THE ZENANA MISSION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 117, 18 May 1892, Page 5

THE ZENANA MISSION.

Miss Arnold, tlio lady missionary who has been labouring among the women of India, gave a most interesting lecture at the Ponsonby Baptist Church last evening. The Rev. J. D. Gilmore, who occupied the chair, opened the meeting with prayer, nnrt then briefly introduced the lecturess to the audience, which was a very good one. Miss Arnold, who has been abseno in India tor five years, gave an interesting address. She had, besides diagrams and maps, five young ladies and one boy dressed in the costume of the people of India, according to caßte and the religion they followed, and in this way more easily explained portions of her lecture as she proceeded. She stated that there are' three 'hundred millions, of people in India, bub only ten millions in the districts whore 'missionaries are working. In Tipera, where Miss Arnold is labouring among a population of 2,000,000, only five are afc work, including students. Id is estimated there are 22,000,000 of widows in India at the tender age of childhood. Girls are married, and should the husband die before the second ceremony is performed, they remain widows for the remainder of life, being subject to great privations and disgrace. Miss Arnold gave several illustrations of how women in India are treated, and made an affectionate appeal for help in this department of the work in India, the relief of the women. Miss Arnold spoke at length, showing the great difficulties caused by difference in the social position of the people of that vast country, the caste which made such gulfs and retarded the work of the miosionary. Miss Arnold stated that there. are 874,000,000 of heathen in the world (not including the Mahommedans) and only' 135,000,000 of Christians, and yet the people of Christian churches when asked to support or send more labourers into the field will say, " Oh, we have the heathen in our midst." It was a shame to allow the seething mass of human beings to sink in vice and misery, to perish before our very eyes. She called upon Christians to rise to the battle against this state of things. It was further stated that the Ponsonby Baptist Church have given this year already £30 10s Od towards the work; and hope to do better ere the year closes'. The meeting closed with the Benediction. Miss Arnold addresses ladies only on Thursday afternoon at fcho Tabernacle.