THE

®p H a r v e s t * F ield <&>

JANUARY, 1893.

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ORIGINAL ARTICLES.

THE STATISTICAL TABLES OF PEOTESTANT MISSIONS: WHAT DO THEY TEACH P

TATISTICS are in tliese days required for everything. In themselves they are of no nse ■ but if they can be rightly interpreted, they may be made to convey most important and valuable lessons. For five decades the Protestant missions in India have numbered their adherents, and it is easy to see at a glance the progress made in actual numbers during each decade. It will be well to place the total number of Protestant native Christians and communicants for each period in a tabular form. It must be remembered that all the figures in this paper deal only with Protestant native Christians. Europeans, Eurasians, and Boman Catholics are omitted. Native Christians. Communicants. 1851 91,092 14,661 1861 138,731 24,976 1871 224,258 52,816 1881 ... 417,372 113,325 1890 559,661 182,722 We can at once see the numerical advance that has been made during the last nine years. The religious census was taken a year earlier than usual in order to make the returns co-incident with the 242 , THE STATISTICAL TABLES OP PROTESTANT MISSIONS :

numbering of the people by the Government. The rate of progress has been slower than usual; but it would be folly to argue that therefore the kingdom of Christ had not advanced so rapidly as in previous decades. There is a tendency when dealing with figures to regard every unit as equal in value. Nothing can be more misleading when these figures represent men, and especially when they represent Chris­ tian men. Among those hundreds of thousands of native Christians there are seme who in spiritual force are worth a thousand nominal Christians. To estimate the value of these Christians as helping to establish the kingdom of God in India, it is useless to count by heads ; we want to know the moral and spiritual force which each exerts. That cannot be tabulated. The figures, though valuable for many purposes, do not therefore give an accurate estimate of the position of the kingdom of God in India. We believe that kingdom has made far greater progress than the figures represent. There is vastly more moral energy and spiri­ tual life in the country to-day than there was nine years ago. Thou­ sands that are exerting a mighty influence in extending God’s kingdom in India are not included in those figures, because they have not been baptised in the name of Christ. Many are doing Christ-like deeds, many are living Christ-like lives, and so helping to build the city of God; but we cannot reckon them. We must not then lay too much stress upon the figures that are before us for consideration. The communicants have increased in far greater proportion than the Christian community. We conclude that the past nine years have been marked by consolidation rather than expansion. The figures show that the proportion of communicants to the Christian community has been steadily rising. In 1851 it was between one-sixth and one-seventh ; now the communicants form nearly one-third of the whole Christian population. Missionaries in India evidently do not believe that when a man is baptised he can be left to take care of himself. He needs instruc­ tion and pastoral care. A large portion of the time of native pastors is employed in this necessary work ; and to this extent they are prevented from engaging in direct evangelistic work amongst non-Christians. On the other hand, their efforts amongst the Christians ought to raise up a band of voluntary workers in connection with each church. It is evi­ dent that much more time is spent in pastoral work in some parts of India than in others. In the Madras Presidency every native preacher has an average of 200 Christians under his care; in Bengal he has about 109; in the other parts of India from 51 to 69. There is therefore less time available for work amongst non-Christians in the Madras Presidency than in other parts of India. The difference is so great, that we are almost led to question the accuracy of the figures. The increase of native agents has been very small in Madras. In 1881 there were 235 ordained native ministers and 1,444 lay-preachers, or a total of 1,679. WHAT DO THEY TEACH ? 243

In 1890 the figures were respectively 363 and 1,462, or a tot^l of 1,825. While the Christian community has increased by 66,170, the workers have increased by 146 only. This may partly account for the compara­ tively small proportional increase of the Christian community in South India. In Madras that increase has been only 22 per cent. ; in Bengal, 30 per cent. ; Bombay, 92; Central India, 132 ; North-West Provinces and Oudh, 139 ; Panjab. 335. Though the per-centage is low in Madras, yet that 22 per cent, represents nearly half the total increase in India, for in all India the gain is 142,289, of which Madras is credited with 66,170. The larger amount of pastoral work to be done in the Madras Presidency is absolutely necessary. Christ’s kingdom must be consoli­ dated. The church must be built up. The moral and spiritual forces of the Christian community must be developed. Still the outside masses must not be neglected. More labourers must be sent into the harvest. It may be that funds available will not admit of extension and consolidation at the same time. This is most unfortunate. When numbers come in, there ought to be available teachers to instruct the ignorant, to enlighten the spiritually dark, and at the same time an increasing band to extend the work amongst those who know not Jesus. We have heard of missions where every available man has been almost fully occupied with the infant converts. They must not be neglected ; but if they alone are attended to, the increase from without must be less. We do not know for certain whether native preachers and teachers can be obtained in sufficient quantities. In some cases we should gather that they cannot be found. If they are available, they should be thrust into the work, so that the area of Christian influence may ever extend. The workers in India have largely increased during the last nine years, but not to the extent that is desirable. Foreign missionaries have increased from 586 to 857 ; native ministers from 461 to 797 ; foreign and Eurasian lay-preachers from 72 to 118; and native lay- preachers from 2,488 to 3,491, being a total gain of 1,656 or nearly 46 per cent. This is a larger numerical gain than in any previous decade, especially in foreign missionaries, there being a gain of 271 in the nine years. India is attracting far greater attention in the Christian world to-day than it has ever done ; and workers from every quarter of the globe come to take part in the great battle with idolatry and sin. Here there Bhould be a true evangelical union of the churches and the nations. Mission work in-India will tend to unite Christendom in a way that no Grrindelwald or any other Conference can possibly do. As far as we can gather, very few new missionary societies have begun work in the last nine years. The Salvation Army has come into the field and spread its forces over a wide area. They are credited with 1,920 followers. These figures are taken from Badley’s Missionary 244 THE STATISTICAL TABLES OF PROTESTANT MISSIONS :

Directory, and we doubt whether they are reliable. No religious body has so often to make returns, yet one can never get to know the number of their adherents. Apparently they refused to supply the information asked for. This is an attitude which we cannot under­ stand, unless it is to hide a weakness. The other new societies are apparently small isolated missions. Some of these do not appear at all. Probably the compilers of the statistics were not aware of their existence. The figures omitted would not materially affect the totals. The report roughly classifies the different missions into seven groups—Baptist, Congregationalist, Church of England, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Methodist, and sundry missions. All except the last group have made progress, but in vastly different proportions. The Metho­ dists have made the greatest comparative advance, having more than trebled their Christian community, while the communicants are more than four-fold greater. The Presbyterians come next, having nearly doubled both their Christian community and their communicants. The Baptists have increased in almost the same proportion. The Congre- gationalists have advanced about 12 per cent, in the number of Chris­ tians, but 42 per cent, in the communicants, showing that they have been engaged in consolidating their former large accessions. The Christians belonging to the Church of England have increased only about 7 per cent., but the communicants are nearly 28 per cent, more numerous. Here also the building up of the church has taken up the time and energy available. The Lutheran figures are not clear, but we gather that there has been an increase of some 22 per cent, in Christians, and 46 per cent, in communicants. The Church of England has the lar­ gest number of adherents, the total being 193,363, with 52,377 commu­ nicants; the Baptists come next with 133,122 adherents and 53,801 communicants. The Congregationalists follow with 77,466 and 13,775 respectively. The Lutherans number 76,404 and 32,183; the Presbyte­ rians 34,395 and 11,128 ; the Methodists, 32,381 and 15,782. It may be interesting to some to know that there are ten Baptist, two Congregation­ alist, four Church of England, twelve Presbyterian, seven Lutheran, and two Methodist Missionary Societies at work in India. These all report adherents. There are other societies of the same churches which have no adherents. If all these could be federated into six groups, it would be an immense gain in economy and force- Some of the different Pres­ byterian bodies are forming united presbyteries; and we see no reason why the fifty or sixty missionary societies should not for all practical pnrposes be reduced to a much smaller number. When the churches in Europe and America have learnt practically the lessons of Christian brotherhood, the mission field will be ready to respond, if it will not lead ♦he way to practical unity. WHAT DO THEY TEACH : 245

The figures are not then so hopeful as we could wish, but they indicate that the Church of Christ is taking root in the land, that it is being developed from within and more securely fixed in the hearts of the people, that all the churches have been visited with showers of blessing, and that increasing interest is taken by universal Christendom in the evangelisation of India.

E ducational M ission W ork.

There is a grand total of 279,716 pupils in the mission day-schools of India. These all come more or less under Christian influence and instruction. The increase is 92,064, the largest reported in any decade; but the proportionate rate of increase is smaller than usual. For the decade ending 1871, the increase was 61 per cent.; for 1881, it was 53 per cent.; and the last returns show an improvement of 43 per cent, upon those of the previous ones. Almost every missionary society re­ ports an increase of pupils, showing that the workers who have to deal with the facts of mission work believe in education as a powerful auxil­ iary to the spread of Christian influence. The Baptists and Congrega- tionalists have largely augmented the number of their pupils, but the Methodist churches have made most rapid progress. They have nearly three times as many pupils as they had in 1881, the American Epis­ copal Methodists having more than trebled the pupils in their schools. The Church of England societies have most pupils, 79,983 ; but the Methodists come next with 56,492, followed by the Presbyterians with 50,523. There is an army of 12,876 teachers employed in these schools. It is pleasing to note that while the number of Europeans and Eura­ sians employed in boys’ schools is gradually decreasing, the number in girls’ schools is rapidly increasing. The number in girls’ schools has in­ creased from 479 to 711. Native Christians are employed in vastly increased numbers, the total having gone up from 5,484 to 8,575. The native Christian community is one of the best educated in the coun­ try ; but it is not at present able to supply all the teachers needed by missionaries. They will, however, soon be able to do so, if they but steadily continue to improve intellectually and morally. The improvement in female education is marked. Christian women are bent upon rolling away the reproach that is cast upon their sex in India. Workers are multiplying, schools are being opened in every direction, but the most wonderful development is in zanana work. The zanana pupils are three-fold more numerous than they were in 1881. Then there were 7,522 houses and 9,132 pupils; now there are 40,513 houses and 32,659 pupils. We presume that the reason why there are more houses than pupils is this—that while the houses are visited by Bible-women and others, who talk to and read with the inmates, 246 THE STATISTICAL TABLES OP PROTESTANT MISSIONS :

there are no pupils receiving systematic instruction. We look upon the rapid development of this work as one of the most hopeful signs of the times. The zanana is opening to receive the gospel; and if the hearts of India’s women can be attracted to Jesus Christ, the ultimate triumph of the Messiah’s kingdom will speedily be secured. Those noble ladies, who organise and support the various societies for helping their fellow- sisters in the East, are doing a work whose influences, though operating silently as the leaven, are destined to destroy the idolatry, ignorance, superstition, and sin of this vast empire. Many are the ladies on the field who bear fatigue, reproach, and loneliness, to help those who are oppressed and burdened by custom and caste, by sorrow and sin. These labours have at present little visible fruit, but there is the promise of an abundant and glorious harvest. The returns showing the numbers who have entered upon a UDiver­ sity career are so imperfect, that one can only draw the general con­ clusion that there has been a large advance. Sunday schools are springing up everywhere. The scholars have more than doubled in the decade. There are now 135,565 children receiving instruction on the Sabbath. The Methodist church is far ahead of all other churches in this work, having 46,351 pupils in its Sunday schools. The Congregationalists come next with 27,934. The Madras Presidency in this as in every department of mission work is a long way in advance of the other provinces.

M edical M issio ns. These returns appear for the first time, so that no comparisons can be drawn. There are apparently 97 European and Eurasian medical missionaries, male and female; and 168 native Christians are also employed in caring for the sick. They have 166 hospitals and dispen­ saries where their work of mercy is carried on. This branch of mis­ sionary toil will doubtless develop as Christians realise how beneficent and mighty a helper medical work is for the evangelisation of the people.

