Covenanter Witness Vol. 53 - Rparchives.org

The Month of May in LatakiaBy Rev. Herbert A. HayesThe above title recalls childhood memories whenthe writer was a student in the little red brick country school house near Sharon. We always looked forward to May Day when we would have a holiday andvisit the forests and collect some wild flowers for ourgardens. If Spring was late, we might have to postpone our trip for a week or so.However, in Latakia, we don't have to wait onany special holiday to have vacation. We can havethat whenever the students decide they want it. Andduring the month of May this year we had Ramadan,the first month of the Muslim year when all goodMuslims fast until sundown, neither eating nordrinkingor smoking. At sundown and until thecannon booms in the early morning, they can eat asmuch as they can hold. At the end of the month of28 days, they have a feast for three days. And ittakes them a day to get ready for this feast, so wehad four days of vacation last week beginning thefirst of June.Spring was not late, but we had it rather coolduring the week that we were to have our SabbathSchool picnic, so we postponed it for two weeks. Wethought at the time that this would prohibit the attendance of our Pastor, Mr. Awad, since he was tosail the 28th of May. But his boat was delayed also.until the 7th of June and so he was with us. A largegroup of the congregation gathered in the shade ofthe pine grove about a mile north of Latakia for theday's outing. It is not our custom to gather togetherfor dinner as we usually do in America, but eachfamily takes their own and they eat in separategroups. The grove is about ten minutes walk fromthe seashore and the children spend their time playing in the sand and wading or swimming in the sea.Several ball games were enjoyed by the young people. All in all, it was a good day.Late in the winter we began planning for a weekof meetings with Mr. Roy F. Whitman of Amman,Jordan, as our guest evangelist. This week was totake the place of our usual summer conference, andthe evangelists were invited to attend. Mr. Whitmanspoke in the Church every evening from Sabbath,May 8, until the next Sabbath, May 15, except Saturday. On Sabbath morning, we took him to Inkzikfor the service there. Besides the evening meetings,he gave a period a day to the evangelists on the needfor personal work and methods of doing it. usingillustrations from the Bible. Rev. Bessam Medanygave us a period a day in Bible study from the bookof Romans. This was well done, very helpful and wellreceived. Mr. Whitman also spoke to the boys andgirls from the fourth grade and up at a special chapel service each morning. While he was speaking tothe older children, Mrs. Whitman spoke to the smaller children, both boys and girls in the Girls School.I have known Mr. and Mrs. Whitman since ourschool days in Jerusalem twenty years ago. Mrs.Whitman finished her course with Mrs. Hays andmyself and we took the final exam together. Mr.Whitman was originally with the Pentecostal groupcalled the "Assemblies of God." He is a keen studentboth of the Bible and of the Arabic language. He hasa marvelous vocabulary and preaches without notes.chil-He is very well liked by our people here and the56dren were asking in the winter when he would comeagain. All the evening meetings were well attendedby our own people and by many from other sects.Although he is a Pentecostal, he was never in sympathy with their doctrine of speaking with tonguesas they believe it. He is a keen pre-millennialist, butnever mentions that phase of the coming of Christwhen he is here. Each evening, he gave opportunityto anyone who wished to stay after the meeting andpray, either for salvation or for the assurance of salvation. Following the Sidon conference, which youhave already heard about from Mrs. Sanderson, thetime was quite opportune and many of the youngpeople were greatly blessed.We have appointed a time for meeting with theevangelists this month to see what thev have beenable to put into practice of what he told them.Mrs. Hays and I were greatly rejoiced to havethe privilege of entertaining our principal of theNewmans School of Missions in Jerusalem where westudied Arabic for two years. The Rev. E. F. F.of theBishop of the Church Missionary SocietyAnglican Church, was principal of the school forabout twenty years. He had to leave Jerusalem whenhis part of the city was taken over bv the Jews. Hereceived a piece of shrapnel or a glancing bullet in hisleft knee and has a stiff leg as the result. He is nowteaching Arabic in Glasgow University and was invited to attend a conference of Christian and Muslimleaders in Brumana, Lebanon. He gave us a report ofthe conference at our mid-week praver meeting. Hespent several days with us, seeing the largest, bestpreserved Crusader castle of the country, called inFrench "Kark des Cheveliers." Also, we showed himRas Shamra, an old city to the North of Latakiaabout seven miles, in which he was auite interested.We were only sorry that his wife and daughter Marywere not with him. We will always be indebted tothem for the many things they did to help makeour life in Palestine pleasant.We had expected that Miss McElroy, Rev. Awad,and Ameera Nassar would all sail during the pastmonth, the month of May. When the Agency inBeirut gave us the promise of passage, thev did notconsult the company in Alexandria, Egypt. When wesent the money confirming the passage, and theycontacted Alexandria, it was found that the ship wasfully booked. Miss McElroy went to Beirut immediately and booked with a Greek company for herselfand Ameera. We were notified that there was asingle cabin on the first ship, so we took that forRev. Awad. Miss McElroy and Ameera sailed fromBeirut on the 18th of May, and should be arrivingtodav or tomorrow. Rev. Awad to Beirut on Saturday June 5, and is supposedly sailing from there today, June 7. He will be in New York on the 26th.Steamship companies say that they have never seensuch a year for travelers. The ships are practicallyfully booked before leaving New York.We are much in prayer for Grinnell. We arepraying that this will be a year of revival in thechurch, that the Holy Spirit will come upon you ingreat power and that the signing of the Covenantwill not be just another formality but will be a timeof reviving in the church. The missions are dependent on the church at home. If you fail, we fail. MayGod fill us all with His Love and Grace and Wisdomand Power, for Jesus' sake, Amen.THE COVENANTER WITNESS