“When he first began his work in Agra, he studied about sixteen hours a
day. He taught in his school, he preached in the bazaars, he instructed
inquirers for baptism, he prepared catechists for ordination, he was
engaged in writing books, at the same time that he was learning Arabic,
Persian, Urdu, Sanscrit, and Hindi with munshis. Such excellence few
can attain to, because few can safely follow in his steps in this
respect. But all can copy his example of prayerful labor. When he spent
his holidays in travels and in preaching excursions far and near, he
showed us how to spend every hour of relaxation in the most profitable
way. When he refused to possess even a very ordinary conveyance,
because he thought that a missionary should go on foot, and declined to
use anything but the most common furniture for his house, he set us an
example of self-abnegation, and showed us what, in his opinion, should
be the attitude of the missionary before the world. When he spent his
earliest mornings with God, with his Hebrew Bible and Greek Testament
before him, he often invited some friend to sit by him to share with
him the rich thoughts which the Word of God suggested to his mind.”
This was the man who in solitary loneliness, without one friend to
stand at his side, planted and upheld till death the banner of the
cross where it had never been planted before. In the hottest season of
the year, with a little tent and two servants he was preparing to push
inland when death interposed and gave rest to the veteran of sixty-six
years. “We fools accounted his life madness, but he is numbered among
the children of God and his lot is among the saints.” (Wisdom of
Solomon v. 4, 5.) Only Judas can “have indignation saying to what
purpose is this waste?” This broken box of exceeding precious ointment
has given fragrance to the whole world.
We will let Bishop French tell his own brief story of the work at
Muscat, beginning with the time when we travelled together down the
Red Sea both in quest of God’s plan for us in Arabia.[147]
_Near Aden, Jan. 22d, 1891._
“Boisterous winds and turbulent seas have racked my brain sorely, and
I have seldom had such torture in this line. But we are close to the
Straits of Bab-el-Mandeb, and hope to reach Aden some twelve hours
hence. I should have been sorry to miss Hodeidah, where I had a long
day (spite of difficulty of reaching it by _sambuca_ or small boat
of broad and heavy build), returning to ship in the evening. I left
my friends, Maitland and a young American missionary, and made my
way straight out through a gate of one of the stout city walls, into
the country beyond, where are palm-groves and some fairly imposing
stuccoed country-houses of merchants and men of rank. Under an arcade
(as the sun was to be feared) I got a little congregation together,
some learned, others unlearned, and addressed them for over an hour,
eliciting the opposition of one or two of the _ulumā_, or educated
men. For the first time in this part of my journey, my mouth seemed
a little opened and heart enlarged to witness for Christ, and a few
seemed really struck and interested. I tried to get entrance into a
mosque or two, as of old time into Afghan mosques with Gordon and
others, but failed to find the proper Imams within. I secured the
lower steps of a flight of steps leading up to the private residence
of a high Turkish officer, in rich uniform, a general of army here,
not knowing whose steps I was occupying. However, the old gentleman
came down (as a Roman centurion in old time might have done) and
took his seat, with a few others, on his own doorstep, and listened
with singular docility and thankfulness, and begged my blessing
on his office, and his fulfillment of its arduous duties. After
first leave-taking, he sent down to me a beautiful walking-stick of
lemon-wood, so I had to mount the steps to express my gratitude and
acknowledgment of his singular courtesy and friendship. Then came
a still more enthusiastic and affectionate leave-taking still, and
warm kissing of hands, to Maitland’s astonishment. I certainly never
experienced such kindness and friendship from any Turkish official
before in any quarter. I trust the message may have struck his heart.
Anyhow, he gladly accepted a copy of the whole Bible—this is one of
the most bigoted of Arab cities.
“There was an excellent colporteur here this week, of the Bible
Society, Stephanos, a Jewish convert, I believe, and excellent Arabic
scholar. The Wali, or viceroy of the city, has forbidden his carrying
Arabic Bibles into the interior, though the Hebrew ones for the Jews
at Sennaa are passed, some six days, into the mountains. In Jidda
itself, I had some small measure of encouragement, but not nearly so
much as in Hodeidah, which has now outstripped Mocha as a thriving
trade centre in those parts.”
