Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-07-26
CHRISTIAN EIDElvOR
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
BEGINNING July 30, 1911.

Beginning July 80, 1871.
Tonic - A missionary journey around
the world-vII Missions In Burma and
lndia-Acts xviii 1911 Edited by Rev.
Sherman Fl. Doyle. u. d.
India with her coral strands" and
teeming population Is great religious
battle-ground. Here Brahmanism and
Buddhism had their birth. and No
hammedism was introduced as q re-
suit Of the invasion and gradual con-
quest Of almost the entire country by
the Arabs. which began about looo
A. D. In no other land have the evil
effects Of these 20 called religions been
more evident. The caste system OF
Brahmanism has been fully developed.
idolatry Is practiced In Its grossest
forms, and the evidences Of the hope
lessness Of Buddhism are seen on
every hand No more revolving 70
ugious practices were ever developed
than the sacrifice Of the lives Of In
fants by casting them into the Ganges
river and the horrors Of the jugger-
naut and the suffice. and no darker
Life Is imaginable than that Of the
millions of child widows In India 1t
10 true that these conditions have been
greatly changed under the supremacy
Of England In India. and yet 1t Is still
true that
They call us to deliver
Their land from errors chain
Bartholomew, one of the twelve
apostles. is said to have preached in
India. but this is mere tradition. We
do know. however, that Christianity
was introduced into India at least as
early as the second Christian century.
Indian merchants visited Egypt to
sell their silks and pearls and learned
Of the Saviour. Through their efforts
Pantaemus. who is supposed to be the
first Christian missionary to India,
was sent to teach the Indians Of
Christ. A number OF Syrian Chris
tians settled In India in the fourth
century. Francis Xavier visited south
many Hindus became Christians.
Protestant missionaries reached Tran
Quebar In 1706. but missions In BEN
gal were not fairly commenced till
William Carey. ''the consecrated cob
bier" began his work In 1900 The
nrst American missionaries to India
were sent out In 1888 Protestant
missionaries from Europe and Ameri-
q are now scattered throughout the
empire and are doing an aggressive
work for Christ
The present situation In India II
most complex. There are many signs
Of political social and religious un-
rest. There is great political discon-
tent and an increasing desire to throw
OF British rule. Bitter enmity exists
between the Hindus and the Moham-
medans. and the only hope Of contin-
ued peace lies In British supremacy.
and yet the national spirit is strong
1.-THE dream OF Indian nationality is
being dreamt" One of the most Sc
rious obstacles in the way of Chris
tianity is the belief that it is opposed
to this new national movement in that
Ii is supposed to denationalize and to
westernize its converts. The only
solution Of this problem lies In a
church of Christ In India. The mis-
sionaries may be from the west. but
Christ Is not western and the supreme
aim Of all should be to 80 present
Christ as to make Him the Saviour of
India equally as much as England or
America Moreover. the church in In
dia should have as little identification
with western church as possible
Signs Of progress in India are not.
however, entirely wanting. Some
progress Is being made among the high
caste people through the influence Of
the schools and coliegea But one Of
the most encouraging features Is
among the lower castles and the out
casts or no caste peoples.
This work should be heartily sup
ported The harvest IL great and the
laborers are few" THE burden OF the
message from India today 10 haste.
What fs needed is immediate re-en-
fotcement to prepare for the situation
that is sure to develop In the near fu
ture"-a situation that 'calls for the
most earnest prayers on the part Of
Gods people"
| Protestant mission work In Burma
Was begun at Rangoon in 1907 Among
the early missionaries was Felix Ca
rey, the eldest son Of William. Carey
When In 1874 be went from Rangoon
to Ava. then the Burman capital. mo
Burman had heard that there was an
eternal God" In 1918 Rev. Adoniram
Judson and his wife arrived at Ran
COON and opened mission In 1919.
after six years Of effort. Judson bap-
died his 6rst convert The Burmese
rulers were for the most part arrogant
and brutal and oiled with hatred TO-
ward everything that was foreign
Judson was called upon to endure
great sufferings and prosecutions. and
the early converts to Christianity suf-