Skip to main content

Full text of "Woman's work for woman"

See other formats 


I 


WOMAN'S  WORK 

FOR 

WOMAN. 


PUBLISHED  MONTiri.Y   BY  THE 

WOMAN'S  FOREIGN  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY  OF  THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHrRfH, 

No.  13:!4  CiiKsTNUT  Street,  PHir.ADKi.i'irrA, 

AXI)  TIIF. 

WOMAN'S  PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OF  MISSIONS  OF  THE  NORTHWEST. 

KooM  18  McC'ORMiCK  Block.  C'hk  aoo. 


Volume  IX. 


SUBSCRIPTION,  60  CENTS  PER  ANNUM. 


WoinaE's  Foreip  Issiouary  Society  of  tlie  PresWerian  Clmrcli. 

President.— Mrs.  W.  E.  SCHENCK 


Mrs. 


Miss 
Mrs. 


Vice 

R.  H.  AiiLEN,  Philadelpbia. 
J.  D.  MCCOBB. 
M.  W.  FULLKRTON, 
H.  A.  DlLLAYK, 
E.  L.  LiNNAHD. 

M.  C.  Sheppard,  " 

Z.  M.  Humphrey,  Cincinnati,  O. 

D.  A.  Cunningham.  Wheeling,  W 

E.  P.  S.  Jones,  Ballimore,  Md. 
K.  T.  Haines,  Elizabeth,  N.  J. 
H.  (i.  CoMINGO.  Pittsburgh.  Pa. 
A.  A.  Hodge,  Princeton,  N.  J. 

Home  Corresponding  Secretaries, 

Mrs.  a.  L.  MA8SEY, 

Mrs.  THEODORE  CUYLER, 

Mrs.  CHAS.  P.  TURNER. 

Recording  Secretary. 
Mrs.  D.  R.  POSEY. 


Presidents. 

Mrs.  James  P.  Wilson,  Ifewark.  N.  J. 
"    Allen  Butler,  Syracuse.  N.  Y. 
"    W.  S.  Ladd,  Portland,  Oregon. 
"    E.  V.  RoEEiNs,  San  Francisco,  Cal. 
"    Wm.  E.  Moore,  Columbus,  O. 
"    C.  J.  McClung,  Knoxville,  Tenn. 
"    S.  M.  Henderson,  Mechanicsb'gh,  Pa. 
Va.    "    M.  A.  C.  Haneord  Zanesville,  O. 

"    B.  Sunderland,  Washington,  D.  C. 
"    C.  L.  THOMP.SON,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 
"    P.  D.  Brown,  San  Francisco,  Cal. 

Foreign  Corresponding  Secretaries. 

Mrs.  S.  C.  PERKIXS, 
Mrs.  STRICKLAND  KNEASS. 
Miss  MaHY  H.  WRIGHT. 

Treasurer. 

Mrs.  JULIA  M.  FISHBURN. 


Mrs.  J.  Addison  Henky,  Miss 

•'    S.  B.  Rowley, 

"    J.  Graham. 
Miss  Mary  Sutherland, 

"    Mary  E.  Weld,  " 

Mrs.  S.  DODWORTH.  " 

"    K.  R.  Woodward,  Mrs. 

"    Henry  N.  Paul, 

"    Charlotte  McFadden. 


Managers. 

Fanny  Paul, 
Helen  V.  Wriggins, 
Mary  A.  Helmuold, 
Cornelia  E.  Cdylek, 
H.  M.  Johnson, 
Josephine  Atmore, 
Wm.  Gbeenough, 
M.  Newkirk, 
Roger  Owen, 


.  De  B.  K.  Ludwig, 
John  Gilbert, 
Robert  Willson, 
A.  M.  Sutton, 
W.  F.  Raynolds, 
James  Bateman, 
W.  y.  Brown, 
Henry  Biddle. 


Woman'!?  PresWeriaii  Board  of  Missions  of  tlie  Nortliwest. 

President.— Mrs.  A.  H.  HOGE,  412  La  Salle  Street,  Chicago. 


Mrs.  R.  W.  Patterson,  Chicago,  111. 

•'  Wm.  Blair, 

"  Cyrus  H.  McCormick,  Chicago,  111, 

"  J.  V.  Fabwell,  Lake  Forest,  " 

"  S.  J.  Rhea,  "  " 

"  J.  G.  Johnston,  Peoria,  " 

"  A.  C.  BuRNHAM,  Champaign,  " 

"  Wm.  L.  Pierson,  Onarga,  •' 

"  G.  S.  Frost,  Detroit,  Michigan. 

"  A.  B.  JUDD,  Ottawa, 


Vice-Presidents. 

Mrs, 


C.  Hutchinson,  New  Alban.v,  Ind. 
J.  F.  Ely-,  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa. 
J.  R.  Brown,  Malvern, 
John  Plankinton,  Milwaukee,  Wis. 
Gen.  Van  Cleve,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 
J.  D.  Kekr.  Denver,  Colo. 
P.  L.  Perbine.  Omaha.  Neb. 
H.  BULLARD,  St.  Joseph,  Mo. 
Geo.  E.  Pomeroy.  Toledo.  Ohio. 
Prof.  J.  W.  sterling,  Madison.  Wis. 


Home  Corresponding  Secretaries. 

Mrs.  GEO.  H.  LAFLIN, 
Mrs.  H.  H.  FRY. 

Recording  Secretary. 

Miss  E.  A.  BLAIKIE. 


Foreign  Corresponding  Secretaries. 

Mrs.  ALBERT  KEEP,  Mrs.  H.  F.  WAITE. 
Mrs.  S.  H.  PERRY,         Mrs.  B.  DOUGLASS. 


Mana 


Mrs.  D.  K.  Pearsons,  Chicago,  111. 

"    Arthur  Mitchell,  " 
'•    J.  M.  Gibson, 

■    J.  Abbott  French,  "  " 

■•    W.  R.  Gould, 
"    W.  B.  Jacobs,  " 
"    E.  S.  Williams,  "  " 

•'    E.  Van  Buren,  "  " 

"    H.  H.  Forsythe,  "  " 

"  J.  N.  Barker.  Hyde  Park,  111. 
"  A.  M.  Gibbs,  Evanston,  " 
"    C.  G.  Brownell,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Miss  Carrie  S.  Weed,  Ypsilunti,  " 

Mrs.  Geo.  Landon  Monroe, 
"    Julia  B.  Kendall,  LaPorte,  Ind. 
"    H.  a.  Edson,  Indianapolis,  " 


gers. 

Mrs. 


Treasurer. 
Mrs.  JESSE  WHITEHEAD. 


W.  Holt,  Owatonna,  Minn. 

B.  C.  Bamsey.  Minneapolis.  Minn. 
WiLLARD  Merrill,  Milwaukee,  Wis. 
A.  H.  Vedder, 

J.  B.  Stew-art, 

S.  R.  Lapham.  La  Crosse. 

A.  C.  Scott.  Ko.ssuth,  Iowa. 

J.  S.  Olliver.  Clinton,  " 

J.  F.  Young,  Vinton.  " 

S.  H.  H.  Clarke,  Omaha,  Neb. 

A.  P.  Nicholas, 

C.  C.  DooLiTTLE.  Toledo,  O 
E.  A.  Linsley,  Galiiin. 

Mary  Robinson.  Humboldt,  Nelj. 
A.  E.  KKLLOGti,  Denver,  Cal. 


INDEX  TO  VOLUME  IX, 


Slbroab. 


Need  of  the  Hour  in  our  Work,  Tlie,  1 . 
South  America,  25:5. 

Africa. 

Africa,  181. 

Gaboon,  Jones,  Miss  Lydia,  122. 
Gaboon,  Walker,  Miss  L.  B.,  18G,  333. 
Kangwe,  Nassau,  Miss  I.  A.,  10,  407. 
Liberia,  Priest,  Mrs.,  154. 

Brazil. 

Rio  de  Janeiro.  Ilazlett,  Mrs.  D.  M.,  22G. 
Kio  de  Janeiro,  Houston,  Mrs.  J.  T.,  2.57, 

San  Paulo,  Howell,  Mrs.  J.  B.,  7,  25(i. 
San  Paulo,  Kuhl,  Miss  E.,  8,  227. 
San  Paulo,  Thomas,  Miss  P.  A.,  S. 

China. 

Canton,  Crouch,  Miss  Lucy  A.  4!). 
Canton,  Mapper,  Miss  M.  11.,  370. 
Canton,  Noyes,  Miss  M.,  10,  152. 
Chenanfoo,  Murray,  Mrs.  John,  298. 
China,  37. 

Harigchow,  Leaman,  Mrs.  Charles  (Miss  L. 

A.  Crouch),  153,  298. 
How  a  (_!hinese  Woman  lost  Seven-tenths  of 

her  Sorrow,  44. 
NiUKpo,  Butler,  Mrs.  John,  229. 
Soochow,  Fitch,  Mrs.  G.  F.,  9,  230. 
Tungchow  Cemetery,  The,  42. 
Tungchow,  Matcer,  Jlrs.  C.  W.,  122. 

Chinese  in  California. 
Chinese  in  America,  The,  361. 

India. 

Allahabad,  Holcomb,  Mrs.  James  F.,  .50,  227. 

Dehra,  Craig,  Miss  M.  A.,  334,  410. 

Etawah,  Belz,  Miss  C,  6. 

Futtehgurh,  Blunt,  Miss  E.  A.,  115. 

Fnttehgurh,  Tracy,  Mrs.  Thomas,  6, 110,  410. 

Gwalior,  Walsh,  Miss  E.,  IIH. 

India,  109. 

India,  C.  W.  F.,  6. 

India,  Gifts  for  Girls  in,  51. 


Anniversary  Meeting  (Glenville,  Jfd.),  343. 
Anniversary  Sleeting  of  Westminster  Pres- 

bvterial  Society,  417.  ,i 
Annual  Meeting.  Ninth,  90,  127.  iSS. 
Auxiliaries  and  Bands,  23,  59,  93,  129,  102, 

195,  239,  280,  310,  347,  383,  417. 
Believing  Company,  A,  100. 
Bible  Lessons,  345,  380,  41G. 
Bible  Heading,  Missionary,  5G. 
Bright  Side,  The,  373. 
Broidery-Work,  377. 

Clieering  Words  from  .\n.\iliaries,  20,  5G. 
Chinese  in  our  Land,  The,  280. 
Concerning  Complaints,  102. 
Convention,  Woman's  Foreign  Missionary, 

159.  , 
Corisco,  Two  Wants  at,  30S. 
Effort  must  follow  Prayer,  16. 
Encouragement,  376. 
Ft  Teneo,  Et  Teneor,  52. 
Exchanges,  Items  from  our,  22.  .58,  92,  161, 

237,  381. 
Faithful  to  the  End,  375. 
Farewell  Meeting  in  Washington,  Pa.,  414. 
'•  For  He  is  faithful  that  promised,"  58. 
Four  Rupees,  The,  14. 
Frances  Ridley  Havorgal,  303. 
Genesee  Presbyterial  Society,  381. 
Health  of  my  Countenance,  The,  156. 


India,  Missions  in,  47,  84,  110,  151,  225,  294. 
331,  368. 

Kolapoor,  McGinnis,  Miss  A.  B.,  119. 
Lahore,  Newton,  Mrs.  C.  B.,  48,  118,  18G,  3.34. 
Lahore,  Thiedi,  Miss  C,  6,  48. 
Mynpurie,  Alexander,  Mrs.  J.  51.,  228. 
Panalla.  Graham,  Mrs.  J.  P.,  86. 
Woodstock,  Scott,  Miss  A.  E.,  117. 

Japan. 

Japan,  289. 

Tokio,  True,  Mrs.  M.  T.,  292. 
Yokohama,  Ballagh,  Mrs.  J.  C,  371. 
Mexico. 

Mexico,  73. 

Mexico  City,  Forbes,  Miss  M.  G.,  78. 
Mexico  City,  Hennequin,  i\Iiss  L.  A.  H..  81. 
Mexico  City,  Hutchinson,  Mrs.  M.  N.,  372. 

North  .\merican  Indians. 
Lapwai,  Idaho,  McBeth,  Miss  S.  L.,  222. 
North  American  Indians,  217. 
Tullahassee,  Ind.  Ter.,  McCay,  Miss  H.  J.,49. 
Versailles,  N.  Y.,  Wright,  Mrs.  Aslier,  369. 
Wewoka,  Ind.  Ter.,  Ramsay,  Miss  M.,  408. 
Yankton  Agency,  Dak.  Ter.,  Dickson,  Miss 
J.  B.,  50,  .333. 

Persia. 

Orooniiah,  Labaree,  Mrs.  B.,  Jr.,  154. 
Oroomiah,  Shedd,  Mrs.  J.  H.,  121.  1.55. 
Persia,  325. 

Persia,  Whipple,  Rev.  W.  L.,  86. 

SiAM  AND  Laos. 
Bangkok,  Caldwell,  Miss  Belle,  150,296,3.30, 
408. 

Chieng-Jlai,  Wilson,  Mrs.  J.,  149. 
Cbieng-Mai,  Wilson,  Rev.  J.,  11. 
Petchaburi,  Cort,  Mi.ss  M.  L.,  10,  297. 
Siain,  145. 

Syria. 

Beirut,  Eddy,  Mrs.  W.  W.,  85,  297.  335,  404. 
Syria,  397. 

Zuhleh  Dale,  Mrs.  G.  F.,  403. 


'  He  shall  have  lii.s  Reward,"  345. 

Home  Letters,  From,  100,  285,  341,  412. 

In  the  Shadow,  90. 

Is  it  Right?    Is  it  Kind?  381. 

Lessons  from  the  Word,  15.  53. 

Life  Members,  23,  59,  94,  130,  ia3,  195,  230, 

280,  310,  347,  383,  418. 
Little  Things,  344. 

Loyalty  to  the  Board  of  foreign  Mission.s,  273. 

Marching  Orders  (for  Nos.  1  and  2,  see  Les- 
sons from  the  Word),  91,  120,  157,  234, 
305,  340.  378. 

Meeting  at  Saratoga,  Tlie,  258. 

Memorial  Stones,  415. 

Methods  for  Enlisting  Christian  Women  in 
persistent  Efforts  for  the  Conversion  of 
the  World?  What  are  the  best,  271. 

Midnight  Visit,  A,  87. 

Missionaries,'  New,  307,  383. 

Missionary  Literature,  277. 

Missionary  Meeting,  God's  Lesson  in  a.  413. 

Missionary  Outfits,  309. 

More  Blessed  to  Give  than  to  Receive,  57 

Move  Slowly  and  Carefully,  308. 

Necktie  Again,  That,  123. 

Necktie  Money,  18. 

Need  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  The,  2G8. 

New  Castle  Presbyterial  Society,  302. 

New  Year  Hymn,  19. 


IV 


INDEX. 


Notices,  57, 93. 192,  233, 238,  :!0n,  :;4",  383, 417. 

One  Iluiidrecl  Tlioii.saiiil  Dollars,  3(10. 

Only,  yet  All,  127. 

Patience,  21. 

Pledges,  338. 

Poem,  283. 

Prayer  Meeting,  22. 

Prayer  Meeting,  Conducting  a  Ladies',  .'>4, 

124, 1.58,  235. 
Presbyterial  Societies,  158. 
Qualifications  necessary  for  a  Slis.^ioiiary 

Lady,  55. 

Receipts,  23,  59,  94,  130,  l(i3,  19G,  239,  280, 

310,  348,  383,  418. 
Report  of  the  Committee  on  Magazines,  IS. 
Re.served  Kiind,  A,  13. 
"  Send  a  tileam  across  the  Wave,"  414. 
Slieaves  for  Christ,  306. 
Sorrowful,  yet  Rejoicing,  379. 
Sowing  and  Reaping,  194. 
Sunri.se  Kingdom,  The,  285. 


Symbol  of  Woman's  Wi>rk  in  Jlissions,  A, 
411. 

Syria,  Miss  Stainton  of,  128. 
Ten  Thousand  times  Ten  Thousand,  237. 
"The  Lord  hath  need  of  him, "  412. 
Thy  Kingdom  Come,  12. 
'•  Trust  in  Him  at  all  times,"  54. 
Unreported  Success,  235. 
View  of  the  Work  from  China,  :!4C. 
Waldensians,  The,  410. 
Watchers,  Germantown,  Pa.,  The,  88. 
'■  Why  was  it  done?"  92. 
Wills  and  Legacies,  1V)3. 
World  Sickness,  339. 
Young  Ladies'  Prayer  Meeting,  A,  92. 
Young  Ladies'  Presbyterial  Swiety,  A,  302. 
Young  Peoijlc,  A  Plan  for  the,  307'. 
Young  Peoi>le,  Por  the,  19. 
Y'oung  People,  Our,  '2:il. 
!  Young  People's  Branch  at  Trwin,  Pa.,  89. 


^Vottian'^i  ^rfiSbytcriatt  l^onrd  of  pi.sjsious  of  the  STorthu'r.st. 

abro-ab. 


Br\zii.. 

Rio  Claro,  Ra  Gama,  Miss  Eva,  351. 

CniN-\. 

Canton,  Noyes,  Miss  II.,  Gl. 
Chefoo,  Downing,  Miss  C.  B.,  174. 
ChenanfoH,  Anderson,  Miss  S.  J..  M.D.,C4. 
Shanghai,  Farnham,  Mrs.  J.  M.  W.,  2()C. 
Shanghai.  Ilolt,  Mrs.  W.  S.,  05. 

India. 

.\mbala,  Bergen,  Mrs.  Geo.  S.,  2C. 
Uehra,  Craig,  Miss  M.  A..  208. 
Dehra,  Pratt,  Miss  Mary,' 135. 
Futtehgnrh,  Lucas,  Mrs.  .1.  J.,  207,  355. 
Uwalior,  Warren,  Mrs.  J.,  100,  314. 
India,  315. 

