Part 2 of 6
4. Tripatur, a town of nearly 15,000 people, was occupied as a new centre of work in the north-east part of Salem district in 1861; and in September, 1862, the Rev. Maurice Phillips arrived from England as the first resident missionary. School work had been already begun there under the supervision of Mr. Lechler, and by 1864 the mission house was completed.
In 1863 a woman, the wife of a man who had been converted in connection with another mission, was baptized; and she, her husband, the catechist, and his family were formed into a Christian Church, and the Lord's Supper was administered. A vernacular school was opened in the pariah quarter with an attendance of twenty boys; and an Anglo-vernacular school at Vaniambady, a large town fourteen miles from Tripatur, with an attendance of twenty-six boys. In 1864 the late Mrs. Phillips commenced a caste girls' school at Tripatur, and took great interest in it up to her death in December, 1867.
In 1865 the Anglo-vernacular school at Tripatur was discontinued. The Government school-room was enlarged, and the standard of education raised, so that it was impossible for the small mission school-room and limited funds to compete with it, consequently most of the best boys left for the Government school. An effort was made to avert this. An appeal was made to the Directors for sufficient funds to raise the school to the requirements of the people, but they did not respond.
At the end of ten years after the commencement of the mission there were five catechists, four out-stations, twenty-one communicants, seventy-one baptized persons (including communicants), three boys' schools containing 125 scholars, and two girls' schools containing fifty-five girls. Among the converts of this mission were five Brahmans, but one went back to heathenism under great pressure from his relatives.
In January, 1873, the Rev. Henry Rice was transferred from Madras to Tripatur, and after spending three years there was compelled, on account of ill health, to visit England, when the charge of the mission devolved again on Mr. Phillips.
Tripatur was for many years considered an out-station of the Salem Mission, but it became independent in 1875. Its missionary history since that time is, however, an illustration of the extreme weakness of the mission staff in South India for the purpose of overtaking the vast work which is offering itself on every hand. In 1881 the Rev. W. Robinson was resident at Tripatur in charge of the mission, and continued at his post until 1884. In that year the Rev. M. Phillips, of Salem, came to England on furlough, and Mr. Robinson had to take the oversight of the agents and work at Salem as well as at Tripatur. This double duty he performed in the next year also, and necessarily the larger district claimed a considerable portion of his time. In 1885 Mr. Robinson was permanently appointed to the charge of the Salem district, and removed to that place. But as there was no one else to take charge of Tripatur, he retained the care of this mission also. In 1887 the same arrangement continued, and the mission suffered further loss by the death of the devoted and able native pastor, Rev. C. Sundram.
At the close of 1888 the Rev. C. G. Marshall was sent out to take charge, but of course had to devote himself for the first year entirely to the study of the language. Mr. Marshall entered upon responsible charge of the mission at the beginning of 1890, and has been steadily at work since then. As the result of his growing acquaintance with the district and its inhabitants, Mr. Marshall stated: —
'Many of the villagers seem to know the main features of Christianity very well, and some have renounced idol-worship and have placed themselves under Christian instruction. We have altogether about ten genuine inquirers, some of whom we hope shortly to baptize. In wandering about amongst the villages, one cannot help noticing that there is a restlessness among the people and a pretty general suspicion of Hinduism. The work of the catechists and the spread of Christian literature have done a great deal to produce this. If we had an adequate staff of agents, we might reasonably hope within the next decade to have more than double the number of Christians in the district. But at present, with one European missionary, one Bible-woman, and seven native preachers, we are attempting the evangelization of three-quarters of a million of people scattered over an area of 3,269 square miles! It is needless to say that the work is too much for us to do thoroughly. At best, we are able only to visit the chief towns and villages once or twice a year, and many villages never get visited at all. We are constantly being disappointed in hopeful inquirers, because they live too far away to admit of our visiting them often, and they fall away.'
In 1896 the lamented death of Mrs. Robinson led to a rearrangement of work which transferred Mr. Marshall to Salem during Mr. Robinson's absence in England, and placed Tripatur under the care of Mr. R. C. Porter.
5. COIMBATORE. This district contains 7,842 square miles, and a population of 1,700,000. The town is 306 miles south-west of Madras, and stands at the foot of the Nilghiri Hills. It has a population of about 40,000; Tamil, Canarese, and a corrupt Telugu are all spoken in different parts. The story of the Coimbatore Mission is from 1830 to 1861 the record of the wise and persistent labours of one able and energetic worker, the Rev. W. B. Addis, and his devoted wife. He founded and established the mission. and zealously superintended all its details for over thirty years. In broad features the work at Coimbatore resembled that at Salem and Bellary. Mr. Addis strove, and not without success, to make it a native mission by the securing and superintending of a band of competent native pastors and evangelists. Mr. Sidney Long, who took charge of the mission in 1884, and who knew Mrs. Addis well during the later years of her long and useful life, has given the following sketch1 [This sketch, extending over pp. 80 to 86, is from an unpublished life of Mrs. Addis, of which Mr. Long kindly allowed the author to make use.] of this very important department of the work. Mr. Long's description is important as illustrating the nature and quality of the work done not only in Coimbatore, but over the whole Indian mission-field by the now large army of native evangelists and catechists.
Few missionaries can have had any real experience of India without coming to the conclusion that India will be won to Christ by Indians rather than by foreigners. No workers in India need more sympathy, more prayer, more help than the evangelists and catechists who have sprung from the soil, and who are in much closer touch with their fellow-countrymen than any missionaries from the West can be. They frequently occupy posts of great loneliness, especially when a new station has been opened, and they and their family form the whole of the Christian Church in a dark place.
