New-York tribune., 1900-02-11
WHAT WOMEN SAY AND DO
MISS GORDON AND HER WORK IN THE
CITY OF TEMPLES
a SACRED TOWN IN WESTERN INDIA. WHERE
THE OLD PEOPLE FLOCK TO DIE-oDD
FEAR or THE PLAGUE RELIEF.

FEAR or THE PLAGUE RELIEF.
''Wai. where I have been working for the last
years = the last station opened in the
Marathi Mission" said Miss Jean P. Gordon, re-
Gently. 1t lies about hundred and forty miles
10 the southeast OF Bombay. and twenty-one miles
10 the north of Satara There is district as well
a town of the same name. The town is the
Krishna OF the so-caled sacred rivers of India
and for this is a city. 1t has popu-
lation OF thirteen thousand. of whom about half
are Brahmins. and in the district there are over
hundred towns and villages.
Yet in this whole district Mrs. Sibley and I
the only missionaries and yet only other
town besides Wal has native Christian helper
living in II. though other villages are visited from
time to time by the pastor and Bible reader from
Wal, and the Bible reader and Bible from
Rhuinj. Wal is sometimes called a city of temples
as there are twenty large temples and altogether
some three hundred large and small shrines in
about the town
Perhaps in no town in Western India are the
people more conservative, more bigoted and more
opposed to Christianity; perhaps in no town have
caste prejudices control over the people.
Their own people, coming from such places as Bonn
bay and PooRa, are often surprised find how
closely caste rules are observed in Wal.
Here yet, one meets very few who might be
called reformers, very few who wish to have their
wives taught TO read; here, yet, widow re-
marriage among The s5rahmins unknown, but
beIy e1 U qb9 VIZ igGt d nhny Pm PLs{s many so-caIled
tise ali kinds of sin and wickedness; many pill
waters of their holy rivers, and leaving offerings
at The different shrineS Here, toe. found many
OLD people who have spend their last DAYS
IN Wal because il Is a sacred city: here, too are
child wives and child widows who should still
be in the mothers and in school. Also here
are found those who from early childhood have
been trained TO be dancing girls.
when Mrs. Sbley and ! there to live in
ls5z. there was already small organized church,
with an ordained pastor, and mission school.
openeG-one among the low caste people. and d.
ed by both boys and girls and high caste
girls onIy. nave had charge of the latter, and
found II most Interesting work. Many of them are
neatness and acquire ambition to learn. Last wear
one OF the girls who would have completed the
primary school course if she could have remained
III the examination was married, or, truth
fully sold.
"A middle aged came to Wal looking for a
wife. He had already had two wives: the first was
living, but an invalid; the second had but recently
died Of plague He asked for this little girl Al
nrst her parents would not consider it. but he
persisted, and offered large sum of money and
many ornaments The had been married I1IIt
short time when the first wife died and The bTe
bano then said that this little girl wife must cook
MS 1000 and care for his home and children Thus
child OF ten years took the cares and rcer1nst
billtlss OF e home on her shoulders
Inere are about enc hundred girls in the scboo1s
Ohe little low caste girl, whose parents are stiIi
Bnconists. was taken to girls boarding schoni
81 Ahineanagar and after a few years there ma r
rleo the head master in station school ana is
one or our most valued teachers @ -
striking evidence of the gross Ignorance l.,
many parts OF India is widespread belief thar III
government plague relief" measure of inocuIs+ior
y nor 70 save. but to spread the disease as the
eQCeen-E Empress Victoria needs TO sacrifice tbra
hundred thousand lives in order to proIonp borr
own; The inoculation they regard as a device ~
further that purpose. o0 ~