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TWENTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT

Bengal·

Woman's Missionary Conference

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TWENTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT

Bengal·

Woman's Missionary Conference

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v. 2.~ \

I

Hll1l11a L. Kllo\Vle~ Elizabeth Maxey

.:\Irs. .-\da Lee

1\lrs. W. P. Byers Kate A. Blair

The lh'es of these Missionaries repres~nt one hundred and forty-three years of service in India.

Twenty-Seventh Annual Report J- . e ' :J2

OF THI£

BENGAL

Woman's Missionary Conference

OF THE

Methodist Episcopal Church

FOR

1914

HELD AT

ASANSOL, JANUARY 29 TO FEBRUARY 3, 1915.

ART PRESS:

I, WELUNGTON SQUARE, CALCUTTA.

OFFICERS

President

MISS ELIZABETH :MAXEY.

Vice-Presidents

MISS EMMA L. KNOWLES, l\iRS. W. P. BYERS.

Secretary

MISS l\1ABEL LOIS EDDY.

Assistant Seoretary

MISS MARNIE REILEY.

Official Correspondent

1\1ISS KATE A. BLAIR.

Statistical Secretary

}vIRS. G. SCHANZLlN.

Conference Historian

MISS KI\THARINE KINZL Y.

Conference Treasurer

MISS Hn.DA SWAN.

Finance Committee

M,RS. W. P. BYERS MISS JOSEPHINE STAHL

MISS MABEL LOIS EDDY MISS ELIZABETH MAXEY

MISS AVA HUNT.

Ex-Officio :-MISS KATE A. BLAIR, MISS HILDA SWAN.

Alternates :-MISS PAULl~"E; GRANDSTRAND, MRS. D. E. MANL~Y,

ST ANDING COMMITTEES

Finanoe Committee.-.Mrs. BY0'rs, l\liss Eddy, I\Iiss .Maxey, :Miss Stahl, Miss Hunt.

Ex-Officio: IVliss Blair, :Miss Swan. A.lternates: l\1iss Grandstrand, l\1.rs. :Manley.

Publication.-l\1iss Eddy, lVIiss Blair, :Miss Hunt.

Progl'am.-Mrs. Byers, :Miss Kinzly, I\1iss Reilcy. Building and Field Comrnittee.-Miss l\1axey, l\lrs. Byers, l\Irs. :Manley,

Miss Swan. Literature.-Miss Eddy, .:Miss Grandstrand, .i\Irs .. Manley. Education and Examination.-l\1.iss Carpcnter, :Miss Grandstrand, Miss

Hunt, Miss Knowles. Auxiliaries.-Mrs. Meik, Mrs. Swan, l\Irs. Schanzlin, ~Irs, Goold.

Furniture.-Miss Granstrand, l\iiss Norberg, l\fiss Stahl. Auditing Committee.-l\1.iss l\Iaxey, l\Iiss Lee, l\Iiss Stahl.

ROLL OF MEMBERS

Date of joining Confer-ence

NAMES

1902 *Beeken, .1\frs. Elsie 1888 *B1air, Kate A. 1889 Byers, Mrs. W. P. 1904 Byork, Mrs. John

(1902 Bengal) 1910 *Carpenter, Mary F. 1909 t Carr, Rachel 1902 *Eddy, Mabel Lois 1913 Goold, Mrs. Philip A. 1905 tGrandstrand, Pauline 1910 Hunt, Ava ]907 tKinzly, Katharine M. 1890 Knowles, Emma L.

(1881 I\orth India) 1907 Koch, Mrs. C. H. S. 1894 *Lee, Mrs. D. H.

(1876 Bengal) 1907 Lee, Lillie L. 1907 Manley, Mrs. D. H. 1909 tMatheson, Panny 1888 Maxey, Elizabeth 1888 Meik, Mrs. J. P. 1897 Mozumdar, Mrs. B. M. 1907 tNorberg, Eugenia 1904 Pritchard, Miss 1913 Reiley, Marnie B. 1913 Schanzlill, Mrs. G. 1893 Stahl, Josephine 1905 *Swan, Hilda A. 1908 Swan, Mrs. H. M. 1909 'Wood, Daisy Dean

Bengali

" Santali

Bengali

Bengali

Bengali

Bengali

Bengali

Bengali

STAtION

Calcutta Tamluk Asansol Kidderpore (Calcutta)

Calcutta America Calcutta Baliaghata (Calcutta) Pakaur Calcutta Calcutta Darjee1ing

America America

Calcutta Calcutta Tamluk Calcutta Bo!pur Calcutta

... Asansol Calcutta Pakaur Calcutta Darjeeling Pakaur Pakaur America

The asterisk indicates that the prescribed course of language study has been COlll­

pleted ; the obelisk indicates that one examinatio11 has been passed.

MINUTES OFTHl!

Bengal W omant s Missionary Conference

FIRST DAY

AsansolJ F1'ldaYJ January 29, 1915.

Opening.-The twenty-seventh annual session of the Bengal Woman's l\fissionary Conference convened in the \V. F . .l\1. S. bungalow in Asansol at 12-30 P.M.} .l\1iss Maxey, the President, in the chair.

Devotions.-After the singing of "0 Zion, Haste" Miss Knowles gave a helpful talk from Paul's life, emphasizing the words: "bound in spirit." A short season of earnest prayer followed.

Roll Call.-The Secretary called" the roll and the following members responded :-:Miss Blair, :Mrs. Byers, .l\1rs. Byork, l\1iss Carr, l\fiss Eddy, .l\1iss Grandstrand, Miss Hunt, lV1iss Knowles, .l\:Iiss Lee, .l\1iss .l\:Iaxey, .l\1rs. Manley, Miss l\latheson, Mrs. Schanzlin, lVIiss Stahl, Mrs. Swan, ~Iiss Swan.

Election of Officers.-On motion of IvIiss Hunt it was decided to elect all officers eXcEpt the Official Correspondent and the Treasurer by acclama­tion. l\1iss Grandstrand and J\liss lVlatheson were appointed tellers. The following officers were elected: President, :Miss l\1axey j First Vice-Pre­sident, Miss Knowles; Second Vice-President, Mrs. Byers; Secretary Miss Eddy; Assistant Secretary, :Miss Reiley; Statistical Secretary, :Mrs. Schanzlin. By ballot: Official Correspondent, .lVIiss Blair; Treasurer, lVIiss Swan.

Appointment of Temporary Committees.-The President appointed thE following Temporary Committees:

Committee on N ominations.-.l\1iss Stahl, :lVIiss Swan, lVlrs. Byers. Committee on Resolutions.-Miss Knowles, lVIrs. Manley, Miss Lee.

Repolts.-The following reports were read and accepted: Asansol-General work, NIrs. Byers; Boarding School, Miss Carr. Calcutta-Beg Bagan, Mrs. l\1anley ; Kidderpore, Mrs. Byork.

A solo, "Does Jesus Care?", was sweetly sung by l\1rs. Swan, after which the Conference listened to a delightful paper by Mrs. Byers on "Our Conference-past, present, and future." A most interesting discussion took place which brought out the following outstanding needs of the Conference:

Asansol-Hospital for boarding school; missionary for Santali work among the 46,000 Santalies of the District; a church.

6 BENGAL WOl\1AN;S l\USS101'IARY CONFERENCE

Beg Bagan-A. 'v. F. M. S. missionary; home for workers; board-ing school.

Calcutta Girls' High School-Adjoining property. Deaconess Home-One visiting deaconess; two nurse deaconesses. Lee Memorial Mission-Adjoining property; church; school build-

ing ; missionary for normal work; development of village work. Pakaur-Hospital; American doctor; man for Santali work;

W. F. 1\1. S. building. Queen's Hill, Darjeeling-Schoo1 building. Tamluk-1VIissionary for work among men; orphanage. T angra.-Another man for school work.

JYlrs. Byers suggested that these special needs comprise a prayer list for each member of the Conference, and be so recorded on the minutes.

Miss Stahl was appointed to send to the "Woman's Missionary Friend" an article on the discussion and the needs presented.

Mrs. Peterson told what it meant to her to be present at the Conference, and recommended that women who are not members of the Conference be invited to attend that they may get a vision of the field and work.

Adjournment.-The closing minutes of the first session were spent in prayer. After singing the doxology the Conference adjourned to meet at one o'clock the following day.

SECOND DAY Saturday, january, 30, 1915.

Opening.'-The Conference was called to order by the President at one o'clock.

Devotional.-The devotional hour was conducted by 1'Irs. Byork who, after the singing of "I love to tell the story," and prayer by J\fiss Grand­strand, read John 16: 32,33. 1\lr5. Byork dwelt upon th~ words: "Be of good cheer, I have overcome," and gave to the Conference a message of cheer and inspiration. Mrs. Byers then led in prayer.

Minutes.-The 11inutes of the previous session were read, corrected, and approved. On motion of 1VIiss Stahl the Conference authorized the printing of five hundred copies of the Conference Report, and that copies be sent to the Conference Secretaries in each Branch, these copies to be paid for from the Contingent Fund. The following missionaries offered to forward Reports to the Secretaries: :Miss Knowles New England Branch: Miss Maxey-New York Branch ; Miss Hunt-Philadelphia Branch ; Miss Reiley-Northwestern Branch; Miss Blair-Cincinnati Branch; Miss Stahl ...,-Des Moines Branch; Mrs. Manley-Topeka Branch; 1\liss Granstrand-1\:I:inneapolis Branch; Miss Swan-Pacific Branch and Columbia River Branch.

BENGAl. WOl\IAN'S MISSIONARY CONFERENCE

Conference Historian.-On motion of :Miss Eddy the Conference decided to have a Conference Historian to prepare a roll of members for the Minutes, and to prepare and keep a list of all missionaries in the Conference, with their home address and also the name and address of parents or friends. The President appointed l\Iiss Kinzly Conference Historian.

Conference Messages.-On motion of ~\Iiss Swan the Secretary was in­structed to send a message from the Conference to Mrs. Culshaw. On mo­tion of l\1iss Eddy it was decided also to send a letter of cheer from the Conference to l\1iss Gabrielson who is in the hospital in Calcutta.

Visitors.-lVlrs. Schutz and l\1iss \Varne were welcomed by the Confer­ence, and on motion of Miss Carr l\Iiss \Varne was accorded the privileges of a member.

Finance Committee.-Mrs. Swan and :Miss Lee were appointed tellers, and the following were elected members of thE Finance Committee: lVlrs. Byers, Miss Eddy, l\1iss l\faxey, Miss Stahl, :Miss Hunt.

Ex-Officio: -Miss Blair, lVliss Swan. Alternates:-Miss Granstrand, Mrs. Manley.

Thc Asansol school girls entertained the Conference by singing two songs.

Reports of Standing Committees.-A uxiliary-This report was given by Miss Swan. . (See Reports.) Literature-Miss Granstrand read thE report of the Literature Com-

mittee. (See Reports.) Furniture-The Furniture Committee Report was submitted by the

chairman of the Committee. (See Reports.) lVIiss Blair read a most enjoyable paper on, "The Joys and Sorrows of

an Editor," after which Mrs. Byers sang a solo. Reports.-The following reports of work were read and accepted:

Calcutta-Hindustani work, ~frs, Bose; Deaconess Home, Mis~ l\1axey.

Photographs.-The ConferEnce unanimously voted that the pictures of all members of the Conference who have completed twenty-five years of service should be inserted in the Conference Report.

ReportS.-Calcutta-Evangelistic work, Miss Eddy. Adjournment.-After singing the Doxology the Conference adjourned.

THIRD DAY Monday, "February I, 1915.,

Opening.-The Conference opened at one o'clock with the President in the chair.

Dellotional.-The hymn "Close to Thee" was sung and lVliss Grand­strand led the devotional exerciSES, reading I John 1 : 1-9. The Conference then engaged in a season of prayer.

8 BItNGAL WOl\1ANJ S MISSIONARY CONFERENCE

Minutes.-The minutes of the previous session were read, conected, and approved.

Reports of Standing Committees.-Publication Committee-Miss Lee reported the publishing of the

Conference Report for last year's Conference session. Examinati()ns-l~.1.iss Carpenter was reported to have passed her senior

Bengali examination. Temperance-Temperance work was reported by Mrs. Byork. (See

Reports.) Reports of Treasurer and Official Correspondent.-

lVliss Swan, the Treasurer, read her report (See Reports) and Miss Blair read her report as Official Correspondent.

