A Lady of England 63

A Lady of England 63

“The Mission Miss Sahiba must single remain,

Or else she’ll step out of her proper domain.”

 

A friend who married one of our Missionary ladies, and who was nominally

outside the Mission family, but who was and still is one of us, added the

words--

 

“And never will be a Miss Sahiba again!”’

 

This quotation from Mr. Clark lands us in another subject, and one of no

small importance. Charlotte Tucker, going as she did to India when well

on in middle life, looked upon herself as a possible Pioneer, a possible

example to others, and hoped that many more might be led to do the same.

But she was never under the delusion that anybody and everybody is fitted

for a Missionary life,--even granting the spiritual adaptedness. There

must be of course whole-hearted devotion to Christ, whole-hearted love to

man, and whole-hearted self-abnegation; but there must also be certain

natural capabilities, certain conditions of health and vigour. Beyond

all, there must be the Divine call to work in the Mission-fields. All

this Charlotte Tucker felt with increasing earnestness as years went on;

and she was often at pains to explain the kind of workers wanted out

there, to warn against the kind of workers _not_ wanted.

 

Before giving extracts from the correspondence of 1879, two or three

quotations of different dates shall be given on this subject, beginning

with a letter written to a lady who had thoughts of offering herself:--

 

‘BATALA, _Dec. 3, 1878_.

 

‘MY DEAR MADAM,--Hearing that you have some idea of giving

yourself to Mission work in India, I think that you may like

to hear the impressions of one who--after dear ones no longer

required her care--gave herself to that work.

 

‘I have now been for three years in India, and I have never for

one minute regretted coming. I do sometimes feel that there is

need of patience; one has a number of petty inconveniences and

annoyances, from which we are guarded in England. Whoever comes

out as a Missionary should pray for a brave, patient, cheerful

spirit, and a submissive will. But if these be granted, I

should say that the Missionary life is a very happy one.

 

‘There is a great charm in being carried back to the days

of the Apostles; for in an isolated station, like Batala or

Kulu, there is much to remind one of the First Century. Then

there is joy in the hope that one is putting out the intrusted

talents--be they few or many--to the best interest. One’s

time, one’s money, one’s efforts, seem to go further here.

I have often thought, “India is the place to make the One

talent--Ten.” The work is so very great, the labourers so few!

 

‘There is another thing which has intensely sweetened my

Missionary life. It is finding myself a member of the

Missionary Family. It has been said that there are no

friendships like those made in youth. It has not been _my_

experience. I have no dearer friendships than those made in

advanced years. God has given me a number of new Relatives (I

call them dharm nephews and nieces), and the tie is as real as

that made by blood-relationship....

 

‘In coming out as a Missionary, one has to devote oneself to

duties which are sometimes what would be called drudgery, and

leave the care of one’s happiness to the Divine Master, whom

we attempt to serve. He takes far better care of our happiness

than we can.

 

‘Allow me, dear Madam, to add another word. If you come out,

you should start _soon_, to avoid the heat of the Red Sea. As

regards outfit, you would find a tin-bath, in a basket-case, to

be used in travelling as a trunk, a great comfort here. It is

well to bring out a few pictures and pretty things; and, if you

are musical, your instrument. Medicines are very useful. Warm

clothes are requisite, as well as light ones. Cotton gloves are

a comfort in the season when kid shrivels and dries.

 

‘Not without a hope that I may one day welcome you as a

Sister-worker, I remain, dear Madam, yours very sincerely,

 

C. M. TUCKER.’

 

In a paper written some few years later by A. L. O. E., containing a list

of things needed to make a good and serviceable Missionary, the following

are enumerated--as usual, symbolically expressed:--

 

‘We need not dwell on the necessity of Faith and Love, which

may be represented as Gold. To start without these would be

presumption worse than folly.... And so with the only less

valuable metal, Silver--Knowledge. It is self-evident that such

is required....

 

‘And a great deal of Steel is needed ... some physical, and,

above all, _moral_ Courage is required. Nervous weakness of

character is undesirable at home; it would be a grievous

misfortune in India.... A Missionary should claim the Christian’s

privilege of fearing no evil....

 

‘The old saying is, _Nothing like leather_.... What I would

symbolise by Leather is a capacity for encountering _drudgery_,

something that will bear the strain of daily and often

monotonous work.... Give us tough leather, such as harness and

straps are made of; no romantic sentimentality, but steady,

resolute Perseverance.

 

‘Another useful article is a _Letter-weigher_, by which I would

represent Sound Judgment.... There is special experience required

for work in a foreign land. It has often occurred to my mind

what a blessing in disguise it is that Missionaries have to

toil to acquire a new language; such delay giving them time to

learn something of Native character, manners, and ideas. If

language came by intuition, we should make many more blunders

in other things than we do now; and such blunders are numerous

enough already....

