The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-03-06
50TH ANNIVERSARY
OF METHODIST ". r. M. S
Was Observed Last Evening at Hedding
Church, Pleasing Program
Being Given.

Being Given.
In spite of the sudden drop in the TEN.
peratme after yesterdays warm wealth
er, with the attendant sleet and slippery
sidewalks, there were many ladies inter
ested in missionary sfort who gathered
last evening at the Methodist church
The service was in celebration of the
5Oth anniversary of the founding of the
Womau's Foreign Missionary society OF
the Methodist Episcopal church.
The committee in charge, Mrs. G. s.
Andrews, Mrs. T. H. Cave, ir., and Mrs
Il. M. Lyon, had arranged brief musical
program. Miss Grace Barclay played for
a piano solo Cathedral Chimes and a
chorus of girls sang, "Do Something for
Others" The president of the local soci-
ETY., Mrs. George Maker, in presenting
Mrs. Lillian S. Gregory of Moretown, the
speaker of the evening, made the pleas
ing announcement that the ladies had
been successful in their efforts to secure
30 new members in eommemoration of
the anniversary and had, in fact, secured
81 new members for the local branch.
Mrs. Gregory talked for upward of an
been called, India. She spent over ten
years there, and told of the wonderful
transformation that had been worked in
the lives of the native Christians. She
said their faces sooh reflected the heal
ing of their diseased bodies and the en-
lightenment of their darkened minds.
One point upon which much emphasis
was laid was the present famine in India.
This has been caused by the failure of
the monsoon rains last year. These come
about the first of June, being followed
by four months of cold weather and then
four months of hot weather. Added TO
the famine at the present time is the
influenza epidemic, which is raging with
a death list of nearly a thousand daily
in Bombay alone. 1t is said that the
scourge of influenza is worse than the
most deadly visitation of the plague.
The speaker had reached India in 1893
and was there throughout the famine of
1900 and was able to present some first
hand pictures of the suffering that exist
ed at that time, The rain failed and the
ground, the usual grass land, became dry
and parched like a street in midsummer
She told of the needs that could not be
filled, and told of personal sacrifices she
had made since coming back to her home
land. She was forced to return here on ac-
count of the continued i'll health of her
mother, but declared that if she were
free TO do so she would return to India
| to-day. Mrs. Gregory declared that the
shortest way to India was by prayer
and urged her hearers to pray earnestly,
learn of conditions, and give intelligent
ly. She mentioned a marvellous instance
Of her healing through prayer, while in
India, after a long period Of illness.
The native homes were described, and
it was stated that in homes, which were
but huts ten by twelve feet in size, with
no beds and no chairs. several mem
bers of the family found refuge at night,
not to mention the bringing in Of the
hen-eoop and hens, perhaps three or four
goats, and even the family buffalo.
An amusing instance was related of a
visit to a monkey temple at Benares,
which is mecca for Hindus, when she
was met by hordes Of monkeys, greatly
to her surprise. Having been previously
supplied with -pOotanee,' kind of
grain, she was able TO satisfy them so
could proceed. She declared that there
are 330000O0 gods worshipped in India,
She said that the pictures Of India's pow
erty, squalor and ignorance had not been
oyerdrawn. In closing, she repeated the
Lords prayer in Marathi, one of the
more than 300 native dialects.
A feature of the celebration was the
large birthday cake, with the numerals
"69-'l9." This cake was cut and served
to all present, with tea and waters. The
decorations of the room were in blue and
gold with the American and allied flags.
The thank offering taken at the meeting
amounted to over $40, and this sum will
be increased by contributions from those
who were unable to attend