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
A brief account of her may not here be out of place. In 1830, when she
was an infant in her mother's arms, the cholera in five days carried
her father and five of his household to the grave. In 1838, she was one
of the first pupils of Mrs. Grant. She learned more rapidly than the
rest, and yet was so amiable that she was loved by those whom she
excelled. Still, she was a stranger to God, and she felt it. When
thirteen years of age, her brother took her out of school, replying to
her earnest pleadings, to be allowed to remain, "You have been there
already too long." At the same time she was forced to marry a boy
twelve years of age, with whom she had never spoken. For days
previously, tears were her meat and drink; nor was she the only one
that wept. After this, the missionaries seldom saw her, till, one cold
Sabbath in the winter of 1844-45, a girl entered the chapel, wrapped,
as brides usually are, in a large, white sheet. She was not recognized,
of course, till her mother led her forward, saying, "I have brought
Selby here to-day to listen to the words of God; she loves them and you
very much." She was feeble and much depressed, and expressed a strong
desire to return to school. Her father-in-law consented to her teaching
in the primary department, on condition that her husband was received
into the Boys' Seminary, which was done. She now manifested much
interest in religion, and one day wept much, and inclined to be alone.
The next evening, she went to Miss Fiske, distressed with a sense of
sin. Said she, "I have lied, and stolen, and sworn; nor that only, but
have lived so long without once loving my kind, heavenly Father! When I
felt sadly about dying at home, I thought then only of hell; but now my
sins--O, how many they are! I never knew before that I was such a
sinner." The next day, at her father-in-law's request, she was to spend
the Sabbath at home. She was very loath to go, but it was not thought
best to try to retain her, and she went. There she found neither closet
nor Christian friend, and the house was full of guests from morning
till night, whom, she was required to entertain. Yet in the morning she
returned with even increased interest in spiritual things. Said she,
"Two or three times I was left alone for a moment, and then I tried to
commit my soul to my Saviour." Those few moments she seemed to value
above all price. Not long after, she found peace in Jesus, who became
her chosen theme. No wonder she loved to point others also to the Lamb
of God, and lead them to the mercy seat.
CHAPTER X.
GEOG TAPA.
DEACON MURAD KHAN IN 1846.--PENTECOSTAL SABBATH IN 1849.--MEETINGS IN
1850 AND 1854.--EXTRACTS FROM JOURNAL OF YONAN IN 1858.
The village of Geog Tapa is so prominent, and has been so largely
blessed, that, though there is not room for a continuous account of the
work in that place, we here give a glimpse of its progress in different
years.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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