_Muscat, Gulf of Oman,
February 13th, 1891._
“I arrived here on Sunday last with Mr. Maitland, of the Cambridge
Delhi Mission, whom I met in Egypt, and who spends a few weeks for his
health’s sake with me, perhaps until Easter. We did not like throwing
ourselves on the British Consul here, as we thought it might embarrass
him to entertain Christian missionaries on their first arrival here;
and we had very great difficulty in finding even the meanest quarters
for the first day or two, but are now in quarters in an adjoining
village, more tolerable as regards necessary comforts, belonging to
the American Consul, who is agent for a New York house of business. I
have written to India for a Swiss-cottage tent, as a resource in case
of no possible residence being available here, or anything approaching
even the English village public-house, or Persian caravanserai. In the
adjoining hills such a tent might give shelter during the hot weather,
if the Arabs will tolerate the presence of a Christian missionary.
“Of possibilities of entrance of a mission, I feel it would be
premature to speak yet. We are pushing on our Arabic studies, and I
am glad to find how much more intelligible my Arab teaching is than
in Tunis and Egypt. I hope soon to find a Sheikh of some learning,
to carry on translations in Arabic under his guidance, if life and
health be spared. I feel most thankful to feel myself again in a
definite temporary centre, at least of missionary effort. ‘Patience
and long-suffering with joyfulness’ I would humbly and heartily
desire to cultivate, as most appropriate to my present condition and
circumstances. The British Consul, a very polite and courteous and
high principled man, is hopeless as to any effect being produced on
the Oman Arabs, and feels his position precludes him from making
common cause with any effort for making proselytes among them. So when
Maitland goes I shall be pretty lonely here, not for the first time,
however, and I only pray that the loneliness may help me to realize
more fully the blessed Presence which fills, strengthens, animates,
and supports.”
His last letter written from Muscat to the Church Missionary Society is
dated April 24th, 1891. A portion of it is as follows:
“Patience here, as elsewhere (and more than in most scenes I have
visited), is a great prerequisite. I still live alone in a borrowed
house, a spare one belonging to the American Consul here, and, rough
as it is, it is amply sufficient for a missionary, and is in the heart
of the town. I cannot get many—very few, indeed—to come to my house
and read, which is naturally one of my great objects. They ask me into
their shops and houses sometimes, to sit and discuss on the great
question at issue between us and them, some Beluchees, mostly Arabs;
and the latter I vastly prefer, and consider more hopeful. There are
some Hindus in the crowded bazaars, but I see little of them—partly
because of the noise of narrow streets and traffic, and partly because
I do not wish to be tempted away from the Arabic. Most of the few
Hindu traffickers living here understand Arabic.
“There is much outward observance of religious forms; there are crowds
of mosques; rather a large proportion of educated men and women too;
the latter take special interest in religious questions, and sometimes
lead the opposition to the gospel. They have large girls’ schools and
female teachers. There is a lepers’ village nigh at hand to the town.
I occupied for the second time this morning a shed they have allotted
me, well roofed over; and those poor lepers, men and women, gathered
in fair numbers to listen. Chiefly, however, I reach the educated men
by the roadside or in a house-portico, sometimes even in a mosque,
which is to me a new experience. Still there is considerable shyness,
occasionally bitter opposition; yet bright faces of welcome sometimes
cheer me and help me on, and I am only surprised that so much is
borne with. I have made special efforts to get into the mosques, but
most often this is refused. The Moolahs and Muallims seem afraid of
coming to help me on in my translations, or in encountering with me
more difficult passages in the best classics. This has surprised
and disconcerted me rather; but I have been saved in the main from
anything like depression, and have had happy and comfortable proofs of
the Saviour’s gracious Presence with me. The Psalms, as usual, seem
most appropriate and answerable to the needs of such a pioneer and
lonely work....
“If I can get no faithful servant and guide for the journey into
the interior, well versed in dealing with Arabs and getting needful
common supplies (I want but little), I may try Bahrein, or Hodeidah
and Sennaa, and if that fails, the North of Africa again, in some
highland; for without a house of our own the climate would be
insufferable for me—at least, during the very hot months—and one’s
work would be at a standstill. But I shall not give up, please God,
even temporarily, my plans for the interior, unless, all avenues being
closed, it would be sheer madness to attempt to carry them out.”
