Greeks when they see a missionary settle down in their village: "Those
that have turned the world upside down are come hither also ... saying
that there is another King, _Jesus_."

The king of all hearts in the Mohammedan world is their prophet Mohammed.
They love his name and imitate his acts to the least particular. Much more
faithfully, I fear, than we imitate Jesus, our example. The great question
in Arabia is whether Mohammed or Jesus is to rule the country. Mohammed
has had it very much his own way for thirteen hundred years, but now his
dominion is being disputed. God's providence is working in many ways to
help His gospel. I sometimes think that we might call His providence the
plow and His gospel the good seed. For example, what a strange thing it is
for the Arabs to find Christian governments interfering with their slave
trade. Does not the Koran approve of slave holders and did not Mohammed
buy and sell slaves? And then when the big merchant ships come to the
coasts of Arabia and the ignorant Arabs learn of other lands and peoples
and civilisation they cannot help losing some of their pride and
prejudice. They compare the government of England in Aden with that of the
Turks in Sanaa and then--well they feel like turning the world upside down
themselves!

The Mohammedan religion has such a strong hold in Arabia that it will not
be overcome in one day or by one battle. We must expect a long and hard
fight. Before Topsy-turvy Land becomes a Christian land there will be
martyrs in Arabia. Every Moslem who accepts Christ does so at his peril,
and yet there are those who dare to confess Christ before men. When you
read in mission reports of troubles and opposition, of burning up books,
imprisoning colporteurs and expelling missionaries you must not think that
the gospel is being defeated. It is conquering. What we see under such
circumstances is only the dust in the wake of the ploughman. God is