Special Openings in India
By S. N. Haskell
Special Openings in India.
An opening for the gospel does not consist in a demand on the part of the heathen for the missionary of the cross to preach unto him a self-denying religion, contrary to that of his forefathers. Wicked men, under the control of Satan, do not do this thing; and Christians who wait for such openings will not only wait in vain, but will pass by the many open doors that God has set for them to enter. Christian work is an aggressive one. It is to impart blessings to the needy; it is to create in the heart of the self-satisfied soul in sin, one who has become restless in his evil course, a desire for holiness, purity, and a righteousness which is found alone in Jesus Christ. It is the wants, the absolute needs of the perishing that led Christ to come into this world to die. He came to his own, but his own received him not. And the wicked, inspired by Satan, would add pain in his dying agony, by taunting expressions, "He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God;" "If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself;" "If thou be Christ, save thyself and us," etc. They also mocked him, "offering him vinegar." "And they bowed the knee before him and mocked him, saying, Hail, king of the Jews!" "And they spit upon him, and took the reed and smote him on the head," while Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." This formed a basis for Peter's sermon, when he charged upon this very people denying the Holy One and the Just, and desiring a murderer to be granted unto them, and killed the Prince of life; but he says, "I wot [know] that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers." But to that very people he said, "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord." Acts 3:14-21. This example of the Founder of the Christian religion was imitated by the apostles and every true missionary since, in suffering and dying, if need be, for the rebellious. It is the condition of the heathen that creates the demand for missionary labor. It is when every circumstance invites the missionary to enter the field and to meet the lost where they are which constitutes the open door. Such openings are to-day set before the missionary to reach every neighborhood, tongue, and dialect in India. Under the protection of the English Government the missionary can enter these doors, and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. It should be remembered that India is composed of different oriental nations and Asiatic religions, each holding themselves aloof from others of different classes and castes, also of the non-castes among the Hindu religionists. They worship gods shaped after the imagination of thousands of corrupt hearts, inspired by him who commenced war with Christ in heaven. Among the non-castes who live in the rural districts, both men and women go to their labor in the morning, sow or reap, bind and harvest their grain through the day, carrying it upon their shoulders at night to the threshing floor near their own dwelling. They cook and eat their food before leaving in the morning, and after they return at night. The time for their labor is the light portion of the twenty-four hours. The price paid for these long and weary daily toils is from two to four cents per day for women, and from four to eight cents a day for men. Yet they are without God, the consolations of divine grace, but have hearts which are made tender by the recital of the story of Christ's love. "How do you begin first to awaken an interest?" said I to a young lady who for eighteen months had labored entirely alone among the non-castes without seeing another white face. "Oh," said she, as her face lighted up with delight, "I go to the fields, and bind the grain for the women, and tell them the story of a Saviour's love! They are surprised to think that a European lady will make them a visit under such circumstances, and far more surprised to think that with her own white hands she will unite with them in their daily toil. When they become interested in the story of the Saviour's love, I tell them if they will send me their children, I will tell them the story, and they will go home and tell the parents at night when they return from their labor." Thus she starts her school, fills their little hearts full of the simple story of Christ, and incidents in his life which they can comprehend, teaches them to sing, which all Hindus are passionately fond of, and has them memorize texts of Scripture; and they go home full of what they have heard and learned, and become missionaries to their parents; and in a short time she has entire neighborhoods aroused to learn of the gospel of Jesus Christ. "And as I tell the story," said she, "tears will trickle down their faces, and many will express faith in such a Saviour, who died to redeem them." Mr. Donaldson said in reply to the question how he began his work in the jungles, which means small country villages in the rural district, being the most unpopular place to labor: "I go into the bazaar, sit down cross-legged as they sit, and as the natives come in to trade, I ask them which god they worship. They will go on and tell me one after another, and sometimes hours will be spent in their telling about their gods. I then ask them if their god ever did them any good. Did he ever make them happy? did he ever heal them when they were sick? Does he come to them as a blessing? This is something that the heathen gods never do; but, on the other hand, they make them sick; they bring calamity, war, and every misfortune of life is the direct result of the anger of their god." "I then tell them of my God, how good he is, of his wonderful love, incidents of his life when upon the earth in his Son Jesus Christ, how he healed the sick, relieved the distressed, comforted the sorrowing, and lifted up the bowed down. They become interested and inquire about my God. Thus I open schools, establish missions, send out my catechists, and in a short time I see most glorious results. I soon gain the confidence of the entire village to that extent that if trouble arises, I am sent for by night or day to arbitrate in their cases. If sickness comes, I am sent to call upon my God, and administer such remedies as are at my command. If bereavement comes, I am sent for to tell them how good my God is; and with tearful eyes they frequently ask if I think my God can save such poor sinners as they are. I never attack their idols nor their idolatrous worship; but when their hearts are captivated by the love of Christ, idolatry, with all its forms of worship, falls of its own accord." Such are the openings among the non-castes of India among millions of people.