Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

since He is a spirit; and no man ever did, or ever could, see a spirit;' the old man attempted to reply, but in words which I could not understand. What he said, however, was evidently unsatisfactory to the people around us.

Jan. 14, 1830-To-day we visited Lahota, where we were listened to with the usual attention. The small Mud Chapel, which we wish to build in this village, is not yet begun. The Rajah of Benares has now, however, promised to throw no hindrance in our way; and, as the ground is fixed on, I hope that the next time we go the building will be in a state of forwardness.

Jan. 17-On Friday last, a Mussulman came to my Bungalow, and entreated to be admitted to Baptism: nothing occurred, in conversation with him, which bore the semblance of sincerity. I discovered that he had been residing with Mr. Smith, the Baptist Missionary: I wrote accordingly to Mr. Smith on the subject; and, from the answer, it appeared, that the Mussulman had been dismissed from under his instruction for confirmed drunkenness. This is not an

individual instance of attempt to obtain Baptism; four individuals having now applied within a few months, not with any view to the salvation of their souls. In what need a Missionary stands of the spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind of power, to exhort and rebuke the Heathen with all authority; of love, to bear with their gross sins and frequent infirmities; of a sound mind, to detect their fraud and hypocrisy.

Jan. 18- Visited, this morning, my Hinduwee School, near the Permit Office. This School is in a conspicuous situation, and consequently very suitable to our purpose of attracting a crowd to listen,

first to our examination of the Scholars, and afterwards to our address to themselves. I can truly say, that the more I enter into my Missionary Labours, the more I am attached to them.

This morning, as Mr. Robertson was speaking to about 50 hearers, I marked their countenances, to discover, if possible, what impression his words made on their minds. Most of them appeared to gaze on us with listless unconcern; others, with curious inquiry what these things might mean; and one or two manifested a hopeful attention to his words. Thus we sow the seed, and leave the rest to God; and, though we have done but little, anticipate the future, with a confi

dent hope that our labours will not be in vain.

Jan. 21-Visited Lahota: our Congregation was smaller, but more attentive than usual. I recognised two or three faces which I had seen in the crowd before. This augurs well; for, when people come again and again, it betokens some degree of interest in our Message. I do trust, that when we shall have erected the Chapel in this village, which is now in progress, the Lord will work some wonders there.

The walls of my Female School are now nearly completed; and I do not anticipate burthening the Society with any further expense than 60 rupees, which I have already drawn. When finished, it will be a neat and compact place, easily convertible into a Christian Institution, if, after a few years, an Establishment of that kind in Benares should be deemed necessary.

Chunar.

Extracts from the Journal of the Rev. William Bowley.

A general account of this Station, and copious Extracts from Mr. Bowley's Journal, were given at pp. 40 and 121–133 of our Volume. We now lay before our Readers some further Extracts, which bring down the account of Mr. Bowley's proceedings to the close of last year.

Services and Schools.

There are three Services in the week with the Native Christians: one in the Bazaar Chapel, which is conducted by Mr. Macleod, assisted by one of the Readers; a Catechetical Meeting every Saturday Evening; and one Evening with the Europeans.

The Schools for Heathen Lads are visited daily beside these are two Adult Female Christian Schools. In the English School there are, at present, but 10 Boys: in the Persian School, 30; in the Hinduwee Chapel School, 53; and in that under

Matthew Runjeet, 30. Since the rains, the Village Schools have been closed, in consequence of the Boys being employed in the fields, and not being at leisure to attend.

Notices of Inquirers and Converts.

August 1-Matthew Runjeet spoke of a Devotee who resided in the village in which he lives, who died in the Faith of the Gospel. He said he had spoken

several times to Mr. Friend to baptize him, but it was deferred to my return: however, the poor man was called away about a fortnight since. The others of the village, who disputed with him, seem to be satisfied that Christianity is the superior Religion.

August 8, 1829-To-day, Bukhtawur Singh came and received Tracts: he also took a copy of each for his Daughter, formerly our Schoomistress, who has lately been married, and who sent to her father to obtain some books for her. In the evening, the new Converts met the Catechumen, four in number; when they repeated what they had learned, and had the Creed explained.

August 9: Sunday- As usual, had Morning and Evening Service in Hindostanee, which Kurrum Messeeh performed. I had a long conversation on Religion with a Hindoo Boy who was taught at our School, and is a Writer here. Were it not for the iron bar of Caste, what crowds would be flocking into the Christian Church! This stronghold of the Devil keeps many away from openly acknowledging Christ, and many more from the Means of Grace. It seems pretty generally understood, that Christianity makes no compromise: this deters many from inquiring into it.

August 10-Had much serious conversation with two young men who came to be taught English: they seem decided in favour of Christianity, so far as reasoning goes.

