Modern Missions in India
By Elder S. N. Haskell
Modern Missions in India.
THE outpouring of the Spirit of God on the day of Pentecost, and the preaching of the gospel to every creature under heaven, in the first century, was the beginning of a still greater work of the same nature in the closing of the gospel dispensation. The Spirit of God will again be poured out with far greater power and will accomplish a far greater work in the world than at the first advent. Upon this point the prophet Joel says, "Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God; for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fat shall overflow with wine and oil." Joel 2: 23, 24. This is also shown by the fact that when the gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, then shall the end come. And again, when "they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with power and great glory," he will "gather his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven." Matt. 24: 14; Mark 13: 26, 27. In Revelation 14: 6-12 we have a wonderful prophecy, in which it is stated that the everlasting gospel would be preached "unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." And it should be remembered that this prophecy was given twenty-eight years after the apostle declares, in Colossians 1 and Romans 10, that the gospel had gone into all the world, even to every creature. It also connects the preaching of the gospel with the hour of God's judgment, which event takes place at the time of the second advent of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Tim. 4: 1. From this and a multitude of other texts which might be adduced it is evident that when we reach the closing scenes of this world's history, the work begun by the apostles eighteen hundred years ago will again be taken up and be carried forward with far greater power than at the beginning. These two periods are distinctly pointed out by the inspired penman, as being special periods, both as to the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the extent of its operation. It is a fact that stands before the world that the nineteenth century has no parallel in the spread of the gospel, except the first century of the Christian era. With the increased facilities by means of the printing press and modes of travel, and the open communication with every portion of the globe, and the open doors for the gospel which exist to-day in every portion of the world, the way is prepared for ten times as great a work to be accomplished in a briefer period of time as was accomplished in the first century. The nineteenth century is a century of missions. Denmark has the honor of opening up Protestant missions in India. It was the Danes that sent Bartholomew Ziegenbalg and Henry Plutschau, in 1705, to Tranquebar, in South India, and they thus became the pioneers of the great missionary army which has since been sent to India. It is only since the year 1800 that Protestant churches of Europe and America caught the enthusiasm of sending missionaries to take possession of every foot of territory in that country. It was in 1814 that the strong hand of England, by an act of Parliament, legalized evangelistic operations among that people. It is only since then that the work of missions has been prosecuted in India with anything like vigor and success. And the extent of the mission work in that country, and the open doors that now exist for the missionary to enter, is so vast that it would be impossible to give a correct idea to the reader so he would appreciate the circumstances, unless he could visit the field himself. Said Dr. Pentecost, the 28th of August last, at Northfield, Mass: "There is not a city, or town, or village, where a Christian missionary lives and has preached the gospel, but there are, besides the open converts, great numbers of secret Christians. I speak from experience, that among the high-caste men there are more secret Christians than among the low-caste men. In Calcutta I found a great many Christians among the high-caste men. They did not come out from their caste, but they openly confessed Jesus Christ." There are as great miracles of grace in India, both as to individual experiences and to the progress of some missions, as are recorded since the days of the apostles. We speak of one mission only, at Ongole, where for many years the seed was sown, and nothing was seen of its fruit. It was only thirty-nine years ago that when a missionary and his native preachers entered that place, they were driven from the place, being reviled and stoned. Twelve years later another attempt was made, and the second missionary remained and became a resident. In 1867, two years later, there were eight members. In March, 1878, eleven years later, there was a membership of 110, and many others requiring baptism. Three months later, in June, Mr. Clough, the resident missionary, and his native assistants, in one day baptized 2,222. In less than one month from this time they had baptized 8,691. Tinnevelly, in the extreme southern part of India, was the scene of a like marvelous movement. After twenty years of preparatory toil, in seven months more than 16,000 souls placed themselves, voluntarily, under instruction with a view of Christian baptism. Nor does this tell the story. These men have come from every class and caste of society. Thousands of schools and colleges have been opened, and it is statistically reported that over 1,000,000 have renounced their idolatry and taken their stand for Christ. There is not a foot of land in India but what is occupied by some mission. Shall we not say that God has wonderfully wrought for that land? Zenana schools, where secluded females are instructed, present open doors for thousands of lady missionaries to-day. These are an oppressed people. Surely the time has come for the truth of God to enter these open doors, to gather for the heavenly garner those who will be represented in the kingdom of God. It is not a question whether we shall pray that God will open doors before us, but that he would pour upon his people his Holy Spirit, to enter through the doors that are open, and gather up the ripe fruit lying there.