M issions in C eylo n . The returns from Ceylon are very incomplete and unsatisfactory. The figures would indicate that there has been no progress made by Protestant missions in the decade. From information we have received from other sources it appears that Christianity is only just holding its own in Ceylon. The proportionate increase of Christians in the island is only slightly above the ordinary increase of the population. Missions in Ceylon are older, more developed, have less of caste to contend with, and yet it seems unable to cope with a revived Buddhism. It is possible that here also greater efforts have been made to consolidate the churches, as the communicants show a marked increase. Ceylon with its 37 missionaries, 115 native pastors, 384 lay-preachers aud 900 WHAT DO THEY TEACH ? 247

teachers, is far better equipped than any part of the Indian mission field. There is force enough to make a far deeper impression upon the non-Christian population of the island. We see that some of the Ceylon religious papers are discussing the revelations of the Government census report, and are bent upon making an improvement.

M issions in B u rm a. The statistics here are also imperfect, the native Christian com­ munity being estimated in most cases. There appears to be a steady growth both in the number of native Christians and church members. The number of Christians is estimated at 89,182, an increase of 13,916. The communicants number 33,037, a gain of 8,108. Two missionary societies have entered the field since the annexation of Upper Burma— the Wesleyan and the Leipzig Evangelical Lutheran. They have not made much progress numerically. The American Baptists have the care of the great bulk of the Christians, their adherents numbering nearly eighty-two thousand out of a total of eighty-nine thousand. Education has rapidly developed. The pupils in 1881 were 8,708, but in 1890 they amounted to 15,526. Female education has apparently made great progress, the pupils being more than twice as many as they were nine years ago.

W ork to be d on e. We have very imperfectly represented some of the more important features of the published returns. Other figures are also full of interest, and many comparisons might be made respecting the progress of different missions in various localities. It is evident that in some regions missions have touched a stratum of the people who are com­ paratively easy of access, and thousands have been baptised; in other districts every convert has involved a vast amount of toil and care. In the one case the churches have received the people by hundreds ; in the other by units. No law of progress can be laid down for all India. In certain regions the soil is hard and huge boulders of granite crop np everywhere ; in others the broad river sweeps along carrying the life- giving water over the fertile plains. So is it in the mission field. Nevertheless the work is one, and the faithful husbandman will yet see the time when “ the wilderness will be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest.” A vast work, however, remains to be accomplished in India alone. The total Christian population, according to the Government census is 2,159,781, out of 279,684,203, or less than one per cent., while the per­ centage of Protestant native Christians is but ‘2 per cent., or one in 500. The total number of Protestant Christian preachers and teachers engaged in spreading the light is only 14,624, or about one for every 20,000 people. The field is by no means occupied. We could employ 248 THE BANGALORE TRACT AND BOOK SOCIETY. all the Christian preachers and teachers of England, and they need not tread upon one another’s heels in this great continent. More labourers, more toil, more faith, more patience, more power, more of God’s fertilis­ ing showers are needed for India ; and these will be forthcoming as the various churches rise to the measure of their responsibility.

THE BANGALORE TRACT AND BOOK SOCIETY.

B Y THE REV. A . BTJENET, HON. SECRETARY. ROM a time-stained page that lies before me I read the minutes of a meeting that was held to establish the society that now bears this name. It is nearly fifty-three years since that meeting took place—the exact date being January 22nd, 1840. The building in which it was held is now called the signalling school and is situated opposite the East Parade Wesleyan Church. The list of persons who were present makes one feel how many years have passed and how great are the changes that have taken place since that bright January day when ten missionaries and a Christian officer met to found a society that has done such varied and useful work. One is tempted to linger over some of the names in the list. Jona­ than Crowther— already an experienced missionary— was there ; Samuel Hardey, who was to see service in many lands, was elected secretary; Thomas Hodson, for fifty years a notable figure in Mysore missions, seconded the first resolution; J. Sewell was also present, representing then and long afterwards the London Missionary Society; towards the end of the list I find the name of W. Arthur, who was then a young man with less than two years’ Indian service. One wonders what that “ tongue of fire” contributed to the discussion, whether the grave and godly men who met in conclave divined ought of the world-wide fame and lasting usefulness that were to follow. One notes with much thankfulness that the Rev. G. Trevor was present, was called to the chair of the meeting, and afterwards elected the first president of the society. Recalling the fact that Mr. Trevor was a chaplain of the Episcopal Church, we are apt to break the commandment and to say that the former days were better than these. The recently kindled fires of the Oxford movement had not yet licked up the streams of brotherly love. And so the eleven met and fell to work, and passed the follow­ ing resolutions:— “ 1. That the great destitution of suitable school books in the native languages, particularly Kanarese, renders it necessary that those who are interested in the education of native youth in this part of THE BANGALOKE TEACT AND BOOK SOCIETY. 249

India should unite to furnish a series of suitable school books in the ver­ nacular languages as well as in English, embracing the general principles of Christian education.” “ 2. That a society be now formed to promote this object, to be called the Bangalore School Book Society.” Then follows a complete set of carefully drawn rules. The constitu­ tion was formed, and, as Carlyle would say, the constitution was “ made to march.” A searching analysis of the foregoing resolutions, and a careful examination of the principles that underlie them, would yield some un­ expected and curious results. Some day the historian of Indian missions will arise and do his stupendous work. With painful study he will decipher such documents as the one that lies before us, and will then expound their meaning to the men of this generation. He will show that while the heroic age of Indian missions may lie in the past the golden age is certainly before us. The resolutions quoted show that the men who passed them— and earnest men of God were they all— had not seen even in dim vision all the glorious evangelising powers that lay locked up in their printing presses. The society sprang out of the realisation of an urgent and practical necessity, and the object at first proposed was of all things worthy and good; but the great work of the society—the work that has become its chief glory— is not even hinted at in the resolution that lies at its foundation. In strict accordance with its object and name are the early publications of the society. At the end of the first year the Rev. T. Hodson presented to the society a Kanarese grammar in manuscript. The committee gave their best thanks to Mr. Hodson and accepted the manuscript with a view to immediate publication. At the same meeting it was shrewdly resolv­ ed to ask the subscribers to pay their subscriptions a year in advance. In 1852 the sphere of the society’s operations was greatly widened, and to indicate the change it became the Bangalore Tract and School Book Society. Henceforth there appears to have been great activity in the production and distribution of vernacular literature of all kinds. The following is a list of those who have held the office of secretary since the formation of the society. 1840—1842 Rev. S.-Hardey. 1842— 1856 Rev. J. Garett. 1856— 1861 Rev. D. Sanderson. 1861— 1866 Rev: M. T. Male. 1866— 1868 Rev. T. Hodson. 1868— 1S72 Rev. S. Dalzell. 1872— 1887 Rev. B. Rice. i o q 7 i oq-1 f Rev. E. P. Rice, B. A., General Secretary. (R e v . J. A. Vanes, b . a ., EditorialSecretary. 32 250 DEPUTATIONS TO MISSION FIELDS.

Rev. A. Burnet, General Secretary. Rev. J. A. Yanes, b . a ., Editorial Secretary. The most noteworthy secretariat, was that of the Rev. B. Rice, who did more than most for vernacular literature. Mr. Rice’s circumstances were favourable to the prosecution of this work, and great activity mark­ ed the period during which he held office. Early in his missionary career Mr. Rice prepared many Kanarese school books, most of which are still in daily use. Besides writing numerous tracts and religious books, Mr. Rice compiled a Kanarese hymnal, nearly half the hymns being from his own pen. At Mr. Rice’s death it was felt that no missionary could reasonably be expected to do all the secretarial work, and the labour was divided in­ to two departments. The satisfactory results of this division have amply justified its adoption. The work of a society such as this is one of the bye-paths of missionary enterprise. At another time we may say something as to the administration of the society’s affairs and the benefi­ cial results of its manifold operations. During the past twenty years above three and a half -million copies of different publications have gone forth. The actual result cannot be tabulated, but in a land where the people perish for lack of knowledge it surely is no small thing that millions of messengersj speaking the language of the people, travel­ ling in all directions, living in the homes and haunting the memories of men, should be proclaiming the wonderful truth of God.

DEPUTATION'S TO MISSION FIELDS.

BY THE REV. R. GLOVER, d.d. [It is always interesting to see ourselves as others see us. When an intelligent and sympathetic critic writes about us, we are sure to learn something that is useful and wise. Many of our readers will be glad to peruse a paper written by one who officially visited the Baptist missions in China. Dr. Glover is a shrewd observer of men and things, and his remarks'show how mission work strikes a thoughtful, observant mind. They will confirm the opinion always held by missionaries that if the facts can only be properly presented to competent judges, the success of mis­ sion work, even in comparatively unfruitful places, will be adequately demonstrated. The paper appeared in the new missionary magazine, Work and Workers. W e have only slightly abridged it.— E ditor.] ET me name the two or three main directions in which a deputa­ tion ought to be of use. It would enable the home churches to understand more adequately the work they have undertaken. In our mission work, as in our Christian life, we happily go forth “ not knowing whither we go.” Pifcy thinks of snatching a few brands from the burning, healing a few broken hearts, and brightening a few lives with the Light of Life. But it invariably happens that we find the dimensions of our task grow on our hands. Pity is imperial in its DEPUTATIONS TO MISSION FIELDS. 251 compassions, and cannot content itself in saving the few and leaving the mass unblessed. Accordingly, wherever missionaries retain their ardour, they are bound to commit those who send them to a greater work than they had in their view. ISTo sooner is the missionary familiar with his field than large questions thrust themselves on his soul. He went, say, to Central Africa, and his thought was to befriend and evan­ gelise a few hundred people. But as soon as a commencement is made iu that work, the thought of the whole of that neglected land begins to weigh upon his so u l; its various ills engross his thoughts, and, uncon­ sciously to himself, he begins to change the question of his life, and the problem before him becomes imperial instead of parochial. He looks beyond the salvation of a few souls to form plans which will bring the gospel of salvation to all— labouring for immediate good. The question of the way to secure the permanence and self-propagation of that good begins to occupy him. He went to do one thing only, to preach the gospel, and finds he must do all the impossible but necessary things which others shrink from— ministering to the sick, educating the young, civilising, teaching the arts and sciences, and generally “ saving the children of the needy.” The more passionately he would prefer to concentrate his efforts, the more he will feel bound to diffuse them. So that there is no mission that does not, when it is a living one, come to confront a vaster work than entered into the designs of those who started it. Not merely so. To home committees the mission is much more of a mere experiment than it ever can be in reality. A field of labour needs and invites Christian enterprise, and the experiment is made of sending missionaries there. Directly -work begins the experimental character begins to pass away. To abandon work once begun is found to be a course so compromising to the honour of Christ, and so injurious to the interests of the gospel in all the region affected by it, that no field can be abandoned without the gravest re­ sponsibility. This reference to the fact that every mission which remains vital speedily enlarges its scope and aim, and loses its experimental character, will illustrate the need for a fuller knowledge of the fields. And, indeed, one of the supreme necessities of all missionary boards is a more adequate sense of the vastness of the undertaking in which they are engaged. The work ought to be known in the magnitude of its needs and of its difficulties. All special helps and hindrances ought to be known. Thus it comes to pass that every work which is undertaken by the missionary is a greater and harder work than either he, in going, or the church, in sending him, ever contemplated. No adequate conception exists at home of the vastness of our enterprise, of the need of it, of the difficulty, or one might say the impossibility, of 252 DEPUTATIONS TO MISSION FIELDS.

