Imagini ale paginilor
PDF
ePub

་་

yet undertaken it? As to Mr. Sutton's exclamation on the enormity of my questioning the necessity of, in every case, learning the native languages immediately on coming out, I believe he would not have written that exclamation if he had thought of the full import of the charge it will be understood by all readers to bring upon my missionary character. But let that pass, for I am anxious to leave every thing personal out of the discussion. Let us look to the argument, which is a logically unsound one.-What he says would apply just as well to a minister at home as to a missionary in India. If I were to go down to Cuttack and say to Mr. Sutton, " Why do you not learn the Chinese language? There are 300 millions of people who know no other and can learn the gospel in no other tongue." His answer would unquestionably be in substance this :-" I know and lament over the state of the perishing millions of China, and I would to God I could do any thing to bring them to the knowledge of the truth; but I cannot-my hands are full of work here. Why should I study the Chinese language when there are thousands of people who are to be instructed by means of the Oriya which I have already acquired ?” Well, if Mr. Sutton should come up to the General Assembly's Insti tution here, and should put a similar question to me, my answer should likewise be similar. If he should say, "Why are you not at home with your pandit learning the Bengali language, when there are 90 millions of the people who can hear the Gospel in no other ?"-my answer should simply be-" My hands are full here-I long for the day when every man in India shall hear in his own tongue the wonderful works of God, and all my efforts here are directed to that as their ultimate object; but here I have as much work as I can do. Here are hundreds of natives hearing the Gospel in a language that I already know. God has in His Providence assigned me my sphere amongst them; and if I do what I can, I trust that He will not require at my hands the blood of the perishing millions around me."

Mr. Sutton goes on to say-" But this teaching in English is advocated with especial reference to the ministry. I am afraid this is not solid ground. The natives of India make out very poorly in English unless they begin in childhood. Are we then to devote certain native children to the ministry before their religious character is developed ? or are we to teach all we can with a view to a future selection ?" This objection is by no means new, nor is it difficult to answer. I have a son regarding whom my dearest hope and highest ambition is, that when he comes to maturity he may be found endowed with such mental and spiritual gifts as may fit him for becoming a minister of the gospel and a missionary to the heathen. But how am I to proceed with his education? I have no right to presume that he is one whom God will call to work as a minister in his church. But I have the promise that if I train him up in the way in which he should go, he will not depart from it when he is old. My path of duty then with regard to him is clear. I have to do that part which alone man can do-to furnish his mind with all truth, so far as I can teach and he can bear it, and especially with the truth which maketh wise unto salvation; I have to dedicate him to God, and continually to supplicate

the blessing of God upon all his education. More than this I cannot do; the result is in the hands of Him who is infinitely wiser than I. Well, there are thousands of youths whose education is in the course of a few years in like manner committed in part to me; my heart's desire and prayer for them all is that they may be saved; and not only so, but 1 would that all the people of God were prophets. I cannot save them; I cannot make them prophets; but I am bound to use the means wherewith God hath furnished me; to sow beside all waters, not knowing what may be the amount of fruit produced, but being assured that no word of God will ever return to him void.

What idea Mr. Sutton may attach to the term "well-taught clerks" I cannot tell. But this I know, that if I were required to describe the class of ministers whom I should like to see located in every village in India, I should do it in very few words, and the words should be these-" very learned and very pious."-In discussing this subject lately in another place, I took occasion to quote from memory the words of an American divine, which were as nearly as I can recollect as follows-"What has ignorance to do with the work of the ministry?—Just as much as sin has and no more*.”

Mr. Sutton seems to argue very strangely about the support of our native ministry, as if a man who had been taught through the medium of English should necessarily be more difficult to maintain than one taught by means of Bengali and Sanscrit. I cannot tell why this should be on the contrary I should expect, and the range of clerical and missionary biography will bear me out in my expectation, that the more varied are a man's acquirements, the less difficulty will he have in sustaining the pressure of pecuniary embarrassments, when these are imposed upon him by the circumstances of the Church. I have the happiness to be a minister of a Church which has been said both by its friends and its enemies to be "a poor church and a pure church.” Now I believe that many of her ministers have the elasticity of their minds preserved by their mental acquirements, which else would run no small risk of being crushed by their worldly circumstances. I know that the grace of God alone can enable a man to sustain any trial; but I know also that that grace frequently works by sanctifying human gifts and human faculties and acquirements. But if Mr. Sutton meaus, that in the present state of this country so large salaries are obtainable by English Scholars, that natives will not engage in the work of the ministry unless they also receive a high salary, then I should say that while every labourer is worthy of his hire, I shall not think the church a loser if all those go off from her service who prefer an office which offers pecuniary emolument as its reward to one which holds out souls as its hire. We wish not men who are only willing to offer to the Lord that which costs them nothing, those talents which they can turn to very little account in any other sphere. We want those who consecrate themselves a living sacrifice to the cause of that Saviour who bowed down his head to the sacrifice for them-and who will

