$B ETb E37 
 
 CO 
 
 nO 
 
 C\J 
 
 
GniriP ©if 
 Professor C.A.Kofoid 
 
aJQ 
 
SOOBOONAGAM AMMAL. 
 
SOOBOONAGAM 
 
 AMMAL 
 
 OR 
 
 'Jesus, I my cross have taken 
 All to leave and follow Thee/ 
 
 GRACE STEPHENS, 
 
 Superintendent <>f the M. E Zenana Mission, Ifadras India. 
 
 — ■ i^im 
 
 MADRAS: 
 
 M. E. PUBLISHING HOUSE, MOUNT ROAD. 
 
 1898. 
 

 <£$ 
 
 \ 
 
 
 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Chapter 
 
 Page 
 
 L 
 
 Glimpses of Brahmanism 
 
 i 
 
 II. 
 
 Touches of Early Days . 
 
 9 
 
 III. 
 
 Found .... 
 
 16 
 
 IV. 
 
 Awakening .... 
 
 22 
 
 V. 
 
 Decision .... 
 
 2 9 
 
 VI. 
 
 Flight .... 
 
 36 
 
 VII. 
 
 u God's Christmas Gift " 
 
 43 
 
 
 Sad Scenes. 
 
 5i 
 
 ;x. 
 
 Baptism 
 
 68 
 
 x. 
 
 A Strange Funeral . 
 
 83 
 
 XI. 
 
 Conclusion 
 
 M22804.G 
 
 92 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 'HEN Mrs. Mary C. Ninde, whose recent visit to 
 India was made a blessing to many a missionary, 
 attended the Central Conference held at Poona in March 
 last, she urged Miss Grace Stephens to write an account 
 of Sooboonagam Animal's conversion, and placed the 
 printing the book in my hands. 
 
 A few words about Miss Stephens and her work may 
 interest, and possibly enable the reader to understand 
 more clearly how through human agencies such a wonder- 
 ful rescue from the terrible bondage of idolatry could 
 have been brought about. 
 
VI INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Miss Grace Stephens was among the very first whom 
 Bishop Taylor received into full membership when he 
 organized the Methodist Episcopal Church in Madras. 
 Could he then have looked into the future he would have 
 seen the unostentatious, youthful Sunday School teacher 
 .lead and develop a mission work so many-sided, so far- 
 reaching, so substantial, and, at times, so startling in its 
 results that if it were the only mission work in the East, 
 it alone would make it easy to see that the Gospel has in 
 it the power to overturn the kingdom of idolatry. 
 
 Her faith has wrought the righteousness of Christ in 
 hearts so far removed from the knowledge of the true 
 God, that their conversion would have been thought a 
 thing impossible by a faith less mighty than that possessed 
 by Miss Stephens. Through her instrumentality the 
 Hindu editor, first idolater, then atheist, was transformed 
 into the earnest, eloquent preacher of the Gospel ; the 
 astrologer and magician burned his books and now de- 
 clares the truth as it is in Jesus ; the priest who for more 
 than a quarter of a c*entury was worshipped as a god, now 
 cries to his once deluded followers, ' ' Behold the Lamb 
 of God which taketh away the sins of the world." In 
 India there are thousands of Brahminical castes. While 
 from the highest of these God has given her fruit, 
 He has also enabled her to lift up the lowest of 
 
INTRODUCTION. Vll 
 
 the low. For example, she took into her home a living 
 boy skeleton of the most degraded class and tenderly, 
 cared for him until now he is a teacher of two schools 
 which he carved out of raw heathenism, and in addition 
 is an evangelist of the best type. In her work have come 
 to pass the words of Mary, "He hath put down the 
 mighty from their seats and exalted them of low degree." 
 
 Her general work comprises systematic visiting and 
 teaching of more than five hundred zenana women ; nine 
 day-schools with nearly six hundred pupils ; nine Sunday 
 Schools ; a girls' orphanage, and the Christian workers' 
 home ; the unsparing and extensive circulation of tracts ; 
 the editing of the "Tamil Woman's Friend ", "Mather 
 Mithiri " ; an extensive correspondence ; and a constant 
 round of responsibilities in connection with the inter- 
 denominational work of Madras. 
 
 To those who cannot find time to work in the Sunday 
 School, it is worth telling that Miss Stephens keeps her 
 place as a teacher in the English Sunday School at Vepery , 
 is at the head of her class every Sunday, even as when 
 she first received her certificate of full membership from 
 the Rev. William Taylor. 
 
 To develop this kind of work requires gifts as well as 
 grace. Miss Stephens has both. In her is united an 
 
Vlll INTRODUCTION. 
 
 uncommon amount of common sen.se, executive ability 
 of a high order, and deep piety. Her widowed sister, 
 Mrs. Jones, is her first assistant, and is al?o a woman of 
 rare excellence. Miss Stephens is a keen reader of human 
 nature, which accounts for the wise, efficient, and pious 
 company of helpers engaged in her many-sided work. 
 
 Miss Stephens has written the story of Sooboonagam 
 Animal's conversion, but she has written more : the reader 
 will find in the following pages an insight into Hindu 
 high life such as he will rarely get in any other book. 
 
 As to Sooboonagam Animal personally, I believe the 
 ladies in America would, if they could meet her, pro- 
 nounce her an Indian "Esther," physically, intellectually 
 and spiritually. 
 
 A. W. RUDISILL. 
 
 MADRAS, September 21st, 1896. 
 
MISS GRACE STEPHENS. 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 Glimpses of Brahmanism. 
 
 ^lOOBOONAGAM AMMAL at the age of 
 S3 eighteen was steeped in heathen dark- 
 ness and superstition. 
 
 She was a strict Brahman, and from the 
 day of her birth had all the rites of her sect 
 performed for her, and in the seclusion of her 
 ancestral home, amid all its wealth and luxury, 
 she was devoted to her gods. At her birth the 
 
Z GLIMFS3S OF BRAHMANISM. 
 
 astrologers were consulted, who, doubtless, 
 said that she was born under a " lucky star," 
 and that she would have a large family and a 
 happy home ; while forty days after, special 
 feasting and ceremonies were observed. She 
 was named Sooboonagam for the " Wisdom 
 god," " Subramanium," and " Nagain," signi- 
 fying " serpent" or " cobra," the worship of 
 which is closely connected with this god. 
 
 Sooboonagam Ammal was a Brahman. 
 Brahman ! Those who know the significance 
 of this word here in India will understand 
 how lofty is the isolation of this people, and 
 how they are counted as the " Lords of their 
 Religion." 
 
 Brahman ! Dare we cross the threshold of 
 their homes ! Dare we come in contact with 
 them as with other people ! For us to touch 
 these Brahman women means to them pollu- 
 tion, defilement, and contamination ! One 
 who had just performed her " poojahs " or 
 
GLIMPSES OF BRAHMANISM. 3 
 
 prayers, said with a proud, haughty look, u If 
 the Queen of England comes now to my 
 house she cannot touch me, for she eats 
 flesh ! " 
 
 Never shall I forget the lessons I learned in 
 my early days of mission work here in Madras. 
 After many weeks and months of hard toil 
 and labor, the inmates of a Brahman house 
 learned to love us ; and we grew to be so 
 intimate, that we were allowed to sit in the 
 small room at the outer threshold of their 
 house, while our pupil sat within ! ! In order 
 to give the lesson, books had to be thrown to 
 each other ! No touching, no taking the book 
 from us in any way ! After a time the old 
 bald-headed mother began to look upon us 
 with some complacency, and sometimes gave 
 us a smile of welcome. One day to my great 
 surprise, she pushed toward me in a tray on the 
 floor, some fruit, for she dared not give it to 
 me with her hands ! She said she had, 
 
4 GLIMPSES OF BRAHMAN ISM. 
 
 herself, raised it in her own garden that she 
 might have the satisfaction of giving it to rne. 
 I knew that the most of our Hindu women are 
 pleased when we accept and eat anything they 
 give us ; so thinking it would be the same in 
 this case I put the fruit to my mouth. Im- 
 mediately there were storms of indignation ; 
 she drove me away, asking me how I dared 
 put anything to my lips in the house of a 
 Brahman ! They never ate like that ; they 
 break their food, and throw it piece by piece 
 into their mouths, not allowing their hands 
 to touch their lips ! 
 
 I learned some severe lessons in those days 
 at some of the strict Brahman houses. We had 
 to be careful how we held our very books and 
 fans ! Their vessels and their cooking places 
 we could never see because they are so sacred, 
 they must be kept from the defiling look ! 
 
 If we meet a Brahman woman on the street 
 she draws herself away from us ; or if a Brah- 
 
GLIMPSES OF BRAHMANISM. O 
 
 man lady condescends to attend our " Zenana 
 Party" she must afterwards resort to almost 
 continuous bathing to wash away the pollution ! 
 One woman who never touched us in her 
 house, and who did come to one of our zenana 
 gatherings in my home, said that when she 
 returned to her home, she had to sit in water 
 all that night, and did not taste food for many 
 hours ! 
 
 Among our more than five hundred zenana 
 women, there was one Brahman lady very 
 desirous of seeing in what sort of place we 
 live. After our many invitations and her 
 many promises, she at last came ; but having 
 come, nothing could induce her to enter the 
 house ; she stood out in the compound or 
 garden, and from a distance looked into this 
 door, and into that window I And now, just 
 think of our having a Brahman eating, drink- 
 ing, and living in our home ! 
 
 A " Pant nl u" Brahman is stricter by far 
 
6 GLIMPSES OF BRAHMANISM. 
 
 than those of the other sects. I have heard it 
 said by a very orthodox " Iyengar " Brahman 
 that his sect is only allowed to recite the Vedas, 
 while the u Pantnlus " not only recite, but 
 " propound and interpret them, and perform 
 the ceremonies they enjoin." " In fact," he 
 said, " they are the Hindu Missionaries, and 
 altogether the priestly class." To this strict 
 sect belongs Sooboonagam Ammal. Her 
 father, Mr. A. L,. Venkataramana Pantulu, 
 M.A., b.l., was the first to take a double degree 
 in the University of Madras. The ■" Daily 
 Post," which reported our Sooboonagam's con- 
 version, says of him : — " He was high up in 
 Government service. He was one of the 
 Examiners of the University. At the time of 
 his death he held the position of Sub-Judge in 
 the District of Madura. He was a leading 
 citizen, and enjoyed the friendship and con- 
 fidence of eminent Europeans and Hindus." 
 It is stated by many that he was one of u un- 
 
GLIMPSES OF BRAHMANISM. 7 
 
 equalled intelligence and ability," and the only- 
 native gentleman at that time who held 
 that position. He enjoyed a fine reputation, 
 possessed great wealth, and wielded a powerful 
 influence ; and while as a Brahman he could 
 not partake of food with Europeans, nor enter- 
 tain them under his own roof, yet he often 
 rented halls and other places and provided 
 banquets for the Honorable Members of 
 Council. The papers expressed astonish- 
 ment that "the daughter of such a cultured 
 man embraced Christianity." But the father 
 with all his education was an idolater. He 
 was noted for his charity ; and to-day there 
 stands in Bangalore an immense " Chuthrum" 
 or inn, which he built, and which feeds and 
 sustains hundreds of poor people. A temple 
 is also attached to this building. A Hindu 
 describing him, said, " He was like a tiger, 
 he was so powerful and clever ; " another, 
 "When he made his speeches at the High 
 
8 GLIMPSES OF BRAHMANISM. 
 
 Court, all the English barristers were forced 
 to sit down to listen to him." Sooboonagam 
 Ammal loves and cherishes the memory of her 
 father, and often says she " must be as clever 
 as he was." 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 Touches of Early Days. 
 
