letter I taught him to read, figure by figure I taught him arithmetic,

and then I drew him down upon his knees and word by word I taught him to pray.’”[74]

[Sidenote: Boys of West Africa.]

From the _Spirit of Missions_ we quote the following about the boys at Cape Mount, West Africa:--

“These people can be reached by Christianity best in their childhood, before superstitions, belief in the Gregre, or the influence of the life of a Mohammedan has become grafted into their lives. If allowed to grow up in their native villages they often become leaders of tribal wars, and, unknowingly, men of the vilest character. In one tribe from which several boys are at the mission, the mother tattoos curious marks on the forehead of her babe, in order that if during war he is captured and in after years she becomes able to redeem him from slavery, she may be able to recognize her own child. With the influence and training of a Christian mission, even though the boys go back to native life, they do not go back to all of its vileness, and one can soon distinguish between them and the un-Christianized heathen.”

It takes faith and hope and love and a vision far into the future to teach boys like these. But it pays, and the “bread cast on the waters” is often found again in most unlikely places, such as those described in a letter from Mr. W. C. Johnson of West Africa:--

“Everywhere I find in the village schools sources of Christian influence. In one village where I stayed all night, all of the boys and all but two of the women were Christians. This was entirely the work of Christian school boys. In another place a young man told me that there were only two young men in the community who were not trying to lead Christian lives. This too was the work of the Christian school boys.”

[Sidenote: A few months at school and what they accomplished.]

A little Mohammedan girl attended for a very few months the mission day school in a near-by city street. Her cruel step-mother persecuted her bitterly, throwing her school books on the floor and trampling them under foot to show her contempt of Christian learning. Some kind friend at the school gave the child forty cents,--unheard-of wealth to the little one,--and the missionary suggested that a teacher should help the child spend it for something she greatly needed before the mother could take it away. “No,” said the little girl, “I don’t want to spend it in that way. I want to give it all to the Lord and then I shall have treasure in heaven. I learned that at school.” She was married,--without any choice in the matter,--to a man who had known Christians and was favorable to them, and the little wife lived a consistent Christian life and died trusting in Christ as her Saviour.

Only a few months at school for a few hours of each day, but they made all the difference for time and for eternity! How many children are having such an opportunity because of us and our missionary society? How many are deprived of the opportunity because it is “not our business” to help them realize the truth of what was said in days of old,--“Wisdom is the principal thing, therefore get wisdom. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”

QUOTATIONS

EDUCATIONAL WORK IN SIAM

American missionaries were the pioneers in true educational work in Siam. They gave to Siam its first real school. They aided Siam in establishing the Government Educational system, and encouraged the Department of Education to establish normal training schools. They introduced the printing press into Siam, made the first Siamese type, and taught Siam the art of printing.

American missionaries gave Siam its first newspaper in the Siamese language, and gave the first Geography, Astronomy, Anatomy, and Physiology, Chemistry, Arithmetic, and Geometry in the Siamese language.

When the King of Siam made the first move for the establishment of a school system over Siam, he placed an American missionary at the head of the work. The present Minister of Education was at one time pupil of a missionary, later on he became fellow student of one of the missionaries in Sanscrit, and still consults the missionaries on educational questions and literary subjects.

In the past twenty-five years the Presbyterian Mission at Siam has received more money from the Siamese king, princes, nobles, and common people for the maintenance of educational work, than it has received from the Presbyterian Church in America. (Educational Work of the Bd. For. Miss. of the Pres. Ch.)

PERSIAN SCHOOLS

An English boy learns to read his own language first, and does not always go on to a foreign language. A Persian boy learns to read a foreign language first, and does not always go on to his own language. When a little Persian boy goes to school he is given a big Arabic book, with a great many long words in it, and he is not taught how the words are spelt, but is told what they are, and made to repeat them from memory, pointing to each word in the book as he says it, and gradually he gets some idea of which word is which.... The Mohammedans think that reading the Koran, quite apart from understanding it, is a very good action, so the little Persian boys work away at it, and they do not think it hard lines because all men and big boys began in the same way, so it seems the natural thing to do. And perhaps it is a little consolation to know that when they reach certain points they will be given sweets. One little boy who was asked how far he had got in the Koran, said that he had just got his first sweets.

Having finished the Koran, our little Persian boy goes on to Persian books. These, too, he studies in much the same way as he did the Koran, but it is more useful, because now he understands what he reads. After plodding through the Koran it is a pleasant change for little Ghulam Husain to turn to the “War between the Cats and Mice” or the “Hundred Fables.” Later on he reads the poems of Hafiz and Sa’adi, and other great Persian poets.