Language School.-On motion of Miss Eddy it was decided to send a petition to the Language School of Calcutta stating that the Methodist mis­sionaries do not arrive in India before December, and asking that the class should begin the 1st of January.

Auditing of books.-The roll was called and the missionaries in charge of W. F. lvI. S. funds reported whether their book5 had been audited, and the balance in hand.

The Conference listened to a helpful recitation by Miss Carpenter. Reports of Work.-The following reports of work were read and ac­

cepted: Darjeeling-Queen's Hill-Miss Stahl. Calcutta-Calcutta Girls' High School-1\1iss \Vood ; Evangelistic and

general work-l\Hss Kinzly. Letters from Mrs. Culshaw and Mrs. Fred Smith, former members of

the Conference, were read. Reports of work.-Reports of work were read and accepted as follows:

Calcutta-Lee Memorial Training and Boarding School, Miss Carpenter.

Lee lviemorial Day Schools, Mrs. Beeken. Pakaur-Boarding School, Miss Swan; Widows' Home and Evangel­

istic work, IVIiss Grandstrand ; Medical work,Miss Reiley. Tamluk-School, l\:1iss Blair; Evangelistic work, IVfiss Matheson.

1\{iss Wood then sang a solo "Unanswered Yet." Report of Muttra Training School.-The report of this school was read

by ]\iiss Stahl. (See Reports.) Report of Temporary Committee.-

C ommitte'e on N ominations-This report was given by Miss Stahl. The report was accepted and the committees elected. (See Reports).

Evangelistic and Sunday School Committee.-On motion of Mrs. Swan a Committee on Evangelism and Sunday Schools was formed, composed of those who ar~ engaged in evangelistic work~ with Miss Kinzly as chairman,

B~NGAL WOMAN'S MISSIONARY CONF~R~NCE 9

History of the Bengal Woman's Conferenoe.-On motion of Miss Blair the Conference moved that Mrs. Byers' paper on the history of the Bengal Woman's Conference be printed in the Report.

Conferenoe Message.-On motion of ':Miss Blair the Conference sent a message to Miss Storrs "rho sailed for America a few weeks ago.

Repol'ts.-On motion of Miss Kinzly the Conference ruled that the reading of reports of work should be ommitted from the Conference program, and the time given to papers and discussions on the work. l\iiss Blair was elected to summarize the reports of work and read the summary to the Conference.

On motion of lVIrs. lVlanley, l\Iiss Blair, Miss Stahl, and Miss Swan were elected to present suggestions as to the material which shall compose the reports.

Rules of Order.-The Rules of Order were read by the President. File of Conferenoe Reports.-Miss Hunt was appointed to keep a file of

the Conference Reports. Committee on the Manual.-On motion of Ivriss \Vood the Committee

on the .Manual was contit)ued for the coming year. Committee on Resolutions .. - The Committe on Resolutions gave its

report, which was accepted. (See Reports.) Adjournment.-It was moved and seconded that after the reading of

the minutes and prayer the Conference stand adjourned. Carried. Minutes.-The minutes were read and approved. ~vlrs. Byers led in

prayer and the Conference stood adjourned.

SPECIAL SESSION Tuesday, February 2J 1915.

Opening.-This session convened at twelve o'clock, the President in the chair, and was opened with prayer by lVIiss Stahl.

Bengal and Assam Representative Counoil of Missions.-On motion of l\1rs. Manley the Conference proceeded to elect by ballot a representative on the Bengal and Assam Representative Council of Missions. Miss Blair was elected representative, and Miss Stahl alternate.

The Conference, on motion of ]vIrs. lVIanley, authorized the Treasurer to pay the fee due the Council from the Conference ; the Treasurer to be reimbursed by each member of Conference paying an equal share of the fee.

Probation MissionarY.--On motion of lVIiss Wood, Miss Isa Meik was accepted as a probation missionary to receive her appointment from the Bishop, pending the action of the ladies at home.

Introduotions.-J\Ir. A. A. Parker and lVlrs. Rikard were introduced to the Conference.

Minutes.-After t lJ e reading of the minutes the special session was closed by the singing Flf the Doxology.

~

REPORTS OF COMMITTEES

Report of the Treasurer

It was with some misgiving that I took up the '\lork as treasurer at the beginning of1914 as the work was new to me. But the ladies were all kind and considerate, even if their money reached them late, so I have not found the work difficult.

\Yheli the war broke out the rate of exchange dropped very low. I was forhmate in not having many drafts on hand at the timE, and after a time exchange rose as high as ;10;1, so it did not greatly affect us. The Pacific Branch draft for the Third Quarter ,vas lost, which necessitated m~T borrmv­ing some money to carry me over.

During the year the following moneys have been received and disbursed:

Balance on hand January 1st 1914

1ST QUARTER­

Receipts Disbursements Deficit Balance for 2nd Quarter

2ND QUARTER­

Receipts Disbursemen ts Deficit Balance for 3rd Quarter

3RD QUARTER­

Receipts Disbursements Deficit Balance for 4th Quarter

4TH QUARTER-

Rs. A. P.

3,945 OIl

18,072 IS 8 19,583 9 6

1,510 I 10

23,844 IS 3 24,496 9 10

651 10 7

15,140 IS 5 16,063 5 I

922 6 8

Receipts 15,707 10 6 Disbursements 15,539 4 8 Balance in hand for 1915 168 5 10

I wish to express my thanks to .M.iss J\laxey for the help she has given in selling drafts and for her helpful suggestions.

HILDA SwAN}

Treasurer.

nENGAL WOMAN; S l\IISSIOXAR Y CONFltRltNC.E II

Blackstone Missionary Institute, 1914

The Staff.-At Conference time nliss Boddy was added to our staff. She has done very effective work, teaching most of the Bible in the English Department, and Church History. The missionaries do all the teaching in this department with the exception of the munshi work. In the Hindustani Department there have also been some changes. After many years of faith­ful and efficient service :Miss Oglivie felt the need of a change so has taken up district work. In this capacity she is a great help to us in the practical training of the girls, taking them with her as she tours through this large and needy district. l\Iiss vVells and :Miss Atmaralll, both graduates of the English Department, are doing excellent work in the school, assisted by three teachers.

The Students.-The total enrolment for the year is as follows:-English Department 7 Hindustani Department iO Village Department 6

TOTAL 83

Thirteen were graduated from the Hindustani Department and one from the English Department last l\Iay. Two of these are leanling nursing and the remainder are all in some form of mission service. Students have come from a wide area, our own mission having six Conferences represented. Five different missions have sent students.

The Home .Missionary Society is taking a great interest in the English Department and has had three of their scholarship-holders in the school during the year, one of whom was graduated in l\1ay. The Board of Trustees has asked l\Iiss \Vise, the Travelling Secretary of the Home Society! to represent the school in the· English schools and Churches as the oppor­tunity offers.

Class room ''''ork has been carried on as usual, the examinations showing good results. An effort is being made to give enough work in methods of teaching to be of real practical value.

Practical work is at high tide during the winter season ,,,"hen onr Indian preacher and zenana assistant take bands to the vi11ages daily. A number of the seniors also spent some time in camp with the district evangelist. The Prayer Band keeps in touch with this evangelistic work, and missionary enthusiasm is keen.

Again we ask your co-operation in prayer for every department of this work, and also in the effort to keep the opportunities of mission training before the young people in the English Churches and the high schools and colleges.

1vr. 1. F. l\fcKxl(;JIT,

Principa.l.

12 BENGAL WOMAN;S MISSIONARY CONFERENCE

Auxiliaries

Three auxiliaries have been organised during the year in the Asansol District. \Ve hope that during the coming year many more may be organized. The Committee urge that the members consider this matter important, and that special effort may be put forth to interest the women in the English Churches, as well as the vernacular, wherever possible. We believe that many may receive a new interest in mission work if this is done.

HILDA SWAN.

Literature

It has been difficult to get a definite statement of the amount of literature used in the Conference during the year. The most encouraging thing we have to report is the work done at the Gunga SaugarMela last .T anuary by Mrs. Lee, Miss Reeve, and a band of workers. Over eighty rupees worth of books (mostly Bible portions) were sold. As these were nearly all pice books it means a total of over five thousand. These were printed in several languages, and carried to all parts of India.

Very fine Bengali posters are now available, and we would suggest that each missionary in Bengali work secure a supply of these posters and place them wherever possible. Especially do we recommend that they be placed on the walls of all day schools.

We suggest that the utmost care be exercised in selecting tracts for dis­tribution. There is a great variety of tracts and not every one is suitable for all classes of readers.

We urge that this year a more determined effort .bc made to place the Bible in the homes. It would be well to present to the larger girls who pass out of the day schools a copy of the Bible or N cw Testament.

PAULINE GRANDSTAND.

Fumiture

Rupees ISO was received by Miss Reiley, and the same amount expended by her for furniture. The committee suggests that the missionaries make a list of all the W. F, M. S. furniture and send it to the furniture committee.

EMMA L. KNOWLES.

Temperance

Our temperance work has been carried on through the year along the old lines and 'with the usual vigour. ,\Ve hold a Good Templar session on Tuesday of each week in our :Mission Hall. Both sailors and civilians are equally eligible, and members from both these communities help to swell the ranks of the Temperance army; and though our regular attendance may not be considered large, our enrollment register shows a membership of about four hundred adults, and our Juvenile Temple has about one hundred.

BENGAL WOMANjS MISSIONARY CONFERENCE

Our sailor friends often merely pass through; in the. fe\y days they remain in port they join our Temperance Society and then perhaps we never see them again. But they often send us cheering letters from the various ports they touch, and we trust the lessons they learn in this tiny corner of the world are carried far and wide.

As noted above, we have a Children's Temperance Society and in this connection we have a Baby Roll, too, \\"hich parents have been glad to sign on behalf of the coming generation. The weekly meeting of the Juvenile Temple has been suspended for a short while. There is a promise of revival during 1915.

The Temperance Lessons have been carefully utilized in comiection with our Sunday School every quarter, and a temperance paper has been regularly distributed among the children.

ANNIE BYORK.

Resolutions

. RESOLVED, that \ve express onr gratitude to God for His goodness in sparing the lives of all our members during the past year, while His hand has fallen heavily upon some of our sister Conferences, 1n the removal of useful workers.

RESOLVED, that we express our thanks to the ,\Toman's Board of our \\T. F. 1\1. S. at home, for assisting in sending Dr. Parker to India as our Educational Secretary in Religious work. There is a great field before him.

RESOINED, that \'ve extend to .:\lrs. Culsha\v our deepest sympathy and the assurance of our pra~Yers at this time of her great trial in the illness of her 11 usbanel.

RESOLVED, that we extend our best wishes and appreciation of faithful service rendered by three of our mc.mbcrs, l\'fisses Wood, Carr and :Matheson, who will soon be leaving for the home lanel. May they have a safe and happy voyage, a successful furlough, and be speedily retull1ed to us.

Especially do we appreciate the service of ,Miss Storrs, Miss ,Matheson and J\1iss Reeve (the latter now 1V1rs. Bose). These ladies have been most faithful to our work although formerly not of our church communion. Of Miss Storrs' wonderful work on the library of the Calcutta Girls High Schooll\'fiss \Vood has spoken in her report of the: School.

RESOLVED, that we assure our friends, ]\1r. and ::\lrs. Byers, .Miss Carr, and all their helpers at Asansol who have so abundantly provided for us during the Conference Session, of our sincere thanks and wannest regard, wishing them great blessing during the coming year.

