cmht NORTHERN CHURCHES THE SANTAL MISSION DUMKA SIXTY NINTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE FOR THE YEAR 1935 (THE INDIAN ROME MISSION TO Tl!E S.A.

Transcription

1 cmht SIXTY NINTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SANTAL MISSION OF THE NORTHERN CHURCHES (THE INDIAN ROME MISSION TO Tl!E S.A.NTALS) FOR THE YEAR 1935 a, DUMKA!liBLISHED BY THI SANTAL MISSION 0' THE NORTHERN OHURClI~S, PR~N'fE:P AT 'fall) BENAGAR!.! MISSION PRE.B:S,

2 THE SANTAL MISsioN OF fhe: NORTHERN CHURCHES From. America: BJERKESTRAND, MR. & MRS. O. S. GIRTZ, REV. & MRS. J. M. HELLAND, REV. & MRS. B. A.. MILLER, MISS DAGMAR, OLESEN, MISS ANNA, OSTERGA.ARD, DR. E. PEDERSON, REV. & MRS. M. A. PEDERSEN, DR. Miss D. ~C.cttbltJ2: REV. R. ROSENLUND. ljumka, San tal Par ganas, Bihar. c4lti.6.aionaries. (April 1925), Mornai (April 1925), Kaerabani (Oct. 19~6), on furl (Nov. 1920), Raraputa (April 1925), on fnrl. (Nov. 1928), on furl. (Oct. 1904), Kaerabani. (Oct. 1931), Haraputa. Fro11/, Denma1'k : BAGGER, REV. & M&s. Y EIE, MR. & MRS. O. F[SCHER, MISS BETTY. folten, MISS GUDRUN, CBIPP, REV. & MRS. H. P H. {R[STIANSE~. REY. & MI~s. A. {ROHN, Miss ELISABETH, ~U\YE, MISS EIUKA, NIELSEN, MRS. DINA, ROSENLUND. REV. & MRS. R. PEDERSEN, MISS O. (Dec & Nov. 1927), Saldoha. (Oct. 1920), on furl. (XOY. 1934), Gaorang (Dec. 1927), Benagaria. (Nov &; March 1918), ~arajnpur (Dec. &; Nov. 19~7), Gaorang. (Oct. 193~), Benagaria (Nov. 1924), Koroya. (Nov. 1912), on furl. (Febr. 1910), Dumka. (No~. 1935), Benagaria..

3 iii From Norway: AASLAND, Miss MARIE, BUTTE DAHL, MISS MAGNHJLD, :PIESEN, MISS NANCY, GAUSDAL, REV. & MRS. J. GLAD, REV. & MRS. W JOHANSEN, J. ESQR. LOHNE, MISS LAURA, N ESSET, MISS SOFIE, OFSTAD, REV. & MRS. K. PEDERSEN, REV. & MRS. P. +, SIGU1U>8BN, MISS EDLE SOMMING, Miss SOLVEIG, STRON8TAD REV. & MRS. A. E. TROMJJOBG, REV. & MRS. K. JOHANSEN, REV. & MRS. S. MALME, REV. & Mrs. A. (Oct. 1933), Koroya (Dec. 192'7), Maharo (Dec. 1911), on furl. (Nov & Jan. 1919), Mohnlpahari (Nov. 1931), Chondorpnra. (Nov. 1930), Joema. (Oct. 1923), Maharo. (March 1932), Haraputa. (Nov & March 1918), Grahampur. (Jan & Nov. 1935), Dhorompttr. (Nov. 1935), Dumka (Feb. 1933), Darjeeling (Nov. 1934), Basetkundi (Sept & Oct. 1923), (Nov ) do ~l'u5trt.5. Ih:v. R. ROSENLUND, Dumka, Santa} Pargana~, ILdia. RIGHT HEV. B. STOYLEN, OSLO, NORWAY. REV. COONT VIGGO MOL'l'KE, ASMINDI KOD, FUEDENSBORG, DHNMARK. REV. A. J. HULT};NG, Grand Forks, North Dakota. U. S. A. HEV. M. A. PEDERSON, Kaerabani, Santal Parganas J India. R.I!v. J. GAU8DAL, Mohulpah~ri, do do do

4 ! W THE NORWEGIAN BOARD FOR THE SANTAL MISSION Holbergs Plads 7, Oslo, Norwa!Jo President. RECTOR HANS HOEG, Vice-President. PUOF. KARL VOLD. Secretary. REV. J. O.rSTAD, HOLBEUGS PLADS 7, OSLO. Treasurer. MISS ASTA OPSAHL, HOLBERGS PLADS 7, OSLO. Uembers :- MISS S. LOKEN, B. RONSBERG ESQ. REV. 1\1. JOHNE. KEIKENESS ESQ. REV. H. E. WISLOJF. THE DANISH SOARO FOR THE SANTAL MISSION Valbygaard8vej 76, Copenhagen, Denmark. President. REV. MARtUS HANS!l, Copenhagen Secretary. MR. VAtD. CHR18T1A~SEN, Aarhos. 1',.ea3urer. Mn. AA. KLEFFEL, Valby, Copenhagen Members:- UHS. SVELMOE THOMSE:-i. Ihv. RORDAM CI..~USSEN. REV. A. THELLE. Mr. FI niger. REV. H. WiNDtNG REV. G. SCHIOLER.

5 THE AMERICAN BOARD FOR THE SANTAL MISSION Augsburg Seminary, Mi'mwapolis, Minn. U. S..A.. President. R1<:v. A. J. HULTENG, Vice-President and Ohairvw,n, Ex. Gom. REV. J. C. AABERG, Secretary and Treasurer. REV. M. C. DUEN, Mern:bers :- MR.. P. L. LUND MR. L. L. ROHOLT Mrss S. OSTER.GA.ARD REV. J. C. AABERG REV. B. K. BARSTAD REV. M. C. DtxEN REV. W- M. HAGE!'i MR. C. P. HEIDE PROF. A. HELLAND REV. A. J. HULTENG REV. A. R. PETERSEN REV. S. O. RONDESTVEDT REV. O. H. SLE'l'TEN REV. S. M. STENBY REV. C. M. VIDEBECK REV. L. M. STAVIG. DR. C. M. WESWlG REV. H. I. PETERSEN REV. M. A. PEDERSON MR. JOHN RINGSTAD The Oommittee of the American Danish Eva.ng. Luth. Church. REV. J. C. AA13ERG, P rcsidenl Mrss S. OSTERGAARD, Minneapolis, Treasurer. Rl!:v. H. PLAMBECK, Secretary.

6 vi Andreas Murmu 1924, Dumka. 2 B~ijQ.l HiisdaR: GamharpQ.h~ri (Benagaria P.O.) Dhononjoe Ojha 1928, Maharo «Dumka P.O.) 4 Dhunu Kisku 1916, (Reti1-ed) Emanuel TUQu 1929, Haripur (P~uria P.O.) 6 Gf}.lu SQr~n 1928, Tf}.rni (Katikund P.O.) Jalpa Sgren 1919, Narayanpur (Teor P.O., Dinajpur) 8 Jghgn HiisdaR: 1933, DhQI'9mpur :Kumrabad P.O.) 9 Kalu Kisku 1931, Mohulpahari. 10 Karan 8gren 1934, Tilabani (Asanbani P.O.) I Khela Murmu 1924, Manjadabl'i (Dingdinga P. 0.) 2 Khudif}. Mf}.rnc;l.i Karoya (Dumka P. 0_, R Kisuu TUc;l.ll 1921, Rantzaupur (Dingdinga P.O.) 4 Kunjf}.l P~uria 1930, Phal'idpur (Habra PO.) Lodo S9r~n 1930, Sapadoba (Benagaria P.O.) 6 Lokhon Hembrom 1930, Grahampur (Dingdinga PO.) Lopsa SQr~n 1932, Babhonc;l.ia (Kaerabani P.O.) 8 Minghu SQr~n 1926, Joema (Gossaingaon P.O.) 9 Mondol Murmu 1924, Saldoha (Mohulpahari P.O.) o Mgnggl Hembrom 1933, Benagaria MgiIggl Kisku 1930, Rautnagor (Ranisan'kail P. 0.) Naran SQ~n 1984, Kaerabani. P,lu Hisdal 1928, (Retired) Pitor Hembrom 1928, Mornai (Dingdinga P. O.~

7 vii, 25 Ragda Sgr~n 1931, Jolesari (Koch.ugaon P. O. 26 R"ti" Bgrg 19l1. Haraputa. (Gossaingaon P.O.) 27 Ruben Murmu 1933, M~haro 28 Simon Mnrmu 1929, KhoTib.ri (Muchia P. 0,) 29 SonatonHembrom 1925, Basetku\l4i (Mahe8hpur P.O.) 30 Tik. Murmu 1924, Chondorpura (Katikund P.O.) 31 Paul Murmu 1935, Joema BENGALI PASTOR. Srinath BisWflS 1930, Rampnrha.t. BQltQ PASTORS. Qlichoron Bgrg J932, Gaorang (Haltugaon P.O.) Surendro BgrQ 1935, Gaorang

8 THE SIXTY NINTH ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR Say not ye, There are yet four months, a.nd then oometh the harvest r> behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the tields, that they are white already unto harvest. (John 4, 35.) The fields must have been quite green at tha.t time. The disciples knew that a mighty power outbide the power of the cultivators was neverthelesb invisibly at work, a.nd that 4 months hence the fields would be white. The Lord was speaking about the illvisible and uncontrolable power a.nd the insignifica.nce of the human element in the wonderful process going on. He was speaking abont human h~arta ready to listen to ~il~ Worq frolll Abov9,

