THE

MOSLEMS IN ASIA

Heroic Americans

HE war in Turkey and Persia has brought heroes to the front in mission circles. Now, in spite of the conditions that prevail in these Moslem lands, a group of nine American missionaries have recently set out for that disturbed country. Wilder P. Ellis, M.D., of Helena, Montana, with his bride Jessie Lee Ellis, of Spanish Fork, Utah, and Dr. Mary Fleming, of Hinsdale, Maryland, are going to West Persia, under the Presbyterian Board, where a few months ago the fearful massacres and other atrocities were committed by the Kurds in an invasion from Turkey.

The other members of the party, J. Davidson Frame, M.D., of Philadelphia; Mary J. Smith, M.D., of Kokomo, Indiana; Mrs. C. A. Douglas, of Portland,

mia, Persia, has been evident from the various accounts of conditions there which have appeared in the REVIEW. One member of the mission, Miss Elizabeth V. Coan, went to Urumia in 1914. Besides being ill herself with typhoid, she has nursed the sick, visited among them, held services when possible, played the organ for church, and recommenced her Turkish lessons abruptly stopt at the beginning of the invasion of Uru

mia by the Kurds and Turks. She writes: "In spite of the experiences of my first year on the foreign field, I would rather be a missionary than anything else in the world. The past months have taught me lessons of trust which I never would have learned in the same way under easier conditions."

The Situation in West Persia

Leipsic, Ohio; the Rev. Dwight Donaldson, of Huntington, West Virginia; and Miss Margaret L. Cowden, of Washington, Iowa, are going to Northern and Eastern Persia to be stationed in Teheran, Resht, Kermanshah, and Meshed. Dr. Hoffman will open medical work in the great holy Moslem city of Meshed, which lies far east, near the border of North Afghanistan. These five physicians will do much to disseminate modern medical science, which is so sorely needed and sincerely appreciated in Eastern lands to-day.

A Missionary's Testimony

THAT the experiences of the last

few months have been a time of severe testing for the missionaries at Uru

mia, writes that between January 2d, when the Russian army left Urumia, and the date of their return on May 24th, the loss of life in the Christian population there was about 1,000 persons killed and 4,000 who died of disease. He has records of about 3,600 burials in the city of Urumia and at the Presbyterian College compound, while other deaths are known to have taken place. The total Christian population in Urumia on January 1st was some 5,600 families living in the city and villages of the plain, and 800 to 1,000 families who had fled there from the mountains, from the regions of Tergawar, Mergawar, Nochia, Marbishu, and Gawar, partly in Persia and partly in Turkey. On the basis of five souls to a family, the num

ber of souls was 32,000 to 33,000. When the Russians left, there was a large exodus of Christians, and the number remaining was probably about 25,000, so that the loss in life in less than five months was about one-fifth of the total number. Of the 6,500 families, not over 1,000 families escaped without being totally robbed of all their possessions, and many of these were. partially robbed. The result is that the bulk of the surviving population has lost everything except real estate. Not a thousand houses are left with doors and windows, and half or more of them have had the rooftimbers removed. The property loss of the mission is as much as $10,000, partly incurred in the attack in October. The property loss to the Christian population is estimated variously, the lowest estimate being $2,500,000, while others estimate it at ten times that amount. order to make a complete estimate of

In

needs. There are many sick and orphans and widows. The people return to empty or ruined houses, without a dish to eat from or a pot to cook in or a spade to work with. There is an abundant harvest, but no sickles or scythes to harvest with.

The people should be supplied with such necessities as will enable them to support themselves. The first source of supply is their own resources; the next, the landlords and people of the country, so far as governmental authorities may require them to furnish aid; the third source of supply, of absolute necessity, is the relief funds. All three will be required, for the needs are very great. Not less than $6,000 is needed for the purpose of supplying cattle and implements to enable these people to become self-supporting.

Effects of the War in Arabia

add large losses of property of Moslems and the loss of probably some hundreds of lives. By actual record, considerably over one hundred Christian girls and women became Moslem during this period, in the large majority of cases because of fear and violence. Hundreds of women and girls were violated.