This was written in the belief that Mr. Sutton uses the word clerk in the old and proper sense as synonymous with Clergyman. On looking over his letter a second time it appears from its juxta-position with Deputy-Collectors, that he uses it in the more modern sense, so that the remarks in the text are not strictly applicable,

rather be engaged directly in his service, who will rather suffer affliction and poverty with the people of God, and in the work of God, than enjoy the pleasures of sin and the emoluments of worldly business. It was but a few weeks ago that I heard of a native Christian who was urged to accept of a Deputy Collectorship with a large salary but who refused for this bribe to leave his employment as teacher of a humble missionary school. It was not his English education that enabled him to withstand this temptation. No-it was the grace of God. But I mention this case to shew that the power of obtaining lucrative employments does not entail upon our native Christians the necessity of accepting them.

It appears that Mr. Sutton and I are fated to disagree on all the points of this subject. He states that he is "not a foe to teaching English to some extent." Now taking the interpretation of the term some from the general tone of his letter, I am a foe to teaching English only to that extent. The object of education is to furnish the mind with sound knowledge and sound principles to as great an extent as the talents and opportunities of the individual will permit. Now, I believe that when the talents and opportunities of the individual are considerable, he will, during the course of his education, acquire more knowledge by learning English than without it, and therefore I am an advocate of English education. But then in order to gain any knowledge at all through the medium of English he must learn it well. Let me explain. Suppose a boy's circumstances will permit him to remain at school for a considerable period, say 5, 6, or 7 years; then I believe that he will at the end of that time have gained more knowledge by a judiciously administered system of English education than by any other. But if the period beyond which his attendance cannot extend be much less than this-if for example he is likely to leave school in the course of one or two years, then I should begin at once to communicate the knowledge through the medium of the language that he already understands. I am not at all surprised then that Mr. Sutton's zeal for English Education should have become "small by degrees." The system on which he has proceeded has been a wrong one; and I have no doubt that the "some extent" to which he is now no foe to teaching English will become a less and less extent every day. But then I think he ought to consider that even in his earliest days, before he underwent that "change" of which he speaks, the system which he then approved may have been not too much but too little English; and that the deficiencies in it which have produced the change in his sentiments were not attributable to its being an English system instead of a vernacular one, but rather to its being a bad English system instead of a good one. The fact is, a work like this will never be attended with any very good results, and will never give satisfaction to those engaged in it if they are employed in it merely as a by-play. It must be made a business-a sacred and most important duty; and I would have no man engage in it whose conscience or avocations will not permit him to devote to it his time and his heart.

I am very sincerely yours,

T. S.

Missionary and Religious Entelligence.

1.-MISSIONARY AND ECCLESIASTICAL MOVEMENTS.

Since our last the following arrivals have taken place:-the Rev. Mr. Backhouse, chaplain, H. C. S. and lady; Miss Wilson, connected with the Ladies' Society for promoting Female Education in the East.—The Rev. Messrs. Crisp and Porter have joined the London Mission at Madras. We regret to learn that the Rev. F. Tucker is obliged to relinquish his charge and return to Europe, owing to the impaired state of his health.-One of the German brethren connected with the Patna Mission, while proceeding to Calcutta, was attacked with cholera, and died in a short time.-The Rev. Mr. Williamson of Goruckpore, has reached Calcutta, on his way to a more bracing climate, for the restoration of his health.-A fresh arrival of Missionaries from Germany is announced in the Oriental Spectator. They have proceeded to Mangalore and Tellicherry. One of them is spoken of as a very superior orientalist, Mr. Weigle.-The Presbyterian Synod of Ireland have appointed two Missionaries to India. The overland despatch announces the appointment of nine Chaplains on this presidency.-Letters have been received from the Rev. W. Morton, he has reached England in safety and health, and is laboring well for India.-We regret to state that the Rev. G. Mundy and Mrs. M. are obliged to remove temporarily from Chinsurah in pursuit of health.-We regret to learn that the Rev. Mr. Ellis, Secretary to the London Missionary Society and author of Polynesia, is not expected to recover from his protracted indisposition. He was at the departure of the last overland in Paris under the care of an eminent Physician.-The Rev. Mr. Small, connected with the Baptist Mission, has sailed in the Mary Anne, and may be expected almost every day. The Rev. M. Hill leaves England (D. V.) for India next August.— The Bishop still remains in the hills,

2-THE NEW POEM IN BENGAʼLI'-THE SANYA'SI'.

