Woman and Her Saviour in Persia: By a Returned MissionaryLaurie, Thomas
History
Woman and Her Saviour in Persia: By a Returned Missionary
Laurie, Thomas
Church of the East -- Missions; Missions -- Iran; Women missionaries
"Yes; not being readers, they do many things that are not written in
the book."
"Would your teachers allow you to fast?"
"O, yes; but we don't want to fast more than our book requires."
"What are your prayers?"
"Those taught in the book."
Then followed questions about dress, employment, and such things, all
of which she answered in the same manner. The teacher was very thankful
that the Master had neither left to her the selection of the witness,
nor her preparation for the examination. But the examiner expressed
very decided disapproval of female education, and held up their
previous condition as their only proper one. The truth was, the Moslems
were angry that their rayahs were being elevated, and they were
specially indignant at the education of women.
So the opposition went on. Messrs Stoddard and Wright proceeded to
Tabreez, and secured orders for redress which, as usual, were
counteracted by secret orders to the contrary. The native helpers were
now beaten because they were in the employ of the mission: some were
thrown into prison, and threatened with being sent to Teheran in irons.
But when the Lord saw that the wrath of man had proceeded far enough,
he restrained the remainder thereof. For one of the leading spirits in
this onset on the mission fell under the daggers of the Koords, and his
death at once called off attention from missionary operations to other
things.
Again, in January, 1858, two pious residents at Khosrowa, in the
province of Salmas, were shamefully oppressed; and when application was
made for redress, Asker Khan not only refused to adjudicate the matter,
but beat one of the complainants so severely that he was confined to
his bed for weeks. Still later, after urgent importunity from
Nestorians and nominal Papists, two very able and excellent men,
Deacons Joseph and Siyad, were sent to labor in that distant province.
On one occasion they entered the village of Khosrowa to purchase fuel,
and were quietly passing along the street, when a mob stoned them out
of the village. Shortly after, Deacon Siyad was expelled from the
district so suddenly that he had to leave his wife, Merganeeta: she,
too, was driven away alone; but Holmar, a pious woman residing there,
went with her. The first night they spent in a field, and the next day
they sought refuge in an Armenian village; but, driven from thence, the
persecuted wife fled to Oroomiah. After long effort, an officer was
sent from Tabreez to Salmas, and ample promises of full redress were
given, ending, as usual, in nothing. A mob, headed by a French Lazarist
and native bishop, rescued the offender, and the officer desisted from
further procedure.
The reader will be interested in the following extract, from a letter
of Hoimar to Miss Fiske, in 1859:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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