CHRISTIAN FRIENDS ABOUT seven years ago, the Church Missionary Society was in great difficulty for want of money, and the Committee were trying to find out some way of lessening their expenditure. Just at this time an invitation came to open a new Mission in a part of India where the Gospel had never yet been preached. But the gentleman who made the invitation, Colonel Taylor, at the same time offered a gift of 1000l. Two well-known Christian statesmen, by whom that part of India was well known, Sir Robert Montgomery and Sir Herbert Edwardes, urged the Committee to accept the invitation, and to go forward trusting to the Lord for help. This was done, and before long an experienced Missionary, the Rev. T. V. French, accompanied by two younger brethren, entered on the new work. None of these three are now there, but others have taken their place and the work continues. But where was this new Mission field, and what sort of a country was it? It is called the Derajât. You will find it in the North-west corner of the map of India, beyond the river Indus. One of its chief towns is Dera Ismail Khan, which is the head-quarters of our Mission. The whole district is about 300 miles long, and 50 or 60 broad. Every year about 2000 travel ling merchants pitch their tents in the Derajat. These bring with them articles of sale from Central Asia, and carry back in exchange goods that have been brought from different parts of India, or by sea from England. * The people who live in the Derajât are friendly to the English, and have more than once helped us in war, especially in the terrible mutiny of 1857. Our brethren labouring there have not as yet been gladdened by many conversions. Some of the native Christians there are remarkable men. Take for instance the case of Yahiya Bakir— One A gentleman, a native of Kandahar, the first-fruit of that city, was baptized by the late Dr. Pfander in Peshawur about ten years ago. His nephew, Jowad Mesih, and Ibrahim who has been his servant for nineteen years, have since become Christians. night, while lying half asleep in his house in the Mission compound in Peshawur, a fanatic Mohammedan, from the Momund hills, rushed into Yahiya Bakir's room, and brutally inflicted on him seven wounds with a sword. He was hardly conscious of what had happened before his intended murderer disappeared, thinking he had left him dead. Two of his fingers were cut off, his shoulder-blade was severed, and both his hands were cut open. By a merciful Providence he was soon restored to health, but never recovered the use of his hands. For three years he lived at his own expense, with his nephew and servant, in Shikarpoor, as a preacher of the Gospel. Surely the Church of Christ will never cast off one who has thus been a martyr to the name of Jesus. There are a few other converts at Dera Ismail Khan, but some of them also have come from other parts of India. Yet the Mission is still an interesting one, and the work still hopeful, as will be seen, we think, by the following extracts from Mr. Bruce's Report lately received: The head master of the Dera Ismail Khan school (Babú K. D. Chakrabarti), was removed in May 1867, and his place has been temporarily filled by Babú John Williams, second teacher. Though Babu John Williams constantly preaches the Gospel in the town, of his own free will, out of school hours, and his zeal for the truth is well known by all the natives, yet not only were they not thereby deterred from committing their children to his care, but the number of scholars at once increased greatly under him. Babu Mulaim-ul-din, the second Christian teacher, also accompanies John Williams in his preaching. Another Christian teacher, Imdad Masih has been lately appointed over the three branch schools in Dera Ismail Khan. Yaliya Bakir, (the converted Mussulman gentleman mentioned above), and his Christian servant, Ibrahim, have been removed from the Mission compound to the centre of the town; where, in order to attract the people to them, they practise as Native Hakims (or doctors), and greatly astonish the natives by refusing to accept any present as a return for their services. A book-shop, with a preaching-place in front of it, has been built in the chief thoroughfare of the town. One kind friend contributed towards it 200 rupees, very nearly half the cost of its erection. In the beginning of the hot season preaching is daily carried on, and very valuable help given by the Christian teachers of the school. It was soon, however, interrupted by the ill-health of the Missionary, and by additional work having been consequently thrown on the teachers. However, it is still carried on whenever occasion offers. On going through the town, an intelligent shopkeeper asked, Why have you not been preaching to us lately? We often see your teachers, but miss yourself." He was answered, "I have been ill and unable to come; but whether our voice is heard in your street or not, there is a voice going among you from house to house that Jesus is the true and only Saviour." Mr. Bruce makes the following remarks on the independence of the Native Church: No question more justly occupies the thoughts of Missionaries than "How can the independence and selfsupport of the native Church be best promoted?" In many places assemblages of native Christians are not only a clog and weight on Missionaries, but a stumbling-block to the heathen around