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The Baptist Mission in India.

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him from his purpose. He returned | me by the king." Led, we trust by a Divine guide, Prince Mirza has at length declared himself on the Lord's side. One rich Moslem, connected by marriage with the late king, offered a bribe of one hundred rupees and ten rupees monthly to a native christian, who is the husband of a granddaughter of the late king, if he would persuade Prince Mirza against becoming a christian.

a blessing for a curse, love for enmity. This divine, this living love, at length wrought its will, and on a recent visit to the village by the Rev. T. Evans, it was found that fifty families had become his friends, and had even willingly endured the loss of caste on account of their adherence to Subha Chund. One of his adversaries thus expressed his impression of the change that the gospel had wrought in him. "Before, he was a rough rope of hemp, but now he is become a smooth silken cord." One man, an evident but hesitating believer in Christ, said, "I have come to the cross, and I stand to consider whether I can carry it or not."

Another conversion of no little interest is that of one of the princes of the house of Delhi, Prince Mirza Feroze Shah. He is a nephew of the late king, and the only remaining member in Delhi of the great house of Timour, who can lay claim to pure royal blood. He is a man of studious habits, and has for years been engaged in comparing the Koran with the Bible. He used to sit for hours together at the feet of our late missionary, the Rev. J. Thompson, and was more than once threatened with his uncle's royal displeasure for introducing christian topics into his conversation at the Court of Delhi. After Mr. Thompson's death he frequently sought conversation with our martyred native brother, Walayat Ali, and at the outbreak of the mutiny Walayat's wife and children found a temporary refuge in his house. Since then he has written a tract on the divinity of Christ, and endured much persecution from the mohammedans. When asked by Mr. Evans if at the time of his acquaintance with Mr. Thompson he really believed in Christ, he said, "I did fully believe that Christ was the Saviour, but I did not then see my own need of Him, nor could I at that time be persuaded to make an open profession of Christ, and forfeit 500 rupees a month allowed

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Not less interesting is the conversion of a man in the district of Backergunge from among the lowest ranks of the social scale. Long had Joy Kishto exercised his gift as a singer in the temple and at the festivals of the idol-gods of his native land. Wherever the praises of the wicked Krishna were to be sung, there assuredly would Joy Kishto appear. By and bye he was attracted to the little chapel at Koligaon by the singing there. He listened. He came again and again. The tunes pleased him, but the sentiments of the hymns he could not understand. He entered the chapel. The narratives of the Old Testament interested him, and the preacher's explanations brought light into his mind. Then the sorrows and suffer. ings of Christ engrossed his attention. There was no narrative like this, he thought. At times he could think of nothing else. One day he went to a young native preacher who could write verses, and begged for a hymn on the death of Christ. "I have a tune for the hymn," he said. He obtained his wish, and was heard to sing scarcely anything else. He then sought another hymn, and on the same subject. Now Joy Kishto seemed happy, and never happier than when he was singing how Christ lived and died for us. His home became a place of prayer, and he sought to lead his wife to the Saviour. Brahmin and mussalman found in him an ardent opponent, and on Mr. Page's arrival Joy Kishto joyfully presented himself openly to assume the profession of the christian name.

Of a different character, but

similarly illustrative of the power of the gospel to subdue the heart of every variety of hindoo caste, are the conversions recorded by the Rev. R. Bion. A man called a baul came in his wanderings to Jangalia. The mahant (the head of a kind of college) there, who had hitherto been an adversary of the gospel, was delighted to see this man with his long hair, small tinkling bells on his feet, and long necklace, with his poita, or brahminical thread. He thought by the means of this devotee of idols to drive the christians of the village away. The mahant then made over several houses to the baul, called him his guru (or religious teacher), and worshipped him. Curiosity brought the baul into contact with the native converts. At first he argued with them. Then his visits became frequent and open, and it was apparent that some word of Divine truth had fastened on his heart. He shared his gifts of milk and sweetmeats with the christians, and at length announced himself as ready to follow Christ. He cut off the long matted hair which hung down to his knees, divested himself of his silver ornaments, gave his necklace and poita to the missionary, and in the presence of numerous spectators, some of whom wept, was baptized. Soon after this the mahant too became a changed and humble man, and after a probation of some months was admitted, with his wife, into the church of God. Both these men in their heathen state had a large body of disciples and followers, and their conversion cannot but have a salutary effect on their minds.