He never reached the interior, for he received a sunstroke on his way
from Muscat to the neighboring village, Mattra, in an open boat. He was
removed to the Consulate but scarcely regained consciousness except to
utter a “God bless you” to the Consul, Colonel Mockler. He died on May
14th, 1891. The very manner of his death fulfilled, more than he ever
thought, his own words in one of his letters from Muscat: “In memory
of Henry Martyn’s pleadings for Arabia, Arabs and the Arabic, I seem
almost trying at least to follow more directly in his footsteps and
under his guidance, than even in Persia or India, however incalculable
the distance at which the guided one follows the leader!”
The grave of Bishop French is in the bottom of a narrow ravine circled
by black rocks and reached by boat, by rounding the rocky point to the
south of Muscat. Here are many graves of sailors of the Royal marine
and others who died on this burning and inhospitable coast. Here also
rests the body of Rev. George E. Stone, the American Missionary, who
was called home in the summer of 1899, after a short period of service.
IN MEMORY OF THOMAS VALPY FRENCH, BISHOP MISSIONARY.
Where Muscat fronts the Orient sun
’Twixt heaving sea and rocky steep,
His work of mercy scarce begun,
A saintly soul has fallen asleep:
Who comes to lift the Cross instead?
Who takes the standard from the dead?
Where, under India’s glowing sky,
Agra the proud, and strong Lahore,
Lift roof and gleaming dome on high,
His “seven-toned tongue” is heard no more:
Who comes to sound alarm instead?
Who takes the clarion from the dead?
Where white camps mark the Afghan’s bound,
From Indus to Suleiman’s range,
Through many a gorge and upland—sound
Tidings of joy divinely strange:
But there they miss his eager tread;
Who comes to toil then for the dead?
Where smile Cheltonian hills and dales,
Where stretches Erith down the shore
Of Thames, wood-fringed and fleck’d with sails,
His holy voice is heard no more
Is it for nothing he is dead?
Send forth your children in his stead!
Far from fair Oxford’s groves and towers,
Her scholar Bishop dies apart;
He blames the ease of cultured hours
In death’s still voice that shakes the heart.
Brave saint! for dark Arabia dead!
I go to fight the fight instead!
O Eastern-lover from the West!
Thou hast out-soared these prisoning bars;
Thy memory, on thy Master’s breast,
Uplifts us like the beckoning stars.
We follow now as thou hast led;
Baptize us, Saviour, for the dead!
—_Archdeacon A. E. Moule._
XXXIII
THE AMERICAN ARABIAN MISSION
“Our ultimate object is to occupy the interior of Arabia.”—_Plan of
the Arabian Mission._
“To such an appeal there can be but one reply. The Dutch Reformed
Church when it took up the mission originally commenced on an
independent basis as the Arabian Mission, did so with full knowledge
of the plans and purposes of its founders, which, as the very title
of the mission shows, embraced nothing less than such a comprehensive
scheme of evangelization as that above described.”—_Major-General F.
T. Haig._
“It is not keeping expenses down, but keeping faith and enthusiasm
up, that gives a clear balance sheet. Give the Church heroic
leadership, place before it high ideals, keep it on the march for
larger conquests, and the financial problem will take care of itself.
If the Church sees that we are not going to trust God enough to
venture upon any work for Him till we have the money in sight, it will
probably adopt the same prudence in making contributions, and our
good financiering will be with heavy loss of income.”—_The Christian
Advocate._
“The Arabian Mission was organized August 1st, 1889, and its first
missionary, Rev. James Cantine, sailed for the field October 16th of
the same year. In order to trace the steps that led to the organization
of this first American Mission to Arabia, we must go back a year
earlier.
