St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-04-23
Maha Rajah Duleep Singh.
To the Editor Of the Caledonian


peared in the Presbyterian Foreign
Missionary for January. The facts to
which it relates were told to me by Mrs.
Lansing when was in Cairo two years
ago; and as they interested me very
much then, 1 send the story, which
some one else has written out, for the
benefit of your readers.
Mrs. Lansing told me that when the
Prince first made his offer of marriage,
Bamba refused to entertain it for a
moment. She had devoted herself to
be a teacher of her people, and believ-
ed God called her to that work. GLOW
can L leave my people," she said, 'sto
become the wife of prince ?"
Mrs. Lansing, though not wishing to
urge her contrary to her convictions of
duty, showed her the great opportunity
which such a marriage would give her
ior helping those whom she loved so
much, and advised her to leave the
matter entirely with the Lord.
Two or thee days Bamba spent in
prayer before she could decide to accent
the offer of the prince, and receive the
beautiful gifts he had placed in Mrs.
Lansing's hands for her.
The rest of the story is told below.
Duleep Singh and his wife have lived
very happily together, and have been
on intimate terms with the royal family
of Great Britain Queen Victoria being
godmother to some of their children.
Of late years the Prince has fallen too
much under the influence of the Prince
of Wales, with whom he has been a IA
vorite, but he has always been kind to
his little Coptic wife. The doors of his
magnificent home are always open to
the Egyptian missionaries, and his year
ly gifts have been of great help to them
in their work. c. A. S.
New Haven, Ct, March, 1880.
THE STORY OF AN INDIAN PRINCE.
While spending some weeks in the
winter of 1865 in Cairo, Egypt, we had
business transaction with a man
whose history was very remarkable.
We had hired Nile boat for an old
fashioned voyage up the river, and
were preparing to sail, when we learn
ed that the owner had sold it to an In
dian prince who was stopping at Shep-
ards hotel.
He generously offered to rent for us
larger and more expensive one, if we
would give possession of the one he had
purchased. We assented, and the ar
rangement of the terms was made
through the missionary, DR.. Lansing.
One day, as we were calling upon the
doctor, he said, "WOuld you not like
to be introduced to the princess? ? She
is making a call upon my wife in an
other ROOM" We were accordingly
presented to small, but very ladylike
brunette, apparently twenty years of
age, and for an Oriental, very pretty. |
OF course we were interested in learn
ing her romantic history, and that of
her princely husband. Alter the inter-
view had closed, DR.. Lansing gave the |
history of Bamba and her marriage TO
Duleep Singh meanwhile some facts |
IN regard to the prince himself had been |
previously recorded by missionaries of
IhC III
In 1889 ROnjeet Singh died, his pro-
vlnces We're added to the British do
mln1on, and his possessions passed to |
the conquerors. He had been at the
head OF the Sikhs of India, and an un-
heather, especially op-
posed to the introduction of Christiani-
ty. On his costly funeral pile thirteen
of his wives were burned. His eldest
son and heir was killed about the same
time by the falling of beam which had
been hOneycombed by the white ants
and had not the sceptre passed to the
English, young Duleep, then a mere
boy, would probably have succeeded to
the throne.
This lad, after his fathers death, was
placed by the Government under the
care of Scotch tutor at Futtehg ghur.
Care was taken, according the wish of
his kindred, to prevent the inculcation
Of Christian doctrines; but becoming
acquainted with other lads who were in
our mission school at Futtehghur, Du-
eep noticed, one day, a Bible in the
hands of one of them, and was curious
TO examine il.
That Bible, eagerly read and pom
Iered, led the youth to the Saviour.
After some time he was, at his owu ur-
gent request, baptised and received into
he Episcopal church.
This event created a great sensation
n many parts of India. To a Hindoo
t is great humiliation to publicly re-
move his turban; but DuIeep Singh
would have no compromises with his
BRIDE. When he received baptism, he
everently kneeled, and taking off his
urban, sparkling with jewels, he re-
,elved upon his uncovered brow the
ymbol OF cleansing by the blood of
jhrlst. Nothing could have exceed
I'd the astonishment of the whole
native community but the effect was
alutary. The Name that is above ey- ;
'ry name had been honored before a ,
whole nation stepped in sin. To pre-
'ent political complications in India. ,
he British Government induced Du- !
eep olngn to remove to England, at
he same time settling upon him ample
states In addition to much that he had
Inherited from his father. His mother, :
persistent heather, resided with him |
Ill her death, which occurred about the {
ear 1863.
1t was her request that her BODY {
honld he borne to India and burned ,
was while on his way to perform this t
Ilial duty that the prince first became {
cquainted with Bamba. Being de- {
aimed some time at Cairo, by the ILL t
ess OF an attendant, he went one Sab ,
'ath morning to the Sabbath school t
onnected with the United Presbyterian {
llssion, and there he noticed a younp 3
eacher of one of the classes who great 6
y interested him. :
He learned that she was a very !