Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-03-04
OF CHRISTIAN ENOEayoR INTEREST.

this enterprising mission station. Then
let US start
Sirur, you must know, is a station
OF the American Board IN tho Mahratta
country, about l50 miles from bombay.
We go to Poonsh by rail, and there We
must take a tonga. drawn by tough
little Deccan horses. for Sirur. Al
miles away. We start before daylight
TO avoid the dreadful heat OF midday.
Our tonga wallah Numerically whips
up his rswboned little nags starved by
the famine like many another animal,
four footed and two-footed. AS We
do not know the Mahrati word for
stop" ali our expostulations are in
vain.
1t is most fascinating ride of IL
miles in the cool Of the lovely Indian
winter morning; past queer little
villages of mud and straw, swaTming
with human life; past Protesque Hin
doc temples filed with hitleous obscene
gods; under spreading banian-trees,
whose branches are musical with
birds OF gorgeous plumage.
But | have not time to describe the
ride, for | want to introduce you at
once to your fellow Endeavorers. Here
they are drawn I'D before the mission
bungalow of Sirur, which We reach
before noon.
The girls in bright red cloths or
graceful white tunics trimmed with
red. tue boys in nondescript garments,
but all clothed in some way, and thus
showing at first glance their difference
from the LeatheD children, who are
clad chiefly in an expansive smile.
Two great bantam trees we're festooned
and arched over with bunting, thus
forming a sort of triumpbsl arch In
our honor, while several Christian En-
deavorer banners ana a hearty Chris
tian Endeavor song as We drove up
completed the welcome.
Mr.. and Mrs Winsor. the mission
aries 10 charge, awaited US on the
shady veranda Of the bungalow, and at
once made US feel that We were at
home.
Aftor the dust OF travel had been dis
posed Of. and breakfast as we'll, for
breakfast in this sunny land comes any.
where between 8 and noon, We visited
tine excellent boys school, where some
capital drawings were displayed; and
the girls school, where the pretty
black-eyed damsels recited with great
spirit dialogue for our benefit. and
went through some excellent calls
themes exercises Then we went to
the pleasant mission church, which
was crowded to the doors with Chris.
tians, while half-naked heathen Hin
docs thronged the doors and windows.
Some of the non Christians were not
afraid, too, to come within the doors
among them, the Mussulman chief OF
the whole district, who told me after
ward that no reioiced that had come,
that I'VE all worship the same God, -
&C., while be emphasized bis friendli-
ness by sending present of fruit and
cake to the mission bungalow. Evi.
IDENTIFY Mohammedanism is a different
thing under British rule in India from
what it is in bloody Turkey. Here its
talons are clipped andfits beak broken
Most hearty was the welcome that
was given to Christian EDdearor at
this meeting. We were sung to, and
spoken at, and garlauded, and rubbed
with rose water. According to the
beautiful Mahratta custom, a heavy
garland of beautiful white flowers like
tuberoses was hung around our necIs,
wristlet OF flowers was put upon
each wrist, few drops of the precious
altar Of roses was rubbed on the back
of each band, and green leaf contain
ing the famous betelnut was given US
TO chew Then an address was made
by DR.. Clark Sahib," and translated
by Mr.. Winsor. Then came the climax
OF the service Of welcome, when beau.
tiful orange.red, hieh-caste Brahmans
hat was presented to your representa-
tive by the pastor Of the church, 10 a
tiowery and poetic speech, to the effect
that every casket should have a cover,
and, as the hat was the cover to the
brain, they gave me this Brahman' e
tile, that | might keep within my
brain pleasant impressions of the visit
to Sirur.
Then the formal meeting was over,
and We shook hands and 'saaamed'
in the most profuse and Oriental style.
After this, four mothers with their
little new babies came up asking thai
"Clark Sahib" would give them names.
What could 10 but comply with this
gracious request? Here are the names
that they will bear: Harriet Clark
Lashmiya Nagaya, Maude Williston
Hanamant Zoteba, Edward Laxaman
Damaji and John Willis Anandra
Limbaji.
Afterwards another mother asked me
to name her little boy. What better
could do than call him William Shaw
Madawarow Amoik?
gave each OF the babies Junior
Christian Endeavor badge. and the
mothers and fathers seemed much dc.
lighted with the names.
Some of these mothers have most
interesting histories. Maude Williston
Hanamant's mother, for instance, was
sold by her grandfather to the authori-
ties OF the temple OF the most obscene
god, to be brought up in all the name.
less horrors OF Nautcb girls life.
With great difficulty she was rescued by
the missionaries; she has grown up to
be beautiful, pure Christian woman.
and ia now the wife OF one of the most
honored teachers in the mission schools.
know little 6-years- old boy who
sometimes prays, Dear Jesus, bless
dear grandpa and grandma, aud help
them to grow up to be good men and
women" / can only pray that these
babies may grow up to be good men
and women" ana good Christian En-
| deavorers like their nanlesakes.
have described this meeting some.
what at length, because in it's henrti.
ness it is typical of many another vel.
come. | cannot tell you in this Of the
splendid industrial school in Sirur, in
which work Mrs. Winsor is pioneer,
nor can ! describe the pleasant days at
Ahmeunuggur. an old and strong station
of the American Board, tho centre of
score of Christian Endeayor Societies,
where at meeting after meeting the
large church was thronged with intelli,
gent Christians.