 §OOBOONAGAM AMMAL was brought 
 up in the seclusion of the zenana, and 
 was taught to live an idolatrous life. She was 
 the youngest and most petted child in the 
 house ; her every wish was gratified ; her 
 jewels and silk cloths were of the very best, 
 and until she came to us she always wore silk, 
 because with all high-caste, wealth)- Brahmans, 
 cotton is defilement to the body. She often 
 speaks with regret of the fabulous prices paid 
 
10 TOUCHES OF EARLY DAYS. 
 
 for these jewels and cloths because they came 
 from temples and other sacred places. 
 
 When she was very young and her father 
 was at Bellary, she was sent to a Mission 
 School for a year. She says she remembers 
 how the story of Jesus touched her young 
 heart. Those were the only school days she 
 ever knew ; though as many say u she inherits 
 her father's mental abilities," she, somehow 
 in her home, learned to read and write Telugu, 
 and to speak Canarese. 
 
 At the age of ten years she was married. 
 An earlier marriage was often spoken of as she 
 had a number of suitors who were men of 
 position and wealth, some connected with 
 rajahs and dewans ; but the one selected for 
 her was not well educated, had little or nothing 
 in his favor, had no employment, and was sup- 
 ported by the family ; but as he was the 
 nearest marriageable relative, according to 
 the rules of their society, she was given to 
 
TOUCHES OF EARLY DAYS. 11 
 
 him. Just before the marriage her father died 
 leaving Sooboonagam u her portion." At her 
 wedding ten thousand rupees were spent. She 
 says that they had a £rand show, very distin- 
 guished people were present, and she received 
 gifts of jewels, cloths, and vessels, worth quite 
 a fortune. She enjoyed it all very much, and 
 as a child was very happy. It was at this 
 time, " Animal" signifying u Madam" was 
 added to her name. 
 
 As is the custom with Hindu wives she 
 divided her time between her mother's and 
 her husband's homes, and it was at the former 
 place when she was between sixteen and 
 seventeen years of age that we first met her. 
 
 She was always of a very religious turn of 
 mind. From her earliest days there was no 
 ceremony in which she did not take part. She 
 went with the family to eight sacred rivers 
 besides bathing many times in the sea. She 
 visited fifty temples, and the bread she ate was 
 
12 TOUCHES OF EARLY DAYS. 
 
 from the temple at Triplicane. Her family is 
 a very religious one, but she was considered 
 the most zealous of them all. At one time 
 she fasted for forty days to appease the gods 
 and have peace in her home. She took 
 nothing at this time but milk to keep body 
 and soul together. 
 
 On another occasion in order to perform a 
 ceremony very rigidly, she fasted for twenty- 
 five days, and went every evening to the sea 
 at Cassimode to bathe and so purify herself. 
 During those days of fasting she performed 
 penances with every ceremony. She used to 
 go around a certain sacred tree forty-two times 
 very early every morning, and at each circuit 
 made an offering to the shrine attached to 
 the holy tree. Not satisfied with this she 
 joined her mother in taking upon herself the 
 seal of the priests. This is very seldom done 
 by young women ; but her mother as a token 
 of being wholly devoted to the gods, and that 
 
TOUCHES OF EABLY DAYS. 13 
 
 she was to live a very sacred life had the seal 
 imbedded in the flesh of her own arm. The 
 priests refused to do this for Sooboonagam 
 Ammal notwithstanding her entreaties and 
 the large sum of money she paid them. How- 
 ever, instead of sealing her on the arm they 
 gave her a sacred powder always to be worn 
 upon her person. 
 
 After receiving this seal her ambition rose 
 higher. She was so devoted that nothing- 
 would satisfy her but the building of a temple ! 
 And now at Kodambakain, near Madras, 
 where our Mission has lately commenced work, 
 stands a temple, the monument of Sooboo- 
 nagam Ammal's idolatry and devotion. She 
 visited this place weekly, and at times spent 
 several days there. During those days the 
 people say her expenditure in charity was very 
 great, and that she gave of her abundance to 
 feed and sustain people connected with the 
 temple. Her mother donated the idol, and 
 
14 TOUCHES OF EARLY DAYS. 
 
 Sooboonagam decorated it with some of her 
 best jewels. She purchased twenty-five beauti- 
 ful and expensive handkerchiefs from Benares 
 for its use, and also gave the silver sprinkler 
 for the holy water. While doing this she 
 fasted forty-five days in addition to the many 
 other fasts required by her caste and creed ! 
 
 Besides the idols of the house, in her own 
 room she had twenty-five pictures of idols, and 
 twelve images, both small and large, and of 
 the very best kind. 
 
 As the petted and most holy child in the 
 household, from the age of two years, the 
 privilege of decorating the idols in the house 
 with flowers and preparing everything for 
 worship was given to her. She tells how 
 rigidly those duties were performed, how she 
 cared for those flowers, and drank the sacred 
 water after placing it before the idol. For 
 hours she used to sit before each idol with a 
 wet cloth about her, counting the hundred 
 
TOUCHES OF EARLY DAYS. 15 
 
 beads that were given to her for this sacred 
 office ; over each bead a prayer was offered, 
 until the thousand beads were accomplished. 
 
 We must not forget to say that Sooboona- 
 gam Ammal in her young life outstripped all 
 the other members of her family by perform- 
 ing the ceremony called " The Million Lights," 
 to insure to her a pathway of light when her 
 soul should leave her body. To accomplish 
 this every day she lighted before shrines and 
 idols two or three hundred little oil lamps, 
 and while so doing excluded from her mind 
 everything else, and was in deep meditation 
 upon the Vedas. 
 
 Notwithstanding all this gross darkness the 
 " Light of the World," our Jesus, was ready 
 and waiting to receive her and to give her 
 His pathway of light. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 Found. 
 
 7T\^NE afternoon at our Workers' meeting 
 VJ" we were led to pray very earnestly for 
 our dear women, and the workers were exhort- 
 ed to look for new houses and new women. 
 Chinnamah, my old faithful Bible-woman, 
 went forth in the strength of the Lord. A 
 few days after she told us she had found a 
 new house, and a very beautiful woman, who 
 seemed eager to learn Tamil. According to 
 my work rules, she did not take her as a pupil, 
 
FOUND. 17 
 
 nor even promise to teach her. We must see 
 the house and the pupil, and make all the 
 arrangements ourselves. So my sister, Mrs. 
 Jones, an indefatigable zenana worker, and 
 for whose labor in the Mission I continually 
 thank the Father, went with Chinnamah to 
 make the arrangements. The house was that 
 of a Brahman ! all the etiquette and require- 
 ments hadj to be observed. The young woman 
 was Sooboonagam Ammal, so beautiful, cloth- 
 ed so richly and decorated with jewels, and 
 eager to learn Tamil. We little knew then 
 her object in desiring to acquire the language. 
 We applauded her ambition though deep down 
 in her heart she had her idols, and there were 
 some prayers in the Vedas and Sastras, also 
 some ceremonies, which if she knew Tamil 
 she could perform ! So only to help her in 
 her idolatry, only to yield more homage to her 
 heathen shrines, did she wish to become our 
 pupil ! But God had His purposes for her. 
 
18 FOUND. 
 
 The time has passed in our work when we 
 have to hide our true object in teaching the 
 women to read. We had kept from telling 
 them the whole truth ; we had taught them 
 needle-work, fancy-work, and other subjects, 
 so that we might gradually take them the 
 Scriptures. Now the study of the Scriptures 
 is required ; to be pupils of ours, they must learn 
 the Scriptures from us, and we teach them 
 that they may read the Bible for themselves. 
 It is often a comforting thought to me that if 
 our Mission has not accomplished anything 
 else, it has taught hundreds of women of 
 Madras, in this far-away India, to read the 
 Bible. 
 
 So Sooboonagam Aminal was told the con- 
 ditions on which she could be our pupil. She 
 must take Scripture lessons, and learn to read 
 the Bible. Her mother and people remon- 
 strated, but she told them what her object 
 was, and n as far as the Scripture lessons are 
 
FOUND. 19 
 
 concerned," she said, " they will go in one ear 
 and come out of the other." She was confident 
 in her belief and in her idols ; and her people 
 knowing it was only to promote her worship 
 of the, gods, consented to her learning, and 
 she was enrolled as a zenana pupil, Mrs. Jones 
 giving her the first Scripture lesson. Though 
 I saw her several times and gave her Counsel 
 and advice, yet Mrs. Jones and Chinnamah, 
 the Bible-woman who had found her, were 
 her teachers. 
 
 What a Brahman house that was ! The 
 mother and grand-mother, because of being 
 defiled and contaminated by contact with us 
 Christians would neither sit nor stand in the 
 same room ! They were too holy ! But through 
 the key-hole, or from behind a screen they 
 peeped and' watched the pupil. Generally her 
 sister and other relatives stood in the same 
 room, but at some distance. 
 
 At that time she was most zealous in her 
 
20 FOUND. 
 
 devotions and how slow was the work of her 
 teachers ! Like every other zenana woman 
 she sometimes took lessons, and sometimes 
 was too much engaged w T ith fasting, prayer, 
 and idol-worship, to put herself out by even 
 looking at them. Sometimes, with all the 
 " marks" on her she would, without a word, 
 wave her hand to them to go away. There 
 were days when she had to keep silence, not a 
 word escaping her lips. On no account would 
 she see any one or take a lesson on Friday, the 
 day always kept sacred for bathing and the 
 gods. 
 
 As we think of all this young life and all 
 these things, and see her now in our home, 
 we wonder if she can be the Sooboonaofam 
 Ammal of the past. No more fasting days and 
 nights for salvation! No more bathing in 
 seas and rivers to be saved from sinful pollu- 
 tion ! No more the visiting of temples, nor the 
 drinking of holy water ! No more the giving of 
 
FOUND. 21 
 
 large sums of money for prayers to the priests 
 and temples ! No more the sacred powder and 
 marks of worship on face and arms ! No more 
 the lighting of lamps, the penance, and all the 
 rites prescribed by heathen priests ! No more 
 the proud, lofty look, the look of disdain 
 and contempt for a Christian ! No more 
 the " touch-me-not " Brahman ! But now our 
 Sooboonagam sings most touchingly, with the 
 spirit and the understanding, " Come to Jesus," 
 " Rock of Ages cleft for me," " Nothing 
 but the Blood of Jesus," "Just as I am 
 without one plea," " Jesus, I my cross have 
 taken," and " Abide with me " ! 
 
 Who wrought this change? Hear her 
 answer, " Only the power and Spirit of God 
 through His Word!" 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Awakening. 
 
 (OR a year and a half Sooboonagam Ani- 
 mal says she cared nothing for us, and 
 only pitied the teachers for the trouble they 
 took in visiting her. But gradually she 
 became interested in the Bible lessons, and 
 began to read the Bible for herself. Oh ! what 
 a change came ! Quietly she grew more in- 
 terested, and her zeal for idol-worship began 
 to flag. The suspicions of her people were 
 aroused as they saw that she read the Bible. 
 
AWAKENING. 23 
 
 She put them off by saying it was idle curi- 
 osity. They watched her life and saw that she 
 was not visiting the temple she had built ; 
 there were many things to be finished there ; 
 some improvements yet to be made, and jewels 
 to be set ; and Sooboonagam Animal once so 
 zealous now seemed indifferent to all these 
 things, and when urged to go on with them 
 and to give the order she had contemplated 
 of having a golden image of herself in the 
 act of prostration before the idol in her temple, 
 she told them they would have to wait 
 until she received all her money, for God's 
 Word had touched her heart, and, as she says, 
 u The Spirit of God was giving me to know 
 the precious truth." Can we doubt the power 
 of that Word ? Can we doubt the power of 
 that "Precious Truth''? Can we withhold 
 it from these women who are groping in dark- 
 ness, sunken in idolatry, and hating the name 
 of Christian ? As long ago God sent to Saul of 
 
24 AWAKENING-. 
 
 Tarsus the humble Ananias, so looking down 
 upon this misguided child in Madras, He sent 
 to her messengers from our Mission home. 
 Through this Mission to how many Sooboona- 
 gams has the loving Father sent us to give 
 His message ! For this we praise His dear 
 Name. 
 