The catechist goes out morning and evening to deliver his message. He is not usually a man of special culture, and the more educated natives pass him by with a sneer. The Brahmans often despise him: he gets his hearers chiefly from the lower classes, but they are too taken up with the things of this world and often too degraded and poverty-stricken to give much heed to his message. His work he is supposed by those around him to have adopted simply as a livelihood, and he is asked again and again in all seriousness how much money he will give for a convert, and how much he will get from his superior for enrolling new names. Does the missionary find work hard and discouraging? The catechist has the same trials to meet, and has not the same stimulus in Christian literature and often in Christian fellowship. Is it the case that catechists are often time-servers, and without zeal? Before we judge them, let us imagine ourselves year after year in their isolation, not infrequently boycotted and persecuted by the great mass of the people around, and then ask how faithful and how zealous we ourselves should be. Mr. Addis from the first, realizing the immense importance of so doing, set himself to raise a good class of native agents. He did his best to equip them well, and accorded to them that hearty recognition, and gave them that confidence, which go so far towards ensuring the best efforts that one's fellow-workers can exert.
Another principle of great importance with him was this — not only should the work be done by Indians, but according to Indian methods. 'The mission is a native one throughout,' he often and quite correctly asserted. This meant economy and efficiency. Agents were not encouraged to adopt European style of dress, furniture, and food, neither were they educated in English, but only in their vernacular. Such customs as were good or harmless in their own life were maintained. The rules of the mission were very strict in some respects; one was as follows: 'All agents who appear in public with dirty or ragged clothes, or without having on jacket or turban, or who have long beards, shall pay a fine of one rupee for each offence! 'A set of by-laws was drawn up about the clothing and deportment of catechists. The desire was to keep them as much as possible in touch with, and worthy to receive the respect of, their fellow-countrymen. Neither for them nor for those whom they should evangelize was mere change considered desirable. Change is not necessarily conversion. Mr. Addis was convinced that 'all the Hindus require to make them one of the most happy and contented people in the world is the knowledge of salvation through the incarnation of the Eternal Son of God, and the moral principles of the Bible.'
This avoidance of change made merely for its own sake was the rule throughout the mission, with catechists, church members, male and female scholars, and all whom it influenced. In these later days English education should not; and cannot, be excluded, as was the case from 1830 to 1861, but in other respects the principles adopted by the founder of the mission have generally been maintained. Customs that were oppressive and wrong were of course fought against by Mr. Addis; for instance, in 1849, for the first time in Coimbatore, took place in the Mission Church the remarriage of a Hindu widow, in spite of great prejudice and opposition. She was a Christian, but in later years even non-Christian widows have been publicly remarried in Coimbatore.
Mr. Addis brought two earnest native workers from Nagercoil to help him in starting the mission. They very soon returned to their own country, and he was dependent on the agents he raised locally: his first assistant will be mentioned hereafter. When a few converts had been made, the most suitable of them who were willing were set apart for Gospel work, and received training in the 'preparatory class' which has been mentioned. Their studies were in the Bible, theology, geography of India and Palestine, general history, and simple medicine; they also devoted a short time daily to manual labour of some kind. Practically every agent employed by Mr. Addis during thirty years was thus trained by himself; two or three obtained some additional training in the London Mission Seminary at Bangalore. These workers were arranged into four classes, and were designated 'readers,' 'assistant catechists,' 'catechists,' and 'evangelists.'
When located in distant towns or villages, Mr. Addis was always very particular that they should have a dwelling-house, with a well, a school-house, book depot, and where possible a hall for preaching. This arrangement made the catechist independent, and gave him a modest status among his neighbours. Being provided with a well, he was safe from the worst form of boycot, namely, deprivation of water for drinking and washing purposes. He was, however, still liable to be deprived of the village dhobie and barber. The former he could do without, as he was able to wash his own clothes; but not having a barber's services was more serious, as natives are very particular about removing their beards and also the hair on the forepart of their heads: and they not only find it a great difficulty to do this themselves, but consider shaving a menial and degrading occupation. The monthly salary given was 8 rupees, 5 annas, 4 pies. The evangelists had in addition an allowance of four annas, called batta, for each day on circuit; 'it was left to their conscience to do with less if they could, and in the majority of cases they managed on less.' The catechists also were constantly traveling, but in a more restricted circle. In the report for 1855 Mr. Addis remarked: 'They (nine or ten catechists) travelled between 6,000 and 7,000 miles during the year, and this is about their yearly average; they visited and made known Christ and His glorious salvation to the inhabitants of 2,375 towns and villages, performing all their journeys on foot, only being allowed a boy on one anna a day to accompany them with a bundle of Scripture portions and tracts for sale or distribution. They had nothing themselves beyond their regular salary.' By means of the presence of a Christian family in the midst of a heathen village, by the humble journeyings of these men to festivals and weekly markets for preaching, by their daily visits to villages, by their sales of Bible portions and Gospel tracts, how much has been done towards establishing the kingdom of Christ in India, the Last Great Day alone will declare.
