THE CHURCH MISSIONARY GLEANER. MARCHING ORDERS. I. JANUARY, 1879. "Go ye therefore and teach all nations."-St. Matt. xxviii. 19. cannot find a few men to send to Rome, or Libya, or Parthia, and we will see what we can do about collecting funds, and anyhow subscribing a penny a week or a pound a year ourselves!" How would the good tidings of great joy and the glorious news of the resurrection have spread at that rate? But they did not subscribe they went! Happily they had not silver and gold to give, so they gave themselves to their Lord and to His work. How small is the company of those that publish the Word of our God in proportion to the numbers that are perishing for lack of knowledge! We are so accustomed to hear of the millions of India and China, that we get hardened to the appalling figures. We do not take it in that one man is standing alone among, perhaps, 100,000 dying souls. Even from one of the best provided centres of missionary work in India a friend writes, that every Missionary she has seen, whether clerical, lay, or ladyworker, has work enough of his or her own to di ide immediately among at least six more, if they would only come! Yet our Lord's very last command was, "Go!" 1863, it is related that a young English officer was deserted by his native sepoys, and for some time, single-handed, held his own in the midst of a crowd of Afghan warriors. When he fell covered with wounds, the very men who had cut him down bore testimony to the indomitable pluck of the young Englishman who, rather than run with his men, faced the foe alone, and died. They raised one united shout in the Pushto language, "Bravo! bravo! There's a brave young fellow!" The Afghans are revengeful and jealous. Almost every chief of consequence has his real or imaginary injuries to revenge. The "Avenging of Blood" is a sacred institution of the Moslem faith, and one which seems to accord with the natural instincts of the Afghan character. Murder committed for this purpose is, of course, regarded as a religious duty. We remember hearing, some years ago, of the murder of a villager in Boneyr beyond our frontier. The murderer was seized and tried by the elders of the village, and made over to the next of kin for summary vengeance. But the murdered man had no male relatives, and the next of kin was a young maiden. The criminal was brought forth, and the girl was given a dagger, which she plunged into the heart of her father's assassin. The hospitality of the Afghans is proverbial. Each section of a village has its hujrah, or guest-chamber, and every chief of consequence keeps one. These are supplied with beds, quilts, and pillows, and the wayfaring traveller can here claim protection for the night, with the usual meals. The salutations of the Afghans are very peculiar, and exhibit very strikingly the hospitable and sociable character of the people. As soon as a stranger arrives at a village guest-house, it is his duty to give the usual Mohammedan salaam-the Afghans being a Mussulman people-" The peace of God be with you,' which will receive the hearty response of every villager seated there, repeated several times over, "May you ever come! May you ever come!" And when he again proceeds on his journey, we commit you." The company is still smaller in proportion to those who might go if they only had the heart to go. Setting aside those who have not sought or found Christ for themselves, and who do not care to hear or read about these things, and those to whom the Lord has definitely closed this door by unmistakable circumstantial guidance, there must be, as a mere matter of figures, thousands of young Christians who might go, or put themselves in training for going. Yes, thousands, who have "freely received" salvation for themselves, but are not ready to "freely give" he will leave with the usual blessing, "To the protection of God themselves to the Saviour's own great work; not ready even to take the matter into consideration; not ready even to think of turning aside out of their chosen profession, or comfortable home course. Yet the command, the last that ever fell from His gracious lips before He went up from the scene of His sufferings for us, still rings on, and it is "Go!" And He said, "If ye love Me, keep My commandments." FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL. ABOUT THE AFGHANS. NOTES BY THE REV. T. P. HUGHES, OF PESHAWAR. [Everything connected with the Afghans is just now cf absorbing interest, and we are glad to begin the new year with some Notes upon them, and on the Church Missionary Society's work amongst them. The Rev. T. P. Hughes, the writer of the Notes, has lived at Peshawar, which is an Afghan city, though within the British frontier, for fourteen years. Further Notes will follow in our next.] Character of the Afghans. HERE is much in the character of the Afghans to excite the special interest of Christian people in their welfare. Their courage will bear comparison with that of any nation, and many are the instances of personal bravery which have been rewarded by distinguished marks