success, nor yet of the certainty of that impossibility being achieved, if faith and love persist in their saving efforts. Speaking from our own experience, what could be known from books and workers concerning mission work in China was moderately familiar to both Mr. Morris and myself. But the conceptions of the work in hand with which we left China were far different from those with which we entered it. Everything seemed to enlarge to our view. The meaning of the term “ heathen” grew on us till it included souls in all stages of moral development, from sinners like those of Sodom and Gomorrah up to seekers after God of the type of Melchisedek and Job and Abraham—the most superstitious and the most metaphysical of intellects— those whose woes made the heart bleed ; those whose refine­ ment made you feel at home with them. The difficulties of the work grew on our view. To win the carnal mind is always difficult, but to win the Chinese—constituting one- third of mankind, accustomed to feel themselves to be the cream of humanity and to look down on us as we look down on the Hottentot, proud of their ancient civilisation, their moral light, the stability of their institutions, Pharisees of the Pharisees in their idea that the world should come and sit at their feet to gather wisdom; hating us for the iniquities of our opium wars and policy, full of the ghastliest misconceptions of Christianity, its morals and its aims—to achieve this is indeed the most stupendous task to which the church has ever addressed herself ; while simultaneously the need of the gospel grew on us hour by hour. For everything the gospel seems the one thing needful there—to save souls, to heal the sick, to create truthfulness and with it better bonds between man and man, to purify morals, to destroy the incredible bondage of superstition, to gladden home life, to raise women, to improve government, to destroy official corruption, to relieve the phenomenal poverty by developing the resources of the country, to give the air of hope to a people who have ceased to breathe it—for all sorts of works which are supremely urgent and for which no force is found, the gospel is the necessity of that vast empire. And feeling that while our sense of the difficulty of the task grew intense, our sense of the certainty of success grew in still larger measure, we left more confident than we had ever been before. A second very great advantage would be found in a proper apprecia­ tion of the work already accomplished. We want exact Christian estimates, which shall avoid the mistake of the despair which looks on nothing but the unaccomplished, and the optimism which looks on nothing but the achieved. But, obviously, to estimate aright the service rendered requires some special care aud knowledge. A measure of success which might be disappointing in Africa or the South Seas might be of greatest promise in China. On the heathen field, as at DEPUTATIONS TO MISSION FIELDS. 253 home, converts have to be weighed as well as counted, and the results outside of conversion have to be regarded. It will sometimes happen that results that seem of great value at a distance, when examined at hand, are found to be comparatively superficial, to lack independent vitality and the supreme quality of self-propagating power; while, sometimes, where numbers may not be very impressive, a deputation might find the quality of the work significant. And in estimating the value and success of the work done, a deputation would regard especially the quality of the converts, the estimate formed of the missionaries by the heathen, the degree in which they engaged the trust and reverence of the heathen, the esteem in which the converts were held by their neighbours, the provisions for the training of the young, the degree in which the converts were themselves filled with a missionary spirit. Evidently these are all supreme tests of vitality. They can only be applied on the spot- I speak with a vivid sense of the importance of this aspect of the matter. Statistically I knew as much of our success in China when I landed as when I left. But when those that had been merely numbers stood before me strong, independent, vigorous men and women, pure amidst the impure, uttering as well as believing the gospel, I had an impression of success which I could not have reached in any other way. I have a feeling that the Methodist mission work in India and in China (I regret I was prevented by illness from seeing their work on the Tang-tse) is exactly of the sort that would bear scrutiny, and seem greater the more it was examined ; while your other work, so marvel­ lously blessed amongst peoples of lower type, would certainly move a deeper gratitude if better known. Whatever the estimate formed, a sound, sober judgment formed on the spot would be of great value. A third advantage from a deputation would be a more reliable judg­ ment on competitive forms of work, and on the general ordering of the external arrangements of the mission. There is room on the mission field for many different plans of action. And obviously one man will do one sort of work better, and another another. It would be a great calamity for any mission to employ only one sort of agency. The writer of the Christian book has his place as well as the revivalist; the educationist as well as the administrator. The special need or value of special forms of service can hardly be estimated at a distance. To take an example. Nothing but a visit to China would have convinced my colleague and myself of the immense importance of medical missions. At a distance a training college for capable converts will often seem a costly sacrifice of energy and means. The moment that on the spot you see how the church is committed to the great work, and realise that the work will only begin when natives begin to undertake it, such a college seems one of the 254 DEPUTATIONS TO MISSION FIELDS.

wisest of your methods. At home cheap missions appeal to the imagi­ nation as eliciting and proving Christian heroism; on the spot, a prosaic sense of the fact that cheap missions mean celibate missions, and celibate missions mean missions to one sex only, constrains you to modify your view. The most important results cannot be formulated in any return. All questions are complex. Thrift of money may be unthriffc of life. Questions of women’s missions, of school work, of itinerant preach­ ing, of medical missions, to be rightly studied must be studied on the spot. There are parts of China where, with immense advantage, single women might do Christian work of the most valuable kind. There are other parts where their presence would be a scandal, a hindrance, and a peril. There are fields of labour into which a mission might with advantage send men of ordinary character and capacity. There are fields where the men sent should be such only as are by nature and grace “ leaders and commanders to His people.” Questions of economy beset every society. I have a feeling that most who have visited a mission field will see in the raising of the qualifications of the missionary the best way of economising. The men of initiative, of charm, of sympathy with God and with man, of power, of faith, are worth much more than we can give them. Men without these qualities are better at home. I shall not, I trust, be misunderstood as siding with any party. I think it is well new plans of all sorts should be tried; but I only urge : Judge them by results on the spot, and by their fitness for the conditions they have to meet. I name another advantage which I fancy might accrue from a visit such as is suggested, viz., The wakening of the church to the necessity of giving to all who are to be missionaries some special training. I do not open the question of separate colleges ; there is a distinct advantage in pursuing the common studies for the home ministry along with students who are entering that ministry. But anyone going to a heathen land to preach the gospel ought to know something of the people amongst whom he will labour; of their thoughts about God and duty, of the meaning of their religious observ­ ances, of what is good or evil in their creed and action. But with hardly an exception no church has time or talent to spare to teach any of its students anything of comparative theology, although such teaching, if sound, might be invaluable even for those who are to labour at home. The lack of such instruction is serious. A knowledge of his modes of thought is necessary to me before I can convey my meaning to another. Many cannot be understood because they themselves do not CURRENT MISSION NEWS. 255

understand those they address. Many assail alike everything heathen, good and bad. Many treat with contempt things most pathetic. Some culture, which would make the missionary able to understand the workings of the heathen soul, that would make him fair to everything that is good, that would enable him so to understand men that they would trust him, and he would be able to meet the difficulties they confess ; some culture that would enable him to deal wisely with the scores of difficult, practical questions that emerge when a new creed roots itself amidst old conditions, seems to me one of the great wants of the misson equipment of to-day. And I think probably no deputation would visit the heathen field without feeling the necessity of the church doing something to secure for missionaries a better training for their work than usually we give them.

CURRENT MISSION NEWS.

DEPUTATION TO WESLEYAN MISSIONS. IN THE MYSORE DISTRICT.

B angalore K anarese C ircuit.

The Rev. G. W. Olver, B.A., reached Bangalore from Karur on the morn­ ing of the 9th November, and was received at the station by all the European and native ministers and evangelists resident in Bangalore. His head­ quarters during his stay were at the chairman’s house. On his arrival there, he found at the entrance the girls of the Kanarese Boarding School waiting to do him honour. Their welcome consisted in garlands of flowers and the hearty singing of an appropriate song. During the course of the day, the pupils of this school were visited and examined. In the evening all the workers in the various branches of the mission in Bangalore gathered to­ gether at the chairman’s house to be introduced to Mr. Olver. More than forty were present. After tea and light refreshments, a few words of wel­ come were offered to the distinguished visitor, and he, in reply, addressed the assembled workers. Hale and vigorous, he seemed ready for all the work arranged for him in the Mysore district. Yenerable in appearance, genial in manner, he made a happy impression, and his address, wise, practical, stimulating, made all feel that they had in him a sympathising friend who brought mature judgment and ripe experience to the discussion of mission affairs. The next morning all the vernacular boys’ and girls’ schools in this circuit were visited. A ll the schools were gay with flowers, and banners 256 CURRENT MISSION NEWS. bearing appropriate mottoes. Mr. Olver was much impressed, of course, with the large girls’ school in Siddhi Katte of which Miss Hudson is now principal, and also with the new school supported by friends in Tasmania. But the most touching incident in the morning’s work was the pathetic appeal of the parents in the village where we have a school for low caste boys. Their village is to be broken up, and they are in dread lest we should not go with them to their new habitations outside of the town. The parents pleaded with Mr. Olver that they might not be deserted. “ No, we have not been baptised, but we do not worship idols,” said they. “ And you will con­ tinue to have the school and the Sabbath worship for us—won’t you ?” they pleaded. A few kindly reassuring words were interpreted to them. Like­ wise a few words were interpreted to the pupils at each school. The members of the Kanarese church, read an address to Mr. Olver in the evening. The chapel was crowded. The address received an appropriate reply, which was translated, and which with kindly wisdom dwelt on all the topics raised. On Sunday morning, Mr. Olver attended the Kanarese service at 7-45 a .m . During the course of the service he baptised a little English baby—a wee man just given as a beam of sunshine to a mission home. Mr. Gulliford preached in Kanarese and Mr. Olver gave a short address which was inter­ preted. A t the close of this service he had to hurry off to be present at the Tamil service in the Cantonment at the other end of Bangalore. On the Monday morning, the students of the Theological class with the local preachers and elders of the Kanarese church were introduced to Mr. Olver. They were present with all the musical instruments used in the evange­ listic services and gave specimens of their singing and playing. They are well-trained and in some respects would rival the bands used at the London West Central Mission. Mr. Olver next visited the High School. He went to each class room and saw the pupils at work. The High School department was then assembled in the central hall, and Mr. Olver gave them a most suitable address full of good advice.

A mong the B angalore E nglish C hurches. The Rev. G. W. Olver spent Friday, November 11th, in visiting the English churches in Bangalore, and the various institutions connected there­ with. In the early morning Mr. Olver saw the Free School in Shoolay. Later in the day the Easb Parade Day School welcomed the deputation, who gave a most valuable address. The singing and the calisthenic exercises elicited from Mr. Olver the highest praise. After this the Children’s Home, the Soldiers’ Home and the East Parade Church were carefully inspected. In the afternoon Mr. Olver went to St. John’s Hill where he saw the alms­ houses, the Pensioners’ Reading Room, the Young Men’s Christian Associa­ tion, the school-room, and the handsome church which stands as the perma­ nent memorial of the earnest and successful ministry of the Rev. W. Sackett. In the evening Mr. Olver preached a powerful sermon to a good congrega­ tion. On the following Sunday evening, Mr. Olver preached at East Parade. The whole service was exceedingly impressive and will long be remembered. We have been greatly cheered by personal intercourse with the committee’s CURRENT MISSION NEWS. 257

representative, and feel confident that much good will come from the visit of one who so readily grasped the position of the work and showed such deep sympathy with the workers.

T he T amil Circuit. The Tamil Circuit gave a very hearty welcome to the secretary in a meeting in the Haines Road Church, on Saturday evening, November 12th. An address was read in English by Mr. J. Chinnayya, and a Tamil translation of the same was read by Mr. I. Appaswami, while music and garlands, so dear to the Oriental, were furnished in abundance. At the close of the meet­ ing, Mr. Olver met the members of the church council and talked with them at length on the various matters which they brought to his notice. The day had been fully occupied in visiting the fifteen schools of the circuit, and in becoming acquainted with the many opportunities for work which present themselves. At one of the schools the most striking feature in the welcome of the honoured representative of the society was the barber’s band; at another school, a youthful fiddler sang the National Anthem, slightly adapted to the occasion by the following refrain— “ God bless our Sec-re-tary, God bless Ol-ver!” The lad has since got his father to enquire whether the song is to be printed. Perhaps these lines will suffice. At the service on the following Sunday, a young man was admitted into the church by baptism, and Mr. Olver gave a very timely address to the congregation, which was translated by the Rev. E. Nathaniel.