9 2 'l'iie SANTAL MISSION OF TIIE NORTHERN, CHURCHES. The disoiples no doubt understood the Lord was telling them. that it was a. parable Afterwards when they had become apostles they might have sometimes felt a temptation to Jay stress on pltlnning their work surveying possibilities, inventing efficient methods, registering resu]~, proving that they had been right in fore seeing that -theirs was the right way 'of expanding the Kingdom. But not much do we find of No traca of statistics. that sort in their letters. They could never get away from a most constraining and overwhelming feeling that the Lord was with them every day and that there was no time. for planning or reporting of results. And what luck that neither the printing' press nor the typewriter had then been invented. It did not matter to them whether the outlook was visibly white or rather gl'eenish. The invisible power was to them a reality making all other realities insignificant. Thinking of _ our Lord and his apostles does certainly not encourage us to write much about our opinions, our plans, our results and all that. Not much of all that will get UIl' scathed out of the fire. But ~we have to write something that sounds like &.11 that. We have to tell about conditions and outlook and so on. ; Might we do it with the background, the Invisible always in "mind. Opening this report I find it excusable and natural to,rep~!1t what._ I reported about 1935 to the "Year Book of ~va.nge1ical 1411theran Missions and Ohurches in In<iia./'

10 SIXTY NINTH ANNUAL REPORT. "As far as we understand one of the most important events during the year 1935 in our mission was a meeting at Benagaria, 9th-11th.January of representatives from various; evangelical missions and churches within the Santal area with the purpose of adopting a "Constitution of the Santal Christian Council~" The longing for fellowship with other Santals. has been growing. In this feeling two elements are clearly visibile. The leading Santals in the congrega.tions (and in the heathen villages as well) are in these years getting themselves accustomed to something quite new, the necessity of looking forward. For thousands of years the Santals have been lonking in' the opposite direction. But now it is the future of the Santal people they are being compelled to thiuk about. The outlook is to them alarming-but also thrilling. Something like a dim vision is impressing itself on many a Santal mind, heathen as well as Christian. This means of course a tendency towards cn-operation and fellowship. Then there is the other element, the Christian one, the longing for fellowship with Christians of other denominations. In our mission. we have noticed in these years an increasing activity in this direction. Some of onr leading men are so interested in conventions (local conventions, district couventions, i nterdenom inational conventions, etc.) that they woul:! use the whole yea.r in arranging such gd.theriogs if they were not restrained. Bat there IS something.very encouraging in it. As a "Lutheran" I Rom thankful to be able to state it as my honest opinion that "Bt'other M.artin " is making a vel:y' ' rong imprt'ssion on the Santl:t.l mind especially as he stands before the Reichstag ill Worms. Santals have asked me to tell, them that story over a.nd over again. His book against Erasmus (4.' De

11 .4 ' THE SA.NTAL M1SSION OF THE NORTLIERlt CHUltCHBS. Servo arbitrio ") might not appeal to them, but his definition of Faith goes into their hearts in spite of their being a.ccnstomed to triba.l a.nd na.rrow regulatiolls and thoughtless behaviourism. For "our" Luthera.n Santals the fellowships with as many Lutherans as possible works harmoniously together with their joining hands with as many Christians as possible of other denominations. Here is something to be thankful for. The year 193:> as regards the daily work in mission and congregation might be called a normal year. Which dobs not mean a dull and dead and uninteresting time. Open doors, more outlook; growing life is felt all over our field." The Chriltian COlDDluni',. The financia.l outlook has been brigliter this year but we are still under retrenchments. That onr pastors, elders and sohoolmasters do not murmur against the cut in their salaries we are thankful to report. But it is very difficult for them to find money for paying school fees for their children, to mention one thing only. And for the whole congregation everywhere it is more difficult tha.n before to find money for regular church contributions. Never theless there is progre&s. The cril'.lis and the origid of the cr1818 is the same all over the world which is a great help to mutno.l understand idg between the young Church out here and our Homeland Churehes. During the year Z new pastors have bpen ordained in Assam; Paul Murmu (Santa!) and SUI'endro (Boro).

12 The Mil.ionary Staff. SIXTY N.INTB: ANNUAL REPORT. Sometimes friends in onr Homelands would like to know jf we are now sufficient in num ber ont hp.re. It is very diffi. cult for us to say when we are sufficient. It depends on hundreds of considerations. We know that a time must come when we shall not be needed. But" as yet! Travelling in MaIda one gets a very clear jmpression that possibilities are lost by extreme insufficiency in the number of missionaries. I am thinking of the Bengali population over there. And even in the "old.country!' we are insufficient in number to preach the Gospel to the Non. Sa.ntal population. One also gets an impression of great need when travelling in the Bora area. We are thankful for the help we got last yelil' towards starting a girls school for the Boros. We hope that the Kristiansens will be allowed improvement in health in the coming year. With pioneer work in the jungles, Bible translation in a language that up till now has been very little developed towards 1iterary purposes, instruction of fellow workers and 80 ad, and besides that sjckness, it has been a difficult year for our friends over there. Rev. and Mrs. M. A.. Pederson left the milssion field and weut howe to America after many years work out hel'e. 'Ve thank them for their many years of sel'vice. out here and for what they were to us their comrades and to the people. Miss N. Diesen went home to NOl way on furlough. Mrs. D. Nielsen to Denmark. We miss them and look forward to their return to the field in 1936 if nothing unforeseen hinders them. We had the great joy of welcoming out here again Rev. and MfS. O. Eie and Rev. and Mrs. B. A. Helland; and f9r

13 6, THE SANTALlII8SrbNOF THE NOR1.'HERN CHURCHES. the first time Rev. and Mrs. S. Johansen and Rev. and Mrs. A. Malme from Norway and Miss O. Pedersen from Denmark. Our Home Boards. In Denmark the Rt. Rev. H. Fonnesbech Wulf, Bishop of Roskilde, died this yellr. He was for many years a member of the Home Board. We miss him and thank God for him and for his faithful work. The Rt. Rev. P. Oldenburg, Bishop of Aalborg, for many years the Chairman of the Danish Home Board, retired this year. It has been fortunate for our mis~ion to have as Chairman of the Home Board a man with Bishop Oldenburg's under. standing of the conditions out here. He once visited the mission field. Bishop Oldenburg has been very sympathetic in his dealings and he hrs given much ti me and energy in faithful service to the cause which has won his heart. Not a.lone of his time has he given, but Bishop & Mrs. ~lldenburg have opened their home as well as their hearts for the Santal Mission. We thank them heartily for that and for the work they are continuing to do, even if the name Olden burg from now on does not appear on the list of the Danish Board- We welcome the new Chairman of the Dani!h Board, Rev. Marius Hanson, and pray that he may find the work encourag ing, even as it is encouraging to us his friends to have him as Chairman of our Home Hoard. We feel that our Home Boards have been doing wonder ful work for the mission. From Norway has come more than we have a.sked for in oor budget. In Denmark-where owing to the "V ILl uta Restrictions" they have not been a.ble to seud ont the a.mount originally budgeted-they have collected Kr. lo,qoo more than last year. In America. the home work

14 SIXTY NINTH ANNUAL REPORT. 7 has also been strengthened and it is steadily glowing. And all that in these difficult years. The Tea Garden. The depression in the tea business has continued from year to year and the conditions seem to haye become chronic. We have been fortunate to be able to continue withont having to close the garden. This year also there is some profit, but perhaps not a.s much ar last year. This profit ought to be added, to the l-eserve fund of the garden in order to be on the safe side. We are thankful for the able management carried on by Messrs. G. Lochen & Co., Calcutta. Acknowledgement. At this place we wish to tender our grateful thanks to the Government of Bihar and 01'1 ssa and the local authorities for their continued liberal grant. in-aid to our training schools and the hostels connected with thelll, to yillage schools and the Industrial School and to ODr Leper Oolony at Saldoha. We wish also to record OU1- gratefnl thanks to the Government of Bengal for the grant given to the Narayanpur M. E. school, and to village schools in Malda, BajlShlihi llljd Dinajpur, as well as to the Government of Assam for grant to the M. E. school at Grahampur and the Joema school Hnd seyeral village schools in the Santa} Colony. On behalf of the mission we would also most heartily thank all our friends and supporters in the homelands, in Denmark and Norway, in the United States of America and in Canada, and in New Zealand, both single individuals and associations, and especially the ladies' societies, for their faithf~lne8s, their praler~ and th~ir gifts.

15 8 THE SANTAL IIIS8!ON OF TilE NORTHERN CHURCHES. BENAGARIA. During- the year under review a great willingness to listen to the Gospel has been manisfested in the whole district. That is the unanimous report by all the workers. One of the young workers, pllstor Mongol Hembrom, recently said: "In earlier years people gathered to discuss and dispute with us. Now-a-days they ask questions and listen to the Gospel." He also related how he had been praying ODe evening about an intended visit to a big Non-Christian village. The next morning he was tempted to give up the trip. But when he went there the whole village gath~red for hours to listen to his massage. This remark and experience by the young pastor may be a fa.ir illustration of the situation in many villages. For some weeks in the later p~rt of the year, we have continued ill parts of the district, with a kind of team work. The pastors and elders go ont with a group of ten, fifteen or more Christians, men R.nd women, to village's. They stop for one or two honrs in each village, sing, preach or carryon COlI' versations a.bout t.ht> contents of the Gospel. They met a number of people who thought seriously of becoming Christians. Towards the end of the year the number of those who asked for Christian instruction and those who were being prepared for baptism ca.me to 150. We do not know if all will be true. But we feel it very encouraging. During the year two Christians had to be exoomunicated. One of our elder:;, Basu Baske of Duruamcbua, h8s yielded 80 much to his wife's wishes to live with the heathens that we had to tell him that he cannot continue as eldel' till the situation is changed. One Chri8ti~p wit~ ~n4 mot"er has ~en

16 readmitted into the oongregationafter exm'8ibion and lip. '0 true repentanoe. DevelopmeDt.:of lelf i lappon:.~ very llowly. The bard times and scarcity of cash - among the people have perhap. made it still more difficult to go forward in that dh'eotion than previous years. The women's meetings on Thursdays have oonmdued to be encouraging. The average number of attendance may be put at 60 or 70.SGmetimes le8s than 50, other times moro than a hundred attended. The connting of Christians in onr district this year gives us the number of But I may be permitted to me!ltion that the counting of Christians is It. very difficnlt task 8S the conduct of many makes us some timesvery dod btful whether we dare to indnde them in our roll or not. The baptisms of the year have been as follows: Place Cliildrlm of From amongst Chr. parents. the heathen. Belbuni GambaI' Dimbadoha 1 4 Sapadoba Benagaria ItOI' 5 6 Beldal1gB. 1 Total.~.7

