The Tripoli school - Close brethrenism - Government hostility - Dr. Ellinwood's visit - The Dog River - Dr. Danforth's death - The scourge of cholera 1873-1875. FRIDAY, January 31, 1873, Mr. Calhoun and I went in a little Russian steamer to Tripoli to hold communion, receive members and negotiate for premises for the girls' boarding-school. We received Mr. Yakub Surruf (now Dr. Surruf), a college graduate and for twenty-five years editor of the Muktutaf Scientific Magazine in Cairo. "Only one received?" some would say. Yet that one has become one of the most influential men in Modern Egypt. In that little congregation was Nofel Ef…

What is religion? This question has puzzled theologians throughout human history. But how did religion start in the first place? Why did it start? In order to understand some of these issues, let us have a look at the etymology of the word “religion” itself, and see that when and where this word was used for the very first time in the human history.

The word religion was used for the very first time in the Latin language. The actual word used in Latin was “religio”, which changed into religion when came into English. The roots of the Arabic word “Mazhab” or “Deen” can also be traced back to “religio”. In the Latin language, the word “religio” had three basic meanings; which are Faith, Trust & Belief.

If you further analyse these three words, faith, trust and belief; then you realize that there are actually three different characteristics