The following are additional translated specimens of the new poem in Bengali, referred to in our issue for August. The poem may now be had on application to the publisher of the Observer. The price to subscribers eight annas-to non-subscribers ten annas. It contains 115 pages and describes 15 different places of pilgrimage. It merits an extensive circulation which we doubt not it will obtain.-ED.

The brahmans attached to the shrine of Shib Kedárnáth, Assam.

About half a mile from the shrine of Hoiogrib Madhob is a shrine of Shib Kedarnath; his temple surrounded by a wall stands on a mountain. Near it is a deep tank. In the temple is Shib concealed under a covering. In the tank there is a large tortoise; every body calls it Mohana; it is Shib himself, the brahmins say. At this shrine there are also dancing girls; and here also do the Brahmins practise every sort of deception. After having taken from the pilgrim, offerings and presents, consisting of money, rice, plantains, ghee, sugar, they take him to the tank and say: You must give a kid or a dove to Shib. In this way they get money out of him. Afterward they let him see something very marvellous. They say, O pilgrim, you must feed Shib with your own hand; this is an holy act which will prepare you the way to heaven. Having given a kid or a dove in to the hands of the pilgrim, they call aloud; "Mohana ;" the tortoise rises out of the water, for they have taught it so to do, and comes and takes whatever is given to it. Seeing this, foolish people believe in it. When the feeding is at an end they say to the pilgrim, Now give great

gifts to the brahmins, for you have fed with your own hand the god Shib; you are the holiest of men. If the tortoise does not make its appearance, then they say; know, that you are a great sinner, therefore did Shib not eat out of your hand; know, that misfortune will befall you ; therefore take our advice: give gifts to the brahmins and feed them, make offerings and sacrifices to Shib, then your sin will disappear and Shib will eat from your hand. So the brahmins deceive the people in both ways: they cheat them, my friend, in many ways.-Where is holiness? I have seen it no where; nothing but money, money, did I hear; wherever I went, there I found it so; judge for yourselves if there is any holiness in all this.

In both places (Hoiogrib Madhob and Shib Kedarnath) there are two men at the head of the rest. All the priests honor these two men and call them Gaushai. They are the rulers and live like kings; when they go out flags, and musical instruments go with them. They sit on a throne surrounded by their treasurers, writers, and many other servants. Before them stands always a large hookah. Those wicked robbers are puffed up with pride and listen to nobody; they sit still like pillars; the pilgrims worship them at their feet, but they answer not a word;-I went once there, before I became a Sanyasi: when I saw all the tricks of the priests I fell at their feet. My mother, uncle, grandmother were with me. Seeing these women the head priest was overjoyed; because when women go on pilgrimage, they use to take money secretly with them to expend at those holy places. Women are naturally fond of spending money. Moreover they give their money at once, fearing the wrath of the brahmins, and never return home without having seen the god. The priests know this very well. I tried to persuade them in many ways, but they did not listen to me. All were greedy to get my money. I embraced the feet of that wicked man the head priest, but he did not mind what I said. With an angry countenance did he tell me: You must give me a hundred rupees before you can see the god; if you are willing to give so much, give it if not you may go home again. After much bargaining I was obliged to give twenty-one rupees to that wicked man, and after that he permitted me to see the god. In the same way all the pilgrims are treated. Nothing can be done without money. In the night all these dancing girls, worship by turns at the feet of the head priest.

People say that the girls go merely to worship at his feet, therefore they go in to him publicly. But in the house nobody is permitted to enter; they two remain in it alone: all this I have seen with my own eyes. I am ashamed to speak of it longer. There is no holiness in idol worship; forsake it and worship the supreme God. I have now written what I have seen at the shrines in the East of Bengal, reflect yourselves if there is any holiness in all this. Those who visited those places know the truth of it very well. They are not very far, they are not out of India. Many people from Bengal go there (ask them if what I say is not true). Gods and goddesses are false; pilgrimages are fruitless: no salvation is to be got by them; they will rather put you to shame at last. Forsake therefore those errors and become wise. Be not deceived by the devil; I humbly entreat you, Believe in Jesus Christ and worship him. Forsake, forsake all false gods-endeavour to obtain salvation. Reflect that your life is approaching to its end. If you do not love Jesus, your days are all vanity. Provide yourselves with all the necessaries for the pilgrimage to heaven. You have now heard what I have seen in the East. I shall now give you an account of the shrines I have visited in the West.

Description of Jwalamukhi (tataut).

About half a mile from Jwalamukhi we were all encamped in a field. There is a custom among travelling Sanyasis, that there are always

« ÎnapoiContinuă »