4.25.2017 *1 John Wesley Journal Vol 1 (preface and introductory letter) pp1-16 Complete

PREFACE

*1  for some years after Mr. Wesley(W) had entered upon the office of a christian minister his views of evangelical truth were very defective. his temper was deeply serious and it was his sincere and earnest desire to save his own soul and them that heard him;  but he understood not the nature and extent of the christian salvation, nor the faith by which it is obtained. in this state he wrote and published little. a revised translation of Kempis's 'Christian's Pattern,', a sing sermon, and a small  Collection of prayers, which he formed for the use of his pupils at oxford, were his only publications at this period of his life. the case was widely different when he was brought to an acquaintance, but in theory and experience, with the truth as it is in Jesus. he then felt that 'THE WORLD WAS HIS PARISH'; and that he had a message from God to all men. the love of Christ constrained him to publish that message in all parts of the land, regardless of toil, contempt, and danger; and the same principle rendered him one of the most voluminous writers of the age.  for 50 years the press was incessantly employed under his direction, in multiplying books of the most

*2  useful kind, adapted to the spiritual benefit of all classes of the community, but chiefly designed for the instruction of the poor. his different works were printed in London, Bristol,, Dublin, and Newcastle-upon-Tyne; but they were often confided to the care of men who were incompetent to the task of correcting them; and the itinerant ministry in which he was  incessantly employed rendered it impossible that they should undergo his own inspection as they passed through the press. the consequence was, that errors accumulated in them, till, in several instances, they failed to express the author's meaning.

reminded, at length, by advancing years, of his approaching end, and desirous that, after his decease,  his trumpet should not 'give an uncertain sound',  he undertook a careful revision of his whole works,  which he published in a uniform edition. it is comprised in 32 duodecimo (def - also called a twelvemo, size, 5''x 7") volumes; the first of which b ears the date of 1771, and the last that of 1774.  to this edition the following address 'to the reader' is prefixed:-
'1. I have had a desire, for several years, if God should spare me a little longer, to print in one collection all that I had before published in separate tracts. (def - a brief treatise or pamphlet released for distribution) I mean, all the prose, except the Notes on the Bible, the System of Philosophy, the Christian Library and the books which were designed for the use of  Kingswood School) these I wanted to see printed together;  but on a better paper and with a little larger print than before.

2. i wanted to methodize (def - method (Methodist!) -a procedure, technique, or way of doing something, esp. in accordance with a definite plan. ) these tracts, to range

3.  but a far more necessary work than that of methodizing, was the correcting them. the correcting barely the errors of the press is of much more consequence than I had conceived, till I began to read them over with much more attention than i had done before. these, in many places were such as not only obscured,  but wholly destroyed, the sense; and frequently to such a degree, that it would have been impossible for any but me to restore it. neither could i do it myself, in several places, without long consideration:  the word inserted having little or no resemblance to that which I had used.

4. but as necessary as these corrections were, there were others of a different kind, which were more necessary still. in revising what i had wrote on so many various subjects and occasions, and for so long a course of years, I found cause for not only literal or verbal corrections, but frequently for correcting the sense also. I am the more concerned to do this, because none but myself has a right to do it. accordingly i have altered many words or sentences; many others I have omitted; and in various parts I have added more or less, as I judged the
4  subject required:  so that in this edition I present to serious and candid men my last and maturest thoughts, agreeable, i hope, go Scripture, reason, and christian antiquity.

5   it may be needful to mention one thing more, because it is a little out of the common way.  in the extract from Milton's 'paradise Lost', and in that from Dr. Young's 'Night Thoughts', I placed a mark before those passages which I judged were most worthy of the reader's notice. the same thing I have taken the liberty to do throughout the ensuing volumes. many will be glad of such a help;  though still, every man has a right to judge for himself, particularly in matters of religion, because every man must give an account of himself to God. John Wesley

the printer employed upon this occasion was William Pine, of Bristol; whose carelessness in a great measure defeated Mr. Wesley's design in the correction of his works...

*6  Mr. Wesley's edition of his own works was rendered particularly  valuable by an addition that was made to those of his Sermons to which  a legal importance was afterwards attached. ...to these Sermons 10 others were now added. some of them had been published as separate pamphlets, having been preached on particular occasions:  the rest appear to have been written for the express purpose of giving a more complete

7  view of the author's doctrinal system.

(foot - The Second Sermon on the Witness of the Spirit
On Sin in Believers
Repentance of Believers
The Great Assize (def - an inquest before members of a jury)
The Lord our Righteousness
Wandering Thoughts
the Scripture Way of Salvation
The Good Steward
The Reformation of manners
On the Death of Mr. Whitefield
it is worthy of remark, that when Mr. Wesley published a uniform edition of his Sermons in 8 volumes duodecimo, in 1787 and 1788,  - a copy of which he afterwards bequeathed to every Travelling Preacher...)

to meet the circumstance of the poor, the corrected and uniform edition of Mr. Wesley's works was published in weekly numbers, at sixpence each.

foot - the following were the 'Conditions' of publication...
1. that the work will be neatly printed in duodecimo, on a fine paper and new letter..
2. that a number, containing 72 pages, stitched in blue paper , shall be delivered weekly to the subscribers, till the whole is completed, at sixpence.
3. that every 5 numbers will make a handsome volume, containing about 360 pages.
4. that in the last volume will be given a correct and copious index.
5. that particular attention will be paid, through the whole, to the goodness of the paper and neatness of the print; so that when finished, it is not doubted by it will afford general satisfaction to the subscribers, as well as put them in possession of a uniform and elegant edition of so valuable a work'.

this edition contains a large number of tracts which were not written by Mr. Wesley, but abridged and adopted from various authors; and as he lived nearly 20 years after it was published and continued during this interval to write with his usual diligence, at the time of his death it was, of course, extremely incomplete. to meet the wishes of his friends, therefore, in the year 1809 a new edition of his works, in the octavo (6" x 9") size was commenced and finished in 1813. it is comprised in 16 volumes, to which was afterwards added an Index to the whole...

..with regard to the edition now before the reader,  -which is denominated the 'third', and is said to have received 'the last corrections of the author,' -

9  it may be requisite to state, that two objects have been kept in view:  the formation of a pure text of Mr. Wesley's original writings; and a complete collections of them. to obtain these, no exertion has been spared. of all his larger works Mr. Wesley left copies in his private library, containing corrections in his own handwriting. these corrections are now published for the first time; and every separate work  has been carefully collated throughout with copies of different editions which were printed during the author's life. that no literal or verbal inaccuracies have escaped detection is not pretended. a late writer, who was long practised in typography, has remarked, that 'absolute correctness in printing is perhaps unattainable;' and that 'those are to be the most commended who come the nearest to it'. in a few instances, it has been perceived, letters have been broken, or drawn out, after the sheets were put to press; but nothing of the kind, it is believed, has occurred, so as to mislead the reader, or to render the author's meaning uncertain. it is not uncommon, in reprinting the works of deceased authors, to make occasional alterations, according to the views and taste of the person to whom the correction of the press is intrusted.: A practice which cannot be too strongly reprobated. in many instances, to alter the style or sentiments of a deceased writer, especially without acknowledgment, is a far greater crime than that of violating the sanctity of his tomb. no such liberty has been taken with a single sentence of Mr. Wesley's works.

10  it would not have been difficult, indeed, to render many passages in them more conformable to the rules of modern grammar;  but this would have been to deprive them of one of their peculiarities, in which also they resemble the productions of the most eminent men among his contemporaries.

every effort has been made to include the whole of Mr. Wesley's original writings in the present edition. it contains upwards of 20 pamphlets, more than 500 letters, and a large number of other documents, that were never embodied in any former collection of his works; and several of them are of superior interest and importance. many of the letters are of great value; and the rest will serve to show the bent of the writer's mind, and the nature and extent of his correspondence;  while, at the same time, they contain hints and allusions which serve to illustrate the history of methodism in different places.  in the last volume are given a list of the prose works which Mr. Wesley abridged from various authors and another of the poetical publications of the two brothers. they exhibit the astonishing mass of information which the Founder of Methodism placed within the reach of the common people; and will assist those persons who wish to form a complete collection of the works which received his sanction. the prefaces connected with them and which are here given entire, constitute an important part of his instructive writings. these lists may not be absolutely perfect. it is possible that some future editor may discover both original publications of Mr. Wesley, and tracts abridged by him from the writings of
11  other men, which are at present unknown; but nothing has been overlooked through inattention.

12  ...as Mr. Wesley's works are of a very miscellaneous character, a copious Index is indispensable in order to their general utility as books of reference. this also has been attempted; and no small amount of time and labour has been expended upon it.  every subject of importance and every person and place of any note, mentioned in these admirable volumes, it is presumed, may now be referred to without difficulty...

13...in publishing this edition of Mr. Wesley's works, it is presumed that the Methodist Connexion has only in part discharged a debt which has long been due to his memory.  that debt will never be fully cancelled, until the tracts which he abridged from other writers shall be republished; and especially until a uniform edition of his poetical works, and those of his gifted brother, shall be give to the world. in addition to the volumes of hymns which they published and many of which have long been out of print, Mr. Charles Wesley left in manuscript five Quarto volumes of hymns of the four gospels and the Acts of the Apostles, revised for publication with the greatest care, both by himself and his brother, besides several other volumes of miscellaneous poetry;  the whole of which are distinguished by his characteristic elegance and strength and especially by a spirit of fervent piety.

14  the number of Mr. Wesley's publications may well excite surprise, when viewed in connexion  with his incessant travelling, his uninterrupted ministerial labours, and the nature and extent of his pastoral cares. the works of such men as Mr. Baxter and Bishop Taylor are more voluminous than his original compositions; but those distinguished men were compelled to spend the greater part of their lives in retirement; whereas Mr. Wesley's life was one of the greatest activity. he published more books, travelled more miles, and preached more sermons, than any other Minister of his age; and the entire history of human nature does not furnish a higher example of laborious diligence in the service of God and man.
his style bears a strong resemblance to that of Addison; and for terseness, perspicuity, simplicity, and force, has perhaps never been surpassed. he regarded 'a great book as a great evil'; and in all his publications, whether original or adopted, aimed at brevity. by this means he saved his own time and that of his reader, and secured the sale of his works among the poor: for, unlike those writers who are authors by profession, he has distinctly stated, that he never published anything for the sake of pecuniary advantage;  but simply to defend the truth, or to convey instruction.

the presumed 'ignorance' of Mr. Wesley's societies has often been a subject of allusion and of illiberal  (def - narrow minded, bigoted)remark:  but the fact is, that the greater

15  part of the common people of England were left with scarcely any knowledge either of religion or of letters. he taught them the nature and necessity of Christian piety; and at the same time made provision for their intellectual improvement. to explain and enforce practical godliness was his great concern; but  in subordination to this, he laboured to excite a taste for elegant literature, and supplied persons in comparative poverty with the means of obtaining useful knowledge in its various branches. it will be perceived that he published
Grammars of 5 different languages;
a compendium of logic;
a selection of elegant moral poetry;
a concise history of England and
of the christian church;
a system of natural philosophy
..a commentary on the entire Scriptures.
by more than half a century he anticipated the laudable exertions which are now in progress to promote the general instruction of the community.  the cheap and useful literature of the present day, in the shape of popular 'Libraries',  is an imitation, whether designedly or not, of his 'Christian Library and of the other woks just specified. modern compilers have few difficulties to surmount. they can readily avail themselves of the improvements of science and of that appetite for knowledge which is excite by the labours of the 'schoolmaster'.  Mr. Wesley had to CREATE that appetite; and he had to create it in a people deeply sunk in ignorance, and addicted to brutal habits. his 'Christian Library' was a noble effort to render available to the spiritual interests of the people in general, the scarce and valuable works of volumious

16  and learned authors. the historical and scientific compilations which he published were adapted to the wants of a people who had already begun to read and to think; and show that, in his apprehension, there is a close connexion between useful knowledge and vital godliness. unhappily, some of the cheap publications of the present day contain sentiments unfavourable to religion, morality and social order; whereas the whole of his publications are at once designed and calculated, not only  to improve the understanding, but also to promote the love of God and man. they inculcate rational and scriptural piety, universal benevolence and the purist loyalty and patriotism.

to young persons who are studying the arts of composition and correct reasoning, Mr. Wesley's original works will ever be of inestimable value;  as a record also of the rise and progress of that revival of true religion which distinguished the 18th century , and from which such important results have arisen, they possess a deep and a permanent interest; but their chief excellence consists in an exhibition of christianity in its spirituality and power, and of the scriptural method of obtaining it. they call the attention of professing christians from the vanities of the world, and from a religion of mere form, to the 'pearl of great price',  - that 'kingdom of God',  which 'is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy  in the Holy Ghost'.   THOMAS JACKSON
London, May 16th, 1831

3.24.2017 ISLAM MEETS JESUS! in DR. SA'EED OF IRAN (Kurdish physician to Princes and Peasants, Nobles and Nomads) by Jay M. Rasooli and Cady H. Allen

19  ...a few days after the birthday celebration a mullah (def - (in Islamic countries0 a title of respect for a person who is learned in, teaches, or expounds the sacred law) was invited to officiate at the naming of the child. taking the baby in his arms, he recited some words from the Koran in each ear, transferred small portion of date from his own mouth to the boy's and declared: 'I name thee by the noble name of Mohammad Sa'eed'.  this simple ceremony was in imitation of their Prophet on the occasion of his naming of his grandson, Hasan.  from this time on the child was called Sa'eed (S), an arabic word meaning 'happy' or 'fortunate'.
Mullah Rasool (note - S's father) was descended from generations of well-known Moslem ecclesiastics. he was the 7th of this long line and fully worthy of his lineage. left an orphan at an early age, he was employed by his uncle as a farmhand and nightwatchman over cultivated fields where bears and wild boar wrought much damage.  dissatisfied with this peasant life and thirsting for knowledge, he had fled from his uncle's home in Turkish Kurdistan and made his way with many an adventure to Senneh, where Moslem theologians congregated. at times he slept, homeless and hungry, on the gate seats of the theological school or strained his eyes under the feeble light of the lantern overhead to decipher some old manuscript. by such assiduous effort he attained the status of mullah, though not of high rank.
Rasool's genuine piety had won for him permission from the city elders to write prayers to be read for the sick and afflicted and many were the people who flocked to him for help and so contributed their coins of gifts of food toward his support. he possessed an

20  old manuscript on the art of healing. with the use of this he ventured to treat all sorts of diseases with prescriptions in which herbs and superstition  were oddly compounded, yet which sometimes proved efficacious. another of Rasool's privileges was to go to  the cemetery after a burial and instruct the newly interred. soon after interment, according to Moslem belief, two angels come to catechize the deceased as to their religious allegiance. their answers determine their future destiny. it was to prepare them with the proper responses that Rasool gave the needed instruction.

Mullah Rasool married a worthy girl of his own people, Mahenessa by name. she proved to be a practical, hard-working woman, endowed with moral courage and religious fervor. as a mother, her discipline was sever, but effective. being a mullah's wife, she took part in many religious functions among the women, and many friends came to her for discussion and consultation. to this congenial couple 8 children were born, but one after another had died, till at the time of Sa'eed's  birth only Daqda was left, a boy of 8.
early realizing that S was a child of superior intelligence and aptitude, Mullah Rasool devoted every effort to his training and no pupil could have been more eager to learn. many were the tales of
Mohammedan saints and heroes that this father told his children before they could read or write. when not yet five, s could repeat from memory many chapters of the Koran. each night before retiring, sitting on his heels, knees together in front, hands on knees, he squatted on the floor beside his father and recited the 6 essentials of the islamic creed -
belief in God
his angels,
his books,
his prophets,
the day of judgment and
the predestination of good and evil.

Sa'eed's talents were so obvious that he was considered in danger of the 'evil eye', unless protected by some
21  special charm carried on his person. accordingly, his father wrote to Sheikh Osman , a famous leader of a powerful mystic order, and procured an appropriate prayer, which was sewed inside the lad's hat. a communication from this prominent ecclesiastic  was regarded a great honor. one day on the street an older boy boasted of his father.
'My father is a greater man, replied S defiantly.
'he is not, challenged the other. 'my father knows all the big people in town.
Sa'eed doffed his hat and pointed to the little roll of paper inside. 'see that? this prayer was written especially for me by Sheikh Osman at my father's request. I'll bet your father doesn't even know sheikh osman...
before sa'eed was 6, he started going to the school for boys which his father had opened for teaching Persian and Arabic.  sometimes the classes were held in part of the mosque were Mullah Rasool led the daily prayers, sometimes in another public building. in the winter they met in a large room which not only had no sun, but its one latticed window, devoid of glass, was covered with paper made semitranslucent with castor oil. heat came from charcoal fires which the boys made in their own braziers, the poisonous fumes fouling the air. here 29 or 30 boys sat cross-legged for 8 hours a day, each on his own rug or cushion, each swaying back and forth as he recited out loud the passage from the Koran or the Persian poem he sought to memorize. their teacher was seated at the head of the room on his own mattress and called each pupil to him for his private recitation. it was in such a school that sa'eed laid the foundation of his education. 

22  discipline was administered by bastinado. one day Kaka(k), out of jealousy, unjustly accused his brother of some misdemeanor. to escape punishment Sa'eed  dashed barefooted out into the snow, but k captured him and helped to fasten his ankles, while his father applied the switch to the soles of his feet already numb with cold. Mullah Fasool showed no partiality to his favorite child.

s made rapid progress in his studies. quite often Mullah Fasool would set the boys to capping verses of poetry, each one dropping out of the game when he failed to respond with a line beginning with the required letter. how elated the teacher was to see his younger son vie with the oldest pupil and hold him at bay! on the other hand, S's eager questions sometimes embarrassed his father, whose knowledge of the world beyond the bounds of persia was strictly limited. 

Saeed's joy was full when hand in hand he accompanied his father to the mosques and listened attentively to the mullah's conversations with his friends.of these experiences he used to say:  'what echoes rose from the depths of my heart when i heard Father speak of pious men such as ghazali!  how I longed some day to experience these things myself! in this way the thirst for knowledge and the hunger for holiness were coupled together in deepening intensity. but Mullah Rasool (MR) did most for s by personal example, the spontaneous expression of a deeply religious nature and an upright character and that in an atmosphere of ignorance, intolerance and low moral standards.

outside of senneh, near the cemetery,was a leper colony where lived poor wretches, disowned by their families and shunned by all others as unclean and even as already dead. their one friend was MR, who went to visit them from time to time, fearless of

23  contagion. when they saw him coming, they would rush to greet him, their gaunt and disfigured faces lighting up with smiles of welcome. they would flock around him and call him 'father'. it seemed to themas if their Prophet himself had descended among them to soothe their pains and allay their despair. when on of these outcasts died he did not hesitate to wash the loathsome body so that it might have the last rites necessary for a proper Moslem burial.

one day the mullah took his little son along on his visit to the lepers. the sight of this healthy child made the call doubly welcome. one of the inmates forthwith presented s with a penknife and asked his wife to fry some eggs for him. he was loath to eat the food prepared, but his father, sensitive to the feeling of the kindly couple, said: 'how ice! take some, my boy'.  s obeyed. when they had returned home, his mother rebuked her husband:  'do you mean to say you took the child into a leper's house and made him eat their food? he only smiled and continued his visits to the colony. such selfless service to these wretched creatures could not but have had a profound influence on the awakening lad.
one day a foreigner visited Senneh.  'why is the Ferangi (foot - european) wearing that funny hat with a broad brim? s asked his mother, for persina hats were brimless in those days.