of a probation by the English Government. Nor are they slow to appreciate this quality in others. In the Umbeyla war of The C.M.S. Mission to the Afghans. The Church Missionary Society commenced its Mission at Peshawar in 1855, in response to an offer of £1,000 from an anonymous friend for its establishment, on a requisition signed by the European residents. The first missionaries were Colonel Martin, the Rev. Dr. Pfander, and the Rev. Robert Clark. The Mission at its commencement received considerable aid, both in money and in moral support, from the late Sir Herbert Edwardes, who was at that time Commissioner of the Division. Some apprehension of danger was felt by those who distrusted and feared the propagation of the Gospel in so bigoted a stronghold of Mohammedanism. But Herbert Edwardes was too brave a man, too wise a politician, and too bold a Christian, to share such fears. And God honoured that Christian ruler in that very place, for he it was who, in the terrible Mutiny of 1857, held the bigoted Mohammedans of the Trans-Indus territory with a firm hand, and made loyal soldiers of Afghan levies. No Mission in India has suffered more than the Peshawar Mission from the sickness and death of its members. From its commencement, seventeen missionaries and eight missionaries' wives have been located at Peshawar. Of these, six have died at the station and two in England, and about seven have been compelled to leave in consequence of failure of health. There are now some seventy Christians on the Mission-roll, twenty-five of whom are communicants-a day of small things, but despise it not! The Afghans in days of yore came down from their mountain fastnesses and conquered India, and if ever, through God's grace, a large Afghan Church should be gathered, it will make its influences felt over the wide-spread plains of Hindustan. Among our Afghan converts there have been men who have done good service to Government. When Lord Mayo wished to send some trusted native on very confidential and very important service to Central Asia, it was an Afghan convert of our Mission who was selected. Subadar Dilawar Khan, who had served the English well before the gates of Delhi, was sent on this secret mission to Central Asia, where he died in the snow, a victim to the treachery of the King of Chitral. Some three years ago, an officer, employed on a special service of inquiry as to the doings of the Wahhabis, wanted a trustworthy man to send to ascertain the number and condition of those fanatics who now reside at Palossi, on the banks of the Indus. An Afghan convert was selected for this difficult and dangerous undertaking. In the Umbeyla war of 1863 it was necessary that Government should have a few faithful men who could be relied on for information. Amongst others selected for this work were two Afghan Christians, converts of our Mission. The Native Christian Church is presided over by the Rev. Imam Shah, a convert from Mohammedanism. (See the portrait and account of him in the GLEANER of November, 1876.) The present Mission chapel is a temporary structure, formed out of an oriental part of the school-building. We are anxious to build a suitable church in a more public place, and have put forth an appeal for funds for the erection of a "memorial church" in the city of Peshawar. The boys' schools, under the management of the Rev. Worthington Jukes, contain 400 pupils, and in the girls' schools and zenanas nearly 100 pupils are under instruction. Bazaar or street preaching is regularly carried on in the centre of the city every Tuesday and Friday. A few years ago bazaar preaching in Peshawar was attended with some danger, and on one occasion the life of one of the European missionaries, Mr. Tuting, was attempted. The crowds, however, are now more orderly, and there are frequently attentive congregations. But it is not the most favourable way of bringing the Gospel before Mohammedans. The Mission hujrah, or guest-house, is the most interesting and encouraging feature of our work, for it is in the conversations there with our numerous Afghan visitors and guests that the clouds of ignorance and prejudice which overshadow the mind of the stranger are speedily removed by the warmth of social intercourse. The most bigoted opponents of the bazaar preaching then become attentive listeners to the Gospel plan of salvation. The Principal Street of Peshawar. The engraving represents the entrance to the city of Peshawar as you enter the city from the cantonments and the Khyber Pass. The city of Peshawar is really one of the chief cities of Afghanistan, for although the Peshawar Valley forms part of British India, it is within the limits of Afghanistan. All the people of the valley are Afghans. The great national poet of the Afghans lies buried within a few miles of Peshawar. The population of the city is about 60,000. It is the great commercial mart for the whole of Afghanistan and the tribes of Central Asia, and its streets are crowded with strangers. An extensive Mohammedan book trade is carried on, and every year