If -- --^== ------
THE
SIXTY-FIFTH REPORT
OF T H E /I; BASEL GERMAN EVANGELICAL MISSION
IN
SOUTH-WESTERN INDIA
i l FOR THE YEAR
1 § < M
.li
MANGALORE
PRINTED AT THE BASEL MISSION PRESS 1905
*(J MISSION COLLEGE, BASEL THE
SIXTY-FIFTH REPORT
OF TH E
BASEL GERMAN EVANGELICAL MISSION
IN
SOUTH-WESTERN INDIA
FOR THE YEAR
19 04
MANGALORE
IPRINTED AT THE BASEL MISSION PRESS 1905
European ]V[issinnarißs o f tlie B a ,se l O-examn-an IE TrarL gaelica,! S c is sio n ..
Corrected up to the ist May 1905.
(m.) = married ; (w.) = widower ; * = unordained.
Name Native Country Ent. Service Station
1. S. Walter (m) Switzerland 1865 Vaniyankulam,Mal. 2. G. Ritter (m) Germany 1869 Mulki, S. Cañara 3. J. A. Brasche (m) do. 1869 Udipi, S. Cañara 4. W. Sikemeier (m) Holland 1870 Mercara, Coorg 5. J. Hermelink (ra) Germany 1872 Mangalore, S. Can. 6. J. B. Veil (m_)* do. 1875 Mercara, Coorg- 7. Chr. Eblen (m) do. 1876 Puttur, S. Cañara 8. H. Altenmüller (m)* do. 1878 Mangalore, S. Can. 9. C. D. Warth (m) do. 1878 Guledgudd, S. M. 10. I. Weismann (m) do. 1878 Chombala, Malnbar 11. J. J. Jaus (m) do. 1879 Calicut, do. 12. K. Ernst (m) do. 1881 Dharwar, S. Mahr. 13. J. Fischer (w) do. 1881 Anandapur, Coorg 14. F. Eisfelder (m) do. 1882 Kotagiri, Nilgiris 15. M. Schaible (m) do. 1883 Mangalore, S. Can. 16. B. Liithi (m) Switzerland 1884 do. do. 17. K. Hole (m) Germany 1884 Cannanore, Malab. 18. G. Peter (m) Switzerland 1885 Palghat, do. 19. D. Berli (m) do. 1885 Hubli, S. Mahratta 20. J. Goetz (m) Germany 1886 Basrur, S. Cnnara 21. A. Glattfelder (m)* Switzerland 1.886 Mangalore, do. 22. J. Sieber (m)* do. 1887 do. do. 23. W. Bader (m) Germany 1888 Tel licherry,Malabar 24. H. Risch (m) do. 1888 Bettigeri, S. Mahr. 25. R. Bosshardt (ni) Switzerland 1888 Codacal, Malabar 26, Fr. Yolz (m)* Germany 1888 Calicut, do. 27. G. Wieland (m) do. 1889 Kaity, Nilgiris 28. H.Bretschneider(m)* do. 1890 Mangalore, S. C. 29. Ph. Stier (m) do. 1891 Ootacamund, Silg. 30. Fr. Boas (m)* do. 1891 Codacal, Malabar 31. Th. Uber (m) do. 1892 do. do. 32. M. Breidenbach (m) do. 1892 Mulki, S. Cañara 33. Tr. Lutz (m) Switzerland 1892 Honavar, N. Ganara 34. K. Mayer (m) Germany 1893 Hubli, S. Mahratta 35. E. Hiller (m) Australia 1893 Palghat, Malo-bar 1* 4
Warne Native country Eut. Service Station
86. Joh. Knobloch (m)* Germany 1895 Calicut, Malabar 3 7 . W. StOißS, M. B., C. M. ED, (m)* India 1895 do. d o . 38. R. Schilling (m) Switzerland 1895 Chombala, d o . 39. A. Schosser (m) Germany 1896 Kasaragod, d o . 40. E. Lüthy (m) Switzerland 1896 Guledgudd, S. M. 41. H. Kühner (m)* Germany 1896 Calicut, Malabar 42. H. Eidenbenz (m)* Switzerland 1896 Cannanore, d o . 43. G. Renschler (ra) Germany 1897 Calicut, d o . 44. Chr. Dürr (ra) do. 1897 Mangalore, S. C. 45. W. Spaich (m) do. 1898 Udipi, d o . 46. H. Stokes (m) * India 1898 Mangalore, d o . 47. M. Stuckert (ra) * Switzerland 1898 Calicut, Malabar 48. Fr. Braun (m) Germany 1898 Bijapur, S. Mahr. 49. Fr. Singer do. 1898 Pal ghat, Malabar 50. W, Heckeimann (m)* do. 1898 Calicut, d o . 5 1. A. Scheuer do. 1899 Tellicherry, d o . 52. A. Beierbach (m) * do. 1899 Mangalore, S. Can. 53. I. Pfleiderer (m) do. 1899 do. d o . 54. H. Haffner (ra)* do. 1899 Cannanore, Maiab. 55. J. Maue (m) do. 1899 Tellicherry, d o . 56. H. Hofmann (m)* do. 1900 Mangalore, S. Can. 57. P. Simpfendörfer (m)* do. 1900 do. d o . 58. W. Metzler do. 1900 Kaity, Nilgiris 59. E. Vogt do. 1900 Dharwar, S. Mahr. 60. A. Spring (m) do. 1900 Bettigeri, d o . 6 1. N. ZBTWBCK, D r. ph. & med. (m) do. 1901 do. d o . 62. J. Meyer, Dr. phii. (m) Switzerland 1901 Tellicherry, Maiab. 63. Chr. Renz (m)* Germany 1901 Calicut, d o . 64. M. Gekeler do. 1901 Udipi, S. Canara 65. R. Banz (m) do. 1901 Karkal, d o . 66. J. Ruopp (m) do. 1901 Codacal, Malabar 67. W. Müller (m) do. 1902 Calicut, Malabar 68. H. Simon (m )* do. 1902 Udipi, S. Canara 69. J. Spieth do. 1902 H u b li, S. Mahratta 70. Fr. Schweikhart (m) do. 1902 Anandapur, Coorg- 71. E. Bommer do. 1902 Mereara, do. 72. 0 . Fröhling (m)* do. 1903 Calicut, Malabar 73. B. Hübner (m) do. 1903 Udipi, S. Canara 74. Fr. Straub do. 1903 Yaniyankulam, Mai. 75. K. Grossmann do. 1903 Karkal, S. Can. 76. À . Seiler (m)* do. 1904 Cannanore, Malabar W arne Native Country Ent. Service S ta tio n
77. Fr. Keudel* Germany 1904 Mangalore, S. C. 78. G. Bräckle* do. 1904 do. do. 7 9 . H . Schmid* do. 1904 Calicut, Mnlabar 80. Fr. Scbad (m) do. 1904 Tellicherry, do. 81. W. Wolperfc do. 1904 Cannanore, do. »ingle Ladies. 82. Miss A.Ehrensperger Switzerland 1900 Calicut, Malabar 83. Miss J. Meyer do. 1901 Mangalore, S. Can. 84. Miss L. Müller Germany 1902 Calicut, Malabar 85. Miss J. Metzger do. 1902 do. do. 86. Miss E. Schneider do. 1903 do. do. 87. Miss Marg. Beck do. 1903 Mangalore, S. Can. 88. Miss M. Stäheiin Switzerland 1903 Bettigeri, S. Mahr. 89. Miss G. Wessel Germany 1904 Calicut, Malabar 90. Miss Ch. Femmer do. 1904 Mangalore, S. Can. At Home. 91. G. Grossmann (w) Switzerland 1874 late of Kotagiri, Nil. 92. J. Baumann (w)* do. 1874 do. Udipi, S. C. 93. W. Lülze (m)* Germany 1875 do. Kaity, Niig. 94. L. J. Frohnmeyer (m) do. 1876 do. Tellicherry, M. 95. J. G. Kühnle (m) do. 1878 do. Palghat, Mai. 96. F. Stierlin (m) * do. 1888 do. Mangalore, S.c- 97. F. Huber (m)* Switzerland 1886 do. do. 98. S. Stamm (m)* do. 1891 do. Hubli, s. M. 99. J. Bächle (m) Germany 1893 do. Udipi, s. C. 100. A. Metz (m) do. 1898 do. Guledgudd,S.M. 101. Chr. Fritz (m) do. 1894 do. Dharwar do. 102. Chr. Gebhardt (m)* do. 1894 do. Palghat, Mai. 103. P. Sengle (m) do. 1894 do. Codacal do. 104. P. Borei (m) do. 1894 do. Kasaragod, B.C. 105. Tr. Keusch (m) do. 1895 do. Dharwar, S.M. 106. J. Müller (m) do. 1896 do. Udipi, S. C. 107. G. Fischer (m) do. 1896 do. Karkal, do. 108. Miss H. Krauss do. 1898 do. Mangalore, do. 109. A. Grau do. 1901 do. Dharwar,S.M. 110. Miss E. Raaflaub Switzerland 1903 do. Calicut, Mala. Pensioned in India. W. Stokes (m) I India I 1860 | Coonoor, Nilgiris. Tabular View of Stations, Agents and Churches of the B. G-. E. Mission. 1st JANUARY 1 9 0 5 .
A gents of the Mission ______Native Church European Native Agents Changes iluring the year under report Mission aries Decrease Increase Total of 31st Deer. 1904 | New ! (!nn\erts , STATIONS 5 S e .0 * « 'l. C
- O Î
Catechista Catechista and 5 Total Total number of 0 Church-members Church-members on Assist. Assist. Catechista 0 other other places 31st 31st December 1903 within within a station’s area ¿j «2 « Catechumens Total Total number of Net decrease Net Communicants Net Net increase Arrivals Arrivals frotn Adults Children Births Church-members Departures Deaths Established Established in the year J Approximate population Out-Stations
Colporteurs « Brethren Bible-women
Sisters Chr. School-mistresses H Chr. Chr. Sehool-masters Pastors Pastors and 1 Evangelists i I. South-Canara. I. Mangalore . 1834 330000 6 16 17 3 11 1 3 2 5 11 *20 2885 CO 13 219 19 14. 78 1 253 73 1802 2958 33 2. Mulki . 1845 120000 6 2 2 3 5 O 0 11 4 5 868 9 1 111 13 1 41 11 99 34 474 902 22 3. Udipi . 1854 126000 9 6 5 5 7 0 2 24 3 7 1908 28 4 199 10 16 67 13 : 145 20 1053 1928 50 19 4. Karkal . 1872 75000 4 2 1 0 4 1 0 8 3 7 194 5 0 20 11 7 5 1 I 37 30 117 230 5. Basrur . 1876 160000 3 1 1 1 3 1 0 3 2 3 137 2 1 19 0 ! 0 8 0 1 13 1 69 136 0 1 6 . Kasaragod . 1886 230000 6 1 1 3 6 1 0 14! 4 *22 232 2 2 45 1 1 13 0 ; 51 17 1 1 1 249 7. Puttur . . . 1900 190000 0 1 1 1 3 0 0 1 0 1 54 0 0 25 2 2 0 0 1 21 30 54 0 1231000 34 29 28 16 39 4 5 86 2 7 65 6278 106 Jin" 638 5 6 j ~7T 2T2 619 179 3656 6457 125 16 1 II. Coorg. ■-? i 8. Mercara 1870 85657 3 3 2 0 4 0 0 2 0 0 145 2 1 0 14 o1 0 5! 0 ! 16 5 94 150 0 88300 0 229 0 15 1 12, 3; I! 7 3 124 22 0 0 9. Anandapur . 1853 0 1 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 12 i 173957 3 5 3 0 7 0 0 5 0 0 374 ~Tï ~ ô 29 1 12 8 1 , 23 2 218 376 0 1 III. S.-Maliratla. 33000 238 0 0 01 0 0 S 01 22 31 135 207 0 10. Dharwar 1837 0 3 1 1 2 1 2 8 0 9 2 11. Hubli . . . 1839 530600 1 3 1 0 2 0 2 7 1 3 520 12 ! 5 15 2 0 3 7 3 35 45 331 505 12. Beltigeri 1841 290000 3 3 4 1 3 0 2 9 0 2 593 16 2 80 3 6 28 0 100 39 309 632 7 13. Guledgudd . 1851 300000 4 0 2 0 5 0 2 12 6 0 656 13 1 110 0 0 2 5 6 72 21 295 635 5 2 0 0 12 30 63 3 14. Bijapur 1885 460000 1 1 , 1 0 3 0 2 4 1 7 51 3 1 8 0 20 0 11 78 0 15. Honavar 1845 454490 4 1 1 1 2 1 2 5 0 1 89 0 i 0 28 0 o “ 0 15 39 2068090 13 13 10 3 1 7i 2 12 45 8 22 2147 44 302 7 6 102 264 33 1139 2180 17 ! 9 iÌ 9 IV. Malabar. I ,1 16. Cannanore . 1841 320000 4 7 5 1 7 3 4 14 4 12 1224 26 1 2 88 5 0 33 2 108 32 716 1256 24 2 2 1 56 13 352 631 3 17. Tellicherry . 1839 210000 3 6 6 2 6 1 4 17 6 26 618 16 3 56 51 4 1 18. Chombala . 1849 300000 6 9 2 0 6 2 2 9 8 8 519 13 1 41 5 2 19 0 31 2 233 521 2 19. Calicut . 1842 679500 6 1 1 14 3 10, 3 5 24 14 23 1894 42 1 134 29 7 64 8 111 42 1189 1936 4 1393 29 20. Codacal . 1857 449290 7 4 3 1 7 3 2 18 3 <) 1394 32 14 128 4 11 G3I 41 9 1 1 0 70 1 1 106 182 5 2i. Vaniyankulam 188G 445000 4 2 2 0 7 2 2 7 0 11 171 0 1 30 4 2 5; 0 1 31 22. Palghat . 1858 372000 4 3 2 0 6 2 2 9 8 455 10 0 50 12 14 2 43 23 286 478 33 3 1 12 6275 139 527 64 38 220 471 122 3552 6397 100 2775790 34 35 34 7 49 16 21 98 38 90 i 22 V. Nilgiris. I 1 7 23. Kaitj' . 1846 600 0 0 8 2 2 0 7 0 2 27 2 1 451 11 6 56 19 3 2 1! ° 52 22 244 473 9 24. K otagiri 1867 16000 7 1 1 1 3 0 2 8 2 0 330 2 : 2 48 4 2 7 0 j 36 3 165 327 1 58 2 25. Ootacamund 1903 30000 3 1 1 0 3 0 0 6 0 0 54 0 0 7 2 0 4i 0 5 4 36 12 106000 18 4 4 1 13 0 4 41 4 835 13 111 25 5 3 21 0 93 23 445 858 112 1 1 1 1 l l 8 s I 1 « 00 O r- 359 9010 j16268 254 Grand Total 6354S37 102 86 79 27 1 35 22 42 2 75 77 178 15909 316 1607 143 1470 115909 275 Total of 1st January 1904. 102 84 73 26 128 2 1 43 267 74 156 15469 435 1 76 1622 146 1 7 61G G 8j 33 1650 440 8719
* Including 1 Schoolmistress. Abstract showing the Contributions of the Churches towards their Church Expenses, the Mission and the Poor
i n 19 0 4.