August 11. During the day, an old Brahmin, Thakoor's Uncle, came to reside with us, from Thalook's village. This unlettered old man, from his knowledge of Christianity, would put many bearing the name of Christians to the blush.

At Evening Hindoostanee Meeting, Kurrum Messeeh read the Prayers, and I expounded part of the Third Chapter of Genesis.

August 12-As the Jew Boys of the English School come to me for instruction, we have generally an hour's serious conversation: two of them seem perfectly convinced that they cannot be saved unless they renounce all for Christ: being however dependent upon their parents, they say they cannot give themselves up to Him: one of them asked for a PrayerBook.

Baptism of Converts.

Sept. 13: Sunday-At Afternoon Hindoostanee Service, I baptized the following persons:

1. Martyn Byjnath, a Hindoo, about 19 years of age; was formely a Devotee; and was met by our people at Swargdham's village, 12 miles hence. They spoke to him; and he was prevailed on to follow them in December last. He has since been under Christian Instruction, has learnt to read well, and for months has been soliciting Baptism. During my absence, he has been entirely under Christian Tryloke, who speaks well of him.

2. Thomas Ram Chum, of the Kshutru Caste, about 27 years of age, came also about the same time with the former for Baptism, and has been under instruction and probation ever since. Having made good progress in the essentials of Religion, and having conducted himself to our satisfaction and earned his livelihood in a creditable way, I admitted him to the Ordinance.

3. Bathsheba, a Brahminee Woman, about 25 years of age, who was married to Matthew Runjeet, our Village Schoolmaster, in March last, and has been preparing for the Ordinance ever since. She is intelligent, and acquainted with Christianity, and reads the Hinduwee Testament.

4. George Beizbuksh, a Mussulman Lad, about 22 years old. He was one of the boatmen who went down with me to Calcutta, since which he has been attached to Christianity: he wanted to remain in my service then; but returned with some of the party to Chunar, where I found him attending on the Means of Grace, and residing with a Christian Family, earning his living by hard labour. He has since proved himself a very promising young man; has a good capacity, a retentive memory, and a willing mind; has made admirable progress in his knowledge of Christianity; and is making good progress in the Gospels.

5. Andrew Buksh, another Mahomedan Lad, about 16 years of age, was brought from Allahabad by our Schoolmistress's Husband, for the express purpose of being prepared for Baptism: has given great satisfaction; works hard for his livelihood, and has made good progress in all that has been required of him. During the Service, the Church was well filled with Natives, to witness the Ordinance.

[blocks in formation]

Native Christian Women for the last two years, creditably working for her livelihood. For some months past, she has been diligently attending to the concerns of her soul; and has learned the Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord's Prayer, which she repeated. The second person was a Heathen Girl, about 14 years of age has been, for the last three years, brought up by a pious Lady, who has taken the pains to teach her to read and pray in English, and has caused her to be instructed in Hindee also. She was sent to us in September last; and has since learned to read the Scriptures fluently in Nagree, got off the Catechism, Creed, &c. &c., and from the commencement has conducted herself as well as could be expected from a person of her age and circumstances; so that I can truly say, that I have not seen a Native Girl conduct herself better. She understands, and I trust feels, what she reads. She was baptized by the name of Anna; and the other, by that of Mootree.

State of Chunar.

Sept. 30, 1829-Our people go to the Fair daily; but, alas! hardly any will come near them, and they give away but two or three Tracts a-day; whereas at Benares as many thousands might be distributed in the same time.

Chunar is truly in a deplorable state: the inhabitants seem asleep in the lap of indifference, from which no mortal power can rouse them: hence they keep out of the hearing of the Word, with a full conviction that to hear is to become a Christian; and even the few that do manifest any concern, are afraid of the reproach of their neighbours. Humanly speaking, there are many advantages attending the propagation of the Gospel in such a place as Benares or Calcutta, which are wanting at less populous places. At Benares, we might labour with the greatest delight, inasmuch as hearers might be obtained in every direction, and people who would come forward with a degree of confidence in their system and argue the point with you but not so at Chunar-you might challenge the most learned of the Hindoo or Mahomedan Religion to argue, without one daring to accept the challenge. You may hear yourself flattered in every direction, that none can cope with you; and then you are left.

Journey to Benares, Buxar, &c.
Oct. 28-This morning left Chunar,

66

دو

with the Readers, in a boat, for the Annual Fair below Buxar; and arrived at Benares at 5 P. M. At the river side spoke to several respectable men. They replied, that "all living in the city and vicinity of Benares should be saved." They were asked whether that notion would not excite people to commit sin with less compunction? "Yes."-"How then can you credit such a doctrine?" The Shasters say so." "Exercise your reason: what does that say?" One replied, We shall not be saved so much by residing here, as by good deeds:" which was denied by his neighbour. Advantage was taken of it, and it was said that they were divided; which proved that they adhered to systems of religion invented by the human heart, which could not avail them in time of need, since they would not lead them to God.

