St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1906-05-16
Letter from India.

Our readers Will be glad 10 near from
veteran missionary OF the Methodist de-
nomination who is so pleasantly re
mt mbered in St. Johnsbury, the home of
her early life. Mrs. Parker writes most
Interestingly as follows:
The great event Of the season has been
the visit OF the Prince and Princess Of
Wales. They have visited all parts OF
Inoia. including Burma, and have been
royalty welcomed everywhere. The
loyalty and devotion OF the native rulers
must have been very pleasing to them.
They spared no pains or expense to
show their appreciation of the benefits
received by them from British rule. No
doubt this visit will do much to
strengthen the bond between all classes
in this country, and England. One thing
10 connection with this visit was very
pleasing to Christian people. The Prince
requested that no public ctptions
should be arranged for on the Sabbath
and all through their tour the Sabbath
has been observed, and be and the Prin-
cess have attended church wherever they
have been on that day.
liz w lOOW ASSONldIlOu vi
Upper India, which was es ablishtd in
1902 and is under the patronage OF the
Gaskrear OF Baroda, one of the most pro-
| gresslve of the native rulers is doing
| good work towards popuIarizing re-
marriage OF widows in India. The Asso-
citation has ai6ed in promoting 1877
widow re.marriagts, most OF them IN
Burhwin families. The Importance of
this work is seen in the fact that at the
last census taken there were about
10000 900 Hindoo widows, nearly half
million under the age OF s.. OF these
more than Is, 900 are between the ages
OF one and five, and nearly 1000 under
one year of age. 1t is mark OF progress
| that the HIndoo people have themselves
inaugurated this movement, to alleviate
the condition of Hindoo widows so
many being child widows doomed by
custom and religion to lives OF suffering
and sorrow.
Another encouraging movement
amorg the native Christians is the es-
tablishment of National Missionary
Society. The matter has been under
consideration for some time, and on Dec
rs, 1905, in Carey's historic library in
Singapore, with delegates from each
province and portion of India, But ma
and Ceylon the organization was con-
summattd. Its obj ct is to unite Chris.
tians Of all churches in all Iudia and
adjacent lands, in one great society for
the angelization of the millions who
are not being reached by any of the ex-
isting Missionary Societies. 1t is inter-
esting that this movement has come just
100 years after the "Haystack Prayer
Meeting" in America, and 100 years
since Henry Martyr landed in India.
The constitution of the society was
adopted in the old pagoda where he
worked and prayed Tor the evangelical.
ton of this land. The new society was
founded BY India men, and planned to be
carried on by India men, and money.
No new denomination is to be founded,
but the great object is to lay the burden
OF the evangel'zAtion OF the 100000, 600
Uf India people still unreached, upon her
own sons and daughters. The new So
ciety has been approved by several of
the missionary ladies working in India,
and the support OF several missionaries
has been promised. One OF the first
native gentlemen appealed to, when
asked what he would do il such a move
ment were inaugurated said II will give
my son who is a graduate of Cambridge
to 60 ii he will, if he will not go l will
support some one else in his place.
There are many prominent wealthy
Christians especially in Southern India
who are pledged to the support of the
society.
The delegates spoke eight different Ian
guages and their work was done in the
one language XII own to all the English
The delegates joined hands before
separating and sang, each in his owl
language, the glorious doxology. Thu
movement of the people themselves
is an encouragement for all who ar
interested in the work OF India's evange
lization.
Again some portions of India ar
, suffering from famine, and missionarie
, with all the aid that government cal
give are taxed to the utmost to save tn
, people among whom they work fror
starvation. The plague has been niue
less than last year, still IN some placs
there is much suffering.
L. S. PARKER.
, Moradabad. India,
March 6, 1906.