before the rains are set free: the poor dry lands seem to wrestle
against the one thing that they need. Before the clouds burst there will
come days--weeks, perhaps, off and on--of fierce sirocco, hurling them
back as they try to gather. Sometimes they seem on the point of
breaking, and a few drops may get through the heavy air, then back go
the clouds, leaving the brassy glare undimmed. On the fight goes, and
gets only harder and harder, till suddenly the victory is won. The south
wind drops, or shifts to the west, and the clouds, laden now with their
treasure, mass themselves in the east; then the wind wheels to the east
and gets behind them, and in an hour or less, unresisted, they are
overhead; unresisted, the windows of heaven are opened, and the rain
comes down in floods with a joyful splash, drenching the earth to its
depths, and calling to life every hidden potentiality.
A fight like that lies before us in the lands of Islam. It has begun
even now; for we have seen again and again the clouds gather and swept
back, leaving a few drops at best, and these often quickly dried. They
are not yet full of rain, so they do not empty themselves upon the
earth.
And it is not from this side that they can be stored: it is not the
thirsty earth that can fill them. They travel from afar, where ocean,
river, and lake can breathe their vapors upward, swept unseen by the
wind that bloweth where it listeth, to the parched places. We need you,
in the far-off, Spirit-watered lands to store the showers. You may be
but a roadside pool, but your prayer-breath may go up to be gathered in
God's clouds and break in His "plentiful rain." When the clouds are full
He will still the sirocco blast of evil that fights it back, and it will
come down with the sudden swift ease that marks the setting in of the
rains here, year by year.
Do we believe that each heaven-sent prayer brings the cloud-burst
nearer? That one last cry of faith, somewhere, will set it free? Do we
act as if we believed it? Shall we give ourselves to hasten it?
And when it comes, we shall see the latent possibilities awake, and the
latent powers assert themselves, and the people of Moslem countries, men
and women, show what they can be and do for Him and in His kingdom. For,
thank God, they are not dead lands, they are "only dry."
VII
LIGHT IN DARKEST MOROCCO
The factors in a Moorish woman's life are largely those of her Moslem
sisters everywhere; excepting as exaggerated by the absence of all
English or French influence. In Morocco we have the rugged path Mohammed
allotted their sex painfully adhered to, and any European influence of
other lands conspicuous by its absence. The lack of education, inability
to read, undeveloped powers of thought handed through the generations of
thirteen centuries, are at least not lessened by time or weakened by
heredity.
The families in which daughters are allowed to read are few and far
between: just an occasional one among high-class government officials,
or a favorite daughter here and there who is destined to support herself
and relatives by teaching the few privileged to learn among the rising
generation. The little girl is seldom welcomed at birth. It is a
calamity she was not a boy. A few years of half-freedom for the
town-child and hasty neglect for the village maiden. Many a better-class
woman enters her home as a bride, in the carriage which so carefully
conceals her, and sees but four whitewashed walls for the remainder of
her days, nor leaves their monotony until carried out in her coffin.
What uplifting or educating influences does the bare windowless abode
(opening only to the central court of the home) exercise? We hear
betimes of the wish to remove the veil and allow more liberty to woman.
In Morocco she is hardly ready for the change, but needs educating and
preparing, ere, with propriety and true modesty, she can take her
rightful place.
Divorce is fearfully common and easy. Plurality of wives is an awful
curse. The chief features of home-life are quarrels, intrigues,
attempted poisonings, and rankling bitternesses.
Slavery is more common than in other countries so near the borders of
civilization, and the possession of these human chattels denotes the
measure of worldly prosperity. Occasionally they find a kindly master,
but, more often, are inhumanly treated and regarded as so much property.
We are frequently urged to treat the slave for illness and so increase
her market value, while the wife, or wives, may suffer unnoticed and
unassisted.
The Moorish woman has little part in religious life. She has no merits
or opportunity of attaining such, unless she be a well-known lineal
descendant of their prophet. Very few learn the prescribed form of
Moslem prayers and fewer still use them. Once and again we find one
going through the positions of prayer and accompanying set phrases.