Collections Sunday Collections Special Regular and Collections Special Collections and Special Collections Church Donations for the Collections Stations t o w a r d s Donations Collections for for Bible Contribu towards the Malabar for local Total Church towards the Orphanages Societies tions Mission- Widow- Expenses Poor-funds purposes work fund Rs. P. I. Soulh-Canara. As. Rs. 1 As. Rs. As. P. Rs. As. P. Rs. As. Rs. As. P. Rs. As. P. Rs. As. i>. lis. 1 As. P. 1 P’ 1 P' Mangalore . . . . 1130 6 11 590 6 1 i 149 15 10 445 4 7 35 13 ñ ——— 46 4 11 716 8 5 3114 O M u l k i ...... 175 13 3 4 105 : 8 9 10 11 8 62 14 3 10 14 j 7 ——— 18 0 0 21 10 0 404 ; 14 7 Udipi-Malpe . . . . 425 11 5 206 10 24 6 0 276 9 0 4 0 0 1 0 ——— 78 0 0 184 2 c 1195 1 9 Karlcal ...... 56 4 0 22 ; 6 0 6 10 11 29 2 0 3 0 — — - 2 4 10 85 9 10 205 7 7 Basrur-Kundapur . 57 ¡ 0 0 40: 0 0 37 2 6 I 0 18 9 0 4 0 ——— 10 0 0 35 0 0 201 11 6 Kasaragod . . . . 1161 8 11 74 8 22 14 1 12 0 1 13 48 11 19 9 10 ——— 40 7 1 71 5 5 394 7 11 P u t t u r ...... 29 6 0 15 8 6 0 0 10 10 3 0 4 ! 13 ! 9 ! « — —- 6 13 3 7 0 78 14 9 1990 ! 8 7 1055 7 10 257 13 i 0 891 i 13 7 76 5 10 - -- 201 14 1 1121 8 2 5595 1 II. Coorg. 1 Í 7
M ercara...... 96 3 9 86 3 9 26 10 0 27: 9 1 16 11 6 __ _ 19 4 0 165 0 0 447 10 1 Anandapur . . . . 66 12 8 49 2 21 6 j 11 23 8 11 4 0 0 0 1 Í 5 0 — - - 34 ——— 199 8 163 0 5 145 i,- 1 8 11 4b 0 11 51 2 f> 20 11 6 - - - 53 4 0 165 0 0 646 11 » III. S.-Mahratta.
D h a r w a r ...... 71 2 9 37 4 0 5 4 0 22 0 1 1 9 3 10 _ _ ■ _ 16 8 0 _ __ I _ 161 7 6 H u b l i ...... 140 0 0 81 7 6 43 2 7 62 5 3 — — —— — — 58 10 0 30 0 421 1 1 4 Bettigeri-Gadag . • 145 14 5 129 15 3 0 0 0 0 76 5 7 3 9 6 ——— 20 0 0 — i 378 12 6 Guledgudd . . . . 114 9 3 62 14 11 16 0 0 62 0 0 230 0 0 ——— 67 0 0 — ! - 5 52 8 2 Bija p u r ...... 26 3 3 20 15 9 32 11 7 6 5 ft 30 0 0 —— — 34 9 0 20 01 0 170 13 1 Honavar-Karwar 36 2 9 17 1 2 10 4 0 7 9 9 1 12 0 * 72 13 8 534 0 5 349 10 4 110 6 2 236 11 0 0 2 74 9 4 - - - 196 11 56 2 0 1758 2 3 IV. Malabar.
Cannanore .... 596 0 0 149 0 0 57 12 7 119 0 » 1 5 0 0 15 0 0 100 7 1 298 5 1 1350 9 » Tellicherry-Nettur . 399 9 9 108 15 8 150 13 0 123 2 8 15 4 4 18 4 ! 3 31 4 0 — —— 847 5 8 206 8 0 Chombala-Mahé . . 87 4 1 79 10 3 167 12 9 0 0 15 0 0 71 5 3 31 4 0 6 0 7 12 4 C a lic u t...... 926 o 0 246 8 0 96 0 0 492 7 0 35 71 12 0 50 0 1937 0 20 0 ! 0 ! 0 11 O °i * _ C od acal...... 484 2 0 161 6 0 89 14 6 61 11 11 8 0 0 9 4 ¡ 0 — ———— 814 6 5 Vaniyankulam . . 114 u 2 29 4 0 32 0 8 60 1 2 3 0 0 12 o 14 4 1 ——— 271 5 1 0 P a lg h a t...... 221 0 55 6 0 53 13 3 174 7 7 5 0 10 15 0 569 3 10 o 0 10 ! 0 48 — — - 2947 14 11 837 11 9 560 0 3 1204 11 4 3 379 9 1 5 75 4 4 115 2 337 j 15,1 5 6458 4 V. Nilgiris. K a i t y ...... 179 8 0 82 2 5 91 11 3 66 5 5 3 2 12 9 __ __ 66 8 6 138 0 8 657 1 0 K o t a g i r i ...... 107 9 3 69 11 4 543 6 11 48 0 10 23 1 6 ——— 40 0 0 —— — 831 13 10 Ootacamund. . . . 27 0 0 11 8 0 11 6 8 7 6 0 3 0 0 —— -- 19 5 0 5 4 0 84 13 8 314 1 3 163 5 9 646 8 10 121 12 3 58 14 3 ——- 125 13 6 143 4 8 1573 12 6 Grand Total... 5949 7 2551 7 1622 13 2 2506 2 2 505 13 115 915 10 0 1865 7 11 16032 (> 11 9I 12 Ì 3 2¡ 3 In 1903 5673 «1 6 2429 7| 11 1104 9 °l 2180 7 10 265 13 I 8 111 1 2| 7 384 4 8 1589 3 3 13738 7 5 ♦Exact amount not known. Table of Schools of the Basel German Evangelical Mission. 1st JANUARY 1 9 0 5. j
Pupils in Schools for Christians Schools for Total of Pupil« under instruction Training and Boarding Schools Da; Schools N on-Chr istians Boys Girls
STATIONS T o ta l School School Classes Schools Schools School School Classes Infant Infant Schools j Middle Middle and High Sunday Sunday Schools j Non-Christians Christians Christians Middle Middle and High Non-Christians Primary Primary Classes Theological Number Number of Schools Training Training Schools Middle and High Boys’ Orphanages Girls’ Orphanages Primary Primary Classes
I. Suuth-Canara. "I. Mangalore . 19 12 *12 0 0 0 431 37 550 210 264 570 245 173 1252 0 60 ^ 2 . M u l k i ...... 8 0 0 0 0 79 301 0 0 55 60 237 124 14 435 0 0 3. U d i p i ...... 1 i 0 2 56 101 0 296 182 218 0 290 416 101 51 858 0 0 4. K a r k a l ...... 7 0 0 0 0 0 90 0 288 23 26 2 77 17 81 401 0 16 5. Basrur-Kundapuc . 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 338 0 14 256 9 59 338 0 0 6. Kasaragod . 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 822 68 32 701 27 130 890 0 16 7. P u t t u r ...... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 76 0 3 54 6 13 76 0 0 61 12 14 56 104 79 '1118 219 2292 356 689 2511 5 29 521 42 50 0 92 II. Coorg. 8. Mercara . 2 0 0 0 0 0 44 0 30 8 13 51 12 ! 6 82 0 0 9. Anandapur (Ammatti) . 1 0 0 0 28 20 28 0 0 0 39 11 25 1 76 0 0 3 0 0 0 28 20 72 0 30 8 52 62 37 7 158 0 0 III. South-Maliratla. 10. Dharwar . 6 0 t? 47 0 0 31 0 72 170 65 231 23 8 327 0 100 1 1. H u b l i ...... 3 0 0 0 0 0 167 0 161 0 39 224 39 26 328 0 0 12. Bettigeri-Gadag 5 0 0 0 56 0 1 45 0 158 0 115 176 65 3 359 0 170 13. Guledgudd .... 8 0 0 0 0 70 80 0 271 0 28 248 99 46 421 0 65 2 14. Bijapur ...... 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 410 0 5 324 ! 79 410 0 70 ] r. Honavar .... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 149 0 7 130 4 ! 8 149 0 12 29 0 7 47 56 70 423 0 1221 170 259 1333 232 170 1994 0 417 IV• Malabar. 16. Cannanore . . . . C 0 0 0 0 0 174 56 329 40 126 ; 333 99 41 599 50 229 17. Tellicherry . . . . 10 12 12 60 0 O ' 110 31 439 380 159 j 746 53 86 1044 0 188 18. Cliombala (Mahe) . 6 0 0 0 0 106 47 22 442 35 52 414 150 36 652 0 74 19. Calicut . 13 0 0 0 0 0 287 78 797 406 183 1011 219 155 1568 0 297 20. C o d a ca l...... 10 0 0 0 102 0 234 0 334 0 268 246 140 16 670 0 210 21. Vaniyankulam . 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 259 120 28 299 23 29 379 0 45 22. P a lg h a t...... 5 0 0 0 0 0 63 0 285 93 105 259 47 30 441 0 113 53 12 12 60 102 106 915 187 2885 1074 921 3308 731 393 5353 50 1156 V. Nilgiris. 23. K a i t y ...... 21 0 4 27 36 0 60 8 528 32 92 544 39 20 695 0 191 24. K otagiri . 8 0 0 0 0 25 52 13 174 0 33 191 39 1 264 0 50 25- Ootacamund. 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 134 0 3 123 4 4 134 0 0 35 0 4 27 36 25 112 21 836 32 128 858 82 2 5 1093 0 241 Grand Total... 181 24 37 190 326 300 2640 427 7264 1640 2049 8072 1611 1110 12848 50 1906 Total of 1st January 1904. 166 20 25 - 77 315 320 2655 371 6544 1491 2034 7322 1621 1041 12018 102 1799
* 3 Girls. f 4 Girls. 12
Detailed Table of Stations, Out-stations, and Agents.
1 s t J"a/n.’u.eLX^r 1 9 0 5 .
Stations Native Agents : — and Pastors, Catechists and European Agents Christian Head masters Out-Stations of High Schools 1. Mangalore- a) Pastoral a) Pastoral and Evangelistic Balm atha, dial, Rev. M. Schaible, in- Work Jeppn, Bockapatna, charge o f station, Native Rev. Obed Sumitra, Kolma, Bautval, Church, Chairman o f the Bockapatna D istrict Committee Amyamlmlu. „ Joshua Soans, Rev. B. Liithi, Mission Madikerigndde work in the town, literary , Im. Soens, Balmatha work and schools Cat. Winfred Micha, Jeppu Rev. Chr. Dürr, itinerancy „ Gottlob Maben, it in. Miss J.Meyer, Jiible-women „ Daniel Andrea, „ b) Educational work „ Elieser Karat, Rev. J. Hermelink, Theol. Town Mission Seminary, Bible Revision, „ Lemuel Soens, Bolma Genl. and District Insp. o f Schools Rev. I. Pfleiderer, High b) Educational Work School Cat. Chr. Watsa,! TheoloS- Miss M. Beck, Girls’ V Semi- „ Ch. Maben, j nary School and Female Train. School „ Gabr. Almanda, Miss Ch.Femmer, language High School c) Mercantile „ Fr. Jathanna, Congr. Girls’ School Mr. H. Altenmüller, Genl. Agent (Sr3 Treasurer „ P. Shiri, \Bant7val „ Fr. Keudel, Book- „ L.Fernandez,] School Depot. „ J. Sieber, M. M .-Br. „ H. Hofmann, „ d) industrial Mr. F. Stierlin, Weav. Est. „ A. Glattfelder, Tile- Works „ P. Simpfendörfer, Tile- Works „ H. Bretschneider, Tile- Works „ H. Stokes, Jflech. Est. „ G. Bräckle, language „ A. Beierbacb, Press 13
Stations I Native Agents : — and Pastors, Catechists and European Agents Christian Headmasters Out-Stations of High. Schools
2 . M u lk i. Rev. G. Ritter, congregation, Rev. Charles Gojar, Mulki congr. Kadikc, Orphanage, and out-sta Santur, Uchila, Padur, tions „ Im. Furtado, Padur con Kutyar, Munderu. Rev. M. Breidenbacli, it in. gregation and out-stations Evang. N. Kundar, itinerancy Cat. J.Yedamuttu,Kutyar „ n Chr. Salis, Uchila „ „ Gotti. Bangera, Kadike „ „ Isr. Elieser, A fund cm „ „ N. Shatananda, Santur „
3 . U d ip i. Rev. A. Brasche, and Rev. Nahason A’ ira, Gndde congr. Parkala, Malpe, Rev. A. Schosser, Christian lldvavsra, Gndde, High. School „ Tim. Furtado, Shirva Sliirra, Amliadi, Rev. W. Spaich, congreg. congr. Madambail, Kalvanapur, and out-stations „ Gabr. Bangera, Udipi Cliara. Rev. M. Gekeler, itinerancy congr. and out-stations Evang. G. Premaya, Chara, Rev. B. Hiibner, language itin. Mr. H. Simon, Malpe Tile- Cat. Sam. Furtado, Malpe W orks congr. „ A. Furtado, Madambail _ Eb. Clare, Kalyanapur „ Jos. Kairanna, Ambadi „ N. Sucliitta, Udyavara „ Raph. Satyavrata, Orpfi. „ William Heri, Udipi,itin. „ Amruta Heri, Parkala „ Mr. V . Sheshachallam, b .a . Headmaster, High School
4 . ELarkal. Rev. R. Bunz, congregation Cat. Joseph Bhagyan, itin. and itin. Beilur, Naudolige, „ Samuel Sumitra, Beilur Mudar, Mudshur. „ K. Grossmann, langu. „ Paul Soens, congr. Asst. Cat. E. Aarons, itin.
5 . B a s r u r . Rev. J. Gcetz, congregation Evang. Stephan Jathanna, and itin. Kundapnr, Barkur. itin. Cat. Samuel Karat, „ „ Joseph Sunita, „ Asst. Cat. David Watsa, T 14
Stations Native Agents and European Agents Pastors, Catechista and Christian Head masters Out-Stations of High Schools 6 . Kasaragod. Rev. P. Borel, congr., out- Rev. Henry Roberts, congr. Raraneslivara, stations and itin. Evang. Gerson Soens, itin. Dosadarga, Bekal, „ W illiam Kundara,-£foí0¿¿. Manjeshfara, Kumbla, Cat. William Fernandez, ¿tint Nileshvara. „ Jesudasa Aarons, „ „ Eb. Aarons, Manjeshvar r, Benjamin Ananda, Kumbla „ G. Fernandez, Nileskvar „ S. Bangera, Ravaneshv.
7. P u ttu r . Rev. Chr. Eblen, iiin., Rev. Mark Salis, congr., itin. congr. Cat. Benj. Salins, „ „ Gabriel John, „ „ Hezekiel Bangera, „
8. M e r c a ra . Rev. W . Sikemeier, congr. Cat. Jos. Pramodana, ¿tin. Fraserpet, Suntikoppa, Rev. E. Boramer, ititt. and „ A riel Sumitra, „ Cliembu. language „ Joseph Bangera, „ Mr. J. B. Veil, M. M .-Br. Asst. Cat. Lewis Salins, „
9. A n a n d a p u r . Rev. J. Fischer, congregat. Cat. Asser Karat, congr. and Orphanage and itin. Rev. Fr. Schweikhart, lung, , S. Sumanta, „ and Boys' Orphanage * Isaiah Bangera, „
10. D h a r w a r . Rev. K. Mayer, congregation Ev. Isr. Dalabhanjana, itin. Rev. A. Grau, High School, Cat. Ananda Roñada, con. Students’ Home „ ShantaBudigi, St. Home Rev. E. Vogt, itinerancy Mr. B. K . Mukherji, m . a ., Headmaster, High School
11. H u M i. Rev. D. Berli, congregation Cat. Devaputra Hebbala, Unakallu. and iiin. Unakallu Rev. W . Metzler, itin. Asst. Cat.Ananda Gunjala, Rev. J . Spietli, language itin.
12. Bettigeri- Rev. H. Risch, chairman of Rev. J. Prabhakar, congr. G a d a g . the S. Mahr. District, con Cat. Jos. Dalabhanjana, itin. gregation and Orphanage Shagoti, Malasanmdra, „ Jacob Davali, Shagoli Rev. Dr. N. Zerweck, Med. Maktampur. „ David Jesudasa, Med. Miss. Mission Rev. A. Spring, itin. Miss M. StShelin, Bible-women work 15
Stations Native Agents:— Pastors, Catechists and and European Agents Christian Head masters of Out* Stations High Schools
13. G-uledgudd. Rev. C. D. Warth, Orph., Cat. Salo. Ramthal, congr., ithtcr. Katkinlialli, Secular Agent, oul-stat. Musktigeri, Rev. E. Liitliy, congr., itin. „ Hanoch Eden, Sumaddi, Halknrki, itiner. Siiniaddi. „ Bhagya Alada, Katkinlialli „ D. Katapur, M ushtigeri Asst. Cat. Isr. Aralikatte, itiner.
14. B ija p u r . Rev. Fr. Braun, congr., itin. Cat. Stephan Sagri, itin. Konnur. „ Clianna Halli, „ Sol. Jogula, K onnur.
15. H o n a v a r. Rev. Tr. Lutz, congr., itin. Ev. S. Bunyan, itinerancy AnilgoJij, Sanislii. Cat. M. Jayanta, congr., itin. „ Jason Challa, itiner.
