The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-04-14

ian Church-Miss Anna Schenck, q
Persian Missionary, Tells of the
Work Being Done in Foreign
Lands-Mrs. A. H. Welles, of
Wilkes Barre, Also Spoke-Inter-
esting Session Last Evening-The
Closing Meeting This Morning.
The twenty-iirst annual meeting of
the Womans Foreign Missionary soci-
| ETY. of the Presbytery Of Lackawanna
| was held in the Dunmore Presbyterian
| church yesterday afternoon and even
ing. The opening session convened at
$50 o'clock. with representatives pres
ent from nearly all of the societies in
| the Presbytery. The sessions were
featured with talks by Miss Anna
/ Schenck. a Persian missionary; Mrs. \.
/ IL. Wclles, of Wilkes Barre; Rev. w.
/ f. Gibbons. pastor of the Dunmore
| church. and others. The meeting will
| close with this mornings session. when
! reports and papers will be read. and the
, election of officers will he held.
The meeting yesterday afternoon was
/ opened with devotional exercises, led
/ by Mrs. j. \. Price, on the subject of
. The Relation of Prayer to Mission
ary Work. The roll call by the sec
retary was responded to hy delegates
from nearly all Of the societies in the
| PresbyteY. Words of welcome were
extended to the visitors by ladies of
the Dunmore societies, and Mrs. b. f.
Hammond responded in behalf of the
society. The minutes of the last two
meetings held in Hyde Park and Sec
ond church We're read by the secretary.
| The corresponding secretary's report
ana the treasurer's report were also
given.
REPORTS HEARD.
Reports Of auXiliaries We're read by
, representatives from the different soci-
eties comprising the Lackawanna Pres
\ bytery, and all showed much progress
and interest in the work. The reports
outlined the receipts and expenditures
made during the past year in behalf of
foreign missionary work. Mrs. q. DUB.
Dimmick sang a beautiful solo. Come
Unto Me-" with fine effect. Miss Anna
Schenck, who has been missionary
in Persia. for a long time, was then
| introduced, and spoke at length of the
work in that far-off land. She said
there are millions of natives living and
| dying there who have never heard Of
! the Christian religion, and the mis-
| sionaries are totally unable to meet the
| requirements of the work. The natives
are indolent and careless, but love
music
! H'he work of the American mission
| aries is centered mostly in the hospi-
tails, and much good work is accom-
| plished by the physicians, especially in
the treatment of the eyes of the pa
tients, which is a prevalent disease. IN
connection with the hospitals there are
many dispensaries. from which dis
tribution of religious papers is made
and i'm which talks are given. The ma
tives say they believe in the Christian
religion. but the missionaries are loathe
to believe their confessions. Miss
Schenck referred TO the peculiaritles OF
the people in considering Christianity
and spoke of the fear of persecution
and even death the natives hold if d
public confession of Christ is made bN
them.
WORK Is DIFFICULT.
She also told of how the officials and
natives prosecuted and put to death q
young man who professed Christ and
now difficult ii was to even provide
him with food or clothing. The mis-.
| SionarieS are often led to believe thai
a native Will become a Christian, anC
work diligently to promote the cause
but their work is frutless and the ef-
fort turns out to be of little value
| either to the native or themselves. She
closed her talk with the expressed hone
that the hand of God will eventually
turn the condition of affairs in Persia
Mrs. A, II. Welles, of Wilkes Barre
next spoke. and said she felt at home
among so many friends, and referred
TO the contribution of more money fol
the promotion of the work in foreign
lands. The matter of selecting a dele.
gate to the board meeting was left tc
the nominating committee to report al
this mornings meeting. President Mrs
kays then appointed the following
committees:
Nominations-AGrs. j. \. Price Mrs.
Close. Mrs. Tracey.
| Place of Mecting-AIrs. Brooks Mrs
Nanderveer, Mrs. Hammond.
Resolutions-Mrs. Buell., Mrs. Peck and
| Mrs. Smythc.
| The afternoon session closed with tn,
singing of a hymn. and the time previ
Gus to the evening session was devoted
to an hour of sociability renewal of ac.
quaintances and the enjoyment of tea
served in the church parlors by the
ladies of the church. The supper wa,
an eXcellentlv prepared menu of sea
sonable delicacies. and was enjoyed hN
nearly all of the ladies in attendance
numbering in all over one hundred.
EVENING SESSION.
The evening session was largely at
tended, and opened at 80 O'Clock, Will
! Rev. W. f. Gibbons presiding. An an
them was rendered by the choir, fol
lowed by Scripture reading and prayer
After the singing of a hymn by tn,
congregation, Rev. Mr.. Gibbons gave a
, general talk ON the work being accom-
plished by the Foreign Missionary soCi
eties, and Miss Schenck delivered "
address on her work in Persia, relat,
ing to several interesting experienoo'
in touring through the country 4 col
lection was afterwards taken up fol
printing expenses and the contingent
fund.
This mornings meeting will close tn
sessions and will be opened at . o'clocl
with devotional exercises, led by Mrs
Isaac j. Lansing. a report of the as
, semhly al Altoona will be read by Mis-.
| Shennon, and the secretary Of litera,