Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-04-30
Missionary Meeting.


The meeting at Bethany Chapel. last Thurs.
day evening, was fully attended. DR.. Lord
presided, and with few remarks introduced
Rev. Mr.. Cspron, Of the Madua Mission, in
India
Mr.. Capron spoke Of the work in India, and
Of the obstacles from customs Of long continu.
ancc. We hear talk sometimes Of caste in this
country but there is no caste here We
know nothing Of diyincly established differ
cnces at birth, of caste, for instance, like the
Brahmins, dyncly ordained to be worshipped
BY all other castos Caste has immense force
in India but even that has been overcome by
Christianity. There are Christians Of all
castles, and we have Brahmin Christian preach.
ers. Mr.. Capron alluded to the many super
sttilns Of India, and to the condition Of the
women. In India 1t is considered disgrace
for woman 10 read, because only the loose
women Of the temples read, and because, till
the missionaries came, there were no books 10
The language, save such A. were unfit to be
read The influence Of Christianity has over
come these superstitions and prcjudicos as far
as it prevails. And il makes progress 10
twenty years the Christian population Of India
has doubled. There arc 500 church members
in the Madura district, in thirty churches,
fourteen Of which are self supporting and ask
no aid from the Board.
DR.. Clark next addressed the meeting. lie
said the Christian population Of India now
numbers 300 600 In this country there is a
Christian minister to every GOO Of the popua-
ton. In India the board will be content If it
can send one missionary 10 every 700. II
cannot do that now, and it greatly desires to
send out twelve or fifteen more men in order
to approach that ratio. For the rest it relics
on native preachers and teachers These
show great ability We have Brahmn
preacher whose sermons are barely surpassed
by those Of the missionary after careful piopa-
ration DR.. Clark spoke Of the general econ
omy Of the missionary work. ln heather
lands every dollar goes ten times as far as
here. Thirty dollars year will board and
teach a girl in school. while $1,000 will carry
on the mssi mary work for = district as large
'bs Vermont.
lie spoke Of the encouraging tidings from
Japan, where all restrictions on the Gospel
have Just been done away, and where the peo-
PIE are eager u be taught, and are intelligent
and open 10 the truth. The board feels that a
year now in Japan is worth ten years at any
other time, and it desires and intends to send
a supply Of missionaries there without delay.
lie alluded to the work in Mexico, Spain and
other Catholic Countries, which are most en-
couraging fields. 10 closing he urged the duty
of devotng more Of our young men and women
70 the missionary work. lie hoped to secure
some from Montpelier.
The ladies Of Montpelier were addressed BY
Mrs. Capron on the afternoon Of the same day.
We are not able to give an abstract of her state
ment, butwe are informed that it was very inter
esting and effective She has gone into the
work Of teaching the native women of India
with her whole heart, and her description Of
her labors was very vivid and gratifying. We
hope that steps will be taken to organize here
a woman's Board Of Missions to act more ef.
iectiyely in cooperation with the missionary
workers in the ioreigs field.