MEMORIALS 01' THB HON. ION KEITH-FALCON ER I' MEMORIALS OF THE HON. ION KEITH-FALCONER LATE LORD ALMONER'S PROFESSOR OF ARABIC IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAlllBRIDOE, AND llllBSIONARY TO THE lllOH~llll4EDANB OF SOUTHBRN All.A.BIA BY ROBERT SINKER, D.D. LIBRA.RIAN OF TRINITY COLLEGE1 CAMBRIDGE WITH PORTRAIT, MAP, AND ILLUSTRATIONS ., ATIVII ~v µ.o, Kfp871, TIIV'TII fl'Y"lµ.111 8,a. TOV Xp,cr-rov (17µ.l11v,-PHIL. iii. 7. NEW EDITION, WITH THE SUBSEQUENT HISTORY OF THE MISSION CAMBRIDGE DEIGHTON, BELL AND CO. LONDON: GEORGE BELL AND SONS 1903 Firat Edition, eztra O,Otl/n 8vo, April 1888; Seeond Edition, June 1888; reprinted October, November, December, 1888; ru,t for Orown 8vo, aizth printing, Ma11 189(); awenth printing (from plat11, with addi­ tions) eztra Orown 8110, November 1903. PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION A CAREER of exceptional promise was' early closed in the death of Ion Keith-Falconer. The beauty of his character, his ardent missionary zeal, his great learning, form a combination rarely equalled; and the feeling was very generally expressed last summer, especially in Scotland, that an attempt should be made to portray the many­ sidedness and goodness of tball life. It was represented to his family that it was a duty "to make the story of such a life the possession and the stimulus of the Church and the country." When I was honoured with the request to write the Memoir of my late dear friend, I could but feel it was too sacred a trust to be refused. How noble a life his was, how unselfish, how worthy to be loved, those who knew him know well ; how hard it is adequately to set forth, on the one hand, its harmonious beauty, on the other, the rich variety of its aspects, I am very fully conscious. Still, even the simple record of his life is its truest encomium. Its essence may be summed up in St. Paul's words, "I count all things but loss for Christ." The numerous letters with which I was entrusted by the members of his family and others, to whom my grateful thanks are due, give a fulness to the narrative which it must otherwise have lacked. Many will learn, perhaps to Vlll PREFACE their surprise, how many were the interests of one whom they knew or heard of in one aspect only. My especial thanks must be given to my friend of many years, the Rev. H. C. G. Moule, M.A., Principal of Ridley Hall, Cambridge, who has aided me with his counsel and help at every stage of my work, and to whom I owe many valuable suggestions, while the book has been passing through the press ; and to Dr. George Smith, C.I.E., Secretary for Foreign Missions in the Free Church of Scotland, who has kindly allowed me to appeal to him constantly for information as to the details of the South Arabian Mission. In conclusion, I humbly commit this book to God's blessing. May He, Who has called His servant home to Himself, grant that some hearts may be quickened into a fuller love towards Him, ·a deeper zeal, by the record of a life devoted to His service. R. s. TRIJrITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, February 2, 1888. NOTE TO THE SI~.TH EDITION. IN the second and subsequent editions a very few details have been added to the account of the Shaikh Othman Mission. No change calling for any remark has been otherwise made. I cannot send forth this new edition without expressing my thankfulness for the welcome accorded to the earlier editions of this book. That welcome both marks a wide- PREFACE IX epread appreciation of the noble character I have sought to portray, and is a symptom of the remarkable growth of interest in the cause of Foreign Missions which the last few years have witnessed in our country. R. s. March 6, 1890. PREFACE TO NEW EDITION. THE last edition of the Memoir having been for some little time out of print, it seemed to me desirable that the fair story of Ion Keith-Falconer's life should once again be put forth as an incentive to a fresh generation of young men whom his character and career cannot but influence. A life so singularly noble and loveable as bis was is one deserving to be kept in remembrance ; and the story of the work which he began may surely be an object lesson in which many a young man may find the message, Serve God and your generation with the best offering you can offer. The text of the Memoir itself, being printed from stereo­ type plates, is the same as in the earlier editions ; but I have added a somewhat full account of the work at Shaikh Othman since the death of its founder. We cannot doubt that the unremitting