ought to be. It is true that that position is not so deplorable as it has sometimes been represented. The Church of England must receive the credit due to it for the important services it renders to the best interests of India, in virtue of the fact of its employing in its Indian missions no fewer that 166 missionaries, 114 in connection with the Church Missionary Society, and 52 in connection with the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel and local associations; but when

Catholic missions in India are almost is still more remarkable. It is considentirely confined to their Christian con-ered almost a matter of course that the verts, and have little to do with the non-Germans should know more about the Christian population." languages and antiquities of India, as of According to the statistical tables pre-almost every other country in the world, pared in 1871, it appears that there are than we do; but if so "practical" a peo32 societies engaged in carrying on the ple, as we pride ourselves on being, rework of Protestant missions in India, quire to receive help from the Germans including Burma and Ceylon, in addition in so practical a work as the moral and to a few isolated missionary agencies, religious improvement of our fellow-suband to the work carried on in some places jects in India, it might justly be considby government chaplains and other cler-ered, not as a matter of course, but as a gymen in charge of English congrega-ground of reproach. Another inference tions. Of these societies 9 are American, deducible from these facts is, that whilst 6 are German, and the remainder are it is evident that almost all the Protestant connected with the British Isles. The communions in Europe and America are number of missionaries connected with evincing a commendable degree of interthese societies, not including laymen en-est, and expending much money and gaged in educational and other work, is effort in the work of propagating Chris548, of whom 333 are connected with the tianity in India, it can scarcely be said British and Irish societies, 131 with the that the position occupied in relation to American societies, and 84 with the Ger- this work by the great, powerful, and man societies. Reckoning the mission-wealthy Church of England, is such as it aries according to ecclesiastical connection, irrespective of nationality, 166 belong to the Church of England, 88 are Presbyterians, 87 Lutherans, 77 Baptists, 69 Independents, 51 Wesleyans, and the remaining 12 are connected with isolated bodies. One of the inferences naturally arising from these facts is that America and Germany are evincing a remarkable and most commendable degree of interest in the welfare of India, a degree of interest greater in proportion than that which is evinced by England herself. India seems to have been specially committed by Divine Providence to the care of England, and certainly has special claims on England, both as a portion of the English empire, and on account of the advantages England derives from India. India has no such special claim on the United States; yet the missionaries from the United States to India, including Burma and Ceylon, number, as we have seen, no fewer than 131. When this number is compared with the 333 missionaries from the British Isles, the comparison, in so far as it is an indication of Christian zeal and enterprise, cannot be said to be so decidedly in our favour as a nation as it should have been. It certainly would seem as if we were considered by neigh-the native converts connected with the bouring nations to be either unable or Church missions number 41 per cent. of unwilling to do our duty to India when the entire number of converts. The we find America thinking itself obliged missionary societies of the Church of to send so large a body of missionaries England have shown their capacity for to the British possessions in India to doing well whatever they are enabled to teach Christianity to the subjects of the do; but unfortunately there are multiBritish crown. The interest the Ger-tudes of persons, calling themselves mans take in the Christianization of India | members of the Church of England, who

it is found that the missionaries from the non-Episcopal communions in the British Isles, omitting the Americans and Germans, amount to the large number of 132, the Church of England can scarcely be admitted to be doing all that it ought to do. It is something that in this holy war it occupies the van; but if it were only pervaded throughout with the warm missionary feeling with which particular portions of it are pervaded, it might almost undertake to do the whole work itself. As far as direct results are concerned, the scale turns a little, but only a little, more in favour of the Church of England. The missionaries of that church are but 29 per cent. of the entire number of missionaries in India; whilst

523

either render those societies no help what- | circulation, in the fifteen most prominent lanever in their great work, or mock them guages of India, and in several other dialects. with help of the most niggardly kind. They are the compilers of several dictionaries The special claims of India on the Church and grammars; they have written important of England have been forcibly pointed works on the native classics and the systems out by Sir Bartle Frere and, more related the great increase of the native literaof philosophy; and they have largely stimucently, by the three Indian bishops, and ture prepared in recent years by educated it is hoped that that Church will ere long native gentlemen. rise to the full dignity and glory of the position she might assume.