El\IM.\ L. KNOWLES MRS. MANLEY LILLIE L. LEE

B~NGAL WO:\JANjS MISSIONARY CONF~RENtIt

APPOINTMENTS OF BENGAL CONFERENCE WOMAN'S WORK

Asansol Distriot

I~l1glish Church

Girls' Boarding School

Circuit Work Evangelistic and Zenana Work Bible Training School and Day Schools Bengali Church Work Mangalbari On furlough to America

)irs. \\'. P. Byers Miss Cowie Mrs. W. P. Byers

. . . Miss Hosking Mrs. W. P. Byers Miss Eugenia Norberg Miss Moore Mrs. Mullick }Irs. :\1. K. Chakerbaty }Iiss Rachel Carr

Calcutta Distriot

Anglo-Indian Orphanage Boys' School and Orphanage Calcutta Girls' High School

Deaconess Home and Yisitation Hospital Visitation and Finance Kidderpore Seamen's Mission and Hindu-

stani Work Thoburn Church Qneen's Hill School, Darjeeling

O!l furlough to America

Miss Fannie Bennett )Irs. Campbell Miss Ava Hunt, P1'incipal l\Iiss Augusta Geisenhener, Fice­

Principal }liss Hlizabeth Maxey Miss Pritchard -

}Irs. John Byork l\Irs. D. H. Manlev :Miss Emma L. Ki-towles, Principal

Emeritus ::'IIiss Josephine Stahl, Principal l\1iss Lois Rockey, Vice-Principal Miss Daisy D. ·Wood

Calcutta Yernaoular District

District Work Beliaghata Collins' Institute

East Calcutta Circuit

Hindustani Work

Lee Memorial Boarding and Training School

Day Schools Evangelistic and Zenana Work

T&mluk

:\Irs. D. H. Manley :'tIrs. P. A. Goold :'tIrs. G. Schallzlin Mrs. S. C. Biswas Mrs. D. H. Manley Mrs. B. M. Mozumciar Miss Elizabeth Maxev Mrs. Elsie Beeken . }Iiss Mary F. Carpenter, Principal Miss Lillie L. J~ee, Assistant Principal Mrs. Elsie Beeken Miss Mabel L. Eddy Miss Katharine M. Kinzlv Miss Kate A. Blair . Miss Isa Meik, Probation Missionary

BJtNGAI, WOMAN'S MISSIONARY CONFJtRJtNCJt

071 furlongh to America Mrs. C. H. S. Koch Mrs. D. H. Lee Miss Fanny Matheson

Diamond Harbour Distriot

District Work School and Zenana \\~ork

District Work Bdpore Circuit Bolpore Church Pakaur Boys' School Pakaur Church Evangelistic Work Girls' Boarding School Medical Work Santali Work \Vidow's Home Rampur Haut Circuit Rampur Haut Church .. Rampur Haut English \Vork

:\Irs. H. :\1. Mozumdar :.\Iiss :\Iabel L. Eddy

Pakaur Distriot Mrs. H. :\1. Swan l\Jrs. J. P. Meik l\Irs. :'oIondol Mrs. Sarkar l\Irs. Sarkar Miss Pauline Granstrand :\liss Hilda ,:\1. Swan Miss Mamie B. Reilev Miss Pauline Granstr~nd :Miss Pauline Granstrand :\Irs. J. P. Meik Mrs Das Mrs. J. P. Meik

15

16

Missionaries ... Assistants Bible Women ...

Teachers

BENGAL WOl\IAN~ S MISSIONARY CONFERENCE

REPORTS OF WORK

Asansol District

MRS. W. P. BYERS, MISS RACHEl, CARR, .MISS gt:GE:\IA ~ORnEHG.

lV1ISS MOORE, 1\1155 SINCLAIR, ~lISS HOSK1XG J :.\lISS TURTON.

ApURBA DAS, .:\ISSI DAS, UJULI DAS, ALICE SAMSON, REBU, KUNTI,

KENTA.

BABU H. l' DAS, MARY DAS, NIHARBALA DEY, SHAR.MA BISWAS, RAJU­

BALA CHOWDHURY, UJULI BISWAS, AMY, CHANDRABA'l'TI, JESSIE}

AMODINI, SUHAGA.

Evangelistic Work ~IRS. W. P. BVERS.

At the beginning of each year I always ask God for some new word for the year, and last January the promise that came was, "I will comfort you o.n every side." It has indeed been so, and I have proved that it is when we come to seemingly impossible tasks, that we then truly learn more fully to rest in God and trust His daily and hourly guidance.

The time had come for :Miss Norberg to go home on furlough, and it fell to my lot to care for the work she was leaving. -\\Te have missed her so much, but have been cheered by her letters and by the knowledge that she was busy in the homelands and embracing the opportunities to tell of the progress of the work in India. Her heart has been here, she says, and in her last letter she said that if God spared her to return to this needy land it would be with a new patience and a new love for the people. She has felt during her stay in America how easy it is for us to expect too much of these "little ones in Christ." Her heart has often been saddened by the apathy there of those who should be earnest, prayerful Christians.

It has been impossible for me to get out into the villages, except for a few flying visits; and as JYIiss Sinclair is a new worker and cannot yet speak Bengali, I have not been able to let her go. But the village preaching women come in once a month and attend the monthly meeting for Bible study and prayer. Nissi and the others visit the villages in the circuits where they live, and teach and sing and pray. They say that some day the J\1ass Move­ment will begin. Two of the Bible women stay in Asansol with Miss Moore, and visit the zenanas in the town, and also the Christian families, and have done faithful work though they find it hard to have to carry on the work -alone. They are kindly received and almost all the good homes in Asansol are open to them. Apurba, our best little preacher, is in lVluttra Training School and is now in her second year there. \Ve are hoping she may be of real value when she comes back to us, in training the new Bible women and in teaching them the Bible.

The day school work is progressing, and during this coming year we hope to open day schools in more of the villages where there are Christians. Many of the little Hindu children are learning the Christian hymns ano Bible verses and Bible stories.

BENGAL WOMAN; S l\IISSIONAR Y CONFERENCE 17

l\-liss l\Ioore has had a good year with her training class and her day school. The three women she sent to take a Junior Teachers' training have now finished, and two are teaching in her day school and one is with .lYliss Carr. There are now four good teachers for the school, and the children are interested and making good progress. A Government grant of Rs. 25 a month is now received, and we hope that it may soon be increased. In November the girls helped make some handkerchiefs to send for the sick soldiers.

The training class women have their regular daily Bible class and are learning to read. Some have made good progress and can read their Bibles now. Three passed the Bible woman's examination for the first year. Each one has some work to do about the place, and they take turns in cooking. We are much encouraged with this branch of work, and we expect the class will in time give us more Bible women. A good spirit prevails among them and they are learning to pray. \\1 e give them new subjects for prayer from time to time so that they may have their share in all that is being done.

The work amongst the Europeans has been encouraging, and I have given some time each month to visiting in the station and also among our colliery friends. The Sunday School and Band of Hope have given me much joy. I tell the children I am going to call them the \Villing \Vork­ers, because they are so ready to help in what is to be done. The Band of Hope gave an entertainment and sent one hundred pillow cases for the sick soldiers. They have with their monthly fees bought Band of Hope buttons for themselves, and twenty-eight copies of the Band of Hope Review. These twenty-eight copies come monthly and will be a great help in the homes. Friends in America send us plenty of Sunday school papers so that every child gets a paper each Sunday. The parents as well as the little folks enjoy the good reading, and we are very grateful to those at home who take the trouble to send them.

\Ve thank God for all His goodness to us during this past year, for the joy He, has given us in His service. \Ve begin the new year with Him, and OUI strength and song is that He is with us.

Boarding School RACHEL CARR.

How many people we meet seem anxious to look into the future, and wish to know what fortune or misfortune awaits them. God has given us one day at a time to live and asks us to trust Him for the unfolding of His plans. Thus He is able to strengthen us according to our daily need. Had my workers and I been told what we would have to pass through this year our hearts would have surely failed us, and we would have cried "Who is sufficient for these things?" But in God's good way we have walked by faith and not by sight. Therefore to-day we praise Him for all the way He has led us ; and for all the lessons He has taught us. "Oft from apparent ill our blessings arise."

3

18 BENGAL WOMAN'S MISSIONARY CONFERENCE

While much the same work has been carried on in our school during the past year, yet there have been many changes. Early in the year some of our girls were married. "\Ve always miss our big girls, but ,ve trust they arc doing a larger work in the new sphere, as a result of the preparation they received in the school.

In February an epidemic of measles broke out in the school, and in spite of the precautions we took to prevent its spread, most of the little girls were taken ill. The children were allowed to go home to their villages, but in the three months that followed eleven of the children passed away. Our hearts ,vere saddened, but by their prayers and testimonies we were assured. that they knew the Saviour's love, and felt confident they were "going home." The fifteen new girls who have entered during the year have almost filled the vacancies thus made.

\Ve have a good staff of teachers now, though we began the year without a pundit, and again in July the position was vacant. The post was filled when Haripada Das came to us in August. Good results in the fifth standard secured us a iiixth standard of six pupils for 1915.

The children wrote on the Sunday School Scripture Examination in July. There were twenty-six successful candidates in this examination in 19I3, and in I914 twenty.

We have tried to make the temperance lessons in the Sunday School interesting. Twenty-one girls have signed the pledge this year, and six girls wrote essays on the "Effect of Alcohol on Character" for the W.C.T.V. contest in October.

The children have given several collections during the year by their own self denial. One collection was given to the Jewish work in Calcutta.

]vIany of the girls have made marked progress' in their spiritual lives. The girls are always interested and eager to get new topics and subjects for prayer. A few mornings ago as I went to opcn the doors at 5-30 a.m., I saw the baby groups cuddled close together and, wondering what they were doing, I stepped up to see. There were four of the very little ones praying %gether, keeping the morning watch, while many of the older ones were rolling up their mats and blankets to go out.

In January l\iiss Turton came to conduct the sewing classes. She has not limited herself to that work alone, but has been a general help, and has taken upon herself two people's work when the time demanded it.

l\iisses Limond and De Hone left us at mid-year, one to be married, the other to work in the hills.

In November .l\Iiss Hosking returned from her long vacation. While as yet she is not very robust, her health is improving, and she is glad to be back to the work for which she has given so many years of her life, and we rejoice to have her again for the work. God has spared heF through a very trying illness, and we hope she may be permitted to give many more years to His service.

We scarcely dared to look for l\1iss Norberg's return f]uite so soon, but the ladies at home have permitted her, owing to her excellent health and

Asallsol "'orkers 011 'four ill the Yillages.

Our Girls come from Homes like this.

Staff of the Calcutta Girls' High School.

BENGAl, WOMAK'S l\USSIONAR Y CONFERENCE 19

keen desire to be back at her work, to sail as early in the new ~'ear as possible, so we think she is on hcr way nov\".

We would express our gratitude to the ladies at home for the thank­offering of five hundred dollars toward the erection of a little house to be used as a school hospita1. The inspectress has promised to take up our appli­cation for a building grant again as soon as the war cloud lifts. \Ve must be patient. I had hoped to shoulder the burden of this work, but I trust another may realise the joy I had anticipated. After many years and some hard pushing, the Govc:rnment has increased our grant from Rs. 35 to Rs. 75 per mensem. Although this is not half 'what we asked for still it will help us to keep trained teachers on the staff.

\Ve have appreciated yer~T much the services of the Indian preachers in the school each Sunday during the last eighteen months. The girls and mothers with little children on the compound, have been spared the long walk to Asansol by attending chnrch here. \Ve continue to pra~T for onr new Bengali Church.

The Ben:gali Convention, held again in Asansol in October, proved a great spiritual uplift to the girls and teachers, as it did, we believe, to all who attended. If Beng~l is to be stirred to Christianity, the spiritual life of the Christians needs deepening. \Ve believe that meetings such as these Conventions are, where the spirit of prayer is the atmosphere, promise much toward bringing the l\fass 1\10vement to Benga1.

The years I ha\Te been permitted to work among you have gone so swiftly, so many things I had hoped to do arc still unaccQmplished. Rut the opporhmity for work has heen blessed. Jean lng-elo\v says-

"I am not bound to make the world go right ; But onlv to discover and to do

With cheerful heart the ,vork that God appojnts. I will trust Him,

That He can hold His own, and I will take His will, above the work He sendeth me

To be my chiefest good." The year that lies before us is untried and unknown, and yet we know

that He \Vho said "Go" win also prepare the way before us, and give the strength and wisdom to follow Him.

Calcutta District

Calcutta Girls) High School DAISY D. \}\TOOD, Principal A \'A HUNT, Vice-PTincipal

(Report by ::\fiss \\r ood)

To review the work of the year 1914 in the Calcutta Girls' High School is a pleasant task, for thcr.= is much for which to be thankful and much to encourage those who have at heart the education of European girls in India.

20 BENGAL WOMANJS l\USSIONARY CONFERENCE

We began the year with a fine enrollment which before the end of March reached the unusual figure of 270 children. Of these pupils more than 50 were in the Cambridge Classes. Our examination results are good, both in the Cambridge course and in music.

