such schools in different parts of the City attended by about 300 working people. Under the charitable section, members of the Samaj collected during the great famine of 1876-7 money, grain and olothes with great earnest­ness and distributed the same in Sholapur and Kaladgi districts in which the pinch was felt at its worst. As a consequence of this relief-work the Orphanage and Foundling Asylum was foanded at Pandharpur by the well-known philanthropist Mr. Lalshankar Umiyashankar, President of the Ahmedabad Prarthana Samaj. The management of othis institution was entirely handed over to this Samaj in 1881 since which time they are being efficiently managpfe by it. The Theistic Association finally ceased to exist from October 1899 and the responsibility of conducting the remain­ing institutions has devolved on the Samaj. Besides this organized work the Samaj has been consistently raising its emphatic voice on the side of liberty, purity, progress and righteousness with regard to the several questions that have come to the front, since its inauguration and its several members as such and in their individual capa­city have been taking active part in the various public movements.

Literature—Beyond issuing occasional pamphlets on its doctrines, the Samaj has not yet shown any special activity in this direction, proportionate to the high intellectual capacity of its several members. The hymnal of the Samaj which has now reached a very considerable size and run into the sixth edition, has to a large extent caught the popular ear like Prarthanamala of the Ahmedabad Samaj. The latest and most encouraging move in this respect is made by one of the most unassuming and energe­tic member, Mr. D. G. Yaidya, viz., compiling the sermons of the late Mr. Justice Ranade and Sir Dr. R. G. Bhandarkar : and with the help of another young member Mr. B. B. Keskar, he is now issuing a periodical consisting of the select sermons delivered from the pulpit of the Bombay Samaj and elsewhere. To Mr. Vaidya also belongs

the credit of having conducted the Subodha Pairica the organ of the Samaj for nearly the last 14 years. By his efforts Mr. Vaidya has not only supplied a long felt need of the Samaj but created qnite a new taste for sermon literature in the Marathi reading public.
The following figures will show the grandual progress of the Samaj from numerical point of view.
The number of members at the end of the year.
        1867        ...........................  31
        1870        ........................... 47
        1875        ........................... 89
        1880        ...........................103
        1895        ...........................108
        1900        ........................   104
        1905        .........................  131
        1910        .........................  155

Besides the now existing Samajes the accounts of which regularly appear below, the following Samajes existed for some years in this presidency but are now non-existent.
Surat—The late Messrs. Bholanath Sarabhai and Waman Abaji Modak delivered lectures on Theism and a Prarthana Samaj was started in this town on the 6th of June 1878 on the lines of the Ahmedabad Prarthana Samaj- At one time there were 35 members of the Samaj.
Pandharpur—A Prarthana Samaj was started here in 1877 and was continued for more than six years. Mr. Ganesh Raghunath Karkare, the then Superintendent of the Orpha­nage at Pandharpur conducted services and looked after the affairs of this Samaj. There were 14 members.
Thana—At the initiative of the late Mr. C. N. Bhat the then Sub-Judge at Thana and Lieut.-Col. K. R. Kirtikar a public meeting was held in Thana on the 15th of April 1882 attended by several members of the Bombay Samaj. Dr. R. G. Bhandarkar delivered a lecture on the objects of the Samaj. As a result of this meeting a Samaj was started here on 7th July 1882. There were 12 members. The Samaj: lasted for more than three years.

Naosari—By the labours of Mr. Ramchandra Hari Shinde, Civil Engineer, Baroda State, a Samaj was conducted here for a few years. In 1904 an anniversary was celebrated in the Laxman Jagannath Hall when Mr. V. R. Shinde of Bombay delivered a lecture on Theism.
Songadh—By the help of Mr. Ramchandra Hari Shinde of Barodai another Samaj was started here on the 8th of July 1900. Mr. V. R. Shinde of Bombay visited this Samaj twice, in 1904 and 1905 and delivered lectures daring the anniversaries. There were aboat 15 members, who used to meet for divine service every Sunday in the Dhanaka Board­ing School along with aboubt 100 boarders of that institution. Mr. V. B. Gogte the then Mamlatdar of Songad and Mr. Fathekhan, the Superintendent of the Dhanaka Boarding School, who were Chairman and Secretary of the Samaj respectively, conducted divine services in Gnjarati and made arrangements for the anniversaries.

