The Washington herald., 1907-08-11
DISQUIET IN INDIA
Natives Resentful Against
Great Britain.
EVILS OF THE CASTE SYSTEM
Converts of the Missionaries Are
from Lower Glasses Who Have
Nothing to Lose by Renouneing
Their ReIigion-schoOIs for the Ma
lives CrOVyning Glory of the Work.

tiYes CrOWntng Glory Oh the "O'A'
1t is serious ignorance Of the world's
big news TO be unaware that there is at
present in India widespread sentiment
Of resentment. il not actual revolt, against
Great Britain, which may at any time
find sporadic expression in revolution
writes w. T. Ellis in the New York
Tribune.
Any one who gets as close to the native
as the missionary does-whieh is far
closer than any other white man-knows
that the foremost subject Of thought and
agitation among them is what they con-
slider their wrongs at the hands OF the
government They claim that they are
being dealt with in high handed and op-
presslve fashion; that they do not have
anything approaching proper measure OF
government: that the public Offices
are open TO them IN a decreasing degree,
and that. in short India is being ruled
for the welfare OF Great Britain and not
Of India.
Now, fair-minded observer cannot by
any means agree with all Of the positions
Of the Indian agitators, nor can he with
hold q great deal OF admiration for the
fairness and disinterestedness Of the Brit
ish officials Nevertheless. he is bound to
recognize the seriousness. not TO say ON
inousness of this ''Swadeshi" or india
for the Indians" agitation.
Ny own inquiries developed the re-
peated assurance, on the part Of informed
persons, that the "SWadeshi' movement
has not. to any perceptlble degree at
least, extended 10 the villages which
contain 80 per cent Of the native popula-
ton. Bearing IN mind the undoubted
Christian revival which is 70 be found
in some parts OF India and the potency
Of this new national movement. Il is
evident that mission work there Is bound
to take an added interest IN the next few
years.
The Caste System.
Whatever tends 10 put the stamina Of
manhood into the people contributes in
directly TO the missionary undertaking
For the first and last factor OF Indian
life is the caste system, which dooms the
majority Of the people TO a lot esteemed
lower than that Of the COW. II It were
not for this caste system, with its un-
abridgable divisions. no foreign power
could long control this nation Of three
hundred millions Of people. This same
spirit OF ''karma-kismet'' fate which leads
a man 10 dun acceptance Of his lot rather
than to a cherishing Of the spirit Of self
Improvement and ambition which marks
the Westerner keeps back the nation from
development. so that its golden age is in
the past The greatest need OF India is
simply men
As is well known, the converts Of the
missionaries have been chiefly from the
lowest classes-those who are below caste
in fact, the outcasts, the sweepers.
Having nothing 20 lose by accepting
Christianity, thousands Of these have en-
braced the Gospel; and they are to-day
entering the Christian church in large
numbers. The motives OF many are doubt
less mixed. but they at least afford the
missionary material or which TO work
The material is not Of the best. but 1t is
human. Here, as in all heather lands. it
is 10 be borne IN mind that the missionary
is really after his converts grandchildren;
no missionary known 70 me expects 20 see
a completely transformed and Christian
lied people come ont Of raw heathendom
So he bears with the shortcomings Of
his Christians. He labOriously tries TO set
them on their feet, and. though they fall
a hundred times from the ideals OF self
respect and self-support, coming to him
with the bland assurance. You are my
f-ff ff4er- 4
he does not lose heart, FOR he has ever
before his eyes the spectacle Of outcasts
who have been made over into noble men
and women by the power of the Christian
religion.