MISSION WORK IN INDIA

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 23, 1896

MISSION WORK IN INDIA.

Dr. Van Allen writes from Madura, October 28, to the Missionary Herald:—

“I came to India about seven years ago and have been most interested in seeing and feeling the influence of this branch of missionary effort. The number of cases, new and old, treated has risen from about thirteen thousand the first year of my labors here to over twenty-six thousand last year. These patients come chiefly from the town of Madura and immediate vicinity, but a fair proportion—I should say from twenty to twenty-five per cent.—come from the outlying towns, scarcely a day passing that one or more patients do not attend from a distance of from fifteen to twenty miles; and it is far from uncommon for patients to come sixty or one hundred miles. The Gospel is faithfully preached every morning to the patients who have assembled, and tracts printed in Tamil distributed. The good attention which they pay is noticeable.

“Since I have become established here and known to the people, I have been successful, particularly in the past two years, in raising money for the support of this work. Of every $3.00 spent in the medical mission work under my care I have gotten considerably more than $1.00 from India. For such a poverty-stricken country as India, this has not been a small matter. I take pleasure in this, that I never charge fees, and that the money which patients have given has been an entirely voluntary thank-offering. I believe that these thank-offerings have served to bind closer to us the persons who gave them—rather than given them the feeling that our relation had been a purely business one. I am glad to say that there have been very many expressions from the people of kindest feeling for our medical mission work.

“But though this is pleasing, there is a matter which is still more encouraging in the development of this work. Our little old dispensary building in Madura, which in a small way has sufficed for carrying on the medical work, has been outgrown. I have planned a new, large, and commodious hospital and dispensary building, to be erected just across the street from the present dispensary. I have made known to the native people the necessities for the erection of this new building, and they are helping generously The building is to be a strongly-built, substantial structure, the foundations entirely of stone; the superstructure is brick and stone. A veranda ten feet wide is to surround it on all sides, downstairs and upstairs, which is necessary on account of the sun. There will be accommodation for about twenty-five in-patients, besides the rooms occupied in carrying on the dispensary or out-patient work. The foundations are now being laid and are nearly ready for the beginning of the superstructure.

“Over 23,000 rupees (about $7,000) have been given for this work by the native people. The silk weavers of Madura are now collecting a contribution, which will amount to about 2,000 rupees.

“There are two sources from which I am expecting in a few days (tho it is not entirely certain) 2,000 rupees more. As the building will cost about 40,000 rupees, I still have considerable to get, but I have faith that every rupee of the money will be collected in India. The building will be a substantial addition to the property of the American Board in Madura. We ask your prayers for our work.”