biglam/hmd_newspapers huggingface dataset:
The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-11-20

CHRISTIANS IN INDIA.

The Census Returns show not quite 900,000 Chris-
tians in India, or less than one in two hundred of the
population; and even of these some 250,000 appear
to be Europeans, or to have European blood in their
veins. About three-fifths of the Christians in India
are in Madras, where, in addition to those in the
Native States, they number about 534,000, approach-
ing 2 per cent, of the population; 416,000 are Roman
Catholic, and 118,000 are enrolled as Protestants.
In Bombay there are 126,000 Christians, forming less
than 1 per cent, of the population. Nearly 83,000 of
these are returned as Roman Catholics (chiefly the
Indo-Portuguese) ; about 19,000 are described simply
as native con—ertß, and 24,000 as Protestants, of
whom four-fifths belong to the Church of England. In
Bengal 90,000 persons are described as Christians,
again less than 1 per cent, of the population. There
are several missions in the neighbourhood of Calcutta,
but only about 3,000 "native Christians" are re-
turned in the city itself. In Mysore there are nearly
26,000 Christians, of whom 18,000 are " native ; "
nine-tenths are Roman Catholics. Of the 2,401 Chris-
tians in the little State of Coorg, there are 2,000
"native, and 1,900 of them are Roman Catholics. In
Berar about 9UO Christians are enumerated, but na-
tives are not separated from Europeans or Eurasians.
In British Burmah there are 52,000 Christians, or
nearly 2 per cent, of the population.
It is 45 years since Rammohun Roy founded a
society at Calcutta with the view of reclaiming
Hindoos from idolatry and establishing a pure mono-
theism. In 1859 Keshub Chunder Sen was enrolled a
member, and in 1866 he seceded from the original
society, and formed a separate sect called the Brahmo
Somaj, or the Prathana Somaj, as the members call
themselves in the Bombay Presidency, where 221 were
enumerated. Very few persona returned themselves
as Brahmos in Bengal, and only 92 in Calcutta, where
there is said to be a considerable community of them.
They are, however believed to have congregations in
most of the districts.

Speaking of the Presidency of Madras, the census
report notices that the ancient Rulers of Western
India are believed to have encouraged settlements of
Persians or Manichceans for centuries before the
Portuguese established themselves on the coast, but
under the rule of the latter the Syrian, or Nestorian,
Church suffered great depression and persecution. Its
disciples now flourish chiefly in Cochin and Travan-
core, and in the south of Malabar, where there are
13,673 " Nazaranies." There are ahout 3,700 Brahmin,
and, perhaps, 3,000 Kshatriya Christians in Madras.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-11-20

LECTURE IN THE CORN EXCHANGE.

On Wednesday evening the Evangelist, Mr.
Sarjeant, gave his fourth lecture in the Corn Ex-
change, the subject being, "Prophecies concerning
the Last Days now being accomplished," especially
with reference to the restoration of the Jews, and
the conversion of the world. He began by re-
marking that all Christian people were looking for
a period of blessedness, a millenium of Gospel
triumph, when the knowledge of the Lord shall
cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. But
how
.were they' expecting . this millenium to be ,
brought in? Rome, by universal subjection to
the Pope. Protestant England. in each and all
its sections, by the total subversion of Popery, and
the universal triumph of Protestantism. And EO,
every section of the church is all astir and full of
energy; all pressing into their service every pos-
sible agency to accomplish their end—to convert
the world—as they say; while, in the very heart
, of the church, scepticism is becoming rampant,
and the avowed infidel, gloating over the gross
inconsistencies, the contentions divisions, bicker-
ings and heart-burnings which abound, watches
I and waits for the overthrow of all; his strong
common-sense telling him that a house divided
against itself cannot stand. The idea of the con-
version of the world during this dispensation is
nothing better than a splendid dream. Nay 'tis
worse' for 'tis directly contrary to Holy Scripture,
. which plainly reveals that this dispensation will
terminate in the complete development of two
great mysteries—the mystery of Godliness; and
the mystery of iniquity. In other words, good and
evil—God and Satan—Christ and Antichrist, will
meet in direct if not personal conflict; the issue
of which is indeed not doubtful, but the awful
character of the struggle passes the power of
words to describe, involving all who are not coun-
ted worthy to escape in tribulation such as the
world has never yet known. Tribulation so great
that except the time thereof should be shortened
on flesh should be saved. And so, tho two grand
1 events now immediately before Christendom are,
the consummation of these two great mysteries in
the coming of Cluist, and the revelation of Anti-
christ, whomthe Lord,ehall emsunie,with the breath