ILLUSTRATED SKETCH OF THE Women's Baptist Home Mission Society AN EVENING WITH THE STEREOPTICON ' CHICAGO WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY 2411 INDIANA AVENUE 1902 ILLUSTRATED SKETCH OF THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY AN EVENING WITH THE STEREOPTICON CHICAGO WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY 241 1 Indiana Avenue THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY MARY G. BURDETTE schools were planted, but as time went was a widespread and sore need not reached by the schools, viz: The regeneration of home life, notably through the instilling of right views concerning womanhood, wifehood, and motherhood. A work from cabin to cabin, a work face to face, hand to hand, heart to heart; a work mainly and distinctively with women, and through women for the race, and from its very nature a work which must be done by women. What human agencies did God use to make known His thought concerning the importance of this, then, new department of work? First of all, Joanna P. Moore. 3 The nation had passed through a baptism of blood; and four millions of negro men, women, and children, hitherto held in bondage, had been declared free citizens of these United States. With this emancipation came the responsibility of educating and training the freed people into an intelligent and pure manhood and womanhood. To meet these responsibilities on it became evident that there JOANNA P. MOORE 4 THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY The story of her work may not be told here, but who does not know of it? God led her forth alone, along an untried path, with no assured support except- ing His promise that, trusting in Him and doing good, she would dwell in the land and be fed; to use her own words, "That bread and water should be sirre." For thirteen years, abundant in labors, she waited the recogni- tion of the claims of the kind of work she was doing, her intense desire finding expression in the pathetic cry, "I have looked and looked for help until my eyes are dim and have called until my voice is weary." There came other appeals, and among them one of touching pathos, through Mrs. Emily Lucas Blackall. Mrs. Blackall had been explaining to a company of Christian Indian women how their sisters in the states were sending gospel messages to heathen women in far away MRS. EMILY LUCAS BLACKALL BLANKET INDIAN WOMEN THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY 5 lands, when one of her hearers asked the question: "If the sisters in the states can do so much for heathen women so far away, why do they not do something for Indian women on the plains?" (Blanket Indians.) MRS. J. N. CROUSE MRS. C. SWIFT These cries sounded continually in the ears of women in Chicago, and impressed them as the very voice of God, bidding them, "Hearken and do. Defer not." In obedience to the heavenly mandate, the Women's Baptist Home Mission Society had its birth, February 1, 1877, MRS. R. R. DONNELLEY MRS. JAMES S. DICKERSON its organization being effected in the Michigan Avenue (now Immanuel) Baptist Church, Chicago. Mrs. J. N. Crouse was chosen to fill the President's chair, a position to which she has been re-elected every year, even until the present day. Mrs. Carlos Swift was the first Corresponding Secretary and labored with unsparing devotion and marvelous efficiency until compelled by broken health to retire from the service. 6 THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY Mrs. R. R. Donnelley served as Treasurer from the first year until the completion of the twelfth fiscal year. She is now chairman of the Executive Board. The first chairman of the Executive Board was Mrs. James S. Dicker- son, now a valued member of the Advisory Committee. With the installation of these officers and the election of an Executive Board, the Society was fairly inaugurated. Miss J. P. Moore received the first commission conferred by the Society, May i, 1877. RECOGNITION As soon as the fact of the existence of the Society was published, responses came from all parts of the country, proving that hearts were prepared, and the work of organizing branches was begun and carried MISS HELEN R. JACKSON MISS MOORE MISS AGNES WILSON (Mrs. Weaver) MISS SARAH BUTLER (Mrs. Morris) MISS JENNIE L. PECK THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY 7 MRS. E. A. SHAW-INGALLS, M.D. forward with an enthusiasm born of loyalty to home, to country, and to God. The Society presented itself for the recognition of the denomina- tion during the Anniversaries at Providence, Rhode Island, in May, 1877, and met with a welcome gratifying and en- couraging. So vigorous was its subse- quent growth that at the First Annual Meeting, held in Cleve- land, May 28, 1878, auxiliaries were reported in fourteen states and territories, while contributions had been re- ceived from nearly every northern state, and nine mis- sionaries were supported in whole or in part by the Society. Around Miss Moore were soon grouped the four choice helpers seen on the opposite page. INDIANS The first missionaries among the Indians to bear the commission of the Society were Mrs. Eliza Shaw, M. D., and Mrs. Bond, who were appointed during the summer of 1878. They worked with marked success among the Choctaws