The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-18
wOMEN's MISSIONARY LABOR.

What American Christian Women are
Doing for the Heather Women Of
1ndia-Miss Brittan's Interesting Mar
retivc.
very large number Of the ladies' attending the
church of DR.. Rogers corner of Fifth avenue and
Twenty first street, and others, composing the
Women's Union Missionary Society, assembled In
the lecture room of the above church yesterday,
to hear an address by Miss H. G. Britain,
one Of the noble self-sacrifcng women who are
engaged under the auspices OF the American
Zenana Mission, and who has Just returned
to this country. Rev. DR.. Rogers opened the
meeting by prayer, and introduced Miss Britain,
who gave a graphic description OF the benighted
and degraded condition of the women OF India.
She stated that the condition of the high caste
ladies' OF India is even worse than the inmates OF
our prisons. In the province Of Bengal also there
are, she said, over three hundred thousand women
secluded and deprived Of all intercourse with
friends, owing to the dolatry and superstition of
the people. The homes OF these women. even of
the high caste class are miserable. They are
isolated from the portions used by the men In q
small room whose only furniture are wooden bed
with piece Of mating, chair, table, and little
box to hold their effects. They will sit theie the
their husbands and then only In the night time
and never sister alter she Is married, and
rarely her mother. II sue be sick she can have no
mothers care though living In the same house, and
In her room must remain during lie. The condi-
ton OF the children is even worse. woman,
when married, leaves her lather's house Tor the
apartments OF her husband and that Is the end OF
her freedom and social relations with her parents
and relatives. They are often married as young -
three 10 ten years, and every child must
marry before ten. Then her imprisonment
begins. She Is permitted occasionally
to visit her mothers house. but her mother cannot
visit her In sickness, and she inst anced cases
where sisters being within block had not met in
seventy years. The picture she drew OF the con-
dition Of widows was even worse; they are looked
upon as drudges; they can never comb their hair;
must wear 1t down their backs; can never sleep on
q bed; must wear the coarsest material, and can
never secure the sympathy Of any one. The condi-
ton OF hundreds and thousands of females, old
and young, Is even worse than inmates Of
our prisons, and 1t Ia to fight the ignor-
ance and superstition that makes woman o
recluse and q slave that these missions have
been established in India. Miss Britain gvae
history OF the character OF the work performed by
the mission stated that about eight hundred are
taught by the society, and many have embraced re-
lgiOn. Besides the religious instruction impaired
to them, they have established founding asylum
with about eighty inmates, and child's hospital.
Gradually, she reports, the good lady missionaries
are getting into houses and converting these women
from idolatry and superstition, and bringing them
TO a knowledge OF Jesus Christ. Miss Britain con-
cluded by feeling appeal to the ladies' for aid to
carry on the labor OF love Ia which these Christian
women are engaged