2. Bombay.    Estd. 24th March 1907.
The Byculla Bhajan, Samaj, Byculla.
Secretary.—Mr. #Bapuji Waval, Dagdi Chal, Morland,. Byculla.
Members.-- 40: all belonging to the Mahar Community of Bombay, one of the Depressed Classes in the Maharastra.
Meetlngs.— Divine service is held every Sunday at 12 noon in Marathi, and conducted by the leading members by turns.
Mandlr.—The members meet in rented rooms in the Improve­ment Trust Chal No. C. at Agripada.
Funds—Every member pays a monthly subscription of 4 annas. A separate Fand is started for a Mandir for the Samaj.  
Institutions—(1) Nirashrit MahilaSamaj, i.e., Association for improvement of the women of the Depressed Classes. Sister Janabai Shinde, a Missionary of the Depressed Classes Mission Society, Bombay, assembles occasional meetings of the 'women of these classes in different parts of this city when nseful talks on domestic topics and religions readings are given.

Janabai Shinde, a Missionary of the Depressed Classes Mission Society, Bombay, assembles occasional meetings of the 'women of these classes in different parts of this city when nseful talks on domestic topics and religions readings are given.
History—This Samaj was started under the anspices of the Depresed Classes Mission, Bombay, on the 24th of March 1907 with the objects of promoting self-help and spiritual culture among the Depressed Classes by (1) social and reli­gious reforms and spread of education. Some members of the local Prarthana Samaj occasionally oonduct services, attend their public meetings in which lectures are delivered on Education, Temperance, Sanitation and Social Reform and otherwise help this Samaj. A Fund started for a separate Mandlr now amounts to about Rs. 700 of which Rs. 650 are deposited in the Bank of Bombay in the names of the following five members of the Samaj (l) Kondaji Ramjee, President, Mr. Limbaji Vazarkar, Vice-President, Mr. Bapuji Waval. Secretary and Messrs. Kondaji, M. Wadgaoker and Maruti Sabaji Nimgaokar.

Institutions:—The following are under the control of tho Samaj.

(1) The Night Schools:--These were started by the Theis­tic Association originally organised by the late Mr. P. C.Mazoomdar, while he worked in Bombay as a Brahma Mis­sionary in 1872. On the lapse of this Association the manage­ment devolved on the Committee of the Samaj. There are eight Night Schools now for the benefit of such of the working population of Bombay as cannot afford to attend any day school; they are located in the following parts of the City:—Dongri, Girgaum, Durgadevi, Madanpura, Crawford Market, Duncan Road, Curry, Road, Parel. The average attendance is 300. Instruction is imparted upto.the Marathi 5th and English 3rd Standards. They are all register­ed and receive a grant-in-aid from the Bombay Municipality.

 (2)   The Dr. Bhandarkar Free Library & Reading Room:-
is a free gift from a munificent member Shet D. G. Sukhad- wala to the Samaj. The total number of books, mostly religious, is 1,360. The Reading Room containing some select English and Vernacular newspapers is open the whole day and affords a useful haunt to the public in Girgaum.

(3)  The Pandharpur Orphanage and Foundling Asylum:-
This is a unique institution of its kind conducted by native agency in India. It Was Originally started by the wellknown philanthropist R. B. Lalshankar Umiyashankar, President of the Ahmedabad Prarthana Samaj, with a view to save ' the large number of children who were the victims of the great famine of 1876-77 in the Deccan. Later on the Foundling Asylum was added to it by the founder to afford protection to the unfortunate offsprings of young and erring widows of the higher classes. The management of both these institutions was given over to the Committee of the Samaj in 1881. They are now located in a spacious building of their own at Pandharpur—a well-known place of pilgrimage in the District of Sholapur and are in the charge of Mr. K. R. Bhosle. The total number of orphans at the end of March 1910 was 32 of whom 18 were boys and 14 girls. In the Foundling Asylum the number of foundlings received during the year was 114, (66 boys and 48 girls). The number of widows admitted during the year for delivery, Was 44 as against 35 of the previous year. A widow can remain in this house 3 moths before and 3 months after the delivery at the most. If found too poor, she is maintained free .of all cost. On the widow leaving the house the infants remain under the sole legal guardianship of the Samaj. With all the enthusiastic efforts of the Superintendent the infant mortality among foundlings is, for the obvious reasons, high.

(4)  Rajah Ram Mohan Rai Ashram:—is a well built fourstoried house on the premises of the Samaj in Girgaum, another generous gift of Shet Damoderdas G. Sukhadwala, the Vice-President of the Samaj. The 1st floor is meant for the use of the resident Missionary of the Samaj, the 2nd for that of any guest of the Samaj. and the top one for the purposes of private devotions or study.