'he is an unbeliever, she replied, and they do not wish him to see the sky, which is the abode of god.  by such an answer was aversion to non-Moslems instilled in the receptive mind.

there were in Senneh some 60 families of assyrian Roman Catholics and a colony of Jews. toward

24  these also  there was inculcated in s an attitude of intolerance...

while still a young boy, long before reaching the age of religious obligations, s assumed the yoke of islamic rites.

32  on a late autumn day in 1879, when Mullah Sa'eed  was in his 17th year, three of these devoted laborers, mounted on their animals, could be seen wending their way into Senneh. they were a pastor, Yohanan (Syriac for John) and two colporteurs, educated and trained in Urumia, come to propagate their faith in this fanatical town. Kasha (K) (foot - title of an ordained minister in Syriac) Yohanan (Y) was staying in Senneh for some time and so needed a more fluent use of persian, which was not the vernacular of his province. in response to his inquiries for a tutor, MS was recommended.

the young teacher had heard his Catholic acquaintances speak of Protestants as heretics. if, then, he looked down upon orthodox christianity as far inferior to Islam,  to what an infinite degree must a faithful Moslem surpass these christian dissenters! so it was with all the dignity of his position and a deep consciousness of superiority that MS knocked at KY's door. judging, as some strict mohammedans do, that it was unlawful for a true Moslem to give an unbeliever the customary salutation, 'salamun alaikum' (peace be with you),  he greeted the newcomers with a simple 'Good morning'. quick to perceive the implication,one of the
33  colporteurs said:  'but we are 'people of the Book' (foot - an expression often used in the Koran of Jews and christians.) and it is lawful to wish us peace'.  this unusual reply astonished the young mullah: these christians were conversant with Koranic teaching!

he was now perplexed as to what greeting to use the next day. he did not wish to offend these people, yet his prejudice would not permit him to use the salutation of peace. his clever brain evolved a saving device. so he hailed the trio with 'sehuamu alaikum'.  uttered quickly in the hope that the difference of a single arabic letter would not be detected. translated, it means, 'May arrows strike you!'
one day S arrived at KY's at the time of their morning devotions. he was invited to join them and given a copy of the Psalms to follow as they read in turn. then one of the christians prayed in persian. the feature of the prayer that especially impressed S was a petition for God's blessing on friends and enemies alike. had he not often been hired to write prayers of people for the destruction of their enemies?

S began to apply THE UNFAILING TOUCHSTONE (def - test or criterion for the qualities of a thing...in this case the 'truth' or 'error' of the christian faith determined by what is done not by what is said) OF WORKS AGAINST WORDS. he watched the trio closely day by day and became convinced that the accusations brought against christians were groundless in their case. they never drank. they were truthful in speech and honest in their dealings. they never spoke evil of their neighbors. what they professed and practised agreed. S  began to like them. all christians were not as bad as he was wont to think!
in the course of time the two colporteurs left for Baghdad and KY settled down to his new task. he was a man of 40, slenderly built, with a kind, dreamy face that bespoke an idealist. his absolute simplicity and sincerity attracted his young teacher. from language study conversation turned frequently to religion. now that there was no longer a feeling of estrangement between

34  them, S often volunteered the questions closest to his heart. he had been taught the common Moslem belief that the Bible in it present form was a corrupted version of the 'Books' Mohammed proclaimed as divinely inspired. his first concern was its authenticity. so he began to study modern and ancient Syriac with his pupil that he might compare the various translations.

KY gave him a New Testament in modern Syriac and taught him a few verses from the Gospel of John. at home he showed the book to Kaka (note - his older brother), detailing what had happened between himself and the pastor. K was angry: 'the evil effects of these books are beyond number. who knows but they will lead you astray? he warned S  that he was playing with fire and urged him to concentrate on the advanced study of Islamic law and theology that he was pursuing under a learned scholar. however this did not deter s, but merely convinced him that he must undertake his hazardous investigations without K's knowledge.
in addition to their discussion of many points, as christian and Moslem employed the bible as their textbook for the study of persian, KY had frequent arguments with Jews. on these occasions he asked S  to act as referee by looking up pertinent passages in the Bible. the christian pastor cited many verses to prove that Jesus was the promised messiah. the Jews remained adamant, but the impartial young judge was influenced without realizing it. his sympathies were with the pastor and he reproached the Jews for rejecting proofs they could not refute.

when by himself, s would ponder the prophecies concerning the messiah. who could be worthy of such wonderful predictions but Mohammed? yet how could the character portrayed in Isaiah 42.1-3, for example, be the Prophet of Islam? 'Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect,in whom my soul delighteth; i have put my spirit upon him...He shall not cry...nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. a bruised reed shall

35  he not break and the smoking flax shall He not quench. Islam had been spread by the power of the sword. Mohammed had in person led his followers to battle. such thing did not correspond with the prophecies of Isaiah.
after some time S ventured to take a Bible home and show it to Kaka.  he told him of the marvelous prophecies which he still believed must in some way refer to Mohammed. he begged of his older brother, who now had the authority of the household in place of his father, that he might continue his Syriac studies so that he could write a refutation of christianity this please K and other friends who recognized the young mullah's scholarly proclivities. so permission was given. from now on S studied the Bible openly.
as he pursued his study, he exercised great caution to accept nothing without careful reflection. at the same time his watchful eye was upon the life of the pastor to find aught that might not harmonize with his teaching. for him this was the decisive test. later on s wrote:

'from day to day I found myself more drawn to the pastor. his love, his truthfulness, his pious life, his meekness and his honesty affected me deeply. I used to listen to his conversations with as many as came to him. I weighed every bit of it in the balance of reason.  I could see how true his points were and how weighty his arguments, but above all, his life was a decisive witness to what he said.

it was the influence of this christian character that introduced a change in Mullah S's spiritual outlook. for the first time he became aware of the magnitude of his own shortcomings.

over and over he spoke to the pastor about sin, repentance and salvation, seeking to understand the christian teaching.with respect to 'clean' and 'unclean' he used the illustration of blood;  'if there were but a single drop of it on our clothes, our prayers would be void, because blood is unclean.

36  'then what about the blood that courses through your whole body? the pastor asked.

'that is inside us and since we judge the outward state, that does not matter.

'but in prayer the christian is not concerned with the exterior, for true prayer proceeds to God from the heart and is not affected by the outward condition.

by such conversations KY shattered S's fallacies. after 2 or 3 months of similar discussions the young mullah began to have doubts. hitherto he had never questioned his own religion or the faith of his forefather.s but now he had no peace of mind.  as he himself testified, the pastor's words were ever present with him: they haunted his mind in the streets;  they followed him to the marketplace;  even during his prayers they never left him. his heart had no respite from their assaults. he berated himself a thousand times for associating with this christian and through converse  with him allowing these fiendish thoughts to pierce the armor of his mind. would that he had heeded the admonition of his holy book:  'O ye who have believed! form not intimacies among others than yourselves. they will not fail to corrupt you'. he searched his books diligently for some balm to soothe his lacerated breast, but in vain.
one day he was passing through a quiet, narrow street on his way to evening prayers. all of a sudden the thought burst unwanted upon him, 'what if, after all Mohammed were not a true prophet? for a moment he was dazed with the shock of such a blasphemous suspicion. then with clenched fists he began to beat his head, calling himself unclean and accursed.  'O, why should my mind give birth to so vile a doubt? he moaned in anguish. he dept saying to himself that Islam was the only true way, but still lurking uncertainty persisted.
he reflected on the pastor's life. how was it possible for an unbeliever to be so virtuous a man? then the true
37  picture of his inner self, stripped of all its punctilious piety, flashed on his mind like a hideous phantom, ugly and repulsive. he shuddered. he remembered the words of his Prophet: 'ye are the best folk that hath been raised up unto mankind'. as he contrasted his life with that of KY,  this assertion did not accord with the facts and only added to his dismay. on reaching the mosque, he hastened to his ablutions to wash away the pollution he had encountered, but he returned home with a heavy heart. that night he had no appetite. he retired early, but he could not sleep. he groaned and sighed, tossed and sighed again. finally, he arose, firmly resolved to settle once and for all this tormenting question. he lighted a fire and from the glowing embers took a live coal in the tongs and pressed it against one leg and then another coal against the other leg. he could hear the sizzle of burning flesh.  he suffered excruciating pain, but he held on unflinchingly until two deep wounds were formed. it took them a long time to heal, leaving two permanent scars.  this was according to Kurdish practice:  when a Kurd makes a vow, he make a scar  on his body as a perpetual reminder to keep him faithful. so one of S's scars was to remind him of the vow he had just made, never henceforth to speak with christians about religion. the other was to bring to mind his shameful conduct and help him to avoid evil.
he now sent word to KY that increasing duties would no longer permit him to teach after school hours and that he must forego further study of Syriac.  'but as time went on, he later wrote,  'I soon discovered that, though the burns on my body were healed, the wounds which the words of this man of god had produced in my mind were not. the burning within me was like a flame of fire. I was brought to the sad realization that all my diligence in attempting to make my ways and

38  works better was of no avail. the more I tried , the worse things became'.

meanwhile KY, aware of S's spiritual struggles and FERVENTLY praying for him, made several attempts to see him. on these occasion he sough to drop some remark o quote some Bible verse to keep burning the flame that had been kindled.
one nigh, returning from prayers at the mosque, S reached the covered passage leading to his gateway. there, alone by himself, he fell on his  face in the dust of a dark corner and  gave full vent to his pent-up misery in biter tears. from the depths of his distraught soul he sobbed out his passionate  prayer:O Guide of wanderers, lead me in the true way which is according to Thy will. take away the veil and give comfort to y heart. deliver me, deliver me I plead, from this  deadly whirlpool and grant me to  serve thee as is worthy of Thyself.

even as he uttered these words a weight seemed to be lifted. he arose, resolved to investigate diligently both Bible and Koran and to delve into the life history of his prophet. this meant that he was ready to study again with KY.
for some four or five months he pursued this earnest course with all avidity. in both Bible and Koran (K) he found numerous difficulties. through the pastor's explanations his perplexities about Bible teachings were solved to his satisfaction.  he found the fulfilment of old testament prophecies and hopes in the sinless Christ and came to understand that in salvation from sin there was peace of heart - a peace not yet his. the K he studied with the aid of the best commentaries, but many difficulties he encountered remained unsolved. in spiritual quality he found it much inferior to the bible. he afterward wrote: 'in Mohammed's teachings and personal life I found nothing which would satisfy the longing soul - not a drop of water to quench the thirsty spirit'.

39  without fully realizing the reason, he became increasing attached to KW and almost a stranger to his own kin, even to his brother. this situation brought to his mind a couplet from Sa'eed.
much dearer on stranger who Godward doth lead
than a thousand of kinsfold without any creed.
with this growing friendship he spent more time at the pastor's house in study and discussion.

Kaka, now suspicious of his brother's moods and movements reproved him with cutting words. he boasted of his won Prophet and spoke sarcastically of christian 'infidels'.  one day in anger he even broke several sticks to pieces on his brother's head and arms. S fell on his face and kissed the ground at Kaka's feet. when Kaka left, he lifted his heart to god where he lay: 'O merciful
God! in Thy presence I am less than the dust in which I lie - a helpless sinner in need of Thy pity. let my tears of penitence move thy heart of love. I beg for mercy, though deserving only judgment. wash me, cleanse me and receive me for the sake of Thy Son'.
on a perfect fall day not long after this experience S was seated in the pastor's room. KY had been in Senneh for nearly a year now and was planning to leave soon to return home. S's mind was filled with sadness at the impending departure, when of a sudden there rang in his heart like the glad peal of a carillon the stirring call of Isaiah to captive Israel:  'Arise, shine; for thy light is come and the glory of the lord is risen upon thee.'.  these words echoed and reechoed within him until every fiber of his being throbbed to the joyous call. as he gazed out of the window, the day glowed with a new beauty because of his inward joy.
'Arise, shine...for, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people;  but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon
40  thee.  thus the refrain rang again and again. the power of the words overwhelmed him. this was ecstasy indeed after the months of doubt and bewilderment. all unknown to him, his inward rapture was mirrored in his gave. KY perceived the transformation and gently asked the case. when S had told of his new joy, they both knelt and thanked God. 'my dear boy, said the pastor, rejoice, for you have found grace with God.

60  ...as private tutor in Persian to the children of Kasha Shimmon, S enjoyed the welcome intimacy of his christian home. after may months of teaching, during which his live had been imperceptibly woven into the colorful pattern of this worthy household, he found himself in love with one for the pastor's daughters - a love that was reciprocated. Rebka (syriac for Rebecca) was a girl of noble character and exceptional intelligence,but her loveliness of face had been marred by a childhood attack of smallpox. he admired her keenness of mind and her sense of humor, but it was her spiritual nature which he prized above every feminine grace. she was a graduate of Fiske Seminary,  the mission girls' high school in Urumia, and now a teacher in the mission school for girls in Hamadan. not only would a marriage to such a girl satisfy the desires of his heart, but it would be an added proof to his Moslem acquaintances of the sincerity of his christian profession...

when the romance was disclosed, trouble started. Rebka's impulsive father at once put his foot down. there was not only the difference in racial and religious backgrounds, but there union of one newly defected from islam to a christian girl would be a red flag flaunted before the
61Moslem community and a source of jeopardy for both the couple and the christians of the city. ...

62  ...after repeated appeals Kasha Shimmon agreed to the marriage on one condition - S's public baptism...
on the appointed day - april 10, 1887 - in a full assembly room, with Mohammedans present, S made his confession of Christ and was solemnly baptized, there by becoming a pioneer in accepting this sacrament publicly in a Moslem land. His joy knew no bounds...(note - due to further difficulties they were married a bit later.)

70  ...'taking his family outside of the town for safety, he himself labored faithfully in the city among the sick and dying till he was near a breakdown.

in the late fall of that year (1892)  the Moslems of Hamadan threatened to massacre their Jewish neighbors. S was now living in the Jewish quarter of the city to be near the dispensary and Rebka  (his wife)  was teaching in a mission school for Hebrew children. this locality now became a dangerous spot for the family,  to which had been added a son, Samuel, born in early November. for their safety the mission moved them to the dispensary compound and to make the move doubly safe, it was carried out at night under cover of darkness. the massacre did not materialize.

in the following april Dr.Holmes arrived from America to take up Dr.Alexander's work.S's period of contract having ended, he wished to terminate his service with the mission and so tendered his resignation.he had served faithfully for 12years as language teacher, doctor's assistant and then physician.during this time he had received great benefit from the missionaries: they had befriended him; they had taught him English and medicine; they had helped him spiritually. this debt he felt had been sufficiently repaid by his long period of service, so that he was now at liberty to break away.

to  one of his independent spirit it was galling to be at the beck and call of others. to be subjected to the
71  taunt that he was professing christianity for pay, especially when his salary was so meager, was unbearable. he yearned to be free, to work out his won salvation, to be subject to no dictate save the will of god as he understood it. so he determined to fare forth on his won. this resolve - not an easy one to make - he regarded ever after in retrospect as an important turning point in his life. he used to say: 'this decision is as precious to me as that taken with God's help o the day i refused to return to Senneh with Kaka. for both these crucial decisions in my life i render daily thanks to God'.

4 reasons now impelled him to take ta trip abroad.  in the first place, the best way to launch out on his new career was to get away for a time from his former associates and environment. secondly, he felt the need of further medical training. what he could learn from a single physician and from books with no laboratory save his own practice was altogether too limited. he wanted to go to England or America, where he could study under experienced professors. a fourth factor in his decision was the fulfilment of a dream very dear to his heart = the attainment of spiritual perfection. he had met in Hamadan a Swedish missionary, Hogberg by name,  who claimed to have achieved such an ideal. if such an accomplishment were possible, he would leave no stone unturned to bring it about. ..Hogberg had invited him to Sweden, where he hoped to realize this ambition.

impelled by this inner urge, he set out for sweden, traveling as cheaply as possible with the help of borrowed funds, later repaid in full. he reached Stockholm June 9. 1893.  at the headquarters of the Swedish Mission he was told that they intended to support him while he was pursuing his studies in England, so that on their completion he would join them in their labors in Turkestan

72  or China. he was aghast and protested that his heart was in Persia and that he had no thought of going elsewhere.
after a few days ..Hogberg telephoned him from Oxholm, asking S to join him there, bringing along his Kurdish clothes and dagger. then followed a long trip around Sweden with..Hogberg, traveling by train or boat or on foot, speaking in town after town. his Kurdish costume was a great attraction - striped silk turban, knee-length tunic held together by a massive twisted sash, open long-sleeved jacket, baggy trousers, slipper-like shoes and to top it all, a short, curved, ivory-handled dagger at his waist. his manner was dignified. his accounts of Kurdistan and of life and work in persia fascinated his hearers and elicited high praise.
but withal, the experience was utterly dissatisfying.  he was not getting the rest he needed. on the contrary, strange faces day after day, new audiences, the strain of speaking so frequently in public and the fatigue of constant travel taxed his strength and brought nervous excitement. the indigestion and sleeplessness of hamadan now reappeared in alarming fashion.

nor was there any indication of his attaining his other objectives. he was receiving support from others. he was getting no opportunity for medical study. and as for spiritual perfection, he was not even making progress in that direction. when he sought to speak on a spiritual theme, Hogberg demanded 'interesting things about the customs of the Kurds and the beliefs of the Mohammedans'.  all the applause and compliment she received served only to engender self-conceit. his conservative convictions grated upon the liberals he met. it seemed to him that those to whom he looked for perfection had strayed far from the truth. the diversity of belief among the different denominations - Lutherans, Roman Catholics, Free Church, Greek Orthodox, Free Thinkers - shook him deeply. upsetting thoughts would come to him:  'Don't you see there is nothing in christianity after all?

73  there has been no need of these severe trials you have endured these many years. do you think you, a simple Kurd, know better than all these highly educated men?

