Poor lips, that never did repeat Through quiet tears, “Thy will be done,” That never knew the story sweet Of Mary, and the Infant Son. An emptied cradle, and a grave-- A little grave--cut through the sod; O Jesus, pitiful to save, Make known to her the mother’s God. O Spirit of the heavenly Love, Stir some dear heart at home today, An earnest thought to lift above, For mother-hearts so far away. That all may know the mercy mild Of Him who did the nurselings bless: The heathen and the homeborn child Are one in that great tenderness. (Clara A. Lindsay in _Woman’s Work_.) CASTE IN INDIA In the village of the Wind a young girl became known as an enquirer. Her Caste passed the word along from village to village wherever its members were found, and all these relations and connections were speedily leagued in a compact to keep her from hearing more. When we went to see her, we found she had been posted off somewhere else. When we went to the somewhere else (always freely mentioned to us, with invitation to go), we found she had been there, but had been forwarded elsewhere. For weeks she was tossed about like this; then we traced her and found her. But she was thoroughly cowed, and dared not show the least interest in us.... Take a child of four or five, ask it a question concerning its Caste, and you will see how that baby tree has begun to drop branch rootlets.... The young girls belonging to the higher Castes are kept in strict seclusion. During these formative years they are shut up within the courtyard walls to the dwarfing life within, and as a result they get dwarfed, and lose in resourcefulness and independence of mind, and above all in courage; and this tells terribly in our work, making it so difficult to persuade such a one to think for herself. It is this custom which makes work among girls exceedingly slow and unresultful. A few months ago a boy of twelve resolved to become a Christian. His clan, eight thousand strong, were enraged. There was a riot in the streets; in the house the poison cup was ready. Better death than loss of Caste. In another town a boy took his stand and was baptized, thus crossing the line that divided secret belief from open confession. His Caste men got hold of him afterwards; next time he was seen he was a raving lunatic. The Caste was avenged! (Amy Wilson Carmichael in “Things as They Are.”) SPIRIT-WORSHIP AMONG THE LAO Spirit-worship, as existing among the Lao, is not reduced to a system as is Buddhism. It has no temple, but it is enshrined in the heart of every man, woman, and child in the country.... Children are seen with soot marks upon their foreheads. These are placed there by spirit-doctors and are to ward off evil. They also wear around their wrists charm-strings. This belief is by no means confined to the peasantry.