28 Stations in Egypt.

2. OLp CAtRo.

The chief branch of work at Old Cairo, which is four miles from Cairo, is the medical mission. This was first established, as has been seen, in March, 1888, when Dr. Harpur was transferred from Arabia to Egypt, but the work was interrupted in 1890 by his sojourn at Suakin. On his return he furnished five wards with the assistance of friends, and there in 1891 thirtytwo patients from all parts of the country heard God’s Word daily during their stay, while at the dispensaries (for one was open for a time at Cairo as well as that at Old Cairo) rather over 2,000 visits were registered. In that same year Dr. Harpur began those medical itinerations which have been such a prominent feature of his work. In 1894 the hospital was enlarged by the removal of the dispensary to other quarters, and three years later a new hospital was opened.

Mob Violence.

It was about twelve months before this that the missionaries experienced the only outbreak of mob violence which has occurred in the history of the Mission. A severe epidemic of . cholera prevailed in the town, and the measures taken by the Government to prevent the spread of the disease led to a riot among the poorer classes, in which some of the missionaries were involved through being mistaken for Government officials. Miss EK. Jackson (now Mrs. Hall) wrote at the time the following account of the circumstances :— ‘T was visiting a member of our congregation, and as I got to the police-station I found a great crowd round it, shouting and shrieking. I managed to pass it by going behind a cart, but coming back I was not so fortunate, and one of the Government doctors seeing me sent out a gentleman to bring me into the police-station, where I found Dr. Harpur, who had been sent for, and Mr. Morris. Here we were kept some hours, and it was terrible to watch the angry faces underneath. The people did not go till dispersed by the military sent from town. When we at last were allowed out we were escorted home by a shrieking mob, mostly wild youths; it was quite a new experience. The doctor got a few stones after he left us to go to his own house, but happily escaped without serious injury.’