These forty speeches and ten articles, which Mrs. Rose Atallah Shahfa has chosen from an intellectual struggle carried on across a quarter of a century, to compose from them her book The Inspiration of Motherhood, and into which she has poured counsel, guidance, and devotion in the light of experience — these fragrant breaths, aflame with feeling and humanity, with patriotism and national spirit, are worthy to be taken by every Arab woman, and every Arab mother, as a watchword, a beacon, and an example to be followed.
The author says, in dedicating the book:
"Breaths of a heart that have kept me company at different times, a blazing flame in the love of my homeland —
"I offer them to my husband and my children —
"the feeling of a mother who has taken love, service, and devotion for her motto."
What feeling could be more delicate than this feeling, what devotion truer than this devotion, and what sensibility finer than the sensibility of this excellent wife, this generous mother, this nationally minded woman eager for reform, for usefulness, and for the public good?
I have known Rose Shahfa as a woman of letters — composed, moderate, frank, wide of imagination, broad in learning, lofty in her hopes and aspirations.
And I have known her as a fighting, striving woman of politics who never tires of seeking the triumph of woman, the raising of her standing, and her equality with man in rights and duties.
And I have known her as a wise wife, a tender mother, and a mistress of home and family, lofty in character and bearing.
And I have known her as a noble, beneficent doer of good, who has sacrificed much of her life, her health, and her money for the sake of humanity, and for the sake of the society in which she lives.
Thus have I known Rose Shahfa; so I did not wonder that The Inspiration of Motherhood should come from her bearing pearls and treasures — rather I admired it, and the esteem and respect I had harbored for this lady grew greater still in my heart.
Blessed be her hand; may God preserve and keep her, and grant us all success in what makes for the glory of woman and the good of the homeland.
A generous idea sprang up among the students of the Makassed Charitable College for Girls, in answer to a noble call. They wished the feast of the Prophet's Noble Birthday to be a happy occasion on which to bring gladness to the wretched spirits of our refugee brethren, so that these might share with them in the feast's joy and delight. So each one of them set about gathering whatever her heart could give — money, clothes, food, and the like — until they had collected a great deal, considering their means. And when what they wished was accomplished, they carried out the distribution among the refugees, bringing delight to their hearts and gladness to their spirits. Their deed was met with thanks and admiration. Would that everyone followed their example.
We have received the following from Mrs. Iqbal al-Dhawq, delegate of the Lebanese Red Cross in Tripoli:
On the occasion of the holidays, the Tripoli branch of the Lebanese Red Cross distributed relief to the poor: it gave out 830 kilos of rice, 275 kilos of soap, and large quantities of clothing and tins of jam for the children. It has also begun giving lessons in nursing.
The Tripoli branch extends its thanks to Miss Ava Helou, who came to Tripoli to acquaint the branch there with the program followed by the central Lebanese Red Cross in Beirut. It likewise thanks the physicians of Tripoli for their generosity in setting aside part of their time to give daily lessons in nursing, and singles out for mention Dr. Wahib al-Nini, who has devoted one day each week to giving nursing lessons.
On the morning of Monday, January 1, the Old Students' Association in Homs held a splendid celebration on the occasion of its annual feast, under the patronage of His Grace Metropolitan Alexandros Jeha, and presided over by the able educator Miss
Nazla Sarkis, principal of the Orthodox Girls' College school. It was a delightful celebration that gathered prominent personalities, at which speeches were delivered