S finally became so exhausted from all these experiences that a doctor prescribed hydropathic treatment. however, his weakness only increased and he was ordered to bed. even here he grew weaker. sleeplessness became more marked. the slightest movement, even the exertion of thinking deeply, brought on palpitation of the heart. over and again he wished he might die.

after many days a change came. he could sleep a few hours each night. short walks in the woods soothed his nerves and helped restore his strength. when he had grown somewhat stronger,he was kneeling at his bedside one morning, praying for that perfection that seemed so elusive. of a sudden there flashed into his mind with a radiance of light the words of the apostle John: 'we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is'.  20 simple words, only one as long as two syllables, but how  luminous! when He appears - THEN, not now. 'if it is THEN, he thought,  'that we shall be like Christ, how foolish to expect it now!' a great wave of relief swept over him.  the anxiety for speedy attainment of perfection left him. the grace of God had triumphed over his inner conflict.
returning to Stockholm, S was advised by a doctor to take a long rest by the sea. he found a place not far away where kind friends watched over him. most of his time was spent in bed. occasionally he took short walks. all went well until one night, due to a sudden drop in temperature, he had a severe chill which developed into infuenza and bronchitis. weakness and depression reduced him to the depths of despair. doubts again assailed him, but they were dispelled by returning strength and the memory of God's goodness to him over the years - his guidance to faith in Christ, His deliverance

in times of danger, His illuminating light when ways were dark.

the first month of autumn was nearly over when S decided to leave for England.  in this decision he was helped by the advice of Swedish doctors, who recommended that he study in London. Sweden had been a disappointment. would England be any better? he wondered. 

the North sea crossing had an important effect on S's future. the weather was story and the sea rough. since he was acting as 'ships's doctor', an Irish couple, mr. And mrs. Cavanaugh, called upon him for relief from their seasickness. they became so interested in his story that they agreed to introduce him to a doctor friend of theirs in London, a Dr. Charles Warren, who would both help hm spiritually and advise him in his medical studies.
S's first impressions of England were anything but favorable. his first lodging place in London was the Scandinavian Sailors' Temperance Home, to which a letter of introduction gave him entry. it was near a railroad station and looked out on a maze of tracks and signals. the neighborhood was crowded with row upon row of dingy buildings soled with the grime of many years. myriads of crooked chimneys and windows with broken panes completed a picture of sordid poverty.

however, as his walks took him farther afield, he glimpsed the wonders of civilization on an even larger scale than he had seen in Sweden - telephones, streetcars, wide avenues lighted by gas or electricity, policemen at crossroads spacious hospitals , universities, museums, libraries, homes for the aged and infirm - all astonishing to a stranger from Persia. yet what were these to quench his spiritual thirst?  it was not long before his heart was sick of the great metropolis.

his efforts to get in touch with church activities were frustrating. he first went to a series of evangelistic meetings in the vicinity of his lodgings, but the methods

75  used to urge inquirers to make professions of faith seemed crude and superficial: they reminded him of his initiation into the Naqshbandis of Senneh. he received two letters from a gentleman he had met on the boat, encouraging him to seek out a Methodist clergyman, who would assuredly help him. twice he called by appointment, waited an hour for the minister to appear, then left disheartened. an invitation to call came from the secretary of a missionary society, but even here he failed to meet with the sympathetic consideration that he needed. one night he visited St. Paul's cathedral: the liturgical worship reminded him of the Catholic services he had seen in Senneh and had no meaning for him. he went to church after church and meeting after meeting all over the city, unsuccessful in finding the spiritual uplift that he sought.
the Cavanaughs, however, lived up to their promise and introduced S to Dr and Mrs. Warren, who were earnest christians and extremely friendly. Dr. Warren was a capable physician and proved of great help in guiding him in the choice of courses of study and the most suitable schools for his work. not only that,but the warrens took him into their home as one of the family. he lived with them for nearly two years and they became lifelong friends .

they introduced him to many people, a goodly number of whom, like themselves,were Plymouth Brethren. (foot - the Plymouth Brethren of 'Brethren'(as they call themselves) are a religious group that meet without formal organization. the movement originated in Plymouth, england,whence the name.)he was invited to their meetings and was greatly pleased with their very first session. 'I see you have no minister', he observed after this introductory visit. 'is it because all christians are priests?; he had quickly sensed one of their distinctive tenets. he found the group composed of a goodly number of well-educated people, such as doctors, writers and mathematicians, side by side with simple, ordinary folk. often the least suspected
76  person manifested a remarkable knowledge of the Bible. but though he was in accord with much that he heard and saw, he was determined after his disillusionment in Sweden not to rush into the arms of any group. for 15months he attended their meetings before he decided, after careful search, deep thought and earnest prayer, to be associated with them.

for him the Brethren represented a group whose views were preeminently suited to his own temper and convictions. the Bible, which had been his mainstay ever since his conversion, constituted the sole authority on which their beliefs and worship were based. they recognized no teacher other than the Holy spirit. the limitation of the ministry to one individual, therefore, seemed to infringe on the office of the spirit in the distribution of gifts to the various members of the assembly. the person of Christ provided the center around which their hearts were united in adoration and praise. their worship was the simplest. the fellowship was warm and intimate. S's association with this group brought him deep and increasing satisfaction and the fulfillment of a long-cherished dream of christian aspiration. he had found a spiritual home and the realization of an abiding peace.

79  ...a farewell tea was given him by his group of Brethren, at the close of which prayers were offered that God would keep him amid the difficulties and dangers he might have to face in the homeland. at the conclusion S rose and said: 'when I look back at the way the Lord has led me, I say, 'what hath God wrought1' I cannot express how much i owe him. he has satisfied my longing soul. in your prayers tonight you have been expressing so very much my own feelings. a good deal has been said about the trials and opposition i may meet, but i am not afraid of them, for I have learned that TROUBLE IS SWEET.  rather, i am afraid of myself, of self-confidence and self-reliance. pray for me about this. i commend you to God. there will be difficulties, but he will help us. may we go on, thinking only of Him and not of ourselves.

81  on return to Persia, s found disorder and turmoil on every hand. the extravagances of Naser-ed-Din shah, his acquisition of ruinous foreign loans, and the ever-multiplying concessions made by him to foreigners had given rise to wide discontent. there was threat of an imminent popular uprising. growing disaffection between the shah and the clergy bred disrespect for law and authority. because of the power of the ecclesiastics, many unprincipled individuals had donned the mullah's turban and set themselves up as administrators of justice. the lives and property of the common people were easy spoil for anyone who could exercise sufficient force. they were uncertain days for anybody. how much more so for an apostate from Islam!
82  S soon was informed that he would have to pay a certain assessment for the sayyids (descendants of Mohammed). he consulted a friendly mullah, who agreed:  'it is a rule of islam that Zimmis ( a disparaging term to denote non-Moslems under Mohammedan rule) have to pay this tax.

S replied: 'I willingly accept the humiliation of being called a zimmi, for I owe much to christianity.

the mullah sighed. 'all who have come to know you see that.

afterward the same man had often to apply to S for treatment for trachoma. when finally healed, he sent the doctor a costly diamond ring, which he courteously refused. the success of the cure was more to S than the jewel. early in his career he made it a rule never to accept fees from the clergy. he often followed the same custom with his fellow Kurds.
medical practice filled the doctor's time to the full. 'office hours' had no meaning in those days. people expected to see the physician whenever it suited them to call. and sometimes, when a doctor asked a patient what was troubling him, he might get the answer, 'Your're the doctor; you ought to know, not i.  and since he had to be his own druggist and nurse, S's work was most demanding.

..early  in his career he made it a rule never to accept fees from the clergy. He often followed the same custom with his fellow Kurds.

83  ...the political situation continued to deteriorate.  in may 1896 Naser-ed-Din Shah was assassinated. he was succeeded by his son, Mozaffar-ed-Din, in whose timid reign the authority of the throne suffered further decline. fresh disturbances broke out. travel was unsafe. religious and political factions fought each other. old feuds were revived. rising discontent with the new king tended to guide the whole current of events toward the inevitable culmination - a revolution, out of which was born a constitutional form of government.
during these precarious days S had numerous Kurds as patients. one afternoon come Kurds from his father's native district near the Turkish border came to the clinic. one of them, with his dagger in his sashbelt, looked especially wild, restless like a tiger ready to spring on his prey. fortunately, after receiving the needed medicines, they left quietly, but on the following day the doctor received a letter from a Catholic friend  who was staying at the same carvanserai as the Kurds, warning him against them. such warnings were note without basis, for a party of his fellow countrymen actually had been hatching a plot to kill him. in fact, one day a wild Kurd attacked Kaka on the street with his dagger, mistaking him for his brother. providentially, K was able to defend himself till others came to his aid.

Mozaffar-ed-Din Shah had no particular concern for christians, who had enjoyed some degree of liberty under his father. there was now practically no religious freedom in the country, not so much through active interference as through his indifference, which allowed the clergy to usurp more power. what they ordered in matters of civil or religious jurisdiction no one could gainsay.  it was becoming increasingly dangerous to bear witness to his christian faith, yet Dr S was talking with his patients, and on each Thursday and Sunday afternoon
84  he held Bible readings in his house. those who attended were mostly Armenians and Jewish converts, but there were also Moslems who had had private discussion with him and sought more light.
it was at this time that a prominent ecclesiastic in Hamadan sent for S to attend his father, also a mullah, well known for his piety and learning. the doctor found the sick man in the last stages of cancer. medically, the case was hopeless. possibly he could help him spiritually. so, while the patient was looking anxiously for the verdict, in the presence of all who were there S asked: 'after so many years of service to God are you not glad to go to meet Him? with an expression of intense fear the mullah turned away his head without answering.

well, my dear sir, S continued,  'I can do nothing for you', and left.  the next day the mullah died.

the most learned ecclesiastic in Hamadan, having heard of S's question of the dying man, sent for him. when he called, he found the cleric smoking his water pipe. 'well, said the mullah smiling, 'so you asked the old man if he wasn't ready to meet God? wonderful! aren't you afraid to meet Him yourself?'

'not in the least, replied S, and then went on to explain why, as a christian, he could face death with complete assurance. this was amazing doctrine for the three Moslems present and resulted in a long and friendly conversation, during which the mullah opened his Koran at random for augury. (foot the 'cutting of the Koran,' known as istikhareh, is a very common practice among Moslems. the book is opened at random and the first verse on which the eye lights is supposed to give divine guidance on the matter in hand. missionary surgeons are sometimes obliged to delay an urgently needed operation because of an unfavorable augury.) thereupon he asked S, 'do you do the same with the Bible?'  this gave an opportunity to explain that christians take their problems to God in prayer and trust Him to give needed guidance in
85  such a way as He deems best. the Moslems still thought their way more effective.

toward the end of that summer  (1896) Hamadan was thrown into a panic by an embroilment between two parties of mullahs, the Akhunds and the Shekhis.  the major cause arose from the fact that the Sheikhis extolled the 12 Imams (foot, p 63..in Shiah Islam the imams were the successors of Mohammed in mediating his revelation. in Iran there are generally considered to have been 12 imams, of whom Ali was the first.) in terms of extreme adulation. the Akhunds thought such glorification was blasphemous, and they looted the houses of the Sheikhis, some of whom were killed, while others fled.  on one poor fellow they poured kerosene and burned him alive in the street. no one ventured out after dark. a cavalry regiment, consisting chiefly of Kurdish outlaws, and a regular infantry battalion were sent to Hamadan to maintain order.

in the midst of this turmoil Rebka gave birth to her third child, Lemuel (August 1896).  at night it was difficult to keep the children quiet, for they could hear the whizzing of bullets overhead as they lay in their beds on the flat roof,  their sleeping quarters in hot weather.

during this time of riot s sought out the persecuted Sheikhis in places where merciful friends sheltered them. daily he treated many sick and wounded. this roused the anger of the Akhunds. more than once, going about town, he heard it said:  'the Sheikhis are killed and scattered. why is this infidel permitted to live?
the leading mullah who was the chief cause of the tumult sent for S one day and sought to justify himself: 'these Sheikhis say blasphemous things about our Imams. if the Jews were to say such things about Christ, what would you do?
'as a christian I would treat them kindly. Christ prayed for his enemies when they crucified him. he bids us do the same'.  the mullah looked down with no answer. he was later sent to Teheran under heavy escort on the Shah's order and the disturbance subsided.

86  among the Kurdish patients who came to Dr. S was a merchant from Saujbulagh (now Mihabad), Mirza Hosein by name, a zealous Moslem. he started religious discussion and when he found his arguments answered, he became abusive. S expected never to see him again, but the next day he showed up, saying, 'please do something to hurt me, so that I can become angry with you.' the doctor opened his Bible and read: 'if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink...be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.  'how can I hurt you when I believer in such words as these?
with oaths Mirza Hosein replied that all this meekness was the fruit of deceit.  'by my father's soul, you are wrong. you have been misled. in vain you suffer so much. go on, get drunk. do anything you like. enjoy the world while you can, for I swear by God your place is hell'.  then he added,  'if anyone had talked to me like that, I could have killed him'.  when he left, S honored him by accompanying him to the door and adjusting his shoes for him. (foot - when a guest entered a house, he would slop off his shoes and leave them, toes toward the door.  when he left, it would be a mark of courtesy for the host to turn the shoes around, so they would be in the right position for the departing guest to put on. this office was usually performed by a servant or by an inferior for  superior. ) Mirza Hosein told some friends that while he had used unbearable words to S, he had received only honor in return.

a few days later he came back. while receiving treatment, he evidenced his disquiet of soul: 'had God made me fall off my horse and break my neck, I should have been a happier man. I am unspeakably sorry for my visit to Hamadan at this time. may God grant me to die a Moslem!

the doctor removed his shoes and socks, showed him the two scars on his legs and told him the story of his own anguish of soul in search of peace. he concluded: 'I trust the same gracious god, who is spite of these scars
87  gave me no peace until he had led me to know Him, will do the same for you.'

a friend of Mirza Hosein from whose neck S had removed a tumor wished to return to Saujbulagh. before he left, the doctor desired to take him to see Dr. Holmes, who at that time was spending the summer out in the country. Mirza Hosein accompanied them. when the trio were well out of town, Mirza Hosein asked, 'How do you, an apostate, dare to ride outside the city with us?  to his friend he added, 'when Allah's time for waging war comes, one Moslem will kill ten unbelievers.'

'In my case, said S, there is no need to wait for an appointed time. it is always lawful and even meritorious to kill an apostate.
'had I run across you before I came to know you, or even the first time I came to see you, I might have done it, but now...how can i blind my eyes with my own hands? he kept on talking all the way. finally, in desperation:  'I plead with you to say just once, 'Mohammed is the apostle of God!'  these few words would have saved S from any threat of death, but of course he refused.

it was dark as they journeyed back. despite Rebka's fears for her husband he returned home safely.

some days later Mirza Hosein came to say good bye. S expressed the hope of some day seeing him in Saujbulagh, but he replied, 'don't ever come to Kurdistan or you will surely be killed'. then he added: 'before taking my leave I have brought you a small present. though it is unworthy, I hope you will make me happy by accepting it'.  the gift was a fine saddle, for he knew the doctor was using a borrowed one on the horse he had recently purchased to lessen the fatigue of his daily rounds.

'I'm sure my horse and I appreciate your kindness',  was the smiling reply.

Mirza Hosein grasped S's hand firmly in both of
88  his . 'May the Lord protect you, honored doctor'.  he sighed and was gone.

at the turn of the century Dr. S was called by Prince Ain-ud-Dowleh, son-in -law of the Sahah and Governor General of several provinces in the southwest of persia, to attend his wife. for a whole year following he served as private physician to the Price and his retinue of 5000 people on an inspection trip through the territory of his assignment. during this time he was instrumental in healing a gunshot wound in the prince's leg that had resulted in a gangrenous condition and threatened amputation. following this he had occasion to serve the royal household, which he did with such satisfaction that the Shah wished to retain him as Court Physician, but S had no desire to spend his talents on a select few. he felt that his life  and abilities should be at the service of all who wished his help, privileged and underprivileged alike.
before his return to Mamadan the Shah, in appreciation of his skillful service, awarded him the title of Mo'atamed-us-Sultan (The One Trusted by the King) and an annual title and many of his friends never knew that he had it, although other physicians who had secured titles, usually by purchase, were for the most part eager to be known by them. as for the emolument, it was paid only irregularly and finally discontinued along with other royal pensions early in the reign of Reza Shah with the payment of a small lump sum which S humorously characterized as 'the extreme unction of the Persian government'.
in January 1901 Dr. S decided to make a second trip to Urumia. biting winder winds and such blinding sand and snow that the doctor on his Arab horse and the servant behind on a mule had trouble at times in finding the road made the journey not only difficult but again and again hazardous....
90  ...after many more halts and varied experiences, including a severe attack of bronchitis in Tabriz which all but developed into pneumonia, the pair finally arrived at urumia, 89 days after leaving home. all along the way, in town, in village, and in caravanserai, S had preached Christ and though often exhausted, had gladly responded to the call of the sick. when he reached the urumia plain, now under a thick mantle of snow, and once again passed through the neat villages and hamlets of its christian community, his heart filled with joy. ever since his first visit 10 years before he had been captivated by the beauty of the district, ad the warm-hearted reception accorded him by the assyrians as to an adopted son.
Kaha Shimmon was now retired and was spending his sunset years in urumia among his own people. S
91  at once directed his course to his father-in-law's house, where he received a royal welcome. and wherever he went, he was affectionately spoken of as 'Our Mirza S' or 'Our Kurd'.

contrary to the method employed on his previous visits, S felt led this time to devote his efforts especially to individuals. he definitely sought to avoid publicity. great was the surprise of some of the ministers, therefore, when he declined their invitations to preach. but though he shunned the limelight, he sought to use every opportunity to reach individuals, whether man or woman, Moslem or Jew, nobleman or villager. he was an apostle of personal evangelism.

some of the minsters were inclined to be skeptical of s's efforts and critical of his teachings, regarding him somewhat  unorthodox because he did not think just as they did nor share in their organized work. even his father-in-law at first looked somewhat askance, but as he watched from day to day the devoted efforts to reach and help people and listened to his son-in-law interpreting the Scriptures, he was greatly touched. one day kasha shimmon confessed before a group:  'we call ourselves the clergy and pass judgment on S's work and say his views are unorthodox, but which one of us dares to contradict him, seeing that in everything he is wholly Scriptural? i confess that I have been cold in the service of the Master,  but God has used the love and untiring zeal of my beloved son-in-law to humble me and provoke me to more whole-hearted devotion'. accordingly, on s's subsequent visits to many villages on the Urumia plain the old pastor was a faithful companion.

92  one day S accepted a pressing invitation from Dr. Labaree of the Mission to meet some Bahai leaders, though he knew little good would result from argument. the Bahais started by asserting that their religion had superseded both christianity and islam and was superior to both. little did they know with whom they had to deal!  for 5 hours s argued with them from the Bible, the Koran, and their won sacred book, now discoursing in the Turkish vernacular of that region, now quoting from the Arabic Koran or the Persian Bible. before his profound knowledge they were dumbfounded. suddenly he changed from argument to a passionate appeal to accept Christ as the only Savior. his sincerity and earnestness produced a strange effect on his hearers. they left, holding to their belief but quietly thoughtful.
after four months of this active work Dr. S began to think of returning home, letters from Hamadan reported the danger that awaited him. upon request he had given a Hamadan mullah a copy of Dr. Tisdall's The Sources of Islam, a book written by a British missionary in Iran which strikes at the very foundations of Mohammedanism by showing what elements in islam had come from pre-Islamic Arabs, from the Old Testament and the Jews, from the New Testament and 'christian heresies, and from Zorastrianism, rather than being a direct revelation from God. this book had raised a furor. some people had attributed its authorship to Dr. S, saying 'Tisdall'  was only a nom de plume (from the persian teez de, meaning 'keen heart') the leading ecclesiastic in Hamadan had issued a decree calling for S's death. in spite of all this he decided he must return.

