The Portland daily press., 1890-04-18
State Secretaries Reports.

The state secretaries read their reports begin
ming with Mrs. Butler Of Maine, who briefly OUT
lined what had been done in eastern and western
Maine for the development of the work. Interest
in missions has increased: Favorable reports
has been growing interest in boys work, and
bands have been or rganized. The resignation OF
and her place has not been filled. An increase OF
contributions over last year Is reported, and
Maine has made It's full apportionment.
New Hampshire's report was also favorable.
There are some depressing features In the home
work, and more organized effort Is needed. Miss
Chapman has been accepted bp the board and will
soon go to foreign fields. The annual basket
meeting was well attended.
Miss Brigham of Vermont said that the work
was hopeful in the state. IL had been a year Of
progress. Churches open their doors more freely.
Basket meetings have become quite feature
Vermont, too, Is proud OF the missionary she Is
going to send TO Japan-Miss Converse.
The report from Massachusetts spoke OF in
creased contributions Some n associations nave
well-doing. The gift of missionary Miss A. Il.
Edmunds, VIII undoubtedly bring us a blessing.
Connecticut has S4mssonary circles, "a bands
The contributions are the same as last year. The
secretaries here worked faithfully.
sweet % secretary, inviting the" the woman's Foreign
Missionary Society to meet at Albany, N. Y, at
their 20th annual meeting. 1t was voted to accept
Patience and continuance in well-doing ha S
been the watchword in Rhode Island the past
interest has quckened. The list of secretaries Is
full.
New Jersey reported an increase in circles and
bands and the good work continues.
More faith, more zeal, more love for tn Master
is wanted in Delaware.
In Pennsylvania, notwthst anding the sad dis
aster in the central portion Of the state, the de-
preston in the mining districts, additions to cir
cles ana bands have kept pace with former years,
The work of the bureau at Philadelphia Increases
every year. The state meeting was largely at
tended and these meetings are of great value in
The Interest in missionary work increases in
New Yolk every year.
In SO some associations II tne W3rK h were Mas
But God looks at the loving service-the will to
give.
Missionary Societies shonld observe the same
hOur-from five to six every 6unday-for special
prayers was adopted
Singing the hymn 1--WE Shall Meet Beyond the
River" followed the reports, and then came the
address of Mrs. Partridge of China, entitled
The Swatow Girls School.
Mrs: Partridge said she had been
cs%e back Where mnS g The sailing
port Is San Francisco and as they pass through
the golden gate it takes them l3. days to reach
the first port. Yokohama. Seven days later they
reach Hong Kong and from there To Swatow. Out
of 6O00 villages not one-quarter have ever heard
native school for girls. They say it is no use. to
educate the girls they are betrotned at the geof
~ years and 90 to live at the homes OF their tu-
lost on them. The speaker gave description OF
a boys native school, outfit necessary etc. They
are taught to memoriZe at the expense OF their
reasoning faculties. The scholars study aloud, so
Ss sWaTmsg y aS 81 XII eG1s rs
school for boys at Swat0w there are 36 boys and
at the mission school for girls there are "a board
supported by the board till about two years ago
when 1t became self-supp0rting.
Mrs. Partridge gave description Of one days
work at the mission The Chinese rise with the
sun and go to bed with the sun, not having suit.
able lamps. The girls have no beds to make; the
QrQ xvifb narfla ham
and mating TO lie on-no sheets and the pillows
resemble nothing so much as round bird cage
dormitory after which comes breakfast. At
O'Clock they all gathered together for worship the
classes G go 70 the different rooms for half and hour
o'clock the sewing school is in order.
The garments are very simply made, the dress
OF the women differing only from that of the men
fashion has been the same for thousands OF years.
The suit consists of .cxet aad trousers; In hot
weather only one of each Is wOrn In cooler
weather more, and you may know something OF
the temperature whom man tells you he is %
jackets cold. After the sewing hour, caliSthenics
is practlced for half an hour. Friday evening a
prayer meeting, connected with the school, is
up from these girls for their friends, who have
not learned about Jesus: Gospel hymns here
singing taught them. blind girl came to Them
less than three years ago. They had no facilities
fol teaching the blind. but they taught her. the
has committed 324 hymns and the gospels Of
Matthew and john has tlearned to knit and even
TO sew. Her family Is the only Christian family
in village containing several thousand inhabi-
tants. Mrs. Partridge closed with an earnest ap-
roSb be be o P Rb gn
dents go out every Friday carrying the message
OF iov and peace. Oftentmes they are refused
admittauce to houses, but sometimes they get in
to the homes and then into the heats OF the peo-
pie. Wednesday afternoons they hold prayer
meetings. Unlike some prayer meetings in
Christian lands never a moment is lost. Their
hearts too full of gratitude to God tor teach