The consensus of opinion of the recent conference on missions to Moslems, held at Lucknow, was that in the selection of workers for Moslems, men and women of more than ordinary education and intelligence should be chosen. While laborers of less ability should not be excluded, yet in choosing workers exclusively for the Mohammedans, for whom there is a tremendous need, those should be selected who give evidence of being able to learn and use Arabic, who are careful students of history, and who will be able to show forth in a scholarly way the inconsistencies and inaccuracies of the Koran, and at the same time the incomparable excellences of the Bible and the religion of Jesus Christ.
A very necessary qualification of workers for Moslems is patience. He who goes to meet the combativeness of the followers of the false prophet should school himself in the practise of patience before going to his field of labor. Islam has ever been defended by heated argument no less than by the sword, and for that reason Moslems as well as others, whether educated or unlearned, are quick to pick up an argument, and frequently as ready to take offense. For this reason great patience and much of the love of Christ are necessary. Controversy, especially in public places, should be avoided. As Mr. Wherry has said:—
“Though armed to the teeth with controversial weapons drawn from Arabic and Persian tomes, the preacher must preach Christ and him crucified. In my opinion, controversy in public places, and especially in the bazaar, should be avoided. What is wanted there is not so much debate, or assault on Mohammed and Islam, as clear statements of gospel truth, bearing on the practical side of religion. Our Lord’s sermon on the mount and his discourse to Nicodemus are models for our guidance; the primary object of every sermon or conversation should be to convince the conscience of guilt before God, and so lead it to feel the need of a Saviour.”
The question was raised at the conference whether missionaries in Moslem countries should eat pork. Dr. Zwemer answered for the conference, stating that he did not think missionaries working for Moslems should eat pork, owing to the great offense the use of swine’s flesh is to Mohammedans. In India, Hindus can give no greater offense to Mohammedans than to slaughter a pig, and place it in a Mohammedan mosque. Open riots often occur from this cause. What a pity every Christian denomination does not abstain from the use of swine’s flesh, which is so plainly forbidden in the Bible, and so offensive even to the enemies of Christianity.
Some point of contact should always be sought in approaching Moslems, and it is well to avoid the explanation of the Trinity, especially in public, as the intricacy of this doctrine makes it difficult to explain to Mohammedans, whose slogan has ever been, “There is one God, and Mohammed is his prophet.” The subjects best suited to arrest and hold the attention of Moslems are: The nature and attributes of God; his relation to sinners; the penalty of sin; man’s need of a Mediator and Saviour; his character and work; why he has been exalted on high; and the fact that he is a present, living Mediator.
One veteran missionary gave much emphasis to the preaching of Christ as the Lamb of God, telling of many occasions where large audiences of Moslems had been held by the simple statement of the sacrifice and suffering of Christ. This can be done with ever-increasing success as the missionary, through prayer and daily meditation, has ever before him the Lord Jesus and his ministry and mediation for man.
A converted Mohammedan, now an archbishop of the Church of England, telling of his own conversion, said that the strongest factor outside of the Holy Spirit was the loving ministry of a missionary doctor, who, by giving of his time, his means, his clothing, and even his bed in a time of need, showed his love for those without the fold of Christ, and thus drew him to accept Jesus as his Saviour.
Medical workers have many advantages in Mohammedan countries; often they are given opportunity of work where other missionaries are forbidden. Instances in proof of this were given at the conference. In our own work in India we have recently had an example. The son of a Mohammedan ruler of one of the native states of India came to the sanitarium in Mussoorie. He was greatly pleased and benefited by our methods of treatment; so much so that he and his mother, the only Mohammedan woman ruler in India, have urged us strongly to send them medical workers, with a definite promise of financial support.
The Moslem world affords a large field of effort for Christian women. They alone can enter the homes, and teach the women and children, whose lives are so largely filled with sorrow, bitterness, jealousy, and sin of all sorts. So great is the need of women workers, that the following resolution was passed by the conference:—
“That the aid of Christian women is urgently needed for the evangelization and uplifting of Mohammedan women, who, with their little children, constitute the larger part of the Moslem world. The conference accordingly recommends: (1) That those missionary boards which send forth both men and women should endeavor to secure, wherever possible, that both sexes are reached in every mission station through the fullest co-operation between the workers; (2) that distinctively women’s societies, while not relaxing their efforts to reach their sisters elsewhere, should seriously consider the extension of their work in Africa, effective co-operation between the various departments of missionary activity being maintained; (3) that in view of the special requirements of mission fields, existing training colleges for women missionaries should lay stress upon such special lines of study and preparation as have been indicated in the other findings of this conference.”
There is no better means of reaching Mohammedan women than by telling them of Jesus and his acts of help for women. His attitude of love and condescension, even to helping women, is a tenderness not shown in the teachings of Islam.
In conclusion let me express my profound and growing conviction that the great and imperative need in checking the spread of Islam, and witnessing to the cross of Christ among Moslems, is a well-trained, Spirit-filled, vigorous army of young men and women, willing to enter Moslem mission fields, and, notwithstanding11privation and danger, to hold aloft the banner of the gospel of present truth. For this every lover of missions should labor and pray.