17 10 THE 8ANTAL MISSION OF THE NORTHERN CHUltCH1!lS. Stafl 01 CODgreg.. tiodai Workers. Some of the workers have been transferred during the year as the work made itnecesbary. They are at present.working ;n the following places: Benagaria: Pa.stor Mongol Hembrom. Elders: Khade Hasda.i &.Ruben Marndi. Bible women: Anpi, Salomi, Mariam andsalgi. Sokor: Elders: Lutu Tudu & Jadu HasdaR-. Bible woo men: Mariam & Snmi..Beldanga: Sodanondo BaRke and Dnrga HembrGm are elders there. Rebeka, Sodanondo~st wife is school teaohel' and Bible wpman. Belbuni: Pastor Lodo Soren. Elder: Daud HasdaR:. Sarayanpur: After the rainy season DhnllU Kisku and Munshi Hembrom were transferred to Narayanpur mission station to.work among Santals there as some };lad asked for instruction. It seems that they will have tq remain there as the Dumber of enquirers is increasing. Munshi's' wife works 80M Bible woman. BU1'IIQmchua. : Hikim Baske is.elder. He also looks after Ma.tiajnri. Delgo is too old to do any work as Bible woman, but she continues to get a. little help from the mission. GiVfIIlI,arpahari : Pastor Baijal Hasdai has not he en very well the last year. But he oarries on as far as strength permits. Joseph Murmu works as elder. Bible woman: Jilpit &uhupni. lithifj: ld148l1f;.k:erap Hembrom & Mongol }.{urq:nl.

18 SIXTY NINTH.A.NNU,U REPORT. ii Sapadoha: Elders: Hadu Soren &. Anta Murmu. They also visit Dimbadoha and conduct services there on Sundays. Bible women: Chita & Malho. Village Schools. In spite of many shortcomings and poor work in onr village schools, we attach a good deal of importance to them, as we see a big difference between those Santals who have never had any instrnction and those who have been in schools. A short time ago we baptised three children with their mother who told how the biggest girl (who goes to tbe Bchool) had sung Christian songs to her and urged her to become a Christian. This year we have had 10 village scbool with 11 teachers a.nd 175 on the roll. Boy. U. P. Sohool, Benagaria. On the roll 125. Average attendanoe 110. Appeared for examination 102. Passed 70. 'rhe Government gives a grant. in aid of Rs. 45/~ per month. Girls U. p. School, Benagaria. On the roll 87. Average attendance 66. Appeared for examination 58. Pa.ssed: 54. The Government grant.in.aid is Rs. 30/. per month. Industrial Sohool, Ben~garia. Enrollment in the Weaving section 25, in the Carpentry 33. Beside the l'egular students a number of passed carpenters and weavers are employed for piece-work from time to time as the need may be.. Some new designs have beeu introduced in the Weaving section. There has been fluite a good sale of table oloths,

19 i~ THE B~TAL, KtBSION or. TRJIi NO&TlI-&&N CHURCHES. ourtains, and other, commercial,cloth&. The inaome,from, sale of ~Joth in i~ Re. 2.0~11-9 (1934 had Ra ). The Carpentry seation ha.s most appliaants. The pupils are ta.ught to make household furniture, doors, widliowl, bullock cart wheels etc. W 8' do not iut.ud - totraid coapetitors in the, market, but to make them able to prodllcethe necoessj. ties in their own villag. life,; theref~r~ we ba ve DO machijlery. The income from we of C...rpentry adjcles is Ra. 1{)51-1il-6 (1934 had RBI 117~11-6). Weare in need of., good inatrllctor in the CN-pentry uctionl At present we have three in8tructor8 there. None of them hal very mucb training. But- as they are doijtg manual work with the boy. as well a. instructing them, we think that their salaries are well spent. Se.-en have finiahed' a three year traiuiag course in Carpmtry &lld obtaidljd certin"ate. In th. Weaving section 6 completed a two year conrse &Dd were gratateti,eertiru,&te!. There is an ever increa8ing Dumber of app1icationb fron] 10ung men who would lib to learn weaving or oarpentry. This year there must have been more than a honci:red, while we could admit less than 20. 'Ve have a number of non.christian boys. All at thew have bad some Christian idstruction &ud some of them have arked for baptism. The Govel'llment grant.in.a.id towards the luduetrial Sohool per year is Rs. 2800/-. The Local Government (District Com mittee) I grants Its. 8/. per month fowan' an."eni~ school for' the pupil.

20 Bea81~ia.j ie.. PI" The press has been carrying on the whole year. But the scanty' profit does not allow us to use five or six hundred rupees for a. new Bet of types which is urgently needed. Mr. K. R. Ghase, the manager of the press, submits the following report: Besides the regular fortnightly issnes of "Pera Hor 91 in Santali and monthly issues of "Mahila Bandhab" in Ben~ali. and the special edition of the Jubilee & Christmas No. of /I Pera Hor," the following books have been printed for the Literature Committee during the year:- Pahil Puthi Hajri Kha.t&. Baibel Biboron Girja Dhara More Gel N a we. Serenko Martin Luthera.1t 9fk Katha H or Seren (Revised & enlarged) KulHi Puthi (New' P~ji for 1930 Reprint " 16 pp. 24 pp. 118 pp. 88 pp. 2, roo pp. 1, pp pp. 1, pp pp. 1,300 copies. Besides the above a Commentary on the Epistle to Gaia. tians. by Rev. A.. Thu iu Santali and a. new pictorial edition of.. Baibel Biboron" is in good progress. An Assamese book for the Assamese Literature Board oe the Amerioan Baptist MiBSiOil is also nearing completion. ti It " ti "

21 i-4 THE SANTA.L MISSION OF THE NOliTHERN OHURCJtE~. A good number of forms, pamphlets, writing 'papers etc;fol; our and other missions and for Dumka Tea Dist. Labour Association & Grant Estates.have a.iso been done during the year. Book-Sales. The Book Sales dept. under the directorship of' the Liter. ature Committee mentioned in last year's report has con tinned to do well during the year. 'rhe sale proceeds of books for the year amounted to Rs. 1547/-. The grant of Rs. 500/. fro~ the Mission towards that cost of publishing new books has been received and 2 new books were printed a[)d a few books were reprinted during the year. An extract of the accounts will be found m the Account appendices under the - heading "Book Sales." Zemindary. The collection of rents and other work in connection with the Zemindary has proceeded very well. The statement of i,come and expenditure will be found in the accounts appen dices nnder the heading "Indian Hums Mission Zemindary Estate ". tn alosing we wlt.nt to thank all our DO workers. ohe and,,11. We are gratefoi for the years God has permitted us to be in the mission work in Bena,garia. We send 0111' greetings a.nd thanks to all Who have been with us in prayer and!uvp'lioations.with tha.nksgiving. tt. rromborg.

22 I.XTT NINTH ANNt'AL REPORT. 15 BASETKUNDI DISTRICT. "Except th~ Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it." Ps. 127, 1. We came here in November, and are glad to be here because we ha ve already had the great joy of seeing results of the work done in the past. It has not been in vain. the Lord has been building the house through his servants. Since we came here, 35 have been baptised. Especially one day was felt as a victorious day in our congregation. The headman at Salgapal'a died in Feb. as a happy Christian. Up to that time his wife seemed to be untouched by the 'Vord of God, bot at, last she couldn't resist the call any longer. In Dec. she was baptized with her three children. "I couldn't live as a heathen any longer. The Lord was &tronger than I, He has prevailed," she said. At many of our stations there are a few being instruct.ed for baptism. The stations and staff workers have been the same as last year. In the 12 congregations here, there are 2 pastors, If} elders, 3 Bible-women and 10 teachers..as stated in the report for last year, here is a great demand for trained teachers; only four of them have training. In getting teachers from our own Training School there is a difficulty as to the language. Having read Hindi in Kaerabani, they have to instruct III Bangali in our schools, as done in the Government schools of this district. But we pray and hope that God will send us able, trained teachers. The work has been supervised by Rev. & Mrs. Glad, and we w~n~ to express our than~s fof t1~e faithful wor~ tlley ha.ve.

23 18 THE SANTAfJ MISSION or THR. NORT111!:RN CHURCHES. done in addition to their work in Chondorpura. We under. stand that the staff of workers has received valuable help from them, especially through the Bible-course beld at OhondoI'_ pu1'&. dul ing the' rainy season. Bapti&edcluriug the whole year: Ohildren of Clu'istians 35 FrOiD heathen 113 Total 148 ACOOl'diag to the statistics ror last year tbe total nnmber of.christians from the whole district 'is8upposed to be 1433 but [ am afraid the actual numbel' is a little less, as 1\ few, I am sorry to S&y, are to be regarded as fallen back into heathenism. I know we have many faithful friends who are remember 109 the work in Snltanabad before the t.brone of grace; may the Lord bless you. We want to than k yon all for your I prayers and offerings in the Pa8t year. ARNE E. STRONSTAfJ. BENAGA1UA CHRISTIAN HOSPITAL. The -work has been going on much as nsnal but stea.dily deereasing through the year. The staff has been almost the same as before. In January however one of onr old faithful componnders died from typhoid fever, and we miss bim. Two of onr nnrses have left UB, one to work in another hospital; the other to look after her home. A.ew narle has joined UB in the "wi,

24 SiXTY NINTH ANNUAL REPORT. 17 One of the young compounder was sent to South India for a 6 months course in Lab. work. He oame baok in September with a very satisfaotory certificate. It has been a disappointment that Dr. Ostergaard was not strong enough to come back this year, Ili we feel the need of two doctors in the hospital. We hope to see b im back in the work sometime in the ooming year. It has be~n W'orkel'S. jqyfnl to fdel the good ipirit amongst the The Bible ol"s8es have been held as u80al with the womeu and the compounders. Rev. Tromborg hf\s kindly helped us with the compoull4ers' Bible clasr. We have repaired the out-pntients verandllb. Medicine bas bee~ di~tributed ~t ljasetkundi and Narainpnr. On account of the poor harvest the people have been unable to pay ml1cb tor p\~qicipes. IQ.p~tients Out patieuts Operations; Minor Major M edieal Statistics. Total ,041 > Confinements: Normal Instrumen~tion ~Q