India,  Our  Work  and  Workers  in.  133. 
Lodiana,  Kelso,  Mrs.  A.  P.,  102. 
Mynpnrie,  Alexander,  Mrs.  J.  M.,  355. 
Japan. 

Tokio,  Eldred,  Miss  C,  62,  171,  353.  , 
Tokio,  True,  Mrs.  M.  T.,  138.  i 
Yokohama,  Winn,  Mrs.  T.  C,  ,3.53. 

Mexico. 

Monterey,  Cochran,  Miss  A.  D.,  174,  243,  35C.. 
Monterey,  Thomson,  Mrs.  IL  C,  211,313. 

North  American  Indians. 
Odanah,  Wis.,  Dougherty,  Miss  S.,  '241. 

Annual  Meeting,  Eighth,  140. 

Auxiliaries,  .35,  71. 107, 143, 178,  210,  247,  2S7, 

323,  359,  395,  431. 
Auxiliary  Society,  Letter  from  an,  431. 
-'•  Be  not  Blind  and  Deaf,"  34. 
China,  A  Peep  at  our  Work  and  Workers 

in,  00. 

Dakota,  Good  News  from,  322. 
Editorial.  428. 
Gleanings,  392. 
Happy  New  Year,  A,  29. 
Home  Pictures,  32. 
Interview  with  Rev.  D.  Herron,  34. 
.lesus  said,  "Ye  arc  the  Light  of  the  World," 
142. 

Life  Members,  35,  71,  107,143,  178,  216,  248, 

28K,  323,  359,  395,  431.. 
.Maiden's  Otfering,  The,  247. 
Meeting  at  Toledo,  The,  213. 


Tullahassee,  Ind.  Ter..  Robertson,  Mrs.  W. 
S.,  25,  212. 

Persia. 

Oroomiah,  Dean,  Miss  N.  J.,  97, 173,  '209, 316, 
387. 

Oroomiah,  Shedd,  Mrs.  J.  H.,  317. 
Persia,  423. 

Persia,  Sarah,  a  Ne.«torian,  28. 
Persia,  True  Story  of  Persian  Life,  319. 
Tabriz,  Poage,  Miss  .\.  E.,  28,  172. 
Tabriz,  Van  Hook,  Jlrs.  L.  C,  98,  349,  423. 
Teheran,  Bassett,  Miss  S.  J.,  350. 

SiAM  AND  Laos. 
Bangkok,  Caldwell,  Miss  Belle,  .389. 
Bangkok.  McCaulev,  Mrs.  James  M.,  174. 
Chieug-Mai,  Campbell,  Miss  M.  M.,  389,  4-24. 
Chieng-Mai,  Cole,  Miss  E.  S.,  205,  425. 
Chieng-Mai,  Northern  Siam,  l:!6. 
Laos,  The,  424. 

Laos,  The,  Mrs.  J.  Wilson,  427. 
Petchaburi,  Cort,  Miss  M.  L.,  109. 

Syria. 

Abeih,  Bird,  Rev.  AVilliam,  245. 
Abeih,  Calhoun,  Mi-s.  E.  S..  6:i,  139,  3S5. 
Abeih,  Dauforlh,  Mrs.  E.  A.,  380 
Syria,  421. 


Mexico,  103. 

iMexico,  Good  News  from,  141. 

Nota  Bene,  357. 

Notes  by  the  Way,  :i.58. 

Notices,  35,  08,  107,  287,  430. 

Only  Three  at  the  Meeting,  71. 

Prayer  and  Thanksgiving,  391. 

Receipts,  35,  71,  107,  143,  178, '248,  2SS,  32:5, 

3.-in,  395,  431. 
Room  48,  Notes  from,  68,  105.  175. 
Room  48,  Review  Lesson  from,  30. 
Siam  ami  Laos,  174. 
Supporting  Special  Objects,  246. 
Synodii  al  and  Presbyterial  Societies,  142. 
"The  Word  of  the  Lord  is  Snre."  393. 
"This  do  in  Remembrance  of  Me,"  140. 
"Two  and  Two,"  321. 
Woman's  Boaril  of  the  Interior,  70. 


Vol.  IX.  FEBRUARY,  1879.  No.  2. 


CHINA. 

For  more  than  half  a  century  Protestant  missionaries  have  been 
digging  for  and  laying  the  foundations  of  a  great  Christian  nation- 
in  China.  In  May,  1877,  the  various  laborers  who  had  hitherto 
worked  apart  joined  hands  in  the  Shanghai  Conference.  They  had 
come  to  a  place  where  cooperative  labor  was  a  felt  necessity.  They 
were  ready  to  put  in  the  ground  sills  and  draw  up  plans  for  the 
superstructure;  so  they  came  together  for  this  purpose,  and  in 
holding  this  conference  of  all  Protestant  denominations  represented 
in  China,  they  took  a  long  step  forward.  Before  that  time  each 
denomination  worked  independently  of  all  others  except  in  trans- 
lating the  Scriptures,  and  thus  a  vast  amount  of  power  was  wasted. 
Perhaps  some  half  dozen  were  engaged  in  the  same  work,  which 
might  as  well  have  been  done  by  one  and  utilized  by  the  other  five ; 
or  some  One,  in  order  to  supply  a  demand,  engaged  in  a  work  for 
which  he  was  not  fitted.  In  short  there  was  no  concert  of  action, 
or  understanding  as  to  any  division  of  labor.  During  the  sessions 
of  the  Conference  the  work  was  carefully  reviewed  and  discussed 
in  all  its  details,  and  difi'ercut  departments  assigned  to  those  best 
suited  for  them.  This  inaugurated  a  new  era  in  the  history  of 
Protestant  missions  in  China. 

3 


38 


woman's  work  for  woman. 


As  the  whole  work  was  brought  into  review  and  discussed  by 
the  Conference,  we  cannot  do  better  in  this  article  than  to  make 
brief  mention  of  a  few  of  the  important  subjects  thus  dwelt  upon. 

SELF-SUPPORT  OP  THE  NATIVE  CHURCH. 

There  was  but  one  opinion  as  to  the  absolute  necessity  of  making 
the  native  church  self-supporting  as  soon  as  possible,  but  how  to 
accomplish  it  was  not  so  easily  decided.  Most  of  the  churches  are 
weak  and  poor,  not  able  to  support  a  pastor,  and  it  was  claimed 
that  there  was  no  reason  why  feeble  congregations  there  should  not 
be  helped  as  well  as  here.  It  is  true  in  China  as  elsewhere  that 
"  not  many  mighty,  not  many  noble  are  called,"  but  "  to  the  poor 
the  gospel  is  preached."  On  the  other  side,  the  native  Christians 
formerly  paid  a  large  per  cent,  of  their  incomes  to  support  idolatry, 
and  there  is  nO  reason  why  Christianity  should  cost  them  less. 
Missionaries  in  all  heathen  lands  are  discovering  that  they  have 
made  Christianity  too  cheap  to  those  who  have  embraced  it.  It 
has  been  estimated  that  the  idolatrous  worship  of  China  costs 
$180,000,000  annually.  The  devil,  at  least,  understands  that  people 
value  what  they  pay  for.  Many  of  the  native  churches,  however,  are 
self-supporting,  and  some  do  home  missionary  work  by  helping  small 
congregations.  One  by  one  the  props  are  being  taken  out  and  the 
native  Christians  are  learning  to  stand  alone.  One  pastor  came  to 
the  missionary  who  had  his  church  in  charge  and  asked  him  to 
withdraw  the  small  amount  he  had  been  receiving  from  the  mis- 
sion, giving  as  his  reason  that  he  could  no  longer  endure  the  taunt 
continually  flung  at  him,  '•  Oh,  yes,  you  eat  the  foreigner's  rice,  and 
of  course  you  preach  the  foreigner's  religion."  He  felt  that  it 
crippled  his  influence  with  his  people,  and  they  did  not  have  faith 
in  his  sincerity. 

ANCESTRAL  WORSHIP. 

Dr.  Yates  of  Shanghai  says :  "  Ancestral  worship  is  tenfold  more 
potent  for  keeping  the  people  in  darkness  than  all  the  idols  in  the 
land  not  connected  with  it,  and  is  the  great  bar  to  progress  and 
civilization." 

A  belief  in  the  power  of  departed  spirits,  and  in  the  necessity  of 
propitiating  them  by  worship  and  offering^,  is  woven  into  the  very 
texture  of  their  being  and  exerts  a  powerful  influence  upon  the  whole 
tenor  of  their  lives.  They  believe  that  the  spirits  of  the  dead  have 
the  same  wants  they  had  when  in  the  body,  and  that  these  must  be 
supplied  by  their  living  friends.  They  burn  all  articles  furnished  for 
the  dead,  that  they  may  become  invisible,  as  the  spirits  are  invisible. 
Much  expense  is  avoided,  however,  by  making  and  burning  paper 
imitations  of  the  various  articles  supplied,  especially  money,  as  they 
think  this  will  answer  the  purpose  just  as  well. 


ABROAD. 


39 


This  faith  is  universal,  and  is  in  fact  the  religion  of  China.  No 
one,  from  the  Emperor  down,  is  exempt  from  observing  the  pre- 
scribed forms  of  ancestral  worship,  which  are  very  burdensome  and 
consume  a  great  deal  of  time.  Thus  the  living  are  in  bondage  to 
the  dead,  sparing  no  pains  or  expense  to  secure  their  fancied  well 
being,  not  out  of  love  but  from  fear. 

They  believe  that  if  these  spirits  in  any  way  suffer  through  their 
neglect,  they  have  power  to  avenge  themselves  by  sending  sickness 
or  some  terrible  calamity  upon  them.  Hence  when  misfortune 
overtakes  a  Chinese  family  they  at  once  conclude  that  the  spirit  of 
some  departed  friend  is  aggrieved  or  in  want.  Special  acts  of  wor- 
ship are  performed  and  special  offerings  made,  even  to  the  extent  of 
impoverishing  themselves. 

Many  labor  and  save  through  life  to  provide  for  their  supposed 
wants  in  the  spirit  world.  How  sad  to  think  of  these  misguided 
but  earnest  efforts  to  prepare  for  the  hereafter,  of  which  they  have 
such  vague  and  terrible  ideas  !  This  superstitious  fear  of  disturb- 
ing the  dead  has  thus  far  kept  undeveloped  the  vast  coal  and  min- 
eral resources  of  China,  and  prevented  the  construction  of  railroads. 
Only  the  power  of  God's  Spirit  can  loosen  the  hold  of  this  super- 
stition upon  the  minds  of  the  Chinese  people,  and  emancipate  them 
from  a  bondage  that  hinders  alike  their  material  and  spiritual 
prosperity. 

FOOT  BINDING. 

Feet  are  a  kind  of  caste-mark  among  the  women  of  China.  The 
size  of  a  lady's  foot  defines  her  social  grade;  even  touches  her 
character,  and  to  a  great  extent  makes  or  mars  her  matrimonial 
prospects.  Large  or  long-footed  women,  as  they  are  termed — for  the 
beauty  of  the  foot  is  increased  or  diminished  according  to  its 
length — are  looked  upon  with  contempt,  and  required  to  do  all  the 
hard  work.  The  swaying,  tottering  motion  of  a  girl  walking  on 
her  little  feet  is  considered  extremely  gractful  and  a  mark  of  gen- 
tility, for  the  lack  of  which  no  other  good  qualities  can  atone.  A 
large-footed  girl  is  considered  a  family  reproach,  and  a  Chinaman 
says  of  her,  "  She  is  like  a  defective  gem  that  is  rejected."  From 
this  we  can  see  the  moral  courage  necessary  on  the  part  of  Chris- 
tian parents  to  allow  their  daughtei-s  to  grow  up  with  unbound  feet. 
Localities  differ  in  the  tenacity  with  which  the  people  cling  to  this 
time-honored  custom,  and  the  practice  of  missionaries  has  varied 
in  dealing  with  it.  In  some  of  the  schools  for  girls  it  is  prohibited, 
in  others  it  is  tolerated,  while  all  possible  influence  is  brought  to 
bear  against  it. 

One  of  the  most  powerful  of  the  Manchu  emperors  issued  an 
edict  against  foot  binding,  but  found  that  it  would  cause  a  rebellion^ 


40 


woman's  work  for  woman. 


and  so  was  obliged  to  withdraw  it.  The  leaven  of  Christianity  will 
in  time  do  what  even  the  Emperor  failed  to  accomplish. 

woman's  work. 

It  is  recorded  of  the  Emperor  Napoleon  I.,  that  when  asked 
what  was  the  great  need  of  France,  his  reply  was,  "  Mothers !" 
This  is  emphatically  China's  need  :  Mothers — intelligent  Christian 
mothers.  The  fountain  must  he  purified  before  the  sti-eams  can  be 
pure.  Heathen  mothers  make  heathen  children.  The  women  of 
China  are  not  as  secluded  as  the  women  of  India,  but  only  women 
can  have  ready  access  to  them.  There  is  much  work  for  our  mis- 
sionary ladies  to  do,  and  much  is  being  done  by  them. 

Day  schools  and  boarding  schools  for  girls,  day  schools  for  women 
to  teach  them  to  read,  schools  for  training  Bible  women,  industrial 
classes,  house  to  house  visitation,  holding  meetings  for  women  and 
girls,  and  itinerating  through  the  country,  telling  the  old,  old  story 
to  these  poor  degraded  women, — these  are  some  of  the  methods 
used.  Much  of  this  is  hard,  disagreeable  work,  and  she  who  does 
it  has  no  use  for  such  delicate  sensibilities  as  cannot  endure  dis- 
gusting sights  and  nauseous  smells.  One  of  our  missionaries  has 
said  that  ''in  India  this  is  called  zenana  work,  but  in  China  it  is 
hut  and  hovel  work,  and  to  do  it  one  must  have  the  spirit  of 
Him  who  came  to  seek  and  to  save  the  lost."  Cheering  results, 
however,  have  not  been  wanting  as  a  compensation  for  this  self- 
denying  labor.  One  lady,  speaking  of  the  efiiciency  of  her  native 
helpers,  says :  "  These  Chinese  women  are  of  the  stuff  of  which 
martyrs  are  made."  When  they  become  Christians  they  are  more 
earnest  and  active  than  the  average  of  Christian  women  in  this  land. 
Female  prayer  meetings  are  common  among  them.  When  they  were 
heathen  they  prayed  to  their  idols,  and  when  they  become  Christians 
they  pray  to  God  as  a  matter  of  course,  without  having  the  duty 
enjoined  upon  them,  and  never  hesitate  to  pray  before  each  other. 

In  the  girls'  schools  prayer  meetings  are  held  almost  without 
exception.  Mrs.  Lauibuth,  of  Shanghai,  tells  us  that  the  girls  in  a 
jMethodist  school  there  have  chosen  the  hour  of  evening  twilight 
for  their  prayer  meeting,  and  adds :  "  To  me  it  is  worth  many  a 
hard  year  in  China  to  slip  in  unnoticed  aad  listen  to  their  earnest 
voices  pleading  for  the  Master's  blessing  and  the  Holy  Spirit's 
presence,  as  they  try  to  live  for  Jesus."  Even  in  the  day  schools 
teachers  lead  the  children  in  prayer.  Here  we  find  the  secret  of 
their  activity  ;  praying  Christians  are  always  working  Christians. 

There  are  two  hundred  million  women  and  girls  in  China,  and 
two  hundred  and  fifty  lady  missionaries  in  all;  one  to  every  eight 
hundred  thousand  Chinese  women.  Estimated  from  a  human 
standpoint  the  time  of  China's  redemption  must  be  far  in  the 


ABROAD. 


41 


future,  but  with  God  all  things  are  possible.  "  For  there  is  no 
restraint  to  the  Lord  to  save  by  many  or  by  few,"  when  the  faith 
of  His  children  nerves  His  arm.  Were  the  Christian  women  of 
this  land  to  plead  with  God  for  the  women  of  ('hina  as  John  Kn  'X 
plead  for  Scotland,  the  foundations  of  Satan's  throne  would  speedily 
be  shaken  in  the  land  of  Sinim. 

SCHOOL  BOOKS. 

A  committee  was  appointed  to  prepare  a  uniform  series  of  school 
books.  Elementary  text  books  such  as  we  use  are  unknown  in 
China.  The  ancient  heathen  classics  are  their  text  books  in  child- 
hood and  their  study  through  life.  These  ponderous  works  of  their 
sages  constitute  the  mould  in  whicli  Chinese  life  and  character  arc 
cast.  Hitherto  our  missionaries  engaged  in  teaching  had  to  pre- 
pare text  books  as  they  needed  them,  at  the  cost  of  much  time  and 
labor. 

MAGAZINE. 

A  union  magazine  published  semi-annually  by  the  missionary 
ladies  in  China  was  an  outgrowth  of  the  conference.  In  it  they 
report  from  and  discuss  their  work,  and  find  it  both  stimulating 
and  helpful.  It  contains  a  great  deal  of  inibrmation,  and  it  would 
be  well  for  every  auxiliary  to  take  a  copy.  It  is  published  in 
Shanghai  .at  sixty-two  cents  per  annum,  including  postage.  The 
amount  can  be  remitted  in  postage  stamps. 

THE  FAMINE. 

The  terrible  famine  that  prevailed  in  the  northern  part  of  China 
has  turned  out  to  the  furtherance  of  the  gospel.  The  money  con- 
tributed by  foreigners,  and  the  self-denying  labors  of  our  mission- 
aries in  disbursing  it,  at  the  peril  of  their  lives,  made  a  deep 
impression  upon  the  minds  of  the  Chinese.  They  felt  that  there 
must  be  some  wonderful  power,  which  they  did  not  understand,  in 
a  religion  that  would  impel  men  to  do  this  i'rom  purely  disinterested 
motives.  Many  who  were  thus  saved  are  being  instructed  by  those 
who  rescued  them  from  starvation.  It  is  estimated  that  7,000,000 
perished  from  the  famine  and  the  pestilence  following  upon  it. 

