El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-11-11

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over my signature relative TO
the work done i'm Jebrail Syria.
by Miss Holmes, a charming American
woman. who has been in that Syrian
town for 81 years, an Independent mis-
sion worker. All statements regard
ing the. condition in which Miss Holmes
found the women of Jebrau were taken
from printed pamphlets which she mad
given me on board the ship, where we
met
Miss Holmes told me many details
which were not given TO the pamphlets.
Both in conversation and In the DOCK
lets. however, she described Lne l5n0r-
auce and superstition which preEalleQ
in JebraiI when she first went there
the appalling ODscenlty Of the cCnEeE
satiOn of most Of the women and their
pitiful slavery to the priests, and their
superstition
She described the persecution to
which she was subjected by the priests
and the citizens, and the dl11iculty
which she encountered in making her
way. But she made her way, and to-
day has a flOurishing school. and the
people are asking for larger schools
ana more OF LleIn- haQ no redsOA %
doubt Miss Holmes or the contents OF
the pamphlets Now comes a letter or
protest from Mr. keWyan. Of LeElng-
ton, KY an American-Syrian, from Je-
brazil. declaring the whole story to be
untrue. He says
Syrian Enters Protest.
Morality is and has been from time
immemOriaI my peoples strongest viz
tue, and life with US has never been as
dear as the honor of our family I'm
this respect not only the Syrian feel
thus, but the same spirit prevails Wher-
ever Arabic is spoken AS you are
doubtless informed, the Arab in his
early history used TO sacrifice the lives
of the female members of his family
whenever their honor was at stake with
no chance Of defence.
But without the precedent establish
ed by such austere ancestry, the rich.
pOetical and highly developed ltera-
ture Of our beautiful Arabic language
is more than sufficient to guide US
along the moral path
AS to superstition. I must sadly adj
init that we have plenty Of it, but not
more than other Christian nations for
whom the church has been the despOric
thinking force for generations.
so, If superstition is to be considered
pad security. an we need 10 average
up is less Christian investments.
In this sense. Miss Holmes wiz
show more beuevOlenCe to the people
If she takes along with her and reads
Il them such books as Palne's' Age
Of l-geSOn Ingersolls 'Lecrlres' and
all OF Mangasa7Iun.s writings, instead
of the Holy Bible, Of which they know
TOO much already. At any rate, have
no objection to any books or ltera-
ture that Miss Holmes may take with
her, but / DO strongly object to and
resent the false statement by which
upon the sympathetic American public
for material aid
AS a native Of Syria and Of the state
IN which JeDrai is located. the scene
Of the occurrences described in the ar
Ucle, / feel that in justice to the faith
erland and TO those who may have read
your article. I should take exception TO
Miss Holiness statements and under
take to prove TO YOU that she has in
formed You most Incorrectly as to the
condlti2n In which she found the peO-
ME OF Nahw1f1
Mr.. Kewyan then speaks Of "the mis-
slOnary who has enjoyed 20 years of
protection and hospitality at the hands
of the nation, and upon reaching again
her native shore pOrtrays her late host
ess in the darkest cOlOrs in order to
obtain a new supply of cash TO return
and enjoy life among the beautiful ce-
darS Of Lebanon"
Good Sentence, but Lacks Meaning.
Enjoying the hospitality and prOtec-
ton OF the nation is a good sentence
but II lacks meaning. Miss Holmes
left comfort, safety, COnVeufences and
companionship to live i'm desolation.
discomfort danger and loneliness IN
syria / have never been In Syria. but
/ have passed months among the peO-
.- who nave "the beautiful Arabic Ian
ruage" for their Inspiration.
nave heard Il said by the Ara bic
IN tnat f1- condition Of their W0-
men was ideal; and the same stet
ment has been made to me bv the Chi
nese, the Hindus, the Turks.
i nave been in the homes of all these
people, and TO my American mind. the
ignorance, the superstition the lack
Of liberty and the absence of educa-
ton of the masses OF women in am
these countries is appalling, depIor-
able, and dreadful TO contemplate
1t does not matter that the women
are cOntented with their lives. this
very fact shows how the progress of
the world is blocked by their condi-
ton.
A country can give rise no higher
than the status of its women The
great things of the world today. in
every line of endeavor. are being done
by men whose mothers. wives and sis
tiers have the advantages of freedom
and education.
That our civilization is fun of flaws
is true, that our liberty too often be-
comes license is true. that our WO-
men misuse their freedom and indie
pendence IS true but despite all these
sad facts, the greater fact stands pre-
eminent and undeniable that the mob
lest work being done for humanity
the most altruistic and unselfish en-
beavers Tor the best gOOd Of the larE-
est number, the most wholesome edu-
cauOnal efforts, all spring from the
countries where women are not slaves
90 superstition and to priests. and
where they are given equal chances for
mental development with their broth
ers.
This has not been done in Syria. in
Arabia, in India, in China, i'm Egypt,
or in Turkey
1t is beginning to De done i'm an
these lands. and the beginning was not
made by the men, or women, or priests I
of any of those lands. but always and +
invariably by the women of our lands
who have invaded oriental countries
Organized missions have done COM
paratively little Of the work when we /
consider the vast sums of money spent [
in their efforts but yet their iufIu-
enCe. together with the ever-increas-
ing tide Of travel and the associations l
with the modern world. resulting from I
political and Industrial relations. have /
caused vast changes to begin fin the /
lives of women of the orient
Everywhere in every oriental land I
in every age. the exceptional men and I
women have been found men and wo- /
men who were i'm advance of their {
fellows and who refused to be con-
fined to tradition and superstition fin I
their views and habits.
But it is the exception, even today, %