box of dolls, etc., for prizes for these little ones; they look forward the whole year to the possession of these treasures. I may take this opportunity for thanking the kind friends who send the Christian here, and that one at Southborough who so kindly sent Service for the King to me while at Burdwan.'

Bible-woman, 1: Shorrnomoya (for Calcutta); monthly hearers, 180.

MISS GORE'S REPORT.

'It is at the close of a certain length of time, when we quietly look back and review the past, that we may best see the loving guidance and something of the wisdom of our God in the way that He has led. Our annual reports put us in the way of doing this; and, truly, as we look back on the year past, we can tell from experience that our Guide went with us over the mountains, often levelling those difficulties that, as we looked at them from the distance, looked so huge and overhanging, and gave us many times of joy and strengthening, so that we have great reason to lift up our hearts to God, and thankfully say, "Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me bless His holy name;" beseeching Him to pardon the times of mistrust and stumbling caused by looking away from our Light and our Salvation.

'Miss Highton mentioned in her report of last year that a second school was about to be opened in Dum Dum, in a good verandah given to us rent free by a Babu. Shortly after writing that, Miss Sarkies was able to open this school; the name of the Parah is Koticulla; there is now a well attended school there, and the fees are regularly paid month by month: three times I have visited this school with Miss Sarkies, and each time have much enjoyed the visit. The children attend well and regularly, and are well behaved. The school building is very picturesque. It is a long verandah, facing which is a sort of court-yard in which are bamboo poles, which support a jaffira (trelliswork), over which runs a creeper like a gourd, with vine-shaped leaves, giving the appearance of a bower. Within the verandah, on the wall, are hung several brightly-coloured Bengali texts. On the floor mats are spread for the children to sit on, and for the teachers a chair and moras or stools. The drawback at present in this school, is that we are not allowed to send a resident Christian teacher there; the teaching is therefore carried on by a Hindu woman, except

on those days that Miss Sarkies attends the school week by week. We desire prayer that the Babus may in time allow us to send a Christian resident teacher. I will not write more of the school, as it will be mentioned by Miss Sarkies in her report. In December 1882 Miss Thomas opened a school in Ramkistopore, a parah of Howrah district; this also is very satisfactory, and the children are attending well and paying their fees regularly.

'The beginning of this year has been marked in our Mission work by the death of Miss Beglar. Jesus called her to Himself on the 2d January. An "In Memoriam" to her has been written in our magazine of March and April. Very much is she missed, both by us and her pupils.

'I shall never forget the lull in the schoolroom at Kashariparah (her school) when we told the children of their dear teacher's death. Often and often have I heard remarks made by her pupils, some of whom were given over to me, in remembrance of her teaching and of their regard for her. I knew her but a short time, yet it was long enough to find out how much she loved her Mission work. When I went to see her in the hospital, shortly before her death, she was so interested in talking to me of her Zenana pupils, especially of those who loved to hear of Jesus. She referred to our happy day of Consecration Service on the 3d of January 1882; one year only passed by, and she was called from her work on earth to be ever with the Lord.

"The close of 1882 and the beginning of 1883 was the time of the Decennial Mission Conference in Calcutta, and a marked time in the Mission field. The spirit of Christian forbearance and love which appeared to me to characterise this Conference still, I believe, rests over our work; the hearts of Mission workers have through it, I think, been drawn nearer to Christ and nearer to one another, and many a word of promise and cheer given then comes from time to time across our minds and helps us in "the toiling on, toiling on."

'In February 1883 we had a splendid school treat; the meeting of several of our schools for the last time in Mirzapore, Amherst Street compound. Many friends kindly came to help us.

'Dear Mrs. Lowis was one among those who helped to distribute the prizes -God has since taken her into His rest. There are many who read this magazine who have known and loved her, and who will understand when I say how deeply we miss her, and still more shall miss her. One by one Jesus the Good Shepherd takes His sheep and His lambs into the pastures of love above. Mrs. and Miss Rivers Thompson, Miss Johnson, and Mrs. Neill also kindly distributed prizes at the different tables.

'And here I would offer our thanks to those friends who so very kindly helped us with contributions towards our prizes, and sweetmeats, etc., for the children. The sight of so many native children gathered together was a most interesting one; the different schools were well grouped, and the bright colours of red, purple, green, yellow of the saris, with the glitter of bracelets, anklets, and earrings shining in the sunlight, was exceedingly effective. But best of all was the happy hymn-singing, and the good answers given by the children to Dr. Baumann's Scripture examination on different subjects from the Old and New Testament. They repeated to him the Ten Commandments.

