The Monte Vista journal. (Monte Vista, Rio Grande County, Colo.) 1888-1921, 1908-01-04

has overshadowed all else. Fourteen
weekly Bible classes for young WON
en-. II in English. one in Singhalese
and one in Portuguese, are main.
tanned in Colombo alone. The re
fined. unprofessional atmosphere OF
the Young Women's Christian assocla
ton work commends 1t in a peculiar
manner.
ousky Salvation Army Lassles.
Like. and yet unlike, home are tn.
native Salvation Army lassies, in thu
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 bare
headed. In travelling into the interio.
one finds them at almost every station
Offering. with the melting smiles tina.
make all Singhalese women attractive
subscription book. in lieu OF tbs
War Cry" The report Is that very
good work is done by the Salvation
Army among the lower classes OF ma.
tives.
Caste obtains here. as in India, and
Is barrier to religious work. The
schools do more than a little to over.
come 1t. While these articles are
confined to American and Canadian
missions. the excellent work done by
the many British societies is met Will,
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 mere echo of the prejudice
against missions which exists in the
world of travel. The educational side
OF missionary service has been EN-.
phasiZed; there Is less need for medi.
cal missions than In some other lands
This Is British crown colony. and
the government maintains a system OF
medical dispensaries. these being. by
missions. The only two missionary
hospitals in Ceylon are maintained by
the American board at Jaffna
1t 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. &c
years ago, OF the American board 9
second Oldest mission. This mission,
the only strictly American one on the
island, was established in 1926, and II
has maintained a successful existence
ever since.
The Oldest mission school for girls
is at Jaffna. having been In continuous
existence since 1923. II now has zoo
girls In dormitory. The students are
chiefly high caste natives. as are mos,
OF the Christians. and recently a nota.
BILE victory has been won by the mis-
sionaries in requiring the high caste
pupils to associate closely. on u basis
OF equality In all things. with mum.
Der OF low caste students who have
been admitted. In the school there
are no caste lines whatever. Despite
this fact, and despite the fact that the
school is strongly Christian in charac.
ter, nine-tenths OF its pupils becoming
members OF the church. high.caste,
heather Hindu parents continue &c
send their daughters. paying q higher
tuition than elsewhere.
Jaffna district has Protestant pop
ulation Of 4.ts9. OF whom half belong
to the American mission. the other be
Ing divided among several English
missions. There are 27.l6l Roman
Catholics In 1925 square miles. The
whole population Ii 300.S5l. The
American mission. when all Its work
ers are In the field. has q force OF II
missionaries. IS churches. 10 ordained
pastors. 20 unordained catechists. 80
Bible women. s higher educational In
situations. 1873 lower schools. and !
industrial school.
Copyright. by Joseph u. Bowles)