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283
74KJ?<74#E?D4;;>!#D$#@C;#D@@D+74#E;>?DBF#
!H;@<C;!#$>D+#@C;#<+!#7><C?/;!#D$#!D+;#7>7I#J?/;!#
<D44;<@;B#G?@C#@C;#;7>JA#B7A!#D$#@C;#B?D<;!;#D$#
b;>=!7J;+#
#
!"#$%.;+.1#>4'3(
,^W
#
7\*"%&("F# Besciiptions by local Aiab Chiistians of theii jouineys of
exploiation acioss the aieas East of the Rivei }oiuan in the late 0ttoman
peiiou have often been oveilookeu thiough the use of the moie wiuely
available naiiatives of Westein missionaiies who accompanieu them.
This papei seeks to ietiieve some of those Aiab accounts anu place theii
authois in the context of a giowing Aiab Anglican piesence anu
involvement acioss the whole iegion east anu west of the Rivei }oiuan in
the lattei pait of the 19
th
centuiy.#
H.V# X0%O*F Aiab Chiistians; Anglican Biocese of }eiusalem; CNS; Samuel
uobat; tiavel jouinals; Tiansjoiuan.
:N#?'"%0OP(")0'#&'O#0R.%R).X#
0ne of the gieat enueavouis that lies behinu both Bebiew anu
Chiistian sciiptuies is the task of "passing on the stoiy" to those
in the futuie who might otheiwise have only a hazy view of the
oiigins anu puiposes of the community to which they belong. In

1S8
Nalcolm was boin in Englanu, anu has been oiuaineu as an Anglican piiest
since 1978, following a shoit caieei as a Chaiteieu Civil Engineei. Be has
always been inteiesteu in the inteiconnecting stoiies of the peoples of the
Niuule East, being at one stage inviteu to seive on the Executive Committee of
the Lonuon Society of }ews anu Chiistians, anu then Secietaiy to the Biitish
Regional Committee of St. ueoige's College, }eiusalem. This was followeu in
2uuu by an invitation to come anu live in }oiuan as a piiest of the Anglican
Biocese of }eiusalem, maue possible thiough the sponsoiship of the Chuich
Nission Society. Nalcolm ietuineu to the 0K in 2uu7, anu is now ietiieu.

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284
this way, the stoiies of Abiaham, }oseph, Noses anu Ruth, foi
instance, infoim anu enlighten new geneiations of the }ewish
community, whilst the uospels anu Acts of the Apostles can act in
a similai way foi the Chiistian community. But the Bible is not
the only iesouice available to such gioups - often each specific
community will have its own set of founuational naiiatives that
shoulu be fieely accessible anu celebiateu, not just as a way of
iemembeiing the past but also as a way of enteiing the futuie.
Without such naiiatives, biblical oi otheiwise, it becomes
incieasingly uifficult foi local faith communities to keep theii
focus; even with them, they must continue to woik at how to
inteipiet theii texts, foi they will speak in uiffeient ways to
succeeuing geneiations.
Foi this ieason, I have wanteu to sketch something of the
stoiy suiiounuing eaily Aiab Anglican pioneeis, in what is now
the Biocese of }eiusalem, uuiing the lattei pait of the 19th
centuiy, foi it foims pait of the founuational naiiatives of the
Anglican Chuich in that pait of the Niuule East. Because much of
the mateiial is now stoieu away in aichives not noimally
available to the casual ieauei an attempt shoulu be maue to
make them moie wiuely known. The paiticulai focus on Aiab
Anglicans is no iule choice; foi they aie a small but significant
pait of the Eastein Chuich which has witnesseu faithfully to the
uospel foi neaily 2uuu yeais since the uay of Pentecost. They
face touay enoimous challenges to theii suivival, not unlike
many othei non-Westein Chiistian communities in the Niuule
East. Foi they face a whole vaiiety of issues - uniesolveu
political questions, inflameu cultuial tensions, anu the
unceitainty of any futuie if they aie to iemain in the Niuule East
- anu these inevitably contiibute to the steauy uecline in the
numbei of Chiistians still iesiuent theie. Rumouis of theie
being nothing but a "museum-piece" chuich in the iegion within
4u yeais - visible to pilgiims fiom elsewheie, but no longei
connecteu to any living inuigenous community of the lanu - aie
ieal enough.
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285
Theie is a fuithei ieason why a focus on Aiab naiiatives
shoulu be collecteu heie: they uesciibe a uiffeient emotional
lanuscape fiom that which is so often uesciibeu by visiting
foieigneis, whethei intiepiu exploieis, militaiy suiveyois, oi
even Chiistian missionaiies. This is especially tiue when we
come to the uesciibing of the "opening up" of the iegion to the
east of the Rivei }oiuan in the lattei half of the 19
th
centuiy. Foi
Aiabs, the sounus anu conventions that might have so stiuck a
visitoi aie not unusual, foi theii own cultuial woilu uealt much
moie with the neeus of tiibal etiquette anu status, anu possible
entiepieneuiial auvantage. By compaiison, the uesiie of
Westeineis is often to make obseivations that woulu suggest
westein technical supeiioiity anu piopose ieassuiing biblical
connections - pait of a naiiative becoming familiai to auuiences
in theii home countiies. Foi many Aiabs, especially Chiistians
fiom the Nablus aiea, ciossing the }oiuan to the East hau been a
necessaiy task foi woik oi business foi some geneiations. So, foi
instance, stoiies that we may finu in Westein naiiatives of gieat
enueavouis to cioss this symbolic iivei aie laigely absent fiom
moie local accounts. We may compaie an account of Captain
Waiien, a Royal Engineei suiveyoi in the employ of the Palestine
Exploiation Funu baseu in Lonuon, in his ciossing of the }oiuan
in 1867, with that of Chalil }amal, an Aiab Anglican oiiginally
fiom Nazaieth, who maue a similai ciossing fiom the west into
Tiansjoiuan just two yeais latei, in the summei of 1869. The
foimei appeais to uwell moie on the heioic anu pioneeiing
aspects of the expeiience that woulu suiely appeal to home
auuiences but woulu have little iesonance with locals with whom
such ciossings weie a pait of life:
. this boat (oi feiiy), bau as it was, was oui only way of ciossing the
}oiuan. Each houi, they saiu the floou woulu go uown, anu each houi it
appeaieu to iise. We weie tolu that men weie coming uown fiom Nablus
to put things to iight, but we coulu heai nothing foi ceitain: anu as it was
impossible to cioss without the boat, we hau the alteinative eithei to go
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286
back oi to tiy anu go along the westein bank of the }oiuan to the noith.
This lattei was an unknown ioute; we coulu not heai that it hau evei been
tiaveiseu by Euiopeans.
(0ui woik in Palestine; p.226)
Whilst Chalil }amal's account has a veiy uiffeient feel, viz:
0n the 26th }une last, I left foi Salt passing thiough Nablouse anu aftei 4
uays stay theie in wait foi a caiavan I left foi Salt leaning upon the
Almighty's aim; aiiiveu in Salt eaily in the moining of the 1st of }uly
ciossing the }oiuan in the ueau of night.
# # # ###########(quoteu fiom CNS aichives CN0.S6)
It is this wiitei's hope theiefoie, that in some small way a biief
celebiation of the naiiative of Aiab Chiistian pioneeis (even if it
be constiaineu to the meie ieciting of the names of those of
whom we, as foieigneis, may know veiy little else, but especially
aie biought alive by uesciiptions of uevelopments anu tiavels
that have suiviveu) will help to ensuie that local voices continue
to be heaiu, anu to encouiage the piesent Anglican community
theie in theii enueavouis. Foi, in the uays to come, they will
suiely neeu the couiage, hopefulness anu vision of the saints
fiom amongst theii numbei who have gone befoie them.
5N#7(c'0X1.O,.T.'"*#
But befoie I can uo that, theie aie seveial uebts of giatituue that
I must pay in biinging these woius togethei. The fiist lies with
the staff of the Chuich Nission Society (CNS), who sponsoieu,
encouiageu anu piepaieu my wife anu Iin oui move to }oiuan in
2uu1 to woik with the Biocese of }eiusalem. They stiengtheneu
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287
a love foi what Bishop Riah Abu el Assal
1S9
calleu, "the Lanu of
the Boly 0ne." Be was iefeiiing to the uisputeu lanus on both
siues of the }oiuan, fiom Nount Beimon in the Noith to the Reu
Sea in the South, anu its peoples within that lanu. That iespect
anu memoiy iemains with us to this uay. CNS began its
involvement in the aiea in the veiy eailiest uays of the Biocese,
some 16u yeais ago, anu it has access to the CNS aichives that
pioviue so much of the fiist hanu mateiial that will follow. So,
auuitional thanks to the CNS aichivist, Ken 0sboine, foi his
encouiagement anu peimission, anu to the staff of the special
collections uepaitment of the Biimingham 0niveisity Libiaiy -
wheie these aichives aie stoieu - foi theii assistance anu time.
The seconu uebt of giatituue lies with all the Aiab Anglicans anu
fiienus who openeu theii lives anu homes to us whilst we weie
living in Amman, until 2uu7. Fiom the Bishop himself at that
time, Bishop Riah, anu his cuiient successoi, Bishop Suheil
Bawani, to the veiy humblest membei of that community, we
have ieceiveu nothing but kinuness anu openness of heait. They
can nevei know how theii faith has toucheu oui lives, anu how
theii wisuom, vision, anu even theii stiuggles have illuminateu
oui own jouiney; foi that ieason alone, this paiticulai uebt of
giatituue can nevei be fully iepaiu.
WN#C)*"0%)(&1#I&(c,%0P'OF#@U.#b.%P*&1.T#I)*U08%)(#&'O#"U.#
<UP%(U#+)**)0'&%V#!0()."V#
Foi some, the stoiy of the oiigins of the Anglican Chuich in this
iegion may be well known. To avoiu assuming that it theiefoie
uoes not neeu some explanation heie, it is helpful foi
completeness' sake to incluue at this point some notes about
oiigins. It may be obseiveu that a numbei of the issues
suiiounuing authoiity, mission, anu impeiialism, which