camel-loads of Korans and other religious books find their way from this city over the steep (Continued on page 6.) CHURUN MASIH. A Story of our Afghan Frontier. E was a Kulin Brahmin, which, I understand, is one of the highest sects amongst the Hindu "twiceborn," as the Brahmins call themselves. Intermarriage with this sect is eagerly sought after, consequently many of them have various wives, and much money obtained with them. The subject of my story was married, but only once. He left his home in Oudh, where he lacked nothing, when yet young, and journeyed to Kashmir, where, in one of the numerous temples of the Maharajah, he became guardian, or assistant guardian, and keeper of the images. His duty was to dress and undress the idol, arrange its bed at night, and share the offerings presented to it. His description of the expensive clothing prepared for the image, and the constant changes in it, also of the income which he, with others in the temple, received, would challenge disbelief without some prior knowledge of such places. It is sufficient to say that by giving up this position he lost in every way-in money, for he now barely earns the necessaries of life; in honour and respect, for there he received even the adoration of the people; in comfort and ease, for he has to labour hard and constantly to earn his bread now, and withal to suffer much from persecution, mostly in that form which is the most galling to him-to be counted as the very off-scouring of the earth. His story, until I met him, was gathered from his own lips at various times, and the incidents of it, especially in connection with his conversion, which I now have to relate, are very striking. He firmly believed in all that had been told him about the idol, until one day, through some mishap, the image fell forward on its face, at which he was greatly grieved, and, perhaps, not a little frightened. He therefore, in the most abject manner, with hands placed palm to palm, prostrated himself before it, and begged it to right itself. This he continued to do for some time, but all in vain: it moved not, and at last had to be lifted by main force and restored to its former position. This incident first led him to doubt the power of the idol, for he had truly prayed to it for help and it yielded no response. Such a thought had never crossed his mind before, though evening by evening and morning by morning he had helped to lay it on and lift it from its bed. The thought thus admitted never left him, but grew in intensity the more he dwelt upon it. The simple honesty of his nature soon led him to tell his difficulties to others, and he came across a Mohammedan soldier in the Maharajah's service who was just about to start upon a pilgrimage to a well-known place and person the country of Swat and its Akhund. Swat is a mountain district only a day's journey from the frontier of British India at Peshawar; and the Akhund, its ruler, who died last year, was a great Mohammedan saint, and the Pope of the Mussulmans of the Punjab and Afghanistan.* The soldier was so full of zeal, and so loud in his praises of the power and special gifts of this holy man, that the Brahmin soon agreed to accompany him on this journey. On the way the poor man's hopes were raised to the highest pitch by the stories of the Akhund's miraculous powers, and he looked forward with pleasure to the prospect of having all his doubts removed and his heart set at rest. He was told the old man could read his heart and know his thoughts, and instances were given to ensure his faith. After some days travelling through a country where dwelt men of fierce countenance, whose appearance made the heart of this "mild" Hindu "become as water," they reached the abode of the famous Akhund. He was not to be seen that evening, but the travellers were lodged, and had the promise of an interview *A full account of this remarkable man, by the Rev. T. P. Hughes, appeared in the C.M. Intelligencer of June, 1877. on the morrow. The evening meal was now brought roundboiled pulse with some clarified butter mixed in it, and unleavened cakes of wheaten bread. Whether it was the heart or the stomach of the Hindu suggested it I know not, but he declined this meal, and inwardly desired milk and rice, without expressing any wish, with the intent, as he said, of trying the power of this far-famed saint. The hours passed on, but nothing came; and he had to get through the night without food at all. Twice he thus tested the stories he had heard, and when admitted into the old man's presence, questioned him as to their truth. The Akhund denied possessing any such powers, and merely asked the new convert to have his lock of hair cut off, and to repeat the Kalimah, or creed, i.e., " There is no god but God, and Mahomet is His prophet," and then the interview was over, and he was numbered amongst the faithful. This did not satisfy the poor fellow at all; but what could he now do save make his way as fast as possible out of a country where no law seemed to reign? He lost no time therefore in reaching Peshawar, and