Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-12-21
A.-By doing as the Hindoos do.

ashes of the dead, I thought the last
thing on earth would want to become
would be a Hindoo. 1 expressed to
missionary who overheard the converse
ton between the fakir and myself my
amazement at some Of the doctrines the
fakir announced. The missionary said,
"The fakirs are very accommodating,
and supposing you to be friend OF
Christianity he announced the theory
Of one God, and that Of rewards and
punishments.
There are, however, alleyiations for
Benares. / attended worship in one OF
the Christian missions. The sermon,
though delivered in Hindoostanee, OF
which could not understand word,
thrilled me with its earnestness and
tenderness Of tone, especially when the
missionary told me at the close OF the
service that he recently baptized man
who was converted through reading one
Of my sermons among the hills OF In
dia. The songs of the two Christian as
semblages l visited in this city, al
though the tunes were new, and the
sentiments not translated, were uplift-
ing and inspiring to the last degree.
There was also a school Of 900 native
girls. IN institution established by ra-
far os generosity and wealth, a gradu-
ate Of Madras university. But, more than
all, the missionaries are busy, some OF
them preaching on the CHATS, some Of
them In churches, in chapels and ba-
zaars. The London Missionary society
has here its college for young men and
its schools for children and its houses OF
worship for all. The Church Missionary
society has its eight schools, all filled
with learners. The evangelizing work
Of the Wesleyans and the Baptists is
felt in all parts Of Benares. In its
mightiest stronghold Hindooism is be-
ing assaulted.
Maligned Missionaries.
And now as to the industrious ma
lignment Of missionaries: 1t has been
said BY some travellers after their return
to America or England that the mis-
sionaries are living life full Of indo-
lence and luxury. That is falsehood
that would say is as high as heaven If
1t did not go down in the opposite di-
rection. When strangers come into these
tropical climates, the missionaries do
their best 10 entertain them, making
sacrifices for that purpose. In the city
Of Benares a missionary told me that,
gentleman coming from England into
one of the mission stations Of India, the
missionaries banded together to enter
tain him. Among other things they had
ham boiled, prepared and beautifully
decorated, and the same ham was pass
ed around from house to house as this
stranger appeared, and in other respects
O conspiracy Of kindness was effected.
The visitor went home to England and
wrote and spoke Of the luxury in which
the missionaries of India were living.
Americans and Englishmen come TO
these tropical regions and find mis-
sionary living under palms and with
different styles Of fruits on his table
and forget that palms are here as cheap
as hickory or pine in America and rich
fruits as cheap as plain apples. They
find here missionaries sleeping under
punkas, these fans swung day and night
by coolies, and forget that 4 cents a day
Is good wages here, and the man finds
himself. Four cents day for coach
man, a missionary can afford to ride.
There have been missionaries who have
come to these hot climates resolving to
live as the natives live, and one or two
wears have finished their work, their
chief use on missionary ground being
that of furnishing for a large funeral
the chief object Of interest So far from
living in idleness, no men on earth work
so hard as the missionaries now in the
foreign field. Against fearful odds and
with 8. 900, 900 Of Christians opposed to
$50. 900, 900 of Hindoos, Mohammedans
and other false religions, these mission
aries are trying to take India for God:
Let the good people Of America and
England and Scotland and all Christen-
dom add o9A per cent to their appre-
citation of the fidelity and conservation
of foreign missionaries. Far away from
home, in an exhausting climate, and
compelled to send their children to Eng
land. Scotland or America so as to es-
cane the corrupt conversation and be-
hayior Of the natives, these men and
women of God toll on until they drop
into their graves. But they will get
their chief appreciation when their work
is over and the day is won, as 1t viii be
won. No place In heaven will be TOO
GOOD for them. Some Of the ministers
at home who live on salaries Of s., 900
or $5, 900 a year, preaching the gospel
of him who had not where to lay his
head, will enter heaven and be welcom-
ed. and while looking for place to sit
down they will be told: "Yonder in
that lower line Of thrones you will take
your places, not on the thrones nearest
the King. They are reserved for the mis-
sionariesp'
Meanwhile let all Christendom be
thrilled with gladness. About 20, 600
converts in India every year under the
Methodist missions, and about $4,000
converts under the Baptist missions, and
about rs, 900 converts under all missions
every year. But, more than that, Chris
tianity is undermining heathenism, and
not city or town or neighborhood OF
India but directly or indirectly feels the
influence, and the day speeds on when
Hindooism will go down with crash.
There are whole villages which have
given up their gods, and where not an
idol is left. The serfdom Of womanhood
In many places is being unloosened, and
the iron grip Of caste is being relaxed
Human sacrifices have ceased, and the
last spark of the funeral pyre ON which
the widow must leap has been extin-
guished, and the juggernaut stopped
now stands as a curiosity for travellers
TO look at All India will be taken for
Christ. II any one has any dishearten-
ments, let him keep them as his own
private property. he is welcome to all
of them. But il any man has any en-
couraaements to utter let him utter
them. What we want in the church and
tho world Ia less croaking owls Of the