The Chairman in his opening speech, expressed his sense of the honour done him in asking him to preside over that mecting. They might have selected one more cognisant of the subject, but not one who sympathised more fully with the aims of tyes struck with the extraordinary pro-ose who had promoted the Society. He
gress the movement had made in s short time. It had been formed only three Yyonrs and alrendy its influence, was felt every corner ofthe Empire. Their heartiest thanks were due to the ladies whose energy and perseverance had contributed 80 largely to bring this about. Another notable point was the small expense to which the Society had been put so far, and this was the result of the care exercised by those who had the administration of the very inadequate fonds provided. The seed had been sown, however, and it needed only to be carefully watered to produce crop far in advance of the most sanguine expectations of the promoters.
tis, Bondfield then gave an account of the work done since the publication of the last report. She mentioned that this meeting had been so hastened that reports from many working branches in distant arts of China had not come to hand.
he Shanghai Committee had not found iteclt able to carry on quite as much aggressive work as during 1898, but much was done in the latter' year that a quieter period was perhaps onl; to be expected. She went on to speak of the large distribution of literature, and of the great success the work was achieving in many grades of society, laying stress on the influence for good which was worked by young Chinese men who declared their wish for wives with unbound feet. The accounts showed a balance in hand of $538.48, though certain debts had still to be met. Mrs. Bondfield referred with gratitude to the help received from England, and concluded with a reference to the changes that had come about on the committee.
Miss Elvsin formally moved the adoption of the report.
In seconding this Mrs. Anderson said—and so ar the only Chinese lady on the Lam very glad that I, Chinese by birth, Committee, have thus the privilege of thanking Mrs. Bondfield for all the good work she has been doing for the women of China, We ladies of the executive Committee at the same time request she will accept a little reminder of our gratitude for her often self-denying and pains-taking toil during the last two years—a writhing dragon, that symbolizes the foot-binding now holding the women of China in its coils, and the flies, characters, Tien Tsu Hui, which will, we hope, soon dot and subdue it." Mrs. Bondfield, will you allow me now to give you this tiny dragon ju our name.
Mrs. Bondfield briefly thanked the cnmittee, adding that they knew how pleased she had been to do this work.
The Rev. E. T. Williams moved the re-appointment of the officials of the Society, substituting Mrs. White Cooper for Mrs. Bondfield as hon. secretary, adding Dr. Reifsnyder to the general committee, and Mrs. Bourne, Mdme. Dopfeld, and Mrs. Quackenbush to the Executive Committee. He congratulated Mrs. Bondfield that opportunity had arisen to permit of her returning to Europe, but added that her departure was a serious loss to the Society. In his general remarks on the Society he urged its claims to sympathy and encouragement, adding that there was no better way of showing this than by becoming associate members. He spoke of the cruelty of cases which had come under his individual notice, and compared the general attitude in regard to this Society and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Aui.sals. Such help as was not denied to a hiss should certainly be given of girls who in China were suffering daily torture. Ho laid stress on the necessity of enlisting the young men against foot-binding and concluded with a suggestion that the Society should endea-your to come into still closer contact with various Chinese Societies in the land.
Miss Morton, who seconded, spoke of the beginning and' progress of the work in Ningpo, of its success there, and wished the Society every success.
The motion was carried unanimously.
Bishop Cranston moved: That not only as Christians but as men and women all those living amongst Chinese are called upon to do what they can to deliver the little girls from the cruel mutilation now forced upon them, and which cripples their usefulness in after life more than it deforms their body. Ina strong and enthusiastic speech he expressed a very keen pleasure at the interest shown in the question by the attendance at the meeting and its " atmosphere of kindness. The relief of the women from thi oppression was the most needed re: form of which they could think in connection with the social customs of th country. He urged, moreover, that the; were not alone concerned with the Chinese people in this matter. If the abuse was allowed to continue it would breed callousness in the minds of Europeans and European children who were daily witnesses of the cruelty.
Mr. Stanley Smith, in seconding, also referred to the great importance of the question, and went on to give an account of the struggle against the system made by himself and "thers in Shansi.
This motion was also carried unanimously.
Mrs. Archibald Little moved: That all Jocal committees be urged to gain as many Chinese associates as possible during the coming year, giving each a card of associn-Shan snd inscebing their ames in a book Kept for the purpose; and that each local honorary secretary be requested to send in the number of associates against the next annual meeting." Everyone, she said, must have been touched by the beautiful, even burning words" they had heard from the speakers who had preceded her. Much though she had thought on the subject these speeches had aroused so much that was new in her mind that she hardly felt able to make the distinctly practical speech she had prepared. She would ask them for a moment to consider what an encourazement that capital meeting and those speeches would be to those who had to go again to their places in distant parts of China, how they would remember the words that had been spoken and the earnest faces upturned to the speakers! Let them not grudge therefore, the short time devoted to speaking. - The more fact that they had come to the meeting helped the members of the Society in their work in the future. But. in spite of that meeting, and other meetings—especially one at which she was not present, but which she believed 1,000 Chinese women attended—tittle children weary hours of the 1 When she went to a Chinese house, and the mothers said to her, as they' always did, "Wouldn't you like to see her feet?" she was reminded of what she considered was the most awful speech she had ever heard. It was made to her by Tsai Taotai—the giver of a ring she wore—who said, "It's very, very sad, isn't it? Only two years to run, the little things!" She always thought that the most terrible speech she had heard. Only two years to run! And this harm was going on still, and they must do more and more to get it altered. They must get Chinese associates to their Society. When it was started one of its rules was that no difference of creed or nationality should be a bar to membership, and the Chinese members should be especially welcome. This rule was made in hope that the Society, though begun almost entirely by foreigners might end as a Chinese Society. The meetings of committees arranged so as not. to offend the reli or national susceptibilities of the members and the ce-operation of Chinese ladies had been, and always would be, especially welcome. They must encourage Chinese associates. A Chinese society had been started for the same purpose as their own, and many m ght prefer to be attached fo this, but still they must try and enrol as many Chinese as possible for their own Society.
Thursday had been the anniversary of the aay when power was falcon from the youn emperor Mang Hell. Nest Thureday would be the anniversary of the death of that noble six, Tan Tze-tung and the others. She had noticed that the only photograph of Tan Tze-tung which had reached England was that which showed him with around his head. This seemed to her hands uplifted and actually a sort of halo
beautiful reflection of a most noble and heroic martyrdom. They could not have recourse to authority to help them in their aims just yet. Where were their Chinese speakers?" They would have come but the Committee had preferred not to ask them. Last year they spoke but this year the Committee had thought they might get into trouble. For the present the work must be carried on by individual effort. Could they not do more through their compradores? Those engaged in business houses and steamers were opposed to binding. She believed that with their help the distribution of the Society's tracts might be much Inryer. Gentlemen of the Customs could do so much to help them through their wide organisation, now spreading all over China. She had never yet met a Chinese Customs writer who was not opposed to foot-binding. Why should not the gentlemen of the Customs make a. point of having tracts for distribu. tion? Ladies, too, might do so much, It was tiresome to attend meetings, she knew, it was tiresome to attend committees, and to keep those Chinese tracts, for' it was always either so hot or so cold here (Ixughter). But English people were greatly interested in the matter. In London she had actually delivered lectures on foot-binding and. anti-foot-binding in successive half-hours. Then let them consider how many calls on so many that they could not possibly-their time ladies in London society had—attend all of them. But on ona occasion.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.