The Press.
London, England, 1857-08-15 00:00:00

THE PRESS, AUGUST 15,1857.

far persuaded themselves that it is ono of
those abstract propositions which need never
be put in practice, that they affect to smile
with some degree of pity upon the few mis-
taken zealots who enforce it.

We do not propose to go bail for all the indis-
cretions of which our Indian missionaries may
have been guilty. That their efforts may have
been ill-timed, ill-devised, and ill-executed is
all very possible ; but, if so, it does but prove
with still greater force how dangerous and
how culpable is the prevalent tone of mind in
England upon this subject. The apathy of
the public has allowed this whole question to
fall into the hands of incompetent persons—
men of more zeal than philosophy—of more
learning than knowledge of the world—of
more ardour than refinement. Christianity
has been presented to a race of delicate
organisations and refined perceptions under
its least attractive aspect, and men versed in
the metaphysics and complicated lore of the
most ancient religion in the world have been
tempted to sneer at the sermons of a class
who were ignorant of all they themselves
consider valuable.

No doubt there is plenty to be done for
India of a wholly non-religious character.
Canals, roads, and railroads, the tenure of
land, the practice of the law courts, and all
the mechanism of material civilisation, is sus-
ceptible of vast improvement. If all were
done that could be done, in this direction
alone, England would have much to boast of.
Nor, on the other hand, do we for a moment
underrate the enormous difficulty of convert-
ing a nation like the undoes to a faith like
Christianity. With barbarous nations the
process is, of course, much simpler. But in
India we have to deal with a people already
civilised, already learned, already provided
with a creed more ancient than our own, the
subtleties of which are better suited to the
intellect of the East than the broader and
easier doctrines of Christianity. To under-
stand and expound these is a work that
confers no distinction. There is nothing
flattering either to the pride of intellect or
the pride of caste in the lessons of the Cross.
Inveterate prejudices must be overcome, and
immemorial privileges surrendered, before
the Brahmin can be brought to acknowledge
that he is but as other men.

If, therefore, we would say to the people of
this country that they may not forget their
lofty mission as the messengers of the Gospel
wherever the Anglo-Saxon name prevails, no
less would we urge upon the missionaries
themselves the necessity of caution and
patience. We believe, indeed, that an acknow-
ledgment of our duty in the one case would
tend to the exercise of these qualities in the
other. But however that may be, it is surely
madness to seek the extension of Christianity
by means that defeat themselves, to sow the
harvest while the ground is being mined be-
neath us, and to imperil our whole empire for
the sake of one proselyte.
We still, however, repeat that, without pre-
sumptuously seeking to penetrate the designs
of PROVIDENCE, it may reasonably be inferred
that the empire of India was not given to a
small island in a remote hemisphere merely to
make roads and improve agriculture. We
must bear in mind that the ultimate purpose
of our occupation is of a spiritual and not of a
material character. Unless we recognise this
high mission we cannot justify our Indian
career before either GOD or man. We sin-
cerely trust, therefore, that while the injudi•
cious enthusiasm of English missionaries,
wherever or however displayed, meets with a
proper check, nothing like ridicule or discou-
ragement may be displayed towards the
general principle involved. Let us be honest.
Let us ask ourselves if we practically believe
Christianity, and our duty towards subject
nations will lie clear before us.