the other native
Christians, and often imagined that schemes were being laid for
poisoning his food. This led to bickerings, which the missionary
often had trouble in allaying. Thus, notwithstanding his great gifts,
Abdul Karim was not a persona grata in any of the missions, and the
missionary was often glad when he realized that he had outstayed
his welcome and passed on to another station. Yet, though certainly
not popular with the native Christians, they all admired him for
the troubles he had undergone for the sake of Christ, and for his
pluck in confessing his faith before all audiences, and regardless of
consequences. The last time he visited Bannu he had been undergoing
great hardships in a voluntary tramp through the country, literally
"despised and rejected of men," because of his uncompromising advocacy
of Christianity. He was worn quite thin, and looked so haggard that
I did not at first recognize him, and his clothes were reduced to
a few rags. We fed him up and got him some new clothes; but even
then he could not rid himself of the idea that some people were
trying to poison him. This gave rise to the report that he was mad,
and certainly his eccentricity in this respect was sufficient to give
colour to the report. I feel sure, however--and I knew him well--that
his devotion to Christ was very real, and amounted to a real passion
to suffer for His sake.

In the summer of 1907 he was taken with an intense desire to enter
Afghanistan, and preach the Gospel there. He crossed over the
frontier at Chaman, and was seized by some Afghan soldiers. These
finally brought him before the Governor of Kandahar. He was offered
rewards and honours if he would recant and accept Muhammadanism, and,
when he refused, he was cast into prison loaded with eighty pounds
of chains. He was examined by H. M. the Amir and the Amir's brother,
Nasirullah, but remained firm in his confession of Christianity.

Finally, he was marched off to Kabul under very painful conditions. As
far as could be gathered from the reports that filtered down to
India, he had to walk loaded with chains and with a bit and bridle
in his mouth from Kandahar to Kabul, while any Muhammadan who met
him on the way was to smite him on the cheek and pull a hair from
his beard. After reaching Kabul, it was reported that he died in
prison there; but another report, which purported to be that of an
eyewitness, and seemed worthy of credence, related that he had been
s