The Apostle to : 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 . 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- 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 , 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 on display with a omy, a manual of therapeutics, and , 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. 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 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 , 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 , 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 , 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 . 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. vey the Red Sea side of this great penin- sula and possibly the southeast coast, there were several British officers who graduated from and I will plan to examine the locations to were going to India. When Zwemer seminary in 1889, a year before Zwemer, the East and on the Persian Gulf.” described his journey to San’a, they at and went on to Beirut to study Ara- first did not believe that he had been bic. Before he left, the students presented After some months in Cairo, Cantine there. When they were finally convinced, him with a pair of binoculars, which took a direct steamer for Aden, while two of these officers nominated him Samuel said were appropriate, as he was Zwemer later boarded a coastal vessel to become a Fellow of the Royal Geo- going “to spy out the land.” Zwemer down the Red Sea, making stops at graphic Society. He was elected for completed his seminary work and gradu- several ports. Zwemer was privileged to life and thus after his name he could write ated with honors, receiving his B.D. have as a fellow passenger Anglican “F.R.G.S.”. degree and going on to be ordained in the Bishop T. Valpy French, of the Church In the meantime, Cantine made the Reformed Church of America on May Missionary Society, who had spent trip to the east of the Arabian penin- 29, 1890. many years working with Muslims in what is now Pakistan. Their first stop sula and up the Persian Gulf in search of a Scouting out the Land was in Jidda, the port of Mecca. At once location. On his arrival at Muscat, he Zwemer left America as a missionary Bishop French went to a coffee shop, learned that Bishop French had died there for Arabia in June 1890. His father and opening a large Arabic Bible, began and was buried in a sandy cove and his older brother Frederick sailed with to read to the men seated there. nearby. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FRONTIER MISSIONS J. Christy Wilson, Jr. 165

Cantine went on from Muscat to the Arab custom. recruitment. Due to the fact, that even island of and then across to The Arabian Mission after much prayer, he could not Bushire on the Iranian side of the Persian The Arabian Mission had now decide between the two calls, he accepted Gulf. From there he traveled to Basra. acquired its first woman member. both! He had not been there long before he was Samuel Zwemer took his wife to the Mission Conventions convinced that this would be an ideal island of Bahrain. She, as a trained place to begin their operations. He wrote A great part of Zwemer’s time nurse, began at once to help Samuel in his for Zwemer to come right away. for the next five years was spent speaking rudimentary medicine. The work was at conventions. He was largely Both men were made agents for the demanding, and among the hardships to responsible for the first General Confer- British and Foreign Bible Society and be endured were days and nights of ence of Missionaries to the World of were able to open a shop for the sale of fearful heat. When Zwemer wrote his first Islam, held in Cairo in April 1906. This Scriptures in the bazaar. It was not book in Bahrain, he wrapped a towel was sponsored by mission boards long, however, before opposition devel- around his hand to keep the perspiration with work in Muslim countries. His effec- oped. Zwemer wrote: “The mission from blotting the paper. The book, tiveness was never more evident than passed through a period of determined Arabia: The Cradle of Islam, went at the quadrennial conferences of the Stu- opposition and open hostility from the through four editions from 1900 to dent Volunteer Movement. Robert E. Turkish authorities. The Bible shop was 1912. The second book he wrote in Bah- Speer wrote, “Dr. Zwemer hung a great sealed up and a guard placed at the rain was Raymond Lull, First Mis- map of Islam before us and, with a door of the house occupied by the mis- sionary to Moslems. This short biography sweep of his hand across all those dark- sion. Fortunately, the opposition was of the great missionary was translated ened areas, said: ‘Thou Oh Christ art short lived.” The new mission, however, and published in Arabic, Spanish, Ger- all