A History of Protestant missions in the near East

350 History of Protestant Missions in the Near East
after which it was again moved to Cairo. It was intended
for the training of a native ministry. Since in Presbyterian
churches the members choose their own ministers, the position
of theological seminaries is at times difficult. The missionaries
cannot guarantee pastorates to the students, and only a
limited number can be employed by the mission. All that
the missionaries can do is to use their influence with the
congregations in favour of their choosing their ministers from
the candidates trained in the seminary. The natural result
of this uncertainty is, however, that many, who might otherwise
do so, hesitate to take the course.
During the last thirty years interest in women's work has
grown immensely in the United States. Accordingly, in
Egypt a good many lady missionaries are at work. In 1895
there were nine of them. As they were seldom permitted to
enter a Moslem house, their work lay chiefly among k the
Kopts, where they were sorely needed. Family life among
the Kopts was hardly better than among the Muhammadans.
The women were despised and ill-treated. It is to be
regretted that the Koptic women, stolid, superstitious, fanatical,
as a rule held themselves aloof from the ladies, so that
work among them required much patience.
A disturbing element in the otherwise steady and peaceful
development of the mission were the troubles caused by the
Rev. Mr. Pinkerton, who, in 1869, left the mission and began
to spread the views of the Plymouth Brethren, hostile as
they are to church organization. After a temporary sojourn
in America, he returned to Egypt, and, to the time of his
death, pushed his peculiar views, causing at times such confusion
among the Protestants that the missionaries were
obliged to oppose their former colleague very sharply. After
his death the majority of those who had come under his
influence returned to the congregations in connection with the
mission. It is
only in Assiut and Nakheileh that there. are
separatistic congregations, ministered to by a Canadian missionary.
They have assumed the name of " The Holiness
Mission." The earnestness and sincerity of these simple