 For the sake of appearance she performed 
 her " poojahs," but her heart was far from 
 them ; she neglected her most arduous duties, , 
 and when asked the reason would give evasive 
 replies. These did not satisfy the vigilant 
 priests and mother : penances and fasts were 
 ordered, and that her mind might be concen- 
 trated on these, she was told to discontinue 
 her lessons with us. This was to Sooboona- 
 gam Ammal the great sorrow of her life. The 
 Sun of Righteousness was dawning in her 
 heart, and she wanted to know more about 
 Him, and how could she cease taking lessons ? 
 To quiet them and at the same time have her 
 
AWAKENING. 25 
 
 lessons, she went through all the rites and cere- 
 monies, yet her mother from her key-hole saw 
 the smile of welcome given to the teachers ; 
 she saw the earnest look on the face of her 
 daughter as she took her lesson, and now there 
 was no hope for Sooboonagam Ammal. 
 
 It was about that time, in November 1894, 
 she sent me a letter by her teacher, in which 
 she opened her heart to me for the first time. 
 She told how she was situated ; that she loved 
 our religion and that her people hated it and 
 insisted on her giving up her lessons ; rather 
 than do this she said she was willing to leave 
 all and come to me, and she asked earnestly 
 for our prayers. 
 
 Not long after came another letter telling 
 that she was very unhappy, but that in her 
 heart she had given up all idol-worship and 
 depended on Jesus alone for salvation ! She 
 warned us to be careful, and begged us not to 
 visit her frequently, as she feared we would 
 
26 AWAKENING. 
 
 be asked by her people to stop altogether and 
 that would make her very miserable. 
 
 After that time no regular visits were made 
 to her. When her teachers went they were 
 often told that she was not in the house, or 
 they were driven away in the rudest man- 
 ner. Yet, somehow, little words and messages 
 came and went, and we prayed much for her 
 as we knew she was undergoing persecution. 
 I felt that she was one of our many women 
 who are suffering for Christ's sake, and that 
 through much suffering she must enter the 
 Kingdom of Heaven. I knew that she had 
 the Word of God, and it was a great comfort 
 that we had both taken it to her and taueht 
 her to read it. It became impossible for 
 Sooboonagam to continue the life she was 
 leading. The Spirit was her Teacher, and 
 she felt that she was sinning against God and 
 grieving the Holy Spirit by her evasions, and 
 by hiding her true convictions. She now 
 
AWAKENING. 27 
 
 recalls with pain the many times she threw 
 the flowers into a dark corner of the room, and 
 made it appear to her people that they were 
 the flowers she had worshipped and presented 
 to the gods. 
 
 At one time there was a very important 
 festival observed in her house ; many Brah- 
 man priests were there and received gifts. 
 There was much feasting, and with great pomp 
 every one in the house had to do homage to 
 one great idol there. Sooboonagam did not 
 know what to do ; she asked God to help her, 
 but it seemed as if it were impossible for her 
 to escape the .critical eyes of the hundreds 
 about her, and of her mother particularly. 
 She at last thought of a way of escape, and 
 suggested to her mother that as there were so 
 many people in the house, it was very neces- 
 sary that the chest containing all their jewels 
 and other valuables should be closely watched ; 
 and as she was not feeling well, she would sit 
 
28 AWAKENING. 
 
 by the chest and see that it was not molested. 
 This touched a tender chord with her mother 
 and she was satisfied. After a time to Sooboo- 
 nagam's great surprise and sorrow her name 
 w T as called ! The priests insisting on her com- 
 ing, her mother said she would take her place 
 by the chest and that she was to go. How 
 sad she was ! She went. But the Heavenly- 
 Father looked down upon His tried and tempt- 
 ed child, and provided the promised way of 
 escape. She had crossed the threshold to 
 another -room where the idol and the priests 
 were, when lo ! a scorpion stung her ! The 
 pain was so intolerable that she had to be 
 taken from the room, and there was no idol- 
 worship for her that day. 
 
 By this singular though painful deliverance, 
 she felt from that time she was to take a 
 bolder stand for Christ. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 Decision. 
 
 C^OOBOONAGAM AMMAL took a bolder 
 £ ) stand, but what was the consequence ? 
 Arrangements were made to send her away 
 from Madras. 
 
 To how many of our dear women has this 
 been done and we see them no more ! Will 
 they shine as jewels in the Saviour's crown ? 
 We believe that many will, for we do not limit 
 the power of God to save and to keep. We 
 know that because of their evil surroundings, 
 
30 DECISION. 
 
 persecutions, and taunts, many do go back 
 to their idols and their heathenism. We can- 
 not judge them harshly for this, neither can 
 we blame them for the oft-repeated cry, "Take 
 me away, I cannot live as a Christian here ! " 
 We too often pronounce the verdict " The 
 women must live as Christians in their homes." 
 We fail to remember how necessary it is to 
 surround our young converts with the best in- 
 fluences ; we try to shield them from the evil 
 world by providing the best Christian homes, 
 the best schools, and the best colleges, 
 
 Can we do less for our dear zenana women? 
 Their surroundings are evil continually, for 
 they have the darkness of heathenism to con- 
 tend with ; and so for the sake of their ever- 
 lasting souls, and with the love of Christ burn- 
 ing in their hearts, they desire to leave all and 
 follow Him. 
 
 When Sooboonagam Ammal heard that she 
 was to leave Madras her whole heart recoiled. 
 
DECISION. 31 
 
 She well knew what it all meant ; she was to 
 be sent to Bangalore to live with her father's 
 younger wife ; for he, too, with all his edu- 
 cation, had two wives. This woman possesses 
 immense wealth and much property ; she has 
 charge of the father's chuttrum and temple, 
 and lives a life of extreme extravagance. She 
 was devoted to Sooboonagam, and from her 
 babyhood had petted and favored her, and 
 loaded her with valuable presents ; and Sooboo 
 knew that in her home she would be kept like a 
 little princess with every wish gratified. This 
 second mother with all her wealth is given 
 up to her idols ; every kind of idolatry is 
 pursued in her spacious grounds and property. 
 Sooboo recalls that one time while there, 
 because she was so zealous, and because it is the 
 custom of very pious Hindu women, she daily, 
 for many days, took her offerings to the cobras 
 (from which she derived her name) and fed 
 them with milk, looking for them at the 
 
32 DECISION. 
 
 temples in holes, and on trees ; the milk being 
 placed near where they were supposed to be. 
 
 But now, u choosing rather to suffer afflic- 
 tion with the people of God than to enjoy the 
 pleasures of sin for a season," she set her face 
 against their arrangements, withstanding all 
 their entreaties ; as she was greatly loved she 
 had her own way. She was, however, always on 
 the alert, for she did not trust her people, and 
 did not know how things would be. She was 
 constantly told she had to go to this or that 
 temple ; with tears in their eyes they would 
 ask her to accompany them ; but that she 
 would be left at one of these places and be shut 
 in for life was her continued dread. 
 
 Ah ! I recall now my beautiful Pushpa- 
 canti (bright flower), whom I loved and who 
 loved me, and at whose palatial house I had 
 many precious times. We were the first 
 Christians whom her husband allowed to 
 visit his house, and on his death-bed he com- 
 
DECISION. 33 
 
 mitted her to me ; but the night after his 
 death she was taken to the large temple at 
 Black Town and left there ! I was told she 
 begged that her photograph be given to me, 
 but this was denied. Seven long years have 
 gone by, and I have neither seen nor heard 
 from her. Such might have been the fate of 
 Sooboonagam Ammal ! 
 
 While matters were in this state with Soo- 
 boo Mrs. Jones happened to give her a lesson 
 on the .healing, of the palsied man, and Christ's 
 words, " Arise, take up thy bed and walk " 
 impressed her so much that she counted the cost 
 and determined to leave all and follow Jesus. 
 
 Messages came from her to me but I decid- 
 ed not to put anything on paper, or to commit 
 myself in any way. If she came out to me, it 
 must be of her own accord, and on her own 
 responsibility, I would not help her to leave 
 her house and people. 
 
 One evening, in October, 1895, while I was 
 
34 DECISION. 
 
 at Bangalore attending our District Confer- 
 ence, Mrs. Jones and the other lady workers 
 were alone in the house. About half-past 
 seven o'clock a woman brought in a bit of 
 paper addressed to me, on which were the 
 words, " Your child, Sooboonagam Ammal, 
 is standing at your gate, may she come 
 in?" Imagine Mrs. Jones's joy, surprise, 
 and consternation, as well as forebodings of 
 trouble. Sooboonagam was welcomed, and 
 all had a blessed time ; she told them that 
 she had risked all and had come to stay ; 
 that she had been sent to a relative's house, 
 but that she had paid her servant and the 
 bandy-man (coachman) to bring her to our 
 place. When she learned that I was not at 
 home she said she thought it would be better 
 for the others, were she to wait until my 
 return, and that she would go back and 
 come another time ; I was to be her mother 
 and all the others her sisters. When Mrs. 
 
DECISION. 35 
 
 Jones enquired if the servants would not be- 
 tray her if she returned to her people, she re- 
 plied, " What cannot money do ? " They knew 
 then that the woman servant and coachman 
 were well rewarded. So Sooboonagam Ammal 
 braver than ever, after spending an hour in the 
 home and taking tea with my sister and the 
 young ladies, went back to her house with a 
 greater determination to be a worker in God's 
 vineyard. Oh ! how sorry I was for her ! 
 We feared we would never see her again, for I 
 realized what a perilous attempt she had 
 made, and if discovered, there would be no 
 hope for her ; if the servants divulged her 
 secret visit to us, her life, she said, would be 
 a "living death," But she had wonderful 
 faith in God, and she felt that she was right 
 in going back when I was not present to 
 receive her. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 Flight. 
 
 O OOBOON AGAM AMMAL had two female 
 O servants who waited only upon her and 
 she had nothing to do for herself. At this 
 time she used these women well for she knew 
 she was in their power ; she took firm hold of 
 God, and fearing the women might be led to 
 tell if they saw us at her place, she asked us 
 not to visit her ; but she sent us letters by them, 
 they little knowing their contents ! In those 
 letters she expressed much confidence in God, 
 
FLIGHT. 37 
 
 and that for His sake she was willing to leave 
 her family and the mother who bore her. 
 She believed that she would yet confess Him 
 in public, that all the obstacles would be re- 
 moved, that she would worship God in our 
 church, and eat zvith us at our table ! Where 
 was all her Brahmanism? Where her idols, 
 her temples, her priests, her heathen cere- 
 monies ? 
 
 In one letter she expressed her desire to be 
 a zenana wgrker ! She said she had money 
 and jewels, if she could bring them with her 
 she would support herself and not to be an ex- 
 pense to the Mission, but for fear of suspicion, 
 she was doubtful of being able to get them, 
 and thought she would have to leave all and 
 come to us poor and empty-handed. 
 
 So matters continued, and we only occa- 
 sionally saw her. While writing to us, to 
 secure peace and quiet in the house, and avoid 
 being sent away, she tried to conform to the 
 
38 FLIGHT. 
 
 rites, ceremonies and rules of the household, 
 but when they desired very much that she 
 should make some additions to the temple, 
 she persistently refused. 
 