S had urged the christians in Urumia to send
93  evangelists to Kurdistan, where he could not go. Dr. Jesse Yonan, his brother-in-law, who had just returned from medical studies in America, responded to the call. so they prepared to take the first par of the journey together. they left amid many tearful farewells from friends.

at their first stop a notorious brigand asked to call on them to obtain information about some of the diseases most prevalent in those parts. arriving fully armed, he was offered the place of honor, but he seated himself nearer the door with his rifle across his knees. noting S's fluent use of different languages, he asked him to write something in each. the doctor gladly complied, writing John 3.16 in Persian, Turkish, Arabic, Kurdish, Syriac, and English and signing his name, 'S - why, that's a Kurdish name! exclaimed the highwayman. the doctor explained that he was a Kurd, formerly a Moslem, now a Christian. a change came over the brigand's face as he grasped his rifle more tightly, regretting that he had accepted s's hospitality - for now he could not kill hi - he rose and left.

in the village of Chayana the two doctors were guests at the home of Kasha Yohanan. the next day being Sunday, Dr. S visited three Assyrian villages and exhorted the people to be firm in their faith. on monday the pair departed on their say. it was the last time S saw this beloved friend who had been the means of his conversion.
before they left Urumia the doctors had been warned not to go through Saujbulagh, for report had it that two men from Senneh had made a special trip to that town with evil intent. the travelers were discussing what route to take, when S abruptly turned to his companion: 'all day yesterday we were exhorting the poor villagers to have faith in God's protective power, but now by our own doubts we are displaying our own lack of faith'. at once they decided to go through Saujbulagh.

even before reaching the town they were met by a

94  deputation from the Governor of the province, who proved to be an old friend of Dr. S and who invited the travelers to be his guests.  they sent the customary greeting and asked to be excused. instead, they went to the home of Deacon Shmuel, the christian evangelist there. soon after, servants from the governor arrived with two young lambs and other delicacies for their evening meal, together with an invitation to dinner the next day. they accepted and on arrival the governor embraced S affectionately and kissed him on both cheeks as an old friend. after an elaborate mean they retired to the drawing room, where the guests were introduced to many of the high dignitaries of the province.

many mullahs present were anxious to meet S and to hear from his own lips why he had left Islam. so the following day was set for a meeting, at which he answered all their questions with clear, uncompromising statements. for an hour he spoke to them of the love of god as revealed in Christ.  so uneasiness was felt by a few who recognized the two men from Senneh allegedly under a vow to kill s. at the close of the talk the pair pushed forward, it was a tense moment. the assembled group looked for some tragedy to be enacted. instead, the two men embraced S. they were old classmate from school days. then a third man pressed forward and clasped him in this arms.  it was Mirza Hosein, his patient of 5 years before.
'friend, said S, do you remember you once toyed with the temptation to kill me and warned me never to set foot in saujbulagh?  here is your chance.
Mirza Hosein hung his head and was silent for a moment. then he looked up: 'I am ready to give my life for you.
on the morrow about 200 people came to see the two doctors off. 4 days later they reached Bijar, where their ways parted, Dr. Yonan going to Senneh to find rich experience in a new field and Dr. S to
95  Hamadan, not knowing what the hostile fanatics of that city had in store for him. two days later he entered the town at noon, the quietest hour of the fay, to avoid as much as possible the gaze of unfriendly eyes.
what a joy to meet the family again after the absence of more than half a year! and what pleasure to hear the children's cries of delight over the toys he had brought from Urumia! the wind-up locomotives entranced not only the younger generation but the graybeards of the neighborhood as well.
97  despite all the feeling that was stirred up against Dr. S during his absence, the first year or tow after his return to Hamaqdan passed in comparative quiet. this was due in part to treatments in the homes of several important mullahs, the most celebrated ecclesiastic in Hamadan at this time was Abdul Majid, a Kurd who had spent many years at the famous schools of Shiah theology in Nejef and Derbala, near Baghdad. his green sash-belt and dark turban marked him as a Sayyid. he was renowned not only for his learning, but also for his district observance of islamic law. once when a certain man had committed an act deserving capital punishment this Sayyid read the sentence of death before a large crowd and called for a volunteer to execute it. no one responding, he himself drew a sword and cut off the culprits head.
98  in course of time Sayyid Abdul Majid fell seriously ill. the execution of the offender, though performed to uphold the authority of Islamic law, preyed on his mind and added to his restlessness. his lack of confidence in the local physicians mad him unwilling to consult them, but he finally agreed to send for Kr. S. examination showed advanced tuberculosis. all the doctor could do was to give him some medicine to relieve his cough. at the next call the sayyid looked very tired and complained of getting no rest.
'why? have you not taken the medicine? asked Dr S.
'to tell the truth, no.
'Why not?
'You have many enemies, the patient explained. 'I was afraid the local practitioners out of jealousy would poison the minds of the people by saying, 'S killed him with Ferangi drugs'. I thought I was dying anyway, so I wanted to spare you.
His words touched S deeply.  'I thank you for your consideration of me, but those who fear God will do what is right and leave the consequences with Him.
the sayyid asked for the medicine and took a dose on the spot.

after a few weeks he died, but no one heeded the accusations, which were not slow in coming. h;is son remained a friend, gladly reading the New testament given him and came to understand much about christianity.
one day Sa'eed called at the home of another sayyid friend and there he found four men discussing religion. in the course of the subsequent conversation, after one of the guests had accused Sa'eed of accepting christianity for material advantages. the sayyid said:  'that was my impression once, but I have been watching him for some time.  now I am of the opinion that he is a man who has found a heart-satisfying truth, so much so that he cannot

100  listen to anything else. I think, however, that this is due to lack of deep searching in Islam'.  then, turning to Sa'eed: 'apart from opinions gathered out of books have you yourself thought deeply about God in a passion to attain piety?
the doctor answered with humility:  'yes, it was exactly that which made me seek after truth in my youth.  the question with me was how a good God could accept a bad Kurd without blame attaching to His justice and with full assurance to my heart. in christianity I found the answer. had it not been so, why not remain a Moslem and avoid all the manifold troubles I have had to face?

thus it was that while Dr. Sa'eed had anticipated only trials on return from Urumia, he found great encouragement in the opportunities he found for bearing straightforward witness to his christian faith before influential leaders of Islam and in their willingness to listen to him. meantime, friends abroad, fearful of his continued safety in Iran, offered to resettle the whole family in England, but Sa'eed's heart was in his own homeland, where he could render a far greater service to far needier people the generous offer was declined.
in the spring of 1902 Dr. Sa'eed made another trip to london with the twofold purpose of putting Samuel, then nine and one-half years old, in an English school and of pursuing further medical study. samuel was taken to live with the Warrens - in fact, it was they who had suggested his study in England - and they brought him up as their own son.  the doctor was gone for bout a year. he became a member of the London polyclinic and took postgraduate studies in typology and bacteriology. he also devoted special time to ophthalmology and eye surgery. during his practice in Iran he had learned where he was weakest and so he concentrated on these phases of medicine, adding much to his knowledge and experience. he had an opportunity to hear a lecture on leprosy by Dr. Hansen of Norway, the discoverer of the leprosy
101  bacillus and was introduced to him by his old friend, Sir Patrick Manson.

the added experience gained by Dr. Sa'eed during this year of advanced study manifested itself in a series of brilliant cures soon after his return to Iran. his successes were proclaimed abroad, thereby increasing the jealousy of some of the local practitioners. in time he was summoned by the Governor, Prince Salar-es-Saltaneh, a son of Naser-ed-Din Shah and brother of the King, to treat his little boy, who was critically ill and had been given up by other doctors as a hopeless case. success or failure was a matter of utmost importance to Dr. Sa'eed's future reputation. eventually the boy made a complete recovery, filling he father's heart with deep gratitude and with admiration for the one who had effected the cure. long nights of watching at the bedside of the young patient had given opportunity for much religious conversation, so that the Prince became well versed in christian beliefs.
in the summer of 1904, when the hot season began, an epidemic of cholera broke out and soon had the city in tight grip. people were dying by the hundreds. the well-to-do fled to the hills or out-of -town resorts. Dr. Sa'eed was summoned to serve the Prince's household, camped for safety on the highest tableland of Mt. Alvand back of Hamadan, about 6,000 feet above the city. some of the more common complaints of the encampment kept him busy,  but he was able to make occasional visits to his own summer place, were 18 families of Armenians and Jews were sheltered under Rebka's care.

among the places that suffered most from the epidemic was the small village of Shavarin, about 4 miles to the northeast of Hamadan. here, in his palatial residence amid costly rugs and candelabra with their glittering pendants, lived Amir Afkham, the wealthy feudal lord of the district. he owned many villages, were the under-privileged peasants, as all over Iran, plowed their fields privileged peasants, as all over Iran, plowed their fields with oxen, cut their wheat with sickles, threshed out the

102  grain with ox-drawn, wooden-pegged rollers, winnowed it by tossing it in the breeze with primitive pitchforks, and shared the harvest, reaped in this backbreaking manner, with their luxury-loving landlord.
despite his great wealth and power the Amir was disconsolate, for in the ladies' quarters his beautiful daughter lay dangerously ill with dysentery and in another room her mother, stricken with cholera. while Dr. Sa'eed was serving the prince Governor in his mountain retreat, the Amir had no doctor of his ability to attend his sick wife and child. although he knew of Sa'eed's accomplishments and was himself related to the prince, he was not disposed to demean himself by asking the favor of the doctor's temporary release. he secretly harbored and intense dislike for the Governor, whom he accused of encroaching on his rights and attempting to curb his power. but as the tow patients grew worse and friends urged on him the wisdom of summoning Sa'eed, he acquiesced.

two weeks later a smile of satisfaction lighted up the Amir's face as he chatted happily with the doctor, who had been able to pull both patients out of the crisis. they were well on the way to recovery.
when Sa'eed returned to the Prince, he left his Armenian pupil  in charge at the Amir's, promising to return if needed. the Amir often asked the young student questions about the Prince and his relations with Sa'eed. 'Is he nearly a christian now? he laughed, then added:  'it will take more than Sa'eed to convert our Governor.  perhaps sterner methods are needed. he has quite a way with us landowners, but we are not the kind of fruit you can squeeze easily. if you squeeze hard, the juice will squirt into your eyes'. the student began to perceive what he meant, for he knew the Prince was disliked by the landowners.
with the coming of cold weather the epidemic subsided as mysteriously as it had started.  people began to return to their normal occupations. in a few brief months ten percent of the inhabitants of Hamadan had perished.
103  once again Dr. Sa'eed resumed his practice in town , but from various quarters rumors of an ominous plot reached his ears. soon rumor gave way to warning. several friendly mullahs informed him that he had many enemies who were stirring the people up against him - 'that vile man who never ceases to invite people to accept his religion'.  to all this Sa'eed turned a deaf ear. it had been long since the monster of persecution had raised its ugly head against him.  the warnings became more insistent:  'leave town and save yourself before it is too late'.  one friend even urged him to get away that very night, assuring him that his enemies were bent on mischief. Sa'eed was puzzled and perturbed,  but waited for God's guidance.
the motives behind this renewed outburst were twofold - professional jealousy and political intrigue. on the one hand, jewish practitioners, men who had given up their ancestral faith for Bahaism, envious of Sa'eed's successes, had placed Dr. Tisdall's The Sources of Islam in the hands of some bigoted mullahs, attributing its authorship to Sa'eed.  'who but he knows all the languages quoted in it?' they argued - a sufficient proof for the fanatics.
on the other hand, if domestic discord could be stirred up, it would reflect on the Prince's firmness of control as governor. secretly the Amir was hoping that the Governor, after a futile effort to put sown the disturbance, would be obliged to tender his resignation. thus Sa'eed became the innocent victim of political cunning and the jealousy of his fellow doctors.

the fanatical mullahs, headed by the imam Jum'eh of the city, had gathered in the large central mosque and in secret session had signed a decree condemning Sa'eed to death for using blasphemous words against their prophet and seeking to entice Moslems away from their faith. if read publicly in the mosque, this pronouncement, signed and sealed by the mullahs, wold be the signal for the

faithful to rise EN MASSE to execute the sentence, on the authority of the Koran.  the chief person responsible for the signing of the death warrant was none other than the son of the famous mullah of whom,  on the day before he died, Sa'eed had inquired if he was glad to go to meet God after so long a time of serving him. that question had been asked many years ago, but apparently the confusion it had cost the father still rankled in the mind of the son. later Sa'eed learned that this same man had played an important part in stirring up prejudice against him during his absence in urumia.

the atmosphere of the city was tense. rumors grew louder, like the rumbling of an earthquake about to burst forth. as anticipated by the Amir, the Governor was helpless in the situation, while he himself,through favors granted, had the mullahs on his side. with the storm about to break, involving the life of an innocent doctor who had saved his wife and daughter, the Amir was content to sit back on his soft cushions and smoke his water pipe with an air of amused satisfaction. on the other hand, the Governor already disliked for his overindulgence toward the apostate, dared not shelter him at this critical hour. instead, he informed the Prime Minister of the situation by telegram.

at this juncture an escort arrived from the Amir to take Sa'eed and his family to Shavarin. Rebka flatly refused to go, saying no one would touch an old woman like her. the two children were taken away by friends and sheltered separately. Sa'eed left for the village under cover of darkness. two days later his family followed him. in spite of strict orders, many of their belongings were lost during the move, even the servants taking their share of the loot.
although the Amir now sought by all means in his power to quell the uprising, it looked as if the situation had passed the point of control. Sa'eed's whereabouts had become known. the Amir was in a difficult position.
105  a band of theological students, headed by some fanatical merchants from Tabriz, together with hired assassins, set out for shavarin to do away with the apostate, when news of this move reached the Amir. he immediately sent out two gray-bearded mullahs to intercept the mob and turn it back by any strategy they could devise. they swore by their Prophet and their holy Imams that Sa'eed swore by their Prophet and their holy imams that Sa'eed had already left the village. even thus it was only with the greatest difficulty that they accomplished their mission.

after this narrow escape for Sa'eed the Amir lost his habitual composure. he informed his guest that he could no longer shelter him, since he himself and his sons were being decried in the city for protecting 'an enemy of the faith'. 'I have been in communication with the Prime Minister, he sad, and this is his reply.  he handed a telegram to Sa'eed which read, 'Send him directly to Teheran.

'the Prime Minister has always been very gracious to me, replied the doctor, ever since I was called to treat his wife on their way to Kerbala. two years later I accompanied him to the south and remained in his service a whole year. what he decides I am certain will be best.

when Sa'eed's friends learned of his decision to go to Teheran, they came from all over the city to say good-bye, for it was felt that he would be unable to return to Hamadan for some years. Rebka was not ready to go to the capital: she preferred to remain with their property in Hamadan. however, she made one concession:  she promised to stay with friends for a while before returning home.

among those who came to say farewell was a friendly mullah, on parting he said:  'Well, doctor, are you going to continue to talk about Christ in Teheran also? or have you learned your lesson? Sa'eed assured him that his testimony would persist as long as he had breath.

106  'Don't be surprised, the mullah said jokingly, if the hounds follow the scent to Teheran'.  he bade the doctor an affectionate farewell.
very different were Miss Montgomery's parting words: 'God wants you to witness for Him with power in Teheran. I am sure of it. some day you will bear your testimony for him in your own home town in Kurdistan. I hope God will allow me to live to see that day. her prophecy and her hope were both to be fulfilled.
it was on the first day of the new year that Dr. Sa'eed set out for Teheran. as he tore off the cover of his 1905 calendar, he found this as the Bible verse for the day: 'For the Lord they God bringeth thee into a good land... a land wherein thou shalt eat anything in it. with a full heart he knelt with his wife and children to commend them to God.
although the Amir wished to send an escort part of the way, Sa'eed preferred to leave as quietly as possible in order not to attract attention. with warm blankets, a hot water bottle. and a few necessaries packed in a bag he rode out with his Armenian pupil and tow servants of a friend to a village 20 miles away to catch the regular mail wagon. the temperature was below zero and the whole countryside was blanketed in a heavy frost.
as he started on the road, there came to him again the words that had been his help on his flight from Senneh to Hamadan:  'there is no man that hath left house or brethren or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, but he shall receive an hundredfold now... with persecutions; and i the world to come eternal life. he felt greatly comforted.

the Armenian often looked back to see if anyone were following, but no one came. 'do you know what happened in Shavarin two days ago? he asked the doctor. getting a negative reply, he continued:

107  'A young Armenian there got into trouble and to save his life proclaimed himself a Moslem. our people were greatly upset and went to the Amir to get his help in reclaiming the fellow, explaining that he had become a mohammedan through fear.  you ought to have hearted the Amir:  'why are you so agitated over an idiot adopting islam? Sa'eed, who is worth half of islam, has gone over to your religion and we say nothing! he literally pushed them out of the room, he was so angry.'

on arrival at the post station the servants were dismissed. there were tow other travelers besides Sa'eed and his companion in the heavily loaded, horse-drawn post wagon, one a cheerful young man and the other a Tabriz merchant, both of whom obviously did not know the doctor's identity....

108  as they approached the sacred city of Qom, the Moslem passengers began talking of their proposed pilgrimage to the shrine. in the midst of the conversation that had turned to religious subjects the merchant turned to Sa'eed:  'by the way, what became of that apostate doctor in Hamadan who had written a book against Islam and created such an uproar?  the question was a bolt from the blue. there was no ignoring it. on the other hand, they were drawing near to a city whose shrine engendered fanaticism.
'I am Sa'eed, the apostate doctor'.
the two Moslems gaped in astonishment .
but I did not write the book in question.  then he went on to explain how the commotion had been caused by professional jealousy. his fellow travelers were quite satisfied. three days beyond Qom, Sa'eed reached Teheran in safety.
on the following morning the allotted passage for his private devotions contained these words from the book of Acts:  'Be not afraid, but speak and hold not thy peace:  for I am with thee and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee:  for I have much people in this city.  he had many offers of hospitality, but, desirous not to bring trouble to any of his friends and anticipating the arrival of his family, he rented a house for two years. he signed the lease on the same day that he finished his reading of Acts. which concludes with these words:  'and paul dwelt two whole years in his won hired house and received all that came in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him. this was exactly what he did.

some days after his arrival Sa'eed went to pay his respects to his old friend, the Prime Minister, who welcomed him warmly and expressed relief at his safe arrival. after some conversation about details of health the Prime
109  Minister  said: 'Now tell me about yourself. they reported to me that you got drunk and blasphemed islam. of course I know you don't drink, but - with a smile -your blasphemous words I believe'.
Sa'eed told him about his relationship with the Prince Governor and the Amir Afkham and the professional jealousies which had brought on the trouble. the Prime Minister smiled with amusement. 'do you know that your governor has resigned?
'Resigned? asked Sa'eed in astonishment.
'Yes, he is in Teheran now. he foolishly sent in his resignation after you left. that is just what the Amir was aiming at.  you and the Governor were the victims and the mullahs the instruments.  the doctors were playing only a minor part in the game.
As'eed could hardly believe his ears.  'Do you mean to say that the Amir was behind the whole affair?