I want and Thou Oh Christ art all they was to suffer something worse than man, Chinese, and Dutch. Other addi- government opposition. Kamil Abdul want. What Christ can do for any tions to the Arabian Mission were two 3 Messiah died after a short illness. He man, He can do for every man.’” Speer doctors supported by the University had been working with Muslims and most and Zwemer probably influenced of Michigan. likely was poisoned. more young men and women to go into In spite of better medical care, In 1892, Zwemer visited the island of missionary service than any two indi- Peter Zwemer, Samuel’s brother, died of Bahrain, halfway down the coast, and viduals in all of Christian history. illness late in 1898. Six years later, in was able to open a work there. Later in Zwemer was eager to get back to July 1904, two daughters of Samuel and the same year, Peter Zwemer, a the field in Arabia, but John R. Mott Amy Zwemer succumbed to dysen- younger brother of Samuel, joined the urged him to stay over for the 1910 tery in Bahrain. The sorrowing parents mission and opened a substation at Student Volunteer Convention in Roches- inscribed on the tomb that marks their Muscat. In 1894 the Arabian Mission was ter, New York. It was at this meeting graves on the island of Bahrain, adopted by the Reformed Church and that Zwemer, in a telling address, used the became one of their regular fields. WORTHY IS THE LAMB words that have often been quoted TO RECEIVE RICHES. Word came from the Church since: “His kingdom is without frontiers.” Missionary Society (CMS) asking Cantine They also had a son, whom they In 1910 the great World Missionary and Zwemer to meet two new women named Raymond after the great Spanish Conference also was held in Edinburgh, recruits coming from Australia and to missionary to North Africa, Raymond Scotland. Zwemer was on the Orga- assist them on their way. One of these Lull. Another daughter, Elizabeth, mar- nizing Committee on Occupation of the was Amy Wilkes, a charming young ried Dr. Claude Pickens, who served Field and took a leading part in the nurse with whom Samuel Zwemer as missionaries to Muslims in China. conference, which drew representatives fell in love. They were married at the Brit- After Samuel Zwemer and his from most of the world. During the ish Consulate in Baghdad on May 18, wife returned to the United States for a conference, a committee met to lay plans 1896. The Church Missionary Society, furlough in 1905, he received two for a quarterly publication called The however, did not surrender its prize calls to ministry at about the same time. Moslem World. The magazine was born easily. They required that Amy pay the The Reformed Board of Foreign Mis- with the January 1911 issue, with cost of her journey to the field. It was sions asked him to become their field sec- Zwemer as editor. His habit of darting necessary for Zwemer to meet this obliga- retary. The Student Volunteer Move- from the Persian Gulf to Egypt or tion, so it was said that he had pur- ment also called him to work for three some other part of the world made the dif- chased his wife in accordance with true years as traveling representative for ficulties of editing and publishing for-

VOL 13:4 OCT.-DEC. 1996 166 The Apostle to Islam midable. However, he managed to put out tions in . It was there in 1915 that kesh followed by a visit to Tangier. this scholarly publication every quar- he had spoken with power on Peter’s The Dutch Reformed Church in ter for thirty-seven years without interrup- words in Luke 5:5: “Master, we have South Africa issued an invitation in 1925 tion. toiled all the night, and have taken to Zwemer to take part in a crusade Just as he had been the leader in orga- nothing: nevertheless at Thy word, I will with special reference to awakening the nizing the Cairo Conference in 1906 let down the net.” He related this to churches to their duty toward Mus- on work for Muslims, Zwemer became work in Muslim lands. Yet, he said by lims. By being able to preach in English the moving spirit behind a second faith as we obey our Lord’s commis- and Dutch to general congregations Christian consultation on work for Islam, sion, the time will come when Muslims and in Arabic to Muslims, he was provi- which was held in Lucknow, India, in will be brought to Christ in such num- dentially prepared for such leader- the latter part of January 1911. He had by bers that the boats (or churches) will not ship. Even at that time, the race question this time become known as a leading be able to hold them. The audience was a burning issue for the churches. authority on Christian work for Islam. It was so affected by the message that they Zwemer had to tread cautiously while at was therefore not surprising that a asked what they could do? Dr. the same time