Page:Groves - Memoir of Anthony Norris Groves, 3rd edition.djvu/407

CHAPTER XVI.

a.d. 1841—1845.

mr. groves’s plan for a self-supporting mission—favourable commencement of the attempts to cultivate silk—happy state of the mission—source of subsequent trials—failure of the silk worms—death of mrs. h. groves—runganatham, the brahmin—mr. groves’s adopted daughter—his expositions of scripture in time of trial—progress of missionary work at chittoor—happy death of mrs. t. hull—extracts from letters—visit from mr. and mrs. lechler—the church not a widow.

It was not till after the departure of Dr. and Mrs. Gundert that Mr. Groves’s plans for a self-supporting mission were matured. Up to this period, and for some time after, the usual occupations of reading, sewing, knitting, &c., were pursued in the girls’ school, and the education of the boys was carried on by efficient schoolmasters. Amid many trials of faith, Mr. Groves pursued his way, trusting to the Lord, and being helped, step by step, according to his need.

Observing that the Mulberry tree grew at Chittoor, Mr. Groves, after various experiments, was induced to fix on the cultivation of silk, as the most likely mode of giving employment to all. He accordingly rented land from government, and procured various kinds of mulberry trees, the very rapid growth of which seemed likely to repay the cultivator. The girls were taught to spin the silk, and the boys to pick the leaves, and feed the worms.

It was interesting to see the long row of spinning-wheels, and the little native girls all employed, and successfully too; for their silk gained the prize in Madras, in 1842, a year after the