THE

MISSIONARY OBSERVER.

SEPTEMBER, 1879.

Missionary Committee Meeting.

THE next meeting of the Foreign Mission Committee will be held on Wednesday, September 10th, at Friar Lane School-room, Leicester, at Twelve o'clock. Ministers of subscribing churches are eligible to attend.

Northern Orissa Mission.

WE received some time ago the Forty-fifth Annual Report of the Freewill Baptist Foreign Missionary Society, from which we are pleased to learn that our brethren in Northern Orissa are steadily prosecuting their important work. Unhappily their operations have been hampered and hindered for the want of funds. Upon this point we prefer to let the Report speak for itself, and quote from the introductory paragraphs. They are as follows:

In presenting our friends with another annual report of our work, our prospects, and our wants, the latter suggest themselves to our mind with peculiar emphasis, and we give them a first place, hoping that these necessities, brought prominently before the minds of the friends at home, will bring a hearty response to the present imperative call for funds.

The unexpected withholding of the regular home appropriation for support of native preachers, schools, etc., for two successive quarters, has brought us to the verge of bankruptcy, but, knowing the fatal effects of disbanding our schools and discharging our force of native helpers, we have succeeded, thus far, in sustaining our work in its full proportions, constantly hoping to be relieved before the extremity is reached.

Why this dearth of funds, it is difficult to understand. Certainly, there is no corresponding degree of poverty in the home churches, and the only conclusion at which we can possibly arrive is this, that the money is not wanting, but only the art of getting it. It is, perhaps, true, that "there is no royal road to fortune," but we are confident that there is a way to get hold of the denominational purse-strings, and most sincerely do we hope that the holder of this important secret will soon find his appropriate sphere.

True piety, untiring zeal, perfect consecration, faith in God, and love for souls, are all vitally essential to the success of missionary effort, but all of these combined, in the absence of commercial coin, are as useless as a locomotive without a track upon which to run, or minus fuel and water.

Efficient native helpers are the strength of foreign missions, and when we see talented Christian young men entering the secular professions because their services

cannot be retained for mission work on account of the meager salaries allowed, we are forced to the conclusion, that it is a mistaken economy which so limits our resources that we cannot utilize all available native Christian talent for mission work, and then tries to supply the deficiency with re-enforcements from home.

The importance of impressing upon the minds of native converts the real beauty of self-sacrifice in the cause of the Master, is evident to all, and this spirit should be encouraged in every feasible way; but we ought not to expect them to show a spirit of self-denial possessed by only the few of those engaged in the ministry in Christian lands.

To make the most economical use of the missionary force now in the field, we should at once double our native agency, and add largely to our other facilities for carrying on the work.

Many a time have we seen luxuriant fields of grain returning to their mother earth ungathered, because, we were told, men could not be found for the harvest; but never yet have we known the man who always had money in band to pay his labourers when their work was done, to thus lose his crops. The world over, missionary writers and journals lament the scarcity of labourers in the great moral harvestfield, and grieve over the fewness of those who are ready to enter in and reap; and yet we dare affirm that thousands of loyal Christian hearts, as faithful and true to the Master's cause as any now in the mission field, stand ready to engage in this blessed work whenever there are funds in hand to ensure their support. You cannot find them now; and why? An empty treasury, a heavy debt, no provision for nor assurance of permanency-all return a most emphatic answer. To say that God's work is not dependent upon money, is to say that it is in no way dependent upon human agency; but God works by means, and no more necessary is the missionary to the evangelization of the heathen world than is the money which is to sustain him in that work.

The difficulty of our American friends has been more the want of money than of men, and from remarks in the Morning Star it would seem that if the American Treasurer of the Mission has funds in hand he sends them out to India; if not, the brethren are left to do as best they can. Now, this is a state of things which ought not to exist, and which is as impolitic as it is embarrassing. If brethren are encouraged by a Committee to incur liabilities in doing a certain work, in all fairness those liabilities ought to be regularly met. And, sympathising with our devoted brethren and sisters in Northern Orissa in the pecuniary difficulties in which they now and again find themselves, we shall rejoice to hear that some means have been devised by which the needful funds from America can be sent out with regularity.

The principal STATIONS of the Mission are Midnapore, Bhimpore, Dantoon, Santipore, Jellasore, and Balasore.

The following is a list of the MISSIONARIES, and shows the year they entered the service of the Society.

In consequence of severe illness the senior missionary, Mr. Phillips, is obliged to quit the field; but our friends in Orissa were expecting to be reinforced by a missionary and three young ladies-among them another daughter of Mr. Phillips. An interesting feature in connection with the Freewill Baptist Mission is that instead of the fathers there come up the children.

NORTHERN ORISSA MISSION.

379

On the native staff there are six preachers, besides several lay preachers and "workers." The number of members in the various churches is four hundred and forty-four. The different departments of Mission labour include itineracy, zenana work, press, dispensary, day and Sunday schools, normal and training schools. Among the Santals an interesting work is being carried forward; and, scattered throughout the country, there are about fifty schools, which contain a thousand scholars.