 At last came the crisis ! Sooboonagam Am- 
 mal made her preparations, and counted the 
 cost ! What days they were to her ! That 
 last day in her home ! She never speaks of 
 it but with tears in her eyes. She took time 
 to pack her boxes and alrnirahs or wardrobes. 
 She put away in various places her silk cloths, 
 her jewels, and her own valuable kitchen, 
 eating and drinking vessels, nearly all of 
 which were her wedding dowry, and had her 
 name inscribed on them. She looked at all 
 her father's gifts to her, and put them all 
 away. She sealed some of her most valuable 
 articles and told her mother where she would 
 find them. Some inquiries were made as 
 to why she was so careful ; she told them 
 that as they often wanted her to go away from 
 
FLIGHT. 39 
 
 Madras, and as her guardian was at Poona 
 and might any day return and she leave 
 unexpectedly, her mother would know where 
 to look for her things. Oh ! poor mother ! 
 Little did you know the tears of agony you 
 would shed, as afterwards you would break 
 the seals and look upon your beloved daugh- 
 ter's possessions ! Like every other mother she 
 loved her child, her last child, the one she 
 idolized in her infancy and youth, the " light 
 of her eyes" as she afterwards called her, but 
 Jesus loved Sooboonagam Ammal more than 
 did her mother, and wanted her for His work, 
 and she was willing to follow her Lord and to 
 lay her mother at His feet. 
 
 Sooboo tells how on that day she looked at 
 her mother's face for the last time, upon the 
 old grandmother, the aunts, and the sister who 
 was her almost hourly companion. She knew 
 she would never more go to her husband's 
 house. Her sister's little boy, eight years old, 
 
40 FLIGHT. 
 
 was a great pet and favorite of hers, she 
 loved him and they always ate and slept to- 
 gether ; she struggled hard and put him aside 
 that day, for she could not bear to look at his 
 face. She looked at all the old servants for 
 soon she knew that whole household would 
 hate her very name, and become her bitterest 
 enemies. She could not eat that day, her 
 mother became anxious and tempted her with 
 many good things. " The last time," " The 
 last time" kept repeating itself in her ears. 
 They saw she was not herself, and to all their 
 tender inquiries she said she was not well but 
 that she would soon be better. 
 
 The evening came, all were busy with their 
 " poojahs" and evening meal. As she was not 
 well, her mother excused her and she was 
 alone in trie front hall of the house. Quietly 
 when the stars began to shine, she opened her 
 door and slipt out ! Ah ! who can describe 
 her feeling ? The old house, old associations, 
 
FLIGHT. 41 
 
 dear ones, all left behind ! Perhaps some of my 
 readers have given up home, and country, and 
 crossed the waters, have taken long journeys 
 for Christ and His cause, but have you said 
 " Good-bye," " Farewell," with never more a 
 hope of meeting, and if to meet, to meet with 
 curses on a mother's lips, the lips you so love? 
 Oh ! you who have done much for Christ, take 
 Sooboonagam Ammal to your hearts. Let her 
 find in you all she gave up for her Lord. 
 Listen to her words, u I went out into the 
 darkness with only the stars above me. It was 
 to me like taking a long journey, and I did not 
 know where or how it was going to be. 
 There was nothing before me, but a voice in 
 my heart told me to run, and I ran. I was so 
 frightened I would not stop to take my breath, 
 but at every step I took I felt as if some one 
 were behind me. The swifter I ran, the swifter 
 seemed the step. If I am caught what will 
 become of me, I thought, but I ran on and 
 
42 FLIGHT. 
 
 on, and at your gate I stopped. I felt then 
 that if I were caught, I would scream, and 
 you would all run out, and help and protect 
 me. When I stopped I turned around, there 
 was nobody ! Then and there I offered a 
 prayer, I told God I might be dragged back 
 on the streets, (about half a mile) on which I 
 ran, I might have to endure persecution, trial, 
 and hardships, but I asked Him to keep me 
 faithful to Him." 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 " God's Christmas Gift." 
 
 £f OOBOONAGAM hastened with all speed, 
 rushed past the peon (watchman), and 
 came almost flying up the stairway into my 
 study. Throwing herself into my arms she 
 exclaimed, " I am come, I am come, / am 
 GocPs Christmas Gift to you /" 
 
 Let me tell my readers something of the 
 Mission Home that day. How tired I was ! 
 Such a busy Christmas ! I returned from 
 the Annual Conference the week before; the 
 
44 " GOD'S CHRISTMAS GIFT." 
 
 property business on which I had worked all 
 the year seemed to be a failure, and there were 
 some things I did not understand which were 
 hard to bear. Christmas festivities were at 
 hand, — and it is no light matter to make a 
 happy Christmas for seventy people in the 
 house and ever so many outside of it. To 
 make matters a little worse, I was not feeling 
 well and was obliged to partake freely of 
 medicines to keep going. All the ladies in 
 the house assisted me, and did more, perhaps, 
 than I, but I had my work too. So the gifts 
 were purchased, the packets with the gifts 
 from their patrons made up for the girls, and 
 the teachers, Bible-women, and all the others 
 were remembered. We had worked late for 
 some nights. The Christmas tree was shown 
 the night before Christmas and was all that 
 could be desired, being pronounced very 
 beautiful. Father Christmas was here and did 
 his best to give all a good time, and that 
 
" GOD'S CHRISTMAS GIFT." 45 
 
 night the children were too joyons to sleep. 
 We try to make a happy occasion for them, 
 for at one time in their lives, in their heathen 
 homes, they knew nothing of Christmas and 
 Christmas joys. Christmas morning dawned 
 very early for them, and they were up with 
 their carols and prayers. The church services, 
 both English and Tamil, were attended. Then 
 came the Christmas dinner and sweets for all 
 in the home ; the children were also allowed 
 to see their relatives and friends, who took full 
 advantage of the day and were constantly in and 
 out of the place. The day was a busy one, but 
 evening came at last. All the young ladies 
 who gave me so generously of their time and 
 help, went to their homes for a little vacation ; 
 as some had to leave Madras, Mrs. Jones had 
 gone to the railway station with them. At a 
 little after seven o'clock all were out of the 
 house except the Orphanage Girls and myself. 
 They were having a quiet, good time, and 
 
4() "GOD'S CHRISTMAS GIFT." 
 
 as I was so tired, I went to my study, I 
 remember well I was hardly able to keep the 
 tears from my eyes, and as I sat at my table 
 the language of my heart was, " Well, this 
 cannot go on much longer, I undertake too 
 much, I must hereafter make other arrange- 
 ments for Christmas" ; but as there were many 
 letters to answer I turned wearily to my 
 work. 
 
 At this time of discouragement and weak- 
 ness came Sooboonagam Animal. It was with 
 mingled feelings of joy and anxiety that I 
 received her. A fter addressing me she turned 
 to the peon who had followed her upstairs, 
 and said, " Look peon, I have brought nothing 
 with me." She wore no jewels nor costly 
 cloth ; she had selected the two oldest cloths 
 she possessed wearing one about her, while the 
 other served as a covering for her head. She 
 now took from her person the only thing she 
 did bring, and gave it to me. It was the little 
 
" GOD'S CHRISTMAS GIFT." 47 
 
 metal box containing the sacred powder given 
 by the priests as a sign that she had been 
 sealed by them, and which as has been stated 
 before she had to wear always about her person. 
 In giving me this box with the powder she 
 said she gave up her all — caste, heathenism, 
 idolatry, everything. She was full of faith 
 and love. Though I showed her my affection, 
 yet my thoughts were troubled, she did not 
 know how dark the future looked to me. I 
 knew that her people were well able to spend 
 their thousands to get her back. I was told 
 that it most probably would be, a court case, 
 that being a married woman and of her caste 
 and sect it would most likely go against me. 
 Mrs. Jones and the matron, Mrs. Davids, 
 returned and we had prayers together and 
 committed the case to God. 
 
 Sooboonagam Ainmal slept peacefully and 
 soundly for the first time away from her people 
 and under my roof that night. But while she 
 
48 " GOD'S CHRISTMAS GIFT." 
 
 slept all my fearful imaginings were aroused. 
 For not long after she arrived, her people came 
 looking for her, her own two servants being 
 the first. All that night it seemed as if peo- 
 ple were at the gate or in the compound or 
 garden. Old dog " Dash " kept splendid 
 watch. It was a long night ; I suffered so 
 much with a heavy cold ; I had no sleep nor 
 peace of mind, only trouble seemed before me. 
 I realized what a terrible outcome it would be 
 to our work if by the persuasions of her people 
 she relented and went back to them. Every 
 zenana would be closed and the tale told 
 everywhere. Then if it became a court case, 
 I would have to spend money, and where was 
 that to come from? And if I were charged 
 with the crime of unlawfully detaining a 
 married woman, I must pay the penalty. Mrs. 
 Jones, always so helpful and kind, tried to 
 make me see the bright side, but I did not 
 tell even her all my forebodings. As the 
 
" god's chkistmas gift." 49 
 
 morning dawned, I went again to the Throne 
 of the Father, for strength and help. He then 
 spoke to rne as no one else can ; it was in the 
 words of dear Sooboonagam Ammal : — " I am 
 God's Christmas Gift to yon." His gift, His 
 loving remembrance of me in the time of 
 weakness. What a gift ! He gave as no one 
 else gave — a never-dying, ever-living sottl ! 
 Then came cheer and comfort, and also the 
 words she had uttered ( soon after her arrival, 
 u To-day Christ was born to the world and 
 to-day I am born to you." What was all out- 
 work for during the past year, — was it not 
 to save souls? Was it not to win souls for 
 Jesus ? And where was to be found a soul in 
 greater need of salvation ? Where was to be 
 found a more precious jewel than this one so 
 deeply buried in idolatry, superstition and 
 darkness, and so carefully and jealously guard- 
 ed by caste and sect ? 
 
 From that moment I took the gift God gave 
 
50 " GOD'S CHRISTMAS GIFT." 
 
 me. I thanked Him for this soul, this jewel, 
 and told Him that whatever came I would be 
 true to His "gift." 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Sad Scenes. 
 
 fHE next day people came and went, but 
 no one asked for* Sooboonagam nor at- 
 tempted to enter the house. The second night 
 passed without any outward disturbance ; 
 but the following morning at seven o'clock 
 two policemen, or European inspectors, came 
 with some native gentlemen who insisted on 
 seeing me. Mrs. Jones received them, and I 
 requested that they be shown to my drawing- 
 
■VI SAD SCENESj 
 
 room, where I met them and was greeted very 
 cordially. Only one of the native gentlemen 
 who said he was deputed to act for the others 
 came upstairs with the officers. 
 
 He is related to Sooboonagam and told in 
 most glowing terms who her father was ; his 
 position, his wealth, his influence, his intel- 
 lect, his standing, and his connection with the 
 government. He spoke of the large portraits 
 of honorable men that hung on the walls of 
 the old house ; of Sooboonagam's position in 
 the home, and how she had been cared for, 
 petted i and loved. He described most pathet- 
 ically the feelings of her mother and of all her 
 relatives and friends. He could not believe 
 that Sooboo would give up all her possessions, 
 and break all her family ties, and become a 
 poor, despised Christian. He, of course, insinu- 
 ated that there had been undue influence 
 exerted, and that we were unlawfully detain- 
 ing her ; so he requested that he might see 
 
SAD SCENES. b& 
 
 her in the presence of these officers . and hear 
 her own words and statements. 
 
 I then sought Sooboonagam who was in my. 
 room engaged in earnest prayer, and receiving 
 strength from God. 
 
 She went with me to the drawing-room ; 
 where on seeing her the man took her in 
 his arms as he would a child ; he uttered the 
 most endearing terms, he whispered them in 
 her ear, and reminded her of her childhood 
 days. He recalled all the past, and urged her 
 to respect the memory of her father. He 
 spoke of her mother, her husband, and the 
 little boy she loved so much, and promised 
 to do all he could to reinstate her into caste, 
 and to give her more than she had before. 
 