These women are usually the most difficult to deal with and least ready
for the hearing of the Gospel. One of them, during a medical visit, drew
her prayer mat to a distance lest I defile it and closed her ears with
her fingers to shut out my words. Undoubtedly the _very best_, and often
_only_, way of reaching them is through the dispensary.
Their lives centre largely round the three annual feasts, in preparation
for and enjoyment of them. Every birth, circumcision, wedding, death,
and even serious illness, is an opportunity, for those allowed
sufficient freedom, to receive and pay visits, feast, enjoy the
accompanying minstrels, appear in their most gorgeous dress and
criticise that of others. Meanwhile they engage in empty and profitless
conversation, which too often passes into the injurious both for body
and soul, of young and old, hostess and guests. Much attention is paid
to fashion, and Moorish etiquette is not to be lightly treated or easily
fulfilled.
Some of the women figure in the weird orgies of religious sects of a
private and public character. Their wild, dishevelled, and torn hair is
prominent in the Satanic dance of the Aisowia Derwishes, and they vie
with the men in its frenzied freaks, falling finally exhausted to the
ground, unable to rise. But this class fortunately is not numerous. I
was visiting in one of these houses last year in Fez. The occupants were
strangers and had come pleading me to relieve one in very acute pain.
The atmosphere of the room hung heavily over me, I knew not why. Taking
my colloquial Gospel, I spoke of Christ and asked to read. A blank
refusal was the answer. Then the storm broke and during my second visit
I had to rise and leave, asserting my union with Christ and the
impossibility of having me or my drugs without the message of my Master
and Saviour. They have since been, when the violent pain returned,
pleading for relief, but not again inviting to their house. Such uncanny
sense of the immediate presence of the evil one, I have never
experienced, as when under their roof, nor would wish to again. It was
an intense relief to breathe freely in the open air afterwards. Yet two
of our recent converts, and one of them among the most promising, have
belonged to these followers of Satan! Their wild hair is now neatly
braided and they are clothed and in their right minds, sitting with
their converted sisters to learn more of Jesus and lifting up voices in
prayer to Him.
Female slaves, from the far Soudan, are betimes among our bitterest and
loudest opponents during Gospel teaching. They have more courage than
their mistresses and are more outspoken. Yet, even among them, we have
seen notable changes. One, exceptionally well-taught and able to quote
the Koran, met me first with loud contradiction in her Fez home.
Frequent attendance at our medical mission wrought a marvellous change.
Open opposition first ceased. Then an awakening, and at least
intellectual, acceptance of the vital truths of Christianity and
readiness to explain them to newcomers. When she had to follow her
master to the south, we were conscious of losing a friend and helper.
She took with her a Gospel and was followed by our prayers.
[Illustration: A BEDOUIN GIRL FROM NORTH AFRICA]
Classes for sewing, reading, and singing are important factors as means
of reaching the women and girls. The first of my four years at the
Tulloch Memorial Hospital, Tangier, brought me in contact with a most
interesting woman. Many years she had been under Mrs. Mensink's teaching
and otherwise had known the missionaries. A gradual awakening was
manifest, until, during that year, when ill with pneumonia, I found her
apparently trusting Jesus. One difficulty haunted her, she was ignorant,
could not even read, and her teachers told her Jesus was not the Son of
God;--must they not know best? A few days before her death she joyously
told me of a dream she had had and assured me her last doubt had gone.
In it Jesus appeared to her and proclaimed Himself the Son of God. No
after-cloud damped her joy. The death-bed was that of a consistent
Christian. Her relatives would not own it and buried her as a Moslem in
their own cemetery, with her face towards Mecca.
This year, in one of our inland cities, not a few members of sewing
classes have simply trusted Christ for salvation and now meet for prayer
and instruction with their leaders. A native women's prayer meeting has
been formed, where each of these new converts takes part and learns to
pray. Several also have been led to Jesus through the medical mission
and the visitation of their homes.
