The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-03-18
SPOKEN FROM THE PULPIT
Miss Thoburn Talks About the Mission
ary Service in India and Its Needs.
tDr. McLeod's Address on Saints Patrick and
Columba-Mr. Foster Speaks on the Basis Of
Moral Reform-0ther Religious Topics.

The Womans Foreign Missionary Society
of the Methodist churches were invited to
meet at Roberts Park Church yesterday
afternoon, to listen 10 an address by Miss
Thoburn who has been, for the past twenty
years. q missionary to India. Mrs. Kate
Haynes presided, who, after opening hymns
were sung and DR.. Keen had offered prayer,
referred to Miss Thoburn as needing no in
PRODUCTION, especially to Roberts Park
audience. Miss Thoburn is ideally wom-
anly. She has a sweet and kindly face,
gentle voice and winning manner, and her
talk was earnest and most pleasing She
was the first woman missionary sent
to India twenty years ago. She wished
to do such service in that country and
wrote a letter, sending it to one who for
warded it to the Women's Foreign Society,
which had just been established in Boston.
by some returned missionaries, but at that
time Miss Thoburn had not even heard of
the organization. She was its first ap
pointee. A few years ago she returned to
this country, as she was in failing health.
She is now well and has been made super
intendent of the Deaconesses' Home, at
Cincinnati, which has just been estab-
lished. During her talk. yesterday, she re-
: ferred to the coming week as being week
of Jubilee in the w. L. Nj. 81, as 1t would
celebrate its twentieth anniversary.
There is much to be thankful for" she
said, mot only from the societies, but each
member. have much to be thankful for.
have given myself to God, ana during
my years of invalidism, that has seemed
very little. If you would like to send me,
should like to go back to India. should
not have known the personal sympathy.
the personal and individual friendship and
ha1, no hon dr. ha1n f,rln 4
had not been for this socity, and so l am
thankful. The work has brought realiz-
ing sense of responsibility, and no one Is
true nt here ao 6st NOT gam In tne
When l returned to this country in 1880 it
was the first knew of the w: +. NJ. s., ex-
cept through the columns of the papers and
pamphlets. The mission house and school
established by the w. F. NJ. 5. Then the
society sent workers, and there was some
one to work with, and word came that a
house might be bought. The climate in
experiencing in this latitude, only the sun
is warmer. 1t is month of bloom. and
our home we call garden of roses The
roses run riot: There are great climbers of
Marechal Niel-you can pluck hundred
almost any time-andh In the garden are
great beds of mignOnette. pansies and yer-
benas. The trees are in bloom, and full of
bird notes. This is the place have been
pitied for having to live in. Guests have
called the house the palace Beautiful 1t
was built by a rich Mohammedan for one of
his courtiers, and was finally sold to us
for about One-fifth of its value. The
around it all is. broad portico. There
are three school-rooms, and the rest are
iving-rooms. We are often Obliged to
sleep on the roof. and we can look off into
bowery plain, dotted here with steeples
and minarets, and one would say: Surely
this is not a heather city, The first helper
was sent to me from this city, and her name
was Jennie Tinsley.
ION Sunday, which is holiday, there is
always scene. The beggars come out and
range themselves on the roadway between
the house and the church. and by looking
need help You will see the leper and the
blind. The Hindoostanee church at first
had only about thirty attendants. and now
st will not begin to hold the Chris
held at o'clock in the morning and
afterward the missionaries go into the city
to work. The home is at the edge of the
city. There are many schools for the mis-
sion work. and the girls are sent out as
teachers. There is another service late in
the afternoon, and in the evening there is
one in English. At first one dOrmitory was
erected; now there are four, with one
dwelling, one school and several Bible
houses, and the success that has attended
the efforts shows how God has accepted
them. The work reaches to all parts of the
country. The largest room in the house
will hold 100. and many have been con-
verified in that room. The second year
there were some about whom we were
anxious: Christmas was high day, and a
custom is to call and at each place to drink
wine. The same was also customary at the
time of a wedding. or baptism.
Now happened to think of my old home in
Wheeling. w. Va, where we had church at
o'clock In the morning So for Christmas
o'clock, and afterward gave them q break
fast OF hot coffee and sandwiches Some
doubted that any would come to the meet
ing. but the room was full. We sent them
away comfortable both in body and mind,
and the custom has been continued ever
SINCE and it has never been known for one
whom we were anxious about to fall back.
In October, for four days, there is a holt
day to worship gods. This was thought to
be good time for evangelstic effort, which
was put forth, the preaching being in En-
giish. The meetings were blessed and the
numbers. grew, till nov, some people come
LOCO miles to attend. The room and
porches are full. tents are pitched
and for four days we keep tavern. No pos
session has received more spiritual gifts.
Another gathering is the district confer
ence When first went to India there
were about eight or ten men missionaries;
at the last conference there were more than
one hundred and fifty women: God wants
greater work. The women and girls
want to be educated. They see that the
w
and are able to manage and govern, and
that they have had some preparation. The
people in India want to know English.
They have now grammar school Snd a
high school, and their ambition is rising
not an ambition for name, but
for usefulness and action, and in
an essay read by girl just
before / left she said the people will never
save India, till India's sons and daughters
rise up to help Their efforts to rise are
moro difficult than yours, for women and
Christians have no place in society and
country. and q greater preparation de-
wolves upon them. The missionaries in
India also want a college. When a woman
becomes converted she wants to be directed
but shrinks from going out alone. When
we find they wish TO work for themselves
IT is encouraging"
young girl who developed rapidly, and was
bright and promising when she was fifteen
her father told her to come home
as he wanted her to marry, but
she refused. as she wished to re-
main at school He objected and refused
to pay for her tuition though he was abun-
dainty able to do so. She went home but
returned to the school and offered some
Jewels she had TO pay for her tuition. She
persevered in her studies and won the gov.
eminent scholarship, and paid her owl
way by teaching The school at Lucknow
is about self-supporting," said Miss Tho
burn "We want to build the first Woman'
Christian College in all Asia, to train
n. -