and Chickasaws. Mrs. Shaw subsequently became the wife of Major Ingalls and Mrs. Bond of Mr. Robb, of Atoka. The appointment in January, 1878, of Elizabeth Johnson, her- self a Swede, to labor among the Swedish people in Chicago marks the beginning of the work of the Society among European immigrants. The Fourth Annual Report, MRS. c. bond-robb for the year ending April 30, 8 THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY ELIZABETH JOHNSON 1 88 1, told of twenty-eight mission- aries, who had labored during the whole or part of the year on twelve different fields among Negroes, In- dians, Scandinavians, and Germans. Mrs. A. Johanning was the first German missionary. She labored among the Germans of St. Louis, Missouri. THE TRAINING SCHOOL By this time it had become evi- dent that the work was too serious and responsible to be intrusted to novices, that to secure the best re- sults, the missionaries must be qualified for service by special and appropriate training, and the 5th of September, 1881, records the open- ing of the Baptist Missionary Training School at 2338 Michigan Avenue, Chicago. The picture before us is not that of the original hired house, but of the present building, to which the headquarters of the Women's Baptist Home Mission Society and the Baptist Missionary Training School were removed in May, 1890. This property cost $50,902.90, including the furnishing, and be- longs, free of incum- brance, to the Society. From its organiza- tion to October, 1902, the school has enrolled 577 students, of this number about 50 are laboring in foreign fields, while many others are serving in the home land. The number of graduates BAPTIST MISSIONARY TRAINING SCHOOL 241 1 Indiana Avenue, Chicago to J une > I 9° 2 , was 33 2 - THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY 9 Mrs. M. M. Whaley was engaged as Matron, and began her service with the renting of the building and opening of the school. Miss Mary G.Burdette was installed as Preceptress in Jan- uary, 1882. Mrs. C. D. Morris has served the Society as Preceptress since September, 1888. TIDINGS ' ' As the work progressed and the number of auxiliary societies, or "Branches" increased, it became evident that some way must be found to relieve missionaries of the too great tax of writing special letters, and at the same time furnish the four hundred Branches with necessary information concerning work on our fields. On the screen you see the first page of the first number of 1 88 1, two months ear- MRS. M. M. WHALEY the Training School, you to a fac-simile of issued January r, 1900. list of the various de- ciety's work, also its "CHRIST IN with the suggestive Bethany, where Jesus guest. And so the year by year until with lished, a training operation, a society items of interest, a MARY G. BURDETTE MRS. C. D. MORRIS Tidings, issued in July, lier than the opening of In contrast we treat page 1 , No. 5 , vol. XIX. On this may be seen a partments of the So- motto : EVERY HOME," picture of the home at was ever a welcome cause has prospered headquarters e s t a b - school in successful organ, giving monthly faithful band of mis- sionaries, and a loyal and steadily increasing constituency, the Society is fairly equipped for aggressive work, and with fervent hearts we are ready to sing: God of the nations, in whose sight Are all who dwell on land and sea; We raise our song, we lift our prayer To Thee, our Father's God, to Thee. From every nation, clime, and tongue Come heathen to our very doors; While thousands here would fain destroy And drive the gospel from our shores. From North to South the cry rings out; From East to West, from sea to sea; The work is great, the lab'rers few; Redeemer, Christ, we come to Thee. THE No. I. SOME REASONS WHY. July, *8i. Dear Sister : The Women's Baptist Home Mission Society, in sending you this leaflet, calls your attention to the two main reasons for its publication : First. It is designed to furnish fresh, interesting and appropriate matter to be used at the meetings of Branches and Mission Bands. Second. It is to relieve the missionaries of a burden too heavy to be borne ; that of writing manuscript letters to be read at meetings. Remember that there are about four hundred Branches and Bands clamoring for letters, and not quite thirty missionaries to supply the demand. When you realize this fact you will doubtless cheerfully agree with us in feeling that the burden of such personal correspondence should not be added to their already incessant toil. Nevertheless, you need such letters and we intend that you shall have them. The leaflet which you now hold in your hands will tell you how. It is the first number of "Tidings," and will be followed by others in monthly succession, so that you may expect a fresh budget of news for every meeting if your meetings are held once a month, and each number will contain just such information as you will need to make your missionary meeting interesting and profitable. In accordance with arrange- ments made with the missionaries, the Corresponding Secretary will receive every month letters from each field. These letters will be carefully read and the choicest selections made for "Tidings," one copy of which will be sent to the President or Secretary of each Branch or