The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-10-21

Congregationalist Women of Maine Meet
in Semi-AnnuaI Session-Miss Fanny
White Tells of Work Among the jap
anese-Other Interesting Features
of the Meeting.
The women of the Maine Branch
of the Women's Board OF
Foreign Missions met in nineteeth semi
annual convention in the Second Parish
church yesterday forenoon. There was
a good attendance from the various Con-
gregational churches of the state; and
with delegates and all about 200 sat
down to the dinner which the women of
the Second Parish Hospitality provided at
noon in the vestry.
Mrs. Dr.. Fem of Portland, presided,
and the forenoon session was begun with
prayer by Mrs. Wagg of Auburn.
Mrs. J. G. Merrill delivered an address
of welcome, and Mrs. G.. L. Peaslee of
Auburn, responded Mrs. Leeds, presi-
dent of the New Hampshire branch,
brought greetings from that branch. 1t
was voted that the vacancy caused by
the death of Mrs. Field of Waldo, be
supplied by the ladies OF that conference.
The resignation of Mrs. Cushman of
Castine, was received. The resignation
of Mrs. Hill of Machias, was received,
and Mrs. McCully was chosen in her
place.
Mrs. Page of Houlton, reported for
her conference, Mrs. Peaslee of Auburn,
for the North Cumberland conference,
Mrs. Cole for the South Cumberland con-
ference, and reports by letters were re-
ceived from the other conferences.
The forenoon exercises closed with the
reading by Mrs. James P. Baxter, of a
very, interesting letter which she had
received from the wife of one of the
Moravian missionaries in Labrador.
When the Bowdoin Exploring Expedi-
ton returned from Labrador, Mrs. Bax-
ter's son, who was one of the party,
brought back report of the work these
missionaries do in that remote land.
Mrs. Baxter and other ladies in Portland
sent considerable clothing and other
needful articles to these missionaries.
They were very gratefully received, and
the letter contained many touching al
lusions to the life the missionaries lead.
They have but one mail a year, and
sometimes that fails. When their chill
dren arrive at school age they are sent to
Germany, and are separated from their
parents for many years.
After luncheon the delegates reassem-
bled at $50 p. m. Mrs. Matt S, Hughes,
in behalf of the women of the Methodist
Missionary Society, extended a cordial
and graceful welcome.
The first address was delivered by a
Portland young lady, who has decided to
devote herself to work in the foreign
feld-Miss Annie Gould, daughter of
Mr.. John Gould Miss Gould said that
it was her mothers influence that had
turned her thoughts towards missionary
work, and this trend of her thought had
been further intensified by the influences
by which she was surrounded at Mount
Holyoke College. This summer she has
been appointed to work in the North
China field. Miss Gould is at present a
worker in the Bethel church.
Mrs. DR.. Swasey, President of the Mis-
sion Band, was called on and spoke of
the inspiration which Miss Gould's ex-
ample had been to the members of the
mission bands, which consisted of the
young ladies of the eight Congregational
churches in Portland and at Woodfords.
Miss Fay of Boston, president of the
Board of the Interior, spoke of the finan-
cial condition of the society, which was
not at present so good as she wished it
to be. The regular donations of this
year have amounted to $4,000 less than
they did last year, and while the legacies
| that have come in amount to enough more
| to ensure the carrying on of the work,
| the change in the form of the revenue is
not pleasant to contemplate.
Miss Fanny White, recently of the Jap
an Mission, spoke of the characteristics
| of the Japanese. The Japanese are cas-
| Ter converted than the Chinese, perhaps
because they are so Clearly. They take
as many as five baths day in water va
rying in temperature from 80o to 1902.
| One day Miss White went to talk with
Uuo udtS ltcI VI d. ulS IL oluoifSi. hollO WOE
received very politely, and not long after
the first greetings were over the official
said: do you condescend to step into
a tub of hot water?'
| Miss White replied that she had al
ready bathed that morning. But the
host and his family kept going to theil
baths through the day, and each time
the host invited her also. Five times he
gave the invitation, and on the fifth re.
| fusal said:
''For what reason is it that you decline
| to take a bath?''
at is not the custom of my country, y
was the only excuse Miss White could
offer.
Miss White said she had noticed poor
rice cooley, who had stopped to eat his
dinner by a brook, take out tooth
brush and brush his teeth before going
ON with his load.
1t seemed easy to teach religion to q
people so clearly. They are also de
vout people, many touching stories be
ing told of their devotion.
Miss White said that her physicians
had decided that she could not return to
Japan, and she had been transferred to
the South Mexican mission. She ex
/ I, ~ hf