CHAPTER XVI
CONCLUSION
A Persian was one day talking to an English missionary and asked why our King did not annex Persia.
“It is not right,” said the missionary, “to take what belongs to someone else, and Persia belongs to your Shah.”
“Still your King is surely bound to do as the Bible tells him, and the Bible tells him to annex it.”
“Where does the Bible say that?”
“Does it not say that if you see your neighbour’s ox or ass fallen into a pit you are to pull it out? And Persia is an ass fallen into a pit, and your King should pull her out.”
Yes, Persia has indeed fallen into a pit, and we must pull her out, but the pit is not simply one of political difficulty, it is the pit of Muhammadanism, Persia’s most real difficulty, and we must annex Persia for the King of Kings. As long as the Persians are Muhammadans lying and dishonesty will be the rule, cruelty and injustice will go hand in hand, the poor will be oppressed, the girls and women will be treated as inferior creatures, the children will be liable to overwork and cruelty, and religious persecution will continue. And the Persians are finding out that they are in the pit and they are struggling to get out, they are crying to us for help. Are we going to help them?
Thousands of Muhammadans in Persia are dissatisfied with their religion, and are looking for something better. Many are trying a dissenting form of Muhammadanism, called Bābīism, but many are looking to Christianity for help.
At first they distrusted the Christians, and Christian work was constantly hindered or stopped. Now they have learnt to know and trust the Christians, and the work is not greatly interfered with. Indeed everywhere the Persians are asking for teachers and doctors, for schools and hospitals, and for Christian teaching.