The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1872-04-04
Letters from the Old World,
BY MISS JENNIE A. NELSON.
NO. x.

DEHRA doom, NORTHERN INDIA
January "a, 1872.
The American mail is in to-day
and no mail for me. 1 will try to
comfort myself by writing to you.
Since I wrote to you before, our
School has opened, and l am busy
most of the time with teaching and
studying Hindoostanee. L have the
most advanced classes, which speak
and understand English very well.
l teach "History of India" "History
of the United States" English
Grammar" and Spelling" in both
languages, and "Vocal Music" !
find the girls have very quick minds
and seem interested in their studies,
particularly in the "History of the
United States" They get quite ex-
cited over the stories Of Captain
Smith, etc. The natives have won
derful ideas of America. l have q
native teacher myself. He has a
Uery Ndck face, wears q white tur-
ban, bright blue merino coat, white
muslin pants-leaves his sandals at
the door, and sits in his bare feet.
do not think the language very
difficult. 1t is very easy to learn to
read or TO sing, and many of the
words are beautiful and full of mean
ing. would despair of being very
useful soon, if I was compelled to
teach in Hindoostanee. I am very
thankful to find field so well pre-
pared for the seed, and 1 find so
much to do that 1 wish I had more
hands myself, or that we had more
ladies here, for there is so much work
that only women can do.
The condition of women here is
sad indeed, except among the "Na-
tive Christians" and even among
them they are not treated as they
should be. / have met some very
sensible, intelligent men among the
natives. 1 had a conversation on
Sabbath with one who had been ed
ucated in DIR. Ouf's School. He
says that the light of Christianity
has shown the people the error of
many of their systems and customs,
and that there is spirit of inquiry
now among the people such as was
never known before. He thinks
that Satan's throne is tumbling. He
says the English have done much
for India, but they have done one
wrong at least. They have made
drinking respectable. Before the
Europeans came it was very dis
graceful 10 drink; even a Brahmin
would lose caste if he used spirits.
1t pains me to see the wine stores
here kept by natives.
think the Government has made
another mistake. 1t forbids teach
ing the Bible in the native Govern
ment Schools. If it had not been
forbidden there would be little diff
Guilty in having it taught. The en-
lightened natives, who know too
much to be idolaters, are Unitarians.
They believe in one God, but deny
the divinity of Christ. Mr.. Heron
says he finds they have read all the
Unitarian writers of America, and
that it has most pernicious influ-
enee. Theodore Parker's and Chan
ning's writings are well known
among them. A young man from
Calcutta called to see me one day,
to thank me for visiting the "zana'
mas" He said be wanted the wo-
men educated. They feel compli'
mented when European ladies Gas
they call US alp coll to see them.
This young man interests me very
much. He is out of health, and has
come here to improve it if possible
He has read Claiming and imbibed
his views, but he is seeking light
He seems acquainted with many Of
our writer's asked me if Longfellow
is still living, and said he had com
mitted his "Psalm of Life" to mem
ory. 1 gave him a book of sermons
to read, and asked him to join a Bi
bic class taught by MIR. Herron
which he consented to do. He looks
uery young, yet has wife and one
child.
One of the great evils of this coun
try is the early marriages, and an
told this young man feels this to b'
so. He is anxious to go to England
to some college and intends doing
so, 1 believe. hope and pray tina
| he may be brought to the truth ant
led to acknowledge Christ as his Sa
vior. 1 have great faith that VI
are sowing seed which will bring
forth abundantly in Gods own time
Last Saturday l was invited to
feast in one of the "zananas," wher
we havo been teaching. The feas
was in honor of q "frst-born." Th
child is a daughter, and the poo
mother looks sad, as the birth of
daughter is not hailed with delight
The child was nine days old Satur
day, and this day they shaved it
head and put on its trinkets for tn
frst time. We ladies sat in the We
randall and had our dinner alone
as they cannot eat with any out o
their own caste. Our dinner was
soup plate for each of US, filled ful
of rice, with piece of meat on to-
of it, o saucer of "currie," or mea
cooked with milk, many spices in
rich oil. 1t was rather fOrmidabl