While mentioning successes we should not forget the victories won by the School on the Annual Day of Sports held at the V. W. C. A. These contests are open to all Girls' Schools in the city, and are threefold, there being competitions in singing, general sports and games. This School won first place in all three. For singing they received the beautiful new Challenge Cup presented by Lady Camlichael. For the victory in sports and games they received for the second time in the four years during which the contests have been held, the Silver Challenge Cup for these contests. The School also received as a permanent possession a beautiful picture. It means much for the esprit de corps of the School to win such victories.

The School has made good advancement in a material way. In June the property adjacent to the School on the north, and which for many years has been much needed, was leased. The work of fitting it for the use of the School was begun at once, and the 1st of August we were able to move our hospital and matrons' quarters into the house. This building also gives us room for two much needed coach houses for the school omnibuses, also plenty of storage rooms, a place for chance guests, and space for some technical work. \tVe have already been saved much trouble by having this place where we could isolate children with infectious diseases,-a thing with which all schools where there are little children must frequently reckon.

The hard time caused by the war has necessitated the cutting down of expenses in many homes, and in some cases parellt~ have felt compelled to remove their children from school. Although the high cost of living has been as severe upon boarding schools as upon other institutions, private homes not excepted, we have tried to assist all we could in these cases. Our in­come from fees has diminished quite appreciably and a good many children whose parents had before been paying full fees, have had to be either placed on the free list or lost. In every case thus far we have taken the first altena­tivc.

In may we held a Patron's Day when all the work of the year up to that time was shown and an Exhibition Programme was given. The parents residing in the city turned out right loyally for the occasion and encouraged us greatly by their words of appreciation.

Among other oc.casions during the year the following are notable: Two Silver :Medal Contests, one in Recitation, one for Seniors and one for Juniors; a reception for old students, and Kindergarten Entertainme:nt which netted Rs. ISO, part of which is to be given for the Belgian Relief Fund and a part to be used for new apparatus and supplies in the Kindergarten Department.

A most helpful factor in the year's work has been the V. W. C. A. Through the V. \tV. C. A. Club the girls have had the use of the fine com­pound at the Institute for sports and games. They have had lectures on various subjects of interest and have had work in milinery and home pursin~, the latter course bein~ open to those who had alreadr passed !P

BENGAL WOMAN.1S MISSIONARY CONFERENCE 2I

First Aid. All passed the examination given at the close of the course of lessons.

The Girl Guides under the care of Miss G. FitzGerald and 1fiss \Y. Limond, have done good work and been the means of developing a spirit of helpfulneSs, loyalty to duty, and ambition for physical activity among the girls.

We are most grateful to Thoburn Church for the use of the upper hall of the Church building. Before we secured the use of this hall we were compelled to move the tables out of the dining room exer~' time we had chapel exercises, and even after that was done the chapel exercises were anything but inspiring as can be imagined when it is understood that the morning work in the pantry was going on in the next r00111 at the same time. \Ve have used the Church Hall for singing classes and meetings of the Literary Societies as well as Chapel, all these gatherings being too large for any of our class rooms.

Our thanks are, as ever, due to Miss Storrs for her care of the splendid library which she has made possible-in fact, created-for the School. She has kept it up to a very high standard and it still excels that of any other school in India of the same rank. In .Miss Storrs' departnre for the home­land the School loses the presence, thongh not the sympathy, of a friend and helper who has for fourteen vears ponred out her time, money, and strength for the work she loved. Words fail us as we try to give adequate expression to our gratitude to her. Although an unsalaried worker, she has been the soul of loyalty and devotion, and as a Christian woman of great refinement and liberal education her influence has been greater than can be told in words. The love and good wishes of all who have come in touch with her enough to know her, go with her as she turns her face homeward.

v.,7 e are most grateful to our Official Corresponckllts and, through them, to the ladies of the \,\T. F. 1\1. S. for their generous response to the needs of uur school. $3,000 toward the purchase of the house which we have leased, and a new missionary, as well as a contract teacher, have been promised. All are much needed. The inability of the ladies to send the contract teacher promised a year ago has, perhaps, been the source of more real anxiety, perplexity, and, to some extent, injury to our class work, than any other one cause. Since September I we have expected her confidently upon three different dates alld acted accordingly, only to face disappointment and the consequcnt confusion in class arrangemcnts when the day arrived. At the present time we are again looking forward to the arrival of Miss Boyce. This delay and uncertainty involves a good deal of difficulty with the opening of school for the new year, the engaging of teachers, reports to the Government., etc.

It is not easy to give an account of spiritual advancement. The things that appear on the surface as we take our backward look are great improve­ment in the conduct of the girls, a greater desire on the part of both teachers and girls to serve wherever the :Master may call, quickened consciences leading to prompt and whole souled confession when guilty of wrong doing a, deeper sense of obli!?ation to the school as well as to school companions:

22 BI!;NGAL WOMAN-'S MISSIONARY CONFERENCE

and the assuming of the duties and privileges of Church membership. Ten of our boarders and some of our day seholars have taken the latter step.

Miss Hunt has had charge of the Senior League and Y. W. C. A. Club. She is in touch with the older girls in a remarkably intimate and helpful way. She has also had charge of the primary department of the Sunday School, and with the help of her senior girls has greatly improved this work. I have had the great joy of caring for the Junior League again this year, and have tried to be of use in the music of the Church. The two Leagues have purchased new song books this year and are helping furnish a prayer room. There is a keen interest in missions manifest throughout the school and many of our girls are looking forward to this work. In the majority of cases the prejudices of parents stand in the way. Let us pray that these barriers may be removed.

\V c most heartily wE-lcome to our school family 1\11ss Geisenhener who comes to us from the Boys' School, and we pray that we may be mutually helpful.

V\l e do feel that the year has been one during which the hand of our God has been upon us for good and we thank and praise Him with full hearts, and the prayer expressed in our beautiful hymn,

"Lead on, oh, King Etdnal, V\T e follow not with fears,

For gladness breaks like morning Where'er thy face appears,

The cross is lifted o'er us, \Ve journey in its light,

The crown awaits the conflict, Lead on, oh, God of might."

Deaooness Home

The years are slipping away,

: EUZATIETH l\IAXEY.

"As silent and swift as a weaver's thread, Or an arrow's flying gleam. One after another we see them pass

Down the dimly lighted stream."

This year has been, not unlike the years that have passed, full of work, full of opportunities to help.

It is not easy to realize that more than twenty-five years have passed since it was said to us· in the homeland, your work is in far away India. Not once in all these years has there come a doubt that the :Master called, nor has there been a shadow of regret that we obeyed that call. There has been

.a constant wonder why this honor was given to us. The work has been increasing delight, and the Master has given to us many tokens of His favour.

We have greatly valued the words of kind appreciation that have been given to us by those who have been our guests during this year. Two hundred families have been visited, 8I4 calls made and r808 persons seen.

BI\NGAL \YOl\L\N I S MISSIONARY CONF~RItNClt

The hospitals have been visited and papers and magazines given out. Again we give thanks that no serious illness has come to our Home. ~liss Pritchard has continued to show her love for our Thoburn church by faithful work. She made it possible for me to spend June in Almora and later on in the year to have ten days in Darjeeling, hy caring for the Homc in my absence.

Miss Jeffries, who came to us as friend and gucst in October, has won the love and gratitude of those 'whom she has visited and has done good \vork in the Sunday School.

\Ve look back over the vear with hearts full of gratitude for all that the 1\laster has done for us,' and stand on the threshold of the nev\, year with confidence in our Lord and Master.

Kiddel'pol'e Seamen's Mission and Hindustani Work l\iRS. JOHN ByOIU~.

My work in Kidderpore and Garden Reach has been carried on through the year along the old lines and yet with sufficient variation to dispel monotony. I wish the difficulties also might have been expelled.

I am particularly distressed b(!cause we have no Bible women. The one I had, Elizabeth, left because her pay was to her mind too small, and she said she could do better by learning nursing; and so the work has been suffering. I have not been able to get another, yet I feel the need of Ol~e so much to visit with me or sometimes alone among the zenanas. I had such encouraging work of that kind going on; the women were waiting with unusual eagerness for our regular calls and we had such happy times telling them about our great Deliverer, while they were being taught various kinds of handy work. This activity has not been stopped as I am doing what I can, but it is very seriously handicapped because I used to let my Bible woman go and see that the connection and interest was kept up, and then I would go around and revive it. I hope that something may be done to supply this V(;ry important part of the work in Kidderpore.

My school work has had good progress. I can not speak too highly in this connection of the excellent service Miss Graham has rendered. She has a beautiful way of imparting knowledge to the children, and knows how to win their love and confidence. It has been a pleasure to me to watch this on my visit fo the school. We have maintained Ollr day and Sunday School right through and tht attendance, though fluctuating some, has been above the average of past years. \Ve arc greatly indebted to Messrs. Bird & Co. for allowing us thc continued complete use of a most acceptable school accommodation where we also conouct our Sunday serviQes when the weather compels us to go indoors, for it is a remarkable fact that the shade under the old tree where our Sunday services have been conducted for about a. dozen years now, seems to present an attraction all its own, when it is not raining.

The English and home work have claimed much of my time. Our Sunday School has flourished in every way. The teachers have a real sense

24 BENGAL "WOMAN'S MISSIONARY CONFERENCE

of their responsibility, and so the teaching is aiming at real soul improve­ment, and the scholars have kept up well in number and general improve­ment. From a financial point of view, thE: English Sunday School cqllections during the year total Rs. 26r. '

I think you may enjoy knowing that our dock school contributed Rs. rr-8-0 to our funds and helped toward defraying school prize distribu­tion expenditure at which function a great many of the children's parents and a considerable number of our English people were present.

The ladies of our English congregation have stood by the work in Kidderp~re loyally in every department, and contributed toward our Christ­mas festivities Rs. 497. I feel thankful as I look back over the work of last year for I am sure that the results are gratifying. We aim at bringing people of various creeds and nationalities into a united effort for good, and I think an evidence of some measure of success in this respect was seen in the fact that my husband was asked to preside over the prize distribution in the Kidder­pore Academy a few days ago; and I gave away the prizes. lYIy husband made good use of his opportunity, as chainnan, explaining to the elite Hindus of Kidderpore that "we shall only be remembered by what we have done." I pray that what we have done in Kidderpore during the past year may be to God's glory.

QueenJs Hill Sohool, Darjeeling E1\I1\1A L. KNOWLES, Principal Emeritus JOSEPHINE STAHL, Principal. LOIS ROCKEY, Vice-Principal.

(Report by 1\'liss Stahl)

I have a friend in school work who has a valuable habit of being able to see her work from a different point of view, if out of sight and sound of the school premises even for a day or two. It is then she sees visions and dreams of how to overcome difficulties, remedy defects, or provide for expansion. Just as an artist gets his perspective, so, looking at the year's work across a lapse of time, we are able to place the really important things in the fore­ground and adjust the othcrs accordingly. It is now more than a month since the special school train pulled out of the Darjeeling station with its load of happy, laughing, hurrahing girls from Queen's Hill School, their faces beaming with the vision of home and loved ones, from whom for nine months they had been separated. The principal, standing on the plat­fonn, watched the train disappear around a curve with a sense of buoyant relief, commensurate with the burden of responsibility whose weight she had hardly realized until it was taken away.

Looking back now at the year's work as a whole we realise the best pen picture could give" but an imperfect idea of it all. We have had a full school and therefore the finances have been easy. We have had a staff of competent, loyal teachers. Our examination results have heen satisfactory ; the general health of the school has been excellent. There has been a spirit

Kici!1erpore 1 Jock School ill Se~si(}ll.

BENGAL WOMAN'S MISSIONARY CONFERENCE 25

of harmony and unity throughout the household. These are things that can be reported.

The real test of the year's work is what it has meant to that ~rowd of laughing girls. One of the mothers said to me during the year, "I wonder sometimes whether the principals of schools really realise their responsibility in taking charge of other people's children, because if the~· do I cannot see how they have the courage to undertake it." I think we do realize it, but necessarily our work is largely concerned with what affects the whole body of pupils. In Queen's Hill we have tried to create an environment favour­able to the growth of Christian character; to give our girls true ideas of life, to help them see that happiness and Sllccess in life lies in giving, not in getting. \Ve have tried to keep before them the thought that they are preparing no,,, to be givers, and that the first requisite is to give themselves to Christ.