In the H assan Circuit. Accompanied by Mr. Sawday from Tumkur, Mr. Olver reached Kadur by train on the evening of Monday, November 14th. After spending the night at the travellers’ bungalow, they started off earty on Tuesday morn­ ing bjr bullock tonga for Chikmagalur. At Sakrapatam, about midway on the journey, a horse and dog-cart awaited them which we hoped would expedite their journey considerably, but after having clambered up to the high seat with some difficulty and driven for a mile, they resumed their place in the bullock tonga, and determined to finish the journey behind the slower but safer long-tailed pair. The scenery as they slowly climbed the ghaut before descending into Chikmagalur is not likely to be forgotten. On their right rose the Baba-budan range of hills in all its grandeur, its top rug­ ged and bare, but its sides covered with rich green grass, and its sholas filled with noble trees, beneath which grows the graceful coffee tree. The valleys below are studded with villages, and the land portioned out into fields which yield abundant crops. They reached Chikmagalur about one o’clock sufficient­ ly tired and hungry to appreciate the rough accommodation and rough fare of a travellers’ bungalow. A l 4-30 that afternoon we had the prize distribu­ tion in the girls’ pchool. The room was nicely decorated and a large number of educated gentlemen were present to witness the proceedings. Mrs. Sparkes kindly presided, and handed the prizes to the girls, after which Mr. Olver gave an address which was evidently much appreciated by his listeners. After a photograph had been taken by a local photographer, Mr. Olver 33 258 CURRENT MISSION NEWS. inspected the chapel, and we drove to see the Branch Girls’ School where we hope soon to erect a good building. Next morning we started early in the tonga for Belur. Here the Amil­ dar, an old mission student, had generously provided us with an excellent breakfast. We visited the school for Hoi eyas, in which we found more than forty boys and a few girls, who sang some lyrics excellently. Thence we proceeded to the girls’ school, and finally went round the temple which is justly celebrated for its splendid stone carvings. In the afternoon we drove twenty-four miles to Hassan, reaching there about five o’clock. Over the gateway was the motto, “ A loving welcome to the Rev. G. W. Olver,” and everything that was done in Hassan would prove to Mr. Olver that these were not empty words. All the Christians and orphans, preceded by the singing band, came to sing hymns of welcome which had been specially composed for the occasion, and the number of garlands which were placed round his neck was so great, that he almost disappeared from view. The next day was a gala day. In the morning no less than eight of the orphan girls were married. The chapel was crowded. Mr. Saw- day, whose boys formed the majority of the bridegrooms, married half the number, while Mr. Rees performed the ceremony for the other half. When the marriages were over, an address from the church was read, and Mr. Olver replied, taking occasion also at the same time to give suitable advice to the newly married ones. The marriages were followed by a feast for all our Christians. In the afternoon a visit was paid to the orphanage, when the girls presented Mr. Olver with a woollen cap, and a pair of woollen socks of their own making as a memento of his visit. The day ended with a visit to Rakshanapura, our Christian village, wlxere Mr. Olver saw those of our orphans who have settled down as independent ryots. Mr. Olver visited the girls’ school and the Holeya boys’ school, and saw the town on the Friday. It was at first arranged that he should leave Hassan the same evening and travel by night to Arsikere, but we thought it better to start earlier and try to reach Arsikere the same night. Accord­ ingly we set off from Hassan in the dog-cart about two o’clock, drove eighteen miles to Gandasi, and then proceeded in the tonga to Arsikere, which we reached about 9-45. On Saturday morning before leaving for Tumkur, we had a short service in Arsikere. Several of our Christians from Banavar, converts from the Korama tribe, had come to meet the General Secretary, and they together with our Christians at Arsikere, and a few of the English residents, assem­ bled in the chapel. After a short service we proceeded to Tumkur.

V isit to Tumkuu. Mr. Olver, accompanied by Mr. Rees of Hassan, reached Tumkur on the afternoon of Saturday, November 19. A deputation from the native church, Mr. Hocken, the Chairman of the Mysore District, Mr. Luke, the native pastor, and Mr. Sawday welcomed him at the station. At the entrance to the mission compound, he was met by a number of the Christians, the orphanage boys and the bhajcm (band). The road to the mission house was prettily decorated. On reaching the mission house the evangelists and Christian teachers were presented to Mr. Olver one by one. In the evening CURRENT MISSION NEWS. 259

a welcome meeting was held. The mission house was crowded. All the proceedings were most enthusiastic, and an address which was presented in English was read in Kanarese. The address called attention to the efforts the church was making towards self-support, and asked that another mis­ sionary might be sent to help in the work of such a wide district as that called the “ Tumkur circuit.” In reply Mr. Olver said how delighted he was to see such a large assembly of Christians and how pleased he was that God had permitted Mr. and Mrs. Sawday to labour there for such a long time, and then gave great pleasure by telling the people that theirs was the first of our churches he had seen with a steeple. The Revs. C. H. Hocken, D. A. Rees and T. Luke also spoke. On reaching the open air after the service, the place was found to be brilliantly illuminated, and, accompanied by a crowd of Christians, in the midst of a grand pyrotechnic display, Mr. Olver was conducted to the mission house. At eight o’clock on Sunday morning Mr. Olver preached in the mission church, Mr. Hocken interpreting. The church was again densely crowded. The sacrament of the Lord’s supper was administered at the close of the impressive service. As we thought of the small church and few people of by-gone days and gazed on the mass of upturned faces our hearts over­ flowed with gratitude to God. At four o’clock we held our small English service, Mr. Olver again preaching, and afterwards proceeded to Betheluru, one of the orphanage villages two miles distant, where a number of Christian families are now settled. It was a lovely evening, so we sat in the pandal erected in honour of the visitor instead of going into the chapel. It was an impressive scene. The married boys, their wives (most of them girls from the Hassan orphan­ age) and children, and the visitors from Tumkur, made a congregation which no one could gaze on without thankfulness. We could not help thinking of the dark days of famine, but a sight of the happy faces banished the memory of those terrible days, and led us to thank God for the blessed change. An address was read in which the young people spoke with gratitude of all that had been done for them. Mr. Olver, in a most happy reply, urged the young people to consecrate themselves to Christ. He laughingly said it was a unionist meeting, referring to the fact that the Tumkur boys had been to Hassan for their wives. It was impossible to let Mr. Olver leave without some proof of their hospitality, and plantains, bread and coffee soon filled the tables, whilst garlands encircled his neck to such an extent that soon but little of his face could be seen. On Monday morning, the 21st, Mr. Olver went to see the schools and buildings. There are seven of the former in the town, including one for each of the two great divisions of out-castes. Speeches, recitations, songs, flowers and fruit were the order of the day everywhere. A visit to the splendid new girls’ school in the fort brought the round to a close. This fine upstairs building is in the very centre of the fort, and is a magnificent centre for all kinds of mission work. It was built two years ago and cost Rs. 10,000, towards which the Missionary Society contributed Rs. 700 only, the balance being raised by those in charge of the circuit. At 3-30 in the afternoon there was a gathering in the orphanage, when many of the old boys were present with their wives. An address was read 2 6 0 CURRENT MISSION NEWS. which set forth the great kindness received by the boys, and pointed out its results in the number of evangelists, teachers, artizans and ryots, once trained in the orphanage, who now form the church in various parts of the province. Specimens of work were given to Mr. Olver, and no doubt these will often recall to his memory the happy faces of the Tumkur boys. At 6-15 p. h.. a meeting was held in the upper hall of the Fort Girls’ School when an address was presented by the teachers, who have in their schools 1200 children. Their special request was that a Pension Fund might be established for them. Mr. Olver told them that this was already being considered, and then delivered a practical and eloquent address which was listened to with rapt attention by the crowded audience. The meeting was followed by another display of fireworks, after which the party proceed­ ed to the native minister’s new house, a commodious structure built of stoue and presented to the mission in memory of the Rev. James Calvert. Here dinner was provided, and after the building had been consecrated, an address was presented by the evangelists, who said that they had all been converted and trained in the Wesleyan mission and were proud to call themselves John Wesley’s Indian sons. In reply to this, Mr. Olver urged the men to renewed consecration to Christ, and to greater earnestness in their work. On Tuesday morning, at seven o’clock Mr. Olver left for Gubbi. Gubbi is one of the oldest stations in the Mysore mission, and is connected with the names of William Arthur, M. T. Male, Daniel Sanderson and other distin­ guished missionaries. The head-man of the .town had erected a grand pandal, and with much tom-toming presented Mr. Olver with a comical English address, the burden of which was a request that the status of the English school might be raised, and “ more staffs appointed.” The schools were then visited, an address read by the teachers, and then the party went on to the mission house to breakfast. During the service for the Christians, Mr. Olver had the pleasure of baptising a family, consisting of three adults and two children, of respectable caste. A younger brother of the head of the family was also ready for baptism, but was hindered by his friends. We believe that he and others will soon come forward. The work at Gubbi, owing to frequent changes and many interruptions, has not been so fruitful as in some other places, but there are signs of awakening prosperity, and with God’s blessing the old historic mission at Gubbi will yet be a glory to the Methodist Church.

M ysore C it y . Mr. Olver’s visit to Mysore was marked by some features which must have been common to his visits everywhere. These it is not necessary for us to dwell upon; and we must content ourselves with briefly indicating those incidents which may help to make his three days’ stay among us distinctive. Mr. Olver had two welcomes on the evening of his arrival. The first was from the scholars of our day-schools who were massed on bamboo plat­ forms in the triangle fronting the High School, to the number of 1700. The second was from our Christian congregation, which packed the church to give him greeting. In going to the church he was preceded by the students of Hardwicke College, who sang in steady procession a hymn of thanks­ giving. The reception meeting was very interesting. After the reading of CURRENT MISSION NEWS. 261 the address, the four olders of the church approached Mr. Olver. The first offered him a "walking-stick, of Mysore material and workmanship—a gift which happened to be opportune, inasmuch as his stick had just previously been broken in the killing of a snake that crossed his path at night. The second presented a simple sandal-wood pen-rack, and the others flowers and limes. Leaving unrecited the visits to our schools, the first full day here includ­ ed breakfast with the evangelists, and afterwards half an hour’s capital talk to them—the address of a preacher to preachers. This was by special request, and was, to all who were present, a “ season of grace and sweet delight.” Later on came a visit to H. H. the Maharajah. As soon as it was known to His Highness that Mr. Olver was to visit Mysore, he graciously consented to give him a special interview. Those who know the Maharajah will under­ stand that his reception of our English senior secretary was both courteous and cordial. He acknowledged very frankly the pioneer work in the educa­ tion both of boys and girls that missionaries had done in his dominion, and recalled with interest the starting of the first English school in the city. Then, the conversation turned to the sea trip upon which His Highness has just embarked—first to Calcutta, then to Rangoon, and across the Bay of Bengal back to Madras. It is an experiment which may have, probably will have, far-reaching social issues. We cannot report the whole conversa­ tion, but we believe it gave Mr. Olver much pleasure. A t the conclusion of the interview, the Maharajah garlanded his visitor and presented him with a bouquet, after which we withdrew. It is a great satisfaction to our native Christians to know that their ruler received the representative of their church, and we have no doubt it will be an equal satisfaction to friends of the society in England. By His Highness’ permission Mr. Olver was shown over the palace—the armoury, with its grim evidence of the methods of arbitrament resorted to in earlier days; the durbar hall, and the music hall. In this last apartment, Mr. Olver heard the phonograph for, we believe, the first time. From the palace we went to the hut. Yiranagere is a somewhat mal­ odorous section of the city, in which we have been at work for a long time with good results. There we visited some native Christian houses, our humble school-chapel, and a gymnasium much frequented by a class of young men in whom we have great interest and not a little hope. W e could not linger long here, for Mr. Olver was due to lecture in the large hall of our High School at 16-45. On our arrival there we found the place “ crowded inside and out.” The chair was occupied by Y . P. Madhava Rau, Esq., and the audience contained many of the most active men alike in the state and in the city. Accustomed to addressing great varieties of audiences, Mr. Olver had probably never addressed one like this before. It was one to touch the imagination and the heart, and the lecturer responded with his whole being. He used his noble opportunity right nobly. We have heard Mr. Olver speak on many platforms, but we never heard him speak so powerfully as he did that night. His topic was “ The True Philosopher.” Calmly at first and with sure logic he made his points ; then the suppressed tenderness and urgency of the man broke forth in most moving appeal. He had a grand time and created a great impression. One gentleman said very 2G2 CURRENT MISSION NEWS.

well what in different forms many others hare said to us : “ Whether I agreed with him or not, I felt it was a great inspiration to be in contact with a man so intensely in earnest and so manifestly true.” Next day, Mr. Olver had a long and important interview with the Dewan to H. H. the Maharajah. It was an opportunity, useful both to the mission and to the state, for discussing informally some questions which are likely to need definite decision in the near future. Apart from that, how­ ever, it was well that two men, both holding positions of grave responsibility, and who may have to deal with questions in which they are mutually inter­ ested, should come to have personal knowledge of each other. The Dewan, who is an able man, spoke exceedingly well all through, and made the inter­ view a very pleasant one. In the evening of that day, Mr. Olver was chief guest at an “ At Home” held at one of the mission houses. These social gatherings have for some time been a feature of our life here and we should have been sorry for Mr. Olver to miss this one. It was largely attended and after our visitor had had much individual talk with many of the leading native gentlemen of the city, he addressed them collectively. Thus passed the Friday and Saturday. Each day was full, but all that belonged to the merely routine part of his work we have left unrelated. Sunday wras by arrangement a quieter day, but it included a large Kanarese service in the morning and an English service in the evening. Mr. Olver is not given to sight-seeing where \vork waits to be done. We felt, however, that it would be a pity for him to leave this neighbourhood without seeing Seringapatam—“ the Waterloo of South India,” as he called it. So at six o’clock on Monday morning we started in a waggonette kindly lent by Mr. Cress. We showed him the breached fort, the dungeons, the spot where Tippu was killed; then took him to Tippu’s tomb, and last of all to Tippu’s palace, where we breakfasted. There we knelt together finally in prayer, and from thence Mr. Olver issued forth to travel to Hyderabad—a journey of 40 hours.