10. Cannanore. Rev. K . Hole, congr., schools Rev. Noah Edapalen, congr. Cliowa, Cliirakkal, Rev. G. Peter, itinerancy Rev. A. Yaliatingara, ChoTJua congr. Taliparamlu, Payyanur. Rev. Fr. Straub, language Cat. Jesudasa Melottu, itin., Mr. H. Eidenbenz, W eaving ChirakkaI Establishment „ P. Mackadan, itin , Talip. „ A. Seiler. „ „ B. Poyayil, „ Pay y an „ H. Haffner, Tailory „ B.Ponon, itin.,Cannanore Asst. Cat. Ebenezer Bethel, itinerancy, Chow a „ D. Puyeri, itin., Chirakkal.
17. Tellicherry- Rev. L. J. Frohnmeyer, Rev. St. Kallai, congreg., Tellicherry town N ettu r. Congregation, Theological Seminary and Training Rev. Samuel Ambattu, Anjark&ndy, School, Chairman and Nettur congr. Kuttuparambii, Secretary of the Mission Erinjoli. Cat. Cypr. Arunajalam, itin. Rev. W. Bader, Christian „ Daniel Edakadan, „ High School „ Dev. Amengara, „ Rev. J. Maue, P arsi High Christ. School „ Luke Napali, High School Rev. Dr. J. Meyer, Theol. „ Lawrence Puvattur, Seminary Seminary Rev. A. Scheuer, Christian Asst. Cat. N. Kalarikal, itin. High School Mr. P. Tliarian, b . a ., Head Rev. Fr. Scliad, language master, Chr. High School Miss G. Wessel, „ 16
Stations Native Agents: — Pastors, Catechists and and European Agents Christian Head masters Out-Stations of High Schools
18. Chombala- Rev. I. Weismann, congreg., Cat. Salathiel Soens, Make M ah ë . Orphanage, D istrict Irisp. v Abia Edapalan, congr. o f Schools Kandappenkundu, „ Stephan Kalangarath. Badagara, Muverattu, Rev. R. Schilling, Hin. and itin er. Perambara, Nadapnram. oul-siations „ Alphai Kalian, „ „ Stephan ChattQtu, „ Asst. Cat. Elia Nambi, „
19. C a lic u t. Rev.. J. Jaus, congregation Rev. George Peter, congr. Pnliarnkkal, Coilamly, „ Gr. Renschler, itin. and Rev. Charles Hermon, E v. Markat, Manjcri, oul-slations Rev. T. Parakandy, Coilandy JHalapuran, Annasheri.- Mr. J. Knobloch, High Sch. Cat. Paul Selvam, Cal. congr. Miss Anna Ehrenspsrger, v Isr. Chowalur, Putia- Biblc-women rahhal congr. MissJ. Metzger, Girls’ Sch. Cat. M. Simon, itin. Dr. W . Stokes, Med. Mission „ E.Thayyil, Boys' H igh Miss L. Müller, „ „ School Mr. H. Kühner, M. M .-B r „ J. Taddayi, Markat, Sec. Agent of the District itin. „ Fr. Volz, Weav. Establ. „ E. Muthoden, v O. Fröhling, v „ Manjeri, itin. „ H. Schmid, M. M .-B . „ Joseph Hutten, „ „ „ W. Heckelmann, „ Abel Katuparambu, Tile- IVorks Medical Mission „ M. Stuckert, „ Asst. Cat. A. Pavamani, itin. „ Chr. Renz, Tailory Miss E. Schneider, „
2 0 . C o d a c a l. Rev. R. Bosshardt, congr., Rev. Asham. Tumaran, Coda.. Faraperi, Funani, itin. congr. Fallal, Ckittatakara, Rev. Th. Uber, congr. and Cat. Isaac Amattil, Paraperi Ciialaslieri, Tritala, Orphanage Orphanage Mullaslieri. Rev. J. Ruopp, language, „ W. Mântody, Ponani, Schools itin. Mr. Fr. Boas, Tile-VVorhs „ Sal. Mackadan, Mulla., „ „ St. Parakandi, Chitia., „ „ Th. Valiyalappen, Chala., „ „ C. Kottavalapil, T ri., v Asst. Cat. W . Martin, Pal., „ 17
Stations Native Agents:— aud Pastors, Catechists and European Agents Christian Head masters of Out-Stations High Schools
21. V a n iy a n - Rev. S. Walter, congr eg., Cat. A. Arangaden, Hospit. k u la m . itin., Chairman of the „ Jos. Mantodi, itin. Malabar District ingadipuram, „ Jacob Chiran, „ Trikatiri, Ottapalani, Rev. W. Müller, language, Shoranur. schools n Ign.Jakobi, „ „ Noah Benjamin, „ Ang. „ Edw. Peter, „ „ Asst. Cat. J. Yaliavalappan, itiner.
2 2 . Palgliat. Rev. G. Kühnle, congr cg. Cat. Lazar Knllat, and itinerancy Melparambu, Mtlparambu congr. Wadackeucberi, Rev. E. Hiller, congregation „ Henry Menzel, IJalghat Panayur, Maukara. and schools congr. „ Z. Pilakaden, itin. * Isaac Laban, * a D. Hutten, lYtnayur, „ Asst. Cat. Saty. Jottatil „
2 3 . K a it y . Rev. W. Lütze, congreg. Cat. Abr. Madia, Kaity con. Kerebada, Salcmuru, and schools „ Im. Jivottama, „ Woderu, k'okalkada, Rev. G. Wieland, itinerancy, Mose Kari, itiner. schools Manjur, Nerkambe, „ Karl Satyanathan, Cuonoor, Hulikal. Cooly-Mission „ M. Kaleb, „ Asst. Cat. Is. Ivonga, ¿tin. * „ Is. Nerkambe, „
24 . Kotagiri. Rev. Fr. Eisfelder congr., Rev. Jacob Kanaka, congr., Jakanare, Milidesu, Orphanage schools Konakcre, Kukal, Cat. Isaac Bella, itin. Denad, Tanûanad, Asst. Cat. Mathias Bella, „ Kodanad. „ P Chr. Ajja, „
2 5 . O o taea- Rev. Ph. Stier, itin. Cat. Johann Philipp, itin. m u n d . „ Paul Mada, „ Sbolar, Tuneri, Asst. Cat. Hans Isaak, „ Nellakotta.
3 I 5 E P O I 3 T .
I. MISSION AGENCY.
A. European Workerd.
At the close of the year under report there were 85 Missionaries (70 of them married) and 9 young ladies in the field. During the year the following changes took place:
Mr. and Mrs. U b e r , Mr. and Mrs. B r e id e n b a c h , M r. and
Mrs. M a y e r , Mr. and Mrs. B rasch e returned from furlough.
Mr. and Mrs. S e il e r , Mr. G. B r a c k l e ,
„ S c h a d , „ W . WOLPERT,
Mr. F. K e u d e l , Miss G. W essel,
„ H . S c h m id , ,, C. F e m m e r ,
Miss M . A b e l married to Mr. Sim o n ,
C. Sikem eeer ,, Dr. M e y e r
M. N a h e r Mr. R ijopp,
L. Z ie g l e r ,, Sp r in g ,
D. S totz ,, B u n z , L. SCHLORER ,, SCHWEIKHART newly joined the Mission.
Mr. and Mrs. G ro ssm an , Mr. and Mrs. Se n g l e , Mr. and
Mrs. H u b e r , Mr. and Mrs. B a c h l e , Mr. and Mrs. R eu sc h ,
Mr. and Mrs. F r it z, Mr. and Mrs. G. F isc h e r , Miss H . K rau ss,
Miss E . R a a f l a u b went home on furlough. 19
Mr. W. H a h n and Mr. B onsels resigned. With sorrow we record the deaths of the following Missionaries :— W . F. Bernhardt arrived in India in 1901 and was appointed to the Mercantile Mission-Branch at Calicut. From his earliest days he strove to be a true Christian in business as wrell as in everyday life. In Calicut he soon won the love and esteem of all, with whom he came in contact, by his gentle and unselfish ways. He was hardworking and business like, eager to please and to fulfil every wish of his customers, not minding trouble or loss of time, if onty others were made happy. He loved his subordinates and was very careful to show them a good example. If any of them did wrong, he was very grieved, he would call him into his room and talk and reason with him, till he acknowledged his faults and repented. He died on the 7th of April after a difficult, though apparently successful operation for appendicitis. He was only 27 years of age.
Mrs. Friederike Fischer, née Luz, was married to the Rev. J. Fischer in 1883. She worked faithfully at the side of her husband, first in Honavar, then inKanvar, and since 1893 in Anandapur. There in the Boys’ and Girls’ Orphanage for famine children she found just the work suited to her gifts and training. In their midst she served her Master with a zeal and love that considered no sacrifice, and in return was heartily beloved by those motherless waifs. Alas ! the fever of that noted malarial district brought her more than once to the brink of the grave. She had to go to Europe for a change and restoration of her health, and returned in 1902. Soon the dread fever returned too and took fast hold of her. She sought change and medical advice in Bettigeri and Calicut. Dr. Stokes pronounced it abscess of the liver, and advised 3 * 20 her removal to Madras for an operation, where she died on the 26th of March. Her great longing to see once more her children in Europe was not fulfilled, but she bravely met her end, and taking by faith her Saviour’s hand, she entered into the valley of death.
Mrs. E. Grossmann worked with her husband nearly 27 years in India, first in the Southern Mahratta district at Guledgudd and Dharwar, but from 1896 in Kotagiri. Though she came direct from Europe to the bracing air of this beautiful hill station, her health from the beginning was not what her friends could wish. But she would never think of her health, but worked on often in great weakness, but always with a bright and happy face, looking after the girls in the Orphanage or advising and helping the mothers and children of the congregation who came to her with their troubles, or else making her friends comfortable who came to Kotagiri during the hot weather to seek rest and recreation. During the last two years her health grew worse. Several severe heart- attacks reduced her strength to such a degree, that it was feared she would not stand the journey home. Her heart’s desire to see once more her dear children in Switzerland was granted. Her strength seemed to revive. She was able with their help to furnish a home for them. But this was her last work, after which she entirely collapsed. All medical skill, loving care and nursing were in vain. Her sufferings ended on the 17th of July 1904.
Mr. W - P. Schonthal, for thirty years the Manager of the Basel Mission Weaving Establishment in Cannanore, died on the 28th of January 1904. After a thorough technical training in the Weaving School at Reutlingen he was sent out to India and took charge of the work in Cannanore. Under his skilful management this Establishment was enlarged to 21 three times its original size, and became renowned all over India for its excellent fabrics and workmanship. He started branches in Tellicherry and Chombala, to provide work for the very poor congregations in those places. He cared for his people like a father, was warm-hearted and liberal, but at the same time kept a strict watch over their work and behaviour, and so did much to build up the Christian Church in North Malabar. He returned to Europe in 1901 “every fibre of his body worn out in the service of love for others” . He will be long remembered by those who worked with and under him. In last year’s report no mention was made of D r. F . K ittel. He came to India in 1853 in his 21st year. Being specially gifted for literary work he soon won the reputation of a great Canarese scholar. To his pen we owe Kesiräja’s Sabdamani- darpana, Nägavarma’s Prosody (containing his elaborate essay on Canarese literature), Canarese Anthology, Kathämäle (Bible Stories in Canarese metre), Church History, Knowledge of the Supreme Spirit (a refutation of Advaita philosophy), an English treatise on Sacrifice, and others. His remarkable linguistic talent soon drew upon him the attention of those interested in the Canarese language, and they persuaded him to compile a Dictionary which would be thoroughly reliable and meet all the requirements of modern philology. He was just the man for this task, as he was quite at home in Indian literature and had such an excellent memory, that he knew whether and where every word was to be found in the classical writings. He had to give up direct mission work, and by the liberal support of the Indian and Mysore Governments was enabled to devote for many years all his time and strength to this arduous task and finally to carry his work through the press in 1894. The University of Tübingen honoured this scholarly achievement by bestowing on him the title of Doctor 22 of Philology. In the evening of his life he began to prepare a Grammar of Ancient, Mediaeval, and Modern Canarese on scientific principles, and had the satisfaction to report to the Committee of the Basel Mission, the evening before his death, that this work had passed the press and that he had received the first bound copy. In the same letter he gave some valuable hints concerning the revision of the Canarese Bible in which he had always evinced a keen interest. Though a man of letters and entirely set apart for literary work, he remained a true Missionary at heart and even in his secular writings often attacked Hindu mythology and superstitions and upheld the truth and glory of Christ, of whose final victory he was confident. He passed away quietly and peacefully during the night of the 19th December, aged 71 years. The day before his death he had done his work as usual and taken his last walk. The following are the other mission-workers who have died in the homeland:
J. H u b e r , m . d ., in India from 1857-69, died 2nd February in Attica, New York.
N. W e it b r e c h t , in India from 1871-76, died 5th August in Esslingen.
H. B e r g f e l d , in India from 1860-74, died 20th August in Herborn.
C. L in d e r , in India from 1868-80, died 12th September in Bielefeld.
Mrs. P l e b st, in India from 1868-69, died 2nd March in Stuttgart.
L. D a u r , in India from 1888-91, died 12th September in Deckenpfronn, Wurtemberg. The w ork done by the Missionaries was manifold. The Basel Mission has 25 stations in India; accordingly 25 Mission aries were set aside for mission work proper, viz. for preaching 23 the Gospel among- heathen; 11 of these had at the same time charge of the small congregations and schools in their stations. 14 were in charge of large, congregations and superintending the Orphanages in their stations. 11 Missionaries were employed as Principals of our High Schools in Mangalore, Udipi, Dharwar, Tellicherry, Calicut, Palghat, Kaity, and our Theological Seminaries in Mangalore and Tellicherry. One de voted his time more or less exclusively to literary work. And 2 Doctors were in charge of the Mission Hospitals, one in Bettigeri and one in Calicut. The Industrial Department (including the Printing Press, Book Depot and Mission Shops) was managed by 24 men. The remaining 9 young men, who arrived lately, employed their time by studying the language of their respective districts. The wives of the Missionaries assisted their husbands, especially in looking after the Orphan ages, superintending the Bible-women, visiting and caring for the women and children, and taking charge of sewing classes and Sunday Schools. From the 9 young ladies of our Mission 3 were working with Bible-women, 2 were in charge of Girls’ Schools, 1 in charge of an Industrial School, 1 as deaconess in the Mission Hospital in Calicut, and 2 were studying the language.
B. Indian Workerd. The evangelisation of India will have to be achieved chiefly by India’s own sons and daughters. The greater their number in proportion to the foreign Missionaries, the greater the influence of the Mission will be. We have only 568 Indian Helpers in our 25 stations and 102 out-stations. Twice this number would hardly be sufficient to work the field as it ought to be, and to avail ourselves of all openings. However, the quality of the workers is more important than their number. We need specially trained and thoroughly conse 24 crated fellow-workers. Men deficient in these qualifications would hinder rather than promote our cause. The number of our church-members, children included, is 16,268, and one out of every 30 represents a mission-worker, which, all things considered, is a fairly good average. Out of these 568 workers 27 have more or less independent charges of great responsibility, viz. 19 as ordained Pastors, 8 as itinerating Evangelists for the heathen of their district. These are especially selected men from among our C-atechists. The number of our trained Catechists in 1904 was 111, besides 14 Assistant Catechists. The greater part of these men accompany the Missionaries or Evangelists on their preaching tours. A great many are in charge of small village congregations or of schools, and a few able men are teachers .and housefathers in our High Schools and Theological Seminaries. In our Primary, Secondary, and High Schools 267 Christian Teachers and 74 Mistresses were employed, besides 156 non- Christians. Our Bible-women number 42 and Colporteurs 22. I will give here a short account of the Institutions for training our Mission Workers. The young men, who are to become Catechists, have to study up to Matriculation, in former years only to the Lower Secondary, and then enter our Theological Seminaries as free boarders for four years’ training. As an exception, gifted and truly spiritual men, who offer themselves for mission- work, but who are too old for this course, may be employed as Assistant Catechists after having received sufficient private training from the Missionary in charge. The Basel Mission has two Theological Seminaries, one in Mangalore for Canarese speaking students in Canara and South-Mahratta, and the other for the Malayalam speaking 25 students in Tellicherry. The lectures in both these Seminaries are given in the vernacular. The first report of the Mangalore Seminary dates from the year 1864, though some kind of Seminary was in existence long before that time. In 1864 14 students were under training. We had the same number in 1904. The plan of studies and the strength of the teaching staff have remained almost unchanged.