It may be added, that five rude lanThe labours of the missionaries em guages, not previously committed to ployed in so wide and varied a country as very existence of which India necessarily assume a considerable was generally unknown - have within variety of forms. Professor Max Müller the last few years been mastered by Individes missions into the two classes of dian missionaries; and that the literary "parental missions" and "controversial life of the tribes speaking those lanmissions," and observes, that "whilst the guages has now commenced by the pubwork of the parental missionary is clear, lication and circulation amongst them of and its success, even in many parts of Christian books. Apart from the effect India, undeniable, the results of con- of such literary labours in enabling mistroversial missions have been discoura- sionaries to fulfil their mission to the ging." The distinction between these people amongst whom they labour as intwo classes of missions is one which structors and guides, as well as preachit will be well for every missionary toers, they have indirect value of considerbear in mind. To a certain extent, how-able importance, especially in the more ever, every well-conducted Christianm is-highly civilized districts, in respect of the sion, even amongst civilized races, is conciliatory effect they produce on the parental rather than controversial. The native mind. The natives are gratified prudent missionary everywhere refrains, by seeing foreigners take a lively interest as much as possible, from arguing and attacking; and endeavours, as much as possible, to gain his end by instruction, advice, personal influence, and parental love. To a certain extent, also, the most distinctively parental mission, amongst the rudest tribes, must be controversial. It has to deal, not with colourless simplicity, but with a hostile array of errors, prejudices, and evil habits, which require to be encountered and overcome; and it seldom happens that even a barbarous creed thinks itself so barbarous as to be unable to defend itself by force of argu

ment.

Indian missionaries are not only preachers, pastors, and educators; they also contribute to the enlightenment of the country by their literary labours:

in their languages, customs, literature, and antiquities, and are prepared to regard such persons, though foreigners, as friends, and as persons whose advice it may be safe to follow. In every part of the world people are pleased when they find an interest taken by others in what is interesting to themselves. This is not the only good effect produced by studies of this kind; they are beneficial to the missionaries themselves, as well as agreeable to the people; they preserve the missionary from the temptation of despising the people amongst whom he lives and labours, and help to sweeten the loneliness and monotony of his sojourn in a strange land.

The mission presses in India are numerous and remarkably active. There are No body of men [says the Indian govern- twenty-five of those presses at present ment] pays greater attention to the study of at work, and during the last ten years the native languages than the Indian mission- they have printed and published 3,410 aries. With several missionary societies (as separate works, in thirty-one languages, with the Indian government) it is a rule that including English. The total number of the younger missionaries shall pass a series of copies of schoolbooks, printed at these examinations in the vernacular of the district presses during this period, was over two in which they reside; and the general practice millions, of tracts nearly six millions, of has been, that all who have to deal with na- Christian books nearly three millions, of tives who do not know English, shall seek a high proficiency in these vernaculars. portions of Scripture more than a million result is too remarkable to be overlooked. and a quarter, of entire Bibles thirty-one The missionaries, as a body, know the natives thousand. Including presses from which of India well; they have prepared hundreds of returns were not received, the total numworks, suited both for schools and for general | ber of copies printed during the ten

The

degree.

years, chiefly tracts, seems to have been examinations for B.A., even up to the M.A. over sixteen millions. Formerly, tracts and Scriptures were generally given away; now, as a rule, all publications are sold, which shows that they are more valued. Medical missions have largely developed of late years in almost every part of the Indian mission-field. Medical missionaries, some ordained, some unordained, have taken up their abode at central stations in connection with the work of most of the societies, and impart to the people around them the benefits of scientific medical treatment; and it has been found that the aid thus given to the sick and suffering produces a most favourable impression, not only on their minds, but also on the minds of the community at large.

Another very interesting department of usefulness recently opened up consists in what are called zenana missions; that is, the introduction of the elements of education and religious teaching into the zenanas, or women's apartments, of the houses of native gentlemen. There are now no fewer than thirteen hundred zenana classes carried on by Christian ladies, mostly in Bengal and the Northwest Provinces; and the work is extending, though still in its infancy, in the other presidencies.

By far the greater part, however, of the work of Indian missions naturally divides itself into the two departments of educational and congregational work:

The missionary schools in India [says the Indian government] are chiefly of two kinds -purely vernacular and Anglo-vernacular schools. The former are maintained chiefly, but not exclusively, in country districts and small towns. The education given in them is confined pretty much to reading, writing, geography, arithmetic, and instruction in simple religious works. In the Anglo-vernacular schools a much higher education is given, not only in those subjects which are taught in English, but in those in which the vernacular is employed: a higher knowledge even of the vernacular languages is imparted in these schools than is usually given in purely native schools. These schools are most in demand in country towns, in the presidency cities, and in the districts immediately round them. Bengal has long been celebrated for its English schools; and the missionary institutions in Calcutta still hold a conspicuous place in the system and means of education generally avail

able to the young Hindus of that city. All the principal missionary institutions teach up to the standard of the entrance examination in the three universities of India, and many among them have a college department in which students can be led on through the two