IN THE NIZAM’S DOMINIONS.

BY AN OUTSIDER.

It was late in the evening of November 30th that Mr. Olver reached Secunderabad. Early the next day, he inspected the various house and chapel properties belonging to the mission. Two things struck our distinguished visitor—first, the amount of property that had been secured in the com­ paratively short period of twelve years, and also the very substantial character of all the buildings that had been erected. The two native churches at Chudderghaut and Market Street are plain and commodious, affording facilities for school work as well as religious services. Wesley Church at Trimulgherry, with its imposing spire, its neat apse, and chaste fittings, is an elegant and noble monument of great perseverance and industry with­ out any cost to the committee. The Soldiers’ Home close by the church also attracted well-merited attention. It is a popular institution. Very often as many as sixty or seventy men may be found in the evening partak­ CURRENT MISSION NEWS. 263

ing of refreshments, reading the papers, or playing games. A large portrait of Lord Roberts, presented by himself, adorns the walls. The Girls’ Boarding School, in one corner of the mission compound, is another product of the characteristic enterprise of the Secunderabad mission. Through the untiring energy of its late gifted superintendent, the school of forty pupils was brought to a high pitch of excellence ; and carried on by a competent head mistress, a diligent pupil of the late Mrs. Burgess, the school is still regarded by the Nawab Imad-ul-Mulk, Director of Public Instruction, as in many respects a model school. On the afternoon of the first day we all went forth to inspect the capital of the Nizam’s Dominions. Hyderabad is the most oriental of all Indian cities, and to view the city as we were privileged to do from the backs of elephants was a unique experience. A detailed description is impossible, but strange thoughts came to us as we surveyed the whole situation. It was like a dream, or a leaf from the Arabian Nights. The sight of the grave and reverend secretary riding triumphantly through Hyderabad on the back of the biggest elephant in His Highness the Nizam’s kheddah, was, to say the least of it, engrossing. The movements of the stately beast appeared distinctly adapted to the occasion. With a fine instinct he appeared to recognise the honour that had been conferred on him as the representative of his tribe. Even on the back of an elephant however “ things are not what they seem.” The gentle swinging step of the great creature sways his rider with a peculiar undulating motion, until mal de mer becomes more than a possibility. We gained such a sight of the city, however, as no other mode of inspection could have given us, and landed on terra finna once more with a feeling of satisfaction that assumed a variety of forms. On the same night after dinner, a party of us accompanied the secre­ tary out into the regions beyond on his first missionary tour. The first part of the journey, about fifty miles, was accomplished by train ; the rest, about twenty miles, was traversed, as Mr. Olver humourously observed, by carri­ age and pair. The greys, however, had horns, and the carriages were innocent of springs. There is great power of adaptation about these antique vehicles. Excellent for removing stones or rubbish, they form most desirable travelling couches when liberally lined with straw. Barring the very worst of the jolts, when the wheel suddenly descends into an abyss, the jaded traveller sleeps peacefully through the night the sleep of the just. Yemelzara, the place that we had come to visit, was reached at dawn. As it was too early at that hour to hold a meeting with our people, we outspanned, as our African brethren would put it, in the welcome shade of a mighty tamarind. Heaps of clean fresh rice straw were brought for us by our farmers’ sons, on which we spread our rugs, and discussed our coffee and bread and butter as happily as if we were at Grindelwald, while the minas and bulbuls kept on saying grace for us in the branches that were waving overhead. After this refreshment came the feast of reason and the flow of soul. So the time passed at Yemelzara until near noon, when the sound of a great cry, accompanied by tom-toms, reached us from the village. The sound increased as the mournful procession made its way to the large 264 CURRENT MISSION NEWS.

tank, not far from where we were encamped. It was a native funeral, not one of our Christian people. Some poor ryot had died of fever, and as they bore him to the funeral pyre, their hopeless wailings were penetrated with the saddest notes of despair. The pile was built and the body laid thereon, then more wood, and then the priest after placing rice at the feet of the body and breaking a pot of water at the head, set fire to the pile, while the poor widow’s sorrow was rendered more pathetic by the dumb wondering cry of a little child. “ Hope springs eternal in the human breast,” they say; so it may with the Bible open, but not where it is a sealed book. “ No blessed hope there,” said the secretary, as we turned towards the shadow of the great tamarind, and we felt that his thoughts went back to the wild storm that had so recently sent one of the greatest missionaries of our day into the presence of her Lord. Our hearts were already full of it, and our voices were hushed. The meeting with the Christian people of the village took place in the evening. The Rev. Benjamin Wesley had just come in from a distant station, where he had baptised twenty-five converts. At the meeting at Yemelzara eight more came forward to receive the sacred rite. The work in this village is full of promise. Hindus and Mussulmans bitterly oppose it, but Chris­ tianity thrives well in such surroundings. For some time we were without a local habitation, but a good Christian cultivator, one Father Abraham, presented the mission with a plot of ground, on which an attractive looking building has been erected, which serves the purpose of a chapel and catechist’s house. As we listened to the earnest prayers and hearty Methodist singing of these simple people, we could but devoutly thank God for the joy and brightness that the blessed hope of everlasting life had brought into their hearts. Quite another phase of mission life in India was illustrated in a subse­ quent interview which we were all privileged to enjoy with an illustrious member of the governing circle at Hyderabad. His opinions on such subjects as representative government, the land question, popular education, certain theological subjects, and Arabic literature, were interesting and instructive in the highest degree, and reminded us that the influence of the Indian missionary is far too sadly limited if exhausted on the heathen popu­ lation merely, and that the educated non-Christians of the country, form by themselves an important and separate constituency, which must some day be drawn into that great kingdom, which knows no limit and can know no end. Sunday, December 4th, was a memorable day. Our secretary spoke four times to as many difEerent congregations. The Chuddorghaut church was well attended by a representative congregation. The service, with the exception of the secretary’s address, was in Telugu. Proceeding to another native church, three miles distant from Chuddorghaut, we found a second congregation awaiting us. Here the service was in the Tamil language, and very pleasing was it to hear all the people join heartily in the responses to the prayer. Indeed, led by the girls from the boarding school, it was superior to any native singing we have heard in India, and had about it all the swing and precision of a well-trained choir. There were seven baptisms including two Aiyangar Brahmans, a most unapproachable sect. After CURRENT MISSION NEWS. 265

visiting and addressing the Sunday school at the Girls’ Boarding School, it soon became time for our visitor to proceed to Trimulgherry for the evening service there. This with the administration of the sacrament concluded the services of the day, one which will be long spoken of by the Secundera­ bad Methodists as a red letter day in their history. After a variety of engagements on Monday, we all attended the monthly polyglot prayer meeting, a unique institution, the outcome of the chair­ man’s genius and enterprise. The hymn book put into one’s hand at the door partly explains the nature of the service. It contains about thirty-five hymns in three different languages. The hymn is given out, and each one sings in his own tongue the wonderful works of God, the hymns being so translated as to be sung to one tune. “ Now, will some one pray in Telugu?” saya the leader; “ Now, someone else in Tamiland “ Now, some one lead in English,” he says again. So the meeting proceeds with holy fervour for an hour, and every one goes home exclaiming how good it has been to be there. The church was crowded of course, and the congre­ gation varied, including all classes from a General in the British Army to a Salvation Army Captain out on a financial enterprise, and an Indian Yogi, who looked on with amazement from the outside door. We started for Kundi the next day, which was reached after a three hours’ journey by train and five hours’ travelling in the aforesaid carriage and pair. The recent; purchase of the chairman was inspected, including mission house, girls’ school, and church with spacious compound and running stream; and then after breakfast with some very kind members of the Free Church the missionary pilgrims went on their way to Medak.

A TRAVELLING KANARESE BIBLE.

BY THE REV. E. LEWIS. The circulation of the Bible is an important part of our work in the district, and our catechists and colporteurs make it their business not only to distribute the Scriptures but also to point out to purchasers portions 4which they should specially read. Our sales from year to year are good, and last year they were not behind the average. I was very interested in the “ Travelling Kanarese Bible” in the town of H— . This Bible was given away about a year and a half ago to a weaver who seemed anxious to read it, and who could not afford to buy it. This weaver called the catechist who lived near to read some portions to him. The catechist had committed to memory whole chapters from different books of the New Testament, many of the Psalms, and portions of the book of Isaiah, and was able to direct the attention of his hearers to verses and parables which exactly suited their ch'cumstances. The effect of this was that the weaver and his companions regarded the Bible as the “ voice of God” to them, and read it with an eager desire to know what God would say to them. They talked about what they read to their neighbours, who asked that it might be lent to them. This Bible has travelled backwards and for­ wards to ten or a dozen houses, and brought intelligence and joy and 34 266 CURRENT MISSION NEWS.

comfort to many men, and is still on its travels “ preparing the way of the Lord,” and “ •winning some to Christ.” The Hindustani Bible has been more sought after during the past year than I have known in any previous year. One was given away, and has been read, most attentively by an earnest-minded Mussalman. One was sent by post to a distant taluk town to a man who was devoutly anxious to read the Injil. Portions of the Old and New Testaments have been sold in large numbers at railway stations to travellers. One of the most pleasing effects of reading the Bible that I have met with was in four or five villages in the A taluk, where at least a dozen men of different castes, who wished to see for themselves what was in the Bible, read it and talked about it at leisure times for more than a year. This practice brought them to seek the Christian teacher; and after re­ ceiving further instruction, they with their wives and children became Christians.- As may be expected these men since their baptism have studied the New Testament with more interest than ever, and form a most intelli­ gent Christian congregation.

MISSIONARY CONFERENCES.

