Morris tribune., 1906-06-02

fernal regions for hours after the re-
past. We managed to eat little ana
Mrs. Hunsberger kindly had reserved
dinner for us when we came nome.
Mrs. Hill and Miss Mason dressed IN
native costume but I was not required
to assume the scanty male attire OF
this region. One morning we visited
the Parsee 'Tower of Silence" or
cemetery. The Parsees do not bury
or cremate their dead but expose
them in their round towers and let the
vultures do the rest. 1t is weird
sight to watch these ugly birds sitting
around the top of the tower waiting
for their prey. Government will I'M
doubtedly put stop to the practice
for sanitary reasons as residents near
the towers sometimes complain that
various parts of human skeleton are
deposite in their door yards. AS
we came from the towers, we met
Mr.. Bryan and family entering.
Mr.. Bryan gave an address in the
town hall in the subject "The Prince
of Peace" Those who heard it pro-
nocnced it one of the best Christian
sermons they had heard. He certain
ly was brave man to choose such
topic in the face of the indifference
and natural aversion of his audience
for the theme. If he had been look
ing for popular claim, he could have
received it for more readily with a
political subject.
| One interesting experience for me
was a meeting of Hindu students
which I addressed in tent one Sun
day evening. There were about fifty
fellows there. They listened attent-
lively even tho they may not have ac-
ceptei for themselves my message
I find that they are getting far away
from the worst superstitions of their
religion but are now getting simply
| irreligiouis and often times immora!
to the last degree.
We took trip Of nearly seventeen
! hundred miles to see the Tai Mahal
| the famous old Mohammedan tomb
It is at Agra in the center of the ole
Islamic strong holi. The building is
| of white marble and alabaster and the
interior is exquisitely inlaid with
semiprecious stones. The delicate
tracery and marvellous workmanship
| in details make the structure vel
worth visit. Agra was in the center
of the great Indian mutiny and was
one of the last places to give in tc
British control. The country Of
India is now in the midst of the
famine time. The fields are parcheC
and bare, water is scarce and rivers
are dried up. The irrigation problem
is all unsolved. Travel in India On
most lines is rather uncomfortable for
one used to American trains. The
cars are small and shaky. The berths
are but seats. The upper berth is
merely a leather shelf. You carry
your own bedding. Gradually how
ever the main lines are introducing
better cars and more modern comforts.
| spent short time in visiting the
mission station of Ahmdenagar. In
most of the Congregational mission
stations nowadays, the people are
taught to work and to respect indie
| pendence. They are of a low order
of life and it will take generations to
make them a really high class peo-
gle but it will come. AS it is now you
can almost always spot a boy or a
girl or man or woman who has been
under christian influence. There is
much of bad work being done by i'll
equipped and ignorant missionaries
The Indian will not accept that sort
of Christianity. [ had the opportun-
ity in Ahmednagar of visiting the
house of Brahmin gentleman. II
was supposed to represent the best in
Hinduism. But the best is evidently
very low.
l have kept my eyes and ears open
and have taken pains to near from
Il different sources Of the religious con-
dition of India. From all sides heal
that India is breaking away from the
past and the unsatisfactory teachings
of her old religions. That she is nov
lowering between a sane, practical
living christianity and atheism an6
materialism. The caste system must
be broken down before India will ever
have a national life of her own There
is nothing in her old religions to break
down that caste feeling. The terrible
thing there is that much of the sup
. osedly Christian influence is exer6-
ed by those who are not Christian in
practice and fact.
Well, have been talking missions
You would too, were you here. There
is great future for India and the