making clear his Chris- call came to him in 1912 to move to Zwemer said, “Pray.” From this was born tian position against discrimination and Cairo, the center of Islamic thought the Fellowship of Faith for Muslims,5 racism. After the crusade in Johannes- and in many ways the key city to Muslims which continues to this day as a prayer burg, Zwemer boarded the train to Pre- of Africa as well as of Egypt. Canon ministry in various countries. He toria to take part in the General Con- W.H.T. Gairdner of Cairo called Zwemer appeared time and time again at the ference of Students. For the first time in “a steam engine in breeches.” While Northfield mission conferences, the history of South Africa there were he was in America on a visit in 1914, which had been started by Dwight L. two black African leaders on the platform. Zwemer gave 151 addresses in 113 Moody in 1886. The subject of the meeting was days, ten of them at the Kansas City Stu- A missionary journey through North “Christianity a Universal Religion—No dent Volunteer Convention. “In this Africa was made by Zwemer in May Other Savior.” One student asked, century,” wrote Robert E. Speer, “not and June of 1922. Conferences were held “What can we do to work for the elimina- many men have lived who had the tal- in Algiers, Tunis, and Sousse. In tion of racial prejudice?” Zwemer ent and drive of Samuel Zwemer. During these consultations, Zwemer led the devo- replied, “You have already begun with his lifetime he exerted a tremendous tional services each day and also gave these black leaders and the declara- influence on the to addresses on “Islam as a Missionary Prob- tion that no race can be excluded if Christ Islam, as well as the worldwide lem.” He recalled the church fathers is the universal Savior of all.” One of advance of the Church and the Gospel.”4 who had been there—Tertullian, Cyprian, the chief results of Zwemer’s visit was to Throughout Zwemer’s ministry Augustine—when North Africa was awaken churches of Europe and in Egypt from 1912 on he was always a one of the greatest centers of the Christian America to the extent of the Muslim pres- zealous distributor of tracts. Once in church. At that time, it had large ence in southern Africa. Al-Azhar University in Cairo—the lead- churches, libraries, and a Christian popu- Zwemer’s travels also took him to the ing theological school of the Islamic lation numbering in the millions. Netherlands East Indies (now Indone- world—he was asked for some leaflets Then came the tidal wave of the Muslim sia). The invitation for the visit had come and gave them to the students. Later a conquest in the seventh century. The to Zwemer from the Dutch Reformed fanatical professor got hold of the tracts libraries were burned and the churches churches in the Netherlands. The purpose and the matter was reported to offi- were either made into mosques or of the trip was to acquaint missions cials and taken to the British government, destroyed. Populations were blotted out ministering in Java and Sumatra with lit- which at that time was in control of and North Africa became “The Land erature for work among Muslims and Egypt. Zwemer was ordered to leave the of the Vanished Church.” to seek a greater comity and cooperation country. He took a steamer to Cyprus In Constantine, Algeria, Zwemer in work for Islam among the sixteen and returned to Egypt two weeks later on was entertained by Dr. Percy Smith of the societies serving there. the same boat. The matter ended American Methodist Mission who John R. Mott was chairman of a there, but one of the Muslim theological brought together some eighty Muslim gathering for Christian workers for Mus- students of Al-Azhar later became an converts from several cities to meet lims held in Jerusalem in 1924. Dr. earnest Christian. with him. Next Zwemer went to Morocco. and Mrs. Zwemer were asked by John He gave main addresses on sev- Meetings were held in Casablanca Mott to take the results of the confer- eral occasions at the Keswick Conven- and a more extended conference at Marra- ence to a meeting of missionaries from

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FRONTIER MISSIONS J. Christy Wilson, Jr. 167