Mission Band. The matter thus selected for this leaflet will not be published at any time in any other paper or magazine ; so that the person who reads from it at a meeting may be assured that the matter presented is entirely new to her hearers, You will also see by reference to the present number, that instead of a letter from one missionary, you have communications from four, working among three different classes of people, and each of these letters is as essentially yours as if coming to you in the hand- writing and sealed envelope of the writer. As you value these letters, and appreciate the labors of the missionaries in their efforts to seek and save the lost, we beg that you will write to them occasionally, express- ing your sympathy and interest, and cheering their hearts with strong, loving words, and then, unless they volunteer a personal answer, be content to read their replies in " Tid- ings." The question of publishing a monthly leaflet for the use of those upon whom rested the duty of providing matter for missionary meetings was presented to the Society at its annual meeting at Indianapolis, and carefully discussed. There seemed to be a unani- mous conviction that" such a publication was greatly needed, and a committee was ap- pointed to give the matter further consideration and convey the sense of the Society upon the subject in a report to the Executive Board. The following is a copy of the report as adopted by the Board in Chicago at the meeting, June 21, 1881 : To the Executive Board of the Women's Baptist Home Mission Society, Chicago. Dear Sisters : The Committee to whom was referred for consideration the advisa- bility of the publication of a monthly leaflet as proposed at the last annual meeting of the Society, at Indianapolis, submit the following : First. We regard the proposition with favor, believing that such a publication is much needed by our Branch Societies as a source of information and inspiration to in- creased labor and zeal. Second. We recommend that the fact be kept prominently before all whom it may concern that the leaflet is only for limited and gratuitous distribution, and is expected in no way to take the place of the Home Mission Monthly, or the columns of the denomi- national press, for all of which the same amount of matter regarding the work of the Society shall be furnished as heretofore. M. A. Ehlers, ) S. C. H. Cheney, i Committee. M. G. Burdette, ) 10 Vol. XIX, No. 5. CHICAGO, JANUARY, 1900. 25 Ors. Per Year 11 12 THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY NEGRO MOTHER AND CHILDREN Open our eyes to view the need — Lift up our eyes Thy strength to see; Thou bring'st the people unto us; Help us to bring them, Lord, to Thee. With the inspiration of this hymn thrilling our hearts, the picture which takes the place of the prayer song, transports us once more to the South, where the Society now has more than fifty missionaries, of whom nearly a score are colored women, who, in house-to-house visiting, Mother's Meetings, Industrial Schools, Sunshine Bands, Bible Bands, Fireside Schools, and motherly oversight of girls in schools, are trying to realize the motto of the Society. "CHRIST IN EVERY HOME" Our next picture brings to view a typical negro boy, a fine subject for missionary effort. And here is a crowd of these young Americans of African descent, with complexions shad- ing from ebony through browns and yellows to white. This is an alley meeting in Charleston, South Carolina. Writing of these meetings, Miss Whipple says : "We have met in the courts and alleys nearly one hundred poor, neglected children in a sin- gle day, who have little to incite them to a higher life, but every- thing to lead them into sin and vice. The majority of these at- tend neither day nor Sunday school. A sister in Memorial church asked me to come in the court where she lives and teach THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY 13 the children. I am thankful for the privilege of gathering around me in this good woman's home every Friday morning about twenty neg- lected little ones, who are eager to learn about Jesus and His love. They give the best attention, and some are very bright and learn quickly. I have now four children's meetings in as many different courts, having as many as forty children in one meeting. AN ALLEY MEETING "During the month of January the average attendance in four courts and alleys was ninety-nine. One rainy day in one of the courts fifty-five were present at the meeting, and on the coldest day in the winter the aggregate attendance at three meetings was fifty. The night preceding, there were no services in the Baptist churches because of the severe cold. These colored people especially dread the cold, and these children are not warmly clad, most of them had no cloaks, and some came barefooted. The influence of these meetings is being felt throughout the city. Through them children are led into the Industrial and Sunday schools." At one of these meetings a mother hearing a lesson taught on clean- liness and order, said to the missionary, "You made that up a purpose for me, didn't you?" "No," replied the missionary. But the result was a transformed home, with scoured floors, clean walls and beds, and neatly arranged furniture. The next