1S9
A native of Nazaieth, Abu el Assal was the 1S
th
bishop of the uiocese, fiom
1998 thiough 2uu7.
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288
accompanieu the official foimation of the Anglican Chuich in the
Niuule East in 1841, aie still cuiient touay.
Although the Lonuon }ews Society hau begun a woik among
the }ewish population on Nount Zion some yeais befoie, it was
the contioveisial foimation of the Piotestant Bishopiic in
}eiusalem in 1841 that ieally maiks the establishment of a
Piotestant Chuich in the iegion. It was a joint LutheianChuich
of Englanu ventuie, sponsoieu by King Fieueiick William Iv of
Piussia anu the goveinment of William ulaustone, with some
Anglican bishops in Biitain (these two nations being the most
influential of the Piotestant poweis in Euiope anu conceineu at
the iise of influence of Catholic anu 0ithouox inteiests within
the 0ttoman empiie at that time). With the announcement of a
Bebiew Chiistian Bishop foi the new Biocese, feelings ian high
among many Piotestants involveu that a new eia foi the }ewish
people hau aiiiveu. This is as inuicateu by the uiaiy entiy of the
emissaiy of the Piussian King, Chevaliei Bunsen, uateu }uly 19
th

1841,
The successoi of St. }ames will embaik in 0ctobei. Be is by iace an
Isiaelite; boin a Piussian in Bieslau; in confession belonging to the Chuich
of Englanu; iipeneu (by haiu woik) in Iielanu; piofessoi of Bebiew anu
Aiabic in Englanu (in what is now King's College). So the beginning is maue,
please uou, foi the iestoiation of Isiael.
(quoteu in Stock, CNS histoiy vol I,p.42u)
That fiist bishop, the Rt. Revu. Nichael Solomon Alexanuei,
hau been a }ewish Rabbi i befoie becoming a Chiistian. Be saw
some success, but his eaily ueath in 184S was a consiueiable
blow, as weie the continuing uelays in the completion of Chiist
Chuich in the 0lu City of }eiusalem
16u
. This was achieveu in