Often they had to suffer from suspicion and from open persecution in various ways, but often also these workers made their way into the hearts of the people, and while in one village there existed opposition to the catechist, in another he was highly esteemed. Many of the catechists had a useful knowledge of medicine, and their skill in this respect was generally found to disarm prejudice. In some instances where a catechist had died or been removed by the missionary, the people begged for a successor, or the villagers in a neighbouring place sent a petition that they might be favoured like those who had a catechist resident with them. In one place the heathen gratuitously helped a new catechist to erect his house, in another gave the choice of a locality to be purchased for such a purpose, and in another even gave the ground. Such kindness could not be refused, and the offers of food and hospitality to the agents when travelling were accepted, but no agent, for medical assistance rendered by him, or for any other service, was permitted to receive money from the people around him. Not infrequently such catechists as had won their way with the people would be detained in the villages they visited for several hours after nightfall by the farmers who had been in the fields all day; a suitable place, and lights and refreshments, would be provided so that they might at leisure read and talk about the Scriptures. In one village where a catechist had been working without any apparent success for some time, Mr. Addis recorded that this worker told the people that 'although he was thankful to them for all their kindness, yet that he had great sorrow of heart because they did not fully receive his instructions by outwardly acting according to them in forsaking idolatry, and that he thought of selling his house and removing to some other place. Thereupon they came to him in a great number and entreated him not to leave them, but to have a longer patience; they even went so far as to hold a consultation and to decide that no one should purchase the house, but that they would more attentively listen to his instructions in the future. This they in part fulfilled, and some time afterwards one of the most influential inhabitants openly declared himself a Christian, and together with his wife and large family, as also with several of his relatives and farm-labourers, constantly attended Divine Service. He was, some time afterwards, publicly baptized, and walked for several years according to the precepts of the Gospel, and died in the faith.'
Mr. Addis hoped to see the time when there should be at least one catechist for 50,000 souls — surely a sufficiently modest desire. That hope was expressed in 1843, over fifty-five years ago, and still such a state of things has not been realized. He felt, as his successors have done, how unsatisfactory is the visit of a missionary to villages two or three times a year, and how much better is the permanent presence of even the poorest Christian worker who has the desire to spread the truth.
As late as 1897 some of the workers trained by Mr. Addis remained in active work in the mission, and they had their own distinctive marks, in the way they dressed, the removal not only of the kudumi, but of all hair from their heads, their skill in medicine, their tidy and methodical ways, not least in their skill as penmen, all having learnt to write a very good hand.
Of these workers, between 1830 and 1861, many interesting particulars might be given. It will, however, suffice if a brief account of one of them be recorded here. The first convert in the mission was Vedanayagam. When Mr. Addis arrived in Coimbatore, he sought, as previously stated, for those who would be willing to teach in a Christian school, and particularly for those who would agree to teach the Christian books used. A learned Hindu who was acting as his munshi recommended a certain 'Nanjen,' an intelligent young man well versed in the Shastras, and a strict observer of his religion. Nanjen agreed, provided he might have one day a week free for his Hindu ceremonies. He taught Watts' Catechism to the younger and Scripture to the elder boys. Others seeing that no harm resulted, volunteered their services also, and within a year six schools were in operation. Meanwhile, Nanjen was invited to the Tamil service in the cottage on the common, but at first refused. After a time his curiosity was too strong for him, and he attended. 'One Sunday,' to quote Mr. Addis's record, 'a tear was observed stealing down his cheek; the following week, when the missionary visited his school, he was surprised to find him at his post, although it was a heathen festival of considerable repute, and upon being asked how it was that he had not attended, he said with much evident emotion, "Sir, I have for ever done with such things." The feelings of the missionary may be conceived, but which of the two was most affected cannot be well said, for he quitted the school, and neither spoke further on the occasion. But now the schoolmaster's trials began — his wife and children left him, and he being a fond father and a domestic man, this was a severe trial indeed, and when he came to the missionary to relate the matter, he could not control his feelings. But on being asked what he intended to do, he answered with much firmness, "Cleave to Christ, let the consequences be what they may."'
After a long period of probation he was baptized, and at the same time the name of Vedanayagam was given to him. This being the first baptism in Coimbatore, it attracted much notice. After some time Vedanayagam's wife and children returned to him and joined the Christian faith, but at first he had no companion like-minded, and his position was both solitary and very difficult. He underwent training and became an able evangelist, serving the mission for fifteen years, during which time no complaint of any sort was brought against him, and this in spite of the fact that latterly he had to act as locum tenens during one or two absences of Mr. Addis on account of ill health. He was cut off at the early age of thirty-seven, and his loss was greatly felt. His funeral was not only attended by those belonging to the Christian congregation, but by numbers of heathen, many of superior caste, and among them real sorrow for his removal was manifested. Mr. Addis was for some years aided by his son Charles, who though subject to epilepsy did much valuable missionary service, but in 1861 ill health compelled both to resign. Mr. Addis died in 1871, but Mrs. Addis survived in India until 1898. In 1862 Mr. Morris came to Coimbatore, and from 1865 to 1869 Mr. Haslam was in charge. After an interval, in which Mr. Coles and Mr. Henry Rice in succession superintended the mission, Mr. Joss took up the work in 1870. In 1875 he was transferred to the English Institution at Madras, and Mr. H. A. Hutchison became the missionary in charge. The Coimbatore Mission during the last twenty years illustrates the difficulty of keeping up the staff and securing continuity of work in an Indian station. In 1880 there were two missionaries, both young and vigorous men. One of them, the Rev. J. N. Hooker, B.A., who had but recently joined the mission, was a man of exceptional promise, able, devout, enthusiastic. To the outward appearance, therefore, there was the prospect of a decade of very vigorous and successful work, but the hopes cherished were speedily disappointed. Mr. Hooker died in July, 1882, the victim of over-exertion and exposure; and Mr. Hutchison returned to England on furlough in 1883, to retire from missionary work altogether. The Rev. W. Monk Jones joined the mission in May, 1883, in the room of Mr. Hooker, and for eighteen months had the responsibility of this vast district entirely on his own shoulders, though he had only been six months in India when he came to the station. At the end of 1884 the Rev. S. J. Long joined him. By the time Mr. Long had become tolerably familiar with the language, and was able to take his full share of responsibility, the health of Mr. Monk Jones gave way, and in January, 1888, he had to return to England. Again the mission was left with only one missionary for nearly two years. At the end of 1889 the Rev. E. Hawker, B A., was sent out. In 1894 Mr. A. W. Brough, from New South Wales, reached Coimbatore. Under his care a new building for the High School, one of the finest in South India, was erected.