The girls themselves have conducted a weekly Christian Endeavour meeting, in which all take part, taking turns at leading the meeting. The experience they have acquired in learning to pray aloud and express them­selves in a meeting has been most valuable. Practically all the older girls are converted. At a regular meeting towards the close of the year they were asked to state whether they had given their hearts to God during the year. Five told us they had during the year become God's children. After this meeting a number of the younger girls became concerned for their salvation, and we hope came into the light.

Just below the school in the little parlor of a missionary lady, wife of a Baptist missionary, every Tuesday evening t"'dvc of onr older girls might be seen, each with her note book, busily preparing the next Sunday's lesson to teach their classe.s of little children in the Primary Departmel}t of the Sunday School. The Superintendent adopted this pbn as an experiment at the beginning of the year, and it proved an entire Sllccess. The children of Primary Department were divided into classe.s of five or six each, and taught by the older girls. They quite enjoyed the teaching, and "'hile the little children were happy in their classes it is safe to say the young teachers themselves benefited quite as much as their small pupils.

The girls have helped with their money also, learning the joy of giving. They have raised D.ve rupees a month to support a Hindustani girl in the l\10zuffarpore school. This fuud was beglln in connection with the death of a little girl who, three weeks after she came to school, became ill with appe­dicitis. \Vhile she was in hospital her little playmates of their own accord got up a subscription among themselves to buy her a book tu '-(-ad The book was not bought and not needed. ,\Ve then suggested they make this the beginning of a fund to snpport a little Indian child in memory of their little playmate, whose parents were missionaries in the Regions Beyond Mission. They gladly assented and have been very faithful each month with their money. The monthly collection in the Christian Endeavour Society has been used to pay for the three months of holidays. There have been many proofs that many of these girls are God's dear children.

Whatever success the year has brought is the result of the united, prayer­ful, consecrated effort of the teachers and missionaries under the blessing

4

BENGAL WOMAN'S MISSIONARY CONFERENCE

and guidance of the Holy Spirit. We are grateful for Miss Knowles' con­tinued good health. She has helped in the work at every turn, and her judgment and influence have been invaluable. We hope she may have still many years to give to Queen's Hill. Miss Lois Rockey has been a blessing, too. As science teacher she is equipped with the latest methods, just suited to meet the requirements of the Cambridge examinations. Having been herself educated in India in a school like this, she understands the difficulties and needs of the girls in a wayan American seldom does, and she soon wins their love and confidence.

Owing to the increased numbers of applications for admission into the school in 1915, we have arranged for larger accommodation by taking over half of the upper flat of Annandale House, which gives us room for fifteen more girls. Usually the most of the applications from new pupils are re­Ceived in January. But this year, by the middle of December, we had enough pupils enrolled to fill all our beds. And now, with the increased accommoda­tion, our number is again complete. We are grateful for this evidence that the work done in Queen's Hill is appreciated and that it fills a real need in the community.

How we long sometimes to be able to see how our particular bit of work fits into God's great plan, and to be sure it has a place there. And it some­times takes us long to learn the lesson of patiently doing the best we can in the work He has put into our hands, trusting that because He has given it, it will fit in and will not have been done in vain.

Beg Bagan . ,- MRS. D. H. MANLEY.

Our work at this point has been carried on, as usual, under the supervi­sion of a missionary's wife, not a \V. F. M. S. worker.

The pastor, Rev. M. K. Chuckerbutti, has had direct oversight. The Inspectress of Schools says that the work changes hands too many times to secure good results. Year after year we cry for a \V. F. M. S. worker, but so far in vain.

The day school is well attended. Out of all enrollment of lIO the average attendance is 85. At Christmas time we had no dolls, nor could we buy any in the market because all of the dolls come from Germany. This was explained to the girls and they were made quite happy with a hand mirror, sweets, and an orange for each. We hope that the "doll habit" is broken.

The Bible woman's work is regular and methodical, and their help to the pastor is of great importance. At church time they are always there to meet strangers and to make the women and children comfortable as they come in. Regular visits are made to the hospitals and to the homes of the school girls, the Christian homes, and Hindus families. They also help in the Sunday School.

Three times a week the pastor conducts a Bible class and prayer meeting for the workers, which is attended by the Bible-women.

Thirteen womEn and children were baptized this year.

BENGAL WOl\lANJS MISSIONARY CONFERENClt 27

At Ballygunge we have a little school of twenty-two girls. The teacher does some Bible woman's work also. There are twenty in the Sunday School there.

\Ve think sometimes that we cannot go on without a \Y". F. M. S. worker. The field is so big and the work is so urgent, and no one to adequately look after it. The pastor and helpers do their best and they do well, but they need some one to direct their work. \Vhere else in the field is work properly carried on with only Indian workers? The field is white unto the harvest. Pray that God may send forth workers.

Calcutta Hindustani Work RUBY REEVE BOSE.

BIBLE WOl\IEN: PARBUTTIE, ELLEN MICHAEL, LADURIE, SAKURIE.

Another year has passed away, and the time has again come for me to tell a little of the way God has been blessing us in our Hindustani work during the past year.

\Ve were able to add one more Bible woman to our number, making five of us including myself. Our Bible women worked well among the people and I believe were made a blessing as they went forth among the earth's lowly ones to tell them of Jesus and His love; for onr work is among the very poorest and most despised ones. .

During the year we entered one or two new districts, comprising many homes. We were well received by these poor people of the shoemaker and sweeper castes, and were privileged to not only visit them during the day without Bible women but also to visit them 011 several occasions at night, accompanied by one faithful pastor Payari Lall and our lantern. These people would all leave their mud huts and throngs us to see our pictures and hear us explain the meaning of them. BeiHg, as I have said, of very low caste, the women also gathered to hear us. I believe that on that harvest day we shall see some souls who have been gathered into the garner of God through these nightly services with our lantern.

I must not forget to add here that the pastor's wife did a good work during the year by conducting Sunday School services among some of these people and taught them several hymns, some of which they would sing with us when we visited thein.

During the year about 1,000 Bible portions and other booklets were sold. Of this number about 800 were sold at the Ganga Sauger Mela which I was privileged to attend through the kindness of Mrs. Lec who took me along with her.

Having an extra Bible woman, Parbatti who has been much blessed in her work, I was able to devote more time than in former years to the visiting of our few scattered Christians, some of whom are weak in the faith. I usually went to these places outside of Calcutta with the Pastor, and we were thus able to try and encourage them and strengthen them in the Lord by visiting them several times yearly.

In looking back, we do realize that God has been with us all. The

BENGAL WOMAN'S MISSIONARY CONFERENCE

workers, with the exception of one, have had excel1ent health and so lost very little time from their zenana work through this cause. Two of our Bible women also took the last examination of their four years' course, and passed with very high marks. We praise our l\laster for this.

Vl e have not much definite fruit for our labours, but we know that our labours are not in vain in the Lord, and that He sees not as we see. There­fore we trust Him and go on to work in His name among India's millions as we have time and opportunity .

. Lee Memorial Mission \

lI,fissionaries-l\:1abel L. Eddy, Lillie L. Lee, Katharine M. Kinzly, Mary F. Carpenter, 1\lrs. Elsie Beeken, l\:1rs. Phillip, A. Goold.

Bible IVo111en-Shoroginie lVIullick, Boshonto Ghosh, Rhoda Biswas, Mrino­lini 1\10ndol, Amoola Thomas, Annopurna Singh, Mary Biswas, Ootom Biswas, Beda !vlondol, Lela Tarafdar, Bhago Biswas, Torongini Adhikarie, Shorola Das.

Teachers-Shoroginie Biswas, Shorojockee lVlullick, :Mary Biswas, Loghu Pal, Hemnolinie Tarafdar, Charu Biswas, Priscilla Mondol, Lela 1\londol, Shulocbona Ghosh, J oshoda Biswas, Paulina l\1ondol, Anushila Mondol, Shukoda Bagh, Shuro Patro, Keron 1\Iondol, Beraj l\Iondol, Priscilla Das, Promilla .Mondol, Hemol110njari 1\Iahanti, Jolosh l\:[ullick, Promo­dini 1\:1akhal, Sarat Kumari lVIonQol, Rallil Biswas, Sara Biswas, Shorola l\londol, Nellie Lal, Kashuri.

Evangelistic Work l\IABEL L. EDDY.

The past year has each day found our hands and hearts full of service, with ever widening opportunities. Mrs. Lee's departure for the homeland in May left a great vacancy in the home and ,York; so it is well that added responsibility keeps us too busy to think much of ourselves. Mrs. Lee is speaking frequently in America and doing what she can to help the cause of missions. We bespeak for her the prayers of each member of the Conference.

All of our thirty-five women workers, except one who was ill, were at their post when the work reopened after the summer holiday. \Ve do thank God for the number of trained workers He has given us. All but two of our teachers in the boarding school hold a Government certificate and in five of the day schools we have at least one trained teacher. l\frs. Beeken faith­fully superintends the day schools and will report this part of the work.

There are also some splendid Bible women among the thirteen who work with us. Five women are taking the course of study for :Bible women, and three of these are in the actual work while completing their Bible course. Last June a very interesting woman came to us, one who has been a Christian but a short time. As a Hindu child she had no opportunity to get an educa-

BENGAL WOMAN'S MISSIONARY CONFERENCE 29

tion ; but she has been soundly converted and longs to be able to go as a Bible woman to her village sisters. So she has come to us. Her little ten year old daughter is in the third standard while the mother is in the primary class. But she is ambitious and very anxious to learn so has done well during the few months since she came. She is a beautiful spirit in our midst, and seems to havc no desire except to serve her Saviour. Her earncst prayers are an inspiration, and we believe God has a blessed work for her.

It has been a rare privilege to go into the villages this cool season. The field is promising. Vile have visited eighteen villages round about where our village workers are stationed. All about them, and not far away, are many villages untouched by Christian workers. \Ve hope to develop regular touring in these villages. Our best helper in going from village to village is our Bible woman, Shoroginie. She is one of the most earnest, consecrated Christian women I know. It is her aim to teach each woman she visits to pray; and it is touching to see the women whom she visits clasping their hands and repeating over and over a prayer for· forgiveness. I have seen her in the eye hospital tenderly gather the women about her and talk to them until their eyes 'would fill with tears; then she would teach them to pray to Christ for forgiveness and help. \Ve have visited several 1nelas during the year and gone frequently to the riverside to sell Scripture portions.

The work of the four Hindustani Bible-women was carefully supervised by Miss Reeve. She was also a willing helper in our institution, and our Conference has truly lost, through 1\.1iss Reeve's marriag"c, a most faithful and c:ollscientious worker.

Fourteen of our women went to the Convention at As.lTIsollast October and the lives of all were enriched. \Ve believe this Convention meets a great need in Bengal, and we hope more of our workers can attend next year.

The Sunday School work has been a great privikge all through the year. I have been superintending the Dhuramtoll1 Sunday School and teaching a fine class of normal girls. Nfost of last year's class have now become Sunday School teachers; but others have come to take their place in the class. 1\.1iss Kinz1y is a help and inspiration in the Sunday School, as she is in every department of the l\fission, and we are so glad to welcome her back to India.

I would not close this report without recording our gratitude for the good health which has been granted to our mission circle this past year. Miss Lee has entered her eighth year of service, and for J.Yliss Carpenter the tables have been reversed this year and she has kept steadily at work in the training school, which she will report. J\1rs. Goold's presence at Baliaghata means much for the work there. Truly we can say, and rejoice in the fact, that "The Lord of hosts is with us."

My desire for this new year is that I may be a soul winner for my Master. "And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firma­ment ; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever."

BENGAL WOMAN} S MISSIONARY CONFERENCE

Evangelistic and general work

"Be not dismayed, whate'er betide, God will take care of you.

Beneath His wings of love abide, God will take care of you."

KATHARINE M. KINZLY.

How often the helpfulness of that beautiful hymn was a joy and a com­fort to me as I started for the homeland, with the task which I feel sure God appointed for me ; and I can recall the farewell at the Annual Conference almost two years ago now, when you all by your prayers and loving sympathy followed me on the journey. How wonderfully God answered all of our prayers, and how thankful I am to tell you that the one about whom we were so concerned is now fully restored to health, and is interesting numbers of people in the work dear alike to her and to us all.

