St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-04-09
LETTER FROM INDIA,

LISdSuItS gave wei, so II is, ana more
than time. Ny impulse was to sit down
and write you before | slept that night,
but | knew without my rest should not
be equal to all the duties of the next day,
and so it was from day to day. The
winter time, which is more like your
October days, although without the
beautiful tints and colors which make
all-glorious an autumn day in New Eng
land, is the very best time of all the year,
for work, because the extreme heat has
passed, and so tried to get out to the
work in the Mohulas wards of the city J
and to the city schools and stay as long
as possibly could each day.
Then came our annual conference when
| was transferred away down here to
Raipier, Central Provinces. l packed up
all my household belongings Il felt lit
tie like a Methodist minister's wife at
home, only without the minister attach.
ed) and sent them off at once. Ny house
is in an uproar, but l must not let an
other mai-day pass without writing
you.
How can ever tell you the JOY your
Christmas box gave to the dear children
in the great city of Agra? We had a
Christmas tree in the church which was
very prettily decorated, considering the
time of year. 1t was the first Christmas
tree the children had ever seen. Some
came two hours before the time and sat
outside in the bright warm sunshine un-
til all was ready. We had the tree and
on Saturday by request of the
native Christians. Why not on Christ
mas day? They are all working people
and can get leave even on holidays but
for a few hours at time. They wanted
a service on Christmas day and could
not stay long enough for this and the
concert on the same day. Was it not
nice in them to be willing and ask to
wait until Saturday for their presents,
for the sake Of going to church on Christ
mas day? Would you have done so !?
Ny heart was very glad when knew of
their request.
Our exercises consisted OF prayer,
hymns, and Rotations by the
very much as it would be at
home, on V in a language which would
be to you a strange and unknown tongue;
yet some of the tunes would have
been quite familiar. One little tot re-
cited the ten commandments, another
the Beatitudes, another the thirteenth
chapter OF LIST Corinthians, while others
recited poems. We had almost three
hundred present. The extreme interest
to all the little ones centered in the tree.
1t was really very pretty with dolls, pic
lures, pin balls, bags, and pieces OF bright
prints and ginghams, the fruit OF your
loving thoughts and service. You would
have been hundred-fold repaid could you
have seen the bright, shining black eyes,
so full of eager delight and anticipation.
A great longing came into nay heart to
have you see it, for knew could never
picture it to you with the pen. You
cannot imagine, children, going into a
church so poorly dressed as these were !;
yet it is not an uncommon sight in this
beautiful, yet benghted India. They had
tried, most of them, to make themselves
clean at least, but to European children the
attempt would have seemed a miserable
failure.
We gave some thing to each child pres
ent and sent things to some who could
not come to the church. My! how their
black eyes opened as they received the
dolls. Yet as delighted as they were |
think some almost wished the doll to
turn into a piece of cloth for dress, so
great is their need. You cannot do bet
ter than to send pieces OF print and ging-
ham from three to eight or ten wards
long. The cheese cloth makes nice sum.
mer chuddahs; fannelette and outing fan
mel are very useful. did not use all the
pin balls and bags. Think have enough
left for this year, but everything else
went-peucils, writing pads, pins, thread,
every thing, and made most happy hearts.
There were children present who had
never been in a church, always having
had their services under tree or in some
little mud hut. They hardly knew how
to sit on the seats properly. Many
tucked their feet up under themselves as
they do when sitting on the mud floors
Of their chairless houses.
| wish | bad time to write to each one,
old and young, whose names | found
attached to their gifts. But the Father
knows cur gratitude to you all, and
makes you to feel it, also, I'm sure.
1t was indeed a glad Christmas time
and the dear children and friends OF my
own Vermont made it possible. The
exercises closed with vote OF thanks
and salaams to the little folks and big,
across the sea, for all their goodness to
Indias little ones. This was followed
by shout, as of one voice, coming so
and spontaneously saying,
Yisu mash ko jai! Yisu mash ko Jai!
Victory to Jesus Christ" As they re-
peated the shout, tears filled my eyes.
By the work you are doing you, also,
are bringing Yisu mash ko jai.
have much to tell you OF Raipler but
it must wait until next time. 1t is get
ting very warm. l am already dressed
in thin summer clothing and keep all
the doors closed through the day to keep
the heat out. l suppose you are still
(?) Vermont Billiards.
With love to all, your ar.away friend,
EMILY L. HARVEY.
Raipier, Central Provinces, India,
March 6, 1902.
A Doctors Bad Plight.
1.-TWO years ago, as a result of severe
cold, lost my voice." writes DR.. M. L.