CHANGES  ON  THE  FIELD. 

During  the  past  year  one  man  has  been  sent  out.  Rev.  J. 
McKee,  to  the  Ningpo  Mission.  Rev.  John  Wherry  and  wife 
have  returned  to  Peking.  Rev.  Samuel  Dodd,  of  Hangchow,  Rev. 
J.  S.  Roberts,  of  Shanghai,  and  Rev.  J.  A.  Leyenberger,  of 
Ningpo,  with  their  wives,  have  come  home.  Rev.  Albert  Whiting, 
of  Nanking,  died  while  ministering  to  the  famine  sufferers.  A 
costly  sacrifice  was  laid  upon  the  altar  when  this  young  life,  so  full 


42 


woman's  work  for  woman. 


of  promise  for  China,  was  given,  like  that  of  the  Master,  to  rescue 
the  perishing. 

It  becoQies  us  as  a  church  to  blush  over  such  a  response  to  the 
pleading  appeal  that  came  to  us  from  the  conference  less  than  two 
years  ago.  They  asked  for  men,  and  the  Board  could  send  the 
men  if  they  had  the  money.  We  cannot  conscientiously  plead 
hard  times  before  the  Lord  in  justification  of  a  depleted  treasury  at 
23  Centre  Street,  N.  Y.  The  church  has  abundance  and  to  spare. 
The  true  cause  of  this  falling  off  in  our  offerings  is  not  found  in  a 
lack  of  means,  but  in  a  want  of  a  realizing  sense  of  our  accounts 
ability  to  God  in  the  matter  of  stewardship.  It  has  been  well  said 
that  prayer  conferences  cannot  bring  the  Master's  blessing  so  long 
as  the  church  disregards  Hits  last  great  commission.  We  must 
apply  God's  own  prescribed  remedy  for  spiritual  deaduess,  and  that 
is  to  bring  all  the  tithes  into  His  storehouse. 

In  our  special  department  the  report  for  the  year  is  more  cheer- 
ing. Five  young  ladies  have  gone  out ;  Miss  A.  D.  H.  Kelsey  to 
Tuagchow,  Miss  Sarah  A.  Warner  to  Peking,  Miss  Jennie  Ander- 
son to  Chefoo,  Miss  Sarah  J.  Anderson,  Jl.D.,  to  Chenanfoo,  and 
Miss  Mary  Happer  to  Canton.  Miss  Hattie  Noyes,  Miss  Lily 
Ilappcr,  and  Miss  Downing  have  returned  to  their  work,  after  a 
short  season  of  rest  in  this  country. 

Dear  sisters,  this  glance  at  the  condition  of  the  Chinese  reveals 
to  us  enough  of  the  great  work  to  be  done  for  them,  to  bring  us  to 
our  knees  on  behalf  of  the  little  band  who  are  wellnigh  overwhelmed 
by  a  sense  of  the  responsibility  resting  upon  them.  St.  Paul,  the 
pioneer  foreign  missionary,  sent  to  the  Hebrew  Christians  by  Timo- 
thy the  request,  "  Pray  for  us."  From  that  time  until  now  the 
burden  of  every  message  from  the  foreign  field  has  been,  "  Pray  for 
us  !"  This  we  can  all  do.  No  matter  how  little  money  we  may  have 
to  give,  no  matter  how  full  of  labor  and  care  and  sorrow  our  lives 
may  be,  if  our  hearts  are  burdened  with  desire  for  the  salvation  of 
these  poor  heathen  women,  we  can  pray  for  them  and  for  these  who 
are  trying  to  lead  them  out  of  their  darkness  and  bondage  into  the 
glorious  light  and  liberty  of  the  gospel  of  Christ. 


THE  TUNGCHOW  CEMETERY. 

The  cemetery  at  Tungchow  has  a  strange,  wild  beauty.  About 
a  mile  north  of  the  city  the  hills  terminate  in  rocky  bluffs.  There, 
on  a  terraced  hill,  where  the  blue  waters  of  the  Gulf  of  Pechelee 
make  ceaseless  music,  our  precious  dead  wait  t-he  resurrection  day. 
To  the  east,  not  far  away,  rises  the  great  wall  which  shuts  in  the 
harbor  and  Water  City ;  just  beyond,  on  the  summit  of  another 
bluff,  the  temple  of  the  "  Sea  Mother"  has  stood  for  hundreds  of 


ABROAD. 


43 


years.  On  the  west,  separated  by  a  deep  ravine,  lie  other  hills, 
their  great  rocks  scarred  and  blackened  by  the  ages  of  wind  and 
wave.  iS'orth  and  west  stretch  leagues  of  sea,  with  here  and  there 
an  island.  Landward,  scarcely  less  beautiful  in  the  distance  is  the 
city  with  its  ancient  wall  and  encircling  hills.  Imagine  all  this  in 
the  glory  of  an  eastern  sunset,  or  the  grandeur  of  an  ocean  storm. 
Is  it  not  a  fit  resting  place  for  those  who  sleep  in  Jesus  ? 

The  first  grave  we  see  is  that  of  IMrs.  Danforth,  the  first  Protest^- 
ant  missionary  buried  in  this  province.  She  with  her  husband 
came  from  his  former  station  in  Ningpo,  hoping  to  regain  her 
health ;  but  consumption  was  not  to  be  cheated  of  its  prey.  She 
gradually  grew  weaker,  until  in  September,  1861,  dear  friends  laid  the 
worn  body  on  the  hill  by  the  sea,  at  rest  after  months  of  weariness. 
Near  her  are  the  little  graves  of  Lida  Roberts  and  Willie  Green, 
both  brought  here  in  the  hope  of  restored  health.  The  former,  a 
daughter  of  Rev.  J.  S.  Roberts  of  our  mission  in  Shanghai,  the 
latter,  a  son  of  Rev.  D.  D.  Green,  of  the  Ningpo  Presbyterian  31ission, 
of  whose  triumphant  death  you  have  heard.  To  the  right  are  the 
remains  of  Rev.  Henry  V.  Rankin.  He  sailed  for  Ningpo  in  1848. 
There  he  found  a  native  church  of  eight  members,  wbich  in  1861 
had  increased  to  one  hundred  and  ten.  In  1862  Mr.  R.'s  health 
failed,  and  in  May,  1863,  he  sought  relief  in  the  better  climate  of 
North  China.  It  was  too  late.  On  July  2d,  1863,  after  fourteen 
years  of  faithful  labor  for  China,  he  entered  into  rest.  In  the 
schools  and  chapels  of  Ningpo  his  work  goes  on,  and  his  memory 
is  treasured. 

At  a  little  distance  from  Mr.  Rankin's  is  the  newest  grave  of  the 
little  cemetery.  Rev.  J.  Metcalf  Shaw,  leaving  his  home  in  Wind- 
ham, Ohio,  July,  1874,  reached  Tungchow  in  October.  Scarcely 
had  he  begun  his  chosen  life-work  when  he  was  called  from  it.  He 
returned  from  his  first  missionary  tour  to  endure  two  months  of 
intense  suff'ering ;  then,  on  a  beautiful  Sabbath  in  June,  1876,  the 
earnest,  loving  spirit  went  home.  An  elder  in  the  native  church 
said,  "  I  think  God  has  sent  this  teacher  to  show  us  how  much  a 
Christian  can  sufl'er  and  be  patient."  Soon  after  the  two  servants 
expressed  the  hope  they  were  Christians,  one  of  them  saying,  "  We 
could  not  help  believing  when  we  saw  how  patiently  he  suffered, 
and  how  fearlessly  he  died,  caring  for  others  to  the  last."  Only 
twenty-eight  years.    Shall  we  say  that  the  short  life  was  a  failure  ? 

Going  down  a  few  steps  to  the  first  terrace  we  come  to  the  grave 
of  Rev.  Samuel  R.  Gayley,  who  with  Mr.  Danforth  were  the 
pioneers  of  our  mission  in  Tungchow.  Mr.  Gayley  was  born  in 
Ireland,  and  early  consecrated  by  his  Christian  parents  to  the  work 
of  the  ministry.  He  finished  his  education  in  America,  making 
his  home  with  his  uncle,  Rev.  S.  M.  Gayley.  In  1857  Mr.  Gayley 


4-i 


woman's  work,  for  woman. 


with  his  hrother-in-law,  Rev.  C.  R.  Mills,  came  to  Shanghai,  hut 
was  not  able  to  endure  the  climate,  and  in  1861  came  north  to 
Tungchow.  The  next  year  Mr.  Mills  was  also  obliged  to  leave 
Shanghai,  and  Mr.  Gayley  went  to  Chefoo  to  meet  him.  This  was 
during  the  cholera  epidemic  of  1862.  Mrs.  Mills  had  just  escaped 
death  by  that  dreadful  disease.  Her  little  son  Hugh  had  died  as 
they  were  leaving  Shanghai.  On  their  way  to  Tung:-how  Sammy 
was  taken,  and  the  next  day  the  childless  parents  were  following  a 
little  coffin.  Before  reaching  home  Mr.  Gayley  was  taken  sick,  and 
soon  after  they  laid  him  away  in  the  twilight  of  the  summer  eve- 
ning, and  near  him  his  little  namesake.  Samuel  Gayley  Mills.  In  a 
few  days  his  only  daughter,  Fanny,  and  little  niece  Lucy,  daughter 
of  Rev.  J.  Doolittle,  D.D.,  were  laid  beside  him.  In  1865  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Mills  were  called  to  give  up  another  precious  child,  little 
Katy,  and  two  yeai-s  later,  Somerville.  The  little  ones  lie  near 
their  mother.  Mrs.  Mills  was  called  away  in  February,  1874,  after 
seventeen  years  of  life  in  China.  Four  little  graves  on  the  hill-side 
tell  us  something  of  the  suffering  of  those  years ;  the  love  of  the 
native  women,  both  Christian  and  heathen,  tell  of  her  work.  The 
dying  words  of  a  woman  who  had  once  worked  for  her  were,  "  I 
will  hunt  for  Mrs.  Mills.  How  glad  she  will  be  !"'  •'  Her  works  do 
follow  her."  On  the  lower  terrace  lie  the  remains  of  Mrs.  Hart- 
well,  of  the  American  Baptist  Mission,  and  her  three  little  children. 
She  was  the  first  foreign  lady  in  Tungchow,  and  during  the  nine 
years  of  her  work  here  she  was  most  earnest  and  successful. 

I  have  scarcely  known  what  to  write  in  this  necessarily  brief 
sketch  of  lives  so  full  and  so  devoted.  Could  you  hear  the  words 
of  natives,  both  Christian  and  heathen,  you  would  need  no  other 
testimonial  to  the  earnestuess  and  faithfulness  of  those  who  lie 
here.  "  All  these  died  in  the  faith."  '•  Enduring,  as  seeing  Him 
who  is  invisible."    ''  Of  whom  the  world  was  not  worthy." 

Mary  H.  Shaw. 


HOW  A  CHINESE  WOMAN  LOST  SEVEN-TENTHS 
OF  HER  SORROW. 

Translated  from  her  Verbal  Narration  bt  Miss  Fielde. 

SWATOW. 

My  name  is  Hui  Lang.  I  am  twenty-eig'ht  years  old,  and  have 
been  a  Christian  one  year.  My  home  is  at  White  Pagoda,  fifty 
miles  west  from  here,  and  I  have  lived  there  with  my  mother-in-law 
ever  since  I  was  two  months  old.  My  parents  lived  at  Bamboo 
Ridge,  three  miles  from  White  Pagoda.  My  father  was  a  farmer, 
and  could  well  have  taken  care  of  me  ;  but  shortly  after  my  birth 
a  blind  fortune-teller  came  along  and  told  my  mother  that  my 
brother,  who  was  two  yeai's  older  than  I,  would  die  unless  I  was 


ABROAD. 


45 


removed  from  the  family.  Blind  fortune-tellers  are  to  be  found 
everywliere  here.  They  travel  around,  led  by  a  child  that  can  see, 
beating  a  little  gong  to  let  people  know  they  are  passing.  Those 
who  wish  to  consult  the  fortune  teller  call  him  to  their  door,  tell 
him  the  year,  day,  and  hour  of  their  birth,  and  he  makes  a  calcu- 
lation of  times,  and  tells  them  what  is  going  to  happen  ;  those  who 
are  sick  ask  him  when  they  will  get  well ;  those  who  have  absent 
relatives  inquire  when  letters  or  money  will  come  from  abroad ; 
those  who  are  going  on  a  journey  seek  a  lucky  day  for  starting; 
and  those  who  wish  to  know  what  is  going  to  happen  to  their  chil- 
dren, call  him  to  predict  their  fates,  after  which  he  repeats  a  refrain 
not  understood  by  any  one.  He  gives  a  few  words  of  advice  to  the 
person  concerned,  is  paid  three-tenths  of  a  cent  for  his  services,  and 
goes  on  his  way. 

It  was  in  this  way  that  my  parents  learned  that  they  ought  to 
part  with  me.  They  were  veiy  sorry  to  have  me  go ;  but  as  a  boy 
is  of  so  much  greater  value  than  a  girl,  they  would  not  risk  ray 
brother's  life  by  keeping  me.  They  gave  me  to  an  acquaintance  at 
White  Pagoda,  who  had  just  lost  a  young  child,  and  she  brought  me 
up  as  the  future  wife  of  her  youngest  son,  then  five  years  old.  As 
such  very  little  girls  are  worth  nothing,  and  as  the  bargain  must  be 
closed  by  money,  she  paid  my  mother  two  cents  for  me  and  I  be- 
came hers.  This  woman  had  twelve  children  in  all ;  but  my 
husband  was  the  only  survivor.  Her  husband  smoked  opium,  and 
used  the  money  his  children  earned,  so  that  one  of  them  had  hanged 
himself  in  despair. 

My  mother-in-law  always  gave  me  the  best  she  had,  but  that  was 
not  much.  I  grew  strong  and  large,  and  when  I  was  eight  years 
old  I  could  cook,  spin,  plant  rice,  and  help  turn  the  pump  with 
which  the  rice  field  was  watered.  When  I  was  fifteen,  on  a  day 
chosen  as  lucky,  I  had  the  god  of  the  bedstead  set  up  in  a  room  of 
my  own,  and  lived  with  my  husband.  After  some  years  I  had  two 
sons.  My  father-in-law  died,  and  we  found  that  the  land  on  which 
our  home  was  built  belonged  to  some  one  else.  The  owner  tore  the 
house  down  and  made  a  rice-drying  area  where  it  had  stood.  We 
then  mortgaged  our  only  field  for  forty  dollars,  and  with  this 
money  built  two  houses,  which  fell  down  soon  after  a  heavy  rain. 

Three  years  ago  a  man  in  our  village  became  a  Christian,  and 
soon  after  that  two  Bible  women  came  to  stop  at  his  house.  My 
mother-in-law  and  I  used  to  take  the  children  in  the  evening  and 
go  to  hear  them  talk.  My  husband  heard  too,  and  we  all  believed 
at  the  same  time.  My  mother-in-law  went  one  Sunday  morning 
five  miles  to  Linden  Chapel,  and  when  she  came  back  at  night  she 
went  straight  to  the  god  of  the  bedstead,  and  took  it  out  of  doors 
and  threw  it  away.    Afterwards,  the  Bible  woman  ("  Fragrant 

3* 


46 


woman's  work  for  woman. 


Love")  came  to  the  house,  and  after  engaging  in  prayer  took  down 
the  only  other  idol  in  the  house  (one  which  we  had  inherited  from 
ancestors),  and  put  it  with  its  fixtures  in  a  basket,  which  my 
mother-in-law  carried  and  threw  into  the  river. 

When  my  own  father  and  mother'  heard  that  I  had  become  a 
Christian,  they  were  very  much  distressed;  my  mother  cried,  and 
my  father  could  not  eat  for  four  days.  My  aunt  came  to  tell  me 
how  displeased  they  were,  and  that  they  wished  me  to  put  away 
this  new  religion ;  but  I  told  her  to  say  that  anything  else  they 
might  ask  of  me  I  could  do,  but  that  this  religion  was  something 
that  could  not  be  put  away. 

Last  year  my  husband,  finding  the  times  hard  and  hoping  to  earn 
something  abroad,  went  to  Manilla.  Before  he  went,  he  did  not 
call  a  fortune-teller  to  find  a  lucky  day,  and  did  not  go  to  the  tem- 
ple to  get  a  bag  of  incense  ashes  to  wear  as  a  charm  on  his  breast, 
as  he  would  have  done  if  he  had  not  been  a  Christian  ;  but  he  knelt 
down  with  his  children,  and  asked  God  to  take  care  of  us  while  he 
was  gone,  and  bless  him  while  away,  and  bring  him  safely  back. 

Ten  months  ago  I  came  here  to  study,  and  have  read  a 
hundred  hymns,  the  Compendium  of  the  Gospels,  and  half  of  Acts. 
At  first  my  mother-in-law  said,  as  she  was  too  old  to  come  and  learn 
to  read,  she  would  stay  with  the  children,  while  I  should  go  and 
learn  the  hymns  only.  But  now  she  is  willing  that  I  should  use 
what  I  have  learned,  so  in  November  I  shall  go  out  as  a  Bible 
woman. 

Last  month  my  eldest  son,  eleven  years  old,  was  baptized.  I  did 
not  know  it  beforehand,  though  four  months  previous  he  had  told 
me  that  he  wished  to  join  the  church.  He  did  not  tell  me  because 
he  was  afraid  the  brethren  would  not  receive  him.  I  was  surprised, 
and  thanked  God  when  I  saw  him  at  the  place  of  baptism.  My 
youngest  son  is  five  years  old,  and  my  mothcr-in  law  takes  care  of 
him  while  I  am  away  from  home.  We  have  a  house  of  one  room, 
which  is  mortgaged  for  nine  dollars.  My  husband  lately  sent  home 
ten  dollars,  but  it  was  all  used  in  paying  my  father-in-law's  debts. 