 I trembled for Sooboonagam Ammal. To 
 all this she said bravely and firmly, " I cannot 
 go back, I am a Christian." Then he tried 
 to make her confess that we had induced and 
 assisted her to leave her home. She answered 
 
54 SAD SCENES. 
 
 most emphatically, " Before God and these 
 officers as my witnesses, I say that these ladies 
 had nothing to do with my coming away ; they 
 gave me the Light and I walked into it." 
 
 He told her how poor she had become, that 
 to remain a Christian she would forfeit all her 
 wealth and property. To this she replied, " I 
 have all my treasures in the Bible, and its 
 truths are more to me than all my worldly 
 possessions." The man grew quite vexed, but 
 the inspectors were there to see that justice 
 was done on both sides. He asked her most 
 solemnly if she understood what she had done 
 and what it meant ; " Do you know that we, as 
 a family of orthodox Brahmans, will have to 
 perform the funeral ceremony for you ? Do 
 you know that your mother will have to per- 
 form it ? Your husband will light the funeral 
 torch ? You will be dead to us, dead to the 
 mother who bore you, dead to all your people, 
 dead to the whole Brahman community !" Our 
 
SAD SCENES. 55 
 
 dear Sooboo ! Our hearts bled for her, and were 
 lifted in prayer to God. u Yes," she said, with 
 tears in her large eyes. " I know it — I am 
 dead to all, but tell them I yet live, and will 
 tell of Christ's love to my people." Are your 
 hearts, my readers, touched with this same 
 u Christ's love " ? And like this young woman 
 here in India, will you be willing, if need be, 
 to leave all and give all for Christ ? 
 
 The officers of the law seemed much affected 
 by the language of Sooboonagam. They turned 
 to her relative, saying, u We have her words 
 and her testimony, and it is a clear case"; 
 then shaking hands with her, they told me 
 if I had any more trouble I could look to 
 them for help. Disappointment and rage 
 were depicted in the face of this native 
 gentleman as he moved quietly away with the 
 policemen. 
 
 We now thought our troubles were over ; 
 but all the week people came and went, some 
 
56 SAD SCENES. 
 
 of whom we saw and others refused to see ;■• 
 we kept within doors, for fear we might 
 possibly be injured by those who constantly 
 stood at the gate. 
 
 To our great astonishment about five o'clock 
 in the afternoon of New Year's Day, Sooboo- 
 nagam's mother, aunt, and the little nephew 
 whom she loved so dearly, came into our 
 compound or grounds, accompanied by a seem- 
 ing multitude of bold, frightful-looking men. 
 
 Mrs. Jones, always brave, went first to meet 
 them. The description she and others gave 
 of this company, made me feel very cowardly 
 and my heart sank. There was no help for it, 
 I must °o too, as thev insisted on seeing me. 
 We could plainly hear their threats and im- 
 precations all over the house. How I shrank 
 from seeing them, although I went down 
 and among them. Their blasphemy and 
 their angry faces were terrifying, truly " The 
 heathen rag-ed " ! 
 
SAO SCENES. .)/ 
 
 They predicted the downfall of the mission ; 
 they threatened to spend thousands to take 
 the case into court. I felt that the "silent 
 tongue " was best, and so only listened. They 
 were all on the verandah, as they knew the 
 law well enough not to enter the house. Tliey 
 wanted to see Sooboonagam Ammal and de- 
 clared they would not leave the place until 
 they had seen her. Fearing the angry people, 
 I advised her mother to come inside, but the 
 poor mother, as much as she wanted to see her 
 daughter, recoiled from this, because she said 
 we would shut her in and keep her as we had 
 kept her daughter ! In the meantime 1 had 
 sent for the police, but the day being a holiday 
 none were to be found. We then appealed to 
 the generous natures of the angry people, but 
 took the precaution to arrange our servants 
 on one side of the verandah, so that if violence 
 were attempted to Sooboo, or to any of us, 
 they might come to our rescue. Joseph, our 
 
58 SAD SCENES. 
 
 village teacher, was here with a stick in his 
 hand ; a servant happened to be cleaning 
 knives near by, and the peon or watchman was 
 bustling all over the place ; I smiled to think 
 how they were all ready for war ! 
 
 Where was Sooboonagam ? Alone in my 
 room, and bathed in tears, entreating God Jor 
 us. I sought her and found that her first 
 thought was how we could endure such treat- 
 ment and language. She feared, too, my 
 courage would fail, and I would tell them to 
 take her away ! Poor Sooboo ! she did not 
 know how strong the Lord had made me for 
 His gift. She pleaded with me not to give 
 her away ; she would rather not see them ; 
 but as I thought it best she agreed to go down, 
 first praying God to give her only four suita- 
 ble replies to their questions. Wishing me to 
 hold her hand that she might know me near, 
 I gently refused for I knew it would only 
 irritate those who loved her so much. 
 
SAD SCENES. 59 
 
 Sooboonagam calmly sat in the midst of that 
 angry group, on the chair which Mrs. Jones 
 had kindly placed on the verandah for the 
 mother and which she had so angrily spurned. 
 
 Then from among them an old man, a 
 relative of her father, stepped forward. At 
 first he spoke very lovingly, using many pet 
 names ; growing warmer, he told in loud tones 
 how tenderly she had been reared ; and his one 
 theme was that she was disgracing the name 
 of her father. To this Sooboo replied, " If I 
 went in the bad way, if I lived a bad life, you 
 might say so, but I am on a good way which 
 will bring more honor to my father." 
 
 Then the aunt placed the little boy before 
 Sooboo ; oh ! how she pleaded for him ! u He 
 loves you, look at him ; since you left he has 
 been fretting for you, has not taken food, but 
 cries for you day and night." Sooboonagam 
 Ammal, without a word, yet with tears in her 
 eves turned her face from the child. 
 
60 SAD SCENES. 
 
 Then came her mother. How shall I de- 
 scribe that scene? The tears fill my eyes as I 
 recall it. It seemed as if flesh and blood 
 could not endure it ; her cries were heart- 
 rending, she called to Sooboonagam as her 
 child, and told how her bowels yearned for her. 
 Then she accused her of being hard-hearted 
 and cniel, at the same time beating her 
 breast and beseeching her to return to them. 
 Sooboo's reply was, '" My affections are not 
 changed towards yon, my mother ; I love you 
 now as T always have, but you hate the Jesus 
 I love, and I cannot go back to you." After 
 this some of them told her in most terrible 
 language that we would treat her kindly now, 
 but soon would make her work, and at last 
 she would appear as a beggar at their door 
 and wander about the streets. To this she 
 calmly answered, " I came here to work ; if 
 the ladies turn me away, God has given me 
 two hands with which I can work for myself." 
 
SAD SCKXKS. 63 
 
 Tliey inquired very angrily if she had bro- 
 ken caste, if she had eaten with us. " Yes, v 
 she said, " I am a Christian ; I am very happy ; 
 I cannot worship idols any more ; Jesus is the 
 true God." Oh! how they raged! In the 
 vilest language they called her an "outcast'' 
 again and again ; and yet they still pleaded, 
 promising to build her a new house, that she 
 might, if she desired, live apart from them. 
 They placed before her every worldly attrac- 
 tion, but having given the four answers \she 
 had asked of God, she remained silent. 
 
 Failing in this they turned to me and asked 
 how much money I would take for Sooboo ! 
 They told me that her guardian who was at 
 the Pooiia Congress had both tel-egraphed and 
 written that they were to give us any sum of 
 money we might name. You see we could 
 have made ourselves rich ! 
 
 Then the broken-hearted mother called on 
 all the gods to curse her child, and with bitter 
 
6'2 SAD SCENES. 
 
 cries lamented that instead of finding her at 
 our place, she had not dragged her dead from 
 a well ! She entreated the gods to send us 
 every kind of misfortune. 
 
 Such now v/as the fury of her friends that 
 we felt it was quite enough for Sooboonagam 
 and for us, and took her away. 
 
 When their clamour had reached its height, 
 the police came, and the people retreated with 
 cries of vengeance, shouting, that if they had 
 Sooboonagam Ammal in their power, they 
 would cat her in pieces, and declaring, too, that 
 she acted and answered as she did because 
 we had given her wine and she was drunk ! 
 
 How like the Day of Pentecost when they 
 were " filled with the Holy Ghost, and began 
 to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit 
 gave them utterance," — so that some looking 
 on and listening were amazed, while " others 
 mocking said, ' These men are full of new 
 wine. 
 
 i r 
 
SAD SCENES. 68 
 
 Although relieved that the day was over, 
 we were very restless all night. There was 
 great sorrow in Sooboo's heart for her mother ; 
 she was astounded to see her standing with 
 the others, for she is never seen outside her 
 house, and when going to the temple, it 
 must be after dusk when nobody could see her. 
 She told us too, how frightened she had been, 
 for she recognized among the people two 
 athletes, who by their wonderful strength threw 
 people up into the air and then carried them 
 away, and if they had done this to her she 
 would have been entirely lost to us. 
 
 An elderly missionary lady who trembled 
 for the fate of Sooboo in that crowd, sweetly 
 said, " It seems to me that the Lord was truly 
 with you, and restrained the wrath of men." 
 Yes, He was there, praise His Holy Name ! 
 
 Since her mother had come, Sooboonagam 
 Ammal thought with pain and sorrow of the 
 possibility of a visit from her father's younger 
 
()4 SAD- SCKNKS. 
 
 wife. She knew that she would not come with 
 revilings but with sweetest words and entrea- 
 ties, for with her Sooboo was always the spoil- 
 ed child. She lived at Bangalore and we 
 thought she would scarcely come such a dis- 
 tance ; but one evening, a fortnight after the 
 last scene, brought the dreaded visitor. She 
 greeted us very cordially, but Sooboo absolute- 
 ly refused to see her, as she felt she could not 
 endure the meeting, and we so informed the 
 lady, inviting her to come again. She begged 
 to "see her once more, to satisfy my eyes," 
 and at this time, as she was to leave Madras 
 the next morning. Again we went to Sooboo 
 and found her in earnest prayer, and although 
 we feared the influence of this woman, yet we 
 reminded her that it was an opportunity to 
 witness for Jesus. " Remember," said she, u I 
 am a young Christian, I cannot tell what 
 may happen." We knelt together in prayer, 
 and upon rising from her knees, she said, 
 
SAD SCENES. 65 
 
 " Yes, I will see her though to meet now is 
 to part forever. The Lord is like a strong 
 mountain round about me," Oh ! that meet- 
 ing ! They embraced each other with tears 
 and kisses. Who can doubt that our religion 
 has cost Sooboonagam Ammal much? The 
 once proud, petted, wealthy Brahman broke 
 all her alabaster boxes, laid all upon the 
 altar ! To her as was written to the Hebrews 
 can we not say, " You took joyfully the spoil- 
 ing of your goods, knowing that you have in 
 heaven a better and an enduring substance" ? 
 Both tried to be brave. At last Sooboo 
 found words to enquire for her own mother, 
 and mentioned each member of her family by 
 name, for she was longing for news from the 
 dear old home of her childhood. The woman 
 could scarcely answer but asked Sooboo if 
 she were happy and if she ever thought of 
 returning home. Sooboo, while giving firm 
 replies, tried to comfort this one so dear to 
 
66 SAD SCENES. 
 
 her with assurances of her continued love and 
 prayers for her and for all the members of the 
 family circle. Before leaving our visitor begged 
 us to be kind to Sooboo, saying, "she was 
 brought up like a flower ; she is yours now, 
 she has no one else." 
 