B a n g a l o e e .—The monthly gathering was held at the house of the Rev. J. McLaurin, d .d . At the business meeting it was resolved that if possible a programme be drawn up for all the meetings of the coming year. The meetings for February and March were arranged fo r; and it appeared likely that the others will be provided for by the next meeting. The report of the committee, which had been appointed to prepare a draft of rules for the proposed “ Home Beading Society,” was read and adopted. To carry out the scheme a committee consisting of Messrs. Newport, Lawrence, G-ulliford, Paul, Ranganadhan, and A. Philip was appointed, and the Rev. W. J. Lawrence was requested to act as secretary and treasurer. It is hoped to bring the scheme into operation next year. The desirability of inviting the Decennial Conference to meet in Bangalore in 1902 was brought forward, but the conference could not see its way to commit itself to something that was so remote. The Rev. J. McLaurin then read a paper on the relation of the church to the state. There was no immediate prospect of a state church being esta­ blished in India, yet it was well to discuss the Bubject. He maintained that the spheres of the church and the state were quite distinct. The state was society organised to give to all men protection, and it had no business to invade the rights of conscienqe, which was in God’s keeping. The church was organised for the establishment of Christ’s kingdom, and it was the duty of the state to see that the church enjoyed her rights and privileges as much as any other corporation; but the state had no right to interfere in matters that belonged exclusively to the church, and was not justified in using public money for the support of any ecclesiastical organisation. The church ought not to interfere in political matters, so as to make any political question a test of membership. However wrong the church might think the action of the state to be, the church should protest, should urge her members CURRENT MISSION NEWS. 26 7 to oppose, but should not exclude from membership any who might support the state. The great triumphs of the mission field had all been achieved by the voluntary principle, and he thought the rule laid down by the apostle, “ Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him,” would meet the needs of the church, if it were properly act­ ed upon; In the discussion that followed it was evident that the writer’s stand-point had not been clearly apprehended. He had placed the church and the state in such sharp antagonism, that some thought he meant to con­ vey the idea that the church should have no more dealings with the state than the Jew with the Samaritan. It was pointed out that one of the great features of modern political life was the influence brought by godly men upon the legislature, so that laws were being framed more in harmony with the spirit of Christ’s teaching. It would be a reactionary step to prevent the use of this beneficial influence. The writer of the paper explained his true position, and stated that he advocated bringing all the pressure possible to bear upon the Government to do what was right and in harmony with God’s laws. The time had come for closing, so that many questions that were sug­ gested by the paper were not even mentioned. Has a Government any right to punish a person who conscientiously objects to laws which are manifestly for the good of the community at large ? Has a Government any right to give grants-in-aid to churches and schools that are helping the Government in educating the children and caring for the morals of the people ? These questions, which bring out some of the practical difficulties of the subject, were not discussed. A vote of thanks was accorded to Dr. McLaurin for his paper.

WESLEYAN.

A hmednagar.—The soldiers at this station have been visited from Poona. Mr. Browne has as much as he can possibly do at Poona and Kirkee. The Rev. J. Smith, of the American Presbyterian Mission, has kindly under­ taken the care of the Wesleyan soldiers at Ahmednagar, thus leaving more time to Mr. Browne for his work nearer home. Mubagacha.—Recently a young Muhammadan was baptised in this vil­ lage chapel in the Dum Dum Circuit, Calcutta District. He had been acquain­ ted with Christian truth for some years, and at last found courage to tell his relatives his intention of serving Christ. A most successful series of meetings has been held in the village, and one day the meeting was address­ ed by the learned Sanscrit pandit Prosanna Kumar Bidyaratna, who took for his subject, the Bible the only true Yeda. T h e L a t e M e s . B u e g e ss.—It is proposed to insert a memorial window in Wesley Church, Tirumalgherry, Hyderabad, in memory of this devoted mis­ sionary, whose work amongst the soldiers was largely carried on in that church. It is well that a permanent memorial of such workers should be made. Major-General Campbell will be glad to receive subscriptions for the purpose. The home Methodist papers are full of allusions to the loss sustain­ ed by the missionary society in the death of Mrs. Burgess and Mr. Malkin. The Wesleyan chaplain at Woolwich Garrison relates a touching incident showing how deeply attached.the soldiers were to Mrs. Burgess. He was tell­ 26.8 CUBEENT MISSION NEWS,,

ing the soldiers in hospital, some of whom had recently returned from India, of the wreck of the “ Roumania” and the death of Mrs. Burgess, and they thus heard for the first time of the death of their friend. “ They burst into tears and one of them—a big, rough fellow—broke completely down and cried like a child. We had great difficulty in closing a little service that no one present will easily forget.” We are glad to know that the bodies of Mrs. Burgess, the baby, and the ayah have been identified. “ T h e G ods a l l got u p a n d w a l k e d a w a t .” —In connection with the Calcutta Hindustani Mission, J. M. narrates the following incident in the Indian Methodist Times:—“ Janoki Nath, a young Brahman who appears to have a very good knowledge of the Scriptures, told us that he was first taught the Bible at amission school in the North-West, and received rewards from apadri for committing portions to memory. By degrees he came to love the book, and his father at length enquired what the volume was which he so often saw in the hands of his boy. On learning that it was the Christian sastra, the father threatened severe punishments if the boy continued to read, and finding his threats unavailing, the father burnt the book. On returning home, the boy asked his mother for his Bible and was told by both father and mother that they did not know anything about it. But the boy suspected what had happened, and when his father next went out, he took all the brass gods which the Brahman used to worship, and walked off down the bazaar with them to the brass-smith's where he disposed of the small Pantheon for the sum of Rs. 2-8. Of this money he expended six annas in the purchase of another Bible, and returned home to wait the issue. It was not till the father got up next morning and was preparing to perform the usual puja, that he discovered to his astonishment that the brass gods were all gone. The Brah­ man’s wife could tell nothing about their whereabouts, and the enquiry soon came to the boy to answer. * Well,’ said the lad, ‘ yesterday, father, when you were out, the gods all got up and walked away down the bazaar.’ This was too much for the old Brahman to swallow. ' But,’ said the boy, * if the gods could not walk away down the bazaar, what is the use of worshipping them ?’ Such reasonings were too much for the father who answered them by turning his son out of doors. The youth has since travelled not a little, and in Bombay he asked the Salvationists for baptism. But they did not see their way to accede to this request, saying that they were baptised with the Spirit. But Janoki Nath, who remembered the Gospel, was not satisfied with this answer, knowing that we must be born of water and of the Spirit.” L a y in g F o u n d a t io n S to n e s of a n e w C h a p e l a t K a e u e .— On Monday, November 7th, the opportunity of the Rev. G. W. Olver’s visit to Karur was taken to ask him to lay one of the foundation stones o f a new chapel at Karur. Mrs. Little, the wife of the Rev. H. Little, laid a second one. For a long time our congregation has been crammed to the door in a little chapel whose side walls are scarce six feet high, and it has been felt that something ought to be done to provide a larger and better place. The sanction of £200 towards a cost of £750 by the Home Committee has brought matters to a head, and the building has been begun. Soon it is to be hoped our congrega­ tion numbering some 300—who now fill our chapel to the door and make the church like a stove—will have a place more commodious. This, however, depends in large measure on the co-operation and gifts of friends to our work. CÜERINT MISSION NEWS. 2 69

That the needful will be forthcoming we have no doubt ; for the work is a necessity. The service of laying the foundation stones was commenced with singing and the reading of Psalm lxxxiv., after which prayer was offered in English and Tamil that God would bless the work which in His name we were beginning. The Rev. H. Little addressed Mr. Olver on the need of the place, and offering him a presentation trowel asked him to lay the foundation stone, which was done in the name of the Trinity. The crowd of interested Chris­ tians and heathens then drew to the other side of the building where another memorial stone was laid by Mrs. Little, who was addressed by Mr. Yethanayagham in Tamil and presented with a trowel to perform a similar office to that which had just been completed. Afterwards Mr. Olver gave ait address to the assembly which was translated into Tamil by Mr. Little. After another hymn and prayer the service ended. In 1871 there were 8 Christians here, in 1881, 235 ; there are now more than 300, while our best young catechists in the district are sent out from this place. God has bless­ ed our work; to Him be praise. Our work, however, entails embarrassment by its very success. This case of a needed new chapel is an instance. Those who have helped us in the past, and others too, will not be backward now. The work is God’s and to those who love His cause we appeal. Contribu­ tions may be sent to the Rev. H. Little, Karur ; or to the Secretaries of the Wesleyan Missionary Society, Bishopsgate St. Within, E. C., marked, “ New Chapel, Karur.”

OTHER INDIAN MISSIONS.

C onsecration of B ishop C l iff o r d .—The first bishop of the new see of Lucknow-will be consecrated in Calcutta, on the 15th'of January. Eight bishops are to be present, nnd the sermon is to be preached by the Bishop of Lahore. T h e R e v . R. W e ig h t H a y .—This Baptist missionary, whose work lies chiefly with the educated natives of Dacca, has been ordered home on account of ill health. He is editor of the Evangelist, which will not be published in his absence. He was to have read a paper at the Decennial Conference on work amongst educated natives. We understand the Rev. E. Slater, of Bangalore, will take his place. N a g e r c o il S e m in a r y .—We understand that this institution, which has done so much for the Christians of Travancore, is to be raised to a second grade college. The London Missionary Society is evidently meeting the wants of its Christians. A C o n v e e t a t Q u e t t a .—The first convert of the Quetta district has been baptised during the last month. His case illustrates the truth that “ the dead yet speak,” for he received his first impressions from reading a book given him in the Quetta bazaar several years ago by Bishop French. J u b il e e of t h e B a s e l M issio n C h u r c h , C a l ic u t .—There are not many mission stations in India ‘that can celebrate their jubilee. The festival at Calicut was a high day, and was made memorable by the baptism of thirty- one Hindu converts. The church was founded at the request of the English civilians of the place, chief amongst whom was Dr. Buchanan. The Rev. M. Fritz was the first pastor, and the nucleus of his church consisted of a few scores of Tamil Lutheran Christians who kept caste. These could not stand 270 CURRENT MISSION NEWS.

the discipline of the church, but in eighteen years 400 members had been won from heathenism. The church has steadily grown from that time, and exerts a powerful influence for truth and righteousness in Calicut. A tablet commemorative of the event has been placed in the church. It bears the fol­ lowing inscription—“ In Memoriam first Jubilee Basel Mission Church, Calicut, founded by Rev. J. M. Fritz, 1842. ‘ I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase/ ‘ 0 Lord, how great are thy works.5 25fch November, 1842.” E vangelistic w o r k a m o n g E d u c at e d H in d u s .—The Rev. S. John, of the Church Missionary Society, works largely amongst this class in Madras. JVom his annual report we learn that the active opposition of Hindu preachers has nearly died away, but they are trying to influence their countrymen to cling to Hinduism. The educated classes as a rule have no definite faith; Brahmoism has made but little progress; Theosophy is declining; and the Hindu Theological School, which was founded as a counter-attraction to mission schools, is not in a flourishing condition. We quote one or two typical cases of conversation with educated Hindus. The first is with an undergraduate, who said, “ I appear as a Hindu, but in my heart I am a thorough-going Christian.” “ Yery well. Why do you wear those caste marks on your forehead ?” Answer, “ To avoid unnecessary troubles in my house.” “ You are then acting the part of a double man. You cannot be a sincere Christian, for Christ distinctly says, ‘ He who is ashamed of me is not worthy of me.’ ” Another case is that of a graduate, who was for more than a year an anxious enquirer after the truth. He used to attend services at Christian churches and also frequented the meetings of the Salvation Army. He, however, did not take a decisive step to embrace Christianity, urging as his plea that his mother was advanced in age and that his conversion might prove a death blow to her and so on. In the course of a few months his old mother suspected his intentions and insisted upon his being married. To this he would not consent, as he all along cherished the idea that he should marry an educated Christian girl. But the mother would not leave him, she worried him. Upon this the young man wrote to me a letter saying that he was obliged to yield to the entreaties of his good old mother and that she had selected a bride for him, also that the girl was educated in one of the mission schools, and that therefore she would not object to follow him when he embraced Christianity, and so on. To this I replied as follows, “ Dear friend, I do not, in the least, object to your being married. Only take care that you carry out your resolution. I warn you, as I have seen several young men in your position who have altogether forgotten their promises and resolution after their marriage.” The young man is now married and has not as yet revealed his mind in reference to his embracing Christianity. WOMAN’S WORK FOR INDIA’S WOMEN.

WORK AMONG MUHAMMADAN WOMEN AND GIRLS IN BANGALORE AND MYSORE.