I  have  been  sorrowful  from  my  childhood  up.  I  have  never 
known  a  time  when  I  had  not  reason  for  great  anxiety.  But  during 
the  past  year,  though  my  earthly  circumstances  remain  the  same,  I 
have  been  almost  happy.  I  know  there  is  a  S'aviour  and  a  heaven, 
and  that  has  taken  away  seven-tenths  of  the  weight  of  my  trouble. 
—  Woman's  Work  in  China. 


"  How  vast  the  area  [of  China],  how  profound  the  need,  how 
urgent  the  claims  of  that  vast  empire  I  The  Christian  Church  has 
not  begun  to  think  of  it  yet  in  a  thoroughly  earnest  spirit.  When 
will  the  wail  of  the  dying  millions  be.  heard  ?" — Spurgeon. 


ABROAD. 


47 


MISSIONS  IN  INDIA. 

I. — THE  HINDTT,  WHO  IS  HE  ? 

The  simplest  answer  to  this  question  would  be  given  by  saying, 
He  is  a  native  of  India.  And  this  is  the  definition  common  in  the 
minds  of  thousands  of  people  in  this  country.  This  answer  would 
not  satisfy  the  Hindu,  however,  much  less  many  of  the  various 
nationalities  of  India.  Let  us  see  if  we  can  get  any  better  under- 
standing of  "  our  Aryan  brother." 

One  thing  very  apparent  to  all  who  have  been  in  India  is  the 
variety  of  different  and  mixed  nationality  represented  in  every 
largo  town  and  city.  This  variety  is  seen  in  the  physical  structure, 
facial  appearance,  color,  and  often  in  the  speech  of  the  people. 
How  is  it  to  be  accounted  for?  Have  we  here  one  race  metamor- 
phosed by  climate  and  other  influences,  or  have  we  a  medley  of 
nations  ?  These  questions  are  partly  answered  by  history,  partly 
by  philology.  From  these  sources  we  learn  that,  away  back  in 
prehistoric  times,  a  Tartar  race  emigrated  from  the  regions  north 
of  Hindustan,  and  pouring  down  through  the  passes  of  the  great 
Himalayas  began  to  spread  themselves  over  the  plains  of  India. 
They  found  the  land  already  occupied  by  a  people  ready  to  dispute 
their  right  of  possession.  A  long  war  ensued,  resulting  in  time  in 
the  extermination  of  all  the  aborigines,  excepting  such  as  took 
refuge  in  the  fastnesses  of  the  mountains.  The  descendants  of  these 
aboriginal  tribes  are  recognized  in  the  Sonthals,  Bhils,  Garos,  Kols, 
and  other  tribes  inhabiting  the  hills  and  mountains  of  Northeastern 
Bengal  and  Central  India. 

After  the  Tartar  occupation  of  India — no  one  knows  how  long — 
the  advent  of  a  new  people  was  announced.  The  Aryan  hordes 
inhabiting  the  regions  of  Central  Asia,  somewhere  about  the 
Hindu  Kush,  having  spread  themselves  over  Persia  and  Europe, 
penetrating  as  far  as  the  British  islands,  now  turned  eastward,  and 
descending  through  the  passes  northwest  of  the  Panjab,  invaded 
India,  and  conquering  their  Tartar  predecessors  they  either  brought 
them  into  servitude  or  drove  them  into  the  southern  part  of  the 
peninsula. 

The  descendants  of  these  Aryan  invaders  are  those  who  founded 
the  Hindu  nations  of  India.  The  religion  of  the  servile  Tartar 
races  having  been  gradually  absorbed  into  the  religion  of  their 
conquerors,  these  races  became  a  part  of  the  Brahminical  hierarchy, 
and  so  are  properly  called  Hindus.  Still,  owing  to  the  power  of 
the  caste  system,  the  ethnical  lines  are  kept  distinct.  Here  then  is 
the  Hindu  of  the  period.  Small  additions  have  been  made  from 
among  the  Nepaulese  and  other  hill  tribes  to  the  Brahmin 
hierarchy,  forming  nciv  castes,  but  changing,  in  name  at  least,  the 
national  distinction.    Properly,  therefore,  none  should  be  described 


48 


woman's  work  for  woman. 


as  Hindus  who  do  not  owe  allegiance  to  the  Brahmins.  Certainly 
no  others  are  so  regarded  by  the  people  of  India  themselves. 

The  succeeding  invasions  of  Pathan  and  Mogal,  of  Portuguese 
and  English,  have  added  largely  to  the  population,  introducing  new 
races,  or  mingling  races  by  intermarriage  with  the  Hindus,  or  by 
proselyting  them  to  foreign  religions.  But  in  all  this  the  Hindus 
keep  themselves  pure  by  cutting  off  the  rebellious  members.  No 
one  in  India  would  speak  of  any  of  the  forty  million  Moham- 
medans as  Hindus.  Having  intermarried  with  their  converts,  the 
Moslems  appear  as  a  separate  people,  just  as  Europeans  and  half 
castes  are  separate.  The  case  is  different  with  Christian  converts, 
inasmuch  as  they,  as  a  rule,  do  not  intermarry  with  their  Chris- 
tian rulers,  and  are,  therefore,  the  nucleus  of  what  will  be  the 
Christian  Hindu  people  of  India.  Padri  Sahib. 


NEWS  FROM  THE  FIELD. 

Miss  Thiedi,  Lahore,  India, 
writes  of  a  famine  in  Cashmere.  "  How  it  came  that  this  rich  and 
beautiful  land  was  visited  by  such  a  severe  famine,  I  do  not  know. 
The  cruel  Rajah  did  not  make  any  arrangements  for  his  poor  people. 
Four  pounds  of  grain  sold  for  one  rupee,  and  the  poor  did  not  get 
more  than  two  pounds  a  week.  No  wonder  that  thousands  starved, 
and  thousands  left  the  country,  while  very  many  died  on  the 
way.  A  few  hundreds  came  to  Lahore.  The  governor  has  sent 
several  thousand  rupees  worth  of  grain  to  Cashmere  to  be  given  to 
the  poor.  This  fearful  time  may  be  the  cause  of  a  great  blessing. 
Many  Cashmeries  came  to  our  fort  school  to-day  and  enjoyed  the 
singing,  and  began  to  learn,  though  ill  and  weak.  A  great  difl&- 
culty  is  that  they  can  understand  so  little  of  what  we  say.  The 
language  is  quite  different  from  the  Panjabi,  but  I  hope  they  will 
soon  learn  this  language.  They  do  not  mind  eating  bread  from  our 
hands.  There  was  a  pale  little  girl  with  them  whose  mother  died 
on  the  way,  and  they  would  have  left  her  with  me  at  once,  but  as 
I  have  nine  orphans  already,  I  did  not  think  that  J.  could  take 
her.  I  will  try  to  make  some  arrangement  for  her.  Please  pray 
for  the  poor  Cashmeries." 

Mrs.  C.  B.  Newton,  Lahore,  India, 
writes  of  the  dialects  spoken  in  Northern  India.  "  It  would  be 
difficult  to  make  you  understand  the  vast  number  of  boUs  (dialects) 
spoken  in  this  country.  These  pahurris  (mountain  people)  use  a 
combination  of  Urdu,  Hindi  and  Panjabi,  with  variations  and  cor- 
ruptions to  suit  themselves.  When  one  hears  them  talking  among 
themselves  there  seems  little  more  possibility  of  understanding  them 


ABROAD. 


49 


than  if  they  were  so  many  monkeys  chattering.'  But  if  you  know 
these  three  languages  pretty  well,  you  find  that  with  patience  you 
can  understand  them  and  make  them  understand  you.  It  is  very 
much  more  difficult  to  make  the  women  understand  than  the  men. 
The  latter,  if  not  from  very  far  in  the  interior,  generally  get  some 
knowledge  of  pure  Hindustani,  while  the  women  know  nothing  but 
their  own  hoU." 

Miss  Crotjch,  Canton,  China. 

"  The  Honam  school  is  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  and  we 
have  no  bridges  over  the  river.  The  schools  have  been  most  pros- 
perous even  during  the  hot  months ;  there  has  been  a  filling  up, 
rather  than  the  usual  falling  ofi".  I  have  had  in  my  four  schools 
more  than  one  hundred  dear  girls,  and  they  are  larger  girls  and  of 
a  better  class  this  year  than  usual.  We  hope  soon  to  be  able  to 
rent  a  better  and  larger  room  for  the  Honam  school ;  we  are  very 
much  crowded  now.  Since  I  opened  the  school  lust  March  over 
forty  have  been  under  instruction.  Other  schools  could  be  opened 
to  good  advantage  quite  near  there  if  we  had  the  funds.  The  Tai  it 
school  is  still  doing  very  well." 

Miss  McCay,  Creek  Mission,  Tullahasse,  Ind.  T. 

"  Our  school  is  much  changed  from  last  year.  Many  of  the  older 
scholars  have  not  returned  ;  some  are  married,  some  dead,  and  some 
who  had  been  here  a  number  of  years  left  out  that  room  might  be 
made  for  others.  The  majority  of  the  scholars  are  small  children. 
In  some  respects  this  is  a  drawback,  for  this  is  a  manual  labor 
school,  and  it  makes  the  work  harder  for  the  few  who  are  grown. 
But  even  the  little  folks  do  their  part  and  the  work  is  accomplished. 
One  great  advantage  in  taking  the  scholars  young  is  the  readiness 
with  which  they  learn  the  English  language;  we  can  teach  them  to 
speak  it  much  more  coi-rectly  than  if  they  were  grown.  Then  we 
hope  to  teach  them  habits  of  cleanliness  and  industry,  and  to  instill 
into  their  young  minds  principles  of  truthfulness  and  honesty.  .  .  . 

"  There  is  one  thing  which  I  have  often  noticed  in  our  scholars 
who  are  Christians,  they  seem  to  love  their  Bibles  very  much.  In 
this  I  think  they  are  examples  to  many  Christians  at  home.  Our 
cook,  who  is  an  Indian  and  was  a  pupil  here  for  many  years,  has 
her  Bible  with  her  in  the  kitchen  about  her  work,  snatching  time 
to  read  and  commit  God's  Word.  We  are  in  the  habit  of  repeat- 
ing texts  of  Scripture  at  the  supper  table.  In  this  way  the  children 
all  learn  a  great  many  texts,  which  although  they  may  not  appreciate 
and  understand  now,  is  seed  sown,  and  in  after  years  it  will  bring 
forth  fnait." 


50 


woman's  work  for  woman. 


Miss  Dickson,  Dakota  Mission,  Yankton  Agency,  D.  T. 
"  We  get  along  very  nicely  in  school  and  do  not  have  much 
trouble  with  the  full  Indians,  but  there  are  four  or  five  half-breed 
boys  who  try  my  patience  sometimes.  ...  If  I  had  time  I  could 
do  more  visiting.  During  the  summer  many  of  the  Indians  live 
near  the  Agency,  but  in  winter  most  of  them  remove  to  the 
woods  about  five  miles  distant.  They  can  have  plenty  of  firewood 
there  without  the  trouble  of  hauling  it.  Much  as  I  would 
like  to  go  among  them  oftener,  I  think  it  would  not  be  advisable  to 
take  that  walk  very  often  unless  it  was  necessary.  There  are 
some  here  yet.  The  Sioux  do  not  live  in  villages  like  some  of  the 
other  tribes ;  I  often  wish  they  did,  for  sometimes  when  I  go  a 
second  time  to  see  a  family  I  find  that  they  have  removed.  So 
you  seldom  know  where  to  find  them  unless  they  live  in  a  log  hut. 
After  I  have  learned  to  talk  to  them  I  can  do  better.  I  devote 
part  of  every  day  to  study.  The  language  would  not  be  so  hard  to 
learn  if  the  Indians  would  speak  plainly.  The  women  and  girls 
are  very  apt  to  cover  their  mouths  with  their  shawls  when  they  are 
talking.  The  children  in  school  are  very  much  pleased  when  I 
say  anything  to  them  in  Dakota,  but  it  is  almost  impossible  to  make 
them  say  anything  in  English,  for  they  have  a  perfect  horror  of 
being  laughed  at,  and  they  are  afraid  of  making  a  mistake." 

Mrs.  Holcomb,  Allahabad,  India. 

"  One  great  drawback  in  our  work  among  the  women  arises  from 
early  marriages.  You  know  that  girls  are  married  in  this  country 
when  mere  children.  They  do  not  at  once  go  to  the  home  of  the 
husband  to  remain,  but  for  several  years,  until  old  enough  to  take 
upon  themselves  the  duties  of  wife  and  mother,  spend  the  time 
between  the  two  homes,  the  bride's  early  home  and  that  of  her 
husband's  parents.  As  they  thus  come  back  from  time  to  time,  we 
have  an  opportunity  to  give  them  further  instruction  and  to  fur- 
nish them  with  new  books.  I  know  that  the  seed  thus  sown  will 
some  time  bear  precious  fruit.  Were  there  no  seed  time  there 
would  be  no  rich  harvest  to  garner.  Man  applauds  him  who  brings 
home  the  sheaves ;  God's  eye  looks  as  lovingly  upon  him  who 
patiently,  faithfully,  prayerfully  scatters  the  good  seed.  .  .  . 

"  In  eighteen  different  zenanas  women  areYeceiving  instruction. 
Many  of  the  women  have  learned  to  read  well,  and  understand 
what  they  read,  and  I  trust  are  impressed  by  what  they  have 
learned.  One  woman  tells  me  that  she  studies  the  Bible  with  her 
husband,  that  she  has  learned  and  offers  up  a  prayer  which  she 
found  in  one  of  the  books  in  which  she  has  been  reading,  and  also 
some  of  the  hymqs.  She  has  nearly  finished  the  reading  of  the 
New  Testament  in  Hindi,  and  often  pauses  in  her  reading  to  ask 


ABROAD. 


51 


questions  concerning  what  she  is  reading.  All  of  these  houses  I 
try  to  visit  once  each  week,  and  the  Bible  woman  visits  them  alone 
one  or  twice  a  week.  I  have  in  the  bazaar  one  school  for 
heathen  girls,  and  have  funds  to  establish  one  or  two  more  if  girls 
can  only  be  persuaded  to  come ;  but  they  are  much  more  particular 
about  leaving  their  own  homes  here  than  in  Futtehgurh,  Mynpurie, 
or  Etawah.  I  suppose  it  is  because  there  is  a  larger  Mohammedan 
element  here.  The  school  for  the  daughters  of  the  native  Chris- 
tians is  also  in  my  care.  This  is  the  school  formerly  in  Miss  Walsh's 
care.  Besides  the  daughters  of  the  native  Christians,  about  fifteen 
orphan  girls  were  formerly  in  attendance ;  but  four  or  five  years 
ago  it  was  decided  to  send  them  to  Futtehgurh,  that  is,  to  Rakha, 
as  there  are  suitable  buildings  there,  while  here  they  were  in  the 
families  of  native  Christians,  and  we  could  not  exercise  that  super- 
vision over  them  which  we  found  necessary.  The  school  is  continued 
just  as  formerly  ;  but  as  I  have  said,  contains  only  the  daughters  of 
native  Christians,  with  the  exception  of  one  or  two  heathen  children 
whom  I  have  recently  persuaded  to  join  the  school. 


GIFTS  FOB  GIRLS  IN  INDIA. 

Miss  Gary,  who  has  charge  of  the  girls'  orphanage  at  Bareilly, 
India,  writes  to  the  Heathen  Woman's  Friend  on  this  subject,  and 
as  her  words  apply  equally  well  to  the  girls  of  our  mission  schools 
in  that  country,  we  quote  them  :  "  As  regards  your  questions  con- 
cerning gifts  for  the  girls,  let  me  say  that  it  does  not  pay  to  send 
any  article  of  value ;  it  is  not  prized.  Do  not  send  clothing :  the 
girls'  dress  is  simple  and  should  be  uniform.  Quilts  are  not  prized 
or  worth  the  labor  for  India.  Nothing  delights  the  oldest  girl  to 
the  youngest  more  than  a  string  of  beads,  a  doll,  or  a  mouth  organ. 
Photographs  of  our  ladies  and  pictures  ai-e  acceptable.  Remnants 
of  calico  have  been  sent  for  jackets;  a  few  choose  such  a  gift.  Our 
style  of  dress  is  not  the  custom  of  this  country.  The  dress  of  the 
native  woman  is  more  simple,  plainer,  less  expensive,  very  becoming; 
therefore  it  is  most  desirable  that  it  be  retained  by  our  Christian 
girls.  It  is  ludicrous  to  see  our  dress  imitated  by  any  one  of  these 
native  women.  I  should  regret  the  day  when  it  shall  appear  to  the 
women  of  this  land  that  a  change  of  religion,  from  the  worship  of 
idols  to  the  living  God,  means  an  adoption  of  our  dress,  customs, 
and  mode  of  living." 


"  Blessed  be  the  Lord  God,  the  God  of  Israel,  who  only  doeth 
wondrous  things.  And  blessed  be  His  glorious  name  forever ;  and 
let  the  whole  earth  be  filled  with  his  glory ;  Amen,  and  Amen." 


52 


woman's  work  for  woman. 


3Ef  Ijoinp. 

ET  TENEO  ET  TENEOR. 

(l  BOTH  HOLD  AND  AM  HELD.) 