The Principal of the Seminary is the Rev. J. H e r m e l in k
(since 1901), 1st Assistant Master and Housefather Mr. Ch r .
W atsa (for over 35 years in this post), 2nd Assistant Master
Mr. Ch r ist ia n M a b e n . Besides, the Rev. B. L u t h i also takes a large share in the work of this Seminary, giving several lessons a week. Five of the 14 students were natives of South - Mahratta, 8 of the Tulu country, and 1 of Coorg. Four young men (2 of South-Mahratta and 2 of South-Canara) finished their course and were examined in the beginning of 1905. Three of them had studied up to Matriculation and one up to the F. A. Examination. The papers of this year’s final examination, as given below, will give a fair idea of what the students are taught in the 4 years’ course.
I. Hinduism. 1. What are the chief forms of worship according to the Vedas? 2. What are the contents of the Itihasas and Pur an as ? and what is their relation to each other? 3. What is the teaching of the Sankhya philosophy?
II. Dogmatics and Ethics. 1. What is the testimony of the Lord concerning Himself, as found in the -synoptics ? 2. What is faith and what are its chief characteristics? 26
3. What is the motive of morality according to the heathen systems and according to the Scriptures? 4. Why are meditation on Scripture, and prayer essential factors in promoting Christian life? and how may the obstacles to prayer be overcome?
III. Old Testament. 1. What was Theocracy among the Jews, and under what circumstances did the need of Kings and Prophets arise? 2. Show what you know of the Prophet Jeremiah, give a short sketch of the history of his time, and show the chief divisions of his Prophecy. 3. Expound in connection with its context the prophecy of Joel concerning the outpouring of the Holy Ghost. 4. Expound Isaiah iv, 1 to 5.
IV. New Testament. 1. In which Epistles does Paul expound the plan of salvation most clearly? and what was the occasion of his doing so in each case? 2. What was the condition of the Church of the Dispersion at the time when the Epistle of James was written ? and what are the chief contents of this Epistle? 3. Give an analysis of Ephesians I, 3-14, and a verbal exegesis of I, 3-6. 4. Indicate the trend of thought in Romans i, 18 to in, 26, and expound Romans vi, 1-6.
V. Church History. 1. Say what you know of the Diets of -Worms, Speyer and Augsburg. 2. Give a sketch of the life and writings of Tertullian. 3. Say what you know of the Roman doctrine of the Mass, and about the historical development of the same. 27
4. What is the Roman doctrine of tradition? how would you estimate its value from an evangelical point of view?
VI. Practical Theology. 1. What should be the relation of a Pastor to his con gregation ? 2. What is the standpoint of the Basel Mission in denomi national matters? and what is her relation to other Evangelical Mission Churches? 8. What is the general duty of the Church of Christ in relation to the world? 4. Under what circumstances does a Pastor gain his chief opportunities for personal dealing? and how may he best use them?
In addition to the above papers each candidate was required to preach a sermon, catechise a class, and to pass a language examination in English, Sanskrit and Greek. It is satisfactory to report that all passed with credit. The Nettur Seminary, near Tellicherrj7, separated from the Mangalore Seminary in 1890. The teaching staff in 1904 consisted of the Rev. L . J. F r o h n m e y e r , Principal, Rev. Dr.
J. M e y e r , and Mr. L a w r e n c e P u v a t t u r ; the latter, however, through overwork completely broke down and for six months was quite unable to attend to his duties. The students numbered 13. Their studies were interrupted for a short time, owing to a slight epidemic of small-pox. The working hours of the Seminary are very much in excess of those in similar institutions in Europe, the reason of this being that our young Indians do not know how to make use of their time for private study, if left to themselves. Every Wednesday afternoon the students go out with their teachers to the fishermen’s quarters or some other neighbouring villages 4* 28 for preaching to the heathen. They also conduct three Sunday Schools, one for Christian, and two for heathen children. Their zeal for mission-work was manifested by voluntary prayer-meetings and a mission-festival at the end of the year, which they arranged together with the students of the Christian High School and the Teachers’ Seminary. So as to become more personally acquainted with his pupils Mr. F r o h n m e y e r invited them by turns to tea one evening in the week. His retirement from the Indian mission-field is a great loss to this institution of which he has been Principal, since it wras started.
Most of our seminarists have first passed through our Christian High Schools, of which we have 4, one each in Udipi (South - Canara), Dharwar (South - Mahratta), Nettur (Malabar), Kaity (Nilgiris). These schools are at the same time open to non-Christian pupils, as otherwise we would be unable to fill them, not having sufficient scholars of our own. The High School in Udipi had in the Lower and Upper Secondary departments 230 students. Of these 75 were Christians, viz. 59 boarders, and 16 day-scholars. Judging by the results of the examination, we have reason to be satisfied. 12 out of 25 passed their Matriculation, and 19 out of 32 their Lower Secondary. But alas! it is to be regretted that in most cases both teachers and students think they have done their duty, if the students gain the minimum marks for passing Matriculation. What is not necessary for the examin ation is considered superfluous. This low standard deprives alike teacher and student of all enthusiasm and zeal for real knowledge and education. The Principal, Mr. S chosser, gave his pupils last "year 3 prize papers to m ite during their holidays, e. c. The Jains and their Bastis in Mudabidri. Only 3 out of 230 took the trouble to write the essay!—The conduct BASEL MISSION HIOH SCHOOL, UDIPI. 29 of the boys was on the whole satisfactory. In a Christian High School the teachers have a double burden and a great responsibility laid upon them; for, it is not only the brains but above all the hearts of the pupils they must train. The Christian students receive their religious instruction separately. They also receive a thorough groundwork in music, they learn Christian hymns, songs, lyrics, and part singing, and those who are gifted, are taught the organ and violin. The 75 Christian students paid for boarding and schooling together only Rs. 750 for the year, whereas the boarding alone of the 59 boarders cost above Rs. 3000. These figures leave absolutely no ground for the complaint, one often hears from our Christians, namely, that the Mission does not do enough for the education of her own children.—The Udipi High School sent last year 2 students to the Theological Seminary in Mangalore, besides 3 others who board in the Seminary, but attend the Government Training School for Primary and Lower Secondary Teachers.
The Nettur Christian High School (near Tellicherry, Malabar) fell off in numbers last year, one reason being that the school- fee was raised and the number of free scholars decreased. Another reason may have been, that there are some teachers, who believe too much in the proverbial “ rod” as a medium of increasing knowledge and inspiring boys with zeal and enthusiasm for learning. During an epidemic of small-pox
Pastor Sa m u e l A m b a ttu attended to the sick in a most self- denying manner. In the Lower Secondary Examination 14 out of 19 passed, in Matriculation only 4 out of 11. Three of these were Christian boarders; one entered the Theological Seminary, and the other two prepare for an educational career. The Gospels and Acts were the text-books used for the Scripture lessons given to non-Christian boys. The Christian students 30 had more advanced lessons, for instance, in the Upper Secondary classes exegesis of the Psalms, Christian doctrine, and besides Greek, to enable them to read the New Testament in the original. Music and singing were also taught.
The Principal, Mr. B a d e r , made it his special object to overcome the lethargy of his students and to train them to persevering and earnest study. He is pleased to state that there is an improvement. In former years our boys had to be forced to study, and it was seldom they got beyond the Lower Secondary. Now they shed bitter tears when they are considered unfit and not allowed to continue their studies. As this school is, as it were, the nursery for our mission- workers in Malabar, it would be greatly appreciated, if our Christians would take more interest in it and send there the best of their youth. Primary and Lower Secondary Christian teachers for Malabar are trained in our Mission Training College in Nettur. The
Educational Inspector Mr. St o n e inspected this institution and addressing the students gave them very helpful advice and some valuable hints about the method of teaching drawing.
For our boys in South-Mahratta the Students’ Home in Dharwar takes the place of a Christian High School. It was opened in 1897. In 1904 it had 50 boarders, free or paying a merely nominal fee. 33 attended our Mission High School, 14 the Government Normal School, and three the Government Training College for Teachers. In the Home our boys had separate instruction in Scripture, Christian Doctrine, Church
History, music and singing, partly from Rev. A. G r a u ,
Principal, and partly by the housefather, Catechist Sh a n t a
B u d i g i ; he deserves special praise for the good example he showed in putting his hand to any manual work, when any of the students considered it beneath their dignity to cut wood 31 or draw their water. Cricket matches, excursions, and a three- days’ trip to the Gokak water-falls and Belgaum were agreeable interruptions in their every day school-life. Since the Home has been transferred to the large airy rooms of the former mission-bungalow, the boys have kept good health.
The Kaity Institution comprises Primary, Lower and Upper Secondary and Teachers’ Seminary. In 1904 there were 67 boarders, 41 Christian and 91 non-Christian day-scholars — together 199. The High School department was recognised in
July only, after being inspected by Mr. St o n e . Plague found its way even into this secluded valley and spread tenor every where. One of the boarders was attacked. He had to be separated and was carried to the ruins of the Boer camp. The circumstances of his seizure as well as his recovery in answer to prayer made a deep impression upon him and his schoolmates. Though the lessons were not interrupted, the attendance was scanty and irregular, consequently the results were below the average.
The Principal, Mr. L ü t z e , testifies that all the teachers did their work conscientiously, with the exception of the house father. He resigned, when he saw that his position was shaken and that he had lost the confidence of his superior. His resignation was accepted. The Christian Teachers of our Mission helped in conducting Sunday Schools, took a personal interest in the Y. M. C. A. and made the Mission cause their own.
Mr. L ü tze made it his aim to fight earnestly against lying and deceit, and dismissed some boys for the same. Otherwise he was well satisfied with the good conduct and the spiritual earnest ness of the students, the older ones striving to set a good example to their younger schoolmates. Three young men passed out of the Training College in the beginning of 1904 and two this year, and were employed as teachers. None, however, 32 were sent to the Theological Seminary in Mangalore. Pastors and Catechists are urgently needed for the work on the Hills. May God’s Spirit incline the hearts of our young men to offer themselves for preparation to His service.
Our Schoolmistresses for Canara are trained in Mangalore in our Mission Training College for Mistresses of Primary and Lower Secondary Schools. There were 8 girls in the Training-
Class at the end of last year. Miss B e c k , the lady Principal, tries to impress upon them that their school-work must be a service for the Lord, for which His grace only can train them. A boarding house, under the supervision of a Christian matron, ■offers accommodation to those who wish to study in the Semi nary or attend the Lower Secondary Classes connected with it. The Malayalam girls attend the Government Training College in Calicut. A Home has been started in Dharwar and the 4 boarders attend the Government Normal School and Training College there. Alas! the training of Mistresses is by no means as satisfactory as that of Schoolmasters. In the first place very few young girls take sufficient interest in studying, and then very often just when they are becoming useful, they marry, and this generally ends their service. The Basel Mission has not yet anything like a Seminary for Bible-women, as we find in some other Missions. However, the matter was earnestly considered at our last General Confer ence, and it has been proposed to get a superior class of women for this important work and have them thoroughly trained for their duties. May the Lord Himself consecrate for His service those we try to train for Him. 33
II. THE INDIAN CHURCH. The most powerful agency to promote the kingdom of God in a heathen country is the community of Christians gathered there. Their prosperity in temporal and spiritual things is the best evidence for the truth of the promises of the Gospel. Their joy and peace, love and hope, trust and devotion, their fear of God and fearlessness of the world, and their spiritual gifts and powers are the real proofs for the reality of the salvation offered in Christ. Their life is the standard for measuring the ethical value of the Christian religion. Do our Indian Christians fulfil their high calling? Alas! how dimly is the image of Christ reflected in the life of the average Christian how little is seen of the regenerating and transforming power of the Spirit of G od! It is, of course, a stupendous task to try to reform the sons of this land, to raise the level of their moral standard, to inspire them with higher thoughts and aspira tions, to plant into hearts overgrown with abject and degrading notions, the principles of truth, trust, righteousness and honesty, of purity and self-control, of equality and brotherly love, and to turn them from worldliness and materialism to holiness and love of God. This is the great and chief task of the true Missionary, a task worthy of the best of man’s life and strength, perseverance and devotion, a task widely different from mere proselytising for some creed or denomination. By establishing the kingdom of God we mean to make the people of this country better and happier men and women, to transform and raise the spiritual, moral and social standard of this race ac cording to the principles taught and lived out by Christ, a reformation not by outward means, but from within. How is this task to be performed ? It is to be performed by the slow, progressive work of spiritual education, with the patience and forbearance, the thoroughness and earnestness, the
5 84 firmness and love of a father, who whilst training liis children, never loses sight of his object in view, though he may change his methods. Not preaching alone or prayer, or revival - meetings or church-discipline, or impressive ritual or any other special religious function, but all these and others, together with constant, thoughtful care and the attractive example of the beautiful life of true children of God on the part of the Missionaries will gradually remould the mind and life of our Christians. True, it is the Spirit of Christ which regenerates the hearts, but He must be manifested in our lives and conduct, and He must be heard and felt distinctly and powerfully in our teaching and preaching. Only where the personality of Christ, His maxims and teachings, His life and death are clearly understood and heartily accepted as the guiding and moving power through personal union with Him, there can the Spirit of Christ do His work in the hearts. These introductory remarks will prepare us and the friends of our Mission, firstly, not to expect too much from our compar atively young congregations for the present, but to look for much in the course of tim e; secondly, not to be satisfied with the half dead and alive state of our Church, but to look forward to and work for an ideal Church; thirdly, not to boast, but rather humble ourselves when reviewing our achievements, and with out despairing push on and strive after a better state of things.
We first turn to the Churches of South-Canara, the oldest field of our Mission in India. In Mangalore we have a congre gation of 2958 Christians. Most of them are employed in our Mission Industries, and accordingly settled either round the Jeppoo or Kudroli Tile-Works, or near the other Industrial Establishments in Balmatha, comprising the Weaving Establish ment, the Mechanical Workshop, Printing Press, etc. etc. These different settlements have each their own church and Pastor TILE WORKS IN KUDROLI. 35 as well as schools. The church attendance was on the whole good. Who would not be impressed to see, especialty on festivals, the large Balmatha church densely packed from body to gallery with goodly and decently clad men and women, and to hear their hearty and excellent singing! The Harvest Festival is especially popular along the coast. In Mangalore every church-member brings some gift, either money or self grown fruit or vegetable or self-made furniture; women bring needle-work and suchlike. The young people have games etc. on the maidan. Well-to-do members invite the very poorest to share their home-festivities on this and other occasions. Two Y. M. C. A.s, a Canarese with 30 and an English with 20 members, and Prayer Unions in the different quarters help to kindle and keep the fire burning; they anyhow check the frivolity and worldliness in the younger members. The upbring ing of the young folk is very deficient even in families which should know better. Especially in Kudroli the moral niveau is very low. A very common revenge is to defame the enemy’s character by an accusation of immorality, whilst among friends the worst will be excused and kept secret. Married life is greatly marred by two bad customs, — first, neither parents nor guardians trouble about the moral character of bride or bridegroom, if only a match can be made; second, a young couple must start with a heavy burden of debt incurred for the wedding, and this often causes dissension and bitter ness between husband and wife. Workmen who are not employed in the Mission factories are very slack in paying their church-contributions and even school-fees. When remon strated with, one answers: “ The Mission does not give me work, why should I give her money?” Another: “ When I asked you for a loan you refused, therefore I refuse to pay the church- tax.” In all our congregations strict church-discipline is main tained. So those who don’t pay their school-fees and church- 5* 36 taxes, who don’t attend the services and keep away from the Lord’s Supper, those who don’t send their children to school, and chiefly those who give public offence by immoral, dishonest, or heathenish conduct, are called before the elders and warned, or in grave cases excluded from the Lord’s Supper, or lastly excommunicated. In Mangalore 36 sessions w7ere held during the year, to inquire into such cases and to exercise church- discipline. In all our stations it is greatly to be desired that our elders take a still more active part in the pastoral care of the congregation, by visiting the sick, by seeking after and exhorting those w7ho walk disorderly and by exercising a good spiritual influence generally, and that they assist in the management of the Church- and School-fund, by looking after the church-property, and seeing that the church-tax and school-fees are paid regularly. 32 heathen, children and adults, Avere baptised last year and quite as many are under instruction. Ample opportunity for getting the best education for their children is offered to our Christians. There are congregational schools (but open also to non-Christians) in every quarter and out-station. In the villages education is not so wrell appreciated, very often just our Christians send their children very unwillingly, whereas in Mangalore the schools are in a flourishing condition. They prepare for the prescribed Government examinations. So there is sometimes a danger that the religious instruction is neglected for the sake of other studies; for it is, of course, a credit to both school and teachers to have as many boys and girls as possible pass these difficult examinations. The Basel Mission High School (primarily intended for heathen boys) is attended by 41 Christian boys and girls. Among the deaths we lament, w7e may mention specially that of Mr. D a n ie l A m m a n n a , a pensioned Catechist, over 80 years old. He wras a boy of 10 when the first Basel 37
Missionaries landed in Mangalore. The Pastor of Bockapatna testifies that he never visited him without receiving words of love and encouragement.