25 l.a rlle SA.NTAl4!HSSION Oli' THE NORTHERN CHURCHES. Male Pa tienti Female. Patients Classed according to religion: Hindus Muhamedans Christians Santals (Non-Christians) L&boratory Statistics. Intravenous Injection Laboratory Investigation Kahn '1'est -6bAX -34.6;( 42.3% 27.2% 21.9% 8.6% 230 1, Major Operations. Eye Operations: Cataract Iredectomy Otbers Nose & 'rhroat: Tonsillectom y Bone Operation: Sequestrotomy Abdominal Operations: Liver Abscess Appendical Abscess Appendectomy Intestinal Obstruction Ovariotomy Caeserian Section Giliams Suspension J4xt>lo"'torl Laporotomy

26 ,.' \ SIXTY NIN'fH ANNUAL REPORT. Milileel~neons : Hernioplasty 9 Hydrocele 52 Orchidectomy 7 Suprapubic Lithotomy 2 Other Miscellaneous 3 Tumor and Cysts 8 Gyn~ & Obstetrical 15 i9 Total 243 Surgical deaths 3 Medical deaths 24, 27 G. HotTEN. OHONDORPURA DISTalCT. 1'1 The people which sat in darkness saw great Light, and to them which eat in the region and shadow of death Light is sprung up." Math. 4, 16. tnto these words of the prophet we may put all our during the past year. ~~perienceb People who are in darkness without light, those who sit in the region and the shadow of death without hope of life, are in a. very sad and critical condition, and now the Chrisliia. Ohurch has to face this very fact that those who are with. out Christ are in the dark, but not only that, they are darkness itself. This is still the deplorable couditiol, of many people, who are to be oared for, thought of, and pra.y~d for with compassion.

27 20 '1'HE SA~TAL ~1t\BIOko~ THE NoatB:ER!i CHURCHES. We are thankful to the Lord that we have the great assurance and blessed experience that when the Gospel comes to a people, light comes, when it comes to any place, when it comes to any soul, it makes day there. It has been Our privilege to see the great Morning Light of the Gospel dawning upon many who U Bat in darkness." Congregational Work..AB far as the staff is concerned we have in the work 2 pas torr and 10 elders, the same number as last year. In September we had a Bible Course for all the workers in Sultanabad and Chondorpur& Districts. About 40 elders, pastors and some teachers were gathered here in Chondorpnra for two week!!!. The Lord drew nigh unto UB and the Holy Spirit worked with grea.t power and conviction in the hearts. This couree hal! been of great help and blessing, not only to the staff, but to the oongregatiodb as well. 'fpe r~l and lasting result!!! of the course, we believe, the Eternal Morning shall reveal. The Baptisms of the year are as tollows! Villages Ohild-ren of OI"ri,h'af1, jj'.rorn lleathplt Pa'l'em6 : Choudorpnra Amgachi 4 22 Gadiapani 0 2~ Ranga ~ 13 Cirapathor 1 11 T&l'ui Total 30 Total l46 COllnrmed: 37

28 SIXTY NINTH.ANNUAL :REPoRT. The total number of Christians from the whole district is: Village Sohools. Chondorpura Dungal Gadiapani Range. Cirapathor Tarni Bhalukcna Average Attendance: Total 189 We have in the school work 10 teachers, and the fina.l examination for the yea.r, for all the schools in the district. showed that teachers as well as pupils had done a satisfactory work during the past year. We believe that the school work is a 'Very great lac tor in the evangelistic work in our district. It hp,s opened homeli II.nd villages for the preaching of the Gospel. a.nd thus illl of no small importance in 8ucce8sful evangelism. The congrega.. tional and evangelistic work is progressing. As a step forwa.rd in the system of sel sn pport, Wi:! ate! trying to make the congl'egations u nder!tand the i~portance of building their own churches and maintain the same, but that is a most difficult taak. However in Amgachi the people ha'\t8 erected theil' own church t.his year, without any economic help from the mission. In l~a.ngli the Christian9 are building a. new Church at their.. own expenses. The old Church in Ranga is too sma.ll, and it is necessary for them to get a new and bigger one.

29 ;,.! 22 'l'he SANTAL M(SSION OF. THE NORTHERN CHURCHES. We have been out on 3 camping tours in the past year. During that time 210 villages were visited. Wherever we go the people gather and listen to the everlasting Word of the Cross. That there is a spiritual awakening amongst the heat hen IS evident. May God help us to use the golden opportunities and prea.ch the Gospel of Sal vation to burdened and sinful men before the sun sets and the day is over, before the opportunities pass and time is no more! The old year is passing, a new year IS commencing, but the same Lord who gave help and victory to His own redeemed Church in the pa.st shall be with us until the battle is fonght and the victory won. In closing we want to express our sincere and heartfelt thanke to all who have been with UIS in prayer during the put year. May the Lord bless yott alii WILLIAM GLAn SAtbOHA t~plhi botany AN)) btstric1. ~ha oolony has been overcrowded tbrou~hout the Y88.r, no dttuhlj due:to the fa.mine-like oonditio~ of moist parts of the tx)ntry ~atl.sed by the failure n! ~rops. In such times the lepers "toe the first to be turned out from their home, and unable to go to ot11e1' pro'v'inces for work, as healthy people do, they aeek refttge here. tntortnnately our limited funds did not permit. DB to take in as many "88 applied for admission. Formerly- the lack of accomojation was the deciding factor, but the end of the year saw the completion of oar Boys'

30 SIXTY NINTH ANNUAL REPORT. 28 Home, constructed by our leper mistriea and boys themselves, with room for 30 boys, and we hope to find means to care for so many more adult lepers. It is so much more difficult to send away patients from here, as many of the out-door clinics, to which we used to transfer them, have stopped functioning for economical and other reasons. The medical work has been carried on faithfully by Dr. Gupta and his staff, and many patients have been given new strength. The pain of many has been relieved, who may not have responded so well to the treatment of the disease. It is great encouragement to see more and more of the former inmates, who are discharged from here as "arrested" cases, come back for examination and to find them still holding their own. Also the spiritual work has given us much encouragement. The Annual District convention for Chondorpora, Basetkundi and Saldoha was held this year in the colony and very well attended, at! well as those from the Gutside as by the patieljts, for whom it was a gre~-\t experience to see snch a big gathering of Ohristians. Also many from the nearest villages were present, and since then we have ha.d more inquirers in the district than we haye experienced for a. number of years. On tle whole there are distinct signs of the heathen society breaking up in the neal' villages, some '? them joining the-in recent years often mentioned "Sadhu Ulovemellt," though not very whole-hearted all of them, others have come stra.ight to us for help, and others agaill are still standing at the eross-way roads. This as well as our well attended ch urch services makes it evident that God's Spirit is at work. May we be found ready to go forward, where he leads us! 15 Heathens were ba.ptised In the colony and 20 in the district. V. BAGGJ;R.

31 24 THE SANTAL MISSION OF THm NORTHERN CHU&CHJll&. MOHULPAHARI WITH TILA.BANI AND KARIKADOR. We entered the year 1935 under the tltrong impression that the Christians in this area were few and needed enourage. ment and something very definite to give expression to the joy and fellowship we have in the f~ith. They were there fore invited to meet on New Year's day for open air meeting here in the Mohulpahari compound. And on Easter day we again had such a. meeting under the mango trees in the Tilaba.ni compound. Both meetings were well attended and in that way they gave a testimony for the masses around, be sides warming the hearts of the believers. As a whole the year has been one with the very bel't opportunities of serving the Lord. Not much of open enmity anywhere, but people willing to listen to the word of God. The greatest enemy appears to be poverty. The souls are tied down with cares for the bare existence, and this fact hinders the message of the missionary or preacher whoever it may be, because he has had his daily meal, while they go hungry. During the first months of the year we held several public meetings out in heathen villages, sending a massage in advance to their chief saying that on such a da.te we were coming. A band of youth from Ambajora. village joined in several of these meetings and sang Santali songs, and some times I got the im pression that the villagers were more interested in that band than in the speakers. Since the rains the pastor has used Sunday a.fternoon to train this band, 80 that in the coming dry season we ~ hall be bet~r ~u~litled for village work..

32 SIXTY NINTH ANNUAL REPORT. 25 In the Tilabani-Lotabani.Bagjobda. area also the year has been one of many opportunities. This may also be said about the Karikador area, though I have to mention that a Governmel.lt lioensed liquor shop has been opened very close to the compcund. We have had anum ber of enq uirers all over the field; but 88 so many are in straightened ciroumstanoes very special care has to be taken before they are baptized. The total number of baptisms a.mount only to 17 ohildren of Christian parents and 16 from the heathen; in all 33. But we have several under instruction at the close of the year. In order to illustrate bow feeble the ray of faith may be the foiiowing inoident may serve: When one of the new enquirers was entering the Karikador compound for churoh services on Christmas day, he was met by a big snake, head high and ready to oharge him. However, he was not bitten; he fended the snake off with his cloth. But the elder telling this to me added: "Now we shall Bee whether he has been frightened away from the way of faith or not." The monthly retut."ds for the year show a greater regularity in church attendance as well as increase in numbers. A church is under construction in Lokhonpur village in the Mohulpahari area. But the most encouraging sign of the year has been the influx of ohildren to OIU schools. Especially at Karikador, but also at Tilabani and Ambajora, has good work been done in the village schools. The work in the school here in the Mohulpahari compound has been enoouraging. All signs point to an added interest and a new day, clearly showing that the heathen population around is being moulded for a new time. For some years to come it may well be that the N&ol i

33 26 THE SANTAL MISSION OF THE NO&THERN CHURCHES. line of ~dva:nce is through village schools and the develdping of an upper primary school in the compound The children have taken much interest in the school, which has been housed in the building previously used for in-patients. The work at the dispensary has been carried OD by the compounders, and their record shows 5194 entries for the year. It i'3 a disappointment to us that Dr. Ostergaard is not back at Benagaria, as we bad hoped that he would have started a weekly consultation day at this dispensary and thus effective. ly,linked it to the Benagaria hospita.l. Tbe written word has been more my task this year than at any time before. Tbe ~it. Comm. has seed through the press during the year reprints of the Bible History, Church Rituals, Santa.l Songs, 50 New Songs, a completion of the second edition of KulHi Puthi, starting the new and revised edition of the Bible History with picture~, and also the printing of Thu')s book on Galatian8. At the request of the San tali Literature Board a sbort biography of Skrefsrud was completed in manuscript just before the close of the year. The Santali paper "Pera HQr" reached a circulation of 1280 during the year. Lather's 95 theses were published in "Pera H9f," and at the same time some copies were struck o.ff for a separate issue. "To the King Eternal, Immortal, Invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever: Amen." J. GAUSDAL.