The high position occupied by Christian schools of this character may be judged of by means of the statistical returns. In the year 1871, the number of pupils in these schools in India proper was 40.315; and it was ascertained that during the previous ten years 1,621 pupils passed the entrance examination in the Indian universities, 513 passed the First Arts examination, 153 took the degree of Bachelor of Arts, 18 the degree of Master of Arts, and 6 the degree of Bachelor of Laws. It is remarkable that 134 of the Bachelors of Arts, and all the M.A.'s and B.L.'s, were from institutions in Bengal. It is also remarkable that, looking at the results of these examinations, the educational work of the Free Church of Scotland and of the Church of Scotland appears to have been equal to that of all other societies put together. Some societies have done little for edu cation in any shape, some nothing for the higher education; whilst the two Scot tish societies following the lead of Dr. Duff, with whom this system of missions originated, have regarded the education of the youth of the higher classes on Christian principles as their special, if not their sole, work. A share is now taken in this work by several other missionary societies. The two Church of England societies, and the London and Wesleyan societies, prosecute both the educational and congregational departments of work with nearly equal vigour; and within the last ten years the educa tional work of the Church of England has nearly doubled. It cannot be doubted that the endeavour to diffuse Christianity amongst the higher classes of the natives is one of very great importance, for the institution of caste gives the higher classes greater influence in India than in any other country; but it was found that they could not be reached, at all events they were not reached, by any of the agencies formerly at work, and up to the present time it is only by means of an English education of so high an order as to prove an attraction to them that those classes have in any degree been brought within the range of Christian influences. The number of persons actually converted to Christianity from year to year by means of these schools has never been considerable, and smaller of late years than ever. On the other hand, the converts of this system, though few in number, belong to an ia

seems

The number of converts in connection with the various Protestant missions in India, as ascertained by the statistical returns to which we have referred,

fluential class; and it is an interesting | help, and to become centres of Christian circumstance, that through their influ- light in the region around. This system ence and example Christianity has spread of missions has been much richer in in some degree amongst persons belong-present visible results, tested by the ing to the same class who have never number of converts it reckons, than the been at mission-schools at all, or who purely educational system. Indeed the have attended schools from which Chris- entire body of native Christians in India tianity was carefully excluded. The good may be claimed as the fruit of this syseffected by these schools cannot safely tem, with the exception of a few hunbe estimated by the number of conver- dreds at most in the large towns. sions that have taken place in connection with them. It is universally admitted that they have done much indirect good. Many Hindus, who still adhere to their ancestral faith, value these schools highly, is much greater than it was expected on account of the high moral tone by which they are pervaded, and the influence on the hearts and minds of the pupils of the character and example of their European Christian_teachers. It is chiefly owing to the influence of these schools that we now see amongst the Hindus such a spirit of enquiry, and the germs, at least, of so many moral and social reforms. It is to this influence, wholly or chiefly, that India is indebted for the Brahma Samâj.

re

to be. When the results of this relig ious census were made known, it is hard to say whether the friends of missions or their enemies were most surprised. The total number of native Protestant Christians in 1871 was found to be 318.363; of whom 78,494 were communicants; the number of native ordained ministers was 381; and the amount of money contributed by native Christians alone for religious and charitable purposes was 15,9127. What is still more The other department of the work of markable is the rapidity and steadfastIndian missions, which we have called ness of the ratio of increase. During congregational, and which includes pas- the ten years previous to 1861, the rate toral and evangelistic work of every kind, of increase was 53 per cent. During does not exclude education. On the con- the ten years previous to 1871, the rate trary, it expends much money and effort of increase rose to 61 per cent. Duron the education of the children of con- ing this last period of ten years, the verts, on the education in the vernacular increase in the number of converts of children of the poorer classes gen- amounted to no fewer than 85,430 souls erally, and especially on the training-up in India proper alone. The compilers of of Christian teachers, male and female; the statistical returns say: but it seems proper to regard it as a distinct department of work, because it professes to have in view the benefit, not of the young only, or of the higher classes only, but of the people at large, and because the schools it establishes, like parochial schools at home, are connected with, or subordinated to, congregations. The aim of missions of this class may be said to be identical with that of the Christian Church itself. The first endeavour of the missionaries is to diffuse amongst the entire community a knowledge of the Christian religion, chiefly by means of vernacular preaching. When any persons have been induced to accept the new teaching, they form such persons Some items of increase are particularly into Christian congregations, with the satisfactory and encouraging. The numview of bringing to bear upon their minds ber of communicants has increased durand lives all those influences for good ing the last ten years at the rate of more recognized by the church system which than 100 per cent. The number they follow. Their final aim is to teach of native ordained ministers has also the congregations so formed to stand increased more than 100 per cent., alone as soon as possible without foreign viz., from 185 to 381. Twenty years

In the

Considering the several provinces, we find that the increase in Bengal has been more than 100 per cent., while the communicants have increased nearly 200 per cent. North-Western Provinces, the Christian community has nearly doubled: in Oudh it has increased at the rate of 175 per cent. ; in the Punjah, at the rate of 64 per cent. ; in Central India, nearly 400 per cent.; and in Bombay, 64 per cent. The greatest aggregate increase in all India has been in the Madras Presidency, where there are now 160,955 Christians, in contrast with 110,078 ten years ago. In Travancore, the Christian community has inthe two provinces of Tinnevelly and South creased from 72,652 to 90,963 persons.