in passing from thence down the frontier towns, in most of which he had friends or relatives, hoping that they might not altogether ignore him. But he had greatly misjudged their character, as we shall see before the story is finished. On hearing what he had done, his Hindu friends, one after another, would have nothing to do with him, so he had to look to Mohammedans for help upon the way, which they supplied, though not very liberally. He came at last to Dera Ismail Khan, where a native banker lived, for whom an elder brother of his acted as agent at another station some hundred miles or more farther down the frontier. Here, however, he was rebuffed too, and so he turned aside to seek the aid and sympathy of one whose name for liberality and hospitality towards the people of his own religion is well known in these parts-the Nawab of Tank, a small station about thirty miles from Dera Ismail Khan, and quite close to the frontier hills. He was received and treated well; but it so happened that shortly he fell sick, and, in the providence of God, came to our Mission dispensary there, which is under the management of our dear native brother, the Rev. John Williams, a physician for the soul and body too. He, seeing the stranger, soon learned his story with all his yearnings, and told him of God's way of peace, which he, as a soul that had never been satisfied, greedily accepted, and as boldly acknowledged before all. This drew down upon him, as might have been expected, the wrath and persecution of all the Mohammedans. The Nawab sought to turn him from his purpose by promises and taunts, but all in vain, for he held fast his profession, and continued to reside in their midst, where the very fact of his being a Christian, much more of being a pervert from the Mohammedan faith, caused him to carry his life always in his hand. After a prolonged probation, arising more from his exceeding dulness in learning anything than from doubt concerning his sincerity, he accompanied me to Lahore, and was there baptized by immersion on the premises of the Divinity College, in the presence of a goodly gathering, amongst whom was his father in the faith, who acted as one of his sponsors. John was not then ordained, or I should not have baptized his convert. On our journey there an incident occurred which is worth mentioning as illustrating the lengths to which the blindness of bigotry can lead We were passing through Dera Ghazi Khan, where this man's brother lived, of whom mention has been made before. The convert stated his intention of going to see him, and I decided to go with him and see the interview. I was received most politely, but the poor convert was completely ignored. After some talk I plainly asked the man was he not his brother? He simply replied it could not be so, for his younger brother had men. *See an account of the Rev. John Williams, by Bishop French, with a portrait, in the GLEANER of January, 1877. died some time before. It appears when the poor fellow abjured Hinduism, his family counted him as dead, and his wife poisoned herself. I heard subsequently that maternal instincts, to their credit be it said, had prevailed sufficiently to cause a message to be sent to him to come that they might look upon his face again; but, so far as I know, up to this time this desire has not been gratified. D. BRODIE. WHAT ARE THEY AMONG SO MANY?" HAT are those feeble ones among so many? Of His great might-and our sad feebleness. "What are they 'mid so many ?"-faithless question! He who could multiply the loaves and fishes And taketh count of e'en the sparrow's fall- May not an acorn grow into a forest? One tiny spark explode a mighty mine? That presently with twice its light will shine? A. T. LETTERS TO MY PARISH FROM SANTALIA. BY THE REV. W. T. STORRS. NOTE. E are kindly permitted to print in the GLEANER some interesting letters written by the Rev. W. T. Storrs to his parishioners at Great Horton, in Yorkshire. But first let us explain where they were written from, and how they came to be written. The Santals are a people of India, but they are not Hindus. They are one of the old tribes that possessed the land beforg the Hindus came in three thousand years ago. They live in Bengal, 200 miles N.E. of Calcutta, in the valleys skirting the Rajmahal Hills. The C.M.S. Mission to the Santâls was begun twenty years ago; but it was between 1863 and 1870, during Mr. Storrs' residence among them, that the large ingathering of souls took place, which has made this Mission so bright a spot in North India. Two or three years ago, Sir William Muir visited the place, and was so struck by the importance of the work, that he offered the Society £100 for every new station opened in the country; and the Rev. H. W. Shackell made a similar offer. Accordingly the Committee begged Mr. Storrs to leave his Yorkshire parish for a while, and go out to foster the work and to form plans for its extension. He sailed in September, 1877, and having spent the last fifteen months in going in and out among the people, he will shortly be returning again to England. His simple and graphic letters will interest all our readers. Those who wish to know more about the Santâls are referred to the GLEANER of January, 1875; April, 1877; and October, 1878. I.