The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-25
NEWS FROM 1xD1A.
tho missionaries Report Upon the PiaEue ana
Upon tho Native Uprising.


The Rov. siliman Blagden OF Boston has re.
ceived the following very interesting and, as 1t
happens, timely letter from his friend, the Rev.
T.. s. Wynkoor. Il missionary stationed In tho
interior OF India:
MANI SAL. India. July ii. 1897.
My DEAR BLAGDEN: Your good letter OF Juno
g reached us n week ago. Wo arc still in tho
hills, but hoping soon to return to Allahabad.
Tho rains. which have been late In coming,
now seem to have set in. giving MS hope OF good
crops In September and October, which will
break the famine. There has been, and still Is.
much suffering from hunger. But for tho noble
efforts OF the Indian Government and the pri-
vato charities Of missionaries and others tho
mortality would have been appalling.
You ask about the buboniu plague. II IL no
doubt the black death, which dcsolatcd Europe
In tho middle ages. l am told that in the Him
alaya Mountains hcrcabouts. in the provinces
or Kumaon and Carnival, IL is well known. II
comes, like many other diseases, from filth.
When IL breaks out in h mountain village the
people at once burn down their houses and
stuff and live In the open air; This puts an end
mountains. 1t l., however; very much dreaded
by the people. bombay, Poonah, knrachi. arc
40 %oS diriy i th "a when When once i got q iods ni,y tib no
could not have burnt down Bombay when tho
plague first appeared; but OF course n great city
s'i b'"tN Va uoihVb 10 " SipiI9 ' W y
destruction.
suppose you know 1t Is the same disease
which is mentioned in the Old Testament q.
Samuel. chapters 3 and 81 ms sent on the Philis.
tine cities. EIncrOd " Is the English word used
to denote tho characteristic feature of the dis
ease; The golden mice which tho lords Of the
Philistincs made refer to the curious feature of
tho plague that it attacks animals as well as
man.. In Bombay multitudcso of rats died OF II.
But ! have never seen u case, nor have | any
more than a general knowledge Of it.
1t Is not alone pcsiilencc, famine and earth
quake which make us anxious now. There is
widespread disaffcction among certain classes
are greatly stirred up. They rcjoiccd in the
massacre Of Christians In Armenia, and now the
success of the Turks against the Greeks has
hlled them with hopes. Remember. they num-
Der 60 .OOO.OOO people in India. But they arc
unarined. and unorganized. Every important
city in India Is garrisoncd with European
troops. The whole male population OF Euro
pcans and Eurasians is more or less equipped
for defence under the system of volunteering.
There ID among us no panic. Christian men
feel that Gods purpose OF grace for India, AS
shown in the conversion of so many natives and
the wide influence which Christian truth is cx-
erting everywhere, is not yet fulfilled. We can
be broken down. India may be greatly shaken,
but not for her destruction. There is mercy in
IL all. Hebrews xii, 81, %. is a fine text for us
just now. DO not forget 10 pray for us and for
our Bible Society work. Even in famine times
we have had quite large sales in most districts.
II we can but impregnate the bitter waters OF
this earth with .he salt OF Gods own Holy
word they will surely be healed.
We are well: not ignorant of the dangers of
the time. but trusting in the hand of Love which
controls all things for our good. Ever yours,
fraternally. I. WYNKooP.