An instance of earnest simplicity in prayer occurred in our own home. We
had spoken to a convert about prayer. She said, "I am too old to learn
and too ignorant!" The following day when asked, she replied: "Oh, yes,
I prayed this morning." "And what did you say?" "Well, I did not know at
first, but then repeated the only prayer I knew, the first chapter of
the Koran, and at the end added, 'in the name and for the sake of the
Lord Jesus,' and I thought _He_ would understand it and fill in for me
all I had been mistaken in or unable to tell Him." He truly did so, for
since that time the dear old woman has learned to pray. Grasping my hand
after one native prayer meeting, she said, "Oh, to think of it! three of
us praying together in the name of Jesus; three of us believing in Him."
These were, her married daughter, an only son, and herself. One of these
converts of last spring had typhus fever a few months later and passed
into the Presence of Him whom she had learned to love. Another is
nearing her end and wonders why He tarries so long in coming to take her
to be with Himself.
One day's journey from Tangier on mule-back, lives the first woman I
ever heard pray; consistently she seeks to tell others the little she
knows. A lady missionary, since departed, lived with her a fortnight in
the early days of the North African Mission. She dates her conversion
from that time and, without any resident missionary since, dependent
only upon the teaching of a few days or weeks during an itinerating
visit, she still knows and can explain to others that "the blood of
Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin." Nearly all of this year's numerous
converts are the result of much seed-sowing and the patient labors of
long years past, now gathered by prayer into the fold. Not a few of the
sowers have passed to their reward without seeing the harvest which
should be.
We have found medical work a powerful handmaid to awaken interest in the
Gospel story. To our great grief, however, the continued political
unrest, due largely to the presence of the Pretender and rising of the
tribes from time to time, during the past four years, has almost closed
up this highly useful evangelistic and Christ-like work.
The Northern rebellion would have ceased long ago had the present Sultan
honest and energetic soldiers and leaders. Few, however, are impervious
to foreign gold; and no one trusts another, unless he pay well for the
interest in his affairs. The Sultan is a pleasant and enlightened
person, but unable to cope with the surrounding lawlessness
single-handed. Many a tale of bribery and wrong reaches us. The wild
tribes know no other fear than that of seeing turbulent skulls and
rebellious heads hanging upon the city gates. We went down to Fez four
years ago, a few weeks after the violent and sad death of our dear
friend and brother, Mr. Cooper. His only crime in the eyes of the
violent tribesman, his murderer, was that of being a foreigner. Two
weeks after our arrival in the city, Consuls ordered foreigners to the
coast. We had to obey. Six weeks were spent in Tangier and then again we
returned to our scene of labor, the large out-patient dispensary which
treated over eleven thousand cases last year and so reached between two
hundred and one hundred and fifty with the Gospel on Women's mornings,
every day.
Two years ago orders again came to pack up and prepare for emergencies.
The storm blew over and since then the main roads have been practically
safe for ordinary traffic and merchandise. Even the foreigner can
securely take his place in any caravan without fear of ill.
Raisuli's capture of European and American citizens for hostages alarmed
many, but he had sought the Government's recognition of his lawful
Kaidship, and when refused, wrongly determined to claim the same by
force. The strong hand with which he now controls those wild tribes
under his jurisdiction, proves his ability to govern. His justice, if
semi-barbarous, is certainly ahead of that of most of his fellow Kaids.
He reversed the decision of a Moorish tribunal which had wrung from a
poor widow her lawful property, restoring that which had been
unlawfully taken. A few such men in the highest circles would soon bring
order out of chaos and strength to the throne. The English missionary
has had the great advantage of being favorably received by the people on
account of his or her nationality. It stood, to them, for integrity,
strength, and honor. Whatever changes may have taken place during the
last four years to lessen this trust in her, England has still much
favor with the majority. Hers were the pioneer-missionaries, for where
no man would have been trusted or allowed to reside, her lady workers
penetrated. Before any resident Consul, Miss Herdman and her companions
went to Fez and commenced medical work. She won her way into the hearts
of the people and is still lovingly remembered. It was her work which
Mr. Cooper had taken up for a few short years, when so suddenly snatched
from it by a lawless fanatic's hand. The seed sown thus long and
faithfully has lain dormant. Just a few, one here and there, gathered
into the fold; native converts prepared for colportage work; the
building of a foundation on the Rock Christ Jesus. But to those who
followed her has been granted to see the increase, and begin to reckon,
even, on the "hundredfold."