66

Oct. 29-This morning had a PrayerMeeting, in which two of the Readers, who were with us, joined; and at noon left Benares, and came to Bulea, 8 miles. At the Village Kythee, the Readers read and gave away about 20 Tracts. Christian had some arguing with a Mussulman, who could not reply to his questions without exposing his system. At Sydpore, a much larger place, they had not so favourable an opportunity.

Oct. 31-Put too, and walked in the village Chinchue pore, but the people were gone out to the fields. Ten miles further, our people went into Jumanea, where there is a Police: several of the inhabitants came to the boat; and, though they refused to take books in the village, they accepted of them here. They made particular inquiries as to our object in distributing these books &c.; and were told that Christians believed that both Hindoos and Mussulmen were deluded by religions of man's invention, and consequently could not be saved; and that the system contained in these Books was the only method of salvation appointed by God Himself. After this, we came on to Ghazeepore, where we arrived at midnight.

Nov. 1: Sunday Soon after daybreak, the Hindoos came to bathe: it was truly lamentable to see how they roared out the name of the god whom they worshipped, in opposition to one another; one party crying out Seela Ram" (Ram and his Wife Seela); the oppositionists, "Rodha Krishna" (Krishna and his Wife): thus they went on

66

D

joking together, till seriously addressed
by Tryloke: on their attention being
attracted, he read the Tract in Verse;
which excited such profound respect for
him, that one man repeatedly entreated
him to permit him to embrace his feet;
saying, that to touch the feet of a person
possessing such knowledge would avail
to his salvation ! Tryloke, of course,
pointed out the sin of looking thus to
mortals and withdrawing their mind from
the real object of worship. After this,
all went to the Bazaar, where four read
and addressed great crowds: the re-
mainder of the day, till the afternoon,
was spent in distributing books from our
boat, and arguing with the people: many
very respectable persons came. Kurrum
Messeeh also joined us from Buxar.

God." The poor Mahomedan replied, in distress, "That God permitted them to have more partners than one, because the Arabs, living on dates &c., needed more, as he allowed the rich to have more wives than the poor." Christian then read the Tract disproving Mahomedanism, in refutation of which they had nothing to say: a great number of persons who were assembled accepted books. The owner of the house took a copy of the Scriptures, and expressed a wish to see them again: Christian thinks that he wanted to have some bribe held out to him. In the course of the afternoon, a poor Pundit, who had previously received the New Testament, and followed us, was a good deal persecuted and ridiculed on account of riding with us and defending Christianity: he however stood firm.

Nov. 2, 1829-Early this morning, as yesterday, all went to the Bazaar; and several read to crowds alternately, and Nov. 3-Early this morning, went gave away books. During the whole day, out towards the Cantonments, and met a people flocked to our boat for books, Pundit, who received a Testament in where a good deal of argumentation took Hinduwee and Tracts; and the Readers place, especially with a body of Cuveer- read in the streets and Bazaar, and gave ites, who seem to be pure Materialists. away books. We argued with several On being questioned “Whom do you ac- Cuveerites, who during the day came to knowledge to be the Supreme Being ? our boat; a crowd following them. They one replied, "Whom shall I say? said, that to will in the Deity implied -"Do you mean to say all that we see imperfection. “So far as the creature are gods, that you find yourself at a is concerned, you may be right; but it loss to reply? Is there one or many?"- cannot apply to an Eternal Perfect "The subject of your questions is of too Being."-" Shew me the Deity." "How abstruse a nature to be discussed before will you see Him: you know that matea crowd: we shall call at your boat, and rial objects may be seen by the eye of inquire fully into it." They took books. sense, but not spiritual objects.”—“Make At 3 P. M., Christian Tryloke was invited Him manifest to the eye of reason." to a respectable Doctor's: Kurrum Mes-“Every object before us, viz. the boat, seeh also accompanied him, with books for the man. They were received with respect, and fully questioned as to their motive in distributing these books, &c. He asked them what they got, in a pecuniary way, for embracing Christianity. Christian replied, "Nothing."-" Why renounce the system of your forefathers?" "Because there is salvation in no other Religion."-"The Hindoos are nothing; but there are two systems, viz. the Mahomedan, and the Christian.” True; but the Mahomedan Religion cannot be proved to be a Revelation from God; whereas the Divinity of the Christian Religion is proved from the Books of the preceding Prophets, as well as from the Koran besides these, we have the testimony of our own consciences. The doctrine of the Korân differing so materially from the Scriptures..." here he particularized," could not have come from