'Exactly! the Governor, like yourself, was innocent. he reported the situation to me at once. later, the Amir sent me an account of the general disorder. I sensed what was up and telegraphed him, 'Let the doctor absent himself from town for a short time;  meanwhile, if a broom is lost out of his belongings, I shall hold you personally responsible'.  when the situation became serious, he sheltered you in his house and tried to silence the whole affair, but it got out of his control, though he did prevent the public reading of the decree. in desperation he asked by telegram what he should do and I ordered him to send you here.
and thus Sa'eed learned how he had been made the victim of political intrigue.

his next problem was to get his family to join him. he suggested to  Rebka that she sell both house and country place and come to Teheran. she had no desire to do either. finally they compromised. she agreed to go Teheran,  but they would retain the property. in after years the wisdom of her decision was borne out when they returned.
110  to Hamadan to reside. the garden, especially, afforded them great peace and comfort when in later years they retired to its cool seclusion during summer months to find rest and joy in happy family reunions.
111 the Kashgais are one of the great nomad tribes of Iran. their homeland is in the south of the country in the province of Fars, whose capital city is shiraz. they are reputed to have been transplanted from Kashgar in Chinese Turkstan in the 13th century by Hulagu Khan, gradson of Genghiz Khan. of Turkish descent,  Turkish had remained their spoken language, though in other respects they had adopted the habits of the neighboring tribes, the Lurs and the Baktiaris.  their warriors had accompanied Nader Shah on his invasion of India in the 18th century, when he brought back as his prize the famous Peacock Throne.
the Kashgia chieftain was know by the title of Ilkhani.  his herds numbered literally hundreds of thousands of animals - sheep and goats, donkeys and camels.  in the springtime he moved with his retinue of more than 5000 souls and his vast flocks toward

112 the north in the region of isfahan, a trek that would take several weeks. the fall saw this army moving back to the pasture lands of the south. over his subjects the ilkhani exercised absolute authority, and and except in matters of taxation he enjoyed the powers and privileges of a semi-independent chieftain. his people knew no other authority and were accountable only to him.

in the fall of  1908 Dr. Sa'eed was requested to attend the sick wife of this overlord at his summer headquarters beyond Isfahan.  because of the length of the journey and several patients under his care, he hesitated to accept, but he was persuaded to call on the lady who was arranging the trip. he was ushered into a drawing room furnished in European style. soon a lady of 40 appeared, attired in European clothes except for a muslin  kerchief on her head, and she opened the subject. after further conference with Rebka,  who sensibly urged upon him the need of a change of climate and living conditions, Dr. Sa'eed decided to go. in a few hours everything was arranged including the employment of a young Assyrian as a servant.
the party for the journey included 9 persons - the lady and her nephew,  a woman companion and her daughter of 12, a maid and tow men servants, the doctor and his attendant. travel was by three vehicles - a wagon divided into two compartments by means of boards and curtains, and two old-fashioned hacks. huge bundles of bed clothing, containers of food, and personal baggage filled every available bit of space inside and out.  it was 3 hours past sunrise on a cloudless day when they passed through the city gate into the open, dusty country.
as the day grew warmer, the lady removed her jacket and Sa'eed observed a revolver at her hip. amused by his surprised look, she asked, 'How is it that you carry no arms?
'Once I had a revolver with me from Teheran to Hamadan, replied Sa'eed,  but I regretted it, for I found I was
113  relying on it in time of danger instead of looking to God for protection. I have never carried one since.
'that's all very well, she concluded.  'still we need to safeguard ourselves.

their first main stop was Qom. for miles they had been passing caravans of pilgrims, many of whom were taking the bodies of their dead to ensure their eternal welfare by burial in the sacred soil of this holy city. the lady and her party found every caravanserai filled to capacity with these travelers. the only 'hotel' was full; not only the rooms but also the fat rooftops were occupied.  a little garden in front of the building was placed at their disposal and here Sa'eed found shelter in a sort of pergola. her ladyship ordered everyone to go to sleep- a behest which the mosquitoes made difficult to obey- while she herself, rifle in hand, kept watch!
after a nigh in this city, near which one of the world's richest oil deposits has newly been opened, the party started on its way southward.  the succession of mirages served only to intensify thirst, which was somewhat slaked by melons, but they could not take the place of fresh water.

at the next village the man charged with providing change of horses was slow and rude. the lady herself boxed his ears and ordered him whipped. when ever the drivers or those responsible for bringing fresh horses proved troublesome, she threatened to shoot it:  it was soon shifted. even the rough men quailed before her.  at sunset, as they were traveling through a mountainous section, she related to Sa'eed how one night she had helped a caravan through that very spot single-handed and had protected it against Lurish brigands.
at the last the historic city of Isfahan and its magnificent Allah Verdi Khan bridge with its 33 arches came into view. at first Sa'eed was disappointed with the far-famed capital of Shah Abbas the Great, but when
114  he reached the King's Square and saw the beautiful mosques and other witness to the city's ancient glory, he was happily surprised. having visited the places of interest, he went to Julfa, the Armenian settlement outside the city, to secure a new supply of Scriptures and tracts.

from Isfahan Sa'eed went on without his feminine escort for a day's journey, when he was met by riders of the ilkhani - a group of tall, well-built, broad-shouldered men. their leader, iskandar khan, a man of 60 was as active as one half his age. a beautiful mare had been sent for the doctor's use.

as hour before midnight they set out for Ahahneshin,  the encampment of the great chieftain. the autumn air was icy cold. across the plain small firs indicated sheltering tents, inviting to their hospitality, were it not for the loud barking of ferocious watchdogs. some of the young men amused themselves by occasionally setting fire to camelthorn bushes. it was well past midnight when they halted at a small encampment of shepherds on the grassy slope of a hill.  a huge fire was built for them. in spite of this Sa'eed could not sleep ,  his teeth chattered so from the cold.

an hour before sunrise they were again in their saddles. as they passed through peaceful villages, the Kashgais spread terror and confusion among the people, ordering them about like slaves to provide food and fodder with no compensation. any hesitation was met with blows and curses. two of the horsemen brought Sa'eed some food thus stolen, but he refused it because it was obtained by force.  "O, this is not stealing; it was only fun',  was the reply.
suddenly the encampment of the Dashgais came into view - numerous black tents dotting the plain with one large white tent, the abode of the chief. Sa'eed was cordially welcomed by the Ilkhani, a tall, handsome,  pleasant individual. he soon introduced the doctor to his patients - Bibi Khanum, his wife and Naser, their
115  boy of three. both Bibi Khanum and her sister were beautiful ladies. the women here, as elsewhere among the nomads, wore not veils. they moved without embarrassment among the men. after a short rest in his own tent Sa'eed sent some presents to the Ilkani and his wife, among other things a gilt edged New Testament bound in leather.

one of his first concerns on arriving at the camp was to learn if the people could read. he was gratified to find that many were literate, both men and women. they could not read Turkish, their spoken language, but persian, which most of them knew.
among the dwellers at the camp was a remarkable young man, a sayyid called Bahur-ul-Olum (Sea of Knowledge),  acting as personal physician to the chief. Sa'eed had never seen a man better versed in the Koran and Moslem traditions, in philosophy and metaphysics, in Arabic and persian poetry - a sawyer in islam and a doctor whose medical knowledge was remarkable for one who had acquired it only from books. this man was at first offended that another physician had been sent for. Sa'eed called on him. when he returned the call, Sa'eed was attending several patients in his tent. he explained their ailments to the sayyid. from then on he became Sa'eed's daily companion. he found it difficult to understand  why the doctor was willing to share his medical knowledge. Sa'eed explained that it was to follow Christ's teaching, 'Freely ye have received, freely give'.

one night the sayyid opened up his heart: 'In spite of the books I have read, my critical mind has given me no rest. I have taught hundreds in Shiraz, being chief instructor in theology and metaphysics in Moshir's Mosque.  I have found no satisfaction in Islam. Bahaism I have found shallow. can't you  tell me something? I know there is a God. i want to find salvation. you seem to be a strange christian, so well acquainted with Islam and quoting the Koran with correct pronunciation.

116  Sa'eed told him who he was and how he had come to accept the christian faith and what satisfaction he had found in it. the sayyid listened carefully and said he would like to read the Bible. the doctor's supply of Testaments was finished, so he wrote to Isfahan  for an Arabic copy for the sayyid and, at his request, a persian copy for his sister.  to their mutual sorrow, the sayyid had to leave soon after for family reasons. Sa'eed's earnest prayers went with him.

the Kashgais are Shiah Moslems, but like most nomadic tribes they are not given to strict observance of Islamic practice nor imbued with devotion to the religious life. they maintain extreme veneration  for Ali and corresponding hatred for Omar, the second caliph, who opposed him. aside from these elemental traits of their faith they are governed chiefly by tribal traditions and concepts of right and wrong. bravery is the paramount virtue and cowardice the cardinal sin. tribal feuds are handed down from generation to generation.
as might be expected, the Ilkhani was not deeply interested in religion. one night he dropped in at Sa'eed's tent to find him engaged in discussion with his property overseer. he picked up the doctor's Bible with the remark,  'I have been reading from the book you gave my wife,  but I cannot understand it.  it is unintelligible'.  as they carried on conversation, the Ilkhani was turning over leaves of the Bible.  when he saw the Book of Job, he exclaimed, 'O, Job! the Fountain of Job is in this district, where he is supposed to have bathed and was healed of his sores'.  Sa'eed related the story of Job, but the Ilkhani spoke sarcastically of the prophets.

Sa'eed cut him short: 'what every man needs is a heart at peace before God. will laughing at the prophets quiet your conscience? you are only a man. you may die tonight. are you prepared to die?

the Ilkani sobered at once. after a pause he asked.  'do you have that peace you spoke of ?'

117  Thank God, I have, replied Sa'eed. the chieftain said goodnight and left.

the next day the Ilkhani came to Sa'eed's tent to express deep satisfaction with his wife's progress and to ask if she were now sufficiently recovered to ride, since he wished to commence the journey south to their winter quarters in Shiraz and further south near the Persian Gulf.  when reassured of her condition, he volunteered to speak somewhat about her, revealing his deep attachment to her, not only for her beauty,  but for her numerous virtuous qualities and fine character. she was indeed a clever and capable lady, attending personally to much that went on in the large household. occasionally, even in her husband's absence, she ordered and provided food for 500 guests. she seemed to know every article in her huge pavilion, which took 32 poles to pitch. in this enormous tent were beautiful rugs - two of them 7 yards by 3, trunks of valuables in the chieftain's quarters, looms for weaving carpets in the women's section. every detail bespoke the orderliness and industry of its mistress.

by sunrise the next morning the whole camp was astir. women were taking down the black tents, rolling them around their poles, and tying them on the backs of cows, donkeys and mules. the grumbling camels were made to kneel for their loads, which might consist of tents, saddlebags filed with various articles and a wooden chest on either side, the whole surmounted by one or more riders. when the load was complete, the animal would shoot his long neck forward with a sudden jerk, raise his hind legs and then his forelegs. boys of 8 or 10 would perch on the camel's hind quarters without the aid of saddle or guide rope. children of 6 or 8 would ride horses, mules, or donkeys bareback.  one might even see a camel's saddlebag loaded with 4 little children, tow on either side, perhaps fast asleep with heads bobbing back and forth, the mother riding astride with another child in her arms. (note - Wow...the way God meant it to be! :)
118  before setting out, the men lined up in rows to bow to the Ilkhani. not until he started did anyone move. they were a magnificent sight, each  one fully equipped and riding a beautiful horse of Arab or Turkoman stock. their full-skirted coats were crossed over in front and held together by massive sash-belts. their full trousers were of cotton material dyed indigo blue. a new German Mauser pistol was slung over the left hip and a magazine rifle across the shoulders. woe to any enemy bold enough to attack them!
by an hour after sunrise the entire camp was in motion.  the thousands upon thousands of camels and cows, mules and donkeys, sheep and goats raised a dust that befogged the plateau of 16 square miles. they stopped  for lunch near the famous spring which Persian poets have celebrated as the spot where the legendary romance of Khosrov and Shirin occurred. other springs below feed into a brook which soon becomes a river. in springtime grass and flowers touch a rider's stirrups and make one of the best pasture lands in Iran, nearly 500 miles in length. even that year, at the end of a long dry season, the nomads had to secure a guide to show them where to ford the river. after he had crossed, none of Sa'eed's companions would venture into the water until his pedigreed Arab horse had made the first plunge.
at one place a shepherd called to him. 'what are you? why have you come to this region? Sa'eed explained that he was a doctor called by the Ilkhani to treat his family. the man called two of his comrades. 'if you are a doctor, then tell us what's wrong with us'.
'physically nothing; spiritually, sin, which brings you under the judgment of God'.
'Do you know God?'
'Yes, I rejoice to say'.
'then how is it you have such a hat? referring to the brim.
'that's to protect against the sun'.
119  'Not so. we say you wear this to avoid seeing heaven, the abode of God'.
it was the same fanciful idea he had heard as a child in Kurdistan from his mother.

Sa'eed greatly enjoyed watching the kahgai men. on occasion one of these skilled marksmen suddenly would jump down from his horse, aim his gun, and bring down a bird, a hare, or a gazelle.  one day the Ilkhani and his suite went hunting. they brought back 54 gazelles besides deer and mountain goats.
although Sa'eed had seen difficult travel, he now came upon roads more difficult than he had ever known. winding his way along a mountain ledge, he could see sheer cliffs reaching up into the sky, while a look over the precipice to the stream far below was enough to make him giddy.  he found it both amusing and pathetic to watch the camels look at rocks in the road, smooth and slippery from weathering, dare to throw their front feet together, come what may; then wait, bewildered, wondering how to move their hind feet and where to put them. horses also neighed in alarm. in such places the doctor thought it safer to walk, leading his mount.
one day the Ilkhani asked the doctor to see a patient, a man of 80, who arrived with some young women and their husbands the women asked if it were true that a christian married only one wife. Sa'eed read some of the New Testament teachings regarding christian marriage and family life. the women were astonished, but one husband said: 'Please don't give them wings. they will become proud and haughty; then they will have to be beaten'. Sa'eed wrote in a letter about these nomad women at the time:
'Poor women! with the exception of the higher class, hey do everything - fetch skins of water, bake bread and spin the thread: even while traveling she has the white wool over her head and her hands are busy with the spindle. she pitches the tent, spreads the carpets, goes to the hillside and brings fuel for the fires, weaves carpets
120 and the material for the large, heavy bags to carry provisions in. she dyes the carpet yarns herself - all beautifully matched...practically everything is prepared for her lord while he is gone shooting or on some duty with the chief. often she is asked to saddle the horse, too, and when her lord is displeased, she is beaten. once I thought a man was beating the dust out of a carpet, but the shriek of a woman soon explained what was going on'.

the Ilkhani's halts on the journey were frequent and rather prolonged, since even he experienced some difficulty in collecting taxes from the various clans. wherever he stopped he held court, ordering punishments ranging from a simple shipping to prison terms. in his train were to be seen in chains men guilty of various crimes, being taken to Shiraz, where their fate would be determined.

at one of these stops Sa'eed discovered that the reputed tomb of Job, which the Ilkhani had mentioned, was only 8 miles away and so he asked permission to visit it. the chieftain ordered a few riders to accompany him to the locality, known as 'the Land of Uz'.  he found a large graveyard surrounding a dome, beneath which was the tomb - a little building of baked bricks with a wooden box in the center, on which were lying a few Arabic tablets, soiled and thumbed and some prayers read there by visiting pilgrims. removing the box with the help of one of the men, he saw the grave, over which was a piece of marble with an inscription which  he was unable to decipher. on asking what proof there was that this was the tomb of Job, the attendant adduced the fact that worms form his body were still found there. Sa'eed asked if he could get some of these creatures. the man went off to a nearby hill and returned with some petrified worms.
'how is it that the worms are confined to that hi.? asked Sa'eed.
'because when Job was in agony from his sores, he
121  used to go to that hill and roll himself in the dust to soothe his pain. as many worms as fell off were petrified.
a three-day journey from there brought the long caravan to Shiraz.  here Sa'eed. took his leave and set off by the mail wagon for Teheran. tow weeks later he reached the capital in safety, only to come down with an acute attack of pneumonia. for a few days his condition was critical, but he made a complete recovery and was ready for further service with a deeper sense of God's sustaining power.

during the reign of Reza Shah the Ilkani was confined  in Teheran as a political prisoner.  at his request Dr. Sa'eed attended him three daily in his last sickness.  after his death it was widely reported that he was murdered. the doctor examined his body after decease and maintained that death was due to natural causes. (foot - 'in his intensely interesting book, Strange Lands and Friendly People, Justice Douglas states that he was murdered in prison by being given poisoned coffee (p.134). Dr. Sa'eed's testimony would seem to disprove this.

124  ...his son, Mohammed Ali Shah, succeeding to the throne, sought to restore the old order of things. new disorders broke out that resulted in his deposition and exile in 1909.

his son, Ahmad, only 12 years of age, assumed the rule under a regency. within tow years the ex-Shah,aided by royalist supporters, was moving from the Caspian Sea toward Teheran in the hope of regaining the crown, while his brother, the Salar-ud-Dowleh, was marching on the capital from the west with an army of irregulars, mostly Kurds and Lurs. the two brothers were trying to outrace each other for possession of the throne. the Salar took Senneh district without difficulty and by the summer if 1911 had reached the vicinity of Hamadan, where he received the support of Amir Afkham.

it was during this same summer that Dr. Sa'eed,  together with Rebka and Samuel, back from London for the summer, went to their country place outside of Hamadan for a vacation. Sarah, their daughter, had been married three years before to Dr. Tatevos Assaturian, a prominent Armenian physician of Hamadan, where they were living. the news of the doctor's arrival soon reached the ears of the men who had sought his life 6 years before, but the lapse of time and the serious political crisis seemed to have moderated their religious fervor.
one afternoon a group of horsemen from the Amir arrived at Sa'eed's garden, begging him to come to Shavarin to treat his granddaughter's eye, injured accidentally by a toy gun. remembering the Amir's perfidy (def - deliberate breach of faith and lack of trust), he was at first disinclined to go, but later yielded. some days afterward Sa'eed received a telegraphic order from the Salar-ud-Dowleh  to join his camp. despite the fears of friends for the consequences, he refused. in the late summer both armies were defeated by nationalist forces and both brothers with drew into exile. the Amir fled and his property in shavarin was looted. he was eventually pardoned and returned to his village palace shorn of
125  its glory. it was nearly two decades later that Dr. Sa'eed was summoned to his deathbed. it was a pathetic ending  to the years of acquaintance to hear the dying man cry out from the sting of a troubled conscience, 'God will take out from the sting of a troubled conscience, 'God will take vengeance! god will take vengeance!'
of the royalist captives taken to Teheran many were Kurds,  among them some from Senneh who had once vowed to kill Sa'eed and many from Awraman, a district near the Turkish border. it was from this region that Sa'eed's mother had come as a bride to Senneh long years before. the doctor, now returned to the capital from his vacation, visited many of these prisoners, treated the wounded, and gave some of them money. he was able through his great influence to obtain the release of manyh, whom he sent back to their homes. they returned to Kurdistan with unbelievable stories about the apostate doctor.  'He works miracles! said some.  'I was one of the men who swore to kill him, sadi another, but he cured my eyes, gave me money and clothing and sped me on my way home!'

such were the reports borne to the Sultan of Awraman,  an influential chieftan of that district. he was now 72 years of age. for nearly 4 years he had been blind. through this dark period he had been hearing of Sa'eed medical skill and he cherished the hope that some day, somehow, the doctor would come and restore his sight. he had given the Salar generous support in men and money and in return asked one favor only - that he would send Sa'eed to operate on his eyes.  the Salar's defeat had shattered his hopes and brought bitter disappointment.
in the summer of 1912 Dr. Sa'eed returned again to Hamadan, this time for permanent residence. Naser-ul-Molk, a European-educated nobleman, was acting as regent for the young king. he was not the strong man needed to bring order out of chaos and as a result disorder and lawlessness prevailed in many parts of the country. roads were unsafe for travel. Sa'eed's trip from Teheran

126  was accomplished with difficulty; though shots were fired on his carriage, he reached Hamadan in safety.
toward the end of September he was summoned to Khosrovabad, a village on the border of Kurdistan, to treat a nobleman of repute, Amir ala-ed-Din.  with an escort of six armed riders and tow servants sent by the Amir, Sa'eed set out, taking his own Kurdish servant, Bagher.  the Amir, one of the savants of his day famed for his beautiful penmanship, was suffering from mental decline following inflammation of the brain surface.  by producing artificial fever the doctor was able to secure extraordinary results in a short time.  the improvement was so marked that his own sons said, 'the Amir reads and writes as he used to 20 years ago!'

because of this success the Amir became so attached to Sa'eed that each time he asked permission to leave some excuse was found to detain him.  meanwhile many patients came from neighboring villages for treatment and were cured.
toward the middle of October came a letter from Amruleh, a village in Kurdistan, requesting Dr. Sa'eed's presence. the missive was from Sayyid Najm-ed-Din, a noted man who had followers from the Caspian basin to the distant mountains of Kudistan and who controlled a monastery of great repute. he wrote to ask the doctor to come to treat a relative. Sa'eed thought it unwise to venture among the fanatical moslem leaders of that Kurdish district. his friends at the Amir's advised against it.  one in particular emphatically warned,  'Don't ever let such an idea enter your head. you would be killed outright'.  so the doctor replied to the sayyid, asking to be excused from making the trip.

the messenger who carried the letter was caught in a rainstorm on his way back and was drenched to the skin.  seeking shelter in the nearest nomad tent, he at once set about set about drying himself. in the process the doctor's letter dropped into the open fire and was burned to ashes.