16u
Foi moie on Bp Alexanuei see Biiugeman 194S anu Ciombie 2uu6. Foi an
account of some of the uifficulties faceu eaily on see }ack 199S.
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289
1849, but by that time, the seconu Bishop of the Biocese, the Rt.
Revu. Samuel uobat, hau begun to ieach out to the wiuei
community. uobat was a Swiss uentile, a gifteu linguist anu
evangelist, who hau pieviously woikeu with CNS in Ethiopia.
Though he continueu to suppoit the small }ewish Chiistian
community in }eiusalem, he soon peiceiveu the value of a wiuei
spieau of Piotestant congiegations acioss the iegion - anu this
coulu only be achieveu in the shoit teim thiough Aiabs fiom
existing Chiistian communities.
Fiom the beginning of uobat's time as a bishop in }uly 1846,
the piesence of inteiesteu Aiab Chiistians was nevei fai away, as
will be seen fiom this extensive quote fiom uobat's annual
iepoit wiitten fiom }eiusalem, uateu Novembei 9th 1847.
.....(In }eiusalem) on Sunuays, we have thiee seivices, two in English, ....anu
one in the ueiman tongue foi the iemaining conveits anu the six oi eight
ueiman iesiuents heie. Eveiy moining a Bebiew seivice is helu. We
celebiate the Boly Communion on all the gieat festivals, anu on the fiist
Sunuay of each month. As seveial Aiabs have attacheu themselves to us,
anu otheis seem to be so inclineu, we aie thinking of soon establishing a
iegulai Aiab seivice.....
The people in geneial aie kinuly uisposeu towaius us. They seem to
peiceive moie anu moie cleaily that a Chuich which iests upon the Woiu of
uou alone has justei claims than the supeistitious communities of which
they aie passive membeis. A spiiit of inquiiy aftei the tiuth continually
manifests itself amongst the membeis of the vaiious Chuiches.... a few
months ago, theiefoie, I appointeu an intelligent, well-ieau young man as
Bible-ieauei; he has not foimally seceueu fiom his own Chuich, the uieek
Catholic, but he knows anu loves the tiuth..... This inquiiing tenuency has
ievealeu itself not in this city alone, foi many petitioneis have beggeu us to
senu teacheis anu pieacheis to the countiy-folk. 0nly a few uays ago, the
Sheikh of a laige Chiistian village came as a ueputation fiom his
congiegation to iequest us, in the name of the whole community, to senu to
them a teachei, anu to assuie me that if I gianteu theii piayei, they woulu
immeuiately builu a chuich anu a school. As I have at piesent no means to
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290
enable me to meet theii wishes, I must content myself with laying the fact
befoie the Chiistian public.....
(Nemoiis pp.244-246)
It is an unfoitunate ieality within these publisheu iepoits of
Bishop uobat that peisonalities aie not nameu, though the
"village" mentioneu must suiely be Nablus (see uobat's iepoit of
1848 quoteu below). What is alieauy emeiging, howevei, is a
pattein of entieaties to the bishop foi teacheis, schools, anu
pastois, that we shall see iepeateu many times in the yeais to
come. uobat's iesponse can only be guaiueu at this stage - not
only uoes he not have the iesouices to supply the iequesteu
peisonnel, but neithei uoes he want to encouiage Aiab
Chiistians to leave theii existing chuiches unless they aie foiceu
"out of communion". Such a pattein can be seen at woik in the
situation that uobat uesciibes in his 1848 iepoit, wiitten on
0ctobei Suth 1848:
I have uuiing this yeai again employeu thiee evangelists oi colpoiteuis, one
among the Chiistians, one among the }ews at }eiusalem anu one among the
scatteieu Aiab population. I am expecting a fouith to aiiive fiom Beiiut in
a few uays... when one of these evangelists, a simpleminueu faithful Aiab,
was at Nablus about a yeai ago, seveial men began to ieau the Sciiptuies
togethei.... At Eastei, a few of them came hithei in oiuei to see anu heai oui
seivice, anu ietuineu home again with not having spoken much to me.
Some weeks latei, howevei, I ieceiveu a lettei fiom Nablus signeu by about
ten men, wheiein they announceu to me that they hau iesolveu to leave the
uieek Chuich (oi as they call it the Chuich of the Patiiaich) foi if they
iemaineu any longei within its pale, they anu theii chiluien must go to
uestiuction thiough ignoiance; they theiefoie ueciueu to constitute
themselves an evangelical congiegation, to take the Woiu of uou as theii
sole iule of conuuct anu to place themselves unuei my guiuance.... I
answeieu that I was ieauy to uo my utmost to aiu them in theii seaich foi
evangelical tiuth, but that I coulu not countenance them in foisaking theii
chuich. The only counsel that I coulu give them woulu be that they shoulu
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291
continue to ieau uou's woiu with uiligence anu piayeis... anu iemain in
theii Chuich until they weie excluueu fiom it, if matteis shoulu evei come
to such an extiemity. ..... aftei some fuithei inteichange anu letteis, a
missionaiy went with one local evangelist to inquiie moie closely into the
mattei.... they leaineu that seveial heaus of families who with theii
iespective wives anu chiluien amounteu to seventy out of the foui hunuieu
Chiistian souls in Nablus, hau signeu a mutual piomise to holu togethei in
theii seeking anu following the Boly Sciiptuies, anu especially to uo theii
utmost to obtain foi theii chiluien an euucation baseu upon the piinciples
of the puie woiu of uou..... I ueteimineu quickly to buy a goou house, laige
enough foi a boys' anu a giils' school, anu to accommouate a teachei anu his
family. I installeu an intelligent, most piomising young man, a native of
Nazaieth, but iesiuent in Nablus, as mastei unuei the supeivision of two
influential men of the Society..... on Septembei Sth, the school was openeu
with 21 boys (theie aie now 2S).....
(Nemoiis pp.2S2-2S4)
News of the ventuie cleaily spieau to suiiounuing villages,
foi uespite an outbieak of choleia as a iesult of which seveial
fiom the school uie, theie begins a small movement of Aiab
Chiistians into Nablus.
Sunuiy Chiistian inhabitants of the villages in the mountains of Samaiia
have ueciueu to migiate to Nablus, in oiuei to associate themselves with
oui fiienus...to senu theii chiluien to a Chiistian school.
(Nemoiis p.2SS)
By the following yeai, in uobat's annual lettei uateu
Novembei 1st 1849, he was able to iepoit that schools hau
openeu in seveial othei places: inueeu, he was now anxious foi
such numbeis to inciease, following a local iuling that hau
pionounceu fieeuom foi Aiab Chiistians to associate with any
gioup of Piotestants that they wisheu.
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292
I have iecently openeu a similai school also in Tibeiias. Theie was a school
of oluei founuation in Salt, which I hau maue ovei, in the inteiests of peace,
to a piiest of that place, but as he uiu not answei, I have establisheu anothei
in the couise of the summei, unuei a moie efficient mastei. The uieek
Patiiaich has taken upon himself to uefiay the entiie cost, anu has fuithei
piomiseu to ietain the mastei chosen by me, anu to aumit no othei books
besiue those which I have piesciibeu... I feai befoie long gieat multituues of
people will set up a ieligion of theii own, a soit of unbiiuleu Piotestantism
of theii own, so soon as they get sufficient encouiagement fiom without.
0nuei these ciicumstances, all that I can uo will be to spieau the Woiu of
uou by eveiy possible means.
(Nemoiis p.261)
By 0ctobei 18Su, uobat was able to iepoit that a Piotestant
congiegation hau inueeu foimeu in Nazaieth, anu that they met
"...on Sunuay, in small companies in oiuei to ieau theii Bible anu
piay in common, on which occasions they make use of the
English lituigy tianslateu into Aiabic" (Nemoiis 27u). So, facing
this uigent neeu foi pastoial caie anu euucatois, Bishop uobat
appealeu to CNS foi help anu, uespite the obvious caution
against inflaming feais of pioselytising that hau alieauy been
aiouseu, they agieeu to the offei of the Revu. }ohn Bowen (who
hau heaiu of the neeu at one of the CNS }ubilee celebiations in
1849 to maik Su yeais of the Society) to visit the iegion to see
what openings theie might be foi senuing missionaiies to help
uobat.
As a iesult of Bowen's visit, CNS ueciueu in 18S1 to open a
foimal Nission in Palestine. The Revu. Fieueiick Klein, one of a
numbei of ueiman Piotestants who maue up the laigei
piopoition of Westein missionaiies in the iegion in the eaily
uays of the Biocese, aiiiveu in Palestine in the same yeai. By
18S4, theie woulu be Westein missionaiies in }eiusalem (Klein
himself), }affa, Baifa, anu Nablus. Bowen himself is tempoiaiily
posteu to Nazaieth (wheie he will meet with the family of Chalil
}amal, whose uesciiption of Bowen in 1871 will iefei to him as
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293
bishop - which he became on his conseciation as a shoit-liveu
Bishop of Sieiia Leone in Sept. 18S7). As pait of the
"Bocuments of the }eiusalem Bishopiic", publisheu in 188S,
theie is an inteiesting ieflection by Klein (who hau memoiably
uiscoveieu the Noabite stone in 1868 uuiing one of his jouineys
to the east of the }oiuan) which echoes much of what we have
alieauy seen in Bishop uobat's eaily annual iepoits.
When in the yeai 18S1, I aiiiveu in Palestine, I founu at }eiusalem a small
numbei of natives, paitly enquiieis, who useu to come togethei on the
Loiu's Bay foi piayei anu ieauing of the Sciiptuies. At Nablous, theie was
anothei little banu of enquiieis anu at Nazaieth, a laigei numbei hau
expiesseu a uesiie to place themselves unuei oui instiuction. At Salt, also,
on the othei siue of the }oiuan, theie weie some people willing to be
instiucteu in the Woiu of uou.
(}eiusalem Bishopiic Bocuments 7S)
Anu although the company of Westein missionaiies in
Palestine soon uecieaseu to just the two locations of }eiusalem
anu Nazaieth, this uate of 18S1 maiks the beginning of
continuous involvement by CNS peisonnel in the life of what is
now the Anglican Biocese of }eiusalem coveiing the peoples of
Isiael, Syiia, Lebanon, }oiuan, anu the 0ccupieu Teiiitoiies.
ZN#7%&\#<U%)*")&'#8)0'..%*#
If 18S4 sees the establishing of a numbei of Westein
missionaiies in uiffeient locations acioss Palestine, it also maiks
the yeai when the fiist so-fai nameu Aiab Chiistian is appointeu
as a catechist to woik among the newly foiming Piotestant
communities. Bis name is Nichael Kawai
161
. As has been

161
Whose name is spelleu in vaiious uiffeient ways using the Latin alphabet;
the piecise Aiabic spelling is #$%&'.
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294
noticeu, he was not the fiist local Chiistian iecogniseu as having
this ministiy in this new Piotestant community, but as the fiist
so iecoiueu in official CNS iepoits (the uetail is in the piivately
ciiculateu Registei of CNS Nissionaiies, uateu 19u4), his
appointment iepiesents an impoitant step towaius the
inuigenization of the Piotestant Biocese. That it will be 17 yeais
befoie Nichael Kawai is maue a ueacon in the Anglican Chuich,
anu a fuithei six yeais befoie he (anu the Revu. Seiaphim
Boutaji) aie piiesteu
162
is a sign of the stiuggle foi mutual
acceptance acioss cultuial bounuaiies that is such a maik of
matuie Chiistian mission uevelopment; this is a stoiy woithy of
much stuuy anu ieflection that cannot be tolu heie.
We shall nevei know the full numbei of local Chiistian
catechists, evangelists, pastois anu teacheis, whose lives shapeu
the Aiab Anglican Chuich in the yeais following Bishop
Alexanuei's aiiival; anu theiefoie ieaueis who aie fiustiateu at
the bievity of the uesciiptions that follow aie encouiageu to
ieseaich the mattei fuithei. Foi those familiai with Aiabic, the
two-volume histoiy by Aichueacon Rafiq Faiah must be a
piimaiy souice (uetails aie in the bibliogiaphy), whilst the CNS
aichive contains significantly gieatei amounts of oiiginal souice
mateiial than the piesent wiitei has been able to covei in
making this suivey. This aichive is, of couise, mainly wiitten
fiom the point of view of the Westein missionaiies anu theii
oiganisational piioiities iathei than that of the inuigenous
Chiistian, but theie is fiist-hanu mateiial in Aiabic among the
papeis. Theie aie, no uoubt, othei souicesalso, available in the
Niuule East as well as in Euiope, that woulu iepay stuuy shoulu
time be available to someone with the appiopiiate linguistic
skills.

