Samuel M. Zwemer

“ The Shaab takes up the controversy and tries to prove that the veil is a divine institution. After quoting one or two Koranic texts in support of its arguments, it states that in early Islam women were obliged to cover their faces, with the exception of one eye, as was done by Obeidah. Others considered woman's hair an ornament, and ordered it to be hidden. As to mixing with the other sex, nothing could be more contrary to the mind of the Prophet, who even made it illegal for woman to attend mosques where men congregate, much less secular social gatherings. ”

“ While the leading progressive Moslem University proposes to send its students to England for training, the oldest Moslem University, Al Azhar, is also stirred by the wave of progress. According to the Egyptian Gazette, the Sheikh of the Azhar Mosque has ordered that all students who have been for over seventeen years receiving instruction there, must be examined at the forthcoming examination, and those who do not pass it successfully will be discharged from the University. ”

“ Moslem Children and Mission Schools.
The Mohammedan press in Cairo and in Constantinople from time to time contains warnings to parents, advising them not to send their children to mission schools because of the danger that they will either lose all their religion or become Christians. The paper called Es SJia'ab recently contained these sentiments: " We know that the various missions of the religious fraternities are not concerned with education in the sense of progress, but are centers of propagandism, their only purpose being to turn their pupils from Islam to Christianity. ”

“ In imitation of the organization in Old Cairo for training con- troversialists and Moslem propagandists of the faith, an association under the title of " Nazarat-ul-Ma'arif-ul-Qorania," has been started at Delhi for the training of Mohammedan missionaries intimately acquainted with their own religion and equipped with a knowledge of Enghsh and other modern languages. The organization proposes to award scholarships of Rs. 50 per mensem to graduates, who would undertake religious duty and receive their traim'ng at the institution. ”

“ We can afford to be patient with this since we are sure there is an increas- ingly larger number who are inclined to ask for " fair play " in the matter of controversy, and a still larger number who are willing to look at the good in Christianity and try to find a way of linking it with the best in Islam. ”

“ Educated Moslem Women.
There is a real call for spiritually minded women with university education to give themselves to Uterarj^ work in Moslem lands. Mr. Arthur T. Upson calls attention to what Moslem women can do, in reviewing a book which appeared sometime ago in Cairo. He says: —
" The Eastern woman being so much kept in the background, it is not generally known whether she is really capable or not. It is, of course, quite misleading and unfair to say that, because the ' fellah ' woman is stupid and ignorant, therefore the Moslem woman, as a whole, is incapable. ”

“ The woman pleaded that the man was blind, whereupon the Prophet remarked, "He is blind, but you are not."
The Shaab concludes by saying that the above is the spirit of Islam which is contrary to the spirit of the age, that now tends to immorality and corruption. — The Egyptian Mail
Mass Movement in Central Celebes.
According to the Malaysia Message, a remarkable movement toward Christianity is taking place at Balantak in the eastern part of central Celebes. In the struggle for the animistic tribes between Islam and Christianity, the latter is beginning to win. ”

“ Whilst this is being done, it is expected that on the other hand the people will be impressed as to the necessity of submitting to the laws and regulations of the United States Government, and stress is to be laid on the fact that the United States Government is entirely non-sectarian, having no State religion and being absolutely tolerant of all beliefs. ”

“ The Almighty has forbidden woman to look at man's face as he has forbidden man to look at her face, for the Koran says "it is the eyes that lust." The Writer then quotes the following incident: "The Prophet one day had a lady visitor, when a blind man entered. ”

“ The occupation of the whole field; The Egyptian Evangehcal Church; Christian Leadership in Egypt; The training of IVIissionaries; Education; Christian Literature; and the Neglected Bedouin population. May we not hope that this Conference, like those held in the Far East, will be strategic in its conceptions and plans, and will result in the launching of an evangelistic campaign which will reach out to every village of Egypt.
The Lucknow Conference Literature Committee.
The second annual meeting of this Committee took place in Cairo last November. ”

“ Much interest was manifested in the plan for producing a new literature for boys and girls. Miss Trotter laid before the Committee a number of illustrated story parables done in a delightfully interesting and artistic form, some of which have already been published in Turkish. ”

“ In reality, they teach no positive result, for they merely destroy the religious convictions of their Moslem pupils without succeeding in making Christians of them. If those who stand at the head of these schools could avoid this narrow spirit, if they reahzed the necessity of respecting the language and religion of the country which shows them hospitality, they could attract a much larger number of children and render a real service as well to the countries which they represent as to the land where they hve. ”