devotion shewn by the workers at this far-off outpost in the highest of causes will in due course produce wide-reaching results, nay, that they are now achieving much which does not shew on the surface. The hearts of all Christian men acquainted with the history of the Mission cannot but go out in warm brotherly wishes X PREFACE for all blessings of happiness and usefulness to Dr. Young and Dr. Morris. Once again my warmest thanks are due to that most kind and patient of friends, Dr. George Smith, C.I.E., Secretary for Foreign Missions in the United Free Church of Scotland. As when I was writing the Memoir, so now, he has given me the fullest help by the information I have constantly sought as to the details of· the Mission. I fear I have troubled him with a multiplicity of questions, but he has ever been most helpful and kindly. If this republication of the story of the life of a devoted servant of God shall prove useful and helpful to some, if his example may be an incentive to like service, I shall be humbly and heartily thankful. R. s. TRINITY 00LLBGE1 CAMBRIDGE, October 28, 1903. CONTENTS CHAPTER I. PAGB lll'TBODUOTION • 1 CHAPTER II. Hmm, CHILDHOOD, SCHOOL 7 CHAPTER III. STUDBNT LIPE J.T C.UlBBIDGB . 31 CHAPTER IV. Ev.1t.NGBLIBTIO WoBK: BABNWBLL AND MILE E1m . 62 CHAPTER V. LEIPZIG 88 CHAPTER VI. AssxouT : Hoirn . • 105 CHAPTER VII. CA!ilBBIDGB: MABB-IA.GB : KALILAH . 120 CHAPTER VIII. ADEN. 139 CHAPTER IX. PBOl'BSSOBSBil' OP ABABIC . 167 XU CONTENTS CHAPTER X. SHAIKH OTHJUN • 194 CHAPTER XI. CoNCLUBION • 221 L'ENYOI . • 243 ILLUSTRATIONS. PORTRAIT OP PROPEBBOR KEITH-FALCONER Frontispiece MAP OP THE COUNTRY NEAR ADEN • To face page 132 Hoirn OF KEITH-FALCONER AT SHAIKH OTHMAN " 201 " GROUP OF DR. Y OUNG'B f ATIENTS AT SHAIKH 247 OTHMAN " loN KEITH-FALCONER MEMORIAL CHURCH AT 250 ADEN . " MEMORIALS OF THE HON. ION KEITH-FALCONER CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION, "The rest of Scotland's war-array With Edward Bruce to westward lay, Where Bannock, with his broken bank And deep ravine, protects their flank. Behin.d them, screened by sheltering wood, The gallant Keith, Lord Marshal, stood : His men at arms bear mace and lance, And plumes that wave, and helms that glance." ScoTT, Lord of tlie Isles. IN the reign of Malcolm II., King of Scotland, a battle was fought at Barry in Forfarshire, in the year of our Lord 1010, with an army of Danish invaders, who were signally defeated. Their leader was slain by a young Scotch nobleman, Robert Keith, as the name would now be spelt, who for his valour was created by the king Hereditary Great Marischal of Scotland, and was rewarded with lands, some of which, in East Lothian, still bear the name of Keith. The king is said to hav«:1 dipped his fingers in the blood of the Danish chief and to have drawn three vertical bars on the shield of his follower; n 2 Introduction. and these enter into the family arms to this day. The king at the same time pronounced the words Veritas vincit,-" Truth overcometh," afterwards the motto of the Marischals.' From this warrior sprang a family memorable in the annals of Scotland. His descendant, Sir Robert Keith, was one of the supporters of Wallace, and after­ wards joined the standard of King Robert Bruce. He aided largely in gaining the battle of Inverurie, A..D. 1308 ; which led to his receiving a grant of lands in Aberdeenshire, and henceforward it was with this part of Scotland that the family was specially associated. Sir Robert commanded the Scotch cavalry at the battle of Bannockburn, A..D. 1314, and his ettack on the English archers in flank had an important effect on the fortunes of the day. About the year 1880, Sir William Keith built Dun­ nottar Castle near Stonehaven in Kincardineshire. In the course of building this, long the chief seat of the family, he was excommunicated for encroaching, as was alleged, on consecrated ground. The grandson of this Sir William was in 1458 created Earl Marischal by James II. At Flodden, A..D. 1513, the two eldest sons of the house fell in their father's lifetime: and William, the fourth earl, a staunch supporter of the Reformation in Scotland, fought at the battle of Pinkie, A..D. 1547. More generally known, however, than any of these is George, the fifth earl. In his youth, he was sent abroad with his brother for his education, and studied for some time at Beza's house at Geneva. He was highly esteemed by Jamefl VI., who sent him in 1589 as ambassador to Denmark, to conduct the Princess Anne, his betrothed queen, to Scotland: and subsequently, when James VI.