picture shows progress, representing, as it does, negro children in the same city belonging to a Mission Band, "The Seed Sowers," conducted by Miss Cadet. And here is a scene to make glad the heart. It represents one of very many families who have been blessed by the establishment and mainte- THE SEED SOWERS, MORRIS STREET BAPTIST CHURCH, CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY 15 nance of what Miss Moore calls "A Fireside School," and which she defines as "A school taught at home, to which the whole family belongs." The books are first, the Bible; second, "Hope," which contains a Bible lesson for each day ; and third, other instructive and helpful books which the family read and discuss together. The object of the Fireside School is to help parents and children make their own homes pure, intelligent, and happy, and, also, to extend this blessing to all homes that can be reached by them. This plan, as far as it is carried out, means regen- erated hearts, cultivated minds, clean bodies, and transformed homes. A FIRESIDE FAMILY The next picture introduces another phase of the work of the Society in the South. This is a cooking class in Roger Williams University, one of the schools of the American Bap- tist Home Mission Society, with which the Women's Baptist Home Mis- sion Society co-operates in the support of missionary teachers known as Preceptresses or Matrons. It is the privilege of these workers to help the students in these schools in the many practical ways which a thoughtful, loving woman may find, and thus come into personal contact with each life. Many of them have charge of the Bible studies in the class rooms, where they teach the spiritual truths that are to govern every phase of life. These teach- ings they apply in the home life, even in such work as these girls are doing. In line with this is the teaching of various domes- tic accomplishments, in- cluding sewing, from the patchwork, beginning in the ordinary field sewing school, to the higher grades illustrated in the picture before us, in which we see a class of young women in Bishop College, another of the schools of the American Baptist Home Mission So- ciety, to which the Wo- Jennie l. peck Florence dysart men's Baptist Home Mis- MISS PETTIGREW'S COOKING CLASS, ROGER WILLIAMS UNIVERSITY NASHVILLE. TENNESSEE A SEWING CLASS AT BISHOP COLLEGE, MARSHALL, TEXAS 18 THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY CAROLINE BISHOP MISSIONARY TRAINING SCHOOL THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY 19 sion Society sends a Matron to "mother the girls." It is but a short one hun- dred miles from Bishop Col- lege at Marshall, to Dallas, Texas, where we find the Caroline Bishop Missionary Training School. Miss Peck and Miss Dysart are in charge of this school. Crossing the Southland to Raleigh, North Carolina, we find another of these Training Schools for training colored women for Christian work. Here is a group of graduates. Miss Emma L. Miller is Preceptress and Miss May C. Hamilton is her associate. Of twenty-five colored women employed by the Women's Baptist Home Mission Society last year, eighteen were graduates of these schools, and proved faithful and efficient. EMMA L. MILLER INDIANS We have a gentle hint in the appearance of the picture now before us, that it is time we were turning our attention to the work of the Society among the Indians. Miss Kate Ellett was sent by the Society in September, 1883, to the Indian University, where she served as Missionary Teacher until June, 1888, when she became the wife of Dr. J. S. Murrow and was commissioned to labor as general missionary among the Indians. Notwithstanding the im- pression made by the ques- tion of the Christian Indian woman, "Why do you not do something for Indian women on the plains?" the Society had been organized fifteen years when it appointed its first missionary to the Blanket may c. Hamilton Indians, Maryetta J. Reeside, 20 THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY who, with Lauretta Ballew as her associate, began work among the Kiowas in November, 1892. Aim-day-co is the name by which the Indians know her. It was given to her by Chief Big Tree. It is an Indian expres- sion which contains at once a warning of danger and a direc- tion to safety. Big Tree said, ' ' She found us on the wrong road and in the dark. She cried 'Aim-day-co,' — 'turn this way,' and showed us the Jesus road." All know the story of the first converts, and how Miss Reeside and Miss Ballew went from Ana- darko to the Rainy Mountain Mission, and lived in Gotebo's little house, teaching these In- dians how to find and walk in the Jesus road. And all know or ought to know how our boys and girls built Immanuel Chapel at Rainy Mountain Mission, and how the church has grown until there is a membership of over one hundred and fifty. The chapel has been enlarged to double the original size. We have not time to tell you more about the work here, or at Saddle Mountain, where the Christian Kiowas have organized a missionary society to send a "Jesus woman" to another tribe who have never heard the gospel. The Kiowas at MRS. KATE ELLETT MURROW MARYETTA J. REESIDE AIM-DAY-CO IMMANUEL CHAPEL THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY 21 Rainy Mountain