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LIBRARY OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 
 
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 BV 3280 .D52 B84 1926 
 
 Building on the Rock 
 

 
 
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BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
uoHeIg OMsyesueaq eEMeYH 
 
 
 

 
 For other foundation can no man lay than 
 that is laid which is Jesus Christ—I Cor. 3:11. 
 
 An account of the first quarter of a century of mis- 
 sion work done by the American Mennonite Mission, 
 Hhamtarr. 6. rie India 
 1899 — 1924 
 
 Written by the missionaries. 
 
 MENNONITE PUBLISHING HOUSE 
 
 Scottdale, Pennsylvania 
 

 
 The Tree Underneath which Bro. Ressler and Bro. A. D. Wenger First 
 Lived in an Improvised Hut 
 
 Copyright, 1926, by Mennonite Publishing House 
 
DEDICATION 
 
 To the workers of 
 The American Mennonite Mission 
 both Tretian and American 
 who have laid down their hves in the service 
 that Christ might be made known to the people 
 in the field of 
 The American Mennonite Mission 
 
 this volume is affectionately dedicated 
 

 
 J. S. Shoemaker, President of the Mennonite Evangelizing and 
 Benevolent Board at the time of the merger of this Board with the 
 Mennonite Board of Charitable Homes and Missions in May, 1906, 
 became the secretary of the consolidated Bcard which has since that 
 time been known as the Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities. 
 He held this position until 1921, when he was succeeded as secre- 
 tary by S. C. Yoder, ‘the present incumbent, since which time he 
 has been a member of the Executive or Mission Committee. 
 
 3ro. Shoemaker was delegated by the General Mission Board to 
 visit the mission field of the American Mennonite Mission at Dham- 
 
 tari, India. Accompanied by Bro. J. S. Hartzler, he spent six months 
 in India, 1910-11. 
 
Chapter 
 
 VI. 
 VIL. 
 VIIL. 
 IX, 
 ne 
 Kl 
 xi 
 XIII. 
 XIV. 
 XV. 
 XVI. 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 Page 
 lpdhamarnnnteldeywyid nooks S1ypncy eon, Serer ere ep San ony pee 9 
 SEC NINOS Ol Liem VV OL kit) LNC1ae.c, sens. cus pos 13 
 Pe eta iow ee OLCTO I Pal OU dD Caye..cert, cents 2h 18 
 MCL ON Ope CMG LOWanee, sues dies. ,siesee eercr stern 27 
 heer aya babee Maat (Elaphe ab bay wh co ea ee ha eer 4] 
 PU eCtwe la 1S GAIGIN bviircs tamer, Mectasyeeeetccttes tea. 54 
 Parone eieLl OMLCLESS ene: er tes tecsescers sees ence 69 
 BA emevidti Toit pO melt ca Miia vet tir veers sepa 89 
 Age be hei ter Wal eqci via ¥en Leh uel aise ha eady in ee eA 103 
 TOTMEB Ure Cag ad aVsy Nl Bea ees Pepe wires Lee ren RRA oer ene 116 
 WM CripkaeenT OL On tC Ie CDG Snes mactees A recteene nace: -k 126 
 aie sedi ote licie a VV OG creat. tt scree oot cack 137 
 eiemeLaiie  ISilem OW LISSION ALLIES wees. eaytae cess 143 
 TES WYS a SAK ace Brg Ae asi rian ee PSOE 2 ere rm 154 
 tee RADICAL GD CLOUCSIO tere sestcs facecctafeeatesctetoee 8: 174 
 PLU ELLLCME LE) AU ameerses eceat ct etrnree acs cc sponte ates 189 
 oho Wega giethalds Thole) ia Fe ppm cteese tlre res Sirti t SeaeE 193 
 Appendix 
 

 
 Geo. L. Bender was appointed Secretary pro tem of the Menno- 
 nite Evangelizing and Benevolent Board oi America in 1892 to fill 
 the vacancy caused by the ‘death of Joseph Summers. He was 
 elected Treasurer of the Board at the next regular meeting, January, 
 1893, and was associated continuously with the missionary organiza- 
 tions of the Church, either as Secretary or Treasurer, ‘until May, 
 1906. He was elected General Treasurer of the Mennonite Board of 
 Missions and Char:ties at Rittman, Ohio, at the time when the 
 Mennonite Evangelizing and Benevolent Board and the Mennonite 
 Board of Charitable Homes and Missions were merged. 
 
 Brother Bender was an ardent worker in his field, and the work 
 of the Board was very materially strengthened by his sacrificial 
 labors. His health failing, an assistant became necessary, though 
 he was continued in his position of General Treasurer until the time 
 of his death, in 1921. Brother Vernon E. Reiff was -chosen his 
 assistant in 1918, and was elected as his successor in 1921. 
 
INTRODUCTORY 
 
 The Preacher hath said, “Of making many books there is no end.” 
 No one with his eyes open can deny the truthfulness of this statement. 
 Countless in number, incomprehensible as to the extent of subject matter, 
 and limitless in power of character moulding are the books that are pub- 
 lished and scattered broadcast over the world in this present age. 
 
 Whether of a historical, scientific, ethical, or religious nature, books 
 are of great value and greatly to be appreciated, provided their contents 
 when read are helpful in storing the mind with such facts, truths, and 
 information as will inspire the individual to truly love the Lord, and lead 
 the reader to walk worthy of Him in every phase of life and service. 
 
 As one interested in a special way in the mission activities of the 
 Church, it affords me real joy to be permitted to call attention to the 
 valuable contents of this volume. We believe it is the product of love 
 en the part of our devoted missionaries in India, through which they are 
 enabled to convey to the supporters of the work, and to the Church in general 
 in the homeland, a bird’s-eye view of the work that has been accom- 
 plished through the grace of God by the consecrated workers of the 
 American Mennonite Mission in the Central Provinces of India during the 
 past quarter century. 
 
 All who are filled with the missionary spirit, and interested in the 
 foreign mission activities of the Church, in extending the borders of Christ’s 
 kingdom among the heathen in India and elsewhere, will certainly appre- 
 ciate having the privilege of being in possession of this unique volume which 
 is not only a storehouse of missionary information, but a memorial. of the 
 twenty-fifth anniversary of our India Mission activities as well. May the 
 same serve our beloved brotherhood as a monument marking the end of 
 two and one half decades since the founding of the Mennonite Mission 
 Stelonanitariet, india: 
 
 Brother J. A. Ressler and Dr. W. B. Page and wile were our pioneer 
 missionaries, commissioned by the Mennonite Evangelizing and Benevolent 
 Board, and sent forth to bring both physical and spiritual relef to 
 
10 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 multitudes in India who were hungering for both body and soul food in 
 that dark land of heathendom. 
 
 The writer of this introductory message had the privilege of being 
 present in the special mission meeting which was held in the Mennonite 
 church, Elkhart, Ind., November 4, 1898, when hands were officially laid 
 upon the three aforenamed persons as they received their sacred commission. 
 
 On March 24, 1899, the newly-appointed missionaries landed in India, 
 the field of labor to which they had been officially assigned. After careful 
 investigation and much needed preparation, work was opened November 
 22, 1899, in the vicinity of Dhamtari, C. P., India, by this small band of 
 workers. 
 
 The work that was founded by our missionaries at that time had a 
 small beginning, consisting of but one mission station with only three 
 workers at the missionary helm, but through the providence of God, and 
 the earnest, faithful, and prayerful efforts put forth on the part of the 
 mission forces that have from time to time been mustered into the 
 missionary ranks during the past quarter century, the small mission twig 
 has, steadily grown until the same has become a large well-developed 
 evergreen tree in the branches of which hundreds of men, women and 
 children have found refuge, and have been safely sheltered from the 
 ravages of sin, and the satanic practices and superstitions of heathendom. 
 
 Having been officially connected with the General Mission Board and 
 its activities for the last several decades, and having been (with Bro. J. S. 
 Hartzler) delegated by said Board over a decade ago, to visit our mission 
 forces in India to get a view of the field and its needs at close range, and 
 look into the nature and scope of the work as carried on by the missionaries 
 who were then laboring for the extension of the Master’s kingdom in that 
 land of heathendom, and after spending six months in that land of spiritual 
 darkness, we were greatly encouraged to note the progress that had been 
 made in the various phases of the work which had been established in that 
 idolatrous country, and were assured by our investigations and observations 
 of the field and its needs that the same is indeed “white already to harvest.” 
 
 An itemized and systematically arranged report of the growth of the 
 work, consisting of the number and nature of mission institutions estab- 
 lished. the number of native workers and foreign missionaries that have 
 been in the harness, the number of souls that have been converted and 
 added to the Church, and the extent of the relief, medical, educational, and 
 industrial work that has been done during the past twenty-five years, is 
 given in this interesting volume for the benefit of all who are interested 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 11 
 
 in the Lord’s work in India. In fact, the missionaries have spared no means 
 in making this special Anniversary Report of special interest to all who have 
 ‘the cause of Missions at heart. 
 
 We sincerely hope that this Missionary Memento will be welcomed 
 into every Mennonite home in America, and we trust that its contents will 
 be carefully read and studied in order more fully to comprehend the nature 
 and extent of the work already done, and impart to the reader a more 
 complete knowledge of the possibilities and needs of the India Field, and 
 thus be imbued and constrained through love toward Christ and His work, 
 not only to pray earnestly for the extension of the Lord’s work in India, 
 but, as faithful stewards, to give liberally of the means entrusted to us for 
 the support and extension of His work in all the world. 
 
 J. S. Shoemaker. 
 
‘TR6, 4eoA npulfy 
 ayy JO yyesiveq YI 10 “G “VY HZ6I-S-6 Pred 
 
 “ATBSSIDIU VUTOJIG JIAO JL pynoys 
 0} Poettajot oq APU JI yey} Japs1oO ur sono; Aw 
 yO uorssassod [[nf url Suloq }diede1 sty} UsIM oAeY 
 J, Wostor SIq}-1Oq° “WIe]D o10Ul ou. SsABY J ‘9911 
 24} YPM Soseoid yt JeyYM Op AeW UOISSIPT 94, ‘aT qIS 
 -uodsot oq [JIM J ‘osTe} posopisuod oq ]yeYys yr uo 
 -oafqo ayeul Ja9A9 9UO AUB P[noOYS ‘suorjefqo Aue 
 Joyo ued sjuepusdsap AUT JOU J] JaYyIaU UOTJORSUeI} 
 sIq} UJ ‘“yuNIgG ‘Dy ‘VY ‘Juesy ‘UOISSIP, aUuOUUDTY 
 URITIOUIY 94} JO puNnOdUIOD 9Y4} ZpIsUL SuUIpUe}s JU 
 0} SuIsuUO[Iq 9913 OSuPU eB (UOISSIPY 94} 0}) UOTSsas 
 -sod 19A0 UdAIS pue (IAT Soodny) /¢ ‘sy Jo wns 
 oy} JOJ pjos ‘a}ep s Aep-0O} uo oALY ‘Indiey 4oII}sIp 
 
 ‘Tieyweyd jo jJUapiset ‘soutsey eB UOT}ednd90 Aq ‘a}sed 
 
 TayeyYyD 9Y4} Jo ‘Sursureyy) jo uos ‘sulssouinsg ‘7 
 
 Idldogda 
 
 
 
(Clebsveth cate I 
 
 BEGINNINGS OF THE WORK IN INDIA 
 
 Byejooe. Wessler 
 
 “How did the American Mennonite Mission happen to be established 
 in India?” 
 
 My dear friend, it didn’t happen. The work at Dhamtari was planned 
 by 'the Master long before those who were privileged to be with it in the 
 beginning were prepared to be associated with it. 
 
 The rainfall of 1896 was short over a large part of India and there 
 came as a result the famine of 1897. It “happened” that Elder George 
 Lambert was on his trip around the world during the early months of that 
 famine. He came home, told what he saw of suffering as a result of the 
 famine, and awakened the sympathy of the Mennonite people. Later Elder 
 Lambert was sent back to India to represent our people and to see that 
 their means were properly distributed for famine relief. 
 
 It was natural to realize that the souls of the poor in India were more 
 precious than their bodies. If it was worth while to send help for the 
 starving, was it not more important to see to their spiritual welfare? 
 
 But who should go? 
 
 There were no mission study classes and no volunteer bands in the 
 Mennonite Church in those days. 
 
 In many a crisis the issue hung on the question of who should go. 
 There was no question as to whether Goliath should be slain or not, but 
 who should go to do it? Saul had a family and a kingdom to think about 
 and he could not go. Eliab, valiant as he was, had interests that kept him 
 from going as a volunteer. Little David—hlessed thought for the modern 
 missionarv—did not need to go in his own strength. ‘The people of Israel 
 needed some one to warn them and to give them a very unwelcome message 
 in the days of Isaiah, but even the Lord asked the question, “Whom shall 
 I send, and who will go for us?’ 
 
 
 
 Beginning of the Call 
 
 In the latter part of the year 1897 a call was issued through the Herald 
 of Truth for volunteers to go to India and open mission work. The 
 
14 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 
 
 An Ocean Liner 
 
 Mennonite [vangelizing and Benevolent Board, then the Mission Board 
 of the Church, appointed an examining committee to determine the 
 qualifications of those who should offer to go. Several persons wrote letters 
 of inquiry as a result of these steps, but for a whole year no one made an 
 unqualified offer to go. 
 
 The conferences of 1898 were fraught with meaning to the mission 
 cause in the Mennonite Church. In the Southwestern Pennsylvania 
 Mennonite Conference, after a deeply spiritual meeting, in which the mission 
 cause had been strongly presented, a call was made for volunteeers to 
 pray every day that some one from that district should be sent to the 
 foreign held. A number rose to signify their willingness thus to pray. 
 
 Eleven days after the close of this conference the Mennonite Evan- 
 gelizing and Benevolent Board met at Wakarusa, Indiana. The day 
 following the Mennonite General Conference met at the same place. On 
 the 4th of November the Home and Foreign Relief Commission met at 
 Elkhart, Ind. In the intervals between these meetings special meetings 
 were held and in these special meetings the mission spirit ran high. 
 
 In the meantime the Lord was making preparations for the work He 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 15 
 
 had to do. Dr. W. B. Page was at this time a practicing physician at 
 Middlebury, Ind. Some years before, while a student, he had become a 
 volunteer for foreign mission work. He had allowed the matter to rest, 
 although the old resolution was not forgotten. Just before the fall 
 conference season of 1898, Dr. Page and his family underwent a season 
 of severe trial. The only child, a daughter, was stricken with a severe 
 Iness and all that medical skill could devise failed to help her. When she 
 was lying at the point of death a second child was Dorn sto; them. in the 
 midst of these testings the missionary call again became very forcible. In 
 talking it over with his wife, Bro. Page asked the question, then so often 
 suggested to earnest Christians by Sheldon’s book, “What would Jesus 
 do?” She replied with emphasis, “He would say, GO.” And so it was 
 that on the 4th of November, 1898, Dr. Page appeared before the examining 
 Committee and passed with the understanding that he should be sent when 
 a minister was found to accompany him. 
 An Important Meeting 
 
 On the afternoon of November 4, 1898, a meeting was called by bro. 
 
 
 
 Railway Station, Dhamtari 
 
16 BUTDDANG ON TEHHReROCK 
 
 M. S. Steiner, in the Mennonite Church at Elkhart, to consider definitely 
 the work of selecting missionaries to open work in some foreign field. It 
 was felt that something definite should be done and that talk shouid give 
 way to action. Some spoke of their willingness to go, but there were 
 hindrances which kept them at home. One spoke of his family and the 
 debts that hung over his property. The writer had no property on which 
 to have debts and some months before this his home had been broken up 
 by the death of his life companion, so he felt that these “hindrances” did 
 not apply to him. He arose to urge caution that we do not allow God’s 
 blessings to hinder us in His work, and asked whether others who felt 
 that their families were a hindrance in God’s work, were willing to have 
 their hindrances removed in the way they had been from the writer. Then, 
 continuing, he said what he had no notion of saying when he began, but 
 seemingly urged on by an irresistible power, that, since he was not bound 
 by family ties, he was willing to go where the Lord called, no matter where 
 that call led, whether to remain in America and work on in an obscure 
 place unobserved, or to go to Africa or India or to any other part of the 
 world. 
 
 Others expressed themselves as personally interested in mission work, 
 but with more or less indefiniteness as to their own relation to it. Bro. 
 D. H. Bender in a few earnest words urged definite action. He appealed 
 to the members of the Board and of the Examining Committee present, 
 saying that, since volunteers had offered themselves, the responsibility 
 rested with those who had the appointing to do, and there was no longer 
 any excuse for delay on the ground of having no workers to go. 
 
 Lhe members of the Examining Committee held a hasty consultation 
 and announced that at the close of the evening evangelistic service a 
 decision would be announced. 
 
 At the close of the afternoon meeting the writer went with Bro. Aaron 
 Loucks, with whom he was at this time associated as pastor at Scottdale, 
 Pa., to a private room, where the time until the evening meeting was spent 
 in fasting and prayer. Very definitely the matter was committed to the 
 Lord, the prayer was offered that the men who should make the important 
 decision might have wisdom and grace to do the right and best thing, no 
 matter what personal inclinations might stand in the way. Having thus 
 disposed of the matter, they felt that the men who should decide would 
 certainly express God’s will concerning them in this matter. 
 
 Aiter the evening meeting fifteen bishops and one minister went into 
 the council room of the church, and those who had spoken of volunteering 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 17 
 
 that afternoon were called before them. A statement was asked of each 
 of these. After hearing these statements, one after another of the bishops 
 came and placed his hand on the shoulder of the writer, and said, “This 
 is the man.” 
 
 So it was that Dr. W. B. Page with his wife and child and J. A. Ressler 
 came to be sent as the first foreign missionaries of the Mennonite Church 
 in America. 
 
 God’s guidance aid control were as evident in His opening of the 
 hearts of the people in the Church at home as His later blessing on and 
 direct control of the beginning of the work on the field. 
 
 
 
 Balai Mata Temple, Dhamtari. The priest is seen standing in the inner door 
 
CTEA TT ER aur 
 
 LEARNING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE 
 
 . “~ ax ~ ~~ Nn xX 
 ith PNR A aa SB Sar cae Taw TH sea aoa waarat ga 
 fo ix Gt Ss sa ox Tears Bl a 4 WH UR err Her ore | 
 AEA 2. 2G. ( In Hindi ) 
 Kyonki Ishwar ne jagat ko aisa pyar kiya ki us ne apna eklautha putr 
 diya ki jo koi us par bishwas kare so nash na hoy parantu anant jiwan 
 
 pawe. Yohan 3:16. (In Roman characters) 
 John 3:16 in Hindi. 
 
 The first formidable undertaking of the foreign missionary is the study 
 of the language, manners, and customs of the people among whom he came 
 to work. In the case of our missionaries the language is Hindi. In the 
 first quotation above you will note the peculiar characters of this language. 
 The characters are called the Deva-Nagari characters, same as the original 
 Sanskrit from which Hindi is derived. Sanskrit is one of the oldest if not 
 the oldest of all languages. The chief language spoken in the Central 
 Provinces is Hindi though other languages and dialects are also spoken. 
 Urdu is spoken in some parts, Marathi is spoken in other parts, while in 
 our own mission field, Chhattisgarhi, a dialect of Hindi, is spoken very 
 largely. Gondi and Oriya are also spoken in parts of our field. 
 
 Chhattisgarhi Dialect 
 
 As already noted, Chhattisgarhi is a dialect of Hindi. It is a corrupt 
 form of Hindi and is spoken by several millions of people. It is so different 
 from Hindi that persons who know Hindi only are not able to converse 
 with the people nor understand what they say. This is very annoying to 
 the new missionary for he is usually anxious to try his Hindi on any one 
 who is willing to listen and when he finds that he cannot understand what 
 the people say he is discouraged. On one occasion one of our missionaries 
 gave careful] instructions to one cf the servants in what he thought was 
 good Hindi but the servant answered, “Sahib, I do not understand 
 English.” Literature in Chhattisgarhi is very scant. There is a grammar 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 19 
 
 written by a former school teacher of Dhamtari. Besides this book there 
 are only three gospels translated into the dialect—Mark, Luke and John. 
 The last was translated by one of our missionaries. 
 
 There is a large admixture of Urdu spoken with Hindi in this part of 
 India. Urdu is derived from the Persian and Arabic languages and is 
 written in the Perso-Arabic character. It is read from right to left similar 
 to Hebrew and has many words in common with Hebrew. Missionaries 
 of our mission find it necessary to learn many Urdu words to add to their 
 Hindi vocabulary. It is the language of the courts and all legal documents 
 that are written in the vernacular are written in Urdu. 
 
 Hindi is not as difficult as some of the Indian languages, such as 
 Marathi and Tamil, for instance. . Still, most missionaries find it hard 
 enough. [lindi grammar is not really difficult and with close application 
 may be easily learned. Idiom is a different thing. There is a constant 
 temptation to translate literally into Hindi from English but in most cases 
 the translation means nothing. One of our missionaries told a coolie who 
 had lost his temper and was giving vent to abusive language to keep his 
 mouth shut. The next day the coolie came with a big’ cloth tied over his 
 mouth. When he was asked what was the matter he replied that the day 
 Berbice she }was ordered to tie ‘his .mouth- shut. . Gender also causes 
 considerable trouble. There are two genders—masculine and feminine—and 
 all words that do not indicate sex are divided between the two genders 
 there being no very well defined rules to go by. There are no prepositions 
 in the language but plenty of postpositions. The inflection of the verb is 
 not determined in all cases by the subject but by the number and gender 
 of the word immediately preceding the verb. 
 
 Hindi has fourteen vowels and thirty-five consonants. Most of out 
 missionaries would be satisfied with this number but in addition they have 
 to struggle with a large number of conjunct consonants. To make matters 
 still worse there are differences in the initial and medial and final forms 
 of the letters, in many cases bearing only the slightest resemblance to the 
 letter as it stands alone. Some of the letters are very difficult to pronounce. 
 iiicmiauespectally trie of the nasal “n*, the cerebral “d’s’” and .“t’s”’ and 
 all the aspirates. The soft “r’ gives most missionaries a lot of trouble. 
 Failure to pronounce these and other letters correctly gives a very bad 
 sound to the missionary’s conversation and public speaking and though 
 the polite Indians do not laugh in his presence, bad pronunciation forms 
 the occasion for many a mirthful hour when the missionary is not present. 
 One redeeming feature in the study of Hindi is the fact that it is phonetic 
 
 99 99 
 
20 BUILDING ON THE-ROCK 
 
 which makes it possible to pronounce almost any word without any outside 
 help. } 
 
 Language study in India is usually different from the study of 
 languages in a college at home. There are two language schools here but 
 they are conducted in the hills and thus far away from us. The usual 
 method is to employ an Indian teacher who, for a consideration of ten or 
 fifteen dollars a month, is willing to allow the missionary to dig out of him 
 all he can. This teacher is supposed to correct the pupil’s pronunciation 
 and help him in the meaning of words and idioms for the pupil must begin 
 at the beginning just as a six year old child when he first goes to school. 
 This method is a distinct advantage over studying the language in schools, 
 for the vernacular is spoken all around him even in another dialect and his 
 aim is to learn to speak to the people around him and understand what 
 the people are saying to him. Also he is very anxious to speak the Word 
 of Life in public service at the earliest opportunity. By reading, by trying 
 to speak, by hearing the language, his eyes and ears and mouth make 
 rapid adjustments to the strange sounds as a reward for his patient, 
 persistent efforts. | 
 
 For the purpose of guiding our missionaries in their study of the 
 language a special course of study has been prepared. The original course 
 was one of two years. It was later revised and enlarged to a four vears’ 
 course which appears below. 
 
 Course of Study for Missionaries. 
 
 First Year First lessons in Hindi (Dann). How to speak Hindustani 
 (Rogers). 
 Hindi First and Second Books. (C. P. Government and 
 Christian Literature Society.) 
 John and Acts and Line Upon Line—Hind1. 
 Orient Reader No. 1 Translation from English to Hindi. 
 Dictation exercises. 
 Second Year Hindi Prose Composition (Dann). For reference Greaves’ 
 Hindi Grammar. 
 Hindi Vhird, BookY (CPs Government and Ge aogm 
 Matthew, Mark, Luke, -Line Upon Line; Pt) 1 iieana 
 Dharam Tula—Hindi. ; 
 Orient Reader No. 2 English to Hindi. 
 
 Third Year Greaves’ Grammar 
 Fourth, Book. (CP Gove and) Guba oocietws: 
 Romans to Revelation and Sat Mat Nirupan 
 
 Orient Reader No. 3 English to Hindi. 
 Mark and Luke in Chhattisgarhi. Chhattisgarhi dictation 
 from an Indian. 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 21 
 
 Fourth Year Urdu Grammar. Hindustani Idiom (Hooper). 
 Pag Mina the Ooi Gearts le & IT Ge PY Gove and’ Cal. 
 SOCa: 
 
 Kellogg’s Hindi Grammar for reference. 
 Gospels and Acts in Roman Urdu—Mizan ud Din in Urdu. 
 Orient Reader No. 4 English to Hindi. 
 
 This course was in use by the Mission for a number of vears when 
 various missions of the Hindi and Urdu speaking areas of India Laie 
 to adopt one general course for all Hindi speaking workers and one for all 
 Urdu speaking workers. The proposal received favorable se ene 
 by nearly all missions working in these areas and a course was adopted 
 which, having been revised from time to time, is now the prescribed course 
 of study for a large number of missionaries working among many millions 
 of people. Representatives from the various missions constitute a Joint 
 Examining Board and this Board is responsible for the courses of study 
 and for holding semi-annual oral and written examinations in convenient 
 centers. This Board meets once every four years to consider any matters 
 that will make for efficiency in the language. The course of study has 
 been adopted by our mission whose missionaries have been taking the 
 
 examinations according to it since 1912. We print the course below: 
 First Course in Hindi. 
 Pm VEL Oli ttimd iheglITC ta lt, so) ied note ts soe etal etal (150 marks) 
 This is a qualifying examination. Candidates failing in this are 
 not permitted to take the written examinations. 
 iy AMER 0, SS PO ee ie p be. ene Nitra marca ee ey aR (100) 
 faiemioictation. (alk of which 10 are for penmanship). 
 (b}) Reading and translation on easy unseen passages of 150 words. 
 RON CT a eet Me Pt gem Pate he oc 3! wake oe h dapat her eee (300) 
 (a) Translation from Hindi into English (150) 
 (i) Central Provinces Hindi Readers I, II and III omitting 
 poetry (50). 
 (ii) Gospel of St. John (50). 
 Coverall Bharat Partell (25). 
 (iv) 20 couplets from Dharam Tula (25). 
 (b) Grammar (50). 
 Greaves’ Hindi Grammar. 
 (c) Translation from English to Hindi (100). 
 As in Dann’s First Lessons in Hindi and McMillan’s King 
 
 Reader. 
 Total 550 marks. 
 
 Second Course in Hind. 
 
oes mameennione kk 
 
 
 
 Officials and Gentry of the Municipality of Dhamtari 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 23 
 
 (b) Reading and translation of “unseen’’ passage of 150 words (50). 
 (c) Address or sermon of ten minutes duration (100). 
 (Gi WAVER TE ae ac DNRC Ey se Bile ge a ga an a (450) 
 (a) Translation from Hindi to English Cl50); 
 (i) Psalms 1-40, Acts, James, 20 selected bhajans (50). 
 (ii) Satya Harish Chandra Natak (50). 
 (iii) Shakuntala (50). 
 (b) Grammar—Greaves’ and Kellogg’s (100). 
 4c) Translation from English to Hindi (100). 
 as in McMillan’s King Reader No. IV. 
 (d) Original composition (100). 
 An essay of not less than three hundred words on a subject 
 
 given at the time of the examination. 
 Total 700 marks. 
 
 Third Course in Hindi. 
 
 (a) Address or sermon of 15 minutes duration (100). 
 (b) Conversation (100). 
 Ba UR iter) ren ee A eh satis ds 4am ap ace tstyt y+ b> radeiede reste spade (500) 
 (a) ‘Translation from Hindi to English (200). 
 (i) Mudr Rakshas (50). 
 (ii) Ramayan—All of Sundarkhand (50). 
 (iii) Shad Darshan Darpan (50). 
 (iv) Unseen passages from current newspapers and periodicals 
 (50). 
 (b) Grammar (100). 
 The subject matter of Kellogg’s Grammar pps. 28-80. 
 The elements of prosody as far as required for the analysis or 
 ordinary metre. 
 The subject matter of Hooper’s Hindustani Language. 
 (c) Translation of English into Hindi (100). 
 About 200 words from Pennell’s “Things seen in Northern India.” 
 About 200 words from an “unseen” passage. 
 (d) Original composition (100). 
 An essay or sermon of not less than 400 words on a subject given 
 at the time of the examination. 
 
 Total 700 marks. 
 
 The advantages of such an Examining Board are many. They provide 
 a stronger course of study than would ordinarily be provided by the 
 ‘individual mission and remove very largely the personal element in 
 conducting the examinations. Besides, those who successfully pass the 
 examinations are provided with certificates and these count for a certain 
 number of credits if missionaries wish to continue school work during 
 furlough periods. Although we as a mission have adopted this course of 
 study yet we, as are all missions, are free to omit any portions of the course 
 
24 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 we would not consider best for our own mission. All our missionaries are 
 required to take this course of study unless specially excused by the 
 Mission. 
 
 Language Problems 
 
 Some people advocate that missionaries study the Hindi language 
 before coming on the field for then they will be able to take up work at 
 once upon arrival on the field. New missionaries are always eager to 
 begin work upon arrival on the field. All of us can testify to the fact 
 that we were disappointed that we were not able to begin work at once 
 and thus help the overworked missionaries. It would be very difficult 
 to get proper facilities to study Hindi in America even if it were desirable 
 to begin the study before coming ‘on the field. But it is not desirable, for 
 the mere study of the language is not the only thing the new missionary 
 needs. It is also essential for him to know the manners and customs and 
 social habits of the people among whom he works so that he may know 
 how to conduct himself among them. This takes time and while he is 
 learning the language he has ample time to study the people, which in turn 
 gives him valuable suggestions as to how to approach them when he is 
 able to converse with them. It is, however, a good thing if candidates for 
 the foreign field while in the course of their preparation for the field take 
 thorough courses in phonetics for this will be a great help to them when 
 they begin. the study of Hindi. 
 
 “How long does it take to master the language?” is a question 
 frequently asked of the returned missionary. If by mastering the language 
 is meant being able to use it perfectly then we must answer that it takes 
 a lijetime. But if by mastering the language is meant getting a working 
 knowledge of it then our answer must vary with the individual studying 
 it, for some people learn a language more easily than others. Ordinarily 
 a missionary may understand much and be able to talk considerable after 
 six months of hard work. Some missionaries preach within a year after 
 arrival. Others take more time, but one may safely say that the average 
 missionary is able to feel at home in the language after about five vears 
 on the field. 
 
 Curious mistakes are often made by the beginner. One of our 
 missionaries asked another if the people worship the white sister. He 
 received the reply that they may do so in America but not so in India. 
 What he wanted to ask was if the people worship the white ox. The 
 difference was between “bahin” and “bail.” One missionary wanted to 
 tell the Indians that a certain missionary is expected to land in Bombay 
 
BUILDING: ON». THE ‘ROCK 29 
 
 next week. Instead she said he would land in the next incarnation. One 
 missionary announced hymn No. 107% intending to announce 167. An- 
 other missionary asked Rajakhan, “Did you ever see any mules?” The 
 occasion of the question was the coming along the road of a number of 
 donkeys. Rajakhan replied, “No, what is that?’ The missionary replied, 
 “Why, it is a long-eared man. We have very large ones in our country.” 
 The reply was not very intelligible to Rajakhan because the missionary 
 used the word “purush” (man) when he should have used the word “pashu” 
 (animal). Because of the use of the wrong Hindi word one missionary 
 in his sermon had men instead of birds flying in the air. 
 
 But mistakes are not all made by the missionaries studying Hindi for 
 similar mistakes are made by Indians learning English. They delight in 
 flowery language as the following letter written by the Hindu headmaster 
 of one of our schools in the early days of the mission will show: 
 
 La 
 The Manager 
 M. S. (Mission School) 
 Dhamtari 
 Sir, 
 
 Most humbly and respectfully I beg to take the liberty of applying to 
 your honor with a sanguine hope for a situation of 40 sq. yds. near the 
 Mission compound, as it 1s spacious with open air. The lodge where I 
 put up now has a worn thatch eaten away by the white ants with a very 
 bad latrine and surrounded on the west with high tamarind trees kissing 
 the skies. 
 
 The air is blown out from the house and I am smothered. Besides the 
 roof is very low and so I am scorched to death. The lodge is full of 
 holes and infested with rats which are worse than cannibals. They dance 
 on the breast, cut the hair, mustaches and every part of the precious body. 
 On the eastern side of the house the pathway is quite close to it, the dust 
 being puffed off by the wind, flies to my mouth and more to stuff my 
 invaluable body. Thus your honor can see that my body, each nerve and 
 cell, stuffed with the terrible dust. 
 
 Many more grievances there are to be put forth before your honor 
 which make a work of tragedy. So much will suffice to your wonder that 
 I am hale and hearty and trying to compete others who have more 
 advantages than me. But I promise your honor to look healthier and 
 prettier than at present when I will have a small pyramid of bamboos 
 
26 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 two or three stories high with a cooking house, a latrine and a drawing 
 room and a chimney of tin to let out smoke near the mission compound. 
 I beg to remain Sir Yours obediently 
 Signed 
 
 C6 8 6 4e 6) € eee ee 6 Ce ee Se) 6h ee 
 
 
 
 acm 
 
 aa an fey wae Har aa aH A TAA fareat 
 gare alc san saat saa TEI grat 
 tg & qe B wel aia Te fa Hatt aa tal 
 Sif an ara eet | eau are ze eH a Tas 
 aqcat & Teg s ale sa Stata HAT AAT 
 at qr tat |aaet ax aa ara se ase 
 asx a f& aa aia ama X fa araeat 
 , macy adi Fl sae ATAT A AT AA faat fe 3 
 Saat am EN 
 
 afi cH Wy HI RAAT aA TeaT a 
 gata fi AMT WH eat TAF HAS TH 
 sara eka ac rar gard iy A Kat “ake 
 Ht cara tat ALTA ame TaIIAT ga IX 
 Soaqtg Et HA anigean ae Za TAR 
 aqeat A ag As Hi aeat ait” WET G29, 
 acai aa Feat aa ar ai Ta ar 
 oi} glo saa ala at arat 2 fe fea sar 
 qrit ¥1 af sarca areat @ fe mT 
 AUNT Ga AAC AAA Aat t/ 
 got at ama KL | ate a Aaa Ae 
 & qftga & at ait ara et Tt 
 aia at geatar at aet ate 
 amay | gat aaa ga 
 qt Add As ql watla Z 
 
 
 
GEA TP GE Ne Lid 
 OCCUPYING THE FIELD 
 
 The first missionaries of the American Mennonite Mission came to 
 India under the auspices of the Mennonite Evangelizing and Benevolent 
 Board—now the Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities—having been 
 appointed at Elkhart, Indiana, November 4th, 1898, and landed at Bombay, 
 March 24th, 1899. They were Bro. Jacob Andrews Ressler and Bro. (Dr.) 
 and Sister William B. Page. Their aspirations were modest when on this 
 date they landed with $1,000.00 with which to found a mission. The task 
 before them was a responsible one but God was in their travels and 
 researches and He led them to a field, perhaps the most needy and at the 
 same time the most accessible in all India. The place to which the Lord 
 led them was Dhamtari in the Central Provinces at which place they 
 arrived and began work 
 
 November 22, 1899 
 
 The entry into Dhamtari can not be described as a triumphant entry 
 in the usual meaning of that term. There was no previous preparation 
 though they had seen the place when travelling through. There was no 
 hlowing of trumpets, no procession,:no reception committee, not even a 
 house in which to live. This first trip was made on a bullock cart all the 
 way from Rai- 
 pur, forty-eight 
 miles north. 
 They unhitched 
 their bullocks 
 and began to 
 make camp on 
 the west side of 
 
 Dhamtari under 
 a large mango 
 tree at the edge 
 
 of a large man- 
 
 
 
 go grove. An 
 
 open field lay Hindu Temple, Dhamtari 
 
28 BUILDING ON ‘THE ROCK 
 
 
 
 
 Dhomtari City 
 Pop /3,ccoe 
 
 n 
 Map o§ 
 MISSION PROPERTY 
 
 SUN DARGANG 
 Dhamtari 
 
 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 29 
 
 between their camp and the town of Dhamtari. November is a beautiful month 
 in India and camping outdoors under the shade of a friendly mango tree 
 is not really a bad experience but it can not be done for an indefinite 
 length of time so Bro. Ressler soon made arrangements for the erection 
 of a hut of bamboo matting. The hut was small and inconvenient but it 
 served as the first dwelling place of the founders of the Mission, which 
 they occupied until more permanent quarters were provided. Bro. A. D. 
 Wenger was at this time making a trip around the world and by a happy 
 coincidence he was in India at the time and was with Bro. Ressler on 
 this trip to Dhamtari sharing the rude hut for several months. 
 
 For over a year after the arrival of the first missionaries at Dhamtar1 
 their energies were fully occupied in relieving the physical suffering caused 
 by famine. At one time 9000 persons were on Government works in charge 
 of the Mission and later some 20,000 persons in thirty-eight villages were 
 fed Government rations under the direction of the missionary in charge. 
 After the famine was over and Government help ceased it was felt that 
 caring for adults was a task beyond the province of the Mission but many 
 children found a shelter within the protecting walls of the institution where 
 the name of Jesus is known and the Gospel is taught. 
 
 As soon as possible after arrival at Dhamtari, negotiations were begun 
 to acquire land on which to build very necessary buildings, which were to 
 become the home of the American Mennonite Mission. The open field west 
 of Dhamtari seemed an ideal site and after much investigation and many 
 delays a permanent lease was obtained from the malguzar of Dhamtari 
 for nine acres of land, part of which was reserved for gardening purposes. 
 The annual rental agreed upon was seventeen dollars. There was a big 
 well on this plot called the Sundarganj well and Sundarganj became the 
 name of the property now in the possession of the Mission. Sundarganj 
 means “beautiful treasure” and we have always greatly prized this valuable 
 plot of ground. Building operations were soon started and in a compara- 
 tively short time orphanage buildings, a hospital building, and two 
 bungalows were built. 
 
