Mary Bird, Part 2

[00:00:04] Welcome to Women Worth Knowing, the radio program and podcast hosted by Cheryl Brodersen and Robin Jones Gunn.

[00:00:14] Why do we do this podcast?

[00:00:16] Because we love learning about these women.

[00:00:19] And we've been talking about Mary Bird.

[00:00:23] That's right.

[00:00:23] And I kind of got stuck on the donkey brains.

[00:00:26] Oh, I know.

[00:00:27] Because that was the remedy in Persia where she was for all kinds of medical maladies.

[00:00:33] That's right.

[00:00:33] So here she is, this tiny woman.

[00:00:35] Tiny.

[00:00:36] Called Tiny by her family.

[00:00:38] And knows since she's five years old that God's calling her to go serve him.

[00:00:43] And she's sent to Persia, which is now Iran.

[00:00:47] That's right.

[00:00:47] And there she is learning on the spot how to, from another doctor there before he leaves.

[00:00:54] And then she is able to really minister medically to the women because they cannot go to the male doctors in their country.

[00:01:02] And here she is sort of learning on the spot.

[00:01:05] But the children love her.

[00:01:07] They love her.

[00:01:07] And it's interesting, too, because she couldn't go to the mission field until she was 32.

[00:01:12] Yeah.

[00:01:13] And you think about how so many think, well, you know, I'm not in my 20s anymore.

[00:01:17] But at 32, she went to the mission field.

[00:01:21] And so after a year or so of being in there, actually almost two years, in 1894, she was able to open a small dispensary, which is like almost a tiny hospital where she was able to put medications, store them, and have all this ready for the women.

[00:01:43] And in Isfahan, Isfahan is kind of the greater city that Jolfah was a part of, that Jolfah is part of.

[00:01:51] And so Isfahan.

[00:01:52] Now, as her reputation, popularity grew, she drew the attention of the molas.

[00:01:58] Now, the molas were the head of the mosque.

[00:02:01] And they did not like her.

[00:02:04] They did not trust her.

[00:02:05] And they didn't like that she was taking care of women.

[00:02:09] And this is what they felt.

[00:02:11] This is a quote.

[00:02:12] Women were despicable, soulless encumbrances, only fit to be used as doormats.

[00:02:19] They had a sly, secretive way of ruling the home and holding their children's hearts like wax in their hands.

[00:02:27] Whoa.

[00:02:27] That's what they said.

[00:02:28] So they were so afraid that she was giving them dignity by treating them, not allowing them to die or to be sickly.

[00:02:37] So she's not only restoring them, giving them dignity, but these women seem to be getting more and more courage as she treats them.

[00:02:44] But they're also afraid that these women are going to receive her Jesus when they see the difference of her life and her kindness and her love as opposed to, you know, the religious molas.

[00:03:02] And she's from England.

[00:03:04] Mary is a foreigner.

[00:03:06] That's right.

[00:03:06] And as you said, the hospitality seemed like it was there on the surface, but then there was a lot of brutality among those who were not the same and didn't understand the culture.

[00:03:17] So the molas started a persecution against Mary.

[00:03:20] First, they preached sermons against her in the mosque, trying to incite the husbands and the men against her.

[00:03:27] Then they sent spies to frighten her patients away.

[00:03:31] Women coming to see her were often beaten by the police with a donkey chain.

[00:03:38] Her dispensary was nailed shut, and then a guard was posted in front of it.

[00:03:44] Women on the street would stop her and beg her to treat them.

[00:03:47] But without her medicine, she felt so limited in what she could do for them.

[00:03:52] Finally, Mary decided she had to get to her dispensary.

[00:03:57] And so she goes, and there's a huge guard.

[00:04:00] And remember, she's tiny, right?

[00:04:02] And she looked up at the guard, and she said, who can forbid my entering into my own house?

[00:04:09] This is my house.

[00:04:11] And the women began to cheer.

[00:04:13] And when they did it, the guard's attention was averted.

[00:04:16] She slipped under him and went into the dispensary.

[00:04:19] And then the women who were watching, they all rushed towards the dispensary.

[00:04:25] Well, they overpowered the guard and beat him up.

[00:04:29] No.

[00:04:30] Oh, yep.

[00:04:31] Then the mullahs countered with 12 guards to keep her and other women from going into the dispensary.