Female mission-work had been carried on since 1882, in which year Miss Horton was appointed, but she left after three months, and no one was sent to occupy the vacant place until Miss Bounsall was transferred from Madras at the end of 1888, to superintend and to develop work among girls and women. Miss Cuthbert reached Coimbatore in 1893, but left on her marriage in 1895, and was succeeded by Miss German.
Such a history of change and disappointment, so strong a contrast to the story of the first thirty years, is naturally the prelude to a story of slow progress and scanty results. Yet in some directions there has been decided progress. The number of catechists and other native workers has increased, and could easily be trebled to supply openings which are full of promise, if only funds were forthcoming for their support. Educational work is in a very healthy condition, notwithstanding bitter and unscrupulous opposition which has shown itself again and again. The High School in the town of Coimbatore attained its highest numbers in 1886. Then came a period of decline, at first on account of the opening of a number of adventure schools, and afterwards in consequence of the fierce anti-Christian agitation in the town, consequent on the baptism, though not in the London Mission, of a young Brahman. The number of scholars decreased to 169 at the end of 1889. The strenuous efforts of Mr. Asirvatham David, the head master, turned the tide, and the school closed in 1890 with an attendance of 221. 'The girls' schools have made steady and satisfactory progress during the decade. The advance is not merely in numbers and efficiency, but in the age to which it has been possible to retain pupils, and the consequent increase of the number of pupils in the more advanced class.'
Notwithstanding this long story and change and disappointment, at the close of the century the signs were all in favour of renewed life and energy and progress in this important missionary district.
II. Canarese Missions. Canarese is one of the four great languages which make up the Dravidian group, of great antiquity, highly developed, and possesses a rich and ancient literature. It is the speech of the inhabitants of the great native state Mysore and the regions contiguous to it on the north, and is spoken by nearly 10,000,000 people. The Society's work in this language has been carried on at three great centres: Bellary, Bangalore, and Belgaum.
1. Bellary. The origin and progress of the work here from 1810 to 1818 has been sketched in Chapter III.
The year 1819 was notable from the fact that Mr. Hands then began the printing at Madras of his Canarese version of the Scriptures. In the same year, after nine years' patient labour, the first native member was admitted to the Church, a Brahman, whose after career was, unhappily, inconsistent with his profession. In 1824 a new church, costing 7,000 rupees, a sum raised mainly by local contributions, was built. In 1824 Mr. Reeve returned to England, and Mr. Beynon, who came to take his place, began his long missionary career by three years' service at Bellary.
In 1826 a printing press, under the superintendence of Mr. Paine, was established, and for many years rendered service of the highest value, printing the Scriptures, books, and tracts in both Canarese and Telugu. In 1827 the Rev. Samuel Flavel removed from Bangalore, and for the next twenty years gave most efficient service as a native preacher. This man, whose name stands high in the history of early South Indian missions, was born in Quilon about 1787. While in the service of an official under the Ceylon Government, he found one day, under a tree, a copy of the Gospel in Tamil. This led to his conversion, and he became an eloquent preacher in different parts of Mysore. He was ordained in Bangalore, but the last twenty years of his life were spent in successful work in and around Bellary. He died in 1847.
At the end of 1828 Mr. Hands, the pioneer of the mission, after eighteen years' toil, took a well-deserved furlough and returned to England. During this period he had acquired the Canarese language without any of those helps now available; he had translated into that difficult language and printed a large portion of the Scriptures, besides many other books and tracts; in addition to all this literary labour, he had from the first been the centre and life of the mission in all its various activities. He returned in 1832, but in 1835 was compelled to return to England; and though in 1838 he came back to India for a brief stay, he did not return to Bellary.
In 1830 the Rev. John Reid, M.A., took up the work. Like his colleagues in the other South Indian missions, he was deeply impressed by the low moral state of the people, and by the great importance of sound educational work. He established orphan and boarding schools for boys and girls. For several years, as there was no chaplain at the post, he discharged the duties of that official. He continued active in the mission until his death in 1841.
The colleagues and successors of Hands and Reid were the Rev. J. Shreives and the Rev. W. Thompson, whose son, Ralph Wardlaw Thompson, in 1881 became Foreign Secretary. Mr. Thompson was connected with the Bellary Mission from 1837 to 1848. In 1842 Mr. Paine died, and in the same year the Rev. J. S. Wardlaw, M.A.. reached Bellary, and founded in 1846 a new English and vernacular school for boys, called the Wardlaw Institution. In 1852 the mission press was given up, and Mr. Wardlaw removed to Vizagapatam. The Rev. L. Valett was at Bellary from 1853-7; J. Macartney, 1857-62; J.G. Hawker, 1866-71; and E. Le Mare, 1873-7. But the chief burden of the work during the last fifty years has rested upon three shoulders: J.B. Coles, 1849-59, 1862-9, and 1875-86; Edwin Lewis, 1865-95; and Thomas Haines, 1870-90.
In 1851 two men from Honoor, a village eighty miles west of Bellary, came to Bellary for religious instruction. Ultimately both were baptized, carried the Gospel back to their village, and between 1851 and 1854 a number of converts, the result of their labours, were baptized.
