The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-06-30
INDIA MISSIONS.
Annual Report Received by
American Board.
The Oldest Mission Under Its
Auspices.
Interesting Statistics From a Well
Worked Field.

bOoiON, june ou.'- uc AHieiicdD bouiN
of Foreign Missions has received the last
annual report or the Marathi Mission,
Iniia. There are .23, 600, 600 people in the
Bombay Presidency. OF these about A.
900, 600 form.the parish of the American
Marathi Mission. This is the Oldest mis-
sion OF the board. Kew. Gordon Hall and
Rev. Samuel Mott reached Bombay, Feb.
IL, 1873 The missionaries now con-
nected with the mission whose work Is
covered by the report are: Miss Anstice
Abbott OF Steele City. Neb. Rev. Justin
Abbott OF Steele City, Neb.; Rev. VIII
liam o. Ballantine, M. d., OF Amherst,
Mass; Mrs. j. l.. Ballantine of titchburg,
Mass; Mrs. Mary T.. Bissell, Cleveland,
Ohio; Rev. Henry 81. Bissell OF Hartford,
Conn. Mrs Alice Il. Bissel of Brecken-
bridge, Mich. Miss Emily Il. Bissell OF
Rockford, ILL.,; Miss Julia Bissell, NJ. d.,
of Philadelphia, Pa; Miss Harriet /.
Bruce OF Worcester. Mass; Rev. Henry j.
Bruce OF Springfield, Mass. Mrs. IL. L.
Bruce Of Sudbury, Mass; Rev; Edward
fairbnnk OF Roxbury, Conn.,; Mrs. Mary
A. Fairbank OF Morristowr, N. j.; Rev.
Henry Fairbank OF Hatfield, Mass.
Poughkeepsie, N. Y; Rev. Samuel
b. Fairbank, ID. D., OF Jacksonville,
ILL.,. Miss Esther B. Fowler OF Westfield,
Mass. Rev. Lorin S. Gates of Hartford,
Conn. Mrs. Frances A. Gates Of Spring
field, Mass. Miss Jean.P. Gordon of. Lon
don, Ont. ; Rev. Charles Harding Of Con-
way. Mass. Mrs. Elizabeth ID. Harding
of Amherst, Mass. Il . Edward $.
Hume of New Haven, Com; Mrs. Thar
lotte T.. Hume of New Haven, Conn;
Rev. Robert A. Hume. ID. d., of New
Haven, Conn; Mrs. Kate T.. Hume OF
lawson of Union. Conn. Mrs. Dedie 5.
Lawson of New Haven, Conn. Miss An
ma l.. Millard, OF Glyndon, Mimi. Miss
Mary T.. Moulton OF Minneapolis, Minn.
Miss Belle Nugent of Lindsay, Ont. Mrs.
Minnie q. Sibley of Grafton, o.; Rev.
James Smith of London, Ont; Mrs.
Maud Smith of London, Ont; Miss An
nio Stock bridge; Rev. Richard Winsor OF
Oberlin, o.; Mrs. Mary Z. Winsor of
Medway, Mass.
The first 1S years were mostly given to
preparatory work, and during that time
the number OF deaths among the mis-
sionaries themselves exceeded the num-
ber OF converts from among the people.
The period of growth practically tegan
with the occupation OF Ahmodnagar .s
mission station in 1881. The total num-
ber Of converts received since then has
been 1878. Inc number received during
the last five years is greater than that OF
any period OF five years before 1883.
The total number OF native agents Is
3Sl. The whole number of outstations is
1l6. The number of persons received to
the churches on profession of their faith
during the last year is 153, which is less
than in the previous year, hut Just above
the average for tho last five years. The
net gain in the number of communi-
cants Ia 1i5, against "A loss of AZ last year,
making the total number at the end OF
the year 2630. One hundred and forts two
children were baptized, with a net gain
OF 76, making total of 1862 There were
also 81 adults baptized, who, on account
of distance from any local church, or for
some Other reason, were not received TO
full mem bership. The number OF this
class Ia now l62, and the whole numb Der
of baptized persons in the hristinn COM
munity is i552, or 232 more than last year.
The contribution of the churches is larger
than was reported last year, although
that was larger than had ever been re-
csived before. The numher OF non Chris
tisn teachers has been reduced from az
to 81. There is one more school with an
increase of rs pupils. There are eight
less Sunday Schools, although the nun Der
OF pupils has decreased only by %. The
following are tho statistics of the
churches:
Churches, do; pastors, 81; communi-
mem bers, 1927; readers, 1920; baptized
children, 1850; whole number OF baptized
persons, d552;. Gains during the year:
Received on profession, 1853; net gain,
1i6; children baptized, 142; coptribu-
tions, rupees, 6770.
The three churches OF the Madhe
Taluka have been passing through a
crisis. Two days before Mr.. Fnirbank
took charge of the Western field man
who had been among the first converts OF
the district, IL not the very first, gave
an immense dinner and was received
back into Hinduism. This man had
been deacon in the church, but he had
married Hindu w ie. His return to
fear among all the Christians. At the end
OF six months this restlessucss has given
place To a much healthier state OF feeling.
The following are the statistics OF the
educational work:
Mum Der of higher schools, q; station
schools, z; common and village schools,
122; mum her OF teac hers, 226; mum Der of
Christian pupils, 973: numb Der OF non-
Christian pupils, 3037; total number OF
pupils, dcl0. The Mission High school
at Ahmednagar has been i'm charge OF
Rov. James Smith, principal. assisted
by Rev. III. VI. Lawson. Dir. Smith
writes: "During my experiences OF over
12 yeais have known of no subject, with
the possible exception of manual training.
to be go intelligently studied as the
Bible. This ~ not 10 be wondered at
when we consider tue freshness OF Bible
truth to most OF our pupils VINO are nom
Christians, and although these iruths are
often opposed to what they have been
accustomed to regard as truth, they gen