[00:04:37] She again approached the dispensary without fear.

[00:04:41] She said she was never afraid.

[00:04:43] Never afraid.

[00:04:44] However, a crowd gathered to keep her back.

[00:04:47] These are some of the men and some of the mullahs.

[00:04:49] They rushed at her.

[00:04:51] But she felt the protecting power and love of God, the compassionate, the merciful, one God, the eternal.

[00:04:59] She had to ride away again on her donkey named Whitey because the crowd was getting so aggressive.

[00:05:07] But she and all the women who had wanted into the dispensary were absolutely unharmed.

[00:05:14] Wow.

[00:05:14] And so the reputation went around Mary's God is a strong God, a protective God.

[00:05:21] Mary, at the same time when this persecution is going on, got an invitation from a woman to come to tea.

[00:05:27] When Mary entered the house, she felt a certain uneasiness.

[00:05:31] Something was wrong and she didn't know what it was.

[00:05:35] But she was very alert.

[00:05:37] Remember, she's learning to diagnose and look for symptoms.

[00:05:40] And she noticed that the woman had the servant pour tea for Mary, but not for her.

[00:05:48] So Mary was like, there's something wrong with this.

[00:05:51] So she prayed and she said, you know, Lord, give me wisdom.

[00:05:54] And she held her cup and she said, I cannot drink this until my host has drunk some.

[00:06:00] It would not be proper and it would not be right etiquette.

[00:06:04] You know, you as the host deserve the first cup.

[00:06:07] And the woman looked at and she said, oh, it's cold.

[00:06:10] I can't drink it.

[00:06:10] And she ordered the servant to bring a new pot of tea, which they both drank from.

[00:06:16] And the servant, as she was leaving, came up to her and said, how did you know it was poisoned?

[00:06:22] And she was able to say, the Lord that I serve told me.

[00:06:28] So this is Mary's typical day.

[00:06:31] Ready?

[00:06:32] I love hearing their typical days.

[00:06:34] I love this.

[00:06:35] So we know most of the information about Mary because she was a prolific writer.

[00:06:41] She wrote letters, as I said before, home constantly to her sisters and to her mother and to her friends.

[00:06:47] That included sketches that you said were really good.

[00:06:50] Really good.

[00:06:51] I saw a couple of them.

[00:06:52] So at 6 a.m.

[00:06:53] She would visit patients.

[00:06:55] So this is her house call at 6 a.m.

[00:06:58] And then she would open the dispensary.

[00:07:00] And she treated on average over 200 patients from 9 to 1130.

[00:07:08] Wow.

[00:07:09] Yeah.

[00:07:09] Wow.

[00:07:10] Quite a few.

[00:07:10] At 1130, she would return to her home to read Persian with the Mirza until 2 o'clock.

[00:07:18] So she still had to study.

[00:07:20] And the Mirza was her guide, her teacher.

[00:07:23] Her language teacher who spoke three words.

[00:07:26] Right.

[00:07:27] Not much of an interpreter.

[00:07:28] Goodbye.

[00:07:29] Both.

[00:07:29] Right.

[00:07:30] From 2 to 3.30, she would have her tea and do odd jobs.

[00:07:35] So tea, if you're an English person, actually would mean lunch at this point.

[00:07:41] From 3.30 to 7.45, she received patients again.

[00:07:45] From 9 to 10, she prepared her Bible lessons for her classes that she taught.

[00:07:50] And she studied medicine.

[00:07:53] Now, Mary found beauty in Iran everywhere, every place she looked.

[00:07:58] And this is what she wrote to her mother.

[00:08:00] I can see some of my favorite blue thistles high up where nothing else would grow, looking

[00:08:07] so fresh and beautiful with their winged seeds ripening to the scattered far and wide.

[00:08:13] They are perfect emblems of what we should be rooted on a rock, showing a beauty not our

[00:08:20] own, growing in the driest, most impossible places.

[00:08:24] Yet the seeds of the precious gospel messages ripening in the seed vessels of our hearts,

[00:08:31] ready to be scattered far and wide by God's great agent.

[00:08:35] That's beautiful.

[00:08:36] The wind.

[00:08:36] Isn't that so beautiful?

[00:08:39] And there was a picture that she drew of her little vessels.