'Early in March we left Mirzapore for Entally, the C.M.S. needing our former house for the C.M.S. Boarding School for boys, that house being the property of that Society.

'On the 12th of March Miss Highton sailed for England, and the oversight of her work was given to me, Miss Edith Highton and I working together with our Missionary Assistants and Native Teachers.

"The disturbance that took place at Arndul, consequent on the baptism of

Christodashie, has been mentioned in a paper written by Miss Highton in our India's Women for May and June, therefore I will only add here that in consequence of the same, our school there has much suffered by a great decrease in the attendance of the children. However, I am thankful to say that the numbers are gradually increasing. Our earnest prayer is that God will prevent this school from closing, and graciously give us back the children. There have lately been three male baptisms at Arndul under the C.M.S.

'Howrah has also been somewhat disturbed by the great interest which two widows have taken in God's Word. In the case of one, the grandfather and brother refused us future entrance into the house, and so worked on the poor woman's mind that the last time Miss Highton saw her she seemed to have become indifferent, and to have lost her interest in Christianity; doubtless fear was more the cause of this than real indifference.

'The other case was written about in last year's report, under the letter "Z." We have much cause to thank God that "Z" is truly desirous to profess herself a disciple of Christ, and to confess Christ to be her Lord in baptism. She prays with us that God may show her a way to come out for baptism. Miss Thomas visits “Z,” and will, I think, write more about her in her report, so that I will only add that partly owing to these instances, an opposition Hindu school was opened in May last in Howrah, and several children have been drawn into it from our Christian school. Still we can thank God for a good roll number each month, and a steady daily average of about fifty children. We are on the point of starting an omnibus gari and pair of country horses for bringing and taking home those children who live at a distance of over two miles from their homes to the school-house. We have raised the estimated cost of 251 rupees by subscriptions from kind friends, whom we sincerely thank for their kind and generous donations. Such a gari is very necessary in this district, and one great reason for starting it is that the Babus say that when such a gari is started they will allow their daughters to remain in the school longer, even to a year after their marriage, as going and coming in such a gari they will be under purdah. We hope to run the gari when we recommence work after the Durga-poojah holidays. The monthly expense of gari and horses is to be met by fees from the Babus, and by ourselves through private subscription; we shall therefore be very thankful to receive donations from any kind friend who may feel inclined to help us.

'With the exception of decrease in the two schools above mentioned, we have great reason to thank God for the increased attendance in our other schools during this year. Dirzieparah, one of Miss Sarkies' schools, has over 100 children on the roll, and Amherst Street, under the charge of Miss Edith Highton, has nearly doubled in attendance in the last six months.

Christian school-work arches India like a magnificent rainbow of hope. It is most heart-cheering to go into our schools to watch the children while they are reading and summing and writing, to listen to them repeating text after text from God's Holy Word, and to hear the intelligent answers to the Bible-lesson questions. Many could keep their level with a well-taught English Christian school. The bright, happy looks during the Scripture lesson are enough to assure us that they love to hear of God and of our blessed Saviour Jesus. One little girl at Howrah school caused much alarm in her home by taking a little book of A.L.O.E.'s that she had bought for quarter of a pice from us, and saying, before she went to bed, "Now, I must pray to God before I go to my bed;" and forthwith she took her wee book and read the short prayer for evening use aloud before all present. Thus much seed in various ways is being taken into the heathen homes, and again and again we

find on opening a new Zenana that God's truth is no strange news to the one who reads, she has already heard of God and His Son Jesus from the school which she once attended! In Dirzieparah a large kutcha building was finished in July for Miss Sarkies' children. This has been raised by private subscriptions among our friends, to whom are again so many, many thanks due for their kind and liberal help. Our Barahnagore School, also in Miss Edith Highton's charge, was given in August last a grant from Government of rupees per month.

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The Zenana work is also very encouraging. I was reading the other day with an old pupil of Miss Beglar's, and on looking round the room I observed on a shelf an idolish-looking image, so I said to the girl, "Is that one of your idols ?" No," she answered, that is a plaything of my little brother's." Then I said, "Have you no idol in this room?” "No," she answered, “I pray to the One God." And I added, "Do you pray in Jesus' name?" "Yes," she said, “I pray in Jesus' name."

'Rajcomari, the convert who was baptized on the 1st of January 1882, is holding steadfastly to the faith. She lives on with her mother and aunt; from them we have no evidence of change or wish to change, and Rajcomari has often much annoyance and taunt to bear from them, also much to harass her about the management of her money affairs, but only the other day she told me that it was well with her, for she said, "In my heart is peace, for Jesus is always with me."

