t orders to their subordinates to rescue these waifs and feed them
till arrangements could be made for their support.

Missionaries felt themselves called on to offer their services in this
dreadful emergency, and the offer was readily accepted. The large
expenditure for which they thus became responsible was met by a small
allowance made by Government for each child, by a grant from a Famine
Fund which had been raised, and by contributions received by
missionaries from friends to help them in this new undertaking.

The institutions then established have become permanent. The places left
vacant by the death of many of the first inmates, and the entrance into
active life of those who survived, were soon filled by others who had
equal claims on Christian compassion. On the occasion of great melas
children are often lost, and in not a few cases their parents are never
found. In the great cities, by the death of parents, and by the
abandonment of children--sometimes through extreme destitution, at other
times by unnatural indifference--helpless little ones are cast on the
pity of the public. From country places forsaken children are sent to
the head-quarters of districts. In seasons of scarcity, which frequently
occur, and especially in famine years such as 1861, large additions are
made to the number of orphans. With these causes operating to produce
the class from which orphanages are recruited, there is no likelihood
of the time coming when they will not be needed. The people, as a rule,
are undoubtedly kind to children; but when we consider the great poverty
of many, the extreme difficulty with which they obtain the necessaries
of life, there is no reason to wonder at the cases of destitution which
are continually presenting themselves. In our own country, with all its
advantages, we have numerous orphanages, where many are sheltered and
trained for useful life, who would otherwise be thrown as waifs on the
surface of society.

[Sidenote: SANGUINE HOPES.]

When orphanages were first formed in Northern India, great hope was
entertained they would not merely relieve present and pressing distress,
and do good to a large number of destitute young persons, but would tell
powerfully on native society, and lead to the formation of a large,
strong Christian community. The sufferings of the people afflicted by
famine were deplored, they were regarded with deep pity; everything was
done which could be done to relieve them, but