[00:08:42] Oh, I love it.

[00:08:43] Not only did Mary practice medicine, but she also did amateur dentistry.

[00:08:48] Uh-oh.

[00:08:49] And it was her dentistry of pulling teeth that actually won the affection of many people.

[00:08:55] Really?

[00:08:55] She was shocked at how gentle and effective her skills.

[00:08:59] Wow.

[00:09:00] And as Mary was doing this medical work, she found it easy to evangelize these people.

[00:09:06] She would share the love of her Savior easily with each patient and insisted on praying

[00:09:12] for each one of them.

[00:09:15] And the people then began to say of her, was not the prophet Jesus whom she worships a hakim?

[00:09:22] Also, hakim means healer.

[00:09:25] With power over those possessed with devils, perhaps she learned this secret from him.

[00:09:32] Isn't that amazing?

[00:09:33] Yeah.

[00:09:34] So I think also it was indicative of not having that training.

[00:09:39] They're looking at her like she's not a doctor, so she must have learned it from Jesus.

[00:09:44] Isn't that—I mean, I just love that.

[00:09:46] So Mary was known for her energy and often stayed up late into the night sewing, writing,

[00:09:51] and planning lessons.

[00:09:53] She lived on a diet of biscuits and eggs and was said—the other missionary said of her—that

[00:09:59] she did the work of six men.

[00:10:03] Really?

[00:10:03] So one of the greatest difficulties for Mary during that time was that opium addiction

[00:10:09] was widespread among many of the men in Iran.

[00:10:12] Interesting.

[00:10:13] Yeah.

[00:10:13] And these men, because of their opium addiction, were not providing for their families.

[00:10:20] And the children that were born to the men and then the wives that also smoked opium were

[00:10:29] shriveled around babies, and they were born addicted to opium.

[00:10:33] Mm-hmm.

[00:10:34] Mary lavished love on these sickly little babies and helped them to recover and not be

[00:10:43] addicted to the opium.

[00:10:44] And she also would talk very straightly to the men and to the women about their need to seek

[00:10:50] treatment, and she would send them to treatment centers.

[00:10:54] In 1897, Dr. Emmeline Stewart, who we will talk about on another podcast, took over Mary

[00:11:03] Bird's dispensary in Isfahan, and Mary decided to take a furlough to England, which she did

[00:11:11] in 1897.

[00:11:12] She's 38 now.

[00:11:14] She had been serving for about six years.

[00:11:16] And then she traveled to Canada to share about the work she was doing in Persia.

[00:11:20] And this was a way to raise the awareness, get more prayer support, and to get some financial

[00:11:27] support.

[00:11:29] When Mary returned, she opened dispensaries in Yazette and Kerman.

[00:11:35] In a few years' time, the Christian missionary—sorry, the Church Missionary Society was able

[00:11:42] to send 10 doctors and six nurses from England to assume the care of these dispensaries.

[00:11:48] So she worked at them, these different ones, until the help came from England.

[00:11:55] This gave Mary more time to teach and evangelize, the very things she didn't want to do in the

[00:12:01] beginning.

[00:12:02] Surprise.

[00:12:03] Yes.

[00:12:03] And she finds that she absolutely loved it.

[00:12:07] At this time, too, in 1899, Mary wrote a book called Persian Women and Their Creed,

[00:12:12] in which she described not only the Church Missionary Society's work in Iran, but also

[00:12:19] the culture, the medical work, and the testimonies of the converts, of those who had gotten saved.

[00:12:25] And the word in the title is their creed, C-R-E-E-D?

[00:12:29] Mm-hmm.

[00:12:29] So what they believed.

[00:12:30] What they believed.

[00:12:31] Okay.

[00:12:32] Interesting.

[00:12:32] Right.

[00:12:33] And she's 40 years old when she wrote that.

[00:12:35] And it was a lot of the talks that she had given, and she thought, I want to raise the awareness.

[00:12:42] In 1904, now she's 45 years old, Mary received word that her younger sister had just gotten

[00:12:48] married and was moving away, and her mother would need someone to care for her.

[00:12:53] Mary wrote home,

[00:12:54] Will you tell me quite candidly what you feel about my return home?

[00:12:59] I know you gave me fully, gladly for God's service in Persia.

