# The Lutheran Pioneer_St. Louis_1924_S63
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

62

in many instances the children are weak and
sickly ?

But the crowning curse of Indian womanhood
is the widowhood of the land. The Hindu widow
is condemned to unending mourning, self-abasement,
and degradation. First of all, she is called upon
to give up her hair. No sooner is her husband
dead than her head is shaved; for the common
belief is that as long as her hairs are still on her
head, her husband’s soul must go to the infernal
regions. ‘The greatest curse that can be uttered
against a Hindu woman is to wish her to become
a widow.

But the Hindu widow is also compelled to wear
the coarsest garments, and all her ornaments and
jewels are taken from her. She never dare attend
a feast, and she must observe the greatest care lest
her shadow fall on food about to be eaten. All
that seek happiness avoid her as they would
a plague, and it is a common saying, “Rather meet
the devil than a wretched widow.” ‘The saddest
of all, however, is that the Hindus think that by
thus treating the poor widows they are helping
them in a spiritual way! They believe women
become widows because of some great sin which
they have committed, and wives who do not bear
a son are supposed to be guilty of some unpardon-
able iniquity. A widow that has born:a son or sons
is fortunate, —if one may speak of any creature
being fortunate that is compelled to live the de-
graded lives of Hindu widows, —since privileges
are extended to them which others may not enjoy.
The very superstitions of the Hindu religion save
her from cruelties attending the pathways of her
less fortunate sisters.

It would be hard, indeed, to think of anything
more pathetic than that of bringing the sad news
to a child-wife that she is numbered with the other
27,000,000 widows of the land. The barber comes
and shaves her head, and her gay garments are
taken from her and given to others. People shun
her, every comfort is denied her, and she is deprived
of privileges given to others of her sex.
forsake her, and relatives despise her. Life becomes
a nightmare of hopelessness and torment. Often it
ends in suicide or a life of shame. ;

Here is an instance related by a missionary
worker in India: “Only a few months ago the
writer was awakened at two o’clock one morning
with shouts outside the mission compound. Taking
a few of the lads, we went to the place from which

the shouts came, and there, in an old well, was one
»

Friends -

The Lutheran Pioneer.

of these unfortunate widows who had been foreed
into a life of shame. She was hanging on to one
of the iron hooks that were placed around the inside
of the well, and she had been there from ten o’clock
at night till two in the morning. We lost no time
in pulling her out. Hers is a sad story, but she is
now working in one of the homes in town where
the Gospel-message is given. She felt that the only

- way to cover up the immoral life that she was forced

into was to find a resting-place for her body at the
bottom of the well.”

Nothing is more affectingly true than that from
India to-day there goes up an agonizing ery calling
on the Christians everywhere in behalf of the poor
widows and child-wives of India. Hinduism will
never bring them relief, but will rather enslave
them more and more. Mohammedanism will not
lift a hand to loosen the shackles of Indian woman-
hood, but will rather assist in welding the chains
all the tighter. Only Christianity can bring help,
and only Christianity will bring help. The Gospel
of Christ alone is able to soften the hard hearts of
the “lords” and “masters” of India’s womanhood
and induce them to set it free from its slavery.
And it is for us to see to it that this message of
the Gospel be not withheld from them. F.J. 1.

—_———_..@--

Let Jesus In.

Dr. Arnot used to tell a story of a poor woman
in his congregation who was unable to pay her rent
and whose goods were about to be seized and taken
from her. Hearing of it, the good pastor procured
the money necessary to relieve her and went to
place it in her hands. Tinding the house closed,
he knocked long, but received no answer. He tried
the door, but it was fastened. Unable to gain ad-
mittance, he went away. The next day he met the
woman and told her of his visit. With mingled
astonishment and confusion she said, “I heard the
knocking, but I thought it was the officer coming
to seize my goods, and I was bound I would not
let him in.”

Jesus comes to bring us blessings, riches, joys;
He comes to pay our debts for us. But we often
misunderstand Him and refuse to let Him into our
hearts. — Selected.

el
One hundred thousand souls die in heathen
lands each day who have never heard of Christ.
This is the record of centuries.