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
The Seminary was again blessed in 1857, and the year following Miss
Fiske returned from Seir after the funeral of Harriet Stoddard to
welcome several who had entered the fold of the good Shepherd during
her absence.
The labors of Miss Rice, who had charge of the school (while she was
away,) have also been blessed in each of the four succeeding years.
During that time, eighteen of the pupils have been received to the
communion. The revival in the winter of 1861-62 was, however, more
interesting and extensive.
At one meeting in the Male Seminary, the young men burst into tears
while singing the hymn, "Alas, and did my Saviour bleed?" and soon
after, in the Saturday evening meeting, Miss Rice's whole school were
bowed in earnest prayer, and did not move for some time when requested
by her to retire for private devotion. On this occasion, Mr. Cobb
writes, "It was my privilege to speak a word to them, and I can truly
say that I never saw such a scene before, as, with heads bowed down on
their desks, unable wholly to repress their sobs, they listened, and
again engaged in prayer." Even then, it was only after repeated
requests that they went to their own rooms, where many continued their
supplications far into the night.
The interesting scenes of these awakenings are thus gratefully recalled
by Sanum, a convert of the first revival, in a letter dated Salmas,
June 6th, 1859:--
Beloved Teacher, Miss Fiske: I received your priceless letter with many
tears of joy, and when I read your loving, motherly counsels, my heart
was full; it was drawn to you with inexpressible love; and when you
reminded me of those blessed revivals, my eyes were darkened with
floods of tears, so that, for a time, I could not read. How can I ever
forget the first night that you met me, after the Lord had touched my
heart, in that blessed room? or how many times you took me by the hand,
and led me to the throne of grace? Often I was in the dark, and the
Lord, through you, was pleased to give me rest. Can I ever forget, when
the hand of the Lord rested on me in the death of my dear children,[1]
how many times you came as an angel of peace to wipe away my tears?
Shall I ever forget the Lord's coming among us by the still rain of the
Holy Spirit? or those meetings of the sisters for prayer? or those
tearful pleadings in the closets? Can I ever forget the fervent
supplications and preaching of blessed Mr. Stocking, and how he begged
us to flee from the wrath to come? If I forget these, let my right hand
forget her cunning, and my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth.
[Footnote 1: Page 185]
It is a year, my beloved, since I have been able to go to Oroomiah. I
have sorrowed greatly to be cut off so long from the supper of our
Lord, and them that meet around his table. Perhaps it is because I am
not worthy of the blessing. The Lord mercifully grant that I be not cut
off from the heavenly supper of the Lamb.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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