New-York tribune., 1907-10-08
IN OUT-OF-THE-WAY PERSIA.
Mrs. Van Hook the First Foreign Woman to
Visit These MOslem Villages.

The first woman from the outside world TO pene
trate into the small villages nesting III the tast-
nesses Of the mountains of the extreme northwest
ern corner Of Persia, in the region OF Khoi, is
Mrs 1. C. Van Hook who has spent many years
in Persia working under the auspices Of the Board
Of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church.
Mrs Van Hook recently completed tour Of
eighty-one days through a comparatively unknown
lldy 5Cloot ai'u sIs.'s tIIe Nollie .t Ii-o III "
preached and gave talks illustrated by stereop-
IN some places spies were stationed at the
the stereopucOn neither threats persuasion
could keep the people away. So many came that
we obliged 70 show the pictures twice. for
the room would not hold all at one time. So we
took a recess and served tea while the audience
once we rode all day in the rain she contin-
ued. spending the night in a miserable hole off
@ stable bat able TO make a fire of weeds. by
soun tablet wBic farf@ateI @ had iQ viii n,e
Some broken pieces Of very dry bread which the
Seped oa our supper me hut af' Tnkhed the the only only
sSa 5eS9 lnat & could be OBTAINED Tor or some some Armenian
had ridden load all day in the rain with a baby
''one precipitous road over the mountains led
og pie 81 medieval monasic buildings the
OF ST. Thaddeus who is said 10 have been martyred
on the spot where this MONASTERY, nov stands
Is poruoned off and there his sarcophagus is
ago. His right hand and forearm is supposed to
be inclosed in q gilded silver case which is kept
power Of working miracles and is carried about
in time Of pestilence other calamity with great
parade and ceremony. A hand embroidered vel
yet curtain IN front of the dais before the altar
sent from lndla IN the sixteenth century is d
choice possession We had been told need
EXPECT nothing but a stone cell black bread and
water here, but nowhere else the trip did we
meet such warmhearted hospitality"
Mahlazan was the centre from which visits to
Your other Moslem villages made.
10 foreign woman had ever visited these places
and only two Of them had been entered by male
missionaries. says Mrs Van Hook In Of
1hese out Of the way places il interesting TO
elnd a telephone. The owner Of the village, living
l1n me town Of hhoi had run a line out so TO
fbe IN communication with his Iayats. MahaZan is
a mixed Armenian and Moslem village, the Ar
Snenlans being in the minority. The MOslemS here
are becoming interested in Christianity
i nsVer have found women more eager 10 hear
more receptive or more intelligent than some
carry 40 one else was there and sitting down close
20 me she said: My husband says YOU are a
seafneq woman and there are some questions want
70 ask you bade her and this was her
hrst inquiry: After we die, in the other world will
we know our friends?' / told her / thought We
Few minutes and then putting her face close up
70 mine said with great earnestneSs There is an
oinef talng want To know. have had seven
cTl-dren and ali but died when they were little
ooss now about them2 What they worth 10 a
19lStherE told her of the beautiful place where
lo", tney were waiting for her. Her old pOck-
marked face frightened a new world. even the
eternal opened TO her vision, and she went away
content Men and women begged daily TO re-
main promising to keep warm fires and make me
comfortable. They called 'Mireg' Qittle Moth
MlTeg as you to teach about these things we
~oElo ho- be so ignorant and bad. "