to go into a full description of all their magnificent labors for the Lord. Our Biolans on the mission fields are men and women of whom we are truly proud, and for whom we give God thanks. May their numbers increase in all parts of the world! I am dedicating myself anew to the task of trying to enlist more and more young men and women for the regions beyond. The needs there are a thousand-fold greater than any in this land. From Champa we took a “ Pullman” for Poona. This is merely a rack along the side of the train on which you can sleep if you have spent a lifetime accustoming yourself to it! Even with the blankets the missionaries furnished us, the two nights and a day it took to cross the country seemed endless. What a great pleasure it was to be met by Don Hillis! But immediately he announced, “ I hope you fellows have a little strength left, for we have planned a great Youth for Christ meeting tonight in the heart of the city.” We agreed to put ourselves in his hands. “ But first,” I de manded, “ lead me to a bathtub where I can remove the first layer of this real estate!” I had about concluded that the grime had become a permanent part of my frame. We were first taken to the home of a converted Hindu, Mr. Singh, and then to the Youth meeting attended by 600 young people, among them many Hindus. After Dr. Bauman gave his testimony, I preached a gospel message, at the close of which twenty-five young people made decisions for the Lord. These youth meetings in India appeal to me greatly for they combine a happy informality with real dignity and reverence. Leaving Dr. Bauman in Poona for Lord’s Day services, I went to Kedgaon to visit the Mission there, about thirty miles beyond the city limits of Poona. Ramabai Mukti Mission I was deeply impressed with the work of the Ramabai Mukti Mission, which was founded sixty years ago by one of the first women scholars of India, Pandita Ramabai, now listed among the world’s ten greatest women of all time. Led to Christ through reading the Word of God given her by a missionary, she was responsible not only for revolutionary changes in the national attitude toward women, but under God she built a unique rescue mission for child widows, illegitimate, abandoned and blind girls. Since her death in 1922, the Lord has raised up other leaders who have faith fully carried out her policies. The family now numbers 700, in addition to a staff of 16 women, among them three of our Biola graduates, Carol Terry, Virginia Nickerson and Eliza beth Stone. Another Biola graduate, Lillian Duerksen, is under appointment and will join the staff next year. I was introduced to the family as they were gathered on the grass of the compound for a Bible lesson from their teachers. It was hard to believe that each of those charming, clean, well-cared-for, happy little Indian girls had a tragic story.
For instance, there was one small fifteen-year-old who had run away from her husband again and again because he beat and burned her. When she took refuge with her parents, they also beat her and sent her back to her-brutal mate who had taken another wife. She finally found her way to the Mission and begged them to take her in, which they did when they saw her lacerated body. She cannot remember when she was married—she was so young. She prays she may remain at Mukti. Another tiny girl was found in a dreadful thorn bush by some of the Mission children who heard her crying and thought she was a kitten. Apparently she had been thrown from a train and her body was pierced from head to foot with thorns. We had the joy of seeing what a gay normal little girl, with a real love of the Lord, she had become. It was most touching to see the little blind girls. But in spite of their sightless eyes, they had radiant smiles on their faces as they gave me the Eastern greeting, "Salaam,” or “ Peace.” I preached in the church auditorium, a spacious building, constructed in the form of a cross under the direction of Pandita Ramabai herself, and ideal for evangelistic services. The villagers came to the services, and with the Mission family, comprise a congregation of about 1500. The singing was wonderful, the hearty voices and glad faces reminding me of the converted head-hunters in Borneo. I couldn’t under stand the words, but I knew the meaning and joined with ail my heart as they sang, “ Praise Him, praise Him, Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!” During the prayer, you could have heard a pin drop. Even the littlest tot bowed reverently with clasped hands, and when the native pastor concluded his prayer, all joined in a hearty “ Amen!” In all, I had four services there, and was shown all over the 150-acre Mission compound, equivalent to a tour of a small city. As I was conducted to Pandita Ramabai’s grave, I could not but reflect upon the mighty work, that God had done through one lone woman who had surrendered her life wholly to Him. An impressive baptismal service took place before we left. This is the step that really costs the Hindu, Thousands of the educated people in India call themselves Christians who are only nominal believers and know nothing of being born again, but when one is baptized, he is really ostracized from his family and native religion. South India I want to make reference to the work of Mr. and Mrs. Fricke among the villagers of India. This is the real India; there are a hundred million of these simple village people, and they are a fertile field for the preaching of the gospel. We drove one ( hundred and fifty miles southeast of Mysore in a 1930 Ford to reach their station. Our way lay through dense jungles where monkeys, tigers and deer abounded. We came close to running into a herd of wild elephants, and saw many beautifully-colored birds. Beyond the jungle we came to the Gobi district, a great plain dotted with thousands of villages where the Frickes labor. The missionary called them to services; they have no timepieces at all. The meetings were held in the little churches built of mud, with straw roofs, seating about 100. After the services, the people plied us with questions such as, “ Have you a wife? What does she look like? Has she as much hair as you have? Can she cook curry? What do you eat in America? Are your -churches as large as ours?” We answered through our interpreter until midnight. As the people cannot read or write, the missionaries are the only ones who have any books. But they have committed to memory hundreds of our hymns, and while we were there, they must have sung more than an hour, with very deep feeling. You could not but love these people. They were so appreciative of our visit, and as we went from village to village, they welcomed us by placing garlands about our necks. We really felt a little like the apostles must have felt! T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
Baptismal scene at the Ramabai Mukti Mission, Kedgaon, Poona District.
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