Mulki, with its 6 out-stations, has 902 Christians. The greater part are poor ryots. Indeed there are very few independent farmers along the coast, as most of the land has passed into the hands of a few wealthy natives. The Mission has also strips of land here and there for the Christians to settle on. But as the capital invested in such land belongs to some Poor-, Church-, Orphanage-, or Widow-fund, it must bear interest, that means, our Christian farmers have to pay rent just the same as they would do to any other landlord. The Mission may be a more lenient master; but the proverb rightly says: “The strictest master is the best” . Because if we allow arrears to accumulate, either the funds will suffer or the tenant has to be expropriated. The condition of a small farmer in India is as precarious as that at Home. He and his family have to do hard and unpleasant work from early morning till late at night. They have to be satisfied with the coarsest food, the poorest clothing, and in hard times have to do with a meal less. During the slackest season from July to October they often have to go hungry to bed, without a brighter outlook for the morrow, unless we help them. This is a true picture of the poor ryot’s life along the coast, whether he be Christian or not. At the same time he is a light-hearted, happy fellow7, satisfied with little, enjoying his festivals, and carelessly making debts for his children’s w7eddings. Wealth increases in India in the towns, and the Sawkars get rich, but the misery of the “ cheap hands” remains the same. Farming on a small scale does not pay: half, or more, of the produce goes to the landlord. The half-starved ryot has no energy to make special efforts, no forethought to store up for a rainy 88 day, no capacity for inventing or accepting new methods. He drudges along like his forefathers and prefers his time- honoured calling to factory life or anything else,—and he is right, if he does so, if only ways and means can be found to better his position. He requires larger plots of land, cheaper rent, better methods of tilling his fields, but above all a new thrifty energy and an enlightened mind. Converting him only to another creed won’t improve his condition. But setting him free from his priests and sorcerers, his fear of demons, his wrong notion of God and of worshipping Him, will also set free his energies and faculties kept in bondage by a misleading, parasitic religion. And then enlightening his mind by sound education, instilling confidence to God and self and setting a worthy ideal of life before him, these efforts, together with the help and advice of unselfish brotherly love, are the slow but sure means, by which the Missionary can most effectually help to raise the poor out of his degraded and animal-like state to a life becoming man. It need hardly be said that Churches among these poor people are not yet self- supporting. The expenses for their churches, pastors and schools are to a great extent borne by the Mission. Yet a beggarly spirit is discouraged, they are trained to offer accord ing to their means and to pay regularly their church-tax and school-fee. As their outward condition, so is their inner life. Indifference with regard to spiritual enlightenment and a want of energy to fight against sin, and altogether such a state of things prevail, that the heathen could not be impressed much by such Christianity. Still 14 converts were added to the Church there, and the Missionary in charge of the congregation is confident that his patient toil and care will bear fruit in due season. There are Christians who after relinquishing heathen ism, continue to live on their fields among their former neigh bours, and by the new life they lead justify the step they have 39 taken, and are thus a light and salt to their surroundings. The same Christian farmers are in some sense also a salt to their Church, inasmuch as they preserve their simple manner of living and dressing; and it is from this healthy community that our industrial and educated classes are being constantly recruited. Our industries can’t be increased to any great extent, but farming and the condition of farmers can be improved. We therefore insist upon converts from the latter class remaining on their land, if in any way possible.
TJdipi, with its 9 out-stations, has 1928 Christians. Of these 80—100 work in the small Tile-Factory at Malpe, others earn a livelihood by fish-curing and trading, but most of them are farmers. On the 6th of December the Udipi Church celebrated its 50 years’ jubilee. Another day of joy was the baptism of a schoolmaster with his family. During a severe illness he had made offerings and vows to demons and idols, and when every thing failed, he sought healing from the great Physician, about whom he had often heard from the Missionaries. When he was restored to health, he asked for instruction for himself and family, and received the Word of God and baptism with great joy. A similar case, but with a different result, was that of a sick farmer. His priest suggested to him that he might get well, if he would give Rs. 100 to propitiate the bhütas. This made him consider the advisability of throwing demon-worship overboard and putting his trust in God, of whom the Pastor in his village had told him. But he lacked courage, and when the latter met him again, he confessed that he had paid the money and given up the thought of becoming a Christian. 26 converts were baptised and received into the Church. Many more could have been admitted, if only their wishes could have been grati fied, viz., to pay their debts and give them a comfortable living. 40
In former years Missionaries did baptise converts whose sincerity was doubtful, hoping their hearts would be changed by getting them and their families under their pastoral care. But ex perience has shown otherwise: Those who have changed their religion only for a handful of rice or a few rupees, are callous to religious influence. Instead of coming to church on Sunday morning they go to work or cock-fighting, their children are kept away from school, they never have Bible reading or prayer in their homes, never pay their fees. They only come to the Missionary for a loan or alms, and when refused, abuse him and the Mission. One of the Catechists writes that he had about twenty such people in his small congregation, who had never entirely broken with heathenism. Such are not only dead, but ruinous members of a Church. The best would be to disown them and take away their names from our registers. Happily such a report is an exception. Most of the Pastors and Catechists of Udipi and its out-stations report that church- attendance is very good, that in spite of poverty they gladly contribute their share to church- and school-expenses, and they commend their religion by their life and conduct. Only school- attendance is irregular, the children often being kept away for working in the fields, grazing cattle or helping in their homes. Little is to be reported about our other congregations in South-Canara and Coorg, they are still small and of compar atively new date, except Anandapur in Coorg which was started in 1856. Mercara was started in 1870, Karkal 1872, Basrur 1876, Kasaragod 1886, and Puttur 1900. In Karkal 18 converts were baptised, and quite as many are under instruction. A bright Christian in Kerewashi, a well-to-do farmer, who is really a shining light in his village, had the joy to see his brother (formerly very hostile against the new religion) and a friend of his converted; he had made it a special object of prayer that God would give him these two SCENERY ON THE WEST COAST. 41
souls before the end of the year. He expects the same and even greater blessings for the new. If all our Christians would earnestly followT the same example, what a great ingather ing of souls we should have! The Christians come regularly to church, though some have to walk from 5 to 10 miles. Often the real state of the heart is hidden to the human eye, but in days of sickness and death, a treasure of true spiritual life and trust in God is revealed, which gladdens the heart. Bible knowledge, especially among illiterate farmers, who were converted as adults, is often scanty. It is therefore very essential to show them the way of salvation and of a new life, and very plainly put before them the principal truths of Christian teaching, with illustrations from the Bible stories. Most of our Christians are poor farmers who could not possibly live only from their trade. So a part of the year they go up to the Ghats to find work and earnings in the coffee planta tions. This is to be regretted; for not only do they ruin their health there, but they are without any spiritual care for many months. Although many conversions have taken place in past and recent years, the congregation numbers only 230, because most of the young men have to leave Karkal* to get higher education and earn their livelihood elsewrhere. In Kasaragod our people easily find work on the new railway to Mangalore. The spiritual life and reputation of the Basrur-Kimdapur congregation has greatly suffered through party spirit and constant intrigues. In our malarious station Anandapur in Coorg the number of deaths far exceeded the births. 13 new converts, chiefly orphans, were received into the Church.
We leave now for a moment the beautiful tropical scenery of the coast, where along the beach and backwaters, on the slopes of the densely wooded mountains, in the innumerable 6 42 cosy valleys cut by rivers and streamlets, between the red bare laterite hills, the fresh verdure of the rice-fields in the rainy season, contrast beautifully with the dark, dreamy shade of the cocoanut-palm gardens, which border the valleys and hide in their homely shadow the huts and houses of the farmers and their tenants. We proceed to the high plateau of the South- Mahratta district, where the eye grows tired looking over the endless dreary plains with hardly any trees or hills. The villages in the distance resemble ants’ nests with their mud- built and mud-roofed houses closely packed together. No sign of whitewashing, paint, or red tiles attracts the eye of the traveller. Cocoa-palms are hardly ever seen, and rice cultivation is impossible. Instead the fertile, black soil produces large wheat and cotton crops in years of sufficient and timely rain. But, alas! too often the rain fails and misery and famine haunts the huts of the poor, while the shrewd merchant fills his pockets. The same process is slowly going on in South- Mahratta, which is fait accompli on the coast, viz. landed property slowly passes into the hands of the Sawkars, and the formerty small independant farmer becomes a tenant. The Basel Mission never started any industries in this district, as every one who wants work can find it either as a weaver with a handloom in his own home, or as workman, in the cotton mills and on the railway. At the commencement of the Mission large plots of land were bought. But this enterprise proved to be an utter failure. Christian tenants were the most backward with the rents, the fields were neglected and over grown with weeds, and the burden of the management lay so heavy on the Missionary, that his other work suffered in consequence. So the Home Committee decided to have the land sold. Of our 6 stations in South-Mahratta only Hubli, Bettigeri and Guledgudd have comparatively large congregations. The 43
Dharwar congregation has been considerably added to by the teachers and pupils of the Students’ Home; it numbers 207. The Missionary in charge remarks that a few hearts only are composed of the “ good soil” .
Hubli has 565 Christians. They flock together from all stations to find work in the spinning factories and in the railway workshops. We are glad our people have the opportunity of earning a good livelihood; but at the same time factory life has its drawbacks, and both the Missionary and Pastor have much cause for sorrow and anxiety. For where men, women, and girls work together, morals are sure to suffer. And then often husband and wife work all day, the children are left to themselves, the household is neglected, and Sunday is the chief work day, when the children and the clothes must be washed and the whole house put in order. As drinking' is on the increase in this and other stations, Rev. D . B e r l i, in charge of the congregation, after giving some instructive lectures on the evils of alcohol, started a total abstinence society. 40 men took the pledge. But our Indian Christians are very deficient in manliness and sincerity. It is sad to state that some were found drinking very shortly after they had taken the pledge. Still we hope the association will help many a young man to lead a sober and godly life. Christmas Eve was a time of grief for the congregation as their very able
Pastor, Mr. S olomon D e v a d a ,was called away from this life, in the 55th year of his age. He was a Lingait by birth and embraced Christianity when 19 years old. After some training he served the cause of the Lord, 18 years as Catechist and 18 as Pastor. In the meetings of the Canarese Bible Revision Committee in 1904, he gave very valuable help to the revisors by ably representing the Canarese dialect spoken in South- Mahratta. He was well acquainted with the Vedantic teachings
6 * 44
current among the Lingaits, and set to work to write a volumi nous treatise of this philosophical system. Alas! death took the pen out of his hand, before he had finished the tenth part of his work. The death of this gifted man is a great loss for our Mission in South-Mahratta, where we have so few helpers.
The greater part of our congregation in Bettigeri are weavers, those in the out-stations small farmers. The congregation numbers 632 souls. Mr. J. P r a b h a k a r , who is at present the only Pastor in South-Mahratta. has much to do with settling differences and quarrels betwreen the church-members. The teachers have great difficulty to get the school-fee from the parents, and every day they must go to a number of houses to fetch the children to school. The young men have formed a singing club, where they practise Christian songs, composed by themselves to Hindu melodies. In the beginning of the year an election of two new elders had to take place. After the duties and qualifications of elders had been explained, and the church-members were asked to give their votes conscientiously, they all abstained from electing, and declared that there was none among them who was really worthy to fill this responsible office. It is gratifying to see that our people axe proud to be members of the Christian community. It is, however, more because this community so to speak has replaced caste, and not because they have found the spiritual riches, the power and joy, which make men boast in the Lord. Alas! there is little to be felt of the fire of the Spirit of Christ, which would burn away the dross, the dissensions, the irreconcilable enmity between some Christians, and the love of drink and other vices in others. In all stations Pastors and Missionaries complain that their people often trouble them with their quarrels and debts, and other earthly concerns, but hardly ever come to them with spiritual needs, or troubles of soul or conscience. 45
In Guledgudd plague and cholera were raging at the same time, and carried off more than 1000 victims. The small congregation in the midst of this death-clamour clung trembling to the promises of God in Psalm 91. And mercifully He spared them; not one was snatched away. In the out- stations the Christians find it hard to live from what the}' earn by working on their fields. So every year some leave their homes for Hubli, where the}' find an easier and more certain livelihood. This accounts for the loss of 21 from the 655 members now remaining. While the school in Kardenlialli can hardly be kept going, that in Mushtigeri is in a flourishing state. This is chiefly due to the interest the Catechist
Mr. D e v a d a n a K a t a p u r takes in it, not only does he assist the master in giving lessons, but he has started a night-school for those who lost their opportunities when young. His spiritual energy and tact has much improved this formerly ill-reputed congregation.
It is sad to relate that the small Bijapur congregation lost four members from plague, three in 1904 and one in the beginning of 1905. They were ripe fruit gathered by the Heavenly
Gardener: First, the old pensioned Assistant Cat. Sa t y a r t h i, a true child of peace; he joyfully entered his eternal home of rest. Second, the only son of our Catechist Mr. St e p h a n
Sa g a r i, a young lad of 15 years, the hope and joy of his bereaved parents. Third, a young girl of nearly the same age, who had suffered much in her heart because of the spiteful and unchristian behaviour of her hot-tempered father against his own Church and Mission. She offered herself as a sacrifice for the sins of her father, praying that God would forgive him, and with joy went home to the Saviour she loved. But the greatest loss for the work in Bijapur was the death of our
Catechist M r . Solomon Jo g u l a . He had been stationed in a 46 village Konnur, where during the year 2 men had embraced Christianity— the first fruits of Konnur. There this Catechist caught the plague while visiting and tending to a sick man. He died within 2 days. When he felt death drawing near he gently reproved his sorrowing wife, saying: “I am in the Lord’s service and have to obey His commands. You must cling to Him, He will care for you and our 4 children.” Then he called the few wTho had already become Christians and exhorted them to remain faithful and steadfast in Christ’s fellowship. At last he sent for those who believed in Christ, but had not the courage to follow him; he warned them not to delay, but to take the final step and receive baptism in Jesus’ name. He died on the 25th February 1905. Almost all the villagers of Konnur, Brahmins, Lingaits and Mohammedans attended his funeral to show their love and esteem for the deceased. His life and death in the Lord’s service has already borne fruit. The wife of the first convert with 3 children has since been baptised and another man has asked for admission into the Church. The few Christians in Honavar have come over from South- Canara. It is sad to think that even these few can’t live together in peace and harmony; cliques and intrigues are like a cancer eating away the spiritual life of this little Church.
