Kwallondong, 261.
Lakawn, 177; mission work
at, 199.
Laos : number of, in Siam,
165 ; superior to Siamese
in intelligence, 165; mis-
sions in, 196; persecution
of Christians in, 197 ; pres-
ent status of work in, 198 ;
proclamation of religious
liberty to, 198 ; a promising
mission field, 205.
Larsen, Rev. E. John, 128.
Lawrence, Miss E., 254.
Lee, Rev. Graham, 282.
Leonard, Dr. A. B., 228.
Levant, 43.
Literature, Mohammedan, in
China, 129.
Livingstone, David, 42, 121.
London Missionary Society,
181.
Lull, Raymund, 39, 76, 79;
first missionary to Moslems,
76.
Lyon, Rev. J., 249.
McFarland, Rev. S. G., 191.
Mackay, Alexander M., 96.
McKenzie, W. J., 302.
Maclay, Rev. Robert S., D.D.,
280.
Me Williams, D. W., 277.
Malay Archipelago, 103.
Mandalay, 212.
Marks, E. J., 229.
Marriage among Moslems, 48,
49.
Martyn, Henry, 76, 79, 83.
Martyrdom of Lull, 79.
Martyrs, in Laos, 197.
Mattoon, Rev. Stephen, 186.
Mecca, 1, 10, 45, 54, 63, 127;
pilgrimage to, 27 ; religious
capital of Islam, 90.
Medina, 10, 28, 42, 127.
Meinhof, Professor Carl, 119.
Me Kawng, 161.
Me Nam River, 161.
Merrick, Rev. J. L., 100.
Merwa, 1.
Methodist Episcopal Church,
missionary society of, 224,
228, 280.
Methodist mission, southern,
301.
Miller, Dr. W. R., 4.
Milman, Bishop, 233.
Mirza Ibrahim, 100.
Missionaries : first, to Siam,
appeal of, to American
churches, 181 ; favorable
testimony regarding, 203 ;
women, 254; pioneer, in
Korea, 277.
Missionary, first, to Moslems,
39, 76.
322
INDEX
Missions: medical, 141, 252,
279 ; pioneer, difficulties
of, in Siam, 188 ; results of,
in Siam, 200 ; social results
of, 201 ; obstacles to, in
Siam, 204; rapid progress
of, among Karens, 217.
Missions in Korea : effect of
war on, 283.
Missions to Moslems, 37, 71 ;
difficulties of, 135.
Mizan-ul-Hak, 84.
Moffett, Rev. Samuel A.,
282.
Mohammed, 2, 13, 17, 21, 30,
41, 56, 95, 130; an exile,
10; quoted, 11; names of,
20; human in Koran, 21;
of tradition, 21 ; violates
his own law, 50.
Mohammedan Conference, 46.
Mohammedan population, 3.
Mohammedan University, 56,
91.
Mohammedan world, present
accessibility of, 9.
Mohammedanism, stronghold
of, 3.
Mohammedans, in Burma, 224.
Mokpo, 300.
Morocco, 7, 38, 87.
Moslems : Chinese, 3 ; under
Christian rule, 7 ; belief of,
12 ; five duties of, 24 ; mis-
sions among, 37; moral
condition of, result of re-
ligion, 38 ; under Christian
rule, 54; missions to, 71;
results of work for, 101.
Moslem world, governments
of, 7.
Mott, John R., 312.
Moulmein, former capital of
Burma, 220.
Moung Nau, first Buddhist
convert, 239.
Muir, 39, 41.
Muscat, 75, 96.
Nai Chune, first convert in
Siam, 188.
Nan Inta, 197.
Nasariyeh, 97.
National Bible Society of
Scotland, 303.
Needham, Hester, Saint of
Sumatra, 104.
Nejd, 126.
Netherlands Missionary So-
ciety, 181.
New Testament, 277; trans-
lation of, 237.
Noctong River, 260.
North Africa Mission, 87.
Oman, 126.
Omens, 61.
O'Neal, Mrs. Charlotte, 226.
Orr, Rev. R. W., 186.
Paknam, 170.
Pali Manuscripts, 175.
Pan-Islamic movement, 11.
Pan-Islamism, 142.
Paradise, Moslem, 23.
Parsees, 224.
Pease, Mr. George, 87.
Peet, 182.
Pegu, 221.
Peoples, Dr. and Mrs. S. C.,
198.
Persia, 7, 43, 74; missions in,
98; Moslem population of,
98.
Petchaburi, 170.
Pfander, Karl Gottlieb, 76,
83.
Philippines, 5, 166.
Phya Montri, 195.
Pilgrimage to Mecca, 27.
Pitsanuloke, 168.
Plymouth Brethren, 303.
Polygamy, 41, 48, 172; re-
sults of, 45.
Poole, Stanley Lane, 64.
Prayer : Moslem, 1, 57 ; direc-
tion of, 26 ; effect nullified,
INDEX
323
26; five proper times for,
26; importance of posture
in, 26.
Presbyterian Board, 277 ; sta-
tions of, in Siam, 192.
Presbyterian Church (North),
92.
Presbyterian Mission, 186 ;
Australian, 302; Canadian,
302.
Price, Dr. Jonathan, 240.
Prince Devawongse, 172.
Prince Min Yong Ik, 280.
Prome, 221, 231.
Prophet, 50, 57.
Prophets, major and minor,
19, 20.
Protestant Missions, begin-
nings of, in Siam, 181.
Punjab, Moslems in, 5.
Pyeng Yang, 260, 282, 291;
remarkable success of work
in, 285, 295.