 As the carriage rolled away Sooboo said, 
 with sorrow in her eyes and voice, " The last 
 is gone, only you and God now." That even- 
 ing as I stood alone with her I covenanted 
 with God that with all my insufficiency and 
 unworthiness I would do my best for this, His 
 "Gift" to me. 
 
 Some persons suggested that I take her away 
 from Madras, however, I concluded it would 
 be better for her to face all the difficulties at 
 the beginning and to give her people every 
 opportunity of seeing her. So her relatives 
 came and went ; one begged me to take her 
 from the city, "for it is hard," said he, "to 
 have her so near and yet know that she does 
 
SAD SCENES. 67 
 
 not belong to ns." Then I was besought not 
 to allow her to walk on the streets, as it would 
 be so humiliating to them. 
 
 Again they said that u though an outcast her 
 mother still loved and longed for her daughter, 
 and they had come to see if she were happy. 
 Another said, " As long as she is here, she is 
 like a magnet to us, and will always draw us to 
 her." God grant that many through her may 
 be drawn to the feet of Jesus. Sooboonagam 
 Animal a magnet in our mission for Him ! 
 Blessed Magnet ! 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 Baptism. 
 
 FTER fully five weeks we arranged for 
 a public baptism, in order that we 
 might magnify the grace of our Lord Jesus. 
 In all our mission work we have found none 
 so steeped in idolatry as Sooboonagam, and 
 only those who are engaged in zenana work, 
 know how hard it is for any zenana woman to 
 confess Christ. 
 
 But Sooboo made a noble confession, and 
 because of her clear testimony her case could 
 
BAPTISM. 69 
 
 not be dragged into the courts ; if she had 
 wavered one instant it would have gone hard 
 with us. Now if she took her stand in a pub- 
 lic baptism, it would convince her people that 
 we desired to hide nothing from them, and 
 besides if she were baptized openly other 
 women would be encouraged to take the same 
 step. 
 
 All Hindus are so deeply imbedded in super- 
 stition and caste that some of the low caste 
 people were amazed to learn that she ate 
 everything with us, and expressed their sur- 
 prise to her. Her reply was, " I am a Chris- 
 tian, I live with Christian ladies, and they 
 think it is right to eat such food, and if it is 
 good enough for them, it is good for me." 
 
 After her baptism she witnessed in our 
 home for the first time a distribution of prizes 
 among the five hundred children gathered 
 together, and was deeply impressed with the 
 poor children she saw here. She turned from 
 
70 BAPTISM. 
 
 the caste girls, and from some of the zenana 
 women who came to see her, and said, "If I 
 can work among these poor children I will be 
 glad" ; and now with Mrs. Jones, she is teach- 
 ing in a low-caste Sunday school, and her one 
 longing is to go to the villages and tell the 
 story of Jesus. 
 
 When Sooboonagam Ammal first came that 
 October night and saw our orphanage girls, 
 Mrs. Jones says she shuddered and it seemed 
 as if her flesh fairly crept, but now, my once 
 " touch-me-not," high born Sooboonagam Am- 
 mal, loves every low caste girl in the school, 
 and some of her happiest moments are when 
 she is left entirely with them. Caste ! she has 
 none ! She says she belongs to the u Lord 
 Jesus Caste" ! Caste ! God forbid that we 
 should encourage such an abomination in our 
 Mission. 
 
 On Monday, February 3rd, we had a public 
 baptism in which both the English and Tamil 
 
BAPTISM. 71 
 
 churches were represented. The former con- 
 gregation seemed very glad to be present, and 
 the English choir to sing : — 
 
 " Ring the bells of heaven ! there is joy to-day, 
 For the wand'rer now is reconciled ; 
 Yes, a soul is rescued from her sinful way, 
 And is born a new, a ransomed child !" 
 
 Knowing that all could not attend the Tamil 
 service on Sunday morning at eleven o'clock, 
 the hottest part of the day, we selected a week 
 evening for the service, inviting Christians and 
 Missionaries of other denominations, as well as 
 our own. 
 
 Sooboonagam Animal was much in prayer ; 
 and learned the hymn, 
 
 " Jesus, I my cross have taken, 
 All to leave and follow Thee," 
 
 and as it fully expressed her feelings, she 
 desired to sing it at her baptism. 
 
 When the morning of the baptism arrived 
 the servants were quite excited, telling me it 
 was the talk of the bazaars ; and that some evil- 
 
7*2 BAPTISM. 
 
 disposed poisons were going to the church to 
 
 make trouble. Later on a note oi warning 
 
 came from Mr, Raju Naidu, who himself had 
 passed through dreadful scenes when he was 
 converted, stating that this baptism was the 
 theme of conversation at the courts and busi- 
 ness houses. During the day a Missionary of 
 another denomination, who has had twenty- 
 three vears' experience in India, expressed a 
 fear that I did not know what 1 WHS doing, for 
 
 great crowds were coming and he anticipated 
 
 trouble. He advised that all the arrangements 
 be cancelled, and our friends asked to come to 
 the baptism in my home. I did not think this 
 expedient. lie then suggested that the ehureh 
 doors be elosed, and this I promised to dc> as 
 as possible. In view of these warnings I con- 
 fess I began to be a little anxious, and called 
 
 my large family together telling them the cir- 
 cumstances, and in mv "upper room" we 
 poured out our hearts in prayer to {)od. With 
 
BAPTISM. 73 
 
 prayer came action, and I concluded to take 
 Sooboo at an earlier hour, before the crowds 
 
 had time to assemble-, to the parson 
 in the church compound, the home of the 
 Rev- A. W. Rudisill, n.o., agent of the M. !•. 
 Publishing Mouse-, and pastor of the English 
 
 church. 
 
 Sooboonagam Animal, tin- peon, and I d 
 
 out in the carriage with some trepidation as 
 we anticipated meeting angry people. On 
 
 the contrary, we were greeted at the parson- 
 witli beautiful palms, and flowers. The 
 ►d Doctor and his wife had decorated their 
 home to give Sooboo a bright and joyous 
 welcome! How delightful was their kind- 
 ness ; my nerves were well strung, and this 
 unexpected pleasure made me very happy; 
 The warm clasp of her hand, the "God 
 bless you," and " Welcome my sister," w 
 so hearty that large tears rained flown Soob< 
 
 ; with "a word in season" the Doctor 
 
74 BAPTISM. 
 
 told her of the hundreds of Christians in his 
 home-land who would be true to her, and be 
 her friends, if she were true to Christ ; then 
 before going into the church he prayed most 
 earnestly for God's blessing on the coming 
 service. 
 
 Well, the time arrived, and crowds of 
 Europeans, native Christians, Hindus, and 
 Mohammedans were gathered inside and out- 
 side the church, and were at all the doors and 
 windows, so that they could not be closed ! 
 Though unasked for, the police were on all 
 sides of the church. My brother, Mr. J. Hewitt 
 Stephens, took his seat beside the princi- 
 pal door, and when the people began to giow 
 boisterous, walked out among them and they 
 were quieted. 
 
 The services, with the Presiding Elder, the 
 Rev. A. H. Baker in the chair, were opened by 
 singing, "All hail the power of Jesus' Name," 
 followed with prayer by Mrs. Eonghurst Ward 
 
BAPTISM. 75 
 
 of the London Mission. After a Tamil lyric 
 by my orphanage girls, Miss Dr. Howie of 
 the Free Church of Scotland read a portion 
 of Scripture. 
 
 I then presented our candidate for baptism ; 
 the ritual being read in Tamil by the pastor of 
 the Tamil congregation, Rev. W. L. King, b.d. 
 
 Dr. Rudisill made the English address. And 
 who more suitable than the founder of this 
 work ? Eleven years ago, after much corres- 
 pondence and effort, he induced the ladies of 
 the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society at 
 home to make appropriations for beginning 
 work in what are now the Madras and Hydera- 
 bad Districts of the South India Conference, 
 of which he was Presiding Elder. His late 
 wife, Mrs. Mary M. Rudisill was the first 
 Superintendent and Treasurer of the work 
 in Madras and I was appointed by them to 
 open the work in the zenanas, of which our 
 Sooboonagam Ammal is one of the many seals 
 
76 BAPTISM. 
 
 God has so graciously given us during these 
 years. To Him be all the glory ! : 
 
 A second address, in Tamil, was given by 
 Mr. W. Raju Naidu, as a representative of the 
 Tamil Church, and who, being impressed by 
 our work in his house, renounced idolatry, 
 left all for Christ, and was publicly baptized 
 by Dr. Rudisill in 1887. 
 
 When Sooboo's part in the service came, 
 
 and she took her place at the altar, there was 
 
 a murmur of voices, and it seemed as if the 
 
 crowd without would break through, as they 
 
 kept repeating in Tamil, u What ! a Brahman 
 
 lady baptized ! " When the baptism was over, 
 
 Sooboo, with a clear voice, in Tamil, sang her 
 
 hymn, 
 
 4< Jesus, I my cross have taken. 
 All to leave and follow Thee." 
 
 It was very affecting, as in the stillness of 
 death she sang those words, and there were 
 very few dry eyes in the audience ; then 
 
BAPTISM. 77 
 
 unexpectedly to all, after the hymn, she gave 
 her testimony ; with tears rolling down her 
 cheeks she said, " I was a poor sinner. I wor- 
 shipped idols, but now Jesus has forgiven all 
 my sins. I have left all and taken Him. I 
 want you all to pray for me." This too, was 
 so affecting and so solemn that many were 
 moved to tears ; I heard afterwards that Hindus 
 who had come to jeer and give trouble, went 
 away deeply impressed, confessing that the 
 woman was evidently sincere, and that they 
 were resolved not to interfere with her actions. 
 Some Of her own friends and relatives were 
 there ; their hearts, no doubt, were torn and 
 bleeding, but we heard nothing from them, 
 neither did they give us trouble. God grant 
 that this baptismal service may long live in 
 their memories and bring them to the foot of 
 the cross. 
 
 The Missionary who had called during the 
 day with his kind suggestions and advice, said 
 
78 BAPTISM. 
 
 that in the many years he had been in 
 India, he had not been so moved as in this 
 service. 
 
 An eminent missionary and author who was 
 present found one fault in the service, and that 
 was that we did not give enough prominence 
 to Sooboonagam Ammal's social standing, for 
 he knew the family and had esteemed her 
 father as a man of rare ability and culture. 
 
 Just before the benediction was pronounced, 
 Mrs. Rudisill, with a few kind and appropriate 
 remarks, in her husband's and in her own name, 
 presented our Sooboonagam a Tamil and a 
 Telugu Bible, at the close asking, " Sooboona- 
 gam Ammal, do you love Jesus ? " To which 
 the reply came so clear, so beautiful in the 
 one English phrase she then knew, "I love 
 Jesus very much," and on receiving the gifts 
 she most affectionately kissed Mrs. Rudisill, 
 and I am sure all hearts were touched by 
 this little scene. 
 
BAPTISM. 79 
 
 Oh ! as Sooboonagam Ammal walks from 
 earth to heaven ; may she daily say with 
 David of old, " Thy word is a lamp unto my 
 feet, and a light unto my path." 
 
 The service over, an invitation to the par- 
 sonage was accepted by rich and poor, all 
 creeds and no creeds, missionaries and Chris- 
 tian friends, high and low caste Hindus, all of 
 whom together with a few policemen partook 
 of tea kindly provided by Mrs. Rudisill. And I 
 found I was entering the parsonage in company 
 with a Hindu gentleman who had formerly 
 hated and ill-treated me because of the conver- 
 sion of his friend, Mr. Raju Naidu. 
 