34 SIXTY NINTH ANNUAL REPORT. 27 DUMKA DISTRICT. (For Particulars see statistics). 'l'!m work has been going on along the usual lines. I am very thankful to Pastor Andreas for his good and fa.ithful work, both in the congregations (In Dumka, Rallga and Dum) and in the villages amongst the heathens. The work that I now and then find time to do in the neighbollring villages and in the congregations is, to put it mildly, very inadequate. The office-work ties me to the desk most of the time I am here in Dumka. I must often be absent on tours. Therefore it is of great vaille to have a man like Alldreas here. He assures continuity in the mission and congregational work in the Dumka district. He has a very good assistant in Raska, the headman of Kusum, a village near Dumka.. Ra.ska's brother Cunu, with his helper Kandna, has heen carrying on the school work so well, that the house is now too small to accomodate the pupils.. Good work is also being done in the school at Dum by Nikodem and his wife. Dum is one of our mission stations and centres. The leader Simon, and his wife Aeno, are working there aithflllly and diligently as heretofore. Simon has as helper a. young man named Anpa, elected Elder by the congregation there. Perhaps Dum and vicinity is the most encouraging area. of the Dllmka mission district. 1:ta.nga to the west is not very encouraging, but the time may come when it may beoome so. Nonda is doing his best, and it is not in vain, even if no signs of fruit are visible. NOllda'a 'helper is the old worker and village headman Singrai.

35 28 THE SANTAL MISsioN OF THE NO&THER~ CHU&OHils. In a village Cukapani about 5 miles to the east of Dumka there were no Christians only a years ago. Now there are 2 families. The villagers there are very eager to have their boys taught to read and write. It came about in this way. The headman got himself hope'lesly into debt. He understood that this was partly due to his spending too much on strong drink and partly to his being stupid. He saw that the oncoming generation might benefit from education, in fact would go to the wall if they did not get it. That is what hundreds and hundreds of plain and simple heathen Santals are feeling---nay, I should have said thousands. It has been mentioned in previous reports about this new understanding of the 8aIitals that in their struggle for existence they Deed education. With a substantial contribution from Miss Sigurdsen, and additional contributions from the villagers themselves, timber from the cqmpound here and some contributions from here and there, a school building is now being erected in Cukapani. The teacher has already begun his work in a cowshed belonging to one of the Christian families. There is something very encouraging in school work in these days all over our mission field. Before closing this report on Dumka district I must men tion the work done by the Bible Women. Besides Simoll's wife there are 3 more. They have been doing a qniet but important work visiting sick people, talking with heathen women and children, instrncting women for baptism and such like work. R. RoSENLUND.

36 SIXTY NiNTH ANN-UAt REPok'i. 29 BENGALI WORK IN DUMKA. Daniel Jha has continued his good and faithflll work as nsual. The new feature in the work here in Dumka and vicinity among the Non-Santals has been the transferring of Pastor.. Dhononjoy Jha from Maharo to Dumka. Assisted by his wife Dhononjoy pastor has done a very able and good work. The work has been considerably strengthened. Dhononjoy is Daniel's nncle and they are working harmoniously together. Especially in Dumka bazar have they gotten in touch with some people whom we had previously not been a.ble to reach. Some of them have been baptized. We are thankful that this work is so promising and that the workers are doing their work so faithfully. R. ROSENLUND. Koro,.. KOROYA AND MAJDIHA. Mrs. Nielsen went to Denmark on furlough in February 19'J5, aud I was ple~ced here. I have tried, as far as a new midsionary is able, to carryon the work as done in the previous years, in the Orphanage and the villages. It has been such a joy to go out in the district with our pastor Khudia and the 2 Bible Women, Kolean and Martha. The doors are open everywhere; people ask us to visit them and they usually listen eagerly to the message. 25 heathens have been baptiled. Raesen and family from Guih.juri bave asked for

37 30 THE SANTAL MI'SSION or THE NOBTH'EttN CHURCHES. baptism. They have been instructed more than half a year. There are, however, serious difficulties with them, and their baptism has had to 'be postponed. We do pray the Lord that He will help them through so that they soon may be 'admitted into tbechristian community. The young man that in 193~ joined our Church from the Roman Oatholics, died here in Koroya in the middle of February. In Rajba.nd we have gotten a land for a building site for a church. It is in a beautiful place surrounded by rocks and trees. On October 24th our pastor and the Christians there measured the ground and started the digging. We are looking forward to days of continued blessing in Rajband. Once a. month I 'am bavinlz women's meetings tbere. At the beginning of this year one of our orphaus, Solma Mnrmu, 13 years old, died She had attended Maharo Girls' School for a year. She was a fine girl, and we miss her very much. In the hot season we had some cases of chicken-pox amongst our children but with exception of these, there ha.s been no serious illness. On the whole we must say the children beha.ve well and do their small tasks to the best of their ability. Hupi Marmu 'Was married. The 2 children that came,here temporarily in 1934" were taken home by their fa.ther, but the girl has later been brought back to us. We have 4 new children. In 'the Orphauage we have 36 children now. The nurse, M"njh,n, has the responsibility of the dispensary and is helping many people. When needed she also goes to the villages. }latue AASLAND.

38 81XTJ NINTH ANNUAL lteport. Karoya Sohool. We have had some changes in the staff of the school this year. One teacher went in for training, and one was transferred to Assam. In the bot season the old teacher Bangi got in and was pensioned. She has worked in the mission all her Efe, so Rhe deserved a rest. Three young teachers joined the staff and have done faithful work and been a great help during the time, when the headmaster Bhonde and his wife were serioualy ill. God has been near to us in the work Ilnd helped us through all the illness. The spirit in the school has been good. Many heathen boys ha ve come to school, some from quite a distance, and most of them have listened to the gospel with open hearts. DDe boy was baptised, and some bave decided to become Christians, but are not allowed by their parents to be ba.ptised. The sudden death of one of the heathen boys made a deep impression on the whole school. Total enrollment was 89 and average attendance 62. For the annual examina tion 87 appeared and 56 passed. Of these 7 were moved to Ka rabani and Maharo schools. Majdiha. The same elders have continued work in the district. Many have listened to the Word of God, and four families totalling 21 persolls, have been baptised. Ten of these were the elder brothers uf the teacher Dnlu with their families and their sister. Their mother died as a heathen, and after that they all decided to become Christians and were instruoted for baptism. The attendance at the school has been a. little lower than the year before, but the pnpils in the higher classes have done better work, and the boys in the top class passed the examination and have gone to boarding school. One of these boys was baptised a.s the first Christian of his famili.

39 S~ THE SANTAL MISSION OF THE NORTHERN CHURCHES. SiliDgi. The tee.cher Barsa has continued his work at the small school and also preached in the villages and gathered the few Christians for Sunday services in the courtyard. His former pnpil, also named Barsa, who has been in boarding sohool for two years, was baptised during the Christmas holiday at a service in the village. He is the first fruit of the Christian school there. Looking back over the year we thank the Lord, "for He is good, and His mercy endureth for ever," and we thank all our friends, who have strengthened us with their prayers during the past time. ERIKA LOWE. MABARO GIRLS' MIDDLE VERNACULAR AND TRAINING SCHOOL. Miss Dieseu went home on furlough in the beginning of the year, and I was given charge here during her leave of absenoe. I have tried to carryon the work according to the roles and the spirit of the place. We had 227 pupils on the roll at the beginning of the year and 206 at the close. Twelve girls sat for the M. V. exa.mination; 6 passed, one of them with distinction in arith metic. We prepared one girl privately for the M. E. examination. Mr. Girtz and the headmaster of Kaerabani sohool ~~mi~e4 ber vapers, and they passed her with ~uite gooq

40 SIX'l;'Y NINTH ANNUAL REPORT. s.s marks. She has been admitted to olass VIII of the C. M. S. High Sohool, Deoghar. The result In the L. P. and U. P. school examinations was quite good. In the training class we had 16 pupils the whole year. They were in the.first year training class. This is the fourth set of papils to take the two-year course. It haij been a great pleasure to teach soripture in the class. A good spirit prevailed, and it felt it easy to talk with them about our Heavenly Father and our Lord and Saviour. Twenty-one girls were confirmed in November. To prepare for their confirmation they gathered once a week. We felt that God was near those afternoon hours we were together; and I believe that as I myself with joy remembel' those hours in the prayer room, so will also they. Dllring the year we have had several cases of typhoid and pneumonia, some cf them very sevare. One of our small girls, Phulmuni HasdaK, died in the Dumka. horpital. In the rainy season we had many cases of dysentery, but no fa.tal cases. While the girls have generally been of good health, there has nevertheless been many an-xioas hours on aocount of illness. We are very happy about the new hospital we got this year. Miss Lohne and the nurse are very thankful that they now have a clean and sanitary place to care for their patients. We had Melas in March and N ovemberj which netted us Rs. 225/-. This money has been contributed to the fund with which we are to build a new houae for teachers. In November Mr. Blackeney conducted meetings both in the school and in the congregation. The Lord u~ed him anq. he was a great blessing to u~. ~

41 8ft THE SANTAL' MIS&ION OF THE NOR.THERN CHURCHES. Every Sunday morning Rome of the teachers and big girll gathered in our prayer room for Bible reading and prayer The teachers met once a week for Bible study and prayer The girls have been divided into three groups for Sunds] a.fternoon meetings. Thus each group would meet every third Sunday. The training class girls have been in charge of OUr Sunday school for village children. They have had 35 on the roll I am very thankful to our teachers for their faithful work throughout the year. They have becn a great help to me as co-workers and friends. Miss Lohne has done a good work in supervising the bostels. With 200 inmates of all sizes and ages, this is B big task, and requires mnch time and patience. Now and then some sad thing happens. And it happeljed this year too. At such a time we feel our helple&sness and how little we can do in our own strength. But then God showed us who is leading the work, and how wonderfully He, who is the Leader, ~n change sorrow into joy and specially bless us in the ti m e of sadness. This year about 30 from the heathens have been baptised. We have 'bad weekly meetings for women and also for men. Two times the congregation gathered for convention. t In looking back on the year we feel that onr first tha.nks are due to our Heavenly Fa.ther for Hi~ wonderful guidaiicii and loving care for DS. And we wish to thank all who ha.ve been remembering us in their prayers and who with their Jift8 have been helping us to carryon the work. M. BUTTEDAHL.