Arabia, Iraq and , to be held in Bagh- Arabic and Islam. York City and at the Training Institute of dad later in 1924. When they reached As he traveled far and wide to the Christian and Missionary Alliance the Mande bridge over the Tigris at Bagh- contact Muslims wherever they could be in Nyack, New York. After Christmas in dad, they were delighted to find found, Zwemer continued to write 1946, he was a keynote speaker at the James Cantine, the co-founder with and publish books on Islam and Christian first Inter-Varsity Student Foreign Mis- Zwemer of the Arabian Mission, missions. The Glory of the Cross was sions Fellowship Convention, which waiting for them. The conference took published in London in 1928. This was was held at the University of Toronto in place at the Baghdad YMCA. The the author’s favorite book among Canada. In subsequent years this con- Zwemers then went to the station they had over fifty volumes that he wrote. It was vention was held on the campus of the founded in Bahrain. The people vied also his best-selling publication. After University of Illinois in Urbana and with one another to show honors to those his many journeys, he also published became the successor of the great Student who had gained a foothold for Chris- Across the World of Islam in 1929. Volunteer conventions. tian work there with such difficulty. Could the Zwemers ever forget Bah- Professor of Missions Journey’s End rain with the graves of their two little Zwemer accepted an invitation In 1949, his eighty-third year, the girls? from Princeton Theological Seminary late mission of which Zwemer was a founder observed its sixtieth anniversary at The Zwemers traveled on to Teheran in the 1920s to be professor of the the annual meeting in Kuwait on the Ara- in Iran. There a conference on litera- Chair of History of Religion and Christian ture was held. For “Exhibit A” Zwemer Missions. His travels continued, how- bian coast. Zwemer and his wife, who had gathered all the Christian publica- ever. He taught summer courses at had been invited to attend, sailed to Bei- tions produced in Iran over more than a Winona Lake, Indiana, and continued rut, went on to Iraq by car, and by generation. It made a rather small to take a leading part in the great Student plain flew to Bahrain. After a visit to the pile, and much of it was unattractive and Volunteer conventions held every graves of the missionaries and the out of date. The members of the con- four years. children, Zwemer said, “If we should hold ference were duly impressed and resolved However, on January 25, 1937, our peace, these very stones would to remedy this omission. The Chris- there was the sudden passing of his cry out for the evangelization of Arabia!” tian Literature Committee was soon pro- beloved wife, Amy Wilkes Zwemer, Margaret became ill soon after ducing many new items.6 who had been his constant inspiration and their return from Arabia and died in a The Zwemers then went on to India. co-worker for more than forty years. New York hospital on February 21, The Sultan of Muscat was on the After she was gone there was a poignant 1950. Two years later, on February 16, same ship so they gave him some Chris- loneliness. In spite of this, however, 1952, Zwemer was asked to give an tian Arabic literature. When they he kept his sense of humor and when he evening address at a meeting of the Inter- arrived in Bombay, conferences had been retired at seventy-one from his profes- Varsity Christian Fellowship in New planned over the length and breadth sorship at Princeton Seminary, he claimed York. As usual, he was there early, and of India. Zwemer gave a series of lectures it was in order to go into “active ser- since another scheduled speaker had on the Christian approach to Islam vice.” not arrived, Zwemer delivered an address and Mrs. Zwemer conducted meetings for In 1939, Zwemer moved to New in the afternoon also. The next day, at women. York City. His old colleague of the early midnight, he suffered a heart attack, and Zwemer also made very important days in Arabia, James Cantine, intro- was taken to Presbyterian Hospital. visits to China. Since there were Mus- duced him to a woman named Margaret As was always the case, he made lims in every Chinese province and over Clarke. Their friendship grew into friends immediately with doctors, forty million followers of the Arabian romance and they were married on March nurses, and patients and brought to many prophet in the entire country, Zwemer had 12, 1940. Margaret had worked as a of them a message of comfort and long awaited an opportunity to visit secretary and began at once to help in hope from the Great Physician. After sev- that great land to encourage evangelism Zwemer’s literary work. They lived eral weeks of recuperation, Zwemer for Muslims and the distribution of in an apartment on Fifth Avenue, which was deemed well enough to go to the Christian literature among them. He vis- they were able to rent at half price Harkness Convalescent Home at Port ited a number of the large Chinese cit- since it was on the thirteenth floor. Chester, New York. Then on Wednesday, ies where there were Muslim populations. In addition to his preaching and April 2, 1952, quietly and rather sud- He was even invited to speak in writing, Zwemer taught courses in mis- denly the tired compassionate heart mosques because of his knowledge of sions at Biblical Seminary in New ceased to beat.

