HENRY DIRKSEN by Henry Dirksen

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 12, 1911

HENRY DIRKSEN

By Henry Dirksen

Persia

HENRY DIRKSEN

THE brethren and sisters everywhere will rejoice to welcome Persia as the infant field into the large family of fields being reached by the third angel's message.

Coming from Baku, Russia, and passing hoary Mt. Ararat and the plain at its base, where Noah is said to have planted his vineyard, Brother Oster and the writer crossed the boundary-line, May 18, at Djulfa. While crossing the river that marks the boundary, a heavy rain descended, wetting but not injuring our belongings. We had no trouble at the Russian or Persian custom-houses.

We soon learned, however, the difference in traveling expenses in Russia and Persia. We paid ten dollars, third class, all the way across the great country of Russia, whereas we had to pay seven dollars by passenger automobile, the cheapest method of transportation between Djulfa and Tabriz, a distance of about seventy miles. We remained in Tabriz sixteen days, and then proceeded to Urumiah City.

Since we had to stop a little time at beautiful Lake Urumiah (marked on all maps of Asia), we decided to investigate the strange features of this body of water. It is twenty-five by one hundred miles in area, and is more salty than the Dead Sea, of Palestine. Not a single living thing is to be found in it. The water is shallow and very clear. Testing its swimming qualities, we found absolutely no effort necessary to keep above water. One simply can not sink.

We are now settled in Urumiah City, in the charming valley of the same name, and are studying hard to master the Azerbaijan-Turkish, spoken in this province. In the meantime we are forming friends among the foreigners here. People, manners and customs, sights and scenes, are different, of course, from those in either Russia or Germany. The climate is agreeable and healthful.

We are surely glad to be able to say that ancient Persia, so often mentioned in Holy Scripture, and hitherto by us untouched, has now some representatives of the truth. Persia is nearly in the center of the Mohammedan population of the world. A difficult but interesting field is before us. Before our Saviour comes, even the Moslems must be warned. Pray for us.