The coast towns have ever been more accessible to the foreigners; yet
alas, where the foreigner is LEAST known the native is most receptive,
courteous, and hospitable. The average colonist, or even tourist, seldom
recommends the Kingdom of God, and the native points to the drink
traffic, so opposed to his religious views, and asks how that is
included in the Christian country's commerce and consumption!
Thus, the farther removed from _such_ Christian influence the greater
the freedom for Gospel work. Tangier was first opened; Hope House being
a partial gift to the North African Mission.
At first both men and women were treated here, but the great
desirability of conforming to Moorish rules of life led to the opening
of a Women's Hospital in the town. Here I did one year's out-patient
work during the absence of the efficient and indefatigable lady
doctor--Miss Breeze--in England. These were largely the ploughing,
seed-sowing days. Since then several have professed conversion. One, on
returning to her village home, was bitterly persecuted and finally, to
escape death, had to flee by night to her former teachers and with them
find refuge. Some four or five of the elder girls in the Moorish
orphanage came out boldly on the Lord's side. The teaching of girls has
been a prominent feature of the work in that city.
Larache, two days down the coast by mule, was permanently opened many
years later, some medical and class work being done, with house to house
visitation. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, our Scotch friends, are independent
workers here.
El Kaar, six hours inland from Larache and two days from Tangier by
mule, is worked from the former by the North Africa Mission, and five
American lady workers of the Gospel Union Mission do good house to house
service in that little town. Its inhabitants are unusually genial and
receptive; these are days of seed-sowing, for the harvest is not yet.
Women's and girls' classes are also held, and prayers are asked for a
few already deeply interested. Some very happy days have I spent working
among Moorish friends there.
House to house visitation is essentially for the women. They are always
"at home," and to them we definitely go since they can so seldom come to
us. Classes have already been a prominent feature of the work in Fez,
and gather larger numbers than is usual in the other towns. This city of
some one hundred and fifty thousand inhabitants has been the residence
of the Sultan and his court for the past four years. It is consequently
very full and affords splendid opportunities, having been so freely
opened up by the large medical mission established there.
Early in the year, a mother and her daughter said to me, "We have been
loved into HEAVEN, we have seen the love of Jesus in care and healing
during our sickness, we take Him now as Savior for our souls." These are
living consistently for Him now. Two years ago a prominent theological
professor asked me in the street for medicine. I directed him to the
medical mission. To the surprise of all he came often, listened quietly
from the first, and, ere long, became a decided Christian. His wife, a
noble woman (_sherifa_), is now reading the Gospel with him, saying,
"Yes, I believe that which is written, but, oh! I do want to remain a
_sherifa_!" Not yet can she count all things but loss for the excellency
of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, her Lord.
In an inland town in Morocco, where a number of women had professed
faith in Christ, the question of baptism arose; two were wishing for it.
How could they brave its publicity? One woman had been baptized
privately in Tangier, few, even of the missionaries, knew beforehand it
was to take place--so bitterly were her relatives opposed to the Gospel.
The rite had not been publicly received by any Moorish woman heretofore.
After some eighteen months of constant teaching in preparation, these
two sisters were ready to brave all danger and opposition, and despite
all efforts to foil their purpose, passed through the waters of baptism
unveiled before the assembled native church and foreign missionaries,
and that as bravely and modestly as any Englishwoman would have done.
This was a terrible blow to the devil. He had fought courageously to
avert the calamity to his kingdom, but God heard continued and earnest
prayer that a first public stand be thus taken for Him. The blow has
fallen upon the powers of darkness and this great triumph in women's
work been gained for Him. They now "break the bread and drink the wine"
with their converted husbands and friends "until He come." One of them
received such a spiritual impetus after the step as to make us fearful
lest her boldness endanger life. She brought a formerly bigoted relative
and said, "Teach her, pray with her, she is near the Kingdom!" And so it
proved, for that day she "entered in." When reading the colloquial
Gospel of Luke in one of the highest Government houses, the remark was
made to me, "Why, this is the book and this the story we heard from Miss
McArthur in Morocco city!"