tion might be of the happiest and most beneficial character. I hope the Bazaar was a good one, and that it answered the most sanguine expectations of the warmest friends of our College. I could wish the sequel may prove that the debt has been cleared off the premises, for I detest debts anywhere, especially in matters relating to the kingdom of Christ. I remember to have startled friends at home sometimes by telling them that of all the hundreds of thousands of hindoo temples and mohammedan mosques in this country, not one of them was in debt. The people think they owe much to their god, and as a token of their gratitude they build him a temple and generally liberally endow it so that the priest may have a good portion. Fellow-christian, how much owest thou to thy Lord? Ponder this question and don't gag conscience nor your purse either. But while we have felt anxious for the welfare of the College, it will not be matter of surprise that we have felt intensely so about the Missionnot that I am going to discuss the comparative merits of the two or to hold up one at the expense of the other; I should despise myself if I were capable of it, even as I should despise those who are. There is no need for jealousy in relation to either, and I hope there is none. I am sure there is none in the minds of their best friends and most liberal supporters, but we were especially anxious in relation to the Mission, because we learned that the Society was deeply involved in debt so much so that it was matter of question whether the Committee would be able to discharge the duties they have undertaken. However, we hope the mail that brings us

LETTER FROM RE V. tidings of the Association will also

I. STUBBINS.

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bring us tidings of the extinction of the debt on the Mission. I say the mail that brings us the tidings, for I hope there will be such a mail, though positively I hardly know where to look for the person who will avail himself of it, for we could sometimes fancy that all the good old-fashioned quill pens were flying

Letter from Rev. I. Stubbins.

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about in the air or floating about in | scarcely a Hurry Bol could be raised. the deep where no human hand I think it was the first morning after could reach them, and that Gillott my arrival a pundah came up and and all the other steel pen makers recognized me as the old sahib, and had relentlessly shut up shop and became rather loquacious about the dismissed all hands to a self-seeking efficacy of the Maha Mantra-I anything but conducive to public asked him to repeat it-"Oh, said weal. There are, however, some he, if you should hear that you whose right hand has not forgot its would be too pure to be born a sahib cunning in the use of the pen, and in the next birth, you would be born among these I cannot forbear to a hindoo." I then repeated and name my dear old friend Thomas exposed it, and he soon departed to Thirlby, of Normanton, who re- pursue his deeds of darkness. cently sent me a letter worth more Many of the people seemed really than its weight in gold, and was the concerned about their souls, and we admiration of all our Mission circle cannot but hope fruit will yet appear. here, for I sent it as a special treat The worst job that I had was the to all. last evening of our stay. I was alone against the Gorudicha temple, the temple to which Juggernath repairs with his brother and sister. Two of the cars had already been drawn up and the crowd was very large. Under these circumstances it would not have been matter of surprise if I had been rudely insulted, but instead of this the people were very respectful, only it required great effort to make myself heard by the mass that seemed anxious to hear, and having it all to myself, I had not only to preach loud but also long, and to answer every question that was put to me. Ultimately I found my voice gone and have not fully recovered it yet. So far as the festival was concerned it was the most miserable affair I have ever seen. The cars, the cloth that decorated them, the paintings, &c., were all old and very dirty and ragged. As to Juggernath and the other idols the rain had smeared or washed off the paint terribly, so that they looked in the most woebegone plight imaginable. One day when I was preaching against Soobhadra's car the painter had got his pots and brushes fresh adorning the fair lady's face which the rain had so pitilessly marred. I need not say I made a sort of text of the event, and not a few were induced to acknowledge-"true; if these were gods could they not take better care of themselves-our eyes would not wash out if buckets-full of

Well, while you were enjoying yourself, as I hope you were, at the Association, I was at that emporium of all wickedness and hatefulnessPooree. I had previously decided not to go as brother Buckley was wishful to be there, and I felt that the state of the Society's funds demanded the utmost economy; albeit, I may remark in passing, how painful and sad it is that any should be obliged to think of staying away from such important scenes of labour from the low state of Christ's exchequer among you. Buckley how ever was unable to go in consequence of small-pox in the school, so that I went. It was pleasing to spend the Lord's-day at Piplee, and see and preach to the dear people there on the way, but deeply painful to witness the traces of the hand of death in three little tombs near the chapel. The tombs, as I learned, of three of brother and sister Taylor's precious children.

On Monday morning I found my self at Pooree, enjoying the united hospitality of Bond's and Miller'sThese dear friends with Mr. Taylor and Miss Brooks had been spending the hot season there. It was the work of every day to visit the bazaar once or twice. We had almost invariably large and attentive congregations. The conduct of the people and even of the pundahs generally, contrasted very favourably with that of by-gone years

water were to fall on them, and is not God's eye as good as ours?"