127  a week passed, during which Sa'eed persistently sought to return to Hamadan, but was daily hindered by the amir's devices to delay him.  as a result, another letter arrived from Sayyid Najm-ed-Din:

'we did not see your letter and have no idea of its contents, for it was accidentally  burned on the way. I hope you did not intend to disappoint us.  I am a man who may request any favor from the sultan of Turkey or the Shah of Persia and am not refused. I have received a letter from the Sultan of awraman. he wishes to come here to Amruleh and wants you to treat his eyes. be sure to come'.

so it was the blind Sultan of Awraman behind this! what should he do? he did not have the heart to refuse the old Sultan of his people, not did he deem it sensible to throw himself into the lion's den. did God have some purpose in the burning of his letter? he was greatly perplexed. one of the Kurds at the Amir's suggested a solution - that he demand a fabulous fee and perhaps that would discourage the sultan. so he wrote, saying he would come for 50 tomans a day from the time he left Khosrovabad
till the time he should return there.
when the time limit stipulated in his letter had expired and no reply came, Sa'eed, relieved, set out for home. on the way he stopped at a small village to return the call of a nobleman friend of his childhood days who had come to see him in Khosrovabad.  the preparation of a sumptuous repast delayed the doctor's departure till two o'clock and even before the meal was over, patients began to arrive.
before Sa'eed could bet away,  the clatter of hoofs announc3ed the arrival of Sayyid jalal-ed-Din,  the son of Najm-ed-Din, at the head of a large escort armed with daggers and pistols, rifles and cartridge belts. Sa'eed's host rushed forward to kiss the sayyid's stirrup and receive him with the honor due his position.  to everyone's astonishment Sa'eed greeted him with only a bow and the customary salutation. the sayyid handed him a
128  letter from his father promising him any fee he should wish. they all spent the night there, but Sa'eed slept little, for he was greatly disturbed at the way things had turned out.

the next day they returned to the house of the Amir in Khosrovabad.  before they had time to dismount,  Sa'eed ws greeted with these words: 'what do you think has happened?  this morning some twn letters arrived for you from Senneh.  they want you urgently to treat our Governor the Vakil-ul Molk'.  the letters were from the Governor himself and several of the aristocracy of Kurdistan.  the Governor had also written the Amir:
'I know there would be danger for the doctor to come to Senneh.  it would be best for him to proceed to one of my villages near the town. though i am not in a position to travel I shall arrange to meet him for examination and directions'.
this latest development added a new twist to the riddle. here were two calls for his help - one from his native city, the other from the mountain fastnesses of Kurdistan, both from fanatical centers, both from important men and men at odds with each other. more perplexed than ever Sa'eed sought seclusion to secure guidance from God. he felt encouraged to accept both calls. as he came out of his room, he said to his servant, 'What do you say?'
Bagher replied, 'the God whom you worship in truth is able to protect you even in the burning fire'.

turning to the sons of the Amir, Sa'eed said: 'I came here in the first instance at your father's behest. if you see any danger in all this, why should i leave your house? as a result of this remark the young men held a long consultation with Sayyid Jalal-ed-Din,  for they felt responsible for Sa'eed, since he came there to treat their father.  the upshot of their deliberation was that Jalal-ed-Din gave a written guarantee for the doctor's safe return to their home, once the whole undertaking was completed. so Sa'eed wrote a letter to the Vakil, promising to come
129  to Senneh, for from the description of his ailment it seemed unwise for him to be moved, and asking for an escort to meet him in amruleh.
with a heart full of diverse emotions the doctor set out with Sayyid Jalal-ed-Kin and his men. wherever they passed people rushed forward to kiss the sayyid's feet, so great was the veneration in which he was held. toward sunset of the third day they arrived at Amruleh,  where the sayyid's father had his great monastery.  this was the village where it was agreed that the Sultan of Awraman should come for the treatment of his eyes and where the Vakil's escort should meet Sa'eed fro the trip to Senneh, but there was no sign of either party.
Sa'eed was assigned to a room whose walls were blackened with the smoke of years and bespattered with the spittle of numberless pilgrims who had visited the sacred place. he sent his servant to the bazaar to buy some yards of calico to nail on the walls and on the corner of the room where he slept as a precaution against lingering germs.
at dusk a deputation from Awaraman came riding in.  Jalal--ed-Din went out to meet them and report.
'well, has the Sultan come? asked Sa'eed.
'no, you see he is very fat as well as blind. travel over these mountain roads would be ery difficult for him. he begs you to go to him'.
but that is impossible'. the doctor shook his head.
about three o'clock in the morning Bagher burst into Sa'eed's room. 'Sheikh Sadeq is suffering from a severe pain. they want you to see him'.  the sheikh was one of the Awaraman contingent just arrived.

a careful examination showed unmistakable signs of appendicitis. the doctor groaned: 'what a beginning is this for me?  no instruments! no anesthesia! no assistant! this is my undoing. if anything should happen to this influential man, I would be ruined.'.  much against his better judgement he injected the patient with morphine
130 forbade all food, and ordered cold compresses over the appendix.  he returned to bed with a prayer to God to heal the man, since an operation was impossible.  in the morning he found the patient breathing at ease with all pain gone. re-examination showed no trace of the disease. Sa'eed's reputation was saved.  in fact, it was enhanced. he thanked God in the words of the psalmist: 'this poor man cried and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles'.

after this Dr. Sa'eed was invited to call on Jalal-ed-Din's father, Sayyid-ed-Din, who received him in a huge audience hall packed with dignitaries and attendants. although he refused to kiss the great man's hand as a sign of reverence, as others did, lest the people should construe it to mean that he had repented of his apostasy, the venerable ecclesiastic seated him at his side.  then they acquainted him with their plan, which was that he should go to Awaraman to teat the Sultan's eyes. they urged, they flattered, they pleaded.
Sa'eed was hard pressed.  'I have no instruments, should an operation prove necessary. you had better bring the Sultan to village here for me to examine him. if he can  be cured, I will take him to Hamdan to be treated there'.  their reply was to offer him 50 tomans as the first day's fee to go to Awraman!

'gentlemen, he finally said, 'I have promised Vakil-ul-Molk  to go to Senneh and today his escort will be arriving. if they come, I shall go with them. after that I shall go to Awraman, providing that Sayyid Jalal-ed-Kin will accompany me there and back according to his written guarantee'.

the Awramis said: 'Of course Jalal-ed-Din will go with us, but we hope to God the Vakil is dead by this time and no one will turn up to take you!'
'would you like the people of Senneh to pray likewise for your Sultan?'
131  'No!'
'then why do you consider it right to wish death for someone else?  there was no answer.

soon afterward the Vakil's riders wee heard arriving.  this threw confusion among the Awramis, especially when they saw Sa'eed preparing to go with them. after when they saw Sa'eed preparing to go with them. after they had consulted together, Jalal-ed-Din took the doctor aside. 'they all beg you not to go to Senneh'.
'How can I break my word?  I have promised to go'.
'they offer you a hundred tomans not to go.
'My word of honor is worth more to me. Please do not insist.
'they will give you 200.  Sa'eed shook his head.
'300.
'even if they offer me 3000, I will refuse. truth and integrity are more precious to me than money.  but just as i gave my word of honor to the Vakil, so I promise that after I have treated him i will go to Awraman.
since there was bad feeling between the Awramis and the people of Senneh over some property matters, the Sultan's men were ready to fall on the Vakil's deputation and take Sa'eed by force.  seeing this, Jalal-ed-Din rebuked them sharply: 'you wish to take the doctor to Awraman to treat the eyes of your Sultan. what sort of encouragement is this you are giving him?  you had better accept his promise and leave it at that'.  his words saved a clash.
the next morning Sa'eed and his escort set off for Senneh. unknown to him the Awramis had given Bagher a sealed bag containing 300 tomans to put in the doctor's baggage as an earnest to assure his keeping his promise to go to Awraman!
3 hours before sunset Senneh appeared in the distance. what a flood of memories surged through Sa'eed's mind! even now he was on the very hill from which

132  30 years before he had taken his farewell look at his native city, which he never expected to see again. there was the meadow where he and his schoolmates often went for a picnic lunch. farther north was the desolate cemetery where his parents were buried, and close by the leper colony which he had visited with his father. every familiar spot spoke volumes to him.

as he passed the cemetery, a few mullahs were teaching the catechism to some people newly buried (foot refers to page 20...'another of Rasool's privileges was to go to the cemetery after burial and instruct the newly interred.  soon after interment, according to Moslem belief, two angels came to catechize the deceased as to their religious allegiance. their answers determine their future destiny. it was to prepare them with the proper responses that Rasool gave the needed instruction.) he remembered his host of the night before, the headman of the village. when the man saidhis evening prayers, instead of using the prescribed words, he repeated one phrase over and ober again, while going through the proper movements.  when Sa'eed asked him the reason for this unusual procedure, he explained that, try as he would, he could not memorize the Arabic words, and a mullah had told him to repeat this phrase instead and God would accept it. Sa'eed now thought to himself: 'Poor Kurd! you could not learn your Arabic prayer when you were alive;  but when you are dead, they will  expect you to learn your catechism in that same language!
as they approached the outskirts of the city, the head of the escort drew up to say that he had strict orders from the Governor to enter the town by a circuitous and less frequented route leading to his residence.  to Sa'eed this seemed cowardly and unworthy of a christian.  as he prayed in his heart, there came to him the words of Nehemiah, 'should such a man as I flee! thereupon he said to the chief of the escort, 'we shall proceed right through the town.
'I shall be held accountable if anything happens, protested the other.
'it will not affect you. I shall be responsible for my own action.
133  with that they rode along the wide avenue leading through the center of the city to the Governor's mansion. they went through the crowded bazaars, by the houses of the nobility, past the monastery where he had studied the mystical theology of the Naqshbandis, until at last they reached their destination. all along the way instead of threats there were shouts of 'Welcome back! shop-keepers eagerly spread the news from one to another:  'Yes, it is Dr. Sa'eed! he has come to treat our vakil'. some uncovered their heads as he passed, saying, 'In-sha'ullah (God willing), your return to us will be blessed!
 (foot - this custom of removing the hat, unknown to other Islamic peoples, is frequently practised in Kurdistan. it is a sign that a man wishes to offer his heartiest prayer. it was Kr. Sa'eed's conviction that once... (note - ?hard to understand the words here and...possibly the idea stated is that 'some of  the Kurds seemed to have become christians and  this gesture and other practices confirmed as much to his mind'.)
various tests showed the Vakil to be afflicted with chronic nephritis. he was also suffering from severe headache due to high blood pressure. an injection of a sweat-producing drug and a hot bath relieved both pressure and headache, so that the next day he was much better.

as Sa'eed read his Bible that morning, his eyes fastened on the words 'Call unto Me and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not'. how wonderfully his welcome to his native city after 30 years had fulfilled this saying! with a glad heart he showed the verse to the governor.
soon word came that a crowd of patients was waiting to see the doctor. the Vakil, fearful lest some people bent on mischief should pretend to be sick, thought to turn them away, but Sa'eed said, he would be glad to see them and leave the result to God.  he set up his clinic on a huge porch facing the east, from which there was a beautiful view of the whole city. in the distance could be seen the stream over which Kaka had carried him on that memorable day of his flight. a kind of seat was

134  improvised for the doctor and the patients were admitted a few at a time. he treated them all without charge. unknown to him, sitting behind him on the stone balustrade of the balcony, on order of the Governor and with a revolver in his hand, was the chief of the escort ready to defend him if necessary!
Dr. Sa'eed one day expressed a wish to visit some of his old haunts. the men of the Vakil's household, every mindful of his safety, accompanied him personally. they visited the old homestead, now in ruins, saw the Catholic church so replete with the memories of the beloved Mar Shimmon, passed the mosque where he used to give the call to prayer and finally sought the resting place of his parents at the cemetery, where in a few moments of silence he relived his whole life. he returned both sad and happy, grateful to God that after 3 decades he had been permitted to visit his native city once again.

after 5 days the Governor's condition was greatly improved.  detailed instructions for his future care were given the eldest son, a member of the Mejlis (Parliament) in Teheran and he was warned of possible danger. during this brief period many were the sick that Sa'eed helped and many the prominent people that came to call on him, some from friendliness,some from curiosity. letters came from Hamadan; friends rebuked him for his folly, but Rebka appeared to be taking the situation philosophically. Miss Montgomery was rejoicing that her prophecy that he would some day visit Kurdistan again was at last fulfilled.
the friends, one and all, including the Governor, sought to dissuade the doctor from going to Awraman, fearing that the trip of an apostate to such a fanatical district was fraught with too much danger. numerous stories were related to him about the notorious faithlessness of the Awramis, how they would swear fidelity on the Koran, only to stab one in the back a moment later. suppose he should fail to cure the Sultan's eyes, then what?one friend especially, a poet, remained with him all

135  the last night, hoping to deter him from going. his first words in the morning were, 'I hope you have decided not to go'.
'On the contrary, said the doctor,  'I have resolved to go.
'but you will be killed.
'then they will say, 'He was killed while trying to keep his word.

a horse was prepared for him at sunrise. the Vakil's oldest son, a friend of many years, accompanied him to the gate. with deep feeling he said,
 'I trust the Lord to protect you.
with this parting word the doctor and his escort were off.

137  from the Vakil's house to the village where the Awramis were waiting Dr. Sa'eed was accompanied by a venerable sayyid with a massive green turban and a long gray beard. a few others went along. though the people of Senneh feared that he was going to his own slaughter, Sa'eed was happy to be keeping his plighted word.
the Awramis were delighted to see him. their first words were, 'did they not try to dissuade you?
'to a man, replied the doctor.
singing and laughing, the escort mounted their horses for the arduous trip to the mountain country. Sayyid Jalal-ed-Din,  the guarantor of the doctor's safety, was absent:  they explained that he had gone to the tax office to settle some business and would soon catch up.  as they rode along, the scenery seemed familiar to Sa'eed. suddenly
138  it dawned on him:  this was the very road he had traveled with his father at the time of the famine forty years before, when he was a little boy of 9.

after riding for some distance the escort stopped to await the arrival of Jalal-ed-Din.  when he finally drew up, they were obviously relieved. 2 years later Dr. Sa'eed accidentally learned that he had not been to the tax office at all,  but because the Awramis in Salar-ed-Dowleh's army had pillaged this district the year before and had massacred some of the inhabitants, the people were waiting for a chance to retaliate. Jalal-ed-Din had gone to beg them in the name of his father to do nothing at this time.  'I am responsible for the doctor's life, he told them. 'if a hair of his head is touched, the English will come and take away even  the soil of this land in sacks. leave your revenge for another time.  with such dire threats he had averted a possible attack.

on the next day as they traveled in the Awrami territory, the mountain paths were so narrow that the slightest slip would have hurled both rider and mount into a ravine of jagged rocks hundreds of feet below. but the horses, born and bred in these highlands, were sure-footed and managed to negotiate the dangerous ledges. at one place the doctor lost his nerve and dismounting, crossed a difficult passage on his hands and feet! when at last they reached the top of this ascent, he could see the majestic Shahoo  and other cragged peaks of Awraman clad in their mantle of white.

for lunch they halted at a small village where there were ruins of great antiquity Sa'eed had learned of the existence of an ancient copy of the Koran written on parchment and kept in the local mosque.  this famous antique he was permitted to see. he also procured the manuscript of an old poem dating from 80 BC.  it is now in the British Museum.
when the people of Razab,  the Sultan's village, saw the cavalcade approaching, some of the important men, following Persian custom, went out to meet the travelers.
139  as they wound up the hill to the Sultan's residence, a crowd followed. on the entranceway leading to the mansion had been stretched a roll of calico. at the end of this cloth pathway was spread a beautiful rug, on which the blind Sultan was standing to receive his guest. Sa'eed refused to ride or walk over this carpeting, for he did not feel worthy of a reception accorded only to the highest. instead, he dismounted and respectfully saluted his host, but the Sultan embraced him and kissed him on both cheeks in Persian fashion, expressing his gratitude for making the hazardous trip on his account.
it being toward sunset, Sa'eed was conducted to the guest house, accompanied by the watchful jalal-ed-Din.  after a brief rest the doctor took his ophthalmoscope and called on the Sultan for an examination. his discoveries were disheartening. both eyes were diseased with trachoma.  worse than this, the left eye had been operated on 2 years before by an incompetent oculist with resultant secondary glaucoma accompanied by long and painful headaches. the pressure in the right eyeball was also pronounced. as if this were not enough, further physical examination in the morning revealed other symptoms in this 72 year old patient. moreover, he was a diabetic.  in short, everything was against an operation.
'what result? asked Jalal-ed-Din, as he found the doctor depressed.
'Hopeless! he described the situation briefly and arranged with Jalal-ed-Din to approach the sultan with the sad verdict and ask for permission to leave. Sa'eed was disconsolate and extremely sorry for the poor old man to be thus disappointed after long years of expectancy,  but there seemed to be no other solution. both medically and ethically an operation was out of the question.

Poor old Sultan! he said bravely:  'I have fallen a prey to my enemies mockery. they will rejoice in Senneh.  for years I have waited for this day. I  have
140  employed a 1000 tricks to get Sa'eed here to cure me, and this is what he says'.  with a pathetic plea he held the hem of jalal-ed-Din's mantle:  'give him everything I possess.  only let me see through this eye that has not been operated on. I ask for nothing else.