The Persians do not apparently think much of their own system of education, for they are always laughing at their schoolmasters. They have a story of a charvadar, or muleteer, one of whose mules strayed one day into a school. It was quickly driven out, and the muleteer claimed damages to the extent of half the value of a mule. The schoolmaster indignantly asked on what he based his claim. The muleteer turned to the crowd which had gathered to listen to the argument. “My beast,” said he, “went into his school a mule and it has come out a donkey.” You see, a donkey counts half a mule in caravan traveling, just as child counts half a person in train traveling.

When a boy is caned in punishment he lies on his back and holds out his feet instead of his hands. Sometimes his feet are held in a kind of stocks while he is caned across the soles. They call it “eating sticks” or “eating wood.” (Mrs. Napier Malcolm in “Children of Persia.”)

EDUCATION, BULU TRIBE, AFRICA

There is no more extraordinary feature of the work among the Bulu than the readiness with which this little forest creature submits himself to the discipline of school. From a heritage of liberty he comes to knock at the Mission door and to set his little jiggered feet upon the new way of order. He who came and went at will keeps the commandments of the school drum. He who has been bred to inter-tribal hatred eats out of the pot with his hereditary enemy. He earns his food in all honor under the Mission law of labor. He permits himself to be “tied” with “ten tyings” to a standard of conduct which is the reverse of his racial standards.

In the rude school house, with his alphabet before him, or in the open, cutlass in hand, he performs daily acts of order and discipline, and these little tasks are regenerative. His little sister is beside him and subjected to the same process. The presence of the Mission in a Bulu community is a great blessing to a little girl. It is a kind of sanctuary and a police patrol. I cannot think that you would like to know from what perils it saves her.... Such little girls, following in the paths after their brothers, have come to own a slate, to own a primer, to ply a needle, to sleep at night in peace under a Christian thatch and in innocent company. (“Other Children” by Jean Mackenzie, Wom. For. Miss. Soc. Pres.)

A GIRLS’ SCHOOL IN THE KURDISH MOUNTAINS

Ever since coming here I have talked to both men and women, as occasion offered, about the folly of not allowing girls to learn anything. When I felt pretty sure of two little girls, I announced one Sunday to the women who were gathered in my room that on Thursday I should begin a girls’ school for any who cared to come. What was my surprise and delight on Thursday to have one of the Kashas (Old Church pastors) come bringing, not two but _four_ little girls who promptly walked up to me and kissed my hand. The next day another, who had not heard of the school the first day, came. After three days one girl disappeared. On Saturday I visited her home and found they were keeping her to work, and this, according to my idea of the circumstances, seemed very unnecessary, for I keep them only two hours a day at present. When I expostulated with the father, he said, “Why should I take the trouble to let her go to school, when after a little time I’ll marry her into some other family?” Here girls are married very young, at twelve years, many of them. All I could say was of no avail. During all this conversation poor Rachel sat between us, the tears running down her face, and saying repeatedly, “Father, let me go.” The father was too selfish to be moved by her pleadings. (Letter from Mrs. E. W. McDowell.)

BIBLE READING

TEACHING THE CHILDREN

Deut. 11:18-21 with 2d Tim. 1:5 and 3:14-17.

The natural, constant teaching of God’s commandments in the daily life of the home by parents and grandparents will prepare the children to lead prosperous, successful, useful lives. What is learned in childhood “furnishes” the man or woman for life.

“Therefore if to the goodness of nature be joined the wisdom of the teacher in leading young wits into a right and plain way of learning, surely children, kept up in God’s fear, and governed by His grace, may most easily be brought well to serve God and country both by virtue and wisdom.” (Roger Ascham in the year 1570.)

PRAYER

O Lord Jesus Christ, Thou Child of Bethlehem, bless, we beseech Thee, the children gathered in Christian schools; may they be truthful, pure, obedient, and ever ready to do their duty in that state of life to which Thou shalt be pleased to call them, Who livest and reignest with the Father and Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

QUESTIONS

1. Give five reasons for multiplying kindergartens and primary schools in non-Christian lands.

2. In the missionary Forward Movement in China, should the emphasis in advance educational work be put on primary or on secondary education?

3. Give the reasons for and against an increase in Missionary educational work in Japan. What is your personal opinion on the subject?

4. Should the missionary teacher aim to secure a large number of scholars, or to give more time and personal attention to a few? Give your reasons for your answer.

5. If you were facing a school of fifty little children who had absolutely no idea of education, cleanliness, manners, morals, or Christianity, what would you try to teach them during the first week? How would you go about it? (This takes it for granted that you know their language.)

BIBLIOGRAPHY. CHAPTER IV.

The School and the Child, John Dewey.

