THE REV. T. R. WADE, C. M. S., Amritsar, said.-All in this Conference have one great object at heart, the conversion to Christ of the people of this land. We have heard much of the vastness of the field and of the paucity of labourers; this is so as regards the men, it is much more so as regards the women; and we all greatly desire to see the number of workers increased. Now I believe there is much ignorance concerning Missions, both here in India and at home, notwithstanding all that is said and written. Certain I am that we Missionaries owe a responsibility to our Christian countrymen. They hold the same faith and love the same Saviour as ourselves, and we should tell them more of the work in which we are engaged, its difficulties and its encouragements; and I am sure we shall obtain both their sympathy and help.

Press the

claims of Mission work.

Let us impress upon them also the many claims of Mission work, and point out ways and means by which they can best help the great cause of Christ in this land. I am persuaded there is much available material in India, England, and America, which we have yet failed to enlist in the service of our Master. Most English ladies in India know more or less of the native language, and all Christian ladies should take an interest in the spiritual welfare of the people about them, especially their own domestic Work among servants; but very many, though willing to work, do not know how to set about it. Some would be willing to read to their servants if Missionaries would only lend them suitable books, others would gather them together in order that a catechist or reader might read or speak to them. When I was at the Divinity School in Lahore, the students went forth two by two after the morning service every Sunday, to read and speak to the servants of various Christian households in the place.

There are many other ways in which ladies can help in the work. The young student who now plays the harmonium in the Church Missionary Society's Mission Church in Lahore was taught music by a lady. He in his turn taught his sister, and together they again taught all their younger brothers and sisters to sing, and recently when I was with a friend in Lahore, they were all collected together, and they gave us a little family concert. The father has again and again thanked me for helping his son to learn music, and he told me with delight how his children played and sang hymns to him in the evenings.

Some ladies will take classes when encouraged to do so. I well remember how the wife of a General, though at first confessing her inability to do so, yet afterwards consented to take a class of poor Christian women; and after a short time she became so interested in the work, that she continued it as long as she was in India, and when leaving, thanked me for urging her at first to take the class. Zenana visitors can often interest ladies in their work by taking them to visit some zenanas. I believe there are many ladies who are willing to work, and I know they would be

servants.

Other ways

of help.

Work warms much happier if they did more for Christ than they do. Does not the worker. much of the lukewarmness so often complained of by Christians in

Enlist

helpers.

India arise from the want of work? Work warms; it produces a healthy circulation, is a certain cure for all spiritual dyspepsia, a fine tonic, and the very best stimulant in the world; it gives an appetite, helps digestion, and makes rest sweet. It is the old story, in caring for others we help ourselves, in watering others we are watered ourselves; like the poor traveller amidst the cold and snow of the Alpine heights, almost overcome with weariness and drowsiness and ready to lie down and sleep, when sleep meant death, in stumbling against a half dead fellow traveller he was aroused to exertion to try and save him, but in saving his brother he saved himself, and both arrived safely at their journey's

end.

Let us endeavour to enlist more volunteers for the work from volunteers, amongst Christians living in India, and let us impress upon honorary Christians at home the great needs of the Mission field. Honorary workers have come forth, leaving comfortable homes, in order to work for Christ. At the close of 1881 there were eight honorary lady workers in the Punjab, and there are four now labouring in Amritsar alone, besides A. L. O. E. in the neighbouring town of Batala. There are doubtless many more at home who have both the means and the heart if only Mission work were properly placed before them.

Woman's

found in woman'swork.

to women

in India.

Much of late has been said and written about woman's rights. rights, to be Woman has her own particular work everywhere, but especially in this country where woman's position is so inferior to that of man's. India has a very special work for Christian women to do, and which if not not done by them will not be done at all, for no one else can do it. Woman's rights are found in woman's work. And here how vast is the field! Gibbon in his history of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire tells us that in the reign of the Emperor Hadrian, one of the brightest periods of Roman The field open History, the population of that vast empire at that time may be estimated at 120 millions. Mr. Blackett has just told us that there are 120 millions of women and girls in India, hence we see that there are as many females in our Indian Empire as there were individuals in the whole Roman Empire. Here is a wideextended field, in many places white unto the harvest, with a few, very few, labourers working here and there, all open for Christian ladies to enter in. They can freely enter in, are oftentimes most gladly welcomed, where men cannot go. Christian women can find their way, like light and sunshine, into the guarded secluded zenanas to teach, and enlighten, and enliven, and purify, and save. And who like them can nurse the sick and suffering, or comfort the outcast and downcast, the bruised and broken, the afflicted and heavy-laden, the widow, the orphan, the homeless, the dying? There is no hand so gentle as a woman's hand, no eye so observant, no foot so soft, no ear so wakeful, no head more unselfishly thought

ful, no heart more unceasingly loving, no life more entirely devoted than woman's, a Christian woman's who is under the constraining love of Christ. I have seen the hard savage heart melt at a woman's touch.

But all cannot be zenana visitors or nurses, all cannot take classes, or even perhaps teach their servants, yet all can do something. Texts can be copied or illuminated, funds can be collected, friends interested in the work, and especially prayers offered for it.

A few years ago a call went forth from a small body of Missionaries in the Punjab for a week of united prayer, and now the week of Prayer at the beginning of each year is observed more or less throughout the Christian world. Cannot something be done now by this large Missionary Conference assembled here in the capital of India? Cannot an appeal be sent forth to the world, telling of the vast sphere of labour and of the few labourers, of many doors open wide on all sides, and of none to enter in, of fields white to the harvest and none to gather it in? May this Conference send forth a call to Christians everywhere that more may come to the help of the Lord against the mighty, a call that shall thrill the heart of Christendom.