Jalal-ed-Din reported what the Sultan had said. Sa'eed again explained how dangerous the operation would be under the circumstances and concluded:  'I fear such a procedure would subject the Sultan to more headache and pain.  I have no desire to cause him more suffering and ruin my own reputation at the same time.
the Sultan was resigned to the verdict. it was arranged that the doctor should leave for Senneh in the morning.
that night, as  Sa'eed read his Bible, the passage was the 11th chapter of the Gospel of John - the story of the raising of Lazarus. each word seemed to glow with a new light. it was as if he could hear the voice of God speaking to him in unmistakable words:
* 'Behold the One who never used such terms as 'perhaps, maybe,  possibly',  who never said a word or took a step of which he afterwards repented!
*This Person hears that his friend is dangerously ill. He is obedient to His Father's will, not to human thoughts.
*He says so long as the light shines on the path of duty, He will go, even though the Jews were preparing to kill Him human wisdom at once raises the standard of alarm and tries to stop him from going, but on learning the will of the Father, He brushes aside all human caution and goes forward with steadfast step.
*think and remember:  have I not guided you at every stage of the way since the beginning of this trip? have I  not proved to you again and again that it was my will you should make this journey?
*I have protected you from all harm.
*I have sent you to this old man, who has been calling to Me for 4 years,  'Send me Sa'eed to cure my eyes'.
*but you, without accomplishing your duty, are deserting him. you trust your knowledge rather than Me, for getting that I am a God of resurrection, for Whom nothing is impossible.

141  in humble adoration Sa'eed answered:
*'I obey, my Lord, Thou God of resurrection.
* in Thy hands I gladly leave the results.
as a perpetual reminder of this experience he wrote the date -Nov. 13,1912 - at the head of this chapter in his Bible.
in the morning, when Jalal-ed-Din came to say that the horses were being saddled, Sa'eed announced than he was not going. surprised, the sayyid asked why.  'God does not permit me to go, replied the doctor. 'I shall stay and perform the operation. go and ask the Sultan for a man to take my telegram to Senneh to be sent to Hamadan for my instruments.  then he added 'let the Sultan think I have been holding off for money, tell him he can pay me whatever he wishes. I am remaining in ob edience to God and my trust is in Him.
the Sultan was overjoyed.  the telegram was sent.  it would be at least a week before the instruments could arrive.
during this interval the Sultan's eyelids were cauterized and he was put on a strict diet, as a result of which his general condition improved considerably. a special room was selected for the operation. as in most village houses, the flooring had been made of mud mixed with straw and smoothed over with a mason's trowel. anyone walking over it could easily stir up dust. the plastered walls were safe.  the roof had been made of poplar beams set on the walls a foot or so apart. over these had been placed coarse matting, covered by a layer of brushwood and camelthorn packed in with earth and that in turn overlaid with a heavy coat of mud plaster, which had dried and hardened in the sun. particles dropping from such a ceiling could easily be a source of infection. so calico was nailed to both floor and ceiling as a sanitary precaution.
the following Friday was tentatively set for the ordeal. meanwhile, a crowd of people suffering from all kinds of ailments came streaming into Razab for treatment. all day long from early in the morning Sa'eed was busy
142  seeing patients and in the evening he was busy preparing medicines or boiling gauze and instruments. besides this, many of his relatives came to call.
one of these, a cousin who once had been his tutor, now an accomplished mullah, came with several friends. he expressed pleasure at reunion and hoped that Sa'eed would return to the fold that he had  mistakenly abandoned in his youth. his patronizing attitude somewhat irked Sa'eed and provoked him into replying: 'Cousin, you are now 60 years of age.  you have made the pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina. after all this do you have the assurance of acceptance by God? suppose you were to die tonight: are you sure you would go to paradise?
'No. but who can be sure?
'Haji (foot - Title of one who has made the pilgrimage to Mecca.) a religion that gives me no assurance of salvation I wouldn't buy for a farthing'.  this was a bold reply. the mullah and his friends looked at one another, but made no further comment about Sa'eed's 'mistake'.

on one of these days of waitning Dr. Sa'eed received a request from Sheikh Ala-ed-Din to come and see his daughter, who was ill. the sheikh was an influential and crafty ecclesiastic living near the Turkish border. he was a master hand at deceiving the simple village fold around him, but the higher classes knew him for the wily man that he was: in fact, they nicknamed him Bala-ed-Din (Ala-ed-Din means Grandeur of the Faith, Bala-ed-Din, Pest of the Faith) 2 years before he had given help to the Salar-ed-Doweh at the time of his abortive attempt to seize the throne and had personally set out toward Hamadan under solemn oath to kill Sa'eed and rid the Kurds and Islam of the shame of his apostasy.  despite this the doctor decided to go. the Sultan gave him 6 riders to accompany him.

upon arriving at the sheikh's village Sa'eed found him in a big audience room with some 40 notables and
143  followers seated in a large circle. Sa'eed went forward to greet the sheikh, but he remained seated, expecting the doctor to bend over and kiss his hand.  this Sa'eed refused to do, so the sheikh arose and motioned him to a seat beside himself. after the customary salutations Sa'eed said,  'If you have no objections, I should like to see the patient, since I have work in Razab and must return soon'.

'shall we not have lunch first? asked his host.
it soon became evident that he had made extensive preparations to beguile his guest. he had invited dervishes and musicians to provide an atmosphere. these now began moaning and groaning and uttering prayers. to the plaintive sound of the flute and the beat of tambourines, while they fixed their gaze on the apostate, who they sought by these means to mesmerize to penitence. such methods are often employed for the reclamation of a disaffected individual.  they recited poems, they repeated the names of their leaders, and some roared like wild beasts.  by these agencies they hoped to cast a hypnotic spell over Sa'eed to the weakening of his will power. on the contrary, it made him think of the prophets of Baal in their contest with Elijah.  it humbled him to recall that he had once been such as these. in his heart he thanked god that he had been called out of darkness into light.

after lunch he accompanied the sheikh to the ladies' quarters to see his daughter, a young lady famous for her beauty. though she was heavily wrapped, the doctor managed to examine her quite thoroughly, while the sheikh watched with eagle eye. after they left, he gave his verdict: 'Your daughter is a consumptive. she will be your guest and her husband's for only a year. the sheikh was grief-stricken.

4 years before Sa'eed had heard that some ancient documents on parchment had been found in a cave near here and turned over to Sheikh Ala-ed-Din; that he had
144  sent the to Senneh, to find someone who could read them, but in vain; and that they were subsequently returned to him. Sa'eed had written several times to Senneh for information about these manuscripts, but without getting any satisfaction.  now he had a chance to ask the sheikh himself. he learned that only 3 sheets of the parchment had been preserved and that these had been given to the Salar-ed-Dowleh at his request. Sa'eed was greatly disappointed.
he now set out to return to Razab, but a message from the sheikh soon overtook him with a request for a second examination of his daughter: 'maybe your first findings were not correct, but another checkup in this place would not be free of risk, since I  have heard some people intend mischief'.  he named another village nearby. the doctor accepted, but he could only report that the second examination confirmed the first. a year later the accuracy of his verdict was borne out by her death.

no sooner had Sa'eed returned to the Sultan's house that the stream of patients resumed its flow. the day set for the operation finally dawned. the instruments had come from Hamadan. the Sultan requested that the hour be postponed until Sheikh Ala-ed-Din should arrive. the late november days were short and it was late when he finally put in appearance. he and a few of the Sultan's intimates crowded into the small room prepared for the occasion. Sa'eed begged them to be quiet so as not to stir up dust.  even as he started to work, the light began to fade, a cloud coming over the sun. the sheikh ordered servants to bring the Sultan's huge mirror to reflect light on the field of operation.

since the conjunctiva was ruined, the doctor had to hold it delicately with forceps to avoid tearing. when his knife reached the corneal junction it seemed blunt.  carefully he retracted it to insert a second - a dangerous procedure - but this seemed no sharper. on account of the glaucoma, the patient's advanced age and the long use of caustics and astringents, the cornea had become a

145  horny mass. with a quaking heart he cut with a to-and-fro motion, or as he himself said, he 'actually tore'.  by now the room was in twilight. as he wrote later, 'I  had no faith in my instruments or my skill, but my trust was in Him who raiseth the dead'.  when he attempted an iridectomy, the iris literally fell to pieces, it was so lifeless. he cut the lens loose from its moorings and removed it. both he and the Sultan were relieved that the latter could count the doctor's fingers as a preliminary test. he finally closed the eye with instructions that it remain shut for 4 days and the patient be kept quiet. he left the room dazed and tired, wondering what the outcome would be.

on the evening of the fourth day he went for the second dressing. as he uncovered the eye, he asked, 'Do you see anything?
'Yes, I do!
just then the Sultan's tall and attractive daughter entered the room quietly. as she walked toward the light, the doctor  said, 'if you see, who is that?
'that is Firuzeh.
all 3 were deeply moved, especially Firuzeh who exclaimed, 'My darling father, after 4 years at last you see. me! she wept for joy.
the doctor at once closed the eye, and with a heart full of gratitude recited his own translation of the hymn.
How good is the God we adore,
our faithful, unchangeable Friend,
whose love is as great as his power,
and knows neither measure nor end!

'This Jesus, the First and the Last,
whose Spirit shall guide us safe home;
we'll praise Him for all that is past,
and trust Him for all that's to come. (foot - Joseph Hart, 1750)

146  the Sultan was deeply moved by the words and asked that they be repeated for a learned mullah who had entered at that moment.  he too was impressed: 'it is obvious that among all nations God has some that both know and love him. these words are very effective'.  the mullah wanted the doctor to operate on his wife's eyes. Sa'eed did so and the operation was so successful on one eye that he wanted to do the same for the other, she said to him, 'I see so well with one eye that I don't want to give you and myself further trouble'.
at this time a letter came from Sheikh  Ala-ed-Din inviting the doctor to a small village, not his won, for a quiet night's discussion, as he said, 'to explain your difficulties and expel your doubts. Sa'eed replied:
'I fear you are making a mistake, for i have no doubts. on the contrary, i am certain. but if Ali, who was the Prophet's son-in-law and for his piety called 'The Lord of Believers', had no more assurance than was revealed in his cry of anguish, 'Would to God I knew whether I was created for eternal damnation or for bliss!' -if he, who according to islamic belief had no equal in holiness, makes such an avowal,  then what claim is left to you, who are but one among millions of Moslems? how can you, who are constantly a prey to doubts and fears, guide me, who am certain? he closed by inviting the sheikh to accept christianity, which leads to perfect assurance.
he gave the letter to Jalal-ed-Din to transmit. the sayyid asked permission to read it. having done so, he said, 'this is your death warrant.
'I cannot leave the sheikh's challenge unanswered, replied Sa'eed.  'the day I gave my allegiance to Christ I did not expect to live long, for I had read my death sentence in the Koran. instead, these 30 years I have lived freely. to die honorably is better than living a coward. On Sa'eeds insistanc tghe letter was sent.
the time had come for the doctor

 to take his leave. he examined the Sultan's eyes to determine the type of spectacles required and promised to send them without
147  delay. he sent word to the Sultan to disregard the agreement for 50 tomans a day and pay him whatever he considered fair. so on the day of departure the dhieftain gave him 200 Turkish godl liras (about $1000) in addition to the 300 tomans surreptitiously handed to Bagher, a fine mule laden with skins of cooking fat, and a large roll of silk for Rebka.

after farewells the doctor started for Senneh with an armed escort of 50 men, 20 riding, the rest on foot.  the road was everywhere covered with snow. Jalal-ed-Din repeatedly asked Sa'eed to change his hat for a turban as less conspicuous, let it prove an excellent target for some sharpshooter lying in ambush.
atone place they turned off from the direct route, the reason being given that the road chosen was better in winter. sentinels from the escort were stationed at high points along the way, and at one illage they were joined by a further guard. Sa'eed wondered at the necessity for so much precaution, but after arrival at Senneh, Jalal-ed-Din gave the explanation. when Sheikh Ala-ed-Din  received the doctor's letter,  he and another influential ecclesiastic were so infuriated that they sent a well-known brigand, Mahmud Khan by name, with his robber band to intercept Sa'eed and put him to death. when the sultan learned of this, he dispatched his fastest courier to catch Jalal-ed-Din with the message:  'Do not go by Ariz, I beseech you.  at my old age do not drag my hands into bloodshed, for I swear that if a hair of the doctor's head is touched, I will burn the entire countryside and I will cause such bloodshed that it will become a byword to future generations.

when the Sultan's escort reached one village, to Sa'eed's horror they fell to looting the inhabitants.  bleating sheep and goats were dragged out of their sheds and slaughtered before the eyes of their owners. frightened chickens were chased and killed.  even the villagers were driven out from under their warm kursis to provide a night's lodging for these rough men. Sa'eed leaned helplessly

148  against a wall, watching this cruel lawlessness, reflecting with astonishment that he had actually been staying among such people. later he visited a number of these plundered victims, trying to make amends for their losses. 'this sort of thing is not really serious, the villagers assured him. these are rare occasions with the Sultan's men. at their worst we prefer them to the tyrants of Senneh!

at last the doctor reached Senneh, to be congratulated on every hand on his safe arrival.  all sorts of reports had come in during his absence of the dire things that had happened to him in Awraman, according to one version the Sultan's eyes had been ruined and the people had imprisoned Sa'eed.  other rumors narrated in detail the miraculous cures he had effected. letters from Hamadan showed anxiety on the part of his family and friends. to allay their fears he telegraphed them word of his safe arrival in Senneh. for the first time in 10 weeks he enjoyed the luxury of a bed with clean sheet and free from fleas!
Sa'eed spent a few days in Senneh as the guest of the Governor. during this time he happened to mention to one of his friends in the course of conversation that the one disappointment of his trip was the failure to find the parchments he had been trying for 4 years to trace. to his amazement he found that this friend had received them as a present from the Salar-ud-Dowleh in return for a special service rendered him. great was Sa'eed's joy when his friend passed them on to him as a gift.

when the day of departure came, Sayyid Jalal-ed-Din sought out the doctor privately. he looked sad and his silence betrayed embarrassment. perceiving this, Dr. Sa'eed said,  'Come in. I was just thinking about you.
'About me? in what connection?
'O, I was thinking I would miss you.
tears came into the sayyid's eyes as he said:  'you have taken the words right out of my mouth. all the while we have been on this trip I have been thinking of the

149  time I should retrn to my home village. now that the time has come, I am sad at the prospect. you have made me see the light and for the help you have been to me i pray God to bless you always.  with mutual regret they said farewell and parted.
it was already a few days past the middle of December when Dr. Sa'eed set out for Hamadan with a double escort as far as Khosrovabad.  the countryside was white with a deep snow. at Khorsrovabad the escort was reduced to 4 riders. on the third day the chief of the guard was sure that at a certain point in a valley robbers would pounce down on them from the hills. he was right in his surmise, for at that spot 3 mounted horsemen appeared on the crest of a hill. the headman of the escort ordered the caravan to proceed with all speed while he and his companions prepared to fight. isolated from his riders and  run down from weeks and weeks of incessant riding and treating patients, Sa'eed was seized with a fright of which he was later ashamed. the bandits circled nearer, but when they saw that the guard was prepared to shoot if they came closer, they pretended they were simply coming down into the valley to cross to the other side. they turned up a hill and disappeared.

it lacked but a day to Christmas when the party reached Hamadan in safety. what a time of joy was the reunion with family and friends after an absence of 3 long months! the simple comforts of his home seemed to Sa'eed like royal luxuries after the hardships of his journey. in deep gratitude he poured out his soul in thanksgiving to God, as he recalled all the deliverances from dangers and foes that plotted his death, the successful outcome of his ministry of healing made possible only by divine help and the many opportunities to witness to his faith before the Moslems of his own homeland.

158  later in the war, when British forces were occupying Hamadan, occurred the pathetic flight of the Assyrian nation from their home in the Urumia plain and over the Turkish border, a flight in which this people was decimated by the sword, disease and starvation. Dr. Sa'eed's large house of 12 rooms, many cellars and 3
160  yards was put at the disposal of refugees who remained in Hamadan.  in Teheran also he opened his home and purse freely to them and sought to help where help was needed. some though that in this he was receiving funds from abroad, but actually not a penny came from outside. among those he had the privilege of helping was the family of Kasha Yohanan, to whom he owed so much.

'I do it, said Sa'eed, because an Assyrian was the means of leading me to Christ, and I owe the gospel of salvation to this people. if  everyone of you had been worthy of the name you bear and each had tried to lead one soul to Christ, today you would have no enemies'.

163  after World War I conditions in Iran changed rapidly. an army officer rose swiftly to power, becoming Minister of War, then Prime Minister and finally in Feb. 1926 he was crowned Reza Shah. a commanding personality with a forward look, he introduced sweeping reforms in government, in education, and in society. roads were built all over the country and made safe from brigandage. a railroad was laid from the Caspian Sea in the north to the Persian Gulf on the south west. fine government buildings were erected in the capital. new avenues were cut and paved in provincial cities. conscription was introduced to build up an army. vital statistics and titles to property were registered. factories were built. many new schools were opened. the University of Teheran was founded. newspapers and magazines came into being.

