by Dr. Raymond J. Davis, Director, Sudan Interior Mission
the activities of Missionary Societies in the Sudan” — is not to be marvelled at. However it is not often that laws as stringent as this one are enacted, going far beyond the mere protection of unwilling Muslims from annoy ance by Christian missionaries. Under the Act, open Christian wit ness to Muslims will almost entirely cease. It becomes a punishable offense to preach the gospel, except to those who approach the missionary and ask to hear the teachings of the Christian faith. Among students, par ticularly, there are many Muslims who are open to hearing the gospel — if only from curiosity — but un less they take the initiative in re questing to hear it, missionaries may not witness to them. The Northern Sudan, where government authority is centered, is staunchly Muslim, and embraces the overwhelming majority of the country’s population. Missionaries are restricted to minis tering only to their own small “Chris tian” population, and further con fined to their own particular affilia tion, Protestants working among Pro testants, Catholics among Catholics, etc. WHAT TO DO? Walled in and loaded down with
unprecedented restrictions, mission aries are left to ponder the question, “Well, what can we do?” They reason that they have only three choices: One, stand upon their Christian “rights” and refuse to obey such leg islation; challenge the government to expel them — which undoubtedly it would. Two, agree to the restrictions, then disobey them. That is morally im possible for Christian misssionaries, and would inevitably result in their eventual expulsion. Three, apply for a license and abide by its restrictions. This is a large pill for some to swallow. Those who stay on, however, will be able to encourage and instruct converts. In staunch Muslim areas these con verts are often too few and too scat tered to be effectively organized into local churches, but they are the basic element in grassroots evangelism, and form the nucleus for future indigenous growth. They will find the presence of the missionary a silent source of strength, even as the unsaved will find it a silent, but constant witness. To missionaries who are working where the Christian church exists, either well established or newly emer gent, the answer is not quite so harsh. THE KING'S BUSINESS
M i s s i o n a r y s o c i e t i e s Anglo-Egyptian Sudan) are con cerned as to the final outcome of the passing of the Missionary Societies Act, a stringent new law which has placed them in a very great plight. Under the Act, Christian mission aries are forbidden public witness to Muslims, under penalty of fine and/or imprisonment, and are severely ham pered in pursuing many “convention al” missionary methods of evangelism. STEADY SQUEEZE This feeling is further intensified by the sweeping conditions of the Act, which are capable of very broad interpretation. This, in the light of the authority given to the Council of Ministers of the Sudan Govern ment to impose “whatever conditions they may think fit, either generally or in any specific case,” puts Chris tian missionaries in a most precarious position. It is not that Christian missions are surprised at opposition from Islam. It is no new thing for Muslims to make things tough for Christian mis sions. The purpose of the Act as stated in the preamble — “to regu late by means of a system of licenses in the Re public of Sudan (formerly the
8
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker