What a shame this book is currently out of print. It is available second hand and is a wonderful little book from at least two aspects. Firstly, it concerns the life of a pioneer missionary of the twentieth century who ministered in both Algeria and Upper Chad. A host of personal anecdotes bring to life the path of such a man and his wife in the pursuance of their sense of calling to the Muslims of those lands. Secondly, it is a useful primer for those who desire to speak to Muslim people concerning the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. The book mainly comprises the words of Charles Marsh. He ministered in those lands for more than fifty years. He was born in 1902 and passed into the presence of the Lord in 1988, his whole life filled with service for God. He is known as ‘a man who loved Muslims and taught others to do the same’. His love fuelled forty five years of sacrificial ministry amongst these peoples and the latter years of his life were spent in the UK encouraging Christian young people to a life of total commitment to the Lord. The editors of this book have brought together many stories of the experience of this missionary and subdivided them under various topics. The first is to show that Muslims do want to listen to the words of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is followed by a chapter dealing with the fact that the gospel is streams of living water to hearts that are dried out by the striving through the works of the five pillars of Islam to achieve forgiveness of sins and relief from heart guilt. A chapter is given to the subject of the hardship of the path in the life of a missionary. “Hard work for God’s servant’ is the title of that chapter. A chapter which encourages ways of contact with Muslims comes towards the end of the book. This book gathers together some of the key lessons Charles Marsh and his dedicated wife Pearl learnt during those long years, and shares the essence of his teaching to others on effective witness to Muslims. More relevant in these days than it was when it was first published in 1991, any desiring to be ready to speak to Muslim concerning faith in Christ should get a copy of this book.
