The Work in India by C. A. HANSEN

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Mar 8, 1906

The Work in India

By C. A. HANSEN

C. A. HANSEN

IN the great city of Bombay we have represented nearly all classes of society. It is a great manufacturing center, having one hundred large factories. It is also the seaport of nearly all India. Here are the wealthy Parsees; there are about fifty thousand of them. They are the descendants of the ancient Persians, and are fire-worshipers. Among this influential class we have not at present one Sabbath-keeper. There are only six Parsee Christians in Bombay, and we are giving studies to one of them, who is much interested. Unfortunately, he is deaf, and it is with difficulty that he takes part in our meetings. When I give him studies, he reads the Scripture, and I write the explanation; on the whole this is not so difficult a task as one might think. When the Spirit of God is present, there is liberty. The Parsees make it very hard for any one who leaves their belief (it does not deserve the name of religion). I talked with another Parsee, who has had no work for fourteen months because he is a Christian. He seemed very glad to see me, and I gave him some tracts. He said he had been thinking about the second coming of Christ a great deal.

One poor Hindu who is taking readings from us was threatened with imprisonment by his own people when they learned of his reading the Christian Bible—all because he owed a few rupees, and was not ready just then to pay. He comes regularly seven miles to get his studies; last week he was very down hearted, and when I opened the Bible, he said: ‘O, I can’t study to-day; I have just come to bid you good-by. The police will wait for me till I return.’ So after we took in the situation, we told him that God could reverse things if he saw it was for his good, and after prayer for his deliverance he arose, saying his load seemed only one half as heavy; and when he returned home, he found that he was released. Thus we see how Satan hates to have the name of Christ spoken in this land of superstition, darkness, and suffering. Our hearts yearn for the time when we shall have hundreds of missionaries among this Indian people. What is needed is means to carry on this work of love for those who are so unfortunate as to have been rocked in an Indian cradle and dedicated to gods of fire and torture in place of to our loving Saviour.

We are glad for an opportunity of planting in Bombay the banner of the third angel’s message, remembering that a long eternity will well repay any sacrifice for the cause of God.