 Bro. Ressler had his eye on the large mango grove of seventeen acres 
 containing five hundred trees, the place where he made his first camp. 
 As soon as he could manage to do so he approached the Government 
 regarding this grove and finally the Government agreed to let the Mission 
 have a permanent lease on it charging thirteen dollars a year to pay for 
 the loss to the Government of the mangoes. This formed an excellent play- 
 ground for the large orphanage. 
 
30 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 The Field 
 
 When the first missionaries arrived there were two missions established 
 in Raipur, forty-eight miles to the north of Dhamtari, one mission in Raj 
 Nangaon, forty miles to the west, and one in Jagdalpur, one hundred 
 thirty-six miles to the south. Mission work was also carried on by a 
 mission to the southeast some one hundred fifty miles away. Somewhere 
 between these points lay the prospective field of our Mission, and in due 
 course of time the final boundaries were determined. The boundaries 
 between our field and that of the neighboring missions were 
 determined by mutual arrangements’ of our mission andthe 
 mission concerned. In order to become better acquainted with the 
 conditions of our field, a Survey Committee was appointed to investigate 
 such matters as extent, population, classes of people, number of Govern- 
 ment village schools, and suitable locations for prospective mission stations. 
 The present delineations of our field may readily be seen by examining 
 the map of our Mission Field, specially prepared for this volume. Another 
 map, also prepared for this report, shows our mission field in its relation 
 to other missions bordering on ours. As constituted at present the Field 
 is about eighty miles from east to west and about fifty-two’ miles from 
 north to south, making a total of four thousand one hundred 
 
 
 
 Workers’ Bungalow in Connection with the Girls’ Orphanage, Balodgahan 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 31 
 
 
 
 Medical Station and Government Macadam Road, Dhamtari-Raipur 
 
 sixty square miles. According to the census of 1921 the population 
 of this part of India averaged one hundred forty-five per square mile. 
 At this rate our Mission Field contains 603,200 souls. It will be instructive 
 as well as interesting to compare the density of population of our Mission 
 Field with other parts of India and with India as a whole as well as with 
 several other countries. The Province of Bengal has a population of five 
 hundred per square mile while the Gangetic valley boasts of eight hundred. 
 India as a whole has a population of over two hundred per square mile 
 Compared with these figures it may be noted that the United States has 
 a population of thirty-five per square mile, Canada five, and the Argentine, 
 our South America Mission Field, seven per square mile. Although we 
 occupy one of the least densely populated districts of India it 1s still more 
 than four times as densely populated as the United States and more than 
 twenty times as much as our South America Mission Field. 
 
 How the Type of Mission Work was Determined 
 
 Our first missionaries came to India with no preconceived notions of 
 
ae BUILDINGION DHETROCK 
 
 the line of work to be undertaken more than that they came to preach the 
 Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people of India and to endeavor to lead them 
 to the feet of Christ. Arriving as they did at the close of the famine of 
 1897 followed by another and more severe one in 1900 the nature of the 
 work to be done immediately was at once determined. At the close of the 
 terrible famine of 1900 they found on their hands two large orphanages, 
 both ot them at Sundarganj. The missionaries had no choice in the matter 
 for the orphans must be clothed and fed and educated and trained to work 
 and given religious instruction. Their health must be looked after and 
 before they realized it the missionaries were engaged in Orphanage work, 
 in Evangelistic and Educational work, in Industrial and Medical work. 
 This is a big program to accept with no voice in the choosing of it! No 
 new department of Mission work has since been started for none seemed 
 necessary ! 
 
 How the Mission Work Expanded 
 
 To continue two large orphanages—one for boys and one for girls— 
 in close proximity to each other was out of the question and so the 
 missionaries began to pray for a new station for the girls. The little group 
 of missionaries assembled for daily worship in the sitting room of one of 
 the bungalows were greatly burdened with the necessity of a new station. 
 One of them read the 46th Psalm and it seemed that the Lord revealed 
 to them His approval of their great desire, for the conviction came upon 
 all of them after rising from prayer that the new station was a fact. In 
 due time a check arrived from the homeland to be used specially for the 
 girls, followed by another for a similar purpose. The faith of the little 
 group was greatly strengthened for soon enough money was received to 
 purchase fitty acres of land at Rudri, four miles southeast of Sundarganj, 
 and to erect the necessary buildings to accommodate the girls, and a 
 bungalow for the missionaries who were to be in charge of them. The 
 girls were removed to the new station in 1903. There were now two main 
 stations. The difficulties and inconveniences in opening a new station are 
 many and varied. There are first innumerable delays and disappointments 
 involved in purchasing land. And of course there are no buildings on the 
 spot for the missionary builder and his wife in which to live while over- 
 seeing the building work. So temporary huts are provided and shifts are 
 made from the first hut to some partly finished room and finally to the 
 completed building. Such was the case with Bro. and Sister M. C. Lapp 
 when they moved to Rudri with the girls, 
 
 With the exception of a few years, the girls lived in their new quarters 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 33: 
 
 at Rudri until 1912, when the Government purchased all our property there, 
 with the exception of twenty-five acres of farm land for staff quarters in 
 connection with the great project of an irrigation dam and canal. With 
 great reluctance and regret we gave up the property, receiving from 
 the Government the sum of $9,200.00. 
 
 The need of a plan to help the growing Christian boys and girls to 
 some permanent occupation soon became apparent. This need was greatly 
 emphasized when in 1905 the first young people from our orphanages were 
 united in marriage. Agriculture is the leading occupation of the majority 
 of India’s people and so it was only natural that we thought of farming 
 as the chief occupation for a large number of our young people. With this 
 in view, efforts were made to purchase a village, or Indian land unit, for 
 this purpose. After much investigation such a village was bought and 
 the choice fell on Balodgahan, seven miles from Dhamtari, paying to the 
 
 owner the sum of $2,700.00. 
 
 The missionaries who located at Balodgahan had a hard time of it. 
 They first lived in the mud hut used by the former malguzar but the roof 
 leaked badly and the mud floor got so soft that the table and chair legs 
 sank into it. The thatch roof could not easily be cleaned and there being 
 no ceiling the dirt kept falling into the food on the table. It was right 
 
 
 
 Balodgahan Village Bungalow 
 
34 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 in the middle of the town and so there was no privacy whatever. Then 
 another mud hut was built outside of the village which served as a 
 dwelling place until the missionaries could occupy one completed room of 
 the still unfinished bungalow. 
 
 When Rudri was sold it became necessary to find a place for the girls 
 so it was decided to locate them at Balodgahan, the transfer being made 
 in 1912. In order to accommodate them orphanage buildings had to be 
 erected and also a bungalow for the missionaries in charge. 
 
 The next station to be opened was Sankra, about eighteen miles from 
 Dhamtari. This station was opened purely for evangelistic work. Enough 
 land was borght for the bungalow and necessary outbuildings, and work on 
 the buildings began in real earnest. Building work began at the time of 
 the visit of Brother Shoemaker and Brother Hartzler. Brother Hartzler 
 had experience in brickmaking and the method he had learned was an 
 improvement over the one used in India so he spent a great deal of time 
 helping the Indian brickmaker improve his methods and increase his output 
 and incidentally his daily income. The missionary, supervising the building 
 work, lived in a tent for which there was very little if any shade and it 
 was bad in the hot season but the work went on until room was provided 
 in the new bungalow. Sorrow early came over the missionary family at 
 Sankra and it was not long until two small graves marked the places 
 where two missionary children were laid to rest. 
 
 Medical work was conducted from the very beginning but it received 
 a temporary set-back when it became necessary for Dr. and Sister Page 
 to go to America on account of the Doctor’s health. The first hospital 
 building was located in cramped surroundings and the building was utilized 
 for other purposes. The beginnings of a new General Hospital were made 
 on a plot of ground near the railway station about one and a half miles 
 from Sundarganj. The land was purchased in 1912 and suitable buildings 
 were at once started. The medical work received a new impetus when a 
 missionary doctor arrived in 1910. 
 
 For a number of years the missionaries felt that work should by all 
 means be opened in the Sihawa district. Several missionary tours were 
 made through that district and the conditions seemed favorable to open 
 an evangelistic station. Several investigation trips were made to survey 
 the district and finally it was decided to purchase land and open another 
 evangelistic station. This was done in 1916, when land was purchased in 
 a village called Ghatula, about forty miles from Dhamtari. Soon after the 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 35 
 
 
 
 Rudri Station (Sold to Government) 
 
 purchasing of the land it was also decided to locate the Bible Training 
 school at Ghatula and buildings were planned accordingly. 
 
 Last, in the list of new stations to be opened, was Mahodi twenty-five 
 miles from Dhamtari. This was opened in 1920, though land had been pur- 
 chased in 1918. This is a purely evangelistic station and was built under 
 difficult circumstances. Only the bungalow and necessary outbuildings have 
 been erected, there being no institution located there. 
 
 Besides these six main stations the mission maintains primary schools 
 and evangelistic sub-stations at the following places named in the order 
 of their establishing: Bhatgaon, Maradeo, Bijnapuri, Chikli, Bagtarai, 
 Gopalpuri, Seodi, Gatasili, Nawgaon, Tengna and Kaspur. ‘Two stations, 
 Mogragahan and Potiadi, are maintained by the India Mennonite Conference 
 through a regularly appointed Home Mission Committee. Schools were 
 conducted for a time at each of Chamar Para in Dhamtari, Shankarda and 
 Arjuni, but these had to be abandoned. All these places may easily be 
 located on the map of the Mission Field. 
 
 or some time it was thought advisable to secure a place at some 
 cooler station where the missionaries might spend part of the hot season 
 not so difficult of access from Dhamtari. After considerable planning 
 Igatpuri was chosen. Igatpuri is located on the Western Ghauts about 
 
36 BUILDING-ON THE ROCK 
 
 seventy-eight miles from Bombay entailing a trip of nearly seven hundred 
 miles from Dhamtari. As soon as proper arrangements could be made a 
 Rest House for missionaries was erected. This was in 1910. For a number 
 of years the bungalow was used by our missionaries but as our children 
 grew up to school age and as there was no school for European children 
 at Igatpuri the missionaries sent their children to schools in Darjeeling 
 and Naini Tal. What opportunities the missionaries had of getting away 
 irom the plains in the hot season they naturally spent in those hill stations 
 where their children attended school. Thus it came about that the rest 
 home at Igatpuri no longer served its original purpose and as soon as a 
 purchaser was found it was sold. The final transfer of this property was 
 made in November, 1924, when the Methodist Church bought it for nearly 
 $2,700.00. 
 
 Building Operations 
 
 It is not possible to do much work without some buildings in which 
 to live or in which to carry on the necessary institutional work. So 
 houses must be built and as a rule the missionaries are responsible for the 
 building work. If the mission buildings could speak what interesting 
 stories they could tell! There are few experiences more trying to the 
 missionary, whether old or young, than this phase of mission work. At 
 home the architect and contractor, the lumber and brick yards, the hard- 
 ware stores and motor trucks are within easy call of the telephone. Not 
 so in India where we live. The missionary must be his own contractor 
 and architect. He must see to the moulding and burning of the brick. 
 He burns his lime from limestone gathered from the fields. He supervises 
 the carpenters who make the doors and windows, according to specifica- 
 tions made by himself. The timber for these as well as for the roof he 
 may order through a timber merchant direct from the jungle but he must 
 order in time or the timber he gets is green and not fit for use in a good 
 building. 
 
 And when the building operations finally begin, the work moves along 
 in a surprisingly slow manner. A good bricklayer can lay up about a 
 hundred cubic feet of brick wall a day. For this he needs the helpsora 
 lot of coolies who hand him the brick, pour the water, place the mortar 
 on the right spot and hand him his tools. Even at this rate one could get 
 along but there are many delays. Some one may have neglected to report 
 that the lime and sand are all used up and so the work is held up. The 
 brick may have turned out badly and the work stops until a new kiln can 
 be moulded and burned. The timber merchant may not have brought the 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 4¥4 
 
 timber from the jungle when he promised and the building stands for 
 months without a roof. Perhaps just when the finishing touches were to 
 be put on one end of the building so the carpenters may begin on the roof 
 there is a three day Hindu holiday and the work stops with a jar. It 
 may be, too, that the missionary had to be away on some other urgent 
 business for a few days and when he returned he found to his dismay in 
 spite of the slowness of the work a surprisingly large amount of wall built 
 during his absence that had to be torn down and built over. “Dismiss the 
 masons and get others who will do the work properly,” you say, but we 
 have already employed the best to be had so there is no help in that 
 direction. But in spite of the delays and disappointments the building is 
 finally completed and we are amazed at the amount of time and money and 
 material that went into that building. Yes, and the heartaches and dis- 
 appointments and loss of temper. And how we regretted that harsh 
 statement and that hasty word when there was a little chance to reflect. 
 We would rather do real mission work than put up buildings but these 
 have to be provided in order that real mission work may become possible 
 and permanent. 
 
 Giving to missions, therefore, does not only mean the feeding and 
 clothing of the poor or providing the means to carry on evangelistic or 
 educational or medical work. It is true that much of the money sent by 
 the church at home is thus spent and no material returns are expected. 
 But money spent for buildings represents some more or less permanent 
 
 tangible mater- 
 ial stuff which 
 can be estima- 
 ted in dollars 
 and cents. In 
 the list below 
 some idea may 
 be formed of 
 the value of 
 the property in 
 India owned 
 by the church 
 
 at home. 
 
 
 
 Mission Rest Home, Igatpuri 
 
38 
 
 PROPERTIES BELONGING TO THE AMERICAN 
 
 Station 
 
 Sundarganj 
 
 Medical Station 
 
 Balodgahan 
 
 Sankra 
 
 Ghatula 
 
 Mahodi 
 
 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 MENNONITE MISSION 
 
 Description of Property Estimated Value Totals 
 
 North Bungalow 
 
 South Bungalow 
 
 English School house & Equip. 
 English School Hostel & Equip. 
 Head Master’s house 
 
 Boys’ Orphanage, Segregation Ward 
 
 & Equip. 
 Carpenter shop & Equip. 
 Middle school & Equip. 
 Church building 
 ceachen sahouse 
 Equipment & Outbuildings 
 Land 
 Bungalow 
 European ward 
 Dispensary and wards 
 Nurses’ Home 
 Equipment & outbuildings 
 
 ‘Land 
 
 Farm Bungalow 
 Farm 
 
 Farm buildings & cattle & Equip. 
 
 Widows’ home and work rooms 
 Boys’ schoolhcuse 
 
 Workers’ houses 
 
 Orphanage bungalow 
 Orphanage Buildings & Equip. 
 Middle school 
 
 Teachers’ home 
 
 Church 
 
 Bungalow 
 
 Equipment & outbuildings 
 School house 
 
 Church 
 
 Land 
 
 Bungalow 
 
 Dispensary and nurses’ home 
 Equipment & outbuildings 
 School house 
 
 Bible school & Equip. 
 
 Land 
 
 Bungalow 
 
 Equipment & outbuildings 
 
 $2,650 
 5,300 
 5,800 
 4,650 
 650 
 
 7,600 
 2,000 
 3,650 
 8,000 
 
 350 
 1,350 
 2,000 
 4,050 
 1,500 
 1,700 
 
 750 
 
 900 
 
 500 
 3,600 
 6,650 
 ro 
 2,500 
 
 300 
 1,050 
 4,000 
 8,800 
 3,750 
 2,000 
 8,000 
 4,000 
 1,200 
 
 500 
 5,000 
 
 300 
 4,000 
 1,000 
 1,500 
 
 250 
 3,850 
 
 200 
 4,000 
 1,000 
 
 $ 44,000 
 
 10,000 
 
 44,000 
 
 11,000 
 
 10,800 
 
BUILDING:‘ON THE ROCK 39 
 
 Dispensary 300 
 Land 200 5,500 
 Schools Village schools & Equip. 2,800 2,800 
 
 $128,100 
 Unoccupied Territory 
 
 It is unfortunate that the Mission has to acknowledge after twenty-five 
 years of effort, that there is territory within its borders unoccupied by 
 any mission forces, but such is actually the case. A thickly settled country 
 in the northwest part of the field and easily accessible has had only 
 occasional work done and is almost virgin soil. For a short while mission- 
 aries and Indian workers were located at Gariaband in the Bendra 
 Nawagarh state but owing to objections made by the state authorities 
 the work had to be discontinued. Representation has since been made in 
 the form of personal interviews for permission to reenter the state which 
 has been heard sympathetically but up to the last moment no favorable 
 reply has heen received. No workers have yet been located in Kanker, 
 a native state south of Dhamtari, because repeated requests for permission 
 to enter have been shelved by the authorities. But the last interview with 
 the prime minister gave us sufficient encouragement to permit us to rent 
 a house or pitch our tent within the state, but when this great opportunity 
 came we were not prepared with sufficient workers for no one could be 
 spared. We have been patiently waiting for reinforcements from the 
 homeland so that we may enter this open door but none have come. ‘The 
 church at home is responsible. 
 
 Kanker and Bendra-Nawagarh are each large enough to occupy fuily 
 the time of two missionary families in purely evangelistic work. There 
 is another portion in the southwestern part of our field which is at present 
 unoccupied. A missionary family should be located there. At least one 
 more family should be located in the Sihawa field southeast of Ghatula. 
 A. missionary family should be located in Dhamtari in addition to those 
 already there to do evangelistic work only, which work has been sadly 
 neglected because of the pressing and urgent demands on the missionaries’ 
 time and strength through the work already established. 
 
 The number of missionaries on the field after twenty-five years of 
 effort is twenty-two. Dividing the population of the field by the number 
 of missionaries on the field gives a parish of over twenty-seven thousand 
 souls for each missionary. Or add to the number of missionaries the 
 present force of Indian workers—sixty—it will still leave nearly seven 
 thousand five hundred souls for each worker. Considering the fact that 
 
40 BUILDING ON THE/(ROCK 
 
 the twenty-two missionaries on the field are responsible for twelve distinct 
 institutions, most of them of considerable size, besides six village schools, 
 there is not much wonder that there are still thousands of people in our 
 own mission field who have never heard of Jesus Christ! 
 
 
 
 A Banana Grove 
 
GEA PTE RLV: 
 
 ORGANIZING THE CHURCH 
 
 The first Christians of the community were those who had come from 
 other missions and were employed in various kinds of work. Some later 
 became communicant members of the Church and others again returned 
 to their own communities when their services in our Mission were no 
 longer required. 
 
 Early Converts 
 
 There were no converts received into the Church during the 
 famine of 1900. The same p.inciple was adhered to in the main during 
 later periods of distress. Those who desired baptism afterward were 
 carefully taught and received into Church membership. Even then a few 
 “rice” Christians crept in as an inevitable result. During the latter part 
 of 1900, eighteen girls, a number of boys, and a few others were received 
 into the Church. By the end of 1902 after three years of missionary effort 
 there had been 
 established a 
 Church of three 
 hundred twen- 
 ty members 1in- 
 cluding ninety- 
 five le piers. 
 This shows 
 quite a_ rapid 
 growth within 
 a comparative- 
 ly short time. 
 
 The earnest- 
 ness of many 
 may be illus- 
 ewckn cts tes Wen ayo an 
 their own test- 
 imonies. Gar- 
 jan Bai, who 
 
 
 
 
 
 Brother Nathaniel, Son and Grandson 
 
42 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 later became a real mother to the girls in the orphanage, was conducting 
 a little meeting with the girls one evening in 1902. Not knowing that two 
 of the missionaries had crept up to the lattice fence and were listening, 
 she said to the hearers: 
 
 “Do you remember the time of the famine when we begged from shop 
 to shop in Dhamtari and other places and received only a little all day? 
 And how we used to cook our handful of rice in our little earthen vessels? 
 Do you remember how the people used to curse us and beat us and drive 
 us away when we went to beg? Do you remember how we went hopelessly 
 along the road, sick and footsore, eating leaves of trees, and picking up a 
 few grains of rice here and there? And how we had scarcely a rag for 
 clothing?” 
 
 As a murmur of “Yes, yes, we remember,” went round the group she 
 said with pathetic emphasis: 
 
 “Ves, I remember too,” and added, “Now think of the change! 
 Were we have warm clothing and plenty of good food and we eat it 
 freshly cooked. We know where we have a nice soft place to sleep at 
 night. No more wandering about to find a place and then have to lie 
 down under a tree till morning unable to sleep on account of the cold. 
 What has brought about all this change?” 
 
 Holding up her New Testament she said, “It is what this Book has 
 taught that has given us all these good things. It all comes from Jesus 
 Christ. Now, should you not thank Him and obey Him?” 
 
 On a Christmas day of a later year (1904) in a meeting with the lepers 
 one of them in a testimony told how Jesus had suffered for him before he 
 had known any- 
 thing “sof “obi. 
 He said that many 
 had; **beeny simere 
 living skeletons 
 with ugly pus 
 oozing out of 
 their sores. Some 
 had no place to 
 sleep except un- 
 der _ssome: Bitrer: 
 How, ditte tiene 
 their condition 
 now! They have 
 
 
 
 Church Conference Assembled 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 43 
 
 good clean food to eat, and clean water to drink and bathe in, and all are 
 fat and happy. 
 
 “What,” he asked, “has brought about this change? Believing in the 
 Lord Jesus Christ?” 
 
 There was a readiness on the part of all the early converts to accept 
 without question the teachings of the Word which they received and their 
 grateful hearts were overflowing with thankfulness to God and _ their 
 benefactors who had saved them from a miserable physical death and from 
 deep spiritual darkness. 
 
 Shepherding the Growing Flock 
 
 For a number of years after the work was begun it was felt that 
 Church administration should remain in the hands of the missionaries. 
 There had not yet developed within the Christian community a conscience 
 sufficient for self-government. Neither were they sufficiently schooled in 
 the principles of the Gospel. They had to be “fed with milk” and carefully 
 led in the ways of righteousness. The standards of the people from among 
 whom they had come were so different, and the social and religious ideals 
 so base that growing in grace after their conversion was a matter of better 
 understanding, and living step by step each Christian principle and precept. 
 They had gradually to experience the actual working of the Faith and the 
 fulfillment of the promises for them. 
 
 They were faithfully taught by the missionaries from the beginning 
 in the fundamentals of the Christian faith and the distinctive Mennonite 
 doctrines. They knew so little of the Bible and had to be taught over 
 and over again the fact that Christianity is a life as well as a belief 
 and worship. It was not difficult for them to understand the significance 
 of the communion and feetwashing, of wearing the devotional covering, 
 of observing Christmas, Easter, and other holy days, of church attendance, 
 etc.; but they did not realize the value of justice, mercy, faith, and heart 
 service. It certainly took faithful, patient, persistent teaching to establish 
 any kind of a balanced condition among our Indian brotherhood. To 
 quote on the general condition of the Church from the Mission report of 
 E10: 
 
 “We long to see the day when our people will become stronger 
 spiritually, At present there is a-sreat need of the majority of them 
 being fed with ‘milk. They are not able to understand the deeper things 
 of God. The most of them want to do the right thing, but because of the 
 influence under which they were brought up and the deceitful things 
 which they had been taught, it is very hard for them to understand that 
 
44 BUILDING ONS THE ROCK 
 
 it is sin for them to live contrary to the teachings of God so long as it ts 
 not known to their leader. When their sins become known and it is 
 proved that they are living in sin before God it is not usually hard to 
 persuade them to make a confession before the Church. There are a few 
 brethren and sisters who have a fair knowledge of right and wrong and 
 seem to be very anxious to walk uprightly before God and man.” 
 
 Organization and the Church Conference 
 
 Every opportunity was taken advantage of by the missionaries 
 to drill those of our Indian brethren, who proved themselves 
 most,’ faithful to ithe’ Church, in” cher “polity and) itneewaysieang 
 means of administration and discipline. According to the 1910 Mission 
 report definite steps were taken to have three Indian brethren chosen in 
 each congregation who could cooperate with the missionary pastor in 
 settling difficulties between members and in helping to establish more 
 firmly the unity of the different congregations. Three brethren of each 
 congregation served in the capacity of deacon and often were able to 
 make adjustments without even the pastor’s knowledge. 
 
 In this same year we had the pleasure of having with us the brethren 
 j.-o. Shoemaker and)" 5. Eartzlen, who, »with= tie brethren vie C mae 
 and P. A. Friesen, formed a committee to draw up rules and discipline to 
 be ratified by the Church conference which was to be called the first 
 ‘Tuesday of January, 1912. All missionaries, all ordained officers, and two 
 delegates from each congregation were given the right to vote on all 
 auestions which were to be brought up for consideration. Where the 
 congregation exceeded fifty members it was entitled to an additional 
 delegate and so 
 on for every ad- 
 ditional fifty or 
 fraction thereof. 
 Unfortunately our 
 visiting brethren 
 could not stay in 
 India to attend 
 the first confer- 
 ence, for which 
 they had helped 
 to lay plans. 
 
 The first con- 
 ference marked 
 
 
 
 The Beginning of a Christian Community 
 
BULLE DINGZON CH BROCK 45 
 
 a new era in the history of the 
 Church. It was held in the Bethel 
 meeting house of our Balodgahan 
 station. The membership of each 
 congregation was informed that a 
 conference, called in Hindi “Kanfar- 
 ens,’ would be called at the time set. 
 But the members did not know how 
 to vote for delegates without a great 
 deal of instruction. A private, per- 
 sonal vote was taken in most of the 
 congregations. Tally was kept by 
 the ministering brethren who repair- 
 ed to the council room. We were of 
 the opinion that there were a few 
 who would not be able to give an 
 opinion because of their ignorance. 
 One poor convert who had come 
 from the shepherd caste was illiterate 
 and seemed in some respects to be 
 weakminded. His eyes were dim. 
 When he came into the room to give 
 his vote he hesitated for a little while 
 but gave his vote for such as were 
 unmistakably the best qualified to 
 represent the congregation. This is A Heathen God to be Superseded 
 also true of others whose intelligence 
 
 we greatly questioned. The membership of the Church at this time (1912) 
 numbering over four hundred eighty, the lay delegation in conference 
 equalled that of the missionaries. 
 
 Conference assembled, the conference sermon was preached, and the 
 Constitution and Discipline was presented for ratification. In discussing 
 the details it was soon noticed that the Indian brethren were inclined to 
 insist on greater rigidness in regard to some matters of discipline than 
 were provided for in the Constitution. But after there had been only a 
 few minor changes made the document was ratified as a whole and the 
 next step was to have it ratified by each individual congregation. In the 
 discussion of the other questions which were presented some members 
 had to be limited in speech or they would have taken up all the time and 
 not given oppcrtunity for others who really had something to say. The 
 
 
 
46 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 Indian members of conference had to be drilled somewhat in parliamentary 
 rules. When one question was discussed it was moved that we table the 
 question for the present. The then acting Indian Secretary brother asked. 
 which table the question should be placed upon to the amusement of al’ 
 PIescut, 
 
 The Church conference has become an annual occurrence. The 
 number of Indian delegates has increased considerably, so much so, that 
 they outnumber the missionaries but we are confident by this time that 
 Conference administration is safe in their hands. For they have demon- 
 strated many times that they are willing to yield to better judgment in all 
 things and be governed by the teachings of the Word of God and by those 
 whose experience and consecrated judgment have rendered them worthy 
 of their respect. As a rule all questions brought for discussion are ably 
 discussed and weighed from all sides before being placed in the hands of 
 the resolutions committee. Neither are they slow to suggest any changes 
 which should be made in the resolutions which are presented for decision 
 by the committee. The conference work means much toward strengthening 
 the Church and helping the Indian brethren and sisters to realize that 
 they are a part of the Church and are recognized as such. All have the 
 opportunity of discussing various questions that come up in assembled 
 conference. We are glad to note the prayerful interest the delegates take 
 in the various activities of the conference. 
 
 A few of the characteristic questions which have been discussed anc 
 decided upon at different times are as follows: 
 
 1. What can we do to better the spiritual condition of the Church? 
 
 Resolved, that we try to indoctrinate the people of the various 
 congregations 
 and urge that 
 family wor- 
 ship be carried 
 on in all Chris- 
 tian homes. 
 
 We should be 
 good examples 
 of holy living 
 ourselves and 
 strive to create 
 
 a hunger after 
 
 
 
 righteousness. 
 
 Homes of Evangelists 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 47 
 
 
 
 Co 
 
 Shwe ee or 
 
 A Mohammedan Mosque in Dhamtari 
 
 2. How should we provide for the poor of the Church? 
 
 Resolved, that in all the congregations the brethren devote much 
 time to prayer that the Holy Spirit may direct as to who should be 
 ordained to the office of Deacon. Note. Discussion of the Scriptural 
 manner of providing for the poor resulted in the above resolution to ordain 
 deacons. 
 
 3. What Christian holidays should the Church observe? 
 
 Resolved, that we observe Christmas, New Year, Good Friday, 
 Pentecost, and Thanksgiving day. All to be kept as whole holidays. 
 
 Note. In a recent conference suggestions were given as to the manner of 
 observing the days. 
 
 4. What plan can we as a Church carry out by which the Kingdom 
 of Christ may be made known to more souls about us? 
 
 Resolved, that in order that the Church may do some definite work a 
 brother be chosen by the ministerial meeting and that he be set apart 
 as a colporteur or evangelist and that his living and work be arranged for 
 
48 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 by the ministerial meeting. (See separate discussion on Home Mission 
 work.) 
 
 5. What punishment shall be given to a church-member who defames 
 his neighbors with abusive language by calling them witches, etc.? 
 
 Resolved, that we urge the different congregations to be more 
 ready to expel such members from the Church or to punish those who 
 persist in defaming others according to section C. Page 12 of the Discipline 
 which in part reads as follows: “Adhering to witchcraft or falsely blaming 
 another of being a witch or wizard shall be considered grave faults and 
 such persons shall be dealt with as offenders by the Church.” 
 
 6. If an officer of the Church be expelled, will his office be given him 
 when he is again received into membership? 
 
 Resolved, that if an officer is expelled because of sin he shall not be 
 given his office when reuniting with the Church but after sufficient 
 time of pure and consecrated Christian living he may again be chosen 
 for the office by his congregation which may be ratified by Conference. 
 If he is expelled the second time his office shall never again be given him. 
 
 7. Shall we have a Sunday School Conference? 
 
 A resolution was passed favoring and a committee was appointed. 
 
 8. How get rid of)tébacco in the Church? 
 
 Resolved, that we consider that tobacco defiles the body and does it: 
 positive harm. According to I Cor. 3:17 we ought not to make use of 
 any unclean thing. Any member of the Church who after having beer 
 fully taught and warned still persists in the’ use of tobacco shall be 
 considered according to the discipline of Conference as an offender in 
 the Church and shall be dealt with by the Church Committee of the 
 congregation of which he is a member. 
 
 Church Activities 
 
 Sunday schools were regularly conducted from the beginning 
 of the Mission. According to one of the conference questions definite 
 steps were taken to organize a Sunday School Conference. This was in 
 the Church Conference of Jan. 6th, 1914, and Sunday School Conference 
 has been held annually ever since. Great interest is taken in all the 
 questions brought up for discussion and the attendance is larger than at 
 the regular Church Conference. The former are held on Sunday while 
 the latter are held on a set day of the week. 
 
 Later the Young People’s Meetings were established and as far as 
 possible put under the leadership of the Indian brethren and _ sisters. 
 They formed the majority of all committees and had their share of 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 49 
 
 decisions in the choice of subjects and have always taken a keen interest 
 in open discussions. Both brethren and sisters are permitted to express 
 themselves. 
 
 The weekly prayer-meetings have been a regular feature of Church 
 activity. They have always meant much to the Christian community. 
 In some of the communities where the congregations are large several 
 cottage prayer-meetings are held on the same evening of the week. Where 
 the congregations are small they meet either in the central worshipping 
 place or in the homes of the members. There have been times when such 
 
 
 
 Sankra Church 
 
 meetings ran far into the night and when the spirit of prayer took hold 
 of all who attended. 
 
 Teachers’ meetings are held regularly. At different times special 
 3ible classes were conducted for those who felt the need of Bible study. 
 On several occasions classes of converts were called together to study 
 carefully the essentials of the Christian faith, after they had been otherwise 
 instructed and received into the Church. One cannot give too much Bible 
 teaching to these first generation converts. 
 
 The Annual Bible Conference has been a recognized activity of the 
 Church since 1915. The Church Conference annually appoints a committee 
 to arrange for it. Previous to this time as far back as 1907 the Mission 
 had regularly arranged for special meetings for deepening the spiritual 
 
50 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 life of the *Church.:. They proved a* great blessing each year. Here tie 
 differen, congregations came together to study the Word as it applies to 
 their relations to God and man, to receive inspiration and encouragement, 
 anu to go hack to their stations with a feeling that to live and work for 
 the Lord is worthwhile. As far as possible able teachers and speakers 
 were chosen to have charge of the different meetings which were generally 
 something as follows: Prayer-meeting at sunrise; general meeting at 8:30 
 A. M.; noon intermission from 10:30 to 2:00 P. M.; sectional meetings 
 of different groups including children, young men, young women, older 
 men, older women, and lepers if they were present; at 3:00 P. M. a general 
 mecting; at 6:00 P. M. a half hour of special prayer service followed bv 
 an evangelistic service. In 1910 during such an evening prayer servic 
 the spirit of intercession seemed to be present in a special manner. The 
 leader read a short passage of Scripture and all knelt in prayer. A number 
 were ready to lead in prayer and the time was too short for those who 
 desired to respond in turn. After singing a verse of song the leader told 
 the congregation that we should not quench the Spirit but that as many 
 as felt led might pray. At once every voice went up in simultaneous 
 prayer. Jhere was no disorder for God was in the midst. Prayer finished, 
 many confessed their sins and others were reconciled to each other. We 
 have never seen quite the same demonstration since, yet who were we 
 that we could withstand God? 
 
 Ordinations 
 
 The first great need along this line was for deacons who 
 could help in caring for the poor and serve as councilors with the people 
 in time of difficulty. At first the brotherhood did not think there were 
 brethren who were qualified for this responsible work. But steps were 
 taken according to the Church Constitution. For several weeks previous 
 in the regular services the matter was brought to the notice of the several 
 congregations. The pastors explained what the qualifications of a deacon 
 should be. When the votes were cast they showed that the matter had 
 been given very careful and prayerful consideration. The members 
 considered neither former caste nor position but chose those who were 
 exemplary in their lives and able for the work. We have every reason 
 to believe that God honored their choice for with few exceptions our 
 deacon brethren have proved themselves worthy of the confidence of the 
 Church. 
 
 Up to the present time the Church has not felt that the time for 
 ordaining ministers has come. The subject is being seriously considered 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 51 
 
 and while we missionaries are of the opinion that fellow ministers could 
 and should be ordained from among our Indian brethren yet we are 
 patiently waiting and praying that the Spirit may have His way with the 
 Church in this matter. Perhaps those whom we think well qualified for 
 the work would not be God’s choice. In His good time we know He 
 will bring it to pass. We, however, feel that the time is very near and 
 the question which lies before us is, When they are ordained will the 
 Church demand their whole time and fully support them or will she 
 consider them as religious leaders, one of their number, and expect. them 
 to make at least part of their own living? 
 
 An Indian ministry will also imply an Indian bishopric at some future 
 time. May God grant that this may also be brought about. We are 
 hoping and praying for that also. 
 
 Home Mission Work 
 
 For at least three or four years before 1916 regular Thanksgiving 
 services were held and special collections in money and _ produce 
 were taken. The people prepared for the offering by saving up for weeks 
 ahead. The Church was asked what should be done with the money and 
 Conference finally decided to place it in the hands of a special committee 
 whose duty it should be to establish a Home Mission station. The 
 collections taken at Thanksgiving should be placed in a Home Mission 
 fund. In 1916 a house in the village of Mogragahan was secured and Bro. 
 Agnu and his wife, Ganga, became the first Home Missionaries of the 
 India Mennonite Church. They labored faithfully among the people of 
 the surrounding villages. After several years they were transferred to 
 another evangelistic station and Bro. Mohan and wife took their places 
 and have labored there every year since. The result has been that a 
 number of people have become Christians through their instrumentality. 
 But after they had accepted Christ they found it hard to make a living 
 among the village people and were compelled to move to other parts 
 but the efforts of the workers were not in vain and we still hope to 
 establish a congregation in that village. 
 
 Funds accumulated and Conference in 1922 decided to open another 
 Home Mission station and purchase sufficient land in connection with 
 it to support a worker and his family in order to enable him to labor free 
 from any further financial help by the Conference. During the year 1924 
 the land was purchased and with it a good house and compound in the 
 village of Potiadi about five miles west of Dhamtari. At the present time 
 the Committee are in search of a suitable couple to locate in this station. 
 
52 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 We praise the Lord for His leadings in this matter and believe He will 
 lead the Church to greater activity along this line. It will be of interest 
 to the reader to know that the Church in India has given for Home Mission 
 work both in Thanksgiving offerings and in special collections a total 
 of nearly one thousand five hundred and twelve dollars. 
 
 We consider the village Sunday schools a phase of the Home Mission 
 work of the Church since they are organized and conducted entirely by 
 the Indian brotherhood. In each congregation the membership, both men 
 and women, is divided into groups of workers who at stated times go 
 to the surrounding villages and bring Gospel messages to the people. 
 They use either the Sunday school lessons or printed Bible lessons such as 
 are printed in the Hindi language. The 1923 report shows that the six 
 congregations of the Mission were conducting fifty-two village Sunday 
 schools. All these except those conducted in the sub-evangelistic stations 
 of the Mission were under the auspices of the Indian Church. 
 
 The Home Mission work has intensified the interest of the Church 
 in evangelizing the people of India. -It has also» Shown us” the 
 futurer possibilities. of the’ @hurch:; “We try. to» encourage sthemainwever, 
 way to strive to reach the people of every class and bring them to Christ. 
 This has developed another Home Mission activity which although it is 
 not taken over by the Conference yet every Christian is enlisted in this 
 service. It is what is known as the Evangelistic Campaign. A few weeks 
 each year are set apart for the purpose of intense evangelism among the 
 people of the villages. Special prayer and Bible study precede these 
 special efforts and groups of workers are formed according to their 
 ability. The purpose of the work is to bring as many people as possible 
 to a definite decision to accept Christ. It is also a means of deepening 
 the spiritual life of the Church and of awakening her to the needs of the 
 non-Christian people around. It also brings the Gospel before the people 
 in a definite way. 
 
 A Self-supporting Church 
 
 From the very beginning of our mission work the Church was 
 taught to give for the Lord’s work. The children of the orphanages and 
 the lepers gladly cut their meals or daily gave a certain portion of their 
 uncooked food in order that some worthy cause might be supported. They 
 thus helped to support the British and Foreign Bible Society, the Tract 
 and book Society and contributed help for flood sufferers in China, famine 
 sufferers in other areas of India, and for the work of the Church of which 
 they were members. After our young men and women married and 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 53 
 
 established homes of their own they regularly contributed to the Sunday 
 collections and submitted to systematic “taxation” for keeping up the 
 graveyards and regular Church expenses. Thanksgiving day was under- 
 stood from the beginning to be a day of. giving. Tithing has been held 
 up as the Bible standard of systematic giving. 
 
