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 or tho Rev n. w.
Mcdowell, an American missionary
VINO has his headquarters I'm VrumIa.
Persia, but is now working in tho
hhrdlstan mountains, I'm Turkey. inst
acIoss me Persian border, have re-.
oelved remarkable letter from him
relative TO an experience he had In
the little village OF kour. I'm upper
Iiary. Through the kindness OF Miss
N, j. Dean. No. 1853 Grandy-aye.. The
Ilmes Is enabled 10 publish the most
interesting portion OF the letter.
which Is dated Dihi-Amadi. Jan. 1.
Kour the missionary explains. ia
such an out-of-the-way place that he
mad expected TO find the people wild
and benighted."
To my surprise" the letter con.
tihues, they We're quiet and pious
people. | spent most pleasant Sab
pain among them, and discovered the
secret influence which seemed to me
10 explain The phenomenon-a village
minstrel. He was of very humble ap-
pearance and his face. though far
from handsome. was most PROPOSES
Ing. Thare was light upon Il which
bespoke spiritual light within. He
was very silent man, and ONLY nj
my earnest request he began 10 sing
Ihey 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 a simpl.
one. common 10 the country. but
pleasing. The themes were invari
ably religious. and his material drawn
from the bible and the conditions OF
his country and times.
IL was n 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
feasts and his songs were far from
being religious. One night he had q
dream in which he saw himself a lost
soul In the place of torments In an
swer TO his supplications, Christ gp.
peared TO him and gave him deliver.
ance on his promise that he would
forsake his evil ways lie awoke and
regarded II not a dream, but a vista.
ton, and thereafter devoted his gift
of song 10 Christ. II was only then
that he received the gift Of improvisa.
ton.
Tho people fairly hang upon his
words. He sang of creation: of sin
and the lost estate Of the sinner: az
repentance; Of Christ, his life. death
and 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 It.
Undoubtedly this man ia exercis
ing great Influence for good amons
his people am persuaded that God
can use him as an instrument fol
singing His gospel more effectively
than | can preach II In those dark
districts OF Tiary. | very much wish
he might be made the subject OF
special prayer that God may make
special rse OF HIM"
Mr., Mcdowell writes further that
"this winter Is proving the most en-.
couraging Of any | have passed on
the field" Some villages long hos
tile 10 rs, this winter are asking us
for schools We have not enough
teachers 10 meet all the demands. and
have not means and room enough to
receive all the applicants for admits
sion into our high school,
The Rev W. II. Shedd. located in
Uruma. also sends an interesting let
ter to his friends describing in inter
esting detail the fetes held last No
vember In honor OF the new Persian
parliament.