INDIAN ITEMS | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 25, 1893

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 46.

INDIAN ITEMS.

THE London Missionary Society's report of 1862 of the Murshidabad District, India, shows but 156 Christians to a population of 1,227,952. One recent missionary to that field, Rev. A. Joyce, thus speaks in this "report" of his arrival there, and that difficulties of language did not hinder him from going to work immediately. He says:—

"A new missionary is stimulated to begin work at once, and finds himself in an atmosphere of work. There is no monotony, no weary months of simply linguistic labor before he can begin doing something. The much decried educational work has opened up an immediate sphere of work among English-speaking Bengalis. On New Year's day, my third day in India, I enjoyed the privilege of preaching in our English Chapel here, the larger proportion of the congregation being English-speaking Bengalis, who habitually come to our Sunday evening gathering. Other English work lies to hand at once, and I hope to begin Scripture teaching among the elder lads in the school as soon as it reopens. Neither is it long before one is urged to take a very modest part in the bazaar preaching, by learning and reciting texts of Scripture, and helping to sing a few hymns. The initial attempts I hope to be able to make in a few weeks' time. The spirit of urgency which seems to possess all our workers is stirring like martial music, and makes one eager to take a vital part in all that is going on."

Of caste he thus speaks:—

"I used to think Indian missionaries talked too much about caste, but it is truly the one dreadful stone of stumbling to all progress in this land. Dear friends, that live in the glorious liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, pray for India's sons and daughters, that they may be released from this bondage of Satan."

Paul Bismas, a native preacher of the London Missionary Society in the Murshidabad district of India, speaks of preaching at Satelipore, and advertising his books in connection therewith. He says: "When I advertised the books, which were with me, people from all sides began to cry out, 'Give me a copy of the life of Christ, give me a copy of the life of Christ.' I sold there all the books I had with me."