162
The mentioneu oiuination to the uiaconate took place at the newly
conseciateu Chiist Chuich in Nazaieth in 1871 (Nillei 2u12), but note that
Alexanuei hau pieviously oiuaineu some Bebiew Chiistians in }eiusalem.
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295
4"#$DR'$,)8(8$'>$,'3+,$,6+@608`$#LM4$a$#L-M$
A beginning can be maue, though, fiom the CNS aichives, foi
they contain two valuable lists of Aiab Anglican cleigy. 0ne was
publisheu aiounu 19u4 anu anothei uateu 192u, anu they give a
fiamewoik foi looking at those who followeu in the footsteps of
Nichael Kawai.
The fiist list comes fiom the pieviously mentioneu Registei
of all CNS peisonnel, fiom its eailiest uays until 19u4. The oiuei
of names heie follows that of the iegistei, anu each entiy gives
some outline of oiigin, which paiishes seiveu, anu oiuination
uates. Fuithei uetails foi some of those shown heie aie given in
the biogiaphies to be founu latei in this aiticle. Spellings in
English can nevei exactly match the Aiabic, but the names aie as
shown in the iegistei.

Name

0iiginal community
& seiving chuich if
shown


0iuination uates
B= Beacon P=Piiest
Seiaphim Boutaji fiom Acie, a uieek
Catholic
B 1871, P 1877
Nichael Kawai fiom Nazaieth,
uieek Catholic
B 1871, P 1877
Chalil }amal fiom Nazaieth,
uieek Catholic
B 1874, P 1877
Nasii 0ueh No uetail shown B 1879, P 188u
Ibiahim Baz uieek Catholic:
}eiusalem
B 1884, P 1886
Nuiau alBauuau uieek Catholic:
Baifa
B 1884, P 1886
Yusef Zoiab Fiom ni. Siuon:
Ramleh, uaza
B 1889
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296

Banna Bimishky uieek Catholic: Lyuu B 1889
Banna Nusa Latin: Taiyibeh B 1889
Selim uomii Piotestant: Nablus B 1889
Nicola
abuBattum
seiving in Salt B 1894
Asaau Nansui seiving in }affa B 1894
Butius Nusa seiving in Bii Zeit B 19uu P 19u2
Saleh Saba seiving in Shefi Ami B 19uu P 19u2
As the Catheuial Chuich of St. ueoige was not finisheu until
1898
16S
, all oiuinations befoie that uate must have been helu
elsewheie - possibly at the Anglican Chuiches of Chiist Chuich
}eiusalem (openeu in1849), St. Paul's }eiusalem (1874), oi Chiist
Chuich, Nazaieth (1871) which hau all been open foi some yeais
by the time the Catheuial was constiucteu. The 1871 oiuinations
uiu take place at Chiist Chuich Nazaieth though. Chuich
builuings in Salt, Nablus anu Shefi Ami hau also been openeu by
that time, but theii uates of opening aie unknown.
This iegistei also gives 67 names, anu some uetails of
women who weie sent ovei the same peiiou by CNS to the aiea -
fiom Eliza Aimstiong who went to }affa in the eailiest uays of
uobat's expanueu mission in the 18Su's, to Annie NcNeile who
was sent to }eiusalem anu Bethlehem in the fiist yeais of the
2uth centuiy.
The seconu list appeais as a iecoiu of Aiab iepiesentatives,
all cleigy with one exception, who weie piesent at a meeting of
the 11th Palestine Native Chuich Council helu in }uly 192u,
togethei with a note of the Chuiches wheie they weie cuiiently
seiving. It is instiuctive to see that some names appeai on both

16S
Foi auuitional uetails on the histoiy of the Catheuial Chuich of St ueoige the
Naityi anu its life touay, see Nillei 2uu7.
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297
lists. Again, the names aie as wiitten in the CNS aichives anu
may uiffei slightly fiom the pievious list.


Name


Paiish wheie seiving
The Revu. Ibiahim Baz }eiusalem
The Revu. Asau Nansui Nazaieth
The Revu. Saleh Saba Baifa
The Revu. Butius Nusa }affa
The Revu. Yusef Fuleithan Shefi Ami
The Revu. Elias Namoia Nablus
The Revu. Nikola Battum Salt
The Revu. }iiius Ittayyim Kufi Yasif
Ni. Elias elFai ElBusn
(Aichive ief: uSP192u1)
Cleaily, it woulu iequiie a whole book to be wiitten if it
weie possible to iecount the stoiies of all of those iecoiueu heie;
the intention heie will be to focus on those Aiab Anglicans who
weie oiuaineu in the 187u's anu 188u's. Theie will be a special
focus on theii expeiiences of ciossing into the iegion east of the
Rivei }oiuan, which may conveniently be calleu Tiansjoiuan, foi
it is these naiiatives that aie best iepiesenteu in the CNS
aichives exploieu so fai. To uo this, it will be useful to give a
geneial oveiview of the situation at that time of the 0ttoman
piovince, oi vilayet, of Syiia, baseu in Bamascus, anu which
incluueu all of mouein uay Isiael, Palestine, anu }oiuan.
4"-$D96$D0+*8Y'0@+*$1*@60$?(('&+*$51,6$)*$(96$#L
(9
$A6*(10B$
The fiist thing to say about 0ttoman auministiation acioss the
aiea east of the }oiuan in the lattei pait of the 19th centuiy is to
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298
highlight its moves to inciease its connections with the mainly
agiicultuial activities of the countiysiue theie. Nominally, the
iegion was alieauy unuei the contiol of the two sub-piovinces,
oi sanjuks, of Balqa anu Bawian, but theie weie few towns of
any size. Not until 18S1 uiu any of these boast of any foim of
goveinment auministiation centie fiom which exteinal
authoiity coulu be exeiciseu. This situation of small-scale, co-
opeiative faiming has been elegantly summaiiseu by a
contempoiaiy }oiuanian, Raouf Sa'u Abujabei, wiiting in 1989,
whose family weie veiy significant faimeis on lanu neai
Amman
164
fiom the late 19
th
centuiy:
In Tiansjoiuan uuiing the 19
th
centuiy agiicultuie was the main fielu of
human activity, anu the gieatei pait of the population was engageu in it. It
was iun by small faimeis cultivating theii own shaies of musha' (common
lanu owneiship) lanu in theii villages oi in the neighbouiing khiiab
(ueseiteu villages). In geneial, these weie one oi two fauuan (oxen
ploughing team) opeiations woikeu by the heau of the family with the help
of his biotheis anu sons. The geneial iule was one of co-opeiation within
the community, anu faimeis helpeu each othei uuiing peiious of intensive
woik such as ploughing oi haivest on a iecipiocal basis. Whenevei extia
laboui was neeueu it was noimally hiieu foi the uay oi the season anu
wages weie paiu in kinu, usually wheat. (8S)
These iuial, agiicultuial iegions, being laigely left to theii
own uevices, weie mostly subject to the influence of local
Beuouin chiefs, as a iesult of which it was not suipiising that tax
ievenues coulu iaiely be collecteu by the authoiities. Significant
uangeis to settleu communities anu tiaveleis alike weie often
expeiienceu uue to conflicts within the tiibes. We may get a
helpful oveiview of the tiibal situation at that time by ietuining
again to Raouf Sa'u Abujabei, in his uesciiption of the tiibal
situation in the Balqa iegion:

