IT is a great relief to be able to work in a field where the Bible is not prohibited, and where the people can read it and come to meeting without fear of the Papal anathema. And having this privilege we have been able for several months to turn our hall to the best account both as a school and as a meeting-room; by which means the present truth has been announced to some hundred persons, some of whom we trust have carried it with them to other places.
I find the Arabs a very intelligent people, and willing to accept the truth, at the least the Coptic portion of them, who call themselves Christians, although they know little about Christ. There is also here a very peculiar, independent Arab Christian church. It was founded some five years ago by an Englishman, who as far as I can see must have been a member of the Plymouth Brethren. They study the Bible very deeply, are well versed in prophecy, believe in the near advent of our Saviour, but have adopted the popular theories with regard to the Millennium and Antichrist. They are fervent in Christian love, of an humble spirit, and willing to listen to others. But the great difficulty is in communicating with these worthy brethren, who speak only Arabic. We have some brethren who can speak and teach elementary truth in that language, but it is difficult to find one well versed in history and Biblical knowledge, and at the same time endowed with an humble and prayerful spirit such as is necessary for the announcement of the present truth. I hope however to be able to meet the difficulty, if God gives me some spare time when Bro. Bertola returns, whom we expect next month.
Some of these brethren came to several of our meetings in a spirit of Christian fellowship, and invited me to theirs. It was conducted in a very peculiar manner. They recognize no pastor, minister, nor director, but are all brethren on an equal footing. They sat all facing in the same direction, and there was no reading desk nor post for a speaker, only a small table with bread and wine.
We have brought the Sabbath question before them, and some of them are studying it seriously. Unfortunately, they cannot read any of our tracts. I earnestly hope we may be able to get out some tracts in Arabic and modern Greek. Here is a case where stereotype plates would be of great utility, if they could be employed.
As soon as Bro. Bertola comes I hope to be able to give much attention to our Arab and Greek friends, but at present the Italian work takes up nearly all my time. The other Italian church, which excommunicated our brethren so unceremoniously, has died a natural death, and we are now the only Italian Evangelical church in Alexandria.
I have urged the brethren here and at Naples to organize amongst themselves a corresponding tract society. Hitherto I have done this work myself, but as correspondence increases it is impossible for one person to attend to it all unaided. I find that correspondence and judicious tract distribution is, here as elsewhere, by far the most important part of our work. We thus preach in a circle of hundreds of miles around, and not within the limits of a small meeting room. Indeed it has been by this means that the churches of Bari and Alexandria were formed. And from this station we hope, if God blesses us, to form other centres in Greece, and perhaps even in India, with which country there is weekly communication.
I hope shortly to be able to report some fruit thus gained in Cyprus.
Bro. Rupp has been to Malta, where we have been sending tracts and papers for more than a year. He reports, what indeed is well known, that that little island is one of the greatest strongholds of Popery in the Mediterranean. Yet our labor has not been without fruit; one sister and one brother have taken an interest in the Sabbath question, (about which the former is indeed convinced), and with regard to our Lord’s speedy coming. Bro. Rupp has undertaken to keep up correspondence with them.
Our brethren at Naples remain firm in their attachment to the Sabbath; they are working actively and have gained some fruit since I left. They have elected two dear brethren to perform the duties of elder and deacon, and are earnestly desirous of opening another hall to carry on their meetings. I hope we may be able to open a small Sabbath journal in Italian, as we have friends in the Sabbath in isolated places all over Italy before whom the announcement of the truth should be kept up.
We are anxiously awaiting the coming of dear Bro. Andrews, of whose safe arrival in England we have just had news, in order that with his counsel and under God’s direction we may decide what is best to be done for the increasing requirements of our Mediterranean mission.
H. P. RIBTON.
Alexandria, Egypt, July 6, 1879.