We turn back again to the coast, this time to the beautiful country of Malabar. The great number of converts from the poorest classes has led to the establishment of three large Tile- Factories and 2 large Weaving Establishments, with branches in almost every station. The special feature of our Churches in Malabar is the active part the members of the congregation take in pastoral and missionary efforts, and the systematic methods they have everywhere adopted. In all larger congregations the different quarters have been portioned out THE MALABAR COAST. 47 to different elders, who hold weekly prayer-meetings in the houses alternately and look after the spiritual welfare of the individual members in their respective quarters. There are Prayer Unions, Temperance Unions, and Young Men’s and Young Women’s Christian Associations in almost eveiy station. The young men assist the Missionaries and Catechists in conducting Sunday Schools, and even in street-preaching. Most of the 1250 Christians in Cannanore are emplojod in the famous Mission Weaving Establishment, or in private weaving factories. In private factories they enjoy more liberty, whereas in the Mission Establishment more control is exercised over their private life and conduct; and they understand that it is all for their good, and are thankful for it. The influence of the Temperance Union is being felt, and many are turning away from their drinking habits. In Tellicherry, several deathbeds revealed beautifully the hidden life in Christ. Heathen women, who witnessed the joy and assurance of the dying, were so impressed that they asked to be admitted among the disciples of the Saviour wTho takes aw7ay the fear of death. Much house-to-house visiting was done by the Missionaries and Pastors and was greatly appre ciated by their flock. The Y. W. C. A. was re-opened by
Mrs. Fr o h n m e y e r . It is easy to start such a thing, but difficult to keep it going. For the young women an occasional tea party has a wonderfully resuscitating effect, whereas the interest of the young men for their association is best kept awake by useful lectures. Drinking is the besetting sin of some; while others have exposed themselves to the scorn and ridicule of outsiders, by quarrelling and fighting not only in their own houses but on the public street. The majority, however, have honoured their Saviour and His cause by stead fastly walking in His light, amidst the ill-feeling of their Hindu and Mohammedan neighbours. 48
Chombala has always many candidates for baptism, but as they are generally from the poorer classes and no work can be found for them, they are generally sent to other stations; and so this congregation does not grow as it might. The decease of three members deserve special mention* not only on account of their joyful deaths, but their beautiful lives: A young man who had remained unmarried in order to support his old parents; then an old woman who had at first violently opposed her son embracing Christianity, but had followed him after she had seen him sacrifice his life in tending to the cholera stricken; she not only followed him in accepting his God as hers, but also in his loving and self-denying service to the sick and poor, and to the little ones. The third was a poor old deaf and dumb weaver, a simple hearted, true and earnest Christian. He was baptised in 1857. Nobody knows how he found or understood the wray of salvation, being both deaf and dumb. The Christians here have a nice custom. They each contribute something towards starting a home for a newly married couple.
In Calicut the 14th of October was commemorated in honour of Mr. H e b ic h , the first Basel Missionary, who landed 70 years ago with two other Missionaries to start work in India. Just 400 years ago the first Roman Catholic church wTas built on the Malabar Coast by priests of the order of St. Franciscus, who had come to India with Vasco de Gama. Calicut has the largest congregation in Malabar, numbering nearly 2000. There were 83 candidates for baptism during the year, 36 were admitted. Many of them were led to Christ by their Christian relatives. There was great joy at the baptism of the wife and children of the Munshi in the Girls’ High School. The latter had become a Christian 5 years ago. The father-in-law approved of her taking this step, by saying: 49
“ Shiva went into the jungle and became an elephant; his wife seeing this, followed him and also changed into an elephant.” Four lepers from the Leper Asylum were baptised. It is a real pleasure to instruct these poorest of the poor, because they, as a rule, accept the message of salvation with uncommon eagerness and gratitude. In the neighbouring village Annasheri a new little chapel w^as consecrated and 10 people baptised. Here the opposition of Hindus and Mohammedans is very strong. Mr. H. Kühneb, the President of the Y. M. C. A. in Calicut, reports that the Association has 100 active and 36 associate members. The former are divided into different sub-committees and are doing useful work. Every Sunday a band of members have open air preaching at the seashore under the leadership of Rev. W. M ü l l e r . A separate house has been rented for the Malayalam speaking members, and a students’ branch has also been opened, in which Mr. Müller takes a keen interest. In the beginning of September the Y. M. C. A. had a District Conference, which wras attended by delegates from each of our Malabar branches. The main object of our conference was to bring these different Associations into closer relationship with each other. Papers were read on several interesting and useful subjects referring to our work and methods. One of the subjects was “ the relation between Y. M. C. A. and the Church” . This was especially taken up and warmly discussed. It is to be regretted that owing to some misunderstanding some were led to believe that our local Association was an anti-Church movement. But we hope that this wrong con ception has since completely died out. It is of great importance that the Y. M. C. A. should be a free institution in the congregation •without the direct supervision of the Church, but at the same time in full harmony 50 with it and having the sympathy of the ministers. Young men want to be free, but they can be reached by the Y. M. C. A. in many cases where the Church can do nothing for them. The Y. M. C. A. must always remember that the Church is the mother for whom it must work, but the mother must allow the grown-up child to have its own way of doing the work. The meetings of the conference were a great blessing to many. Rev. Mr. L a r se n , Secretary of the Madras Association, gave lectures here and in other stations of Malabar. A Christian Endeavour Society has also been started. It is to be regretted that the young men of the Industrial Establishments don’t take sufficient interest in these religious enterprises. Two young men had to be excluded from the Lord’s Supper for stealing some articles from the church. Several men and women were allured to go to Natal as coolies. Some of these deserted their families and went away secretly. Others again have become a stumbling block to the congregation through the evil habit of drinking. School-attendance is good. There are, however, some parents who prefer the workshops to schools for their children. One of the church-members filed a lawsuit against the elders. The Court decided in favour of the latter. For they held that a Church-member can’t complain against the decision or disci pline of the rite elected elders of his community, as long as their decision was in accordance with the acknowledged rules of the said community. In all good families they have prayer regularly morning and evening. In some families, where there are children, they have a special prayer for them with Bible stories and singing.
In Codacal-Paraperi church-attendance was not very good. The Christians, when reasoned with, give verjr paltry excuses, such as having no decent clothes, or household troubles and 51 cares. The fact is that many joined the Church for the sake of earning a livelihood, and not for the sake of Christ and His religion. Many of them don’t know how to bring up their children; they spoil them when they are young, later on keep them away from school to look after their younger brothers and sisters; and so when they are grown up they are utterly unmanageable. The report of the out-station Chalasheri is far more cheering. There our people show their Christianity by searching the Scriptures and regular family prayers. They are mostly independent farmers. In Vaniyankulam 4 adults and 2 children were baptised and received into the small congregation. One of these had once been a well-to-do Mohammedan, but lost all his property by fire, and since then led a wandering life. Our Colporteur, himself formerly a Mohammedan, was chiefly the means of leading him to Christ; he was baptised at the age of 73, and is nowr a true-hearted Christian. Other candidates for baptism left for Palghat, where the Mission Tile Factory affords them an opportunity of earning their bread. In Palghat, the head master of our High School, Mr. T.
B a p p u , b . a ., who was baptised at the end of 1903, had tKe joy of seeing his brother, who is also an able master in the same school, break the chains that bound him, and express his desire to follow him; he was baptised in the beginning of 1905. The Y. M. C. A. is flourishing, but requires the superintendence of the Missionary, to keep down party intrigues.
On the Nilgiris the Basel Mission has 3 stations: Kaity, started in 1846, Kotagiri 1867, and Ootacamund in 1903. The latter is only the temporary residence of the itinerating Missionary for the Western Nilgiris and the Wynaad. In Kaity and its out-stations, 22 converts were received into the 7* 52
Church. 7 of these are the fruit of the Cooly Mission, from a plantation where a good Christian writer has every day prayer and Bible reading with the coolies. Among the candi dates for baptism there is a woman, who came with the words: “ Ten of my children have died, and the thought of the 2 sons, who are left, drives me to come to the ti’ue G od” . The Chris tians have shown their appreciation of the Word of God by a liberal contribution to the. Bible Society’s Centenary Fund. They collected also quite a large sum for the Orphanage and especially for a new' church they propose building in Kaity. During the epidemic of plague, they also collected money for those who were obliged to live out in the segregation camp and could not earn anything for themselves. We had to mourn over only one victim of plague, the faithful and
beloved teacher A lfr ed B e l l a , who had become a Christian 7 years ago, and had since been an ornament to the Christian community. A Christian family, who had found refuge in the stables of a Badaga, impressed him very deeply by their daily evening prayers. Some sad cases of grave immorality lead one to think that the evil influence of this and other vices, the same as that of hereditary diseases, requires a few genera tions to pass away, before they can be thoroughly rooted out. It is gratifying to see that some, who for this reason were excommunicated, repented and sought re-admission. Even their heathen relatives press them to return to church-membership and to a virtuous life. The young men of the congregation take part in mission work by accompanying the Catechist on Sunday afternoons to neighbouring villages and singing Gospel songs.
Rev. F. E isfe ld e r , in charge of Kotagiri, was for more than 20 years in South-Mahratta. In comparing the two districts he finds that his new congregation makes outwardly a better 53
appearance, but inwardly is in no wise superior. 6 converts were added to the Church.
While reviewing the different stations, we have occasionally reported about the attendance and results of the schools. There is no congregation, however small and remote, where the Mission has not provided for Christian education of the children, at least by Primary Schools. Besides every district has a Girls’ and Boys’ Orphanage, where not only orphans are admitted, but also children of parents, who live alone in villages or in places where only Lower Primary Classes exist, and children, whose education would otherwise be neglected. The Boys’ Orphanage in Kaity has already been mentioned in connection with the Christian High School there. The girls on the Nilgiris find a home in the Kotagiri Orphanage. They numbered 35 at the end of last year.
The Paraperi Orphanage in Malabar, with 102 boys, teaches up to the Lower Secondary examination. The boys work in the garden, some are taught tailoring, others washing and ironing. It is a great shame that our Christians consider the washerman’s trade beneath their dignity, and try to prevent their children learning it. The Girls’ Orphanage for Malabar is in Chombala. An industrial department for those, who are not gifted for learning, is urgently needed here.
To the Canara Girls’ Orphanage in Mulki, a Mohammedan candidate for baptism had sent his 2 little daughters. Alas! the courage failed him, and he returned to Mohammedanism, and took his girls out of the school, where they had been for 21 years; they left with tears and grief. The Boys’ Orphanage in Udipi had 104 boys at the end of the year. 31 boys entered during the year, 6 were promoted to the Christian High School, 8 were apprenticed to the Printing Press in 54
Mangalore, 4 ran away, and 11 were sent home to their parents and relatives, or to earn their living in one of our Mission Establishments. The Orphanage has some fields, and the boys are always eager to plant the rice saplings, or carry home the sheaves at harvest. A small Orphanage exists in Anandapur in Goorg. It has 41 boys and 28 girls. Often half-starved children are brought in, accustomed to eat earth; others again are emaciated by malarious fever. Lately a kind-hearted Planter sent 2 orphans aged 5 and 7 years, who had wandered about begging, and had for weeks and months together subsisted mainly on roots and berries. Sometimes no love and care avail to restore the ruined constitutions of such poor children.
South-Mahratta has a Boys’ Orphanage in Bettigeri and one for Girls in Sumaddi near Guledgudd. The girls under the superintendence of a matron pound their rice, clean and grind their corn, and do their own cooking ; besides bring water, do their own washing, clean their rooms, and occasionally help in the fields. Special attention is paid to needle-work by
Mrs. W a r t h , and admirable results were attained last year. The girls study up to the 5th Primary Standard. Every year 1 or 2 are sent to the Government Training College in Dharwar, to be trained as schoolmistresses. Most of the girls return to their homes after their confirmation, a few only remain to help in the kitchen, till they are married, or find other employment. In the Boys’ Orphanage much more stress is laid upon studies, as this is the nursery, so to speak, for the High School, Training College and Theological Seminary. They have hardly any household work, except bringing their water and cleaning their rooms. Occasionally they are called to carry wood, or do odd jobs in the compound. Most of the boys and girls 55 have love and confidence towards the Missionaries who look after them, and are very happy in these homes, though it is sad to relate that some prefer their vagabond life and run away. Thus a boy ran away from Betti geri, who had been handed over to us by the Collector of Dharwar; he had taken him out of jail, where he had been sent with a band of robbers. He seemed to be very happy with us and promised to become a good and honest lad; but suddenly he disappeared, joined again some of his old comrades and is said to be in jail again. I think all those who have charge of Orphanages will agree that our Indian boys are far easier to manage than boys of the same standing at Home. Is it because thejr lack backbone and pluck? or is it the Indian sun that enervates the mind as well as the body? Be it as it may, we generally find, our boys and girls are obedient, good-natured, happy, and loving. On the other hand, we must constantly be on our guard and watch that lying, stealing, laziness, and other little foxes don’t creep in and spoil our vines. Working among “ His little ones” has its encouragements. How often we see the souls awaken ing, the real and earnest desire to be good and virtuous, to do the right and shun the wrong. And then what a little it takes to gladden these children’s hearts, for instance, a little trip and picnic to an out-station — what a shouting and rejoicing there is about it! — or else an invitation to a wedding feast, or christening, or again a distribution of sweets in honour of somebody’s birthday — not to mention Christmas, the delight of all delights! In these different Orphanages 626 girls and boys were fed, clothed and schooled at the cost of Rs. 18,780. This is reckoned at the rate of Rs. 30 per head per year. The school-fees paid by parents and guardians did not amount to Rs. 1000. We have finished our review of the Basel Mission Church in India. The picture drawn is gloomy, and our friends will 56 ask: Is this the truth? Is there nothing better to be said? Yes. there would be, if the human eye could discern the beauty of the hidden life in the heart. Or if the uneventful every day life of the godly, virtuous Christian would be made the subject of the report. But as we can only report about the prominent features, the incidents visible to the human eye, our apology for the gloominess of the picture must be what the Rev. M. Schaxblb remarks in his report about Mangalore: “ The Church in this world resembles a tree overgrown by a parasitic creeper. This parasite, which draws the sap and life of the tree, attracts the eyes of the spectator, so that he does not notice the tree; but there it is, alive and strong, and there are hands at work to clear it of all parasitic growth, and to preserve and strengthen its life.”
III. EVANGELISTIC WORK.
Our chief means, to show the way of salvation to the people of this country and to win them for Christ, has always been and is still preaching. Oar Missionaries and Indian fellow- workers go to the streets and bazaars of the towns, to the markets round about, to the fairs in their districts, or wher ever the people can be gathered together to listen to their message. They travel from village to village. In South-Mahratta and on the Hills, where in every village the people live close together, they gather the villagers by music and singing, or through the friendly assistance of the Patel, either round the village peepal tree or near a temple, or wherever they are invited to sit down and preach or talk to them. Along the coast and on the Ghats the work is done in a different way. There every farmer or tenant lives with his family on his farm in the midst of a beautiful palm garden. The preachers of the Gospel have to go from house to house 57
to deliver their divine message. Addressing a crowd is no doubt a more satisfactory way of preaching. The very sight of a large audience inspires with zeal and courage. On the other hand, visiting from house to house has also its advant ages. The messenger of the Gospel can deal personally with the individual soul, he gets into closer contact with the people: all the inmates of the house, even the women and children can be reached. In course of time he will find many houses, where he is received kindly, and can talk to the in mates as a friend to friends. This house-to-house visiting is also the only way, our lady Missionaries and Bible-women can bring the glad tidings of full and free salvation to their Indian sisters. An excellent opportunity to preach to a large assembly is kindly offered to us by many Planters on the Hills and in Coorg. We are invited to address the coolies at roll call for half an hour about once a month; and we may talk with them, after their work is finished and they return to their homes. It is very difficult to give a correct estimate of the evangelistic work done during the year, as no statistics are kept of the number of addresses delivered, the villages and houses visited, or the people spoken to. Every worker is expected to do his duty, as a true servant of Christ, not eye- service, but heart-service. Anyhow the work done in the districts can be estimated to some extent by the number of days spent in travelling: The 25 Missionaries who are appointed chiefly for itinerating, spent together 2,100 days in the district, average 84 days; the 8 Evangelists nearly 1,600 days, average 200; the 83 itinerating Catechists 10,750, average 130 days. The number of converts baptised during the year was 255; just as many candidates were under instruction at the end of the year. These poor figures do not represent fully the real results of all our efforts made during the year.
