Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-31
REV. MIR. PURI on INDIA.
The Missionary Gave Most Interest
ing Talk Last Night.

The large audience that assembled in
the Second Presbyterian church lecture
room last evening to hear Rev. Hira
Singh Puri were well rewarded for
Drawing the Indictment weather, as Mr..
Puri gave an address that was both in
teresting and eloquent. He speaks very
good English but with quite a foreign
accent: his enunciation is clear and dis
tinct. and many of his passages were
very eloquent.
His subject was missions in the City
Of Benares." where he has spent several
wears as a missionary. He began by de-
scribing India as the most interesting
country in the world, country OF magic
and beauty, of high mountains and low
Mains of diamonds and wretched poverty,
OF fierce rebels and peaceful loyaiists,
the cradle OF the human race ana the
birthplace of human speech, which Tor
1900 years had poured its opulence on
the nations Of the world i'm all ages, ana
the nation that controlled India was the
leading nation OF the world, In wealth.
and power-Inda, where Sir Edwin Ar
uold's Light OF Asia" was born and had
lived.
A country Of three seasons-the hot
the cold and the rainy season-its geo.
graphy was also threefoid-mountains'
rivers. and plains. IL was not country
with one nation, but held conglomera-
ton Of nations
Mr.. Puri spoke of the languages and
showed the great similarity between
Sanscrit. Latin, Greek, and English.
Then. passing 70 Benares City. he spoke
Of IL as the hottest city in India, stretch
ed for three miles along the holy river or
India the Ganges. He described In
graphic language its temples and the
fields OF roses, stretching for miles
where the famous altar of roses Is dis
titled. The city is more than 5000 years
old and is TO India what Oxford and
Canterbury are to England, or Rome TO
the Catholics OF the world, or Mecca 10
tho Nohammedans. IL Is the home OF
Learned Brahmins, and Is the citadel or
prahminism The city IS dedicated TO
SILVA. the god Of destruction, one OF the
FTindoo trinity. Hundreds OF thousands
~ nilorims visit It yearly TO wash away
their sins in the Ganges. which he de-
scrihad as "A filthy river at this place,
md aid II they die there the Hindoos
believe they 20 straight to Heaven.
Tha sneaker described many OF the In
teresting sights about the city, among
them the famous well containing the
swear OF VIshnu. the Suffice where
yv,dows are burned. and said the city
us famous for its temples, its brass
work. and it's filthiness.
lie then spoke OF missionary work and
rs dieicultIes. and said Benares was the
most difficult field for missionaries In In
ala az II was the stronghold Of supersti-
ton. which bound the whole OF india In
its grasp.
re smoke of the two potent factors IN
India AT present as Christianity and
western civilization and education. The
colleges and schools were training NIL
lions OF young men in India. and the vast
ropulation might be realized by the fact
that the young men alone OF India num-
bered 100000. or equal TO the entire
population OF the United States. and OF
these upwards of 100000 were graduates
OF schools, colleges, and universities.
He said under the rule OF the British
Government the people OF India enjoyed
peace and security. something they had
never previously possessed. and while
there were some disadvantages OF British
rule. the advantages were ten times
greater.
He described graphically how railroads