Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1876-03-16
Arrival of Rev. f. q. Davis In
India--Interesting Letter.

iO4lOWtnS ACteCA iOi puoAtOoeAOAs ~
will prove gratifying reading to the
many warm friends of the Reverend
gentleman residing in this county:
MADRAS, INDIA, Jan. II, 1876.
KIND PARENTS This letter, if it
reaches you. will bring you the news
that I am alive and we'll.
Ny journeyings ceased last Friday
morning, Jan. 14th, at 6:30 A. NJ, at
which time / reached this city. I
am now at home in bungalow, which
has been secured by the church for a
parsonage. 1t is also furnished by
the church, and is nice, cool house.
When / say cool, l mean comfortably
and pleasantly cool; for though this
is mid winter, yet it seems like the
midsummer weather that l have
been accustomed to at home.
1 am not sorry that l came to In
dia, BY a great deal. / am glad 1
am where l am. But / may say more
about that in the future. | reached
India first st Bombay, on the 9th of
January. Here l separated from
Bro. McGrew, who went to our North
ern India work. spent three pleas
ant days with our Missionaries and
brethren at Bombay, and became ac-
quainted with many Of the persons
whose names Bro. Taylor mentioned
in his Campaign in India" Two of
these, Bros. Crishna and Trimbuck, l
was almost impatient to see, and it is
but just for me to say that found in
them more than expected. Their
meekness and sweet Christian spirit
surprised and delighted me. | made
Il call on them at their home and my
appreciation of them increased with
the visit. Their conversion and
christian life is genuine, clear and
bright illustration of the power of
divine grace over the Idolater's life
and nature.
L stopped at Poona and spent the
Sunday with Bro. Fox, as | intended
to do when l left home. You may
be sure it was a pleasant time for
both of us to meet, after three years
separation, on India's soil, and talk
over our school days at Evanston. |
brought him a small package from
home and l think if our friends in
America could have seen the salts
faction and enjoyment it gave him
that many more would be the pack
ages and letters that would come
from home.
Monday, the 10th, Bro. Fox went
North to Conference and South to
Madras, stopping at Belary two
nights to help our brethren there and
to break my railroad journey for rest.
At Madras found them all waiting
and wondering "why Bro. Davis is SO
long coming"
Saturday night, Jan. 18th, they
gave us a welcome meeting. wish
l could portray the gratitude and
thanktulness that accompanies theil
welcome. They are genuine out
bursts of loving, laboring and desirous
hearts, whose veIy wants have been
constantly sending forth the Mace
donian cry for three years, and they
are expressed in such a way that it
makes us feel thankful that we
came.
Our churches at home can not give
such welcomes as they give here.
They have not had such an expert
ence to precede them. l must leave
description of Madras and the work
here to another day; and as our for
eign mail does not leave until the last
of the week, l may yet write some
thing about it in this.
l have received no letters from
home or Evanston since / left New
York, but suppose they are on their
way. They will receive due atten-
tion when they come. 1t is about de
cided that | will remain in Madras,
but if | should go to Bangalore
will receive all letters that come tt
Madras for me in care of Rev. c. T
Hard. l may be addressed thus un
til | give other instructions. | am
comfortably situated and you mus
feel perfectly easy about that. Our
parsonage is right across the street
from our largest church. Bro. Hard
and myself are to live in it. 1t is
better one than YOU have at Clay
Chapel. We have plenty to eat, and
it is good enough. Part OF our Dill
of fare at breakfast was wheat bread,
mutton chops, sweet potatoes, fried
English cheese and Plantain. We
have butter all the time; it is buffalo
butter, though, and is about the col.
or of white wax. You know how
relish it.
Notwithstanding that | am so well
situated, however, it does seem lit,
tie strange sometimes to be here. l
knew that this is a land of idolatry
before 1 came, and yet it makes me
feel strange as / look on so many
heather temples or see the heather
customs. This week is week of one
of their feasts, and helps me to feel
it the more.
Last night came home from ser
vice and sat down to read. 1t was
pleasant hour for me and / felt hap
DIV. But when the hour for retiring
came and / turned to leave the sitting
room, the sound of tum-tums dowr
the street and snatch Of a heather
song as some one went hurrying by
fell on my ear, and for moment i
all seemed like a dream. i felt fair
ly staggered. But so it is. l an
here for a fact, and l intend to sta.
here il close attention to my healtl
and hard work will prolong my stay
1 can not help feeling that have jus
as much room before me for work a
Paul hsd when he stood on Mars
Hill. / believe it is just as difficult
and there is just as great need TO
faithful evangelistic work here a
there was there, though / be bu
nothingness as compared with Pau