The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-18
TELLS THRILLING STORY
DE-. SUSIE RIJNHART FOUGHT FOR
HER LIFE In THIBET.
Adventures with Demon Worshipers
ON the Great PIateau-She Endured
Intense Suffering.

The congregation of the Central Christian
Church last night listened to a thrilling
story of missionary work I'm Thibet by DR..
Susie Rijnhart, whose experiences In that
country have been remarkable. Mrs. Rim
-bart - her 1hust@snd went to Thibet sew
eral years ago to practice medicine among
the natives and 10 teach them the Christian
religion. Mr.. Rijnhart was murdered and
their only child died and was buried in that
country. Mrs. Rijnhart came away four or
five years ago, but is not discouraged and
desires to return there again. The board
of foreign missions OF the Christian Church
has arranged to send three missionaries to
carry on work on the Chinese border of
Thibet Mrs. Rijnhart will be one of these
workers and expects to start for that
country In August.
In her talk last night she said that one
of the remarkable things about the Thibet-
an religion is the intense belief the people
have in demons. She related a case of re-
ligious superstition where young girl had
been shot In the leg and Mrs. Rijnhart and
her husband had been called to dress the
wound. They found it in such condition
that they recommended amputation. The
family of the girl would not permit the
smputatfon, explaining their religion COM
manded them to leave this life with all
their limbs intact Soon afterward the girl
died. Her life might have been saved by
amputation. Mrs. Rijnhart, in speaking of
the superstition on the question of demons,
said that she had seen women whose bodies
were thickly covered with deep ulcers. She
learned that the priests had put some kind
OF tnfiammatory stuff on these people and
had set fire to IL in order TO chase away
the demons
FIRST IN THE FIELD
Mrs. Rijnhart said that she and her hus-
band were among the first Protestant mis-
sionaries TO work on the Chinese border of
Thibet They were there when there were
rebellions and uprisings and wars were
fought. At one time they were invited to
take refuge in a monastery and did so.
Mrs. Rijnhart described some of the hor-
rors OF war In Thibet. She said she had
counted as many as seventeen spear
fhrusts In the body of a little child 81
wonder what we would have been had not
missionaries not thought IL. necessary TO
preach the gospel to orr ancestors" said
she Mrs. Ritnhart took the ground that
whatever beauty there Is in the lives of
woman comes from. the gospel When the
ThIbetan wife falls ifl and Is no longer able
10 work the husband does not have the
slightest besitancy In throwing her out OF
doors II he desires to. The sweetest time
OF my life says Mrs. Rijnhart, was the
Joy OF telling the story OF salvation to
those people"
Notwithstanding that she endured all
sorts OF hardship In the Thibetan country
Mrs. Rijnhart declares she loves these peo-
pie. In travelling through the country she
and her husband were led into ambush by
guides and were attacked. The robbers
left them but one horse. The husband
went for assistance but never returned
For many days and nights she Travelled
alone. living out IN the cold and with nc
protection from lawlessness except a pistol
Her sufferings were intense and her story
went straight 10 sympathetic hearts last
night "All / ,can say about It." she OBJ
served. after relating her story. lis that
God doeth all things we'll" She declared
that II will be the greatest cross OF her life
IL she cannot go back there and work. AL
that she ever heard of her husband after
his disappearance was that a white man
had been murdered In the locality in which
he was supposed to be looking for succor.