The Portland daily press., 1895-04-20
------l:..-sss.tt-5--
9lST ANNUAL REPORT.
Of the Marathi Mission of the American
mountaineering Facts and Figures.

American Board has been received. This
mission was established in India in 1918
by Rev. Gordon Hall, graduate OF Will
llams college, and Rev. Samuel Mott and
is tie Oldest mission Of the board. 1t
originated within three years after the
board itself originated. The Marathi
Mission is so called because it, works
among the people Of India WHO. use the
MaIathi language. 1t is located i'll
Western India. in and around the four
important cities of Bombay, Ahmedna-
gar. Satara and Sholapur and six other
districts. Its several districts cover an
area of nearly 1900 square miles, or
OF Massachusetts. There. are 23,000,00O
people in the BomD bay presidency. OF
these about 1000, 600 form the parish OF
the American Marathi Mission or about
10000 people to one man and one woman.
The great majority are Hindus About
Se7, 900 are Mohamedans. The popuIa-
ton is distributed through 46 towns
and 3,57S villages. In the field of the
Marathi Mission religious opinions and
pra ctices extend from the most abject
superstition for idols as the dwellings
of gods, to absolute disbelief in any God.
In the matter of self-support is is the
banner mission of India. Rev. Lorin S..
Gates. of Hartland, Conn, has been con
nected with it exactly 20 years; Rev.
Charles Harding, of Conway, Mass, SO
years; and his wife, Mrs. Elizabeth D.
Harding. 90 years; Rev. S. B Fairbank,
D. D. A years. Other members of the
mission are Miss Esther B. Fowler of
Medfeld, Mass: Rev. Harvey M. Law
son of Union, Conn.,, and Mrs. Dedie S..
Law son of New Haven, Conn. During
the last year the heavy reductions re-
quired by the financial conditions in the
home land have prohibited entrance to
any considerable extent into the invit-
ing fields that are constantly being
opened to the mission. All native gen.
craI work Except work. among women)
has been reduced more than one-third
Of it's estimated cost. There are 1896 native
agents and 116 out-stations. The total
number of communicates is 2,5I5. The
contributions represent a for each com
municant the wages of eleven days work
of a common day laborer. The day
schools contain 1886 pupils, the Sunday
schools 1893 members. The church in
Bombay is an active growing organize
ton, which has for years been giving an
example in work to all the other church
es in the presidency. There has been
more persecution thai usual, and in sew
eIal villages efforts have been made by
the officials to lead the Christians to
apostatize, and few have yielded to
these enticements. The Sabbath school
at Needham, Mass. sent a beautiful silk
banner to the Sabbath school inBoIn bay.
On it are written on oneside, "His ban
ner over US is love-" and on the other,
aThe American Mission Sunday School,
1894" This banner. has been used as an
incentive to regular attendance, by being
placed for month by the oelass w hose
attendance during the previous month
had been the best of any class in school.
Three different classes have shared the
honor of being the banner class for a
longer or shorter period. .e.5s.
In Ahmednagar they N. q. A. is
almost the only agency for carrying on
Christian work for the educated classes.
1t has received some help during the
past year from the Y. M. g. A. at Brat
sleboro, Vt. 1t has had a present of a
good organ from the Yale Y. M. C.. A.,
and Mission. Band of New Haven, Conn.
Even in these enlightened. times. and in
cosmopolitan Bombay those who change
their religion are exposed to great perse-
cution. Unworthy motives are inyaria-
bly, attributed to all who become Christ
ians, and it is always assumed that the
convert has not acted from convictions,
but has been hasty under pressure exer-
seems impossible for non-Christian spirit
such conduct must be. The mem bers
of the reformed class known as the
Brahme SONATA and the Parthana
Somaj have always been loud in decry
ing bigotry, and in making professions
OF great liberality, but in Bombay they
have acquired very poor reputation
for consistency. One of the most hopeful
signs Of the times is the religious I'M
rest that is manifest among many OF the
thoughtful young enof India. 1T often
shows itself in the public press. When
taking sides against christianity it is
the fashion to praise Hinduism as the
highest and the last form of faith, but
at other times there is the constant ad-
mission that Hinduism needs reforming.
The social customs are calling to the
new generation. Some find it easy to
be one thing inwardly and another out
wardly, hut this is not easy for others,
aud they chafe under it. The faith of
many is gone from Hinduism,F but their
hearts find no rest in any other faith.
There are some who wish to be Christ
ians, but dare not now account of the
persecution they must experience. and
the social ban under which they will
have TO live. Others are making up
their minds to be Christians, more or less
openly, and are enduring the difficulties
that are coming in the way. 1t is OPEN
~ acknowledged by many that it is a
time OF RELIGIOUS unrest, the end Of
which they do not know. The vernacu-
lar press may be divided into..t hee classes
those ready TO advocate reform; second
~, those on the fence, now for, now
against reformed ideas; and thirdly
these who say the old is better. Politi
oaliy they are much more of a unit
Tsey may differ in opinion as to indi
v;Cua3 y,eocurac of tba oouorrp,apfN l,pt