them. To natives of India, even in the lowest ranks, who have any near family ties, the profession of Christianity is a cause of the greatest persecution, and nothing but true conversion to God can enable them to bear the cross which it brings upon them. But there is a class of men in every land who either have no near relatives, or are so degraded as to be bound by no bonds of affection. To such, if in the higher ranks of life, Christianity offers no sufficient inducements in India; but in the lower ranks it does. Men devoid of natural affection, either more readily fall into the base sin of hypocrisy, or, having no regard for their own religion, are willing to try whether they may not fare better in this world by professing that of their rulers. If they cannot deceive one Missionary, they try another; and, wandering from Mission to Mission, and being kindly and hospitably received in each, they are sure before long to get up a religious phraseology sufficient to pass with many for a heartfelt knowledge of the truth. A large number of such may be found among our Indian converts, nor can it be otherwise until the reaping-time shall come, and the Lord of the harvest shine by His Spirit on the seed now being sown in many more honest hearts, and ripen them to the harvest. It is now the sowingtime. A young and inexperienced Missionary, in a large Mission station in the Punjab, was teaching a class of inquirers, when a teacher of a Government village school presented himself. He stated that he had never seen a Christian book till three months previously, when a catechist had left one of Dr. Pfander's works and a portion of the Bible with him; that he had no object in becoming a Christian except a love of the truth. His attention to the daily teaching, and the quickness with which he appeared to comprehend and remember the essential truths of the Word, convinced his inexperienced teacher that he was indeed taught of God. He was not aware that all the time he was treating with a brother Missionary for a post in the Mission school, with twice as high a salary as he had received under Government. He was baptized, and very soon after appointed to the vacant post. Soon after, an experienced brother Missionary, from a neighbouring station, going through the school with the young Missionary who had been imposed upon, exclaimed, "Oh, you have my old friend here!" "What, do you he know him?" answered the other; told me he knew no Missionary!" "Do I not, indeed! He spent nearly a year with me under Christian instruction; but as I was not satisfied with his conduct, I dismissed him." This man turned out most unsatisfactorily. With regard to all such, there are two causes of consolation-one, that, along with these false converts, there is a true seed also, which has life in it; and, however small, it must and will grow. Yes; there are as true followers of Christ among our native Christians as are to be found in the land, and there are quite as many in proportion as those who really deny themselves for Christ in most English congregations. The other, that it often pleases God to raise up in the second generation of Christians devoted and excellent men from the children of those who first embraced Christianity for worldly ends. The best thing that can be done to avoid this abuse, is to make the native church independent, self-acting, and self-supporting. To this end the following measures have been adopted— 1. One of the native Christians has been set apart as pastor of the little flock. 2. Monthly contributions of alms are collected by the pastor, the Missionaries taking no part either in collecting or spending them. Whatever is collected at the holy communion is also at once handed over to the native pastor, and added to his fund. 3. All inquirers are supported by the alms of the native Christians; or, if any supplementary aid is ever given by the Missionaries themselves, or from the Mission funds, it is given through the native pastor. 4. No one is baptized and admitted as a member of the native church without their approval and consent being asked. con 5. A great part of the services, both on Sundays and week-days, is ducted by the pastor, and sermons and addresses are given by the other teachers also. the way of earning a respectable livelihood for himself. 7. No one newly baptized is made a reader or teacher of religion until he supports himself by honest and respectable labour. A few remarks on the above measures may not be out of place. 1. It is a matter of heartfelt gratitude that one has been provided in Dera Ismail Khan, in so small a congregation, who has given himself to the pastor's work gratuitously, and is respected and loved by all the congregation, and by all who know him; because it is believed he feels his own weakness, and seeks to do what he does through love of Christ, and by the assistance of the Holy Spirit. 3 and 4. In some of the cases of relapse into Mohammedanism after baptism, mentioned above, the opinion of the native brethren was asked, and, though they strongly protested against the baptism, yet the candidates were baptized, and the result was as might be expected. On the other hand, an inquirer was supported by the native church against the protest of the Missionaries; and, after several months' probation, was dismissed as unsatisfactory. Thus does each body, European and Indian, by independent action, and by suffering from its own weakness, learn the value of the other, and its own weaknesses and need of advice. 