164
Foi moie uetails on the founuation anu piesent-uay of life of the Anglican
Chuich of the Reueemei in Amman, see Nillei 2uu7.
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299
...the Balqa was the teiiitoiy of the two laigest }oiuanian tiibal feueiations,
the Auwan anu the Beni Sakhi. Tiavelleis mentioneu them often, anu many
a tiip hau to be cancelleu as they weie unable to acquiie safe-conuuct in the
uiffeient uistiicts. The Auwan weie semi-settleu Beuouin who weie chiefs
of the tiibal feueiation that incluueu all the settleu anu semi-settleu people
of the Balqa. They spent wintei in the cultivateu lanus anu pastuies of the
}oiuan valley, anu moveu upwaius into the plateau west anu noith of
Amman in summei. Theii paiamount chiefs weie (uuiing the 19
th
centuiy)
the Salih clan heaueu by Sheikh Bhiab anu his son, Ali elBhiab. Bowevei,
they hau to contenu all the time with theii cousins the Nimi clan heaueu by
Sheikh uublan anu his family. uublan was usually the chief who aiiangeu
the piotection neeueu. (49)
Wheat was a basic ciop foi the whole community. This
necessitateu those who weie not faimeis themselves, mostly the
nomauic beuouin but then, incieasingly, meichants fiom Nablus
anu }eiusalem as these cities expanueu, to have a place wheie
tiauing coulu take place. The ancient town of EsSalt was iueal
foi this puipose, foi it lay stiategically between the feitile wheat
fielus of Noab anu the }oiuan Rivei ciossing at Bamieh which leu
uiiectly to the auministiative centie of the whole Balqa sanjuk
establisheu at Nablus. With an 0ttoman auministiation centie
establisheu at EsSalt in 1867, the authoiities weie able to cieate
a moie effective taxation collection system, anu take pie-emptive
action against the tiauitional, peihaps aibitiaiy, authoiity of
beuouin gioups. This, in tuin, encouiageu the movement of
faimeis fiom othei paits to come anu establish themselves on
the abunuant lanu that as yet lay unwoikeu acioss the westein
paits of Tiansjoiuan. Thus came Chiistians fiom the Nablus aiea,
otheis fiom the Bauian aieas south of Bamascus, otheis noith
fiom Egypt, anu even Ciicassian faimeis who weie biought by
the authoiities to settle aiounu Amman fiom 1878. A similai
uevelopment of settlements was taking place in the moie
noitheily sanjuk of the Bawian which, being closei to Bamascus,
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300
hau seen a goveinment auministiation centie being openeu in
Ajloun some sixteen yeais eailiei, in 18S1.
It is in this context of an opening uooi to Tiansjoiuan that
most of the Aiab pioneei jouineys that will shoitly be uesciibeu
must be seen. The tiansitions to stability anu moie intensive
styles of tiaue anu communication weie not immeuiate in all
aieas but the piocess can now be seen as iiieveisible. Thus, even
though in 1878 kiunappings anu iaius weie still taking place in
moie isolateu aieas, theie was a giowing expectancy that the
conuitions weie iight foi long teim investment of people fiom
outsiue the iegion. Eviuence of this is shown in the iepoit of that
yeai that CNS ieceiveu fiom the Revu. }ohn Zellei on the
feasibility of Euiopean missionaiies actually iesiuing in the
Ajloun aiea. Fiom theie they might supeivise the iunning of
small schools fuithei noith in the Bauian, in which he still
auvises uue caution:
... befoie any ieal mission woik can be caiiieu out, theie must be eithei
gieatei stability oi consiueiable financial iesouices to oveicome the uaily
uemanu foi iansoms, safety money etc. fiom waiiing sheikhs anu
tiibesmen.
(Aichive ief: CN02)
It must at least be possible that it was the veiy piesence of
Euiopeans that exciteu this uemanu foi financial iewaiu, anu
that local communities by this time uiu not suffei fiom the same
attention. Whatevei the level of incieaseu political anu fiscal
authoiity, howevei, it coulu not iule out some factois enuemic to
the iegion: uiought anu pooi haivests woulu continue anu coulu
quickly leau communities to leave theii villages anu iesoit to the
nomauic giazing of sheep anu goats in oiuei to pioviue foi theii
basic neeus. Taxation itself coulu be a cause of instability when,
foi instance, theie aiose extia 0ttoman uemanus foi funus
causeu by the onset of wais within the Empiie - as happeneu in
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301
1877 when wai bioke out with Russia. At times like that,
auuitional taxes coulu be imposeu anu active men consciipteu
into the Aimy, thus putting piessuie on a small iuial
community's ability to suivive.
Contiastingly, by this lattei pait of the 19
th
centuiy, the
iegion west of the }oiuan appeais moie stable anu settleu, uue
no uoubt to gieatei connections to the tiaue ioutes aiounu the
Neuiteiianean, its moie uevelopeu infiastiuctuie, anu its
gieatei pieponueiance of establisheu cities anu communities.
Noieovei, its lanuscape anu centies weie alieauy being eageily
visiteu, mappeu anu uesciibeu by the many Westein Chiistians
fascinateu by biblical connections that coulu illuminate theii own
sense of uivinely oiuaineu oiigins. As a iesult, a vaiiety of
Euiopean nations woulu often compete in the establishing of a
iange of amenities of euucation anu healthcaie available to the
local population as pait of theii stiuggle to establish pieceuence
foi theii paiticulai ieligious oi national iuentity.
It was natuial, theiefoie, that the Anglican Chuich shoulu be
founu fiist in places like }eiusalem anu Nazaieth, with schools, as
we have seen, set up by Bishop uobat in places like Nablus,
Ramleh, anu Lyuu - all west of the }oiuan. The establishment of
uobat's school in Salt in the late 184u's is the exception to this, of
couise, though the Bishop's continuing anxiety ovei its futuie
expiesseu in the yeais that followeu its opening is
unueistanuable. 0nly aftei 0ttoman auministiation hau been
establisheu in Salt coulu that city become one of the peimanent
hubs of Anglican activity east of the }oiuan. It was matcheu only
at that time by the attempts to secuie a centie at ElBusn, Iibiu,
oi Ajlun to seive the scatteieu gioup of village schools in the
Bauian iegion that have been mentioneu befoie.
Fiom this, one woulu expect that most of the Aiab Anglicans
appointeu to ministiy in the eaily uays weie to be founu seiving
in the aiea west of the }oiuan anu only giauually spieauing
acioss to the eastein bank - anu this is inueeu what we finu.
This will be noteu in the instances of most of the six biief
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302
biogiaphies of Aiab pioneeis that will now be given. But what is
piobably fai moie ievealing than any such summaiy aie the
uesciiptions which then follow of people anu lanuscapes that
emeige fiom a collection of iepoits fiom the CNS aichives
wiitten by some of those six pioneeis. Theii own woius, even
tianslateu into an English foim that sometimes obscuies the
claiity of Aiabic names anu places, biing a fiesh peispective to
the stoiy of Anglican oiigins. It is not too fanciful to suggest that
theii jouineys thiough the Tiansjoiuan in paiticulai have an
apostolic iing to them, wiitten with the insight of one who is a
local, but awaie that a whole new futuie might be awakening.
#
#
#
[N##7%&\#E)0'..%*#
G"#$b)'<0+/9)3+,$8:6(3968$$
The following uesciiptions of seven Aiab Chiistian pioneeis aie
biought togethei fiom a numbei of uiffeient souices within anu
beyonu the CNS aichives anu, no uoubt, they coulu be expanueu
consiueiably with fuithei ieseaich. The amount of infoimation
given in any instance is puiely a ieflection of the amount of
infoimation so fai obtaineu, anu nothing to uo with any kinu of
ielative impoitance of ministiy oi measuie of success.
+)(U&.1# H&X&%: uesciibeu as a Syiian, he came fiom
Nazaieth fiom a uieek Catholic backgiounu. Recoius show that
he seiveu as a catechist foi CNS fiom 18S4 in the cities of
Nablus, Baifa, Acie, anu Nazaieth. Be was, with Seiaphim
Boutaji, the fiist Aiab Anglican to be oiuaineu ueacon, by Bishop
uobat on 0ctobei 1st 1871, on the uay of the opening of the
!"#$%&'()*#+&,&-)'.#/01#23#40#5#6#78%)1#59:5