The religious movements which took place forty years ago among the peasantry to the south of Calcutta, among the indigo-ryots of Krishnaghar, and in the thickly-peopled swamps of Barisál, gave to the province of Bengal three large Christian communities, which now number nearly 16,000 persons. They have been steadily cared for and well instructed, and have been consolidated into pros perous well-conducted communities. Within the last twenty years the German mission among the Cole tribes in the hills of Chota Nágpur, now divided into two branches, has greatly affected these simple yet manly people; and, notwithstanding considerable social per

ago the number was only twenty-nine. The increase which has taken place in another particular must be regarded by every one who knows India as a particularly healthy sign of progress. So far as can be ascertained from the imperfect returns previously prepared, the amount of money contributed by native Christians in India during the year 1871 alone, was nearly equal to the amount contributed by them during the ten years ending in 1861. Looking at the experience of the past twenty years, the rate of increase in the number of native Christians in India may be expected to aug-secution, has led more than 20,000 persons ment, rather than to diminish. On the among them to profess themselves Christians. Very recently the Santál tribes, in the same supposition, however, that the rate re- line of hills, have followed in their steps. In mained constant from year to year, and the year following the Mutiny, a new mission from decade to decade, the compilers of was commenced by an American society in the statistics have calculated the results the provinces of Oudh and Rohilkhand; and that would accrue. In A.D. 1901, that is the Christian congregations already include a little less than thirty years hence, the 2000 converts. The largest congregations number of native Christians would in the North-Western Provinces are found amount to nearly a million. Fifty years in Benares, Allahabad, Fategarh, Agra, and later, it would be upwards of eleven mil- Meerut, and sprang from the boarding-school lions, and fifty years later, that is, in A.D. and 1861. An important religious movement establishments in the great famines of 1838 2001, it would amount to one hundred and has recently occurred in the dominions of the thirty-eight millions. "It is needless," Nizam, under the conduct of native missionthey say, "to state that such calculations aries; and 1100 persons have become Chrishardly come within the bounds of sobri-tians. A similar movement has taken place ety. Unforeseen obstacles might inter- among the Telugu people of Ongole, under vene, on the one hand; while, on the the American mission, which has resulted in other, a sudden and general movement 6000 converts. More than 7000 are now inof the people towards Christianity might cluded in the two missions at Cuddapah; at any time take place. The history of and the Telugu missions in Guntoor, in the the Church tells us that this has hap-have increased during the last few years from Masulipatam district, and on the Godavari, pened before in other countries, not once 1500 native Christians to more than 6000. or twice, but many times; and before our own eyes it has happened in our own days in the large island of Madagascar. Moreover, the promise is that nations shall be born in a day."

We cannot better fill in the details of the history of the progress of Indian missions, than by quoting here a portion of the Indian government's interesting

survey:

The

But it is in the southern portion of the Madras Presidency that Christianity has most largely affected the rural populations. province of Tanjore, first instructed by the Danish missionaries, amongst them by the respected missionary Schwartz, has long pos sessed a large number of Christian congregations. These continue under the care of the Lutheran and the English Episcopal missions, and are reported to be in a prosperous condi tion. The Christians now number 11,000 per. sons in the Tanjore and Trichinapalli districts. The missionaries in the course of their In the neighbouring district of Madura, the efforts have found the populations of the Americans have a flourishing mission, with great cities much more tenacious in their 7000 converts and a normal school. The opinions and firm in their social relations than Tinnevelly and Travancore missions are well those of country districts. On the other hand, known, and are reported to be in every way they are more intelligent; they are good in a higher position and exerting greater inlisteners; appreciate arguments and illustra-fluence now than ever before. These two tions; and their children flock to the mission- provinces contain a very large aboriginal schools. The rural population have been population, which has been but little affected much more open to their instructions; the by the Hinduism of Southern India. The peasantry of large districts have been less bound by caste ties; and the aboriginal tribes and classes in the community, both in the hills and in the plains, have embraced Christianity in large numbers.

Shanar tribe and their kindred, from the numerous and marked peculiarities of their social religious life, have proved a most interesting study to the missionaries who have lived among them. They have been under instruc