The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-05-25
MOORISH LECTURE.
DR., John saadi. a Syrian, Speaks
Of His Experiences
AS A MISSIONARY IN MOROCCO.
How the selEsustaiuing Missionary
Work is Carried on-Tho Condition
of the Women in That Country,
Tho Slave Traffic Still Carried on
Unmolested.

A very novel, interesting and instruc.
tive lecture was heard last evening at
the Third Presbyterian church on
Jacob street, South Side, by a large
audience by Or. John saad, OF Syria,
Asia, who for many years has been a
seli.sustaining missionary in Morocco
in Africa, The subject Of his talk was
The One Hundred and Ninety Million
Followers OF Mohamed," and it was
well handled by the lecturer
d., saadi was formerly an interpreter
attached to the British army that was
sent to the relief OF tho noble and ill
fated Gordon, who met his doom at
Khartoum in the Egyptian Soudan, and
u portion OF his talk was about this ex'
petition, which failed to accomplish its
purpose. The main part OF the lecture,
however, was about the condition OF
affairs in Morocco. where Moham-
mechanism reigns supreme. DR.. Saadi
pursued his labors there under the
guise OF an ocullst, which helped him in
his more important object Of revealing
to the blinded people OF that country
the true religion OF Jesus Christ. He re-
lated the novel way by which he forced
patients who came to hun for the pur.
pose OF having their eyes treated, read
the gospel. He showed the charts
which he used there to test the eyes,
and instead othaving A y Q in differ
ent sizes OF typo on them, he had them
printed with extracts from the Bible,
thus forcing tho MohamedRn to road
the word flood. After having tested
the eyes by the chart he would have
tho patient read half hour from his
Bible, in the native language, and in
such way many converts to Christians
ity were made. As an occulist, too, ne
secured access to places where an
avowed missionary could not possibly
30.
An interesting part OF his talk related
TO tho condition OF the Moorish women.
lie said that the father is always disap-
pointed and disgusted when he finds
that he has daughter, whereas had
the child been boy lie would have
been delighted. The daughter growsup
almost utterly neglected, and at the age
of twelve, usually, the father looks
around for manto whomhe can marry
the girl. Tho girl then becomes wife
to a man whom she has never before
met, and to whom her like or dislike
does not enter into tho question. The
man is entitled to four wives, and II he
tires OF them he can divorce all OF them
by simply telling them to return to their
parents, and then marry again II he SO
desires. He said the condition of the
women in Morocco is to-day worse than
slavery. He spoke in praise OF the he
roiC American women who have left
their homes to do what they can for
these unfortunate creatures
Morocco, he said, is the only country
in northern Africa which allows tho
slave traffic to 60 on. unmoleHted, and
the most shameful part OF the condi-
tion is that the sultan receives 10 per
| cent OF the proceeds derived from this
disgraceful traffic in human bodies and
souls.
After no had concluded talking, DR..
Saadi exhibited three Moorish children,
two boys and one girl. The girl, he
said, who looked to be about twelve
years old, was at the age when she
should DO married in her country, and
tho older OF the boys, about sixteen or
seventeen, would DO thought to be q
likely candidate for her master and
husband. He then went through u
mock Moorish marriage ceremony.
which was greatly enjoyed by the audi.
ence. Tho woman, he said, cannot look
for an existence in heaven, but the man
has the pleasing prospect Of seventy
wives and 10000 servants.
After the lecture collection was
taken up. Dr.. Saadi is making lee.
ture tour Of this country for the purpose
of raising funds to enter Jefferson COL
lege, Philadelphia. where he will study
medicine, which will be q great and
| almost invaluable aid to him in his
missionary labors in Morocco.