The wrongs of Indian womanhood

Front matter

^/.WRONGS y INDIAN WOMANHOOD

ARCUS B.FULLER-

THE LIBRARY

Contents

PAGE

Introduction BY Ramabai n

Author's Preface 15

Introduction

It is a matter of deep thankfulness to me that Mrs. Fuller is publishing her articles on "The Wrongs of Indian Womanhood" in a book. The world needs such books to enlighten it. Very few people, even in India itself, know what really goes on behind the purdah. Hundreds of our Indian reformers are ignorant of the real condition of women. The Indian women themselves do not realize the depths of degradation they are in. Even those who have suffered the greatest wrongs are reluctant to tell the truth to the world, even if they have the opportunity, for fear they may lower themselves and their nation in the eyes of other nations. A young widow was telling me some of the hardships she and other widows had to fear. Another young widow heard what she said to me and, when the talk was over, the latter took the former aside and gave her a severe scolding for betraying her family and her nation at large !

Great courage is required to tell the truth when

you know all the nation will rise against you as 11

Introduction

one man and put you down. So no one need be surprised at the reluctance of India's women to tell their own wrongs, even if they knew how. It is for this reason I am more than glad that God has put it into Mrs. Fuller's mind to place before the world the woes of India's women in a way that no one before has done. She has taken the greatest pains to find out the truth on every point she has written down. She has neither exaggerated nor kept back what can be said on the most important things connected with Indian women's conditions. All who are interested in and want to do something for the salvation of woman in India will do well to read her book.

I entirely agree with Mrs. Fuller in what she says on "The Real Remedy." Let me ask you, my dear Christian sisters, the same question that she has put to you. "Is it possible for the one hundred and fifty million women of India of this generation to hear the gospel ? " Will you not wake up to your Christian duty and say, Yes; and then act upon your convictions ? I believe there are at least half a million Christian women of all castes and colors in India. If each one of them made up her mind to tell the story of Christ to one of her sister women every day, taking the seventh day for rest, she would be

Introduction

able to preach the gospel to over three hundred women in one year. In this way it is possible for half a million Christian women to give the gospel to all of our sisters in India in one year. 1 am praying to God that He may send a flood of the Holy Spirit on the Christian women of India and convict them of their sin of not giving the gospel to their heathen sisters whenever they can. The Lord has given us the command, Go and preach the gospel. Shall we not be a host under His leadership to publish it far and wide ? Dear Christian sisters of all lands, do consider this most important question and rise to obey the command of your great Captain, Jesus Christ, who expects you to do His bidding and to enter into His joy.

May this little book be like the voice in the wilderness, and be the means of turning thousands of minds to obey the Master's call and take the Real Remedy, the gospel of Christ, to millions of India's women to heal the deep wounds of their hearts, is the prayer of your sister,

Muhii Mission, Kedgaon,

August 20th, i8gg.

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