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The Present Need

N July 7th, the American missionaries at Urumia drew up and unanimously voted for the following statement of conditions and needs in and about Urumia:

The Christian population of Urumia district, some 30,000 souls, after six months' exile, are trying to return to their homes. In order to make this possible, a concerted effort is being made by the Russian Consulate, the Persian Government, and the missionaries, together with the leaders of the Christian community, to induce the landlords of the villages to furnish the necessary food and other help for inmediate needs. This effort meets only a part of the

sian Gulf, are very deeply interested in the European war, writes Rev. James E. Moerdyk, for, tho they know nothing of the principles involved, they are greatly concerned over its effect on their own trade. The one subject which every Arab now wishes to discuss with the white foreigner is the war and its probable outcome, and perhaps the last topic which the missionary wishes to talk about is that of war. As he passes through the bazaar or on his trips through the villages seeking an opportunity to present his message, men ignore his words and persist in asking when the great nations will stop fighting. Colporteurs complain that people will not purchase Scripture even for a very small price, because they need their pennies to buy food. But portions of Scripture and tracts of different kinds given away are also refused, because, as they say, "We have not time to bother with these books." Bedouin Arabs from the mainland, except for a few stragglers, have ceased coming to the hospital. Their ruling Sheikh has forbidden any

to leave the country, because he desires to have them on hand to fight for him when possible troubles arise.

THE

INDIA

Open-air Sunday-schools

HE Methodist missions in India are using improvised Sunday-schools with good results. In Rev. Fredk. Wood's district there are 180 such, with 4,430 scholars. Most of these are held under trees, in the shade of a house, on the veranda of a hut, and in other unconventional places in the open air. The natives feel freer in a roofless meeting which does not seem to commit them to anything. The teaching is chiefly Scripture story with much singing interspersed. The popular "Deshi” tunes are an especially great attraction. Many of those attending-both children and adults are non-Christians, and more is learned in close study of the Bible than from many sermons.

What India Owes to the Pioneers

THE

HE great triad-Carey, Marshman, and Ward-did far more to make the Indian intellect than the Government of India. The actual baptism of Brahmin converts was an unspeakable shock; What else could have so effectually roused the Hindus? By literature more than by speech the missionaries started the effective diffusion of Christian teaching in North India; they scattered the Bible broadcast over the Peninsula in the vernacular; they began the printing of Indian literature in both Sanskrit and the vernaculars; they began the use of Bengali prose, and published the first vernacular newspaper; they were the pioneers of widespread education; and, lastly, their bold exposure of the cruelties and immoralities of customary Hinduism, tho crude and harsh to us today, was absolutely necessary to wake Hindus to a consciousness of the glaring faults of their religion.-Rev. J. N. Farquhar.

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An ex-Brahmin Elder

ENRY MARTYN is reported to have said, “If I should live to see one Brahmin genuinely converted, it would be to me as great a miracle as if a man should rise from the dead." That this miracle has been witnessed many times in the later days of missionary effort in India is well known. The story of one Brahmin convert comes from Coimbatore, South India, where an elder in the church is Rangachiri, the son of

distinguished Sanskrit scholar. His brothers hold high positions, and one of them is a B.A. of Madras University. A copy of the New Testament, which had been presented to this brother by the Bible Society after passing his University examinations, first aroused Rangachiri's interest in Christianity. After his baptism, his family removed him by force to a village 300 miles away, and administered a potion to drive out the demon which was supposed to possess him. He finally escaped, and is now a teacher in the mission school at Coimbatore, and engaged in various forms of Christian work.

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Salvation Army in India

T the opening of the industrial exhibition of the Salvation Army in Simla, the address presented to His Excellency the Viceroy contained many interesting facts showing the steady progress in the various branches of the work in India. Operations are carried on among the deprest classes and others in 3,000 towns and villages. Over 300 European missionaries and 2,500 Indian workers are supported by the organization, while some 70,000 men and women contribute time and money toward the cause. About 40,000 acres are under colonization; while the silk industry is being popularized. Special effort has been made in behalf of the criminal tribes, there being 27 settlements and 6 children's homes, with over 6,000 population. These settlements are not con

fined to the Panjab and the United Provinces, but now extend to Madras, Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa. Employment is found for many of these people, and crime among them is greatly reduced. The women are engaged in making garments and uniforms for soldiers at the front. Drink has been supprest in one village, and no policeman is needed in the settlement. There were 200 competitors in cleanliness for prizes offered for the ten tidiest and most neatly drest women. Employers from the tea-gardens of Assam and mine-owners have offered work to large numbers. The Army has some 500 village schools with 13,000 children; industrial homes and hostels, and nine hospitals, caring annually for 50,000 patients. Arbor day is annually observed by the planting of thousands of eucalyptus trees to fight malaria, and the use of iodine is advocated against plague. The address concludes with a reference to the banyan tree as an emblem of the industrial and social advance represented by the organization.

among the low castes in India, says a writer in The Bible Magazine. The Methodists, the United Presbyterians, the Baptists, and more recently the Presbyterians are giving themselves to work among these outcasts. At first there was a prospect of some attrition between the Methodist and Presbyterian missions in territories where both are now at work among these classes. But in the spirit of Christian brotherhood these two missions met recently in conference, through their representatives, and have so adjusted their territorial limits that by the exchange of several thousand church members from one body to the other all friction has been removed, and the largest expectation of great ingatherings fills both the missions. Meanwhile the Baptists in their

splendid work among the Telugus are also gathering in great sections of these submerged folk.