In 1857, that is, forty-seven years after the mission was begun, there were at the station 2 missionaries, 4 native teachers, 267 baptized persons, 97 communicants, 10 male and 10 female school teachers, 2 boarding schools, 6 vernacular day schools, and one Anglo-vernacular school.
In a paper read before the Missionary Conference in 1858, Mr. Coles said: 'Those who first entered on this mission had to encounter many difficulties, which are now removed. They prepared the way, and gained experience for those who followed them.
For many years the missionaries were the only ministers of the Gospel at the station, and performed all the duties of military chaplains. This, though unavoidable, greatly interfered with the work of preaching to the heathen. Moreover, few missionaries have been able to continue many years at their post. Some have died; others have lost their health, and returned to England, or removed to other stations.'
During the century, in addition to the long list of devoted men and women who have laboured there, Bellary was favoured with the consecrated service of three remarkable men — John Hands. J. B. Coles, and Edwin Lewis. Although Mr. Coles began and closed his missionary life elsewhere, the great bulk of his service was rendered in Bellary. His was one of those unobtrusive lives which deserve remembrance all the more from the fact that with quiet faithfulness they do their appointed work.
Mr. Coles was born in London in 1819, and when he was still quite young his father removed to Portsmouth. The family attended the ministry of the Rev. John Griffin. On deciding to become a missionary, largely through having known Robert Moffat as a guest in his father's house, he studied with the Rev. John Cecil, first at Turvey, and then at Ongar. He was one of the first students at Spring Hill College, Birmingham. He laboured in Bellary, with a short intermission of two years in Madras, from 1849 to 1886. There his life-work was chiefly done, and his Christian influence most widely exerted. A good Hebrew and Greek scholar, he soon became proficient likewise in the Canarese language, through which he drew very near to the native Christians of the country. His life was mainly spent in vernacular preaching, and in guiding and building up the native church; he also served the cause of education, and was for years the head of the Wardlaw Institution; while he rendered an efficient ministry in connection with the English congregation at Bellary, a work refreshing to his own spirit, and greatly esteemed by the English Christians. He was in India during
the Mutiny of 1857, and when urged to take refuge with the other Europeans in the Bellary Fort, he preferred to stay at his post in the mission house, surrounded by the native Christians. During the severe famine of 1877-8, he exercised a fatherly care over many orphan boys whom he had gathered in; and these he trained and fitted for useful posts in life. He was a man of remarkably wise counsels, calm, clear judgment, and wide sympathies — a mentor especially in committees. His valuable gifts and accurate scholarship, accompanied by a singular unobtrusiveness and gentle influence, did quite as much for the building up of the mission as did the labours of others who were brought into greater prominence.
Mr. Edwin Lewis reached Bellary in January, 1866, and at once devoted himself to the work of itinerating the Bellary district. Gifted with great linguistic ability, he soon mastered the language, and became a fine Canarese and Telugu scholar. He also learned Hindustani that he might the more freely work among the Muhammadan population. Not only did he acquire unusual control over three vernaculars, but he was also able to render services of the highest value in Bible revision. Mr. Lewis spent the whole of his missionary life, 1866 to 1897, at Bellary. He was a man of fine appearance, of winning manner, of deep faith and simple fervent piety; and he came to be esteemed, by universal consent, an ideal itinerating missionary. He loved the work — the chat by the wayside, the strange and attractive meetings with those willing to hear him, the little Indian villages with their simple life. And wherever he went, the heart of the Hindu responded to the love that throbbed in the great brotherly heart of the missionary, and through that gate of love he entered multitudes of hearts that would have opened to no other influence. There have been throughout the century men equally gifted, equally wise, equally devoted to, and apt at, itinerating work; but certainly no man has excelled Edwin Lewis in this department of service which he made so specially his own.
A few examples and illustrations, in his own language for the most part, will enable the reader to understand better the itineration work done by European missionaries, not alone in the Bellary district, but over the whole of India.
'It is well known that one very important means, to say the least, of spreading the knowledge of the Christian religion in India, is by missionaries going from town to town and village to village, teaching and preaching. This has been my work. We have lived amongst the people, talked with them in their houses, in their shops, in the market-place, in the heathen temple; we have let the people see that we were not in a hurry to speak to them a few words and then depart, but that, cost what it might, we were prepared to show them a new way. We have found everywhere attentive listeners, in many places intelligent and anxious inquirers. Many at home, I know, seriously question the use of this mode of work; but we have tried it; we have seen its effects; we believe in it most fully as one of the most effective means of spreading the kingdom of Christ in India.
'"But do the people who hear you preach in the streets understand what they hear? Do they remember it? Are they in any wise influenced by it?" We unhesitatingly answer, "Yes." Facts show how through this mode of preaching men become generally enlightened concerning Christianity.
'I. Far away from a mission centre, when we were passing through a large village, a number of men came to me, saying, "Are you a padre?" I said, "Yes. Have you ever seen one before?" They said, "We have. He told us about one God, and Jesus Christ who is the Saviour, and we want you to stay and tell us more." I remained some time in the village, and as I spoke to them, much that they had heard before was brought to their remembrance, and they clearly appreciated what they heard.
'2. I visited Adoni on one occasion, and spent some time in the corn-market, speaking with the merchants there. One man in the company came up to me, and pointing to a large stone near, said, "I remember you sitting on that stone a few years ago, and speaking to us of this religion;" and he told me much that I had taught four years before, on that spot, and amongst other things the Parable of the Prodigal Son. He remembered also a discussion that had taken place on religion in another part of the town at that time.