(5) Brahma Burial Ground:—is situated at Matunga, about a mile off to the east Of the G. I. P. Railway Station at Dadar and contains the ashes of Dr. Atmaram Pandurang a founder of the Samaj, Mr. W. B. Nowrange and Mr. S. P. Kelkar, &c.

The following institutions are either affiliated or allied to the Samaj.

(6)  The Arya Mahlla Samaj is an Association of ladies exclusively, either members of the Samaj or its sympathisers. It had its origin in the efforts of the late Mr. Pratapchandta Muzumdar (1872) and was strengthened by the lectures of Pandita Ramabai in Bombay in December 1882. It new arranges regular -weekly lectures to the ladies on useful domestic, religious and literary topics. The number of members is about 50; Lady Laxmibai Chandavarkar is the President and Mrs. Ramabai Bhandarkar and Dr. Miss. Kashibai Nowrange, the Joint Secretaries.

(7) The Young Thelsts’ Union:—was founded in 1905 with the following objects (1) to draw into closer union the young men and women of the Bombay Prarthana Samaj, (2) to cultivate the intellectual and especially the spiritual instincts of its members by arranging theological classes and prayer meetings, (3) to promote social intercourse, (4) to cultivate practical interest in the philanthropic activi­ties of the Samaj, (5) to organize similar Unions in eonnec-

Bombay.-- Contd.

tion with other Samajes (6) to collect information about their progress. The Union has now 23 Members and 41 Associates. It holds its weekly Prayer Meeting on every Wednesday evening ( 6-30 P. M. ) except during tbe plague season, in the top room of the R. M. Ashram and lectures in the Samaj Mandir, and arranges for periodical Social Gatherings or excursions. Mr. V. R. Shinde conducted for several years a Liberal Religious Class and Dr. V. A. Sukthankar delivered a series of lectures on Bhagawadgita. Mr. D. G. Vaidya is the Chairman and Messrs. V. S. Sohoni and B, V. Widwansa the Secretaries.

Bombay.--         Estd. 3 Ist March  1867.
The Bombay Prarthana Samaj, Churni Road, Girgaum, Bombay.
Secretaries:-- Mr. D. G. Vaidya,  
V. Y. Kashalkar, M.A.L.L.B.
Chnrni Road Girgaum.   
Members:—155 of whom about 50 reside oat of Bombay and about 60 are       Annsthanic.                    •
Meetings:—Sunday 5-30 p. m. divine services are conducted alternately by Sir N. G. Chandavarkar, Prof. S. B. Bhandarkar, Mr. V. R. Shinde and others. Saturday 4-30 p. m *Arya Mahila Samaj. 'Wednesday 6-30 p. m. Young Theists’ Union’s Prayer Meeting. The Managing Committee meets at least once a month and the General Body at least once a year.
Mandlr:-- There is a fairly large prayer hall 63 ft. by 35 ft. with a portico and office room above it; it can accom­modate about 700 persons. The rules for the use of this hall are very nearly the same as those for the original Mandir built by Rajah Ram Mohan Roy at Calcutta. The foundation Stone was laid by Mr. Pratap Chandra Muzumdar on the 9th of December 1872, and the hall was formally opened on the 26th of April 1874.
Trustees:—Dr. R. G. Bhandarkar, C. I. E., L.L. D., Rao Saheb W. G. Bhandarkar, Sir N. G. Chandavarkar, Shet Darmodardas G. Sukhadwala, Prof.  S. R. Bhandarkar.
Anniversary:—Was formerly celebrated on the 31st of March on which the Samaj was founded. But since the preval­ence of plague in Bombay from 1896, it is being celebrat­ed about the last week of September, inoluding 27th of Sep­tember which is the anniversary of the death of Rajah Ram Mohun Ray and is duly celebrated. The special features of this anniversary are (1) that on one of the evenings generally two or three divines or scholars belonging to the several established religions of the world are invited to deliver addresses on the lives of the saints of their own choice belonging to their respective religions, and that (2) at the end of the Anniversary a feast called Pritibhojan, i. e. Love-feast is given generally by some member of the Samaj and is partaken of by the whole community including ladies and children, and also by some close sympathisers.

Organ:—The ‘‘Subodh-Patrica,” an Anglo-Marathi -weekly paper started in 1873 and now edited by Messrs. D. G. Vaidya and Y. V. Bhandarkar. Rs. 1/13 per year including postage.
                           
Finances:—As a rule every member of the Samaj has to pay
2 p. c. of his income as his monthly subacription to the Samaj. Besides the General Fund consisting of these subscriptions and other donations, there are the following funds under the control of the Samaj.
Fund Balance on 31st March 1910.
Table (For PDF click here)