Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/823

 Candidates for 795 RELIQION she was born in Cambcrwcll. The future reformer was a young girl of varied capacities. She was fond of poetry, an original artist in her way, and took an interest in intellec- tual pursuits at a time when such tastes were remarkable in a girl. Her " mission history " began, as she herself has related, when she was sixteen. A young friend, Elizabeth Saunders, was visiting at her homo, and the two girls were sitting together one morning, the one painting and the other ruling squares in a little book, when Elizabeth said to her friend: "Ellen, dear, have you ever thought what you will do with your life ? " "Well, I hope I shall go on cul- tivating my faculties — that is all I have thought about yet." " Yes," he r friend gently rejoined, "but The convalescent home at St. Leonards. Some 355 patients are received here have VOU thoUght t The holiday home for workers at Brighton is provided for the staff of the mission. The Ladies' Association, which meets quarterly, assists in extending the work of the mission. The Children's League tends little ones who are sick or otherwise in need of care and help. Ranyard House, 25, Russell Square, is the office of the organisation, and a hostel for training workers. It receives some fifty candidates annually, the post of biblc- • women should be between the ages of twenty-four and thirty-four, and must be strong and active, of good education, well acquainted with the Bible, and members of some church or chapel. They must be able to wait upon them- selves, do their own housekeep- ing, and manage on a moderate salary. They are required to reside in the hostel for three weeks — a charge of 8s. per week is made for board and lodging — and during that time they are tested by visit- ing with trained workers. Those requiring training remain in the hostel for a period varying with the necessities of their case. Salary is in accordance with training and experience of the candidates. Nurse candidates are selected by the hon. superintendent after a personal interview. They must be fully trained hospital nurses, and are expected to reside in the hostel for three weeks before they are accepted for district training. No charge is made for board and lodging. Salary varies according to the training and experience of the candidate. All candidates under forty are required to join the Royal National Pension Fund, the mission paying rather more than half the premium. A similar rule applies to the biblewomen, who are required to join the pension scheme of the mission. A Romance of Religious Reform The Marquis of Northampton is president of the mission ; the Lord Kinnaird, trea- surer ; Miss Andrews, the hon. secretary and general superintendent ; while the founder was that well-beloved and remark- able woman, lIrs. Ranyard, an early worker in connection with the British and Foreign Bible Society, and a pioneer organiser of district visiting in the homes of London's poor. The story of Mrs. Ranyard 's work forms one of the romances of religious and philanthropic reform. Her maiden name was Ellen White, and annually that this cul- tivation is to enable you the better to do something in God's service ? " The conversation then turned upon the Bible, and the elder persuaded her younger friend to go with her to visit the poor people in the streets around her home to see how many of them wanted a Bible. In the course of three hours they found thirty-five houses without a copy of the Scriptures, and re- turned home with as many pence in their bag, for all these people had agreed to take a copy of the Bible on the instalment principle. Birtli of the Mission On that morning tlie Biblewoman's Mission was born in the heart of Ellen White, though many years were destined to elapse before its organisation was begun. From that time also dates her interest in the homes of the poor. She continued her visitation for the Bible Society a.fter she left London with her parents to live in Swanscombe. There she became the wife of Mr. Ranyard, and the mother of four children. When, in 185-J, the Bible Society kept its jubilee. Mrs. Ranyard was entrusted with the writing of a history of the society for the young. It was published under the title of " The Book and Its Story," signed by the well- known initials L. N. R., which she adopted as a nom de plume. Its popularity was very great. Three years later, in 1857, Mrs. Ranyard and her family left Swanscombe, and settled in London at a house in Hunter Street. Bloomsbury, which was destined to be the first home of the mission.