Send an appeal for

more workers.

Abundant

MISS THOBURN, M. E C., Lucknow, said:-A great work might be done in India by Christians of all classes who are not work for all. professed Missionaries, and yet have opportunities of reaching the people and are often by force of circumstances brought into contact with them. I knew an English lady who faithfully taught her ayah through her thirty years' residence in the country, and as often as possible had services held for the other servants on Sundays, and the result has been the baptism of six intelligent Christians, and an earnest spirit of enquiry awakened in the mohulla where they live. Many ladies would work in this way, or even assist in zenana teaching, if they knew how, or if the duty was brought before them. All Christians in this country live apart from the non-Christians, socially and religiously, and the custom becomes a habit which separates like a mountain chain. Missionaries by custom and duty know no such barrier, and it is one of their duties to break it down and to interest others here in the work, just as we do the people of Europe and America from whom we expect help. Individuals may engage in voluntary Individual work, and individuals may encourage it, but much might be accomplished by an organization whose object should be to show Christian women in India their opportunities for doing good and the methods by which they may be successfully taken up. We have a Missionary Society in Oudh and Rohilkhund of which there is an auxiliary society in every Christian church, however few its members, the object of which is to keep alive a missionary spirit among the women, give them intelligence from other churches and countries, and collect whatever they are willing to give for

effort.

Form a

Workers'

some special work in their own neighbourhood. One such society of native women has this year given Rs. 50 to a Home for homeless women which needed funds. But it is not so much money we need, for that can always be obtained, but rather perAssociation. sonal endeavour and the personal contact of Christian hearts with those who are dark and ignorant. An association might be formed having as condition of membership a certain number of hours a week spent in voluntary teaching or visiting, to servants, zenanas or any who may be accessible. Monthly meetings could be held in churches or communities, plans arranged for learning the languages required, all classes of Christian women interested and drawn into the work. Individuals in isolated places might also become members of such an association, receiving instructions relating to work and giving reports through an appointed correspondent.

Such an organization would fitly mark our Decennial Conference and would lead out to greater things than our present plans can ever accomplish.

MRS. ETHERINGTON, B. M. S., Benares, stated: that in Benares the members of the different Missions worked harmoniously side by side and experienced no such inconvenience as that Non-Christian said to exist in Madras. She objected to the employment of heathen or Mahomedan teachers in Zenanas, and thought that Missionary ladies should give a great deal of time to the superintendence of Schools to make them efficient.

teachers.

Difficulty in regard to Mehter children.

Training of teachers

MISS JOSEPH made a few remarks on the subject of a school for widows.

MRS. MCGREW, M. E. C., Cawnpore, also testified that the agents of the three different Societies doing female work in Cawnpore were in perfect harmony, and invited any who had not room elsewhere to go and join them.

MISS GREENFIELD, S. F. E., said :-I was pleased to find here many ladies engaged in Mission work and taking Government grants, agreed with me that it was not desirable to do so.

I rose to ask a question for another lady, who says, “In my school there are some children of the Mehter caste, the Christians object to their children sitting by them. Should I yield to them ?" There may be some in the meeting who would say yield. I think the rule of Christian love and our Divine Master's example in touching even the poor leper should be sufficient answer to this question.

The following remarks of MISS BOUNSALL, L. M. S., Madras, were read-We hear on all hands the cry for more teachers, more trained teachers. A thoroughly well-trained Christian female teacher it is well nigh impossible to get. There are a few Normal Schools, but how few. There are boarding schools, to the higher classes of which we look for help in supplying the need; and these classes no doubt are practically often normal classes, without the name, I mean that the pupils are practised in teaching. But these

classes are often unavoidably very small, far larger ones could be taught just as easily, and it would be better for the girls to have the stimulus of numbers. There are objections against massing girls together in very large numbers in boarding schools. Could it not be arranged that instead of different Societies maintaining separate schools in one town or city, each with its own teaching staff, a large proportion of whose time is necessarily taken up with a small proportion of the pupils, we might unite to maintain one thoroughly efficient school in each centre.

We might thus hope to secure a better staff of teachers, and more complete apparatus, at no greater outlay than at present, if as great, while some at least of the ladies now in charge of schools, whose time is largely taken up in imparting secular instruction and details of school arrangement, important enough in themselves, but not the highest things, would have more time at their disposal for the home training of the girls under their care; for each Society could have its separate home for receiving those girls who come from a distance, and there their moral character and spiritual interests could be well cared for, and they could be trained in various branches of work under the immediate superintendence of the lady in charge.

Practically there should be no difficulty in working such a Normal school by means of a Committee appointed by the various Missions. It has been proved over and over again that united Committees can act harmoniously, and their actions and decisions should be wiser and safer than those of individuals. If no deviation from the conditions of admission could be granted except by special sanction of a Committee, managers, who are often perplexed how to act, would I think feel a great relief.

All the girls in the higher classes should have the same training in my opinion, that is, one that will fit them to become teachers; they may be very thankful for it in after life, and we may be thankful they have had it, even though it may be after many years that they bring such a training as a talent to lay at the Master's feet. It is easy to turn their thoughts to teaching, to treat it as a foregone ccnclusion that that will be their vocation, unless they have strong leanings in another direction, to impress upon them that they must do something, and cannot, dare not, lead an idle, useless selfish life. We long to see them earnest devoted Christians, but when our hopes in this respect are not at once realized we may still urge them to be useful members of society.

it

Again, Mofussil Missionaries often say that they do not find teachers trained in large towns quite satisfactory, or satisfied to stay, yet where else are they to look?

Could not different Societies combine to establish a good Normal school for each vernacular, in some central and get-atable country station, to train such teachers as they require?

Have one efficient

Normal

School in each centre.