Journal of a Residence at Bagdad During the Years 1830 and 1831

"Journal of a Residence at Bagdad" by Anthony Norris Groves is a record of the author’s time as a missionary in Bagdad in the 1830s. It recounts his attempts to introduce Christianity to the city, a mission complicated by the different cultures and religions already present, in addition to a general disinterest from the people. Groves begins by describing his thoughts on missionary work and the problems, both spiritual and real, that he came up against. He talks about starting a school for children and being thankful for the help he got from other missionaries. Groves writes about how uninterested the local people were in religious teaching, what he noticed about the social and political environment, and how he wished to grow as a person and for his mission to succeed. The beginning of the journal lays the groundwork for his deeper look at faith, patience, and the possibility of making things better despite problems, suggesting a mix of personal story and historical background.