Saturday, February 4, 2012

Jessie gives a speech at the Presbyterian Women's Missionary Union monthly meeting prior to her departure

This is taken from The Outlook, August 26 1899, p 27, provided by the Presbyterian Research Centre, Dunedin:

"The monthly prayer meeting was held in the hall of First Church on Tuesday, August 15, when there was a large attendance, the hall being quite full...

...Miss Blair who leaves very shortly for India, said that she was going not in her own strength but in that of the Master.  She felt weak and unworthy for the work, but God has said that "they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."  She asked all those present to follow her with their prayers.  She was going forward to tread an unknown path, but God promised to stand by His servants, and the work will prosper if done in entire dependence on His will.  God is calling now for men and women who will love him with a self-sacrificing love, with deep yearning over dying souls that they may be wakened to a sense of their danger and brought into His kingdom.  Miss Blair said no-one can overestimate the importance of interesting children in mission work, and mentioned two incidents which had given her much pleasure, one of a little boy of seven, who having saved all his pennies for missions gave her the contents of his money box (7s); another of a little girl, who with crochet hook and cotton was able to earn money with which she could help to send the Gospel to those in heathen lands.  Miss Blair concluded by again asking for the earnest prayers of those present."

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