The year at home meant much to me and to my people; but the ties were not strong enough to keep me there, and the vision of the great need here was ever before me, and the call, "Come over and help us." So not withstanding the outbreak of weltr, which I am frank to confess was a test of faith to me, after a visit with my "second mother" in sunny California 1 left the land of my birth to again sail to "the land of my adoption."

A safe and pleasant voyage was vouchsafed to me in the kind providence of God, and in due time I reached here. How glad I am to be counted as one of the number to work in His vineyard! With renewed strength and vigor I push forward to the work which has been ghren into my hands. What possibilities are before me, and what opportunities!

My work is varied and interesting. I find great possibilities among the young children, and very gladly do I take up the work of the Junior League. After much prayer and meditation I concluded to hold this meeting on Sunday afternoon at four o'clock. The children have their own part in the League and more and more I hope to train them to become efficient leaders in the Epworth League. About sixty children attended. The Bible is be­coming more and more a new book to me J and Bible Study classes are a very delightful part of my work. At eleven o'clock on Sunday we study the Acts of the Apostles and I find this class very helpful and interesting. I watch with interest the bright faces of fifteen girls each Sabbath morning at 7-30 as we study the Sunday School lesson. I am happy to have a share in the Sunday School for our boarding school girls and thankful for the privilege of assisting lVIiss Eddy in the evangelistic work, and Miss Carpenter in the school wO'rk. The class meeting on Tuesday evening among the older girls is helpful to me, and many of the girls give earnest testimonies. I am planning to' have some definite instruction along the lin'es of personal work a little later on, and a class for dealing with enquirers.

A book of the India Sunday School Union has been translated into Bengali, and all of our teachers are planning to study It so as to better quality themselves for teaching spiritual things.

" Sayed for Sen'ice."

Bible \\'omen of the" Lee Melllorial."

Child Wives.

Taken from the Lee Memorial Kindergarten to be married.

BENGAl. WOMAN'S MISSIONARY CONFERENCE 31

The Bible Study and the sewing for the school has fallen to my supervi­sion, and many minor duties fall to my hands. I cannot express my grati­tude in being allowed to labour in this great land. Each day I realize more and more the opportunities and privileges which are mine, and I press for­ward to great things for this year. May the Master not find me an unwilling servant to do whatever He would have me do.

Lee Memorial Training Sohool :MARY F. CARPENTER, Principal LII.LIE L. LEE, Assistant Principal

(Report by JVliss Carpenter)

In reviewing a year's school work one is reminded of what some one has written :-

"Forenoon, and afternoon, and night, Forenoon and afternoon, and what? The empty song repeats itself."

One day is very much like all the others, and so of the years. And yet the remainder of the little poem has rung through our minc1s;-

"Yet this is life,-Make this forenoon sublime, This afternoon a psalm, this night a prayer) And time is conquered and thy crown is won,"

And we have felt a joy and freshness in the ordinary routine duties and have learned to appreciate more the great privilege of he1ping our big houseful of girls.

We have been able to do more for our teachers this year than either strength or use of the language would allow us to do heretofore. Wc have tried to have one teachers' mceting a month for the discussion of methods of teaching. If those of us who are teachers can imaginc what it would be to have not a single book on cducation or methods of teaching with the ex­ception of one text book, and not one Educational Magazine, with its practical suggestions, available, we will readily understand that keeping teachers out of "ruts" especially if they and their pedagogical ancestors have walked in them from time immemorial, is not an easy task. '\V'e are glad that there is hope soon of having a Teachers' Magazine, or at least a section of a Teachers' l\fagazine, in Bengali, and also an organization for Bengali teachers for the discussion of questions which affect their work.

In the Teachers' Training Department, too, we have had a busy and happy year. Since our last report was given fourteen Government Teacher­ship certificates have been granted, eight of which were senior certificates and six junior. In her last report lVIiss Brock, the Inspectress of schools, says of the work in the Training Department that we are "to be greatly congrat­ulated upon the results obtained".

32 BENGAL WOMAN'S MISSIONARY CONFERENCE

We are starting out the new year with the largest class in the history of the school. Fifteen are enrolled and two other applicants are pending the decision of the Inspectress as to whether they may be enrolled at so late a date. One of the class has been for some years a teacher in Allahabad under the \Vornen's Union lVIissionary Society. Another comes from Assam, making the :fifth girl whom we have had the privilege of training for the American Baptist l\lission at K owgong. These girls are expected to help in the establishment of a Primary School for teachers who speak the Assamese language, as there is at present no such training school in Assam. Another girl comes from our own lVIission at Pakaur ; another from the Church of God lYIission at Bogra ; another, who has had her Junior training at Krishnagar, comes in for the senior year, bringing with her a convert from Hinduism, a widow, who has been teaching with her in a Government &hool in the city. The other nine in the class are our own girls.

An interesting part of our work this year has been two courses of lectures, one in First Aid to the Injured, and the other in Home Nursing. These have been given under the;:: auspices of the St. John's Ambulnace Asso­ciation. Twenty-three of our girls and teachers took the examination in First Aid and all passed. \Ve had a class of thirty-four in Home Nursing some of whom were from other institutions as we were requested by the Association to allow our school to be used as a centre for these lectures. All in this class, also, passed. If you should have peeped into our class room during practice hours you might have mistaken it for the surgical ward of a hospital with such a variety of broken limbs as would have de­lighted the heart of a'medical student. Then there were the more common ailments to be treated, too, requiring all sorts of bandages, lotions, poultices, and plasters. lVIuch of this work was very practical and we hope will be useful to the girls in the future.

Aside from the regular school work we have been trying to encourage among our girls and teachers a wider range of interests than they naturally possess. For this purpose they have organized a Literary Society which meets once each 111onth. At each of these meetings, aside from other things, one girl reviews some book which she has read during the month. In this way we find that a greater interest in reading is being developed. Our greatest difficulty in this is that Bengali books of the kind which the girls should read and' which they would relish are very scarce, yet they have begun a Library this year and have about twenty-five books which they have purchased with their own money.

The privileges of this year have been many, and most precious of all have been the little meetings and quiet talks with the girls. It has been a joy to see many of them growning in spiritual things. We long for more of this and especially to see our girls findin~ the joy of being soul winners. We are looking: to "Him who performeth all things for us" for this. "'Bring ye the whole title into the store-house, that there may be food in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith Jehovah of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour YOll out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."

BENGAL \HElIAN'S ?lIISSIOXARY COXFEREl"L'E 33

City and Village Schools ~lRs. ELSIE R. BElU~ .. EN.

I cannot say I enjoy writing a report of my own work. I should much prefer that someone else did it. But I suppose no one knows the work done in the Hindu Day Schools during the year that has passed better than I, so I shall endeavour to give an honest and as full a report as possible.

It is with a grateful heart to the Giver of all good that 1 look back on the past year. \Ve commenced the new year with a better staff of teachers than we have had for a long time. Three Senior Passes joined us. Narkel­danga School, under two of these competent teachers, soon increased in numbers and efficiency. \\Te closed the year with ninety-three on the roll. l\iiss Bose, the Officiating Assistant Inspectress of Schools paid a surprise visit to this school on November 13th, 1914. In concluding her report she said, "One of the girls from Standard II will appear at the Calcutta Girl's Scholar­ship Examination this year. I found her to be quite bright and well up in her subjects. On the whole I am very much pleased with my inspection. There are two teachers on the staff who seem to take a good deal of interest in their work."

The work done at the Bagmari School has not been quite as good, but there has been an improvement. We had hoped to send up a girl from here for the Calcutta Girl's Scholarship Examination but she took sick \'\'ith enteric a month or so before the examination.

Of the Beliaghata School, IVIiss Bose reports, "I examined minutely each class in reading, spelling, writing, and arithmetic, and found the results on the whole good. The sewing is also good." Jaun Bazaar School has a very similar report.

The Inspectress has not visited our Kamardanga School. Just before Christmas, during the early hours of the morning, the roof of one of the school rooms fell in. I was so thankful this did not happen eluring school hours. As the teacher said, 'It was through God's great kindness that we were spared such calamity.' \Ve have moved into better rooms near by.

Of our three village schools, 11iss Bose has visited Horilabi. There were seventy-five present and only one teacher for the whole school. Miss Bose thought we should have another, and so do we ; but teachers, especially for a village, are difficult to get. May our Father guide us in this and send us the right one. The teacher at Horilabi is a good, conscientious ·woman. She does her best. She has taught the children to pray at meal times and on rising and retiring. She said they often go over to her house after school to play with her little ones. Before playing, these Hindu children with covered heads bow in prayer to the God of the Christians. This was not suggested by the teacher but was the little Hindu girls' own desire.

It was very touching to see how willingly (with a few exceptions) the little children did without their dolls this year. They also gave as they could towards the War Relief Fund. I am hoping we shall have a better Christmas in I9I5 for the sake of these little ones.

As I write I think of that story of the Hindu woman who threw her lovely boy into the Ganges and when asked for a rcason for so doing said, "Can I give less than my best to my god?" I ask myself, (Am I doing my

5

34 BENGAL WOl\IANJ S MISSIONARY CONFERENCE

best for my God, for this great cause?" God help me this year to render better service to the King of Kings.

Tamluk ')

KATE A. BLAIR FANNY lvIATHESON.

Bible 1\1Oomen',: Prol11oda Bodya, Na10da Biswas, Nirmala Biswas. Teach;;S:- Giribala Bis\vas, Santosila Biswas, Charubala ~lordi.

Sohool Work.

For the past two years my connection vvith the work in Tam1uk has been of a peculiar and somewhat aloof naturc. This is not offered as in­formation, but as a preface to a somewhat imperfcct report.

Until my return from Lucknow in the middle of October Miss Matheson superintended all the work-mine as \vell as her own. Both did well under her care. I could not ask for a better substitute.

It has been a trying ycar for the school which is held in the :Mission House. There have been repeated changes in teachers, not a good thing for any school, and onc, a dear, bright girl, whose service while it lasted was faithful and effectual, was stricken in the middle of the year with a fatal disease. Nobody except herself knows the anxiety and difficulty of that time for ~1iss Matheson, when alone she had to meet the situation and do all the nursing. The school has not suffered ·as much as one might expect, and is now as full as usual.

The othcr school has had to meet that which all our day schools must meet. Almost every onc of the girls in our upper class has been removed, either to be married or clse on account of transfer. One of the girls, a dear little 1:!ohammedan lassic, was married toward the close of last year. It was a pathetic wedding. It seems that none of the family, father, mother, elder brothers, desired the marriage, but gold played its part and the father yielded, although the man vvho took her was entering upon his third marriage contract, and the second wife was supposed to have died of a broken heart. The first wife still lives, and we fear that little Banu will be at her mercy. In the charges to the bridegroom made by each member of the family one could read their deep anxiety for her.

The girls' school at Nundakumar is doing fairly well under most adverse circumstances. The education of girls is something those farmers cannot understand. However, one girl was sent up for examination last year and passed, gaining a grant for the school.

In our Sunday Schools four little girls took the 1. S. S. U. examination, and all passed with high marks, one being almost perfect. One of the teachers also took the higher grade examination and passed.

One of the girls who was in our school when I left to take up other work for a time, is now one of our family. She is one of the fruits of our day schools. Others there are and not a few, though to see them one must look

Our Orphans, Tamluk.

A Lane ill Tamluk.

BENGAL WOMAN'S MISSIONARY CONFERENCE 35

into many homes and be able to read the lives of many a young girl, of many a young mother and wife.

Evangelistic Work

We are rejoicing over the return of ]\1iss Blair to us after an absence of more than seventeen months. As I look back over the year I wonder what has been done that can be reported. For the most part there seems to have been very little accomplished worthy of mention.

Our year has beEn saddened by the death of one of our teachers, a sweet, beautiful girl of eighteen, who died of enteric. She was devoted to her work and most anxious for the conversion of the little ones in her care. In the year she spent with us we never once heard her speak an unkind word to her associates. Some months before her death I gave her a little pamphlet by Bishop \Varne on tithing, and a fcy,' davs afterward she came to me and told me she wished to give her tenth to the I~ord, adding, "I never knew that I had been stealing the Lord's money." \Vhile she received only eight rupees ($2.64) a month, and it seemed impossible to spare any, still she gladly gave it. The tenth she paid into my hand at once, and when I suggested to her to use part of it for the Church offerings, she would say, "N 0, chota mem, you keep that for other uses; I will give from this money." \Ve do feel that our life has been enriched by hers, and though gone on before her life still speaks. Two of our other workers also started tithing at the same time.

