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multitudes. Their words pierce as arrows, and their instructions eat into the heart as fire.

No success can be guaranteed when there are moral discrepancies and delinquencies in the life. A man whose general character is full of flaws had better not come prominently into this work. We do not convey jewels in broken boxes. An inconsistent man will mar whatever he touches. He will justly lay himself open to the retort: "Physician, heal thyself." He had better quietly do battle with his own besetments.

It is further to be noticed that in the work itself every grace is tried, and sometimes severely. The rudeness of those we desire to serve will try our sensibility, their obduracy will try our patience, the lack of result will try our faith. And any manifestation of petulance under these circumstances will seriously imperil success. But the holy man will be preserved from all discrepancies between life and teaching, and his aggressive toils will be sustained by a beautifully blameless walk.

But no human agency is equal to the results sought after. Only God can convince of sin and illuminate the mind so that it can apprehend Christ savingly, pardon sin on the exercise of faith, renew the nature and fortify the soul against the assaults of Satan. And holiness alone can secure a hold on His power: "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him." Moses spoke with God face to face. John saw one like unto the Son of man walking in the midst of the golden candlesticks, And let us not think that friendship with God is a thing of the past. This intimacy is as real now as it was then. The King came in his robes of state then, and in such a way as to impress the outward sense: He comes without His royal robes now, and in yet more familiar and condescending style. That is all. The holy man will enjoy this Presence in an eminent degree. Christ dwells in him, and having this power at command how shall he labour in vain? Confessedly the work is great, the difficulties appalling, yet when linked to Omnipotence the believer shall accomplish wonders compared with which the physical miracles of a Paul or Peter sink into the shade.

The Church records assure us that our useful men have been holy men. No man was ever saved by rhetoric or neatly-turned periods. In our own section of the Church soul-saving has been associated with such names as William Bramwell, David Stoner, Thomas Collins, John Smith, Joseph Wood, John Henley, Gideon Ouseley; men of no great mark as scholars,and we throw no discredit on their memories in saying this, but men after the apostolic type, "full of faith and of the Holy Ghost."

What then is the great qualification for usefulness? Not learning. Not an acquaintance with modern literature. Not even familiarity with the sacred languages. Not even the mastery of all theological truth, the relation of truth to truth, with a skill to defend it against all adversaries. We do not decry knowledge. Its value is incalculable. The

"wise" whose time has been given to elaborate research, and whose vast resources have been used to enrich and beautify God's Church, are not to be thrust into a corner: they will be conspicuous, will shine "as the firmament," with a steady radiance; but "they that turn many to righteousness are to have marked individual splendour; they are to shine out as the stars for ever and ever."

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But the practical must not be forgotten in the didactic and expository. Probably the reader has been engaged in Christian work, but have the results been satisfactory? If not, have we not the secret here—We lack the power that goodness supplies? Heart sin or low attainment will tie our hands, but purity will set them free and invest them with a divine vigour. Then let the cry of the Psalmist go upwards: "Create in me a clean heart, O God;" and, in the relation of effect to cause, it will follow " Then will I teach transgressors Thy ways, and sinners shall be converted unto Thee."

HISTORY OF INDIAN MISSIONS.*

BY THE REV. J. S. BANKS.

FIRST PAPER.

MODERN missions in India will ever form a bright page in church history. In the character of their agents, in boldness and breadth of aim, in the difficulties grappled with, in the energy displayed, in the results won, they will compare well with the missions of any age, not excepting the earliest of all. We enjoy, indeed, one great advantage over the apostolic teachers in our command of the resources of Christianity already established in Europe. But this is more than counterbalanced by comparative disadvantages. In India there was no preparatio evangelica such as had so long been developing in the Greek and Roman world. But, on the other hand, there was no religious system among the nations of the Empire which for vigour, compactness and strength could be compared with the elabo

rate forms of Hinduism, nor had the first missionaries to meet the iron barriers of caste. That obstacles so gigantic are silently yielding to the force of Christian truth is a fact to which believers may well point with thankfulness and pride. One feature primitive and modern missions have in common-the apostolic spirit of selfsacrifice still living in the Church. Indian missions alone furnish a host of names as bright as the best age of Christian life can show.

