The Washington herald., 1915-03-14

This year will =" doubt he an
anxious one for all missionary socic-
ties. more especially for the smaller
ones. But the teaching OF history in
regard TO former wars in which Eng
land has been engaged Though they
were. of cours", very small wars COM
pared with this gigantic struggle. is
that contributions to visionary work
have increased during the period OF the
war: the reaction has come after the
war was over. We are earnestly hoping
and praying and working that our
missionary work may. direct re-
suit OF this war. be placed on perma-
nently higher level. ard that there
may be no reaction"
Missionary societies having work in
the Far East and in and near the war
zones in Europe, are bending every ef-
I fort to help missionaries sent out by
German, French and English societies,
not on humanitarian grounds alone.
nor vet on strictly religious onesg but
as they admit on American grounds.
Leaders are arguing that when the
war ends. no matter which way, mis-
sion stations will he centcrs of infiu
ence for world peace. and American
influence. They look for the greatest
development humanity has yet seen.
and control of missionary stations VIII
prove powerful beverages.
AL the meeting of the executive
commission of the Presbyteria
, Church. just held. Rev. Mark \. Mat
thews. Seattle. brought forward the
project of Strengthening the foreign
board of his church to the end named.
An Official report just made by tn?
Disciples of Christ puts forward the
same argument in behalf of its foreign
society. The American board. repre-
sentinC Congregationalists. expresses
fear that it may not be able to grasp
the opportunity. but expresses SYM
pathy with it, The Methodist board
has already contributed more than
500. 900 to aid the missionaries sent
out by European societies.
The announcement that a musicale
would be given at the home of Mrs.
John Jacob Astor under the auspices
of the Wednesday Morning Bible Class
and that the general public would be
admitted at Sc each. caused many per
sons to make inquiry about the Bible
class. according to the New York
World
Mrs Nathaniel Bowditch Potter. or
ganizer of the class, after much per-
suasion, consented to tell of the class
and its aims.
1T is not that we are SO dreadfully
exclusive" laughed Mrs. Potter. but
we started in a very small way and
now whenever new members are taken
in they must be proposed b. the pres
ent members and vouched for. With
several other ladies | decided about
five years ago that il would be n very
good thing TO organize a Bible class
where we could all get together ana
study the Bible and also mission work.
Many of my friends were interested III
mission work. and We decided that we
could get into personal touch in
more direct manner by organizing.
Our little society ha sErown rapid
Our little society has grown rapid
members. possibly more. When VIC de-
cided three years ago to build the
Church General Hospital we planned
to finance ii entirely by substitution
but this year we wished to add wom-
ans wing to il and decided to hold a
public musicale to raise the money.
Mrs. Astor kindly loaned her home
and the entertainment vas most sue
cessful. We raised about $4,000 and
are now only $4,000 short of complet-
ing the hospital. l do not believe we
will give any other public entertain
ment. however. to raise this small
amount. We will make that up by
subscription.
Our meetings are held every
Wednesday morning. and we usually
have some prominent clergyman, VINO
reads to us and conducts the class.
This season we have had Bishop A =
Lloyd. Harrington Lytell. of China; Dr:
Jefferys. who Is a surgeon in a medical
school in China, and Prof. G. W. john
stone.
"A certain amount of time is devoted
to Bible study each week and We also
have talks on various subjects. For in