 Sooboonagam's conversion and baptism 
 made such a stir that for several Sundays more 
 than three thousand Hindus assembled in a 
 large hall in Madras to discuss the work of the 
 missionaries in their midst and to devise plans 
 to end all missionary work. One of their own 
 leading papers said, " We regret to learn that 
 
80 BAPTISM. 
 
 one of the daughters of the late Mr. Venkata- 
 ramana Puntulu, has become a convert to 
 Christianity. She is a married woman and her 
 husband is a clerk in the High Court. This 
 is probably the first instance in which in 
 recent days, a married high-caste woman 
 has become a convert, abandoning her home. 
 We heard of the recent conversion long ago, 
 but we thought that better counsel might have 
 prevailed. " Another Hindu paper inserted 
 a long editorial on the subject, and as we 
 read these comments we were glad we did 
 nothing in secret, and had a baptismal service 
 open to all. 
 
 The proceedings on the part of these 
 Hindus created quite a desire to see the " new 
 convert"; and although it was not time for 
 her to go to them, 'yet they could come our 
 home, and learn from her lessons of trust in 
 her Saviour. Not a few native Christians 
 came also, and encouraged her faith. 
 
BAPTISM. 81 
 
 The Missionary who had such fears the day 
 Sooboo was baptized, told me that the service 
 so impressed him that he had little sleep 
 that night as he kept awake till day-break 
 writing a full account of the baptism for the 
 papers in his home-land. In a recent letter 
 he says, " Tell Sooboonagam that she went to 
 Denmark, my country, and did a grand work 
 there, and now has come back to me,'' mean- 
 ing that copies of his account had been sent 
 to him. Will our Sooboo go to America 
 through these pages, and do the same good 
 work there? 
 
 One young lady who witnessed the baptism, 
 wrote to her home church about it, and told 
 me that the practical outcome was that the 
 church which had been dead to mission work, 
 had resolved to help give the " Gospel to every 
 creature," and had sent her a first donation. 
 
 My whole heart is in these pages, and my 
 one desire in writing to-night after a day of 
 
82 BAPTISM . 
 
 weary toil is that good may grow out of it, 
 God's Name be glorified, and many more souls 
 be baptized with the Holy Spirit. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 A Strange Funeral. 
 J^HILE we were rejoicing over this 
 redeemed soul, and while there was 
 a joy in the presence of the angels of God," 
 Sooboo's old home was a scene of sorrow and 
 desolation. 
 
 I have heard of many strange things done 
 by the Hindus, but never before of a funeral 
 service performed for one who still lives. 
 This was done for Sooboonagam Animal with- 
 in a month after her baptism. Several facts 
 
84 A. STRANGE FUNERAL. 
 
 connected with the ceremonies were given to 
 me by one who was present. 
 
 Printed notices were sent to a large number 
 of Brahmans, many of whom attended these 
 ceremonies of which there were over a thou- 
 sand different kinds all performed by fire, 
 and lasting three days ; during this period, 
 the husband had to bathe thirty-one times ; 
 nineteen times the first day; eight, the second 
 day; and four, the third day. He had also to 
 spend money very liberally, over a hundred 
 Brahmans being feasted and fed, and cloths 
 given to some. 
 
 As a token that Sooboo no longer belonged 
 to them, all the earthenware was brought out 
 and broken ; everything that could remind 
 them of her was given away or destroyed. 
 
 Then an effigy of our Sooboo was made of 
 reeds brought from the banks of the Ganges 
 and preserved very sacredly by the priests ; 
 with some very special and intricate cere- 
 
A STRANGE FUNERAL. 85 
 
 monies the "form" was thrown upon the fire, 
 the priests shouted, u Dead ! Dead !" and 
 "Burnt out!" six times, after which the 
 whole company took up the cry, and had the 
 satisfaction of seeing the body or form entire- 
 ly consumed. 
 
 The " Bond" or "Execution Bill" was now 
 signed by three family priests and four highly 
 respected Brahman gentlemen ; after this the 
 sacred ashes were gathered together, and as is 
 the custom of all strict, orthodox Brahmans, 
 in order that the eyes of no Sudra or low-caste 
 person should fall on the ashes, they were- 
 taken at night to the Brahman burning 
 ground, and after further ceremonies called 
 "Remedy," were deposited among the dead. 
 There to her people lies all that is left of 
 Sooboonagam Ammal ; but thank God in His 
 presence she lives, and we daily pray that her 
 words may have fulfilment, " I will yet live, 
 and tell my people of Christ's love." As if to 
 
86 A STRANGE FUNERAL. 
 
 make these funeral ceremonies absolutely 
 complete, the husband was married again to a 
 very little girl, and has now a second child- 
 wife ! 
 
 During these ceremonies my heart was very 
 closely drawn to Sooboo for I could not tell 
 her about them ; but she knew too well, and told 
 me that she could not sleep ; in her dreams she 
 heard the drums, and tom-toms (native music), 
 and her people's cries. One night this poor, 
 lonely, "dead" one heard the music of a 
 funeral procession ; she closed her ears and 
 asked so sadly, "Is that for me? Are my 
 people taking me to the burning ground ?'' 
 She knew that before the month was out all 
 this would be performed for her, and one night 
 before retiring she prayed very earnestly that 
 God would prevent a repetition of the dream 
 she had the night previous ; on rising from 
 our knees and enquiring about the dream 
 she replied, u Oh ! I dreamt that my mother 
 
A STRANGE FUNERAL. 87 
 
 and people were crying for me, my mother 
 was beating her breast, and tearing her flesh, 
 and begging me to return. This dream was 
 so painful that I could not help being sad.'' 
 How natural it was for her to feel so, but how 
 comforting that she could take it all to God 
 in prayer and find in Him refuge and strength. 
 
 At this funeral one face was missing ; all 
 expected the mother to be there and to sign 
 the " Execution Bill," but she refused to go.^ 
 Poor mother ! Her sorrow was too great to 
 be witnessed by that large company. She 
 sent word that she could not be present, but 
 intended to go on a pilgrimage, and on the 
 banks of the Ganges, to perform her loved 
 daughter's funeral ceremony. 
 
 To propitiate the gods, and to make an 
 atonement for her daughter's crime she will 
 most probably end her days there. Imagine 
 that mother on the banks of the Ganges ! 
 What privations, what self-denials, what 
 
88 A STRANGE FUNERAL. 
 
 bathing, what cries, what tears ! Because she 
 came to our home and stood with the native 
 servants, she is so defiled, that her only remedy 
 is to go to the sacred river and bathe in its 
 waters. She is now making preparations, and 
 notwithstanding all her wealth, is begging 
 money from the strict Brahman community in 
 order to make the ceremony more valid. 
 Every Brahman who gives his mite, however 
 poor he may be, helps her to make the pil- 
 grimage, has a part in the funeral ceremonies, 
 and in the blessings of the gods. It is a great 
 privilege to help her take the journey and 
 perform the sacred rites. 
 
 How many weary days will be hers on 
 the lonely way, for the journey is one thou- 
 sand four hundred and sixteen miles long. 
 She will not enter a railway carriage, but will 
 walk this distance, though, perhaps, when 
 very weary, she may use a slow-going cart 
 drawn by oxen. This pilgrimage must be 
 
A STRANGE FUNERAL. 89 
 
 accomplished in three months and fourteen 
 days. Alas! How many steps for that poor 
 woman ! 
 
 The ceremonies will all be performed as she 
 stands for hours, days it may be, in the sacred 
 river. Teachers and priests will be there and 
 will see that nothing is left undone, and 
 of course, will receive bountifully from her. 
 Can you imagine that mother with shaved 
 head (shaved when she became a widow), and 
 bent form trying to propitiate the gods ? How 
 sad that her life is to be given as an atonement 
 for her daughter's action. 
 . Sooboonagam Animal has not ceased to love 
 her mother and is constantly praying for her. 
 Shall we not join our prayers with hers? 
 Who knows but that as she goes on her way, 
 or bends before the idols on the Ganges, the 
 true Light may shine in her heart, and she 
 may be washed in the blood of the Lamb. 
 
 Though she has bitterly cursed her daugh- 
 
90 A STRANGE FUNERAL. 
 
 ter, who is now dead to her, yet there is still 
 the mother's love in her heart. I was much 
 touched when I heard that as she goes about 
 begging money, if she meets any one whom 
 she knows is acquainted with us, she eagerly 
 cries, " Tell me about my Beddah (pet child), 
 my heart yearns for her." But soon on the 
 river banks every particle of her love will be 
 crushed out her heart by the priests and 
 ceremonies ; as she performs her sacred duties, 
 it will be a sin for her to think of her child ! 
 I am here reminded of a very affecting 
 incident. A couple of weeks after her bap- 
 tism one Sunday morning, I was taking Soo- 
 boonagam to church, when to our great aston- 
 ishment, as we drove into the church com- 
 pound we came face to face with her grand- 
 mother. There she was seated with some of 
 the servants watching for her grandchild ; she 
 followed the carriage to the church door, she 
 looked in the window, and with hands and 
 
A STRANGE FUNERAL. 91 
 
 face uplifted, her lips moved. Whether she 
 muttered imprecations or blessings I know 
 not, but it seemed that she desired one last 
 look, as in all probability she is to go with 
 the mother to the Ganges and will never 
 return to Madras. 
 
 Upon one occasion Sooboonagam met her 
 only sister, who at her husband's words, " She 
 is here ; now take care, not a word, not a look, 
 put your eyes down,'' passed her as a stranger, 
 without a word, without a glance. Sooboona- 
 gam felt this most keenly for she had thought 
 so often that if they ever met they would talk 
 to each other, and she was continually looking 
 for her sister and hoping for recognition. 
 This was denied her but the precious promise, 
 remains to her, " Every one that hath forsaken 
 houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father or 
 mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my 
 name's sake, shall receive an hundred fold, 
 and shall inherit everlasting life." 
 
CHAPTER XL 
 
 Conclusion. 
 
 jJANY inquiries are being made as to 
 how Sooboonagam Ammal's conver- 
 sion and baptism affects our zenana work. 
 With the loving help of our Heavenly Father 
 we are permitted to. carry on a large work 
 here in Madras ; of course, all of our more 
 than five hundred zenana women heard of 
 Sooboonagam's step, and we feared that our 
 work among them would, for a time at least, 
 be entirely closed. But God was better than 
 
CONCLUSION. 93 
 
 our fears. True, I received a few letters 
 forbidding us to visit some of our best houses ; 
 yet we already had more than we could do, 
 and the hundreds of our dear women were 
 willing still to receive us ; so we pushed on 
 with what we had, and even entered some 
 new open doors ; and now we have as many 
 houses and women as we ever had. We were 
 very sorry to give up some, still as our 
 workers 'say, "We have taught these women, 
 they had the Word from us, and we can now 
 well go to those who have not been taught. 1 ' 
 
 Sooboonagam is the topic of conversation in 
 every home; the women want to know all 
 about her, and how glad I am to tell the story 
 over and over again ; our many Christian 
 zenana women, secret disciples, are much inter- 
 ested, and applaud her for her courage, and say 
 they wish they could take the same step, and 
 give us every hope that 'some time they will 
 come to us ; they send messages to Sooboo, 
 
94 CONCLUSION. 
 
 longing to see her, and requesting her prayers. 
 Some ask us what we are going to do with 
 her, and talk of her conversion and coming 
 to us as u her fate!" One woman said, "It 
 was written on her skull before she was born, 
 she had to go that way" ! 
 
 The workers tell their women that they will 
 some time see Sooboon again Ammal, that she 
 will go to them and they will hear from her of 
 the love of Christ and of her love for Him ; 
 many are glad, but some shudder at the very 
 thought, saying, "She may talk and talk to 
 me but / will never hear a word " ; and again, 
 "That was her fate, she went that way, why 
 should we go ? " Yet I know that Sooboona- 
 gam will be a great blessing to our zenanas, 
 and to all our work, as she is now in our 
 home. 
 
