In tive story of Christ's life may be told to willing listeners. Delhi for more than twenty years (with some interruption from sickness) this practice has been perseveringly carried on, and now in 22 separate places within municipal limits, weekly services for preaching accompanied by singing and prayer are carried on with increasing acceptableness. These services combine all the advantages of both chapel and bazar, and being held in the midst of the people's dwellings, both men, women and children are embraced in them; with the help of a Zenana lady, numbers of women are induced to attend, and in this manner thousands have become familiarized with the plan of salvation through a crucified Saviour, and some are attracted to the more public services held on the Lord's day in the house of God. The plan is capable of development to almost any extent; our places of meeting have increased as rapidly as we have had men to occupy them, and now we might double their number, had we qualified agents to carry them on. I believe this method of bringing the Gospel to bear on the poor is capable of being adopted in every town in India. Let the preacher and his assistant go through a small neighbourhood, visiting every house and talking kindly with the people, inform them that he is about to hold a religious service, and then in the centre of their yard or enclosure commence singing a lively native bhajan, accompanied with native instrumental music if practicable, and all the neighbourhood will be got together; persevere in this practice, as near as possible, on the same day of the week and the same hour of the day until it becomes a habit, and the people will expect and look for it. The coolies, chamars, weavers, kumars, &c. on the plains appear to be much the same class as the aboriginal hill tribes, among whom the Gospel has made such rapid progress, and in all the large centres of the population they may be met with in immensely larger numbers. I would especially commend these millions of the poor to my Missionary brethren. They will require much toil and long persevering labour, but they are easily reached, and no class of the people of India are likely to give quicker or larger results. Itinerating in the district among the rural population for the Itinerating. purpose of preaching the Gospel, is among the most pleasant and profitable duties the Missionary has to perform; by it health is promoted, and the familiarity with the people realized gives a far better insight into their internal life and manners than can be obtained in the large towns. In these preaching tours the less encumbrance in the shape of With little tents and servants the more free will be the access to the popu- encumbrance. lation. Anything approaching the style of travelling adopted by the Magistrates and Civil Servants of Government will not only involve large expense and be unseemly, but will act as a deterrent, keeping the people at a distance and preventing them from freely hearing the Divine message. I have travelled annually in the North West Provinces or the Panjab for nearly forty years, Singing. Education. Christian teachers. and have rarely found any difficulty in obtaining lodging room in seráb, choupál or private house. This mode of travelling saves nearly all extra expenses. From Acts xx it is plain that the Apostles went in parties, and I advise, where possible, three or four to travel together. The services will be best commenced by singing, and if instrumental music was more cultivated it would often quadruple the congregations, if only by giving notice of the Missionaries' presence. If preaching be commenced at once, the preacher will be exhausted before the people are collected, and few will hear his whole message; whereas singing brings them together, and then they have an opportunity of listening to an address so connected and complete as to be capable of conveying to their minds a complete meaning. In visiting villages it is necessary to remember that preaching only in the bazar or centre, you reach one class of people. I usually visit the centre and there proclaim the gospel to all who come, and then enquire for the chumars and weavers' quarter, where two more good congregations are found, the whole of whom would have been missed had the centre only been visited. The young after all are the hope of the church in India, so inveterate are the habits and prejudices of men who have grown up from childhood under Hindu and Mahomedan training, and so terrible are the superstitious fears that become almost second nature with them, that it would appear, humanly speaking, impossible for them entirely to obtain deliverance: hence every fair attempt to imbue the minds of the young with a knowledge of Christ, must be commendable. I am not going to enter on the vexed question of Missionary education. Wherever the parents willingly send their children to a Missionary for education, without the intervention of Hindu and Mahomedan teachers, by all means give them all the instruction you can, both secular and religious. But wherever the existence of a school depends on the presence of Hindu and Mahomedan masters, the sooner the Missionary abandons it the better. In such a school it is vain for him to attempt to teach the Gospel, the enemy is in the camp and will circumvent him. The reason why Mission schools have been usually so weak in conversions, is easily accounted for, by the presence of men who are bound by every consideration of honour and conscience to prevent them. If I was a teacher in a Mahomedan or Hindu school, I would do all in my power to subvert either or both religions, because I believe them to be false. Why then should we blame a Hindu or Mahomedan for taking every means in his power, private or public, to preserve his scholars from imbibing Christian truth? I know it is said, "We only employ non-Christian teachers to impart secular instruction," but it is forgotten that such teachers learn the state of mind of every young man in the Institution. No enquirer after truth can be hidden from them, and they have far better opportunities to counteract the Missionaries' teaching by whispering doubt, than they have of inspiring faith. old, in season and out of season, you in the work, who if honest, are result you are seeking to realize. Teach the truth to young and Above all the Missionary should preach by his life. One of the saddest facts connected with the presence of Europeans in India, is their proud supercilious bearing towards the natives, a race that has enjoyed superior advantages of training and example; instead of sympathizing with our less favoured fellow subjects, we often wound their tenderest feelings, destroy their love for us and excite hatred, by unprovoked insult, or sneering contempt. As a nation we might have the grateful veneration of the whole Hindu race but alas! too often we wilfully throw it away and produce distrust and alienation in its place. The Missionary must be the opposite of all this, or he is unfaithful to the cause he has come to advance. Let me not be unjust or misunderstood; I have known many noble men among the Indian Civil and Military servants of Government who have been a shield of protection to the natives, both from the subtle oppression they are ever ready to exercise over each other, and the less hidden violence of the Anglo-Indian or European—all honour to such men, and may they be increased a thousand-fold. But the Missionary stands on different ground. He