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The Apostle to Islam: the Legacy of Samuel Zwemer

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The Apostle to Islam: the Legacy of Samuel Zwemer The Apostle to Islam: The Legacy of Samuel Zwemer The challenge Samuel Zwemer sounded in his time must be heard again today. For today the number of lost Muslims is much greater than it was when Zwemer dedicated his life for their salvation. However, then as now the laborers are still pitiable few. by J. Christy Wilson, Jr. n the judgment of historian Kenneth try was reinforced by this pledge to go tle. One time this caused a good deal of IScott Latourette, “No one through overseas as a missionary. On Septem- consternation. A patient returned all the centuries of Christian missions to ber 19, 1887, he entered the theological much perturbed, since he had read on the the Muslims has deserved better than seminary of the Reformed Church in bottle the Bible verse, “Prepare to Dr. Zwemer the designation of Apostle to New Brunswick, New Jersey. He also meet thy God”! 1 Islam.” served with the Throop Avenue Mis- Zwemer preached his first ser- Samuel Marinus Zwemer was born in sion of that city in evangelism and visita- mon on March 11, 1888, to a congrega- Vriesland, Michigan in 1867, the thir- tion of the poor, since he was vitally tion of black people in a small New teenth child in a Reformed Church minis- interested in social work, he did all that he Brunswick, New Jersey church. In this ter’s family. Many years later when could to help people in the slums out and his home visitation, Zwemer was he shared with his mother that he believed of their poverty and degradation. He getting early training in ethnic relations. God was calling him to the foreign urged those whom he visited to find a Throughout his life he was free from field, she told him that she had dedicated new outlook on life as committed Chris- racial bias or prejudice. him to the Lord’s service and placed tians, but regardless of their response, During the first year of his study him in the cradle with the prayer that he he helped them with such personal prob- at New Brunswick Seminary (1887-88), might grow up to be a missionary.2 lems from finding work to getting Zwemer had a talk with James Can- There was Bible reading at every meal needed medical attention. During the first tine, who as a middler was a year ahead of and the family went through the year of his theological course, him. Samuel said, “You know, we whole of the Scripture in this way Zwemer set aside the hour from twelve must get something definite under way. I together each year. With such a heri- noon to one o’clock as a special time propose that you and I offer ourselves tage, it is little wonder that Samuel felt he for prayer and devotions. He later devel- to go to some needy field and possibly had accepted Christ as his Lord and oped the habit in his quiet time of start a new work.” Cantine replied Savior as far back in his boyhood as he reading the Scriptures in a different lan- that he had been thinking along the same could remember. guage every day of the week to keep lines, so they shook hands and joined During Samuel Zwemer’s senior year up his knowledge of these languages. in prayer that they might be used in this at Hope College, Robert Wilder, a Zwemer also began to acquire a way. pioneer of the Student Volunteer Move- knowledge of medicine, which he hoped Professor John G. Lansing, who ment, visited the campus. While he would be a help in his missionary taught Hebrew at the seminary and was presenting the needs of missions, he career. He carefully read Gray’s Anat- who had spent a number of years in had a map of India on display with a omy, a manual of therapeutics, and Egypt, became their adviser and close metronome in front of it. It was set so that other medical texts. At a later period in friend in preparing for their missionary each time it ticked back and forth one his course of studies, he went on activity. As their plans took shape, person in the Indian subcontinent died weekends to New York and worked in a Zwemer and Cantine envisaged the possi- who had never heard the gospel of clinic with a young doctor who later ble opening of a new mission, and Jesus Christ. This so affected Samuel was knighted, Sir William Wanless, one they selected Arabia, the homeland of Zwemer that at the end of the mes- of the best-known missionary physi- Islam, as the most difficult field they sage he rushed forward and signed the cians and surgeons in India. Dr. Wanless could find. The Muslim religion was the decision card, which stated: “God gave him lessons in medicine, and only one that had met and conquered helping me, I purpose to be a foreign mis- Zwemer acted as assistant and pharmacist. Christianity on a large scale and thus was sionary.” His custom of the Bleecker Street the great rival of the Christian faith. Call and Preparation Mission Clinic in New York City was They adopted as the motto of their organi- The call of Zwemer to the minis- always to paste a Scripture verse zation the prayer of Abraham along with the label on each medicine bot- recorded in Genesis 17:18, “Oh that Ish- INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FRONTIER MISSIONS, VOL 13:4 OCT.-DEC. 1996 164 The Apostle to Islam mael might live before Thee.” him to Europe to speed him on his way. Although Zwemer had been fearful that Cantine and Zwemer approached They went first to the Netherlands, direct preaching might lead to vio- different societies about being sent to Ara- and from there Samuel visited Scotland to lence, the patrons of the coffee shop lis- bia as missionaries, but none would make contact with the Scottish Pres- tened intently as Bishop French sponsor them, stating that it was foolish byterian Mission, the only society that expounded the Scriptures in high classic for them to want to go to such a fanat- then had work in Arabia. He also Arabic. ical people. Samuel’s subsequent com- wanted to meet the titled family of the The travelers reached Aden fifteen ment was, “If God calls you and no brilliant young Scotsman, Ian Keith days after leaving Suez. There they board will send you, bore a hole through Falconer, who had given his life as a mar- met Cantine, who had rented rooms for the board and go anyway.” He then tyr in the city of Aden of the Yemen them. With him was Kamil Abdul in 1887. While passing through London, visited churches to help raise Cantine’s Messiah, a convert from Islam who had Zwemer purchased the two-volume support while the latter went to other come from Syria to work with them work Travels in Arabia Deserts by congregations helping to get funds for and join in the search for a permanent Charles M. Doughty. These texts Zwemer’s support. Thus the Arabian location. In Aden they suffered became his constant companions until he Mission was born. attacks of malarial fever and their sold them years later to T.E. Law- Zwemer had grown to a height of finances were at an all-time low. rence—better known as “Lawrence of six feet. His 160 pounds were spread Long overdue salaries providentially Arabia.” evenly over his frame, so he appeared arrived in the nick of time, and they In Beirut, Zwemer and Cantine stud- somewhat thin in his loose-fitting but were able to go on with their plans. ied with national teachers and were carefully tended suits, usually of dark Bishop French decided to locate in privileged to sit at the feet of the prince of gray. His face caught attention, and his Muscat, while Cantine went up the Per- Arabic scholars, Dr. Cornelius Van eyes seemed always sparkling with sian Gulf to the east and north, and Dyck. He was the translator of the Bible fun. The prominent Dutch features would Zwemer took Kamil Abdul Messiah with into Arabic and cautioned the young break into a friendly smile at the him to visit the southern coast as far students, “The learning of Arabic is a slightest provocation. He thought deeply as Mukalla, the seaport for the interior seven-day-a-week job.” on theological questions and became provinces of Arabia. Before the close of 1890, Zwemer an evangelical, with a belief founded upon During June and July of 1891, the Bible as God’s written Word and and Cantine left Beirut for Cairo. Zwemer decided to try to visit the city the revelation of a divine Christ who gave There they met their old seminary friend of San’a, which had long been closed to His life in atonement on the cross and and instructor, Dr. Lansing. As the foreigners. He went by ship from rose again. He came to know the Scrip- three men pored over maps together (Ara- Aden to Hodeida and then six days on tures thoroughly. He often quoted bia is about the size of the United mule back. In the city of San’a, he them with unusual apt application and States east of the Mississippi River), Can- was given a good deal of freedom to wit- presented truth with a dash of his tine finally suggested, “Sam, you sur- ness. On the boat returning to Aden, marvelous sense of humor.
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