'We preach to different kinds of people in India, and we have to preach to them in very different ways. In Narraindevara Kerry, a considerable town, a great many Brahmans live. Many of them are learned in the sacred books, and men of great intelligence. Once, when spending several days in the town, I sought out all the different classes of people there, that I might preach to them, and amongst others the Brahmans. In the public streets the congregation was assembled; old men from fifty years of age (a man is considered old in India at that age) to boys of eight or ten were there. They all know I am a padre. The lads looked me straight in the face, eager to hear what I had to say; some of the younger men looked amused, others stood aside and looked at me askance, with a half-sneering countenance; some who professed themselves learned — the Shastris — were ready to watch every word, and eager to entangle me in my speech. Not an illustration will be employed, not an argument used, not a statement made, not a doctrine propounded, that will escape their criticism. I know them well; they are prepared to argue, to discuss, to quibble. The older men think it foolish on my part to speak of any other god than the gods they have always worshipped and trusted in, and at the same time are inclined to be angry if anything is said in disparagement of their sacred books or their priests or their gods. A priest from the temple who is present, proud, haughty, and self-conceited, is almost ashamed to stand and listen, but condescends to wait awhile to hear what this white teacher will say about religion, a subject for which he thinks an Englishman cares little. Such is the group, a congregation of veritable Scribes and Pharisees. To denounce the gods of the heathen would be foolishness, to reason with them would be of no use. I begin by telling them my own experience as a Christian; the things I have felt and tasted and handled of the Word of Life; how I believe in Jesus, who came into the world to save sinners. I speak of my trust in God, and confidence in Him through Jesus, of my hope for the future; of the love of God, of the love of Christ to all men; and before I have finished my address, they are ready to ask me questions about the Gospel of Jesus; very few are inclined to cavil, even when in after-conversation I compare their religion with the Christian, and condemn theirs.
'Another class of people I have had much to do with is the Lingait farmers. They are an intelligent and very conservative people; they are worshippers of Shiva, and wear about them the Linga, the emblem of Shiva. I came into a large village called Vicrapoor at a time of great drought; the agriculturists were all at home waiting, they told me, for rain. I had a large gathering, and spent the whole of one day amongst them. This was my first visit to this particular village, and one of the first questions put to me by the people was, "Who are you, sir? Why have you come to our village? What are you going to do?" My answer was, "I am a sower; I have come to your village to sow seed; I hope there is good ground here, that the seed I sow will bring forth a rich harvest." They were a little puzzled for a time, and argued about what I could mean; when their curiosity was greatly excited, I gave them the key by telling them that the seed I came to sow was good teaching of a pure religion. They saw through the whole, and in a moment said, "The ground, then, is our hearts." I then read and explained our Saviour's Parable of the Sower; and before I left they told me the sowing had been done.
'In some parts of the district where we have preached in this way we have already reaped fruit, and have other fruit almost ready to be gathered in. Sundoor is the chief town in a small kingdom of the same name, ruled by a native prince, and is about thirty miles distant from Bellary. Resident there were two young men, Chennappa and Nagappa, both of highly respectable families and well-to-do in the world. Chennappa, a Lingaite trader, was a married man with two children, who had houses and lands and possessions, a mother and several brothers, all of whom were living in adjoining houses; Nagappa was a young unmarried man, a goldsmith, living at home in his father's house. These two young men were companions and friends in their inquiry and desire to embrace the Christian religion. I had often met them alone away from the town, under a tree in the field, or close by the jungle; and prayed with them, and talked with them of Jesus, and invited them to come. I had written to them notes when I could not see them.
'I knew they were struggling to be free, and deeply sympathized with them. It is not an easy thing to break away from father and mother, and home and friends, and to give up possessions and houses; and this they were trying to do. They prayed earnestly for strength, and entreated me to pray for them; and they had great faith in the power of prayer. At length I happened to be staying in Sundoor for twelve days, and saw them publicly or privately every day. They resolved to be baptized. It became known in the town that they were visiting me and likely to become Christians. The young prince, who was very bitter because three or four persons from his town had already become Christian outcasts, sent for them, reasoned with them, threatened them, forced them to place their foreheads upon his feet, and declare that they would never disgrace their caste.
'On the evening of my leaving Sundoor they wished to join me, and come to Bellary to be baptized. At 4 o'clock in the afternoon they left me to go home and see their friends, and were to steal away at 8 o'clock and meet me two miles out of the town, in a narrow glen between two immense rocks, and go on to Bellary. At 8 o'clock I was there; I waited alone till 9, looking and watching for them: they did not come. I looked anxiously till 10 o'clock, but no sign of their coming; 11 and 12 o'clock passed, still they did not come; I was sad at heart, and wearily and heavily went on my way to Bellary.
'I heard nothing of Chennappa and Nagappa for several weeks. Then Chennappa came suddenly to my house in Bellary, and before uttering a word fell down on the floor by my side, and sobbed and wept bitterly. I raised him up, spoke kindly to him, prayed with him; and he said, "My faith failed me. Oh, how weak I am! How will God ever receive one so weak, so faithless as I! Will God ever give me more faith? I must come; I will come; but oh, sir, 'tis hard to break away from all at home. What shall I do?"
