The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-12-11
WOMAN'S WORK IN MISSIONS.
An Interesting Article on Missions
by Mrs. NJ. W. Hook.

service the following paper was read by
Mrs. NJ. W Hook, and it is published by
request of the society:
Wemay well raise our voices in thanks
giving to God to-day that Christian
womanhood has found its true sphere in
missions. Her deep sense of Indebtedness
10 Christ not only for salvation, but for
every blessing which she enjoys, prompts
her to undertake the task of helping her
heather sisters III foreign lands.
We cannot say too much of the in
huence of woman in missions. When we
think for a moment of her influence in
our home land-how the life of our nation
is moulded by her hand-we can begin to
realize how her power can help to lift up
the fallen heather women. If the lives
IF statesmen and leaders in every sphere
of life are influenced more Oy the mothers
life and character than any other, how
can any nation be lifted up save through
the mothers Of that nation: How, then,
IAN we help to enlighten and christianize
heather countries, without reaching their
women, and how can their women, Sc
Guided as they are in their harems and
IenanaS, be reached save through the
personal efforts of god!y women?
WOman'S work for woman Is im-
measurable She must extend a helping
hand to her sister who is cropping in
heather darkness. To do this Christian
women must 60 to heathcn lands and
teach not only by precept, but by their
daily lives. what Christ has done for them
as daughters, sisters, wives and mothers.
Realizing these great truths, christian
womanhoOd comes more and more to the
front. To-day more than one third of
the entire force in foreign fields is COM
posed of women. Her organizations at
home have had an increase and influence
within the past half century, so great that
no other agency compares with them III
value and virtue. The way has been
opened up for us. We are, comparatively
the second generation of missionary
workers. Many of the noble women who
prayed and planned for our organizations
and work in missions, have passed away.
The Woman's Foreign Missionary society
in the NJ. E. church, South, will ever
cherish the name of Margaret Lavinla
Kelly who was the inspiring genius OF
mission work among its women. She
passed to her reward only a few months
before the organization of the W. F. NJ.
Society in 1878, but her labor and int1u-
ence had helped to make the organization
possible Two other names. out OF the
many, must be mentioned in connection
with the formation of our Society. They
are those of Mrs. Juliana Hays our first
President and Mrs. D. A. McGavock, our
first Cor. Sec. Mrs. Hays was 65 years of
age when she accepted the office of Pres.
Think of it! Sixty-five years of useful
consecrated service for the Master already
spent. Was there any reason why she
should take, upon herself at this time of
life the arduoas duties devolving upon
the Pres. of an organization designed to
be effected throughout the whole
Southern Methodist Church? Many
would have said, "There are others
Younger, stronger, better fitted than l,
for the task" But no, she thought not OF
herself and her own ease and comfort,
but only of her Savior's work, and his
call, "go work to-day in my vineyard,
and she hesitated not. While she was
engaged in her work of travelling through
out the Southern church, organizing con-
ference and auxiliary societies, Mrs. Nc
Gavock, our Cor Sec. was busy with her
pen, writing and planning for the work.
She was great sufferer Her body was
almost constantly racked with pain, but
her mind was busily engaged in the work
of extending the kingdom of her Lord.
These consecrated women, with many
Others like them, have passed away, and
left to US the responsibility of going
bravely ON with the work so dear to their
hearts. 1t is gratifying to know that the
work has made rapid strides throughout
the entire church. But oh! what could
we not accomplish, if every member whose
name is enrolled on our list was an active,
interested worker in the cause.
A glance at our work In 5. Z. Will be OF
interest to US. First we have cause for
thanksgiving that the rank OF our Con-
ference officers has been unbroken since
our organization in 1878. How familiar
their names have grown to US! Why we
can scarcely think of our work at all
without thinking of the names of Mrs. NJ.
d. Wightman, Pres; Mrs j. W. Humbert,
Cor. Sec; and Miss l. D. Martin, Rec. Sec:
There they stand to-day just as they did
nearly "a years ago. Our S. G. Confer
ence Society supports two day schools,
one Bible woman and fifteen scholar
ships. The money raised in S. G. since
our organization amounts to nearly $l2o,-
600. We have three missionaries from
S. c.. in foreign fields. They are Miss
June Nicholson of Edgefeld in Shanghai,
China, Miss Johnnie Sanders Of Union IN
Hometown, China, and Miss Della Wright,
of Anderson in Brazil.
Let US thank God for the work, he has
intrusted to US, and for the progress 1t
has made. Let us thank Him, not only
for the living representatives we have IN
foreign lands, but also, strange as it may
seem, we can render thanks unto his name
for the hallowed memories of our dead
who lie buried there; for the death OF the
missionary seems to be an inspiration to
others to take up the work where it has
dropped from their hands. The death OF
Dora Rankin, the first missionary sent
out by our Society, was a shock which
seemed to rouse our sleeping church, as
nothing else could have done. In few
weeks several young women made appli-
cation for work in foreign fields. Since
then Misses Laura Haygood, Mary Louise
Richardson, and perhaps others have laid
down their work and gone to their reward,
leaving the impress of their lives and
characters upon the people for whom
they were laboring.
Let us up and be doing, for while we
delay millions are dying. The represen-
tatives we have there are toiling away,
and they need, not only the support OF
our means, but our sympathy and prayers.
Let US hold up their hands. Let US
help to spread the gospel tidings far and
wide.
Filing out the banner! heather lands
Shall see from far the glorious sight
And nations crowding to be born
Baptize their spirits in its light