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The mortality was great, but not so great as I have often seen it, as the weather was fine and the pilgrims comparatively few. There were upwards of ninety pilgrims in the hospital during the festival, and at a rough guess you may put this down at about one tenth of the sufferers. Some of the tales the doctor told us were heart rending. He said there was then in the hospital a poor young woman about twenty two years of age in deep distress. Her mother and brother had gone away and left her on the road to die; and now, without a friend and far from home what could she do? Others said that they had money with them when taken ill, but the pundahs had taken all away, and in one case a poor young woman was robbed not only of her money, brass vessels, and ornaments, but even of her cloth, and left on the road quite naked, ready as it should seem for the dogs to begin their meal! Generally speaking they are glad to recover, but one old lady did not at all approve of the doctor's interference. She seemed to be dying, but he forced some medicine down her, and she recovered; she however abused him lustily for robbing the god of her, just when he was going to take her away. Speaking of the pundahs, the doctor called them "Human Carrion" and really no other term seems so fitly to describe them. A poor old man came up to me in great distress one day, saying that a pundah had clipped a hole in his cloth and taken away his money bag which contained rupees 4-2 or 8s. 3d., which was all he had. He had a long way to go to his home, and not a fraction left to procure food on the road. Bitterly did he curse the pundahs and Juggernath and all, and vowed he would "never come there again." Volumes

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would not suffice to record the dark deeds of these miserable men who represent themselves as the special favourites of the Lord of the world. One day I met the Collector of Pooree and our Commissioner in the festival. I pointed out the forlorn state of everything connected with the idols, cars, &c. "Yes, said the Collector, it seems as though it was on its last legs.' Would that it may prove so! We remained several days after the festival, i. e., after the idols were brought out of the temple and put on the cars, and enjoyed the opportunities for preaching after the heat of the excitement even more than before. When we left to return to our homes we found the road in a most wretched state. From Piplee I was more than twelve hours coming twenty-five miles. These roads are a perfect disgrace to a civilized Government. wonder at the uproar in England about them. I wish it was ten times greater than it is. Why for five or six successive days the post was stopped on the road from Calcutta, and I hear there are some ten thousand pilgrims stopped without either food or shelter, and that they are dying by hordes of cholera and starvation! What trade, what commerce, what anything can go on in such a country? It is time this D. P. W.-i. e., "Department of Public Works" was transferred to some other department. This road you must remember is always filled with traffic, and is traversed by hundreds of thousands of people annually!!

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While I went to Pooree I left instructions for some of the native preachers to go to the Dhekanall where a large festival is held. They were kindly entertained by the rajah, to whom I gave them a letter. Pray that the seed thus sown by the side of all waters may yield an abundant harvest.

EDITOR'S NOTE.-A press of interesting matter compels the omission until next month of Contribution Lists and other articles. In order to insert them the Editor was anxious to curtail some of the papers given in the present number, even after they were in type. He leaves it to his readers to judge whether this could have been done with advantage. Seldom has it been his lot to read so deeply interesting and encouraging a paper as that headed "The Baptist Mission in India." He commends every word of it to the grateful study of all the friends of our own Society.

THE

GENERAL BAPTIST

MAGAZINE.

OCTOBER, 1863.

THE USE AND ABUSE OF CONVERSATION.

our

name;' or as we sometimes expressively say, we 'clothe' thought in words. God gave man speech when he gave him reason and because he gave him reason. And hence when the great poet of Greece, Homer, is looking about for a definition of man, he calls him a syllable making, or a speechdividing being'-one who cuts the sounds which he utters into parts so as to make them the signs of his thoughts.

THE gift of speech is among the | to thought a 'local habitation and a most wonderful of the endowments with which God has invested His human family. It is one of those every day miracles whose mysterious character is concealed by the fact of their commonness. Just as we do not notice the wonders of the light, because it beams upon us every day, or of the air, because it perpetually embosoms the earth in its pulsations of beauty, so we pass by the strange power of language because we learn it in our infancy and use it all our life. Yet it is wonderful. It belongs to man only among all the beings upon earth. Sounds and noises there are indeed everywhere around us, but they are as we say inarticulate, that is, they are not speech. The songs of birds, the characteristic lowing or roar of the quadrupeds are a sort of elementary speech, but they have none of the higher qualities which belong to the language of man. No being who has not reason can truly speak; for as one has said, 'Man's word is his reason going forth so that it can behold itself, becoming incarnate and taking distinct form. In language we give

VOL. IV.-NEW SERIES, No. 10.

It is wonderful too to see how in this, as in so many other cases, God has accomplished results of the greatest importance by very simple means. For the outward or physical elements of speech are by no means complicated. The tongue, the lips, and the air, these are all. The tongue strikes upon the air in a peculiar manner so as to set a little wave or current in motion, and lo! the movements of the air as it shakes are converted into words-the angels of thought and feeling. By the shaking of the air the crowds who listen to an orator, receive the inspiration of his spirit. In the ways

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