I    Tpiis  old  motto  embodies  the  experience  of  every  Christian  into 

whose  heart  the  grace  of  God  has  entered  as  a  Hving  power.  No 
matter  what  the  circumstances  or  the  attainments,  these  words  still 
describe  the  only  condition  of  security  for  any  human  soul.  That 
poor  woman  at  her  washtub  or  her  sewing,  who  knows  not  a  word 
of  this  or  any  other  Latin  sentence,  who  perhaps  could  not  put  into 
distinct  form  any  of  the  great  truths  which  yet  fill  her  humble  life 
with  joy  and  strength — that  man  high  in  position,  influence,  and 
wealth,  whose  praise  is  in  all  the  churches,  and  whose  Christian 
benevolence  extends  far  and  wide — both  these  equally  need  to  hold 
and  to  be  held  as  followers  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

It  is  not  enough  that  ice  try  to  hold  fast  to  the  Cross ;  our  grasp 
is  at  the  best  too  feeble.  The  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil  will 
combine  their  strength  to  loosen  and  detach  our  hold,  and  they  are 
too  strong  for  the  unaided  soul  to  resist.  But,  blessed  be  God ! 
omnipotent  power  here  comes  to  its  relief,  and  when  the  soul  is  thus 
"  held,"  no  foes  can  prevail  to  "  pluck  it  out  of  that  hand." 

Yet  the  Cross  must  be  clasped  and  rested  upon  in  its  symbolic 
meaning,  as  the  emblem  of  Christ's  atoning  work,  whereupon  all 
our  hopes  of  heaven  and  of  freedom  from  this  "  body  of  sin"  are 
founded.  The  sustaining,  strengthening,  uplifting  power  is  given 
to  those  who  with  all  the  might  of  their  own  souls  are  clinging  to 
Him  of  whose  death  the  Cross  is  symbolical.  And  when  that  clasp 
is  firm  and  strong — nay,  even  when  it  is  as  jet  but  a  timid,  shrink- 
ing, hesitating  grasp — the  blessed  power  comes  and  holds  the  faint- 
ing spirit  closer  up  to  the  object  of  its  faith,  and  bids  it  rest  with 
more  security,  and  trust  with  more  self-abandonment,  in  "  Christ 
and  Him  crucified." 

We  shall  never  see  the  time,  until  we  are  safe  in  our  Father's 
house  above,  forever  free  from  all  danger  of  falling,  when  we  can 


AT  IXUJIE. 


53 


for  a  moment  cease  to  "  hold  and  to  be  held"  by  the  Cross  of  Christ. 
There  in  that  blissful  home  we  may  lose  sight  somewhat  of  that 
emblem  of  atoning  love,  in  the  light  of  the  glorious  crown  upon  the 
brow  of  our  victorious  King,  yet  even  then — and  forever — wc  must 
press  closer  to  Him,  while  we  acknowledge  with  great  joy  that  we 
have  been  ■'  kept  by  the  power  of  God  through  faith  unto  salva- 
tion." 


LESSONS  FROM  THE  WORD.— II. 

Frances  Ridley  Havergal. 

•'Go  ye,  therefore.'' — Matt,  xviii.  19. 

When  we  read  any  general  promise,  faith  appropriates  it  by  say- 
ing, "This  is  for  me!"  And  then  it  becomes  effectual;  one 
receives  it  as  surely  as  if  it  had  been  spoked  to  and  for  one's  self  alone. 
When  we  heard  the  word  of  the  Lord  Jesus  saying,  "  Come  unto 
me,  all  y  !"  we  who  believe  on  Him  did  not  and  do  not  hesitate  to 
say,  "  That  means  me !'"  and  to  act  upon  the  gracious  invitation. 
Now.  is  it  fair  to  accept  His  "Come  ye,"  and  refuse  His  ''Co  ye"  ? 
Is  the  first,  with  its  untold  blessings,  to  be  appropriated  personally, 
notwithstanding  its  plural  form,  and  the  second  to  be  merely  read 
as  an  interesting  general  command  to  whomsoever  it  may  concern, 
but  certainly  not  to  ourselves  ? 

As  we  have  the  unspeakable  privilege  and  comfort  of  knowing 
that  ''  all  God's  promises  are  for  all  God's  children,"  so  that  you 
and  I  may  claim  every  one  unless  we  can  show  cause  that  it  cannot 
apply  to  our  case,  so  it  must  be  that  all  God's  commands  are  for 
all  God's  children,  unless  we  can  show  cause  that  any  one  cannot 
apply  to  our  case.  Therefore  it  follows  that,  as  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  said,  "  Go  ye,"  the  obligation  lies  upon  each  of  His  true 
followers  to  consider  definitely,  at  least  once  in  his  or  her  life, 
whether  the  circumstances  in  which  He  has  placed  them  do  or  do 
not  definitely  preclude  them  from  literally  obeying  this  distinct  and 
most  literal  commandment. 

If  they  are  thus  precluded,  the  loving  and  loyal  heart  will  be 
eager  to  find  ways  of  obeying  the  spirit  of  it.  But  if  ')iot  thus 
precluded,  what  then  ?  To  Him,  your  own  blaster,  you  must  give 
account  why  you  do  not  go  !  To  Him  you  must  make  excuse." 
To  Him  who  gave  Himself  for  you,  and  who  knows  exactly  how 
much  it  is  in  your  heart  to  '■  keep  back"  from  Him.  To  Him 
who  knows  your  secret  preference  for  some  other  profession,  or  your 
reluctance  to  be  tied  to  an  absorbing  life-work ;  and  who  knows 
how  you  satisfy  your  conscience  with  offering  Him  the  chips  and 
shavings  of  your  time  and  strength,  a  few  odds  and  ends  of  work 


54 


woman's  work  for  woman. 


in  the  evenings  or  on  Sundays,  or  a  proportion  of  your  time  sub- 
tracted from  "  social  claims,"  when  you  miglit,  nobly,  bravely, 
loyally,  leave  all  and  follow  Him,  responding  to  the  Master's  '•  Go 
ye,"  with  "  Here  am  I,  send  me  I" 

Have  you  thought  of  it  in  this  light?  If  not,  do  not  risk  being 
among  His  disobedient  servants,  but  take  the  matter  direct  to  Him- 
self, and  say,  ''Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do?  Make  thy 
way  straight  before  my  face  !" 


"  TRUST  IN  HIM  AT  ALL  TIMES." 

I  CANNOT  see  with  my  small  human  sight 
Why  God  should  lead  this  way  or  that  for  me ; 
I  only  know  He  saith,  "  Child,  follow  me." 

But  I  can  trust. 

I  know  not  why  my  path  should  be  at  times 
So  straitly  hedged,  so  strangely  barred  before ; 
I  only  know  God  could  keep  wide  the  door — 
And  so  I  trust. 

I  find  no  answer,  often,  when  beset 
With  questions  fierce  and  subtle  on  my  way, 
And  often  have  but  strength  to  faintly  pray, 
And  firmly  trust. 

I  often  wonder  as,  with  trembling  hand, 
I  cast  the  seed  along  the  furrowed  ground, 
If  ripened  fruit  for  God  will  there  be  found ; 
But  still  I  trust. 

I  cannot  know  why  suddenly  the  storm 
Should  rage  so  fiercely  round  me  in  its  wrath. 
But  this  I  know,  God  watches  all  my  path, 
And  I  can  trust. 

I  may  not  draw  aside  the  mystic  veil 
That  hides  the  unknown  future  from  my  sight; 
Nor  know  if  for  me  waits  the  dark  or  light ; 
But  I  can  trust. 

And  though  I  cannot  look  across  the  tide, 
Or  see,  while  here,  the  land  beyond  the  river, 
My  joy  is  this, — I  shall  be  God's  for  ever  ; 
So  I  can  trust. 

—  Woman^s  TTorA,  London. 


CONDUCTING  A  LADIES'  FRATER  MEETING. 

One  of  our  readers  and  workers  writes  asking  for  the  best 
method  of  conducting  a  ladies'  prayer  meeting,  and  says  that  she 
would  very  much  like  to  know  the  experience  of  others  in  this 
matter."    Will  not  some  of  our  readers  send  us  their  experience, 
and  thus  help  many  who  are  interested  in  the  subject? 


AT  HOME. 


55 


QUALIFICATIONS  NECESSARY  FOB,  A 
MISSIONARY  LADY. 

So  much  ha-s  been  said  about  giving  the  Lord  our  very  best,  and 
sending  to  foreign  fields  only  the  highly  educated,  that  the  ques- 
tion has  been  raised  whether  those  with  more  limited  educations 
should  go  at  all. 

Missionary  ladies  usually  find  opportunity  to  use  all  their  attain- 
ments and  accomplishments,  but  some  of  our  most  successful  mis- 
sionaries had  only  a  common  English  education  before  going  abroad. 
A  highly-educated  missionary  lady,  after  thirteen  years  experi- 
ence and  observation  on  the  field,  said  she  had  changed  her  mind 
on  this  point.  Before  going  out  she  thought  a  thorough  and  com- 
prehensive education  absolutely  necessary,  but  she  had  come  to 
regard  good  common  sense,  and  a  willingness  to  take  hold  and  do 
whatever  was  to  be  done,  even  to  the  drudgery  of  missionary  work, 
far  more  important  qualifications  than  scientific  and  classical 
attainments.  Much  depends  upon  the  field  and  the  position  on 
the  field.  Those  who  go  to  teach  in  the  higher  grade  of  schools 
in  India  or  Syria,  Persia,  South  America,  Mexico,  &c.,  must  have 
a  good  education.  Eut  in  ordinary  schools  and  the  common 
routine  of  missionary  work  it  is  not  essential. 

Our  missionary  women  do  not  as  a  rule  study  very  deeply  into 
the  language,  literature,  or  religious  systems  of  the  country.  Here 
and  there  you  will  find  a  rare  exception,  such  as  jMrs.  Crawford,  of 
Tungchow,  China,  who  can  take  her  English  Bible  and  translate 
it  into  Chinese  as  she  reads  ;  but  that  is  not  common.  Ordinarily 
our  missionary  men  do  the  book  making  and  translating.  Our 
missionary  women  are  sent  to  labor  for  the  heathen  women,  and 
the  instruction  most  of  them  need  is  very  primary  and  very 
practical.  Much  must  be  taught  them  outside  of  books,  they 
must  be  taught  to  make  homes  and  train  their  children,  patiently 
drilled  into  habits  of  cleanliness,  order,  and  industry,  in  short, 
taught  evLrything  a  Christian  woman  ought  to  know  how  to  do. 
Evidently  what  is  wanted  to  do  this  work  well  is  a  thoroughly 
practical  education.  Any  young  lady  with  a  practical  knowledge 
of  all  household  and  womanly  duties,  with  devoted  piety,  a  good 
understanding,  energy  of  character,  a  hopeful  spirit,  and  a  moderate 
education,  need  have  no  fears  about  succeeding  as  a  foreign 
missionary.  J.  M.  H. 


" '  Let  us  not  be  weary  in  well  doing,  for  in  due  season  we  shall 
reap  if  we  faint  not.'  The  '  well  doing'  is  praying  and  waiting,  as 
well  as  sowing  and  reaping." 


5G 


woman's  work  for  woman. 


MISSIONARY  BIBLE  READING. 

Prepared  by  Mrs.  M.  J.  Adams. 

1.  Condition  of  the  heathen,  (o.)  Ignorant:  Eph.  ii.  12;  iv. 
17,  18.  (i.)  Stupid  :  Ps.  cxxxv.  18.  (r.)  Wicked:  Rom.  i.  29- 
31.    (fZ.)  Devil-Worshippei-s :  1  Cor.  x.  20. 

2.  Their  {^uilt  and  the  certainty  of  their  punishment.  Som.  i. 
19-22;  ii.  14-15;  Micah  v.  15;  Ilab.  iii.  12;  Rom.  ii.  12;  Ps. 
Ixxix.  6  ;  Rom.  i.  18. 

3.  God's  will  concerning  them.    Isa.  xlv.  23;  Matt.  xxiv.  14. 

4.  Personal  obligations.    Rom.  x.  14—15;  Matt,  xxviii.  19. 

5.  No  other  salvation.    Acts  iv.  12. 

6.  The  young  should  labor.    Ps.  Ixxi.  17. 

7.  The  old  should  labor.    Ps.  Ixxi.  18. 

8.  Our  means  should  be  consecrated.  1  Chron.  xxix.  2—4,  and 
16  ;  2  Cor.  viii.  1-5  ;  Mark  xii.  42-14. 

9.  We  should  pray  for  missions.    Ps.  Ixvii.  2-7  ;  Eph.  vi.  19,  20. 

10.  Our  weakness  is  our  strength.    1  Cor.  i.  27—29. 

11.  The  zeal  of  idolaters  should  stimulate  us.    Jer.  vii.  18. 

12.  We  may  well  imitate  the  zeal  of  hypocrites.    Matt,  xxiii.  15. 

13.  Motives  to  labor.    1  Peter  iv.  10,  11 ;  2  Cor.  v.  14,  15. 

14.  Rewards  of  labor.  Col.  iii.  24  ;  2  Cor.  ix.  6-8 ;  xi.  15  ;  2 
Tim.  iv.  7,  8;  1  Pet.  v.  4;  Dan.  xii.  3;  Matt.  xxv.  34-40. —  The 
Helping  Hand. 


CHEERING  WORDS. 

The  following  is  from  a  lady  who  values  Woman's  Work:  "Some 
time  ago  most  of  my  little  income  was  stopped  by  dishonesty,  and 
I  have  felt  unable  to  take  the  much-prized  magazine,  but  I  must 
have  it  as  long  as  I  live  even  if  I  make  sacrifice  of  a  little  comfort. 
I  shall  be  seventy  on  Christmas.  I  send  one  dollar  in  this,  apply 
what  is  over  where  you  think  best." 

•'Our  Society  (Waynesburgh,  0.^  is  doing  well  now;  we  have 
seven  members,  and  we  support  a  girl  in  Bangkok  school,  and  have 
fifty-eight  dollars  in  treasury.  If  any  society  is  doing  better, 
according  to  the  number,  let  us  hear  of  ^t.  An  old  lady  about 
sixty-five  and  myself  (and  I  am  far  past  sweet  sixteen)  got  up  a 
festival  on  Thanksgiving,  and  cleared  twenty-five  dollars." 

A  pastor  in  Pennsylvania  writes  of  the  auxiliary  in  his  church: 
"  Our  regular  monthly  meeting,  which  has  been  held  every  month, 
without  a  single  exception,  for  four  years  and  a  half,  was  to-day 
more  fully  attended,  more  interesting,  and  more  deeply  devotional 
than  usual." 


AT  HOME. 


57 


MORE  BLESSED  TO  GIVE  THAN  TO  RECEIVE. 

"Remember  the  words  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  how  He  said,  It  is  more  blessed  to 
give  than  to  receive." — Acts  xx.  35. 

Our  gracious  Lord  did  not  content  Himself  with  merely  giving 
utterance  to  this  truth ;  He  embodied  it  in  life.  He  exhibited  it 
in  death.  He  emptied  Himself,  that  we  mio-ht  be  filled.  Heaven 
with  all  its  holiness,  with  all  its  bliss,  was  His  abode :  He  left  it 
for  earth  with  all  its  sin  and  all  its  misery. 

"  The  highest  throne  that  heaven  affords 
Was  His,  was  His  by  right;" 

but  He  left  it,  to  be  denied  a  place  in  Bethlehem's  inn,  to  be  born 
in  a  stable,  laid  in  a  manger !  Surrounded  by  countless  throngs  of 
adoring  angels,  whose  highest  bliss  was  to  serve  Him  and  to  do  His 
will,  He  left  them  to  toil  as  a  humble  carpenter,  to  be  despised  and 
rejected  of  men.  Laying  aside  the  power  of  His  might,  who  created 
the  heavens  with  a  word,  and  the  earth  by  His  command,  He 
became  the  helpless  babe  of  a  poor  mother.  And  after  an  un- 
paralleled life,  He  gave  up.  Himself,  an  unresisting  victim,  to  be 
bound  by  the  servants  of  the  High  Priest,  to  be  mocked,  and  scourged, 
and  crucified  for  the  gratification  of  a  Jewish  mob  and  of  a  Gentile 
soldiery.  He  gave — ah  !  what  did  He  not  give  ? — He  gave  Him- 
self for  us.  Incapable,  as  we  necessarily  are,  of  understanding 
what  He  left  behind  in  His  incarnation,  wliut  it  must  have  been 
to  Him  to  tread  this  sin-defiled  earth,  what  were  the  depths  of  His 
agony  in  Gethsemane,  of  His  suflierings  on  Calvary,  yet,  looking 
on  His  wondrous  life  and  death  even  as  we  can  do,  how  wonderful 
it  seems !  Awful  must  be  that  hell  from  which  deliverance  was 
worth  purchasing  at  such  a  price :  glorious  that  heaven  to  gain 
admittance  to  which  such  a  ransom  was  needed.  But,  blessed  as 
it  is  to  us  to  receive  that  salvation,  which  delivers  us  from  the  one 
and  fits  us  for  the  other,  yet  He  who  gave  it,  and  gave  it  at  such  a 
cost,  Himi-elf  testifies  that  it  is  even  more  blessed  to  give  than  to 
receive.  Oh,  for  hearts  to  apprehend  and  live  out  this  wondrous 
truth  ! — China  s  Millions. 


The  blanks  for  the  Annual  Report  will  be  sent  to  the  Secretaries 
of  Auxiliary  Societies  this  month.  Please  fill  them  carefully,  and 
return  them  as  soon  as  convenient  to  your  Prcshyterial  Secretary. 
Do  not  send  them  to  the  Home  Secretary  at  Philadelphia,  unless 
your  auxiliary  is  not  connected  with  any  Presbyterial  Society. 
Last  year  many  Bands  were  omitted  because  of  the  neglect  of  sec- 
retaries to  report  them.    Please  report  every  Band  in  your  church. 