164  the power of the mullahs was greatly curtailed. women were emancipated from their veiled seclusion of 13 centuries. these many changes engendered a new pride of country and a fervid spirit of nationalism.
with all these reforms came greater security. as a result, the life of Dr. Sa'eed, now settled permanently in the capital city, moved along quietly in the busy routine of his practice, gradually slowing down as the sixties passed into the seventies.

his home and clinic were near the center of the city, located on a pleasant avenue lined on both sides by tall plane trees.  there were small shops on either side of the property and across the street the offices of the War Department and the compound  of the American Presbyterian Mission. there were tow gates, one for the clinic with a modest sign over it and the other for the home. the rooms of the house and the clinic were built around 3 sides of a courtyard, in the center of which was the customary pool, surrounded by flower beds and laurels, acacia and fir trees.

an early riser, the doctor had his time of private devotions, followed by breakfast, and was in his clinic by half past 8. there he saw a steady stream of patients till noon and from 2 o'clock till dark, except when he went out into the city for house calls. usually the waiting rooms were full of patients, while part of the dispensary and sometimes even the library were used to take care of the overflow.

at work he wore the customary doctor's white topcoat over his street clothes, his stethoscope hanging conveniently around his neck or bulging out of his side pocket.  his rather partly bearing, dignified language and manner, with an unmistakable air of authority, created a feeling of respect and confidence in those who sought his treatment. in examining his patients he was thorough with being needlessly lengthy. he never took down case histories: his keen intellect and retentive memory took the place of written records. with directness and
165  precision and without much laboratory support he would arrive at the right conclusions, for he seemed to possess an unusual accuracy in diagnosis. one thing alone used to irritate him and that was disobedience to his orders. always dependent upon God for help and guidance, he carried the needs of his patients to the Great physician in simple trust and interceded for them.

in addition to his daily ministry of healing and individual conversations with patients, Dr. Sa'eed continued his Bible readings twice a week. on Sundays the gatherings, held in the large dining room, were especially for Christians, while on  Thursdays Moslems and other interested individuals came. a certain book of the Bible would be selected  for systematic study. nothing was prepared beforehand:  the doctor spoke out of his vast acquaintance with the word of God that was the result of years of study and led those present into the depths and heights of its teachings.

in spite of his busy life he was not mechanical in the strict observance of fixed hours. he always seemed to have time for everything. he was never too weary to respond to a call for help. sometimes of an afternoon he would walk for miles, visiting the sick or the indigent, bringing them words of cheer. Bible in hand, he would read and pray with them, often inviting them to send some one to his house for needed medicines or clothing.
the home was characterized by hospitality. though not given to entertainment, ti was constantly open to anyone who happened to drop in.  there was always enough on the table to provide for the casual visitor. friends coming to Teheran were sometimes guests for weeks. there was an atmosphere of informal cordiality to welcome them among the most frequent callers were members of the missionary group.
Rebka was indisputably the mistress of the household. thoroughly efficient, she ran everything smoothly and competently. through capable training she had excellent servants or cooks out of the raw material she employed.
166 money matters were largely in her hands; with a twinkle in his eye the doctor would say, 'Rebka is the purse holder in this house. he was so artless in business matters that without her shrewd and able management he might well have been grossly imposed upon because of his own generosity and others' willingness to accept help.
while Rebka was capable in handling money, she was by no means stingy. like her husband she was extremely generous, especially toward the poor of her people and the refugees.  on many  occasions, when in a hired carriage, she would ask the driver to stop, so that she might help some poor lad on the street whom she recognized as an Assyrian.  the underfed and destitute of her people, the stranger and the lonely soldier from afar received her aid unasked. many were the blessings called down upon her by these grateful strangers.
added to her generosity was her salty wit. directed toward those of her family circle, it did much to build up the charm of the home life.
of the 3 children, Sarah was living with her husband and family in Hamadan. Samuel, after completing his studies in England, had volunteered for British  army service and was severely wounded while on active duty on the continent. later he was sent to Persia as an officer of the Royal Engineers. after the war he became  architect for the Imperial Bank of Iran, a British organization. he was in charge of their extensive  properties all over Iran and Iraq and responsible for the planning and construction of their new buildings. he eventually married an American missionary, a short-term teacher from Wells College. after 19 years of service with the bank he resigned and in 1942 rejoined his family in Mexico, New York.
the younger son, Lemuel, returned to England after World War I and was employed by some publishers as an illustrating artist. after several years he came down with a serious spinal disease and was forced to enter a
167  London hospital. when word of his critical condition reached his father, he kept the situation a secret from the family so as to spare them anxiety, but it was a heavy burden for him. after Lemuel's condition became hopeless, he broke the news to the others. Lemuel died in February 1927 at the age of 31 and was buried in London. it was a bitter blow to the bereaved parents.

no account of the family would be complete without further reference to Kaka. perhaps no experience in the whole span of Dr. Sa'eed's christian life constituted a stronger testimony to the truth and power of christianity than the change it wrought in his brother. it took several years of careful study and thought after Kaka's first visit to Hamadan before he was ready to accept the christian faith heart and soul. but once he took the final step there was no turning back. to see the proud mullah of Kurdistan serving as a hostler to support himself made one think of Him who 'made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant'. from this menial job he rose to have charge of the American Mission boys' boarding school, and then became an evangelist. for long years he was busy distriting tracts and leaflets, talking wit men in the bazaars of Hamadan, or traveling on a donkey from town to town in the surrounding country, reading and interpreting the Bible to anyone who would listen - sometimes in a tea-house where idlers gathered, sometimes under the dursi of a peasant's home, sometimes squatting in the dust of a village street where a group of men had gathered to pass the time of day. this work was his glory and his joy.  when weak in his old age and severely handicapped by deafness, he still asked to be allowed to make these trips and continue the work to which he had given his life.
in the summer of 1935 the two brothers were visiting together at the Mission garden outside of Hamadan toward the mountains. Kaka was well on toward 80 and Sa'eed 72. seated in the shade of a giant
168  walnut tree, they were reviewing the experiences of rich, full lives, their thoughts turned back to their past in the city of their birth.
'Kaka, said Sa'eed,  I'm not unwilling to see Senneh once again.
'what about me? retorted Kaka.  'I haven't seen it for 51 years.

the very next day came an urgent telephone call for the doctor to go to Senneh to see the wife of the Vakil-ul-Molk. he declined, for he knew it would be a matter of

169  seeing not just one patient, but scores, and he did not feel equal to it. finally he consented, provided his son-in-law, Dr. Tatevos, would go along to help him. this arrangement agreed to, Sa'eed sent word to Kaka: 'get ready! we are going to Kurdistan! you were wanting to go. now, not only are you invited, but they are begging you to go! and so they went together.

imagine Kaka's feelings on returning to the city of his youth after half a century! both brothers were royally received. while Sa'eed was busy seeing patients, Kaka was invited out day and night. he made a complete tour of the city, visiting his parents' graves,  the ruin of the old homestead and numerous mosques he had frequented as a Moslem. he spoke freely everywhere and distributed tracts. the visit lasted 8 days.
on the ninth day, when they were leaving, a number of the nobility gathered at the Governor's residence to see them off. in order to make Kaka talk, one of the men teased him by saying  in the presence of the others: 'Why do you want to go back to Hamadan? stay with us and return to your faith. we will give you a good wife and all the money you wish.

'I possess the gift of eternal life, Kaka replied. 'what do I care for money and the goods of this world? if you would fill this huge palace with gold sovereigns, even that would not tempt me.

'why, then, were you so determined on the persecution of your brother, going from street to street with a gun in your hand, seeking to kill him?
'that was through ignorance, just as you today, ignorant of the gift of eternal life in Christ, think  to persuade me with money to return to Islam.
such was Kaka's parting testimony to the people of his native city, who he had once sought his brother's life for the same witness. he never saw Senneh again. in the fall of that year he was suddenly lad low with a stroke of paralysis that rendered him helpless. after

170  some months he made an amazing recovery.  he wrote to Sa'eed as follows:

'while I was at the hospital one night, I had a heart-to-heart talk with the Lord.  I said to Him, Master, with joy I am looking forward to being with Thyself, which is far better; but if Thy will for me is still to remain, then graciously give me strength to attend to my daily work of passing out tracts to people on the street until  Thou art ready  to call me home. now I spend 2 hours each day giving out tracts and pamphlets. I am deeply glad of this opportunity.
now past 80 and no longer able to hold conversations because of his extreme deafness, this aged soldier of the Cross walked from street to street handing out leaflets. on one of his usual excursions he was knocked down by a carriage and run over. for 10 months he was bedridden, tenderly cared for by his son, a physician. in March 1940 he died at the age of 84, steadfast to the end in the faith he had sought so zealously to propagate.
turning to Dr. Sa'eed himself, one finds it hard to know which of his many fine traits of character to emphasize. perhaps 4 may be selected.
first of all, he was a man of rugged independence. it goes without saying that no one could have made such an earnest search for truth as he did without this quality. he was altogether unwilling to accept ready-made beliefs handed down from others. everything had to be investigated and tested at first hand. when he first came in contact with christianity,  he felt he must make a thorough study of the Bible, comparing its teaching with those of the Koran. he learned Hebrew so that he might assure himself hat there had been no corruption of the Old Testament in translation. how could he have maintained his christian faith through all the years of persecution without such a spirit of independence?
in the choice of a wife he overstepped the bounds of custom and tradition by marrying a girl of another race.
171  he was not content to be under obligation to the Mission for his means of support, but was determined to seek a profession whereby he would be responsible to no one: so it was that he studied to become a physician. it was this same trait that made him dissatisfied with organized christianity as he found it and led him to seek out a group in which each member regarded himself as a priest in direct communication with god and dependent on no minister or church. to the end of his life, though on the friendliest terms with the Protestant Christians and ready to preach in their service when invited or to review their tracts and books before publication, he yet held aloof from membership in their organizations or service through them.
Dr. Sa'eed was deeply spiritual.  it was the hope of finding fuller satisfaction for his spiritual aspirations that led him, while still a Moslem, to turn in discontent with orthodox Islam to the Naqshbandis. and when he became a christian it was this same urge, as we have seen, that constituted one of the reasons for his trip to Sweden. throughout his whole career spiritual considerations were the dominating factor in his life.
from the time when in Senneh he began a serious study of the Bible, to his last days the Word of God was his constant companion and the source of his inspiration. a glance at the pages of his well-worn Bible with margins marked and remarked would suffice to show how faithfully he pored over it. no day opened without its perusal;  in the noon hour of rest he would refer to it; and at the day's close it brought him peace for the night. when he stepped abroad he had it with him, to be ready to read to patient or friend. in perplexity it was his guide, in distress his comfort. his memory was richly stored with its treasures.
along with Bible study went prayer, which was as vital to him as the air he breathed. even as a Moslem he was dissatisfied to have his prayers a mere repetition of words said by rote. how he pitied those poor Mohammedans

172  who said their stated prayers ignorant of the meaning of the Arabic words they pronounced! again and again the guidance that he needed came to him when he was on his knees, perhaps changing some decision he had already made. and his prayers were made in faith. when word came to him in Teheran that his little grandson in Hamadan was seriously ill, his recovery was of course a subject of prayer at family worship. day by day for a week the news became more alarming. on the night when the news was darkest he prayed: 'Our precious Lord Jesus we thank Thee humbly for having heard our prayers and granted our request on behalf of our dear Willie'.  the next message from Hamadan brought the good news that the grandson was on the road to recovery.

the presence of God was very real to him. he felt a deep sense of intimacy with his heavenly Father and fellowship with Him. on return from his dangerous trip to Senneh and Aqraman, in the fervor of his prayer of gratitude for deliverance from perils and for the successful outcome of his work of healing, the presence of Christ was so real to him that he threw himself at his feet to kiss them. perhaps his most loved hymn, certainly one that he often quoted, contained this stanza:
I have seen the Face of Jesus-
tell me not of aught beside;
I have heard the Voice of  Jesus -
All my heart is satisfied.  (foot -'Beyond the Brightness of the Sun' by Mrs. Frances Bevan.)

no one who knew Dr. Sa'eed intimately could fail to be impressed with his intense and bold EVANGELISTIC SPIRIT.  the faith that he had struggled so hard to win was not a prize to be enjoyed by himself alone, but a gift to be shared. many have been the secret converts from Islam, convinced of the truth of christianity and ready in private to acknowledge Christ as their Savior. but fearful of the personal consequences if they should make open confession. on the contrary, not only was Dr. Sa'eed
173  courage to make known his faith, but he sought every opportunity to lead others to it acceptance. we have seen how in the early days in Senneh he was not content to hide his light under a bushel, but felt that he must share it with his boyhood friends and found joy in so doing. 'only then, he recalled later, did I realize how much I had lost by not witnessing to Christ earlier.

his medical practice was a means for evangelism. he was not satisfied to meet only the physical ailments of his patients, but he sought to minister to their spiritual needs as well. in their homes he would read to them from the Bible, talk with them, pray with them. on his journeys he would speak of his religion to the people in whose homes he stayed. when summoned before the authorities he sis not hesitate to witness to his faith. he testified to landowners and army officers, to mullahs and governors, to sayyids  and tribal chieftains. he wrote the whole story of the Gospels in Kurdish poetry, a labor of love spread over 35 years, that he might reach his own people.

much of the persecution that befell him was due to his constant talking bout his religion. had he been content to practise medicine and make no effort to reach the spiritual wants of his patients, he would have avoided much of his trouble. it was for this reason that the Governor of Hamadan once said  to him: 'why do you go and speak about religious matters and stir up the mullahs? Go and keep quiet. but Dr. Sa'eed was one of those who felt that he must obey god rather than me. like the apostles of old, he could not but speak the things he had seen and heard,. and since his testimony came from his own personal experience, it was telling and effective.

a fourth trait that characterized Dr. Sa'eed was his GENEROUS TREATMENT OF HIS ENEMIES.  whenever opportunity came to serve one who had persecuted him or sought his life, he was more than ready to seize it. if anyone kept Christ's precepts to 'love your enemies, do good to those who hate you',  it was he. instances of this might be multiplied; two must suffice.

one thursday afternoon while he was conducting a Bible reading in his home, a man in the uniform of an army captain entered the room, evidently in great discomfort from an abscess on his neck. Dr. Sa'eed greeted him cordially and asked him if he minded waiting till the Bible reading was over. the man willingly sat down. when the doctor had finished, he stepped to his dispensary to sterilize a scalpel. after a moment of silence the captain addressed the group:  'You gentlemen don't know me. long years ago I sought to kill this man, but this is the way he has treated me and my relatives all these years'.  after the minor operation was over, he took a cup of tea and left. the others looked to the doctor for an explanation.
'the man you have just seen, said he, is Mahmud Dhan, formerly the notorious bandit of Kurdistanh! on my way back from Awraman this man was sent out by Sheikh Ala-ed Din with a band of his henchmen to intercept our caravan in the mountains and kill me, but God's mercy preserved us by a change of route. for a year and a half Mahmud Khan and 25 members of his family were confined in a house in Teheran. during this time the doctor had served as their physician without charge.

the Imam Jum'eh of Hamadan was another notable example of Dr. Sa'eed's turning the other cheek.  it was due to this man's instumentality that the doctor suffered the bitter persecution of 1904 in Hamadan which led to the breaking up of his home and practice there and necessitated his escape to Teheran. when in the summer of 1911 he returned to Hamadan for a period of rest the Imam Jum'eh, very ill from a stomach ulcer, sent for him. the doctor nursed him back to health. each year

176  when Dr Sa'eed returned to Hamadan for the summer, the Imam Jum'eh called on him and he returned the call. both the man and his household were always given free medical aid. when he finally moved to Teheran the same course was pursued. the first time he called on the doctor in the capital, a mullah friend was with him. to this friend he said: 'I am ashamed before the doctor, for I have done him a great deal of evil, which he had returned only bykindness. on one occasion he even saved my life.

later on this same man, calling on a christian physician from Hamadan, remarked that he had been to see Dr. Sa'eed, adding: 'I am astonished. I have done everything I could to end his life, yet he always shows me kindness.
the physician replied:  'he is only a Kurd, but you must consider the cause of the difference between him and the other members of his race. it is the power of the person of Christ.

it was indeed 'the power of the person of Christ' that made Dr. Sa'eed the noble man that he was, that changed the proud, fanatical Kurd into the humble, self-giving christian. it was because of this transformation and the great service that he rendered to his fellow men that Sir Mortimer Durand, for some years British Minister in Teheran, volunteered this indirect testimony to him:  'if in all the years of its activities the American mission had achieved nothing more than the conversion of Dr. Sa'eed then its labors had been amply repaid.
177  it was the summer of 1937. Dr. Sa'eed had gone to Hamadan as usual for his annual rest from the strain of active life in Teheran. under the shade of the willow trees bordering the terrace in their country garden the family was enjoying their afternoon tea around a simmering samovar.  the rhythmic play of the fountain.
 in the little pool near by and the scent of roses perfuming the air added their contribution to the idyllic scene. on the doctor's knee his youngest grandchild was telling him of her latest adventure in the woods gathering wild flowers.
'Look, grandfather! she said, pointing to the shaded walk leading to the terrace. 2 men were approaching. even in this retreat the doctor could not completely escape from those who sought him out for medical advice. unannounced visitors frequently dropped in for a friendly call. as the men drew near, one was seen to be in the
178  uniform of a police officer, the other in civilian clothes. the strangers were courteously received.

after being served with tea, the officer said: 'I bring you greetings from the Chief of Police. he is very sorry to inconvenience you, Doctor, but he has a patient and has sent his own car to take you to the city.
'how long has the patient been ill? is it a man or a woman?
'about two weeks . he is a man.
Dr. Sa'eed hurriedly picked up his physician's bag and accompanied the men without delay. not until a policeman sat on each side of him in the car did he realize that he was under arrest. the entrance from the garden  being at some distance from the terrace, the family saw nothing of the car, but one of Sa'eed's nephews, returning to the garden, saw him pass and sensed the situation.

meanwhile the doctor was cudgeling his brain to find some clue for his apprehension, but he could think of nothing. the officer remained silent to let him recover from the shock. after a while he laid his hand on Sa'eed's knee and said: 'it must all be a mistake. You will simply have to answer a few questions.
'do you know why I am wanted?
'why, it is nothing serious. I understand it is in connection with a letter you wrote recently. those were the days of dictatorship when the mails were carefully censored to detect any insubordination or criticism of the government.
suddenly it dawned on the doctor. 6 days before he had written a letter of condolence to the daughter of a Kurdish chief who had recently died in Teheran at the age of 80. in the process of bringing various disaffected tribes under control, Reza Shah had found it necessary to hold some of their leaders as hostages. this particular man had been allowed full liberty within the limits of Teheran, but his movements had been carefully watched. Sa'eed had been his physician during his long

illness and a strong bond of friendship had been forged between them as a result of many heart -to-heart spiritual talks. the doctor could not conceive how anything in his letter of condolence could by the wildest stretch of the imagination be interpreted to have political significance.

at police headquarters the interrogating officer produce a letter out of his desk drawer and bluntly asked Sa'eed if he recognized the writing. 'it is mine, he replied.

'in that case you have some explanations to make', was the stern reply.  'this is what you wrote to the daughter of the deceased:
'Although your father was under government supervision and his every move watched, you must still be glad that he died in his own home, surrounded by his family - not like Sowlat-ud-Dowleh,(foot - Ilkhani of chapter 8) Taimurtash  (foot - was Minister of the Court during part of Reza Shah's reign )and others, some of whom were taken through the country and died in prison'.

with a dramatic flourish he put the letter down. 'who are you to say that Sowlat-ud-Dowleh and Taimurtash died in prison?

Sa'eed remained silent. he did not care to tell his examiner that he had been the Sowlat's physician to the end. besides, the fate of the 2 men mentioned was a matter of public knowledge.

'you must have been very closely connected with them, the officer continued, to know so much. how do you know they died, anyway?
'Politics and political figures do not interest me, replied Dr. Sa'eed. 'only in so far as men's bodies and souls are concerned do I have anything to do with them.  if I have unknowingly made a statement contrary to fact, I am sorry and I shall be obliged if you will enlighten me.

180  'wise men know how to mind their own business, the officer snapped back.  'that will do for today. he rang the bell on his desk. a policeman entered. 'show this gentleman his room.

....news of his imprisonment meanwhile spread far and wide with a swiftness proportionate to his reputation and the place he held in many hearts. he was greatly cheered by many letters of sympathy. one of the most touching  evidences of affection came from the Kurds, who had once been so bitter in their hostility. even
181  though they knew the danger of sympathizing too openly with one in disfavor with the authorities, they did not fail to let him and the public know that in his hour of trial they took his troubles to heart. some of the highest people in Kurdistan, including a number of the most influential religious leaders, wrote him in words such as these:
'our constant prayers cover you from head to foot, and we trust the God whom you worship in spirit and in truth will deliver you and bring your innocence to light, leading to your speedy release.

later Sa'eed wrote exultantly: 'just think of it! a generation ago they were seeking to destroy my life, but now their leaders are praying for my safety!...
182  it was a great moment when at last Sa'eed arrived home and rejoined his family. rejoicing was widespread when news of his release reached his friends. his imprisonment, without either trial or sentence, had lasted 99 days. he said it was the best rest he had had in 50 years!

after his liberation he wrote letters of thanks to the Prime Minister and others for their interest in his case, and he received affectionate replies. the Prime Minister's letter began, 'My own very dear Doctor'. from all parts of Iran and from abroad as well, letters of congratulation poured in. there were many touching messages from Kurdistan.
the dream to retire from public life and devote his remaining years to various studies and literary pursuits seemed about to be realized when in September 1938 Dr. Sa'eed  moved to a new house built for him by Samuel. here the familiar sign which had hung over his office entrance for a quarter of a century was no longer in evidence, but neither this fact nor his advanced age
183  served to keep away the sick. every available means was used by persistent patients to find him and receive his help, so  that in a short time this anticipated retreat became 'open house'.  'they come, he wrote, and insist, some of them from far away and they are very ill. I cannot refuse them, but i get very tired myself....