In the Theological Seminary of the Reformed (Dutch) Church at New
Brunswick, New Jersey, the missionary spirit was especially active
during the year 1888. This was fostered by members of the faculty who
had a warm love for that work, by a missionary lectureship recently
inaugurated, by the missionary alumni of the seminary, and by some
of the students themselves who brought missions to the front. Among
these students were James Cantine and Philip T. Phelps of the senior
class, and Samuel M. Zwemer of the middle class, who had individually
decided to work abroad, God willing, and who used to meet for prayer
and consultation regarding the choice of a field of labor. The first
meeting of this band was held on October 31st, 1888, and the topic
discussed was, “what constitutes a call to the Foreign field?” After
that they met almost every week, and gradually the idea took shape of
banding themselves together to begin pioneer work in some one of the
unoccupied fields. Tibet and Central Africa were mentioned; but their
thoughts generally seemed to unite on some Arabic-speaking country
especially Nubia or the upper Nile. The Seminary library was ransacked
for information on these fields, without definite results. At the
end of November the band decided to consult with their Hebrew and
Arabic professor, Rev. J. G. Lansing, D. D., who, being of missionary
parentage and full of the missionary passion, warmly welcomed their
confidence and from that time became associated with them in their
plans. After some time it was mutually agreed that God called them to
pioneer work in some portion of the Mohammedan world in or adjacent to
Arabia.
Over against this Divine call there appeared a great human difficulty:
the fact that the church to which they belonged and owed allegiance
conducted no missions in the Mohammedan world. The Mission Board of
that church was already burdened with a debt of $35,000, and therefore
it was improbable that they would establish such a work in addition to
their other mission work. In spite of these obstacles, however, it was
decided, February 11, 1899, to make formal application to the Board,
and on May 23d the following plan was drawn up, and presented to the
Board of Foreign Missions:
“We the undersigned desiring to engage in pioneer mission work in
some Arabic-speaking country, and especially in behalf of Moslems and
slaves, do at the outset recognize the following facts:
1. The great need and encouragement for this work at the present time.
2. The non-existence of such mission work under the supervision of our
Board of Foreign Missions at the present time.
3. The fact that hitherto little has been done in the channels
indicated.
4. The inability of our Board to inaugurate this work under its
present status.
Therefore, that the object desired may be realized, we respectfully
submit to the Board, and with their endorsement to the church at
large, the following propositions:
1. The inauguration of this work at as early a time as possible.
2. The field to be Arabia, the upper Nile or any other field,
subject to the statement of the preamble, that shall be deemed most
advantageous, after due consideration.
3. The expenses of said mission to be met (_a_) by yearly
subscriptions in amounts of from five to two hundred dollars; the
subscribers of like amounts to constitute a syndicate with such
organization as shall be deemed desirable; (_b_) by syndicates of such
individuals, churches and organizations as shall undertake the support
of individual missionaries, or contribute to such specific objects as
shall be required by the mission.
4. These syndicates shall be formed and the financial pledges made
payable for a term of five years.
5. At the expiration of this period of five years the mission shall
pass under the direct supervision of our Board as in the case of
our other missions. Should the Board still be financially unable,
syndicates shall be re-formed and pledges re-taken.
6. In the meantime the mission shall be generally under the care of
the Board ... through whose hands its funds shall pass.
7. The undersigned request the approval of the Board to this
undertaking in general, and particularly in the matter of soliciting
subscriptions.
(Signed.) J. G. LANSING,
JAS. CANTINE,
P. T. PHELPS,
S. M. ZWEMER.”
This plan was first presented to the Board on June 3d, when it was
provisionally accepted to be referred to the General Synod. On June
11th, the Synod, after a long and ardent discussion, referred the
whole matter back to the Board, asking them “carefully to consider the
whole question and, should the Board see their way clear, that they be
authorized to inaugurate the mission proposed.” On June 26th the Board
met and passed the following resolution:
“_Resolved_, That, while the Board is greatly interested in the
proposition to engage in mission work among the Arabic speaking
peoples, the work in which the Board is already engaged is so great
and so constantly growing, and the financial condition of the Board
is such (its debt at that time being $35,000), that the Board feels
constrained to decline to assume any responsibility in the matter.
“If, however, during the next four months, such a degree of interest
in Foreign Missions should be developed in the churches as to reduce
the amount to which the treasury is now overdrawn to a small fraction,
then the Board would feel inclined to favor that important enterprise.”
