The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-07-13
Missions.

Considerable excitement has been caused
in Calcutta by the issuing of orders by the
commissioner of police forbidding all
preaching in the, public squares without
permission from the authorities. Street
and bazar preaching has been engaged
in by missionaries Of nearly all societies.
With the increase of the English-speak-
ing Bengalis, and of Hindus who reject the
old religion, the missionaries have had
increased opportunities to reach on the
streets inquirers of Christian doctrine.
Not only Christians, but the Brahmos and
Mohammedans have proclaimed their
faith in the streets and found no Difficult
" in gathering crowds of hearers. 1t
appears that some of the Hindus and
few Englishmen have been trying to in
duce the municipal council to prohibit
all street preaching There had been
disturbance in one of the squares, in
which Mohammedan and Hindu teachers
were concerned, and the police cleared
the square, against the protest of the
missionaries, who demanded for Moham-
medans and Hindus the same rights as
enjoyed by themselves. After some dis
cussion in the council, the prohibitory
order was issued as already stated. The
missionaries Immediately called meet
ing for consultation, and appointed
deputation Of seven to protest to the
municipality against being deprived of
their rights. The chairman, Mr.. Harri-
son, intimated that all would have per-
mission to preach in the squares for the
asking. Meantime the missionaries kept
up their preaching. without interfer-
ence but they were apprehensive lest,
from the temporizing spirit of the Bengal
Government, the prohibition of open-air
preaching in the capital should if carried
out, lead to similar interdicts throughout
the province. The Rev. George Kerry,
Baptist missionary, who was member
of the deputation, had some correspon-
dence with the chairman subsequent to
the presentation of the protest. The lat
ter informed him that some inquiries
were being made in regard to the vari-
Gus kinds Of preaching here and elsewhere
in India, and that meantime permission
to all who desired to use the squares
would be freely given, without distinc-
] ton of religion, "the only object being
the minimum of restriction consistent
with the prevention of disorderly scenes. -
Mr.. Kerry, in reply, wrote him that
many missionaries would feel great reluc-
lance to apply for license from civil au-
thority to preach. In the next letter
from the chairman the ground of defense
of the order was changed. 1t was asserted
that the squares belonged to the city, and
the missionaries had no more right to
preach in them, without permission, than
in the town hall Referring to the fact
that the police had taken the names of
the missionaries who had persisted in
preaching, he wrote " We shall take no
action till we know if the government
admits our claim, and only limit our ac-
ton to protest and recording names; but
still we do regard you as wrongdoers as
long as you refuse to acknowledge our
claims on the squares" Mr.. Kerry writes
Of the matter thus:
This attempt to place restriction on
the liberty Of preaching the gospel ought
to be carefully watched and persistently
resisted, or India will be more closed to
the gospel than Africa and China. The
present effort to stop the preaching in
J the squares may lead to the same thing