"ملف ٦/ ١ المصالح الأجنبية: الإرسالية الأمريكية في مسقط" [و‎‎٧‎٠] (٢١٠/١٣٩)

Muscat,Arabia.
!5, ecember,1?30•
To:
Sayyid baid Bin Tajcaoor Bin Faysul,
Aalr of the Muscat Government.
My dear - • • < ■.
1 jam writing to you a£ & aotuei ing a
favor for her child. MAryaa the widow of Ferash Bin Belal,has
no father nor mother. She is an orphan and a widow. Some ten
years ago Merash becuie a Christian in Muscat,and war baptised
in thelittle church,in the presence of H.M. f S consul ajor Rae.
IIArjiyaia some tiD*eIater,decided to follow the reli gion of her
husband’s choice and was baptised in Bahrein.
The day of the funeral of Meraah Bin Belal,
the ceremony of Islamic mourning,was refused by her in a calm
and dignified manner. Those who were present heard her say tliat
she was a Christian. At that time her brother rejected her,and
ahe came tous. She has been with us since,sharing a room with my ffa&glrfe
daughter. Her detire is to be allowed to be free ad to work for
her living. Mrs.Storm would like to have her as child’s nurse.
She can remain indoors for four months and ten days,and adequate *
protection will be given to her In a room of the house doctor and
Mrs.Storm are now occupying. This we believe will be according to
the custom of an Arab kldow remaining in seclusion for a period
of time.
^ She has asked several times the privilege to
be interviewed by some body sent by you,preferably Sheikh Zobair.
She has also ashed the privilege to have ,v letter written to you
by some responsible person. Since she has been with us die has not
left the house. I have admitted all women who cared to see her and
whom she wished to see. In-dl fairness to her,we have been careful
not to influ nee her in her conversations with the woLen.
fte know that when Henry,one of the slaves whom
the British Gov.© trusted to the care of Rev.?,Z T . emer,died,the late
and honored Sheikh Rashid Judged the woman unworthy of the ceremony
because her husband was a Christian.
* - Kindly forgive me for thus intruding in your
presence,and begging you for merciful consideration in giving this
our beloved sister^and daughter in the Faith,her freedom tof ollow
the Religion of her choice and earn her living as she chooses.
We will guarantee she will not disgrace her
widowhood by ap earing in public oi^ any otherway.
Most respectfully.