have sent offerings too, and now we can tell of the opening of "Sun- light Mission" among the Hopi Indians of Arizona. We will take a peep at this Comanche mother and pa- poose, and at this little Chey- enne brother, and this little Arapahoe sister, and let them, while they tell us of their gratitude for what Jesus wo- men have done for them, plead with us to send more such teachers to tribes who are still in darkness and on the wrong road. And now we will greet the Hopi women and girls on one COMANCHE MOTHER AND PAPOOSE A LITTLE CHEYENNE BROTHER LITTLE ARAPAHOE SISTER 22 THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY From Photograph by A. C. Vroman, Pasadena, Cal. HOPI INDIAN GIRLS of the high mesas in Arizona. It is to these people that our mission- aries have recently gone with the words of life and light. HYMN. O'er the gloomy hills of darkness, Let the Indian, let the negro, Look my soul, be still and gaze; Let the rude barbarian see All thy promises do travail That divine and glorious conquest, With a glorious day of grace; Once obtained on Calvary; Blessed jubilee, Let the gospel Let thy glorious morning dawn. Loud resound from pole to pole. Fly abroad, thou mighty gospel, Win and conquer, never cease; May thy lasting, wide dominion Multiply and still increase. Sway thy scepter, Saviour all our country round. THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY 23 GROUP OF IMMIGRANTS PASSING FROM BARGE TO RECEPTION BUILDING This picture brings ns face 'to face with immigrants just ar- riving from Europe, seeking in our " Land of the Free" advan- tages denied them in the Old World. There are all sorts. They come by hundreds of thousands annually. All are strangers in a strange land ; some are good, some are bad, some are indif- ferent, but all need friends and many need help, temporal and spiritual. And we are glad that the Society has at the landing place two such sweet spirited and intelligently helpful missionaries as Mary Melby and Maria Rapp. We look here at a group of women and girls — thrifty immigrants whom we are glad to welcome. Sometimes a group of children crying for food is found, and a mother, wan and weary, without means to satisfy their hunger. The missionary takes in the situa- tion and first brings to them the bread that perishes, and as they eat, tells them of Him who is the very Bread of Life, and who is ever ready to fill the souls of those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. Another family without money, without friends, with no place to go ; day after day they have lingered in the landing place, sit- ting on the hard thrifty immigrants benches, or harder 24 THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY MISS MARY MELBY the Bible Society with the following address : 'To the German Mis- sionary with black dress, who gave us a Testament as we landed.' It was en- couraging for me to read it. Another letter came from a family whom I had helped to start on their way to Chicago. They asked me to direct them to the kind of a church to which they should go. I did so with great pleasure, and they are regular attendants. "To-day I received a letter from a girl to whom I gave a word of advice last May. She thanks me, and says that she is now a happy, floor, while the father has sought in vain for employment. The mis- sionary looks into their despairing faces, listens to the tale of woe, and sets her wits at work. As a re- sult, employment is found and the family kindly urged to attend church services. To prove their grati- tude for kindness received they accept the invitation, listen to the Gospel, open their hearts to truth, and become members of the household of faith. SEED-BEARING FRUIT "Beautiful letters," wrote Mrs. Shiek, "come to me from immigrants, which show that the seed is bearing fruit. One of the letters was sent to MARIA RAPP THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY 25 contented, and devoted member of a Baptist church. Let God be praised ! Another bit of news came to me from a man and wife — Catholics — who were presented with a Testament, and began to read it hesitatingly, but lo! the Spirit spoke to their hearts and they believed, and are now both rejoicing in the Lord, and are members of the Baptist church." Similar testimonies are numerous. Among the European immigrants in the United States the Society is supporting about forty missionaries. But we have no time to speak of their work, for in the place of Europeans we see a group of laughing Chinese children, who are saying: "Do you know why we are so happy?" "Because we go to the kindergarten." CHINESE CHILDREN Ah Oi Ah Yuen (boy) Ah Wong 26 THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY GROUP OF CHILDREN IN OUR CHINESE KINDERGARTEN And here are more of these little Chinese who find our kindergarten in San Francisco a happy place. It is supported by Baby Band. We have a school here also for older boys and girls, and Miss Voss has been doing excellent work with Chinese children in Portland, Oregon. Here is a group of her children. Hear what they say : ■ ■mm ii i ii iiiiimii iihm i iiiimh mil ■■iiiiiiiiiniiii m i— «— «■! We love this flag! For under its folds, all are made free and happy and glad. THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY 27 We love this Name!