 ‘Therefore the Church has been gradually brought to the place where 
 she realizes her financial obligations to support activities for establishing 
 and promoting the Cause of Christ. All hymn-books, Sunday school 
 lesson-helps, Bibles and other Christian books found in our Christian 
 homes were bought by them. The cost of lamps for the churches and 
 oil to burn in them, the support of the caretakers of the church buildings, 
 the expenses relative to the upkeep of the graveyards, and the cost of the 
 implements for digging graves, etc., were all met by the Church. In 
 this the Church has been self-supporting. The brotherhood gave liberally 
 according te their means toward the erection of houses of worship. 
 
 Our Conference records show that the Church has given in collections 
 for maintenance about one thousand six hundred and fifty dollars. Beside 
 this a considerable amount was donated by our Indian brotherhood for 
 charitable work by way of supporting poor in institutions, etc. While it 
 must be remembered that the missionaries also gave their share in these 
 collections which was proportionatel’ larger than our Indian brethren 
 were able to give yet we believe most of them have done what they could. 
 
 We believe that a greater day is dawning for the Church in India. 
 We pray that by the grace of God she may initiate and support greater 
 activities in the future than she has done in the past. We pray for and 
 are expecting a strong body of Christ in this dark land. 
 
 
 
 A House at the Hills, Darjeeling 
 
CHAPTER, 
 
 DIRECT EVANGELISM 
 
 The underlying purpose of every department of the Mission is 
 evangelistic. One who has been in the country a number of years and 
 has had the privilege of working in different departments of the Mission 
 and is able to take a view of the whole situation soon perceives that they 
 compose a great whole, the underlying purpose of which is to make Christ 
 known to dying souls and lead them to His feet. They represent a veritable 
 bee-hive of busy workers all concerned with their respective duties yet 
 each having an important part in evangelistic activity. The daily Bible 
 teaching in all our schools, Bible reading in the Leper Asylum, the prayer 
 and preaching hour in the medical dispensaries, and the morning devotion 
 with workmen and servants are all effective means of evangelism. 
 
 Years of Preparation for Direct Evangelism 
 
 The efforts of our pioneer missionaries to prepare the orphans for 
 evangelism are 
 highly praise- 
 worthy. They 
 carefully and 
 patiently organ- 
 ized them into 
 classes for Bi- 
 bile, psa diys. 
 They had vis- 
 ions of what 
 these boys and 
 girls should be- 
 come. But they 
 must often have 
 asked them- 
 selves the ques- 
 
 tion, “Can any 
 
 
 
 Christian Workers’ Family in Ghatula District 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK = 
 
 Sankra Evangelistic Station 
 
 
 
 good thing come out of 
 
 these Chattisgarhis?’ Many 
 of them were ignorant, others 
 dull, and still others irrespon- 
 sible. It would take years of 
 careful discipline and whole- 
 some, persistent teaching to 
 prepare them even in a small 
 way. Could these same pio- 
 neer brethren and sisters be 
 on the field now and have the 
 privilege of again associating 
 with those whom they so 
 faithfully taught they would 
 feel more than repaid for their 
 painstaking efforts. 
 
 Beside teaching they also 
 used them wherever possible 
 to evangelize their own peo- 
 ple. The missionaries often 
 visited the home villages of 
 the boys and girls with whom 
 they would hold meetings with 
 the villagers, thus giving them 
 a taste of the work and a vis- 
 ion of the great opportunities 
 they would have in the future 
 when they would carry the 
 Message to their own people. 
 These boys and girls heartily 
 testified to what God had 
 done for them. This served 
 as a means of practical train- 
 ing and gave the young peop'e 
 a contact which would be of 
 service to them in future years. 
 
 As time and opportunity 
 afforded the missionaries aiso 
 visited the villages from which 
 famine sufferers came. They 
 were always accorded a glad 
 welcome. They would take 
 
56 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 with them some of the Indian Christians who gladly witnessed for Christ. 
 Many times when they would enter a village someone would come run- 
 ning and ask them to be his guest during their stay. In this way he would 
 try to pay back in part the kindness which was shown him in the famine 
 kitchen or in the medical dispensary. This confidence soon bore fruit in 
 requests for village schools and religious teachers. It increased the re- 
 sponsibilities of the missionaries and led to more definite work of preparing 
 evangelists and Bible women for the great task before them. 
 
 The Indian Workers 
 
 Our “Indian, “workers” are. ‘classed vas evaneelists =) Gani 
 women. They preach and teach the Gospel in the bazaars, streets of the 
 villages, in the homes and schools. They also sell the Scriptures and 
 Christian literature, and distribute tracts. It has been found better to sell 
 all literature except tracts at a small cost rather than give it free of charge 
 as it gives it a value and is better cared for by the people» |The price 
 they pay dces not nearly cover the cost of printing. Better a few bought 
 at a small cost and often read than more given free, only to be torn to 
 bits and’ scattered by the roadside. One of our most active high-caste 
 Christians was converted through reading a New Testament which was 
 placed in his hands by one of our Indian brethren. 
 
 The Bible women are married and care for their own homes. They 
 visit heathen women in the towns and villages and teach them the Word 
 of lile. They, also, as opportunity affords, teach them to sew, to read 
 and write, and other things which will be useful to them. In this way 
 they gain entrance into many homes. The Bible women also have the 
 privilege of being exemplary home-makers. The non-Christian people 
 about them see the difference between the Christian families and their 
 own and are more willing to listen to their teaching. 
 
 Most of the workers have come from the orphanages. They were 
 reared under missionary supervision and given Christian training from 
 childhood and had a fair knowledge of the Scriptures before being taken 
 on in the work. A very few have come from other denominations and 
 have made our Church their choice. A few have come from among our 
 village converts and have by their conduct and qualifications, proved them- 
 selves worthy. It is more difficult to free such as they from their former 
 superstitions. Most of the workers’ have also received training in some 
 other kind of work and would be able to make a living if left to their 
 own resources. A few are serving as evangelists at a real sacrifice and 
 we appreciate the spirit they manifest. 
 
RINIVYH “JOoyrs FIq1g 
 
 sees aN 
 PO EOL EO LL ELS SLO LEE EE AEROS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
58 Mig SBUILDING‘ON. THE ROCK 
 
 Work of the Main Stations 
 
 Because of their faith we hold our first colporteurs in grateful 
 memory. One afterward became a leper and died in the leper home. 
 Another who is still living is well advanced in years and can tell 
 us some interesting experiences of his work. Others have gone to their 
 eternal reward. Dhamtari was the only main station for a number of 
 the first years of the Mission. Next was Rudri; then Balodgahan; 
 three native states to open main station but up to the present time we have 
 three native states to open main stations but to the present time we have 
 not been successful in opening permanent work. We are still hopeful that 
 they may become a reality. The evangelistic work differs somewhat 
 in nature according to the location. In Dhamtari a little bookshop was 
 maintained for several years in which phenyle, a disinfectant, was sold 
 and the worker gave out tracts and sold books and Scripture portions. 
 In this way he did a great deal of good. The evangelists during most of 
 the years visited the Dhamtari and other village market places, met 
 the trains as they came and went, preached in the hospital to the patients, 
 
 
 
 Sister Burkhard and Bible Women (1910) 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 59 
 
 and visited the surrounding villages giving the Word of Life to the people. 
 The Bible women visited the zenanas where women were kept in seclusion. 
 They also visited the homes of the common people and wherever 
 opportunity afforded sang Christian hymns, read the Word, and prayed 
 with the people. Our Bible women were happy when the missionary sisters 
 could accompany them. During the twenty-five years several of our 
 missionary sisters were able to devote a large part of their time to this 
 work. They and the Bible women generally received a warm welcome 
 into the homes of the people. If they were not welcomed it was generally 
 due to prejudice born of ignorance. 
 
 The evangelistic work of the other main stations was carried on 
 among the people of the surrounding villages. The large gatherings of 
 people at the bazaar places and especially at morais, that is, when the god 
 of the place is reinstated in the worship of the people, afforded good 
 oppo.tunities for preaching. The workers found their work most fruitful 
 when they could follow up their public service by seeking out inquirers 
 and quietly talking to them about Christ and His power to save. During 
 the quiet evening hours they often had opportunities of leading a soul 
 into the Kingdom. Both they and the Bible women have been faithfully 
 serving the Lord according to their capacity and slowly but surely planting 
 the Gospel seed in the hearts of the people. 
 
 In 1903 over two hundred thirty-eight portions of Scripture and one 
 New Testament were sold to non-Christians. During the twenty-five 
 years the sales have steadily increased. In a big two-day bazaar a 
 missionary and four Indian workers sold four hundred books in two days. 
 People have come of themselves and asked for certain Christian books 
 or for Scriptures. A Mohammedan came into the office of one of the 
 missionaries living in Sundarganj and asked for an Urdu copy of the 
 Bible. Not having one on hand at the time he showed him one written 
 in the Roman characters. The Mohammedan reverently took the book in 
 both hands, raised it to his lips and kissed it. He then said, “I have great 
 reverence for this book and for Jesus of whom it teaches.’ Another, a 
 Hindu, sent to the missionary of another station for a copy of the Psalms, 
 writing in good English, “I consider the Psalms the most beautiful religious 
 teaching we have in the world.” Another Indian who is a leader among 
 his people who are known as Kabir Panthis has bought a copy of most 
 of the different books our evangelists take for sale. He seems to be an 
 earnest seeker after the Truth and we have come to know that he teaches 
 what he reads to his people. Through the seed thus sown from the main 
 stations the surrounding people have come to understand in part the 
 
60 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 Message but the fetters of caste are holding them back, else doubtless 
 many more would openly confess their Savior. 
 
 The Sub-evangelistic Stations 
 
 In nearly every instance, the real test of the Christian worker 
 and his wife comes when they are called upon to move to an outstation 
 where they must live alone among the heathen people and regularly visit 
 surrounding homes, villages, and market-places, and daily dispense the 
 Bread of Life to an ignorant, superstitious heathen people. Such workers 
 are generally put on their own honor. Each month the men come to the 
 main station for their allowances and bring with them the monthly report 
 of both themselves and their wives, if they are Bible women. They have 
 a list of the surrounding villages of their subdistrict and have in a general 
 way their work outlined for them by their missionary manager. 
 
 The home life of the worker in the substation means much to the 
 work. The family is generally stronger, healthier, cleaner, more intelligent, 
 better behaved, 
 more refined, and 
 more exemplary in 
 many ways. But 
 they) must. ssulter 
 many inconvenien- 
 ces because of the 
 prejudice of the peo- 
 ple. They may not 
 be allowed to take 
 water from the vil- 
 lage well. The vil- 
 lage barber will not 
 shave the men. They 
 will often be snub- 
 bed by the village 
 people whom _ they 
 are seeking to win 
 to Christ. But they 
 patiently suffer it 
 all. While some of 
 them are prone to 
 become discouraged 
 we thank God for 
 
 
 
 Sister Lapp and Her Bible Women (1924) 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 61 
 
 those who manifest Christian fortitude and faithfully plod on in their work 
 in spite of the many hindrances which are thrown in their way. They 
 need our closer companionship. 
 
 As is stated in the discussion of the medical work, the workers in the 
 substations are allowed to keep in stock simple remedies with which 
 to treat common ailments of the village people. This adds a great deai 
 to their influence. One of our substations was visited by a Government 
 Sub-Assistant Surgeon who is very much in sympathy with mission work 
 and who also is a Christian. He afterward said to the manager, “Your 
 worker in ~- station is quite a little doctor. He has some very good 
 remedies there and has a good influence among the people.” 
 
 
 
 
 
 oa oe oe ihe i | 
 
 Village Sunday School, Balodgahan 
 
 One hardship which our outstation workers have to undergo is to 
 have to put their children in the boarding schools of the Mission and have 
 them away from them a great part of the time. They have better school 
 and other advantages but are deprived of their home life. But they 
 willingly make the sacrifice and also pay according to their financial ability 
 for the training of their children. 
 
62 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 The outstations are Bijnapuri, Gopalpuri, Bagtarai, Bhatgaon, in the 
 Dhamtari district; Chikli in the Balodgahan district; Nawagaon and 
 Tengua in the Sankra district; Seodi in the Mahodi district; and Gatasilli 
 and Kaspur in the Ghatula district. A few of the above outstations 
 such as Gariaband and Mahodi, were later either closed as in the case of 
 the former or became main mission stations, as in the case of the latter. 
 
 Touring 
 
 Each year special efforts have been put forth to reach outlying 
 villages which have not been regularly visited by the workers. The people 
 as a rule are more receptive in these villages and listen with interest to the 
 messages they hear. Because of their illiteracy we use pictures very 
 largely to illustrate what we teach them. The large Sunday school pictures 
 are used very generally throughout the Mission. The small cards are 
 also distributed among the children. We find them very helpful in the 
 Sunday school as well as the district work. We cannot thank our friends 
 enough for the many cards and pictures they send us each year. Even 
 more of them will be greatly appreciated. 
 
 Each station has an equipment of tents and camp furniture. At 
 touring time, which is during the cool season as a rule, the tents and 
 furniture are repaired, folded up, loaded into carts together with the 
 necessary food and other provisions for a week or more of camping and 
 the carts are ordered to the camping place. The missionaries and workers 
 plan the visits to the villages surrounding the camp in order to visit several 
 duriny the day and also spend the evening at some central place where 
 by lantern light messages are given to the people. A goodly supply of 
 literature is taken and offered for sale at each meeting held. Oftentimes 
 tours are made to villages where missionaries have never been. Sometimes 
 we come to places where the Indians have never seen the face of a white 
 ‘man. On one such occasion when entering a village the people became 
 frightened and all ran away and hid in the bushes. It was only by patient, 
 persistent effort that they could be induced to return to the little group 
 ‘of visitors. After they knew the real object of- the visit they became 
 friendly and asked that their visitors come back again and tell them the 
 ‘Gospel story. If only we could make such visits more frequently. If 
 the tours last over several weeks, camp is broken several times and the 
 ‘tents are set in several central places. As we tour thus our hearts burn 
 within us for the people whom we visit. They are in gross ignorance 
 regarding the Way of Life. They are receptive. Some of them 
 acknowledge that the religion we represent gives them more than what 
 
om et 
 
 
 
 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 63. 
 
 Mahodi Evangelistic Station 
 
 they have. But what. can we 
 do by visiting such places 
 but onee a year? ..We can 
 only pray that God may in 
 His own -way through the 
 Holy Spirit make the message 
 clear to them. 
 
 The Bible Normal 
 
 During the first years of 
 regular evangelistic work the 
 missionaries did what they 
 could to give the workers Bi- 
 ble knowledge. Later it was 
 deemed advisable to place in 
 the workers’ hands helpful 
 books and assign certain 
 Scripture portions for them 
 to read during the year. For 
 several weeks during this time 
 the workers were gathered to- 
 gether for the purpose of re- 
 viewing what they had read. 
 Examinations were then giv- 
 en and new assignments made 
 for the following year. These 
 annual normals have been 
 held for the last sixteen or 
 seventeen years. At first both 
 school teachers and_~ other 
 wo.kers were enrolled in the 
 Normal but during the last 
 yea.s, sepaiate normals have 
 been held for them in order to 
 give them work better adapt- 
 ed to their separate needs. 
 The workers are divided into 
 three classes according to 
 mentality and years of serv- 
 ice. Those who pass the best 
 
64 | BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 grades are promoted from the lowest to the highest class year by year. 
 The result is that those of the lowest classes show less ability and if they 
 fail regularly in their examinations they are liable to be excused from the 
 work unless they possess other qualifications which justify their being 
 retained. Each year grade cards are filled out which show the quality of 
 work done in Normal, their faithfulness and ability in general, and their 
 spiritual standing. These serve as a criterion for the future. The fol- 
 lowing is a sample of their grade cards. 
 
 CHRISTIAN WORKER’S GRADE CARD 
 
 Naimer Of AVOTK eI Glee etait tay CN Sake ces Ge eee Date iy c7.. Satta anne aieee 
 SS EALIOT spyagehed 5) ce seal See ering fa Sno ae 
 Classification (Advanced, Middle, or Primary) 
 1. Work. 
 PresentwAllowances () sG> ©) 3-year eeter ce ce: 
 Ability Basis eotwLOQ i a wey aay 
 Application Oe er Pa aes ee 1s a 
 Voluntary Effort ee aN raat eee 
 Totalteog ie 
 2. Character. 
 Spirituality eg Vice IER Ps cene te Me ih 
 Freedom from bad habits nl oe a ieetas, Dazsteta 2 aoa 
 Readiness: to carry. out instructions: 6 py mee ee 
 otal Sane 
 3. Normal Subjects 
 ‘ “ec ‘ 
 Et aie thal Lesa hae tee atone WARE Regs Soiane: 
 Pee ere Aree Ths aS ost iee ig SW ae oe 
 St Mea nets. abs eel are Potala eee 
 
 6 0 eke so) 8° OF 010.0: 0-6) -o 0, Uéim 4) o (07 a) Orme n le) 2) 6's 0 10'G 6 
 
 Grandso6tal a =e 
 
 Note. The missionary in charge of workers fills in the grades in 
 sections 1 and 2. Section 3 is filled by those in charge of the Normal. 
 
 The workers in order to secure a passing grade which would make 
 them eligible to promotion must secure a minimum number of 140 marks 
 in any one section and a grand total of not less than 450 marks. 
 
 This e¢ard after it is filled out is @signed@by the Secretary gore ene 
 Evangelistic Committee and handed to the manager of the worker whose 
 name appears on the card. 
 
 [t will also be of interest at this juncture to add a few general rules 
 which apply to the evangelists and Bible women. ; 
 
 i. They shall devote a number of hours a day for five days a week 
 to the service. At times of special effort they shall devote all the time 
 
 possible. 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 65 
 
 2. If workers are not able to attend Normal because of sickness, or 
 some other valid reason, arrangements can be made to give them their 
 examinations in their stations. 
 
 3. The workers shall be granted two weeks’ vacation each year, the 
 time to be arranged for with their respective managers. 
 
 4+. No workers can personally engage in any private enterprise 
 while in service as a worker. Should any one have private interests he 
 must care for them through hired agents or other members of the family. 
 
 
 
 Workers at Balodgahan 
 
 Note.—Some own land and other property. We encourage them to invest 
 their savings, but not to the hurt of the work in which they are engaged. 
 
 5. All workers are required to refrain from the use of drugs, tobacco, 
 liquor, or harmful practices of any kind which will hinder their influence 
 as Christians. 
 
 The Bible Training School 
 
 The need of such an institution as the Bible Training School lay on 
 
 the hearts of some of the missionaries for some time previous to the actual 
 
66 BUILDING ON, THE’ ROCK 
 
 opening in 1908. Among the first students were a blind man, one who was 
 half blind, and another who was lame; but it was a beginning. None of 
 them were well educated but they were willing to apply themselves. The 
 courses of study at first covered periods of nine months each year tor 
 three years. They included Bible and Church History, courses in Old 
 and New Testament Study, Scripture Memory Work, Methods of Christian 
 Work, Comparative Religions, Singing, etc. From the beginning they 
 were required to do practical work whenever possible during the school 
 year. The teaching staff was small and the missionaries who had charge 
 also had other duties which took a part of their time. It meant training 
 future possible 
 teachers as well as Fae 
 future workers. 
 After shifting 
 about a great deal, 
 Ghatula was finally 
 chosen as the per- 
 manent home for 
 the Bible School. It 
 is now housed in a 
 suitable building and 
 although the attend- 
 ance has never been 
 more than twenty- 
 seven any one year, 
 yet during the years 
 since 1908, ninety- 
 six Indian young 
 men and women 
 have attended for 
 longer or shorter 
 periods. A few were 
 able to take only 
 very elementary 
 work and many of 
 them are not* at 
 present employed as 
 workers but we be- 
 lieve they have been 
 
 
 
 Hindu God Worshiped by the People, Hindu Temple, Dhamtari 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 67 
 
 helped spiritually and will carry the influence of the school with them 
 in their lives and labors. 
 
 At the present time the courses of study cover a period of four years 
 of six months each which provide six months’ study and six months’ 
 work in some station or substation. This same method is followed by 
 some other missions and has been found very satisfactory. We praise God 
 for the building for which brethren in the homeland have so liberally 
 donated. We believe God will bless the school to the future good of the 
 evangelistic work of our field. 
 
 “My Presence Shall Go With Thee.” 
 
 Detailed statistics regarding the evangelistic work can not be given. 
 Suffice it to say that 
 there were no evan- 
 Pelstsq@olem bible 
 women in 1899, 
 Twelve years after- 
 ward thirty-four men 
 and women were 
 giving their time to 
 the work. It is with 
 feelings -thaty we 
 gratefully remember 
 the services of those 
 who have been call- 
 ccedrOnte tine «to 
 eternity. We men- 
 tioned Bro. Barsan 
 who became a leper 
 and succumbed to 
 the dread _ disease. 
 
 Bro. Yohan con- 
 tracted tuberculosis 
 
 and passed away as 
 a result, after years 
 of faithful and fruit- 
 ful service. Patras, 
 his brother, was tak- 
 en in the same way. 
 He, too, was an 
 
 
 
 Workers at Mahodi 
 
63 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 earnest and effective winner of soufs. Elizabeth, who came to us from 
 another mission as a leper became an inmate of the Leper Home and was 
 very earnest in her endeavors to teach the Gospel to the other poor 
 stricken inmates. She died happy in her Savior. 
 
 Sister Sevti was a faithful Bible woman and wite of our deacon, 
 Brother Parsadi. She was suddenly taken by death after only a short 
 Iness. Sister Chherkin was another. Spinal meningitis was the direct 
 cause. She had served her Master faithfully for a number of years. We 
 cannot understand why nearly all of these and man, other faithful ones 
 had to be taken in the prime of life. We could name many more who have 
 been called to what seem to us untimely graves. We would not forget 
 the living both older and younger who have dedicated their lives to the 
 Cause of Christ and are seeking to bring the Gospel to their fellow 
 countrymen. God has saved them by His grace and He will not leave them 
 without reward. They are worthy of your interest, hearty support, and 
 prayers. Some day they, with us, will come before the Throne bringing 
 their sheaves with them and they too will hear the welcome plaudit, “Well 
 done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast ‘been faithful over a few 
 things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the soy 
 ot thy Lord.” | 
 
 
 
 An Abandoned Hindu Temple 
 
Gi AgeT TR VT 
 
 CARING FOR THE HOMELESS 
 
 The Boys’ and Girls’ Orphanages, the Widows’ Homes, the Old Men’s 
 Promer themitiohiocuool, Llostel, and school Kitchens) are: classed” as 
 Charitable Institutions. | 
 
 An institution at any time is a poor substitute for a.good home. A 
 Christian institution in this country is much better than the homes from 
 which their inmates have come. Many of them have not had sufficient to 
 eat and to wear and besides this they knew nothing of Christianity and its 
 teachings. 
 
 As a result of our Mission having opened work at the beginning of a 
 severe famine much of our work has been with institutions. The 
 Orphanages were started even before the close of the famine. A home for 
 the children was one of the first buildings to be erected. When building 
 was begun only one hundred children were planned for, but before the end 
 of the first year there were one hundred eighty children to care for which 
 made it necessary for the building to be enlarged very soon after being 
 completed. The building was so constructed that the east half of it faced 
 south and the west half faced north. The boys were accommodated in the 
 west half of the building and the girls in the east half. At first they had to 
 eat, sleep and have their school all in the same rooms which caused much 
 confusion and delay in the work of the day. The children also could not 
 all be in school at the same time. Half of them worked in the morning 
 and the other half went to school and in the afternoon they changed about. 
 This plan of part of them working while the others were in school was kept 
 up for a number of years due to the fact that sufficient teachers were not 
 available for the size of staff required. The children in the higher classes 
 helped to teach those in the lower classes. Helpers who could be depended 
 upon to supervise work outside of school also were very difficult to obtain 
 which made the work very hard for the missionaries in those first years. 
 
 When famine work closed and funds no longer came for that purpose 
 a stable means of support for the orphans had to be provided. It was 
 determined that fifteen dollars would support one child for a year. So the 
 Board was notified and a plea made to the people at home to support 
 
70 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 individual orphans. This met with a hearty response and the needed 
 support for the children was secured. The sum required at the present 
 time for support is about double the above amount. 
 
 Planning for the Girls’ Orphanage 
 
 It was soon seen that in order to do the best possible for the children 
 the boys and girls could not both be accommodated on the same grounds. 
 The situation was explained to the Board and Church and a plea made for 
 funds to build a Girls’ Orphanage which meant the opening of a new 
 station. There was a hearty response, which resulted in the opening of 
 Rudri station. The girls moved to their new home on May 28, 1903. At 
 that time there were two hundred seventeen in the Girls’ Orphanage and 
 two hundred eighty in the Boys’ Orphanage. Before this time some of the 
 children had to sleep in the verandas of the bungalows and wherever they 
 could find shelter in the rainy season, for they were so overcrowded in their 
 living quarters. The removal of the girls to the new station did not even 
 give room enough for the boys to be comfortably housed in the first 
 buildings. After the school house was built many of the boys slept in it. 
 A line of houses originally built for servants’ quarters furnished a place 
 later on for a number of them to live. 
 
 Ail the Orphanage buildings were very near the bungalows where the 
 missionaries lived, which in many respects was very objectionable. It 
 brought the children’s playground right to the doors of two bungalows as 
 the first building was between them. For many years it was thought that 
 the Orphanage should be removed elsewhere and finally after it had been 
 there twenty years it was accomplished. A new building was erected in the 
 west side of the same compound in which the boys are now living. This 
 is very satisfactory. Much of the old building is now being used for other 
 purposes, part of it for Sunday school and prayer meeting rooms, part of 
 it for a garage and part for work rooms. 
 
 In 1906 it was thought best, for various reasons, to interchange the 
 Boys’ and Girls’ Orphanages. In May the boys moved to Rudri and the 
 girls to Dhamtari. In June, 1910, they were returned to their former 
 buildings. With the exception of those four years the boys have always 
 been at Dhamtari. 
 
 Rudri Sold 
 
 The girls lived at Rudri until 1912 when the Government acquired ‘the 
 Mission property there for Headquarters for canal construction which 
 required it to be closed as a Mission station. Much time was spent in 
 
BULLE DING ONG THE eROCK 71 
 
 looking for a location for the Girls’ Orphanage. No suitable place could 
 be found and as moving the Orphanage by a certain time was imperative, 
 it was finally decided to locate it at Balodgahan. Plans for building were 
 made at once but as there was insufficient time to build before the girls had 
 to be moved the cattle stables belonging to the farm were cleaned out, a 
 few changes were made, and the girls moved into them. A small building 
 Was put up in one corner of the compound where the missionary in charge 
 could live near them. The girls lived in this place from May, 1912, to 
 june, 1913, when they moved to their permanent quarters. The new 
 buildings were planned for sixty girls only, as the number in the Orphanage 
 was rapidly decreasing and it seemed then that in a few years all that 
 would be required were accommodations for a small boarding of Christian 
 girls attending school. In 1918, after the influenza epidemic, it was seen 
 that the orphanage should be enlarged. The epidemic being closely 
 followed by two famines made it very necessary to have more room. The 
 money for this purpose was. generously contributed by friends in 
 Pennsylvania. The compound was enlarged to twice its original size and 
 a new kitchen, dining room, dormitory and hospital were added. The new 
 buildings were ready to occupy in November, 1921. 
 
 Many ot the children were large when they came into the Orphanages 
 in 1900 and 1901. By 1906 a number of them were married. There were 
 also many deaths in the early years of the Orphanages, due to the physical 
 condition of many of the children when they came in. A number of them 
 also left on their own accord after they had been in the Orphanages for 
 some time. Many more boys than girls left because they became more 
 restless and also were better able to take care of themselves outside than the 
 girls were. From the above causes the number in the Orphanages gradually 
 became less. At the beginning of 1918 these institutions had fewer 
 inmates than at any time in their history, there being only about sixty 
 girls and thirty boys and about half in each case were children of Christians 
 going to school from the Orphanages. After that the numbers began 
 increasing which kept on until in 1922 there were two hundred forty-eight 
 girls, the highest number ever in the Orphanage. There were two hundred 
 seventy-five boys in 1921 which was the highest number of boys since 1903 
 when there were five above this number. At present there are one hundred 
 ninety-four in the Girls’ Orphanage which includes about seventy girls from 
 Christian homes who are attending school from the Orphanage. There are 
 one hundred seventy-three boys in the Orphanage including a number of 
 boys from Christian homes who are attending the Orphanage School. 
 

 
 (Still Standing) 
 
 ission 
 
 Idings of the Mi 
 
 t Bui 
 
 Irs 
 
 d one of the F 
 
 1 an 
 
 t Dhamtar 
 
 ing a 
 
 1 Orphanage Build 
 
 igina 
 
 The Or 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 73 
 
 Many hoys have been transferred from the Orphanage to the High 
 School Hostel which is a boarding house for pupils who attend the English 
 School. It is also classed as one of our Charitable Institutions because of 
 the boys being transferred there from the Orphanage, and because other 
 Christian boys live there who are unable to pay the entire cost of their 
 SubpOL i nete are thirty-cix.Christian:boys.in the ‘fostel: 
 
 Industrial Work 
 
 Industrial work for the boys always has been a problem. It is very 
 necessary for them to learn a trade or profession by which they can make 
 a living when they marry and leave the Orphanage. A few went to 
 school until they became teachers in our own or Government schools. 
 Carpentry including cabinet making, gardening, sewing, rope making and 
 weaving, all have been taught at different times with more or less success. 
 Industrial work is difficult because it is not easy to get good teachers for 
 the different industries. It also is very expensive as new pupils are coming 
 in almost constantly and each one spoils a certain amount of material in 
 learning his work. Besides this a thing produced must have a market and 
 must sell at a profit if the work must support itself. Several boys were 
 sent away to learn wheel-wrighting and blacksmithing. Several were sent 
 to the Government Experimental Farm to learn better methods of farming, 
 two have gone to medical school, and one went to learn tailoring under 
 better teachers than he would have had at Dhamtari. At the end oi 
 twenty-five years bovs from our Orphanages are found in various trades 
 and professions. Among them are farmers, carpenters, stone masons, 
 blacksmiths, cooks, mechanics, coolies, evangelists, teachers, doctors and 
 tailors. While they had the disadvantage of starting out without the help 
 of thrifty parents some of them are today found in good circumstances 
 though the majority of them are financially poor. 
 
 The girls are taught various occupations more with the view of their 
 being able to do the work required of them in their own homes when they 
 marry and leave the Institution than with the view of it being a source of 
 direct income. A girl in this country can never go away from home to earn 
 her own livelihood unless it be as a teacher or in some profession and she 
 be in a place where she has protection and close supervision as in a 
 wotman’s institution of some kind. Several of the girls took normal 
 training, two took nurses’ training; others attempted it and failed. A 
 number took the Bible course in our own Bible School. Many of the 
 women in this country must work to supplement their husbands’ income. 
 What they will be able to do so often depends on what their husband’s 
 
74 BUILDING“ON YPHE (ROCK 
 
 work is. Girls from our Orphanage can be found in such occupation as 
 teaching, nursing, taking care of children, Bible Women’s work, matrons’ 
 work, doing housework for the missionaries and others and many of them 
 do ordinary coolie work. A few are home-makers only. 
 
 Widows’ Home 
 
 The need for a home for widows and deserted wives had long been 
 felt by the missionaries. As early as 1900 the Annual Report contained 
 this statement, “We need such a home and it will be opened as the Lord 
 opens the way.’’ A woman with two children came in 1911 and asked to be 
 taken care of. She was given a place to live with employment and her 
 children were sent to the Orphanages. In 1912 a few more dependent 
 women came to live in Balodgahan and the missionaries also provided them 
 a place to live and something to do. As time passed a few more came. It 
 was first mentioned in the Annual Report of 1916 and in 1917 there were 
 twelve women in the Home and eleven others had been in it before that 
 time. Until then the Home was only partly supported from Mission Funds 
 but a plea was then made and support obtained for carrying on the work 
 of the Widows’ Home. At the close of 1917 there were nineteen women in 
 the Home. In the beginning the women lived in a few huts near the 
 Mission bungalow which had been vacated by some of the Christian people 
 who went into better quarters. Later a few more huts were added as they 
 were needed. About 1918 money was received from America to build a 
 Home for the women but before the buildings were finished the number in 
 the Home had 
 increased t o 
 more than fill 
 them and the 
 old quarters. 
 POmMCis -OnmsEt ic 
 women remain- 
 ed in the old 
 buildings that 
 were almost 
 ready to fall 
 down until the 
 hot season of 
 1924 when new 
 mud buildings 
 Wiciieseractca: 
 
 
 
 Boys Washing Their Teeth 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 75 
 
 The missionary in charge gave much supervision to the work and the 
 women themselves did all the work except the wood work and putting on 
 the roof. Digging the earth, carrying it from the field, carrying water from 
 the village tank, with which to mix the earth into mortar, and laying up the 
 mud walls, is laborious work but the women did it all and now have 
 comfortable houses to live in. Five cottages were built each of which 
 accommodates eight women. Work sheds also were built largely with the 
 labor of the women. There is a well inside the women’s compound. The 
 compound wall was also built by the women. 
 
 Each woman has her own cooking arrangements. A grain store on a 
 small scale is kept for their benefit where at stated times they can get their 
 
 
 
 Corner of Girls’ Orphanage, Balodgahan 
 
 provisions. Vegetable sellers are invited to bring in their produce to sell 
 to them on bazaar days. Each woman is given a stipulated weekly 
 allowance of money with which to support herself. She receives this in 
 return for some labor done. The women must be kept busy and feel that 
 they are earning the money they receive or discipline can not be maintained 
 in the Home. The women who are unable to work have provision made 
 for their living but all who are able are required to work. 
 
 Since the beginning of the Home two hundred and two women have 
 been admitted, twenty-six have remarried, fifteen died, fourteen left of their 
 own accord, preferring their old life to the support and protection they have 
 
76 BUILDING (ON .THE ROCK 
 
 in the Home. A number of the women have been in the Home the second 
 or third time. One wornan was twice married from the Home and twice 
 widowed and returned. At the close of 1924 there were one hundred fifteen 
 women in the Home. There are forty-three children, nearly all of them 
 being widows’ children excepting a few who are orphan babies whose 
 mothers died, and they are being taken care of in the Home. Nearly all 
 the boys of the Widows are in the Orphanage at Dhamtari. The total 
 number is one hundred fifty-eight. All the women now in the Home, except 
 two, have been baptized and have united with the Church. 
 
 The Widows’ Home affords good evangelistic opportunities. Many of 
 the women’s relatives and friends come to visit them, some from far away 
 villages, carrying back with them the story of how the women are being 
 cared for and of their having become respectable people. Missionaries or 
 others going on tour through the villages often meet the friends of the 
 women which readily provides an opening into the homes and hearts of the 
 people. They can teach Christ to those who otherwise might not be ready 
 to hear them. 
 
 At several of our Mission stations, as a result of the last famine, a 
 number of women and children were left homeless. An attempt was made 
 to keep them in their respective stations. There were a few at Mahodi but 
 because the station had to be left for one year with no missionaries located 
 there, the women and children were all removed to the Widows’ Home and 
 to the Orphanages. There are also a number at Sankra. At the close of 
 1924 there were eighteen women and a number of children at that place. 
 Some of the older boys and girls have been sent to the Boys’ and Girls’ 
 Orphanages. The women at Sankra also live in mud huts. Most of the 
 women are elderly women. All except two are real widows. These two 
 were deserted by their husbands. All of the Sankra women, too, have 
 united with the Church. 
 
 Men’s Home 
 
 For a number of vears a few old and disabled men had been cared for 
 by the Mission. Because there was no other place for them they were 
 allowed to live in the Boys’ Orphanage. During famine time the number 
 increased. ‘hey then were separated from the Orphanage and a separate 
 place provided. After famine was over and they became able to take care 
 of themselves they were dismissed one by one until all had been sent away 
 who could possibly take care of themselves. There are still thirteen in the 
 Home. It has always been the policy of the Mission not to admit more 
 into this Home as it always has been most difficult to arrange for their 
 
BUILDING -ONUTHE "ROCK 77 
 
 support. True they are not very promis- 
 ing but the Missionaries have been un- 
 able to turn them away when it appears 
 as though starvation only could be the 
 result. ‘They are all men who are either 
 o!d, physically disabled or mentally weak 
 and this country does not provide for 
 the support of such persons. So they are 
 kept on with the hope that God will in 
 some way provide for them through the 
 kindness of His people. 
 
 Station Schools 
 
 As more poor people came into the 
 Church and the Orphanages filled up it 
 was necessary for some arrangements to 
 be made so that the children of poor 
 
 
 
 Garjan Bai. Gone to Her Reward 
 
 Christians could be sent to school and 
 the congested conditions in the Orphan- 
 ages be relieved. The parents in many 
 cases are unable to support their chil- 
 dren and send them to school so they 
 must either receive help or remain illit- 
 erate. To give money into the hands of 
 the parents would be a futile way of try- 
 ing to help the children as many of them 
 might not use it for the purpose for 
 which it was intended. Therefore it was 
 decided to open school kitchens in con- 
 nection with schools at the stations 
 where missionaries live. The children 
 were to receive one or two warm meals 
 a day as the need might be. It is not 
 always easy to determine who should 
 
 
 
 Matron of the Widows’ Home 
 
78 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 have one or two meals or no help as it can not be exactly known in 
 all cases what the income of the parents is. The plan was first tried out 
 at Sankra in 1922 and proved to be quite satisfactory. The next year it 
 was begun in connection with the Girls’ School at Dhamtari and later for 
 the Boys’ School at Balodgahan. At the latter place there also are a few 
 girls included. At the close of 1924 there were ninety-nine children receiving 
 help in the three kitchens. They are all required to do some useful work 
 supervised by their teachers the hours they are out of school. How long 
 the school kitchens will be continued can only be answered by how great 
 the need will be and whether the means will be forthcoming for supporting 
 them. We must provide a way whereby the children can be educated in 
 order to forestall an illiterate Church in the future. 
 
 At the present time our Christian community is largely composed of 
 those who came into the Church through the work of our Charitable 
 Institutions in the past and the influence they have had on others. Our 
 evangelists, Bible women, our deacons, all except one, and nearly all of our 
 Sunday school workers came from the Orphanages. Great possibilities for 
 the future of the Mennonite Church in India lie in the children, at present 
 growing up in our Institutions, and unless the means and missionaries will 
 be forthcoming from the home base, to take advantage of these possibilities, 
 much will be lost in carrying forward the work already begun. 
 