The daughter of one of our workers, a sweet girl of twenty, had been suffering from a disease for some years. At times her suffering was intense, and it was very hard to see her and to be 1111ab1e to do anything for her. She had tried many medicines, but all of no avail. At last the doctors said that nothing but a serious operation would cure her. She had already under­gone a slight operation, hat with no benefi.t and therefore she was unwilling to face another. During thes.e months we had often talked about the "Great Physician" who is able for all cases, and as she was unwilling to undergo an operation we urged her to put her case into His hands. It took her some time to be able to trust Him for herself. One day while she was suffering intensely and we were praying for her, she committed her case to Him. That was last June, and she has never had any symptoms of the trouble since. \Ve who knew her suffering cannot help but feel that it is m~rvellous.

Our Father has given us some little ones this year, and now we; feel that we have the beginning of a boarding school which we have been work­ing and praying for. One is a little girl wife of eleven years of age who was in our day school sometime ago. Her husband treated her cruelly, and she ran awav and staved for some months in the home of the Govern­ment doctor ; after he was' transferred she came to us, and seems very happy and contented, and she is a nice child.

Our zenana work has been going on about as usual. In times of trouble and sorrow many of the women tum to us for comfort and we sometimes have opportunities to pray with them. One day as WI,: were visiting the

BENGAL WOMAN'S MISSIONARY CONFERltNC£

home of a prostitute in the bazar a woman heard us, and a few months ago became very anxious to be baptised. \Ve hope that she may be amongst the jewels won in Tamluk.

\Ve were privileged to go out in camp for a week last cold season, and we enjoyed it very much and felt that we could get much closer to the people in this way than by just going for a day. Our tent was a never­failing source of interest to them and we had visitors at all hours of the day. A para of d011'l,es-about a dozen houses-were very much interested, and we were loath to leave when we had to, as we felt that they might shortly have come out for Christ, but we arc planning to go there for two weeks after Conference.

I do not want to clOSE without telling you about the mela that was held last week in Tamluk. It is held yearly, and is one of the largest when some ten thousand people gather for bathing. We always go out early and stay until most of the people have left. Last year my teachers wanted to go, but I did not take them as one was not strong and I thought the other too young. I advised them to work on the road near the bungalow. What ·was my surprise later on, as I was going along, to hear singing and to find that they were preaching and selling books in the m.idst of the crowd. This year they were all out very early, and my efforts to protect them were all met by assurances that if they did as I wanted them to they could not sell books. I was reminded of the story of the old hen with a brood of small ducks ; and, equally helpless, I gave up at last, knowing that they were quite safe and to be trusted. I certainly never saw them more thoroughly in earnest, and we had a great day, preaching and. selling more than five hundred books. Since the last Conference we have sold about fifteen hundred books. ]Uy workers were real helpers to me during the months I was alone.

Pakaur DIstrlot.

Bolpul"-1\{Rs. J. P. :MEI~. '''--,

The evangelistic work in this station is being pushed as Jar as possible. There is some opposition and a good deal of indifference, but on the whole WE are received with kindness and listened to with patience. Our audienCES, numbering sometimes as many as thirty in one little courtyard, are for the most part illiterate. Among the women assembled are generally some men who listen respEctfully and allow that our message is good and true, but they think the life of holiness impossible of attainment. The villages we visit are from three to twelve miles distant from headquarters, and these distances by' bullock cart are trying ; but we are rejoicing over the contribu­tion madE by the ladies at home for a new tonga, which we have already purchased and find vcry useful and a great comfort.

VIT e keep our Bible teacher especially for teaching the Bible in village schools of which we have eight with a total of one hundred and eight girls enrolled. The school in our compound is looking up as to numl?ers an4

BENGAL WOMAN'S l\IISSIONAR Y CONFERENCn

also as to the work done in it. \'~e feel a good deal of encouragement in the results which are in great measure due to the interest taken by our new teachers. The children look eagerly for the Bible lesson hour and make some quaint remarks which show at least that they are interested and thinking. After listening to a graphic account of Adam and Eve being driven from the garden by the angel with a flaming sword, one little one said, "and what would happen to the flaming sword if it rained?" \Vhel1 I told them one day that the way to be truly happy was to love God and obey his commandments, two of them said, "What are God's commands? Teach us that we may keep them"! The\' are hard at work learning to sing, though I must say I never had a schoolfu1 of children who could do less in this line, it sometimes seems as though it would be impossible for them to get a correct note; but there are just three little ones who haVE: some music in their voices and we are looking for this little leaven to leaven the whole lump. Once a week we give them each one of the old Sunday School cards so kindly sent by friends in IvIichigan. The children always want to know what the pictures are about, and I am so glad to have these cards to give for as the lesson is printed in brief on the reverse side they can be read by the fathers and school boy rdatives '\Tho know English; so they go into these heathen homes with their message of life. The children were made very happy at Christmas time by the gift of a toy each; for, as it is with children all over the world, a toy of their very own gives unbounded delight.

I would like to call the attention of this Conference to a matter which deeply concerns everyone of us, it is the matter of sufficient and efficient workers for our mission stations. \Vhat are we doing and what can ,ve do to secure a supply? Sending girls from a country district to a town school for teacher's training nearly always proves to be a mistake as when she returns she is dissatisfied with the old life and has he;- head turned by what sh(; has seen and heard to elsewhere; so after spending money on her training we are obliged to let her go and we are worse off than before. We cannot expect to have a teacher's training class in each district ; but perhaps there are ways in which we could make the country life more attractive to them when thev return to us. Also could we not bind them to work for us for more than the two years? As to the supply of Bible women each district might and ought to have a class for these ; but even where this is done there do not seem enough workers for the station where they are trained, leave alone other stations; so what are we to do?

RENGAI, WOMAN'S MISSION. ARY jONFERENCE

) ')' . _ /1 I

Pakaur Widows' Home and Evangelistic Work PAULINE GRANDSl'RAND.

Assistant: Miss Rai Chowdhury.

~M atron : JYIrs. Biswas.

Bible TVomen: Promoc1a, Ruth, ]\1iriam, Soroballa, Jessie, Karuno, Roac1erie, Bochrie, Golap, Shompati, J cnnath, Shobeon, Chandrie, Kamillie, J atili, Parboti, Shebon.

1 'illage TeacheTS: )'Ioina, Shuclebec, Ramaboti.

As we review the year's work we realize that we have not accomplished all that we had intended to but therE have been some definite results and an advance, and we are happy to trust it all to our Father "\Vho giveth the increase. "

This year has been a bad year with fever. There has been a great deal of sickness among the widows. Three widows have passed away and three little children, making six deaths in the Widow's Home. In thE midst of this sad story I can not but rejoice when I think of how happy and contented these women passed away. Golap \vho had been with us for sometime died very suddenly. Just before she died she thanked God for the privilege of knowing Him. She feared nothing but rejoiced in the fact that she was going to be with her Saviour. \Ve feel truly granted to :Miss Reily and IV[iss Dutt for the medical attention they have given the sick widows, and I know had it nQt been for the care and help they have rendered others would have been missing.

Six new widows have joined us, three of them are Christian women who after their husbands' death were left \vithout a home or place of any kind. I was glad we could invite them to come and join us.

During this year we have been able to push on towards self-support, perhaps morE so than any previous year. Rupees one hundred and seventy­five have been brought in by the widows in various ways. Rupees one hundred was given by the Government towards the filling of the compound. Rupees twelve has been given by the widows towards a sick room. This gift is a gift of sacrifice. The women have given up their morning rice on Sundays in order to be able to give this sum. There are ten widows who are entirely self-supporting.

A great number of changes and repairs have been made in the old building. A new room has been added for the matron. ,\Ve have not quite finished, but hope to be able to build a small class room where the women can meet for study.

Mrs. Biswas our matron was ill the first part of the year, but we are ~lad she has recovered :,lnd has again taken up her work.

BENGAL WOlUAN-'S l\IISSIONARY CONFERENC~ 39

In the district we have excellent opportunities for teaching about ( Christ and His power to save from sin. The people are always ready to . listen to our message of salvation. Our tours are always unique and fun of interesting experiences. Great questions come to the women as they see us. They want to know if "'(; are married, and how many children \ye have, and how much salary we get, and how \ve get into our clothes. After one or two of these questions have been answered we can begin our work. After hearing our message the women often say, "V es, how true, we do believe and know that these words are words of life and comfort." \Ve have been working in over OIl(; hundred villages. Miss Rai Chowdhury has done a / good work in the Bengali villages, also among the Hindustani speaking people. There have been a number of baptisms during the year. The village women have been busy making lace. This year we have sold Rs. 91-II-9 '~lorth of crocheted lace.

In our Santali district \,\'e have had a great year. It has been a joy to see how our Christian women arc growing in knowledge and to see how ) eager they are to be lifted up to a better and higher life. \Ve have a large number of Christian village \\'omen who are even taking their part and share in self-support. They have been instructed to give a handful of rice each day and this is to be their Sunday's collection.

In our day schools the pupils have increased in attendance and the work ') is more satisfactory than in previous years. I believe the day schools arc the chief foundation stones of our future work. At Christmas time prizes are given out to all the children, thanks to the generosity of our friends who have sent Christmas boxes. The dolls gladden the day school children.

We have thirteen Snndav Schools in our district. Our Sunday School work is most encouraging. The children have made great progress this year.

In the zenanas we have regular work in forty-three homes. There are three Bible women who go out and teach the zenana women. The zenana women do not object to having plain Gospel messages given to them. They seem to appreciate our earnest desire to do them good, and receive us very kindly. A small fee is charged for the lessons they receive in knitting, sewing, and reading. Rupees seventy-three have been taken in since the month of .l\fay. l\:Iiss Rai ChO\,vclhury has been faithful and takes a great interest in this work. I know that her pure life and sweet message will bear fruit.

In Ramporehat some visiting work has been done among the English speaking people. \Ve have twenty-seven families there. They seem to appreciate our visits and we hope we shall be able to do more for them next year.

~T e are thankful to our Father for the measure of success He has given us, but we enter into the' new year ,~,rith greater hopes, looking unto Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.

40 BENGAL WOMAN'S lIIISSIONARY CONFERENCE

Pakaur Girls~ School HILDA SWAN.

Assistants: lVliss Lily Daniel, Miss Elsie Ardwise. Teachers: Kushum Kmnari Mondol, Shoroginie Biswas, Abjan Biswas,

Kalon Biswas, Kripamoyee 1\fondol. PuPil Teachc1"s: Nilmon Biswas, Tota Biswas, Anpi Saron. Pundit: Parboti Charan M.ondol. Lace Class Teacher: Subashinee Biswas.

The year opened with ninety-seven girls 011 the roll. During the year nine new ones have come 'in, four have died, and six have married ; so our present roll number is ninety-six.

A few changes have taken place on the staff. Prol110da Bala Sircar who was a teacher here for over ten years, left to take up evangelistic work at Rampore Haut and Kushum Kumari Mondol from the Lee ~l~morial has come to take her place. In place of ParbotiMurmu, Anpi Saren has had charge of the Santali classes.

The health of the girls was comparatively good until the rains began but since then we have been having a lot of fever and dysentery. In November we had twenty-eight girls down at one time for several days.

In July about forty girls sat for the Sunday School Examination. Over thirty received certificates. Several of the teachers also received certificates. In November two girls appeared for the Lower Pririlary, one for the Upper Primary and one for the :Middle Vernacular Scholarship Examination. \Ve have not heard the results yet. Four girls passed out of the Sixth Standard. Of these one has gone to the Lee Memorial for a normal training, one is being trained for evangelistic work, and the other two are still here. Some arrangement will be made for them later on.

In January the Inspector of &hools of our division came to visit our school and in !'t:1ay the Inspectress paid us a visit. The latter examined the claSS2S thoroughly and I think was pleased with the results. She re­marked on our need of class rooms, as classes w~re being held on the veranda and in the dormitories. A new assembly room which can also be used as Kindergarten Hall is greatly needed.

In August the Commissioner paid us a visit, and later on sent us a gift of Rs. 100 to be used in fixing a playground for the girls. The old tank which was filled a few years ago is being fixed up for this purpose. This will be a great boon to the girls.

In May our first re-union of old girls was held. Forty-two came, thirty-three of whom were married. When the roll was called they responded by telling the number of children they had. Sixty-four were reported. After a short program all sat clown to a feed of rice and curry.

