Work in Gurhwal. from the Chamar class is now working in a Bank side by side with Brahmins. One of the great difficulties of work among these low classes is, their great dulness of comprehension. But if one perseveres, this will give way. On Christmas day we had an entertainment when a hundred Chamar women came to our Mission house. These low castes furnish a great field which is available to every one with a certainty of success And I would say to all my Missionary brethren, "Prepare to meet this great opportunity by getting agents ready to work among them." THE REV. J. T. MCMAHON, Paori, Gurhwal, said :—These lower caste Hindus, as they are sometimes called, are not properly speaking Hindus at all: but are the descendants of the first settlers of India. The Hindus, in coming into the mountains, enslaved them; and as slaves they adopted in time the religion of their masters and were called Domes, which name means 'tail'. They were and are yet the tail men who walk behind high caste Hindus, and who are the last to eat or sleep, always behind. The British Government has freed them from slavery: though they are virtually the slaves of their landlords. They cannot read, and I once met a man who said that he had never bathed—and as his looks told the same tale I did not doubt his word. A man to work with comfort among these people should first destroy his sense of smell. To show how low these people are in the scale, it is only necessary to say that a Doctor of Divinity (now present) once shot at one in a tree thinking that he was shooting at a bear. As the result of 17 years' labour among these Domes, there are now 299 Christians, of whom 143 are communicants and 80 are boys and girls in schools. More people are coming forward for baptism than the present staff of helpers can instruct. As none of these people could read 17 years ago, and as there is no good training school for them in the hills with one or two exceptions, they are very indiffereut preachers and teachers. A preacher, in explaining the picture of Solomon, said that he had two wives: and that one wished to drive the other out of the zenana, hence the dispute over the dead and living child. Another said, that there were ten virgins who were to marry one man in one night. He gave his audience the idea that only five were married however and that five lost such a happy union by being foolish. And the moral sense of these people is so low, that they could see nothing wrong in such a state of affairs. Good teachers are the great need in Gurhwal. Evening Session. S. JACOB, Esq. in the Chair. ADDITIONAL MEETING On Woman's Work in the Indian THE REV. W. D. ETHERINGTON, B. M. S., Benares, said: It seems to me desirable that the various Societies represented at this Conference should form a Society to act with the view of influencing the Government to legislate on the subject of childmarriage. It would not be right for the Government to interfere in any practices of the people that are of a purely religious character; but this is not a part of their religion. So far as the Vedas, Shastras, and Purans are concerned, it is simply a custom. Government should say to their subjects, Marriage is a civil contract; you may associate with it whatever religious practices you please, but we look upon it merely as a civil contract, and treat it as such; and they should let it be known that they will respect this contract only when the parties making it are of an age capable of understanding its nature. MRS. BAUBOO, F. C. S, Madras, said :—I am a volunteer in the important department of Mission work which is now engaging your attention. I have been associated for upwards of 20 years in the management of the caste girls' schools of the Free Church of Scotland Mission, and in carrying Christian instruction to the homes of Hindu ladies in Madras. In that Presidency town, the honour of opening schools for Hindu girls belongs to the European Missionaries and their much esteemed ladies. But the privilege of carrying Christian instruction to the homes of the people was reserved for Hindu Christian females. Up to 1863 nothing was done directly to reach and benefit adult women in the homes. In that year a Native Missionary was led to visit a few homes and to tell the inmates "the old, old story of Jesus and His love." The success which attended these first efforts, not only encouraged her to make arrangements for imparting regular instruction in the homes, but also induced two other Native Christian sisters connected with the same Mission to engage in this most interesting work. In the course of time United action on child. marriage. Woman's work in Madras. Work quietly. Avoid interfering with the work of others. another sister-also a Native Christian, but connected with another Society, entered the field. I think this Conference will be glad to know, that these four sisters are still actively engaged in the work, and render most valuable services to the cause. Nearly 200 pupils living in about 130 homes are regularly instructed by them, and their faithful assistants. When it was known that a wide door of Christian usefulness was thus opened, European ladies came forward to give the needed help. And right glad were we to welcome them, and to help them in their much loved work. There is little in this department of Mission work to attract attention. In my opinion, this work is best done, when it is done quietly and without noise. If there was time I could place before you a number of facts, to shew that the work of this united band of female Missionaries in Madras, is second to none, either in interest or importance. But in the few moments now allowed to me, I wish particularly to request your attention to two difficulties which we experience in the south. One of the difficulties is of our own making, I refer to that which arises from the pernicious practice of treading on one another's heels. In our feverish anxiety to do the work, we not only forget to treat one another with Christian courtesy and consideration, but also hinder the work of our fellow labourers. More than once, it has been said in this Conference, that Native Christians, and Native churches