8 58
What do we work for? We have taken our stand in and for the Kingdom of God, that means, we have decided always to side with, and fight for truth and righteousness, honesty and purity, godliness and brotherly love, by our word and life; and to make the people of this country nobler and happier men and women, by calling them to be citizens of this same kingdom. Therefore we entreat them in our addresses and conversations to leave the road of deceit and immorality, to give up caste-pride and selfishness, to turn away from all forms of worship and all teachings and stories of the deity, which degrade man and are blasphemous to the Holy One. We offer full pardon by faith in Christ to those, who look back with shame and remorse upon a sinful and misspent life. We show them a better life, a nobler purpose, a sure road to bliss in the fellowship of Jesus; and we tell them of the divine power and the new heart offered us in the Spirit of Christ. The seventy years’ work of our Mission has had a far reaching influence upon the people of the districts we work in, and has contributed much to bring about the change, which has also been the noble aim of the Christian Government of this land, of Christian education and Western civilisation: We have helped to enlighten the mind, awaken the conscience, to transform the ideas and to raise the standard of life among Hindus and Mohammedans, and hope to do it still more intensively and extensively. There are, of course, people sunk in gross materialism, in money-making and pleasure-seeking, and similar ambitions, who can’t understand how men can devote the best part of their lives for such an ideal purpose. Scornfully they ask: “ How much are you paid for every man or woman, whose caste you have ruined?” There are also such, who consider change of religion a paying business-transaction, and believe in 59 selling their souls as dearly as possible. For instance, a man expressed to Mr. V og t, the itinerating Missionary of Dharwar, his wash to become a Christian, at the same time complaining about his debts and difficulties. The Missionary offered to receive 8 of his boys into our schools as free boarders. He did not think this sufficient help and hinted that he was not to be had for less than Rs. 100 cash. As his request was not granted, he disappeared.
M r . V ogt uses a grammophone on his manjr journies to bring the people together. Soon large crowds gather round him, sometimes even the whole village. When he or the Evangelist preaches, they listen quietly and intently to the message brought to them, and afterwards eagerly buy and read the tracts and Scripture portions he offers. Many of those who had heard him preach in their villages, visited him afterwards, when they came to Dharwar on business, and asked him to explain some difficult Bible passages they could not under stand; or else they wanted to hear more about the way of salvation, or the life after death, or other religious questions.
On the bazaar they sometimes told Mr. M a y e r that he was very welcome to preach morality, but not to bother them with his new religion. They forget the wisdom of their own pro verb: “ Just as the king so are his subjects, as the god so are his worshippers” .
In Hubli, a reading and preaching hall was opened in the bazaar by Mr. B e r l i. Every Thursday evening from 40 to 70 people gather to listen to the lectures. Not only religious, but also moral and social questions are discussed, such as “ Child- marriage” , “ Temperance” etc. etc.
In the district Mr. M e tzler often used the magic lantern to gather a large audience, and by the aid of the beautiful Biblical pictures was able to tell them about the life and
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parables of Christ. In his preaching he offered them purely Biblical truth, and tried to avoid attacking Hinduism. But one day a man, who had been listening intently, replied: “If your teaching is true, the gods our fathers taught us to worship are false. Are we to suppose, that our fathers were such fools?” Sometimes opponents by a distortion of facts and logic try to prove that Christ and Krishna are one, to have an excuse for continuing in a religion and leading a life, which is the very opposite of Christ’s life and teaching.
In the neighbourhood of Bettigeri the Missionaries found an open door in Lakshmeshvar, a town belonging to the Miraj
State. A man of the Holeya caste heard Mr. V ogt preach in a neighbouring village and was deeply impressed, and asked him to bring the Gospel to his community in Lakshmeshvar. At the appointed hour all the men were assembled, the women and girls standing a little apart. With eagerness they received the message of God’s saving love to the lost and lowest, and the call to a new and better life. They showed Air. Vogt their temple and asked him to use the hall attached to it as a school to instruct their children in the truth. He gladly consented, and soon began to repair the building, when he received an order from the Mamlatdar, forbidding the repair and use of the same as a school, as it was Government property. He then opened a school in a private building in the quarters of the shoemakers. But this also had to be closed, when plague broke out in November and drove the people out of the town. Since, Brahmins, Lingaits and other caste people too have asked for Mission Schools, where English would be taught. There have always been Bible readers in this town for many years, and the inhabitants have gained a reputation for their kind behaviour towards the Missionaries and their interest in the Christian religion. The women also showed a friendly 61
attitude towards the Missionary ladies, who worked there about a fortnight with the Bible-women. We hope to do a good work in this town and trust, the same liberty for religious activity will be granted to us here as we enjoy in English territory: not any special help to promote the cause of Chris tianity— we can’t expect that — but an honest neutrality, in deed as well as in word, which is the criterion of a civilised and liberal Government.
In the Guledgudd district Mr. L u t h y and his workers seldom find opposition, but often great eagerness to hear the Gospel. In some villages the Brahmins not only listened well, but called others to hear the Word. In some places several men talked of embracing Christianity, but through some counteracting influence they changed their minds.
If one compares the reports written some 15 or 16 years ago about the Bijapur district, with the present attitude of the people, one can’t help being struck by the startling change that has been wrought. Where the Mission-workers used to be sent away with scorn, they are now received with love and joy. Instead of dull indifference, we find a decided stand for or against Christianity. This result is to be ascribed chiefly to the written Word of God and to tracts. There is only one
Missionary, Mr. B r a u n , in this large district; he can hardly visit a village oftener than once in 3 years. We have already reported about the awakening in Konnur. When the second enquirer asked for baptism, his old father, though himself first opposed to this new doctrine, said, he would not in any way hinder his finding salvation for his soul.
Mr. L u t z, the Missionary of Honavar, has made the experience that the surest way to win the confidence of the Hindus is to do justice to their religion by acknowledging what is good in it, and making this the starting point to lead 62 them to the full and perfect light which is found in Christ Jesus. He justly remarks that the Hindu is more "religious” than the European, but instead of using his religion to raise his morality, he lets his immorality debase his religion. This defect has been felt keenly at all times by many earnest Indian thinkers who loved their nation. As a counter action the many Samajas have sprung up during the last century, and cry out for reforms. It is a pity that at the same time they tend to counteract the wholesome influence of Christianity; for in their zeal to preserve Hinduism, they assume a more or less hostile attitude towards the Christian religion, to w hose divine Teacher they owTe their best.
In Mangalore the emissary of the Brahma Samaj started a school in Nireshvalya, near one of our Mission Schools, and warned his followers not to send their children to the latter. Howrever, whether these reformers work with or against us, we are confident that they will in the end help to pave the way for Christ in India, by pulling dowrn the barriers of caste and fostering purer notions of God and a higher standard of morality. But a philosophically construed religion, like theirs, won’t satisfy for long the truly religious mind, wrhich yearns for a manifestation of the living God, as is offered to the world in Christ. An experience the Missionaries made in Bantwal, near Mangalore, shows how little merely secular education in High Schools and Colleges serves to elevate and purify the mind. After the Missionaries had preached there for two days, they were interrupted on the third by a procession which carried about a giant puppet performing most obscene movements, followed by a great drum, the latter beaten by boys of the rival school; the whole said to have been instigated by college graduates! Was this performance to represent Hinduism opposing the inroads of Christianity? 68
From Mulki Mr. R it t e r reports that a number of Konkanis have decided to close their shops on Sundays, and gather in the morning. Prayers are read and lectures given on religious and social questions. They have our approval and sympathy for this new spiritual movement.
During the Pariyava festival in Udipi, the Missionaries and Catechists had the opportunity to preach Christ to many pilgrims. Many Bants (independent farmers) in the neighbouring villages have in their boyhood attended our Mission Schools. They receive the Missionaries very kindly and still know quite a number of Bible stories and texts. When a Billavar sought admittance into the Christian Church and handed over to the
Missionary, Mr. G e k e l e r , the implements of his demon-worship and had the altars of his bhutas and all that belonged to idolatry destroyed, the headman of the village also, a Bant, addressed the family, and exhorted them to leave demon-worship entirely and to live according to the true Shastra. Another Avell-to-do
Bant said to the Evangelist Mr. P r e m a y a , that in his heart he believed in Christ, but embracing Christianity publicly would mean for him, an uneducated man, hopeless beggaiy. In this caste, where the nephew, and not the son, is the heir, a man loses his share in the family property as soon as he leaves his caste. There are, however, hostile Bants, who get very angry at the sight of a preacher. Such a man threatened the Catechists with his knife, if they came near his house. “ Who has given you the authority to go from house to house and molest the people?” he shouted. But just this going from house to house is the surest way to make the Gospel message clearly understood to each individually. Some potters told the Evangelist: “ Since you come to talk to us in our houses we begin to understand your teaching. We often heard you preach on the market-days. But then other cares fill our hearts.” 64
Demon-worship is the religion of the lower classes along the coast, and even most of the higher classes live in constant dread of the bhutas. When the Evangelist of Basrur urged an old woman to leave this useless worship, she replied: “ How could I leave the gods to starve, which I have fed for 60 years?” Another woman feared the vengeance of the bhutas, if she would turn away from them, to serve the living God. The Evangelist encouraged her by reminding her of the proverb: “ Those who ride on elephants, need not be afraid of dogs.” He reports also about an enlightened Brahmin Patel, who advises his tenants not to turn to demons in times of illness, as they could not save their lives. Alas! such Brahmins are rare. As a rule they foster superstitions among the lower classes, partly in order to keep them down, partly because they fear the bhutas as well.
When the Evangelist of Kasaragod once deprecated demon- worship, a woman begged: “ Don’t speak evil of bhutas in this house, else we must suffer for it, only last year they killed my son.” He asked her whether she had never heard the message of the servants of Christ. She answered, she had seen them preaching at fairs, but she had been told that they were men who wanted to spoil their caste and make them Parias. He then showed her that the uncleanness of our hearts makes us Parias, and that Jesus has come to cleanse our hearts and make us highborn children of God. To a similar statement a Brahmin replied: “ We have enough means in our religion to get cleansing from our sins. Only by leaving our caste and changing our religion, we commit a sin for which there is no propitiation.”
Caste-pride is much stronger in the southern part of South-Canara than in the north. Even the so-called lower castes despise the Christian preacher and won’t allow him to draw 65 water from their wells. But often the aversion gives way slowly to sympathy and even friendship. Once our Catechists came to a village late in the evening, and asked for lodging in a house, to which they had been recommended. They were refused as outcastes. After they had sat there for an hour in the dark, a place was found for them on the verandah. When they wanted to leave next morning, thej- were invited to stay, and so they stayed on for 10 days. When they parted, the people were very sorry, and said: “ You have become to us like members of our family; come again soon.”
In Malabar the influence of Christianity is manifested not only by a good number of converts (102 in 1904), but also by violent opposition in some quarters and by the great efforts of the educated classes to propagate a reformed and purified Hinduism by the Brahma and Upasana Sanaa], by the Press and by lectures. Mrs. B e san t gave new impulse to these efforts by delivering addresses in the principal towns of Malabar. By adorning her phantastical ideas with feathers borrowed from Hindu philosophy, and by flattering the national pride ,of the Hindus, she won the hearts of the Malayalis, and was worshipped as the incarnation of Sarasvati. It is an old experience that the prophets who flatter and praise and say peace, peace! are preferred to those who preach the bitter truth and warn, and advocate a radical reform. A pleader, who rejoices in his .Christian faith, has sometimes religious discussions with his colleagues, but finds it difficult to convince them of the truth of Christianity by logic or by historical proofs or even by recurring to its ethical superiority; because, they say, one can also find great moral earnestness outside the borders of Christianity. And be it said to our shame that there is often a great lack of this earnestness among- us. Is it any wonder that a Nayar objected to a 9 66
Missionary comparing Hinduism with darkness and Christianity with light, by saying: “ How is it that you find also fruits of light among us and deeds of darkness in your community?” The answer is not very difficult. In the first place Hinduism is a conglomeration, so to speak, of darkness, dawn and light, unrivalled in this respect by any other religion. In it the most sublime and the most obscene are placed side by side as canonical truth, as moral principle. In it the basest immorality and the loftiest moral aspirations, the grossest idolatry and the grandest notions of God find room and justification. To an unbiassed mind it is clear that a mixture of poisonous and wholesome ingredients is poisonous. And it is difficult to understand, how an educated Hindu can write in a tract that on behalf of this mixture Hinduism was superior to other religions, and destined to be the universal religion — this in the face of the fact that Hindu religion in its best form always has professed and professes to be an exclusive religion which forbids propaganda. Christianity, on the other hand, has a just claim to be called only Light, because it utterly excludes darkness. For, wherever in the course of historical events deeds of darkness are recorded, they are related as historical facts, and the Bible does not fail to pronounce judgment upon them as ungodly. In the second place, if many of those who profess to be Christians are immoral, it is evident that they are so in direct contradiction to the precepts and principles of Christianity, which are clearly and unmistakably on the side of righteousness and holiness. And if, on the other hand, the moral character of some Hindus of olden and modern times deserves the highest praise, we rejoice to see that these men and women, guided by the divine light and voice in their hearts, turned awa}r from the base and misleading conceptions of Hinduism, and embraced that which is good in it. But a wise man, who 67 wishes to see his sons grow up noble and virtuous, won’t give them a tutor who, though teaching good moral principles, not only excuses, but even justifies folly, wickedness and vice in his pupils. Therefore from a true love of India and her people we, with the best conscience, can and must offer to the Hindus — not our denominations and creeds, our dogmas and imaginations — but Christ, the Christ of the Bible, as the best Friend, the true Guide to perfection and bliss, and their Saviour, as He has been the Saviour of the Western nations.
Mr. R en sc h le r , the itinerating Missionary of Calicut, finds that the attitude of the Malayalis has changed remarkably during the last decades. A Hindu pleader, with whom be had a conversation, said that there was no incarnation as pure and sublime as that of Christ. Another pleader exalted Christ, but blamed the Missionaries for their intolerance. Again another educated Hindu said to him: “ Nothing stands between me and Christianity, except my family ties.” Many approve of their friends and relatives having joined the Christian Church, and wish, God would grant them the courage and pave them the way to do the same. Most of the converts have come from the Tiyars, and more are to be expected. But there are also many Nayars, who are friendly towards the Missionary and tell him: “ Your message is good indeed; in course of time we will all, no doubt, accept it.” But they wait for a general movement, in which they expect the higher castes to take the
lead. An old Tantan, who received Mr. W a l t e r of Vaniyan- kulam and his Catechists into his house, regularly attended their evening prayer and anxiously enquired, how he could find the happiness in life and the fearlessness and peace in death, that he had seen in God’s children. When they departed, he embraced his guests with tears and asked them to come
9 * 68 again. Even a Brahmin priest confessed to Mr. Walter: “ The Bible is a good book, which everybody should read.” He himself reads it with earnest interest.
Mr. S c h il l in g finds the greatest indifference among the weaver caste. Their young folk delight in embarrassing the preachers by rude behaviour. In the south of Malabar many people of the fisher-caste every year join the Maplas, and many women, in order to have a safe accouchement, vow their babies to Mohammedanism. In order to make Christ known to the Maplas, who in many cases from want of better knowledge, are fanatical enemies of Christianity, we have got the Gospel of Luke translated into Mapla Malayalam and printed in Arabic characters. The first edition had a rapid sale.
Among the proud Coorgs also the Missionaries find on the one hand unwarrantable hostility, as expressed in the remark: “ In former times famine and plague were unknown here; they have come into our land with Christianity; ” on the other hand the acknowledgment that their sin and unrighteousness is the source of their misery, and that the Christian religion would be the means of their healing. The work among the coolies on the plantations is not very satisfactory, as they often change. We can sow the seed by our occasional preaching at roll-call, but we can’t attend to its growth. Yet the questions they often put to the Missionaries in the evenings, show that they listen attentively and that our work is not in vain.
On the Nilgiris the conversion of some Badagas this year again roused a storm of persecution which could only be suppressed by the help of the police. One young enquirer was threatened, and disappeared. In most cases Badagas are A BADAQA TEMPLE ON THE NILAGIRIS. 69
indifferent to our preaching. Though they complain of hard times, they have plenty of money to spend on their temples and idol worship.
From Ootac.amund Mr. Stie r visited the Wynaad and found the work among the jungle tribes of the simple Kurumbas especially interesting. Some j7oung men have learnt to read and relate Bible stories, which they do in a very dramatic manner. It is of great importance to overcome the prejudice of the
begotted women of India. Mr. S ch illin g reports that in several houses, where the men listened quietly, some old hag would come and drive them away, by running about the room and gesticulating like a demon, abusing furiously those who listened and those who preached.