 She shares my room, sits at our table, eats 
 our food, and is quite* an assistant in the home 
 and work. I greatly rejoice that the Woman's 
 
CONCLUSION. 95 
 
 Foreign Missionary Society is providing her 
 support. 
 
 Some one indiscreetly remarked to her one 
 day that I ought to get better cloths for her, 
 and called the last one I bought a " grass-cut- 
 ters ' cloth " ; Sooboo indignantly replied that 
 if it was good enough for " grass-cutters," 
 it was good enough for her, that she did 
 not come here for grand cloths, and that what- 
 ever I thought best to give her she would 
 wear with pleasure. She will not take any 
 money from me for any purpose ; thinking that 
 occasionally she would like to give away or 
 buy some little thing for herself, I often insist 
 upon her having some money, but she persist- 
 ently refuses, and says I may get what I like 
 for her, and do for her as I please, but she must 
 not call any money her own till she works for it. 
 
 It is wonderful how quickly she has learned 
 our ways, for it is an entirely new life for her. 
 She takes part in all our workers' meetings ; 
 
96 CONCLUSION. 
 
 with the other ladies and workers I require 
 her to keep a diary ; let me give a few extracts, 
 (translated from the Tamil in which it is 
 written) ; " 26th June 1896 : This morning a 
 lady asked me what I was going to do for God. 
 I told her I am very anxious to go into the 
 homes and tell the people about the love of 
 God, and that I want to go into the villages 
 and tell them about the mighty Saviour. This 
 lady said she knew many would listen to me. 
 I then told her that I know God will bless me, 
 and as He told Simon Peter to leave all and 
 follow Him, and He would make him a fisher 
 of men, so He will do for me. The lady 
 kissed me and said she would not forget to 
 pray for me." 
 
 17th July, 1896 : To-day in my prayers I 
 asked God to bless the zenana sisters. I said 
 I was once like them in darkness and sin, but 
 God sent His children to me and brought me 
 into the li^ht. In the same wav I want to 
 
CONCLUSION. 97 
 
 bring others to the feet of my Saviour. I know 
 many would come, but they have not the 
 courage, and are afraid to say that they are the 
 children of God. I pray for them every day, 
 and I know that God will answer my prayer." 
 
 "20th July, 1896: This morning I was sitting 
 alone thinking of my home, my mother, my 
 sister, and all my loved ones, when I thought, 
 why did I leave all my people and come away ? 
 This made me sad ; then I thought it must 
 be Satan who is tempting me ; so I went down 
 on my knees and asked God to take the 
 thought away. I know it is His hand that 
 brought me here, and that He has done this in 
 love to save my*s0ttlr" 
 
 A missionary on reading parts of this diary 
 remarked, " She very soon acquired the Chris- 
 tian's language." She is learning rapidly, and 
 is grasping at every opportunity to improve. 
 Sooboo takes her turn at family prayer, as all 
 the members of my large family do, and her 
 
98 CONCLUSION. 
 
 petitions are so warm and sincere, we have 
 often remarked to one another when not in her 
 hearing, " What a beautiful prayer !" She 
 sings very nicely at our social gatherings ; and 
 at the English Church meetings, our pastor, 
 Dr. Rudisill often asks her to sing, " Come to 
 Jesus " ; I eagerly look forward to the time 
 when that sweet voice will be heard in the 
 homes and zenanas of Madras. 
 
 Sooboonagam is a member of the Tamil 
 Church, but goes with us to both the Tamil 
 and English services. The first communion 
 service in the Tamil Church after her baptism 
 was a puzzle to her. I asked her if she would 
 take the communion, but she desired to wait 
 as she did not understand it ; she looked and 
 listened ; and when it was over, with a glad 
 smile she said she understood. On asking her 
 it she would take it the following month she 
 replied, " I am ready now." That night the 
 Lord's Supper was administered to the English 
 
CONCLUSION. 99 
 
 congregation ; in a whisper I questioned her 
 again, when she said, " I do not know much, 
 but that shows Jesus' death for me, and He told 
 us to do it" ; then for the first time this once 
 far-away heathen, this idolatress, knelt at the 
 table of our Lord. It was a blessed season to, 
 her, and she wept tears which angels rejoiced 
 to see ; she has taken the bread and wine 
 regularly since then at the Tamil, and some- 
 times at our English service. 
 
 Sooboo attends the Tamil class meeting 
 held in my home. I will never forget the first 
 time she testified ; she manifested timidity and 
 nervousness, as well as much joy ; after the 
 meeting was over she put her arms around me 
 remarking, " I only said a few words, but there 
 was so much in my heart, and I am glad God 
 can see it and knows how grateful I am." 
 
 She is studying very diligently ; you can 
 well understand that a woman who has had 
 but one year's schooling has much to learn. 
 
10() CONCLUSION. 
 
 Although she has begun at the bottom of 
 the ladder, her ambition is great and she sees 
 before her success. As I watch her poring 
 over her books, and recall her former life 
 of ease and luxury, I feel sorry for her, but 
 u I must work the works of Him that sent 
 me," said the Lord Jesus, and this, His child, 
 with His mind in her, has before her His 
 work, she sees the " must," and her one 
 thought is to qualify herself for that where- 
 unto she believes she is called. She is taking 
 now the first year's course in Tamil as pre- 
 scribed by our Conference ; to it I am adding 
 English and Arithmetic. A native teacher 
 instructs her an hour every day ; and the 
 ladies, notwithstanding their heavy respon- 
 sibilities and duties, give Sooboo generously of 
 their time, and teach her vocal music, needle- 
 work, English, and the Sabbath School les- 
 sons ; — may God bless my dear young ladies 
 for their goodness and kindness to Sooboo. 
 
CONCLUSION. 101 
 
 Her only outside work at present is with her 
 class in the Sunday School of poor children. 
 She greatly desires to go into the zenanas, but 
 it is not time yet, and for the good of the work 
 it will be better to wait ; however she loses 
 no opportunity of appealing earnestly to the 
 women who come here to see her to live for 
 the one true God; she exhorts and argues well, 
 and sings very sweetly to them. 
 
 Some women asked her what work she was 
 going to do ; out of the abundance of her heart 
 vSooboo replied, " I am going to be a fisher of 
 men !" These zenana women were amazed 
 at her answer-; "fisher of men!" they cried; 
 Sooboo explained emphatically, " Don't you 
 know Jesus told His disciples to be fishers of 
 men, and you know these ladies fished me out, 
 so I am going to fish out many for Him." 
 
 Sooboo is deeply interested in the zenana 
 work and frequently sends messages to some 
 of the women ; messages from the Bible and 
 
102 CONCLUSION. 
 
 of encouraging words to those who do not 
 see their way clearly to come out and be 
 "separate." She talks much of all that she 
 wants, with His help, to do for Jesus. When 
 letters came forbidding us to enter some 
 houses, she thought we would feel badly, and 
 repeatedly said, u Don't be discouraged with 
 my Saviour's help, when I go out into the 
 work, I will get more houses for you than you 
 have lost." 
 
 Sooboonagam specially requested that we 
 would not change her name at her baptism, 
 and that she be allowed to continue wearing 
 her Brahman costume, "for," she said, 
 "with my own name, my native dress, and 
 my bare feet, I want to go to my heathen 
 sisters and tell them about Christ. If I 
 have another name, they will not know me, 
 but if they hear my name, they will come 
 out to see me, and I will say, ' Don't you know 
 me, don't you know A. L. Venkataramana 
 
CONCLUSION. 103 
 
 Puntulu, m.a., b.l.'s youngest daughter?' and 
 they will receive me gladly, and take me into 
 their houses, and I will tell them I am not 
 changed, I belong to them still, only my heart 
 is changed ! " 
 
 As my family is a very large one, Sooboo is 
 taught to make herself useful in the home ; 
 she has sole charge of my study and office ; 
 early in the morning with her own hands she 
 sweeps and dusts ; papers, books, and flowers 
 are arranged in beautiful order ; I am glad 
 she does not hesitate to do the most menial 
 work in the home ; she is very teachable al- 
 though she has just closed her twentieth year. 
 
 One evening while driving past the light- 
 house on the beach, I asked her what lesson 
 she could learn from it ; immediately came 
 her answer, " I must be like that light-house, 
 and let my light shine." Since then she re- 
 peatedly uses these words in both testimony 
 and prayer. Will you not pray that she may 
 
104 CONCLUSION. 
 
 shine more and more in this dark land ? For 
 here she is a worker with onr Joseph, who 
 was "Joseph from the pit," but now "Joseph 
 the preacher " doing a good work in " Guilford 
 Avenue" School ; with Annie Logan Jacob, 
 once a poor, destitute orphan girl, bnt now 
 with others of onr orphanage a successful 
 worker in our mission field ; with Davedasen, 
 once the " Fortune-teller" plying his vocation 
 among hundreds of heathen, but now our 
 " Poet" telling in his lyrics of his conversion 
 and the folly of heathenism ; with Elizabeth, 
 the once hard-hearted Elizabeth, who, though 
 having the name of Christian was as far from 
 God as darkness is from light, but now our 
 " Evangelist," whose little daughter, our 
 " Francis Willard " made her consider her 
 ways and was God's instrument in bringing 
 her to His feet ; with the last, but not the 
 least, "John the Sudra priest," fifty years of 
 age, whom God sent to us after Sooboonagam 
 
CONCLUSION. 105 
 
 came ; a priest, who for thirty years had 
 contended with Christians and was their 
 bitterest enemy ; a " god" to the people, and 
 called " Swami" or " Guru" by them ; and 
 on coming to my home for the first time 
 many followed him asking if their u Swami" 
 were going. Dr. Rudisill baptized him at 
 our Sunday morning Tamil service ; he was 
 then a frightful looking object, but he says, 
 "Jesus had conquered," and as he stood 
 for baptism I washed the hideous " Swami 
 marks" from his brow ; and on removing 
 his priestly yellow garment, Mrs. Rudisill 
 gave him a " white robe " ; I now have many 
 of his sacred, priestly belongings. He is one 
 of my faithful workers, teaching a school 
 and preaching in the villages, his favorite 
 text being " The L^unb of God which taketh 
 away the sins of the world." He is one 
 of my principal distributors of tracts ; for 
 "Mather Mithiri" (our Tamil "Woman's 
 
106 CONCLUSION. 
 
 Friend") and the tracts which we gave him 
 supplied by our Madras M. E. Publishing 
 House were largely the means of convincing 
 him of the truth. He has brought a number 
 of others to Jesus and to baptism in our church. 
 But time would fail to tell all about him and 
 all these workers who help to swell that 
 Indian host of which our beloved Bishop 
 Thoburn, under God, is the mighty leader. 
 
 Sooboonagam Ammal is a sister to my 
 workers, and calls me " Mother " ; I pray 
 God that this "light-house," this blessed 
 " magnet" may continue to talk and sing 
 and work for Jesus, and "shine" and "draw" 
 others to her Saviour long after my pen is 
 laid aside, and long after my work day is 
 over. 
 
 At the request of many friends, personal and 
 official, in America, this story goes forth on 
 its mission to tell of one who says, " I was 
 once a poor sinner ; I loved my idols, but I 
 
CONCLUSION. 107 
 
 left all to follow Jesus, and am now here to 
 work for Him," and who loves to sing, 
 
 "Jesus, I my cross have taken, 
 
 All to leave and follow thee ; 
 Naked, poor, despised, forsaken, 
 
 Thou, from hence, my all shalt be. 
 Perish every fond ambition, 
 
 All I've sought, and hoped, and known : 
 Yet how rich is my condition, 
 
 God and heaven are still my own ! ' ' 
 
 To God be all the glory ! 
 
 Printed at the M. E. Publishing House, Mount Road, Madras— 1898, 
 

Qr^vv 
 
M228046 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY