p. 8 | A Hindu's Request by W. R. French

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 14, 1912

A Hindu's Request

By W. R. French

W. R. FRENCH

WHILE on a tour in behalf of our paper, the Bengali Signs of the Times, we stopped for a few days at a place where we have been carrying on work for some years. We have two native colporteurs in this place, also a school with an enrolment of about eighty Hindu boys. These boys are daily taught the Bible stories, especially the story of the cross. They are bright, intelligent-looking boys, and we hope that some day we shall see a harvest of souls from this Hindu village, which is situated in the country districts of Bengal, away from any large town; but still such is the native desire for an education, and especially for the English language, that we find them eagerly studying and learning the English in this school.

While here, we were invited one day to take dinner in a Hindu home. At the close of the meal, our host asked us if we would not build a church in his village. As an inducement, and also to show his earnestness in his request, he offered us land worth fifty rupees, or seventeen dollars. This man's wealth consisted in only a small tract of land, one twentieth of which he was willing to give if we would only build a church in his village. My mind at once went to the widow and her two mites, then to the home land with its enlightenment and opportunities to hear the gospel, and I wondered how many of our people were willing to give a proportionate amount of their land or income to

further the cause that we love, and to teach the gospel to the heathen. Surely this heathen's example should be an incentive to all true Christians, and especially to our people during this week of prayer. Let us remember this Hindu's request for a church when we are deciding how much we are going to give for the Annual Offering. May we also remember his request at the throne of grace.

Calcutta.