Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-13

liCdtlOHS are lNteUutu 10 SdISlN Aiat w
mands Of that race for knowledge re-
garding the causes and effects OF the
movement that is being agitated.
Influence of Americans.
1t is generally admitted that this unrest
among the followers Of the prophet is
very largely due to the influence and
teaching of the American missionaries
and the colleges and schools they have
established in the east. The young men
who have gone out from thee institu-
tons are among the most prominent and
effective leaders of the revolutions that
have taken place and they are editing
the newspapers which have become the
greatest agencies i'm progress.
The effect is becoming apparent In
Ara bia, where American missionaries
have been working under most discour-
aging conditions for about twenty years,
and "A friend Who is not a missionary,
sends me some interesting information
concerning the situation.
One of the results or their missionary
influence" he SAYS. lis the organization
of an educational society in Arabia COM
posed OF army officers, paShas. promi-
nent merchants, mullahS trriests,. and
government officials, who discuss internal
politics, literature. economies. mora u,
and similar subjects which tend to uplitt
the empire. Religious discussion Is dc
barred, but American missionaries are
admitted to the meeting and take an
active part i'm the discussion. Twenty
years ago strenuous efforts We're made
to drive out missionaries from the places
where these societies are now SO IN
fiuential. Nothing could illustrate the
change Of public sentiment and the at
titude of the officials so much as that
| fact.
II am deeply interested i'm the work OF
the Arabian mission. II is the only mis-
sionary agency of any consequence OPP
Grating in the Arabian community. Its
special purposes are the conversion Of
Moslems, the education OF the people. the
relief of the afflicted and the abolition
of slavery. Considering the difficulties,
the American mission has had truly
marvellous growth. You have read
Ara bia the Cradle of Islam The au-
thor, Mr.. Zwemer, takes rather pessl-
nistic view of the future of Islam. Other
American missionaries are considerably
more hopeful of a reformation OF the
Moslem religion, maintaining, in fact. that
it is being worked out in these very days.
Il feel that the Arabian mission Is
worthy of your attention. and sincerely
hope that you may see your way clear
to give it lift in your newspaper.
American Work in Arabia.
Il admire these brave Americans in
Arabia. They are not making a great
deal of noise, but their work is effective.
1neSe lLlneTdut ubCtOTS ana teachers are
civilizers par excellence. They are the
advance agents of modern progress. At
this moment they are actively preparing
for the erection of a hospital and high
school at Busrah while stations with
schools and dispensaries are maintained
at Bahrein and Muscat. Busrah Is. and
will remain the headquarters from which
the activities of the missions wlil branch
out, and extend northward To Bagdad. and
extend southwark TO Riad, heart of
Arabia, and the haunts of the W ahabies
"a dissenting branch OF Mohammeda nism)
Some twenty-five American physicians
and clerSymen are busily ut work open
ing UP to civilization these benightel
regions. The number of missionaries adj
vancng into the field is constantly in
creasing. the property interests
Of the mission and its active power gener-
ally. Here is a force still more or less
in embryo which in few years
will develop into a most valuable auxili-
AIRY to American commercial ana financial
interests, striving to secure a reasonably
fair share of the fruits of Mesopotamian,
Arabian and Persian development In
twenty or thirty years Mesopotamia will
be another Egypt. and Busrah will at
| tempt to rival Alexandria. In time these
American missionaries will have a college
| at Bagdad.
Rev. John Van Ess, who is directing
| the work at Busrah, is born leader
| OF men, besides being an ideal mission
! airy, and he has some very able and
energetic associates. Not long ago Mr..
Van Ess delivered an address before the
educational society of Busrah, in which
| he pointed out the causes of the progress
| of the Christian nations and the COM
parative backwardness of the orientals
| in modern civilization, which set these
people down here to thinking He told
them that the trouble was the lack of
the power of initiative: the lack OF
universal education the lack of freedom
of thought action and movement, and
the lack of enterprise.
Work of Physicians.
THE hospitals, dispensaries and med