390f.1163 Christian and Missionary Alliance/7
Mr. W. M. Turnbull, Foreign Secretary of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, to the Chief of the Near Eastern Division ( Shaw )5
Sir: In pursuance of my letter of March 2nd6 with reference to communication from you dated February 18, 1928, I beg to state that I have looked up the facts concerning the missionary journeys into Arabia of Rev. G. W. Breaden and Rev. Wm F. Smalley. Mr. Breaden reports that on his visit to Teima he met with every courtesy and was even invited to proceed farther into the interior. He was not in anywise molested and is quite desirous of revisiting the towns which received him so cordially.
Rev. Wm. Smalley reports on behalf of both men on the second journey and states that they were arrested by the government authorities to whom they reported in Kheibar. They had no difficulty whatever with the tribes and the statement that they almost met their death at the hands of the tribes is entirely erroneous. They were taken to Jedda receiving fair treatment except that all their personal possessions including cameras, note books etc., were taken from them and not returned. Evidently the hostility to missionary work in Hejaz emanates from the government and not from the tribes. We are not at all convinced that this hostility extends to King Ibn Saud since he has shown himself friendly on several occasions and even invited one of our missionaries to pay him a visit which could not be accomplished for local reasons. Recent developments as reported in the daily papers, indicating the possibility of war upon Irak and Trans Jordania, may account for a seeming change of attitude. This threat of war probably will necessitate the cessation of missionary activity in the interior of Arabia for some time.
Our missionaries on the Arabian border keep in close touch with both the British representatives and the American Consul in Jerusalem. They are experienced men with a thorough knowledge of the people and the language and disinclined to any rash ventures. It is the policy of our Board to trust the judgment of the men on the field [Page 68] concerning their movements in such uncertain regions as the Arabian desert. We would not request the Department of State to proceed further in this matter but if in the future the government of the Hejaz and the Nejd should be formally recognized by the American government, we should appreciate information as to the attitude, at that time, of King Ibn Saud and his government toward missionary effort.
I am [etc.]