[00:13:03] But if you would like to have this poor old Spencer daughter with you, I am sure it will

[00:13:10] be truly God's service to minister to my dearest mother as well as my delight.

[00:13:16] Much as I love the work here, still I am ready for this fresh ministry.

[00:13:20] And you know all the interests of missionary life have not made me forget or cease to care

[00:13:26] for the home life.

[00:13:27] Oh, so tender.

[00:13:28] Isn't that so precious?

[00:13:29] And again, she'd been writing regularly to her mother, but felt I was supposed to go back

[00:13:33] and take care of her.

[00:13:34] There was nobody else to take care of her mother.

[00:13:37] Well, her mother readily accepted her offer, and Mary returned home.

[00:13:42] Her parents were living, her mother, sorry, was living at that time in Liverpool, England.

[00:13:46] And she began to take care of her mother for the next eight years.

[00:13:52] And during that time, she was asked to speak to different groups of women, and she would

[00:13:57] go and she would share about the culture.

[00:14:00] She would share about the need.

[00:14:03] She would share about the testimonies of those who had received Jesus and the work that was

[00:14:09] going on in Persia.

[00:14:11] In 1911, her mother died, and Mary decided she wanted to return to Iran.

[00:14:19] She's 52 at this time.

[00:14:22] And so when she returned to Iran, she learned that she would no longer work independently,

[00:14:27] but she would hold a subordinate position to the new medical missionaries who were running

[00:14:33] the dispensaries that she established.

[00:14:37] And you know what those missionaries said of her?

[00:14:39] That her life was a prayer with a song in it.

[00:14:44] Like, subordination was nothing to her.

[00:14:47] She was encouraging them.

[00:14:49] She was always so full of joy.

[00:14:54] She became a keen and wholehearted evangelist.

[00:14:58] That's what she concentrated on, just evangelizing.

[00:15:01] So many of the Christians in Iran heard the first gospel teaching from her.

[00:15:07] They said literally thousands.

[00:15:09] This is one of the things she said, and I love this quote.

[00:15:12] The devil always whispers, teach less today.

[00:15:15] Tomorrow you will be less hurried.

[00:15:18] And as I listen, I know it is a lie.

[00:15:21] He will do his utmost to make it more difficult tomorrow.

[00:15:26] Whoa.

[00:15:27] That's so true.

[00:15:29] It's so good.

[00:15:30] So she gave many simple Bible stories and picture talks.

[00:15:34] Do you remember the picture talks?

[00:15:36] Oh, yes.

[00:15:37] I love the picture talks.

[00:15:38] It would be like what the flannel graph was, where they would draw pictures or they would

[00:15:43] have pictures that would illustrate.

[00:15:45] That culture is very much into stories.

[00:15:49] Yes.

[00:15:49] The Mediterranean culture.

[00:15:52] They love stories.

[00:15:53] They love parables.

[00:15:54] And they love the pictures.

[00:15:57] And so she would go about doing these simple Bible stories and picture talks.

[00:16:04] And how perfect that she used something that was a skill that she had that was lovely and

[00:16:09] comfortable, and that that's how the gospel could be communicated very naturally.

[00:16:16] Mm-hmm.

[00:16:17] She would also give these talks on the differences between Christian and Muslim theology.

[00:16:23] Oh, wow.

[00:16:24] For anyone who was interested.

[00:16:26] Wow.

[00:16:27] And she traveled from village to village and had a traveling dispensary.

[00:16:32] So she went where the other medical staff could not go.

[00:16:37] At one point, the newly appointed prince of Kermenshaw said, I want to accompany you and keep you

[00:16:45] safe.

[00:16:45] Now, remember, she's in her 50s.

[00:16:47] Mm-hmm.

[00:16:48] And she talked to him about the Lord and talked about it from like a military aspect.

[00:16:55] And he said, you know, aren't you afraid to travel alone?

[00:16:58] Aren't you glad we're here?

[00:16:59] And she said, oh, yes, but I have something much stronger than what you have.

[00:17:03] And he says, what is that?

[00:17:04] She said, I have the sword of the Spirit.

[00:17:07] And she said, God has been faithful to me.

[00:17:09] And she began to talk about that.

[00:17:11] And he said, well, you're right.

[00:17:13] Muslims don't have anything like that.