 In connection with this short history of our Charitable Institutions we 
 wish to give a few life sketches of some who have passed through them, 
 which we trust will be as interesting to those who read this book as they 
 have been to those who have come in contact with them. 
 
 Life Sketches 
 
 Among those who sought refuge from starvation in the famine of 
 1899-1900 was a widow named Ramoti Dai. Her husband had already died 
 and she was left with two little boys. Everything she owned had been 
 turned in for food, and what next? She made her way towards Dhamtari. 
 It was a slow process, she being so weak that she could hardly put one foot 
 before the other. On the way, at a large bazaar, her oldest son was lost in 
 the throng of people. Thinking he might be with some relatives the 
 exhausted mother paid little attention to this matter for a few days. When 
 she could not trace his whereabouts she became so discouraged that she 
 tried in various ways to end her life. Once she took a rope to hang herself 
 and her remaining son but did not succeed. Another time she tried’ to 
 throw her son into the river and then drown herself but in this she too 
 failed. Again she was lying beside the road for the night and she says, “A 
 
BUILDING.ON, THE ROCK 79 
 
 tiger came sniffing around and almost buried us in the sand which he threw 
 up with his paws but he did not even find us good eating and went his 
 way.” At last she reached the famine kitchen where the Brethren Ressler 
 and Page took her in and ministered to her needs. She was in such a 
 bad physical condition that the Indian helpers at the famine camp did not 
 want to touch her. They were ready to let her die. After getting food and 
 medical aid she revived and was a great help in caring for the sick in the 
 hospital but her little boy died. The older one had not been found and to 
 her he was dead—that is the way the Indian expresses it. After the famine 
 Ramoti Dai was taken into the Girls’ Orphanage where she was like a 
 mother to the girls for a number of years. Those who were in the 
 Orphanage then still respect her very highly. 
 
 When Irene Lehman was born Ramoti Dai was chosen to help take 
 care of her. She was “ayah” (child nurse) for all the Lehman children, 
 helping their mother who was engaged in her mission work. After she 
 began working for the Lehman family steps were taken to find her long 
 lost son. After some searching, traces of him were found and he was 
 brought to his mother. Nine or ten years had elapsed and the little boy 
 had grown to be a man, was married and the father of children. This 
 meeting shall never be forgotten. Truly tears of real joy were shed. There 
 could be no doubt that they were mother and son for the resemblance was 
 very great. The son and his wife are now Christians. Relatives come to see 
 them. One of her brothers also came and is a Christian. She must now be 
 in the seventies and is still working and enjoying her Christian life. 
 
 One of the most interesting characters that ever passed through the 
 Orphanage was Garjan Bai. We speak of her almost with reverence. She 
 had her human weaknesses but in spite of them she was a noble character. 
 
 She came into the Orphanage the first day of February, 1900, and was 
 entered on the register as being eleven years old. Her physical condition 
 at that time was very bad. She had sores and needed much care and 
 attention to nurse her back to health and strength. It was not long until 
 she showed the rare ability which she possessed. She early became a leader 
 among the girls and a great help to those who had charge of them. She 
 often related in after years how she with a few other girls studied until late 
 at night in order to have their lessons for school the next day, when 
 according to the prevailing rules, they should have been sleeping. After 
 finishing the work in the primary department of the Mission School she 
 went to Jubalpur and attended Normal School for two years. She then 
 returned to the Mission and taught for about four years. She had 
 
(IC6T) cSvucyd-g spar 
 
 
 

 
 Girls’ Orphanage (1924) 
 
82 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 scrofulous swellings on her neck from which she suffered a great deal while 
 she was teaching. Besides teaching she always had numerous other duties 
 in the Orphanage, such as matron’s work, helping to look after the store 
 room and dining room and she was always most faithful in performing her 
 duties. There was some work in which she was very clumsy, such as 
 knitting, sewing and crocheting. But when she made up her mind to learn 
 something it was as good as accomplished for she was most persistent in 
 her efforts to learn. In 1910 she was relieved from teaching and took the 
 position of Matron of the Orphanage which she filled until the time of her 
 death in 1918, though she taught some again the last few years of her life. 
 
 Garjan Bai came from the oil maker caste. Her mother was a leper, 
 though this fact is not generally known. According to her account of her 
 home life and training she had parents who were as strict as one ever finds 
 among Hindu villagers. She said, “I was never allowed to play outside of 
 our own compound with other children in the evening after dark.” In 
 other ways, also, she was taught to be upright and honest. Her Christian 
 life to her was a great joy and she spent many hours in prayer. Often 
 when it almost seemed as though she should be at other duties, when she 
 was inquired for, the girls would answer, “Bai is praying.” In the influenza 
 epidemic on the 9th of November, 1918, she laid down her life in this world 
 a victim of the disease. How terribly she was missed among the girls 
 where she was like a mother especially to the little ones! She is still missed 
 in the work. Her pleasant smile and hearty welcome await us on the other 
 side. 
 
 Another beautiful character was Asra Bai. Her mother died when she 
 was a baby. Her sister-in-law took care of her and fed her with goat’s 
 milk and thus she survived as very few little children in this country ever 
 do under such circumstances. Just when her father died is not known to us 
 but her brothers kept her until the famine of 1899-1900 broke out. When 
 they no longer could support her she found her way to the famine camp and 
 from there she came into the Orphanage. In those days she was called 
 Thanwarin but years after when she had learned many things about 
 Christianity she disliked her old name as the meaning of it was not a nice 
 one and wanted to change it. She herself chose the name Asra which 
 means Hope. In this part of the country Bai applies to all women who have 
 some prestige among the people. She was a girl who was very much 
 respected among the people so was always called “Asra Bai.” ; 
 
 After she finished the Primary School in connection with the 
 Orphanage she went away to Normal School and returning she taught for 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 83 
 
 several years. [For some time she studied English and with tutoring by 
 some of the woman missionaries she finally passed her fourth class English 
 examination. This she did while she was teaching. In 1913 she went to 
 take the Nurses’ Training Course in the Woman’s Hospital in Ludhiana, 
 Panjab, in north India. She was there for three years before she returned 
 to the Mission to take up work in connection with the Medical Dispensary 
 at Balodgahan. She was there for only a few months and then was 
 transferred to Dhamtari in the latter part of 1916 when Dr. Cooprider came 
 to India, and was connected with the medical work at Dhamtari until her 
 death in November, 1924. She was married in August, 1921. She had very 
 poor health much of the time during the last few years of her life and could 
 not devote much of her time to the medical work but when she could work 
 she aiways could be depended upon to do her work faithfully. She and 
 Garjan Bai were fast friends and she missed Garjan Bai very greatly when 
 Garjan was called away. Asra Bai, perhaps, has never had an equal as a 
 go-between for the missionaries and the Indian people. She seemed to 
 have a special gift in understanding the motives of both and helping them 
 to understand each other. She was a woman loved by many. After her 
 death we heard her name many times in and about the city of Dhamtari 
 and she was always highly spoken of. There are many Hindus and 
 Christians alike to whom she had ministered in sickness. At the present 
 time there is no one to take her place. 
 
 Birjha is a girl who came into the Orphanage in September, 1916. She 
 had come to the Dispensary at Dhamtari where Dr. Esch treated her for a 
 bad sore she had on her head due to being struck with a heavy stick by her 
 step-mother who was very unkind to her. She remained at Dhamtari for a 
 few days and was then sent to the Orphanage at Balodgahan. She said her 
 people did not want her and had sent her away. A man was sent to her 
 village to investigate and found that her story was correct. She had a 
 sore on her head and through neglect it became full of worms which would 
 outcaste her family if she were allowed to remain in her home. In order to 
 get back into caste the father would have to feed all his caste people and 
 pay whatever penalty they should see fit to impose on him. Rather than 
 suffer this they sent the girl away. Birjha was supposed to be about ten 
 years old when she came to the Orphanage. When here about a year she 
 asked for baptism and wanted to unite with the Church. She has always 
 been faithful. Her start in school was late. She is not extraordinarily 
 bright but she finished the Primary School, has worked one vear outside 
 of school, hecause helpers were too few, and is now in the Middle School 
 
(1061) eseueydigQ shog 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 er ee oe 
 

 
 Boys’ Orphanage (1924) 
 
86 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 and doing well. We believe that she is going to be a good, substantial 
 Christian woman. 
 
 Shanti was brought to the Orphanage by the police when she was 
 about a day and a half old. At birth her mother had tried to kill her and, 
 thinking her to be dead, she threw her outside the village near the road and 
 covered her body with thorns. The child revived and with its cries 
 attracted the attention of some one who was passing. The police were 
 notified who took charge of the child and investigated the case. The 
 mother was tried and sent to prison where she died some months later. 
 Nothing is known of the child’s father. The little girl was brought to the 
 Orphanage where she was taken care of. Shanti is a tather dull ‘girl and 
 has never accomplished much in her school work but she has certainly 
 needed the sympathy of Christian people if a child ever has. She is now 
 fifteen years old and still goes to school. 
 
 Kuwarwati came to the Orphanage during the last famine in 1921. 
 She was married when a little girl although she never lived with her 
 husband. Her parents had died and the grandmother kept her, her little 
 sister, and brother. When the famine came she could no longer provide tor 
 them all and sent Kuwarwati to the house of her father-in-law asking them 
 to take care of her. They kept her for a while but when they thought that 
 they also would be scarce in food they sent her back to her grandmother. 
 She returned her to them several times but at last they refused to keep her 
 at all. She with her sister, brother, and grandmother then came to the 
 
 
 
 New Boys’ Orphanage, Dhamtari 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 
 
 Our Blind Boys at Work 
 
 87 
 
 famine camp at Ba- 
 lodgahan where the 
 erandmother died from 
 the awful starvation 
 she had endured and 
 the children were all 
 taken into the Orphan- 
 ages, @ illess methane ca 
 year after the famine 
 was over and good 
 crops were again in 
 sight the father-in-law 
 of Kuwarwati came to 
 the Orphanage inquir- 
 ing for his daughter- 
 in-law. He could not 
 be turned away with- 
 
 out a hearing as the girl legally belonged to his household. She was called and 
 he had an interview with her. He told her that he had come to take her 
 to his home. She said to him, “Under no circumstances will I ever return 
 to your house. When I was in need you turned me out, now that I have 
 been brought back from the grave and am in good health and strength you 
 
 
 
 Cattle Stables at Balodgahan Where the Orphanage Girls 
 Lived for Some Time 
 
88 BUILDING, ON THE ROCK 
 
 come for me but I will not go with you.” The man was told that she could 
 do as she wished about going. He was also asked if the girl had been 
 disobedient while in his home and he replied, “She was always a good 
 girl.” He left and gave no further trouble but went away sad because it 
 means a big expense for a man to have his son married and now he was 
 facing it for the second time with the same boy. 
 
 The word came at almost the close of 1924 that the boy to whom she 
 was married had died, which releases her and she will be free to marry a 
 Christian young man when the opportunity comes. 
 
 Kuwarwati has done well in school considering the very late start she 
 had. She is now about fourteen years old. She united with the Church not 
 long after she came into the Orphanage. She is good in hand work .and 
 very clever with the needle. 
 
 
 
 
 
 An Orange Tree, Balodgahan 
 
CAP TSO Ly 
 
 THE MINISTRY OF HEALING 
 
 The main causes of physical suffering in India are ignorance 
 superstition, wrong teaching of family priests, poverty, and hereditary 
 disease. Most of the villages of the country have their houses huddled 
 together without proper air space between, without ventilation, with cattle 
 sheds either built against the huts or near them, without proper systems of 
 drainage or sanitation, and with the families crowded together in closed 
 rooms to sleep or keep warm in cool weather. During the rainy season 
 mud and slush abound. There are plenty of pools in which mosquitoes 
 
 breed. 
 
 The Indians of our Mission area are generally careful to cook their 
 food thoroughly but do not know the first principles of cleanliness in its 
 preparing and serving. To quote Dr. Florence Friesen who was called 
 upon to visit a patient in a distant village where the meal had been 
 prepared at the order of the wealthy proprietor: 
 
 “We were again asked to be seated outside the compound until the meal 
 was ready. There we saw a man who had marks of sin and disease on his 
 body washing a few dishes where we had seen servants washing their feet 
 when we waited there before. After he had washed the dishes he pulled out 
 the end of his dhoti (lower garment) and dried them carefull’. Then the 
 tonga-walla (ox-driver) took the cloth from his neck that he had used to 
 Wipe away the perspiration on the way out and wiped the dishes again, and, 
 to make sure they were clean, wiped them the third time with the end of his 
 turban that had been hanging down his back. Finally it was announced that 
 the meal was ready and the servant led the way to the fine large bungalow. 
 We were guided through it and out on the rear varanda. There was a small 
 table for me and one in another ccrner for the nurse and we were seated 
 with our faces to the wall. There were these same dishes we saw before. 
 Could we eat? We had to or offend. This time when we asked God’s 
 blessing on the meal we also asked to be saved from seen danger and from 
 unseen dangers that daily surround us.” 
 
 Native Life 
 
 Most of the houses of the village people are built of mud. Even 
 though they may be of bricks and plastered on the outside with lime and 
 
90 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 have a good outward appearance the floors are generally of mud and are 
 cleaned (?) the same way as the village huts, with a preparation of 
 cow-dung and water. The food is cooked in a little corner of a room on a 
 small fire-place and the smoke escapes through a side window if there is 
 any. The whole house becomes filled with this smoke and eyes become 
 irritated as a result. Such eyes become a prey to flies and gnats and become 
 infected. The clothing are generally washed in some pool in which the 
 people bathe themselves. In some such pools they bathe their cattle too. 
 Any microbes that flourish in such water will settle on the clothing 
 resulting in itch, other skin infections, and various, internal diseases. 
 
 Sores from cuts and bruises become infected not only from contact 
 with uncleanness but from the very treatment they receive. Ashes, mud, 
 cow-dung, and many other unnamable ingredients are made into poultices 
 and applied. Most loathsome sores are the result. Children are not 
 properly cared for, resulting in disease, permanent injuries, blindness, etc. 
 It is quite common for the mother or aunt or grandmother to heat a sickle 
 and apply the point to different places on the infant’s abdomen in order to 
 cure it of some disorder. Most of the children have their little abdomens 
 all spotted from such burns. It is not only supposed to drive out the heat 
 inside but also to drive away any evil spirit which may be persecuting the 
 child. In prolonged cases of crying the medicine man is called and he may 
 recommend applying a hot iron to the soft part of the child’s head in order 
 to drive away the insistent evil spirit. If the spirit persists too strongly 
 the child will die. Aiter the treatment it generally dies. 
 
 Thousands of people are attacked every year by poisonous reptiles and 
 ravenous beasts. A mad jackal entered our Girls’ Orphanage in 1906 and 
 bit two of the orphan girls and later Bro. M. C. Lapp when he came out 
 to see what the commotion was about. They went to Kasauli for treat- 
 ment and all recovered. A terribly mangled patient was brought to our 
 Rudri dispensary. He had been attacked by a bear. One of our missionaries 
 treated a patient who had been mangled by a panther. Septic poisoning 
 set in and the poor sufferer succumbed. While out on tour one of our 
 missionaries met a man who had his lower lip completely bitten away by 
 a bear. We are often called out to treat cases of snake bite. The patients 
 will recover if taken in time and properly treated. 
 
 Neglect, especially of women, is the cause of much suffering ‘and 
 
 death. One missionary was called to a village to treat what he understood 
 to be a child. When he arrived he found it to be a calf. There was a 
 
leywieyq ‘uone1g [edIpeyyT 
 
 
 
 we 
 
 
 
 
 
OZ BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 woman lying ill in the same house but the missionary was not called to 
 see her. He left the calf however and cared for the poor mother. Midwives 
 who are trained according to Indian superstition cause untold suffering not 
 only at the time of child-birth by maltreating the poor mother but too often 
 by causing septic poisoning which leaves both mother and child victims of 
 some dread disease for life. 
 
 Our Mission district is, perhaps, more free from cholera and plague 
 than scme, but we have had a few outbreaks in and around Dhamtari. 
 ‘Twice the Boys’ Orphanage had to be moved because of plague and the 
 missionaries living in Sundarganj were obliged to take every precaution 
 against contracting it. 
 
 Sometimes treachery and intrigue, especially among the rich and ruling 
 classes, play a large part in the sickness and removal by death of some. 
 The king of Kanker fell ill from typhoid-pneumonia. As soon as it was 
 known his near relatives began to come and offer their services. This 
 does not sound unusual, does it? No, but the underlying motive led them 
 to do everything in their power that the throne might fall to one of their 
 choice in the nearest possible future. The poor patient knew this and in 
 order to be on the safe side telegraphed for medical help from our Mission. 
 Dr. Esch not being available at the time Bro. M. C. Lapp went to him and 
 took full charge of all his meals and drinking water ordering such diet as 
 was suited to the patient’s needs. Relatives were allowed only such 
 courtesies as would leave him on the safe side. They had sent for the most 
 competent priests and medicine men to administer to his needs and 
 they were ready to show him every kindness (?). But their help was not 
 needed and in twelve days th-ough the careful nursing of Bro. Lapp and the 
 skilled advice of the Civil Surgeon of Jagdalpur he recovered. He liberally 
 rewarded his benefactors for their services. They had saved his life. 
 
 Do you wonder then that there is great mortality in India? Do you 
 wonder that the cry of the time is for more medical missionaries who will 
 become to India not only apostles of healing and surgery, but of sanitation, 
 cleanliness, and of was and means of improving the general living 
 conditions of the people of India? We are glad to report that the mortality 
 in the Indian Christian community has been considerably reduced. 
 Government has done the best it could and in every place has a system of 
 inspection in vogue but must content itself with such officers as can be 
 had. A one-time sanitary inspector of Dhamtari came to the Mission 
 compound to look around. When he introduced himself to the missionary 
 he said, “I am the thanitary inthpector and have come to have a look around 
 the plathe.” He looked around and compared the living rooms in the 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 93 
 
 Orphanage with the amount of air space each boy should have and over- 
 looked all the points which he should have noted regarding drainage, 
 sanitation, etc. He himself had been reared in surroundings that would not 
 bear too close inspection. 
 
 Government Hospitals and Dispensaries 
 
 It is the lack of dispensaries and hospitals which has called for the 
 establishing of Mission hospitals and dispensaries throughout the land. 
 Government can only go as fast as public sentiment will permit. They 
 
 
 
 Medical Dispensary, Sankra 
 
 have been careful however to give their servants medical attention by 
 establishing Government dispensaries in every centre in which police 
 headquarters are located. One Government hospital is located in Raipur. 
 The dispensaries which are located in Dhamtari, Sihawa, Kanker, and 
 Gariaband are in charge of assistant medical officers who have had their 
 training in one of the Government medical schools located in Nagpur, 
 Calcutta, Madras, Allahabad, Lahore, etc. They are put on a salary and 
 all medicine is given to the common people free of charge. All dispensaries 
 
weyweyq ‘[eywdsoyy uoissi~ oy} ur sAq Ue UO BSuNneIedO 
 
 ibe AGA RT EES 
 
 
 
BULIEDIN GIONS TEEUROCK 95 
 
 are regularly inspected by the head medical officer who resides in Raipur. 
 He tries to correct any irregularities which may have arisen. We have 
 had occasion to call assistant surgeons to our aid and found them fairly 
 efficient in their work. They have proved capable in both their diagnosis 
 and treatment. We have also called the Civil Surgeon from Raipur in 
 cases of illness when our own doctors were not available or when they 
 wished to consult. The scarcity of Government physicians and private prac- 
 titioners has led to establishing the Mission Hospital and Dispensary. 
 
 In our Mission there are in all five medical dispensaries located at each 
 of the stations, Dhamtari, Balodgahan, Sankra, Ghatula, and Mahodi. As 
 far as possible they are kept under the general supervision of our medical 
 missionaries located at the respective stations. In most of our outstations 
 the workers are allowed to carry in stock simple remedies to meet the needs 
 of the village people who come to them. Every missionary is looked upon 
 by the Indian people as capable of giving medical assistance and the people 
 often refuse to go to the trained Government assistant surgeons if there is 
 any possibility of receiving help from us. Some of the untrained missionaries 
 have been called upon to operate on and care for difficult cases because of 
 the distance from Dhamtari, or in the absence of our doctors, because the 
 patients insisted upon the missionaries doing the work. 
 
 Dr. W. B. Page opened the first Mission medical dispensary which was 
 ever opened in Dhamtari. He started work in a shed near which a building 
 was later erected tor the purpose. Sheds were erected for the many famine 
 people who needed medical attention. Hundreds of people were cared for 
 in this way. Not only were grown people cared for but children and babies 
 were kept alive by the vigilant and painstaking efforts of the missionaries. 
 Unless they carefully watched their feeding the mothers were liable to 
 drink the child’s milk and let the infant go hungry. They, in many cases, 
 would feed the children opium to keep them quiet. 
 
 After the medical dispensary was built a few rooms were reserved for 
 in-patients. After Dr. Page’s return to America there was no Mission 
 doctor until the arrival of Dr. Esch in 1910. The Dhamtari Mission 
 dispensary was left (for some years) in the charge of Muhammed Yakub 
 a Mohammedan assistant surgeon who faithfully served the cause. 
 Previous to this other assistants were hired by the Mission, some of whom 
 were Christians. Some were efficient and faithful while others were found 
 unprincipled and unworthy of the confidence of the Mission. The Mission 
 also spent considerable money for the training of young men from this area 
 for medical work. At the present time one young man is in training in 
 
96 BUILDING ON. THE ROCK 
 
 Nagpur. It is hoped that he will become a faithful assistant in this service. 
 He is a son of one of our faithful evangelists who a number of years ago 
 was taken from us by death. 
 
 Tne first building which was used as a hospital and dispensary became 
 too small to meet the requirements and another site was chosen which is 
 over a mile north of Sundarganj near the railway station. A bungalow 
 was built and a small hospital and a ward for a few in-patients was erected. 
 At the present time there is a good building for European patients, and 
 the foundation for a larger and better hospital is dug and plans are laid 
 for more and larger wards for in-patients. 
 
 With the coming of Dr. Florence Friesen, nee Cooprider, in 1916.and 
 Dr. Troyer in 1923, the work has become better supplied with medical 
 missionaries. Yet they cannot cover the field. There are parts of our 
 mission area which stand greatly in need of a medical missionary to 
 care for the physical needs of the people. We are glad for those in -tite 
 homeland who contemplate taking medical training with the view of giving 
 their lives 'to the cause in India. May God call-more to this nobleyseryice: 
 
 In ,all during the twenty-five years four doctors. and three trained 
 nurses have come from the homeland and served the cause in India. One 
 doctor was furloughed home because of ill health, one nurse was removed 
 by death and the remaining doctors and nurses are at present on the field. 
 Two Indian nurses, Asra Bai and Sonai Bai, received their training in a 
 mission training hospital at Ludhiana and served the Cause for a number 
 of years. Sonat Bai is still serving. in the Mission but in 1924 Asra Bai 
 was taken away by death. Both have been efficient and faithful in their 
 work. 
 
 Increased patronage on the part of the Indian people makes a large 
 hospital and dispensary with full equipment necessary. The poor must be 
 given rooms free of charge while the wealthier patrons willingly pay for 
 better accommodation. We believe the plans for enlarging the medical 
 station so as to meet the needs of all concerned are practicable and should 
 be carried out at the earliest possible date. Moreover, as more medical 
 missionaries arrive on the field and are located in different sections of the 
 mission area it will also become imperative that they have better quarters 
 in which to serve the people who come to them for help. While a central 
 hospital and wards are necessary yet this cannot meet the needs oi the 
 outlying districts from which so many patients cannot receive help except 
 from the near Mission stations. Sankra at present is in need of better 
 quarters. A doctor is stationed there. We are praying that doctors will 
 

 
 Medical Dispensary, Ghatula 
 
 come who can serve in still other stations of the Mission. 
 
 The following record of the dispensaries shows the magnitude of the 
 Medical Mission work: 
 
 1900 1901 1907 1909 1916 1920 1924 
 
 
 
 No. Hospitals 1 1 1 Z iz 
 No. Dispensaries 1 1 5 3 + 4. 5 
 No. Doctors & Ass’t Surgeons 1 | ] l ] 2 3 
 No. Nurses and Compounders 1 Jo 3 3 4 4 
 No. Out-patients 3009 2000 12500 13000 19900 20517 
 No. In-patients 41 Cee Goel 20 el 62eee 220 2345 
 
 The lepers have not been taken into account in the above survey since 
 they are treated in a separate chapter. 
 
 Medicine and the Gospel Message 
 
 In a recent number of the Journal of Medical Missions in India, we 
 Headeitoinetne pen of E»F.+Neve, M. D., F--R: GC. S.: 
 
 “We should aim at nothing less than imparting Christian instruction to 
 all out-patients and in-patients. This may necessitate two or three 
 addresses to out-patients as there are usually fresh arrivals after the first 
 roomiul has been disposed of. In the wards, in a large hospital the 
 difficulty is admittedly great. If helpers are few and there are many wards 
 it may be impossible to visit each ward every day. But that should be 
 
98 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 our ideal. It is important to endeavor to build up an evangelistic staff in 
 order to utilize to the utmost extent our opportunities............ Alutrue 
 Christian members of the hospital staff should be encouraged to regard it 
 as part of their duty to join in the work of witnessing—the doctors and 
 nursing sisters themselves setting the example and working according to 
 some plan.” 
 
 It is generally conceded that through medical Mission work a great 
 influence can be exerted over the people. The relief from physical suffering 
 is an important means of impressing them and of helping them to become 
 more ready to listen to the Gospel message. The nature of the treatment 
 and the cures which have been effected have led many a soul readily to 
 read or listen to messages from the Gospel of Christ, the Great Healer of 
 the people. 
 
 It will be of interest here to relate some of the incidents which have 
 occurred in the experiences of those who had to do with medical work in 
 the Mission. While one of our missionaries was touring in the district he 
 came to a village in which a former patient lived. Soon the man came 
 running and showed the scar on his body where an operation had been 
 performed which saved his life. He said to the missionary, “You saved 
 my life and now I want you to be my own guest during your stay here.” 
 Fle also called the village people into a meeting and told them to be 
 attentive to the message as the religion of these people was worth 
 learning. A father and son came to one of our station dispensaries. The 
 son had a frightful sore on his head. The sore was treated until it healed 
 and the father became a Christian as a result of the teaching he had 
 received. One morning a man brought his wife to our Dhamtari hospital. 
 She had suffered great pain because of disorder. She thought she had a 
 snake in her stomach. She could feel it. It was killing her. The doctor 
 upon careful examination found that it was the pulsation of the abdominal 
 aorta which became distended because of other trouble. Medicine was 
 eiven her and her true condition was explained, dispelling her fears, and 
 aiso some of the superstitious ideas she and her friends had entertained. 
 She went away happy and was soon restored to full health and strength. 
 We feel confident that the Gospel will find a warm place in her heart. 
 One woman came so weak that she could not walk and had such terrible 
 sores that it was almost impossible for those who treated her to coms near 
 to her. She soon gained in strength from the good food and treatment 
 she received and also became a believer in. Christ. We also have several 
 other women and children who came to us for treatment and food who are 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 99 
 
 a valuable asset to the Mission. A man needed treatment for appendicitis. 
 The doctor carefully treated him until he was strong enough for the 
 operation. He finally returned to his home sooner than he had orders from 
 the doctor but he recovered much to his own and his friends’ satisfaction. 
 A poor woman came to the Dhamtari hospital with such a bad rupture 
 that a part of the intestines had protruded, becoming perforated through 
 partial decomposition. She recovered (miraculously, it seems to us) after a 
 skillful operation by the doctors and returned to her home a normal 
 woman. A large number of successful operations have been performed on 
 cataracts and other affections of the eyes. It is pathetic to see the joy of 
 those whose sight has been restored to them. 
 
 During the time that our first medical missionary was in India he 
 
 
 
 Medical Dispensary, Balodgahan 
 
 had hundreds of cases which were the result of famine conditions. This 
 soon spread the fame of the Mission medical work and widened the field 
 of service, the influence of which is felt even fo this day. When Dr. Esch 
 and his fellow medical missionaries came on the field the Mission planned 
 to give them as much time as_ possible for language study. But 
 missionaries became ill and needed their skilled attention. Needy cases 
 came on which they should operate and it was so easy to take an hour or 
 so of their time in this needy work. Dr. Esch said, “When we first 
 came to India and were located at Balodgahan, Bro. M. C. Lapp had quite 
 
100 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 a medical practice. We had the arrangement that for one-hour every 
 morning, after the morning language lesson, I would go out and help him 
 with the cases about which he wished advice, and in the meantime get an 
 insight into the problem of medical practice in India.” 
 
 One day a man came with a badly festered foot and the only remedy 
 was to amputate the leg above the knee. Dr. Esch was the surgeon, Bro. 
 Lapp the anesthetist, Sister Lapp the nurse, Bro. J. S. Hartzler the first 
 assistant, and Bro. Shoemaker the observer. The operation was performed 
 in the little dispensary room at Balodgahan. The patient was removed to a 
 room in the village and by being carefully nursed he recovered from what 
 was considered a very doubtful case. A few days after we were living in 
 Dhamtari this same man came walking into the dispensary with an 
 improvised artificial leg, apparently well and happy. He had a little 
 discharge from the stump of his leg and upon examination it was found 
 that one of the silk threads was overlooked when the stitches were taken 
 out. It soon healed completely and the man told the doctor thatshewmidts. 
 come to his village about ten miles away and preach and sing to the people 
 and give medicine. | ) 
 
 A consumptive living in the village of Kaneri not far from Balodgahan 
 was being treated by Bro. Lapp. Dr. Esch was called in for advice and the 
 man was told that he shoyld set his house in order as he had not long to 
 live in this world. The missionaries prayed with him and he declared his 
 faith in Christ and promised that his life would be given to Hime ere 
 would bring about his recovery. The prayer was answered in his seemingly 
 almost entire recovery. But he kept putting off his former promise. He 
 had done away with many of his former heathen customs but finally 
 because of exposure at a large heathen mela, which is held annually at 
 Rajim, a large religious centre on the Mahanadi river, he contracted a 
 severe cold. and his old trouble returned in “ar more (severe (ott mpeee 
 confessed that he had sinned against light and in this condition he died. 
 
 Great Opportunities 
 
 Thus we have in the experience of the missionaries cases which show 
 the opportunity for impressing the Message on the hearts of the people. 
 We can truthfully say that the opportunities are taken advantage of in the 
 dispensaries, in the sick wards, in the villages where the people live who 
 have been treated. There are cases of conversion as a direct result of 
 the medical Mission work. But the result cannot actually be shown. 
 Many a patient comes and goes who receives help, hears the Word, and 
 goes back to his or her village and little is heard from them. Yet the seed 
 
BULL DUINGLON PEE IROCK 101 
 
 has been sown and in God’s own time it will bear fruit for Him. 
 
 Not only are the people served who come for help. The doctors, 
 nurses, and others are often called out to villages where the sick lie too 
 helpless to be brought to them. It may be a poor helpless mother, or a 
 man who has met with a frightful accident, or someone who was struck 
 suddenly ill from some ravaging disease. The missionaries generally run 
 a great risk in treating such people for they, too often, are almost beyond 
 relief and many times have some disease which, if the doctor or nurse is 
 not careful he or she might contract from the patient. Every care has 
 to be exercised in the treatment of the sick. But much to the credit of 
 those who care for them they shirk no duty, but brave every danger in 
 seeking to save life, and at the same time bring a soul out of darkness into 
 light. They must travel in carts, on horseback, through rain and shine, 
 suffer cold as well as intense heat, in order to carry out their Mission to 
 the suffering. Dr. Esch was called to the home of a village owner of 
 Nipani a village about fifteen miles from Dhamtari. They had sent a pony 
 for him to ride which got him there in due time. The doctor asked for a 
 cart in which to return home after he had eaten his supper and cared for 
 the patient and other sick which were brought to him. The evening meal 
 was greatly enjoyed after such a long ride on a pony. The host told him 
 that there was an elephant in the village on which he could return if he 
 wished to do so. The driver of the elephant told him that the beast would 
 take him in to Dhamtari in about two hours. With a few misgivings the 
 doctor assented to taking the elephant. The saddle consisted of a large 
 pad and several blankets securely roped on. It seemed like sitting on the top 
 of a haystack. He could neither sit or lie with comfort and it was a cold 
 night. They had not travelled long until he could see that it would take 
 more than two hours to get in to Dhamtari. It took five and one half hours 
 to get in, and the doctor had to dismount a number of times and walk to 
 keep warm and limber up. He afterward preferred a buffalo cart with 
 straw if nothing better was available. 
 
 We cannot refrain from telling you the story of little Banwasa. <A 
 man brought her to the dispensary and said she had no relatives to care 
 for her. She was suffering from a bad ulcer on the back part of her head. 
 A square inch of skull was exposed and maggots were working around 
 the sides of the sore. When she recovered the missionaries planned to 
 send her to the Girls’ Orphanage but one of the Christian women of the 
 Sundargan} congregation who had lost a little girl her size some years 
 before took her into her own home. She is now a fine, happy little girl 
 
102 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 and says that when she grows up she wants to he a nurse and help others 
 who need the same kind of help she received. We trust that little Banwasa 
 will be of use in the Lord’s service. 
 
 This mission of pure love, most times without any pecuniary 
 remuneration, means more to the work of the Lord in India than any one 
 can calculate. It helped the Christian people to come out of their beliefs 
 in witch doctors and medicine men. The movements set on foot for 
 teaching the people as to sanitation, the danger of drugs, the need ol 
 careful and prompt treatment, will all have their influence sooner or later. 
 The Indian people appreciate the service. The orphan children learn to 
 rely on the service they receive. Some amusing and pathetic experiences 
 can be told in connection with the service. A village man whose son was 
 being treated was trusted with several doses of medicine for his son. He 
 was sure that all of it given at a time would cure the son at once if single 
 doses would have the slow effect of healing him gradually. So he gave 
 about four doses at once with the result that the son was thrown into 
 convulsions. The witch doctor was called to drive out the demon that had 
 taken possession ard the father was just in the act of spanking his sick 
 son with a shoe when the missionary came on the scene. After asking a 
 few questions the missionary gave a strong antidote and the “demon” soon 
 Jeft and the son was himself again. One of the orphan girls who had an 
 eye for economy took quinine capsules to her room to take for malaria and 
 when she took a dose of the quinine emptied it from the capsules and 
 brought them back for more. She was straightway told that she was to 
 take capsule and all in order to avoid having to taste the quinine. 
 
 From 1500 to 2000 dollars are used every vear in medical work beside 
 the amounts of money which go into buildings but none will regret the 
 cost compared to the vast amount of good that can be done. Keeping in 
 mind the ultimate purpose of it all we can rest assured that God will honor 
 the work in the salvation of never dying souls. God bless the medical 
 Mission work and the nurses and doctors who consecrate their lives to this 
 noble work! 
 
CHAR OER Serr 
 
 TRAINING THE HANDS 
 
 India is a country of almost unlimited resources. There are great 
 forests of valuable timber. The teak wood (tectous grandis) forests of 
 India and Burmah produce some of the most valuable cabinet and ship- 
 building lumber in the world. There are enormous deposits of coal and 
 iron. In Bengal there are coal fields producing over 10,000,000 tons a year. 
 Ships in the harbors of Bombay and Calcutta are loaded with Indian coal, 
 some of which comes from the Central Provinces. The manganese mines 
 near Nagpur, Central Provinces, furnish the steel mills of Pittsburgh with 
 manganese ore for the manufacture of vanadium steel. Agriculture is 
 extended over the length and breadth of the land. Rice, wheat, cotton, 
 kafhr corn, and sugar cane are the principal crops of the soil while various 
 legumes, hemp, sesame, from which sweet oil is made, are produced in great 
 quantities. India was third in the wheat producing countries of the world 
 even when Russia was producing normally. The cotton mills of India 
 compete with Manchester in the manufacture of cotton fabrics. There are 
 in and around Bombay nearly thirty square miles of cotton mills and 
 business warehouses with laborers’ dwellings. The Cossipore sugar mills 
 turn out great quantities of the best refined sugar made from India grown 
 sugar cane. All known tropical and temperate zone fruits grow in India. 
 Shiploads of raw jute are shipped to the United States to be manufactured 
 into the gunny bags of commerce in spite of the fact that jute mills and 
 other factories line up the banks of the Hoogly for miles. India is one 
 of the six great industr‘al countries of the world! 
 
 Local Natura] 
 Resources ; Os 
 
 That part of 
 India occupied by 
 our Mission Field 
 has its full share 
 of the above men- 
 tioned natural re- 
 
 
 
 Threshing Rice 
 
104 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 sources. Dhamtari is a very busy industrial center. South and east are 
 large tracts of sal (vateria robusta) wood forests which furnish railroad ties 
 as well as coal mine timbers all over India. Railroad ties measure ten 
 feet by ten inches by five inches. These are carted to Dhamtari from the 
 outlying forests in great numbers. In a single trip from Sihawa to Dham- 
 tari by motor, occupying only three hours, as many as eleven hundred carts 
 were counted either loaded and on their way to Dhamtari or going back 
 empty for more ties. In one month as many as 15,000 of these ties were 
 shipped from Dhamtari on the narrow gauge railway. 
 
 Another jungle product distributed from Dhamtari to other parts of 
 India and to foreign countries is the marabalam nut. This is an astringent 
 nut that grows on the harra tree. The nut is about the size of the white 
 walnut the outside of which is a spongy mass covering a hard seed. The 
 nut is gathered only for the outside portion which is rich in tannic acid 
 and is used for tanning leather and for the manufacture of dyes. For a 
 long time the seed was considered waste but it has been discovered that 
 it is an excellent substitute for fuel, burning with great heat, and now the 
 brick factories of Dhamtari use so much of this fuel that it has become a 
 valuable by-product. 
 
 Dhamtari is one of the most important lac centres in all India and 
 many tons of the raw material are shipped from Dhamtari every year to 
 European markets. “Lac” is the Hindi name for the raw material from 
 which are manufactured the high class shellac varnishes and polishes. 
 For a number of years the Mission carpenter shop has manufactured its 
 own “french polish” by dissolving the raw lac from the jungle with 
 methylated spirits. When properly applied it will stand the famous 
 valspar boiling water test. Lac is produced by millions of tiny red insects 
 barely visible to the unaided eye. Certain forest trees, preferably the kusum, 
 are inoculated with these tiny insects which at once go to work building 
 up on the small 
 twigs of the eT ge TT aa somes 
 branches innum- 
 erable cells that 
 are filled with a 
 reddish fluid. This 
 fluid becomes 
 hard after it is 
 dried when it is 
 ready. for export. 
 
