The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-09-16
Christianity in Fndia.

The Christians Of the Northwest provinces
q lAnih nave lately presented a petition to
ute yFrrnorGeneral, asking protection in
Icir religious faith. I'VE require not so much
edcgnracement,n they say, 'as simple protec-
lpn We ask for freedom for the Gospel of
.tsas. We ask that we be rs favored by you
rs IS the Pagan
Iarsr woEid seem unnecessary requests for
tHl.stian .uuiects to make of a Christian 60
'".4nelt. But they are not. There is no Chris
lia. seer cr denomination to which the Chris
t.Iu government of India gives religious ilber-
a. Nyscct or oenomin nation has ever asked that
government To prescribe the Hindoo, TO
.nrr,e his religious faith, to invest Christiani-
"a with one single privilege or advantage over
eathenism. They would only be too glad for
''hriS tianity 10 be put on the same platform
# equality with Hindooism. An eminent
G.Acish ecclesiastic, in late address to an
.uglish Audience showed that the very basis
II all The efforts made by the late "Company'
,ottaeh the Hindoos to British rule, was the
,ro,nisc not 10 make them Christians The
COMPANY has gone beyond its promise, and
not only abstained from converting them 10
y Christianity. but done its bestt prevent them
rom becoming Christians, and to make the
lew Christians who had been converted hea-
.heu.
A memorable instance once occurred OF n Sc
COY subordinate officer, :, man greatly distin-
tuished by his courage, enterprise and intelli.
sence who became a Christian. What was
the consequence He was Immediately Put
on half pay and, in spite of all his supplica-
IONS, prevented from resuming his former po-
si.;on ia the service. a war occurring, which
afforded Il fine opportunity for distinction,
the poor fellow begged most earnestly to be
restored, and perhaps, II he had renounced
the Christian faith, this Christian government
would have granted his petition. But this he
would not do, and because he would not re.
nounee the religion which the government
prcfess, he was condemned toperpetual exclu-
sion from active duty. Not only this but the
chaplain ofhis regiment was tried on the charge
ofeonNerting him TO he Christian religion; bat
} escaped the penalty OF that crime because
there was no proof 10 convict him Ii was At
the Town "here ms scene occurred that after
wards, the late muiiny began which so nearly
upset IRE British power in India All the
si~fiices me company have made TO Hindoo
preladicfs have proved unavailing The Hin
DOCS do not believe them sincere; cannot be-
nsfe cannot comprehend how any government
processing "A religious faith can honestly
in'aelate that which it holds sacred and tii.
fiEe az the shrine OF what il regards a. false,
and saperstitioas.
Tae British people are Christian people
and the head OF their government . Christian
woman; but the actual administrators Of the
government sacrifice religion and conscience Is
&ecklessiy upon The altar OF national power and
Aggrandizeraent, AS if they had no belief even
In natural religion, ia a God or In the respon.
sibsii'y OF man TO his maker, They obtain and
hold the hey of India by virtually denying
chris' and they persist, aSainstthe entfeaties
and rrnoastrances OF their own Christian
habissts, l.. sustaining and encouraging their
hOrsea ol,iatd trafic, by which thirfy-fye or
lofty millions Of Chinese are rednced TO the
ulpst extreme misery and debasement. for no
ostsf sssssou nnder heaven than the revenue in
hFings And yet they are the men who are so
tofsts esefcised on the iniguities of slavery
sna Sht Keep zap an ex pensi-e 80 uadron ON the
Sisseth eessst TO suppress tn slave trade from
fh0nfs< VI pure philanthropy aud humanity