M. G. DANIEL.
LIFE OF MOOSHIE G. DANIEL IN PERSIA.
The ancestors of M. G. Daniel, a true stock of the Nestorian sect and Syrian nationality came down from Kurdiston mountain in 1740 and settled in Persia at Oroomiah district. The one family now increased to fifty, all live in villages near to each other. G. Daniel with his four brothers settled in a small village four miles east of Oroomiah city. The inhabitants of this village are composed of fifty Mohammedan families and twenty-eight Nestorians. His parents had four sons and two daughters, all died in their childhood. Daniel was their seventh child born in 1861. His native village was visited by Rev. G. Coan, D.D. and Dr. Perkins, missionaries from America who preached the gospel message to the Nestorians of that village, at the same time also started a school for their children. At this time Daniel was thirteen years old. The parents were very glad to send their children to this school which increased to thirty students.
Daniel was very anxious to attend this school. This desire was encouraged in every possible way by his earnest, self sacrificing Christian mother, Rachel, who came of high and noble lineage. But his father vigorously objected for fear his son would change from his old Nestorian faith. When Daniel saw other boys going to school he would often cry and pray that God would change his father's heart and lead him to send his son to school. This earnest desire on the part of the young and earnest lad led to an earnest discussion and difference between his parents as to the future policy with their boy. Finally after two month's earnest prayer on the part of the mother and her son the Spirit of God reconciled the opposition of the father and made him willing to send his son to school. Daniel continued his studies in this school four years and read a chapter of the Bible to his parents every night. The father thus became interested and in the second year sent Daniel's two sisters and brother to school. He soon became the first student in the school. Rev. G. Coan when visiting the school embraced Daniel and his sisters and kissed them with the holy kiss of joy as the first fruit of his labors.
After four years this school closed on account of lack of students. There arose a dark cloud of sorrow and disappointment to poor Daniel. What shall I do to continue my studies, was the despairing cry of the consecrated boy. But his strong will soon found a way. He was now sixteen years old. There was a small village of three hundred families called Golpashan two miles distant from his home town. Golpashan contained a high school and a Presbyterian church of three hundred members. Daniel decides to go to school at this place, but again meets opposition from his father, who wants him to stay at home and work for him. But his mother met his father with the strong argument that she had consecrated her child to God before he was born, because God gave him to me after the death of my six children. But the mother lived in continual fear that her son would be devoured by wolves on his way to school and then she said, "I will go down to my grave in a miserable condition." But the son, willing to sacrifice even life itself for study, said, "I will go, mother, trusting in God and your prayers." Events soon proved that the mother's fears were well founded. Once, very early in the morning, while on his way to school he was attacked by a large, ferocious wolf. But he made good his escape up a tree near by. But he received such a shock from this attack that he was prostrated three months and his life was despaired of by all his friends. But God graciously restored him to health for His holy ministry. Daniel always believed in the out-stretched hand of God that snatched him from the wolf. Hundreds of times he thanks God in his prayers for this deliverance.
When Mr. Daniel was seventeen years old he reached the greatest crisis of his life. His parents decided to marry him to a girl a few steps only from his residence, because the parents of the couple had decided when they were children to marry them to each other. This was in accordance with a foolish custom of the Nestorians. His father had firmly decided to make the match, but his mother said, "Only if he himself wishes." But Daniel's aim was very high, he was running to obtain a higher prize. He said to his mother, "I am married to my studies." His mother replied, "My son, I have dedicated you to God, I cannot compel you to marry." His father was full of indignation and anger against the disobedience of his son, and he said, "I will never send you to the Presbyterian college. I cannot spend one cent on you."
Daniel was very fond of fishing, hunting, and raising grapes, and was one of the best husbandmen in Persia. One morning when fishing, a young man whose name was Abraham, and afterward a classmate for seven years in college, handed to him an envelope in which was written by Dr. Oldfather, a missionary, and President of the Presbyterian College at Oroomiah, Persia, "We have accepted you in our college." Daniel thought this a calling from Jesus Christ just as He had called four of His disciples from their fishing. He threw his net on the shore of the river, and kneeling down, thanked God for this, His holy calling. Rising up from his prayer he took his net, and started for home. On arrival he told his parents that he wanted to go to college. Again his father objected, saying that he could not spend any money for his education.
But his mother sold all her jewels and sent him to college.
COLLEGE LIFE.
In 1875 Daniel went to Oroomiah college. For first two years Rev. Dr. Oldfather was President of the college. In the second year he was converted by hearing a sermon and a song by Dr. Oldfather whose singing quickens sleeping souls of sinners. His class at the beginning was thirty persons, but at graduation only twelve. He studied very hard, sitting up at night with his book until eleven o'clock. One of his classmates, Rev. Abraham, was his bosom friend. They recited in a small closet often until midnight and then had prayers before going to bed. Daniel graduated in 1882 under the Presidency of Dr. J. H. Shedd, one of the most eminent men ever sent as a missionary to Persia by the Presbyterian Church. All his classmen are leaders in the Presbyterian church as well as of the Nestorian nation. For two of them have lately been offered the title counts by the late Shah. Dr. S. J. Alamsha a noble consecrated Doctor of Medicine, one of the fellow graduates of Daniel, shows the tenor of the spirit of Christian fortitude and devotion in declaring his faith in the Trinity in the very face of the Governor of State who had just threatened him with persecution by cutting off his hands if he insisted on repeating the confession. But Dr. Alamsha replied that he was a Christian, and if ever questioned as to his faith would confess it not only at the cost of his hands but his head also. He further stated that he would not impose his faith on any one unless they requested, and that if the Governor did not want his confession he had better not ask for it.