 
 
 Carting Railway Ties 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 105 
 
 Great quantities of hemp and bamboos are brought into Dhamtari 
 every year. Dhamtari has numerous brick yards, tile factories, oil presses, 
 native pottery shops, and brass making shops. It boasts five cigarette 
 factories employing two hundred eighty-three men, women, and_ boys. 
 Every day these five factories turn out 150,000 cigarettes. But this is not 
 enough to supply the smoking public for in addition 125,000 cigarettes are 
 shipped into Dhamtari every day. Dhamtari has also recently installed a 
 soap factory with a considerable daily output. 
 
 The Indian and Labor 
 
 India has never taken kindly to manual labor. According to the 
 orthodox Hindu, menial tasks are reserved by the gods for the lower strata 
 
 
 
 Irrigating Mission Gardens from a Well 
 
 of society and for those whose economic circumstances compel them to 
 earn their own living. This naturally includes a very large number but 
 due to the supposed disgrace of labor a man will employ his work done 
 as soon as it becomes possible for him to do so even though he is still 
 classed as a poor man. There are many people who lack even that much 
 ambition and if by working for some time they accumulate a little money, 
 
106 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 they lay off until the surplus is used up, when they will resume work 
 again! In large industrial centers this attitude, on the part of the Indian, 
 produces complex labor problems for large employers of labor. There have 
 been great changes for the better in recent years and amazing forward 
 strides have been made but there is still much ground to be possessed 
 before India can be considered in a satisfactory economic condition. 
 
 The poor man who really wants to get on is put to a serious 
 disadvantage when it comes to borrowing monev. The professional money 
 lender has things all his own way and the high rate of interest he charges 
 often keeps the borrower in veritable slavery the rest of his life. It is not 
 unusual for the borrower to pay from thirty to one hundred percent interest 
 on the money borrowed! Relief has come in recent years in the form of 
 Cooperative Banks, backed by Government, where it is possible with proper 
 security, to borrow money at a reasonable rate of interest. It is a great 
 boon to farmers, cartmen and others who really have ambition enough to 
 want to get on in life. 
 
 The Economic Situation 
 
 The economic question in its relation to our Christian community is 
 one oi the most urgent and baffling questions. Our Christian people are 
 drawn principally from the lower classes who are the poorest of the poor. 
 It is not hard to understand this when it is borne in mind that the 
 mnajority of our Christians have come and are coming from our orphanages. 
 It is no easy task to build up a poised, stable Christian community from 
 such material. And yet if that is what is desired, if a self-supporting and 
 self-propagating Indian Church is to be organized and built up, it is 
 necessary to give serious attention to this one of the most perplexing 
 
 
 
 Plowing in India 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 107 
 
 questions. In one of the numbers of the India Mission News appeared a 
 table representing the financial condition of the Mennonite Church which 
 is here reproduced. | 
 Financial census of the India Mennonite Church 
 (Approximately three rupees to the dollar) 
 2 families have an income ranging between Rs. 75—100 per month 
 
 6e 6é 6é a9 be ce ce re ce ce 
 
 9 BOe ey 
 31 ee 6eé ce ce ee 6eé ce S16) Rae 50 ce ‘ce 
 35 ee oe ce (a9 6é 6é 6¢ ?0 30 sé 6é 
 | 6é “ec ce ce cé 6e “e 10 20 ce “ce 
 98 sé 66 ‘ce oe ce ee “ce ies 10 ee 6é 
 
 400 orphans, 135 widows, 20 old men and 200 lepers are entirely 
 
 dependent on the Mission. 
 In other terms 95% of the families have a monthly income of less than 
 
 
 
 Bringing in the Sheaves 
 
 $16.50; 70% receive less than $7.00; while 35% get monthly less than $3.50. 
 Thus 35% are not only unable to give anything towards the cost of 
 educating their own children but must receive aid from the Mission to 
 provide food and clothing. 
 
 What does the above mean? !t means that the Indian Church will not 
 become self-supporting for many years. It means also that it will be many 
 years before the Indian Church will be able to contribute towards its own 
 enterprises in the Kingdom of God, for the Church must be more than 
 self-supporting before she will be able to help in the spreading of the 
 
108 BUILDING “ON. THE ROCK 
 
 Gospel through money contributions. For these reasons the Mission has 
 from its very beginning considered industrial work as a very important 
 form of activity in connection with the Girls’ and Boys’ Orphanages. It 
 was not easy in the early days to convince the boys and girls that it is 
 proper for them to work. Some even declared that the missionaries ought 
 to be proud of the fact that they have the privilege to support the boys and 
 thus acquire merit for themselves! Then again when some form of 
 industrial work was started and a fairly good article was produced it was 
 anything but easy to get a good market for the product. )* People 
 acknowledged that the article was good but were unwilling to pay a 
 proper price for it, somehow getting the idea that anything produced by 
 the Mission should be sold for much less than it could be sold elsewhere. 
 Another difficulty was in connection with the dishonest competitor. This 
 is the most demoralizing for our Christians who wish to set up a business 
 of their own, for, unless they are extremely careful and well poised, the 
 temptation to stoop to their competitors’ methods will not be resisted. 
 
 
 
 The First Year of the Carpenter Shop 
 
109 
 
 Leia tietee CR wees 
 known trick to 
 which the un- 
 scrupulous dealer 
 will not resort in 
 order to freeze 
 Ott eis | -DuUSInNeEss 
 opponent, «ihe 
 Mission used to 
 maintain a small 
 
 
 
 book store in the 
 heart of Dham- 
 tari and along with religious literature the store sold phenyle, a disinfect- 
 ant. For a while things went very well and the sales of phenyle alone more 
 than paid the upkeep of the store. But not for long. Other storekeepers saw 
 there was money in phenyle and they also stocked it but in order to make 
 more profit they mixed the phenyle with cheaper materials and thus undersold 
 us. The unwary purchaser concluded that he was getting the most for his 
 money where he was getting the larger measure not knowing how to test 
 the quality of what he was getting and as a consequence the Mission store 
 went out of business. 
 
 Industrial 
 
 Early Attempts 
 
 The earliest attempts along the line of industrial work were naturally 
 in the two orphanages. The girls and boys were taught to sew and to do 
 garden and farm work. Tape weaving, carpentry and blacksmithing were 
 introduced. Boys were trained as cooks and masons. For several years 
 following 1903 a number of boys were engaged in rope making. A strand 
 twisting apparatus was 
 provided for them and 
 seven boys could make 
 jee ooumetoree “Or. four 
 strand rope, fifty feet 
 long, in about three 
 hours. Bed tape was al- 
 so being made about that 
 time. It is made from 
 cotton thread and woven 
 into a webbing about 
 three inches wide on 
 
 
 
 Sawing Lumber 
 
110 
 
 small hand looms. ‘This tape 
 is used on beds, taking the 
 place of springs and makes a 
 fairly comfortable substitute. 
 The market for both rope and 
 tape was limited and after 
 five or six years both industries 
 were abandoned. Rope mak- 
 ing was revived about 1915 
 with a view of putting it on a 
 commercial basis, and although a big concern in Calcutta agreed to take 
 a large amount of rope we could not compete with other rope factories that 
 had facilities for filling large orders on short notice and could guarantee 
 their rapes for special purposes. Aiter making several hundred dollars’ 
 worth of rope on a commercial basis the work was again closed. Tape 
 making was revived about 1920 as a preliminary training for boys who 
 were being prepared for the weaving industry. The first tape made with 
 this in view was made at Sankra where several hand cloth looms were set 
 up. Later tape was made at the Boys’ Orphanage with the same object 
 in view. Boys and others who learned to make tape on a small loom were 
 soon at work on the larger hand looms making cloth. They were fortunate 
 in having a competent instructor and in a comparatively short time several 
 
 
 
 The Potter Making Roofing Tiles 
 
 
 
 Spinning 
 
BUILDING-ON- THE ROCK 111 
 
 boys had learned most of the important features of the weaving industry 
 and could be seen at work on the large looms making various kinds of 
 cloth including towelling. It has been demonstrated that any kind of good 
 serviceable cloth can be made in the Boys’ Orphanage but it still remains 
 to be seen if a steady market can be developed for the product, for, if this 
 end fails, the whole industry is doomed to failure. . Rug making was also 
 started at Sankra and several men had learned to make good quality rugs 
 of fine pattern but this industry, too, suffered on account of lack of a local 
 market. 
 
 Carpentry School and Shop 
 
 About the year 1906 a small carpenter shop was opened at Rudri, 
 
 
 
 Weaving 
 
 under a tree, for the purpose of making articles of furniture for the 
 missionaries. Orphanage boys were set to work with experienced 
 carpenters to learn the trade. The boys learned to make small useful 
 articles. It was later decided to start a carpentry school in which the boys 
 would be taught mathematics and drawing, as well as practical carpentry. 
 A course was prepared and four boys started on it under a trained carpenter 
 who had passed his Bombay School of Arts examination. In 1917 this 
 carpentry school became the Mennonite Mission Carpentry School entirely 
 supported by the Government. They provide a competent instructor who is 
 
112 BUILDIN GAON! THE ;ROCK 
 
 able to take the students through practical carpentry and drawing. ‘The 
 boys are also taught calculating and estimating. Boys who have passed 
 this course are able to make furniture from drawings made by themselves. 
 On the completion of the course the Government provides a certificate and 
 a free set of tools. 
 
 A very serious objection in connection with the school was the fact 
 that scholarships were provided by the Government for non-Christian 
 students only. Christian students were permitted to attend free of tuition 
 and if successful, were given a certificate and a free set of tools but their 
 scholarships had to be provided privately. Representations were made to 
 the Government to have this disability removed but without success. 
 Finally on one of the official visits to the school by the Deputy 
 Commissioner of the district, Mr. De, a Hindu, the matter was mentioned 
 to him who at once declared the condition unfair and that such discrimina- 
 tion must be removed. He accordingly moved the Government with the 
 request that at least two scholarships for Christian students should he 
 sanctioned. His request was forwarded to higher authorities through the 
 Commissioner, Mr. Khan, a Mohammedan, who readily endorsed it. In 
 due time we were officially informed that two scholarships for Christian 
 boys were sanctioned—one for a first year student and one for a second 
 year student. It is now hoped that in due course of time more 
 scholarships for Christian boys will be received. 
 
 Along with the carpentry school the Mission also had its own carpenter 
 shop carried on as a commercial enterprise. All kinds of furniture were 
 made. Orders were received from our own missionaries, from missionaries 
 of other missions, from Government and from Government officers for 
 private use. In 1914 machinery was installed including a band saw, circular 
 rip saw, combined mortising and boring machine, iron drill machine and 
 emery wheels all turned by an eight horse power oil engine. For a number 
 cf years the work was pushed rapidly and, as more than fifty employees 
 were at work about the shop, the Government declared us a factory and 
 placed us under the factory act which meant that we had to undergo an 
 annual inspection by the Government factory inspector and had to conform 
 to certain factory rules. The annual turnover in the shop never exceeded 
 $3,000.00 but as the prices charged for the articles were not large this 
 represented no small volume of business. 
 
 Owing to the fact that the manager of the Mission carpenter shop had, 
 as a rule, too many other duties to occupy his time the work in the shop 
 could never be adequately supervised and the inevitable leakage kept the 
 
BUILDING ONS THE ROCK 113 
 
 shop from earning all it should have earned. On this account it was 
 allowed to dwindle down to about twenty employees and continued for a 
 number of years longer when it was decided to make a bold move and ask 
 several Indian Christian carpenters of considerable experience to take over 
 the work of the carpenter shop on their own responsibility. They were at 
 first reluctant to take over such a responsibility but after not a little 
 persuasion on the part of the manager and a hint that in all probability 
 the shop would be closed, two carpenters agreed to make the venture. This 
 was in 1921. For a while they were permitted to use the mission shop 
 building free of rent but they are now located on their own land ina 
 building of their own with a business that does them credit. The Mission 
 still appoints a missionary to act as advisor but this has been in the last 
 
 year or two largely nominal. 
 
 Agriculture 
 
 Agriculture is the leading occupation in India. Fully ninety per cent 
 of the people of India live in villages which means that most of the people 
 
 
 
 Rug-making at Sankra 
 
114 | BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 live from the produce of the soil. It is thus easily seen that whatever 
 industries are introduced for the support of the Christian community, 
 agriculture must be the chief occupation for our people. The point was 
 emphasized as early as 1903 when Rudri station, including about thirty 
 acres of farm land, was purchased. But the mission desired a place to 
 locate the boys and girls of the orphanages who would soon marry and 
 settle in homes of their own. With this in view Balodgahan village was 
 purchased in 1906. The village consists of 845 acres of land and cost Rs, 
 8000 (nearly $2,700.00). 
 
 We must first understand what an Indian village is. It is not, as in 
 America, a small town but a land unit. That is, it is a large farm, or 
 rather a land unit, containing a number of small farms. The people 
 owning these small farms, instead of living on their own holdings, all live 
 in the same place or “basti’’ (residence section) and farm their farms from 
 this small town. Villages vary in size from a few hundred to a few 
 thousand acres. The village is in charge of a head man, or malguzar, who 
 collects the revenue from the tenant farmers and pays it to the Government 
 officers. Although villages are bought and sold yet the purchaser does not 
 buy all the land of the village for himself but he exercises authority over 
 the entire village. The farmers in the village are really tenant farmers for 
 they may not sell their land without the sanction of the malguzar who 
 erants such sanction after stipulating the amount he himself will have to 
 realize from the sale of the land which may amount to half of the purchase 
 price of the land. 
 
 As was stated above Balodgahan consists of 845 acres of land of which 
 the Mission is malguzar or head man. The Mission administers the affairs 
 of the village through one of its missionaries appointed for that task. Of 
 the total acreage of the land only about one hundred acres are actually 
 farmed by the Mission. 
 
 It was at first difficult to carry out the original purpose in connection 
 with the village to locate boys and girls on the farms. Our Christian young 
 men were poor and so did not possess the necessary cash to invest in land 
 but by dint of perseverance on the part of the missionaries and by saving 
 of hard cash on the part of the young men the original purpose is at 
 last being realized and at the time of publishing this book twenty-five 
 farmers are located in Balodgahan with possessions varying from half an 
 acre to forty acres each. The value of the village has greatly increased and 
 is now valued at about $7,000.00. 
 
 It is a very encouraging fact that not only in Balodgahan but in other 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 115 
 
 stations and villages as well our Christian people are investing their small! 
 savings in land. This has been going on steadily for many years interrupted 
 only during famine years when it was impossible to save any money. The 
 last three or four years have added many acres to the increasing amount of 
 land owned by our Christian people. 
 
 The mango tree is usually 
 somewhat larger than our stand- 
 ard apple trees, resembling them 
 in its branching, but is more sym- 
 metrical in shape. The leaves are 
 shaped like those of the peach 
 tree, but are larger. New leaves 
 come out in the dry season, and 
 the old leaves persist until the 
 new ones are formed. The blos- 
 
 AG Mancoulree soms are in the form of a panicle 
 like those of the chestnut and 
 buckeye. The fruit hangs in clusters, generally only one or two remaining 
 to be fully developed. The mango fruit is in shape like a plum, but from 
 three to six inches long. The seed is large, 
 and between it and the smooth skin is the 
 edible part, or flesh, in texture like that of 
 a plum, and in taste like—a mango! Eat- 
 ing a mango is a new experience. The 
 nearest suggestion to its taste in America 
 is that of the May apple, and that sugges- 
 tion is rather remote.—R. 
 
 
 
 
 
 A Bunch of Mangoes 
 
(Cie Waid rTP ISRS 1B6 
 TRAINING THE MIND 
 
 Iéducation has been defined as “a process of living and not a preparation 
 for future living.’ This is the viewpoint of the missionaries of the 
 American Mennonite Mission and in their efforts to evangelize and 
 Christianize the people, they have not failed to utilize this important 
 evangelistic agency. 
 
 To quote the words of one who had for many years been directly 
 connected with the work of religious education in India: 
 
 “The schoolmaster sees in India an inviting sphere in which to conquer 
 illiteracy. Some stern facts face him: He knows that less than one quarter 
 of the boys of school age, i. e., five to twelve years, are in school. He 
 knows that more than one in three of these boys after leaving school revert 
 to illiteracy. He knows that the case of the girls is still more pitiable. He 
 knows that the Indian parent, who should cooperate with him, is far from 
 being an ally. He knows that many boys are only educated so that their 
 parents may marry them to the wealthiest brides. He knows that 
 Government neutrality requires silence on religion in Government schools. 
 He knows that morality, not based on religion, and religion not wedded to 
 conduct, is fatal He knows that education which does not issue in 
 character is abortive, as is proved by the history of Indian student 
 anarchists. He knows too, that the thing which the teacher needs for 
 himself and his pupil is purified personality—a rare commodity and of 
 great value. The schoolmaster is well nigh baffled when he contemplates, 
 but nevertheless goes forward trying to conquer illiteracy.” 
 
 It is true in all lands that ignorance and superstition go hand in hand. 
 Horrible things are practiced by heathen people who do them because of 
 religious custom or because of a superstitious regard for the gods thev 
 profess to worship. It is the purpose of Christian education to enlighten 
 ihe people and give them the opportunity to enjoy the true light as it is 
 found through Christ. One of the first desires of many new converts to 
 the Christian faith is to read the Bible for themselves and in order to do 
 this it is first necessary to teach them how to read before they can enjoy 
 the rich treasures of God’s storehouse. _Parasram, one of the early 
 

 
 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 Balodgahan 
 
 School, 
 
 Girls’ 
 
 
 
 117 
 
 converts, was very anx- 
 ious to read the Word 
 of God for himself and 
 asked Bro. Burkhard to 
 teach him to read. His 
 case is typical of many 
 others. 
 
 Education is not like 
 a business that earns 
 profits to maintain itself. 
 It enjoys no material or 
 financial income as a re- 
 sult of its own efforts. 
 In other words, it must 
 be supported entirely by 
 those who are really in- 
 terested in that kind of 
 work. At home the pub- 
 lic schools are supported 
 by the taxes of the peo- 
 ple. Higher education is 
 maintained by the gifts 
 and donations of those 
 interested in the cause. 
 The same is true in In- 
 dia where there are not 
 enough Government 
 schools to enable all the 
 children to attend school 
 and where existing Goy- 
 ernment schools, being 
 neutral in religious mat- 
 ters, have no _ provision 
 for teaching religion to 
 the boys and girls who 
 do attend. 
 
 First Schools 
 
 The first school in 
 the Mission was the Or- 
 
118 BUILDING ON: THE ROCK 
 
 phanage school opened in the rainy season of 1900. ‘The immediate pur- 
 pose of the school was to keep busy for a part of the day a family of nearly 
 400 boys and girls while the ultimate purpose was to give Christian teach- 
 ing in order to prepare them to take their places in the future India Men- 
 nonite Church. The same motive has continued to impel the maintaining 
 of orphanage schools. In order to fulfil this purpose the training OL ithe 
 hands as well as the heart and head have not been overlooked but, because 
 of Indian ideals, customs and conditions in general, that phase of education 
 has presented perhaps the most perplexing problems in our schools. 
 
 The Orphanage schools continued as separate schools called the Boys’ 
 Orphanage and the Girls’ Orphanage Schools up to the present time. 
 During the years it was necessary for these schools to shift much of the 
 {ime in temporary buildings but at the close of the period under review it 
 is with gratitude that we can say that both these schools are accommodated 
 
 
 
 English School Dormitory, Dhamtari 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 119 
 
 in satisfactory schoolhouses. The Boys’ Orphanage schoolhouse was 
 provided by the young people of Denbigh, Virginia, while much of the 
 money for the Girls’ Orphanage schoolhouse came through the Sewing 
 Circles. 
 
 In the first years of the Mission the children of Christian parents were 
 taken into the Orphanages to attend school when they became of school age. 
 This was done because these were the only schools available to them. The 
 growth of the Church, together with the crowded condition in the 
 Orphanages, due to the influx from the famines, created the need for the 
 station primary schools which were opened for boys at Balodgahan in 1912, 
 
 
 
 Village School, Maradeo 
 
 for girls and boys at Ghatula in 1918, and at Sankra in 1921, and the one 
 at Sundarganj for girls was revived in 1923. In order to make it possible 
 for as many as possible of the children of school age to attend these 
 schools under suitable conditions, it has been arranged to give the poorest 
 of these children, whe come from their own homes, some cooked food in 
 what are called “school kitchens.” This prevents the children from being 
 
120 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 undernourished and in this way they learn better and it gives them a 
 chance to grow up under more nearly normal conditions. 
 
 In the primary schools five years of work are covered. Those who pass 
 the fifth class examinations receive a certificate from Government and pass 
 into the Middle School which covers three years of work at the completion 
 of which the student is prepared to enter High School. In the Mission we 
 have two middle schools, one for boys and one for girls the former being at 
 
 
 
 Girls’ School at Sundarganj 
 
 Dhamtari and the latter at Balodgahan. Those of our Christians’ children 
 passing from any of the Mission Primary schools, who wish to take further 
 school work, are admitted into the Orphanages or dormitory, as the case 
 may be, and continue their work in the Mission Middle Schools. 
 
 Village Schools 
 
 Village primary schools were first opened in 1902. In the section of 
 Dhamtari where the untouchable classes live a school was opened specially 
 for them because the children of these people were forbidden to attend 
 schools where the higher classes attend. The indifference of the parents 
 of these children, the underhanded opposition of higher classes, and lack of 
 efficient teachers made it necessary to close this school. Government has 
 in recent years issued an order for this district admitting the children of 
 depressed classes to schools where other children attend. Two other 
 schools had to be closed, one because of political pressure and the other 
 because of its unhealthful location. Other schools in the villages were 
 
DLO DIN GarO Nes brie @ Ck 121 
 
 opened and maintained up to the present time. The schools are Maradeo, 
 Bhatgaon, Gopalpuri, Bagtarai and Kaspur. 
 
 After twenty-five years of experience in connection with primary school 
 work the Mission has come to the conclusion noted as follows: 1. Primary 
 schools are a necessity for the Christian community and must be 
 maintained as long as the Government is not in a position to do all of this 
 much needed work. Otherwise the next generation of Christians will be 
 largely illiterate. 2. These schools are an effective evangelistic agency. 
 3. The Government curricula taught in these schools are too theoretical and 
 not sufficiently related to the environing life of the children. 4. A great 
 improvement in these schools is possible if the curricula can be changed 
 
 
 
 Sankra Station School 
 
 and the teaching made more practical and interesting. Plans are under 
 way by the Mission to have this brought about. 
 
 In 1901 the municipality of Dhamtari found itself unable to continue 
 their English Middle School. The Mission was approached with the view 
 
eyweyd ‘ooysg yYsysugq 
 
 rE dco ce 
 
 
 
BUILDING ON+ THE, ROCK 123 
 
 of taking over the school as a Mission school. After careful consideration 
 it was decided to take over this school as it would serve as a useful part 
 f the activities of the Mission in making Christ known to the people of 
 Dhamtari for: first, it would make it possible to give Bible instruction to 
 the boys from certain classes in Dhamtari who could not be reached in any 
 other way; second, it would open homes for teaching by Bible women that 
 could not be entered otherwise; third, it would train leaders for the Church; 
 fourth, it would make it possible to train our own boys of Christian parents 
 under our own control that would otherwise take training away from the 
 Mission under alienating influences; and, fifth, it would give some of the 
 leaders of the Church a knowledge of English, thus opening up to them 
 literature that would otherwise not be available to them. This school grew 
 from three boys on a bench in the old hospital building at Dhamtari until 
 now it enrolls a hundred and four boys in both its middle and high school 
 departments. It was raised to the status of a High School in 1912. 
 
 When we consider the fact that only three per cent of India’s 
 population are literate, we can realize the task that lies before the 
 educational missionary and the corresponding opportunity is too stupendous 
 to be missed. Government is increasing the number of schools. The 
 number receiving instruction in schools in 1924 is over 8,000,000 while 
 twenty-five years ago the number was only 2,000,000. There is a growing 
 tendency toward education on the part of the Indian people. It is for 
 Missions to decide whether the education which they receive is to be 
 Christian or non-Christian. It is true that many who have passed through 
 mission schools have not openly accepted Christ. However, due to the 
 teaching received in mission schools many of the non-Christians of India 
 have a great ad- 
 HLit action. = for 
 Christ and very 
 many are Bible 
 readers. It may 
 require another 
 generation of mis- 
 sionary effort be- 
 tore “the caste- 
 bound pupils in 
 primary — schools 
 in the villages a- 
 bout us accept 
 
 
 
 Boys’ School, Dhamtari 
 
124 BUILDING; ON THE “ROCK 
 
 Him in great numbers but we believe that that time will come. 
 
 More than once we had had intimations from Hindus that in case 
 Iuropeans would have to leave the country (which God forbid) educational! 
 missionaries would be asked to remain to carry on their work. What a 
 great opportunity would remain for educational. workers in such an 
 emergency ! 
 
 Survey of Literacy 
 
 of 
 Members of the India Mennonite Church 
 
 No Items Men Women. Total 
 Ly iisia Claso™ Primary, 11 17 28 
 eek Pauie : 19 13 2 
 Sera ae : 24 Dh 51 
 4, 4th “ 2 28 16 oa 
 By hohe a = 7\ 72 143 
 6. Middle School Department 26 Ze 48 
 7. High School Department 2 0 2 
 8. Read in High School but not completed 14 3 lige 
 9. Special Training—Bible School, Nursing, 
 
 Medicine lee 5 ZO 
 10. Number still going to school 168 176 344 
 11. Number who have never gone to school 174 44 518 
 12. Number of Christian children between 
 
 5 and 15 who are not in school + 13 17 
 
 Totals 556 708 1264 
 
 Up until last year the Central Provinces school system was run on the 
 5—3—4 basis. That classification has therefore been used in this survey. 
 The item 5—3—4 means that the Primary School includes the first five 
 grades, Middle School the next three, and High School the last four. 
 Completion of Middle School in India, therefore, roughly corresponds to a 
 completion of common schoo] in the United States. 
 
 In the above table the number listed after each item indicates the 
 number of men and women who have completed that grade. 
 
 People who have not read beyond the second Primary class can hardly 
 be called literate. Therefore adding the totals of items one and two to 
 No. 11 it gives us a total of five hundred seventy-eight illiterates. In other 
 terms, this says that out of every hundred members fifty-four can read and 
 write while forty-six cannot. This at first seems discouraging, and it is 
 an index to peculiar and difficult problems, but comparative figures: give 
 more encouragement. Out of India’s three hundred twenty-three million 
 only about eighteen million can read; out of every hundred Hindus, five 
 
BUILDING ONT LH E tROCK 125 
 
 can read; out of every hundred Mohammedans, three can read; and out of 
 every hundred Indian Christians, sixteen can read. Our Mennonite Church 
 is therefore thirty-eight per cent more literate than the average of Indian 
 
 
 
 Bhatgaon Village School, Two Miles from Dharntari 
 
 Christians while the great difference between the Christians and the non- 
 Christians is evident without comparative figures. 
 
 Another most encouraging feature is item 12. This says that all but 
 a few of our Christian children that 
 ought to be in school are there. This 
 of course does not say that after a 
 generation the membership of the 
 India Mennonite Church will be one 
 hundred per cent liter- 
 ate. It might be if we 
 received no new illiter- 
 ate converts, but since 
 ios om sthem ‘come 
 from the uneducated 
 masses we will have 
 
 this problem always. Custard Apples 
 
 
 
 
CHAP IIR aX 
 
 WORK AMONG THE LEPERS 
 
 As early as 1880 there was a small community of lepers near Dhamtari. 
 A few miserable huts sufficed to give them a little shelter while some rich 
 people from Dhamtari provided occasional doles of rice for them but their 
 chief living was made by begging in the town and from village to village. 
 Often when travellers passed their way, the lepers would line up in front 
 of them and levy a contribution before they would 
 allow them to pass. 
 
 In the famine of 1900, thousands of poor people 
 were gathered into so-called kitchens and fed cooked 
 food. The lepers of this vicinity had a hard time of 
 it. They could not be allowed to eat with other 
 people and begging, their usual means of support, 
 yielded them but little result; for nearly everyone 
 was 1n want as much as they were. So kind famine 
 officers gathered the lepers together and organized 
 a separate kitchen for them. Sheds with mud walls 
 were erected, which served to protect them for the 
 first rainy season. Then came the close of the fam- 
 ine and the question of the disposition of 
 of the lepers had to be decided. To let them 
 go back to a life of beggary was not to be 
 thought of if another way could be devised. 
 Again the Government officers came to the 
 relief and a generous supply of rice was al- 
 lowed the lepers so that there was no need 
 of outside help for some time. 
 
 About this time an effort was made to 
 raise money locally for their permanent sup- 
 port. Nearly $170.00 was subscribed and a 
 committee was formed for the management 
 of the proposed Leper Asylum. Of this com- 
 mittee the Superintendent of the American 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BUIEDING ON] THE AROCK r27 
 
 Mennonite Mission was to act as secretary and he opened communication 
 with the Mission to Lepers in India and the East, of Edinburgh, Scotland, 
 who promptly responded with a remittance of fifty pounds (about $220.00) 
 for immediate wants of the lepers and also promised a yearly grant of $580.00, 
 on condition that we be allowed free access to the lepers and that a Christian 
 caretaker be placed in charge. After considering the matter in its various 
 phases, the local committee thought it best to turn the funds with the entire 
 management and responsibilities of the Asylum over to the Mennonite 
 Mission. Accordingly, the malguzar of Dhamtari gave to the Mission a 
 deed of gift for the land where the Leper Asylum was to be located. The 
 Leper Asylum property was later deeded over to the Mission to Lepers for 
 thirty-three cents. The Mission to Lepers has no missionaries of their 
 own but they assume the financial responsibilities for the support of lepers 
 
 
 
 Men’s Wards in the Old Leper Asylum 
 
 and their untainted children, and administer the funds through missionaries 
 of the various societies already on the field. 
 
 In July, 1902, the Mission to Lepers made their first official visit to 
 the Dhamtari Asylum through Thomas A. Bailey, the Honorary Organizing 
 Secretary for India. On the occasion of this visit arrangements were made 
 for about twice as much land as had originally been given. In the same 
 vear the Government sanctioned a grant of fiftv cents per month for each 
 leper in the Asylum. Because of this grant the Leper Asylum is subject to 
 inspection by government officials and these visits are a great help to the 
 
128 BUILDING: ONUtETi Ph SROGCK 
 
 management of the Asylum and they help to point out defects and assist 
 in maintaining discipline in the Asylum. The official visitors include the 
 Commissioner, the Deputy Commissioner, and the Civil Surgeon of the 
 district and the Inspector-General of Civil ‘Hospitals “ot. ‘the Central 
 Provinces. 
 
 First Buildings 
 
 The first solid buildings for housing the lepers were begun in 1902. 
 All the material for the roofs of these first buildings was donated by the 
 Forestry Department of the Government of India. The building work 
 continued until there were three solid buildings for the occupancy of lepers 
 besides a combined office and storeroom and a modest little church. The 
 latter, which consisted of a floor and roof held up by means of pillars, was 
 completed in 1905 and the lepers contributed towards the building about 
 ten dollars worth of rice which they themselves had raised. There being 
 more buildings required for the accommodation of lepers and more land on 
 which to put them, application was made to the Government for the required 
 land. The Chief Commissioner of the Central Provinces (now designated 
 Governor) was pleased to sanction a grant of over eight acres of land for 
 the use of the Asylum. Later a small additional plot was acquired, making 
 the total amount of land belonging to the Asylum a little more than twelve 
 acres. On this extended plot three wards for men, each to accommodate 
 twenty-four lepers, were erected besides a new office and dispensary and 
 a new church. Several houses to accommodate members of the staff and 
 a new home for untainted boys completed the buildings. 
 
 In about 1915 the Government raised the per capita grant for the 
 maintenance of lepers from fifty cents a month to sixty-five cents and 
 several vears later raised the amount to one dollar, and the children to 
 half.the amount which is what they still receive. This represents about 
 half of what it costs to support the lepers, the rest of the support being 
 furnished through the Mission to Lepers. 
 
 The New Asylum 
 
 On account of the increasingly large number of lepers applying for 
 admittance into the Asylum it was decided to erect at once three additional 
 wards provided more land could be purchased. But the original twelve 
 acres were so hemmed in by roads, orchards, and public “tanks” that it was 
 decided to remove the Asylum to a new site about five miles ‘from 
 Dhamtari. This would take the Asylum out of the Municipality of 
 Ohamtari—a very desirable change. About 115 acres of land were 
 

 
 The Lepers 
 
130 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 purchased for the sum of $2400.00. The Government had agreed to pay half 
 the cost of the new Asylum, the total cost of which was estimated at about 
 $40,000.00. Up to date the Government has already paid $17,000.00. The 
 new Asylum when complete will accommodate about four hundred lepers 
 and will comprise some fifty separate buildings. It will be one of the best 
 asylums in India. 
 
 In order to appreciate the necessity of providing comfort for the lepers 
 we must know something of the real nature of the disease and the 
 consequent status of the poor leper. Leprosy is a loathsome disease and 
 the poor unfortunates are veritable outcastes. There is no room tor them 
 in the villages or near the habitations of man. They are as in the old 
 Hebrew days, “without the camp,” and are considered “unclean.” A leper 
 is not only turned out of his home and village but he is frequently disowned 
 and disinherited. It is thus seen that from the standpoint of the lepers 
 themselves places should be provided where they might receive humane 
 treatment. Then from the viewpoint of a healthy community it is 
 necessary to segregate the lepers. If they are permitted to roam about at 
 will, begging in the villages and bazaars, having free access to the village 
 wells and tanks, there is great danger of contamination. or these two 
 reasons every effort should be made to segregate the lepers and give them 
 proper care. 
 
 Leprosy 
 
 Just what is leprosy? It is a loathsome disease bearing some relation 
 to cancer or tuberculosis. Frequently the fingers and toes drop off because 
 of decay of the tissues. The process of ulceration is attended with much 
 pain and if the ulcers are not properly cleansed the stench is very great. 
 Leprosy is caused by bacteria somewhat akin to the bacillus of tuberculosis. 
 The bacilli leprae are very resistant to treatment. At a conference of 
 Leper Asylum Superintendents held in Calcutta the following findings were 
 recorded: 
 
 1. That leprosy is contagious, but slowly, with a long incubation 
 period, through the escape of the causative bacillus in the nasal 
 discharges of the majority of cases, which include many early cases 
 having no outwardly visible ulceration, and to a less extent from open 
 sores. 
 
 2. That the disease is not directly hereditary, children being free 
 from actual infection at birth, but they are specially susceptible from 
 an early age, children as a class being more susceptible than adults. 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 These facts necessitate the earliest possible 
 separation of infants and children from infect- 
 ed leper parents. 
 
 3.. That in view of the preceding opin- 
 ions segregation is the most effective measure 
 for reducing the prevalence of leprosy, and 
 the grave danger to the community of unre- 
 stricted association with lepers. 
 
 There are several types of leprosy—the anaes- 
 thetic, the nodular, and a mixture of the two. 
 The former is known by its anaesthetic patches 
 of skin on different parts of the body, especially 
 on the back and thighs, which are insensible to 
 pain. In its incipient stages there may be no 
 other indication of leprosy. The nodular type 
 develops nodules especially on the face and ears, 
 badly disfiguring the leper. 
 
 A Cure for Leprosy 
 
 Various experiments have been made as to 
 finding a cure for the disease. The first experi- 
 ment developed a vaccine called leprolin. Nastin 
 was a later development but neither of these two 
 experiments proved useful. For a very long time 
 it was known that chaulmoogra oil is very useful 
 in the treatment of leprosy, but it was found that 
 sufcient quantities of the nauseating oil could 
 not be taken internally so as to produce the de- 
 sired effect. Interested doctors began to experiment 
 with the oil with the view of extracting the active 
 principles and injecting them in their concentrated 
 form into the body of the leper. These experi- 
 ments were tedious and expensive but finally they 
 resulted in a product which, if properly used, 
 holds out the utmost hope to the unfortunate vic- 
 tim of the dread disease. Dr. E. Muir of the 
 School of Tropical Medicines, Calcutta, has re- 
 cently perfected a method whereby ester extracts 
 of chaulmoogra and other oils are made available 
 for very extended use in the various asylums. A 
 
 131 
 
 
 
 The Beginning of the New Leper Asylum at Shantipur, Five Miles from Dhamtari 
 
132 BUILDIN GAON “THE® ROCK 
 
 brief description of this wonderful treatment by D+. Muir appears below: 
 
 “Both the ethyl esters (prepared from ethyl alcohol and the methyl 
 esters (prepared from methyl alcohol) may be used both intra- 
 muscularly and intravenously. We have not noticed any advantage in 
 the one over the other except that the ethyl ester is cheaper to produce. 
 They are clear fluids, which do not form a solution with water and 
 which when shaken up with blood serum form an emulsion which 
 rapidly separates out again, the ester rising to the surface. 
 
 “They are, however, sufficiently fluid to pass through the capillaries 
 of the lungs, though in some patients there would appear to be some 
 little difficulty connected with this passage, especially in the first 
 intravenous injections. 
 
 “The ethyl esters of other oils, such as cod liver oil, neem oil, olive 
 aud linseed oils and the oil of the soya bean, are also beneficial in 
 leprosy, but our own experience, as well as that of most of those who 
 have had much experience of the treatment of leprosy, puts the 
 preparations of chaulmoogra and hydnocarpus oils in a position 
 superior to those of other oils. Among these preparations again the 
 esters undoubtedly take the first place. 
 
 “Chaulmoogra and hydnocarpus oils are derived from the ripe 
 seeds of two trees belonging to the same natural order, Taraktogenos 
 Kurzii and Hydnocarpus Wightiana respectively. The oils of several 
 of the species of this order have these distinguishing features that they 
 contain a series of fatty acids with a molecule containing a closed 
 carbon ring and in the polarimeter show themselves to be dextraro- 
 tatory to light. 
 
 “The therapeutic efficiency of these oils in leprosy seems to be 
 due to these fatty acids. Chaulmoogra and hydnocarpic acids, both 
 belonging to this series, form a large proportion of these fatty acids 
 but it is probable that other fatty acids belonging to this series are 
 also contained in these oils although they have not yet been separated 
 out in their pure chemical form. We therefore use the ethyl esters of 
 the whole fatty acids and believe that they are almost, if not entirely, 
 as efficient as any combination of fractions.” 
 
