Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-11-30
SIEGE OF LUCKNOW.
REV. DR.. TALMAGE RELATES THRILL
ING DEEDS OF HEROlSM.

Great General and Devout Christian.
BROOKLYN, Nov. 25.-Rev. DR.. Tai
mage today began his series Of round
the world sermons through the press,
the first subject selected being Luck
now, India. Tho text chosen was Deu-
teronomy Xxx, 10, "When thou shalt
besiege a city long time in making
war against it to take it, thou shalt not
destroy tho trees thereof by forcing an
ak against them.
The awfulest thing in war is besiege-
ment, for to the work Of deadly weapons
1t adds hunger and starvation and
plague Besiegement is sometimes nee
essary, but my text commands mercy
even in that. The fruit trees must be
spared because they afford food for man.
Thou shalt not destroy the trees there
Of by forcing an Ak against them" But
IN my recent journey round the world
found at Lucknow, India, the remains
Of the most merciless besiegement OF
the ages, and proceed to tell You that
story for four great reasons-to show
you what horrid thing war is and to
make you all advocates for peace, to show
you what genuine Christian character
is under bombardment, to put corona
tion on Christian courage, and to show
you how splendidly good people die.
As our train glided into the dimly
lighted station l asked the guard, "Is
this Lucknow" and he answered,
Lucknow" at the pronunciation OF
which proper name strong emotions
rushed through body, mind and soul.
An Eyewitness.
The word is q synonym Of suffering,
Of cruelty, of heroism, Of horror such as
is suggested by hardly any other word.
We have for 80 years been reading OF
the agonies there endured and tho dar-
ing deeds there witnessed. 1t was my
great desire to have some one who had
witnessed the scenes transacted in Luck
now in 1857 conduct us over the place
We found Just the man. He was a young
soldier at the time the greatest mutiny
Of the ages broke out, and he was put
with others inside the residency, which
was a cluster Of buildings making a
fortress in which the representatives OF
the English government lived and
which was to be the scene OF an endur-
ance and bombardment the story OF
which poetry and painting and history
and secular and sacred eloQuence have
been trying to depict Our escort not
only had a good memory Of what had
happened, but had talent enough to 70
hearse the tragedy.
In the early part Of 1857 all over In
dia the natives were ready to break out
IN rebellion against all foreigners and
especially against the civil and mill
tary representatives Of the English gov
ernment
A half dozen causes are mentioned
for the feeling Of discomfort and insur-
rection that was evidenced throughout
India The most Of these causes were
mere pretexta Creased cartridges were
no doubt an evaporation. The grease
ordered by the English government TO be
used on these cartridges was taken from
COWS or pigs, and grease to the Hindoo'
is unclean, and to bite these cartridges
at the loading Of the guns would DO an
o1ense to the Hindoo's religion. The
leaders Of the Hindoos said that these
creased cartridges were only part OF an
attempt by the English government tc
make the natives give up their religion;
hence unbounded indignation was
aroused.
Another cause Of the mutiny was that
another largo province Of India had
been annexed to the British empire,
and thousands Of officials in the employ
Of the king Of that province were thrown
out Of position, and they were all ready
for trouble making.
Another cause was said to DO the bad
government exercised by some English
officials In India
The simple fact was that the natives
Of India were q conquered race, and the
English were the conquerors. For 100
years the British soepter had been wav-
cd over India, and the Indians wanted
TO break that scepter. There never had
been any love or sympathy between the
natives Of India and the Europeans.
There Is none now.
Before the time of the great mutiny
the English government risked much
power In the hands Of the natives Toe
many Of them manned the forts. Toe
many Of them were In governmental
employ. And now the time had come
for a wide outbreak. The natives had
persuaded themselves that they could
send the English government flying.
and to accomplish it dagger and sword
and firearms and mutilation and slaugh-
ter must do their worst
Horrors Of tho Siege.
It was evident in Lucknow that the
natives were about to rise and put to
death all the Europeans they could lay
their hands on, and into the residency
the Christian population OF Lucknow
hastened for defense from the tigers In
human form which were growing for
their victims. The occupants OF the resi-
dency, or fort, were-military and non
combatsnts, men, women and children
lin number about !, o92.
suggest IN ono sentence some OF the
chief woes to which they were subjected
when 1 say that these people were in the
residsncy Ave months without single
change Of clothing; some OF the tirle
the beat at 100 and 1870 degrees; tbs
place black with flies and all a-squirm
with vermin; firing Of the enemy upon
them ceasing neither day nor night;
the hospital crowded with the dying
smallpox, scurVy, cholera, adding their
work 10 that Of shot and shell; women
brought up in all comfort and never
having known want crowded and sacri-
ncsd in . cellar whore nine children
were born; less and less food; no water
except that which was brought from :
veil under the enemy's nre, so that
the water obtained was at the price OF
blood; tho stencil Of the dead horses
added 10 the ofluvia Of oorpseS and oil
waiting for the moment when the army
Of 90, 900 shrieking Hindoo devils should
break in upon the garrison OF the resi-.
Aencv. now reduced by wounds and