In the work of the Church abroad, in the needs and claims of heathen peoples governed by England, in the various problems which arise out of these vast considerations, Miss Beale was interested only in a secondary way. That is to say, when they came before her in the work of her own pupils, when her girls turned to her for sympathy and help, then she would consider them enough to be able to form some definite opinion, and to give sound advice. The teachings of Hindoo religions and philosophy, and the progress of Christianity in India, came before her as matters of real interest in 1883, when Pundita Ramabai was sent by the Wantage Sisters to study at the College. Miss Beale received her with the utmost warmth and friendship. She made every possible arrangement for her health and protection: she not only put at her disposal every advantage the College could offer, but gave up a large portion of her own valuable time in order to help her personally. She welcomed Ramabai’s long letters on religious questions and difficulties, answering them at equal length. She obtained introductions and arranged interviews for her with many whom she thought could help her. Ramabai’s ‘appetite for philosophy’ (to quote Miss Beale), her enthusiasm and unsparing devotion to the cause of her unhappy sisters in India, touched her deeply, and when the Home for Widows was established at Poona,[80] Miss Beale became a large and regular subscriber to it. Among her papers there is one which was perhaps sent to India, or was perhaps just one of those written expressions of some thought which had seized and filled her mind. It was evidently intended to be an appeal against the cruelty which made such homes for widows necessary:—
‘My heart,’ it runs, ‘is stirred by sorrow and pity for those suffering widows of India; but there are some whom I pity more,—those who inflict the sorrows on them, since it is far better to suffer than to do wrong.... But what grieves me, too, is the thought of the waste of all that wonderful amount of energy and life which God has given your country-women in order to bless others. If the men of India believe in God’s goodness and wisdom, as I think they must, even though they may not trust Him, they must think He has not made all those widows to be a burden and misery to themselves and others, but to do good work. What mistakes people make when they think that they are wiser than God.... I look forward to the future and rejoice and think that as India grows wiser with that wisdom which trusts the infinitely wise and good God, Whom we worship, she will send out her clever and good women, who are now crushed by sorrow and unkindness, into the rich harvest-fields of the world, will cheer them on in their work for others, and they will become a blessing; surely that is the only joy of a woman’s heart.... Not this only, there will be many who will gladly give up all thought of the happiness of wife or of mother, in its limited sense, and go forth to live for others.... I can remember when Old Maid was a term of contempt in England, but it is not so now; you have seen me and sixty old maids working together happy and content, and if I could send out a hundred women where I can now send one, I should not have too many, so constant are the demands for “old maids,” as you would call them,—for teachers, nurses, missionaries, and all sorts of good work.... India will some time feel all that her wasted women’s life can do. God will put it into the hearts of men and of the happy women, who are sometimes hard on the unhappy, to set these women free to do all that is in their heart, and other good women will teach them to use their precious gift of liberty as in God’s sight.’
Ramabai undoubtedly made Miss Beale realise the need for definite Christian teaching in India. Here is an interesting extract from a letter on this subject:—
‘1884.
‘Rama Bai is very learned and thoughtful, and says how powerless most missionaries are, for want of the knowledge of native philosophy and religion.... I thought that the native religions were feeding the higher life, but it seems not so now; but the state is much the same as in Greece and Rome just before the Christian era. She spoke much as Plato does in the Republic about the character of the gods in the Indian poetry, and felt the wonderful power of the perfect Example, and the inward Grace to follow it.’
On hearing of Miss Beale’s death Ramabai wrote: ‘It is over twenty-one years since I saw Miss Beale for the last time. But her sacred memory is quite fresh, and I seem to hear her pray and give Bible instruction. Her love and influence, her words of encouragement and her prayers on my behalf, have helped me much in my life and work.’
In South Africa, a school at Bloemfontein, still more one at Grahamstown, became of interest at Cheltenham through the influence of Miss Strong, who prepared herself to work in them by some periods of time at the College. Many teachers at the Diocesan School, Grahamstown, were drawn from Cheltenham, and its association of old pupils was for a time affiliated with the Guild. Other old pupils went to India, China, Japan. As the number of Cheltenham missionaries increased, the importance and needs of their work became impressed more and more on some members of the Guild. In 1878 Miss Beale, whose own interest in foreign missions grew steadily in later years, allowed the formation of a Missionary Study Circle within the Guild.[81] This is the only special work other than that of the London Settlement she ever sanctioned, and this one was much safeguarded. When the Occasional Leaflet, the organ of this circle, was first published, she made it a condition that there should be no begging for money, nor even a definite urging of the claims of foreign mission work. She feared girls might be drawn by the attraction of distant and more heroic-seeming activities to neglect duty at home. And, as the present editor of the Leaflet has remarked, ‘She hardly realised how careful societies are in selecting and training would-be missionaries.’
On one occasion Miss Beale, by the request of the late Bishop of Grahamstown,[82] actually addressed a small missionary meeting. She began by saying:—
‘I have been asked to speak to you a few words to-day, and I have consented on condition that I should not advocate a cause. It is sometimes said, “Will you not collect money or bring forward such an institution?” and I say “No! my duty is to give principles, and to leave the definite application.” And if the carrying out of the principles deprives of helpers myself and the work that is nearest to my heart I am content, and so I am sure the Bishop is.’ She continued, ‘I admit there is sometimes a call to go abroad for those who want to serve Christ, and lack resolution to be cut off from home ties. We cannot so easily forget we are soldiers if we go out to an enemy’s country. We read in history of brave people who failed in war because when they had won a battle they could not be kept together; but disappeared into their own homes, and had to be got together again on the next emergency. So, I think some who feel themselves weak do well to join some army bound for foreign parts. They can’t run away on the first repulse, or give up when tired;—and the raw recruit comes back a veteran from his foreign campaign, able to lead the volunteers who have to be trained at home. Not only does a foreign campaign help us to break the bondage of self-indulgent habits, but it unites us too. There is nothing like going away from home and facing a common foe to unite us to those from whom we were severed. A neighbour whom we scarcely knew in Cheltenham is a friend at once in China or Africa. In the presence of unbelief Christians who are separated feel their differences in minor matters, matters of taste and feelings rather than of principle, to be insignificant;—and unite in the great battle against sin. Whilst, on the other hand, they feel the immense power, the great need of faith, living and real, to sustain them when the props of Society, of Church Services, of sympathetic friends are taken away;—they have to dig down to the rock.... In any case the battle must not begin without training and discipline. Useless women, because undisciplined in thought, in will, in action, what havoc they make! Having a name to live, yet dead;—these bring in confusion. Those who have not learned obedience, those who want credit for themselves, or excitement, never help to win victory.’
There was one matter outside her own proper sphere of activity in which Miss Beale was never sparing of money or personal trouble. This was the work to which Mrs. Lancaster had first drawn her in her youth, the rescue and protection of women. It became, as life went on, specially linked with the memory of that other friend, of whom she loved to think as Britomart, rescuing her sister from the fire. When Mrs. Owen died, it was felt instinctively that her work for others must and should continue. There seemed no memorial so fit as a Home for Friendless Girls for one whose chosen task it had been to seek the lost piece of silver. Miss Beale translated, as it were, all her poetical thoughts, all her most tender memories into active co-operation, taking the chair at committees, addressing meetings, making known the needs of the Home, finding workers for it.