"Signs of the Times": Islam and Millennial Expectations 163 in the Barclay Mission

In 1850 the American Christian Missionary Society inaugurated its foreign work with a mission to Jerusalem under the direction of Dr. James T. Barclay. A staunch millennialist, Barclay’s initial priority was evangelizing Jews, however, lack of success and waning financial support led Barclay to rethink his mission strategy as he developed theological rationale for evangelizing Jerusalem’s Muslim majority by fitting Islam and the Ottoman Empire into his millennial and eschatological expectations.