The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-08-23
AN EGYPTIAN MARRIAGE
USUALLY MEANS A LIFE OF IMPRIS.
ONMENT TO THE WIFE.
Miss Buchanan's Talk Before q Ses-
sion of the Young Peoples
Christian Union.

Last nights session of the Young Peo-
pies Christian Union of the Presbytery OF
Indiana in the First United Presbyterian
Church was the special meeting Of the
convention, being given over wholly to the
cause Of missions and to hear an address
on Egypt" by Miss Carrie NJ. Buchanan,
a returned missionary from that country.
The session began with short devotional
exercises and an address on Missions
World Wide,' by Rev. Edgar MacDill. Of
Madison. Rev. MacDin said it is highly
essential that the missionary work be ex-
tended to all parts Of the world, for the
general development as we'll as Christian
welfare OF all nations. He included China
as coming under the ban of Christian
assimilation.
Miss Buchanan spoke from seven years
experience in Egypt. Her talk dealt more
especially with the manners and customs Of
the people of the ancient country, the in
dividual rather than the national. Most Of
the people in Egypt, she said, are of Mo-
hammedan faith and are yet controlled in
a large measure by the ruling hand of the
Turkish empire. She said It was the re-
ligion thai has caused numerous uprisings
in Egypt and that the spirit Of Moham-
medan faith Is responsible for the riotous
and urruly Boxer element in China. The
condition of the women in Egypt, she said,
is, perhaps, the most deplorable feature of
that country They are rated below brutes,
she asserted, and a man might speak of
his domestic animals but to mention his
wife's name in publici is a breach of etiquette
in it's worst form. If it does happen that
by a slip of the tongue the wife's name is
spoken the husband spits on the ground
Immediately afterwards to show his con-
tempt and cleanse his mouth.
But Egypt is now facing a brighter fu-
ture, Miss Buchanan said. and with the 19e
schools fourishing. with an enrolment Of
20, 0O0, 1900 of which are girls, she feels that
there is ample ground for encouragement
Many Of the weather. Egyptians and those
of the higher classes are now DESTROYS Of
bringing their daughters UP In the style of
the American woman and are sending them
to the mission schools for American educa-
ton. One of the greatest hindrances the
missionaries experience. she says, is the
lack of home life and influences which
form a foundation on which to build char
acter. When a woman enters into the
matrimonial contract under the Moham-
medan law she practically enters upon a
life's imprisonment. A small per cent. of
the population that is not Mohammedan
is more modified in imposing matrimonial
obligations and a wife may cave the house
five years after the marriage
providing there has been no deaths in the
family. Each death adds one year to a
wife's exclusive domestic duties and so
many members of the same family live I'M
der the same roof that unless health is ex-
traordinarily good. chances are very meager
that the wife will get an outing until the
last rites are said over her body. This
condition has eliminated all that is implied
by the word home.
DIR. l.. d. Henry, a medical missionary,
who has served seven years in Egypt, was
also in the meeting. but did not speak. He
returned 10 this country a year ago TO
solicit funds to establish a hospital In
Egypt, and the money having been Sc
cured. he will leave for the East. early in
September. The convention will close this
morning with a business session.
The afternoon programme began at 2
o'clock with Il devotional meeting led by
Rev. w. r. Jamison. pastor OF the church.
in which the convention is being held. Will
Lyle. OF Carmel, delivered an address on
Spiritual Culture" and was followed with
the subjects. Religious Zeal and Fidelity"
by Rev. r. w. Thompson, OF Shiloh: why
am / a Christian" by Mrs. n. NJ. Brown.
OF Milroy: Young Peoples Work in the
Church. by Rev. w. p. McGarey. of Rush.
Vile. Each subjectbyas followed by gen.
eral discussion. The session closed with
the appointment OF committees.