PRINTING THE BIBLE

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 121, 25 May 1931, Page 13

PRINTING THE BIBLE

ONLY WOMEN EMPLOYED

Printing translated editions of the Bible, tho New Testament, ana portions of the Gospel carried out entirely by women is one of the principal departments of tho work being done for the nineteen million Marathi-speaking people of India by the Ramabai Mukti Mission. Right through every stage of the publication of these valuable books only Indian women takon in by tho mission are employed. They carry in the reams of paper,, get the. large, easily-

read typo, sew and bind, and do everything ..in connection with the production of God's Word in n form that may be sent on to all tho Marathi people. It was during a lantern lecture on this mission work in Dunedin recently that Miss Joan M'Gregor (for thirty years a missionary in India and now in New Zealand on furlough) told, amongst other interesting announcements, of tho advancement of this section of the worthy mission, working in tho interests of tho child widows, women, and orphans of India. Miss M'Gregor tojd how at the home of tho" mission, 100 miles south-oast of Bombay, situated on fourteen acres of ground, between 500 and 600 inmates were being cared for, there being 120 slides to illustrate the lecturer's roinarks. Thoy included general views of India, the education and evangelical work being done by tho mission, and scenes of tho general life of tho people, their habits, and thoir customs. And slides of the printing of the Marathi Bible woro not tho least interesting. B.AMABAI MISSIONEKS. The lecturer exhibited a copy of a Now Zealand' Memorial New Testament, the cost of printing which was entirely raised in New Zealand by subscriptions. Tho amount forwarded had been sufficient for the printing and distribution free of cost of 20,000 copies. Tho mission, though its beloved founder, Pandita Bamabai, was called to 'higher service nine years ago, had steadily gone on fulfilling its ministry all theso years. Tho Heavenly Father had graciously supplied the daily noeds of tho largo family of India's orphans and widows. Former students and in : mates had gono to dift'rent parts of India, from where good accounts were heard of their work as teachers, nurses, and of those who, while caring for thoir oSvn families, witness to those around them. All the Indian staff of Mukti was of its own training— teachers in the kindcrgarton, primary, and A. V. School, teachers of tho blind, printing staff, industrial workers, matrons, nurses of hospital and in tho baby folds, house workers, including those who eared for stores and cooked and did laundry work and sowing for tho large family of small children. _ All these good workers camo to Mukti as widows or orphans from Hinduism. With all the activities of tho institution that had thus continued, educational and industrial, tho precious work of printing had also been continued in so far as funds had como earmarked. During tho last seven years tho printing presses had sent out 70,000 soparato Gospel portions in Marathi and 147,500 tracts, booklets, and leaflets, besides the 20,000 Now Testaments of tho memorial fund. A PENNY A PORTION. Thousands of Gospel portions and tracts wore distributed at the great heathen religious festivities or "places of pilgrimage.' 5 Theso tracts woro written by Bamabai and givo only tho puro Gospel teaching in simplo language. Thoy were much used by missionaries in their work. The last tract written by Biunabai was ono on tho "Besurreetion," convoying thoughts of comfort and hopo for Christians concorning loved ones, gono bofore. Tho sum of £5 would print 10,000 copies, also a penny printed ono Gospel portion. In this way "Mukti" was still aiduig many missionaries in tho Marathispeaking field, in. giving India the Gospel. Tho volunteer Gospel preachers faithfully pursued thoir work of visiting in the villages and to the places of pilgrimage. Bamabai had boon a worshipper^ of Hinduism, until she learnt of the Gospel, and after weighing the benefits to be dorivod from both religions she chose to take the straight and narrow path. Sho was a keen studont of Greek and Hebrew, which assisted her greatly, when in 1908 she sot herself tho task of translating the Bible into tho language of her people, putting it in the simplest form so that it might be easily read by anyone into whose hand it fell, that was provided that person was not illiterate. Sho had folt like many others that if the vast continent of India wore to be redeemed it would bo brought about through the women. Tho recent law brought into effect in India regarding child widows would probably bo a preliminary step for tho redemption of India, but it would bo some years before tho child widows would cease to exist. It had boon through conceding to the wishes Of Indian women that this salvation had been brought about.