The Portland daily press., 1893-11-09
A Day Of Interesting Reports and
Addresses.
MISSIONARY TRIALS IN THE
HEATHER LANDS.

coanut Day for the Cause-Work of
Maine Girl in China.
The meetings of the Woman's Board at
High street Congregationalist church
yesterday, were very largely attended,
and of great interest to those desirious of
information on the subject of foreign
missions and the social, religious and
intellectual conditions of foreign peoples.
Mrs. Judson Smith of Boston, the
president, presided at the meetings.
morning, led by Mrs. Henry Fairbanks
of St. Johnsbury, VT, the regular session
began with the address of welcome by
Mrs. W. II. Fem, president of the Maine
Branch. Mrs. Fem greeted the delegates
in behalf of that branch, whose consult
uency covers larger territory than the
whole remaining jurisdiction of the
board. She welcomed them also to our
beautiful forest city. A few years ago
Bangor lady had said that she preferred
Bangor as residence to any other place,
because it was so easy to get from Ban
gor to any..other place on the earth. For
the same reason Portland had prominent
advantages as meeting place for such a
gathering. For historic reasons, also,
this was a most fitting meeting place. 1t
was in High street church in 1878 that
the Maine Branch was founded. It was
in sister church that the sainted
Edward Payson labored; in another sister
nv cd he
Endeavor movement; and finally, it was
in Portland that.the first gun was fired
in the great contest in the American
Board,-a contest in which no woman
had any part. (Applause.) Mrs. Fem
concluded with few appropriate words
ON the work of the present meetings.
Mrs. Smith responded pleasantly for
the board.
The report of Miss Abbie B. Child of
the home department, followed. After
referring to the fact that during the year
the circle of the executive officers of the
board had been unbroken, Miss Child
went on to report that there were %
branches, 1916 auxiliaries and 342 mission
circles. Efforts during the year for an
increase of mem bership had met with
encouraging results. The junior work
has never been in better condition.
Since January 1st, twelve missionaries
have departed for the foreign field.
Several have returned also, for needed
vacations.
The financial state of the country has
had an unfavorable effect upon the
finances of the board, and while the re-
port of the treasurer would show a fall
ing off of receipts, the demands of the
oil fhtc xun11ld iv,1xy no
$4,000 more than last. This added sum is
not needed for new enterprises, but for
carrying on the regular work. A strong
effort is needed to bring the receipts up
to the required point If this is not
done the work will suffer.
Mrs. Joseph Cook was next introduced
to speak of the boards publication, the
magazine Life and Light" She said
that too many people imagine that a
knowledge of foreign missions and an in
terest in them will descend upon them
systematically. Life and Light" is our
medium of transmitting missionary in
telligence. It's expense yearly is very
cent of our constituency. Our member
ship is 100000, yet Life and Light"
circulates but IA, 600 copies.
A messagennwas sent to the sister board
in session at Rockford, Ill.
The report of the treasurer, Miss Ellen
Carruth, gave in definite form the con-
dition OF the boards finances. AS this
meeting is held at and unusual time, the
time included is only from January 1st
to October 18th, about ten months. The
receipts have been, from general fund,
SIT, All; from :" Life and Light" 81, 81 !;
from legacies, 1854; total of SOL, 49,
which is So, SOB less than last year, when
the general fund yielded $50, 5sS, anu
legacies $25, 1855. The expenses so far
have been $38,741. The treasurer
enlarged upon the fact that the work
will need $1,000 more this year than any
year before.
The president said the situation was
one demanding earnest attention: and on
her suggestion it was referred for consid-
GRAFTON to the committee on proportionate
giving.
Mrs. S. Brainard Pratt followed with a
review of the missionary field; aud her
report was supplemented by an address
by Miss Mary Daniels, missionary from
Harpoot, Turkey. Miss Daniels said that
Harpoot is city of mud houses, the
largest buildings being the missionary
The women sit within working, often
weaving, while the streets are full of chill
dren. Many of these children are
gathered into the missionary schools
The kindergarten department is the first
step. Most Turkish children have no
uOlQ0 EJltdSuTGS. 4u0y nave no play
things, no stories or help from their
mothers, who turn them out into the
streets as soon as they are able to walk.
These children when gathered into the
school, respond readily to missionary
efforts.
The course in the school lasts about fif-
teen years, and at irst it was thought the
girls could never be kept in the school
Tong, as they are generally married in
Turkey at the age of Il or is years; and
it is disgrace for Turkish girl to be
unmarried. But the school has been
filed continually, and the girls are
marrying later in life, which is a great
benefit.
In all the school has graduated 43 girls
who are now engaged in the missionary
work.
The girls have very little money, as
twelve cents day is very good pay for a
woman in Turkey, but yet the girls in
the school contrib butte to missions.
The afternoon meeting of the board was
devoted to addresses, principally by re-
turned missionaries. The subj ct of the
work In Turkey was considered still
fureher by Mrs. James L. Barton of Har-
poet turkey. She was followed by Mrs.
Ell, Aoimes, who spoke of the World s
CongTsss, OF Missions The address of Mrs.