were demoralized by European money, and mistaken European sympathy. In our work, there is a danger of the Hindus being demoralized. For instance, here is a street or district in which a lady has been labouring for years. Her pupils purchase their own books and materials and pay fees which help her to meet two thirds of the salaries of her assistants. If I were to enter the field, and offer to supply all the books and materials free, and to teach without a fee, or for a nominal fee, what will be the effect? I for one, never dread competition; on the contrary, I rather like emulation. But, I say, let it be fair. The other difficulty to which I wish briefly to refer, springs from another source. Hitherto this work in Madras has been entirely in the hands of Christian visitors. Recently the members of the National Indian Association resolved to take up this work. In sending their teachers they have taken special pains to proclaim that their teachers are strictly prohibited from giving religious New Grant- instruction. Almost simultaneously with this proclamation in-aid rules. came the Government announcement that half salary grants will be given to certificated teachers, who give four hours secular instruction in the homes. None of us are able to teach at the longest stretch more than six hours a day, in the homes. Three of these hours we must devote to religious instruction, if we are to be faithful to the call which we trust we have received. While we cannot therefore benefit by the liberality of Government we are in danger of not only losing the hold we have on the homes, but also of losing some of our agents, who under the provisions of the Government Grants-in-aid Code, will get a much larger salary than we can give, from the National Indian Association and other secular bodies. We fear therefore that the time is coming, if it has not already come, when we also may be tempted, as some of our esteemed brethren in Calcutta, the Punjab and other places appear to be, to set aside direct religious education. If the Conference will therefore be pleased to give us some wholesome counsels, on these points, they will effectually help the work, on which not only the material prosperity and happiness of our country women, but also the conversion of this country, so largely depends. of the Zenana Mission. THE REV. J. FORDYCE, Simla, said:-I have been requested Early history to give an account of the early history of the Zenana Mission; and I do it the more readily as I know much of its history from its first day until now. It may seem strange to some that I should speak thus, having never been in a real zenana, except an empty one; but this I shall soon explain. Early in 1852 when preparing for the ministry of the Gospel, Dr. Duff, who was then in Scotland, proposed that I should come to Calcutta in connection with the Ladies' Society of the Free Church. His plea was, that whilst ladies must do most of the work for India's daughters, one was needed at that time who could plead their cause from the pulpit, by the press, and on the platform; for in those old times, ladies did not take their places on platforms as they have done so nobly in this Conference. This broke up cherished plans; but 1 felt the call of our great Master as well as His gifted servant; and so Mrs. Fordyce and I arrived in Calcutta just 30 years ago this month. Then only a few poor girls were taught; but very soon my friend Dr. Thomas Smith, now a Professor in Edinburgh, shewed me an article of his published years before proposing a plan for zenana teaching. In 1853 it was brought before the Calcutta Missionary Conference, but most of the fathers and brethren thought it impracticable. Dr. Smith and I were in the minority. I set my heart on this work; and I was delighted when Dr. Smith told me, late in 1855, that he thought he could introduce me to several native gentlemen who would be inclined to admit Christian teachers. I said, that if he would do this, I would get governesses, money, and all that was wanted. He kept his word and I kept mine. Several gentlemen consented, agreeing to pay from Rs. 16 to Rs. 25 each according to distance. Mrs. Fordyce visited the zenar.as as a pioneer, and on the 1st or 2nd of February 1855, Miss Eliza Toogood, one of our teachers, with a native assistant left our home in Camac Street (No. 2, now No. 15); and as she left, I said to Mrs. Fordyce, "This day is the beginning of a new era for the daughters of India." Miss Toogood did good service in the zenanas, and afterwards in Dr. Duff's school for high caste girls. She was afterwards Mrs. Scott, and United action of Societies. she has now gone to her rest and reward. Returning to 1855, THE REV. W. R. BLACKETT, C. M. S., Calcutta, said:-I deprecate Mr. Etherington's suggestion to give up the effort to alleviate the troubles of converts arising from the state of the marriage law, for the purpose of agitating against child-marriage generally. I think this would lay us open to the charge of party action in the highest degree. I suggest the importance of avoiding waste of labour and clashing, by the different Zenana Missions dividing the ground among them. I beg the ladies engaged in teaching not to regard the Government aid, where not hampered with inGovernment admissible regulations, as a silver chain. It would tend to make their work solid on its secular side. If any lady really feels herself hampered by being obliged to teach reading and writing, let her confine herself to preaching, and leave the teaching part to others. Several ladies present have asked me to record their testimony, that they found the Government aid and inspection a help and not a hindrance in their work. aid. Training of women teachers. I suggest that of all the divers forms of activity open to ladies, there is none more useful or promising than the training of women teachers. The increase of women workers is one of the grandest features of this Conference, and the further increase will be one of the most anxious points in the next ten years working. We can never bring ladies enough from home, but those who train native womer are multiplying their work to an indefinite extent. |