Litchfield enquirer., 1877-10-25


 CHRISTIANITY IN MD1A.-In 1857 the mutinies broke out. The movement was at first regarded as mere military revolt It was soon perceived by those at least who like myself were thrown among the native population, to be national rising and rising against us not so much as English as Christians There was uninersal impression among all class doc and Mohammedan, that our Gov ernmeut intended their conversion to Christianity. As the English Government had from the commencement of it's rule not only itself abstained from any interference with the native religion, but had discouraged, at first actively, and latterly passively, the efforts of the mis- sionaries-that such belief, so opposed to the truth, should have arisen, is, from the English point of view, very surprising. It may be accounted for, but the explana- ton would carry me from my subject. The belief, from whatever cause it had arisen, was universal, and sufficiently strong to unite in common hostility to Christianity and Christians both the Hin. doos and the Mohammedans, a union which had hitherto been regarded as i'm possible. Christians, of whatever race or color. native as we'll as English. were equally obnoxious, and, when found, equally murdered. Toward the conclusion of the mutiny very remarkable change of feeling was in many places exhibited Our destruction had seemed 80 complete that our eudden recovery appeared to the natives. ignorant as they were of our un- seen resources. to be miraculous. They thought, like the heathen of old, that the Lord off hosts, the God of battles, the powers that then governed the affairs of men,, were on our side; that our dominion was ordained of high. and should be sub mitted to The Hindoo mind is suscepti ble of such impressions; theyAare Tn har- mony with the spirit of it's religion. There arose among many of the Hindoos de- sire to embrace Ghristianity-to adore that God who was now triumphant. Had this desire met with encouragement, large portions of the population would have em- braced Christianity; but it did not, and it died out. With the complete restora- ton of order and the return to former con- di ions of life, the enthusiasm which had excited it subsided. and the opportunity was lost forever. Tho suppression of the The rule of the East India Company was 0OOAAoACS4 AAa0 AAOA0 OAOO60p UA0O4 sA4O 0A@ rect control of the Grown. The. immedi- ate effect of the change was little. h h. dia, except in name, it was not percepti- ble, but formed as the opening of the overland route had previously done, the Iseommencement of g new era. It was the first of series of changes that have en- tireiy altered European society in India, a result partly--perhaps principallx--due to it's having been attended by thsp develop ment of the railway system. The changes have to some. extent affected the natives, They move more. they read more. they know more. they think more. Among the richer and educated classes the ideas of modern Europe have penetrated their tone of thought, and to some slight extent their habits of life have been modified by them. The number of Christians has greatly increased. but the increase is con- fined to the Europeans. There are more English soldiers, more english officials. more English traders and the railways have introduced English artisans. and un- happily, as an indirect effect. also another class. formerly unknown European va