Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-04-12
From PARKWAY India.
Notes of work i'm the Missionary Field,
with Interesting Local Allusions.

WIN Lochl AlluslOnhs
we are permitted to make these extracts from
letter recently received from Rev. Herbert NJ.
Andrews. formerly Of Brattleboro, who went to
India IN 1890 as representative of the American
Presbyterian Mission. The letter, which was
written Feb. 81, 1895, is dated Camp karoli,
Mainpuri District, India
l am sitting under the shade of the
mango trees in grove near the above
named place, fourteen miles from Main
puri city. The heat is becoming so OPP
pressive that / shall be obliged to break
up camp and 60 into the station when |
have finished my work here. The season
has been very strange, and quite different
from ordinary winter seasons. There has
been great deal of rain which makes liv-
ing in tents uncomfortable and dangerous.
Once, IN the Etale district | was flooded
out, but fortunately the house of the ses.
sions judge was empty and we occupied
that until our tents became dry and could
be moved to higher ground. 1t is, how
ever, very difficult to find "high" ground
in such level country. | went into camp
on Dec. II, alone, but spent Christmas
week at home. Mrs. Andrews and my lit
tie daughter Helen joined me in camp the
middle of January, and when we came
here young lady missionary, Miss Bailey,
of Peacham, Vt,) came, to remain until
we go into Mainpuri.
Despite the weather | have enjoyed
camping and district work this year more
than ever. The work is everywhere in
more prosperous condition and promises
still better for the future. Ihave baptized
three so far and have thirteen candidates
for baptism under special instruction. |
could have baptized fifty or more if could
have been satisfied with the ignorant de-
sire to change their social condition which
is manifested by many, and accepted by
some missionaries in lieu of the signs of
new birth. Such, however, do not realize
the certain consequences of their hasty
action in baptizing the ignorant masses
who have, if any, the faintest possible idea
of what baptism means. We believe that
slower and more thorough work will be
more lasting and satisfactory in the end.
| wish | could have taken you with me
on some of my ''ekha" rides jolting over
the rough country roads to little mud vii
lagos where | have sch OILS. Shaken and
jolted as you would have been, yet | am
sure you WOULD have been paid for the dis
| comfort of the ride in the springless con-.
veyance, by seeing and hearing the schools,
made up of old and young together, ali
earnestly to Judge by their noise and the
| continual rocking Of their bodies back and
forward as they sit cross-legged on the
ground, and repeat over and over again the
sentences they are reading as loud as they
can, each one for himself. Men and boys
alike are learning, some their letters, some
passages of Scripture and prayers and
hymns, as well as writing and arithmetic.
You would be surprised to hear little five
year-old boys repeat without hesitation or
mistake the multiplication tables to %
I .
backwards, as fast as their tongues can 90.
Some can give the fractional multiplication
tables as well, like u times /, etc. But |
confess cannot follow them in their ma
tive tongue, if indeed could do so in nv
own language, despite the excellent train
ing l received from Mr. Bingham in my
old school days in the Brattleboro High
school.
| cannot tell you how much pleased |
am with picturesque Bratteboro," which
arrived in good condition. l was espec-
tally interested in the old pictures of Brat
tleboro. which brought very wildly the old
sights and occurrences, when we lived
lover the brook" and attended school in
the little red schoolhouse on Canal street,
under the tuition of Miss Walker, and
when | later attended the school at the top
of High street, with Miss Wilder as our
beloved teacher; and on into the Interme-
date and High, each with its own particu-
lar memories and associations which | love
TO recall and materialize in memory in
detail. | find time will not per
NIT my giving you in this letter an idea of
my recent trip to Delhi, as promised, but
| am planning to send you little box of
curiosities, as soon as possible, and will
write again as soon as that is ready. The
heat is coming on apace, and we expect a
scorching hot season. The grain in the
fields gives promise of a very abundant
harvest this year, especially wheat. The
trees are putting forth tender, new leaves,
and the mango, peach, lemon and orange
trees are loading the air with the fragrance
of their bloom. l have eight large punches
of bananas on the trees in my garden, and
a good deal of other garden stuff. The
summer is our dry time as far as fruit and
vegetables are concerned; hardly thing
is to be obtained.