The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-11-11
SYRIAN MISSION WORK.
How They Print Bibles and Newspap
in Arabic.

How They Print Bibles and Newspapers
in Arabic.
1t must have been gratifying to the
Rev. DR.. Samuel Jessup. the Syrian mis-
sionary, to see the large audience that
gathered at Westminster Presbyterian
Church last night to hear his lecture.
The platform had a large map of Syria as
a background, to which the lecturer re-
ferred frequently. A beautiful boquet
had been placed at the front of the plat
form.
After Pastor Hathaway had conducted
the religious part Of the services he intro
duced DIR. Jessup. The missionary is a
tall, spare man of about sixty. His hair
is grey and his beard, which is very long,
Is siivered.
Or. Jessup told the congregation that
twenty-four years ago he went to Syria
as missionary and there he learned the
Arabic language, which was born in
Arabia and has spread throughout Syria
and Africa. He pointed out on the map
in general way the locations of the mis-
sion work being done, and said that at
Baruth there was q church with con-
gregation of 500, college, female semi
nary and printing press. The printing
press was necessary to publish to all
nations the gospel.
PRINTING IN SYRIA.
The first printing the Mission did in
Syria was in 1884, and it was done with q
small handpress There was much diff
Guilty in getting Arabic type, but now the
tlrat country, and have four large
steam presses that print 100000 pages
I'VE print,n said DR.. Jessup, ''the
Bible, the New Testament. hymnal and
religious newspaper. Our work equals
in excellence that produced anywhere,
and here are samples"
Here he exhibited a beautiful gilt
edged leather bound Bible and New Tes-
lament, and from an equally handsome
hymnal read in Arabic few verses. He
said the language was beautiful but to
to me it sounded like a lot of monosyl-
labic grunts.
Dr.. Jessup said that great difficulty was
experienced in producing paper, for the
Government insisted on reviewing it be-
fore put in circulation, and anything it
did not like had to be stricken out. When
the paper finally did get out for circula-
tion there would be in some towns but
one taken, but this was well used for the
population would insist on one of the best
informed men reading it. In this man
ner the contents of the paper reached
hundreds.
In the schools there are Greeks, Syrians,
Jews, Arabs, Christians, ETC., etc., and
they all receive Chr1SUlan education and
the teachings of the Bible. The Bibles
published in Syria go to Jerusalem,
China Brazil, Africa, and in fact every
where They would reach $50, 000. 900 peo-
pie could all read, but in time this will be
the case.
CONVERTING THE MOSLEMS.
The missionary claimed that many con-
versions were being made among the
Moslems and mentioned a Pasha, his
son and daughter-in-law who had become
Christians. These, as well as other con-
yerted Moslems, were compelled to wor-
ship in secret, for If the government
knew that they had embraced the Chris
tian faith it would press them into army
service.
In Syria, now, there are 200 Christian
teachers paid for the work by the Mis-
sion, aud 141 schools also maintained in
this manner. The pupils number $780,
DIR. Jessup said that the schools were
fourishing but much in need of money
and closed his lecture with an earnest
appeal for financial aid.
During the service last night Pastor
Hathaway announced that in the future
the pews would be free. He said the
trustees had come to this decision, and he
asked those who had rented pews to meet
the trustees Wednesday night after SER
vice.
Itwas also announced that an ex-convict