Morning journal and courier., 1891-02-05
MISSION WORK IN INDIA.
Extracts From a Letter From Rev.
 George F. Pentecost.

MISSION WORK IN INDIA.
 Extracts From a Letter From Rev. George F. Pentecost. Following are extracts from letter from Rev. George F. Pentecost to friend in this city. It was written at Calcutta: I have been so very busy of late that I have found it hard to write even few lines. And yet believing you are always interested to know how the work goes on, I send you little letter this week. The meetings in the opera house closed last Friday.
 We have every reason to be encouraged by the results. It is said that no religious meeting was ever so well and so long sus- tained ill this city. There have been be- tween fifty and sixty open conversions, and we have reason to believe many more, who for various reasons have hesitated to make declaration of their faith, principal ly perhaps because they are already mem bers of some church, particularly the Eng fish state church. Of course 1 am speak ing of Europeans now. We have kept a daily prayer meeting going, and though not largely attended it has been power and has served testimony. I have been in daily communion more or less with inquirers and have given addresses to them on their,own ground
 During the latter part of last week and the first three days of this one there has been in session what is known as the Ma tional Indian Congress It is made up en- tirely of native gentlemen from every part of the empire, representing every one of the many distinct people that form the heterogeneous population of this country and also every different religion-Brahmin, Hindoo, Parsee, Jane, Buddhist, Moham- medan and Christian. The object of the congress is agitation for avoice in the gov ernment of India. The members of it are great wealth and commanding influence. I attended several of their sessions and heardi as many fine speeches in English as I have listened to in any assembly of Americans: one or two of them magnificent pieces of oratory and couched in matchless English. It is a re- markable fact that there is no language (that is, no one language,) in which the proceedings of this congress could be held but the English. Another astonishing feature of the congress was that there were lady delegates present, and on the last day one lady, pure native of highest caste, appeared on the platform unveiled, and delivered an address, extemporaneous- ly, in purest English. This is an innova- tion so marked that it will do much toward shaking the foundations of the hateful and terrible Zenana of India. Once the women are set free in India then away goes the iron letters of caste, and the whole empire will be freed from superstition. There were about 5000 in daily attendance upon the congress- every one of them educated gentlemen x x There were some Chritians among the delegates | (about 60D and they invited me to give | some addresses at the close of the congress- | daily sessions in the compound of the Bish | ops college near by. 1 did so, and we managed to get some two or three hun dred delegates to come. They were of all classes as to religion and nationality. spoke to them apologetically concerning the claims of Christ upon their thoughtful | attention, upon their hearts and con sciences. The addresses were carefully | listened to and apparently well received. | Thus I have had kind of pentecost op- portunity, but on, that the Holy Ghost | might have descended ill power upon them. Perhaps he has done so. Who | can tell. On Sunday I addressed | about 800 of them in the town hall, on the reasonableness of christianity, as seen in the history of the man, Christ | Jesus, in his marvellous doctrine, and in the new moral and spiritual life which he
  his disciples, giving eternal life to every one that believeth. I believe God helped me to preach that day, though the address was in the nature of discussion. At the close of the address I was introduced to many of the distinguished men present. There was one gentleman of about 60, a fine looking man whose evident interest in the address had attracted his attention. He fingered behind after almost all the ,aSt bod eroDa if ha ypiSbaS to cnaaly tp me. So approached him and holding out my hand said:
 "Are you Christian, sir:"
 'No," was his reply, ''I am Hindoo."
 'But you are not without interest in this matter evidently; I wish you were Chris tian." ventured to say.
 "No, am not a Christian. I am an Hindoo, and I suppose will die an Hin doc, but am certainly interested in what you have said, and in everything apper- taining to the Christian religion, for" be added with emphasis, Eve that Chris tianity is coming to this land, and it is right that we should be intelligent about it, even if we do not embrace it." Then he went on to say:
 ''I would be very glad'to see you in our part of the country, and if you will come, I will undertake to gather the leaders of the Hindoo community together to hear  x $ The time is here if it ever was when it is needful the very best men we have, if we send at all to these rapidly awakening people; to these already well educated men who are already being impressed with the fact that christi anity is coming to this land, though they have not yet grasped the fact that it has come. My own judgement is that the na- tive religious leaders are vastly more i'm caI flaf fon 0f n1 icfi ifx-o of its having come to India, than we our selves are enthusiastic in our hopes of its sure progress. With five or seven millions educated and English speak ing natives in the land already and the number rapidly increasing every year I would suggest that many of our ablest and best men come out to India on years leave if nothing more and spend a week or two in the different great centers of population and preach Christ or deliver | a series of historical and apologetical lee lures, such as Peter and Stephen delivered | to the Jews What greater service could some of our great churches do than to send their dactors for a year to India and let them go through the land preach ing and testifying the gospel and then go home and tell our peo- pie what they have seen and heard. What an awakening there would be among the churches! It only needs great onward movement to carry India for Christ, I am sure.
 am beginning series of daily meetings with the Bengai students of the various colleges in Calcutta next week. hope to speak to them daily for two or three l weeks.
 Such continuous meeting has never been held with them and have great hopes that some substantial result will come out | of it.
 | But must not weary you further. Con- tirue to pray for us and send us any and all the help you can by so doing, and in any other way that may be suggested to you.