'During the next month I went away on another preaching tour; and on my return home on Saturday evening, the first words I heard were, "Chennappa and Nagappa have just come in from Sundoor; they want you to baptize them to-morrow morning." My heart was indeed glad. On Sunday morning, in the presence of a large congregation, these two young men renounced idolatry; Chennappa gave up his Linga, Nagappa his sacred thread, and were baptized as Christians. Nagappa's father, who was himself not far from the kingdom of heaven, rather rejoiced than otherwise that his son had publicly declared himself a Christian. But the following day Chennappa's mother and aunt and brothers and others of his relations came to him, wept and wailed, entreated him. They had brought money with them to pay the priests whatsoever they might charge to purify him and receive him back again to his caste; but he declared to them his faith in Jesus, and begged them all to join him. 'Twas sad to see his mother weep; 'twas hard to resist her entreaties and refuse her requests; but he could not give up Christ to follow her and be with her. They went away home to mourn over him as dead; his wife would not join him; she was taken by her friends, who sympathized with her and pitied her as a widow; the children were regarded as orphans. Chennappa loved his wife, and would gladly have received her; he yearned for his children. He sought several times to see them in Sundoor, but was not allowed. The little boy died and was buried; the father rejoiced that the spirit of his little one had been taken up into glory; he was afraid that his little girl would be badly brought up amongst heathen relations; and we did our best to get her for her father, but every attempt failed.'
Here is another example which illustrates how the Gospel is quietly making way in many parts of India: —
'Years ago, after a long tour, during which we had preached in more than fifty towns and villages, a man of the Rajput caste came to us and said: — "You have been preaching in many places with which I am acquainted; the people are talking about it, and are often conversing on the words you spoke: near the town from which I come is a village called Maruvani, where are several men who have made up their minds to become Christians." We gave Kappa Sing as much instruction as we could in two days, placed some books in his hands, and sent him to his home. Eiyappa, a middle-aged man, a goldsmith by trade, very intelligent, well versed in Hinduism, one of the company Kappa Sing had spoken of, came into Bellary to visit us, and to learn all he could about Christianity; and returned to report concerning what he had seen and heard.
'More than a year passed, when eight men from Maruvani sought us out and declared their wish to become Christians. They had read several Christian books, had heard the Gospel preached, and declared that there were prophetic words in their own Hindu books which pointed them to Jesus as their Teacher and Lord. They seemed to us very much to resemble the wise men from the East, who were guided by the star to where Jesus was; we preached joyfully to them, and every word of the Gospel seemed precious to them. We told them they had better return to their homes and tell their companions what they had seen and heard, and come to us again as soon as they could. One of them, Virabhadrappa, said, "I shall not return till I am baptized; if you are not willing to baptize me at once, I will remain till you see fit." We baptized him, and he went away rejoicing to bring his wife and three daughters.
'In a fortnight five whole families, numbering nineteen persons, came, gave evidence that they were in earnest, proved that they knew a good deal of Christian truth, and were baptized. A few weeks after they returned home, twenty more persons followed their companions, and we had in Maruvani a Christian congregation of forty persons. This was altogether a new experience to us; we had been accustomed to receive one or two or three caste men at a time; and in most instances, on professing their faith in Christ, they had been cut off from wives, parents, and all their relatives. Here were men with their wives and children coming together, the women as earnest as the men — unbroken families. We gave God thanks for this, the beginning of better days! Another most interesting and significant feature of this gathering was that several castes were represented. There were three Rajputs, four Komatis, two families of Kabberus1 ['Fisherman's caste.'], Lingaits, Goldsmiths; and one splendid young man, a priest, who was ruler over a large number of smaller priests, who held the revenues of several monasteries and temples.
'A single family won to Christ from any of the higher castes produces a profound impression upon the whole caste. It is like a breach effected in a strongly fortified castle. During recent years we have had many such additions to our numbers in the Bellary district; the effect has been great upon a large community of the heathen.
'There are many men and women in India who believe in, who love Christ, who have not publicly professed their faith. Amongst such was numbered for years one of the truest-hearted men I have known. We conversed together as Christian brethren, and our fellowship was refreshing and inspiring. I was troubled because he did not profess his faith; and one day said to him, "When will you be baptized?" He replied, "I can't say." I asked him to tell me frankly the cause of his delay. He said with much emotion, pointing to his wife, "She is the cause; she does not believe as I do; she will not give up her caste. I love her dearly; if I were to be baptized she would leave me, and who knows what would become of her. I cannot leave her." We agreed to pray that God would turn her heart. We waited long; prayers were at length answered; the influence of the Christian loving husband wrought wonders upon the wife. One day, on my arrival in the town, he came to me jubilant, and said, "The happy day has at length come, my wife and her mother are both ready; will you baptize us this evening?" After the baptism we had a meal together, and I was struck with her utter repudiation of all caste observances, and said, "I am surprised to see how thoroughly you have put away caste." She caught up my words and said, "Did you say you were surprised? I am astonished that you should be surprised. Did not you and my husband pray that God would cast out all such devils from me, and now that He has heard your prayer and cast them out, and I am sitting in a right mind at His feet, you say you are surprised." This was a triumph of faith and love, for which we praised God with joyful heart.
'The Indian Christian home will be a great power in the land, and do much to commend the Gospel. One of our young men, a convert from Hinduism, married a young widow who was also a convert. The friends on both sides were astonished, and professed to be scandalized. The fathers were dead, the mothers living. The young people were for some time cut off from all fellowship with kindred, by whom they were treated as outcasts. Report said they had a very happy home; old friends could not resist the curiosity to visit them, and the most fastidious stickler for Hindu customs could see nothing to find fault with. The wife's mother was drawn at last, and made most welcome. Provision was made for her to cook for herself; for she could not eat what was cooked by a Christian, though her own daughter. The old lady had never been in such a home before; she was prevailed upon to stay for weeks; her heart was won; caste prejudice vanished; she became a Christian, and has never left the home. The husband's mother came to see her son, and was even more demonstrative than the other in her praise of the Christian home. She said, "I have several sons. One left me and became a Christian, I thought he was an outcast; one became a fakir, and I felt proud of him. I see now for myself what they are. The Christian's home is like heaven, the fakir's home is a dunghill."'