[00:17:16] We have our physical swords, but we have no spiritual swords.

[00:17:21] Christians may win in that fight, he said.

[00:17:24] Muslims do not.

[00:17:26] Then he pointed out a band of pilgrims that were going to Mecca.

[00:17:31] And he said, will they be conquerors after going to Mecca?

[00:17:37] Will they be any stronger?

[00:17:38] Will they be any more spiritual?

[00:17:40] And she answered, no.

[00:17:43] A visit to a dead prophet's grave cannot free them from the power of their enemy.

[00:17:48] Our risen, living, almighty Savior has conquered in this fight.

[00:17:54] And he can and will give us victory by faith in his sacrifice, which was sufficient for the sins of the whole world,

[00:18:02] so that all of us, you, noble prince, and I, may fight under his victorious banner.

[00:18:10] Fearless.

[00:18:11] Fearless.

[00:18:11] So a prince.

[00:18:11] Yes.

[00:18:12] Fearless to just say what is true.

[00:18:14] That's right.

[00:18:15] And not, you know, no respecter of persons.

[00:18:18] But he could just snap his fingers and a sword would take her head off.

[00:18:22] That's right.

[00:18:23] And she was surrounding.

[00:18:24] She had the spiritual sword.

[00:18:25] She did.

[00:18:26] I just love it.

[00:18:27] I just love it.

[00:18:27] She was surrounded by the prince and his, you know, officers.

[00:18:32] Right.

[00:18:32] Who were escorting her.

[00:18:33] So you know she is brave by the Spirit of the Lord.

[00:18:36] A few days later, a new soldier joined the company to escort Mary from village to village.

[00:18:42] This man was a believer and had been for seven years.

[00:18:47] And he said to her, I am a Christian like you.

[00:18:50] I have seen the light.

[00:18:51] I don't want the darkness.

[00:18:54] Wow.

[00:18:54] So that was really encouraging and inspirational to Mary.

[00:19:00] So about this time, she's traveling around and she decides to take a little furlough because she's 55.

[00:19:10] Typhoid broke out in the summer of 1914.

[00:19:14] And typhoid was a very dangerous, dangerous malady.

[00:19:19] And so she had gone that August after a busy, busy June and July.

[00:19:26] Again, she's 55.

[00:19:27] To a hill village of De Shaheb to stay with her friends, Dr. and Mrs. Dotson.

[00:19:34] And while she was there, she didn't feel very, very good.

[00:19:38] And so what they did is because they had to quarantine her, they set up a tent in a vineyard for her so that she could rest and hopefully get better.

[00:19:50] But while she was in the tent, she became delirious with the fever.

[00:19:56] And she imagined herself once again riding her old donkey, Whitey, maybe you remember, through the streets of Isfahan and ministering to the young girls and ministering to the bakers.

[00:20:09] And she began to cry and say, Lord, I've done so little, but I've done so little to bring the good news to Iran.

[00:20:20] And she prayed and prayed that she might once more be able to share with others about the son of righteousness who would arise with healing in his wings.

[00:20:31] And you think about this because as we talked about in episode one, and if you haven't listened to it, please go back.

[00:20:40] But when she was at the Willows and she was at Bible College, she thought she might not be able to be a missionary.

[00:20:47] Right.

[00:20:47] Or to fulfill her call because she didn't have the willing spirit to share the gospel.

[00:20:56] And she was intimidated to share the gospel.

[00:20:59] She found it awkward.

[00:21:01] But she realized that spiritual work was done by the Spirit of God.

[00:21:05] And there is something, Robin, you and I both know, that is so uplifting, so addictive.

[00:21:15] When you feel the Spirit of God speaking through you and moving through you, you're like, oh, I want to do that again.

[00:21:20] How long?

[00:21:21] How soon?

[00:21:21] You know.

[00:21:22] Unexpected because it's just so free-flowing and you know that it's not you.

[00:21:28] Exactly.

[00:21:29] So when she experienced that, and it was different than here's the routine, this is what you're supposed to say.

[00:21:33] Yeah.

[00:21:34] When she got out of that and the Spirit just was free to flow, then unstoppable, really.

[00:21:40] Exactly.

[00:21:41] But here she is, and she's in this little tent, and she's saying, Lord, more, more.