is Christ's ambassador to the nations. "Peace on earth and good-will toward men" is his message from the Divine Master whom he serves, and if he fails to act in his Master's spirit, he pulls down with one hand what he is attempting to build with another. In olden time, the people took knowledge of the disciples that they had been with Christ, and there was as much power in their lives as in their preaching. Let us, my brethren, live near to Christ, breathe a heavenly atmosphere, and we shall show a heavenly temper. The Missio nary's life. Spirit. All preaching as to its converting power must depend upon Power of the the Holy Spirit, and the Missionary is only efficient in proportion as he prophesies in the Spirit. We must drink deeply ourselves of the Divine Spring, or we shall fail in adequately commending it to others. It will be observed that I have said nothing about the Salvation Army, and as they have been in Delhi, it is not right to pass them over entirely. Their military nomenclature is not pleasing. The apostle used military phraseology more than we do. "We war not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and spiritual wickedness in high places." So fight I, not as one who beateth the air." "Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin" Still it would sound strange to talk of General Paul, Capt. Timothy and Lieut. Jude. However it appears to me that this military phraseology is not the vital part of the system but a mere accident. We can have the musical processions, exciting hymns, burning addressess, the exuberant joy, overflowing zeal and love without it. Chris Salvation Army. Our aim. Vantage points. tianity has been long enough in purda in India, it is time for it to face the day and show itself in the streets. Christianity in Western foliage, draped in sombre colours, is not likely to become naturalized in India, nor is it fitted for this sunny land, but in its original garb as an Eastern plant and not an exotic, it soon may. I adopt all that is good in the Salvation Army tactics and leave the rest. In Delhi the procession, addresses, music &c., were only good in their results, and brought out enquirers who have long been hidden. On Christmas Day we had a renewal of like proceedings, and the chapel doors and round about were packed, and at its close we collected 26 Rupees. I thank God for Mr. and Mrs. Tucker. The work is quite safe in their hands, and I would recommend every Mission in India to be turned into a Salvation Army: they preach no new doctrine rear no new ecclesiastical fabric; but everywhere seek the salvation of souls only. Their self-denial and complete consecration are worthy of all praise. Mrs. Tucker, a delicate lady, without bating one jot of her modesty, pleads with sinners and asks them to give themselves to the Saviour. Mr. Tucker, born in India and partaking somewhat of the characteristics of the Oriental, has given up all for Christ and the salvation of the heathen, and the danger is that they may some day worship him. His ascetical garb is no hindrance to his usefulness and acceptability, and although I cannot see the scripturalness of the construction of the Salvation Army, yet with such results as have been realized in England, I with all my heart wish them God speed, and wherever practicable, will unite with them in publishing salvation to the millions of India. SECOND SPEECH, BY REV. E. M. LEWIS, L. M. S., Bellary. The question is still asked by some Europeans in India and by thoughtful natives of the country, "What is your aim in preaching to the people? What do you expect to accomplish by preaching?" This question has been answered before; it is not difficult to answer it again; it will be safe to do so. Our aim is one and single. To lead the people to Jesus, that they may become new creatures in Him, live in Him and walk in Him. We regard them as brethren, children of one Father, whom Jesus came to lead from their wanderings and sins, home to obedience and love of the Father. We seek to gain an influence over them, to win their affections, with the one desire that we may lay the foundation of Christ's kingdom in their hearts. The theme of our preaching is not a mere creed or system of religious dogmas, but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. There are many strong vantage points in the state, circumstances, beliefs, traditions and experience of the people, where we come face to face, mind to mind, heart to heart with them, and from which we labour to bring them to Christ. We cannot have much fellowship with any man without finding sooner or later some good reason for saying to him, "Jesus is the Friend you need." There are every where to be found in India, thoughtful teachable people, to whom we may bring rich stores from the Gospel. I regard it as essential to effective preaching to the heathen Let hearers that we give our hearers a full opportunity of asking any ques- ask questions. tions they may desire on what they have heard; and it is necessary to make such opportunities by visiting them in their homes, or sitting with them in the temple or school-house or wherever they meet together. After preaching in a town some time ago, one of the congregation said to me, "We have been carried away: all you have said appears to us true, the very wisdom of God; may we now ask some questions that we may know just where we stand, and how this doctrine affects our old landmarks, and what in our habits and customs we must change, if we are to follow it." This opened the way for a most practical and personal application of the truths preached. The thought did suggest itself to us that it would not be amiss if some such plan were adopted in our Christian congregations. I am well acquainted with a heathen priest who is tolerably well learned and who has a great influence over his followers. He was formerly very bigoted, and considered it far beneath his dignity to listen to the advocates of another religion. We have had frequent conversations; on one occasion, in the presence of a good congregation, I spoke to him in a friendly, hearty way, and said, "You and I ought to be friends, and to have much in common; let us talk over our work and plans together. You are a teacher, so am I; many people come to you for advice, so they do to me; you travel about from place to place visiting your disciples, I am constantly travelling about preaching. Will you tell me in what ways you try to do the people good? What do you teach men about God, sin, righteousness, judgment, their duty their hopes of heaven? I will tell you what I teach." Several of the congregation urged that this was perfectly fair; the priest acknowledged it, and began; but he made a very lame attempt and thoroughly exposed his weakness as a teacher. I then had one of the best possible opportunities of preaching to the heathen. The effect upon the people was most marked: and the priest himself has never shown any bigotry with me since; nor has he attempted to prevent any one from listening to me. When the question is asked-"What are the results of your preaching to the heathen ?" it appears to be taken for granted that we shall hang down our heads in sorrow, if not in shame, and be silent. My conviction is that those who know what has been accomplished will acknowledge that some of the most important work possible in the establishing of the kingdom of Christ in India, has been done; and they will, with gratitude, thank God and take courage. Results. |