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
"In the afternoon, Miss Rice takes charge of the school, and I have the
time out. At present the first hour is given to writing; soon astronomy
will take its place. Recitations in geography follow till recess, and
after that singing or spelling. The last hour, I go in and hear a
lesson in Hebrews. On this Epistle we have full notes prepared in
Syriac, and we study it carefully, in connection with the Old
Testament. Miss Rice also has a lesson in Judges, and then all come
together for the daily reports, more as a family than a school. There
is still an hour before supper for mutual calls, knitting, sewing, and
family duties. After supper and work are over, and they have had a
little time to themselves, come evening prayers. Then they have a short
study hour in their rooms, followed by the half hour for private
devotion, which closes the day.
"Of course, at another time, the studies might be somewhat different.
The hours that Miss Rice and I are out of school we spend in seeing
visitors, holding prayer meetings, going out among the women, and
sometimes devote a whole day to a distant village."
Having thus looked in on a day of study, let us, through the same
glass, take a view of the Lord's day. The letter is dated December,
1855.
MY DEAR FRIEND: I have learned here that He who fed five thousand with
the portion of five can feed the soul to the full with what I once
counted only crumbs. May I give you one of the Master's sermons? A few
Sabbaths ago, I went to Geog Tapa with Mr. Stoddard. It was afternoon,
and I was seated on a mat in the middle of the earthen floor of the
church. I had already attended Sabbath school and a prayer meeting with
my pupils, and, weary, I longed for rest. It seemed as if I could not
sit without support through the service. Then I remembered that after
that came my meeting with the women readers of the village; and O, how
desirable seemed rest! But God sent it in an unexpected way; for a
woman came and seated herself directly behind me, so that I could lean
on her, and invited me to do so. I declined; but she drew me back,
saying, "If you love me, lean hard." Very refreshing was that support.
And then came the Master's own voice, repeating the words, "If you love
_me_, lean hard;" and I leaned on him too, feeling that, through that
poor woman, he had preached me a better sermon than I could have heard
at home. I was rested long before the services were through; then I
spent an hour with the women, and after sunset rode six miles to my own
home. I wondered that I was not weary that night nor the next morning;
and I have rested ever since on those sweet words, "If you love me,
lean hard."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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