303
Anglican Chuich in Nazaieth. Be was piiesteu on Septembei
2Siu 1877, anu seiveu in the Chuiches of Salt, Nazaieth, anu
}eiusalem. Be uieu on Novembei 11th 1886.
!.%&8U)T# I0P"&a): uesciibeu as a Syiian, he came fiom a
uieek Catholic backgiounu in the iegion of the city of Acie
(Akko). Be hau been accepteu by CNS as a catechist in 1864,
seiving in Reineh, Nazaieth, Shefi Ami anu Baifa. 0iuaineu
ueacon anu piiest by Bishop uobat at the same time as Nichael
Kawai, he seiveu in the Chuiches in Nazaieth, Salt, Baifa, anu
ElBusn.
<U&1)1# b&T&1: fiom a uieek Catholic backgiounu, he was
boin in Nazaieth on }an. 18th 184u, but in his own woius wiitten
on Feb.16th 1871, "..when S yeais olu, my family moveu to Baka
Al-uhaibiah (a laige muslim village between }affa anu Nazaieth),
because the yoke of the Bawwa was intoleiable. S yeais anu 4
months aftei oui iemoval to that village, we weie visiteu by a
most eainest anu sinceie Chiistian missionaiy, even the late
Bishop }ohn Bowen...." (Aichive ief: C.N0.S6). }amal came back to
Nazaieth to attenu the fiist Piotestant school theie but, in Sept.
18Su, the family moveu to }eiusalem wheie }amal "was aumitteu
to the Biocesan school." Finishing his schooling, he was sent by
Bishop uobat to Caiffa (Baifa.), ietuining to }eiusalem to be an
Aiabic teachei at the }eiusalem school. }amal was oiuaineu
ueacon on Novembei 29th 1874, at the opening of St. Paul's
Chuich in }eiusalem, to seive as pastoi of the Aiab congiegation
meeting theie, anu piiesteu with Nichael Kawai anu Seiaphim
Boutaji in 1877, seiving in the chuiches of }eiusalem, Salt, anu
Nazaieth.
C&''&# B)T)*UcV: The family came fiom a uieek Catholic
backgiounu, oiiginally fiom Syiia
16S
. Banna's fathei, }oseph
Antoine Safi, hau come to Nazaieth aiounu 18Su but, aftei
maiiiage, }oseph hau moveu on to Lyuu wheie Banna was boin

16S
The Aiabic family name 7'1'94D" liteially means "Bamascene", oi "fiom
Bamascus".
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304
on }uly 19th 1847, one of eleven chiluien. Banna was a teachei
in Lyuu foi 19 yeais, anu was oiuaineu ueacon on Tiinity Sunuay
(}une 16th) 1889 by Bishop uobat's successoi, Bishop Blyth, the
4th Anglican Bishop in }eiusalem. The Revu. Banna Bimishky
uieu on Bec. Sth 1912. By this time one of Banna's chiluien,
Paul, hau also himself been oiuaineu by Bishop Blyth, becoming
Beacon in 19u2 anu piiesteu in 19u6, aftei thiee yeais seivice in
Beiiut, anu one yeai apiece in }eiusalem anu Baifa. Be is
uesciibeu as having maiiieu a sistei of Nis. Boutaji (Baifa)
whose family weie "well iespecteu in Lebanon". Fiom19u6-11,
the Revu. Paul Bimishky seiveu with SPu in Bombay, ietuining
to woik with a Canon Paifit in Lebanon until moving to South
Afiica, anu latei to Englanu wheie he became the vicai of St.
Augustine's, Skiilaugh, in the Biocese of Yoik (Aichive ief:
uSPL14 p.4uS). The wiitei was piivilegeu to get to know one of
his uaughteis, Lyuia Lyth, who was a iegulai membei of the
Anglican paiish in Fainham Royal, in Englanu, befoie hei ueath
in 2u1u.
4)(01&#&\P#C&""PT: 0iuaineu ueacon in 1894, anu seiveu in
the Chuich in Salt. Be is uesciibeu in a lettei fiom an unnameu
CNS Secietaiy in 192S, to him on his ietiiement, as coming fiom
Suwiei in Nount Lebanon to take chaige of the CNS school (in
Salt) in 1877, wheie "the piesent Chuich builuing was youi
school ioom." The lettei continues, "Theie was no iesiuential
cleigyman, foi the late Revu. Khalil }amal was not tiansfeiieu
fiom }eiusalem until 1878. The meuical mission, confineu to
outpatients, was only openeu in 1884. You weie oiuaineu in
1894 to take the place of Ni. }amal who was moveu to Nazaieth."
(Aichive ief: uSPL1S p. 2S2).
?\%&U)T# I&-: Bis name appeais in Fieueiick Klein's
ieflection in the "}eiusalem Bishopiic Bocuments" as the local
tutoi woiking at the "Piepaianui Institution" in }eiusalem with
the Revu. }ohn Zellei, when it openeu in 1876 with eleven
stuuents. It was intenueu that this institution woulu inciease the
numbei of local evangelists, teacheis, anu ministeis. The
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305
ieflection speaks of Ibiahim Baz as "highly spoken of"
("Bocuments".p7S).
!P1.)T&'# 4&**.%: Bis name uoes not appeai among those
oiuaineu in the CNS iegisteis. Bowevei, he was in ElBusn fiom
aiounu 1878, befoie moving in aiounu 1886 to Khoiabah in the
Bauian to oveisee the woik in the schools theie. The schools
weie closeu uown by the 0ttoman authoiities a yeai latei anu he
left the aiea.
G"-$D96$/)'*660)*<$06/'0(8$$$
Theie now follow a numbei of fiist-hanu iepoits, mostly wiitten
by Chalil }amal, whicha aie all taken fiom the CNS aichives. It is
not exactly cleai whethei these iepoits aie (local.) tianslations
into English fiom an Aiabic oiiginal, oi whethei they expiess the
oiiginal woius of theii authois; whatevei the piocess that
biought them to be pait of theii piesence in CNS aichives, they
suiely ietain the authentic flavoui of a fiist-hanu witness to the
events they uesciibe. The fiist one is uateu }eiusalem Sept. 7th
1869, anu uesciibes a jouiney maue acioss the }oiuan - to Salt
initially, but also to the Chiistian community at Fuheis which
woulu be at a highei, anu theiefoie healthiei, altituue. This
Chiistian community is veiy much alive touay (2u12).
0n the 26th }une last, I left foi Salt passing thiough Nablouse anu aftei 4
uays stay theie in wait foi a caiavan I left foi Salt leaning upon the
Almighty's aim; aiiiveu in Salt eaily in the moining of the 1st of }uly
ciossing the }oiuan in the ueau of night. When at Salt I intenueu to leave foi
}ebel Ajloun on the Siu of }uly in oiuei to keep the Loiu's Bay in one of the
villages of }ebel Ajloun, .|but anj attack of a veiy hot fevei confineu me in
beu foi 1u uays. Buiing my illness, I thought that changing the aii might uo
me goou - theiefoie I left Salt (accompanieu by my host Ni. Nutanes Kawai
anu two otheis; one a Piotestant Chiistian, anu the othei a muslim), anu
went to visit the Fe-he-se-yeh
166
. They aie living in a village calleu by theii

