THE HINDUS.

WE have introduced the picture of a Hindu ryot, or agriculturist. From the earth our "house of this tabernacle" was taken, and from the earth its sustenance must come, and that, in most countries, through agriculture. We say, in most countries, for in some lands tillage is not practicable. The Eskimos, on those northern shores where, in mid-winter, continued darkness reigns, hunt the rein-deer during the summer months, and find a supply of food in vast multitudes of swans, geese, and ducks resorting to those quarters, or in the pursuit of whales, which frequent their coasts. Other tribes there are who distaste agriculture, and, like the Red Indians, prefer a precarious subsistence by the chase and fishery. The Kaffir tribes of the great African continent depend more on their flocks and herds than on the productions of the soil. But with the Hindus it is different. They are peculiarly an agricultural people, abhorring animal food. Milk, indeed, in various preparations, is an essential article of food. Curds, and, more particularly, clarified butter, in a liquid state, called ghee, are highly esteemed; but rice, Indian corn, raagi, and some other grains, constitute, each in different parts of India, the staff of life. To till the ground is therefore the occupation of a very large portion of the Hindu people. The Hindu farmer is not ignorant of cultivation according to his peculiar mode. He understands the seasons, knows something of a rotation of crops, and rears a great variety of grain. Early in the morning he goes forth to his labour, his team before him, and his plough on his shoulder. It is of very simple construction, having neither coulter nor mould-board, the furrow required being only a scratch two or three inches deep: a piece of wood, tipped with iron, serves for sole and share a long stick fastened into this serves for the beam, and a short one for the handle. The team consists of two oxen, or of a buffalo and an ox; the former, because of his laziness, being placed opposite the ploughman's right hand, which is armed with a goad. We look at him with interest, this brother of ours, in appearance so unlike ourselves, yet, like the farmer of our own land, "going forth to his work and to his labour until the evening." Alas! it is with a painful interest we regard him, for he knows not God: the God who quickens the seed which he sows, so that it yields to him a plenteous produce, he knows not. He cannot know Him except in the Gospel of Christ. It is only in that Gospel that the true God is so revealed to sinful man as that he may know Him, and love Him, and serve Him; and the light of that Gospel has, as yet, reached comparatively few of the great Hindu people.

And yet we would speak hopefully of India, for there are hopeful symptoms to be found there. Faithful Missionaries are earnestly labouring. They hold the Gospel plough: they are turning up the stiff soil, and are sowing abroad the Gospel seed. Not only are there European Missionaries, but faithful men from amongst them

selves are being raised up to "do the work of Evangelists." The common people hear them gladly, and inquirers increase. They address their fellow-countrymen in their own tongue with great truthfulness and power of persuasion. We have been particularly struck with the following noble testimony to the power of the Gospel, delivered by a native Teacher, of the name of Gungaram, when on a Missionary tour in Gujerat with the Rev. W. Clarkson, of the London Missionary Society, early in the present year—

"We do not want you to receive what we offer on our mere word. We have tried the power of this medicine for the sin of the world, and, having found it effectual to ourselves, offer it to you. Look at me. I was formerly a great liar, and was always deceiving and telling lies in my trade. I was also little conscious that in doing so I was committing great sin. This word came to me. As I received it, and understood it, I learned to hate lying. Still, I did not at once abandon it, as the habit was so strong. But as I learned still more and more, and prayed more and more, and knew the death of Christ for sin more and more thoroughly, I was enabled to leave off the sin. I do not say that I am yet free from the sin; but this I say, that if I lie I sincerely repent of it, and am made very unhappy till I have obtained pardon. And so, likewise, with other sins. I do not say that I am perfect; but I do say that I have actually left off those sins which formerly I practised, so that if I were to do what is sinful I should be rendered miserable.

"Now, I never learned purity from reading about Krishna's wicked conduct, as recorded in the Shasters. I never learned to hate any sin, from all my knowledge of the gods of India, but from this word. The word of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of sinners, who died for us, I have learned, and hope to go on learning till I shall be taken away from sin altogether."

We would add to this an extract or two from the Journal of one of our own native Catechists, which will show their mode of addressing the people, and the degree of acceptance they meet with.

Oct. 23, 1850-I left Nasik for Malligaum, with Appaji Bapuji and James Wilson.

Oct. 25-This morning, while we were preaching to the people at Pimplegaum, a conceited Brahmin, who wished to make a display of his wisdom before his countrymen, interrupted Appaji while he was reading a tract. He said, "You have just now read that there is only one God: pray who is this God?" Appaji requested him to be patient until he had finished his tract. The man remained silent, though not without some jesting and jeering at the solemn truths which Appaji was reading. After Appaji had finished the tract I went forward, and asked the man what was his question. He repeated it. I asked him what he considered himself to be. "I am a man," said he.-"How do you know that you are a man, and not a bullock or a cow ?" "By means of my understanding."-"Well, then, you must apply the same understanding to know the only true God. You see with your eyes the lofty heaven above, the glorious sun ruling by day, and the bright moon by night. you observe the creation here below-the men, the beasts, the trees, and

the plants." "If I have faith," said he, "then God is in every thing that I can see or feel." To this James Wilson replied, "If you have faith that that ass yonder is your father, will the ass really be your father?" The man replied in the affirmative, and all the people burst out into great laughter, shaking their heads with contempt. After this we spoke for a long while, and the people heard us quietly. As we returned home, we visited a Marathi school, and distributed some tracts to such boys as were advanced in learning. In the evening we spoke again to a few Mahars, who came to us for some tracts.

