Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-03-05
WOMEN IN INDIA.
Terrible Treatment of she Zen2na
Ladies'.

At meeting of the elizabeth City
auxiliary" of the Women's Union Mis-
sionary Society, held last week, the fo,-
lowing interesting statements were made:
Miss HarrietteG. Britain gave an affect
ing and graphic description of the suffer-
ings and cruel treatment of the Zenana
ladies of India. These are women of high
caste, wives and daughters of wealthy
merchants, but who are closely confined
| in miserable, comfortless cells, called zena-
| mas, which they are never allowed to
leave but ON extraordinary occasions, such
as annual visits to their gods, and then
only under formidable escorts. When
we consider that there are ten million
of these unfortunate ladies shut up in
these terrible cells, what can we do2 The
labors, nevertheless, of the society have
accomplished much. The headquarters
are at Calcutta, where the American lady
missionaries concentrate their efforts.
Similar English societies are also there,
and ladies of no less than six evan
gelical denominations, American and
English, meet there once every month
an arrange their plans in the most harmo-
AhOuo gum dkC
naturally much confined With such a
vast extent of territory, and with popu-
lati0n of 200, 100000 of inhabitants in
India, it cannot be otherwise. North of
Calcutta, 600 miles, there is no missiona-
ry station. Miss Britain, in manner so
touching that during their recital there
was not dry eye in the chapel, related
examples of the incredible miseries the
poor Zenana women experience. She told
one touching story of a poor child
princess who, married at six years of age,
became widow at ten, and was shut up
in prison for life, according to the Gus
toms of the Bralfmins When Miss Brit
tan saw her she was dying. She had
been confined for six long weary years
and was then only sixteen. The kind
hearted Missionary found her lying on the
unexpected floor, burning with fever, her
tongue black and hanging from her
mouth. She had not tasted food or drink
for three days, and when she offered some
water to the poor child she dare not accept
it, although she would have given the
world for single drop. 1t was against
the laws she dare not disObey them. In
tuC SdIllc way HOHC VI tue NOIueu III INC
large palace in which she lay dared come
near her to offer her food or drink For |
three days she still fingered, when death |
put an end to her misery. This affecting |
recital, touchingly told, brought tears to
the eyes Of the entire audience. Miss |
Britain found this was the Eastern prin- |
cess she had so often dreamed of ami |
read of in the "Arabian Nights, when
girl. The Bcngalee women, nevertheless,
are remarkably beautiful and of the sweet
est dispositions. A roomful of American |
ladies might be picked out for their |
beauty, and a number of HindOo ladies |
might he taken at random, and the latter |
would carry off the palm of beauty.
Their beauty cannot be better described |
than by the word 'lovely.n Their hearts |
are tender and full of love for their chill |
dren, whom they fondly cherish as their |
only solace, but they cheerfully throw |
them in the river Ganges, because they |
believe it is right. She said if every lady |
church member in this country were 70 |
contribute but two cents week, It would |
supply the means TO cvangelize Is, 600, 600
ladies of Bengal.