In March the Christian mela was held and this proved a great blessing to all. The helpful talks of Rev. Pengwerm Jones and ]VIr. Jessop will long be remembered. Durine- the mela an incident occnrred which showed us God's wonderful love a~d care. One of the larger girls accidently fell into the well as she went to draw water. \Vhen the news first reached us we

PAKAUR EVANGELISTIC WORK.

Out in Camp.

A Village Meeting.

A Village School.

PAKAUR.

Bride and Groom. Saniali Girls' School.

., tl~

The Caterpillar.

Patients at Pakaur Dispensary.

BE':-':GAL WO:U.W'S MISSIONARY CONF~R~NC~ 41

thought she must have been killed outright as the well was about fifty-five feet deep and at this time of the year was nearly dry. The bottom is all rock. It did not take long for the news to spread and ere long a large crowd had gathered and when one was getting the rope ready to scnd some one down for her it was a Hindu who stepped forward and said, "Let me go down." Cp to this time the girls were all crying but they were very quiet until they saw her and then they all rushed forward to see ho\v she was. The doctor, on examining her, found no bones broken and only a slight cut on her head. After she got over the shock she was all right again and "vas able to attend the remaining meetings of the mela. This made a deep im­pression on the girls for they all realized that it \vas God's protecting hand that had saved her from what must otherwise have meant certain death.

The lace class is still in existence and they have not been idle. One of our former girls, after spending a year at Berhampore leanling lace-making, has come back to take charge of the class. There are six girls, four widows, and seven married women making lace at present ; but som(; of the widows who "\,'ere in the class have taken up other "\vork. The sales this year have amounted to Rs. 176-7-3.

As we look back over the past year \\'e see many failures. 1\ at all has been accomplished that we expected. But we hope that something has been learned from our mistakes and we take heart and say, "I.f it be thy Vi'i1] ,

o Lord, "\11;(,; would serve another year."

Pakaur Medical Report Tv! edical Assistant Nune Bible IVoman

lvlARNIE B. REILEY

lvlISS DUTT:\.

RAHEL PATR.\

H.\.]lON

It is not because of any large share that I have had in the; work that I am writing the report. The first half of the year I was in the Language School and in the hills, and the work was carried on, under .Miss Swan's supervision, by .Mrs. Frances, a graduate of the 'Vomen's Christian lVledical College of Ludhiana. She attended to 2,500 calls at the dispensary, cared for the sick in the widow's home, the schools, the Christian families on the compound, and attended several cases in the non-Christian homes outside.

The first of July 1\:1iss Dutta, also of Ludhiana College, came to take 1\:1rs. Frances' place. With a real love for her Master's work and her Benga1ee people, she has readily made her way into the hearts and homes of her patients. She has carried physical relief and the Christ love into many high caste zenana homes whose doors are now wide open to the evagelistic workers.

From August to December there was more than the usual amount of malaria fever in Pakaur and the near-by-villages, and the mission compound did not escape. But God was very good to us, for while many were dying all around with fever, only one out of over two hundred and fifty of the com­pound people that had malaria died of it.

6

42 BENGAL WOMANJS MISSIONARY CONFERENCE

Aside from malaria we had several severe cases of dysentery. The first to suffer was a woman who several years ago, with a baby in her arms, took refuge here from her cruel Mohamme.dan husband. For days she lingered between life and death, but finally responded to treatments, and the faithful work of Rahal, our Bengalee nurse. After weeks of watching and nursing she was permitted to go to her widowed mother in her village. A few weeks later she was brought back to us dying. Her mother had tried to make her a Mohammedan again, but through all her suffering and in her weakened condition she firmly refused. She said she was happy to die a Christian. She died a few days later knowing that Jesus Christ was her Saviour and she was going to Him.

A little has been accomplished toward self-support by charging a small fee for calls in the homes of the Christians whose salaries are over Rs. 10

per month, and a fee to all non-Christians, though never refusing to go where we know we will receive nothing. In this way we have brought in Rs. 25-3-0 without which we would not have been able to give the 8,689 treatments at the dispensary.

A Government Official visited the dispensary and, appreciating thE: work we were trying to do for Indian women, gave a grant of Rs. 300 for the pur­chase of medicine and instrument cases, some instruments and sterilizers which have made the work much easier and some minor operations possible. Including this grant, we have raised Rs. 1,489 on the field during the year. Over 2,000 patients have been treated one or more times at the dispensary; and with each visit, from lVliss Dutta or our faithful Bible woman, have heard the story of the great Physician.

It is with a heart full of thankfulness to God for its opportunities and privileges, that I look back over the year. 'It is true there have been sorrows in it but many have been caused by the lack of a place to care for our patients, and we ar~ claiming God's promise that all our needs shall be supplied. Not too far in the dim, distant future we see a hospital, and a sick room even before next malaria season.

BENGAL WOMAN} S l\IISSIONARY CO:'\FERENCE 43

Items of History of our Woman}s Conferenoe

The first V.Toman's Conference I was able to attend met in January, r890, and was the third annual meeting ; according to the old minutes \\'hich I still have, and which I prize very much. I remember v.e met in the Girls' School in the class room to your left us as you go in. How well I remember that Conference and how ncrvous and trembling I was, and how glad I was of a friendly back to hide behind. :\Iy great terror was that I might be called upon to speak and it seemed such an impossible task for me. Accord­ing to the 1\1inutes the officers were-

Presideni-T\Irs. Thoburn. Vice-Presidents-l\1rs. C. P. Hard, 1\lrs. D. Osborne. 1\frs. F .\\T.

\Varne, Mrs. Clancy. RecM'ding Secretary-l\Irs. \Varne. Corresponding Secretary-lVIiss 1\:1. E. Day. Treasurer-T\liss Knowles.

It is interesting to note the Committees­Finance-\Varne, Hard, Clancy, Busby. Editing and Publishing-Day, Stuntz, Blair. Exa11'tination Com.-Thoburn, Meik, Byers, Buck, Jeffries.

The Conference represented work from Burmah District ; Calcutta Dis­trict-which included Pakaur, Asansol,' and Tirhoot ; Central India District -included Ajmere, Berhampur, Hardu, Jabalpur, Khandwa and Mhow; .l'.lussoorie District-Lahore, lVlazaffarnagar, Mussoorie, Rajpore, Rurki.

THE ROLL OF MEMBERS :

1frs. P. 1\1. Buck, :Mrs. E. S. Bushy, Mrs. F. H. Blewitt, :Miss S. Blackmore, l'vIiss L. R. Black, Miss Kate A. Blair, }\tfrs. C. G. Conklin, Mrs. C. W. De Souza, Miss Day, Miss Files, 1\1rs. C. P. Hard, Mrs. E. Jeffries, Miss Knowles,. Mrs. ]\1.unson, T\1rs. lVleik. l'vfrs. }\trorton, ]\1iss Maxey, 11rs. Osborne, Mrs. Plomer, l\frs. Thoburn, Mrs. Tindale, l\Irs. Vardon, Mrs. Warne, Mrs. West, Mrs. Webb, l\frs. Oldham, ::\1rs. Gilruth, Mrs. Lonq-, }\tIiss Wisner, Miss Hedrick, Miss lvlansell, transferred to North India Conferencc.

It was very interesting to meet these workers from such far away places ; but as we think of the work now it seems hardly possible that our Bengal Conference could have spread out to such a distance. How wonder­fully God has blest the efforts of those early years, and is showing us the increase.

One thing I remember about those early Conferences was the number· of visitors who used to attend, ladies from the Church who would come to

1111il'lilliliilllll 3 9002 10638 7799 ..,

44 BENGAL ,YOl\L·tN> S MISSIONARY CO~FERE~CE

hear the reports and see what we did. It added much to the interest, and I am sure helped us, and must also have helped those who came. Dear Mother May's name is in the lVIinutes as one who led the devotional exercises. l\1:rs. Thoburn was always a charming President and we loved to have her in the chair. I shall never forget how hard it was to read my first report. It seemed to me I had nothing worth telling. But she thought it was a wonder­ful thing that a day school had been started, even though it was on an open verandah and with no appliances ; and I was encouraged and took fresh heart.

K 0 doubt others felt the same, though I did not know it. Everyone seemed wise and experienced. The deaconesses particularly impressed me. I did not dare to even begin to imagine all the goodness and wisdom that must be hidden behind those quiet exteriors.

A quarter of a century has passed and numbers of the old districts have been severed from us and have become Conferences, and we are left a properly defined area, to reach out specially to all the Bengali speaking people about us. Calcutta is still our main root. \Ve thank God for the \Voman's Conference and for what it has been to us all these years; and though lllany of us may never feel it is easy to write reports, when we have done our duty and read them and listen to others, there is always the reward of some new idea to inspire and help us. Throughout all these twenty-five years there has never been any jar and I can only remember a kindly and earnest spirit. I think our \\;'oman's Conference particularly good and well behaved.

I am thankful that God has given a hopeful spirit, and a practical and broad outlook. Bengal is very backward and slow to move; and though, comparatively speaking, well taught, still the people are difficult to win. Someone has said that Satan will do his best to hinder Bengal because when Bengal moves all India will soon be won for Christ. Shall we not set our­selves more definitely to pray for a great outpouring of God's Holy Spirit on the heathen, that whole communities may begjn to inquire after Him and ask to be taught. 1915 sees us encouraged but not satisfied. As we look into the future we wonder who will be the first to come up to our yearly Conference with the glad report of the greater victories and the larger in­gatherings. \Vho will be spared to see that glad day-which will surely come. May God help us to understand daily how glorious js our calling and how precious our opportunities for service. Someday Bengal will belong to Christ, and we shall have had our little part in winning it for Him.

CHARLOTTE 1\1. BYERS.

NAMES OF STATIONS OR DISTRICTS.

Beg Began Bengali Work Hindustani Work Tamluk

DIAMOND HARBOUR DISTI<ICT.

PAKAtJR DISTRICT.

Pakanr Bolpore

DEACONES" HOldE.

Calcutta

TOTAL

Statistics of the Work of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the Bengal Conference for the Year Ending June 30th, 1914.

SU .... AR\'. WOMEN IN THE

CHURCH.

:1 .!a ;;; en :i t>.:

~

1 .. a

. ~

I ;;: <::

~ OJ .~

.~ g . ~ ~ ~

~ ~ '-l ~ 0

o . .~

:?; ~

~1 ~ ~ 0 ~ ~

7 51 2 4 38 47

100

E <:: .g ~

£

g l'3 i~ ~~~ 12 .. 29 650 " 1 1 550 4

9 86 9~ IS 9 40 '3"

• , 3 ] 4 18 450 50 8 19

19 50 6

50 15 2

.. 'S 5 [4 99 818. 467 34 85 257 2208 50 31

3 1 Z7

SCHOOLS OF COLLEGE G"ADE.

I

I I

ENGLISH BOARDING SCHOOLS.

1 2 IS 7352 53 195

I 312 48

VERNACULAR AND ANGLO·VEI<NACULAR BOAI<DING SCHOOLS.

1062062 450 $ 38'28 $ ;,610

ORPHANAGES. HOMES FOR

WIDOWS & HOME­

LESS WOMRN .

135 $.68 I $989 J I 130

DAY SCHOUL~.

;'.; '" .:11· " ;':; 3 4 95 59\ t; 4 $5'-"40

5 6 145 '30

73 60 147 127

KINDEllGARTENS.

I 1 3 9 10590 700

INDUSTRIAl. SCHOOLS. SUNllAV ~CHOOL~.

0 c

if.

~

28

--Z

127

137 10C

56

12 5

MEDICAl. WOI<t{.

~ :t .~' ,I .5 g

"'" ~ .~

I) ;:;

·11 c c E ~

~ c..

<:: 0 ~ ~ is

... .9 Q

~ .~ ~ 0

<::

1 ~

~ ] ~ cr."" '60 ~ ~ 0 0 ]

.~ .;: is d:: ~

0 0

~ ~ ~ ~ ,j,,j, 0 ,j, ,j, ~ Z I.w ~ 0

2.511 797 $; JO 231. $ 40

',;" ""'Y' .1,0 \

REMAUKS.

Received locally in the field .

Deaconess Home.

75,000 value of Property.

35,011 Indebtedness. 1,050 Received in board money. 273 Homes visited·.

1,03T calls made.

5 Ho'Vitab vi.ited.