A Visit in Simultala, India
By A. G. WATSON
“BLESS the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” Thus wrote the psalmist under inspiration; thus does the Holy Spirit move upon the servants of the most high God to give utterance to his praises in this our day: and shall we say, Amen, brethren? I am very truly thankful to our loving Father in heaven for the opportunity of spending a few days with Brother Barlow and his family in Simultala. After a year spent in a great city such as Calcutta, without so much as setting foot out of the city limits, the freedom and quietness of the country are much appreciated, where every object in nature seems to bask in the sunshine of the Creator's love, and to say, “God is love,” while we quickly respond “Amen.” I had the opportunity of accompanying Brother Barlow to Babool Mohal, a village nine or ten miles distant by road from Simultala station, at which place a building has been erected by this brother, for a schoolhouse and church for the villagers near by. Half the boys in the school at Simultala went there to encourage other boys to join them in the study of the message. May the Spirit of the Lord raise up boys from these two schools to preach and teach the truth to their countrymen. When we left, eight or ten had already begun to attend school, chiefly shepherd boys of the Santal race. Brother Barlow has learned the Santal language, and is thus able to work among the Santals; and, it seems to me, to work for India's millions, we must, first of all, acquaint ourselves with the language of the particular people we desire to work with. May God help us with heavenly wisdom. It was inspiring, as we journeyed to and from Babool Mohal, to hear Brother Barlow give the message verbally, besides distributing the literature, to all whom we met on the wayside; and as afterward I followed his example, the Lord granted me a blessing.