Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-04
THE WORK OF WOMEN
International Onion of Foreign Mis-
sionary Societies.
THIRD CONFERENCE NOW IN SESSION
Subjects Discussed and Topics Of
the Papers Read.
FINAL ETING TODAY

The second meeting of the third confer
ence of the International Union of Women's
Missionary Societies of the Presbyterian
and Reformed Churches began this morn
ing at 10 o'clock in the Church of the
Covenant Connecticut avenue and N
street. The opening session was held yes
terday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock, having been
postponed from the morning hour on ac-
count of the celebration in honor of Adj
miral Dewey, in which many of the dele
gates participated or were otherwise inter-
eSted.
Mrs Thomas Bell of the Presbyterian
Church of England, presided at this morn
ings conference, devotional services follow
ing the call to order, being led by Mrs. S.
S. Wilson of the United Presbyterian
Church of the United States. The hymn,
80 Spirit of the Living Cod was sung
by all present.
The church is handsomely decorated for
the meetings of the international union. the
flags of all nations playing a prominent
part in the scheme as a compliment to the
delegates and Representatives from the va
rious countries of the globe The pulpit is
decorated with palms and cut flowers. Sus
pended back of the pulpit platform is a
map of the two hemispheres, showing, by
means of different coloring, the prevailing
religions in the world and the progress OF
evangeliZation.
The subject of 1.-The Present Need was
taken up this morning and discussed thor
oughy by representatives of the Presby-
terrain Church of England. the Presbyterian
Church in Canada eastern divlsion), the
Dutch Reformed Church in America, the
Presbyterian Church of Ireland. the Pres.
byterian Church in Canada (western divis-
iOn) and the Dutch Reformed Church of
South Africa.
The Money Question.
Mrs. Zimmerman of the Free Church of
Scotland read an interesting paper on The
Money Problem in which she dealt with
the various means of raising funds conse-
quent to the proper dissemination of reli-
gion through missionary channels. With
out money the willing missionary workers
are helpless, practically, she declared.
Their salaries purely nominal, but the
expense of travel and subsistence must be
met. Mrs. Bannerman's paper was inter-
esting and timely, and was loudly APP
plauded.
Following the hymn Lord, When IN
Simons House of Yore," Miss Ellen C. Par
sons, editor of Woman's Work for Woman.
was introduced. She read a paper on Mis-
sionary Literature provoking quite
lengthy discussion on magazines, leaflets,
yearsbooks, annual reports and missionary
libraries Miss Parsons declared that the
crying need of missionary literature is
readers. They must be secured, otherwise
the work of enlightening workers and the
world in general on this important branch
of religious work could not go forward
properly. The missionary magazine all de-
clared to be invaluable. In regard to mis-
sionary libraries, it was stated that at
Yale University there were over 5000 vol
umes Of this class of literature, while at
the headquarters of the Presbyterian
Church in New York the missionary library
numbered over 1000 volumes.
AT this juncture in the proceedings of the
morning the presiding officer, Mrs. Bell,
iIy in ia of Ire q
Williams of the American Presbyterian
Church. who led the Question Hour
This period is taken up with discussion
of questions deposited in question box.
The first Interrogation propounded was as
to what is being done toward caring for
retired missionaries in destitute circum-
stances and broken health. 1t was stated
that while there is no pension fund provided
for the care of retired missionaries in the
United States, such persons may be taken
care of by the relief board of the church,
their allowance, upon proper recommended
tion being from $50 to $500 year. Some
thing more should be done, suggested one
delegate, for the missionaries are barely
able to live upon their salaries and are in
no condition to care for themselves when
their term of active service is ended When
a missionary is in position to save any
money whatever, this surplus is placed in
their work. In England a society has just
been organized for the relief of retired
missionaries, and it is believed much good
will result.
missionaries, the information was given to
the effect that there are two homes In Wor-
cester, Ohio, maintained by the foreign
missionary board of the Presbyterian
Church where boys and girls are cared for
and given an allowance up to their eigh-
teenth year, when they usually go out into
the field and take up the work left by their
aged or deceased parents. The homes are
great institutions and take the place of the
parent home as far as possible.
Supply of Candidates
Does the Supply of Missionary Candi-
dates Meet the Demand in the Women's
Societies." was the next question. 1t was
answered negatively by half a dozen dele
gates. Women, rather than money, is the
crying need of the hour. The student vol
unteer movement was discussed, the gen.
eral consensus of opinion being that the
results were very good.
AS to the results of special training
schools for women missionaries, Miss Small
of Scotland, who is connected with an in
stitution Of this kind. declared that
tested and unframed women should never
be sent into foreign mission field An
apprenticeship is always essential to fruit
full labors of the future So 1t was with
missionary women. Bookkeeping. she said
should be known by every missionary, and
in many cases the domestic arts of cooking
and washing were essential to successful
work.
Decidedly affirmative answers came from
many delegates When the question: should
Representatives From Women's Societies
Be Included in the Missionary Boards of
the Church, was read. Other questions of
the morning dealt with the remembrance
of the Sabbath evening hour Of prayer and
the support of the gospel by converts in
foreign lands. 1t was stated that in many
places in India and China the converts to
religion from their meager earnings, are
providing for the salaries Of their native
ministers.
Mrs Teunis s. Hamlin, wife of the pastor
of the Church of the Covenant, briefly well
coined the delegates and invited them to
lunch.
The Final Meeting.
The final meeting of the union began this
afternoon at o'clock with Miss l. NJ
Adam of the United Presbyterian Church
of Scotland presiding. The program is as
follows:
Hymn, Jesus Our Best Beloved Friend"
paper, 1.-THE Outlook, Opportunity, Obliga-
tion." Mrs. NJ. McCrae Presbyterian
Church in Canada (western division); mis-
sionary addresses, Medical Missions" Mrs
Robert Natter. North China American
Presbyterian Mission; Miss Jessie Wilson
NJ D.. Persia. American Presbyterian Mis-
sion; Mrs. Theodore S. Wynkoop. India,
British and Foreign Bible Society; hymn
20 the Darkness, o the Sorrown' Mission
airy addresses, "Evangelistic Work" Miss
NJ ]. Campbell India. Union Presbyterian
Dor1