Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1869-09-15
6eiteral 5ntelliaenfe.
WORK IN EGYPT.
English and American Il fforts.

MISSIONARY WORK IN EGYPT.
English and American Efforts.
Under the title of christian work in
Egypt" a writer in the July number of the
Princeton Review, gives some interesting
information concerning the lsbors of Eng
lish and American missionaries. We copy
few passages:
Protestant effort ia Alexandria ema-
.sstes from three special centres. There is
the Episcopal church for the English resi-
dents of that communion, the Scottish
Presbyterian church for dissenters, and the
American mission establishment for all and
sundry, but specially the Arabic speaking
population. Then there Is an agency of a
Swiss mission. and two or three schools for
natives, presided over and conducted by
Protestants-
q .'Phe work of the Scottish Presbyterian
Church began in 1858, as branch of the
Church of Scotland's mission to the Jews,
but the missionary having been appointed
consular chaplain, his chief energies have
since been given to the dissenting popula-
ton, and very largely to that portion con-
neeted with the shipping. From the mi
gratory character of the people. fruits ofsuch
labor are very little seen, but there has
been, in many respects, considerable en-
couragement. Tho town congregation for
the most part consists of English independ-
ents and few Scottish Presbyterians,
although their numbers arch of what they
ought to be. The blight of the city ap-
pears to fall on all who enter it, and even
the Scotch. with all their home training,
seem to fare less than many others for re-
lgious ordinances.
"Of Protestant establishments, here
was formerly in Cairo the headquarters Of
q mission established by the Church Mis-
sionary Society of England, but it ceased
to exist several years ago, and the only
institution now directly supported by Eng
ish money is an educational seminary pre-
sided over by lady Miss whately, daugh-
ter of the late Archbishop of Dublin. Here
q boys and girls school for Moslems and
Christians indiscrininately. is carried ON
with great energy; nearly 100 of the former
and over fifty of the latter being in daily
attendance, while by the distribution of
books and other humble labors of one or
two lay agents o considerable amount of
religious and moral light is disseminated
..But the institution in Egypt which is
doing the work of the Gospel on the largest
and most thorough going scale is the Amer
lean mission, as it is called. Commenced
some twelve years ago by the settlement in
Cairo of q single missionary, who confined
his instructions to those whom he could
gather into his own house, it was gradually
extended, till now it has to n greater or
less extent overspread the whole land. In
al; the chief towns, such as Alexandra,
Cairo, Mansoura, Osiout, missionaries have
been stationed, schools have been organ
lied, the gospel preached, and the Scrip
ko1 An 10, fox
alone have their labors been confined, but
taking them as their bases of operations,
the missionaries have extended theiI work
to the whole district of country lying
around, while periodically journeys have
been undertaken to those outlaying parts
of the country otherwise inaccessible, for
the sake of preaching and enclilating the
Word. The progress Of the mission has
been gradual, but to all appearance it has
been sound and sure.
The mission, as such, was established
and has been wrought and supported by
the Omitted Presbyterian Church of North
America, although In more instances than
one the iberality of the churches in Scot
land and Christians in England has been
Ibid under contribution for its assistance.
u the present time there is q force of
eight ordained missionaries ST. oned at
ciated with them are three female mission
aries. In and for the schools which have
hitherto formed q prominent part in the
mission work, teachers have been trained
from the youth of the land, and now there
are eighteen male and fifteen female pre-
ceptors, many Of them accomplished and
apt to teach; while proceeding in the same
way with regard to tine supply of the pull
pits the missionaries have been training
young men In general and theological edu-
cation and PASTORAL duties, 40 that now
there are eight native probationers, or
preaching assistants. One has even been
called, ordained, and settled over a con-
gregation which has been completely organ
lied with its staff of elders and deacons
Another agency, and one which is likely to
be abundantly instrumental, is the print
ING establishment which has been set up
in Cairo. In Arabic there is or was only a
few years ago absolutely no Christian liter
ature. Previously to this century there
vas No demand for il; since reading was an
accomplishment little cultivated by the
Christians Now, however. that an edu-
Gated youth are growing up, it is necessary
that books both of an educational and re-
.ligious character be provided fer their Pc
rusal; and accordingly the Mission Prssby-
tsry has delegated one of its number to
give his whole strength to the work of pre-
pairing and editing materials for and gen.
orally experimenting the work Of book
printing.
GAS has been said, the schools have all
along formed one of the most prominent
departm ents of the mission work in Egypt.
At each of the stations school for bows,
sud one or more-as in Cairo- for girls.
were opened at the outset, and while good,
~ o1x lo. l.
was impaired, and where desired classes
formed for Italian, French, or English, the
resident missionary has always devoted a
certain time every day to religious instruc-
ton. while exercising a general superin.
tendance over the whole work of the school
In this way, within the last ten years, thou
sands of boys and girls have come into
possession of a fair and in many cases q
very superior education.
sC' sin the towns, the character of
the people il very much the same as that
found in the cities of the north. If there
ID any difference, it is that they are more
welded to the ways and thoughts of the
past The old plea is constantly in their
montha-'This ProtestantiSn.' they say,
t1hat ish but thing OF yesterday? whereas
our church goes back to the beginning of
time They are also more under the pow
: or Of the priests, az they are perhaps more
at their mercy. For in the towns the con-
sequences Of priestly enmity are quite ss
drssdful in their eyes as those to which ref
ere1ce has just been made. Not only can
the ecclesiastical sword-which perhaps is
blunt enough, and in itself sufficiently in
noeent-be held over their heads, but the
temporal arm, too, can be used to follow
mp the stroke. and though the connection
betveen the two is scarcely if ever acknowl-
edged-for tl2t would be much too open
for Eastern taste-it is net the less close
and causal. Indeed, the more the position
of The parties is considered the greater viii
appear to be the power in the hands OF the
church over It's members
The Copts are all subjects of the gov
eminent and wholly at its disposal And
%, when one of them displeases his ecclesi-
astical chiefs in q manner suficier tly helm
ous, the lsftr have nothing more nor less
to do than submit his name to the govern
tAeht az1fhorities, and the poor man is
uada IN nav the penalty of his tranaorea-