58 


woman's  work  for  woman. 


*'FOR  HE  IS  FAITHFUL  THAT  PROMISED." 

When  Mrs.  Dr.  W.  S.  Plumer,  of  Columbia,  S.  C,  whose 
recent  death  has  been  mourned  by  many  friends  both  in  the  South- 
ern Presbyterian  Church  and  our  own,  was  on  her  dying  bed,  she 
said  to  those  who  sat  by  her :  "  I  tell  you  that  you  will  never 
regret  all  the  toil,  labor,  privation,  self-denial,  and  suflFering  you 
undergo  for  Jesus.  When  you  come  to  the  end  your  only  regret 
will  be  that  you  could  not  work  and  suffer  more  for  Him.  He  is 
faithful  to  fulfill  all  His  promises,  for  He  has  fulfilled  aU  His 
promises  to  me,  and  more  too — a  great  deal  more.  Oh,  yes,  Jesus 
is  precious."  Again  :  "  I  have  tried  to  work  for  Jesus,  but  now  as 
I  lie  here,  I  feel  as  if  I  had  done  nothing  for  Him,  and  He  has  done 
so  much  for  me.  Oh,  work,  my  daughters,  work  for  Him  while  it 
is  day." 


Miss  Kirkland,  of  the  Southern  Presbyterian  Mission  at  Hang- 
chow,  writes  to  The  Missionary,  that  "  a  few  simple,  but  to  the 
Chinese  wonderful,  cures  have  been  made,  which  have  given  me  a 
very  unmerited  reputation  for  skill  in  the  art  of  healing.  On  this 
account  a  good  many  women  come  to  the  schools  and  also  to  the 
house  for  medicine,  and  many  beg  me  to  go  to  their  houses  to  see  the 
sick."  This  is  another  confirmation  of  the  fact  that  some  knowledge 
of  medicine  is  of  great  assistance  to  the  missionary  lady  in  her  work. 


Our  Congregational  friends  do  not  forget  the  young  people,  in 
their  missionary  zeal.  The  venerable  Missionary  Herald  begins 
the  new  year  with  an  illustrated  department  for  them,  and  Life 
and  Lifjlit  gives  them  a  generous  share  of  its  pages,  and  this  is  its 
promise  for  the  year :  "  The  size  and  success  of  this  department  will 
depend  Lu-gely  upon  the  young  ladies  themselves.  For  this  year 
we  propose  always  to  give  four  extra  pages  for  it,  sparing  one  or 
two  from  the  other  parts  of  the  magazine,  now  and  then ;  and,  if  it 
is  a  necessity,  another  year  we  shall  be  glad  to  give  twice  as  much." 


"  Be  ready  for  any  work  the  Master  may  bring  before  you ;  and 
remember  that  waiting  on  Him,  when  all  seems  dark  and  discour- 
aging, is  oiten  couuted  truer  service  in  His  sight,  than  the  more 
active  work  we  would  ourselves  so  readily  choose;  but  whicli,  to  be 
pleasing  to  Him,  must  be  done  in  the  jjowrr  gained  by  much  secret 
abiding  in  His  presence." — Mrs.  White,  in  Woman  s  Work  in 
China. 


AT  HOME. 


59 


We  begin,  in  this  number  of  Woman's  Work,  a  series  of  articles 
on  India,  by  Rev.  E.  M.  Wherry,  whose  life  and  labor  in  that 
country  have  well  qualified  him  to  give  the  information  concerning 
it  which  is  needed  here. 


NEW  AUXILIARIES  AND  BANDS. 


Clarion,  Pa.,  Presbyterial  Society, 
Breakneck,  Pa.,  Butler  Pres. 
Hagerstown,  Md.,  Baltimore  Pres 


AUXILIARIES. 

Lawrenceville,  Pa.,  Wellsborough  Pres. 
Wellsborough,    "  "  " 


Colerain,  Pa.,  Mackey. 

East  Brady,  Pa.,  Beacon  Lights. 

KerrviDe,  Pa.,  Band  of  Hope. 


Milton,  Pa.,  Ruby  Blessings. 
Roselle,  N.  J.,  Missionary  Link. 
West  Point,  0.,  Loring. 


NEW  LIFE  ME3IBERS. 

Eddy,  Miss  Harriet  M. 
Marsh,  Miss  E.  H. 
Peck,  Miss  Edith  May 


Riggs,  Mrs.  Dr.  C.  C. 
Riggs,  Miss  Jennie  A. 
Woodburn,  Mrs.  Maggie  E. 


Receipts  of  the  Woman's  Foreign  Missionary  Society 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  from  Dec.  1,  1878. 

SMALL  CAPITALS.] 

Mrs.  L.  D.  Wetmore,  for 
sch'p,  Gaboon,  $12  50,       .    $30  78 

KiTTANNING.  —  Apollo  Au.X., 

$43  87,  Faithful  Workers 
(bovs),  $2  45,  Hopeful  Bd. 
(girls),  S3  68  (ijaO),  for 
Miss'y,  Siam  ;  Boiling 
Spring  Aux.,  $20,  Crooked 
Creek  Aux.,  $14  (S34),  for 
Miss'y,  Brazil ;  Eldersridge, 
interest  on  legacy  of  Mrs. 
Donaldson,  $18,  .  .  .102  00 
Lackawanna. — Athens  Aux., 
sch'p,  Sidon,  $25 ;  Ply- 
mouth Aux.,  sch.,  Syria, 
$50 ;  Towanda  Aux.,  for 
Miss'y,  Corisco,  $125  ;  Cash 
for  nat.  tea.,  Corisco,  $25,  .  225  00 
Lehigh. — Easton,  1st  Ch.  S. 

S.,  for  sch.,  Syria,      .       .      50  00 
Lima. — Findlay,  Lilies  of  the 
Field,  of  which  $25  for  sch'p, 
Corisco,      .       .       .       .     29  85 
Long  Island. — Southampton 
Aux.,  $42  21,  j\Iis.  Ilunt- 
ting,  for  L.  M.,  $25,  Golden 
Rule  Band,  $14  03,     .       .      81  24 
M  a  H  o  N  I  N  G. — Columbiana 
Aux.,  $3;   East  Palestine 


[pnESBYTERIES  IN 

Blairsville.  —  Greensburg 

Aux.,  for  sch.  Ningpo,  $50; 

Plum  Creek  Aux.  for  Miss'y, 

Hangchow,  $41,  .  .  $91  00 
Chester. — Honeybrook  Aux., 

for  Miss'y,  Lodiana,  $100, 

Necktie  Fund,  $12  75  ($112 

75) ;  West  Chester  Aux.,  for 

Miss'y,  Syria,  $261;  Mar- 

pie  S.  S.,  $25,  Cedar  Grove 

S.  S.,  $15,  Newton,  1st  Day 

School,  $10   ($50),  for  2 

sch'ps,  Gaboon  ;  Union  Ch., 

Primarv    Class,   for  sch., 

Lahorej$8,  .  .  .431  75 
Cleveland. — Cleveland,  1st 

Ch.,    Helping    Hands  for 

Helper  in  India,  $50  68; 

2d  Ch.  Aux.,  for  Miss'y, 

Japan,  $45,  S.  S.,  for  San 

Paulo,  $50,  sch.,  Mexico, 

$50,  sch.,  India,  $30  ($175) ; 

Case  av.  Aux.,  nat.  tea., 

India,  .$25,  .  .  .  250  63 
Elizabeth. — Metuchen,  Miss. 

Bd.,  sch'p,  Bangkok,  .  .  30  00 
Erie.  —  Cool   Spring  Aux., 

$10  78;  GirardAux.,$7  50  ; 

Warren,  Mrs.  F.  Henry  and 


60 


woman's  work  for  woman. 


Aux.,  for  Miss'y,  Bogota, 
$22  08;  Warren  Aux.,  for 
Miss'y,  $10,  S.  S.,  for  sch., 
Bogota,  $17  60  (S27  60),    .    $52  68 

Marion. — York  Aux.,    .       .       6  40 

New  Brunswick.  —  Amwell, 
United  1st  Aux.,  for  San 
Paulo,  $24;  Trenton,  1st, 
for  Miss'y,  Brazil,  S225,     .    249  00 

Newcastle. — Dover,  Cheerful 
Workers,  adl.,  for  Oroomiah 
Sem.,  §16;  Head  of  Christ- 
iana Aux.,  $20  ;  White  Clay 
Creek  Aux.,  $37  50,   .       .      73  50 

Newton. — Stewartsville  Aux., 

sch.,  Saharanpur,       .       .     25  00 

Northumberland. — Sunbury 

Aux.,   25  00 

Philadelphia. — Calvary  Ch., 
Bay  Dawn  Bd.,  for  L.  M. 
and  Miss'y,  India,  $25  ; 
AValnut  st.  Ch.,  Mrs.  Dr. 
Stidham,  for  soh'p,  Dehra, 
$65  ;  Old  Pine  St.,  Workers 
for  Jesus,  for  2  B.  R.'s,  In- 
dia, $25,     .       .       .       .      95  00 

Philadelphia,  Central.  — 
Bethesda  Aux.,  for  Miss'y, 
Yankton  Agency,  $400 ; 
Johnstone  Aux.,  for  Miss'y, 
Odanah,  $75;  North  Ch. 
Aux.,  for  soil.,  Syria,  $100  ; 
Shepherd  Aux.,  for  Kola- 
poor,  $S7,   .       .       .       .    662  00 

PiTTSBunr.H  <fc  Allegheny 
Com.  —  Allegheny,  Hope 
Mission,  Woman's  Bible 
Class,  $6  56  ;  Monongahela 
City  Aux.,  for  nat.  tea., 
India,  $50  25  ;  Pittsburgh, 
Bellefield  Ch.,  Buds  of  Pro- 
mise, sch'p,  Allahabad,  $15 ; 
Sewickley  Aux.,  for  Miss'y, 
Kolapoor,  §25 ;  Swissvale, 
Miss.  Bd.,  seh'p,  Ningpo, 
$40;  Wilkinsburg,  S.  M. 
Henderson  Bd.,  for  sch'p, 
Ningpo,  §39,      .       .       .175  81 

Rochester.— Geneseo,  Central 

Ch.  Aux..  for  sch'p,  Beirut,      50  00 

St.  Clairsville. — Crab  Ap- 
ple Aux.  (of  which  $25  for 
L.  M.),  for  Miss'y,  Canton,      50  00 


Shenango.  —  Beaver  Falls, 
Mrs.  Dr.  C.  C.  Riggs,  for 
2  L.  Ms.,  .... 

Steubentille. — Yellow  Creek 
Aux.,  for  Miss'y,  California, 

Syracuse. — Oswego,  1st  Ch. 
Aux.,  for  2  sch'ps,  Sidon,  . 

Utica. — Rome,  Seed  Sowers, 
for  Africa,  $1  83,  Persia, 
§1  94,  Syria,  §3  28,  . 

Westminster.— Leacock  Anx., 
for  B.  R.,  Allahabad,  $30; 
Slate  Ridge  Aux.,  §20  10,  . 

West  Virginia. — Grafton 
Aux.,  

Wooster. — Hopewell  Aux.,  . 

Miscellaneous.  —  Albion, 
Ind.,  Mrs.  B.  Cook,  for 
Oroomiah,  §1  ;  Batavia,  N. 
Y.,  A  Friend,  $9  40 ;  Con- 
stitution, 0.,  Aux.,  $10 ; 
East  Derry,  N.  H.,  Mrs. 
Mary  G.  Pigeon,  $25  :  Eliza- 
beth, N.  J.,  K.,  Christmas 
Gift,  $25;  Mt.  Joy,  Pa., 
Mrs.  S.  R.  Browne,  $1; 
Phila.,  S.,  Christmas  Gift, 
$5,  Miss  M.  Grier,  $7  ; 
Putnamville,  Ind.,  Mrs.  S. 
M.  Hawley,  $2 ;  New  Cali- 
fornia, 0.,  P.  S.  Comstock, 
$1  40 ;  Sag  Harbor,  N.  Y., 
Mrs.  A.  E.  Westfall,  40  cts.; 
Shelby,  0.,  Miss  M.  Cum- 
mins, work  Tungchow,  $10; 
Washington  C.  H.,  0.,  Mrs. 
Mary  Stockdale,  $70  ;  Wil- 
mington, Del.,  Miss  Hous- 
ton, money  refunded,  $18  50. 
"  Necktie  Fund  " —  Albion, 
Ind.,  Mrs.  M.  Chambers,  $1, 
Chestnut  Hill,  Pa.,  $1  50, 
Easton,  Pa.,  Two  Sisters, 
$2,  Hamden  .Junction,  0., 
Mrs.  Jane  Rav,  §1,  New 
York,  B.  V.  W.,  5  cents 
($5  65);  Sale  of  leaflets, 
&c.,  $5  42,  . 

Total  for  December,  1878, 
Previously  acknowledged. 


$50  00 


50  00 


50  00 


7  05 


50  10 

10  00 
20  00 


196  47 

§3239  11 
21452  69 


Total  from  May  1,  1878,    .  $24691  80 


The  1st  Ch.,  Oswego,  N.  Y..  has  sent  a  box  to  Sidon  Seminary,  value  not  given. 
The  Aux.,  Clinton.  N.  J.,  has  sent  a  box  of  clothing  to  the  Seneca  Mission, 
N.  Y.,  value  not  given. 

Mrs.  Julia  M.  Fishburn,  Treasurer, 
J.annary  1.  1879.  1.3.34  Chestnut  Street.  Phil.ndelphia. 


EDITED  BY  THE 

WOMAN'S  PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OF  MISSIONS  OF 
THE  NORTHWEST. 


Miss  Hattie  Notes. 

Canton,  September  28,  1878. 

The  way  in  -whicli  the  Chinese  can  crowd  themselves  together 
is  astonishing  to  a  native  American.  The  house  in  which  we  live, 
which  you  would  doubtless  consider  rather  small  for  a  foniily  of 
three  or  four,  they  often  tell  us  would  be  quite  large  enough  for 
forty  or  fifty  of  them.  It  is  really  nearly  as  large  as  the  school 
building  in  which  last  term  we  had  /orf^-/wir,  and  we  know  that 
most  of  them  liad  much  better  accommodations  than  they  would 
have  had  in  their  own  homes.  I  am  often  impressed  with  the 
thought  of  how  very  different  the  ideas  of  different  classes  are  with 
regard  to  what  is  necessary  for  comfort.  The  canal  in  front  of  our 
house,  and  within  ten  feet  of  it,  is  filled  with  boats  some  six  feet 
wide  by  twenty  or  thirty  in  length,  and  each  boat  is  the  home  of  a 
family  of  perhaps  six  or  seven  pei'sons.  To  the  last  days  of  mj 
visit  in  America  I  did  not  cease  feeling  a  sensation  of  novelty  in 
breathing  air  which  seemed  clean,  and  jntre. 

Your  letter  told  us  of  the  appointment  of  the  two  young  ladies 
for  Chieng  Mai.  We  shall  be  delighted  to  have  a  visit  from  them 
here.  The  Siam  missionaries  are  usually  obliged  to  wait  in  Canton 
for  a  longer  or  shorter  time  for  a  vessel  to  take  them  to  Siam. 

Such  a  good  opening  for  work  came  to  our  knowledge  a  few 
days  since  that  we  felt  that  we  must  go  forward  and  "  enter  in  and 
possess  the  land."  It  is  a  neighborhood  at  some  distance  from  us 
and  where  there  has  never  been  a  school,  and  the  people  all  seemed 
anxious  to  have  one.  We  found  a  building,  one  little  room, 
which  we  rented  for  $1  40  per  month.  As  soon  as  the  word  was 
circulated  that  there  would  be  a  school,  the  mothers  came  bringing 
their  daughters  to  have  their  names  enrolled  as  scholars,  and  in  a 
little  while  eighteen  were  given  in.    Itai  is  to  be  the  teacher;  she 

4 


62 


WOMAN  S  WORK  FOR  WOMAN. 


would  make  an  excellent  Bible  woman,  but  is  really  able  to 
walk  scarcely  at  all,  on  account  of  ber  little  feet,  so  it  seems  as 
tbough  she  will  have  to  be  a  teacher.  We  find  it  more  difficult  to 
get  just  the  right  material  for  Bible  women.  Po  Chang  begged  to  be 
allowed  to  go  with  her  and  carry  on  ber  work  of  a  Bible  woman  in 
that  neighborhood,  and  we  are  very  glad  to  have  her  do  so.  The 
salary  of  the  Bible  woman  will  be  $36  a  year,  and  the  school  we 
hope  to  carry  on  on  a  cheap  basis,  perhaps  §75  a  year.  This  work 
is  not  included  in  the  estimates,  and  indeed  our  regular  allowances 
for  the  coming  year  are  much  reduced.  The  boarding  school  is 
cut  down  some  $114.  We  shall  of  course  be  obliged  to  send  away 
a  number  of  the  scholars,  and  that  is  even  harder  than  to  refuse 
admission  to  those  who  apply,  as  we  are  constantly  obliged  to  do. 
We  hope  however  that  "  better  times"  will  come  soon,  and  that  the 
mission  treasury  may  share  in  the  prosperity.  Itai  seems  exceed- 
ingly happy  in  the  prospect  of  getting  to  work.  I  shall  go  to  the 
school  to-morrow  to  see  how  she  is  prospering.  The  morning  she 
left  here,  twelve  of  us  gathered  together  in  an  '■  upper  room"  and 
prayed  for  God's  blessing  upon  the  undertaking,  then  we  went  over 
to  the  schoolroom  and  held  a  meeting  there.  The  room  was 
crowded,  and  perfectly  orderly.  I  almost  dreaded  to  go  because  I 
expected  it  would  be  so  noisy,  as  it  is  very  often  when  we  attempt 
to  have  a  meeting  in  a  new  place,  but  I  was  pleased  to  find  every 
one,  even  the  children,  quiet  and  attentive.  It  was  doubtless 
owing  largely  to  the  influence  of  the  man  of  whom  we  rent  the 
house,  who  belongs  to  the  literati,  and  has  been  a  teacher  himself 
for  many  years.  I  trust  you  will  remember  this  new  work  in  your 
prayers. 


