In February, 1836, Mrs. Smith also undertook the work of _systematic
visiting among the mothers of her pupils_. She says, "Perhaps it will be
a very long time before we shall see any fruit. Indeed those who enter
into our labors may gather it in our stead; yet I am anxious that we
should persevere until we die, though no apparent effect be produced."
In April, 1836, she wrote, "My mind is much upon a female boarding
school; and if I can get the promise of ten girls, we shall, God
willing, remove the press from our house, and commence one in the fall."
In May she commenced a new term of her day school with twenty-six
scholars. She says, "The wife of a persecuted Druze is very anxious to
learn to read, and she comes to our house every day to get instruction
from Raheel." She also says, "We feel the want of books exceedingly. The
little girl whom I took more than a year since, and who advances
steadily in intelligence and knowledge, has no book but the Bible to
read, not one." Then again, "Should our press get into successful
operation, I despair in doing anything in the way of infant schools,
because the Arabic language cannot be simplified, at least under
existing prejudices. If every hymn and little story must be dressed up
in the august habiliments of the Koran, what child of three and six
years old will be wiser and better for them! How complete is the
dominion of the Great Adversary over this people! All the links of the
chain must be separated, one by one. And what a long, I had almost
said, tedious process! But I forget that to each one will be assigned a
few only of these links. We are doing a little, perhaps, in this work;
if faithful, we shall rest in heaven, and others will come and take our
places and our work."
On the eleventh of June, Mrs. Smith's health had become so impaired from
the dampness of the floor and walls of her school building, that her
physician advised a sea voyage for her. After suffering shipwreck on the
coast of Asia Minor, and enduring great hardships, she reached Smyrna,
where she died on the 30th of September, in the triumphs of the Gospel.
Her Memoir is a book worthy of being read by every Christian woman
engaged in the Master's service.
In a letter written from Smyrna, July 28, she says, "I had set my heart
much upon taking Raheel with me. Parents, however, in Syria, have an
especial aversion to parting with their children for foreign countries.
One of my last acts therefore was to make a formal committal of her into
the hands of my kind friend Miss Williams. I had become so strongly
attached to the little girl, and felt myself so much rewarded for all my
efforts with her, that the circumstances of this separation were perhaps
more trying than any associated with our departure."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account