The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-11-26
SIEGE OF LUCKNOW.
THERE CHRISTIAN MARTYR
DOM WAS TRIED
Dr.. TaImage Uses the HeroIsnas OF the
Hesidency as the subject Of the FIRST
of His Sermons on His travels Around
the World

Brooklyn, Nov. %, ls94-Rev. Dr.
Talmage to-day began his series of
round the world sermons through the
press, the first subject selected being
Lucknow, India The text chosen was:
Deuteronomy 20. 10: s.When thou shalt
besiege a city long time in making
war against it to take It, thou shalt
not destroy the trees thereof by fore
ing an ak against them
The awfulest thing in war is besiege-
ment, for to the work of deadly
weapons it adds hunger and starvation
and plague. Besiegement is sometimes
necessary. 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 thereof by forcing an ak
against them But in my recent jour
ney round the world l found at Luck
now, India, the remains Of the most
mereiless besiegement Of the ages. and
1 proceed to tell you that story for
four great reasons to show you what
a hOlrid thing war Is and 10 make YOU
all advocates for peace. To show You
what genuine Christian character is
under bomba rdment: to put a corona
ton on Christian courage: and to show
you how splendidlv good people die.
AS our train glided into the dimly
lighted station. 1 asked the guard, is
this Lucknow and ne answered
ssLuclznoxT;' at the pronunciation OF
which proper name strong emotions
rushed through body mind and soul
The word is a synonym of suffering.
of cruelty. Of herOism. of horror such
as is suggested by hardly any other
word We have for thirfy-five years
been reading Of the agonies there en-
Cured and the daring deeds there wit
messed 1t was my great desire to
have some one who had witnessed the
scenes transacted IN Lucknow in 1897
conduct us over the place We found
Just the man. He was young soldier
at the time the greatest Inutiny of the
ages broke out and he was put with
others inside the Residency which
was q cluster Of buildings making
fortress IN which the Representatives
Of the English government lived, and
which was to be she scene Of an endur-
ance and a bornbardment the story of
which. poetry. and painting, and his
tory. and secular and sacred elO9uence
have been trying to depict. Our escort
not only had good memory Of what
had happened. but had talent enough
to renearse the tragedy.
Ia the early part Of 1857 all over
India the natives were ready to break
ont in rebellion against all foreigners.
and especially against the civil and
military representatives Of the English
government.
A half dozen causes are mentioned
for the feeling Of discomfort and in
surrection that was evidenced through
out India The most of these causes
We're mere pretexts. Creased cart
tlidges were no doubt an exaspera-
ton. The grease ordered by the En-
glish government to be used on these
cartridges was taken from cows OF
pigs. and grease to the Hindoos is un-
clean. and to bite these cartridges at
the loading of the guns would be an
offense to the Hindoos religion. The
leaders of the Uindoos said that these
creased cartridges were only part OF
an attempt bv the English government
to make the natives give up their re
ligion; hence unbounded indignation
was aroused
Another cause Of the mutinv was
that another large province of India
had been annexed TO the British EN-
pire and thousands Of officials in the
employ of the king Of that province
were thrown out OF position. and they
were ali ready for trouble making.
Another cause was said TO be the
bad government exercised by some
English officials in India
Tie simple fact was that the natives
OF India are a conquered race. and the
English were the conquerors- For 100
wears the English sceptre had been
waved over India. and the Indians
wanted to break that sceptre. There
never had been any love or sympathy
between the natives Of India and the
E4yrnra.4 there Is none now
Before the time of the great mutiny
the English government risked much
power in the hands of the natives. Too
many Of them manned the forts Toe
many Of them were in governmental
employ And now the time had come
for a wide out break. The natives had
persuaded themselves that they could
send the English government flying.
and to accomplish it dagger. and
sword. and hrea rms. and mutilatiOn,
and slaughter must do their worst
1t was evident in lucknow that the
natives were about to rise and put To
death all the Europeans they could
lav their hands on. and into the Resi- {
dency the Christian population Of
Lucknow hastened for defense from
The tigers ia human form which were
growing for their victims. the oceu-
pants Of the Residency Or fort were
military and combatants, men, /
women and children in nam Der about +
1862. ] suggest IN one sentence some 4
Of the chief woes to which they We're
subjected. when ] say that these Peo F
pie were in the Residencv five months +
without a single chang Of clothing. I
some Of the time the heat at l2o and 4
80 degrees. the place black with flies /
r. IA 4ffT~1