The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-12-01
as follows:

result 1t conduces to our national fame, and
adds stability to the British rule in India The
natives are too apt to think of us as melted by
national ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, by political extension,
by diplomatic success, by military ambition
These adverse thoughts of theirs are no doubt
mltgated by the justice of our laws, by our
State education, by the spread of our medical
science, by our sanitary arrangements and,
above all, by our efforts to mitigate or avert
famine. But, beyond all these, am bound to
mention the effects of the example of the life and
of the conduct of the Christian missionaries"
From the report of the South India
Missionary Conference held at Bangalore
last year we learn that in 1857 there
were in South India Excluding Ceylon)
59,6l3 baptized Protestant Christians,
and 1,790 unbaptized adherents, max
ing together 91,393. In 1878 the cor
responding figures were 169,432 and
l27,497, together 295,929. They had
trebled in twenty-one years. Here is
story with moral. Here is an incen-
tive to Christian activity. Who has
money, and will hold it back from such
field as this?
1t was in the year 1908 that the fam
Gus article of Sydney Smith appeared in
the Edinburgh Review. In this he made
a most bitter and pitiless assault on the
little band of missionaries Carey, Thomas,
Ward, and others) who were then labor
ing to convert the poor Hindoos to Christ.
He contended that it was hardly posi-
BILE to push the business of proselytism
IN India to any length, without mourning
the utmost risk of losing our empire"
1.-The duties of conversion" he argued,
appear to be of less Importance, when
1t is impossible to procure proper persons
to undertake them, and when such reli-
gious embassies, in consequence, devolve
upon the lowest of the people. This
madness is disgusting and dangerous
enough at home Why are we to send
out little detachments of maniacs to
spread over the fine regions of the world
the most unjust and contemplate opinion
OF the gospel? The wise and the rational
part of the Christian ministry find they
have enough to do at home to combat
with passions unfavorable to human hap
piness, and to make men act up to their
professions. But if tinker is devout
man, he infallibly sets off for the East.
He sums up his opposition to the whole
business as follows
"Shor y stated, our argument then is this
we see much danger in making the attempt
and we doubt If the conversion of the Hindoos
would ever be more than nominal If it is a
duty of general benevolence to convert the
heather, 1t is less duty to convert the Hindoos
than any other people, because they are aIre ady
highly civilised, and because you must infalli
bly, subject them to infamy and present degra
datlon. This was a Christian minister writing
thls The instruments employed for these pur-
poses are calculated to bring ridicule and dis
grace upon the gospel and in the discretion OF
those at home, whom we consider as their pa
irons, we have not the smallest reliance; but. on
the contrary, we are convinced they would be
hold the loss of our Indian empire, not with
the humility of men convinced of erroneous
views and projects, but with the pride, the ex-
ultation, and the alacrity of martyrs"
Things have changed since this was
written. The writings of Sydney Smith
once SO popular are now neglected.
"Where be his gibes now? his flashes of
merriment that were wont to set the
table on a roar ?"
Within fifty years more than 300
islands of southern and eastern Polynesia
have thrown away idolatry. Almost the
entire Malayo-Polynesian race has be-
come Christianized. When Sydney Smith
wrote, there were ITO missionaries in the
different fields. His article had no eff
feet; there are nov $500. Then there
were so translations of the Bible; now
there are $50 Then there were 7 mis-
sionary societies; now there are 70. Then
there were some 100000 copies Of the
Bible circulated; now there are 100000
000 Then there were 10 missionary
schools; now there are 10000, with more
than 100000 scholars. Then the num-
Der of converts was about $4,000; now it
is estimated at nearly 100000. Then
the annual contributions for missions
amounted to $25O,OO0; now they amount
to nearly $7OOO,OOO
If the rate Of increase which has pre-
vailed in India since 1852 shall be main
tanned until the year 1000. there will