UA-R-GC-1914-01-01-1937-11-12_Page-093

1 Appendix VI 167 November 12, 1937. REPORT of The Committee on Spiritual Resources The three principal reports placed before the Trustees each year are in answer to three very important questions which are asked by us all. "Are we properly sustaining and promoting the University?" '1hat is the question to be answered by the Committee on Finance. "Does it offer t-e highest quality of modern education?" That is to be answered by the Committee on Education. "Does it clearly reveal to the Moslem world those living springs which are to be found in Christ?" hat is the question presented to the Committee on Spiritual Resources. In seeking an answer to this third question we cannot do better than to take up in turn each department of the University, and consider the part it should play in effective religious work. We will begin with the Department of Education which for ten years has published a Journal whose circulation steadily increases, and has recently begun classes for training teacriers in the native schools. It is doing a fine and greatly needed work towards rais-ing the standards of teaching in Egypt and other Moslem lands. Its spirit-ual effectiveness must come, not from presenting direct religious instruction to its readers and pupils (that would end its work at once) but from snaking clear to all that the impulse which has created and now sustains it is not merely philanthropy but the spirit of "hrist and an eager desire to render service in His name. We are confident it is already doing this, and will ever seek to do it. Much the same may be said concerning the Livision of Extension with its public lectures, varied literature, movie films and other instruments of work. All those who are truly interested in the uplist of Egypt recognize that the Division has been a leader and inspiration in social work, and is removing age-long prejudices against Christianity and creating an atmosphere more favorable to the open presentation of'hrist. "Hat it has done in health teaching among the fellahin and in relief to the suffering children in the city slums have become models that are increasingly copied by the Egyptian Government in its social work. And the presentation of such a fil« as "The King of Kings" reveals Christ to thousands who never could be reached by ordinary missionary methods. the loss of Lr. Jeffery which we shall experience at the end of the present semester, will be greatly felt, since his remarkable scholarship wr,s crowned by a clear and winning Christiv.n faith. Already the search for his successor has begun: let us pray that we may find one, not necessarily with the same rare intellectual qualifications but certainly with the same spiritual vision. The School of Oriental Studies was and still is a continuation of the School organized by Mission Boards for preparing new missionaries for their future work by teaching them the native language they will need to use and acquainting them with the Moslem religious thought and the way it may best be dealt with when urging the acceptance of ohri st . True, owing to the ,reatly reduced number of new missionaries sent out by the boards, only 20 per cent of the 106 students last year were preparing for mission work; the rest were seeking instruction, -- mainly in the Arabic language,-- that might help the.. in secular occupations. To devote so much time to this latter class of students might be criticized as n turning away from the central purpose o