Some of our native colporteurs work with our Scotch brethren and thus is
Christian unity cemented. Dr. Kerr and his fellow-workers have a strong
medical mission in Rakat and a similar one was carried on by the North
African Mission in Casablanca, until the recent death of Dr. Grieve.
Tetuan has long maintained its vigorous out-patient dispensary,
successful visiting in the homes, and numerous classes. Mention should
certainly be made of the great impetus given to labors among Moorish
women by the publication of a Moroccan colloquial version of Luke. With
so few female readers, and the majority of men even, insufficiently
educated to understand the magnificent classical translation into
Arabic, one within the grasp of every man, woman, and child was urgently
needed.
Our American brethren have hitherto published only the Gospel of Luke,
which has been so well received, but they hope soon to have in print
other portions, which are eagerly looked for.
You say, "We have heard only of encouraging cases, bright prospects,
and ingathering; we thought it was not so in Moslem lands and especially
among their women." Perhaps it has not been, and even now, only the
beginning of early harvest is in the reaping. Thank God, a grand
wheat-garnering has yet to follow, and those who have labored longest
and seen least fruit will yet divide the spoil. Undoubtedly there are
rejecters of the Cross of Christ, and His bitterest enemies are surely
under the Crescent's sway. At the same time there is tremendous
encouragement for hearts and laborers who can "afford to wait" and have
learned to pray.
Only twice in our vast crowded city (though making from six to eight
hundred visits in the homes yearly) have I been refused liberty to speak
for Jesus and NEVER been denied admittance. There are six sisters in Fez
doing this work from house to house, but HUNDREDS of homes await us
which we are utterly unable to enter. ONE life is so short where the
need is so great, and open doors are on every hand. Most of our fellow
missionaries in other stations would plead in the same words. Doors,
doors, but how can we enter them? At present the people inland are
hardly prepared for the qualified lady doctor. In the bulk of instances
where her skill is most urgently needed, she would be refused. Miss
Breeze, in Tangier, has patiently labored and trained the women to trust
her and submit to the necessary operations.
Away from the coast a similar patience and training are necessary to
prepare the female sex for her valuable assistance. At present the
trained nurse has the fullest scope, and the limits of her powers
represent the willingness of the people for medical work. Sad, indeed,
are those instances wherein a little assistance would undoubtedly save
life, but is refused point-blank on the plea "if the patient
subsequently died the missionary would be accused of murder." At
present, no explanation, no persuasion, can change the fiat. Moorish
law, like that of the Medes and Persians, "altereth not." They are,
however, very susceptible to the influence of drugs, and the simplest
remedies often work cures which by them are regarded as miracles, and
faith in the "Tabeeba" is proportionately increased.
Colloquial hymns are much valued and a standard hymn-book would be a
great boon. I have taken a small American organ with me and sung and
explained the Gospel in bigoted and wealthy homes, where reading it
would not have been possible. In two instances, I took a magic-lantern
with me, from the slides of which plain teaching was an easy task. Once
it was a wedding festival and friends had gathered to the feast. Our
hostess had lived some years in England with her merchant husband, but a
knowledge of English life, or even ability to speak its language, by no
means predisposes to the reception of the Truth. It certainly was not so
in the present instance. A few months ago she said to a fellow
missionary, "I know the right is with you. I well know what I ought to
do---leave Mohammed and accept Jesus--but this would mean leaving my
husband and children--turned out of home and robbed of all! I cannot do
it." One sad instance stands for many: a rejected Gospel!
I once attended a wealthy and influential _sherifa_ dying of
tuberculosis. No English consumptive clings to life more tenaciously
than she did. Everything was at my disposal and courtesy lavished until
she found there was no hope for her life. Then she bitterly turned from
any word of a Life to come and flung herself hopelessly upon her
charm-writers and native crudities until past speaking. Her husband took
a Gospel, and I heard, sat up into the night and studied its contents.
We followed the volume with prayer. To-day news reaches me from the
field that he has died of typhoid fever. Oh! to know he accepted its
truths!