The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-02-28
SINGER CONVERTS
ENTIRE VILLAGE
Missionary Writes Detroit Friends
OF Wonderful Influence of Turkish
Minstrel, Made Christian by Dream.

Detroit friends OF the Rev. X. w
Mcdowell, an American missionarS
who has his headquarters in Urumia
Persia, but is now working i'm the
Hurdistan mountains, in Turkey, Jus;
across the Persian border have re
ceiVed remarkable letter from him
relative 10 an experience he had in
the little village of kour. IN upper
Iiary. Through the kindness of Miss
y. j. Dean. No. 1853 Grandy-ave., The
Times is enabled To publish the most
interesting portion OF the letter,
which is dated Dihi-Amadi, Jan. |.
kour. the missionary explains. Is
such IN out-of-the-way place that he
mad expected TO find the people wild
and benighted."
TO my surprise" the letter con
tinues, they were a quiet and pious
people | spent a most pleasant Sab.
bath among them, and discovered the
secret influence which seemed to me
10 explain the phenomenon-a village
minstrel. He was of very humble an.
pearance and his face, though far
from handsome. was most PROPOSES.
ing. There was 4 light upon il which
bespoke spiritual light within lie
was a very silent man. and only al
my earnest request he began 10 sing,
1hey were songs OF his own compost
ton composed in his head. for he was
scarcely able 10 read. and could not
write at all. The meter was Il simple
one. common TO the country. but
pleasing. The themes were invari-
ably religious, and his material drawn
from the bible and the conditions or
his country and times
1T was marvel to me how he had
gathered so much material from the
bible. until he Told me his history. He
had been a singer for weddings and
ieasts ana his songs were far from
being religious. One night he had Il
dream in which he saw himself a lost
soul in the place of torments In an
swer 10 his suppications. Christ ap.
peared TO him and gave him deliver.
ance on his promise that he would
forsake his evil ways. He awoke and
regarded IL not a dream. but a vista.
ton, and, thereafter. devoted his gift
OF song To Christ II was only then
mat he received the gift of improvisa-
ton
The people fairly hang upon his
words He sang OF creation of sin
and the lost estate OF the sinner OF
repentance; OF Christ, his life. death
ana resurrection. His imagery was
sometimes fine and effective Al
/ though he is poor. he sought no gift
from me and received none. | shrank
from Offering II.
Undoubtedly this man is exercis
Ing great influence for good among
his people. | am persuaded that God
can use him as an instrument for
singing His gospel more effectively
districts OF Tiary. | very much wish
he might be made the subject o.
special PRAYER. that God may make
! special use of him"
Mr.. Mcdowell writes further thai
! this winter is proving the most en-
couraging OF any have passed or
! the field Some villages long hos
tile 10 us. this winter are asking us
for schools. We have not enough
teachers 10 meet all the demands. and
have not means and room enough "a
receive AL The applicants for admis-
sion into our high school.
The Rev. w n. Shedd. located in
Urumia. also sends an interesting let
ter 10 his friends describing In inter
estlng detail the fetes held last No
vember In honor OF the new Persian
parliament