'On 31st May a marked feature of this year occurred-the Local Committee of our C.E.Z.M. dissolved. We have much reason for grateful thanks to Mrs. Neill, the hon. secretary of the Committee, for her earnest and helpful labours in this work, as well as each member of that Committee, for all the helpful service done by them.

'We are now looking forward to the return of Miss Highton to Calcutta, who, by the time that this is being read in England, will, we hope, again have been welcomed back to her Indian home and work of love-and then for me "to move to fresh fields and pastures new."'

MISS E. HIGHTON'S REPORT.

'There is nothing of great moment or stirring interest to relate, but there is a proverb which says, "A great river makes no noise," and may not work in this land of idolatry be likened to this great river?

Some say, Surely mission work is a failure, we see so little fruit. Because the river flows silently along its appointed course, and inundations do not often happen, will any doubt that the river is a blessing to the land? Others will say-We know native Christians who bring shame, not honour, to the name they bear; the heathen are better let alone. Because among the wheat tares are seen, is the sower no more to cast seed into the ground? Tares there are and will be until the Lord of the harvest come, but the good seed is springing up and bringing forth fruit an hundredfold.

'Some again find fault with the missionary agents. The water of the great river is borne in many and varied ways to the scattered hamlets and to the crowded streets of our great cities. Because it cannot be sent in a costly vessel, is the water not to go at all? Full well to our grief and shame we know the water of life is borne in weak, earthly, faulty vessels, but while multitudes are thirsting around, will any refuse them the water of the river of life because the vessels be not of gold or silver?

'Of the different branches of work, that among the children seems to me the VOL. IV.

B

1

Host Virg The dildren are in many cases sent to our schools almost is man is de a za ad er 15 2 are bere they are twelve years vd then just a they are beginning to that are pleasure and interest in their ONITS wwe have them moer Chraminence during the time they are nog sony morassed and the many hymns texts and daly jessons concerning de For Cand 2 vs came to be ther Friend and Savior, are, I am sure, 11ves trades and forgonen: and many, I behere, will be the sheaves Reapest hea the beads sown in our Gris Schools. And by means of the children a vazeed for and wide, for when school is over the little ones, in JAY TV cucult way, repeat to those at home math that they have heard turing the tex Twice within the last few days children have come to me wying the twotiters had told them to ask me to teach them the tunes to two 1/4 te kat been learning. The CM.S. School in Amberst Street, with a 19. com sex of bity, and the Barahnagore School, numbering over forty, have been ker my care curing the past year. The latter, since its establishment, has ww & free vibool, and when first opened the children were induced to attend by prevents of sweets, but during the last few months each child has been paying a va fer monthly. Some misgiving was at first felt lest by this new rule many would be kept away, but, though many reasons were given why this one and that one should be excused, with few exceptions the fees have been regularly paid, and the number of children has increased rather than decreased. Government has given a grant in aid to the school during the past year, and I tope after a time to get it increased.

In the Zenanas there is no lack of work and interest. Most of my pupils are girls who are too old to be allowed to go to school any more. I prefer teaching them to the older women, who, when they are beginners, seem to expect us to show them a royal road to learning, and after a month or two's patient plodding on the part of pupil and teacher, being disappointed in their hopes, will, with some paltry excuse, give up altogether. Still, wherever we go, if only one visit is paid, the Gospel message is given, and we have the assurance My Word shall not return unto Me void."

Years ago, in Benares, a rich and wealthy house was visited by a missionary, and the young wife of one of the inmates was taught. She always took great interest in the Bible lessons, but after a time the house closed and the pupil and teacher saw one another no more. Trouble after trouble came upon the family, and the girl was left a widow, but in the midst of her troubles the lessons about the true God were not forgotten. After a time her mother died, and, according to the Hindu customs, the daughter must provide for the funeral ceremonies. She was penniless; still, rather than show disrespect to her mother, the rites were strictly performed, the daughter thereby involving herself in debt to the amount of 300 rupees. She had heard of the hospital in Calcutta, and that women were there trained to be nurses, and that after a course of training they were able to earn a good deal of money. She longed to be independent and to pay off her debt, so she came to the hospital; there she heard more about the Christian religion, and expressed a wish to enrol herself as one of Christ's servants by Baptism. She and another woman, also under training, are now being visited and taught. Will you pray that they may both boldly confess their faith, and be His faithful servants unto their lives' end ?’

MISS THOMAS'S Report for 1883, Howrah and Calcutta.

"Through the goodness of God we have been able to complete another year of happy work, though only of patient sowing in hope; and amidst trials and