osure of her health while lying
down on the damp ground and falling asleep uncovered, as the natives of
the mountain villages are in the habit of doing. The missionaries from
Latakiah constantly visited her, and Dr. Metheny gave her the benefit of
his medical skill, but all in vain. She loved to converse on heavenly
things, and hear the Scriptures and prayer. But when the missionaries
returned to the city, she was overwhelmed by the rebukes and merciless
upbraidings of the fellaheen, who have no sympathy for the sick, the
disabled and the dying. Her ears were filled with the sound of cursing
and bitterness, and no wonder that she entreated the missionaries not
to leave her. She told Mr. Beattie that she did not fear to die, for her
trust was in Jesus Christ, but it was hard to be left among such coarse
and unsympathizing people. At length she was brought into Latakiah,
where she seemed to feel more at home. At times she passed through
severe spiritual conflicts, and said she was struggling with the
adversary, who had tried to make her blaspheme. At one time she was in
great excitement, but when the 34th Psalm was read she became entirely
composed and calm, and in turn, began chanting the 23rd Psalm to the
end. She sent for all of her friends and begged their forgiveness,
commended her children to the care of Miss Crawford, and asked Mr.
Beattie to pray with her again. Her bodily sufferings now increased,
when suddenly she called out, "The Lord be glorified! To God give the
glory!" Soon after, she gently fell "asleep in Jesus." Thus died the
first woman, as far as we know, ever truly converted from among the
Pagan Nusairiyeh. Her conversion opened the way for that work of moral,
religious and intellectual elevation among the Nusairy females which has
since been carried on in Latakiah and vicinity.

The first Christian woman to undertake the direct task of educating and
elevating the Nusairiyeh females was Miss Crawford. She commenced her
work in 1869. The Mission had found that the Boarding School for boys
was training a class of young men, who could not find, among the tens of
thousands of families in their native mountains, a single girl fitted
to be one's companion for life. The females were everywhere neglected,
and Miss Crawford came to Syria just at the time of the greatest need.
Under the care and direction of the Mission, she commenced a Boarding
School for girls in Latakiah in the fall of 1869. At first, but few