-Back again at Taljhari. TALJHARI, Oct. 26th, 1877. At last I have reached the end of my long journey. We arrived just below Calcutta in the river Hoogly on Sunday evening, the 14th, but were not able to land until Monday morning. We had not a single rough or stormy day during the whole of the voyage, and though of course there were some troubles, I have never had, on the whole, a voyage with so little to make it disagreeable. Throughout the passage it was most cheering to think of the prayers which I knew were following me. On Friday, the 19th, we took the train for 200 miles, and came up here. Taljhari is six miles from the nearest station, but the train passes only about a quarter of a mile from the Mission, so we got the train stopped just in front of the bungalow. As the train came up I saw a great number of the natives waiting, and two or three English people. The natives gave me a most hearty salutation, and I answered them as well as I could in Sintali; though I have much to learn over again of the language, and can only hope that I shall soon find my tongue again in it. It seemed strange to enter, as the guest of another missionary, the house where I had lived so many years, and where two of my children had been born. I found many things much changed. Many of those whom I had left as boys and girls were married men and women. The babies of that time are the school children now. And some of the middle-aged men and women are beginning to show the signs of declining age. It was very delightful to be recognised and welcomed by so many; but many I could not recognise, or, though I recognised their faces, could not remember their names. On Saturday I had many visitors from among my old friends, and very cheering it was to see their faces and talk over old times with them. On Sunday I preached in the morning, feeling greatly my inability to speak in what had after so many years become a strange tongue to me. But the Lord helped me, beyond my own expectations, at any rate; though I dare say others thought I made a very stumbling, rambling affair of my sermon. Afterwards I administered the Holy Communion to about a hundred people, and felt deeply God's goodness and love to me in permitting me once more to put into the hands of this people the signs of His immeasurable love. The church, which was not quite completed when I left, is now a noble building, rather smaller than IIorton church, and like it with an unfinished tower. It stands out nobly above the Mission on a hill among the trees. [See the picture in the GLEANER of April, 1877.] Its great fault is that the sound is echoed from the large vaulted roof (there is no wood in the building except that of the windows and doors), and when the church is not well filled it is difficult to hear the preacher. I am glad to say that on Sunday morning the congregation was so good that I had little difficulty in making myself heard. In Camp, about forty miles South of Taljhari, Dec. 4th. I am sitting in my tent-not a sound to be heard-all so quiet that I can actually hear the ticking of my watch in my pocket. All round me on the table are Santali books-a very rickety table it is. There is my bed in one corner of the tent, a rough bed of unplaned wood, such an uncouth and poor-looking thing as few of you have ever seen; not far from my bed is a small portmanteau of clothes; a little box of medicines and another of books; and close to them a very handsome canteen, which seems to wonder how it has fallen into such low company and found its way into the society of such inferior sort. I need not tell you where the canteen came from. My own pen as it scratches the paper seems quite to make a noise. Half an hour ago I had three young men with me into prayers, and we sang a hymn, and read a little of St. Mark's Gospel, and had a short prayer; but I have no doubt that they are now fast asleep in a little tent only a few yards from mine. I cannot report to you any very great doings here. Work has changed very much since I was here before. The heathen Santals seem very much more hardened against the truth, and in many places evince a hostility to it, which was never shown then. The Native Church seems to me to be much colder: yet, notwithstanding this, I feel hopeful, and trust that God has sent me out to be a blessing to those, so many of whom were in some measure my own children in the faith, and who, if they themselves are stronger and more zealous, will influence their heathen neighbours far more than we missionaries can do. In some places the dislike to Christianity seems only to have arisen from the inconsistent conduct of professed Christians. I know that I have your prayers, but I would ask especially for them in this, that I may be able to stir up the Christians to greater holiness and zeal, and so influence the whole work in the district. |
