Notes from India by G. B. Thompson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 28, 1907

Notes from India

By G. B. Thompson

G. B. THOMPSON

In company with Elder J. L. Shaw, I left Calcutta for Karmatar, January 18. Elder W. W. Miller came up later, and five members of the advisory board being present, some important matters were considered. Definite arrangements were made for opening the work in the native village of Kora, four miles from Karmatar, which contains several thousand Bengali-speaking people. It will be necessary to erect a small building for the workers to live in. A portion of the funds needed for this has already been raised. Brother A. G. Watson and wife and Sister Della Burroway will devote their whole time to acquiring the language and opening the work. It was arranged that other laborers can connect with these workers and also have opportunity to perfect themselves in the Bengali. All at Karmatar have some knowledge of this language, and can begin operations at once.

The Lord is blessing in every step that is being taken to open work in the vernaculars. If nothing happens, we shall soon have five or six Europeans among the Bengali people, speaking the last message to them in their own tongue. Once we have sturdy pioneers

among the various tribes, speaking the language of the people, we shall be able to do a quick work in this land.

The way has been opened in the village of Karon, by the faithful efforts of Sister Whiteis as a medical missionary. There is no place, it seems to me, where a consecrated medical missionary can find a greater field of usefulness than in India. This line can be made the most effectual of any in reaching the people—not by establishing institutions, but by going into the villages, to minister to the hundreds and thousands who are suffering with all manner of disease. Here is a limitless territory for our medical workers. Doctors and nurses can go thus among the people, and without any great outlay of capital in erecting institutions, but with only a small dispensary and outfit for giving simple treatments, will soon secure the good will of the natives. Even advertising will be unnecessary.

This is real missionary work. We shall need to undergo many hardships, and suffer many inconveniences among the heathen, and under a tropical sun. It is of but little use to undergo these privations simply to bring physical blessings to them. Our primary object is to bring the third angel's message to souls; and only those should come to India to take up this work who love this message more than life, and who come to stay. To labor effectually, we shall need to learn the language—and this means spending our lives in the country.

While at Karmatar a church of twelve members was organized. Brother J. C. Little was chosen elder, and A. G. Watson deacon. The ordinances were also celebrated. The work has been carried forward here for several years by means of the orphanage, and great good has been accomplished. Some of the orphans have grown up, and are filling positions in the printing-office, and in other departments of the work. Here two faithful pioneers in this country—Brethren D. A. Robinson and F. W. Brown—lie buried side by side, awaiting the resurrection. The Lord witnessed to the organization of the church at this place, and all felt glad that the time had come when this step could be taken.

From Karmatar we went to Simultala, where we have a mission among the Santals. Brother Barlow and wife have rendered faithful and effective service here for several years. They have mastered the language, and literature has been translated. Brother and Sister Cook, from the Boulder Sanitarium, have joined them, and will begin at once a study of the language, preparatory to doing aggressive work among this people. The Santals are said to make the most substantial Christians of any of the Indian people. A few have already accepted the message. Caste does not prevail among them, and work for them is much easier than for those of other tongues.

How great are the needs of these poor heathen souls! They are in the bondage of sin, and desire help. They paint characters over the doors of their crude homes, and stretch chains across the door, to keep out the devil. How much they need the blessed light of God's Word! Shall we delay longer in giving them the light, which alone can deliver them from Satan's power? They are earnest in their devotions, though worshiping they “know not what.” I have seen a long train of freight-cars, filled with these poor souls, going to some distant place on a pilgrimage to take part in some festival. Each car was as full as it could be of people sitting on the floor. They did not complain, and seemed willing to spend their last pice to get to their destination. As I saw this, I wondered if we would be willing to go to camp-meeting in as rude a conveyance as this, to worship the true God, and hear the closing message of salvation. A consecration proportionate to the greatness of the message we carry will soon warn the world, and bring the end.