42 SIXTY NINTH ANNUAL REPORT. DHOROMPUR DISTRICT. 3S When we are looking back on the year that passed, we have no encouraging statistics to show forth. N everthelesb we are feeling that the Lord is working amongst us. It is more like spring time than harvest. Only two have joined the Christian ranks. But people are listening. In Bome places often they have asked us to come to sing and preach to them. As to the congregation the attendance at the meetings have been fairly good. We have a Y. M. C. A. and a Sunday school, and it is our hope that through the young ones a new time will set in. The most depressing thing in our district now is the school work. One village school we thought better to close for a time. It is the school in Balka.. There is only one Christia.n family Bnd the others don 't care much to send their children to school. On another place the heathens have done what was in their might to hinder the school work. In another place however they have asked us to build a school and send t'hem a teacher tiond that will be done. We have two new elders and are hoping to get more workers especially on the other side of the hills. The attempt to get & new chorch in Amgachi has f;tiled and now instead we will try to cono~ntrate arround smaller center~ out in the wide district, where we shall build small houses where we may put up when we ara camping, and, where we eventually may put au elder. We have to struggle against the rulers of the darkness of this world, but by God's help and by His pl'omises we know He will give us victory. P. PEDERSEN.

43 36 THE SANTAL MISSION OF THE NORtHERN CHURCHES. KAERABANI MISSION. Rev. & Mrs. M. A. Pederson lefh Kaerabani in Feb. of this year, after 30 years work in the service of the Santal M.ission. It was hard to part with these old friends and veteran workers. There were many present to bid them good. bye, and many who miss them. God bless their memory in our midst, and reward them for their labours of love. Their's was a rich and eventful ministry. They are reckolled among our pioneers. The work has then been carried on by the usual workers. One new elder Bhogon Murmu, a graduute of the Divinity School came to 'Work in Babhondia. Suphol Hembrom bas been in Dhobona some months. but has not been able to work on account of illness. He was transferred from Dhorompur. There has been 8. constant stir amongst the people, and we feel that the Spirit of God has been abl'oad in the land add calling upon the people. All indications seem to affirm that there is a seeking after some new and satisfying way of life. There were 62 baptized from the heathen. 37 were, confirmed, which number includes a class of 20 school boys. In November Rev. O. S. Bjerkestl'and add {dornily came here. We were very happy to welcome them and see them installed in this new field. May God rich ly bless them. and may the awakening, which seems to be evidenced ill the district, continne, and may many come to know our God and Saviour. The compound and village schools have been about as usual. Six schools with 1m in average a.ttendance is reported. MADEL & J. M. GIRT?.

44 SIXTY' NiNTH ANNUAL REPORT. KAERABANI MIDDLE ENGLISH AND ELEMENTARY TRAINING SCHOOL. We have again had a disturbed year, on account of a great deal of illness. Cholera, typhoid fever and small pox have been epidemic arroand us. There were some cases also in onr midst. Measles, mumps and chicken-pox were very bad amongst the boys. We had about a dozen cases of epidemic dropsy. There were 3 boys who died, and one teacher had to leave after the summer vacation on account of T. B. He is very ill at present. We have further laboured under one of the hea,viest enrollments we have had. There were 3~5 enrolled, and 270 in our boarding hostels, when the enrollment was at its height. Eighteen boys passed the M. S. C. examination in Dec. 1935, and 6 boys passed the E. T. exam. last December. This result was not very satisfactory. More stress, we feel. should be placed upon the quality of the pupils, rather than on quantity. We were happy to welcome Hellands back here on Christmas day. God grant them a fruitfull and a happy service here a.t Kael'8.bani. We express our thanka to all the fr:ends and supporters of the school, and to Government for their grants to school and hostel. MABEL & J. M. GIRTi.

45 38 THE SANTAL. MISSION or THE. NORTBERlf CHURCHES. NARA.INPUR AND MALDA BENGALI WORK. Of the 73 baptisms during 1935 the 7 were ehildren of Christians; 4 were Santals ( at Rampurhat), while 3 (in M.alda) were of mixed Santhali-Bengali origin. 2 only came frotq Islam (at Saldoha and at Benagaria), the rest from Hindnism. 49 of the baptisms occurred in MaIda and 24 in the area under Narainpur in "the old country." Our workers were: one pastor, five preacher9, and one Biblewoma.n, plus one la.dy teacher and a "matron" for the girls' boarding. 4 young "pupils," are preparing to become preachers, while working as teachers. They took some part in evangelistic activities and also received some allowance from the mission. In the reports of the work about 293 villages or U hamlets" are mentioned, where the gospel was preached during the year. Four stations, besides Cooch Beha.r, we regard as the indispensable minimum for Bengali work in our m,ission field. We still have onlj the one at Narainpur. The Church Council held two meetings during the year a.nd its Executive one. The usual general meeting of the congregation was held at the beginning of the month of January. New joint rules for our workers and those in Cooch Behar were enforced at the beginning of the year. The failure of the harvest in 1935 made its depressing influence felt also on our workers and the congregations, perhaps more do a.t Narainpur, where the preacher was to live on the prodoce of the land only, which this year means les8 than nothing. So that is a very disappointing beginning of self lupport.

46 SIXTY NINTH ANNUAL REPORT. Oonsiderable sums had to be spent on repairs and imprqveroents both at Narainpur, Rampurhat, 'Nalhnti and Pathra, to which, last named place the preacher had to be moved front Tila.bani, where he could no longer be allowed to stay. In MaIda. a new church Was dejicated in Mohinagor on the 20 Jan. It was erected entji~ly by the local congregation. The same applies to the primitive Sorenpara church, which was moved to Deotola and re,dedica.ted there. And also to a shed at Owart which was dedicated to serve as a temporary churoh there. The new congregation at Heatpur began to build their church in the last month of the year. The Benga.li congregation at Benagaria acquired 7 bighas of land as a beginning towards supporting their preacher. Of the four young "pupils" Subodon came very near to finishing the third of our 4 examinations. Of the a in Ma.Ida Ruel has passed his second exam. aud will I,'om now on cease his school work and be able to do more eyallgelistic work. The two brothers Paulus and Silas are still working at their first exam. A n\llnoer of people are now asking for instruction and preparation for baptism, so we greatly feel the need of more workers, particularly in MaIda, where our teaching of the new converts so far is extremely inadequate and most unsatisfactory, so that more attention to the work there than we can afford from N arainpur is urgently needed. In order to make some amends for these deficiencies we invited some of the imperfectly taught converts to attend a course for a month at Narainpur at the end of the rains and felt encouraged to repeat that in future. A.. sa.d incident it was that three families turned Roma.n Catholics, hoping thereby to gain monetary reward. ThaI see~ to feel disappointed already.

47 40 THE SAN TAL MISSION all' THE NORTHERN CHURCHES. Our monthly paper Ron.go Bonilh'U this year was printed at a. Bengali Press nt Nalhati. They also pt inted for us a Bengali translation of the Augsburg Confession, whioh is intended a.s a help for our Christians against the intensive Roman Oatbolio propaganda. Further they printed for us a. traot for Moslems &bout the Bible &nd one on the Lord's Sapper, while a tract on the conversion of Luther was printed and published by Mr. Oansick is included in his Bengali tract Depot. Mrs. Kampp after recovering from prolonged illness looked after our women., and their work at Narainpur. One visible result WJ,S a. successflll " mela" or sale in December with the purpose of increasing congregation collections for the and the work depending on same. The girls' school at Narainpnr, including the boarding was in her charge and improved its standard of teaching during the year. On her fell also the main burden of dispensing medicine. The list of patients is somewhat shorter than last yea.r, the number of new patients not quite reaching a. thousand. Abon t 43 ears were cleaned many times and healt!d aud some 76 teeth extracted. H. P. H. K.uJPP.. DIN AJPO R-MALDA-RAJSHAHI. At a worker's meeting in Narainpur in October we discus sed the possibility of ~etting a new pastor for a part of the large field. In Rajshahi mission district we have no pastor (a, r"d~rs will reqlemb~j' from last report). Simeon pastor