The Mission is highly favoured in having on its staff two properly qualified medical practitioners. For many years Dr. Bacheler has rendered great help among the people in healing all manner of diseases, as well as in directing them to the Healer of souls. In surgical cases he has been quite famous, and has performed more than a thousand operations in a single year. His report for the past year is as follows:

Disease has its laws of change. This is seen by the varying draft on different kinds of medicines. This year quinine and its accompaniments have been in far greater demand than usual, indicating that fever has been the prevailing disease. For the last three years, there has been comparatively littte cholera, only occasional and isolated cases, with no wide-spread epidemic; but, instead of this, fever everywhere, and in an aggravated form. What is here popularly known as "malarious fever," has been prevailing in a new form for several years. It commenced a hundred miles to the north of us, and, selecting the most insalubrious districts, following the course of rivers, and carefully avoiding the more elevated and salubrious portions of the country, it kept steadily on its way southward. Two years ago it had reached the neighbourhood of the town of Midnapore, but, swerving around our borders, it took up its onward march towards Orissa, spreading to the right and left in its course. The past year it has been raging with great violence along the banks of the Subarnareka, fifty miles to the south of us. Cholera attacks a community, sweeps away the susceptible ones, a certain percentage, but leaves the rest intact; but this fever comes and goes, and comes again, rapidly disposing of the weak, but gradually undermining the strength of the strong, till but few remain.

ease.

Passing a tract of country which had been thus affected last cold season, from ten to thirty miles to the east of us, I made inquiries in regard to the ravages of the disTo my first question, "How many have died of fever?" the answer usually was, "From one-half to three-quarters;" but, upon inquiry from house to house, I would find the proportion much reduced. In answer to the question, "How many have died from this house?" the answers would run something like this: "Two out of six; 66 one out of five;" "four out of ten;" and occasionally, "none;" so that onefourth dead would be a fairer estimate. But what of the living? My next question was, "How many have had fever ?" and the answer was, "Everybody." But when I separately questioned each one of a group of men, their answers would vary something as follows: "Have you had fever ?" "Yes." "Have you?" "Yes." "Have you?" "No;" and so on. But of the affected ones, some were having fever every other day; some once a week; and some occasionally. Some were bloated with enlarged spleen, some with diseased liver, plainly indicating that without speedy relief, in a few days or months, they too, would be gone. Some villages have been decimated over and over again; some completely depopulated; most of the inhabitants dying; a few, only, having strength to run away.

The immediate mortality from this fever, though in rare instances quite as sudden as from cholera, is usually by no means so great; but it returns again and again, and finally, after weeks or months of suffering, carries off its victim by exhaustion.

The Government has established charitable dispensaries in portions of the affected districts, which have afforded relief to those within reach, but the masses have not been reached; for when so many were suffering, who could carry the sick for more than three or four miles to a dispensary? A very large majority of the sufferers have been absolutely without relief.

Our dispensary has had a large number of old cases from the country, while the great increase of fever in the city has largely increased the number of our daily

patients. So far as our limited means would allow, we have endeavoured to meet the necessities of all cases that may be presented.

Dr. Bacheler has an able coadjutor in Dr. James L. Phillips; and we trust that in every department of their philanthropic and Christlike work in doing good to the bodies and souls of men they will be abundantly blessed. In our part of Orissa a medical missionary would be of incalculable service; and to any man who found his happiness in doing good a fine opportunity is presented of serving Christ and benefiting mankind.

A Cold Season Preaching Tour.

BY MR. W. BROOKS.

THE duties of our esteemed brother Brooks, in connection with the Mission Press, are such as to render it impracticable for him to be away for long together. Besides occasional visits, however, to the out-stations, he generally manages to take a preaching tour or two during the cold season. The following letter, which gives an insight into the condition of the people, will be read with interest.

TENT BARAMANIA, (Near Assureswara,) Jan. 28th, 1879. Having a little time to spare after attending the Chatra market, I feel disposed to spend it in commencing a letter to you, and to continue and finish it as I may have opportunity. I think you have been in this direction; and though it is many years since, you will doubtless recollect something of it.

We are encamped on a very nice spot under a single banyan tree. My tent (not a very small one) occupies one side; and on the other is the brethren's tent, chulies for cooking, &c., and lots of room to spare.

The Kendrapara road runs close by; and being the direct route to Chandbali, numbers of up-country pilgrims are constantly passing to or from that place, taking advantage of one of the steamers running weekly or oftener between that place and Calcutta on their way to Pooree. The "Pioneer" steamer leaves Cuttack every Tuesday for Chandbali, with two or three passenger boats in tow, with accommodation for both Europeans and natives, and generally has a full complement of passengers. The better class of pilgrims engage a cart to and from Chandbali, as they are more at liberty, and go direct to Pooree without change. Yesterday a number of wealthy pilgrims from Lucknow stayed to cook and eat under the trees we had taken shelter for the same purpose, near a very large market we had come to attend.

My first trip this cold season (and for three or four days it was cold) was a

short one on the High Level Canal as far
as Jenapore, accompanied by Sebo Patra:
three separate parties of native brethren
had left on tours in different directions,
and Sebo was the only brother who could
be spared; but you know what he is and
has been as an out-door worker. The
trip was taken partly for a change, and
partly for labour, not having crossed
either river for near upon nine months.
We did not find as much work as we had
hoped, the people being engaged in cut-
ting their crops, and at home only at mid-
day to eat. At some of the villages we
went to we could not find a single man,
and could speak only to a few as we met
on the road going and returning.
one place we were told the men had gone
to get out of the way of the License Tax*
assessors, who were in the neighbour-
hood. The people are not backward to
have a fling at us in reference to taxes
("tickas," they call it), as, being Euro-

At

* According to the recent License Tax Act, ordinary workmen, such as carpenters, joiners, blacksmiths, etc., who earn four annas (i.c. sixpence) or less per day, are compelled to take out a license before they can follow their calling. In connection with this, as with all taxation, there is a great deal of lying, cheating, oppression, and bribery; also of bitter feeling towards the Government and its agents. Being of the same colour as the "conquering race," the missionaries and their religion come in for no little reproach from the people: moreover they are told to go and preach righteousness to the rulers before they come and preach to them. For the sake of our holy religion it is to be wished that the heavy taxes imposed upon the poor people could be removed. They "hinder the gospel of Christ.” -W. H.

A COLD SEASON PREACHING TOUR.