VOL 13:4 OCT.-DEC. 1996 168 The Apostle to Islam

A memorial service was held in the remembers their visit, since he was then Moslem Seeker after God (Life of First Presbyterian Church in New a boy of six years of age. This was Al-Ghazali). New York: Flem- York City. President John Mackay of the beginning of a great friendship ing H. Revell. Princeton Theological Seminary, at between Dr. Zwemer and the 1923 The Law of Apostasy in Islam. writer’s father, which not only resulted this service, called him the “Prince among London: Marshall Brothers. in his succeeding Zwemer on the missionaries and an apostle to Mus- 1928 The Glory of the Cross. London: Princeton seminary Faculty in the area lims.” Dr. William Miller, speaking at the Marshall Brothers. Reprinted Grand of missions, but also in the writing Rapids, Mich.: Baker, 1982. Urbana Student Missionary Conven- of Zwemer’s biography, Apostle to 1929 Across the World of Islam. New tion in 1967, which was the centennial Islam. celebration of Samuel’s birth, said, York: Fleming H. Revell. 6. The Fellowship of Faith for Muslims, 1934 Thinking Missions with Christ. “Dr. Zwemer’s pleading voice thrilled P. O. Box 221, Station J, Toronto, Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zonder- multitudes of Christians in many Ontario, Canada M4J 4Y1. Days of van. lands, inspiring them to work and pray for prayer for Muslims are held in the Muslims of the world. Toronto, Philadelphia, Chicago and Los 1935 The Origin of Religion. Nash- ville, Tenn.: Cokesbury Press. The challenge he sounded then must Angeles. be heard again today. For today the 7. William Miller, A Man Sent from God 1939 Studies in Popular Islam. New York: Macmillan. Dynamic Chris- number of lost Muslims is much greater (Toronto, Ontario: Fellowship of tianity and the World Today. than it was when Zwemer dedicated Faith for Muslims, 1966). London: Inter-Varsity Fellowship of his life for their salvation, but the number Books by Samuel Zwemer Evangelical Unions. of Christians who are seeking to save 1900 Arabia: The Cradle of Islam. New 1940 The Art of Listening to God. Grand them is pitiably inadequate. The doors are York: Fleming H. Revell. Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan. open, but who will enter? The walls Reprinted New York: Gordon Press, 1941 The Cross above the Crescent. are falling, but who will occupy the city? 1980. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zonder- The fields are white unto harvest, but 1902 Raymond Lull: First Missionary to van. the laborers are few!”7 the Moslems. New York: Funk 1943 Into All the World. Grand Rap- and Wagnalls. End Notes ids, Mich.: Zondervan. 1905 The Moslem Doctrine of God. 1. Kenneth Scott Latourette, in the intro- 1944 Evangelism Today. New York: New York: American Tract Society. duction to Apostle to Islam,by J. Fleming H. Revell. Reprinted Fort Washington, Christy Wilson, Sr. (Grand Rapids, 1946 Heirs of the Prophets. Chicago: PA.: WEC Press, 1984. Mich.: Baker, 1953). Moody Press. A Factual Survey of 1906 The Mohammedan World 2. The following account has been taken the Moslem World. New York: Today. New York: Young Peoples mainly from the biographies of Fleming H. Revell. Missionary Movement. Samuel Zwemer written by the present 1947 The Glory of the Empty Tomb. 1907 Islam, a Challenge to Faith. New writer’s father, J. Christy Wilson, New York: Fleming H. Revell. York: Student Volunteer Move- Sr., entitled Apostle to Islam, and Flam- 1948 How Rich the Harvest. New ment. ing Prophet (New York: Friendship York: Fleming H. Revell. 1911 The Moslem World. 37 vols. Press, 1970). To keep the text from 1951 Sons of Adam. Grand Rapids, becoming overly cumbersome, (1911-47), a quarterly scholarly Mich.: Baker. quotation marks from the two sources periodical edited by Samuel M. have not been added. The present Zwemer. writer also includes incidents that came 1912 The Moslem Christ. London: J. Christy Wilson, Jr., is Emeritus from knowing him personally. Oliphant, Anderson, & Ferrier. Professor of World Evangelization 3. Quoted by J. Christy Wilson, sr., “The Reprinted Fort Washington, at Gordon-Conwell Theological Epic of Samuel Zwemer,” Muslim PA.: WEC Press, 1984. Seminary, South Hamilton, Mass. World 57, no. 2 (April 1967): 83. 1915 Mohammed or Christ. London: He served as a missionary in 4. Ibid., p. 79. Seeley Service and Company. Child- Afghanistan for 23 years. He and 5. On this occasion Dr. and Mrs. Zwemer hood in the Moslem World. New his wife reside in Duarte, CA. also visited Tabriz, the capital of York: Fleming H. Revell. Azerbaijan in northwestern Iran. It was 1916 The Disintegration of Islam here that the present writer’s par- New York: Fleming H. Revell. [Reprinted by permission from the ents served as Presbyterian missionaries 1921 The Influence of Animism on International Bulletin of from 1919 to 1939. He vividly Islam. New York: Macmillan. A Missionary Research, July, 1986.]

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FRONTIER MISSIONS