SIAM

Robert E. Speer in Siam

THE REV. EUGENE P. DUNLAP, Tap Tiang Station of the Presbyterian Church in Siam, writes some interesting facts in regard to the visit of the delegates from America in May. In Penang, the American and English Presbyterian, Baptists, and Methodist missionaries cooperated in arranging the program for the occasion, which consisted of daily conferences, addresses to the 1,500 students of the American M. E. School, and union meetings in the Presbyterian church.

The travelers were met in Trang by Mr. Knight, Superintendent of Railways, with special car to convey them to Tap Tiang. But while waiting one hour they improved the time at Trang by making four addresses to the congregation assembled in the chapel-all interpreted by Dr. Dunlap into Siamese, and by an evangelist into Chinese. During their sojourn at Tap Tiang, the visitors made twelve addresses, which were interpreted into Siamese.

Another noted event of the quarter was the visit of His Majesty the King of Siam to the Trang Province, followed by about 1,000 ministers of state, nobles, wild tigers, and scouts. The station prepared a brief report of the work of the Tap Tiang Hospital, which Dr. Dunlap presented to His Majesty, and to emphasize the hospital's need of an operating-room during the audience with him. On the following day the King graciously responded, bestowing the whole amount, that is, 3,000 ticals, expressing a deep interest in the work. He said: "I am interested in your kind of work, and I thank you for all the good work you are doing for the people of Trang." These words are similar to those often spoken in former days by his royal father, the late King.

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Saved from Fire

EV. J. A. EAKIN, of Petchaburi, Siam, writes: "Yesterday, just after we returned from church, a fire broke out in a shop in the market over against the other side of the river. All buildings were as dry as tinder, and a strong breeze was blowing. In a few hours most of the city was in ashes. The only property belonging to the mission that was touched by the flames was a small street-chapel.

"Only one of our Christian families lost his home. Three times in that afternoon a sudden change of the wind was the means of saving the property of Christians. One instance of this was

be the starting of a mission to be manned entirely by Chinese and supported entirely by Chinese funds. It was suggested that the Province of Shensi should be the field chosen, and some were sanguine enough to hope that when the synod next meets in 1918 this Chinese mission will be on its feet, and that things will be ready for the appointment of a Chinese bishop. For the support of the mission a voluntary tax proportioned to the number of church-members is to be levied from all the Anglican Chinese congregations.-C. M. S. Review.

The Y. M. C. A. in the Customs College

ers, whose relatives are all strongly opposed to our religion. On two sides the fire burned right up to his house and left it unharmed.

"Another instance is the street chapel at Pratoo Muang. A brick building nearby, and a bamboo kitchen within eight feet of the wall of the chapel burned, but did not leave the mark of flame upon it. The fire made a clean sweep of all the market on both sides of the street right up to the chapel. It is a most impressive object-lesson to unbelievers."

THE

CHINA

A General Synod in China HE second general synod of the Chung Hua Sheng Kung Hui, the name adopted for the Anglican Church in China, met in Shanghai in April. There are eleven dioceses, which include the work of the Episcopal Church in the United States, of the Church in Canada, of the S. P. G., of the C. M. S., and of the "Church" section of the China Inland Mission in Szechwan. All the eleven bishops were present at the synod meeting. Certainly the feature in the proceedings which proved of chief interest to the Chinese members of the synod was the formation of a Board of Missions whose immediate task should

Lowrie High School of the Presbyterian Mission, is president of the Y. M. C. A., at the Customs College, Peking, and also of the union of the school Y. M. C. A. of Peking. This Customs College is the school which prepares officers for the revenue service. There are ten Christians among the 100 students of the school. Sixty of them are associated with the Y. M. C. A. of the school, 30 attend Bible classes, and six of the Christian boys hold a daily prayer-meeting from 6.30 to 7.00 a. m.

America's Opportunity in China

REV. HENDON M. HARRIS writes

in the Foreign Mission Journal: "I wish I could impress on our religious leaders in America what a tremendous responsibility, privilege, and opportunity is ours in China. It can not be said too strongly that America at the present time occupies a place in the confidence, nay, the affection of the Chinese, that can not be approached by any other nation.

"Pitiful it was to me, during the recent trouble with Japan when one after another asked me if America would not interfere to save China from the violence of her neighbor. How many times have I had a man whom I have just met, on learning that I was an American,