Meanwhile the plan had been fully discussed in the church papers,
and although there were warm friends of the enterprise who earnestly
plead by pen and purse for its inauguration, the current generally
ran dead against the proposal, and much cold water was thrown on the
enterprise.[148]
How those felt who were most concerned in the decision was expressed
by Professor Lansing, on their behalf, in the following words: “The
writer and the individuals named are deeply grateful to General Synod
for its hearty reception and advocacy of the proposed mission. And,
on the other hand, they not only have no word of complaint to utter
in regard to the action of the Board, but are grateful to the Board
for the careful consideration they have given the matter, and deeply
sympathize with them in the sorrow which they and all must feel in
connection with the adverse action taken. But this does not discharge
the responsibility. A responsibility Divinely imposed is not discharged
by any admission of existing human difficulty.... When God calls we
must obey, not object. And also when God calls to some specific work,
then He must have some way by which that work can be done.”
After much thought and prayer a plan was adopted for conducting this
work. The motto of the new mission appeared at the head: “Oh that
Ishmael might live before Thee.” After the preamble, similar to the
original plan, there are the following sections:
“1. This missionary movement shall be known as The Arabian Mission.
2. The field, so far as at present it is possible to be determined,
shall be Arabia and the adjacent coast of Africa.
3. Selected by and associated with the undersigned shall be a
Committee of Advice, composed of four contributors, to assist in
advancing the interests of this mission.
4. In view of the fact that this mission is of necessity
undenominational in its personnel and working, contributions are
solicited from any and all to whom this may come, without reference to
denominational adherence.
5. The amount required to carry on the work of this mission will
be the sum necessary to meet the equipment and working expenses of
the individuals approved of and sent to engage in the work of this
mission. No debt shall be incurred and no salaries be paid to other
than missionaries.
6. It is desired that the amount subscribed _shall not interfere with
the individual’s regular denominational contributions to foreign
missions_....
7. Of the undersigned the first party shall be Treasurer, and have
general oversight of the interests of the mission at home and as such
shall render an annual statement, while the missionaries in the field
shall have the direction of those interests abroad....”
The rough draft of this plan was drawn up at Pine Hill Cottage, in the
Catskills, on August 1st. A few days later, while the band was at the
old Cantine homestead, Stone Ridge, New York, Dr. Lansing composed the
Arabian Mission hymn, which will always be an inspiration to those who
love Arabia; but it will never be sung with deeper feeling than it was
for the first time, in an upper room, by three voices.
[Illustration: THE ARABIAN MISSIONARY HYMN.
Facsimile of the original copy composed by Prof. J. G. Lansing in 1889,
at Stone Ridge, N. Y.]
When the plan was published, the Rubicon was crossed, although not
without the loss of one name from among the signers. Contributions
began to come in, the Committee of Advice was selected, and the
mission was incorporated. Among other tokens of favor the mission
received at this juncture from Catherine Crane Halstead, a legacy, of
nearly five thousand dollars—the largest gift, and the only legacy
received by the Arabian Mission in the past decade. This unexpected and
providential donation was encouraging and enabled the mission to begin
work immediately.
On October 1st James Cantine was ordained by the Classis of Kingston
in the Fair Street Reformed Church and he sailed for Syria on October
16th, stopping at Edinburgh to consult with the Free Church of
Scotland Committee regarding cooperation with their mission at Aden.
The proposition was cordially welcomed but was not acted upon since
at Sheikh Othman, it was afterwards mutually agreed that more would
probably be accomplished if the missions worked separately. The second
member of the band to leave for the field was ordained by the Classis
of Iowa, at Orange City, and sailed on June 28th, 1890.
The two pioneers left Syria for Cairo at the end of November to meet
Professor Lansing who was in Egypt for his health. On December 18th Mr.
Cantine left by direct steamer for Aden, and on January 8th, 1891, the
writer followed in an Egyptian coasting steamer, desiring to call at
Jiddah and Hodeidah, and to meet General Haig, who was then at Suakin
in charge of rescue work for orphans after the war.[149] My journey
down the Red Sea was made in company with the aged Bishop French,
though neither of us ever heard of the other before we met on the train
to take the same ship at Suez. We then learned for the first time that
both were bound for the same point with the same object, to preach
Christ to the Arabs.