Stages in Missionary Education, T. H. P. Sailer, _Woman’s Work_, Sept., 1912.

Christian Missions and Social Progress, J. S. Dennis. (Revell) vol. ii.

“On the Education of Backward Races,” E. W. Coffin, _Pedagogical Seminary_, March, 1908.

Report on Educational Work of Bd. For. Miss. of Pres. Ch.

Daylight in the Harem, Van Sommer and Zwemer, (Revell.)

Children of Persia, Mrs. Napier Malcolm, (Oliphant, Anderson & Ferrier.)

Education of Girls in Persia, _Moslem World_, Oct., 1912.

The Education of the Women of India, M. G. Gowan, (Revell.)

Modern India, Sir J. D. Rees, (George Allen and Sons.)

The Athletic Method in Kashmir, Henry Forman, _Outlook_, Sept. 24, 1910.

Village Life in China, Arthur H. Smith, (Revell.)

The Education of Chinese Women, Margaret Burton.

Possibilities of the Kindergarten in China, L. Pearl Boggs, _Child Welfare Magazine_, Feb., 1913.

“The Opportunity and Need for the Mission School in China.” F. L. Hawks Pott, D.D., _Intern’l Review of Missions_, Oct., 1912.

Report of the Kindergarten Union of Japan.

Fifteen Years among the Top-Knots, Mrs. Underwood, (Am. Tract Soc.)

The Land of the White Helmet, Edgar Allen Forbes, (Revell.)

LEAFLETS

Into a New Life Woman’s Board of Missions Kwuli, a South Sea Maid of the Congregational The Story of Aghavnitza Church. The Children’s Gardens The Story of the Imadegawa Kindergarten The Cesarea Kindergarten Coral Island Brownies

Ling Te’s Letter Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society of the Presbyterian Church.

The New Persia Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church.

Our Investments in India Woman’s Board of Foreign Schools in the Arcot Mission, Missions of the Reformed India Church in America. Hindu Girls’ School in Arcot Mission Key to Hindu Homes Educational Work in Japan

From Kindergarten to College Woman’s Foreign Missionary A Peep into Yokohama Society of the Methodist Day Schools Episcopal Church. A School Day at Aoyama Luchmi

How Orthodox Mohammedans Board of Foreign Missions of the Educate a Child Reformed Church in America.

Messages to Mass. from Woman’s Universalist Missionary Blackmer Home, 1912 Society of Massachusetts. Story of Matsu Koyama Midori Kindergarten

Concerning the Blackmer Woman’s National Missionary Home Association, Universalist.

FOOTNOTES:

[51] Told in “Among the Top-Knots,” Mrs. Underwood (Am. Tract Soc.)

[52] Told in _Missionary Review of the World_, Nov., 1911.

[53] “Foreign Mail Annual,” 1913, For. Dep. Int. Com. Y. M. C. A.

[54] _Pedagogical Seminary_, March, 1908, “On the Education of Backward Races.”

[55] Edited by Paul Monroe, 1912. (Macmillan.)

[56] _Life and Light_, Oct., 1912.

[57] _Woman’s Work_, Aug., 1911. Cora C. Bartlett.

[58] Told by Miss A. W. Stocking in _Moslem World_, Oct., 1912.

[59] _Congregationalist and Christian World_, Dec. 26, 1912.

[60] “Kindergartens and ‘Near Kindergartens,’” _Child Welfare Magazine_, Sept., 1912.

[61] “Mountain Tops and Valleys of Humanity,” _Child Welfare Magazine_, Dec., 1912.

[62] “The Children’s Gardens,” Woman’s Board of Missions, (Cong.)

[63] _Life and Light_, March, 1912. Janette E. Miller.

[64] “How Orthodox Mohammedans Educate a Child.” Bd. of For. Miss. Ref. Ch.

[65] “The Montessori System,” Theodate L. Smith. (Harper.)

[66] “Education of Girls in the Levant.” T. H. P. Sailer in _Woman’s Work_, Aug., 1912.

[67] “Physical Training for the Chinese.” M. J. Exner, M.D.

[68] “The Athletic Method in Kashmir,” Henry Forman in _Outlook_, Sept. 24, 1910.

[69] “Mountain Tops and Valleys of Humanity,” _Child Welfare Magazine_, Jan., 1913.

[70] “Daylight in the Harem.”

[71] “The Land of the White Helmet,” E. A. Forbes. (Revell.)

[72] “Educational Work of the Bd. For. Miss. of the Pres. Ch.”

[73] “A Little Child Shall Lead Them.” Wom. Bd. For. Miss. Ref. Ch. Am.

[74] “Home Life in Syria,” Elfreda Post, Wom. Pres. Bd. For. Miss.