Front matter
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS,
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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
PANDITA RAMABAI:
The Story of Her Life
PANDITA RAMABAI
The Story of Her Life
BY HELEN S. DYER
New York Chicago Toronto Fleming H. Revell Company
Publishers of Evangelical Literature
64369
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"^Vfo C'jptEs Received OCT 22 1900
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OaOW DIVISION, NOV 20 1900
Copyright 1900
by FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY
INTRODUCTION
TOWARDS the close of the eighteenth century,
when books were few, a remarkable volume en-
titled " Monumental Pillars," was published for
English Christians. It was compiled from authentic
records of the Lord's dealings in providence and grace
with individual Christians; of summary justice meted
out to those who had blasphemed His name ; of wonder-
ful dreams and their fulfilment ; of preservation of life
through following the inner guidance of the Spirit
of God; and similar testimonies tending to show the
direct individual methods of God with the children of
men, and of the absolute certainty of a particular provi-
dential care over their lives.
The story told in the following pages will show how
the Lord, having a purpose of grace towards the down-
trodden widows of India, has raised up one of that
despised class to erect a " Monumental Pillar '' to His
name. The whole may be designated as a Record of
Answered Prayers and Fulfilled Promises. Ramabai
could adopt the language of Eliezer of old, and say,
6 INTRODUCTION
" I being in the way, the Lord led me." The human
part of the work has been persevering faith and obe-
dience ; and as God dehghts to honour faith, the bless-
ing has come, and the work has grown.
When, in the providence of God, my husband was
obliged to relinquish the work in India in which we
had been engaged for more than ten years, it was im-
pressed upon my mind that the Lord would have us do
something in England for Ramabai. This book has
been written in response to that impression.
We know also that Ramabai covets the prayers of
God's people. It has therefore been on our hearts to
do something to bring this work more definitely be-
fore the Lord's remembrancers. Ramabai is intensely
desirous that all the glory should be given to God. In
a recent letter she writes : " I do not want to be in this
place, or have anything to do in connection with it, un-
less the Lord wants me to be here. It is all His work,
and He will take care of it. He is giving me joy, and
grace, and strength, for the work day by day. I want
you to pray very much for me, that I may be kept
very humble and close to Christ." She says that she
has had it on her mind to ask Christian people to form
prayer circles specially to pray for the salvation of In-
dia's twenty-three millions of widows. She believes
that if two or three believing ones would meet together
and agree upon this subject, and pray specially for it,
INTRODUCTION 7
the Lord would answer their prayer, and qualify those
whom she is training to go out in increasing numbers
with the Gospel message. In a letter I received from
her, in reference to this, she says : " I shall be glad
indeed if a Prayer Circle be organized in England, and
the Lord permitting, for you to take a leading part in
organizing it. I tried to get some friends to do it when
I was in England in 1898; but it was not the Lord's
will then to let the plan be carried out. I am awaiting His time and orders, and leave everything to Him."
After much prayerful consideration we have therefore
launched the
Sisters of India Prayer Union,
to include first of all the work for India's daughters in
the hands of Pandita Ramabai, and any other work of
faith and labour of love carried on by the women of
India for the salvation of their own people.
I shall be glad to send further particulars to any who may write to me.
Helen S. Dyer.
CONTENTS
PAGE
Introduction • ^