JAFAN. 

Miss  Eldred. 

ToKio,  September  20,  18T8. 

We  began  school  Monday,  September  16,  and  now  have  matters 
so  nearly  in  order  that  we  commenced  working  on  a  regular 
programme  yesterday  morning.  It  might  seem  that  it  need  not 
take  three  days  to  get  a  programme  arranged,  but  we  found  that 
having  to  provide  for  four  distinct  recitations  at  the  same  time,  and 
that  too  with  scholars  who  have  been  obliged  from  various  circum- 
stances to  study  in  several  grades  at  the  same  time,  made  the  work 
quite  difficult.  Our  teacher  of  translation  and  Japanese  arithmetic 
works  three  and  a  half  hours  every  forenoon,  and  is  assisted  part 
of  the  time  by  one  of  our  older  girls.  He  is  said  to  be  a  good 
instructor  and  conies  well  recommended.  The  same  can  be  said  of 
our  Chinese  teacher  who  has  the  school  in  the  afternoon ;  he  is  also 


ABROAD. 


63 


a  Christian.  We  have  at  present  thirty  boarders  and  ten  day 
scholars,  and  the  expectation  of  more  next  month.  Some  of  our 
old  pupils  are  with  us  and  more  are  coming  soon. 

Nikko,  where  we  spent  August,  is  noted  above  every  other 
Japanese  town  for  the  magnificence  and  beauty  of  its  temples,  and 
I  wish  I  had  words  and  time  to  describe  them  to  you.  I  will  try 
to  give  a  description  of  one  of  the  gateways  leading  to  one  of  the 
two  principal  temples,  though  you  can  form  from  it  very  little  idea 
of  elaborate  carvings  to  be  seen  on  everything  that  pertains  to  the 
temples.  This  carving  is  in  many  places  elaborately  painted  or 
gilded.  The  capitals  of  the  columns  represent  the  head  of  some 
fabulous  animal.  Above  this  projects  a  balcony  which  runs  all 
around  the  railing,  being  supported  by  dragons'  heads,  with  two 
white  dragons  fighting  in  the  centre.  Underneath  is  a  row  of 
groups  of  children  playing,  nine  groups  on  each  side.  Below  these 
are  a  curious  network  of  beams  and  seven  groups  of  Chinese 
sages.  The  roof  is  supported  by  gilt  dragons'  heads,  with  gaping 
crimson  throats ;  from  the  top  a  gilt  demon  looks  down.  At  the 
right  and  left  of  the  gate  sit  images  of  noted  men  of  ancient 
times  J  they  are  now  considered  worthy  of  worship,  I  think. 


STEIA. 

Mrs.  Calhoun. 

Mt.  Lebanon,  Deivel  Komr  (Convent  of  the  Moon). 
Our  chief  hope  is  from  our  schools,  for  the  people  have  learned 
that  we  give  more  thorough  instruction  than  the  Jesuits  and 
Sisters  of  Charity,  and  the  children  who  come  to  our  schools  mostly 
attend  also  our  preaching  service  and  Sabbath-school,  and  some  of 
their  parents  and  friends  also  attend.  The  leaven  of  truth  thus 
works,  but  we  long  to  see  it  work  quickly  and  with  power.  I  wish 
you  could  have  heard,  as  I  did,  the  account  of  the  conversion  of  a 
teacher  of  a  common  school  here,  from  the  teacher  of  the  common 
school  for  boys.  He  was  an  orthodox  Greek  of  the  straightest  sect, 
a  native  of  this  place,  and  living  in  Damascus  at  the  time  of  the 
dreadful  massacre  in  1860.  His  life  was  providentially  saved,  and 
he  went  to  Beirut  with  the  hundreds  of  reftigees.  There  he  inci- 
dentally heard  from  one  who  was  once  his  apprentice,  of  the  Prot^ 
estants  and  their  Sabbath  service,  and  at  once  determined  to  attend 
in  spite  of  advice  to  the  contrary,  for  he  had  a  very  high  idea  of 
the  honesty  and  integrity  of  the  "  Englese"  as  compared  with  the 
French.  (The  Americans  and  English  are .  called  in  Arabic, 
"  Englese.  ')  His  old  apprentice  agreed  to  conduct  him  to  the 
Protestant  church  the  next  Sabbath,  but  failed  to  make  his  appear- 
ance. 


64 


woman's  work  for  woman. 


The  next  Sabbath,  however,  "  Teacher  Beshana"  took  his  place 
among  the  Protestauts.  He  was  deeply  impressed  with  the  singing 
and  pi-ayers  offered  in  a  quiet,  earnest  tone  that  all  could  under- 
stand, asking  for  blessing,  guidance,  and  forgiveness.  Then  the 
text,  "  Hallowed  be  thy  name,"  followed  by  a  sermon  explaining 
and  enforcing  the  solemn  words,  so  affected  his  heart  that  by  the 
blessing  of  the  Spirit  he  went  out  a  changed  man.  He  did  not 
again  attend  his  old  church.  He  thought  he  would  go  once  to  see 
how  it  would  seem  to  him  with  his  new  feelings;  but  he  was  so 
afraid  he  might  not  return  in  time  for  the  Protestant  service  that  he 
did  not  go.  He  sought  the  society  of  Protestants,  read  their  books, 
gained  instruction  and  information,  attended  prayer  meetings,  con- 
tinued firm  under  opposition,  and  has  been  a  growing  Christian  ever 
since. 

He  wished  to  marry  a  Protestant,  but  was  bitterly  disappointed 
in  the  girl  whom,  according  to  custom  here,  his  friends  selected. 
She  promised  to  go  with  him  to  meeting,  and  the  missionary  mar- 
ried thcni ;  but  the  mother's  influence  prevailed,  and  for  several 
years  she  made  his  life  bitter  by  daily  annoyances.  At  length  his 
prayers  were  answered,  his  exafhple  blessed,  and  she  ceased  oppo- 
sition, went  occasionally  with  him  to  meeting,  began  to  revive  her 
little  knowledge  of  reading,  and  has  twice  read  through  the  New 
Testament  with  the  teacher,  and  is  now  reading  with  us  the  Old  Tes- 
tament. We  long  to  see  decided  tokens  of  the  work  of  the  Spirit  in 
her  heart,  and  an  earnest  desire  to  '•  confess  Christ  before  men." 
You  can  have  but  little  idea  how  much  earnest  feeling  and  courage 
it  requires  to  face  opposition  of  relatives,  and  the  scorn  and  con- 
tumely of  acquaintances,  especially  in  one  of  yielding,  undecided 
temperament. 

There  are  now  ten  young  persons  in  various  villages  in  this 
vicinity,  desii'ing  to  join  the  church,  who  received  their  first  im- 
pressions of  truth  in  our  schools. 


CHINA. 

Miss  Anderson. 

Chefoo,  October  14,  1S78. 
Our  voyage  across  the  Pacific  was  as  pleasant  and  speedy  as  is 
often  made,  but  notwithstanding  this  fact,  1  never  knew  a  happier  or 
more  relieved  feeling  than  when  my  foot  pressed  the  soil  of  Japan. 
I  was  not  in  China  by  any  means;  almost  two  weeks  of  travel  yet 
remained;  but  I  v:as  in  the  "  Mikado's  Empire,"  my  feet  were  on 
solid  ground  (no  earthquakes  occurred  during  the  three  days  we 
were  in  Yokohama,  and  for  the  time  being  I  felt  safe).  Crossing 
the  inland  sea  of  Japan  was  like  one  long  trip  through  fairy  land. 


ABROAD. 


65 


It  was  so  hot  ia  Shanghai  that  I  did  not  wait  for  the  party.  Miss 
Kelsey  and  I  came  on  alone  to  Chefoo,  and  our  steamer  got  out  on 
the  open  sea  just  in  time  for  the  northeast  monsoon.  It  was  terrible. 
The  propeller  could  not  be  kept  in  the  water,  and  when  it  came  up 
the  shaking  of  the  steamer,  and  the  racking  noise  it  made,  seemed 
almost  too  much  for  human  endurance.  I  had  not  been  seasick  at 
all,  but  those  three  days  of  tossing  were  too  much  for  me,  and  still 
I  am  loath  to  own  that  it  was  genuine  seasickness  ...  I  announced 
at  the  breakfast  table  this  morning  that  I  was  going  to  work  to-day ; 
but  Miss  Downing  says  mA  to-day.  You  see  I  am  perfectly  helpless 
and  absolutely  useless  until  T  learn  something  of  this  dreadful  lan- 
guage. I  can  tell  the  servants  a  good  many  things  now  and  be 
understood.  My  teacher  will  come  very  soon,  and  I  will  go  to  work 
in  earnest. 

Of  the  worh  in  this  place :  Mr.  Corbett  has  a  boys'  school  and  a 
church.  Miss  Downing  and  Mrs.  Nevius  have  each  a  girls'  school; 
the  schools  seem  all  to  be  flourishing.  Dr.  Nevius  is  out  now 
itinerating.  The  work  which  attracts  me  most  here  is  among 
the  women.  The  number  who  will  come  together  to  listen,  and  the 
pleasure  with  which  the  ladies  who  go  to  them  are  received,  are 
really  wonderful  for  China.  Oh !  I  so  long  to  be  able  to  go  out 
among  them  and  teach.  As  soon  as  I  know  enough  of  the  language 
to  look  after  the  school,  Miss  Downing  will  go  among  the  women. 
Do  pray  for  me  that  I  may  learn  the  language,  that  I  may  have 
patience  and  perseverance,  and  not  grow  weary  of  it.  With  an 
earnest  prayer  that  you  may  be  guided  aright  in  everything,  even 
in  smuU  things,  and  that  the  blessing  of  the  good  Father  may 
always  be  upon  you,  yours,  &c. 

In  a  later  letter  she  writes  of  commencing  to  teach  arithmetic  on 
the  20th. 


CHINA, 

Mrs.  W.  S.  Holt,  Shanghai. 

Perhaps  you  would  be  interested  to  know  how  we  managed  the 
opening  of  a  school.  There  was  a  notice  written  in  Chinese  char- 
acter, on  yellow  paper,  which  was  pasted  up  on  the  back  gate  of  our 
place,  telling  passers  by  that  a  free  school  would  be  opened  at  such 
a  date  and  such  a  place.  On  the  day  set  there  were  three  scholars 
only;  in  a  few  days  more  came,  until  the  number  amounted  to 
fifteen.  I  was  very  much  encouraged,  and  thought  thei'e  would 
be  no  difficulty  in  establishing  a  school  so  far  as  numbers  were  con- 
cerned. But  in  a  few  weeks,  much  to  my  surprise,  five  scholars 
left;  not  at  one  time,  but  during  about  three  weeks'  time.  The 
cause  of  this,  I  was  told  by  my  teacher,  was  that  a  brother  of  their 

4* 


66 


woman's  work  foe  woman. 


father's,  who  was  a  graduate,  was  out  of  employment  and  was  living 
upon  this  man,  and  in  order  to  get  some  remuneration  for  his  food 
the  children  were  kept  at  home  for  the  brother  to  teach,  all  of  which 
seemed  very  plausible.  1  fancy,  however,  that  the  studying  of 
Christian  books  had  something  to  do  with  the  removal  of  the  boys, 
as  half  of  the  time  is  thus  spent.  The  number  remained  at  ten  for 
some  time,  and  then  one  and  another  left  for  different  reasons,  till 
at  last  I  had  only  five  regular  scholars.  I  began  to  feel  somewhat 
discouraged  ;  but  at  the  Chinese  New  Year  more  came.  I  believe 
I  now  feel  discouraged  in  only  one  thing,  and  that  is  in  my  ability 
to  teach  these  dear  little  children  of  Christianity.  They  are  so 
very  ignorant  of  the  truth,  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  get  an  idea 
into  their  little  heads.  Of  course,  as  long  as  I  look  at  my  own 
strength  I  shall  feel  discouraged  and  downhearted ;  but  if  I  can 
only  keep  Christ  in  view,  and  trust  to  Him  to  make  what  I  say 
sink  into  their  hearts,  and  glorify  Him  by  bringing  these  little  stray 
lambs  into  His  fold,  there  will  be  no  reason  for  despondency.  But 
I  find  too  often  that  I  am  really  very  human.  I  know  that  you  and 
many  others  are  praying  for  us,  and  our  work  and  prayer  will  he 
answered. 


A  PEEP  AT  OUR  WORK  AND  WORKERS  IN 
CHINA. 

We  now  have  in  China  seven  missionaries,  Miss  Schmucker  at 
Souchow,  Miss  Ketchum  at  Ningpo,  Mrs.  Farnham  and  Mrs.  Holt 
at  Shanghai,  Mrs.  Corbett,  Miss  Downing,  and  Miss  Anderson  at 
Chefoo.  From  these  ladies  we  receive  most  interesting  accounts  of 
their  life  in  that  strange  land,  the  work  they  are  doing,  and  the 
varied  success  that  follows  their  labor.  Our  most  northern  station, 
Chefoo,  is  almost  on  the  borders  of  China  .proper  and  near  the 
great  wall.  There  Miss  Downing  has  labored  for  several  years.  She 
has  just  been  joined  by  Miss  Anderson,  who  having  studied  dili- 
gently during  her  voyage,  on  the  day  of  her  arrival  declared  herself 
ready  for  work,  and  is  now,  as  her  letters  testify,  enthusiastically 
engaged.  They  are  in  the  immediate  region  of  the  famine  land, 
and  a  great  deal  of  time  has  been  spent  in  distributing  food  and 
relieving  the  sufi"erings  of  that  plague-visited  people,  as  Mrs.  Cor- 


HOME. 


67 


bett  has  written  us.  Six  missionaries  of  different  churches 
have  fallen  victims  to  the  plague,  but  we  can  thank  Grod  that  those 
under  our  immediate  care  have  been  spared.  The  opportunities 
growing  out  of  the  famine  and  consequent  sickness  have  opened  a 
very  wide  door  for  work,  and  done  much  toward  breaking  down 
the  high  wall  of  prejudice  which  shut  out  the  foreigners  from  access 
to  the  people.  Already  much  fruit  has  been  garnered.  In  the 
different  native  churches  there  have  been  large  accessions,  and 
many  infants  have  been  baptized. 

At  Souchow,  our  next  station  to  the  south,  we  find  Miss  Schmuc- 
ker.  Having  gone  out  only  last  year,  she  is  occupied  in  learning 
the  language,  but  she  hopes  to  open  a  school  for  girls  very  soon. 

It  is  a  singular  fact  that  our  missionaries  with  their  small  sala- 
ries give  far  more  than  ladies  of  wealth  in  our  own  societies  at 
home  towards  missionary  "work.  Miss  Hattie  Noyes  and  her  sister* 
in  Canton  are  supporting  a  girls'  school  out  of  their  salaries,  at  an 
expense  of  $75  a  year.  Who  will  carry  this  school  for  them  the 
coming  year  ? 

Mrs.  Farnham  and  Mrs.  Holt  at  Shanghai,  still  further  south  on 
the  coast,  have  several  schools  for  girls  and  boys  under  their  super- 
vision, assisted  by  native  Christian  teachers.  Mrs.  Farnham  has 
been  in  China  since  1860,  Mrs.  Holt  since  1873.  Their  work 
affords  much  encouragement  and  they  see  the  fruits  of  their  labors 
in  many  converts  to  Christianity. 

Our  letters  from  Miss  Ketchum  at  Ningpo,  the  next  station  to 
the  south,  inform  us  that  she  with  a  number  of  missionaries  was 
obliged  to  go  to  the  island  of  Poodoo,  off  the  coast,  during  the  ex- 
treme hot  weather.  They  lived  during  their  stay  in  a  monastery. 
There  are  over  one  hundred  monasteries  and  temples  on  that  small 
island,  and  new  ones  are  being  erected  The  whole  island  is  given 
up  to  idolatry.  The  day  after  their  arrival  was  a  day  of  thanks- 
giving for  abundant  harvests.  "  Idols,"  Miss  Ketchum  says,  "  are 
on  almost  every  hill  top  and  under  every  green  tree.  A  long  rope 
is  stretched  from  house  to  house  through  the  village,  on  which  is 
hung  paper  clothing  to  be  burned  for  the  use  of  the  spirits  in  the 
*  Supported  by  the  AVoman's  Foreign  Missionary  Society. 


68 


woman's  work  for  woman. 


land  of  the  departed.  On  tables  standing  on  the  street  are  laid 
oflFerings  of  food." 

In  a  letter  of  September  1,  she  writes  that  they  had  returned  to 
Ningpo  in  greatly  improved  health  and  were  just  opening  their 
school. 

From  Miss  Hattie  Noyes  at  Canton,  under  whose  care  is  the 
"  training  school,"  where  we  have  five  scholarships,  we  have  a 
description  of  the  different  schools,  in  all  of  which  applications  from 
mothers  for  their  daughters  are  more  than  can  be  received.  One 
school  has  been  in  operation  twelve  years.  Many  more  schools 
might  now  be  opened  if  the  funds  necessary  could  be  secured,  as 
there  are  quite  a  number  of  Chinese  women  who  are  already 
educated  and  trained  for  the  work. 

Oh,  that  God  would  open  the  hearts  of  women  to  make  that  self- 
denying  effort  which  would  fill  our  treasury  to  repletion,  and  open 
wide  the  doors  of  instruction  to  our  sisters  famishing  for  the  bread 
of  life  ! 