Feb. 3, 1851-I left Malligaum on a Missionary tour to Hivella. I had heard of this place before, as a very populous and suitable place for Missionary operations. It contains about 12,000 inhabitants, mostly high-class natives. According to the Mamletdor's report, its climate is good, and not very hot in the hot season. It is a place of great commerce. Silk is chiefly manufactured here, but on account of its good market other articles are brought hither for sale from different parts of the country.

I arrived at Hivella about half-past six in the evening. No sooner had I entered the village than a respectable Bunia came down from his shop, and, after making me a salaam, asked me what purchase I was going to make. I told him that I wanted to buy souls. The poor man was quite confounded, and did not know what to make of me, repeating my sentence with exclamations of surprise. I then added, "And that, not with rupees and gold-mohurs, but with the Word of God." His curiosity was now still more excited, and he seemed very anxious to understand me. As he walked with me a part of the way, to direct me where I should find a place for the night, I explained to him the nature of my purchase, and recommended him to think seriously on the subject.

Feb. 4-In the evening I went to the market, as this was a market-day, and seeing a number of people sitting down in the yard of a Maharootu's temple-probably to take rest, as they appeared to have come from some distance I began to read a tract. This attracted the people, and in about five minutes no fewer than about 2000 assembled. To make myself heard by everybody, I got upon the veranda of the temple, and read to them a part of the 55th chapter of Isaiah, which I afterwards explained, and exhorted the people to seek that which was more valuable than all earthly things. As I was returning to my lodging, a respectable Brahmin put his hands on my shoulder, and begged me to go to his house and partake of some pân-supari (betel-nuts). At first I was rather unwilling to go, but seeing him so earnest I went. No sooner had I entered his house than his good wife brought me some water to wash my feet. I told her that I wore stockings, and it being a cold evening I did not like to wet my feet. After we were seated she brought some pân-supari in a handsome brazen plate, and distributed with her own hands. I was rather surprised at this, as it is not common for the women of this country to make themselves at once familiar with those with whom they are not well acquainted.

We have one or two other interesting points, which we must reserve, lest we should lengthen this article too much.

A HOPEFUL INQUIRER.

THE following case, communicated in a letter from the Rev. H. M. Blakiston, Chaplain to the British Embassy at Constantinople, will be read with interest. We doubt not that there are many such poor wanderers throughout the world-men brought up in false religions, Romanism, Mahommedanism, Heathenism, who cannot extract from them rest for the soul; who feel they want something which they cannot find, something which shall still the troubled action of the conscience, and give hope and peace. How many our advantages, compared with millions of our fellow-men, in having our lot cast in a Protestant land, where Rome is not suffered to intrude between the sinner and the Saviour, between the mind of man and the will of God as revealed in His own book, the Bible! How great our privilege in having access to the waters of life, from whence, if we will, we may drink and be refreshed! How sad if we should neglect such opportunities, and, amidst them all, remain strangers to God! Surely such anxious sinners as the one noticed in this extract, groping for light in the midst of darkness, would rise up in condemnation against us at the last.

We have an interesting and important case in hand-that of an Indianborn Mussulman and Dervish, who wishes to become a Christian in open profession, as he declares himself to have been already for some years by conviction. He left India about fifteen years ago on a journey to Mecca; stopped at one of the Dervish colleges in Egypt on his way, and there first was convinced of the falseness of Mahommedanism by the working of his own mind, influenced, as he says, by God alone. At the same time he got access to a copy of our Scriptures; but on confiding his sentiments to a friend, he was cautioned to be quiet, for fear of persecution. From Egypt he went, not to Mecca, but to Jerusalem, where he opened his mind to some priest, as it appears, who gave him a similar caution. Thence he removed to Damascus, and after a few years' residence in Syria-as teacher, I believe-he came to Constantinople about three months ago, and entered a convent of his native sect, in order to perform some literary service which was required there, for which he receives pay, in addition to gratuitous maintenance. But he is unhappy there, and would fain leave at once, as his religions belief runs counter to every thing around him, and he is obliged to conform to what his heart opposes. More than a month ago he made known his case to our Consul-General, and then to an old dragoman of our embassy, who communicated on the subject with the ambassador, Sir Stratford Canning. At Sir Stratford's desire, he was brought to me for examination, and by his simple story gave me an impression-since confirmed more and more-that his conviction was sincere, and motive disinterested, although he is comparatively ignorant of Christian doctrines, as might naturally be supposed. Of course His Excellency is most anxious that every means should be taken to ascertain, as far as possible, the man's real feelings and object, before taking the new and responsible step of formally admitting him into the Christian community. He is a British subject by birth, and his admission therefore, politically

42

THE BARI OF THE WHITE NILE.

speaking, is facilitated. His age is forty-five. He knows Turkish and Persian, in addition to his native Arabic, and, I presume, Hindustani. He is willing to do any thing that might be arranged for him, as well as to go anywhere, for the sake of Christianity.

Let us pray for this man, that he may be taught of the Spirit, and be led on from hopeful inquiry to humble, thankful, settled faith in Christ; so that, if it please God, he may become the instrument of leading many whose tongues fail for thirst to those fountains of living waters which flow from the smitten Rock of Ages.

THE BARI OF THE WHITE NILE.

THE figure we have here introduced to your notice is one of a numerous and interesting people who yet remain to be visited by Christian Missionaries. Their country is on the great Nile river, far to the south, within 43° of the Equator, and perhaps not much more