— When to earth He came, He brought love and light and joy, And we know that into our homes When He comes He will bring the same. We are glad that our missionaries teach Chinese children to love the flag of our country, but here is a picture we like even better. Not in vain are our missionaries teaching these Chinese children, day by day, who Jesus is and what He does. Even now fruit is appearing. But the work is not confined to the children, but carried into their homes to women and older girls, otherwise shut away from opportunity to hear the Gospel. The Society is represented in the work of nine missionaries among the Chinese; the picture shows a group of them. The next picture brings us face to face with a pioneer home in the new West and recalls Miss Miller's lines : I LOVE THE WEST. I love the West, the wild, wild West; I love its snow-capped mountains; Its canons, valleys, sunny glens, Its forest's deep, and grassy fens, Its streams and dashing fountains. A GROUP OF MISSIONARIES AMONG CHINESE THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY -29 PIONEERING IN THE WEST I love the West, the new, new West; Her veins new blood is flushing; New homes, new towns, new cities rise; From every land beneath the skies New life to her is rushing. I love the West, the coming West, When all our land adorning, The Sun of Righteousness shall rise, And luminate the western skies. Oh, usher in that morning! That this vision may be realized presupposes a prompt, vigorous, and persistent gospel work. It has been truly said that what the West most needs is life — not physical life, for that is dominant — but spiritual life, the life that comes from contact with the Son of God, a knowledge of whom must be pressed upon them by the people of God. The West needs the consecrated minister — the earnest, self-sacrificing missionary. Our children there are dwelling, Neglected and astray, Whose hearts are often swelling To learn of Zion's way. Bear, bear to them the treasure, And bid the exiles come; There is no sweeter pleasure Than preaching Christ at home. Heroic men and women have toiled and are toiling as Gospel messen- gers in the West, but as yet, the fields are great, the laborers few. 30 THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY MISS BRADLEY'S CHAPEL IN SOUTH McALESTER, I. T. SOME OF THE CHILDREN IN HER MISSION SUNDAY SCHOOL We give now two pictures which illustrate some of the ways in which missionaries of the Women's Baptist Home Mission Society are helping to win the West for Christ. Miss Bradley is a missionary in South McAlester, who takes great delight in gathering boys and girls about her in the Sunday School, in the Industrial School, and in the Mission Band, and in many other ways she does what she can to make them better and happier. She tells us that she was greatly hindered in her work because she had no suitable place to gather the children. The rooms in her little home were too small, and when the children crowded in, the air was so close and warm they nearly suffocated. But what could be done to im- prove matters? Well, God helped her, and on November 10, 1899. the little chapel which you see in the picture was opened, and many a good time, not only in Industrial and Sunday Schools, have Miss Bradley and the children enjoyed there; there have been prayer meetings and preaching services, and sinners have been converted and souls saved. The building is twenty-eight feet square, and now Miss Bradley writes that it is crowded each Sunday to its utmost limit. She says, "We are praying and hoping for a great ingathering of precious souls." THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY 31 OUR MISSION GROUP AT LA PLAZITA DEL LLANO MINA S. EVERETT The first visit made to this place by any evangelical missionaries was on March 20, 1899, by the missionaries of the Women's Baptist Home Mission Society. The Lord led. From the train Mrs. Tooms and I went to a house where we were cordially received by an aged woman, very ill. A few moments of conversation led us into sweet fellowship, for she was a "secret believer." Our visits seemed to give her great joy and encouragement, and we went weekly until her spirit left its house of clay. During our first visit she directed us to a house where she thought we might hold industrial meetings. On entering this home we found a boy very ill with smallpox so were obliged to seek further, but at the next house we secured a very comfortable and well lighted room. Mrs. Padilla, the lady of the house, made the room ready and arranged seats for our class, who appear in the pic- ture. The walls of the room were neatly covered with images and pictures of saints. Our first meeting was held on Monday afternoon, March 27, 1899. OUR MISSION AT LA PLAZITA Miss Everett and Mrs Tooms (Back of the others) 32 THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY We doubted whether we would be permitted to sing a gospel song, but we ventured, and the venture won. We sang, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus," then "The Wonderful Words of Life." From that good hour the singing has been a charm and is leading them into gospel truth. In the beginning we could not use the Bible, that is we did not have it in sight, but used