The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1883-10-31
Missionary Societies Convention.

Missionary Societies Convention.
Last Saturday, at the Congregational
Church in Wellington, were convened the
Young Ladies Mission Circles of the
Cleveland Conference.
Mrs. Heman Ely, of Elyria, presided, as
sisted by Mrs. NJ. L. Lang, President of the
Young Ladies' Mission Circle of this
Church. Miss Eva Lang was Secretary.
Miss Minnie Cleghon made the Address
of Welcome.
"The Mission Helpers" " OF the Methodist
Episcopal Church of Wellington were in
vited guests, and the President, Miss Nc
Dermott, responded for the visitors.
Mrs. T. L. Nelson, Miss Beebe and
came from Elyria with Mrs. Ely.
Mrs. Johnston, Principal of the Ladies'
Department of Oberlin College, came with
the Senior Glass of young ladies number
ing thirty-five.
At dinner-time not less than one hundred
CANT lunch in the dining-room or church
parlor, including all the children connected
with any of the local Mission Bands or
Societies and their officers.
Miss Parsons, of Northampton, Mass,
who had been a teacher at Painesville, but
for five years a teacher and missionary at
Constantinople, Turkey, was present, and
by her practical directness, large expert
ence snd single-eyed devotion to Christian
ity as the aim of life, was like an inspira-
tion to the meeting. She told great many
interesting things, and several facts new to
most of her hearers. Armenians and
Greeks hold themselves rigidly exclusive,
but almost all fathers there are glad to
have their daughters learn English as an
accomplishment Young ladies of ten dis
tinct nationalities were in that school of
one hundred or thereabout. Five American
it. Each nationality came to them with
very bigoted notions as to the superiority
of her own race; but she found bright in
tellects that made rapid progress among
them all, and as they became intimate in
pursuing the same studies, and Christianized
by allegiance to one Savior and one faith,
all their differences and prejudices melted
away, and their photographs in groups
represented the typical unity among school
girls anywhere. One picture of a lovely
Greek girl graduate, suitably married to a
noble young gentleman, made as hand
some couple as one could well imagine
A report of an examination in an Arme-
nian school, and the absurd things taught
and manner of teaching, was quite amusing
About Constantinople the hills are green
until the latter part of May, when they be.
come brown and dry and remain so till
February or March. The women of Tur.
key are so secluded, so superstitlous, and
are hedged about by so many customs un-
known to us, and are tortured by such
childish fears, that they know nothing OF
the freedom and youthful pleasures of the
American schoolgirl or young lady.
Under the protection of their missionary
teachers they learn how to go out and take
sensible, innocent and enjoyable walk
learn how to observe and take delight in
nature; gather flowers on the hills, sail on
the beautiful blue Bosphorus, cultivate
each others society instead of being alb
sorbed in personal display, selfshness and
vanity. These girls are unlike the average
American girl in one thing: they never use
slang! 1t is not taught by the missionaries
they never hear it, and so are in total igno
rance of large vocabulary that brands SC
many American girls with a badge oI
cheapness and coarseness as often as they
are heard to speak. Not a story book OF
any of the pleasant and pure entertainment
to be had from attractive books for children
and youth is TO be found in all Turkey.
The Jewish pupils in her school bring
their own lunch of bakers bread Cthere is
no other in Turkey and fruit and put it on
the table at noon with the others, coming
as day-schOlars but never as boarders
Friday is the Turks Sunday, but rather
than have their children behind in theil
classes they allow them to come right
along through the five school-days of the
week, including Friday A dragomar
brings to the school and returns to theil
homes all the pupils except those attended
by their own servant
The girls of the Congregational Church
of Wellington are divided into thret
classes called the Mission Band, Marths
! Taylor Mission Band and Young Ladies
Mission Circle. They were designated
/ by satin badges, one wearing cherry, an
other blue and the seniors white, with tn,
name Of their society printed or embroid
3 cred thereon. The Mission Helpers wor,
| gold color with the painted initial NJ. II
One division of the Mission Band sanl
c under the direction of Miss Julia Bacon