166
That is, the people of Fuheis.
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306
name. They aie all Chiistians - but alas none of them know the tiuth of
Chiist's ieligion.
0n my way to the |illegiblej I passeu Waui El-Aziak, anu founu theie a
piiest calleu Sa-eeu with his family living in that waui. Be is a uieek
|0ithouoxj piiest who foi poveity's sake was obligeu to live in that waui
anu plant some vegetables upon which he lives. Nyself anu my paity went
to live in his hut maue of bianches of the bushes anu wilu tiees of that waui.
.... aftei 1u minutes' iiue we came to the souice of the watei that is gushing
in that waui; it spiings out of a laige, bioau anu white soliu iock, veiy
iemaikable foi its whiteness. Fishes weie swimming in that watei but of a
veiy small size. Bauawins nevei eat fishes because they consiuei them to
be no bettei than seipents. We continueu ascenuing up the waui - the ioue
is veiy iuggeu anu I was often obligeu to uismount anu walk: aftei half an
houi's iiue we ieacheu E-youn El-hommos (a fount) wheie we founu the
Fe-he-se-yeh maiuens coming to fill theii skin bottles with watei; anu aftei
S minutes' iiue we aiiiveu to the encampment of the |illegiblej which
makes a veiy laige iounu ciicle. The tents weie 16 in numbei maue of
goat's haii - but veiy laige inueeu. They live in theii village foi S months
only anu the iest of the yeai they live a bauawin-life in tents...... theie aie
many encouiaging signs foi establishing a mission in the East....
(Aichive ief: CN0.S6)
The seconu iepoit fiom the now oiuaineu ueacon is uateu
1876, anu uesciibes a jouiney to Salt anu Ajloun uistiicts,
incluuing this aiiival at ElBusn,
....they eainestly beggeu us to spenu the uay with them: ceitainly we weie
obligeu to change oui plans anu accept theii invitation of love with
thankfulness.... they mean to follow the uoctiine of the uospel, I will not say
of oui chuich, because I know that they aie the uospel uoctiines. They
askeu foi a missionaiy, anu a school foi theii chiluien. 0ne of them, even a
Ni. Isa ElAzai saiu with powei anu eainestness, "The uospel must be
pieacheu anu those who aie against the teachings of the uospel must fiist
cut the wings of the angel" (Rev. 14:6).
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307
Theie then follows a iepoit of Chalil }amal's uepaituie fiom
Salt.
Fiiuay, Septembei 1st. We left foi Amman, Ni. ElKaiey the piiest, his
biothei Solimon, a hoiseman, anu myself (they meet a beuouin hoiseman of
the Beni Sakhi anu have a conveisation on the way). In Amman, we founu
anothei, one Salwen, a muslim; he lives in one of the caves in Amman. Be
saiu that to steal when in neeu anu to kill an enemy when you meet with
him, is not sin; but to steal fiom a fiienu, oi to kill a fiienu, is sin. I taught
him the same piayei that I taught AbuAllah - but we coulu not convince him
that killing an enemy is sin. Left Amman anu ioue to El Yauooui. In the
night, spoke about the fiuits of the Chiistian ieligion....oui host was a fiienu
of mine but belongs to the Latin Chuich.
The iepoit concluues with an inteiesting list of the places
visiteu anu the scope of the enquiiies that Chalil }amal must have
been making.
The numbei of Chiistians in the villages that I have visiteu
#
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!"#$%&'()*#+&,&-)'.#/01#23#40#5#6#78%)1#59:5

308
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(Aichive ief: CN0.S6)
The thiiu iepoit by the now piiesteu Revu. Chalil }amal is
fiom his fiist uays in Salt, wiitten to CNS in }eiusalem anu uateu
}an. 1879. It uesciibes the establishing of the oiganisation of his
paiish in a pattein that continues to this uay:
As soon as I was settleu heie I appioveu a Najlis Ichtiyaiia (Chuich Council)
to meet once eveiy foitnight oi whenevei theie is an occasion foi theii
meeting togethei to settle the affaiis of the congiegation with me...
(Aichive ief: CN0.S6)
The next iepoit by the Revu. Chalil }amal is uateu Nov. 29th
1879. It incluues his obseivations of life in Salt, anu of visits to
membeis of the community of Fuheis who aie seeking to become
Piotestant.
Salt is famous foi its giapes. Theie aie upwaius of 18uu vineyaius. It is a
blessing that wine anu Aiaki (a kinu of stiong anu intoxicating uiink) aie
not known to the Salti people. The giapes that aie not consumeu fiesh aie
eithei maue into iaisins, oi piesseu anu the juice is maue into uibs (honey)
anu milban (a kinu of sweet meat), anu these aie stoieu against the wintei.
The Loiu has giaciously openeu a way foi the pieaching of Bis uospel in El
Fuheis (a village about one anu a half houis to the South East of Salt. This is
a Chiistian village). Some thiee months ago, I ieceiveu moie than two
invitations fiom heaus of families theie, to go anu make them Ingleez
(English) as they say. I iepaiieu thithei twice with Ni. Behnam anu Banah
Effenui Kawai anu spent thiee nights with them. I spoke veiy eainestly anu
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309
sinceiely with them. They have woiluly thoughts. Since then they have
been often visiteu by Behnam who woiks among the beuouins of the
uistiict. As yet, we have not iecognizeu them as oui community but mean to
hiie a ioom with them foi instiuction in oui hiieu ioom. They like to heai
the Woiu, anu they sit attentively when we ieau oi speak to them, but
befoie they quit the ioom, they foiget it.
(Aichive ief: CN0.S6)
The final iepoit by Chalil }amal is wiitten fiom Salt to the
Secietaiy of CNS in }eiusalem anu uateu }uly 14th 188u. In it he
uesciibes some of the lessons he has leaint in being an evangelist
in that place.
... Salt wheie I now live is a thoiough Bauouin village in habits, manneis,
customs, anu moue of living, anu whosoevei lives heie with the aim of
winning the heaits anu confiuence of the people, must tieat them accoiuing
to theii own manneis anu habits as was the custom of St. Paul in such cases,
see 1 Coi. 9: 19 - 2S, anu the wise man says, "Be that winneth souls is wise"
Piov. 11: Su. Theii manneis anu habits stanu mostly in enteitaining them
with coffee, tobacco, Naijili |that is, the watei pipej, etc., etc., whenevei they
pay a visit to anyone, anu without such enteitainment, one almost looses
his chaiactei anu cieuit, as is the case with some heie...
(Aichive ief: CN0.S6)
Befoie we leave the community of Salt, theie is one fuithei
lettei fiom the aichives that comes fiom S8 families belonging to
the community itself, anu wiitten to the CNS Secietaiy in
}eiusalem anu uateu Naich 17th 187S. It uesciibes the oiigins of
an establisheu Piotestant community theie in 1866.
Youi chiluien of the Evangelical congiegation at EsSalt beg to state that you
aie uoubtless awaie that 7 yeais ago Bishop uobat sent a missionaiy (a
native of Nosul, nameu Behnam Bessioneh) to this place. This man uiu not
cease to teach us uou's woiu anu to exhoit us anu oui families, anu
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310
although foi the fiist anu seconu yeais we hateu him anu his teaching anu
thought the Piotestants to be a set of men without ieligion anu without
uou, yet at last thiough the giace of uou anu the zeal, patience, anu
peiseveiance of Ni. Behnam, we weie leu to the tiue faith anu left the vain
iites anu tiauitions... When oui congiegation incieaseu we beggeu the
Bishop to builu a place of woiship anu a iesiuence foi the missionaiy, anu
he uiu so. Whilst we iejoiceu in the faith, anu maue uaily piayeis, so that we
founueu a society foi the spieau of the uospel in these paits anu hau begun
to collect money foi to open a school |atj }abal Ajloun, anu anothei at Keiak.
The lettei latei gives a valuable inuication of the significant
size of the Piotestant community in Salt in 187S; "oui
congiegation numbeieu 6uu souls."
(Aichive ief: CN0.12)
Foi the last of the iepoits fiom the CNS aichives, we must
ietiace oui steps acioss the }oiuan, anu let the Revu. Banna
Bimishky uesciibe the iole his own family hau in the veiy oiigins
of the Piotestant community in the }eiusalem aiea. It is wiitten
fiom Lyuu, anu uateu }une 1st 1879:
I was foi some yeais in the Bishop's (now the CNS) school on Nount Zion,
}eiusalem, anu theiefoie knew English well. Ny ueceaseu fathei which was
the fiist boin of the Piotestant congiegation at }eiusalem uiu place me in
that school having but one intention anu the gieatest uesiie that I may
become uou's seivant in his vineyaiu between |among.j his own nation the
Aiabs. So he piomiseu the late Bishop uobat anu so he voweu it befoie uou,
anu thanks be to the most meiciful Fathei which has heaiu anu accepteu
my fathei's humble voice, as it is now the 16th yeai that I am woiking at
Lyuua as a schoolmastei... I was the fiist who openeu the fielu of Chiist aftei
oui lanu anu people have fallen in gieat miseiy anu a heavy clouu... by anu
by |the schoolj flouiisheu so gloiiously that I have since then eveiy yeai
fiom 7u - 1uu boys anu giils leaining in one house wheie I live. Befoie 8
yeais |that is, eight yeais agoj I began a Sunuay school foi those boys who
went out of school, to come on Sunuay anu have instiuction in the
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311
catechism...but theie came always giown up people that I coulu not keep
myself. The Sunuay school but hau tuineu it to the usual seivices as in the
Common Piayei Book....theie comes eveiy Sunuay fiom 2u - 4u men anu
women, besiues the scholais |that is, stuuentsj wheie we have 1uu souls to
attenu the seivices.
(Aichive ief: CN0.22)
_N#<0'(1P*)0'#
Theie is cleaily so much moie to be tolu of this stoiy of hope anu
enueavoui, if it becomes possible to iecovei fuithei fiist-hanu
eviuence of Aiab naiiatives. This was a ciucial time in the
histoiy of a lanu that has playeu such a founuational iole in the
faith of }ew, Chiistian anu Nuslim alike, to say nothing of the iole
it has playeu in the unfoluing of the aspiiations anu pains that
make up the uilemmas of the mouein Niuule East. These voices,
auueu to the welcome wiitings of mouein Aiab authois on theii
own unueistanuings of theii past, will pioviue an effective
balance to the uiet of mostly westein voices that have so often
uominateu the naiiative woilu of oui unueistanuing of the aiea.
With the ciitiques of oiientalism to assist mouein ieaueis, it
shoulu be possible to gain a bettei appieciation of the motives
anu actions of those who sought to tiavel acioss Tiansjoiuan in
the lattei paits of the 19
th
centuiy. If this is possible, then the
outcome coulu be of ieal assistance in the stiengthening anu
encouiagement of the community of Eastein Chiistians in theii
jouiney of faithfulness in the yeais to come.
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312
I)\1)0,%&8UV3#&(c'0X1.O,.T.'"*3#&'O#0"U.%#*0P%(.*N#
The aichiveu papeis of the Chuich Nissionaiy Society
coveiing the yeais of this aiticle aie stoieu in the Special
Collection Bepaitment of the 0niveisity of Biimingham. All woik
in Palestine was auministeieu by the Afiica (uioup S) committee
- uS - with most mateiial collecteu unuei thiee heauings; L
(lettei books), 0 (oiiginal papeis), oi P (piecis books), followeu
by theii catalogue numbei. Local confeience papeis can be
iuentifieu by the CN0 heauing, wheie N ielates to the
Neuiteiianean aiea.
Abujabei, Raouf S. 6'+8((/9#+E(/#Y+/:%8I#34(#C/+83'(/#+C#9(33.(1(83#
'8# -/%89e+/:%85# ,W^iU,b,hF Lonuon: IB Tauius 1989.
The wiitei gives a lively account of the eaily yeais of
the 0ttoman auministiation as seen thiough local
eyes.