In the history of Indian missions, Mr. Sherring has a good story to tell, and he tells it well. In describing a vast and complex field he is equally lucid and comprehensive. As a history of the origines of mission-work in India, his book must retain a permanent value. Not less admirable than the clearness and

"The History of Protestant Missions in India, from 1706 to 1871." With Map. Rev. M. A. Sherring, M.A., LL.B., Lond. Of the London Mission. Trubner and Co., 1875.

"Hinduism and its Relations to Christianity." Rev. J. Robson, M.A. Formerly of Ajmere. Hamilton, Adams and Co., 1874.

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method of the whole is the spirit | On the roll of the Tranquebar mis

of generosity displayed in tracing the missions of so many different churches. Most interesting of all to friends of missions are the illustrations and discussions of the various agencies, evangelistic and educational, employed by the different bodies. There is not an agency ever engaged in mission-work which may not be seen in active operation in India on the largest scale. Theories of all kinds have there been brought to the test of practice. While most churches employ all methods according to their means and the kind of population they have to deal with, a few devote themselves mainly or exclusively to one particular method. Experience shows that no one is to be absolutely condemned. Much depends on locality and the energy put into the work. Plans which fail in one place and in some hands succeed in other places and other hands. In trying to get a bird'seye view of the history and field of Indian missions we cannot do better than follow Mr. Sherring's guidance.

The honour of founding Protestant missions in India belongs to Denmark. The date was 1705, the scene Tranquebar, south of Madras, the first missionaries, Ziegenbalg and Plutschau. The Tranquebar mission is less known in England than the Serampore mission of the north, but it well deserves to be known. In many respects-in difficulties with government, in ardour and success, in their extinction when their precursory work was done-the two missions were alike. Schwartz was the counterpart of Carey, if not in learning, yet in life-long devotion, sustained enthusiasm, spotless integrity and massiveness of character. Carey did not land in India till 1793, five years before Schwartz's death.

It

sion appear stations since grown familiar Cuddalore, Negapatam, Tanjore, Trichinopoly. Most of the methods now in use were employed by those early labourers-itinerant preaching, schools, medical aid. is strikingly characteristic of Indian missions that as early as 1707, i.e., two years after arriving in India Ziegenbalg began the translation of the New Testament into Tamil, and finished it in 1711, an earnest of the great work of Bible translation, which has gone on ever since over the whole field.

Schwartz will ever rank among the apostles of India. His labours fell only two years short of half a century, and that without a break, 1750-1798. His sagacity, general ability, uprightness and self-sacrifice were perfect. Here is a picture of him in 1766, when he founded the Trichinopoly mission: "Here, on an income of £48 a year, dressed in dimity dyed black, eating rice and vegetables cooked in native fashion, and living in a room of an old building just large enough to hold himself and his bed, Schwartz devoted himself, with the utmost simplicity, combined with an enthusiasm which consumed him, to his apostolic duties among the inhabitants of the city and neighbourhood." He was 'in labours more abundant.' He was often called in against his will to act as mediator between the English and native States, and both reposed the same confidence in his incorruptible integrity. In time of war he went in and out of the hostile camps without danger or suspicion. The Rajah of Tanjore when requesting his services said, "Padre, I have confidence in you, because you are indifferent to money." Hyder Ali, the Indian Napoleon, the fiercest and ablest foe England ever had in India, refused to receive an English

embassy, but said, "Let them send me the Christian; he will not deceive me." He was appointed guardian of the Tanjore Rajah's adopted son, as well as placed on the commission for governing the kingdom when everything had fallen into disorder. On his death his youthful ward "shed a flood of tears over his body, and covered it with a gold cloth." "He was revered as a father by the people, as well as by the Rajah of Tanjore. The religious welfare of the people was ever uppermost in his mind. All other enterprises and toils were subordinated to this, and were embraced in the broad views of Christian duty which he entertained. He lived as a celibate, that he might devote himself unreservedly to the service of his Master. The qualities of his mind and heart were depicted in his venerable and impressive figure; and his features were those on which men loved to look, and which stirred their souls with a subtile spiritual influence. Few men have lived to sway human hearts so strongly. In his last illness, a transient improvement in his condition enabled him to visit the church at the Christmas festival. The congregation was wild with excitement, and he could scarcely make his way through the crowd. At his death a long and bitter cry of lamentation arose from multitudes."