 Those who have helped to minister to the temporal and spiritual needs 
 of the lepers can testify that during the quarter of a century just past, the 
 work has been attended with much pleasure and encouragement. Medicine, 
 sanitation, and a Christian attitude and sympathy towards these poor 
 people have worked wonders among them. It is a rule with the Mission 
 
BUILDING ON, THE ROCK 133 
 
 to Lepers to leave the matter of religious conviction voluntary on the part 
 of the inmates of their asylums, even church going being left to the 
 pleasure of the lepers. This Asylum has not been an exception to that 
 rule. But notwithstanding this fact, in the year 1902, out of an enrolment 
 of 160 inmates, 95 desired and received baptism and the last Sunday of that 
 year was made memorable by the observance of the first communion held 
 in the Asylum. Again in the year 1908 forty-one more were baptized and 
 received into the Church. Since that time it has been the rule among the 
 lepers to desire baptism after a short time in the Asylum, their baptism 
 being deferred only long enough to give them time and opportunity to 
 receive definite teaching and instruction in the tenets of the faith. 
 
 Testimonies 
 
 In a meeting one Christmas day, one of the lepers gave a short talk. 
 He told about how they had suffered before they knew anything about 
 Jesus. He said many had been mere living skeletons, and the pus was 
 oozing from their sores. Some had no place to sleep except under trees. 
 How different their condition now! They have good, clean food to eat 
 and clean water to drink and to bathe in, and all are fat and happy. 
 “What,” he said, “has brought about this change? Believing on the Jord 
 Jesus Christ.” Then he sat down. One woman whose fingers and toes 
 are entirely eaten off by the disease, whose hands and feet are mere 
 stumps, though without open sores, and whose eyes have been destroyed 
 by the dread disease, asked for ten days’ leave to go a distance of twenty- 
 five miles to “see” her sister. The leave was granted and she, with another 
 woman, made the trip and returned a day sooner than the required time. 
 One man desired before his death to dispose of his money which amounted 
 to about ten dollars. One-third was put into the treasury of the leper 
 church, one-third to feed the lepers some special food, and the remaining 
 third was to be given to poor people. 
 
 The lepers have for many years been giving a portion of their daily 
 food for some special object. One time they decided to send a nice 
 contribution to the famine sufferers in China. Several times they made a 
 present to the superintendent. For many years they have been sending 
 contributions to the Bible Society. And for several years they have decided 
 to use the money for the support of a native colporteur who preaches the 
 Gospel and sells religious books in villages and bazaars. For many years 
 Christmas time has been a special time of rejoicing among the lepers, for, 
 besides receiving their regular clothes and sweets, a box of good things 
 has arrived each year from Scotland, sent by the friends of the lepers. 
 
134 
 
 
 
 BUILDING ON. THE ROCK 
 
 The Leper Asylum Church and Dispensary, now Vacated for the New Asylum 
 
 There have been a 
 number of almost heart- 
 breaking experiences in 
 connection with the 
 work \ vot sb ithe sa epes 
 Asylum. A number of 
 children of lepers who 
 had been in the Orphan- 
 ages and thought to be 
 free from the disease 
 developed the unmistak- 
 able signs of the dread 
 disease and _ therefore 
 could no longer remain 
 among healthy children. 
 It-. is: impossible; vere 
 describe the anguish of 
 those boys and_ girls 
 who in this. condition 
 had to go to. the Leper 
 Asylum. Others outside 
 of the untainted children 
 were called upon to pass 
 through such suffering. 
 One such was Barsan. 
 who became a Christian 
 early in the history of 
 the Mission. He was a 
 very successful  colpor- 
 teur for a number of 
 years. He developed a 
 stubborn sore on one of 
 his toes and for some 
 time was able to keep 
 it hid but it continued 
 to give him trouble until 
 it was discovered that 
 he was a leper. *The 
 experience) Wwasw a sand 
 one but he was finally 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 135 
 
 induced to leave his family and live in the Asylum. He continued his 
 Christian work for many years in the Asylum, being a great help to the 
 missionary in charge until the disease got the upper hand and he died in 
 the Asylum. 
 
 Klizabeth is another one who had gone through such an experience. 
 she was the wife of a native preacher of the Methodist Church at 
 Jubbulpore. She became a leper and was sent by their mission to Dhamtari 
 to be admitted into our Asylum. She was indeed a faithful Christian 
 woman and very intelligent. She was head matron of the women’s ward 
 in the Asylum from the time she came into the Asylum until she died a 
 victim of the terrible disease. 
 
 Margamma is another one of these sufferers. She came from another 
 part of the Central Provinces and spoke another language. She was lonely 
 indeed when she arrived at Dhamtari where language and even customs 
 were different from her own. She is’avfhne Christian character and’ has 
 
 
 
 Women’s Wards, New Asylum 
 
 been a wonderful help in the work among the women in the Asylum. She 
 also. conducted the school for leper~girls in the Asylum. She is still 
 a faithful helper in that work. 
 
 Janki was among the early inmates of the Asylum. She came as. a 
 3rahmin and lived as such for a short while in the Asylum, when she too 
 decided to become a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. She was soon 
 given some responsibilities and assisted greatly in the work among the 
 
136 BUILDING SON CGTHE; ROCK 
 
 women. During the last ten years she experienced much suffering and the 
 disease affected her eyes so that in her last years she was almost blind, 
 but she was patiently awaiting the summons from above to go and meet 
 her Lord. When she realized that she had only a very few days to live she 
 requested that the money she had saved while in the Asylum, which 
 amounted to about ten dollars, be used for the purchase of a cow so that 
 the other sick lepers would have milk to drink. She died happy in her 
 Lord relieved at last of her great suffering. 
 
 The new Asylum at Shantipur is a great boon to the lepers of our 
 district. True, the Asylum is a voluntary institution and there is no 
 attempt made at present to enforce the leper act which would compel all 
 pauper lepers to come into a leper asylum, and many lepers still prefer to 
 wander around from place to place begging for their living. But those who 
 come to the Asylum are ready to testify that it means a great blessing to 
 those who avail themselves of the opportunity. The utmost effort is put 
 forth to make the lepers as comfortable as possible and all the lepers are 
 provided with good, wholesome food and live in very good houses. They 
 are taught the rich truths of God’s Word and are pointed to the “Lamb of 
 God which taketh away the sin of the world.” About forty cases are 
 under the special leper treatment. The Superintendent lives near the 
 Leper Asylum where the work can be carefully supervised and where he 
 can give close attention to the needs of the untainted children who live in 
 separate homes specially provided for them. 
 
 Government officers, Hindus, and Mohammedans, all alike, declare that 
 there is no other work in India that is so worthy and so commendable 
 as that among the poor lepers whom the ordinary folks have rejected from 
 their communities. We believe that many non-Christians have been 
 impressed with the Christian religion through the work among lepers in 
 India. 
 
 
 
CHAPTER X] 
 FAMINES AND RELIEF WORK 
 
 Had there been no famine in India, would the work of the American 
 Mennonite Mission of Dhamtari, C. P., ever have been established? 
 Following up the work, which had been done by our people in America, 
 of giving relief to the people in India in the great famine of 1896-1897 was 
 one of the things that impelled the people at home to think of taking up 
 mission work in this part of the world. Many people at home can still 
 recall the days when brethren came around to collect money to send to 
 india in order to keep the people from starving. Our missionaries were 
 sent to India as a direct result of what had been done in that famine. 
 
 They had no more than reached India and were not yet located at 
 
 
 
 A Famine Camp at Balodgahan 
 
 Dhamtari when India was again in the throes of another famine as wide- 
 spread as the former. There was already acute suffering when they reached 
 Dhamtari and there was no time to be lost. Temporary huts in which to 
 live were hastily constructed and relief work was started. For this purpose 
 
O06T-668T fo Fag eurumey 
 
 
 
BUILDING ON THE 'ROCK 139 
 
 liberal sums of money were received from 
 America while the Local Government ap- 
 propriated large sums of money and _ or- 
 ganized extensive relief work. Bro. J. A. 
 Ressler was appointed by the Government 
 as assistant famine charge officer, and Dr. 
 Page was busy attending to the medical 
 Heedcwoleticapeupic. 
 
 The distress was very great and peo- 
 ple began to migrate from one section of 
 the country to another in the hope that 
 better conditions might be encountered. 
 In order to relieve this distress the Gov- 
 ernment opened famine kitchens where 
 starving people could get cooked food. 
 Relief works were also opened in the form 
 of digging wells, constructing roads, dig- 
 
 
 
 Bro. Burkhard and a Famine Wai{ 
 
 ging “tanks” (small reservoirs) where 
 people able to work could earn a small 
 daily wage with which to purchase grain 
 from the Government grain — stores. 
 There were at one time as many as 
 nine thousand workmen in Bro. Ress- 
 ler’s charge while twenty thousand peo- 
 ple in thirty-eight villages were fed 
 Government rations, under the direction 
 of our Mission. In spite of all that was 
 being done for the distressed people 
 hundreds of them died. 
 
 The temporary quarters so_ hastily 
 constructed for the missionaries were 
 soon replaced by more _— substantial 
 houses, the unskilled labor for which 
 was provided from Government famine 
 funds. 
 
 
 
 Famine Subjects 
 
140 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 
 
 Gauri lying on the straw, 
 has been rescued from star- 
 vation and is now healthy 
 and happy. 
 
 Irrigation 
 
 There was no failure of crops 
 from 1900 to 1918 though dur- 
 ing this period there were many 
 years when the crops were far 
 below normal. In the meantime 
 the Government had spent many 
 thousands of dollars on exten- 
 sive irrigation projects, so that 
 the farmers would not need to 
 be absolutely dependent on the 
 erratic rainfall. The Mahanadi 
 Irrigation Canal concerns our 
 Mission more directly because 
 Rudri, one of our mission sta- 
 tions, had to be given up to the 
 Government to form headquarters for their offi- 
 cial staff in connection with its construction. 
 A dam has been built across the Mahanadi 
 near Rudri and a canal dug extending a dis- 
 tance of seventy-five miles with numerous dis- 
 tributing canals branching from the main chan- 
 nel. A large storage reservoir covering nine 
 square miles was constructed fourteen miles 
 
 from the Rudri dam, which is to furnish water. . 
 
 for irrigation when the Mahanadi River supply 
 is insufficient, This irrigation canal is capable 
 of irrigating thousands of square miles of rice 
 land and farmers within reach of the canal 
 may now with more or less confidence sow 
 their seed. But the thousands of farmers in 
 our Mission Field out of reach of the canal 
 are still dependent upon the rainfall. 
 
 The rainfall of 1918 was short and caused 
 famine conditions to prevail over this part of 
 India. Conditions became very acute just be- 
 fore the harvest of 1919. The suffering’ was 
 greatly increased because this famine followed 
 so closely upon the heels of the influenza epi- 
 
BUIEDING “ON “THE (ROCK 141 
 
 demic and people were too weak to gather the meager harvests. Many 
 homes were completely broken up. Another shortage of rain in 1920, though 
 not wide-spread, caused much suffering in the affected areas. In both these 
 famines the Mission was enabled to render effective help to thousands of 
 suffering people through the generosity of a sympathetic Church in the 
 homeland. But in spite of all that could be done many people came to our 
 famine camps too late and died as a consequence. 
 
 Relief Work 
 
 Relief work was carried on at Sankra, Dhamtari, and Balodgahan. 
 The poor people were given work at tank (reservoir) building, road 
 making, and building construction work. In this way we were enabled to 
 utilize the famine funds in providing permanent improvements as well as 
 helping the starving people in their distress. Much help, however, had to be 
 given to those who could not render any work in return. Hundreds of those 
 who were helped in the famine camps fill our Orphanages and Widows’ 
 Homes, and add to the numbers in our Christian community. At the close 
 of the famine all in the camps and orphanages were given an opportunity 
 to return to their homes, for it was the policy of the Mission not to baptize 
 famine subjects until they had decided of their own choice, to remain in 
 the Mission after the camps were closed. Christian teaching was a daily 
 feature of famine camp administration and those of the camps who 
 returned to their homes, no doubt carried with them something of the 
 messages they received. In God’s good time many of these same people 
 may be added to the kingdom of God. 
 
 Five brothers came to the Balodgahan famine camp in 1919. Their 
 parents were dead. ‘The brothers ranged in ages from three to twenty 
 years. Their sickly and emaciated condition aroused the sympathy of 
 every one. At once arrangements were made to provide the necessary help 
 for they were in need of both food and medicine. One of the boys had bad 
 open sores alive with maggots. But some of the brothers were too far gone 
 to be saved and one after the other died until only one was left. He was 
 fat when he came and very precocious, giving the impression of an expert 
 beggar. Soon he was transferred to the Boys’ Orphanage at Dhamtari 
 where he remained for about a year when he ran away. We were much 
 disappointed for we had expected much from this boy of the basket maker 
 CadeLe. 
 
 Famines are a terrible thing and we hope they will not recur but 
 thousands of people in India have first come to know of a loving Savior 
 
142 BUILDING ON'*THE ROCK 
 
 through famines. Nearly 
 all of our Christian work- 
 ers’ sand: schools teachers 
 as well as most of our 
 Christian’ peop ke “have 
 come to us through fam- 
 ines, Would that the 
 Church would again be a- 
 roused to follow. up the 
 work done in famine time 
 by sending renewed forces. 
 The opportunity for effect- 
 
 
 
 ive: work vat! the. end’ of a 
 quarter of a century has 
 never been greater and the 
 call for more .workers at 
 no time more urgent. 
 
 The three cuts on this 
 page give a vivid proof of 
 the good work done among 
 the orphans. After three 
 
 
 
 After Three Months in the Orphanage 
 
 months the contrast is 
 Sstrrk'i ney bur aires 
 three years the change 
 is almost beyond be- 
 lief.—R. 
 
 
 
 At the End of 1924 
 
CHARTER: XII 
 
 THE HOME LIFE OF MISSIONARIES 
 
 Many people at home have the idea that we missionaries either live in 
 the same house and eat at the same table or very close together in the same 
 station, something like the city missionaries. But this is not the case. 
 Excepting where the nature of the work demands, it, missionary families 
 live alone at their respective stations. At Dhamtari and Balodgahan where 
 there is much work to do, several missionary families are located but in 
 separate bungalows. In several cases a missionary family and a single 
 ister live in the same house and it has frequently been necessary for two 
 amilies to live in the same bungalow. This chapter is included to give 
 the reader a glimpse into the home life of our missionaries. 
 
 There is no particular reason why missionaries should not have as 
 comfortable homes as, can reasonably be expected under foreign conditions 
 consistent with their calling and efficiency. At the very best their homes 
 are still far from being comfortable as the average Mennonite homes in 
 America with all their modern conveniences. But whatever the building 
 or environment may be it is the people that make the home. “Home its 
 where the heart is, lie it East or lie it West.” 
 
 s 
 ft 
 
 An Indian Bungalow 
 
 Let us take a look, then, at an Indian bungalow such as a missionary 
 family occupies. Here we see a brick building plastered inside and out 
 about 40x80 outside measure. This covers a large floor space but along 
 one side is a 12-foot veranda and the walls are 18 inches thick. There 
 are two bed rooms 18x20, a dining room and a sitting room each 14x 16 
 with an office and bathrooms and storeroom. The ceilings are 18 feet 
 high. This makes large rooms but it is absolutely necessary on account 
 of the great heat in the hot season when the thermometer does not drop 
 below 90 for two months and may go as high as 115 in the shade. 
 
 To add a little to our comfort in the hot season we bring into use what 
 we call a “pankah.” This is a large fan twelve feet long and two feet or 
 more wide attached to a pole and swings from the high ceiling. The 
 pankah of Japanese matting just swings clear of our heads and is swung 
 
% 
 
 4 
 
 
 
BUTE DUNG - ON VCE E ROCK 145 
 
 back and forth by means of a rope which is attached to the pole and runs 
 over a pulley out to the veranda where it is pulled by a coolie. 
 
 By keeping the doors and windows carefully closed from nine o’clock 
 till four, we manage to keep the indoor temperature about ten degrees 
 cooler than the outdoor temperature in the shade. The coolie enjoys his 
 job for he can sit in the shade while pulling the pankah at eight cents a 
 day while others will have to work in the hot sun and earn no more. 
 
 The office is the missionary’s work shop. Here he keeps his accounts, 
 makes up his pay roll, keeps his records, writes his letters and reports. This 
 work is done between interruptions. In the midst of a report he is likely 
 to hear, “Sahib!” (Sir) and then begins another interview. Or if he does 
 not hear the word, Sahib, he may hear what is more trying to his already 
 overwrought nerves, namely, a coughing or a scraping of feet in order to 
 attract his attention. He thinks he will finish the work in hand but the 
 scraping and coughing continue with painful regularity and he finally 
 succumbs, more to keep his nerves from going to pieces than to get on with 
 the interview. 
 
 Lhe bedroom has single beds fitted with frames over which is placed 
 
 
 
 Vegetables 
 
 a mosquito net. This precaution is necessary in order to ward off malaria 
 breeding mosquitoes. Most missionaries sleep on the veranda all the year, 
 having the beds carried there, excepting in the hot season when the beds 
 are placed on the ground a short distance away from the bungalow. This 
 is pleasant enough except when the wind blows hard or when it rains or 
 
WOOY Bulz}IS 
 
 
 
BUILDING ON’ THE” ROCK 147 
 
 when leopards come prowling around the bungalow! The living room may 
 contain an American rug laid over a bamboo matting covering the cement 
 floor. Here are such articles of furniture as are seen in the picture and here 
 is where the missionary family gather for prayers. And here in the different 
 bungalows by turn is where the meetings of the Managing Committee and 
 other committee meetings are held. 
 
 The missionary sister (mem sahib or miss sahib), has her special 
 responsibility in the home outside of her regular appointment. She sees 
 that the home is kept in proper running order. She plans the meals and 
 gives out the ingredients several times each day to the Indian man cook 
 (Ouprepare them for the table. The jcook has not the same ideas ot 
 cleanliness as we do and so must be constantly admonished by the mem 
 sahib. He sits on the floor to pare the potatoes. He puts the bread board 
 
 on the floor to mix the bread. He prefers to wash the dishes on the floor. 
 When he considers the dish cloths 
 
 and tea towels ready to be washed 
 they are about the color of the 
 stove! 
 
 One of the trials of the “mem 
 sahib” is the experience with the 
 washerman. He is seen in the ac- 
 companying picture washing clothes. 
 After boiling the clothes in large 
 copper boilers he beats them over a 
 rough stone that takes the place of 
 a washboard or washing machine. 
 This process of washing is hard on 
 the clothes and tries their every fi- 
 ber and button, if there. are any. 
 After the garment has been rinsed, 
 dried, and ironed with a charcoal 
 iron it 1s returned to its owner with 
 any rents and places where buttons 
 are missing carefully concealed by 
 clever folding. Some of the mis- 
 sionaries far away from Dhamtari 
 have their washing done with Amer- 
 can washing machines. 
 
 
 
 Darjeeling Train 
 
148 BUILDING 
 
 We all love and appre- 
 ciate flowers, ferns, and 
 shrubs. Many kinds grow 
 easily with almost no at- 
 tention, ~ They make our 
 bungalows homelike and 
 remind us of our American 
 homes. Also they remind 
 us of the heavenly Father 
 who so tenderly cares for 
 HlissOwsi (Ne yetone not, 
 neither do they spin; yet 
 I say unto you that even 
 Solomon in all his glory 
 was not arrayed like one of 
 these.“ The gardens are a 
 valuable source of food sup- 
 ply for us. By the picture 
 you can see that we have 
 almost every kind of vege- 
 table you grow at home. 
 
 Tomatoes, peas, corn, and 
 
 carrots may also be grown. 
 We can really only count 
 on the cold season for gar- 
 dening. Pumpkins, egg- 
 plant and lady-fingers can 
 easily be obtained from the 
 native markets where we 
 get our rice, curry, and dal 
 (a kind of split pea), also 
 such tropical fruits as cus- 
 tard apples, small bananas, 
 and limes (a small lemon). 
 The melon-like fruit in the 
 left of the vegetable picture 
 are papaiya which are very 
 Lich in pepsitvessLhiceplanit 
 bears fruit the next season 
 after planting un'ess drown- 
 
 ON! PHE- ROCK 
 
 
 
 issionaries 
 
 Children of M 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 149 
 
 ed out in the rains. In Dhamtari a fruit and potato vender sells potatoes, 
 oranges, guavas, etc., which have been shipped from other cities or from 
 the hills. Potatoes vary in price from one dollar twenty-five cents to five 
 dollars twenty-five cents a bushel, eggs are had locally at about twelve 
 cents per dozen, ghi (clarified butter) can be had at about thirty-five cents 
 per pound and is our substitute for lard. Butter is bought in tins at from 
 thirty-five to forty-five cents per pound. Flour is ordered from Calcutta at one 
 dollar seventy-five cents to two dollars per hundred pounds. These are approxi- 
 mate prices at present prevailing. Shopping for groceries as well as dry goods is 
 not as simple here as in America. There is no corner grocery, or general merchan- 
 dise store where we can do our purchasing in a few hours. Here we sit down 
 at our office table and scan some very incomplete catalogs which often do not 
 even have the correct prices given. We write out the order and if we want 
 it in a hurry, we say, “Send by passenger train” (express ). )) Then atsis not 
 at all surprising if a clerk at the store makes a mistake and sends our box 
 “goods” (freight). So we patiently (?) wait. When it finally does come 
 it is not an uncommon experience to open a box only to find that the 
 things most needed are missing. Upon examining the bill we find the words, 
 “out of stock.” We have heard of outstation missionaries’ cooks making 
 a failure of bread yeast and consequently having edible bread only two or 
 three times in three months. The poor missionaries in question were so 
 hungry for bread that when they did get some they could eat almost a loaf 
 at one meal! Some order yeast from Canada, but the duty and other 
 expenses are so high as to make it practically prohibitive unless a number 
 of missionaries go together in the order. All goods ordered from 
 Montgomery Ward & Co., cost us about twice the listed price by the time 
 we get them here. Do you wonder that we have desk work and need files 
 when we order sugar from one place, butter from another, groceries from an- 
 other, etc., and keep duplicates of all until the orders are satisfactorily filled. 
 
 The missionaries in and near Dhamtari entertain all visiting Europeans 
 and take them to outstations if they desire to go. They also entertain the 
 out-station missionaries for business meetings and committee meetings, etc. 
 They act as proxies in looking after the mail and local business as well as 
 taking delivery of goods and keeping it until called for as Dhamtari is the 
 railway station for all our missionaries. On the evenings when there are 
 no prayer meetings or other work, the missionary family relaxes a bit. 
 They have a story with the children or a bit of quiet reading or write home 
 letters. More often they are so tired that after the evening meal they at 
 once have family worship and go off to bed. 
 
UPULIOYSE AA 
 
 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 151 
 
 The Children 
 
 The children are in the hands of an ayah (native child nurse) a great 
 part of the time up to school age. The mother of course personally 
 prepares the food, cleans the bottles, gives the baths until the baby can sit 
 up alone. The ayah as well as any other servant must be constantly 
 reminded of many little details of her work, such as never letting the child 
 be under the direct rays of the sun without his sola-topie (sun helmet). 
 Phis needs a special caution on cloudy days as clouds are not sufficient 
 shade and it is hard to determine the exact position of the sun. The 
 mothers with children of school age go to the hills about March fifteenth. 
 In this way they can board the children for several months as well as give 
 them a bit of home life, of which they get little enough. What is a home 
 without children? But what is a home whose children must be away to 
 boarding school about nine months out of every year beginning at the age 
 of six or seven? It is not pleasant to have our families separated every 
 year. Missionaries do not enjoy having the husband and wife, or husband 
 and wife and children separated. When mothers go to the hills with 
 small children they cannot share with their husbands the heat, work, and 
 dangers of the plains in the hot season. We even could not possibly go to 
 them in less than four days or vice versa. We do not mean this as 
 dissatisfaction or complaint but just to let you know that not all of our 
 separation is finished when we leave our dear ones in the homeland. The 
 sisters who have no small children, and the brethren have two months’ hill 
 leaye every two years. The medical authorities strongly advise a month’s 
 leave during the alternate year when the work can so be arranged. The 
 work is important and exacting and needs healthy bodies with clear, active 
 brains and not nervous wrecks. Hill furloughs are expensive, room rents 
 are high, and three to five days of railway travel takes money. A part of 
 the time at the hills is spent in attending conferences and conventions for 
 deepening the spiritual life of the missionaries. We also have necessary 
 dental work done while in the hills since on the plains no dentist is near. 
 We never tire looking at the majestic Himalayan snow peaks in sunshine, 
 cloud-shadow, or moonlight, this being one of the blessings of hill furlough. 
 
 How do we get to the hills? By alternately travelling or waiting at 
 stations day and night for from three to five days. This is especially trying 
 for small children who grow very restless in the heat, dirt, and cinders. 
 We usually travel third class and the compartments are roomy if not 
 crowded, but have such poor toilet accommodations as to make them all 
 but impossible for a family. And oh, the luggage! At every change 
 
152 BUILDING ON, ‘THE. ROCK 
 
 we hire coolies to transfer it, keeping a lookout to see that all parcels 
 arrive and are packed into the compartment which we hunt up and 
 designate on our next train. We take as many as five to fifteen pieces of 
 baggage with us in our compartment. These include bedding rolls, suit- 
 cases, small trunks, hand-bags, parasols, lanterns, water pots for drinking 
 water, and lunch baskets. Sometimes we travel for an entire day with no 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 The slow-moving ox-tonga, still very 
 useful, is being replaced by the auto- 
 mobile, thus vastly increasing the 
 
 usefulness of the missionary. 
 
 RICKSHAW | 
 
 stops where we can get a bite to eat. Night travelling is especially difficult 
 for a woman alone with children. She must watch stations and have the 
 bedding packed in time for any change. No brakeman on the train calls 
 out the stations before we arrive there. After leaving the train we need 
 to go some distance in a motor car or dandy or both to get to the top of 
 
BUTLDING ON) THE ROCK 153 
 
 the mountains. In going to Darjeeling one takes advantage of the narrow 
 gauge railway which takes one up the mountain. The engine is a powertul 
 little machine taking four cars up the steepest grades with ease. The 
 accompanying picture will give you an idea of its size. The track reaches 
 an altitude of 7400 feet above sea level and winds in and out, among and 
 around the hills, going up and up by loops and “Y’s” through most 
 beautiful jungles of tall trees, clinging vines, huge bamboos, and dense 
 undergrowth. Not all of our travelling is as enjoyable as this. Outstation 
 people on the plains travel horseback, bicycle, tonga, or walk during the 
 rains. When the roads are passable we go by motor although no one 
 would dignify our jungle trails by calling them roads. In this country of 
 slow moving there is no timesaver like the motor when roads are passable. 
 Not the smallest item of our home life is moving and getting settled at our 
 new locations. Our moving vans are just simple two-wheeled ox or buffalo 
 carts which are never guaranteed to remain right side up with any kind of 
 a load. 
 
 
 
 Landour in the Hills 
 
Gish Meare SUBD 
 EXPERIENCES 
 
 Mission work is carried on in a methodical and systematic manner but 
 not everything in a missionary’s life happens according to plan. ‘This 
 chapter is included to show the many interesting sidelights of a missionary’s 
 life which are not as a rule mentioned. There are many such and in a 
 great many cases they are anything but pleasant at the time they happen, 
 but they may be recalled with not unpleasant memories long years 
 
 afterwards. 
 
 (Contributed by Sarah Lapp) 
 Our First Tour 
 
 About twenty-two years ago when my husband and I were novices, in 
 India we made a trip to a village about twenty-five miles northwest of 
 Dhamtari to visit the mother and sister of one of the Orphanage girls, 
 taking one of the girls along. We started out in the morning in an ox 
 tonga, taking some provisions along. At noon we stopped for lunch and 
 to feed the oxen, and after a few hours’ rest we started out again for the 
 village of Karibadar, where we intended to stop for the night. We arrived 
 there after dusk, strangers to the people, and could not speak their language 
 very well. In order to find a place to stay for the night we sent our ox 
 driver to make investigations, but he came back without finding a place. 
 Before long, however, a man came and told us we could sleep in his cattle 
 stable if we wished. We were thankful for any kind of place with a roof 
 over us so after eating a cold lunch in the cattle shed we went to “bed,” 
 1 on a small cot brought by the owner of the cattle stable, and the others 
 on the ground, spreading their blankets on straw. We had a lantern which 
 we kept burning low. We tried to sleep but I, for one, was awake most of 
 the night as the cattle were tied only above five feet from us and were 
 restless on account of us. At times we could feel their warm breath come 
 over us. We were glad when morning came. After eating breakfast we 
 started out for Karra, six miles farther on. On arriving there about ten 
 o’clock in the forenoon, we went to the home of the girl’s mother where 
 there was a happy meeting indeed. We were shown a small room where 
 
BUILDING ON ‘THE, ROCK 155 
 
 we spent the night. In the evening we told many people who had come 
 together about Jesus and sang songs for them. We left for home the next 
 day, arriving that same evening, glad for our new experience. 
 
 The Balky Ox 
 
 A number of years ago my husband and I went to visit some 
 neighboring missionaries. It was in the rainy season and the roads were 
 very muddy. We went from one of their stations to the other, a distance 
 of about twenty-five miles, in an ox tonga. We reached our destination 
 without any trouble but when we were returning our troubles began. For 
 a few miles our oxen travelled well but suddenly without any notice one ox 
 became balky and lay down. The driver prodded him with his oxgoad and 
 got him up again and we were off, but only for a short distance, when he 
 dropped down in the road again. This kept up for eight miles, when to our 
 great relief, we were met with a team of slow but strong and dependable 
 buffaloes sent from the first station, after which we had no further trouble 
 for the buffaloes pulled us right through water and mud and we arrived 
 safely at our destination by evening. 
 
 When the Tonga Broke 
 
 About ten years ago when living at Balodgahan two Bible women and 
 I went on a tonga to a village about five miles away to do visitation 
 work. On the way we were driving along slowly, when, without any 
 warning, the tonga tongue broke off right at the driver’s seat, and as 
 tongas have only two wheels we all fell forward in a heap on the ground. 
 We were all stunned for a few moments, then slowly got up. The driver 
 had his ankle sprained and I fell against a piece of iron, sustaining a cut 
 over my eye which was bleeding. The two Bible women escaped with a 
 few scratches. Luckily the oxen walked a little ahead with the yoke and 
 the broken tongue and were out of our way. We all started for home on 
 foot, the driver limping along slowly, bringing the oxen and leaving the 
 broken tonga until he could bring it home later. I had to have a few 
 stitches put into my cut and have my forehead bandaged for several days. 
 We were all thankful that it was no worse. Matt. 25:13. 
 
 Faith of a Non-Christian 
 
 Some years ago Bro. M. C. Lapp (now gone to his reward) made a 
 short tour to some villages near Chikli outstation and came to a village 
 Khariya in Kanker state. He was called to see a woman in that village 
 who was laid up with rheumatism and was nearly helpless. He had no 
 
156 
 
 medicine with him 
 for rheumatism but 
 Said?) al scan) Bplay 
 [or ByOuwe 90d. all; 
 swers prayer.” They 
 Sdidsa Ayes eC Osptay.« 
 SO.) hes prayed aston 
 Tel wet ccowel ya meal 
 [ele trie weve ihdrote. 
 Some weeks later a 
 man came from that 
 village for some 
 Medicine yal O 1 seh Its 
 family and was 
 asked how the wom- 
 an with the rheu- 
 matism is getting a- 
 long. The man said, 
 “Oh, she is well a- 
 gain and goes to 
 the tank for water 
 and does her own 
 housework.” When 
 asked since when 
 she is well again the 
 man said, “She got 
 DEL Cimee riod tumeaitcr 
 you were there and 
 prayed. All the vil- 
 lagers know about 
 
 tive 
 
 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 Canal Four Miles from Dhamtar 
 
 igation 
 
 Head Works of the Mahanadi Irr 
 
wm 
 | 
 
 BUILDING ON THE ‘ROCK 1 
 
 (Contributed by Anna Stalter) 
 Shifting Responsibility in the Girls’ Orphanage 
 
 Twenty jackets had been cut and were given to the matron to cut 
 linings and neckbands. Wishing to get through with her job in a hurry 
 she gave a girl the neckbands to cut. They were to be taken off material 
 left from the jackets a piece about six or eight yards in length. The girls 
 eut all the neckbands off along one side of the length of the piece, Helpers 
 do not always help. 
 
 Disturbed 
 
 One evening in the hot season Sister Schertz and I sat and read until 
 late. 1 finally went to bed. We were sleeping in the yard in front of the 
 bungalow. J] was in bed only a short time when something banged against 
 the wire fence about eighty feet in front of the bungalow, at the same time 
 giving a deep growl. I called to the night watchman and asked what it 
 was. He said, “Bagh hai’ (It is a leopard). The animal went on his way 
 and we slept peacefully all night. 
 
 Getting Experience 
 
 In the hot season when Sister Schertz and I had been in India a little 
 more than a year it was decided that we should accompany two of the girls 
 from the Orphanage to visit the villages that were once their homes. The 
 village to which we first went was about sixteen miles from Dhamtari. In 
 order to get there and back the same day it was necessary for us to start 
 very early, as we were to''go in an ox tonga. The evening before we 
 prepared something for our lunch. Fried chicken as we have it at home 
 had not been tasted for a whole year. We prepared a chicken and fried 
 it nice and brown. That night a dog got the meat safe open and had a 
 feast on part of our precious chicken. 
 
 We started early in the morning and all went well until we were 
 perhaps a mile from the village. The last few miles led across rice fields 
 with their banks of earth around them. Some of the banks seemed high 
 for the tonga to cross and we wanted the driver to let us get out and walk, 
 but he insisted on our remaining in the tonga, and as we crossed one of 
 the high banks one wheel went down with a crash, breaking every spoke 
 in the wheel. There was nothing left but to walk the rest of the way to 
 the village. It was very hot by this time and the loo (hot burning wind) 
 was blowing in real hot season fashion, turning our weak American 
 umbrella wrong side out and rendering it unfit for further use. 
 
158 BUILDING ‘ON?’ THE ROCK 
 
 The people were astonished to see us come and were somewhat shy 
 of us as we were the first white people who had visited their village, but 
 they were kind to us and gave us a place in which to rest, and prepared 
 food for us. The man in whose house we were was an uncle to one of the 
 girls and he was glad to see her after her absence of about five years. All 
 the water we could get was from the village tank, which was muddy all 
 the time. 
 
 We remained in the house the hottest part of the day. Towards 
 evening we walked with the other girl to her village which was about a 
 mile and a half farther on, and returned again for the night. About ten 
 o’clock that night, after much discussion between our tonga driver and the 
 men of the village, of which we understood little, we started home in a 
 “chakra” (a small springless’ox cart for two people) and a driver from the 
 village. Two of us walked and two rode alternately. We stopped a while 
 in front of a village sometime in the middle of the night when the new 
 driver and our own driver had a smoke. They also went away to the 
 village for some time. We sat on a log and one of our party fell asleep: 
 and nearly fell off the log. Day finally came and soon the heat of the sun 
 was felt. The “chakra” had no top so Sister Schertz and I went on home 
 and left the girls to walk the remaining six or seven miles to Dhamtari. 
 We arrived about ten in the forenoon hot, dusty, sleepy, and tired. The 
 only refreshments we had since morning were a drink from a village tank. 
 
 A Poisonous Snake 
 
 In this country there are many snakes, though one might live here for 
 years without seeing any. It is a safe thing always to look about one’s bed 
 before retiring to see that all is well. One evening in the rainy season I 
 picked up the lantern, as usual, to go out to the veranda, where my bed 
 was, to see 1f there was anything unusual. As I pushed open the screen 
 door to go out something fell and struck me on the head, then fell on the 
 floor. Examining it I found it was a snake and killed it at once. It was a 
 very poisonous snake about three feet long. 
 
 The Noisy Jackals 
 
 It was in the early months of 1905 when I was very new in the 
 country. One evening Sister Schertz and I went for a walk towards the 
 jungle. While leisurely walking along quite a distance from the bungalow 
 we suddenly heard something howling ferociously, and thought, wilatever 
 it was, it was about to get us, so we took to our heels and ran all the way 
 back to the bungalow. We thought the animals must be wolves but since 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 159 
 
 then we heard them many, many times and we know now that they were 
 jackals, perfectly harmless animals. 
 
 Another Snake Story 
 
 During a rainy season when living alone in Balodgahan I awoke in 
 the middle of the night and for some cause or other it seemed as though 
 there were something wrong about the bungalow. I got up, picked up 
 the lantern and a heavy stick, and started on a tour about the house to 
 see if I could find anything wrong. When I got to one of the doors that 
 was open I saw a good sized snake which had crawled up on the outside 
 of the screen door and when it saw me and the lantern it threw its head 
 all about over the door, as though looking for a place to get through. 
 Finding a hole in the screen big enough to crawl through, it started straight 
 in towards me and I at once struck it with the stick, which caused it to 
 fall to the floor where I killed it. It proved to be a viper and they are very 
 poisonous. | went to bed and slept soundly until morning. God does help 
 us to protect ourselves if we trust Him. 
 
 (Contributed by P. A. Friesen) 
 Hungry for the Gospel 
 
 We were on an evangelistic tour. One morning three of the 
 evangelists and myself decided to go to the village of Bagdai. We had 
 never been to this village before. Each of us took an unusual number of 
 colportage books with us that morning. When the people saw us coming 
 nearly every one in the village came out to meet us. They offered us beds 
 to sit on and expressed themselves as grateful and happy that we had come 
 to see them. We sat down and started a village meeting at once. We 
 sang and preached to them for two hours when they began to ask for 
 books. In a few minutes’ time we sold every book we had with us, most 
 of which were Gospel portions and song books. When we were ready to 
 leave one man came to me and said, “I have read several of the Gospel 
 portions already. I even know parts of it by heart. I now want the whole 
 Bible.” I told him I did not have any for sale with me but could send him 
 one the next day. He paid me in advance for it and I sent it out to him 
 the next dav. A number of people of that village are now reading the 
 Bible and are always glad when we come to read it with them. Another 
 man in another village took me to his house and said, with tears in his 
 eyes, “If you would come often to my house and read the Bible with me 
 1 would socn understand the will of God better.” 
 
