The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1901-04-11
FROM THE FAR EAST
Interesting Letter from Rev. w.
L. Bray in Syria.

many OF our readers:
Beirut, Syria, Mch. Sd.
DEAR BRO. EDRIs:-I have just re-
turned from preaching service, which
is held at 8 a. M, rather too early
for ordinary American audiences.
Well, this is not an American, or an
ordinary audience. The service was
held in the college chapel and the
audience was almost entirely stu
dents. There are in the college 545
students. These, with the families
of the faculty, make large and an
exceedingly interesting audience 10
speak to. When came here l sup
posed l should preach but seldom, if
at all. In this was mistaken, as
have spoken almost as many times
as should have done if l had been
at home. The "Week of Prayer
was observed by the college and the
week following meetings were held
daily. I preached each evening to
hundreds of these college students.
After the preaching service l met
great many in the inquiry rooms who
wished personal conversation con-
cerning the things of the Kingdom
of Christ.
The college has gathered these
young men from Asia Minor, Persia,
Syria, Egypt, Cyprus and Greece.
They are from different races, rep
resenting all colors, different relig-
ions and different nationalities. In
religion there are representatives of
the Moslem, Druse, Greek Orthodox,
Greek Catholic, Maronites, Arme-
menians and Protestants. In this
land each person has a religion. To
be without religion would be impos-
sible, in their thought. Ifthere could
be such a person, he ought to be
shut up in prison or killed. Then
again, all who are not Moslems are
Christians. To be Christian one
need not be honest, truthful, pure, a
worker of righteousness. No, none
of these virtues are necessary. One
must have been baptized, keep the
feasts and the fasts of his sect, say
his prayers at the proper times and
places, and then what more could
you ask? There was in the noun
tains certain Christian (?) who was
very useful to his sect in getting rid
of it's enemies. Many man had
fallen and been gotten rid of by this
earnest Christian. He became too
bold in his work, crime was tracked
to him; he was arrested, tried, con-
victed and sentenced to death. Just
before his execution he was told if
he would become Moslem, and do for
Moslems what he had done for the
Christians, he would be pardoned,
what" he exclaimed, "give up my
religion and become Moslem? Neverl
Go on with the execution" This, no
doubt, is an extreme case, but it
presents very clearly the prevailing
idea, that every one must have some
kind of religion.
/ have met in the inquiry room
some Druses, Armenians and both
kinds of Greeks.
This matter of changing religions
is very serious one and involves
many serious consequences. Some
of these young men have come out
openly on the Lords side, others are
hesitating about leaving their church
while they are determined to live
manly, pure lives. Please remember
these young men in your prayers. AS
a general thing, it is not expected
that a man in his business will tell
the truth or be exactly honest. And
so the buying of the ordinary things
in daily life has some of the prop
critics of the fine arts about it. In
Damascus last week l wanted few
articles of silver iewelry. 1 selected
what l wanted, got the price from
the dealer, then handed the articles
to the steward of a friend for him to
buy. If you had stood by you would
not have understood their language,
but you would have learned from
gesture, tone of voice and flash of
the eye that very serious business
was going on. When the bargain
was closed, l paid much less than
what was asked. l give this as an
oxy nj nf hot toI nj NH
ever anything is bought or sold. A
hotel man in Damascus said to an
American, "In this land you can't
trust yourself; everyone expects to
cheat you"
This being SO, our missionaries
find this constantly in their way. 1t
generally takes years to make one
see that Christianity means right
eousness in the little, every day
things, as well as in great things.
Yet in this there is advance.
We have made some very pleasant
visits to cities and villages near us.
In Tripoli, Zohlek, Boalbeck and Da-
mascus we have seen much, which l
shall be glad to tell you of when l
see you. Tomorrow we are to start
for Hiafa, Nazareth, Tiberius, Jeru-
salem. We expect to be gone about
two weeks. We return here for rest
and the farewell visit. We now ex-
pect to sail for England on the 30th
of thie month, visiting several places