Among the Workers of India
By W. W. Miller
Last December I left Calcutta for a visit among the workers of India, Burma, and Ceylon. Traveling in India is somewhat different from traveling in the States; but there is one advantage, it costs but little if one is content to travel third class. The trip from Calcutta to Bombay, a distance of twelve hundred and twenty-one miles, is made in forty-four hours and twenty-seven minutes, and the fare is rupees fifteen annas ten (five dollars). With plenty of bedding to cushion the board benches, I made myself comfortable, and enjoyed a very pleasant journey. Elder C. A. Hansen, who had but recently arrived from western Michigan, met me at the station, and took me to his home, where I was well entertained. Sisters D. Ella Smith and Frieda Hae-gart were stopping with Elder Hansen and his wife while canvassing Bombay. All seemed to be enjoying their new field of labor. The next day after my arrival we were glad to welcome Brother and Sister Burgess back to India. They were full of courage, looking well, and anxious to get to work. Sabbath morning I walked out in search of a village where Brother or Sister Burgess could speak to the natives. On my journey, which proved to be fruitless as far as the village was concerned, I found a road leading to a leper asylum. When I came to the gate, the derwan invited me to enter. Next the mali (gardener) met me, and I inquired who conducted the meetings in their church. He told me that a Catholic priest came every Thursday to say mass. The mali then directed me to the superintendent, who received me cordially. I told him that I was trying to do a little good in the world, and would like permission to bring some young people to sing and talk to the lepers. He answered, “Come along, and you will be welcome.” In the afternoon we went, and Brother Burgess spoke to them in Hindi, which they seemed to understand quite well, though most of them speak Mahrati. We conversed with some of them, and one old lady to whom Sister Haegart spoke, showed her appreciation of the love of God by saying, “If it were not for the love of God, I should have no place to stay.” As she said this, her eyes filled with tears. I was so impressed with her statements that I exclaimed, “What a victory for the Lord to have one in her awful condition acknowledge him in such a public way!” We all felt that still the lepers give God glory. They seemed to enjoy our visit and the singing very much, and invited us to come again; but such looking creatures of humanity I never saw before. There are three hundred lepers in this18asylum, and it would be a hard heart that would not go out in sympathy for these poor souls. Where are the workers who are willing to go among these people and tell them of the One who cleansed the lepers? We asked some Parsee gentlemen how we would be treated if we went among them to tell them of our faith, and they replied that we would be welcomed and treated kindly, but they thought we would not make many converts, as they knew of only one Parsee in Bombay who had embraced Christianity. The Parsees number about one hundred thousand, and Bombay contains a larger per cent of them than any other place. They are thrifty business men, and it is said that the question with them is not, Is it right? but, Will it pay? Joseph Wolf preached the first advent to them, and now we must give them the third angel’s message as well. If they listened to him, they will doubtless listen to us, and in the near future we shall plan to reach them. Bangalore was my next stopping place, six hundred and ninety-two miles from Bombay. Here Brother H. B. Myers met me, and entertained me at his home. The families with whom Sisters Meyers and Orr had been holding readings were deeply interested. While visiting these we prayed with them whenever the way opened, and I do not remember that I had ever prayed audibly so many times in a day as I did there. At one place where we gave a reading on the twelfth of Revelation, an old lady said, “This reminds me of Philip and the eunuch. I have often read that chapter, but never understood it; but now you have guided me, and I understand.” This was a native family, but they spoke English. Each child had a Bible and looked on attentively. Sister Orr had been invited to take charge of the Methodist prayer-meeting during the absence of the minister, and, of course, took the opportunity to weave in some of the truth. The people became deeply interested, and her meetings were kept up after the minister returned. The house would hardly hold those who came. I had the privilege of speaking to them on the seventh trumpet. All gave the best of attention, and at the close of the meeting showed their friendliness by a hearty handshake. One of the leaders remarked that an interest had been awakened which some one should look after. In the last letter I received from Sister Orr, she said that they would soon need to get larger quarters for their meetings, and asked that a public effort be made in Bangalore. Of course we would be glad to do this, but the answer had to be the same old story, “No one to send.” Leaving Bangalore, I started for Tuticorin, where I intended to take a steamer for Columbo. This trip was four hundred and eighty-one miles. At the last station before reaching Tuticorin, the door of our compartment was locked, and a doctor examined us to see if we were free from plague, and asked if we could give a good account of ourselves. The results of his investigation were telegraphed on to Tuticorin. All who travel third class come under the strictest regulations, so, when we went to purchase our tickets for Columbo, we were asked if we had been fumigated. As we had not, they informed us that it would be necessary to have it attended to before tickets would be issued. One man began to argue the question, but I thought best to submit, and hurried off at once. My clothing was removed, and together with the bedding was put into a boiler. It came back minus the starch, and I had to put it on damp as I had no time to lose. It did not take long to get my ticket this time, and I was soon off for the boat, happy that I fared as well as I did. Truly the Lord cared for me all the way, and I found every one with whom I had to deal very kind and considerate. My visit to Columbo will be reported later. W. W. MILLER.