160 BUILDING WO Nib ROGK. 
 
 Christian Prayer and the Witch Doctor 
 
 Cholera was raging in the neighboring villages. One village called 
 their baiga (witch doctor) to come and sacrifice for them so the disease 
 would go away. The witch doctor came and began his work, but while he 
 was making sacrifice he took the disease himself and in a few hours was 
 dead. Now the poor village people did not know what to do. One man 
 suggested that they call the sahib (missionary) to have prayer with them. 
 The suggestion took well with the rest of the people and they called us 
 to come to their village as quickly as we could. I took several workers 
 with me and we had a most wonderful prayer meeting in that village. We 
 requested that everybody that was well and could come out to the meeting 
 should be present and that they too should pray to the living God for help 
 and deliverance. The Lord heard our prayers and the cholera stopped in 
 that village that very same day. Jas. 5:16. 
 
 (Contributed by Dr. Florence C. Friesen) 
 The Native Doctor 
 
 This man is a baid (native doctor), who lives just across the road 
 from the hospital. He claimed wonderful things and tried to draw our 
 patients away from us. One day I visited him and in a friendly way 
 inquired about his medicines. I was surprised to find him making medicine 
 from the raw material such as mercury, zinc, lead, etc., which he bought 
 in the bazaar. He also claimed he knew a cure for leprosy but being a 
 poor man could not afford to burn the mineral in intense heat as many 
 times as required. 
 
 Rain and Bad Roads 
 
 In company with a fellow missionary, his wife and two small children 
 and two Indian women we left Jagdalpur one evening for Dhamtari, a 
 hundred and thirty miles away.- It was just after the monsoons had 
 broken. We safely crossed the first swollen stream in a boat and were 
 speeding along towards the first dak bungalow (rest house). Sixteen miles 
 farther on we reached the second swollen stream. We all crossed safely 
 in boats but these boats were not large enough for the motor car which 
 stuck in the stream in an attempt to cross. Nothing could be done that 
 night so we opened our bedding and went to sleep under the stars but we 
 were soon covered with a heavy cloud and then it began to rain. We fled 
 to a little hut across the road built for the mail carriers and crowded 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 161 
 
 ourselves into it for the night. Some of us were soaked and got dry the 
 next morning when the sun came out. By noon we had our clothes dry, 
 had the water out of the engine, a lunch and were ready to continue our 
 journey. The next night we rested in the bungalow we intended to reach 
 the night before. That day we encountered many swollen streams and bad 
 roads but reached Kanker, the capital of a native state, and were allowed 
 to rest in the king’s guest bungalow that night. We had forty miles 
 farther to Dhamtari and arrived there the evening of the third day. 
 Sometimes we waded the streams, sometimes crossed in boats. Sometimes 
 men pushed the motor car through and sometimes oxen or buffaloes pulled 
 it through. We crossed no bridges worth mentioning. Fight temporary 
 bridges were washed away. 
 
 Eager for the Word 
 
 An educated Punjabi came to us sick and thought he was about to die. 
 We treated him and he returned to his work. Later his wife came to us 
 ill and she returned to her home. Again the husband came suffering from 
 fever and we treated him. Before he left he asked for an English Bible. 
 I had none for sale but gave him one of my own treasured Bibles. He 
 went down the road with this Bible under his arm. The next time I saw 
 him he said he spent many more hours reading the Bible than he did in his 
 own Hindu worship. 
 
 (Contributed by Lydia L. Lehman) 
 Short of Help 
 
 It was during the days of the great war when a number of missionaries 
 were home on furlough and could not return to India promptly after their 
 furloughs were over. At that time eleven missionaries were trying to hold 
 down the work of twenty, the number who had been on the field. During 
 this period of shortage of help, famine, cholera, bubonic plague, and 
 influenza made their visits to Dhamtari. It is needless to say that after 
 yoing through all this there were tired missionaries in India. To add to 
 the heavy work the missionaries were kept in anxiety because of the low 
 exchange and the high prices for foodstuffs. And we never could tell 
 when the ckecks would arrive from home as mail was very uncertain. 
 
 Mosquitoes and Malaria 
 
 Two dear old friends who live fifty-two miles south of here in the 
 jungle spent several weeks with us during the rains. It was the time of the 
 
162 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 influenza. After the rains closed and the streams could be crossed we took 
 them to their home in the Ford. Due to road repairs we could not reach 
 our desired destination before dark and were obliged to spend the night on 
 the road in the heart of the tiger jungle where the mosquitoes are large and 
 do not often have a chance to feast on foreigners. A mosquito net was put 
 over the motor car. A fire was built beside the road and kept up all night 
 to keep the wild animals away. Three sat guard to watch and listen. A 
 man eating tiger was heard near by but the bright fire kept him away. The 
 rest of the party, too tired and worn out, could not remain awake to keep 
 off the ravenous mosquitoes that slipped in in spite of the net. The result 
 was that two weeks later the entire party had malaria fever. 
 
 (Contributed by Dr. G. D. Troyer) 
 The Runaway Patient 
 
 One morning four men came to our bungalow begging us to come to 
 see a sick man in a village about eleven miles distant. We were very busy 
 but consented to come as soon as possible which was in the afternoon. The 
 road was good for eight miles but the last three miles led through rough 
 country roads and through rice fields. We arrived in the village about four 
 o’clock. It was a village of about five hundred people, one-third of whom 
 turned out to stare at us as many of them had never seen a motor car. 
 We found the patient in a small, dark room with only a small door and no 
 windows. ‘The patient was groaning in pain and all the old men of the 
 village were sitting around him smoking. As we entered the house the men 
 left off smoking but the filth still remained in the room. I soon diagnosed 
 the case as pus appendicitis and informed the patient that the only thing 
 we could do was to operate, and that even then his chance of recovery was 
 very poor. He had tried all the native doctors from far and near and had 
 called us as a last resort. We explained to him that it was necessary 
 for him to come to our dispensary. This he was ready to do and as he had 
 no way of getting there he begged to go along with us on the motor car. 
 We consented and arrived home just before dark. The patient was placed 
 on a bed to rest while we hurriedly sterilized the instruments in preparation 
 for the operation. By the time we were ready it was totally dark and so 
 I had to operate by lantern light. I removed nearly a pint of pus and then 
 inserted a rubber tube for a drain. The next morning the patient was much 
 improved having very little pain and appearing much brighter. He was 
 far better than I had expected and he continued to improve until the fourth 
 

 
 Siphon Spillway of the Murumsili Reservoir 
 
 day when he _ be- 
 came very impatient, 
 probably due to su- 
 perstition, and want- 
 Cd-sto,.904 to mie. 
 That night I was 
 twice called to his 
 bedside. The next 
 morning before six 
 o'clock the father 
 came running to the 
 bungalow greatly 
 excited saying his 
 son was running a- 
 way! I looked and 
 saw the patient go- 
 ing down the road 
 at a rapid pace with 
 no clothing on ex- 
 cepting the bandage 
 around his wound, 
 the rubber drain still 
 remaining intact. All 
 I could do was to 
 Lot meiieecou ihe 
 next morning the 
 father came back 
 and begged me _ to 
 come and remove 
 the! tube. I ‘told 
 him that since the 
 son was able to run 
 away he was able 
 to walk back or at 
 least come back on 
 at Ox-Canteeand ett 
 he came I would re- 
 move the tube. The 
 father returned to 
 his home but came 
 
164 BUILDING,YON THE ROCK 
 
 back two days later saying that he was unable to persuade his son to re- 
 turn to the dispensary. The patient said that he was sure he would die if 
 he returned. We finally decided that we might be able to do some good 
 if we returned to the village, so went that afternoon. When we arrived 
 we had again a large gathering around the motor car. After caring for 
 the patient we sang several songs and Sister Brunk gave a short talk. A 
 few days later I made another call to the village and took two evangelists 
 along. They preached and sold thirteen books to the people while I took 
 care of the patient. This man made a complete recovery and is stronger 
 than he had been for many months before. Besides we have had many 
 other patients from that village since. 
 
 (Contributed by Mary Good) 
 Stopping for Repairs 
 
 Four of us were on our way to Kashmir, a valley in the Himalayas, to 
 escape’ for several weeks the severe heat of the plains. We were making 
 the two hundred miles motor journey to Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir, 
 and were about half way between two traveller’s inns where we could spend 
 the night. Motors are not permitted on the roads after sunset and night 
 was approaching when the driver stopped the car in front of a very uninviting 
 police station. He calmly announced to us that a bolt had been lost from 
 the car and that we could go no farther that night. There were two 
 choices. We could spend the night in the open shed which was right 
 by the road or on the roof of the same building. We chose the latter. It 
 was easily accessible from the ground at the rear as the building was set 
 in the side of the mountain. We prepared our evening meal by the light 
 of the moon and slept under the stars with the assurance of His protection 
 even though we had read in the paper the day before that a band of 
 frontier’s men had only a few nights before made a raid in a town not far 
 from where we were spending the night. 
 
 (Contributed by Bertha Z. Detweiler) 
 How We Were Received 
 
 The reception at Dhamtari was a surprise to us. The two hundred 
 seventy-five orphan boys were lined up on either side of the driveway and 
 gave us their salaams as we passed. Farther on the two hundredstwenty- 
 five orphan girls were waiting and sang, “Oh Happy Day,” as we 
 approached. 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 165 
 
 When Reuben Came 
 
 Lhe coming of Reuben’s father and little sister with the helpless crying 
 little babe of six days, Reuben himself, will ever be remembered. The 
 mother had died when Reuben was three days old and they had been giving 
 a little milk using a leaf for a spoon. It was December and the air was 
 somewhat chilly. Later when we took him into our home we cared for 
 him and loved him as we now do our own children. Being unused to the 
 care of babies the responsibility was a very serious one. 
 
 The Great Disappointment 
 
 To get a glimpse of the need, to be unable to become adjusted to a 
 foreign climate, to have to leave the country quickly by order of the 
 physicians cannot be understood except by those who have experienced 
 
 Neg UaWepant wet acs 
 
 (Contributed by Geo. J. Lapp) 
 Interrupted 
 
 One Sunday morning while I was shaving the people of Balodgahan 
 came running to the bungalow and asked me to come quickly and shoot a 
 panther that was lurking among the rocks not far away. I dropped the 
 razor, washed the lather from my face, took the rifle and went out as 
 quickly as possible. After an hour of maneuvering we shot the panther 
 which measured nine feet in length from tip to tip. I then dressed for 
 church, hurriedly ate choti hazri (light breakfast), and went to preach the 
 morning sermon. While preaching I noticed the people were smiling and 
 aiterwards when I asked my wife what was wrong she laughed and said, 
 “Why you went to church with your face only half shaved.” 
 
 An Enemy Won 
 
 “A malguzar from a near by village wrote a letter to one of our patients 
 that he was not to take medicine from the sahib’s (missionary’s) hands as 
 he would charge for the medicine and it would not do him any good. He 
 also included in the letter a number of libelous charges against the 
 foreigners who come into this country. The patient was not able to read 
 but was getting relief from the medicine so one day he handed me the 
 letter he had received. I read it and told him what was in it and asked 
 him for the privilege of keeping it. I laid it away in a drawer not knowing 
 whether it would ever be of use or not. Over a year afterward the 
 
166 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 malguzar came for a visit and to request me to buy his village. After 
 conversing with him for a short time I took the letter out of the drawer 
 and asked him if he had written it. He at once recognized the letter and 
 admitted that he had. We talked it over for a little while and I told him 
 what the legal penalty for such slander is in this country. He asked 
 forgiveness for it and I told him we would not bring suit and I tore up the 
 letter in front of him. A couple of weeks later he again came to me and 
 we had a nice visit together. He asked my wife to teach his fifteen-year- 
 old daughter to sew and knit and it appears from the conversation that he 
 is a friend now. He said in the conversation, “I want to thank you for 
 what you have done for me and I have learned a great lesson which I could 
 not have learned otherwise.” 
 
 Misunderstood 
 
 When we were first connected with the work of the Boys’ Orphanage 
 the boys in charge of the sewing gang had al! the names of the boys 
 written on the respective articles of clothing which were to be given out. 
 In sorting them we saw a name on a shirt and asked whose it was. The 
 sewing mate said it was “upraha,” so we told him to call Upraha and they 
 chattered a great deal in protest, much to our disgust, until we finally 
 learned that it was not a boy’s name but that it meant “extra’”—it was an 
 extra shirt. 
 
 The Belated Panther 
 
 I shot a panther in Ghatula village which had attacked four men and 
 wounded them before I had killed him. He had killed a goat the night 
 before near a farmer’s house and when he had eaten his fill he lay down 
 under some garden vegetables and went to sleep. The villagers found him 
 the next morning and reported. In the skirmish he ran under the tree in 
 which I was sitting and looked up at me. He ran up another tree not far 
 away. | began to wonder what I would have done had he run up the tree 
 on which I was sitting. 
 
 The Boaster 
 
 One morning an old man was brought to me with a broken collar bone. 
 The viliage people at Ghatula had turned out for a drive over the near-by 
 hill to round up a deer which was in hiding. The old man had made his 
 boast that he had killed so many animals that he had become invulnerable. 
 But when the deer came and ran alongside the hill this old man was in 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 167 
 
 the way. The deer gave him a bump, knocked him down over the rocks 
 and broke his collar bone. After we set it he soon recovered. 
 
 They Trust Us 
 
 An intelligent young man came to our dispensary for treatment. He 
 needed an operation. When I advised him to go to the Government 
 Assistant Surgeon he refused and said, “I do not know but that there might 
 be some enemy somewhere who might heavily bribe the doctor and cause 
 my death. I trust the missionaries therefore I want the work done here.” 
 
 The Frightened Gonds 
 
 While out on tour we came to a jungle which had no people in it yet 
 the fires were burning on the hearths. We asked another villager what 
 was wrong. He said, “These people are jungle Gonds and have never seen 
 a white man, therefore they became frightened and ran away.” He and 
 one of our workers went into the woods to hunt them and when they found 
 a few they told them we were missionaries and would not harm them. So 
 they slowly came back and we had a meeting with them. It was interesting 
 to note their friendly attitude after they were convinced that we had come 
 for their good. 
 
 The Sick Calf 
 
 I was called to a village to treat what I understood to be a child. The 
 man was very much concerned but when I arrived at his hut I found to my 
 disgust that it was a calf. The wife was also sick but he had not called 
 me to help her! 
 
 (Contributed by Fannie H. Lapp) 
 The Inquisitive Cobra 
 
 While Sister Schertz and I were living at Sankra I was sitting one 
 evening at my table reading when I heard something stirring underneath 
 the table. I looked but could see nothing. Some time later the clock on 
 the table struck eight and I heard the thing stir again. I thought it was 
 a mole but looked again and saw a black line standing up in the corner. 
 I then set the lamp on the floor to enable me to see better but the line was 
 gone. Getting a cane I tapped the floor matting and a snake stuck out his 
 head. I called for some Christian men who came with sticks and killed it. 
 It was a cobra (a very poisonous snake) measuring about four feet in 
 length. It evidently was sleeping under the matting and the striking of the 
 clock woke it up. 
 
‘p[IOM 9} UT Pury S}I JO }sed1e] puodss ‘Aemjids uoydis e yyZM paddimba st 3y ‘sesodind uorjesi411t Jo} pasn st pue 
 Sajitu o1enbs suru jo eaie Ue SIZAOD NOAIISeY SIV, ‘We}WeYyqd Wolf salul u9a}xIS ‘MOAIASeY 28e1I0}G IjISuUIMAN 
 
 
 
 
 
 - a ott a seb aan iain tes eee an ees SS aa ces ice ae Neh ali A aC aa a Scotties ne cee ec a Sat an aR aaah lianas anes aaaner To enacs pasha vt ie enantio ts ponies a EI anal rv anc aan : 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 169 
 
 A Day with the Bible Women 
 
 The malguzar (landlord) of a village about four miles from Ghatula 
 had been coming to the bungalow quite often to visit the sahib 
 (missionary) and invited us to visit his home. One morning the Bible 
 women and I started out to his village in the tonga. We were hoping the 
 people in the home would give us a meal but we had not informed them 
 of our coming so I took a small lunch along and told the women to take 
 some bread also. One of them thought it was not necessary and so did 
 not provide herself with food. We got to the village but the malguzar was 
 not at home. We had good meetings with the women in the different 
 houses and toward noon we began to get hungry. We went back to the 
 malguzar’s house but there were no prospects of a meal as the women 
 were very ignorant. So those of us who had brought our lunch ate it and 
 shared it with the one who had none. About that time the malguzar came 
 and gave orders, to have a chicken killed and a meal cooked. As it was 
 very late we told them not to cook for us. We started home and when 
 about half way home the tonga wheel broke and we had to walk the rest 
 of the way through the sand and hot sun. However, we were glad to have 
 gone and given the people the bread of life. 
 
 (Contributed by R. R. Smucker) 
 Accepting the Invitation 
 
 In order to become better acquainted with the people and to help in 
 gaining their confidence my wife and I planned to invite the people of 
 certain villages to come to the bungalow and chat with us and to hear 
 music. The first Sunday three hundred fifty people came to the bungalow 
 in response to the invitation. Other villages were invited on succeeding 
 Sundays. The largest number we had on a Sunday afternoon was five 
 hundred. It was an interesting experience to entertain five hundred guests 
 on a Sunday afternoon. 
 
 The Perplexities of a Non-medical Missionary 
 
 A child was brought to the bungalow with a very bad knee. I urged 
 the father to take the child to Dhamtari to the doctor but he refused and 
 I was left to do the best I could for the child. Through advice from the 
 doctor I applied remedies which were very helpful and brought much relief. 
 Through this effort we have won many warm friends in that village which 
 had up until then been showing a certain hostility towards our work. 
 
170 BUILDING ON .THE. ROCK 
 
 The Unlucky Tiger 
 
 A tiger had been prowling around Balodgahan and killing the farmers’ 
 cattle. Hearing of another ox the tiger had killed I accompanied Bro. Lapp 
 to the jungle where we sat in trees near where the ox had been killed 
 knowing that the tiger would come again the next evening to have another 
 meal. We were not mistaken for shortly after we got safely into our 
 perches in the trees out walked “stripes” and when | first saw him he 
 was not over forty feet away. Taking careful aim I fired killing him 
 almost instantly. I consider the skin a great prize. 
 
 (Contributed by J. N. Kaufman) 
 
 The Unfortunate Outcaste 
 
 One evening many years ago I was called to the home or rather hut of 
 a non-Christian family who were living near the Mission premises at 
 Rudri. They were in great need of help. When I arrived at the house I 
 found the mother lying dead on the earthen floor of the tiny hut, and her 
 little son, born the day before, sniffing at her breast in quest of nourishment. 
 The father was out trying to get people to help bury his wife but as they 
 were outcastes no caste Hindu would pollute himself by helping. With 
 my help young Hindus were secured to dig the grave and then as no one 
 would touch the corpse the husband proceeded to carry his dead wife on 
 his shoulders to the grave.. I could. not permit this’ when) ljheards whae 
 was going on and ordered a Mission cart to convey the body to the grave. 
 In the pale moonlight of the evening Christian men lowered the body into 
 the grave and covered it with clods of earth while a half dozen Hindus 
 stood a safe distance away lest they become defiled! 
 
 Travelling Difficulties 
 
 The roads in India other than Government roads are passable during 
 the dry portion of the year but during the monsoons they become very bad. 
 Numerous streams have to be crossed and during heavy rains they become 
 deep and swift. 
 
 On one occasion Bro. M. C. Lapp and I left Dhamtari on horseback 
 for Sihawa and vicinity, about forty miles from Dhamtari, to see about the 
 possibilities of locating a mission station in that region. It was in the 
 middle of the rainy season. Soon after we started it began to rain and 
 rained most of the time during our week’s absence. On our return trip we 
 encountered some difficulties on account of the high water which made 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 171 
 
 travelling more or less dangerous. One stream was so deep and swift that 
 it was impossible to cross it and we were obliged to turn back some miles 
 and spend the night in a lonely, leaky hut in the depths of the jungle 
 though at the stream we were in sight of a good house where we could 
 have spent the night in comparative comfort. We had very little to eat for 
 we were not properly prepared for this emergency. The next morning the 
 stream was still very swift and the water reached half way up the sides 
 of our horses but we got safely across and came on. The Mahanadi River, 
 two miles from Dhamtari, was so swollen that it was impossible to ford it 
 so we crossed it on a boat and made our horses swim the river after 
 removing their saddles. 
 
 On another occasion while I was taking my family for the first time 
 to Mahodi, the new evangelistic station, one stream was unsafe for us to 
 cross on the ox tonga so we sent the tonga across empty and prepared 
 ourselves to wade across. We made quite a spectacle as we made our way 
 across the water which was hip deep, I going ahead carrying our six 
 months’ old baby, followed by Elsie and Paul holding on to each other, 
 Dalancing themselves with sticks. None of us could swim. 
 
 A Low Caste Man’s Advantage 
 
 Soon after I came to India Bro. M. C. Lapp and I went to a distant 
 village in the jungle to look for teak timber for our carpenter shop. We 
 had with us two vehicles and two ox drivers. One of the drivers was a 
 high caste man and the other was a low caste man. Now a high caste man 
 is not permitted by his caste or his training to eat from the hands of a low 
 caste man nor can he eat food cooked by a man of low caste. It thus came 
 about that on this trip it fell to the lot of the high caste man to cook the 
 food for both and the man of low caste sat contentedly near by while the 
 other cooked the food and eagerly ate of it when it was set before him. 
 
 Saving the Buttons 
 
 It happened before I was married. What buttons came off my clothes 
 I had to sew on myself, which process I did not overmuch enjo0yes One 
 Monday morning I cautioned the washerman to be careful when he beats 
 the clothes over the rough stones in the process of washing so as’ not to 
 knock otf so many buttons. That evening he came to me all smiling with a 
 big string of buttons in his hands. On inquiring the meaning of it he 
 remarked, “Well, Sahib, you told me to be careful not to knock off the 
 buttons but how can I help it if the buttons come off? I have therefore 
 
172 BUILDINGS GON. , THE (ROCK 
 
 cut off all the buttons from your clothes and saved them all. Here they 
 are!” They were all there and I knew just how many buttons had to be 
 sewed on that week. 
 
 The Hindu Bible Teacher 
 
 Years ago I conducted a daily Bible class in the English school. One 
 day I could not be present and the next day when I got to the schoolroom 
 I noticed material from the Bible lessons written on the board. I was told 
 then that one of the masters, a Hindu, fully occupied the Bible period and 
 reviewed the Bible lessons the day I was absent. 
 
 A Snake Thrill 
 
 There are many poisonous snakes in India. Among the most deadly 
 are the karait, cobra, asorhia, and others. Thousands of people die of snake 
 bite in India annually. My wife and I had just moved to Dhamtari from 
 Rudri and being very tired we retired early. It was in the rainy season. 
 We could not sleep and the hours dragged their weary lengths until 
 midnight when I noticed a peculiar object lying across the threshold of the 
 bathroom door. Inspecting it closely I discovered that it was a big snake 
 which was making its way towards my bed and had come within a few 
 feet of it. In an instant I was on the floor on the opposite side of the bed 
 and was directly beating away over the back of the snake with a rattan 
 cane I picked up from the corner of the room. It proved to be an asorhia, 
 said to be a very deadly snake. It measured six feet in length. We then 
 went to bed and slept till morning. Did God keep us awake to be ready 
 for the snake when it came? Two weeks later I nearly stepped on its mate 
 on the road on the way home from prayer meeting. 
 
 (Contributed by A. C. Brunk) 
 
 Interviewing the King 
 
 Brother M. C. Lapp and Brother Smucker and I went to Lohara to 
 see the king about getting land on which to build a mission station in the 
 southern part of his kingdom. When we arrived the king was not at home, 
 but he arrived.in ayshort time. “Heeat*once calledius: toimectehimae plese: 
 at a table on his veranda and gave us steamer chairs. Brother Lapp by 
 previous arrangement between themselves began to explain the object of 
 our visit. He explained to the king that if he would admit us into his 
 state we would in no way interfere with the politics of the state, and 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 173 
 
 that our teaching would make his subjects better citizens, that we would 
 erect mission buildings that would require the expenditure of considerable 
 money in his state and that we would purchase the necessary timber from 
 him (for he had a lot of timber to sell). He was told that we were ready 
 to pay for the land. If he demanded we would pay $335.00 for ten acres 
 of land. He was told that our business was to spread the religion of God. 
 We also told him about all the work that our Mission was doing. The 
 explanation of all these things took about twenty minutes and during this 
 time all the man would say was an occasional “yes” or “no” to an 
 unimportant question. Brother Lapp talked on repeating something he 
 hoped might interest the king but he could not get a sign of real interest 
 nor could he get a reply in the affirmative or negative to the question of 
 whether the king would give us land. Brother Lapp would wait for 
 considerable time to give him time to reply. The king would call a servant 
 and give some orders regarding other business. Again we tried with 
 similar results and at last we asked him whether we might write officially 
 to him asking for a building site. He said we might, and we left him with 
 a very little hope, but much misgiving. 
 
 We went home, wrote the best letter we could, and received no reply. 
 We waited and wrote again and about three years have passed and we are 
 still waiting for a reply. But this king is now dead and so the matter may 
 now be taken up with his successor. I believe God will open this closed 
 door. 
 
 
 
 Mango Grove 
 
Coal weak iic aly, 
 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Missionaries are the servants of the whole Church. Although they are 
 not all known in all the congregations of the Church yet the whole Church 
 remembers them continually in prayer. For this reason a place has been 
 provided in this little book for brief sketches of the lives of the missionaries 
 who have in their humble way been connected with the work of the 
 American Mennonite Mission. We hope that the personal touch of the 
 missionaries and the home Church may thus be strengthened. It will also 
 be interesting as well as instructive to know how many have been sent forth 
 to the Lord’s work in India, who they are, from what sections of the 
 country they came, and how many were obliged for various reasons to give 
 up the work in India. As far as consistent the names of the missionaries 
 will appear in the order they arrived on the field. 
 
 I. JACOB ANDREWS RESSLER was born in Lancaster County, 
 Pa., July 28, 1867. He was married to Lizzie Bachman in 1891 who died 
 in 1898 leaving a daughter, Emma, who is now Mrs. Geo. W. Townsend, 
 
 
 
 of Masontown, Pa. He moved to Scottdale and was ordained to the 
 ministry in 1895 and for some time served as one of the pastors of the 
 Scottdale Mennonite Church. Prior to his sailing in 1899 he was ordained 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 175 
 
 to the office of Bishop. On March 4, 1899 he arrived in India and after 
 much travel and investigation he located in Dhamtari with his colleagues, 
 Dr. and Mrs. Page, thus becoming one of the founders of the American 
 Mennonite Mission. He returned to America in 1903 and was married to 
 Sister Lina Zook in June and returned again to India in December of the 
 same year. In 1908 he returned to America on account of Sister Ressler’s 
 failing health and three years after, with their daughter Ruth who was 
 born in India, settled at Scottdale where he has since been engaged .in 
 editorial work in connection with the literature of the Church. Their 
 youngest daughter, Rhoda, was born in America. 
 
 Through the generosity of the Church at home especially of Lancaster 
 County, Bro. Ressler’s old home, he found it possible to accept the urgent 
 invitation of the American Mennonite Mission to come to India and visit 
 and inspect the work and help in special evangelistic efforts for the 
 salvation of the lost. He arrived in India early in December, 1924, for a 
 three months’ stay. 
 
 tee LINAS ZOOK. RESSLER savas: born | in WaynerGounty,. Ohio 
 September 26, 1869. She was for five years a city missionary in Chicago 
 (1895—1900) and served as preceptress of Elkhart Institute (1900—1903) 
 when she was married to Bro. J. A. Ressler and went with him to India 
 arriving in India in 1903. On account of failing health she returned with 
 her family to America in 1908. Bro. and Sister Ressler’s parents are both 
 dead. 
 
 3.2 DR. WIELIAM Bi) PAGE was'tborn in Elkhart County, Indiana: 
 He was a practicing physician at Middlebury, Indiana, at the time when the 
 call came to him to go to India as a medical missionary. 
 
 tien! Gi DAU PAGE, was’ born-in Hancock County, Ohio. 
 
 Dr. and Mrs. Page were appointed to go to India at the same time Bro. 
 Ressler received his appointment and the three sailed together, reaching 
 India in 1899. Due to overwork and other causes during the time of the 
 famine, Dr. Page’s health broke down and he and his wife were obliged 
 to return to America. Dr. Page has continued his practice in Goshen, 
 Indiana. Dr. Page’s father is still living. 
 
 3 
 
 5. JACOB BURKHARD was born in Stephenson County, Illinois, 
 October 1], 1873. When he was four years old his parents moved to 
 Nebraska where he grew to manhood. In spite of poor school facilities in 
 those early days in the west he managed to secure a teacher’s certificate 
 
176 BUILDING ON TRH E “ROCK 
 
 and taught school for two years. His earlier missionary work was done in 
 a community eighteen miles from his home at a place called Antioch where 
 he conducted a Sunday school for three years, travelling the distance every 
 Sunday rain or shine. 
 
 Preparing himself for further service in the Lord’s work, while in 
 school at the Elkhart Institute, Elkhart, Indiana, he accepted a call to go 
 to India as a missionary and finding a suitable 
 companion in Sister Mary Yoder to whom he 
 was married in June, 1900, they two sailed for 
 India, arriving there in October of the same 
 year. In 1901 he was ordained to the ministry 
 by Bishop J. A. Ressler before he could under- 
 stand the language used in the service. Al- 
 though living the life of a busy missionary, he 
 found ample time to pray and he is still remem- 
 bered by’ the Indian people as a man of prayer. 
 Continuous years of strenuous labors reduced 
 his vitality and when a spinal carbuncle de- 
 veloped he was unable to throw off the effects 
 and in spite of all that medical help could do 
 he grew weaker and blood poison set in. His spirit took its flight, translat- 
 ing him to higher service, September 29, 1906. Bro. Burkhard’s parents 
 are no longer living. 
 
 6. MARY YODER BURKHARD was born in Champaign County, 
 Ohidwhepruanyvercmmel Oo, 
 While preparing herself at 
 the Elkhart Institute for 
 service sin the Clmirchashe 
 
 
 
 answered the call to go 
 to India and sailed with 
 Bros, burkhardtomwhom 
 she was married in June, 
 1900. She remained on 
 the field after Bro. Burk- 
 hard’s death until Febru- 
 ary, 1907, when she sailed 
 for the homeland with her 
 three children, Esther, 
 
 Samuel, and Anna, all Where Brother Burkhard Lies Buried 
 
 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 177 
 
 born in India. Leaving Esther and Samuel in America she returned 
 with Anna to India in 1908 for another term of service and again returned 
 to the homeland in 1914. Her mother is still living. 
 
 — 
 
 4, MAHLON CASSIUS LAPP was born in Bucks County, Pa., 
 February 4, 1872. When he was six years old his parents moved to 
 Nebraska where he grew to manhood. He was converted at the age of 
 twenty-one after which he took a great interest in the work of the Church. 
 He often accompanied Bro. Burkhard to Antioch to help conduct the 
 mission Sunday school there though it was thirty-four miles from his home. 
 
 In 1899 he went to Chicago and became a missionary at the Home 
 Mission until 1901, during part of which time he took a short business 
 course at Elkhart Institute. 
 
 He was married, June 10, 1901, to Sister Sarah Hahn and in the same 
 month was ordained to the ministry and to the 
 ottice of bishop, Bishop Schiffler of Roseland, 
 Nebraska, officiating. Bro. and Sister Lapp 
 were appointed to go to India in June, and 
 arrived in India October, 1901. 
 
 Their first furlough was due in 1908, which 
 they spent in the homeland and again returned 
 to the work in India in 1909, remaining on the 
 field for their second term of service until 1917 
 when they went to America. They again came 
 back to the field for their third term of service 
 i eeihe ihirstayear of their work in the 
 third term was unusually hard and in the fall 
 of 1922 Bro. Lapp was troubled with fever and 
 nervousness which was only temporarily relieved. There was no satisfac- 
 tory response to treatment and the trouble developed into softening of the 
 brain, causing him great pain for months. He was taken to Calcutta to 
 get the best medical treatment but nothing would avail and the angel of 
 death relieved him of his suffering on the 30th of May, 1923, when he 
 passed to his eternal reward. 
 
 
 
 8. SARAH HAHN LAPP was born in Clarence Centre, New York, 
 October 9, 1869. After graduating as a nurse, she was married June 10, 
 1901, to Bro. M. C. Lapp, and together they received their appointment to 
 India in the same month. Her terms of service and furloughs are the same 
 as those of Bro, Lapp, excepting that after his death in May, 1923, she 
 
178 BULGDINGHONT DEES KROGK 
 
 remained on the field until March, 1925, when she went on her third 
 furlough. Sister Lapp’s father is still living. 
 
 9. IRWIN R. DETWEILER was born in Bucks County, Pa., August, 
 1873, but lived the greater part of his youth in [llinois and Nebraska. He 
 had completed a Junior College course in preparation for life work when 
 he heard and accepted a call to go to India. 
 
 10. BERTHA ZOOK DETWEILER was born in Topeka, Indiana, 
 June 22, 1875. She was married to 1: R. Detweiler in? June;\1902 fatter 
 completing a two year college course, and with him was accepted for work 
 in India, arriving there in September, 1902. Their stay in the service of 
 the Mission was short for Sister Detweiler found the climate too exacting 
 and so Bro. and Sister Detweiler were obliged to return to America in 
 1904, after less than two years of service on the field. Since their return 
 to America they have resided in Goshen, Indiana. Both the parents of 
 Bro. and Sister Detweiler are dead. 
 
 11, ANNA STALTER was born in Allen County,' Ohio, January 28, 
 1874. Accepting the call to mission work, she took up special training in 
 preparation for her work in India. In due time she was appointed to go to 
 India and arrived on the field in January, 1905. She went on her first 
 furlough in 1911, returning in November, 1912. Her second furlough came 
 in 1918. She began her third term of service in 1920. Her parents are dead. 
 
 i2, LYDIA ELLEN SCHERTZ. was born: in) Lebanon) Gounty eas 
 October 15, 1880, but later moved to Kansas where she resided at the time 
 when she received her appointment to go to India as a missionary. After 
 a period of preparation at college she sailed for India, arriving on the field 
 with Sister Stalter January 6, 1905. She went on her first furlough in the 
 spring of 1910, returning in 1911 and after another term of service on the 
 field she again returned to America on furlough in the spring of 1918. She 
 resides at present at Los Angeles, California. Her parents are dead. 
 
 13. JAMES NORMAN KAUFMAN was born in Somerset’ County, 
 Pa., October 28, 1880. He taught school for some years. He was ordained 
 to the ministry in 1902 and for three years before leaving for India he was 
 pastor of the Rockton congregation, Rockton, Pa. He sailed for India 
 in the spring of 1905 arriving there April 4, 1905. On March 10, 1909 he 
 was married to Sister Elsie Drange, the marriage taking place in India. 
 His father is still living. 
 
 14. ELSIE DRANGE KAUFMAN was born in Chicago, July 2 
 
 om? 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 179 
 
 1886, and after preparing herself for service in the Church she was 
 appointed and sent to India as a missionary arriving there in December, 
 1908. Her parents are dead. 
 
 Bro. and Sister Kaufman left on their first furlough in March, 1914, 
 and while on furlough Bro. Kaufman completed his college work which 
 delayed their return to the field until December, 1917. Their three children 
 Russell, Paul, and Kathryn were born in India. 
 
 13. GEORGE JAY LAPP was born in Juniata, Nebraska, May 26, 
 1879. Prior to his being appointed to India as a missionary he was engaged 
 as a teacher and evangelist... On June 26, 1905, he was married to Sister 
 Esther R. Ebersole and with her sailed to India, arriving in that country 
 December, 1905. Their first furlough was due in the spring of 1912 and 
 they spent eighteen months in the homeland during which time he 
 completed his college work. Returning in 1912 they began their second 
 term of service, laboring together until 1917, when Sister Lapp died May 8. 
 Due to ill health, Bro. Lapp left for the homeland the same year. During 
 his extended furlough he served the Church as a Bible teacher and evan- 
 gelist, and for a year served as President of Goshen College. 
 
 On April 14, 1920 he was married to Sister Fannie Hershey, with 
 whom he returned to India in 1921. 
 
 Bro. Lapp’s three children were born in India. Their names are Lois, 
 Pauline, who died in November of 1913, and Harriett. 
 
 Bro. Lapp is a brother to Bro. M. C. Lapp and their father is still 
 living at the ripe old age of 91. 
 
 16. ESTHER EBERSOLE LAPP was born in Sterling, Ill., June 26, 
 1880. At an early age she moved with her parents to Nebraska where she 
 grew to young womanhood. In 1901 the father 
 with the children who remained at home, returned 
 to Illinois and the long-looked-for opportunity 
 came to take her nurse’s training in the Passavant 
 Memorial Hospital, Chicago. 
 
 From girlhood she felt the call to become a 
 foreign missionary and in due time she presented 
 herself to the Mission Board for service and the 
 way opened for her to go. In June, 1905, she was 
 married to Bro. George J. Lapp and in October 
 she sailed for India with her husband. 
 
 In India she entered upon the duties which 
 fall to the lot of missionaries. Her first term of 
 
 
 
180 BUILDINGZON' DHE ROCK 
 
 service from 1905 to: 1912 was spent 
 in orphanage, medical, and visitation 
 work. 
 
 Coming back to India with her 
 family ,in, 1913 in the secondwtemm 
 of\service, she’ was in ‘One sshore 
 month called upon to mourn the 
 death of her younger daughter, Paul- 
 ine, who died. .in December, 1913. 
 
 Her health during her second 
 term of service was not very good 
 and at times she suffered severe at- 
 tacks of malaria. In January, 1917, 
 she was taken ill with black water 
 fever and as soon as she could be 
 moved from the new station (Gha- 
 tula) which Bro. .and Sister Lapp 
 opened, she was taken to Darjeeling, 
 but she never fully recovered from 
 the “sickness, and on) May si/lGe 
 her spirit took its flight.) oir 
 Lapp’s parents are both dead. 
 
 17. FANNIE HERSHEY 13a 
 
 een was born in Manheim, Pa., in De- 
 Sister Esther Lapp’s Grave, Darjeeling Cember, 1882. She was engaged in 
 city mission work prior to her com- 
 ing to India as a missionary. She was appointed for service in India 
 in the spring of 1913 with Bro. John Musselman to whom she was engaged 
 to be married. The Lord had another plan for her and took away her 
 intended husband by death, before they could sail, on the day they were 
 to be married. ‘he blow was a severe one but nothing daunted she carried 
 out her conviction to go to India even in this deep sorrow and arrived 
 in India in November, 1913. She served one full term until 1919 when 
 she went home on furlough. On April 14, 1920, she was married to Bro. 
 G. J. Lapp. She with her husband returned to India in 1921 for another 
 term of service. Her parents are living. 
 