BY MISS EWABT. The work of the Church of England excommunication. This is of course Zanana Society in Bangalore is en­ a great trial, yet we believe it will in tirely among Muhammadans, as other some way work together for good. societies cover the field as far as the We hear that the children who have Hindus are concerned. Hitherto we left us and gone to the other school do have not been privileged to reap any not like it at all, for they learn fruit in the way of baptisms, though nothing but the Quran and that in we have reason to believe that a few Arabic, which they do not under­ of our women and girls secretly trust stand ! Once before we were obliged in Christ as their own Saviour. The to close a school under similar cir­ difficulties in the way of their declar­ cumstances for two months, but the ing themselves openly are stupen­ hhazi school then came to nothing, dous, as all acquainted with work and we trust it will be the same among Muhammadans are aware. We again. are often surprised that so many We have been enabled lately to are glad to see us and to hear the start a branch of our work in Mysore. Bible read and explained, and it is We have opened a school, which is only now and then that we are met well attended—about 40 names being with arguments and opposition. But on the roll. A large number of za- we feel that there are many who like nanas, some among the higher class to see us as a pleasant variety in families, are also open to our workers. their monotonous existence and enjoy We greatly desire to build a gosha the beautiful scripture stories as hospital in Bangalore, if we can ob­ “ a very lovely song” without any tain a suitable site and the necessary sense of their own deep sinfulness funds. We find that the Muhamma­ and need of the Saviour. dan women highly value the three dis­ Our chief hope lies in the three pensaries which already exist, but schools where every day Bible teach­ there are many cases which cannot be ing is given to all the classes, which, properly treated except as in-patients. we feel sure, must eventually bring When good nursing and nourishment forth fruit unto life eternal. Within are required it is almost hopeless the last three months serious opposi­ to expect a cure in their miserable tion has been stirred up against the homes, such is the ignorance and schools, especially one which has carelessness of those who should at­ hitherto been the largest.. In the tend to them. We believe that the early part of this year over 80 were women would gladly become in-pa­ in attendance there daily, and now tients, as we have already had two we have only from 12 to 18! The cases brought to us to nurse and hhazi has started another school and others have expressed a wish to come. forbidden “ the faithful” to allow Another plan we have much at their girls to attend ours on pain of heart is that of establishing a Train­ 272 LITERATURE.

ing Home for missionaries in Banga­ among the Hindustani-speaking po­ lore. Scarcely a week passes that we pulation. do not have applications from some This mission is still in its infancy, wishing to join our society, whom we having only been started within the are often unable to receive for lack of last few years, but we trust that, room—nine being the largest number under G-od’s blessing, we may be our present house will hold. We are enabled to “ lengthen our cords and anxious to make this a kind of recruit­ strengthen our stakes,” and that He ing ground from which we may be will be pleased to use us for the able in time to supply other stations good of the Muhammadan women of in South India with trained workers Bangalore and Mysore.

LITERATURE.

The Christian Literature Society.— with success, and of moral courage The Madras branch of this most use­ and “ Pictures and Stories of the old ful society is exceedingly active. A Romans.” The salient points of Pa- recent catalogue shows that the socie­ lissy’s life are well put, and their in­ ty is bent on doing its share in fluence on the minds of young men providing useful and entertaining in India cannot but do good. The literature for the millions who are stories of the old Romans are told in learning to read. The catalogue con­ an interesting way, and inculcate tains a list of 23 books suitable for valour, heroism, justice. Two little school libraries. It would be a great half-anna books of a new series, “ Pa­ boon if some benevolent gentleman pers for thoughtful Hindus," have would present the whole set to every also been published. The first is en­ English school in India. The total titled, “ The Relation between Christi­ cost of the set is but Rs. 11 as. 3. anity and Hinduism.” It was written Ten thousand rupees could not be by the Rev. Dr. Krishna Mohan Ban- better employed than in distributing erjea, and contains a short account of such wholesome literature. The re­ the life of that eminent scholar, who quisites kept in view are intelligi­ was first Hindu, then atheist, and af­ bility, attractiveness, cheapness, and terwards Christian. The aim of the mental and moral instruction. The book is to show that there is much in books fully meet these requirements, common between primitive Hinduism and many of them are very popular and Christianity. The second book with lads who attend English schools. is a compilation from the lectures of Six new books have recently been the Rev. Nehemiah (Nilakanth) Go- published. Two belong to “ the Anna reh, and treats of “ The supposed and Library,” and are entitled, “ Palissy, real Doctrines of Hinduism, as held the Potter: an example of the dignity by educated Hindus, with the true of labour, of perseverance crowned source of the former.” The author’s LITERATURE. 273

knowledge of Hindu philosophy talu Gartj, Ordinary and Agency makes him a competent guide, and Sessions Courts and School Ins­ every educated Hindu should ponder pector of Police, Yizagapatam.— The the little book. “ Baba Padmanji; an author is a native Christian, who has Autobiography,” is an exceedingly sufficient faith in his book that he interesting book. It is edited by Dr. is “ thoroughly confident” that God Murray Mitchell. In a pleasant style will bless “ all those who may happen the early life, both in the home and to read it.” All sorts of subjects— school, the changes that took place in religion, caste, education, costume— his religious views, and his conversion are touched upon in 234 short para­ to Christianity are clearly related. graphs, which are thrown together Missionaries as well as Hindus will without much attempt at classifica­ learn much from the book. Baba Pad­ tion. Many of the sentiments are manji has done excellent work for good, but much of the English is Marathi Christian literature, having bad. The price of the book, Re. 1, is published altogether more than 70 prohibitory to its sale. tracts and books. The price of the book is only annas. “ Lanka and Four Years in Upper Burma, by W. its people; or Ceylon, past and pre­ R. Winston. London : C. H. K elly , sent,” is the title of a well got up, il­ City Road.— This is an excellently lustrated account, of the island of got up and well-illustrated book by Ceylon. It is well that Hindus should the Rev. W. R. Winston, who, though have in accessible form a true account resident in Burma for only four years, of the Lanka that bulks so largely in has acquired large stores of informa­ the Ramayana. tion about the country and its people and presents that information in a Babylon's Bribes, by the Editor of most readable and attractive form. the Indian Watchman.—We have read An introductory chapter presents to only the first page of this little book. us a brief history of the country, and We quote two of the sentences on giyes the story, so familiar to all that page— “ About ten of the most students of Indian history, of its rabid Rome-shielding sheets wrote in annexation in the year 1886. A year a most incendiary and mob-stimula­ after this, in January, 1887, Mr. W ins­ ting style....Probably in most lands ton left Ceylon in order to com­ such sedition-stirring and brigand- mence mission work in Mandalay. An bribing editorials would have set at interesting account is given of the work the stones and daggers of ' cer­ journey to Mandalay from Rangoon, tain lewd fellows of the baser sort.’ followed by a lucid description of the But from the ‘ great calm’ which has royal city, which has been well followed those inane and insane bel- called the “ Vatican of Buddhism.” chings, it would seem that the news­ The great sight of the place is pro­ paper papal-curse-writers are the bably the “ Incomparable Pagoda” only mob material now extant here­ which is about three hundred feet abouts.” After meeting with such long, and so high that it can be seen gems most of our readers will not be for miles. One wonders what the sol­ surprised that we read no further. diers of the Hampshire regiment used to think as they joined in “ churcli- Retentive Precious Truths, by M. parade” in this most sacred shrine R. By. G ogulapati S r ir a m a l u P an - of Buddhism. At the time when the 35 27.4 LITERATURE.

country was annexed, Mandalay con­ of whom the Karens are the most at­ tained a population of 188,000, and tractive. The story of the work of the there can be no doubt that with pro­ American Baptist Mission, with its tection for life and property, the city 100,000 converts, is well known to •will prosper and its population in­ many, but all will be the better for read­ crease under British rule. There ing it again. When so much has been were not many English in Upper done by the grace of God amongst the Burma under King Theebaw, but we Karens, there is surely room to hope for are told that now they are found in the other mountain tribes of Burma. large numbers, not only in the public A long and interesting account is service but engaged in business ope­ given of Buddhism, its religious in­ rations, while Eurasians, Armenians, stitutions and usages, with some fine Parsees, Kathays, Mahomedans, and illustrations of its splendid pagodas, Hindus are everywhere found. The but we must refer our readers to the Chinese also form important com­ book as our space is limited. An elo­ munities in every large town. The quent tribute is paid here to Dr. pacification of the country was a Judson, the apostle of Lower Burma, work of considerable difficulty, but who, with his noble wife, suffered so it is gratifying to learn that dacoity, much for the establishment of Christ’s thuggee and other forms of crime kingdom there. The splendid success are slowly but surely disappearing of the work amongst the Karens under the firm but kind British rule. is really the fruit, under God, of his Mr. Winston has nothing but good labours. He, however, longed to com­ to say of the working of Government, mence work in Upper Burma, but not which he considers to be “ a model until 60 years had elapsed was his of efficiency.” Perhaps one of the mission, in 1886, established in Man­ strongest proofs of its efficiency is the dalay. A handsomo church has been fact that although the monopolies and erected there in honour of the noble imports on trade, by means of which pioneer missionary. Theebaw throve, have all been abol­ The Wesleyan Mission was com­ ished, the revenue has risen from menced by Mr. Winston the following 22 lakhs of rupees in 1887 to 94 year. An excellent school-chapel has lakhs in 1891. Roads and irrigation been built, where services are held in works, barracks and jails, public English, Tamil and Burmese, prepa­ offices and hospitals are everywhere ratory schools have been commenced, being provided, to say nothing of a few converts have been ingathered, railways, and there can be no doubt the training of teachers and preach­ that very soon Upper Burma will be ers has been begun, and a home for one of the most flourishing of our lepers established. With few of the Indian dependencies. The one press­ prejudices found in India, with no ing question, which calls for earnest caste restrictions and no closed zana- and immediate attention, is the liquor nas, there is every prospect of the traffic, which seems to be rapidly on Christian church reaping a golden the increase to the great detriment of harvest in Upper Burma. The book, the Burmese race. With this is closely which will prove interesting to all connected the opium question, which and will make an excellent present sooner or later must be dealt with in for young people, is published at India as in Burma. An interesting ac­ 3s. 6d., and can be ordered through count is given of the mountain races the Tract Society, at Bangalore. CORRESPONDENCE.

THE OPIUM QUESTION.

To the E ditor of the H arvest F ield.

S ir ,—In your December issue there is found a letter by the Rev. C. Gr. Elsam on the opium question. In it I find the following phrases— “ 80,000 or so stalls, dealing ruin and death to thousands “ that mighty power [Government] being, as now, employed to encourage and help them [in using opium] as far as possible “ free sale of opium as at present;” “ this traffic is the result of a desire for increased revenue only.” Will Mr. Elsam be kind enough to inform your readers— (1). How he arrives at the figures, 80,000 stalls ; (2). What he means by “ sensual demands” for opium ; (3). What his ground is for stating that the traffic exists for the sake of revenue ; (4). Where free sale of opium exists. I remain, Yours truly,

W . E. H oare.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

The Decennial Conference.—The guiding, elevating, over-ruling, sanc­ Conference will have begun its ses­ tifying the whole. sions before this issue is in the hands We trust the Conference will be of many of our readers. Latterly practical. It is perfectly true that it considerable interest has been awak­ has no legislative power, but if its ened respecting the proceedings of mind and will are clearly expressed, the Conference; and a little whole­ great weight will be attached to its some opposition has tended to increase utterances. As we look over the the interest. A large gathering is bulky volumes containing the reports expected in Bombay, and we trust of previous Conferences, we can read that not only will many workers be what this man said and what that quickened and encouraged by mutual speaker wished ; but it is difficult to fellowship, but that the Spirit of the determine what the Conference as a God of missions may be abundantly whole thought of the question. A poured out upon all the gathering*, few pointed resolutions at the end of 276 EDITORIAL NOTES.

