The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-10-24
WOMEN M MISSIONS
TWELFTH ANNUAL MEETING OF IN
DIANA sYNODICAL SOCIETIES.
Money Contributed for Support Of
Foreign Missions-A Lecture by
Mr.. Jessup, of Syria.

The twelfth annual meeting OF the Wom-
ans Synodical Societies of Home and For
eign Missions of Indiana opened yesterday
at the Second Presbyterian Church. The
morning and afternoon sessions were held
by the presbyterial and synodical officers,
who conferred on the subject Of what the
two branches should take up during the
meeting. This plan OF work as a whole
or in part will be accepted or rejected by
the meeting.
The first general meeting was held last
evening in the audience room. and there
was a large attendance Of the delegates
and members Of city churches. There were
about three hundred women from all parts
Of the State present to attend the meet
ing. On the platform were Mrs. d. d.
Wells, Of Fort Wayne, president of the
Synodical Society of Foreign Missions; Rev.
M. l.. Haines, Rev. George Knox and Rev.
Henry H. Jessup, D.. D., of Beirut, syria.
Mr.. Haines led the devotional exercises.
assisted by Rev. Knox. The singing OF
the hymns was led by Mr.. Allison Special
musical numbers were given on the organ
by Mr.. Oliver Willard Pierce, and on the
violin by Mr.. Constantine Riegger Mrs.
o. w. Conner, of Wabash, made her re-
port as synodical secretary. There are 10
missionary societies in the state, an IN
crease of eight. Sixty c. Z. societies have
contributed to the missionary fund Inc
p~resbyteries a paid SLIPS into the fund.
The work has lost ground in the young
ladies' societies on account OF so many
of them joining the c. b. society. twenty
five Sunday schools have contributed. There
are GIG woman's societies in the State, and
the total membership is DOL In 1888 there
were $1S, 4S3 and in 1894 $12,7n contributed.
The latter was augmented by the generous
gift Of Mr.. Culbertson, of New Albany. Mrs.
Conner gave a brief report of the mission
aries which some of the different churcnes
are supporting in the foreign field. Indian
apolis supports six. This IS the largest num-
Der by any one place. This city also gives
the greatest amount and has the greatest
number of societies.
After a violin solo by Mr.. Riegger, Mrs.
Wells introduced Rev. Mir. JesSup, VINO
made the address of the evening. Mr., Jes-
thIrty-nine years. He gave a description
OF how he had heard the cry from Mace
he had determined to be one to answer the
call. In December of 1855 he left New
York and in February of the next year he
short time he has been stationed in Beirut
all Of the time since he went over. The
actual field of Syria, he said, is wherever
the Arabic language is spoken, and this is
the speech of seven million people. There
are only five American stations in Syria.
In one part of the country is a people which
the speaker believes to be descendants Of
the Canaanites. Among them the women
are treated like cattle. He described
Beirut as beautifully situated, with never
In Syria. The city has grown from a pop
ulation Of eight thousand, which Ii had
when he went there, to one of llO.oCo: There
is a railroad from Jaffa to Jerusalem. This
he calls a sentimental railroad, as there Is
no money to be made from 1t. In the
schools there are 1a0W children. The con-
difinn nf ana lie lnuy Mise hopu E6du
wanted to practice medicine and was grad
uated from colleges in New York, Pennsyl-
vania and Massachusetts, but she was not
allowed to do so. Finally the imperial
faculty consented to give her an examina-
ton. They made it very difficult, but she was
well qualified ana passed it successfully.
The faculty then gave her a Turkish diplo-
ma and she can now practice anywhere IN
the country. The diploma was signed by
every member of the imperial faculty. Mr..
Jessup said the vulnerable point in the
Mohammedan faith was in the homes. and
If the missionaries could gain access to
them and to the ears of the women of the
nation they might make great Roadway.
He described at length the pilgrimage to
Mecca and the practices of the pilgrims.
He gave the five points of faith Of the Mo-
hammedan to pray five times a day, to
fast a month, to give aims to the poor, to
go to Mecca and to know the creed. The
close of the talk was an account OF the
conversation of a young Mchammedan, who
afterwards became a teacher, and whom the
missionaries thought was to be a great
power dIlOHS HE peOplc. ne Decdnue III,
however, and died. A letter showing the
faith Of a young convert was read by Mr..
Jessup. Mr.. Haines made a few remarks
and then a collection was taken for the
mission work.
To-day the general work of the conven-
ton will begin. There will be communion
at 9, conducted by Rev. j. A. Milburn,
assisted by other ministers. Mrs. o. w.
! Conner will tell of the Denver meeting.
| At 2 o'clock there will be talks by Mrs. F.
o. Ballard, of this city, Mrs. j. III. Smart
of Lafayette, Miss c. B. Sharp, of Fort
Wayne, Mrs. II. II. Forsyth, of Chicago,
and others. This evening the devotional
exercises will be led by Rev. j. A. Rond.
thaler. The address will be made by Mrs
Deyore, OF Sitka, Alaska, and a representa-
tive OF the Haines Academy, of Augusta
Ga. The session will continue through to.
morrow morning and afternoon. The dele.
gates to the convention are being enter
tanned by the ladies of the different Presby.
| terrain churches of the city.