p. 9 | The Syrian Mission by W. C. ISING

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 28, 1910

The Syrian Mission

By W. C. ISING

W. C. ISING

Nine months have passed since my return from the General Conference in America. Short as this time is, when measured by the conditions prevailing in this country, where things move slowly, we feel grateful to God that he is opening the way before us for the entrance of his message. During the fall and winter of 1909, some work was done in Haifa, at the foot of Mount Carmel, and among the German colonists in Jerusalem. A number of difficulties were encountered, yet we are convinced that the seed sown will bring forth fruit. In Jerusalem we met much opposition, and were obliged to conduct our meetings in five different places. One young girl has taken a definite stand for the truth, and has now kept the Sabbath for three months in spite of opposition from her family. Others are interested, but the fear of man keeps them from testifying to the truth.

With the beginning of this year our health institution in Jerusalem has been transferred to a more central location. The equipment being much worn through ten years’ use, since the treatment-rooms were established, one thousand dollars was appropriated by the General Conference for refurnishing. The present central location will insure a better and larger patronage, and the improvements will also meet the demands of the better classes. We pray that physical and spiritual help may be effectively administered to those who come for treatment.

In April a German brother seventy-four years old was baptized. He had been studying the truth for about a year. As the water in the sea was still too cold, the ordinance was administered in the fountain basin in our garden. We were made glad to witness the change of nature wrought by the power of God’s message even in a man of this age. The brother is full of joy, and although single and without any person to care for him, he is busily pursuing his work as a printer to earn his living, walking sometimes a hundred miles to another place of labor. When he accepted the truth, he gave fifty dollars of his earnings to the cause, keeping only ten dollars for himself. He said he knew that God would help him to gain his support during the few years of the future after finding the truth, as without it he had never forsaken him during all his life.

It has given us much encouragement to see our first canvasser established at Beirut. Brother Zachary, who came from Persia to Cairo, and found and accepted the truth there a year ago, has been engaged in this important work since February, and is doing well in view of the situation. While we consider the dissemination of our literature one of the most essential factors in the spread of the message, we find many difficulties which hinder its wide circulation in this field. Our experience has caused us to proceed very cautiously.

Representatives of the British and Foreign Bible Society, who established a depository in Beirut in January, and put their first canvasser, a young Armenian, to work, have had serious difficulties. Apparently the young man has been somewhat injudicious in answering questions put to him by the Mohammedans with regard to their faith. He has been imprisoned several times, and they now threaten to kill him if he continues his work.

We are glad that Brother Zachary, who is also an Armenian, has not had to meet with such difficulties as yet. In some instances Catholic priests have torn his tracts and opposed their distribution. The population being chiefly Mohammedan and Catholic, such things are to be expected. But our aim is to find the honest souls by laboring cautiously, rather than to stir up these fanatic masses against us by too vigorous efforts. We are confident that God will help us to find some who are searching for his truth.

The political situation is still unsettled, and there seems little prospect for improvement. Continually new incidents are provoked to deepen the hostility between Mohammedan and Christian. Men go armed, ready to meet calamity. Only recently several persons were wounded and killed in a quarrel over some trifling thing. It was just a year ago that a telegram in cipher from the deposed sultan was sent to the governor of Beirut, urging the slaughter of the Christians at the same time of the massacres of the Armenians. Next to God, the commander-in-chief of the army here deserves the thanks that, on account of his sympathy with the Union and Progress movement, this horrible suggestion was not carried into effect. The chief of the army required that the telegram be read and interpreted to him.

While these conditions continue, we thank God that he has given us an understanding of the signs of his near coming, and a message that brings peace to the soul, even amid such troubles, teaching us to realize the truth of his word: “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” Col. 3: 3, 4.

When we reflect upon the work of the past year, although the material results may appear small, viewed from without, we feel grateful to God for every little success. While our hearts long for greater returns, we bear in mind that in these few seeds God has hidden the germ for the growth and final triumph of his work in this needy mission field.

Beirut.