The state herald., 1910-08-19
Echoes From India.

India is beautiful country to behold.
Lovely flowers, delicious fruits, beauti-
full scenery, many people and languages.
Some Of the people are wealthy and
have plenty of money for the necessa-
ries of life. Others are in the deepest
poverty and live from hand to mouth.
If rainy days come or they fail to get
work; the wolf is at the door.
1t is hard for one in the home land to
conceive an idea of home life in India.
say home life, but these people do not
know what home life is. There is no
word ir their language for home and
their houses are as destitute of home
influence as their language.
Among the working class, the wom-
en- work as well as the men. OF course
it is quite necessary for them to do so,
because the husband and father can on
ly earn from 6, 8, to 10 cts. per day.
A small amount indeed for large fam
lily. Instead of the wife and mother
staying at home to make her home
cheerful and bright, poverty drives her
out to earn bread for her little ones.
She gives her infant babe a pinch of
opium, leaving it in dull stupor until
she returns. Many times ! have asked
them, "Why do you feed your babies
opium?" They answer. what can l
do? must work and baby will cry with
out opium" We have taken babies in
our orphansges who we're accustomed
to the use Of opium, and it was sad to
see the little things suffer, and reduced
to skin and bone. After few days
their appetites come and with care they
get plump and nice and are happy little
creatures.
You will readily see that their (the
Hindoos) physical condition is dreadful,
and alas! Their spiritual condition is
no better. Some of these poor unfor-
tunate immortal beings have never
heard word from Holy Writ to en-
tighten their minds and reveal to them
their true condition in the sight of God
But on the other hand, they are stepped
in sin and idolatry and know no better
than to knecl down before stone be-
smearcd with red paint or mud and call
that their God. DO you wonder they
are SO degraded. when their spiritual
element is SO low?
Rev. Z. F. Ward in Echoes from
Bharatkhand" gives the following de-
scription Of Hindooism -Idolatry.
Tramp, tramp. tramp! Behold the
infatuated heather marching up the
long flight Of steps leading to their Gods
OF stone. On the go. almost running,
inspired by the occasion and the super
stitious hope of gain! Hear the rude
humping of the tom.toms. the weird
shrill cry Of the pipes, the groaning
trombones. and the muttcring roar Of
the throngs. At last they reach the
top and lay their burdens down at the
base of the shrine"
'But what are their burdens? Not
their sins-alns, no! But mostly goats,
fowls, fruit. cocoanuts. flowers, red
lead. condiments, copper coins and
shells. These things are given not TO
obtain deliverancc from sin. Not new
hearts. not help to live holy lives. No!
no! these things are not what the mass
es Of worshipers are after, but big
crops, lncs tl00. .000 Of rupees. many
sons. good luck, prosperity In worldly
affairs, immunity from trouble. and tri-
umph over enemies" =.
The above Is faint picture Of one Of
the many sights which has stirred our
souls at some Of lndia's religious fairs.
DO you wonder that missionaries are
making great call for holp from the
occident. when they see tho state Of
affairs as they really arc.
Day after day such scenes are seen
In India. However. light Ia shining in
to the darkness and some have accept.
ed our precious Christ and claim Him
as their saviour. Others are to follow.
As missionaries 20 down In the depths
to search for these diamonds. the friends
at home must hold the ropes.
Mrs. =. d. Whistler.
Pcntccost Band Mission.
Raj Nandgson. c. p. India.