The Portland daily press., 1894-10-05
WOMEN MISSIONARIES
Meeting of Those Who Assist and Encour-
age-various Addresses-work in Africa.

| The Woman's Foreign Missionary meet
ing, following. the meetings Of the Bap-
fist convention, assembled at the First
Baptist church yesterday forenoon. Mrs.
Moses M. Giddings, of Bangor. presided,
and there were present at three or four
hundred women from different parts of
the State.
The exercises were conducted in accord
ance with the programme published yes
terday mornings Mrs. j. o. Smith, of
Skowhegan, makingsthe State Secretary's
report; Mrs. A. Waterbury. of Newton
Centre, followed with an address; Mrs.
Fl. W. Noyes, of Portland, presented a
paper on Systematic Giying;n and Miss
SIS. Durfee, of Providence, RI, spoke of
| the need for young woman missionaries
and the plan for supplying them. Fifteen
young women are now needed. five fer
the Burmah field. Miss Barrows has not
the strength to hold out much longer
at the head of her school for boys in
| Burmah, and will have to be relieved.
| At Newton Centre House for candi-
dates has heen established. Here young
women who intend to be missionaries
| live while receiving instruction at the
Theological school, There are eight
there this fall. The system has great
advantages, enabling the Union to send
better trained and better fitted young
women into the field.
Miss Brown, of Free street church rem
dered very BEAUTIFULLY solo.
Mrs. Bella Claflin, formerly of Water
vile, in this State, now of the missionrat
Lukunga, in the Congo region of Africa.
was next introduced. That mission be-
ing one OF the youngest is one of the
least understood. There are ten stations
beginning at the mouth of the river and
extending six hundred miles inland. At
each station there is church of from
ten to six hundred members. Lukunga
is beautifully located on fertile plain.
well watered and surrounded by noun
tains. The missionaries began their
work in 1881, acquiring the tongue, and
getting foothold. In 1887 the first CON
verts, twelve in number. were baptized.
About this time the Woman's Board
was first represented by two women
missionaries, who soon established a
school for native boys. Education had a
marked effect upon these children From
incident, vicious and thievish little
fellows. they became clean. willing, in
telligent and ultimately Christians.
II sThe native life is very hard, human
life being accounted cheap. Mr.. Cla8in
knew native who was hung in the
market because he could not pay a debt
of ten strings of beads, worth not more
than five cents. 1t is a common thing
to bury men alive for small debts or
offences. The speaker had seen fourteen
such graves. She related an interesting
story of the rescue Of man of the will
age where the missionary. station is, who
was to be buried alive in neighboring
village because he could not pay debt
amounting to about dollar. If native
has an enemy, or wishes the wife of
friend. he has knife ever ready to use
in accomplishing his revenge or putting
out of the way the husband. If wife
burns her husbands dinner, or if her
garden does not suit him, she receives
the -severest punishment.
Christianity is having marked effe ct
upon these people. They are beginning
to wear clothes, to build their houses
with two rooms instead 0 one, and to
live in brotherhood.i INSTEAD of in enmity.
The heather natives have seen the great
er contentment and prosperity of the
converts, and the missionaries are con-
tinually receiving more requests for
teachers than they can possibly grant.
Mrs. Graves, of Canton, China, who is
visiting Mrs. WIS. Ayres, was in troduced
next
In the at ternoon session, which also
was we'll attende d., the programme was
CANNED out as published. Miss Philbrick
of Waterville, addressed the meeting Oh
sour Band Work. the paper on "The
Further Light" by Miss Matthews of
Belfast. was read for her, she being un-
able to be present; Miss Hanson, of Col
by, '97, spoke of Missionary Interest in
Our Colleges and Academies; Sour
Girls in the Field" We're spoken of by
Miss Henneman of Boston.
The session closed with addresses bv
Mrs. Waterbury of Newton Centre, and |
Mrs. e. W. Clark, missionary from
Assam. Mrs. Clark spoke entertainingly |
of life in Assam, and of the cheering |
prospects of the Christian work there.
Travelling in that country is made in
teresting and easy by the skill of the
natives in the use of the bamboo. If |
you wish to hoil a fish for supper, thew |
cut joint of bamboo, fill it with |
water. put the fish in and thrust the |
improvised pot into the fire. The fish is |
broiled by the time he bamboo is burned |
enough to Leak II a shower comes up |
they cut bunch-of thatch grass, lite it |
at one end, and drape the grass down |
over the head and body, creating an ex-
cellent gossamer.
There are numerous native supersti-
tons which the missionaries have to |
combat. When person is Killed By |