116 THE MOSLEM WORLD

A GREETING FROM THE BISHOP IN JERUSALEM

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IT is a very real pleasure to have so early an opportunity afforded to me of conveying my greetings to the mission- aries in Moslem lands. It. is only three months since my Consecration in Westminster Abbey, and I have not yet visited more than a very small portion of the immense diocese which has its centre a t Jerusalem, the Mother City of t,he Faith.

That city, for a time, is closed to all Christian mis- sionaries. Not one remains there, and scarcely any in the whole of Palestine; indeed, we may be thankful that all were able to get safely away, without being sent inland into exile, or held as hostages, or otherwise injured. Jerusalem is now again given over into the hands of wicked men ; she is a desolation ; but surely we may believe that the times of her deliverance are at hand. These are wonderful days to be living in, especi- ally to al€ workers amongst Moslems, and there are many signs full of encouragement to us all.

The gradually waning power of Turkey must have a greah effect on the whole of the Mohammedan world. The immense loss of prestige during her recent wars- first with Italy and then with the Balkan States-the difficulty the Khalif experiences in holding the allegiance of his subjects, and the prospect of Turkey-the only Moslem state that can still be called an Empire--losing the right to call herself anything of the sort, must nat- urdly be omens of terrible significance to all Moham- medans.

Yet with their loss comes the day of our opportunity, especially in these Bible lands. I believe that after Chis

GREETING FROM BISHOP IN JERUSALEM 117

war the hearts of Moslems will be open as never before to Christian influences, and if the nations of the West turn back to God with sincere and penitent hearts they will experience such a revival of spiritual life as has not been seen for a hundred years, and will be ready to pass on to their brothers and sisters of the East the message of salvation through Christ with renewed and redoubled power.

Let us, therefore, be preparing ourselves now so that we may be ready when the day comes. We can prepare whether we are at work or not. Some of you to whom I write are now withdrawn from your stations, and have to wait-no one can tell how long-until you may get back to the work you love.

One of the hardest of all lessons for a Christian worker to learn is to wait with constant patience and cheerfulness. Do not then let these days pass as days that must necessarily be wasted, or occupied only with such temporary duties as you may be able to take up, but rather regard them as a precious trust, as days given to you by God for the preparation of your soul, the growth of your spiritual power, and thus the eternal betterment of the work to which you shall eventually return.

The missionaries who are still at work, whether their spheres be in any way restricted or not, can equally be looking forward to the day when the great advance shall be sounded.

Therefore, let us all alike prepare our hearts for the countless opportunities which I am convinced will be pressing themselves upon us within a very few years. Let us remember that it is above all things by our lives that we shall influence these multitudes, rather than by our words-be they never so eloquent-or by our works -be t>hey never so many or so various.

By the reality of our Christian life, by the harmony in which we work together, by the way in which we put aside petty jealousies, self-seeking or pride, “ by this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another.” And if we are known as His disciples, we shall be able to draw all men unto Him.