each discussion would at once show Bangalore. We think the honour the general opinion of the members. should fall to Madras, where it would Most of the subjects have been al­ be more easy to entertain the numer­ ready discussed by practical men. ous guests than in Bangalore. On some questions there may be We understand that the Madras differences of opinion. If on the Missionary Conference does not see chief topics we could get a united its way at present to give a formal deliverance of the Conference, it invitation to the Decennial Confer­ would help to mould missionary ence to visit that city in 1902. The thought and practice most power­ time, however, will then have fully fully. The papers may be most valu­ come to have a South India Confer­ able, the discussions may be most ence, and it may be desirable to invite interesting; but if they are simply the missionaries of North India to reported and published, they will lie join the brethren in the South. It buried in those valuable tomes, and may therefore be well to entrust the have but little influence upon any ex­ Madras Missionary Conference in cept those who were present to hear consultation with other missionary for themselves, and will therefore not conferences with making arrange­ need them. Every missionary should ments for the next Decennial Confer­ have on his shelves the Reports of ence, whether it be held in Madras the Ootacamund, Allahabad, Banga­ or not. lore, Calcutta, and London Confer­ ences. They contain practical know­ Educational Missions.—An ano­ ledge that can be found nowhere else. nymous correspondent in the Bombay W e fear, however, that few young Ghiardian has made a most serious missionaries study them, and fewer charge against educational missions. still of the public at large. The It is so sweeping that the only expla­ doings of the Conference must be nation we can think of is that the put into an attractive form and pub­ letter was written in a pique. The lished amongst all the churches. If writer, who is not bold enough to the needs of India and the work that authenticate his letter, says “ Most of has been accomplished already can the missionary schools and colleges, be adequately made known among as they exist at present, are not only the churches of Christendom, we feel destitute of the evangelistic charac­ sure that an outburst of enthusiasm ter, but positively anti-Christian.” will be called forth such as the world “ Some of the educationalists that I has seldom witnessed. know are absolute sceptics, without Some arrangements will have to be faith in the divine origin of Christi­ made for the Conference of 1902. anity and the atoning efficacy of the South India, where the kingdom of sacrifice of Christ, and yet they pre­ Jesus Christ has made the most tend to be Christian advocates and marked advance, has never received missionaries.” The writer signs him­ the Decennial Conference. Local Con­ self “ A member of the Decennial Con­ ferences have been held from time to ference the editor of the paper tells time. It is, however, meet and right uh that he “ is not a young and inex­ that the next Conference should be perienced missionary,” and “ has had held in South India. There are only long and peculiar opportunities of two places where it would be possible forming a judgment on the subject to hold the gathering—Madras and upon which he writes.” If this id EDITORIAL NOTES. 277

true, it is impossible to account for Child Wives and Child Widows.— the letter, except on the charitable Occasionally short paragraphs ap­ conclusion that the man did not know pear in the papers describing the what he was writing about. To sland* cruel treatment of child wives and er a whole body of Christian workers the way in which they become in this wholesale way is a work that widows. In Bombay recently two so- few missionaries are equal to; and called husbands were charged with we are thankful that there are few branding the soles of the feet of their so-called Christian newspapers that wives, who were but little girls. The would give currency to such a fool­ cause of this dastardly cruel treat­ ish calumny. No one who knows the ment was simply this—the little girls educational missionaries of India will had several times gone to the homes for one moment be misled by these of their mothers. Men who cringe incoherent ravings; but some, who to those above them are often cow­ may believe that the Bombay Guardi­ ardly cruel to those whom they have an is now what it was when edited in their power. • One of the husbands by the saintly George Bowen, may be had made some reparation, and he deceived by the hallucinations of this received a sentence of but eighteen would-be educational reformer. months’ rigorous imprisonment; the It will be noted that “ most mission other was ordered to be rigorously schools and colleges,” whether English imprisoned for five years. These sen­ or vernacular, normal or theological, tences ought to convey a wholesome lower or higher, are “ positively lesson to the community at large. In anti-Christian!” Some educational Bombay, there has been another case missionaries are “ absolute sceptics !” of barbarity, where the law would If the writer is serious, he has only have been invoked under the Age of one honourable alternative: he must Consent Bill, but the husband of the publish a list of such schools and ten-year-old wife was afraid of the colleges and the names of these scep­ consequences, and committed suicide tical missionaries, or he must public­ by taking an overdose of opium, ly withdraw one of the most atrocious leaving the child of ten a widow. slanders ever circulated. Comment on such barbarity will not unfortunately improve the state of The Indiom Witness repudiates the society which allows such infamous slander as far as the schools in the Pan- conduct. Nothing but the purity of jab, North West Provinces, Oudh, and Bengal are concerned; and declares the gospel of Christ can drive out the the statement “ is pure slander, as un­ demon of cruelty and lust. true as it is astounding.” We know a large number of educational mission­ The Viceroy and Nautches.—W e aries and institutions in South India, suppose the Indian Government does and we have yet to find the “ absolute not call itself Christian. It would sceptic” and the “ anti-Christian” probably call itself neutral in religious school. The writer must indeed have matters. It should, however, be moral; had “ peculiar opportunities” to form and those who are in high office, such such a “ judgment” as he has set as the Viceroy, the Governors of the forth. The missionary society to Presidencies, the Lieutenant-Gover­ ■which he belongs should carefully nors of Provinces, should not in their watch him lest he next do harm to public capacity countenance any­ himself. thing that is immoral, however much 278 EDITOBIAL NOTES.

it may be sanctioned by custom. woman in India refused to be seen in Whenever a Viceroy or Governor goes such company, nautch parties would on tour, he is again and again enter­ cease. It sometimes happens that per­ tained byy women who lead the most sons are present at gatherings where shameless of lives. The wives of such entertainment is never expected. these high officials are also present We went recently to a garden party in when their depraved sisters dance honour of the Viceroy; and to our and sing for their amusement. We astonishment, we found no less than think they can scarcely understand four groups of these dancing girls in the real character of those who enter­ different parts of the grounds. If we tain them. If they did, they would at had known that this kind of enter­ once refuse to be entertained by such tainment had been provided, we courtesans. A wish expressed by should certainly have declined the these high officials would be suffi­ honour of paying respect to the repre­ cient to exclude these women from sentative of Her Majesty the Queen- the scene. Empress. There are many educated gentlemen striving to purify the social life of The Indian Government and the native society. Their efforts are Sabbath.—The supreme Government thwarted by the patronage given by not long since passed an Act by which high officials to nautch parties. We the Lord’s Day Observance Act was do not wonder when we read such repealed. It was feared that the re­ words as these in the Indian Soci&l peal of this Act would lead to serious Reformer:—“ We have times without results The Calcutta and other number protested against high-placed Missionary Conferences presented a Anglo-Indian officials according the memorial to the Government ask­ sanction of their presence at enter­ ing that Sunday should be a legal tainments, where women who lead dies non. The Government has re­ lives of open shame are engaged to plied that it has “ already gone as sing and dance. His Excellency the far as it can, consistently with the Viceroy was present at such a gather­ principle of absolute religious tolera­ ing, and apparently enjoyed the fun tion, in recognising Sunday in legisla­ of seeing these wretched creatures tion and executive orders.” It states dance and sing for his entertainment. that Sunday is already practically a This is becoming a real scandal which dies non, as by orders of Government requires the intervention of Exeter all courts and public offices are closed Hall. We think the agitation againBt on that day. The repealing of the this practice of the highest repre­ Lord’s Day Act has therefore made sentatives of Her Majesty being pre­ no real change in Sunday observance. sent at such entertainments, ought to This seems plausible; but we are be carried to England, and English afraid that the facts are somewhat public opinion called upon to pro­ different. An order of the Govern­ nounce itself on the subject.” ment to open offices on Sundays can If all the organs of public opinion in easily be made. There was an Act to India would but speak out as plainly which men might appeal, now there and boldly as the Indian Social Refor­ is but a Government order which can mer has done, the question would soon be readily changed. When Viceroys be settled. If every educated Hindu travel on Sundays, it inevitably and every English man and English causes much work to many who EDITORIAL NOTES. 279

would gladly rest. If the responsible castes. We are glad to see that mem­ head of the Government acts in this bers will be required to act up to Avar, the Sabbath has little prospect their profession. If the members are of being observed. We fear that in honourable, high-spirited, large-mind­ many places, where the Sabbath is ed men who are determined to take supposed to be a dies non, much work action with regard to the crying social is done. It is easy to say that no one evils of the time, the new association is compelled to work on Sundays ; may do much good. If it is to be but a subordinate, who refused to another excuse for more talk only, the work on that day when his superior less of such associations the better. wished it, would have but little pros­ In connection with this movement pect of advancement. We are no Mr. M. Rangacharya, si.a., one of the advocates of compulsory Sabbath most thoughtful of South Indian observance ; but we should like to see graduates, has written a letter on an Act securing to Christians the “ Indian Social Reform” to the editor rights and privileges they enjoy in of the Indian Social Reformer. He England with respect to Sabbath justly complains of the exaggerated observance. way in which some persons speak and write. They may be sincere, but A New Hindu Social Reform As­ their sincerity does not prevent them sociation.—There are several bran­ from doing much mischief. His own ches of various social reform, move­ utterance is exceedingly cautious. ments in different parts of India; He makes the remarkable statement, and once a year after the ISTation- " I often tremble to arrive at convic­ al Congress various representatives tions.” He appreciates the work of meet together to talk over various the radical in opposing all kinds of social matters. In India, however, injustice ; but that work is usually talking is not the prelude to action. destructive. “ Like dynamite, the Action rarely takes place unless in a radical is useful only when watched spasm of excitement. Whoever can and handled by a clever constructive persuade the people by clamour or by engineer, who knows what to retain threat that some crisis is impending and what to remove.” Mr. Ranga­ may induce spasmodic action for a charya thinks the editors of the re­ time. When the promoters of the form journal have manifested too change have ceased to cry, the body much of the destructive spirit and politic returns to its normal condition have failed to grasp the conditions of of inertness. There is happily a grow­ true reform. The true cause of the ing sentiment in favour of rational slowness of social reform is the un­ change in social matters. The old willingness of those who have the association, of which Dewan Bahudur care of religion to move 011. The RaghunathaRau is the president, does managers of the Indian Social Refor­ not move fast enough for some of the mer are most anxious to separate social younger spirits in Madras. They reform from religion. Mr. Ranga­ have therefore formed a new so­ charya shows conclusively that this ciety, whose chiof objects are the fur­ is impossible. He tries to show that therance of female education and just as a world-wide Christianity has marriage reform, the alteration of developed out of a local and narrow such customs and manners as are Judaism, so Hinduism has its univer­ injurious, and the amalgamation of sal religion in the Baghavadgita. On 280 EDITORIAL NOTES.

the caste question Mr. Rangacharya tical dreams of that wonderful poem is certainly anything but advanced. will not nerve them for action. The He makes out that all the culture free spirit of the West, the bracing that non-Aryans possess is the gift morality of the Bible, the humanity of the Aryans. The only reason that and brotherliness of Jesus, these are Brahmans will not give up their caste sources of inspiration to him who privileges is “ the unfitness of the would reform his fellow-men. As non-Aryan to claim, enjoy, and these become more known and fol­ assert in practice the equal privileges lowed, social reform will progress. vouchsafed to him by a long and noble succession of Aryan teachers, The Pariah Question.—The Madras reformers, and founders of religion.” Government has recently replied to This is truly strange doctrine. One the memorial presented by the Mad­ proof of it is the fact that the re­ ras Missionary Conference on the former Ram anuj achari “ gave even Pariah question. In their reply they the parialis the privilege of worship­ also deal with a special report presen­ ping for three days in the year in an ted to the Madras Government by Mr. organised Brahman temple!” There Tremenheere, the Collector -of Chin- will be but little reform on these lines. gleput. The question involves com­ Mr. Rangacharya is apparently not plex and far-reaching problems, with ready to adopt the much-talked-of which it is impossible to deal satis­ doctrine of the brotherhood of man. factorily in a short paragraph. We His training and his instincts lead can at present only regret the spirit Mm in that direction. He sees more in which the Government replies to clearly than many what it involves, the memorial and report. It seeks and hence “ trembles to arrive at a to minimise the disabilities under conviction.” "We believe that many which the Pariahs labour, and tries to young men have come to the convic­ show that they are contented and hap­ tion that caste in its religious aspects py. The only remedy it has to pro­ is an unmitigated evil, and they are pose is that of education. Something fighting against it. The eclecticism may be done in this direction; but of the Bhagavadgita will not give this remedy is altogether insufficient. them much encouragement; the vacil­ We shall deal with this subject more lating attitude of Krishna will give fully in another issue; for this subject them but little inspiration ; the mys­ must not be allowed to rest.

______USL Printed at the M. E. Publishing House, Vepery, Madras.— 1892.