Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-02-15
4 Camp Meeting in India,
BY REV. E W PARKER.

tue TIVOG lOT uuUul6u vi ulltS.
These gatherings for religious worship
are called "mela" Mel IN, ans feitoU
ship, so the Metho lists were the fi,s
TO establish Fellowship meetings. A.
these meas however, there is no regular
Ity Of worship, but every one bathes ant
sings and worships or sells his 200 is or
buys independently, and hence Hindu
nela with one hundred thousand to four
hundred thousand people present, covering
acres of ground, is place of such dscord
and discordant sounds that one accustomed
to harmony becomes almost distracted
with the consttnt drumming, singing,
crying and loud talking, all in the mos
perfect diseord possible.
Last year oul India mission determined
to have mela for the Christians of the
entire mission ut some central place.
Shajehanpore was selected, and yet it was
two hundred miles distant from each end
of the mission field. This distance pre-
vented large number of people from
going, yet many came.
This year we had our second meeting
and about nine hundred were present on
he ground. This is small compared to
the Hindus. for at their Jreat times they
collect more than nine hundred thousand
instead of nine hundred. Still, when we
who came to this field when there were 10
Christians in all this region, were Uery,
VERY happy to see nine hundred intelligent
Christian people gathered together for the
worship of God. Tuese nine hundred
were made up of about five hundred men
and women, the leaders in our work
Nearly all Of the men and women present
could read and write, and all are well
instructed in religion. The other four
hundred were boys and girls large enough
TO get good at such a meeting. The farm
RS, weavers, shoemakers, etc., were
generally unable to be present.
Our services were very orderly and
profitable all through. We had large
| IOlL lOl tuC JuDllS oII flCtS lIu uGdt ~ I'LL
the people were seated on mats in the
oriental manner. Our singing was by the
entire congregation, and capital, and all
our services We're blessed to the good OF
the people. M.ny of our large girls and
ooys were converted, others who were
doubling were brought into clear light,
md all of the preachers were baptz- ID
with new strength. These gatherings do
our native preachers great good.
1t seems very remarkable TO us that God
has raised up such n company We have
not heen long at work, and yet the boys
t'at we frs, taught were the eloquent
preachers at this camp meeting. When
one naive brother sat down after preach.
M clear gospel sermon n missionary
remarked: When we get one hundre,
md fifty such men rs that we may all
pa k up and 90 home to America " We
rave more han II score such, and St u.rut
>creS coming on fast.
Hne M i've preachers sermons com ar
ei well with those of their American
brethren, although we exhorled all to keep
heir big sermons for some other time
and here only preach to lead sinners tc
Christ, lest the great defect of the modern
American camp m"etlng-blg sermons
wi hout much direct reference to sou
saving then and there-becomes an hin
trance here.
Our camp meeting gives rs an idea O
our strength. See here seated nine hund
red well dressed. educated men, womer
and children. These are the preachers
! The leaders, the teachers in this great fiel,
of ours, and their Aocks are away, scatteret
over the plains fifty miles. one hundre,
7 miles and two hundred miles distant. Will
: such force of leaders and workers W,
. are sure of much greater success thar
, ever before.
Note few facts that make us coufden,
. of great success in the Rohilkund dislric,
t l. There are about ninety regularl,
: appointed preachers and Christian teach
+. orS giving their entire time to the work
: These are good men and generally devote,
J to their work.
,. The ladies' missionary society hav,
just about as many native female worker!
i laboring among the women and girls.
n ). We have already Il church of tw
: thousand five hundred communicates,
V. very large proportion of whom are NOR
\ or less educated, and are helpers in all on
It work.
S 4. There are in Our three orphan
3 schools five hundred girls and boys bein
: prepared for various kinds of work an
n usefulness by being we'll educated and b
n being taught some kind of q trade, /
It our boarding schools for girls there ar
i two hundred and thirty Christian girl
+ being well educated, and in a difrerer
l. boys school there are auout the sam
}, number of Christian boys; SO that alto
l. gether we have quite one thousand Chris
r tian children being educated and traine
0 for work
: 5. We have beside these more tha
|. three thousand boys and girls in our da
) schools who are being daily trained an
k drilled in Christian truth, and prepare
If for future usefulness. In these chrildre
VI we have mortgage on heathenism, an
: we will loreclose one of these days.
n 6. In this district there are one bundre
1t and seventy four Sunday schools vii
e seven thousand five hundred pupils il
/, them. including most of the four thousan
e children of our day schools; thus bring
ing all of our non Christian pupils in on
schools into closer connection with u
n and our forms of worship. and making
II easy for them to come TO our olhe
,r services.
y Z. We have openings into certai