 

‘Another necessary must not be forgotten--a _White-covered

Umbrella_, representing Prudence regarding health. The white

cover is specially mentioned, symbolising the pure desire to

economise health for the sake of God’s cause, without which

mere prudence would be of very minor value....

 

‘Only one more necessary I would mention, and it may provoke

a smile: Be sure to bring a box of _Salve_, and not a very

small one either. When maidens of different antecedents, rank,

age, temperament, and--in minor matters--opinions, are brought

together in closest proximity, in a climate which tries the

temper, there is at least a possibility of some slight rubs,

which without the soothing ointment brought by the Peacemaker

may even develop into sores.’

 

TO ---- ----

 

_‘Feb. 19, 1879._

 

‘I hope that good Miss ---- will _not_ leave her present field

of great usefulness for India. It is a sad mistake for those

with her delicacy of head to come out to the Panjab. “Panjab

heads” are proverbial. Our band is too small for any to be told

off as nurses. Very delicate workers should not come out to

this trying climate. For those whose constitutions are fitted

for it, the Panjab is a glorious field. It is a place where

the one talent may become ten. All sorts of gifts come into

use; aptitude in buying and selling; engineering skill; love of

music; a mechanical turn, etc., may be turned to such valuable

account.

 

‘It is _not_ a mere matter of preaching to the heathen. An

Infant Church has to be built up; openings are to be made for

converts, that they may earn their bread; churches have to

be raised with small funds and no architects, etc. A man who

can carpenter, garden, or put in panes of glass, may find his

knowledge most useful. A bold rider, a good shot, is at an

advantage here.

 

‘Missionary life is not just like what one fancies it

in England. We do not want bookworms so much as active,

intelligent, devoted men, who can turn their hands to anything,

and who, in addition to Missionary zeal, have plenty of _common

sense_. God grant that Cambridge may send us many such! Mr.

---- is one; a very valuable man, though not gifted with

eloquence, nor quick at learning languages. He has a clear

sound judgment, and a power of adapting himself to varying

circumstances, and of undergoing drudgery.’

 

TO MISS ‘LEILA’ HAMILTON.

 

_‘March 24, 1879._

 

‘No, my dearest Leila, I could not in conscience urge poor

dear ---- to come out here. It would be cruel. Any one who in

England suffers from headache, liver, back, and uneven spirits,

I would rather entreat to avoid the Panjab.... She would be one

of the choice delicate palfreys, yoked to artillery, who break

down and give extra work to the already fully-taxed horses. If

you only knew what the illnesses of those _who ought never to

have come out_ have cost others as well as themselves!... The

Lord does not call _all_ His children to India. There ought to

be a certain fitness of constitution to dwell in a fever-land.

I am so thankful that I am not constitutionally liable to

headache, and that fever does not naturally cling to me. But I

walk warily, as one in an enemy’s country.’

 

TO W. F. T. HAMILTON.

 

‘_May 20_ (_probably 1879_).

 

‘Your dear Mother sends me delightful accounts of the devotion

of some of the Cambridge men, and their readiness to engage in

Missionary work, if they saw the way clear. Now, dearest Fred,

could there be a clearer opening than at Batala for an earnest

Christian man, whether in Orders or not? I am not thinking

of you, for I would not have any one subject to headaches

come to this feverish land; but I am thinking of your brother

collegians. Batala, for evangelisation, is a very central

point; no end of work might be done; and it is a hopeful place....

 

‘But I will be more minute in particulars.... I am not writing

of one who wishes to become one of the regular salaried

Missionaries of our Society; but of one who has the means to

be an Honorary worker. Say he has an income of £100. He would

find at Batala a _home_,--not a very luxurious one, but quite

enough so for a Missionary. His £100 would be enough for all

his personal wants, unless he travelled much; and he might

keep a little horse, unless, like ----, he preferred spending

his extra rupees on something else. He could at once help with

English classes, if he chose to do so, and in the meantime

learn the language.... If he had a taste for shooting and

fishing, he would find means of gratifying it; and if he were

a good cricketer, it would add to his influence over our boys.

If he had any architectural skill, he would help us to build

our church. If he were musical, it would be a great advantage.

He might lead a very happy life, and an exceedingly useful

one. We are in such want of _men_; not mere bookworms, but

earnest, devoted, bright, active Christians, who can turn their

hands to everything, and help to mould the minds of our rising

generation. We want more St. Pauls!’

 

This chapter can hardly be better closed than by quoting Miss Tucker’s

descriptive lines as to the necessary qualifications for a ‘Mission Miss

Sahiba,’ already alluded to. They were written at Amritsar, as early as

the year 1876:--

 

RULES AND REGULATIONS

 

‘The Mission Miss Sahibas must never complain;

The Mission Miss Sahibas must temper restrain--

When “sust”[91] pankah-wala won’t pull at the cane;

Must never be fanciful, foolish, or vain.