 18. MARTIN CLIFFORD LEHMAN was born in Dalton, Ohio, 
 March 16, 1883. He taught school in his home community when he decided 
 to prepare himself for further service in the Church completing a two year 
 
 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 181 
 
 college course. In due time he was appointed to go to India as a 
 missionary. He was married to Sister Lydia Lichty, August 16, 1906. 
 
 Lely OIA LCE Ye bith ANS was) born in Sterling, 1 Ohio, 
 September 28, 1884.  Af- 
 Hered ,COULSe | Ol special 
 preparation for the Lord’s 
 work she was appointed 
 to go to India as a mis- 
 sionary. She was married 
 to-M:. -C. Lehman, August 
 16, 1905, and together they 
 sailed for India, arriving 
 in January, 1906. 
 
 Dip ily, 19) 3 ebro: and 
 sister Lehman. leit — on 
 their first furlough and 
 while in America. Bro. 
 Lehman completed his 
 college work. They re- 
 turned in 1915 and con- 
 tinued on the field for their 
 second term of service un- 
 til 1923 when they left for 
 their second furlough and 
 arrived back on the field 
 in November, 1924. They 
 have three children, Irene, 
 Carolyn and Waldo, all 
 born in India. Bro. Leh- 
 man’s parents are still liv- 
 ing but Sister Lehman’s parents have been dead for a number of years. 
 
 
 
 Brother Lehman and Family 
 
 20. RETER A. FRIESEN was born in Mountain Lake, Minnesota, 
 May 22, 18/9. He was engaged in teaching and evangelistic and colportage 
 work when he and his wife, Sister Helena Dick, to whom he was married 
 October 10, 1901, were appointed to go to India as missionaries. They 
 arrived in India, March, 1907, with their two children, Peter and Mary. 
 Their first furlough was due in 1914 when they sailed for the homeland, 
 again returning for their second term in 1915. Their second furlough was 
 
182 BUILDING ON CRE, ROCK 
 
 not quite due when Sister Friesen who was with the children in Naini Tal 
 suddenly »passed ‘away, July, 1921.' Bro. Friesen with the children; Peter, 
 Ida, Willie, John and Edward returned to America early in 1922. Mary 
 died in 1911 and Roza, who was born in India, died in 1913. While on 
 furlough in August, 1922, Bro. Friesen was married to Sister Florence 
 Cooprider and together they sailed to India at the close of 1923. Paul, a 
 younger member of the family, was born in America and Grace Elisabeth, 
 the youngest, was born in India. His mother is living. 
 
 21. HELENA DICK FRIESEN was born in Mountain Lake, Minn., 
 February 12, 1880. She was married October 10, 1901, to Bro. P. A. Friesen 
 and with him was appointed to go to India. They sailed early in 1907 and 
 arrived’ in India an, March, 190/78, Thefirst® term 
 of missionaries is usually full of varied experi- 
 ences, and Sister Friesen had her full share. She 
 lived with her family at Balodgahan, their first 
 appointment, and later spent some time at Garia- 
 band where the Mission had hoped to open a new 
 evangelistic station. They lived in improvised 
 quarters while there. When that door closed they 
 Were appointed to Sankra where land was secured 
 for a new station and in November, 1910, they 
 moved to Sankra. She was called upon to pass 
 through a sad experience when Mary passed away 
 on account of croup. Mary died November 15, 
 1911. Two years later in the rainy season, August 31, 1913, Roza also 
 died. ‘There were heavy floods and it was very difficult for any one from 
 Dhamtari or Balodgahan to go to Sankra but Bro. M. C. Lapp and Dr. 
 Esch got through on horseback. However, all the burial arrangements had 
 already been made and it was Sister Friesen’s sad lot to prepare, with her 
 own hands, little Roza’s body for burial. 
 
 Their furlough was due in 1914 and she sailed with her husband and 
 family in March of 1914. The children accompanying them were Peter, 
 Ida, and Willie. They returned in 1915. While with her children in Naini 
 Tal in the hot season of 1921 she suddenly took sick and in a few days 
 was with her Lord. She died July 28, 1921. Her body lies buried in the 
 European Cemetery at Naini Tal. Her parents are both dead. 
 
 
 
 22, DREGE LORENCERCOOPRIDERERELSEN was born near 
 
 McPherson, Kansas, January 6, 1887. Having completed her preparation 
 
BULL DIN GeO Ne ire ROC Ks 183 
 
 for medical work at a medical school in Chicago she was appointed to go 
 to India as a medical missionary and arrived in India, November, 1916. 
 In 1922 she returned to America on her furlough and in August of the 
 same year was married to Bro. P. A. Friesen. Her second term of service 
 on the field began January 1, 1924. Her parents are living. 
 
 23. DR. CHRISTIAN DAVID ESCH was born near Wellman, Iowa, 
 October 12, 1883. Feeling called to do special work for the Church along 
 medical lines he prepared himself for this work, completing his medical 
 training in a medical school in Chicago. In May, 1910, he was appointed 
 by the Mission Board to go to India as a medical missionary. He was 
 married November 23, 1910, to Sister Mina Brubaker. 
 
 2+, MINA BRUBAKER ESCH was born in Cherry Box, Missouri, 
 January 22, 1887. She engaged in city mission work for several years 
 when she received the call to go to India as a missionary. On the 5th of 
 September, 1910, she was married to Bro. C. D. Esch and together they 
 sailed for India arriving there November 23, 1910. 
 
 Bro. and Sister Esch served their first term of service in India, until 
 March, 1917, when they went on furlough, during which time Bro. Esch 
 completed his college work, and returned again for their second term of 
 service in February, 1921. Their children are David, Sarah, Mary, Nellie, 
 barbara and Helen all of whom were born in India excepting Nellie who 
 was born in America. Their parents are dead. 
 
 29. ALDINE CARPENTER BRUNK was born in Broadway, Va., 
 October 25, 1886. He was graduated from college in 1911 and was 
 appointed to India as a missionary arriving in India in 1912, The next 
 year he was married to Sister Eva Harder. 
 
 26. EVA HARDER BRUNK was born in. Lathan, Missouri, aiyeec, 
 1883. She was a student preparing herself for further usefulness when she 
 accepted the call to India arriving there in October, 1908. In 1912 she 
 was married to Bro. A. C. Brunk. 
 
 Bro. and Sister Brunk left for their first furlough in September, 1919, 
 returning again for their second term in 1922. While on furlough in 
 America Bro. Brunk took further training taking his Master of Arts degree 
 at the College of Missions, Indianapolis. Sister Brunk took a_ special 
 course in medicine at the same institution. 
 
 2/7, CHARLES LEWIS SHANK was born in Leeton, Missouri, May 
 
184 BUILDIN GUON GR EyROCK 
 
 22, 1886. After graduating from college he was married to Sister Crissie 
 Yoder and was appointed to go to India in 1915. 
 
 28. CRISSIE YODER SHANK. was born in Holden, Missouri, 
 Tanuary 7, 1888. She was graduated from college in 1913 and was engaged 
 in teaching prior to her being appointed to India. In 1914 she was married 
 to Bro. C. i. Shank and the next year, August, 1915, arrived in India. 
 
 Bro. and Sister Shank served in their first term of service until April, 
 1919, when on account of the ill health of their daughter Ruth, born in 
 
 India, they were obliged to return to America. 
 
 29. RALPH. RR. SMUCKER was born (ans Aurora, BAe peaeken 
 November 27, 1894. Fe moved with his parents to Tiskilwa, Illinois, where 
 he was married in 1915 to Sister Alma Albrecht. 
 
 30. ALMA ALBRECHT SMUCKER was born in Tiskilwa, Illinois; 
 December 1, 1890. In 1915 she was married to Bro. R. R. Smucker and 
 during their preparation at college for service in the Church, accepted the 
 call to India and was appointed bv the Board arriving in India in 1920. 
 
 Bro. Smucker’s parents are both living as well as Sister Smucker’s 
 father. Ernest was born to them in America before sailing and Arthur 
 Allen was born in India. 
 
 31. MARY MAGDALENE GOOD was born in Concord, Tennessee; 
 July 23, 1890. She taught school seven years and was graduated from 
 college in 1919, soon after accepting the call to go to India as a missionary. 
 she arrived in India Jutie 23), 1920. ‘Her parents=are- dead, 
 
 32. MARY ALICE WENGER was born -near Canton,” Kansas 
 February 26, 1894. After completing the necessary preparation she took 
 nurse’s training at Newton, Kansas, graduating in 1920. Accepting the 
 
 call to go to India as :a nurse she sailed for India, arriving February 4, 
 1971: 
 
 33. ERNEST EDGAR MILLER was born near Middlebury, Indiana, 
 September 16, 1893. He was graduated from college in 1917 and the next 
 year he was married to Sister Ruth Blosser. He was engaged as a high 
 school teacher when he accepted the call to go to India but on account of 
 the war he could not sail at once and engaged for several years in the 
 Near East Relief. Several years before leaving for the field Bro. Miller 
 was ordained to the ministry. 
 
 34. RUTH BLOSSER MILLER was born in Rawson, Ohio, August 
 
*UdSOI TT 
 uyof pue piemMpsy { yos%y Aiew pue aan ‘TyONWIG 4sausiy ‘UISIIIT STIL AA UeUjNeYy [neq pue udlyey ‘Yosq yeies SI9AOIT, 
 rurqd pur 119340 : dde’T JOT IIe FT > MO qUOI “ANY Ly [neg pue UISIIL YT 99UIAO] WT pue ° : s 
 “qostT 
 
 I V ‘d_ + (pasea.ap) usjazy pue ‘ereqieg 
 -UvUTINeY sIs[q pue -n *f :dde’y Auuey pur -° ‘OOL) = MOM IIPPIAL = “yosty Ped ‘4193ua MA 
 AIBW Fale eupyy, pur TOIT 3S9ULy pue “gf yINy {poor AIP f.anyqyiy pue ToyonuG eupy pue ydiey fyunig BAY put ‘d ty 
 -ofeqeuuy puev I9A017, UAIYJeM pur “Cy ‘) “Iq ‘dde’yT stoy -19][821G euuy -URUTYNeYy [[ossny 
 
 “MOM APT “ISI 07 39] wosy Surpeay 
 Sale Iisyy pue eipuy ur S3IIBUOISSIT INO 
 
 
 
186 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 15, 1893. She was graduated from college in 1917 and was engaged in 
 teaching. In June, 1918, she was married to Bro. E. E. Miller. 
 
 Bro. and Sister Miller received their appointment to go to India in 
 1918 but on account of the war they were unable to sail until 1921, arriving 
 in India in May of 1921. The parents of Bro. and Sister Miller are both 
 living. They have one child, Thelma Marie, born in India. 
 
 35. JOHN HERBERT WARYE was born in West Liberty, Ohio, 
 October 19, 1890. He graduated from college in 1917 and for some years 
 was engaged in teaching school and in the Near East Relief. He was 
 married in 1921 to Sister Nellie Yoder. 
 
 36. NELLIE YODER WARYE was born in West Liberty, Ohio, 
 May 16, 1895. She was graduated from high school and took several terms 
 of college work and taught school four years. In 1921 she was married 
 to Bro. J. H. Warve and with him was appointed to go to India. They 
 arrived in India in 1921. 
 
 Bro. .and Sister Warye had well begun their first term of service when 
 on account of Sister Warye’s delicate health they were obliged to return to 
 America in 1924. They have one child, Herbert Benjamin, born in India. 
 The parents of both Bro. and Sister Warye are living. 
 
 37, DR. GEORGE D:. TROYER “was: born “in =Kokomowsindia 
 February 26, 1890. He was married in 1914 to Sister Kathryn Summer. 
 He completed his medical training and served two years as an interne when 
 he, having accepted a call to go to India as a medical missionary with his 
 wife, sailed for India. 
 
 38. KATHRYN SUMMER TROYER was born in Peru, Indiana, 
 September 30, 1893, and was married to Bro. G. D. Troyer, July 12, 1914. 
 
 Bro. and Sister Troyer were appointed to go to India as medical 
 missionaries and arrived on the field December 21, 1923. They have three 
 children, Byron Nortell, Dana Orion, and Mary Annabelle, all born in 
 America. 
 
 The following is taken from the India Mission News for February, 
 1925: 
 
 “Tn all there have been thirty-eight missionaries in the India Mission 
 of which twenty-two are on the field to-day. Of the sixteen who have left 
 the work, four were removed by death; one went home to educate her 
 children and eleven were compelled to leave on :account of health reasons. 
 Of those who had to go home for reasons of hea!th all except two went 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 187 
 
 during their first term of service. From among those whose health failed 
 none were single missionaries. 
 
 “The shortest term of service of any missionary was sixteen months, 
 while the longest term is twenty-three years. This makes the average: 
 length of service of all India missionaries nine years. Eight of the 
 personnel, however, served less than two years while eighteen of the 
 missionaries have already completed fifteen and one-half years each. 
 
 “Practically all of the missionaries have had some special training in 
 preparation for their work. Twelve completed their college work, four took 
 medical degrees and four finished their courses in nurse’s training. 
 
 “Out of the twenty-five years there were seven years which brought 
 us no new recruits.” 
 
 
 
 Darjeeling—a view of the everlasting snows 
 
«Korba 
 /} 
 
 f 
 (Disci pl esof¥C hrist Mission) 
 @ Bilaspur 
 
 I (Gen. Conf. Men. Mission) 
 
 ie Champa 
 
 
 
 om t 
 eae cane ta ae eee * 
 
 
 
 Jagda) @.---" 
 (Method tet M ise) on) 
 
 B pop, YN is 
 
 
 
 
 
 Scale: 1 inch.= 16 miles 
 
 Our Mission Field bounded by —---—--- —) 
 
 as related to fields of neighboring missions. 
 Dotted lines 
 
 Cichaaetees ) indicate motorable 
 - roads. 
 
 jer: 
 
CHAP GER XV. 
 DATES AND DATA 
 
 FOUNDING OF THE MISSION 1899 
 Opening of Stations 
 
 Name First Occupants 
 Sundarganj J. A. Ressler and W. B. & Alice Page 
 Rudri* M. C. & Sarah Lapp 
 Balodgahan M.-C. & Sarahelkapp 
 Sankra P. A. & Helena Friesen 
 Medical Station C.D. & Mina: Esch 
 Ghatula G. J. & Esther Lapp and Fannie Hershey 
 Mahodi J. N. & Elsie Kaufman 
 Shantipur (Leper Asylum) Ca Do .cerMinaaiisch 
 
 *Sold to Government in 1911. 
 
 Opening of Charitable Institutions 
 
 Institution Place 
 Boys’ Orphanage Sundarganj 
 Girls’ Orphanage Sundarganj 
 Girls’ Orphanage moved to Rudri 
 Girls’ Orphanage moved to Balodgahan 
 Leper Asylum Dhamtari 
 Leper Asylum moved to Shantipur 
 Widows’ Home . Balodgahan 
 English School Hostel Sundarganj 
 Old Men’s Home Sundarganj 
 Widows’ Home Sankra 
 School Kitchen Sankra 
 School Kitchen Sundarganj 
 School Kitchen Balodgahan 
 
 Opening of Evangelistic Outstations 
 
 Name Missionary 
 Bhatgaon GJ... Lapp 
 Bijnapuri M. C. Lehman 
 Giriaband* P.. A. Friesen 
 Maradeo JoN ee Kautiman 
 Mahodi GaN anes ibaa 
 Chikli Me Geelong 
 Gopalpuri Ars Geo runk 
 Bagtarai J, N. Kaufman 
 Gatasilli G, J. Lapp 
 Seodi Gea lapp 
 Nawagaon P. A. Friesen 
 Tengna P. A. Friesen 
 Kaspur Gj aLapp 
 
 *Work closed in 1913 due to owner refusing land. 
 Mogragahan Home Mission opened in 
 
 Potiadi Home Mission land purchased in 
 
 Year 
 
 1899 
 1902 
 1906 
 1911 
 1914 
 1916 
 1922 
 1924 
 
 Year 
 
 1899 
 1899 
 1902 
 1912 
 1900 
 1924 
 1912 
 1918 
 1919 
 1920 
 1922 
 1923 
 1923 
 
 Year 
 
 1908 
 1909 
 1909 
 1912 
 1914 
 1914 
 1914 
 1914 
 1914 
 1915 
 1918 
 1919 
 1923 
 
 1917 
 1924 
 
190 BUILDINGYON FHE ROCK 
 
 School 
 Boys’ Primary 
 
 Opening of Schools 
 
 Place 
 Sundarganj 
 
 Boys’ Primary recognized as Middle School in 
 
 Girls’ Primary 
 
 Girls’ Primary moved to Rudri 
 
 Girls’ Primary moved to 
 
 Sundarganj 
 
 Balodgahan 
 
 Girls’ Primarv recognized as Middle School 
 
 English School 
 
 Sundarganj 
 
 English School recognized as High School 
 
 Primary* 
 Village Primary** 
 Village Primaryy 
 Village Primary 
 Village Primary moved to 
 Village Primary 
 Village Primary 
 Girls’ Primary77{ 
 Village Primary 
 Village Primary 
 Village Primary 
 Village Primary 
 Village Primary 
 Bible Training School 
 Carpentry School 
 *Closed in 1906. 
 **Closed in 1912. 
 +Closed in 1910. 
 
 Dhamtari (Chamar Section) 
 Shankarda 
 Arjuni 
 Rudri 
 Maradeo 
 Bhatgaon 
 Balodgahan 
 Sundarganj 
 Gopalpuri 
 Bagtarai 
 Ghatula 
 Sankra 
 Kaspur 
 Rudri 
 Sundarganj 
 
 ++Closed in 1915 and reopened in 1923. 
 
 Name 
 
 Jacob Burkhard 
 M. C. Lehman 
 (oe) Esch 
 Sukhlal 
 Elisha* 
 Kuwarman 
 Parsadi 
 
 Mukut 
 
 P. A. Friesen 
 Sadhram 
 
 Peter 
 
 Haidar 
 
 ASG. Brunk 
 Budhbal 
 
 Carp misch 
 
 *Office taken away in 1918. 
 
 Annual Conferences and Normals First Held 
 
 Bible Conference 
 
 Christian Workers’ Normal 
 Church Conference 
 
 Sunday School Conference 
 School Teachers’ Normal 
 
 Ordinations 
 Office 
 
 Minister 
 Minister 
 Minister 
 Deacon 
 Deacon 
 Deacon 
 Deacon 
 Deacon 
 Bishop 
 Deacon 
 Deacon 
 Deacon 
 Minister 
 Deacon 
 Bishop 
 
 Sundarganj 
 Sundarganj 
 Balodgahan 
 Sundarganj 
 Sundarganj 
 
 Apion 
 
 Feb. 5, 
 Apt: 
 Nov. 20, 
 Nov. 22, 
 July 24, 
 Jansece 
 March, 
 Mar. 9, 
 
 Year 
 1906 
 1903 
 1900 
 1902 
 1912 
 1906 
 1901 
 1912 
 1902 
 1903 
 1908 
 1903 
 1912 
 1908 
 1906 
 1910 
 1913 
 1915 
 1916 
 1921 
 1923 
 1903 
 1910: 
 
 Year 
 
 1901 
 1911 
 1911 
 1913 
 1913 
 1913 
 1913 
 1916 
 1916 
 1916 
 1916 
 1921 
 1972 
 1923 
 1924 
 
 1906 
 1911 
 1912 
 1915 
 1922 
 
BUILDING ON -fTHE ROCK 191 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Missionaries 
 | Year of | |Returned|Invalided| 
 
 Name Arrival | Furlough| Home | Home |Deceased 
 BE ROY JSS Eg SO a ae POOF fom IOS on me LONG: agen ie ros Ie 
 CGN oy TE pn ig boo) WRN PW EROS! UE hee. Latte L900 Mae ee See 
 PUICCRI Ave ue a, ee eis ste earn T3002) eee fe EL QOOR ee Mewes ne 
 
 WES MES UTICA ARR one cies a onto TOO eae Wests cons cil ere eta 1906 
 ey PAST HAG ae A hc ti Sean e wicts ee 1900 1907—08 | Eo) Ce eee a en oe 
 eee GAO Me ae ek See Urey coe cee | 1901 TOUS —=OO Hae citraig eul ne Ge tee | ee eB 
 
 adele LOL LO eee Ne a de 1923 
 SEE PTADY a Ley 08 weeds teen oe ae gg ar ak (O01 111 90708 ee eee ral cae eRe li ee 
 py tee Jak. PLOT/. LON es dee Wier ols. Reelek oe 
 Pee OT WCLICII erie yivocks a Uxln ce Bee LOS tt acre, 1904 | in eee | Bhar 
 Betiiaaretweiler sy Saree. or soe TOO Zura or: ee Resear Srl TO04 45 Rae ethoe 
 Mata we ceslete hee fev Wolets cre ce eS 1003 aaa ne IC ait ws 1O0SEe eens 
 PSV CUETIC Ce Ac Sota scitd tees oe a ee 1905 1910—11| 1918 : nae Sees | Geerrck es 
 LUT Nei RONG PLE Sorc A A eet ee 1905 UOT = 12 ee ae h ete me 
 ce ote PLOIS=220 |r ero ee Set ete eee 
 ARE SUSE TC BT: a igo ee 1905 9141 74 vo Oe Nate, che aa hoe ere es 
 cele feo BETTS 0s Ee Mare iin sear POOS Rg 1912--913)| a. noaeeet iene ee icteric ee ees 
 ora oats 17-21 a eaer Pt 
 
 PCE CTERI SAND matic ee ert hie ace vt ects « | 1905 1912-13.) pa epee 1917 
 Perm ee ONIN AT ON eae wees Coir oe sacs TO0G me Ot S— ihe cee | PPE Sita “| Peed See y= 
 Toray rasa EO2 324.1 Ere Lett Oo nah een 
 eid eID AT) earn goo she cure chee recta 1906 OMG Sirk, oe tata | tab teele alike eee oes 
 Arty tye EO ZS etZ Aa slr recs tecatee [eae co ond Bil Een ates 
 IEP TICSCT Wott choc lns «eve fees 1907 ea ed bos ani WE anette. de 
 6 Oe 1922 2S n* Snook Loko v cok aia 
 
 Bielenamerriccetige: (ot cater tes eee eek LOO 7 aALO PAE 1S Vee oa oe] eure ees 1921 
 PON AM ACCEL steer sh rrr ues ten sn, LOGS AAO LO——2 TiN ae conve Att eeee ee eo 
 Mote atos AG = brink GI3t. mee Lea ORR Pee bra prone Whe Shah degt ct > Ss 
 REV AB yey hed cu aa oh) een ia aa LOO Sah OFA THE wg Peay | er te geteeee em ieee ae 
 Married to J. N. Kaufman 1909 | Dee ete te pec eeoh arte er pane ra nnd Belkcge i 2 
 MLR CUME es ies oe OS oak ee es 1910 OL POL bears et b Asante ea het a 
 ANT ged a Ie Oe a eae eee eg 1910 LOU AR —2 1h wh, its, oe cen ey ete tees 
 PLUS ee LIT art. sh are td we We ite «ees 10 12 LO LOFT er ee cer. tle ae tems bee octets 
 ea ee C1 CLSNe Vat ot ti, Wes Sielas nels cos oe 1913 NOD LS A ead BE. | in net yr Lee wore ge 
 ea eielmt Or) Gap Delo, © ee ae Renae ete pistes edad feet oral [helene oe tne 
 “LL GESTS I a a pe iby nie rele 191 5iea eee 1919 ee ireaence 2 breton 
 OTE. TT FSP Gk TS as Pine ato ee ee LOLS er ee 1910 Pa renee ein hare ges 
 Micrencem Cooprider... biases cs veh Fes 1916 £9 22-23 Wm scare erarencts Meenas. etaeticta se 
 Married to P. A. Friesen 1922 | eee ty ae ie cll aaa aeaies Petre co We cela eee, 
 Ome MALIN CKCT). 02.5 6%. ciclo lew skees oats « LOZ ORE rc ss sicclucaic ee Mee ee ene tees whe 
 Pea KOT Oy aSelatciaie. eto c aac o8olert OZ Ly ae WR ee cots (Nate che see | Pea tastes Ree fe nk) a 
 MEE EO wos LAs wel SiS ese cles sad NFPA des ae Sadek, Pa eee a eae Gy © 82 at ee EPR el Ree 
 RAS VETO eT 8S. At ce les ce cad cae PREVA YORE a cree Pina en AM eh ee 7 Ee 
 Cae VES), SAND Se a ne TOD Re cece Geet Genes otara erate ca lee, ubetere 
 Pep HCL © eee sik ee FN BR as HR LO? Tap ameter Aimer Clas. be ome, sion Seite tba 
 BOE VOR 80 ucts etch s wines bale sO 1927 ee here ee O23? [ee aoe chee Scetd gee 
 Ber C oat ae) rece e le ciate aie ee LOZ a Stent seen nes ie eae LOZ 3 ea eee ee 
 i OR SD ore Ae aren ea LOZ SUP IS eee et ee ON Ph ORI Cn eh 
 
 
 
 ROU IM LTOVErD nt ke as Wve bas eens Pate O23 Alc e ere cinder Wok ene ee ne ee oy 
 
192 
 
 Name 
 
 Ruth Ressler 
 Esther Burkhard 
 Samuel Burkhard 
 Anna Burkhard 
 Russel Kaufman 
 Paul Kaufman 
 
 Kathryn Ruth Kaufman 
 
 Lois Lapp 
 Pauline Lapp 
 
 Missionaries’ Children 
 
 Place of Birth 
 Igatpuri, India 
 Calcutta. India 
 Dhaimtari, CeP., “india 
 Nagpur, India 
 Naini Tal, India 
 Dhaintarite Gal base ina 
 Naini Tal, India 
 Igatpuri, India 
 Buasoure, Gare eindia 
 
 (Died at Balodgahan, Dec. 20, 1913) 
 
 Harriet. Lapp 
 Irene Lehman 
 Carolyn Lehman 
 Waldo Lehman 
 Peter Friesen 
 Mary Friesen 
 
 Calcutta india 
 
 Bilaspur. Oat eal fidia 
 Ihamitare 1G er ei ndia 
 Dhamtari> Gaebanindia 
 
 MtPelake 3Minites) Uses. 
 Mteiake,SMinn 2U. 3: 
 
 (Died at Sankra, Nov. 15, 1911) 
 
 Ida Friesen 
 Rosa _ Friesen 
 
 Igatpuri, India 
 Dhamtarig Geel. wl ndia 
 
 (Miedwat. ankra, | Aug: od LOO) 
 
 Willie Friesen 
 
 John Friesen 
 Edward Friesen 
 Paul Arthur Friesen 
 
 Grace Elizabeth Friesen 
 
 David Esch 
 
 Sarah Esch 
 
 Mary Ellen Esch 
 Nellie May Esch 
 Barbara Alice Esch 
 Helen Rowena Esch 
 Ruth Shank 
 
 John Shank 
 
 Darjeeling, India 
 Sankro peels Lidia 
 Spankra, sabe el naia 
 
 BUILDING ONDE E* ROCK 
 
 ne 
 
 Bethel ey Kansas aU 50. 
 
 Dhtamtari-(Gasl.india 
 Igatpuri, India 
 
 DhamtarreyG@ee al adia 
 Dhamtari*a, Geb. el ndia 
 Newton, Kansas, U. S. 
 Dhamtariatowst winaia 
 ham tities War eee lLodia 
 Dhanitarti acon india 
 Jagdalpur, 4s.) india 
 
 (Died in Calcutta, July 26, 1917) 
 
 Ernest Edward Smucker 
 
 Arthur Allan Smucker 
 Thelma Marie Miller 
 
 Herbert Benjamin Warye 
 
 Byron Nortell Troyer 
 Dana Orion Troyer 
 
 Mary Annabelle Troyer 
 
 Dedication of Churches 
 
 Leper Asylum 
 Balodgahan 
 Sundarganj 
 Sankra 
 
 Leper Asylum 
 Sankra New 
 
 Goshensalndss UsiSsc As 
 Dhamtan Cra nadia 
 Dhamtari ates &. einidia 
 Pachmarhi, India 
 Cicero, whl loge, PAY 
 ehicagvOmliiaetrboeeA. 
 Giiicagorsiie Ueto Ac 
 
 1905 Famine 
 1912 Cholera 
 
 1914. Small Pox 
 1913 Bubonic Plague 
 
 1917. Cholera 
 
 1924 Plague 
 Famine 
 Influenza 
 Famine 
 Cholera 
 
 ia 
 
 Date of Birth 
 
 June 5, 1906 
 Jan, sol aIO0Z 
 Dec. 16, 1903 
 Sept. 1, 1906 
 Apt. *2oe0 1910 
 Oct 350915 
 
 May 22, 1922 
 O€Ets 32052 1907, 
 Nov. 13, 1909 
 
 Marto la g1e 15 
 Jan: 23; 41910 
 Novi 24, 1912 
 Oct 3) F916 
 Augeezoe 1902 
 Mayo 5a905 
 
 Sept. 8, 1908 
 Nov. 16, 1910 
 
 May 8, 1913 
 Novis3s0)71915 
 Oct. 10, 1919 
 Sept. 10, 1923 
 Nov. 28, 1924 
 MaveZivalyit 
 
 Nov. 8.8912 
 Nov. 24, 1915 
 Aug. 28, 1918 
 Mar. Sy slont 
 
 Sept: 28, 1923 
 Feb. 25, 1916 
 May 30, 1917 
 
 June 3, 1919 
 Nov. ‘27, 1923 
 July a5; 924 
 Sept. 22, 1923 
 July 8, 1918 
 July 12, 1920 
 Dec. 14,. 1921 
 
 Famines and Epidemics 
 
 1900 
 1900 
 1902 
 1907 
 1907 
 1917 
 1918 
 1918 
 
 1920—21 
 
 1921 
 
CHAE SE RY 2GV'L 
 A FORWARD LOOK 
 
 Having noted in the preceding chapters conditions as they exist in 
 the Mission Field, the work our Mission has, by God’s grace, been able to 
 accomplish, the influence of Christianity upon the non-Christians of our 
 Field, and a description of our Mission work as carried on from day to day, 
 it will be a matter of interest and a source of great inspiration to take a 
 look into the future :and see what our India Mission may reasonably be 
 expected to accomplish. 
 
 Future events can not be definitely predicted but some idea of what 
 can be expected to take place may be had by an investigation of the past 
 and present and noting the tendencies which have characterized our mission 
 work and the general direction in which we have been travelling. But for 
 such an investigation the brief span of twenty-five years is too short to 
 give us the real direction so we will find it profitable to make a brief 
 review of mission work in general. It is a known fact that Christianity is 
 increasing in India very rapidly—that the rate of increase is becoming 
 higher every decade. The millions in India are becoming accustomed to 
 
 
 
 A Forward Look 
 
194 BUILDING ON: THE ROCK 
 
 the work and influence of Christianity. Hindus in all sections are 
 acknowledging the superior force of Christianity. The lower castes are 
 being won to Christ and these by careful teaching and training are 
 superseding the Brahmins, filling positions of influence which have been 
 held without challenge by the Brahmins for centuries. It is needless to 
 discuss the great effect this has on Hinduism. The low caste people, just 
 referred to, are coming to Christ literally by the hundreds of thousands. 
 Not only are the low caste people turning to Christ. People, who are ina 
 position to know, :affirm that there is a very widespread movement among 
 educated people to worship Christ. There are thousands of these people 
 who worship Christ in secret and the confident prediction is that, in the 
 not distant future, these same people will simultaneously express them- 
 selves openly and publicly confess Christ. What a wonderful day that will 
 be for the Christian Church in India! The very thought thrills one’s 
 heart! The leader of a group :antagonistic to Christianity—-a Hindu—has 
 publicly stated, “The brightest star in the diadem of Christ is India 
 and He shall have it.’ “Mahatma” Gandhi, that indefatigable religious 
 
 
 
 A Typical Jungle Village 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 195 
 
 
 
 Two Hopefuls 
 
 confined to the missionary force at 
 work in India but came also from 
 the rapidly increasing native forces 
 who are assuming positions of lead- 
 ership. This native force with more 
 mature experience has been able to 
 compel a greater respect on the part 
 of the non-Christians. 
 
 Let us now trace these tenden- 
 cies in our own Mission. A _ grad- 
 ual, healthy, if slow, growth and de- 
 velopment can be traced in our India 
 Mission since its beginning. The 
 Church is becoming older, more ma- 
 
 
 
 and political leader of India, reads 
 the Christian Bible every day though 
 he himself is a Hindu. These state- 
 ments are given to indicate the tre- 
 mendous influence exerted by Chris- 
 tianity upon the people and suggest 
 to us an encouraging phase of devel- 
 opment. This progress has been 
 It has been gradual. It 
 has come because of hard, persistent, 
 Christian effort for many years. Be- 
 
 regular. 
 
 sides, it is general and is spreading 
 out into fields hitherto untouched. 
 This hard, persistent effort was not 
 
 They Need Your Support 
 
196 BUILDING ONI\THEO ROCK 
 
 ture and more experienced. The Church already numbers many Christians 
 whose parents have been Christians in our own Mission before them. 
 Besides these, there are nearly eight hundred children—orphanage boys 
 and girls and children of our Christian people—who are potential members 
 of: the .MWennonitre 
 Church and this num- 
 ber is’ increasing ~ as 
 our actual membership 
 increases. A most en- 
 couraging beginning 
 has already been made 
 among the village peo- 
 ple, a considerable 
 number having been 
 baptized among them. 
 Many of our Christian 
 people have Hindu rel- 
 atives who are con- 
 stantly coming in con- 
 tact with the Christian 
 people and many have 
 already been won for 
 Christ. We are watch- 
 ing with keen interest 
 movements among cer- 
 tain castes toward 
 Christianity and while 
 we do Snot sexpectars 
 “mass movement” as is 
 experienced in some 
 parts of India where 
 as many as forty thou- 
 sand people are bap- 
 
 tized every year; yet 
 Street Scene in Dhamtari we believe that when 
 
 
 
 an open break has been made on the part of these castes towards Chris- 
 tianity in our own Mission Field it will have the most far-reaching results. 
 
 Another matter that bodes well for the future is the increased feeling 
 of individual responsibility on the part of our Indian church leaders. Not 
 only do they realize that their non-Christian fellow countrymen are unsaved 
 
BUILDING ON THE ROCK 197 
 
 outside of Christ but they believe it is their duty, even more than the duty 
 of the foreign missionary, to give them the true Gospel. Then, too, since 
 the inconsistent lives of the weaker members of the Church reflect on the 
 whole Church they feel the responsibility of more carefully and effectively 
 disciplining the Church in accordance with the standards of the whole 
 Gospel. 
 
 In taking a forward look we are not overlooking the fact that only a 
 comparatively small portion of our own Mission Field has as yet been 
 influenced by the Gospel. A study of the map of our Mission Field will 
 help the reader to understand this. The Bendra-Nawagarh State in the 
 
 
 
 The Court, Dhamtari. Three educated and influential Indians 
 
 northeastern part of our Field has no resident missionary or Indian workers. 
 The whole of Kanker State is without any workers. In the southwestern 
 part of our Field is a native state without any Christian workers. Even 
 our present stations are undermanned and hundreds of villages within easy 
 reach of our stations hear the Gospel only occasionally from our Indian 
 Christian workers while it is an unusual thing for most of the missionaries 
 
198 BUILDING ON THE ROCK 
 
 to get time to go into these villages to preach the Good News. Obviously, 
 in order to take full advantage of the many opportunities that come to us 
 continually we must have an adequate force of workers both missionary 
 and native. This may be possible through faith and prayer :and comes as 
 a challenge to both the Mission and the Church at home. 
 
 We are facing the future with great hopes. This does not keep us 
 blind to the grave problems confronting us. Satan has been trying to make 
 inroads and has too often been successful. While we are happy to state 
 that modern tendencies towards liberalism in the Christian belief are 
 absent both in our missionary as well as in our Indian Christian ranks we 
 are aware that there are those among other churches in India who discredit 
 the orthodox view of Christian faith and doctrine and the issue may have 
 to be met by the India Mennonite Church. We believe that when the time 
 comes the Mennonite Church in India will be able to meet the issue for she 
 has been instructed these twenty-five years in the “all things” of God’s 
 Word as believed and practiced by the Mennonite Church. With a 
 communicant membership of over eleven hundred Christians and a 
 Christian community of nearly two thousand, and with seven organized 
 congregations, at the end of the first quarter of a century of Mission 
 work, with God’s help and blessing, what may we not expect in the next 
 twenty-five years? We appeal to the Church at home to continue stead- 
 fastly in prayer for the work that God has so marvelously begun in India. 
 
 
 
 The Lake, Naini-Tal 
 

 
 ee aaa Ajda vabad \ 
 
INDIA’S CALL 
 
 Jers J. A. RESSLER 
 
 $4 ee Nee 4 
 
 zi ee et a =e = 
 ass 3 SS eae ene Cass eer aa Zz— 
 
 Y 
 1. In your homes of comfort by your fireside bright, Do you think of the poor and dis-tressed ? 
 2. Don’t you know that heathen are as dear to God, As the souls of the friends you hold near ? 
 3. From the plains of In-dia comes a mes sage sad, “ We are perlshing, hope-less and lost; 
 
 4, “But ’'m old and helpless and I can- not go,” Then let oth-ers you love take your place; 
 5. Won’t you come then, brethren, and prepare to fight ‘Neath His banner with Truth’s mighty sword? 
 
 
 
 idee oa ee Hebe Sere, Pei fe nl kins 
 2 ao ae ee = 
 ae 
 
 
 
 Y 
 Those whom sin has banished from the Gos-pel light, And in bondage and darkness oppressed? 
 And you've heard Him calling, ’twas the voice of God, Having ears, will you not let them hear? 
 Will the call not wakeus in our homes so glad, To en-gage in the toil of the cross? 
 From a_ call so pleading andcommand to go, Will you still, can youstill turn your face? 
 Come and join our numbers,see the foe in sight, Won’t you join as we sing thus the word? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 #. 9. i Be eS ae et ot dors 2) 0. 2° ‘eC )\s ean 
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 1-2. Will you leave your kindred and your homes so dear,Will you count all the world only —_ loss? 
 3-4, We will leave our kindred and our homes so dear, We will count all the world on-ly __ loss, 
 5. We haveleft our kindred and our homes so dear, We have counted the world on-ly _ loss, 
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 For the love of Je- sus to those millions drear, Willyou car-ry the word of the cross? 
 For the love of Je-sus to those millions drear We will car-ry the word of the cross. 
 For the love of Je-sus to those millions drear We are bearing the word of the cross. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Building on the Rock... 
 
 rinceton Theological Seminary— 
 
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