48 SIXTY NINTH ANNUAL REPORT. is supervising the work there and in Maida. There is a long way from him to Jalpa pastor and Kunjal pastor in the East and to Mongol pastor in the North.. The congregations sitaated in "the middle,. eqaally far away from these 4 pastors are not helped and looked after as they want or oaght to be. Again this time we heard complaints from Bome congregations tha.t had been without Holy Communion for a yea~ or more. The pastors are not to blame. They are too few for the area. Besides that Jalpa pastor has had much sick. ness to combat with, and the big boarding school needs his help and supervision. Here is another problem, the school has developed 80 that it is now too big for our means and powers. A new pastor in Rajshabi (which is the South Western part of the field) would relieve Simeon 80 that he could do more work in the Middle area. But we feel that such a plan uuder present circnmstances will have to be postponed for some time. In North MaIda it would be a great help to have a pastor. He could from there visit the hitherto lonely and out.ofothe-way congregations. In December I did Borne toa ring in Rajshahi and MaIda. And there I had an opportunity of getting an impression of the man whom they had advised us to ordain for work in North MaIda. Barnabas is his name, he has completed our Divinity School Course. A man sent over from "the old country" (Santal Parganas) will have a hard time for a couple of years. He and his family will not be able to "rest the water of MaIda" (it is always the drinking water they lay the blame on when they cannot stand the climate). And also mentally he will have to readjust himself, as the people in these parts are Bom~ what different from the Santals in. the old countrl. ()

49 4s2 THE SANTAL _MISSION 011' THE NORTHERN CHURCHES. Could we get a man of their own ordained then there would be no trouble about the water. And he would know hib people and they would know him. But then here is also a problem. Having returned from MaIda I got a letter of "grievance in general" protesting against B8.1'Ilabas being ordained. They do not blame him for anything especia.lly, but just in general I hope that this is only the very common and very childish. expression of something like envy. "Who is he P Why shonld he be of suoh importanee P We know him, he is one of ani's. We are equally important all of us." I have seen so much of this nearly every time we have been considering the appointment of a new pastor. But it is quite natural and not half so bad 8.S Let us ta.ke good time to consider. it looked. At present an official letter is being written and signed by the local congregation and the pastors and "elders" COD cerning the eventual ordaining of Barnabas. My impression is that he is very well suited for the work and that is ",but the pastors and workers say. But we shall have to be careful. In spite of this special difficulty and other difficulties the mission work and the work in the congregatjons is progressing. The conditions are the same as when the previous report was written. (:Particulars to be found in the statistics). R. ROSENLUND.

50 SIXTY NINTH ANNUAL REPORT. COOCH BEHAR. At the close of the year 1935, we find the conditions very much the same as at the close of the previous year. The poverty and lack of adaptability of the people around in the District as well as in the Towns, has an unhealthy influence, not only physically, but morally and spiritually as well. 1 t is a sad fact, that instead of an expected revival and progress in the work, there bas been some disappointing misconduct among the few Christians, which bas rather hampel'ed tbe slow progress of the work. There has also been sickness both among the Indians and missionaries, which has put a gloom over the field. Mrs. Brandt Buffered much from eye-trouble and headache and the doctor thought the 'only sure remedy would be to return to Sweden, but thanks be to God who works wonders, she has been enabled to stay on and has increased in strength according to His promises. Miss JaPanson's case has taken a more serions turn. At times she seemed improved, but an X-ray revealed that she needed another major operation. After her continued trouble it has been considered necessary for ber to return to Sweden at once for the op~ration and necessary rest. May God's will be done, and we hope that her return will be possible in due time. Our Headmaster of the H E. School has gone to Dacca for a B. 1'. course and we hope that bis return after 10 months will be an advantage to the school. In his absence the Asst. H. M. is officiating, and Mr. B. K. Dutta from Kaerabani, of our own Minjon, is working as Asst. H. M.

51 44 THE SANTAL MISSION 011' TH~ NORTHERN CHURCih":S. Weare very pleased with him as 8 teacher. Christian and efficient The pupils of the school continue to increase, so that at the end of the year, we had 322 boys on the roll against 281 of the previous year. The increase of children means also greater work and responsibility and we hope that by the grace of God Our efforts shall not be without fruit to the glory of God. Some land has been acquired from the State in the town for the Indian workers, and two good houses have nearly been completed at the end of the year. It is hoped that this shall prove a blessing to the occupants, as it is the first property of this kind in C. B. that the Mission has been able to procure. We thank God for His abundant grace throughout the year:' We shall" during the coming year, keep on sowing the good seed of' the Kingdom. There has only been one baptism after conversion during the year and the confirmation of 3 young people.' The statis' tics are as follows: Elders 7 Biblewomen 2. Teachers 16. Matron 1. Avera~e Church attendance 65. Baptism 1. Total Christianl!l 127. A. W. BRANDT.

52 SIXTY NINTH ANNUAL REPORT. SANTAL COLONY, ASSAM. When we look back upon the work during 1935, we cannot but say tha.t the" Lord has been with us. It has not been a year of ease; it seems rather that the conflict between light a.nd darkness has become sharper than ever before. Thus people are oompelled to take sides either for or againlit Christianity. Many have a wakened and become warm-hearted Christians. The Roman Catholics are trying their best to gather in our people, but so far they have not been able to make much h~adway. \Ve had a good harvest last year, and it seems as though the people are in better circumstances than before. 'Most of the government land revenue has been paid up; better here than outside the colony. Some have also paid pack on fund. So conditions are improved. their debts In the loan The work in the congregations is being continued as before. All the elders and Bible-women are volunteer workers, getting no renumeration except a small gift of cloth at Christmas time. This amounts to about a. Rupee for each. We have, however, one paid elder who helpa Ratia pastor in Haraputa congregation. The four pastors and this elder are all paid by the local congregations. Some of the fallen Christians ha e been restored to membership, and that has given us much joy. There has been progress in the amount of self-support. More has been contributed this year than last. There are five village, schools. 'Ve could wish that they were doing better. Four of them are quite good, but the one in Tilabani goes poorly. \Ve are fortunate in getting & grant from the looal board; Re. 6/- per month for each school, and for &hii we are thankflll. 'rhe balance of the expense is paid

53 " THE SANTAL MfSSION 01' THE NORTHERN CHURCHES. by the mission. It is encouraging to see that in some of the villages they have started schools by themselves. They pay the teachers in rioe. We ha.ve Sunday schools in all the congrega.tions. They giv.a us IDlloh joy. There is a spirit of hopefulne88 over the work among the young people here in the colony. We have been very happy about the new school that they have started near Basbari Station, where some fallen Christia.ns are living. They have also built a nice little church, and m&ny are a.gain seeking admission into the fold. This work ;8 outside the colony, about l8 miles from Graham pur. Work is also continued in Rampnr. The pastors in the colony visit those places. The Grahampur boys' boarding school is alao growing. In.1934 we had about 100 pupils, hut this year we have had If>O. Four were sent to Dbubri for the government M. E. exam. and S of them passed in the 2nd division. Four boys were Bent up this year albo. We hope they have passed. Next yea.r we hope the number will be increased. There a.re many good boys in the lower classes of tbe proper ages, 80 things look more hopeful than heretofore. Surai, a colony boy, who has beenreading in Krisbnagore, passed' the matric. exa.m. in the first division. Perhaps we shall send him to college, 80 tbat he may read OD. The teachers are the same, except that Surai has helped out a bit. Tbe condition of the loan fund has improved. We have Dot given any loans the past year, but that is very difficult. W 8 hope tha.t if things begin to improve that we shall be.,ble to ma.ke IOamJ apia.

54 SIXTY NINTH ANNUAL RBPO&T. There have been more scholars in the compound dayschool than last year. There has he en much progret;s in tha sewing classes, which are held on Fridays. As a whole there has been progress in the work here in the colony. There is much to be happy about, for which to thank God. We shall continue the work in the new year with the assura.nce that He who called us into the work will stand by our side. K. O.ll'STAD. MORNA! TEA ESTATE. From a statistical point of view we cannot say that this yelir shows much progress in the work. But the Spirit has been at work in our midst, and we have hopes that the seed which has been sown shall bear fruit unto eternal life. The congregational workers are the same as last year. Some of them, we feel have grown in their Christian life and it has brought us much spiritual blessing to meet with them for prayer and discussions of the problems and joys in the work. Two services have been conducted each Sunday i one in Mundari and the other in San tali. - Women's meetings, sewing classes and Sunday schools have been well attended. The school work is very encouraging. We have the same tea.chers as last year: P. Chakravarty, Sorkar Hembrom, and Sukhu Garo. They have been assisted in evening classes by Adhin Kandulna and Za.karia Surin. We are grateful fof Government aid for the school.

55 4S THE BANTAL MISSION -(1PTHE NORTHERN CHURCHES. The, general, health of the garden population has been good. Dr. Cbaikravarty and-the Compounder, Mr. Boruah are in charge of lhe m-edioal: work. -An, attempt has been made this year to isolate the lepers in the garden. Houses have been built for them away from the coolie lines and the patients are receiving regular treatment. The out turn of tea was less than last year, but prices have been better and a small profit will be realised also this year. Rev. & Mrs" :Mie returned from their leave in Denmark in November and have again taken up their work at Mornai. We wish to thank all the friends who have remembered this work in their prayers. o. S. BJERKXSTBAND. HARAP{)TA SCHOOL. The past year has been a quiet and good year for the 8Ohool work. The health has been unusually good both amongst teachers and children. Before the snmmer vacu.tion we had an epedemic of whooping cough, but none were seriodfl- 11 ill. The, number of pupils has been increasing during the year. Now at the close of it, we had au the roll 108. Of those '10 were~~de~~. The average dliily attendance has been Inspectors -sent by Government come now and then to ma,- ~4e soqoo. and. give advioe', They are also conducting

56 SIXTY NIN'l'H AN'Nl1A.t REPORT. 49 the primary scholarship examination. appeared last year, all passed. Of the five girls who Last year we had one ma.n and five women teachers. Two of them are only partly trained, the others are trained. Through Mr. Kampp we got as temporary help a teacher, Samuel Pundit. He ha.s worked in the Methodist Mission as e. preaoher, and is a well educated man. As the mission had to close down some work for lack of funds, he lost his job. From now on we will have one more class, and we are very thankful to get suoh a oapable Christian man 8S a belper- I am very thankful for our present staff. In the monthly teaohers' meeting it is a joy to feel the spirit of comradeship, and the keen interest for the sohool and childrens' welfare. The Sunday school has been regularly attended by an average number of 80 girls. The teachers and biggest school girls have been helping me teach in tile Suuday school classes. SOFIE NESSET. HARAPUTA DISTRICT. Once more I am permitted to glance the pages of an already closed book-the year 1935! Truly one more year of grace to render service among the Santals here. "My word shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it "--4enoe the hope that the manl 7