66

that house, the cloth that you wear, proclaim the makers of them, though we have not seen them; yet, having seen people build, we reasonably infer that every similar object was made by man, and never admit a doubt to the contrary. In like manner, when we behold the world, the sun, the moon, the stars, &c. we reasonably conclude that they have a Creator, whom we call God. All present seemed struck with the force of what was said, and none cavilled. They now asked, Whether we moved in search of God, or does He move in search of us. 'He seeks after us."-" What is the reason of it ?" "None, besides His love and mercy." It was now shewn, that the whole human race is fallen and degenerated, and at enmity with the Creator; and that had He not sought us out, we should never have sought after Him, nor inclined towards Him.-" How may

[ocr errors]

66

we attain to happiness ?"" He has given us full direction in His Word" (pointing to the New Testament). The man seemed satisfied, and happy that he possessed the Book whereby he might obtain felicity, and took Tracts &c. A bystander resumed the argument; and said: "God is in us; and He it is who speaks, acts, &c." Here is another species of Hindoo Atheism. The former being one Sect of the Cuveerites, called Bhugta, admit of no God but matter: the latter Sect, being that of the Vedant, admit of no other Supreme Being than the rational soul in man, which they say pervades all nature. However, this poor creature's mouth was soon stopped, by shewing that he made God the Author of the bad words and evil actions committed in the world. Another would defend Idolatry, by saying, that the Deity must be approached through the medium of inferior creatures, as we approach great men. I replied: Alas! you also speak according to your Shasters, without at tending to reason; and thereby degrade the Supreme Being to the level of frail mortals; and, by so doing, deny His omnipresence and superintending providence." All seemed to approve, and none gainsayed several appeared impressed, and many took books. In the afternoon, a Molwee and several respectable Mussulmans came to Tryloke, and accepted books; but studiously avoided disputation, saying, that Reason had nothing to do with Religion. It was observed, "This is your only refuge, and the preservation of your system. Open your eyes, and your system falls to pieces." Several present seemed favourable, and did not approve of the Molwee's evasion. They said, that Christians were, proverbially, wise and acute reasoners, and it was useless to argue with them. They were told, that the faculty of reason alone made us superior to the brute creation; and if that were taken away, man would become level with the beasts that perish; and unless they exercised their reason, they could not convince gross Idolaters that Idolatry is wrong. Parts of the Tract were read. The evening was spent in walking through the Bazaar, and distributing books.

At night, we drifted down towards Buxar; and about midnight came against a sand-bank, where we remained till next morning; when, after prayer, and giving the Readers charge to visit the populous villages on both banks of the [RECORD, Nov. 1830.]

river, we came on to Buxar, and they joined in the evening. The Readers distributed books, and had a good deal of discussion at three populous villages. A Tehauldar (Native Collector) paid great respect to them, heard the Word, and gratefully accepted of the New Testament &c.

Nov. 5, 1829-Early this morning, according to custom, all went to the Bazaar; where we were respectably seated by a shopkeeper, who had previously heard the Word from KurrumMesseeb. A great crowd collected in the main street, and heard three of the Readers attentively: there was no opposing, no gainsaying: in reasoning with them, they seemed affected, gladly received books, and invited us to come again. This was more than I could expect, from such a place; since we find, that where the Word does not become a savour of life, it does of death, in hardening and stirring up depraved nature against it: there were, however, here, indications of good. In the evening, the Readers, with our learned Candidate, who has accompanied us, were well received, and employed till late. At 10 P. M. left Buxar for the Fair, and came on till arrested by a sandbank; and at nine next morning arrived at Bullea, where the Fair takes place, 14 miles below Buxar. Several of us went on shore, among the Devotees; and sat by a Gooroo, who was engaged in making gods of clay. This task he performs daily. He was seated on his bed, which was a mound of earth, raised about eighteen inches above those of his disciples, who sat by and flattered the Gooroo to us. We also seated ourselves, and got the Candidate, named Shunkur, to read two Tracts: the people affected to like it, but would not accept of any. We returned to the boat at noon: a Boy about 10 or 12 years of age, of the Brahmin Caste, followed, and begged I would take him; stating, that his Master, a Merchant, on his way to the Fair opposite Dinapore, finding him laid up with a fever, left him here. I delivered him to Christian Tryloke, and administered medicine to him. In the afternoon, we all walked round the place, read to several, and distributed a few books: while engaged in reading to a number of Devotees and others, we were joined by a young Officer, well disposed, who is on his way to join his Regiment. In the evening, had prayer with him.

Nov. 7-Walked out early, and ad2 K

« AnteriorContinuar »