The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-04-08
Gives GLIPMsE OF
MISSIONARIES IN
/ FAR OFF INDIA
Miss Bertha ]. Johnson, Who Worked
There for Presbyterian Board for
Several Years, Tells Of Progress
That Il Being Made.
Draws Interesting Picture OF Work
by Miss Patton, Whose Home is IN
Brooklyn, Mich.

glimpse or the hCilN''
tpresbyterian missionaries III 80
india. ard an interesting worn p
- ~ tho .,ccple, including the va
haraiah who lives at holhapui' We"
,,i.sn THO week In the Fort'st llIS
fv,srian church by Miss Bertha .
Iohnson who spent several years ~
IndIa under the auspices Oh the lISs
, hv,ar,an Loard of missions, Du- WIZ
tis row living in Chicago.
IA ni.s Iohnsor was for some uhe
.o-yorker with Miss Esther EGNdIus
Patton. whose native home Is biooA'
,y,, Mich. end who has been ms
s,onary TO India Tor thirty Years MISS
Patton Waited Detroit several months
taao before she returned 10 heE pos'
st Kolhapur. There she mas Won
high place with the people OF lhe
high caste, including the maharaJah'
and has also endeared herseH WIN
those of the lower caste.
Miss Johnson and Miss Patton
Avsth hundreds OF other missionaries
nave toiled In distant India, notWith-
&tanding demonstrations have taken
Mace against foreigners, and at times
their lives have been in grave peril
only to see the opposition tade away
and feeling OF cooperation anu
good will take it's place Inc worN
of the missionaries has Appealed es'
Il pecially, TO the maharaJah OF holha'
4 pur. He has placed several OIL MS
children In charge OF missionaries 10
be instructed In occidental customs
which are in striking contrast TO the
oriental habits OF the natives.
There are 245 children In Miss
Patton's compound at kolhapur'
aaid Miss Johnson. 1T is an interest
ing sight TO see them study the bible
their Sunday school lessons and also
other educational books that are nee
essary to their development Miss
Patton Is always mindful OF her
charges. She has convinced them
) tina she IL there TO educate and 10
raise them from the vexatious POSI-
ton which they occupy in the lower
1 caste system. The children march TO
Sunday school, sit on the mud floors,
which are used entirely over there.
listen to the lessons as intently as Is
possible, and after they are over
they march In front OF Miss Patton
and receive several pieces OF pepper
mint each. This candy 10 given out
to stimulate interest In the work.
sit Is the impression OF members
\ of the upper caste that those or the
x lower strata are worthless and hope
less. and prominent natives, especial
= ly the Brahmans, have objected siren
uously to the work the missionaries
are doing to raise those OF the lower
caste to q better position. not only
I'm q religious, but also In social anu
economic way. The opposltloh'
though, Is not so pronounced as II mas
been. The missionaries have con-
vinced those who were our enemies
nj nrst to realize that they are there
purely for a spiritual and philanthrop-
&c purpose and the work Is extend
Ing rapidly
Miss Johnson said the victory OF
the Japanese over Russia had dis
fturbing effect on the political condi-
lions In India. The natives thought
n Japan could win. they also should
be able to shake of the rule OF Great
I Britain and be free. The action OF
viceroy Lord Curzon, In dividing
Bengal province against the wishes
OF the people, added to the serious
( ness OF the affair, and demonstrations
4 against foreigners, especially the mis-
+ sionaries, we're frequent. Lord Cur
zon was removed, however. and the
way was paved for renewal OF the
apparently peaceful conditions that
obtained for many years before. The
I missionaries were then enabled 70
continue their work and have obtain
ed several reforms OF far-reaching ef.
feet, one OF which Is the enactment
of law to prevent a child from as.
Stunning the duties OF wife until she
Is IL years old
While Miss Johnson was in Kolha.
pur she received an invitation from
the maharajah TO attend the wed.
ding OF his daughter. Five thousand
invitations, decorated with gold. and
handsomely engraved, were sent out
for the occasion, and a gigantic am
phitheater was built for the purpose
The maharaiah sent a handsome
coach, drawn by four Australian
horses, to get Miss Johnson and her
companions, and, according TO the
dictates OF the Invitation, they went
10 the amphitheater at 4:45 in the
afternoon.
The bride-to-be arrived, decorated
In the most lavish fashion, wearing
jewels OF all descriptions, her toes
even bearing rings OF pure gold
After the elaborate ceremony was
over everybody In the place threw
rice ut the youthful bride and groom
and the guests dispersed. A banquet
to the various rulers OF India. and
. many prominent persons, both native
and foreign, followed soon after
ward and Miss Johnson was guest
az this, too. One Indian ruler was
dressed in a white broadcloth suit OF
nne texture. the buttons on which
we're pure gold. He wore a turhar
which contained so many decoration,
q: gold that he had to flsten II q
bis head
II seems singular that such elab
crate functions should be held. anc
80 much money spent Zoe Jewels aud
wearing apparel and other luxuries
when famine 10 rampant throughout
he land To remedy this condition
i the sIecisl ain OF the missionaries
and. according TO Miss johnson. they
are cons 20 verT rapidly.
- rrtets.E Dene) BisHt. Tf--.
Fvssfs>E O. Ne Is John R-st