[00:21:46] And when she realized that she was really sick, then she began to pray for the labors to be raised up, to take over, to do what she hadn't done.

[00:21:59] She slept waiting for the Lord's will.

[00:22:02] And 12 days after World War I commenced, Mary went to heaven on August 16, 1914 in her beloved Iran.

[00:22:14] And that's where she was buried.

[00:22:16] Wow.

[00:22:17] But she ended, you know, I think it's so sweet, too, because she took that furlough to take care of her mother.

[00:22:25] But Iran and the women of Iran, the Persian women, were never out of her heart or out of her mind.

[00:22:32] You know, she kept praying for them.

[00:22:34] She, you know, would speak and share about them.

[00:22:38] And then after that eight years, she went back to minister in whatever role she could.

[00:22:45] I don't think she knew that that's how she would spend the last three years of her life.

[00:22:49] No, but that there was a space when she left for others to come in and take over the work and that that really expanded the ministry because they needed, what did she do, the work of six men?

[00:23:01] That's right.

[00:23:01] They needed more people to come and do all that she had done.

[00:23:05] That's right.

[00:23:05] But I will not forget that line.

[00:23:07] You said that it was said of her that her life was a prayer with a song.

[00:23:13] Isn't that so beautiful?

[00:23:14] Oh, I love it.

[00:23:15] Because it just shows it's just like this willing submission joyfully to the Lord.

[00:23:21] And that's when they would ask her to do something.

[00:23:23] You know, she used to be in charge and she used to tell others, do this, do that.

[00:23:27] And now, you know, she's being told and she's like, oh, yes, of course.

[00:23:31] You know, interestingly, though, in the first three years that she served there until Dr.

[00:23:37] Immeline Stewart came, she served alone.

[00:23:40] Yes.

[00:23:41] Alone meeting the needs of the women.

[00:23:43] Right.

[00:23:43] Alone going to the houses.

[00:23:45] She didn't have somebody who spoke English that she could talk over with, which might be the reason she was prolific in her writing.

[00:23:53] Because that was her way to use her English and to, you know, describe her day and all that she'd been through.

[00:24:01] Right.

[00:24:02] I think it was a lifeline.

[00:24:03] But I think going back to care for her mother is really where it's underrated that that's such a victory.

[00:24:10] And a ministry.

[00:24:10] Because we are told to honor our father and mother.

[00:24:13] And for her to put that as a priority, like, sorry, mom, can't help you.

[00:24:17] I'm serving Jesus.

[00:24:18] But rather, this is how I can honor the Lord by the opening is there.

[00:24:24] I can go and serve.

[00:24:25] But even the way she wrote the letter to her mother, just so humble, like, I don't know if you want me.

[00:24:30] But if you want me, I'm here.

[00:24:31] I think about in Timothy, Paul's epistle to Timothy, where he tells Timothy, you know, it's the responsibility of the family to take care of the widows.

[00:24:41] Yes.

[00:24:42] And she saw that as her responsibility and a privilege to go back, even though she felt so used.

[00:24:49] Oh, there's so many lessons from the life of Mary Bird for all of us, you know, about how to serve, about the Lord anointing our service and working by the Spirit for the Spirit.

[00:25:03] And that's why I love Mary Rebecca Bird so much.

[00:25:08] And now, so do I.

[00:25:09] And we hope you do, too.

[00:25:11] You're listening to Women Worth Knowing with Cheryl Broderson and Robin Jones-Gunn.

[00:25:15] For more information on Cheryl, visit CherylBroderson.com or follow her on Instagram or Facebook.

[00:25:21] For more information on Robin, visit RobinGunn.com or follow her on Instagram or Facebook.

[00:25:26] Join us each week for a lively conversation as we explore the lives of well-known and not-so-well-known historical and contemporary Christian women.

[00:25:35] If you think there is a woman worth knowing, we'd love to hear from you.

[00:25:39] Email us at WWK at CCCM.com.

[00:25:44] We hope you've enjoyed today's episode.

[00:25:46] Make sure you rate us on your podcast app, subscribe, and share it with a friend.

[00:25:50] Thank you again for listening to Women Worth Knowing with Cheryl Broderson and Robin Jones-Gunn.

[00:25:56] Women Worth Knowing is a production of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa.