Irene Petrie : missionary to Kashmir / by Mrs. Ashley Carus-Wilson.

  • Mary L. G. Carus-Wilson
Date:
1900
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Irene Petrie : missionary to Kashmir / by Mrs. Ashley Carus-Wilson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    a half in the Zenana House, and twelve at Holton Cottage. In this period of less than three years she mastered Urdu and Kashmiri, and made some progress in Hindi; and she diligently instructed in the faith of the Gospel five different classes of people: children of Europeans, through Sunday schools ; Eurasians, especially women and children ; her own servants, mostly Mohammedans; Kashmiri schoolboys, mostly Hindus; and zenana women, Hindu and Mohammedan, of many different degrees socially and intellectually. Her musical and artistic powers were turned to account to secure friends and funds for the work in a variety of ways; her pen spoke of it to many at home both in magazine articles and in private letters. And though she never allowed herself to be drawn into society to the hindrance of her work, the recollection of her intercourse with “station people” made a resident in India assert that looking only at her influence on her compatriots, one could never say that her life had been thrown away. Short as her career was, it was long enough to lead a former clerical secretary of the C.M.S. to write thus : “ I was fully expecting that through God’s grace working upon her great natural abilities, attain- ments, and physical health, she would in a few years have become an inspiring missionary leader throughout North India.” But just when “the hope of unaccomplished years” seemed brightest, the summons hence came, swiftly, silently, most unexpectedly, and (as another writes) “the sudden and pathetic close to that young and beautiful life deeply touched all who heard of it.” “ Our lost Irene, . . . alas ! that untimely death should cut her off in her self-devotion before the world had
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