The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-07-25
The Value of Missions-An Incident.

AT the anniversary of the Baptist Mis-
sionary Society held in London, the Rev. II.
Wilkinson, late Of Orissa, Of the General
Baptist Missionary Society, in the course of
an interesting speech, related the following
narrative " was in the tent Of British
officer, who said to me, | believe your COM
ing to India is a regular forlorn hope |
should believe the same was my reply, only
God has promised to accompany all | do In
his name But, he added, 'the Ilindus
won't make Christians; they are so cunning,
they are downright liars. | would not be-
lieve Hindu was Christian if | saw him.
| told him | had some good native converts
that should like him to see. Well he
replied, | should like to see them, and |
would show them up to you Just then our
missionary, Gunga, who had been Brahmln
was coming up the walk TO the tent, and l
said to the officer, Here is one Of our native
preachers coming perhaps you would like
to show him up Well he said, | should
like to ask him few questions l said to
Gonga, in the native tongue, This gentleman
don't believe i'll your Christianity We'll,
| can't help that, said Gonga--th Iordllness
of his Brahminical character breaking out.
He wants to ask you few questions. =
What is it be wants TO ask me questions
| for? Does he want to know the reason OF
| the hope there is in NE, or to find fault p
Softening, be added, Let the &c tleman ask
me any questions, and am prepared to an
swer them The first question the officer pat
was, How did you get your living before
you were Christian Gonga did not
quite understand this. and he SAID Sir, [
was an officiating Brahmn,' But how did
you get your living tell me that?' Now,
just suppose that somebody were TO stop the
carriage of gentleman with lawn sleeves,
as it was passing along the streets of London,
and to say to him, How do You get your
liviug?' 1t might be very awkward ques-
ton for him to answer, but it would be known
very we'll that he did have good living
And the officer ought to have understood the
case of the Brahmin in the same way. When
he did understand that Bro. Gonga had had
the temple revenues and the offerings Of the
people, and that he had given them up to be-
come a Christian, he said " Well, | did nos
expect that anyhow He wanted to show
| uDat t0lS uian uau ueIoiH0 Onilo't"h J''S' w
get living Old Gonga then related the
history of his conversion. He was first i'm
pressed with the statements he had found IN
a religious tract which led him to put jug
gernaut to the test, whether be were god or
no. First be spent whole day and night
in praying to him, and then he spent the same
length Of time in cursing him. Nothing
came of It,, said Gonga, and | did not be-
licvo that he was a god but to make Ii
more certain still, went and poked Lin
with spear, and my arm was not wlthered.
Then he told Of the happy change which hat
come over his own feelings, and how, BY
faith in Christ he had good hope through
,, grace. The teas stood in the officers eyes
and he seized Gongas black hand, saying
God bless you! / am glad to have me
with YOU Then it was Gonga's turn. OF
y. have claimed the right, said he to the oftl
:, cer to examine me; and now, perhaps, yo'
J will allow me 10 examine you little. AoI
- come from a Christian country-you cal
= Yourself Christian; now | want TO ask
. YOU really are Christian = The officer go
: up, and walked into an inner room. Gong
;, followed him, saying in gentle voice
u did not mean to offend you and | would on
ask you, as Christian 10 pray 70 God tha
= I NAV be found faithful until death | al
, happy to tel! you that officer dated ms cor
= version to God from that time.