Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-30

General Secretary OF Y. NJ. c. A. of Ceylon.
religious department has overshadowed al.
else Fourteen weekly Bible classes for
young women, twelve in English, one in
Singhalese and one in Portuguese, are
maintained in Colombo alone. The refined
unprofessional atmosphere Of the Young
Women's Christian Association work COM
mends 1t in. a peculiar manner.
Like, and yet unlike, home are the ma
tive Salvation Army lassies. in the familiar
red waist and wearing the nickel shield
badge, whom one meets in Ceylon. They
do not, however, wear the hideous poke
bonnet, but, like all native women here,
go bareheaded In travelling into the in
terror one finds them at almost every sta
ton offering, with the melting smiles that
make all Singhalese women attractive. a
subscription book. in lieu Of the War Cry.
The report is that very good work is done
by the Salvation Army among the lower
classes Of natives; they make an impress
sion upon the higher castles
Caste obtains here, as in India, and Is
a barrier to religious work. The schools
do more than a little to overcome 1t. While
these articles are confined to American and
Canadian missions. the excellent work
done by the many British societies is met
with at every turn. Most Of the missions
that dot Ceylon are British; 1t is to their
praise that there is-very little criticism OF
missions here. and most Of that is a mere
echo Of the prejudice against missions
which exists in the world Of travel The
educational side Of missionary service has
been emphasized; there is less need for
medical missions than in some other lands.
This is a British crown colony, and the
government maintains a system Of medical
dispensaries, these being, by the way, a
development of medical missions. The
only two missionary hospitals in Ceylon
are maintained by the American board at
Jaffna.
~
It Is claimed that 'India's coral strand"
Is really at Jaffna northern Ceylon. where
the coral formation is extensive. Probably
that had nothing to do with the planting
at Jaffna, ninety years ago, of the Ameri-
can boards second oldest mission. This
mission, the only strictly American one
on the island, was established in 1926. and
it has maintained successful existence
ever since. In truth. SO soundly established
and reputable has Christianity become that
one of the missionaries complained to me
that the church members are In danger OF
becoming worldly. just like church members
The oldest mission school for girls is at
Jaffna, having been in continuous existence
since 1923 1t has now 200 girls in dormi-
tory. The students are chiefly high-caste
natives as are most of the Christians, and
recently notable victory has been won by
the missionaries in requirin the high-caste
puplls 10 associate CLOSELY, On OASIS Oh
equality In all things, with a number Of
low-caste students who have been admitted.
In the school there are no caste lines what
ever Despite this fact and despite the
feet that the school is strongly Christian
in character, nine-tenths of its pupils be-
coming members of the church, high-caste,
heather Hindu parents continue to send
their daughters, paying a higher tuition
than elsewhere
Jaffna district has Protestant popula-
ton of i,499, of whom half belong to the
American mission, the other being divided
among several English missions There are
T.161 Roman Catholics in 1865 square
miles. The whole population is 300,S51
The American mission, when all its work
ers are In field. has force of II mission
aries. is churches, 10 ordained pastors, %
unoriained catechists, 80 Bible women,
higher educational institutions, lbs lower
schools. and / Industrial school.