57 50 THE SAST.iL. MISSION OF THE> NORTHHN OHUROHES. women's meetings. in the villages. round aboot &redot~in vain. These meetings have been conduoted as forlul'ly,; gathering the women of the village usually on Friday morning to spend a little time in prayer, scripture reading and singing. The villa.ge Biblewomen are those who served Jaat. year. At our monthly meetings we have experienced real fellow. ship and concentration on this truly vital question: Am 11 the help in my w1lage God would have me be I I The Ha.ra.puta congregation has: in "oaput cagle,t rice offering for the year oonb-ibuted 2042 seers, and Rs In the confirmation olasses for girls' here and in Manja dabri we have this year an enrollment of 100 > girls' inoluding those who are being instructed for baptism. A wc:m.derfnl opportunity! A blessed privilege! In Dr. Pedersen the Lord has answered our many pra.yers for medical help here in ~-ii3sil.111, and thereby pla:eing~ my former responsibility for the medioal work in more competent h&nds. In my village service I have the opportunity to be what a San tal one day said in speaking of me: "The Miss Saheb who gathers up girls for Haraputa sohool," and let me add, time without number I attempt to be the Miss Saheb who gathers in patients for the Dispensary. Will I be counted as orie who brings souls into the Kingdom P In all that I do, may Thy name be of hosts! glorified, 0 Lord DAGILlR MILLER..

58 SIX'PT NINTH ANNUAL REPORT. 51 ABSA)! M~DICAL WORK. TlJe :w;qrk 4as ~en progressing nicely. The number of patients is increasing steadily. The nnrse who had been with me since I oa,me, left this spring to be married, and I have had none since. Cu,nn~ the compounder at Graham pnr has retired on a pension. Our laok of fully tl'ainedcompounders made it ~ther hard to replace him. I h&d to send one to Grahampur who bad 'been with us only a little over a year. My most promising compqunq.er we ~ent to a larger dispensary and hospital for training. At present I have two. I have had to change rather frequently this year and consequently that ha.s made the work heavier. I have had to do most of the dispensing myself. The Mission purchased a motor car for use in the work here and it has been a great help. Last year I mentioned three special needs for our Medical work here in Assam. One was a better means of transportation, this we received when we got the motor car. But the other two are still in the future, a hospital and a leper colony. They are both Borely needed, for with the increasing number of patients we cannot do satisfactory work without them. We pray that these ne~ds also will soon be met. There have been 4984 patients this year. The other 8ta.tisti~s are about the same proportions as last year. We have had noepidemica. Cholera. was in the neighbourhood but -we.,a.ked for vaccination a.nd received it and so escaped. We wish to thank all our friends both here and at home for their prayers a.nd help. DAGMAR PEDERSEN,

59 52 THE SANTAL MISSION OF' THE ~ORTHERN CHUnCHES. JOEMA DISTRICT. II Tbe harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers a.re few." Math. 9, 37. This verse from the Bible sums up my experiences this last year, and brings out the facts of the spiritual condition of our Assam field in full relief. No one who gets his work in this part of the Lord's vineyard can escape being reminded of it over and over again. It applies to our Assam field as a whole, and even to the full, to the district, in which it has been my privilege and pleasure to work this past year. The possibilities are many and multifarious, but the labourers are too few to make use of them all. In a district like the Joema district, in extension equal to the whole of our field id the Santa I Parganas, there ought to be two district miasionaries, giving full time work a.mongst the Santals. But when thinking ot the above mentioned verse from the old book, it is net only the scarcity of European wo.,kers I am reminded of, but first and foremost the difficulty of getting Indian workers. Although the Christia.n Santal community in our Assam field is about as big as in the old field, we have not yet got any training school for tescbers, or Bible school for elders, institutions, which have been deemed necessary for the old field, and established there years ago. Bere the need is felt most keenly When a new school teacher or elder is necessary for the work in our district, we have to rummage and ran Rack the wljole of the Colony and Babre Hasa to find a. man who, somehow, call do the work, never thinking of the qualifications demanded in San tal Par ganas. This we have to do because "the harvest is plenteons, but the labourers few."

60 CODgr'latioDaI work. 8IXTY iuntli ANNUAL REPORT. In Maroh Paul Murmu was ordained, so now we have three pastors, which is a great help. Paul has charge of the congregations in the eastern part of the district, including the congregations in Kamrup and Darrang. Minghu and Ragds. have been working faithfully as formerly. Minghu has been of good health this last year, and has always accompanied me on camping tours. He is an outstanding Christian, a born leader, and a man that everybody respects. The number of baptisms this year is lower than last year, but several are under instruction for baptism, and it is a. grea.t joy to put on record that in the beginning of 1936, in two different places, south and east of Mokhnaguri, people are to be baptized, and new congregations to be founded. Two new churches have been dedicated during the year, one in Nagda1bari, and the other here at Joema. We are so glad again to have a church to gather in on Sundays; the old one burnt down in the spring of With regard to the number of Santal Christians in the district a few words of explanation are necessary. For several years people, moved out of the district or backslidden, have not been deducted in the statistics, and a good number of BQrQs, formerly going to ohurch here in Joema, t..re now counted together with the other BQl'Q Christians as belonging to Gaorang Mission. This year we have tried to count the Christians, and as the statisti.cb show, the number is (Salvo errore et omissio~e). The church collections this year bmount to Rs. 1,111/9/3, and keeping in mind that a great part of the offerings is rice, which still s~lls at a v~ry low price, the l'esult is very satisfactory indeed. It is almost 40 per cent of pastors' and elders' pal-

61 5' THE SANTAL MISSION 01' THE NORTHERN OHURCHBS. Educational work. The boarding school. for boys here,at Joe,ma. has given us mqoh joy. The number of boys in board ~t the close of the school for Christmas vacation was 61, which is a consider. able increase from last year. In fact, the space of the school building, boarding bouse etc. has been utilized to its limit. With regard to the work in the school, there is room for many improve. ments, but the teachers helve all, as far as they have been able, done a faithful work. In November one of our teachers was brought down with a severe attack of dysentery. He was right,atdeath's dotjr, but we are thankful now at the end of,the year to have him amongst us, fully recovered. The village schools are 12 iu number, but here the lack of trained teachel"s is felt "Iery keenly. Out of the whole staff of village teachers not one has any teacber's training. Neverth.lees, 80me have quite good schools. In other places the number of popils is low, and tbe inie~e8t amongst the people emall. In nearly every place where we have day. schools for children, we have evening,school; for growfl-np people, wbo are busy with tbeir work during the.day, and many make use' of this good opportunity to learu to read. A cholera epidemic raged in many \ places inside our di8trict this year, and quite a few of oor Christians fell victim to it..in Mokhnagnri not less tbaneight people dithi,.nd in ~~itbtri, the elder K,rtik and one of his childt'ed passed away. In closing J want to express my gratitude and thanks to au who.,ha-ve remembered us in prayer. I don't think I exasgerat.e when I say that I have felt the 8ust&iniug power of>: iatercessory prayer more this year - than &By other 1ear on the "Milston field.

62 SIXtT lhnt'r: Ul'NUtAL REPORT; A!wk lthereiore-, on behalf of us here in' Jaema.-,,Mid it sbal1be given ~ you. JOR. J01lABSIB. GAORANG. "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth labourers into his hl1i'vest:" Mat. 9, 38. This year it was difficult to gather our paddy in time because of many other duties in harvest time. This may be said of the spiritual harvest as well. The Lord has blessed the work and made the harvest rich. Bot the labow'm's are few BUd it is difficult to gather the harvest. So pray the Lonh to Bend labourers to gather His harvest. 412 B{>rQ8 have received holy baptism doring the year, among tlwre 202 from tile Heathen. The number of small BQpg chtrl'ches shows a.n increase of six, the total number now being 25. At several places, also in the neighbourhogd, of Gaorang, are people sitting in darkness longing for the light. 1- think there is a marked difference in the attitude of mady Hea.theos. Where they used to chase a way our pr.e&ehe1'8 or people who' wa.nted to listen, they are now listening to the good D&lftJ 8Dd &om some places they even s&ndfor, 8: preaoher. Nit&'rly 600' ~ are onder instruction for baptism, hat,it is very difticalt toidsil'uct them properly as the labourel"j Bore fe\v~ 4* &. big oonvention in MBol'oh O~f eldet." Sborerulro wa,~

63 58 THE SANTAL MISSION OP THE NORTHERN CHU CHIS. ordained, 80 we have now two pastors and both of them are good and useful helpers. We have 25 preaohers but we are in need of more as we have new Christians in several Villages without a leader. I had to dismiss two preaohers, but one of them might get his job again soon. Though there are the same number of pupils in the village schoold there are less schools as the farmers are hating a hard time and it is diffioult for them to pay their part of the teaoher's salary. It has been a bad year for the Roman Catholics. They had to close a church here in Gaorang and another one near onr church in Kharigaon. One of their leaders has joined onr Mission and he is now selling Bibles. Their.- most olever and dangerous man has stopped his propaganda and wants to join us. But the Catholios are still trying, thoogh at present less eagerly, to get hold of oor Christians. We are thankful that we were able to start building a bungalow for Miss Fischer, our new helper, after the rainy season, and we hope to finish it before the next rainy season. During the yea.r we got a revised and enlarged hymn book containing 240 hymns. The gospel according to St. Mark has been revised and sent to The British and Foreign Bible Society and is likely to be printed in 3000 copies. The gospel aooording to St. Luke is ready for the press, and the gospel according to St. John and St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans. have been translated, but not revised. Seleoted portions of the I Epistles for the Sunday services and Luther's small oatechism have been translated and printed. All the Mss. ha.ve been read to and discussed with all the preachers before being printed. It will be a day of great rejoioing when we get *_ -New T~stalPent in Bor9ni. We need a Bible Scbool for