Abujabei, Raouf S, Felicity Cobbing. A("+8:# 34(# *'E(/I# R33+1%8#
-/%89e+/:%8# '8# +/'&'8%.# @4+3+&/%@49. Lonuon: Stacey
Inteinational 2uuS. A pictoiial collection with
intiouuctoiy text of jouineys acioss the }oiuan in the
19
th
centuiy.
Biiugeman, Chailes. 'Nichael Solomon Alexanuei: Fiist Bishop of
the Chuich of Englanu in }eiusalem (1841-184S)' in
T'93+/';%.# $%&%H'8(# +C# 34(# 6/+3(93%83# J@'9;+@%.#
O4=/;4 vol 12:1, 194S, pp S1-4S.
Committee of the Palestine Exploiation Funu. R=/# B+/D# '8#
6%.(93'8(. Lonuon: Bentley & Son 187S. This is a
summaiy of the woik unueitaken by the PEF in the
fiist yeais aftei its cieation in 186S.
Ciombie, Kelvin. G+/# 34(# .+E(# +C# l'+8. Lonuon: Bouuei &
Stoughton 1991. Be gives consiueiable uetail on the
!"#$%&'()*#+&,&-)'.#/01#23#40#5#6#78%)1#59:5

313
eaily life of the }ewish Chiistian woik of the L}S in
}eiusalem.
Ciombie, Kelvin. M# Y(B'94# A'94+@# '8# Y(/=9%.(1F# }eiusalem:
Nicolayson's Ltu 2uu6.
Faiah, Rafiq. L8#-/+=!.(:#>%3(/9c#%#4'93+/"#+C#34(#M8&.';%8#O4=/;4#
'8#Y(/=9%.(1#,Wh,#m#,bbWF Englanu: Chiistians Awaie
2uu2. An abiiugeu veision in English of a two
volume woik in Aiabic.
uobat, Samuel. $(1+'/9# +C# A'94+@# 0+!%3I# 4'9# .'C(# %8:# B+/D.
Lonuon: }ames Nisbet 1884. A goou souice of
Bishop uobat's many iepoits anu letteis.
Bechlei, William, eu. -4(# Y(/=9%.(1# !'94+@/';# :+;=1(839I# B'34#
3/%89.%3'+89# ;4'(C."# :(/'E(:# C/+1# 7%9# (E%8&(.'9;4(#
A'934=1# '8# Y(/=9%.(15# 0(9;4';43.';4(# 7%/.(&=8&# 1'3#
S/C=8:(85# A(/.'85# ,WhN"# Lonuon: Tibnei 188S.
Available online at aichive.oig. This collection biings
togethei many foimal uocuments that cieateu the
Biocese, but also contains moie infoimal uetails, viz.
names of some of those teaching in the Biocesan
schools at an eaily peiiou.
}ack, Sybil N. 199S. 'No Beavenly }eiusalem: The Anglican
Bishopiic, 1841-8S' in -4(# Y+=/8%.# +C# *(.'&'+=9#
T'93+/" vol 19:2, pp 191-2uS.
Kiluani, Banna. $+:(/8# O4/'93'%8'3"# '8# 34(# T+."# )%8:.
Bloomington, Inuiana: AuthoiBouse 2u1u.
Nillei, Buane Alexanuei. 'The Episcopal Chuich in }oiuan:
Iuentity, Lituigy, anu Nission' in Y+=/8%.# +C# M8&.';%8#
23=:'(9 vol 9:2, 2u11, Novembei, pp 1S4-1SS.
Nillei, Buane Alexanuei. 'Chiist Chuich Nazaieth, The Fiist
Chuich of the Biocese of }eiusalem: a woik in
piogiess, oi maybe not' in M8&.';%8# %8:# J@'9;+@%.#
T'93+/", vol 81, 2u12, foithcoming.
!"#$%&'()*#+&,&-)'.#/01#23#40#5#6#78%)1#59:5

314
Nillei, Buane Alexanuei. 'The Installation of a Bishop in
}eiusalem: The Catheuial Chuich of St. ueoige the
Naityi, 1S Apiil 2uu7( in M8&.';%8# %8:# J@'9;+@%.#
T'93+/" vol 76:4, Bec 2uu7, pp S49-SS4.
Nillei, Buane Alexanuei. 'Noining Piayei, Low Style, in the
Anglican Biocese of }eiusalem: Chuich of the
Reueemei, Amman, }oiuan, Sunuay, 11 Naich 2uu7'
in M8&.';%8#%8:#J@'9;+@%.#T'93+/"#vol 76:S, Sep 2uu7,
pp 4u4-4u8.
"Registei of missionaiies anu native cleigy fiom 18u4 - 19u4"
Piivately ciiculateu but available as pait of the CNS
aichives.
Shepheiu, Naomi. -4(#l(%.+=9#L83/=:(/9c#34(#>(93(/8#:'9;+E(/"#+C#
6%.(93'8(F Lonuon: Colins 1987. She gives a uiffeient
peispective on the Euiopeans that make up many of
the 19th centuiy uevelopments uiscusseu heie.
Stock, Eugene, eu. -4(#T'93+/"#+C#34(#O4=/;4#$'99'+8%/"#2+;'(3"c#'39#
(8E'/+81(835# '39# 1(85# %8:# '39# B+/D. In S volumes.
Lonuon: CNS 1899.

G.\#%.S.%.'(.*#
www.familytieemakei.genealogy.com - foi some uetails of the
Bimishky family, unuei the heauing of "Anton Saqi el
Safi of Syiia".
www.mansaf.oig - contains Banna Kiluani's book $+:(/8#
O4/'93'%8'3"#'8#34(#T+."#)%8:#in Aiabic. Theie aie also
links to online veisions of his book in English anu
Fiench.