p. 15 | India by J. S. James

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 23, 1909

India

By J. S. James

NAZARETH P. O., TINNEVELLI DISTRICT.—The first week in August I took my family, except one boy, to our hill station in Mussoorie, for a little rest. We had just passed through a very trying season, during which time we had completed our mission house. The entire responsibility of building had rested on my shoulders, and, in addition, the medical work and all the evangelical interests had fallen to me. The result was that when our building work came to a close in August, I was well-nigh worn out in body and mind.

After six days of very tedious travel, we reached Mussoorie, where we remained just one month. We were not much benefited by our stay. The rains were on, and the weather seemed cold and dismal. We were glad to resume our duties, and the people were as glad to have us back. We feel almost bewildered by the amount of labor before us.

We are now in our new bungalow, but have not got settled yet. October 14 we had the dedicatory exercises, and we moved in the next day. Almost everybody in the neighborhood took a hand in helping to make the occasion a success. We were literally buried in flowers, besmeared with sandalwood paste, and sprinkled with perfumed water. The service consisted of the singing of several Tamil lyrics; the reading of the one hundred fifteenth and one hundred forty-fifth psalms; prayer by the native pastor of the Church Missionary Society; and an address, in which I set forth briefly the fundamentals of our faith, and our policy in mission fields; songs, and benediction. In the evening I gave a magic lantern lecture on the life of Christ, which was attended by fully two thousand people. This was held in the open air. The night was still, and the views could be seen from both sides of the sheet. The magic lantern plays a very important part in a missionary's program in this country.

Last week four native merchants, heathen, representing a heathen village of about sixty families, five miles south of us, called on me, and asked that I come and preach to them the gospel. These people learned of us through our medical efforts; they never felt inclined toward the usual stamp of Christianity represented in these regions. I have arranged to visit this village next Sunday and spend a day with them, to ascertain their real purpose and needs.

From all present indications, another opening for the establishment of the message has come to us about thirty miles north of here, on the main line of the South India Railway. A native pastor who has several churches under his control has professed faith in our doctrines, and is teaching his people the same. He desires to hand over everything to us as soon as we can take it. He knows both English and Tamil, and I have kept him supplied with reading-matter in both languages. In a short time I shall visit his station, and look over his field. If it should turn out that this is a genuine opening of the Lord, and we decide to take it over, we shall need another family immediately to locate there and take charge. I think there are three schools, three churches, one orphanage, and a small dispensary. The Baptists at one time had eight hundred or more converts in this locality, in a flourishing condition; but, because of dishonesty on the part of the European in charge, and a failure of funds, they abandoned the station, and turned everything over to this native pastor, who has been trying to carry on the work by subscriptions, etc., ever since.

We are ready to begin our school here just as soon as we can get a building in which to hold it. This will require some time, but we shall begin in a temporary way before that. When our helper gets here, he will find plenty to keep him from getting homesick. I feel very grateful that the brethren have remembered our needs in sending out this family. We shall do everything in our power to make them feel at home and among friends, and assist them in getting hold of the essentials, in both the language and the customs of the people. We are now preparing to receive them.

The young people of Kansas and Utah have done nobly in raising us money for several enterprises, and I feel a debtor to them to the extent of some special articles for our work.

Remember us in your prayers, that God may give us daily strength and courage to fight a good fight and come off victorious for the truth. Our hearts were never more firmly wedded to India, and our courage was never better. J. S. JAMES.