Pyinmana, 246.
Raheng, 177.
Rangoon, 219, 225, 238,
253.
Rangoon Baptist College, 252.
Reformed Church in America,
97.
Reformed Presbyterian Church,
92.
Reforms, Japanese, in Korea,
275.
Reid, Mr. and Mrs., 184.
Rhenish Missionary Society,
103.
Richard, Dr. Timothy, 129.
Riggs, Dr. Edward, 94.
Roberts, Rev. W. EL, 249.
Robinson, 182.
Roman Catholic Church,
307.
Ross, Rev. John, 277, 288.
Russia : Moslems in, 5 ; Mos-
lem population of, 127.
Russo-Japanese War, 271.
Safa, 1.
St. John's College, 230.
Salween, river, 211.
Saracen, 11.
Sau Kyung Jo, 289.
Schuck, J. L., 186.
Scranton, Dr. William B., 280.
Scranton, Mrs. M. F., 297.
Seoul, 261, 282; institutional
work in, 291.
Serampore, 181.
Seward, Hon. George F., 202.
Shamanism : dominant faith
of Koreans, 269; super-
stition of, 270.
Shanghai, 202.
Shans, number of, in Burma,
217.
Shears, Rev. A., 229.
Sheikh Othman, 96.
Shensi, 3, 131.
Shrines, 270.
Shwebo, 235.
Shwe Dagon Pagoda, 219.
Siam : area of, 159 ; climate
of, 160 ; physical geography
of, 161; 'flora of, 162;
products of, 162; races in,
163; population of, 164;
government of, 177 ; prog-
ress of mission work in, 191 ;
promising mission field, 205 ;
religious expectation in,
206.
Siamese : physical character-
istics of, 164; characteris-
tics of, 167; progressive
character of, 168; desire
for education, 171 ; vices of,
173 ; indifference of, toward
religion, 204.
Sierra Leone, 3.
Sikhs, 224.
Slavery, 52.
Smith, Dr. George, 80.
Smith, Dr. Eli, 93.
Society, unstable foundation
of, in Siam, 172.
324
INDEX
Society for Propagation of the
Gospel, 224, 229, 298; re-
sults of work of, 236.
Song-chen, 303.
Sorai, 288.
Spain, 8.
Speer, Robert E., 49, 92.
Sprenger, 39.
Stanley, 121.
Stevens, Rev. Dr. E. A., 251.
Stock, Eugene, 76.
Stockings, Rev. H. M., 235.
Stone, George E., 98.
Strachan, Rt. Rev. J. M.,
236.
Sudan, 116; growth of Islam
in, 116; population of, 116;
Central, 120; Central, wo-
men in, 120.
Sudan United Mission, 119.
Sumatra, 102; converts in,
105.
Swatow, 166.
Swedish Missionary Society,
133.
Syen Chyun, 293.
Syria, 8/43.
Taiku, 261, 293.
Tai-ping Rebellion, 268.
Talaings (Mons), 217.
Talains, 247.
Talismans, 61.
Taoism, 268.
Tarburi, 177.
Tavoy, 246.
Taylor, Canon, 37.
Teheran, 100.
Telang, Mr. Justice, 46.
Tenasserim, 222.
Thandang, 227.
Thibaw, 222.
Thoburn, Bishop James M.,
225.
Thomas, Mrs. B. C., 248.
Thorns, Dr. Marion Wells, 98.
Thonze, 246.
Tibet, 213.
Tisdall, Dr. St. Clair, 42.
Titcomb, Bishop, 232.
Tobolsk, 3.
Tomliii, Rev. Jacob, 181.
Tong-hak Movement, 268.
Toungoo, 231.
Tradition, Moslem, 41.
Traditions, of Karens, 216.
Tripoli, 7, 8, 54.
Trotter, Miss Lillian L., quoted,
142.
Tunis, 8, 88.
Turkestan, 4, 8, 132.
Turkey, 43, 59, 72.
Turkish Empire, missions in,
92.
Turner, Bishop H. B., 298.
Uganda, 200.
Underwood, Rev. H. G., 279.
United States, 171.
Unoccupied fields, 113, 117.
Urumia, 100.
Utradit, 165.
Van Dyck, Dr. Cornelius,
93.
Veil, use of, unknown before
Mohammed, 46.
Victoria, Queen, 233.
Vinton, Dr. J. H., 244.
Wade, Mr. and Mrs., 240.
Wahab bin Kabsh, 130.
Wahabi revival, 11.
War : Burman, 240 ; Russo-
Japanese, 271.
Warne, Bishop, 228.
Warner, Miss Ellen, 226.
Warren, Rev. C., 231.
Watson, Rev. Charles R., 4.
Wesleyan Methodist Mission-
ary Society, 224.
Wheelock, Mr. and Mrs., 239.
Wiersum, Harry, 98.
Wilson, Rev. Jonathan, 196.
Winston, Rev. W. R., 225.
Wolf, Dr. Joseph, 100.
INDEX
325
Women : degradation of, un-
der Islam, 46, 48 ; compara-
tive freedom of, in Burma,
215; position of, in Korea,
264; work for, in Korea,
297.
Won-san, 261, 303.
Wurz, Pastor F., quoted,
119.
Yemen, 63.
Yi Heni, 271.
Young Men's Christian Asso-
ciation, 225, 303.
Young Women's Christian
Association, 225.
Yunnan, 5, 131.
Zainab, 44.
Zanzibar, 3.
Zem Zem, 1.
Zenana, 46.
Zwemer, Peter John, 97.
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