THE WORK OF A FOREIGN MISSIONARY.
Missionaries to uncivilized, or partially civilized, countries are liable to be confronted with many unexpected emergencies. Their work is not all singing, praying, preaching, or book teaching. Their domestic lives and labors are closely noted by those whom they seek to save, and sometimes it is through these that their greatest influence is wielded. While in civilized countries the Christian’s daily life is scrutinized by the world, and critically compared with his profession, this watchfulness is even more noticeable among the heathen. But this is not all that the missionaries to heathen countries must expect. Man or woman will find much need of self-reliance in the matter of manual labor. The man must needs be a fairly good mechanic, a farmer, and perhaps a boatman, as well as something of a physician (at least a good nurse), in addition to the qualifications incident to his primary mission as a Gospel teacher. The more he knows about the practical duties of life, the better he is qualified to give the every-day help on all sides that will give him an influence with the people, and secure the confidence so essential to the success of his mission. The lady missionary, especially if she be a housewife also, will find it necessary to make by hand many things that she has been accustomed to buying ready made, and to do many kinds of work herself that at home she was able to hire. A sister who recently went to one of the South Sea islands writes to Sister Hannah S. Mott, of this city, that her husband, who is a preacher and physician, was building a mission house, and that she had just finished making him a coat and pants, having cut and made them all alone. She adds:— It is quite necessary for missionaries coming to these far-away islands to be able to turn their hands to every kind of work, for they will probably be brought face to face with many unexpected occupations. It is not easy to hire work done here. A native had asked this lady’s little boy if his father had ever been captain of a ship. When told that he had not, the native remarked that he could do everything else. He had been watching with much interest the busy, active lives of the missionaries, for it was an example unknown to the natives. Even the white men who live amongst them do but little manual labor. The encouraging feature of the situation is also set forth. “Some of the natives,” she writes, “are being educated to a higher, nobler, better life. With all their faults they are not devoid of many excellent traits of character. They are kind-hearted and generous. . . . I love my school-children very much. It is so gratifying to watch their interesting faces from day to day, and to note the eagerness with which they grasp new ideas.” She speaks in appreciation of the Little Friends received, and the good they do, and of the interest which the children have in Bible stories and pictures.