The Washington herald., 1909-06-06

venuonal European costume. save for the
red tarboosh. The gi-ls. on the other
side OF the red curtain. are dressed IN
every conceivable variety OF costume
known 20 twenty centuries OF the motley
East. from the simple One-piece slip OF
the ancients tO a copy OF the latest
Partisan mode for young girls. They are
not veiled IN school. and there IS not the
slightest objection. apparently. 10 for
elgners and men teachers seeing their
faces
There are fewer AIohammedans among
the girls than among the boys. the pref
udice against The education OF women
being stronger in the ranks OF Islam.
But IN the past few years the NOLAN
medan girls have been coming In strong
er force and the Americans have sue
ceeded IN inducing many wealthy Nos
lens 70 send their daughters % board
ing school This Is probably The most
radical departure IN custom. forced By
the American invasion OF Egypt
There are many teachers and native
workers in the employ Of the mission
No devote their tine % the hareus. 90
Ing Ir0m one house 70 another. teaching
The women Of the harem 70 read and.
Of course. giving them the Bible and
other Christian literature The women
haTem, life which would be worse than
death % an American woman. but they
are Interested 81 the education which
gives them a stronger hold upon their
husbands For that reason the hare1n
work is quite prosperous.
Very few converts 20 Christianity come
from the body OF Islam The American
mission ministers have baptized about
l63 Afoslems in the past few years. but
the progress IS very slow Nohauned-
anism IS the only Eastern religion which
has not Welded 10 The efforts OF evan
gelical Christian missionaries 20 any
marked extent
Among the COpts. and other religious
bodies. The church work OF the Amert-
can mission has succeeded wonderfully.
There are sixty organized Presbyterian
congregations. and - preaching stations.
There are Ie,e9o native members of
Presbyterian churches. and IS native or
daIned ministers The native Presby-
terians contributed S37,go9 last year 20
the support Of the mission work The
church work has been much more sue
cesSful IN Upper Egypt than in The Della
Many wealthy men in Upper Egypt
have allied themselves with the missions.
and there is one native Presbyterian
millionaire, who makes liberal donations
EaEll year I'D NlLA Nl-aLNA dl44 4l1LAD4l14
work Within a few years the Presby-
terian church in Egypt VIII be entirely
self-suppoTJing
The medical WORK OF the mission IS the
cause Of bringing many people into
touch with the educational and religious
departments Five hospitals are main
tained in various parts OF the country,
trained physicians and nurses are IN
charge, visits are made 20 the homes and
villages. and free clinics are held for
the treatment o9 the muder diseases
The national curse OF Egypt Is OQh1halmia.
and the American hospitals make a spe-
Cialty OF tIeaJing sore eyes The MOslem
women are so much IN fear Of the evn
eve that they win not WASH their babies
faces. or brush of the flies. for fear the
children VIII become so beautiful thas
they win attract the evil eve There
fore half The people in the street have
but one eye each and the totally blind
are legion.
The women physicians and nurses are
taking the gospel Of sanitation into the
hareus. where a man physician might not
enter. and where every illness has been
treated only according 10 the dictates OF
some ancient superstition And all the
time these medical missionaries are urg-
ing the people 10 wash the chIldren's
faces. and warning them OF the dangers
OF dirt II seems q hopeless task 20 AZ
tempt 20 divorce these people from squalSe
and filth. but the effort is being bravely
mace by these devoted Americans.
Young boys from the American schools
are preferred in employment by business
men. and young girls from the American
schools are eagerly sought for wives.
Men from the American college ind easy
employment with the government OF in
professional capacities. Egypt recognizes
the good done by the American mission
in its treatment OF the alumni Of the
American schools Americans. Of what
ever faith or religious belief. cannot fail
70 be proud Of the truly American accom-
plishmenIs OF this mission
(Copyrsht. lsos b Frederic J. Haskin.l
TO-mOrrOw-Twentie1 Century
Egypt.
FHI-Thc Waters OF the Sf1e.