Such cases as the above would hardly happen in towns, where the Missionary ladies and Bible-women have worked among the female population. They, on the contrary, have to complain that now and again the men in the house have forbidden them to speak with their women, who would otherwise have gladly listened to their message. In Chombala a Nayar told the women in his house not to have anything t.o do with our Christian women; but at the same time he bought for them portions of the Bible saying, it was the best book for them to read. In the same village there was a poor woman who was always ailing; she went about begging, and all the alms she collected she sent to Benares in hopes of getting well. The Bible-wqjnen told her to give this up and instead pray to the living God. She confessed later on : " I have done as you told me; I did not get well, but I have found peace in my heart.” In Vaniyankulam a woman had treated the Bible-women in a very unfriendly manner; but they won her heart by 70 visiting her often during a time of sickness. Since then she gladly listens to their Bible readings.
In Tellicherry a woman, who had often listened to God’s Word in days of health, longed even more for it in dajTs of sickness and trouble. When she and her daughter were suffering from consumption, she sent for the Bible-women and begged that they should come oftener to read to them. Her daughter on her deathbed testified: “ I am no more afraid to die. I know I shall go to God. ” Since then the whole family loves God’s Word. These and many similar instances make Mrs. F k o h n m e y e r confident that her 18 years’ work with the Bible-women has borne and will still bear fruit.
Miss E hrensperger in Calicut also rejoices to have found some houses, where she is welcomed as a friend and where the women listen to the Bible with hearty interest, though she has made the experience that those who delight in the “ narrow path” are few. Nayar wromen are very interested, as long as she talks to them about Europe or things of general interest. But as soon as she begins to read the Bible, they say, they have house-work, and disappear one after the other. An old Nayar-woman was very kind and friendly in the beginning; but when the conversation turned to religious matters she said, she had a day of fasting and had to go to the temple, and would lose all the blessing of the day, if she would listen to the Christian Shastra. Brahmin women, and especially the widows amongst them, are as a rule very self-righteous, and believe that their caste guarantees them salvation. Among the Tiyar women interest for spiritual things is very rare. An old Tiyar woman told the Bible-women: “ Stop reading to me, I can’t keep God’s commandments; therefore it is better I don’t hear them. ” IV. EDUCATIONAL MISSION WORK. One of the best means to prepare hearts for the Gospel message, are the schools. For here not only can we sow the good seed into fresh, good soil, but through the children we often come in touch with their parents. Miss B e c k , the lady Principal of the Brahmin Girls’ School in Mangalore, says that through her girls she has access to houses, which would be closed to the Bible-women. When the girls leave the school, they very often enter the sewing class for Brahmin women, and thus remain in contact with her and under the influence of the Word of God.
To Mr. L ü t h i a father praised the good influence of the Mission School on his son. He said, he behaved better and wras more obedient since he wTent to school. Many enlightened Hindus value the good religious and moral influence of the Mission Schools. A highly respected and well educated Hindu gentleman in Dharwar, wiien asked, whether it wras on account of the religious training and Scripture lessons he had withdrawn his sons from the Mission High School, answered : ‘£ Certainly not, I even appreciate your religious instruction ; but I find the secular teaching in your school deficient.” It is all the more gratifying to read in the last report of the Educational Inspector, that under the newr Head Master Mr. M ukherjt “ the school seems to recover lost ground” .
Some educated Hindus in Tellicherry, in approval of the good work done by the Mission among the lowr castes through the Cherumar School in Erinyoli, sent the Manager some money to distribute as Christmas prizes among the boys. In many stations we have Sunday Schools for Hindu and Mohammedan children, where only Scripture lessons are taught. They are as a rule very well attended by boys and girls. In 72
Calicut a Hindu master of a private school has put his school
room at the disposal of Mr. R e n z for a Sunday School. Even grown up people often come and listen with interest to the Bible stories and hymns that are taught to the children. Most of our Missionaries in charge of schools testify that this branch of mission-work is very promising: —
Miss M e t zg e r , in charge of the Girls’ High School in Calicut, says that her girls are not only willing and eager to learn, and cleaner and tidier in their person, but that some of them are deeply impressed by the religious instruction they receive. A pity that so many of these girls, on behalf of their marriages, are taken from school long before their education ¿s in any way complete!
Mr. W ie l a k d ’s experience is that among the Badagas, those who have gone through our Mission Schools, remain friends of the Mission. Their hearts are best prepared to understand and receive the Word of God.
Rev. Dr. J. M e y e r is happy to report that some of the Cherumar boys in Erinyoli, after passing out of the school, still attend the Bible lessons. The Managers of the different High Schools unanimously state that the non-Christian students follow their Bible lessons with keen interest, and put questions and give answers, which prove that they think about what they learn. But,
Mr. S chosser adds, the higher they rise and the nearer they get to the Matriculation Examination, the more the anxiety to prepare for the same stifles all other interests. So from a Missionary point of view, Primary Schools are of more value than High Schools. But they are of value only if the master is a true Christian, who not only teaches the boys the Bible stories and texts by rote, but impresses on their hearts the eternal truth and the divine commandments contained in them • 73
The number of Basel Mission Primary Schools for non- Christians is as follows:— Canara 30 (including 4 for girls), South-Mahratta 16 (including 2 for girls), Malabar 23 (including 2 for girls) and on the Nilgiris 29. Lower Secondary Schools: In Canara 6 (including 1 for girls), South-Mahratta 1, Malabar 6. High Schools: In Canara 2, South-Mahratta 1, Malabar 3 and 1 for girls. Besides, all the congregational Schools and Christian High Schools mentioned above are open to non-Christians also. Though many parents appreciate our religious instruction and good Christian influence upon the minds of their children, there are, of course, many more, who dislike and oppose Mission Schools on this behalf and warn others against their influence. A Brahmin in the Kasaragod district took his son away from the Mission School, because Mr. B or el insisted on his attending the Scripture lessons like the others.
Mr. P f l e id e r e r , the Manager of the B. G. M. High School in Mangalore, is grieved to state that the school has grown unpopular in spite of its good teaching staff, its impartial treatment of boys of all castes and ranks, and its good order and excellent examination results: 7 out of 8 passed in the Primary, 8 out of 10 in the Lower Secondary, and 8 out of 18 in Matriculation. He believes the sole reason for this unpopularity is its “ Missionary tendency” . We have already mentioned that the Brahma Samâj (e. c. in the West Coast Spectator) warns the people not to send their children into Mission Schools, as they tend to turn the heads of India’s young generation. Mrs. Besant calls upon the Hindus to establish their own schools, as in Mission Schools their children’s religion was blasphemed, and their moral principles undermined. More just and accurate is what the 10 74
Indian Journal of Education remarks: “ In the last analysis the motive of Missionary education, with all its excellence and philanthropy, is conversion .... There is a strong feeling on the part of advanced Hindus against Mission Schools every where at present, which takes definite practical shape in the so-called national institutions that are springing up every where. ”
We are sure that no true Missionary would ever conceal the fact that the sole object of Mission Schools and that, which alone justifies their existence—if not “ conversion” —is instilling into the hearts of the young the religious ideas, and the moral principles taught and followed out by Jesus Christ, with the hope that, in course of time, these ideas and principles will lead to the conversion of India. — Do we wrong India by working for this ideal? Do wre promote any selfish object by doing so? It may be said of Roman Catholic Missions that they seek to promote the powrer of their Church, the authority of then- priests and bishops, or of the pope. But no truly Protestant Church believes in the authority of priests or church- rule. No Evangelical Mission wishes to know7 of any other power, but the regenerating and ennobling power and influence of the Word and Spirit of God.
Another paper rejoices to see the national pride of India awake, to shake off the Mission School, which w7as good enough as a “ temporary assistant for higher-caste education” , and may still do for some time “ for outcaste work” , until the glorious time will come, w7hen “ dogmatism in England” will have so “ decreased” that “ the subscriptions to Missionary bodies will fall short of their requirements” — even for outcaste - edu cation.— O blinded India! that thou dost not understand what serves to thy peace! That thou dost not see that they are thy friends, wrho spend and give their money to make 75 thee rich without taking anything from thee in return, who send their noblest, purest, unselfish and true-hearted men and women to raise thee up from the mire and to make thee a noble and enlightened nation! Has pure, biblical Christianity ever been anti-national? Has not the religion of Christ been the chief factor to make the Western nations, especially the Protestants, intellectually, religiously, moralfy and politically free, strong and superior to other nations? Will it not do the same for India?
V. MEDICAL MISSION.
Dr. W. St o k e s, in charge of the Mission Hospital at Calicut, reports of satisfactory progress. The number of out-patients was 12461 (viz. 5032 Christians, 5756 Hindus, 1678 Moham medans), with 24984 consultations, daily average 103-36. The in-patients numbered 284. Of these 38 were treated in the Women’s Hospital Bethlehem. Together they spent 3629 days in Hospital; of these 153 were Christians, 119 Hindus, 12 Mohammedans. There were 46 major operations with anesthetics. 17 deaths occurred. Two of these were especially sad, as life could have been saved, had not the pride of their Christian relatives prevented them from sending the patients to the Hospital in time. This prejudice against the lying-in Hospital is, however, decreasing through the recommendation of those who have enjoyed its care and comfort. There are also hopeful signs that the prejudice of the higher castes against Hospital treatment is on the decline. Not only men, but also women seek more and more advice and help in the Mission Hospital. Very often the educated men of those classes are • enlightened enough, but their hands are tied by their women folk.
10* 76
One Sudra woman came to the Hospital, accompanied by her mother, 4 male relatives and a cook. They all settled down in Bethlehem to tend to the patient — a thing not per missible according to European notions, but to the Hindu mind quite the correct thing to do, a proper exhibition of sympathy. This custom gives us a great opportunity; for are not these people under Missionary influence and teaching for many days together?
A Nayar woman of a good family was very much impressed by God’s Word, which she had heard for the first time. She thankfully accepted a Bible, when she left the Hospital. The doctor considers it his privilege, as well as duty, to point his patients to the Great Physician, the Helper in all need. Many a heart has been awakened, many self-righteous ones have acknowledged their sinfulness. The love of God, which has been daily preached, has found an echo in many hearts. The understanding and acceptance of the Gospel read to them by the Catechist and Bible-woman is very different; for there are all classes of hearers represented among the out-patients, for instance, the grandly-dressed Nayar and the dirty Paria, the shy and cleanly dressed Christian girl, and the bold and filthy Mapla woman. But they all listen more or less quietly to the Catechist, and many ask him to pray for their recovery. Every one who wishes to be treated, has to take off his amulets. The doctor has quite a collection of these foolish and abominable charms.
The majority of patients are poor people, who can’t pay for their treatment. They are attended to for Christ’s sake, for a Mission Hospital is and must be a charitable institution. Our reward is the gratitude and joy of the healed, the comfort and relief offered to the suffering and dying. One meets sometimes with ungratefulness and arrogance among our 77
Christians, they behave as if the Hospital-workers were their servants and the Hospital their property, started and main tained by their money. But on the whole it is gratifying- to see proofs of thankfulness among Christians and Hindus.
Mr. P. Ch a n d r e n , Hospital Assistant in charge of the Branch Hospital at Codacal, registered 4051 consultations and
50 in-patients; and in Vaniyankulam Mr. S. P a u l had 8921 consultations and 95 in-patients. In the Leper Asylum on the Chevayur hill near Calicut, the heart of the visitor will be touched by seeing side b}’ side misery and happiness, pain and peace. The patients are very thankful for any sign of sympathy and love. Some rice-fields belong to the Asylum. The lepers can’t work them for them selves, but they follow the different stages with interest, and are highly delighted, when after the harvest they each receive a measure of new rice, to do what they7 like with. The}' are very thankful for the comfort and hope offered them in the Gospel. Four were baptised during the year (cf. page 48). An unknown friend of the lepers in Europe gave 10,000 francs to build a chapel and another ward for the patients. The chapel was finished, and consecrated in the beginning of 1905. During the year, 46 patients were treated, 8 died, 14 left, and there were 15 new-comers, leaving 26 inmates at the end of the year.
A trial was made with Dr. R ost’s Leprolin. A boy of 15 in the first stage of leprosy got 3 injections of the serum, one a week. A marked improvement followed. But when Dr. Stokes wrote for another supply to continue the treatment, he received the reply that Government had stopped the sale until its reliability was proved by further experiments. Dr. Stokes heartily thanks all the kind friends of the Mission Hospital and Leper Asylum for their donations and gifts of linen, clothes, medicines and instruments. 78
In South-Mahratta Rev. Dr. Z e r w e c k is in charge of the Medical Mission at Bettigeri. His Hospital has been greatly improved by a Mangalore tiled roof, tiled flooring and better ventilation, and presents now a neat and pleasant appearance. All the months, that the repairs were going on, no in-patients could be received. Their number therefore was small, only 32. There were 52 operations. Out-patients numbered 1783, with 10918 consultations.
Dr. Zerweck is pleased to have experienced many signs of gratitude from Hindu and Mohammedan patients. A weaver, who was too poor to pay for an operation, presented him with a model of a four-storied palace made from pith; it was areal piece of art. He said it had taken him three months to do, as he was only able to work at it in the evenings, after his day's work was done.
Prejudice is giving way to confidence, which is evidenced by the increasing number of female patients, accouchements, and especially the many house-visits, which amounted to 219, besides 181 made by the Hospital Assistants. This is the most important and interesting part of the work, and Dr. Zerweck has the impression that in families, where he has been a frequent visitor, the sick are more rationally treated, and even higher caste Hindus have the courage to follow his advice, without regard to caste prejudices, though he very often experiences the opposite. For instance, a young Brahmin woman came to the Hospital with inflammation of the hip-joint; she was bandaged and very soon felt relief. But the next day her father came and demanded the removal of the bandages, as his daughter refused to eat, unless according to the usual Brahmin custom she could bathe before and after meals. All persuasion and reasoning was in vain. The whole company disappeared during the night, taking the bandage with them. 79
Again plague raged in the district. 97 cases were treated in the Hospital. It is a pity, people are so unwilling to make use of the harmless and reliable preventative offered them in serum-inoculation. Then the indifference and opposition of both Hindus and Mohammedans against all suggestions and efforts to improve the sanitary condition of towns and villages under the pretence of caste rule, religion and other excuses, is the chief reason why this epidemic can’t be extirpated from India. In fact they have got quite accustomed to it, and have their festivals and fairs just the same; and if they are seized by it, they look upon it as then- inevitable fate. It is very strange that in spite of the warm, dry climate of South-Mahratta, mam7 cases of consumption are met with. Epilepsy, mental derangements and hysteria are also common. A girl, who imagined she could not use her limbs, was cured by an electric current, and was as nimble as possible, if only threatened by a second application. In many cases mental derangement is caused by poisoning, opium, and ganja smoking. Sometimes one meets with sad cases of blindness,, caused by pungent drugs, used by some unconscientious quack. It is very unpleasant for a doctor to be present at the death of a patient, whom the best medical skill or care could not have saved. Just before, the relatives have been calling him father and preserver of their lives, falling at his feet and entreating him to ward off death. But when death is there, they lose all self-control, and abuse him meanly. In such moments of mad wailing, the utter hopelessness of materialism (for the so-called religion of heathenism is nothing better) reveals itself. Onh’ Christian faith and hope can make life truly happy and death peaceful. We deeply regret the death of the Hospital Compounder, Mr. Sh., from plague on the 24th November. He took ill 80
on the 17th. The buboes were operated, but a severe cough showed that also his lungs were affected, and internal treatment was of no avail. He suffered much, but bore it in quiet submission to God’s will. His one answer to all our inquiries was: “ I’m feeling better.” When his relatives were told that he had plague, the}' wanted to forsake him, had not Dr. Zerweck reasoned with them; and then when death drew near, they wanted to carry him away had he not strongly appealed to their human mercy. Sh. had become free from all religious and caste prejudices during the two years he had served in the Hospital. He died peacefully in child like trust in our God and Saviour, undisturbed by the weep ing and wailing usual at heathen deathbeds. God grant that this first death from plague in our Hospital may be the last.
We here take the opportunity of thanking the many Doctors and Hospital Assistants, who have generously and kindly treated our Missionaries as well as members of om- ■congregation and the children in our Orphanages in times of sickness. We regret to record the death of Dr. Cardoz of Hubli, who has for many years been the friend and medical adviser of our Missionaries in South-Mahratta. Our Hubli congregation too will miss his kindness and friendly help.
VI. INDUSTRIAL MISSION.
Malabar and Oanara are the only districts, where we have Industrial Establishments.
The Malabar Mission Industrial Establishments enjoyed a good and steady business year. Of course, in every branch there are a few months of the year during which the business TILE WORKS IN CALICUT.