In 1876 and 1877 one of the worst famines that ever devastated India raged over the central and southern portions. The distress in Bellary was terrible, and Mr. Coles and Mr. Lewis gave themselves to the task of distributing relief. Mr. Coles started a famine orphanage where the boys were taught trades. The distress in Bellary, Belgaum, Cuddapah, and other districts was terrible. The people sold their cattle, and houses, and clothes to buy food, and flocked naked and starving from the villages into the towns, there often to die by the hundred. The Government, when once alive to the magnitude of the impending disaster, took active measures to begin public works, and to establish relief camps. The selfish side of heathenism was illustrated by the fact that whilst from England hundreds of thousands of pounds were sent to relieve the perishing, very few wealthy Hindus contributed to the relief fund; and that while Government officials were straining every nerve and exhausting themselves in their efforts to relieve distress, the Hindu officials sometimes enriched themselves by robbing their starving countrymen of the money from the relief funds with which they had been entrusted. The friends of the London Missionary Society contributed a fund of £10,665 to the relief, and this was distributed by the missionaries. In this labour Mr. Lewis toiled in season and out of season. He gave relief without distinction of caste or creed; and while many in their gratitude were wishful to become Christians, his invariable reply was that they should wait until the famine was over, and then see. He had a great fear of 'rice-Christians.' His services were recognized beyond missionary circles.
Sir Richard Temple visited the district three times, and on each occasion sent for Mr. Lewis to get his report on the state of affairs. The Governor-General and the Famine Commissioner also came, and on these occasions Mr. Lewis had personal interviews with them. Although Government officials were often robbed, and although Mr. Lewis often travelled by night, carrying with him five or six thousand rupees, and attended by only his horse-keeper, he was never once attacked.
Mr. Lewis visited England in 1884, and again in 1894. Prior to the last visit he had devoted much time to the Canarese and Telugu Bible revision, the committees for these both meeting at Bellary. In February, 1896, at the request of the Directors, he visited Australia, and travelled there for some months as a deputation for the Society. He returned to Bellary in December, 1896, but was only spared to carry on his loved labour there for a few months. He died after a brief illness, November 15, 1897, after thirty-two years of active service. His son, Edwin Herbert Lewis, joined the Bellary Mission the same year.
In 1887 Mr. Coles, who had been in connection with the Bellary Mission since 1849, was transferred to Bangalore to succeed Mr. Benjamin Rice. From 1870 to 1890 Mr. Haines, as the chief portion of his duties, superintended the educational work of the Wardlaw Institution. The Rev. H. F. W. Lester joined the mission in 1888, and in 1890 the Rev. Bernard Lucas was transferred from Penukonda to Bellary. The present condition of the district at the close of the century is clearly outlined in Mr. Lewis' report for 1890.
'The work in the district grows in importance, in interest, and success from year to year. Preaching tours have always had a charm for us. Years ago we hoped that in time we should see out-stations established and churches formed as the result of our preaching. We had six such out-stations at the close of 1880, with 123 Christian people; at the end of 1890 we had eleven stations, manned by nine catechists, with 236 Christian people, sixty-nine of whom were communicants. In 1881 Gooty was handed over to Mr. Stephenson. In 1889 two others of our old out-stations — Anantapur and Bukkapatnam — were handed over to the new mission, which will in future be known as the Anantapur Mission. Hampasagara and Hadagally were made out-stations in 1883; Guntakal was occupied in 1886; Alur in 1887; Hudevu and Siragupa in 1888; and Kudatani in 1890. In the ten years eighty-four adults and 101 children were baptized in the district; thirty-four Christian people died. Each of the out-stations has become a centre of work and influence, and calls for much more attention than we can give. The power of native Christian home-life is more widely recognized than ever, and is telling upon the heathen population.
'The Church at Hospett, which is one of our oldest out-stations, has supplied us during the ten years with four young men who are employed as catechists, and promises more in a few years. A new chapel was built at Sandur in 1888, at a cost of 2,500 rupees. A chapel is now being built at Guntakal, and a school-room, which will be used as a chapel, is nearly finished in Kudatani.
'Colportage has been successfully carried on during the past decade. There are very few towns in the district where Scripture portions and tracts are not found, and every year we see evidence that the books distributed are read.
'In Bruce Pettah Church, in the town of Bellary, the attendance, both at the Canarese and Tamil services, has been good. A hearty response has always been given to the call for special services. The prayer meeting is well attended. A large proportion of those on the church rolls ten years ago have died; others have taken their places; there are now in the church more young people than at any previous time, and others are seeking admission. The Kowl Bazaar Church has been fluctuating. One year the membership has been strong, another year weak, as our people have been able to get employment in Bellary, or been obliged to seek work elsewhere. The congregation was less at the end of 1890 than it was ten years ago.'
The Wardlaw Institution in 1890, on the transference of Mr. Haines to Belgaum, passed under the care of Mr. J. P. Cotelingam, M.A., one of the ablest and most highly educated native Christians in South India. Under his superintendence the Institution has become even more useful than in the past.
Mrs. Lewis was for many years most energetic in the work of female education. In 1892 Miss Christlieb, Miss Fooks, and Miss Haskard joined the mission, and the two former were stationed at Hospett, Miss Fooks married Mr. Hinkley, of Anantapur, and in 1896 Miss Beatrice Harband took up work at Bellary. Miss Christlieb carried on an active evangelistic work among the villagers around Hospett. Miss Haskard superintended the Bible-women and zenana work.