We  call  careful  attention  to  the  circulars  recently  sent  out.  The 
first,  concerning  the  '■  Bureau  of  Intelligence ;"  the  second,  giving 
the  "  Logic  of  Facts"  for  prayerful  consideration  in  every  society. 

As  before,  the  "  Bureau"  desires  that  all  papers,  essays,  foreign 
letters,  and  items  that  would  further  their  work  be  sent  to  Room  48. 

We  are  glad  to  announce  a  reduction  in  the  price  of  our  collec- 
tor's envelopes.  They  will  now  be  furnished  at  three  cents  a  set, 
instead  of  four  as  previously.  In  preparing  for  the  work  of  the 
new  year  we  shall  be  glad  to  furnish  all  societies  who  can  find 
them  helpful. 

NOTES  FMOM  BOOM  48. 

Nov.  29. — A-glad  Thanksgiving.  Our  leader  was  rejoiced  that 
President  and  Grovernors  had  united  in  settilig  apart  one  whole  day 
for  thinking  over  the  mercies  of  the  year  and  holding  them  in  most 
grateful  remembrance.  With  the  emotions  still  fresh  that  had  been 
stirred  the  previous  day,  well  was  it  for  us  ps  a  Board  to  look  up  and 
adore,  saying  in  view  of  all  that  the  year  had  wrought  for  foreign 
missions,  "  Not  unto  us,  but  unto  Thy  name  be  all  the  glory."  Let- 
ters read  from  different  fields  assured  us  that  the  Lord's  arm 
is  not  shortened  nor  His  ear  heavy.  The  ripening  grain  calls  for 
more  laborers;  alas,  alas,  if  they  offer,  where  are  the  means  to  send 


HOME. 


69 


them  ?  Two  young  women  fully  equipped  in  heart  and  mind  are 
again  called  for  to  meet  the  pressing  demand  in  Monterey,  Mexico. 
Prayer  was  offered  by  our  President  that  the  great  Giver  would 
provide  for  this  emergency  in  His  own  time  and  way.  Letters 
were  read  from  Denver  asking  for  suggestions  as  to  the  best  means 
of  extending  Woman's  Work  for  Woman  in  that  vigorous  young  state. 

Dec.  6. — Romans  xv.  read.  A  wonderful  missionary  chapter. 
Can  that  day  be  far  distant  when  the  "  root  of  Jesse"  shall  reign 
over  all  the  Gentiles  ?  If  we  who  are  known  by  the  name  of  Christ 
have  the  "  fullness  of  the  blessing  of  the  gospel,"  the  days  of  heath- 
enish darkness  are  surely  numbered.  Every  church  must  send  out  its 
helpers,  evangelists,  teachers.  A  brief  space  was  given  Mrs.  Rhea 
just  before  the  close  of  -the  hour  to  tell  us  of  her  recent  trip  to 
Mantcno,  Peotonc,  and  Kankakee.  It  had  been  a  continued  delight 
as  she  saw  the  women  of  the  churches  coming  up  to  the  help  of 
the  Lord.  Those  who  from  habit,  when  asked  to  pray,  had  said, 
"  have  me  excused,"  others  who  thought  it  impossible  to  speak  in 
presence  of  au  audience,  found  their  tongues  loosened,  and  in  loving 
self-forgetfuluess  had  done  what  they  could  to  honor  the  Master. 
Mr.  Stocking  had  been  sent  for  to  talk  to  them  about  his  new  plan 
for  carrying  forward  the  work  in  Persia,  and  so  well  prepared  were 
they,  that  in  spite  of  the  predetermination  to  take  up  no  collection,  the 
box  was  passed  and  a  handsome  sum  raised  for  the  Koordistan  fund. 

Dec.  13. — Dr.  and  Miss  Porter  of  China  present  with  us.  Every 
chair  occupied.  The  points  Mr.  Porter  briefly  touched  upon  were 
the  idols  worshipped,  one  of  which,  a  brass  goddess  of  mercy,  that 
had  been  bowed  down  to  for  perhaps  two  hundred  years,  he  placed 
before  us;  the  centres  of  missionary  labor,  pointing  them  out  on 
the  map;  the  character  of  the  women,  finding  them  in  most  instances 
susceptible  to  the  teachings  of  the  gospel  and  less  influenced  by  old 
superstitions  ;  the  opening  for  missionary  labor  made  by  the  famine; 
and  the  great  need  of  more  Christian  soldiers  to  go  in  and  possess 
the  land. 

Miss  Porter  occupied  about  twenty  minutes  delightfully  in  noting 
some  of  the  phases  of  the  home  work,  which  close  observation  dur- 
ing the  months  she  had  been  with  us  had  deeply  impressed  upon 
her  mind.  Lack  of  intelligence  was  alarmingly  prevalent.  Many 
Presbyterian  ladies  whom  she  had  met  were  surprised  to  learn  of 
the  existence  of  Woman's  Boards.  Others  who  knew  that  some  inter- 
est had  been  awakened  were  quite  ignorant  of  the  magazines  and 
our  column  in  the  Interior.  "Oh,"  said  Miss  P.,  "you  must 
go  out  of  your  way  and  take  more  of  your  precious  time  to  tell 
these  sisters  that  they  too  are  commissioned,  and  if  they  seem  to 
forget,  speak  to  them  again  of  the  blessedness  of  being  co-laborers 
with  the  Master."   Then  on  the  matter  of  giving.    It  is  right,  she 


70 


woman's  woek  for  woman. 


said,  to  love  the  beautiful  and  cultivate  the  JBsthetic,  but  when  grati- 
fying these  tasteg,  should  we  not  ask  the  Master  to  stand  beside  us 
and  not  allow  His  cause  to  suffer  loss?  The  school  carried  on  by 
Mrs.  Whiting  in  Peking,  assisted  by  a  richly  qualified  native  woman, 
was  spqken  of  at  some  length.  With  frail  health  Mrs.  W.  had 
labored  on,  not  counting  her  life  dear,  if  she  might  but  sow  the 
seeds  in  those  young  hearts  that  should  spring  up  to  eternal  life. 
The  noble  service  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mateer,  Mr.  and  3Irs.  Wherry, 
willing  to  turn  aside  and  go  wherever  they  seemed  most  needed, 
and  Miss  Warner  of  Buffalo,  who  has  just  reached  China,  were  all 
lovingly  remembered. 

The  magazine  published  by  missionary  ladies  of  different  deno- 
minations, known  as  Woma>is  Work  in  China,  published  twice  a 
year,  was  warmly  commended  by  Miss  Porter.  Price  62  cents ; 
may  be  subscribed  for  at  our  rooms. 


WOMAN'S  BOARD  OF  THE  INTERIOR. 

We  have  lying  before  us  a  report  of  the  ten  years  work  of  this 
Mission  Board  (Congregational).  Their  successes  and  trials  are 
ours,  for  we  are  marching  side  by  side  in  that  noble  army,  which 
shall  ere  long  shout  in  grand  chorus,  "  The  earth  is  the  Lord's."  I 
will  quote : 

"  In  our  work,  so  closely  linked  to  that  of  all  Christian  sisters, 
we  cannot  say  of  any  one  thing,  this  is  wholly  ours,  nor  yet  of  any 
other  thing,  this  is  not  ours  in  part. 

"  On  the  home  side — the  smaller  side — there  is  not  a  woman  who 
has  entered  into  all  its  sympathies  but  will  say,  '  Thank  God  for 
the  Woman's  Mission  Work.'  Let  not  any  one  refuse  to  these  the 
privilege  of  this  service,  and  say,  '  The  zeal  you  thus  display  would 
be  better  spent  on  home  prairies  and  savannas.'  The  eyes  that 
have  cleared  their  vision  to  see  the  far  ends  of  the  earth,  take  in 
all  between.  .  .  . 

"The  aggregate  receipts  amount  to  $148,000;  669  auxiliary 
societies  and  38  missionaries  have  come  and  gone,  leaving  now  22 
in  the  field.  .  .  . 

"  Abroad,  these  have  been  ten  wonderful  years.  In  Japan,  the 
Kobe  Home.  In  China,  schools.  In  J\Iex'ico,  the  church.  In 
India  and  Africa,  your  representatives  have  been  wresting  from 
heathenism  its  very  citadel,  the  home.  .  .  . 

"  There  is  a  sound  of  the  Lord's  footsteps  among  the  nations,  and 
upon  His  vesture  is  written,  '  King  of  kings.'  With  glowing  hearts, 
and  exultant  joy,  we  hide  our  weakness  in  His  might,  and  give 
ourselves  over  in  a  new  consecration  to  the  futherance  of  His  surely- 
coming  glory." 


HOME. 


71 


ONLT  THREE  AT  THE  MEETING. 

A  FRIEND  in  Iroquois  county  gives  us  a  thread  from  her  expe- 
rience with  the  cheering  thought,  the  Omnipotent  One  leading 
"  the  three,"  though  they  were  only  ciphers,  made  them  a  thousand 
strong,  and  desires  each  feeble  band  and  auxiliary  to  take  courage 
and  go  on  conquering  and  to  conquer. 


NEW  AUXILIARIES. 

Belle  Centre,  0.  Kalamazoo,  Mich.,  North  Church. 

Bluffton,  Intl.  Neoga,  111. 

Crestline,  0.,  Miss.  Band.  Paw  Paw,  Mich. 

Defiance,  0.,  Miss.  Band.  Peru,  0. 

Huntsville,  0. 


NEW  LIFE  MEMBERS. 


Mrs.  James  Armitage, 
Mrs.  Eev.  Frank  T.  Bailey, 
Miss  Katie  Dickinson, 
Mrs.  John  Dunning, 
Miss  Olive  C.  Farrand, 
Miss  Mary  A.  Harper, 


Mrs.  Rev.  John  Kelland, 
Jliss  Hattie  Moore, 
Mrs.  John  M.  Osborn, 
Miss  Julia  Peck, 
Mrs.  AVilliam  Reed. 


Receipts  of  the  Woman's  Presbyterian  Board  of  Mis- 
sions for  the  Northwest,  to  December  20,  1878. 


[pnESnVTERIES  IX  SMALL  CAPITALS.l 


Alton. — Greenfield,  $o ;  Jer- 
seyville,  sup.  B.  R.,  Per- 
sia, i;19  $2i  00 

Cairo. — Du  Quoin,  .  .  20  21 
Chicago. — Chicago,  1st  Ch., 
W.  M.  S.,  for  sch.  Beirut, 
S37,  Mrs.  Pearsons,  sch'p, 
Corisco,  $25  (§62) ;  2d  Ch., 
W.  M.  S.,  S235  57,  Madam 
Gould,  B.  R.,  Ambala,  S15, 
Mrs.  Keep.  H.  M.,  $8  ($258 
57);  4th  Ch.,  $74  25  ;  6th 
Ch.,  sup.  Pastor's  wife,  Per- 
sia, $.S5  :  Jefferson  Park  Ch., 
$29  25  :  Evanston,  sal.  Miss 
Bacon,  .$71  75:  Joliet,  Cen- 
tral Ch..  S2S  ;  Lake  Forest, 
.    $30,  Y.  P.  Soc,  $18  ($48),  .    606  82 


$15  00 


Chippewa. — Neilsville,  . 

Crawfordsville.  —  Eliza- 
ville,  Cheerful  AYorkers,  $5  ; 
Williamsport,  $12  75.        .     17  75 

Des  Moixes.— Add,  $13  60; 
New  Sharon,  Mrs.  E.  A. 
Ralyea,  $5  40,    .       .       .     19  00 

Detroit. — Ypsilanti,  sjiecial 
for  Miss  Bacon,  $9  35  :  De- 
troit, Mrs.  Charles  Noble, 
Mrs.  George  D.  Baker,  Mrs. 
J.  S.  Farrand,  Mrs.  George 
Peck,  and  Mrs.  George 
Moore  (each  $25),  $125; 
Westminster  Ch.,  $25 :  South 
Lyon,  SS  50  ;  Brighton,  $4  35 
($1  25  for  Laos  outfit); 
North ville,  S.  S.,  for  "  Burnt 


72 


woman's  work  for  woman. 


Brick,"  $6  10;  Pontiac,  Y. 
L.  Bd.,  sch'p,  Rio  Claro, 
$7  50  ;  Wj'andottc,  for  Miss 
Schmucker,  $6;  Milford, 
Sunbeams,  for  sch.  in  Mex- 
ico, S15,     ....  $206  80 

DiBiTQUE. — Dubuque,  2d  Ch.,     28  35 

Fort  Wayne. — Bluflton,  for 
II.  M.,  $12  30  :  Elkhart,  Y. 
L.  Bd.,  sup.  Mt.  sch.  Per- 
sia, $5,       ....     17  30 

TowA.  —  MediajioUs,  sch.  at 
Puttchgurh,  SIO ;  Kossuth, 
sch'p,  Chefoo,  $23,     .       .     33  00 

Iowa  City. — Victor,  Mrs.  C. 
L.  McD.  and  friend,  S2  ; 
Washington,  $19,       .       .      21  00 

Kalamazoo.  —  Constantine, 
sup.  B.  R.,  Mynpurie,  $12 
60,  nat.  tea.,  $2  25  ($U  75) ; 
Paw  Paw,  Miss.  Circle,  sup. 
pupil,  Peking,  .$15:  School- 
craft, for  "Burnt  Brick," 
$2,  31  75 

Laxsing.  —  Marshall,  SU; 
Parma,  Mrs.  M.  B.  Tan- 
ner, $2,      .       .       .       .     16  00 

LoGANSPORT. — Valpariso,  sal. 
Mrs.  Warren,  $25,  sup.  Mar- 
tha, B.  R.,  $7  50  ($32  oO) ; 
Michigan  City,  for  H.  M., 
$10  44;  Mishawaka,  $10; 
La  Grange,  $10,  both  for 
sch.,  Syria,        .       .       .     62  94 

Mattoox.  —  Vandalia,  sch'p, 

Rio  Claro,  .       .       .       .      25  00 

Maumee.— Toledo,  1st  Ch., 
Livingston  Band,  sch'p, 
Bangkok,  S5  20  ;  Westmin- 
ster Ch,,  Mrs,  Osborn,  sup, 
tea,,  Tabriz,  $25 :  Bergen, 
for  Alaska  girls'  school, 
$5  8S,   36  08 

Milwaukee, — Lima,    .       .       7  50 

Monroe. — Monx-oe,  for  Miss 
Nassau,  $25 ;  Quincy,  for 
pupil,  Mynpurie,  $25  :  Hud- 
son, Legacy  of  Mrs.  Sarah 
M.  Wolcott,  $1000,     .       .  1050  00 

MiNciK.  — La  Gro,  $2  60: 

Muneie,  $60,      .       .       .      62  60 

New  Albany.— Bedford,  $7 ; 
Charleston,  $8 ;  Hanover, 


sch'p,  Ningpo,  $34  13,  Miss. 
Band,  $2  17  (s36  30) ;  Jef- 
fersonville,  $21  ($12  for  sch. 
in  Mexico) ;  Madison,  2d 
Ch.,  for  H.  &  F.,  $26,  S.  S., 
sch'p,  Rio  Claro,  .$30  (.$56) ; 
New  Albany-,  sal.  Miss 
Thackwell,  $222  75,  .       .  $351  05 

Ottawa.— Aurora,  $7  44  (S2  50 
by  Mrs.  H.  L.  Stoutenmyer); 
Oswego,  $6  20,  .       .       .     13  64 

Rock  River. — Dixon,  $5  60 ; 
North  Henderson,  for  H.  & 
F.,  $9;  Princeton,  Armor 
Bearers,  for  ''Burnt  Brick," 
$15,   29  60 

Saint  Paul.— Stillwater,      .     12  15 

Schuyler.  —  Quincy,  Mite 

Gatherers,  pupil,  Tabriz,    .      18  26 

Waterloo.—  Acklcy,  $6 ;  Al- 
bion, $5  :  Marshalltown,  S. 
S.,  for  Miss  Jewfctt,  $24  20 ; 
Nevada,  S.  S.,  for  "Burnt 
Brick,"  $3;  State  Centre, 
$10,   48  20 

WiNox^. — Chatfield,  sal.  Miss 

Downing,  .       .       .       .      12  50 

Miscellaneous. — Logan,  0., 
S.  S.,  $5  40,  Florence  Cul- 
ver, 50  ct.-", ;  Cai-thage,  0,, 
S.  S.,  60  cts. ;  Marietta,  0., 
Mary,  Arthur,  and  Addy, 
$2,  Youths'  Aid  Soc,  $1, 
Hattie  Jones,  25  ct?.,  Mary, 
5  cts.,  Nettie,  Lizzie  and 
Samuel  Kingsbury,  30  cts. 
Athens,  0.,  Hattie,  Edith, 
and  Clarence,  SO  cts. :  Tup- 
per  Plains,  0.,  John  W.,  10 
cts.,  S.  S.  children,  30  cts.; 
Warren,  0.,  James  Cole,  SO 
cts.;  Pomerov,0.,  S.  S.,  $10 
50;  Athens,  6.,  S.  S.,  $S  60; 
McKeesport,  Pa.,  S.  S., 
$13  20;  York,  Pa.,  S.  S., 
$30:  Beverly,  0.,  S.  S., 
$8  35,  all  for  "  Burnt  Brick :" 
For  pub.  Reports,  $1,        .      78  75 

Total  for  De'cember  20,  .  .  2865  25 
Previously  acknowledged,     .  9514  98 


Total  to  December  20,  .    .    $12380  28 


In  the  November  Woman's  WoyJc,  the  sum,  $6  50,  by  Mrs.  Rhea  for  "Burnt 
Brick,"  should  have  been  from  Miss.  Band,  Grand  Haven,  .Mich.,  for  Miss, 
outfit. 

Mrs.  Jesse  Whitehead,  Treasurer, 
Chicago,  III.,  December  20,  1878.  223  Michigan  Avenue.