6 and 7. The last two rules are believed to be of the utmost importance, and it is hoped that adherence to them, as closely as circumstances will permit, will, to some extent, hinder in future such cases of hypocrisy and relapse as are related above. 6. No one is baptized who is not in In a letter which reached us only scribes the working of the Mission school: We have now over 400 boys-300 in Dera, and 100 in Bunnoo. And God has raised up for us faithful Christian teachers to help in the work. Our first class have most of them passed away: the two or three left have a thorough knowledge of the Word of God, and though they are still Hindoos, yet are of immense assistance to us. One of them being sent to Bunnoo has been of great use in teaching Bible stories to the boys there, and in my last visit to Bunnoo I was agreeably surprised to see him in the English church. Our a few days ago, Mr. Bruce thus de : next class of thirteen boys reads the Bible daily with me. As most of them still are young, we hope much from them, as we have four Christian teachers, all provided for us unsought, for each class is daily taught the Bible, and it has lately been introduced into the branch schools. I was agreeably surprised to find grown-up Mussulman lads come forward to be examined at the annual examination in the Bible, and, though self-taught, they gave a good examination. Subscribers and Collectors of one Penny a week are entitled to a copy of this Paper free. CHRISTIAN FRIENDS In our number for last December we gave you some very cheering news from our brother Wolfe in China. The village of A-chia, the town of Ming-ang-teng, and the city of Lo-nguong, were then mentioned. By the extracts we now give you from Mr. Wolfe's letters you will see that the good work is still going on. I have just returned from one of my periodical visits to the out-stations, and am happy to be able to say that, so far as the work of Christ is concerned, it has been the most interesting and successful visit I have ever made to these parts. As far as my poor body is concerned, it was most unpleasant: I was ill the whole time, and in the remote village of A-chia I was confined to bed three or four days. I was very ill and unable to take any food, though the dear Christians brought me every luxury their village contained, and in a variety of ways showed their sympathy and love. I found that on this occasion the Gospel, the glad tidings of salvation through Christ, has become very extensively known throughout this region, through the efforts of the catechist and colporteurs, as well as also those of some of the private Christians. The results are also satisfactory. On Sunday the 20th October, I was privileged to baptize ten persons, the majority of whom belonged to A-chia: the rest be longed to some of the surrounding villages. At first sight, however, the scene of the baptisms on Sunday at the little chapel at A-chia would not present an encouraging prospect compared with the occasion of the first baptisms at the same place. On this occasion there were none of the headmen present, and others who, on the first time, appeared to take a warm interest in the truth, now even stood aloof from us. On this occasion, too, crowds of the villagers did not attend: on the contrary, none but the candidates and their immediate friends joined us at afternoon service, when the former were received into the visible church of Christ on earth. The Christians, catechumens, and their friends, however, made up a goodly company, and I could not help praising and thanking God for the blessed results of one year's labour in this place. Several of the friends of the candidates on the occasion have also, I am glad to say, entered their names as inqui rers. But what was the cause of this falling-off in the attendance of the villagers? A severe persecution has arisen in A-chia, because of the word," and many have become "offended." Some of our Christians were beaten; others were threatened with death; others again were threatened with the loss of their properties if they entered the church; and one or two were prevented from joining us by a threat of the dissolution of the contract of their betrothment: the family and friends of the young girl positively declared they would never tolerate her marriage with a Christian. I rejoice amidst all this Mr. Wolfe then gives an interesting the new converts On the occasion of my visit I addressed them on Rom. xii. 19-21, and I could see the smile of satisfaction and assent on every countenance while I pressed on all the necessity of return discouragement, however, to be able to report that not one of those who were baptized has in any way disgraced his profession, but, on the contrary, all have stood firm amidst much trial and persecution. Those whom I baptized on Sunday, therefore, I consider as the wheat which the wind has not been able to carry away. They have put on Christ by baptism in the midst of a raging persecution, which proves that they could have no other motive in taking this important step then a real love for Christ and His truth. account of a sermon he preached to And was who hate and persecute us. not such a scene a full reward for all our labours, had they been tenfold more trying? Truly it was a scene which lifted me above myself, and, for |