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Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jul 14, 1881

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 7, No. 26.

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INDIA.

A CORRESPONDENT of the New York Observer, writing from India says:—
It is as hard for a native to become a Christian to-day as it was fifty years ago, and each convert costs the missionary as much trouble and care to-day as fifty years ago. Within the last month my husband has baptized several converts from Hindooism, some belonging to this city (Moradabad), and others to the surrounding villages. Tauna, a resident of this city, was turned out of his house and shop, his tools appropriated, his trade ruined, his wife insulted, and was forbidden to draw water from any well in the vicinity; all his caste-fellows went in a body to the landlord and threatened to leave the neighborhood if Tauna the Christian was not turned out at once. Ratan Das, a farmer, was beaten with shoes, his bullocks and carts and tools seized, his wife dragged off, his house destroyed, and finally himself driven out of his village and threatened with instant death if he ever returned. Sukka, our gardener, has for some months past attended our meetings and shown considerable interest in them. His caste-men, suspecting him of wishing to become a Christian, seized and bound him, and called a council. They tried to intimidate him by threats and blows and insults. They asked, “Have you associated with native Christians?” “Have you eaten with native Christians?” “Do you wish to be a Christian?” He replied, “Yes,” each time. Then they beat him more, and threw dirt at him, and persecuted him, and drove him and his wife out of the neighborhood, denouncing and cursing them. Since then the Mohammedans have tried to coax his wife away, and his mother-in-law joins with the Mohammedans. His caste-men will restore him to caste for one hundred rupees; but this is more than two years' wages, and Sukka prefers to be a Christian.
If I find him, if I follow, What his guerdon here? Many a sorrow, many a labor, Many a tear.
Native Christians realize the full force of this little stanza.