quotations from it. Our purpose was to first win their friendship and confidence, then we could more easily teach them. The first opening of the blessed word was with a young lady who was practicing English pronunciation. The book provided well for practice, as in one column the English is given and the opposite column has the Spanish. She was delighted with the subject and now reads from her own New Testament. Now we have an open Bible for all. A Bible lesson is given at each meeting. We are full of praise to His name because He led us on that cold, windy day to hearts and homes that are now making room for the dear Lord Jesus. Oh, that we could in some way bring Christian hearts into closer sympathy with the uncomforted, unloved Mexicans of this land. God bless the Women's Baptist Home Mission Society for the cup of loving service it is passing from door to door among these thirsty, waiting people. The work in New Mexico is not confined to the Mexicans. Miss Everett writes: "Oh, for time and space that we might tell you even one-half the need among Americans. " Tabernacle Temple THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY 33 A MORMON PATRIARCH AND HIS FAMILY. A, B, C, D, HIS FOUR WIVES. 1-23, HIS CHILDREN Enthroned in the heart of the West is Mormonism, an ecclesiastical despotism, hostile alike to American Republicanism and a pure Chris- tianity. The pictures which appropriately follow those of the tabernacle and temple well illustrate the true inwardness of the revelation of Joseph Smith concerning polygamy, and indicate the methods by which the "Saints" proposed to overrun the earth. Honorable Chas. E. Landis, in his famous speech in the Roberts case, pays a well- deserved tribute to Christian missionaries who "tracked polygamy to its lair," and who have all along stood in the way of the 34 THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY UTAH'S BEST CROP polygamist. In reply to the as- sertion of Brigham H. Roberts, that but for woman's hysteria, all would be well in Utah, Mr. Landis says : "It is true that woman, the American woman, is the head and front of this uprising, and I believe the gentleman from Utah has unconsciously paid the wo- manhood of America the highest tribute it has received. And why should she not be the head and front of this movement? Whom does it concern more than woman? • The home is her world, and whatever menaces the peace or the security or the sanctity of that home is a war upon her. This is the reason she waged such relentless warfare against human slavery. This is the reason she hates whisky, and, whatever the shortcomings of the American man, he knows that woman is right, and his love and affection for her are in proportion as her standard is high and her rule inflexible. '"The hysteria of women!' Had the gentleman been on Sinai with Moses when he received the Ten' Commandments he would have pro- nounced the Decalogue an evidence of the 'hysteria' of God. This is not the 'hysteria of women.' It is the voice of sober, settled, womanly conviction. It is the cry of threatened honor. It is the plea for the home and the protest against the harem. To the everlasting honor and glory of American manhood be it said that at this time the voice of woman does not fall on deaf ears. It has been heard and will be heeded. The Representative from Utah will be sent back to his church and his people, and following him should be sent an amendment to the Federal Constitution that will settle for all time the question of polygamy. "And in this connection I want to say that there have been some sneering allusions made to the gentle and refined and womanly woman who organized this movement. It has been suggested by the gentleman from Utah that she had better give her attention to sin and wickedness nearer home. She is giving her attention to sin and wickedness nearer home. Her work is and always has been practical, but her field is limitless, and her resources, thank God, apparently inexhausti- THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY 35 ble. As a practical business woman she saw how futile it would be to grapple with vice in the slums of New York while the same vice was permitted to flourish as the dogma of an al- leged religion in the new States of the West, and at the same time receive the tacit indorse- ment of the American Congress. Hence her organization of this force, which organization has aroused the nation and attracted the attention of the civilized world." A nation that's righteous, exalted shall be; 'Tis the voice of Jehovah in our land of the free, Let the deeds of the people conform to this word, And the voice of each patriot sing praise to the Lord. SENORA CARMEN ROMERO RUBIO DE DIAZ First Lady of Mexico United for service, a brotherhood blest, May Columbia's sons lead the nations Jo rest, And the sweet song of freedom from hearts brave and true, Honor God as the God of the red, white, and blue. Thrice blessed the nation whose God is the Lord, Whose glories are fadeless, whose guide is the Word ; Proclaim through the world that in freedom they stand, Where the sceptre of Jesus holds sway o'er the land. MEXICO We cross the Rio Grande and entering the capital city of our sister republic, Mexico, salute the first lady of the land. The president's wife represents a small but wealthy and cultured class OUR KINDERGARTNER, BESSIE RICHARDS 36 THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY A MEXICAN HOME (PEONS) of Mexicans. There is a more numerous, but still comparatively small, ele- ment in the population known as "middle class" people, but the masses are the peons or laborers. Our missionaries visit among the lower and mid- dle classes of people, but have little access to the abodes of the exclusive wealthy classes. Their most promising work is with the children, whom they find in their visits and gather into industrial and Sunday schools. Our kin- OUR KINDERGARTEN IN THE CITY OF MEXICO THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY 37 dergarten in the City of Mexico deserves more than a mention in passing. Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico's Virgin Mary, "Mother of God," as they call her, is practically all the Savior they know. We have only time for a moment to look at this picture, and then at this group of seven mis- sionaries, supported by the Society among twelve millions of. Rome-blinded Mexicans. Ah ! to break the bonds of this Papal slave, To lift her out of her deep-dug grave, And tell her the power of Jesus to save, There was never a blood-bought soul, I trow, Unwilling to send, or unready to go To the succor of blinded Mexico. By way of a summary look a moment at the map of the United States and Mexico, on our lady of guadalupe which is seen the mission stations at which missionaries of the Society labored during the year closing March 31, 1902. The stations number 107, the missionaries 160, and their fields included Americans, Asiatic, and European immigrants, Indians, Negroes, and Mexicans. And now are we through? No. What is wanting? Who are waiting? Our Islands are waiting. Song: MISSIONARIES AMONG MEXICANS Susan E. Jones Esther Galvan Theresa Leal Maria Mendoza Paula Barocio Tooms Helen Barnes Roberts Francisca Salas Jennie G. Bristol THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY 39 THE ISLANDS ARE WAITING FOR THEE. REV. W. O. CUSHING. O Saviour, we pray Thee, send out Thy sweet light Far o'er the wide heaving sea; The nations in darkness are longing for day, The islands, the islands are wait- ing for Thee. Inspire with Thy presence. O Saviour divine, The people who know of Thy love, That forth to the isles of the sea may be borne The message, the message of grace from above. O, send now, we pray Thee, some herald of Thine, Some souls that with peace Thoti has blest; O bid them go forth to the nations in chains, And tell them, and tell them of Jesus and rest. One missionary, Miss Ida Hayes, represents the Society in Porto Rico, of whom Rev. Hugh P. McCormick says: "Miss Hayes is working hard and wisely. We are just beginning a new station up in the mountains at Caguas, and she will be of great assistance . to the native pastor in getting things organized. You are to be congratulated in having secured such a woman to represent you here." But is one missionary enough to represent the Society in Porto Rico? And what about Cuba? Miss Anna Barkley, who had spent five years in mission work in India and fourteen years among the colored people in our own land, was the first missionary sent to this people. She arrived in Santiago on November 1, 1900. In her first letter she writes: "In every direction doors are opening and new opportunities coming. The faces are so eager and interested as they hear the Gospel. Pray for us that we may be able to do the great work before us." During the latter part of 1900 Miss Effie Purdy was also commissioned to work in Cuba, being located at Puerto Principe, in a province ad- joining the one where Miss Barkley had begun work. Miss Purdy had spent some time among Spanish-speaking people, knew the language, and was well fitted to do effective work from the first. But what are two among so many? Ought we to do more? If we ought, we can. Will we? IDA HAYES Our Missionary in Porto Rico 40 THE WOMEN'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY MISS ANNA BARKLEY MISS EFFIE PURDY At Santiago At Puerto Principe Look from Thy sphere of endless day, O God of mercy and of might! In pity look on those who stray, Benighted in this world of light. In peopled vale, in lonely glen, In crowded mart, by stream or sea, How many of the sons of men Hear not the message sent from Thee ! Send forth Thy heralds, Lord, to call The thoughtless young, the hardened old, A scattered, homeless flock, till all Be gathered to Thy peaceful fold. Send them Thy mighty Word to speak, Till faith shall dawn and doubt depart, To awe the bold, to stay the weak, And bind and heal the broken heart. Then all these wastes, a dreary scene, That make us sadden as we gaze, Shall grow with living waters green, And lift to heaven the voice of praise. Published by the Women's Baptist Home Mission Society, 241 1 Indiana Ave., Chicago. Price, 10c. Slides for the stereopticon, corresponding with the cuts in this sketch, or for an evening with the workers among Freed People, Indians, Mexicans, Mormons, Chinese, or at Immigrant Landing Place, may be arranged for by writing to above address. Party to pay express charges and replacement in case of breakage. MARY G. BURDETTE, Corresponding Secretary. -