St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1903-03-18
LETTER FROM INDIA.
Mrs. Parker Describes the DecenniaI
Missionary Conference.
Editor CALEDoNIAN:-

ference in which missionary work, plans
and methods might be freely discussed.
This conference was held in Alahabad in
December 1872. There were 10 names
registered, representing all the mission
airy societies then at work in India with
one exception. The meetings were so in
teresting and helpful that it was then
decided to have such a meeting once in
ten years and committee was appoint
ed to make arrangements for such
gathering.
The second conference was held in Cal
cutta at which 81 societies were repre-
sented and AIS members were registered,
1S1 being ladies. Thirty-seven were
present who had attended the previous
conference. Thirty papers were read and
all phases of mission work thoroughly
discussed. There bad been large increase
in the native Christian community dur
ing the decade which greatly encouraged
the missionaries.
The third conference was held in Bonn
bay. Forty societies were represented
and 620 members registered. The ques-
tions discussed at this meeting took a
wider range than at the previous ones.
Industrial mission work and educational
work were we'll at the 'front.' 1t was
thought that the conference was too
large to be profitable so the fourth con-
ference which has just been held in
Madras was delegated body. All mis-
sionaries OF more than 80 years service
were invited delegates, and each mission
elected number of delegates equal to
one.hiteenth the whole number Of its for
eiGn missionaries. There were between
three and four hundred delegates These
were divided into eight committees made
up OF those engaged in work among sim
liar classes of the community or in sim
liar kinds of work and who were con-
sidered specialists in their respective
fields. The subjects given related to all
the interests of the native church, evan
gelistic work, educational work among
Christians and none Christians, woman's |
work, medical work, industrial work,
literary work and questions of comfy,
government policy as affecting Christian
work, etc. The convener of each COM |
mittee arranged with the members of
Its committee to write papers and pre-
pare some resolutions for discussion
some weeks before the meeting. The
hrst three days of the conference the COM
mittees met separately and discussed the
subjects given them and prepared resolu-
tons to be presented to the conference as
a whole which spent three days in con-
sidering the various resolutions present.
ed. These meetings were full of interest
and very helpful. The delegates came
from all parts of India, Burmah and
Ceylon bringing large fund OF informa-
ton and experience in mission work. DR..
Scudder, DR.. Chandler, DR.. Murdoch and
perhaps one or two Others, were present
at the Allahabad meeting. | was the
only lady present who was at that first
conference. The day previous to the
opening of the conference was set apart
for prayer. Bishop Worne of the Meth
odist Episcopal church presided and DR..
Torrey of Chicago gave an impressive ad-
dress on prayer.
The following are the principles on
which the conference was organized:
(1) Its object is to promote as lar as
possible harmonious cooperation be-
tween the missions represented and their
efficiency in working for the advancement
OF the kingdom OF God.
GU In view of the recognized differ.
erces between different denominations
represented in the conference, no question
involving doctrines or ecclesiastical prin.
cples on which these denominations
differ ought to be raised in the confer
ence.
81 1t is not desirable thav any reso.
luton shou d 90 forth as deliverance of
the conference unless the conference has
been able to come to practical agreement
in its favour.
The Bishop of Madras delivered the
opening ADDRESS of the conference which
was catholic in spirit, and so fraternal
that it was highly appreciated and
appIauded by the delegates. 1t was a
very striking contrast to Bishop of Cal.
cutta who declined the invitation to
take part in the decennial conference in
Calcutta in 1882. The spirit of Chris. |
tian unity was very noticeable in all the |
deliberations OF the conference. DR.. |
Chandler said This conference is itself
testimony to the fact that comfy exists
between all the missionary bodies work
ing in India. We have not only met for
general conference, but for DAYS have
Iabored with one another in committees |
IN preparation Of resolutions and other |
statements concerning the different |
phases OF our work. Moreover, our
hearts have been stirred within us as
We have sat together and listened to
one and another OF tie brethren setting
forth the great spiritual truths of the |
Kingdom of Heaven" This fact was
brought out in the conference that there
are more than $500 missionaries work
ing in India, Burma and Cevlon. vet a
study of the field reveals the sad fact
that some regions are almost uncated
tor. Several appeals to the home socie.
ties were senti out by the conferences.
Calling attention to the needs of the
uorly