Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1884-04-19
AROUND THE WORLD.

Ksshub Chunder sen-some Account oi
| His Life. Death and Funeral-Mr. rTO-
/ zoomdar-Msurnfnsf for Ksshub Chun-
| der sen-The Outlook for the Brahmo
| Faith.
| CALCUTTA, India, March 3.
To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
When left America several friends said to
me. ''Don't forget to call upon Keshub Chun-
/ der Sen while you are in Calcutta" It was
little thought then that the Oriental patriarch
| would be no longer numbered with the living
when reached Calcutta. The old preverb
/ that q prophet is never without honor save in
| his own country is partly exempliied in the
/ present case for while the late minister of
| the Brahmo-Somsj has his warmess native
| friends In India, 1 find that the knowledge
| concerning this fair flower of the Orient is
scarcely as universal among the masses In
| Calcutta of those who speak English as it is
| in America was informed finally that the
home of the late reformer was at No. ~
| Upper Circular road. Accordingly 1 took a
Durhumtollah street car to Sealdah, and then
after walk of perhaps half mile found
myself in front of the house. The Sen
| homestead proved to be a large square bun
gaIow constructed entirely on the European
plan, surrounded by spacious lawn upon
one side only, which was well improved with
shrubbery In the rear was pond. or tank
| as it would be called here, convenience for
which there is little use now that public
system of waterworks has been established
in Calcutta. Passing in between substantial
gate posts which bore the inscription, Lilly
Cottage" in both English ard Hindostanee, /
= 30 he 6nn dnnr
for many of these Oriental bungalows face
the rear of the lot. The door led into an
Office in which eight or ten cultivated Bsngs-
lees were busily engaged in comforting and
writ: upon some important subject L had
time to notice I tapped at the door that
the conversation was being conducted in
English, and the writing was also in English.
In response to my rap one of the number
arose. and upon my stating that wished to
learn something of the great heshub Chun-
der Sen and his work, promptly conducted
me to a side porch and expressed his wiliing-
ness to converse on the subject. We were
seated in chairs befor a table. 1 noticed that
the furniture and appointments of the place
were strictly foreign, and made favorable
mental comment upon this revelation of pro-
gressiveness. Behind us were several large
book cases entirely filled with English works,
while the piazza columns were adorned with
Christian pictures.
"aas this always been the home of the
great minister ?'' I inquired. mo, sir, !" re
piled my companion, who spoke English ad
mirably; ''only from 1878 down to the time
of his death, on the 9th of January. The
paternal residence is about half mile from
here. He has always lived in Calcutta, how
ever"
s.Has he ever been abroad ?" LESS than
fifteen years ago he went to England and
spent eight months These books which you
see here were mainly the gifts of his English
friends Then he met most OF the worlds
great men, for all well~known travellers would
lock him up when they came to Calcutta
stAre these men who are at work in the
study elders in your church 2" Eyes, sir /;
thsy constitute the Apostolic Darbar. You
see that young, fine. looking gentleman with
glasses That is a of Mr.. Keshub Chun |
der Sen. Our minister left i've sons and i've
daughters, who all live in this house"
''If you have had long acquaintance with |
Keshub Chupdsr Sen, / should like to hear |
something about his life from you" II |
have knoVn him for long time, and never |
knew anyone else who ordered his life as |
we'll 1t was impossible to know the man |
without loving him and longing to be much |
in his presence. He was born in 1893, so |
that be was scarcely in the prime of life |
when called hence. He belonged to wealthy
and most influential family. As a youth,
even be fore he had felt after and found the
Lord he gas noted as lovable, thoughtful
young man. His college training developed
in him a love for Shakespeare, and conse-
ouentlv for the drama He was gifted with
a large Measure of the real dramatic instinct,
and this he turned to good account during |
the years of his ministry. The retiring
timid youth who surprised his friends and
the public by his rendition of Haalet, when
he had wearied of all earthly pursuits except
the preaching of the word, made such thrill
ing appeals in behalf of purity, temperance
and Righteousness that even his European
auditors felt that he was inspired by ths su-
preme God"
when did he experience conversion to the
faith ?" Along in 1856 and
gan to weary of the pomp and ceremonies of
his house He grew melancholy and took
little interest in anything save his daily hours
of reading and meditation. The Bible was
to him a treasure house of rich experiences
to which he referred constantly. He was
following on to know the Lord. lie re-
sorted to devices for the conversion of the
world. which bespoke his boyish fervor and
A number of handbills, son~
tanning serioug exhortations to the world to
give up sin, would be found each morning
posted npon the walls of the streets In nls
oeiehborhood In 1857 be established
Goodwill fraternity and the British In
iia Society for the Cultivation of Literature
and Science Even before he hads formula
ed his ideas touching the Godhead, he was
wont to pray INCREASINGLY. In the latter part
Of 1857 his attention was called to the Brah-
no-Somai, and he commenced to study It.
dere he seemed to find the God and the the
,loov for which his soul had been thirsting
After considerable study he announced for
nalIv his espousal of faith in the holy Brah-
no Dhsrma Persecution followed, but he
quickly lowered above and overcame IL. he
:esigned his position in the Bank OF Bengal
md began instead the life of missionary
Ia went throughout all India, from Bombay
o Calcutta, preaching and proselytlng, but
,nIv a1peaiinp to the sympathles OF the peo-
,le. You have some idea of his success.
While naturally modest and humble ne ac-
,,efore his death he received two letters. one 6
rom the New York Independent and the !
,ther from the editor of the Contemporary
review. requesting him to contribute He {
with the request in the first in |
tance. and would have done so in the case of.
he second, but his declining health prevent {
al He suffered terribly for weeks, and you '
an imagine how painful it WAS to rs to watch !
,is agony, The doctors said they seldom
lad cases in which the patient suffered so !
much But never, even in his moments of
and delirium, did he betray
he Ieast fretfulness. When his mother was
vending over him IN q parcxysn1 of grief at {
he sad sufferiDgs through which he was |
,assing he would reply: DO not weep, my
arthly mother. This divine mother is nigh I
md is comforting me continually. The more !
xcruciating the pain, the nearer to me do I
eel her. Immediately after his death letters
nd kilograms of coincidence began to pour
n by the hundred Her gracious Majesty
queen Victoria, and His Excellency Lord Ri
ION, Vicefoy and Governor General of India,
vere among the first to pay such tribute to
he memory of the departed
shall not attempt to set forth in letter I