This love of the people is better praise than even "Minutes" of English Governors. Nor was this universal favour purchased by unworthy compliances. "He boldly expounded the truth to the Rajah and to the people of his court in the face of Brahmans and priests who endeavoured to withstand him, and destroy the effect of his words." It must not be supposed that Schwartz was the only great character whom the Danish mission produced. Ziegenbalg,

Plutschau, Kiernander, Schultze, Grundler, Pohle and others were not ordinary men. In talent, zeal and enthusiasm they were worthy of their leader and the Indian field.

In

The immediate success of the Danish missions was marvellous. Remembering the slow and painful advance of later days, we are astonished to hear of annual additions of converts by hundreds. It is true that the missionaries were well supported at home. Both in England and Denmark kings were nursing-fathers and queens nursing-mothers. after days a Dean of the English Church became the biographer of Schwartz, and his book will always remain a classic of its kind. Still this does not explain the surprising results. In the limited district which formed the scene of the mission, no fewer than fifty thousand natives professed Christianity within the century. We cannot but suppose something wrong, and the whole secret is out when we learn that the Danish missionaries tolerated caste in their churches. this condition there would never be any difficulty in gaining converts. But the unsoundness of the rapid prosperity is shown by the fact that it passed away as rapidly as it grew

up.

On

The mistake made by the early Danish missions, perhaps from inexperience, was not repeated at Serampore or by any Protestant society since, except, unfortunately, by the Leipsic Mission on the same field of Tanjore, which acts in this respect in a way most injurious to other missions and to the Gospel. Roman Catholic missions have always, on principle, allowed caste, and reap numbers if nothing else.

In 1793, Carey landed in Calcutta. It is well known that the Baptist mission was protected by the Danish flag, and had its centre on Danish territory. The story of Carey,

Marshman and Ward, the pioneers of Protestant missions in the north, of their conflicts and triumphs, their disinterestedness and devotion, is so familiar that we pass it by. It is less known that strictly speaking Carey was not the first Protestant missionary in North India.

In

1758, the year after Plassey, Kiernander had come from Madras and commenced work in Calcutta, where for many years he laboured with great success, preaching both to Europeans and natives, establishing schools and baptizing hundreds of converts. He no doubt proceeded on the same plan as his brethren in the south, and this explains why the fruit of his life's labours was not lasting.

The Church Missionary Society broke ground in Calcutta in 1815, the year after the new charter had removed restrictions on mission labour, and the London Society in 1816. Dr. Duff opened the Scotch mission in 1830, the Propagation Society began in 1820. It would be hard to name the missionary agency which is not in full work in Calcutta. The metropolis boasts of the prince of vernacular preachers in Rev. A. F. Lacroix, of the London Mission, and of the best vernacular schools under Rev. J. Long, of the Church Mission, who is perhaps the greatest master of all that pertains to native life and literature. Here too, as might be expected, education is carried to the highest point. In this department the Scotch and English churches take the lead. It is surprising now to read of the dispute at first about the language in which higher education should be given. Native prejudice, to which the English government has always greatly deferred, and early precedent, were strongly in favour of Sanscrit. It was mainly Dr. Duff's energy and eloquence which turned

the scale in favour of English. The greatest results have followed from this decision. Sanscrit could never have been the medium of scientific education. All its associations are steeped in heathenism. Even if it had been adopted, the experiment could not have succeeded. But time was saved and much waste prevented by the immediate adoption of English. Dr. Duff began with five students, who soon grew into eight hundred. That was the beginning of the system of English education, which now covers the whole face of India, and is doing more than anything else to modify Hindu thought and life. The other missions soon had institutions after Dr. Duff's model.

Calcutta was also the birth-place of female education through girls' schools and zenana-teaching. Now that this movement is borne on the tide of popular favour, it must not be forgotten that it originated in Christian missions. Among the labourers in this cause should be specially mentioned the late Mrs. Mullens, daughter of Rev. A. F. Lacroix and wife of Dr. Mullens of the London Mission. English ladies of rank have given no little impetus to the work. In former days Lady Hastings and Lady Amherst often paid visits to the schools. Miss Brittan, a lady of considerable skill in organization and energy "is at the head of an establishment consisting of nineteen foreign and East Indian ladies, and fifty-three native Christian fellow-helpers, who have under their charge in Calcutta and its suburbs a normal school of thirty young Christian women training as teachers, twenty-one girls' schools with seven hundred and ninety-four scholars, an orphanage. of twenty-one girls, and one hundred and fifty zenanas." This was in 1871, since which time the numbers

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