GOSPEL WORK IN INDIA

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 1, 1903

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 29, No. 13.

GOSPEL WORK IN INDIA.

As an evidence that the Gospel of Christ has the same power over souls in India that it has in England or America we quote the following from the Missionary Herald (Congregational) of March, which was written by a missionary from Aruppukottai, India:—

Two men from the Madras Y. M. C. A. arranged to hold a four days' evangelical service with our people. We prayed much for the meetings and brought all our Christian workers in. Four services a day were held, and all was aimed at the workers. Sin was held up in all its enormity. God was at work there, for the men came to me in private, one after another, made the most humiliating confession of sin, asked my forgiveness, and restored money which they had stolen from the mission. They were all small sums, varying from ten cents up to one or two dollars. But this dishonesty had hardened the conscience and robbed them of power. Their consciences were unusually tender, and sins of all kinds and description were confessed with tears and sobs. It broke them all up. I just wanted to put my arms around them, as we took the matter to the Lord and told Him all about it. I loved those men as I never had loved them before. Eighteen of them came to me of their own accord. It was truly wonderful, and I never had such an experience in all my life. I now know the men and they know me as never before. From this time we shall be a new band of Christian workers. Pray for us, that this may be the beginning of a great blessing throughout the station.

The second item of interest is that twenty-one families of the Maravar caste, making in all about eighty-five souls, within two months have decided to become Christians. These men are the highway robbers of the district—bold, rough fellows, whom all fear and at whose door all robbery and crime are laid. But they are worth saving and make splendid Christians when converted. God's hand is in this movement, and we expect more from it still.

A third item is of another nature. Satan has waked up and is very angry. In this place the Bible-women are doing a great work. Many of their pupils give evidence of being truly converted, and wish to come to church. Some of them have done so, altho forbidden by husbands and friends. Last week two of them, on their way to the house of God, were beaten and carried back. One woman, named Veerakkal, of the Naick caste, has had to go through a fiery furnace. She has been married ten years, but has no children, and consequently is hated and scolded by husband and friends. The husband always speaks in anger to her and makes her work in the fields like a slave. Last year she fell sick and was near to death's door. Her hearing was gone and she was just alive, but she said that if the missionary and missionary lady would come and pray with her, she would recover. Very reluctantly the husband called us. We went, and while Mrs. Hazen was praying, Veerakkal's hearing came back to her, and she immediately began to amend. In two or three days she was up and at work. All acknowledged that she was saved by prayer. But her friends did not keep their promise to let her be a Christian. She still held on to Christ, and they held on to their bitter opposition. They said she had better die than be a Christian, took her Bible away from her, and threatened all sorts of things. She stole away from her wretched home and came here to us and said, “Take my jewels, take my clothing, take all I have, but let me have that blessed Bible.” She even said that she would run away from home and be a mere servant to us if we would take her. But we said, “Stay at home and bear witness for Christ there, and try to win husband and friends to Him.” What was our horror three days ago to learn that they had poisoned her, and now she is at death's door. She sends word to us (for we can not get at her) to pray that she may die, O, the cruelties of heathenism!

But in spite of opposition, the work of the Gospel is going forward in India. The Christian population of India at the present time is 2,775,716, an increase of 840,486 in the last ten years. These figures are taken from the government census, and are authentic. While Christian zeal is far below what it should be, and not a tithe of the work is being done that might be done, yet this material evidence of Christian growth should warm the heart and increase the zeal and courage of every loyal follower of Christ.