The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-02-14

medicine or to drive out evil spirits.
Sometimes an extra supply is taken
and sold at a good price to those
who are unable to make the journey
themselves. But YOU may ask, why
can't they 20 by train or have sup
ply shipped to the cities and sold
at an ordinary price? 1t is not be-
cause of lack of facilities, as India
is well supplied with $4,000 miles of
railway line, but if this water should
be carried on the train it would
, come in touch with some low caste
person or European and thus be
defiled. / once met q company of
pilgrims with their water bottles. We
stopped and had little chat, and
while talking l accidently came in
contact with one of the bottles. They
at once opened it and poured the
water upon the ground. / will say
to their credit that they showed no
feeling of anger though they had
brought the water from a long dis
lance. ....--
The Unpleasant Experiences.
Should you visit our Carnival mis-
sion station you would doubtless have
a number of unpleasant experiences
before learning how to accommodate
yourself to the caste system. The
foreigner is an ,eutcast in India. The
lowest caste Hindu will not take food
prepared by European. This pre-
judice is so strong that in times Of
famine a native would starve rather
than take cooked food from q white
man. However absurd this custom
appears to us, we are obliged to rec
ognize their superstition in the mat
ter until the light Of the Gospel has
overcome it. We cannot override
it arbitrarily, and cannot help re-
specting their fidelity to what they
believe, however foolish it may be-.
Were Christians as true to the teach
ings of the Bible. so called Christian
countries would soon be transformed
into a paradise.
His Own Experience.
Let me give you few illustra-
tions from my own experience. |
built a small house for servants
quarters. When it was finished at
my expense, | was never permitted
to enter it during the time it was
occupied, although the men were of
the low caste, lest it should be de-
filed. One day one of our school
boys was i'll with fever He was ly-
ing near the door Of his room, and
when | went TO see him ] put my
hand inside to feel his pulse. The
boys were quite offended, and the
place had to be purified of defilement
and all cooked food thrown away.
The caste system in India began
as a sort of trade union, persons of
certain trades and occupations form
ing a separate class with certain
rules and regulations. This eombina-
ton grew stronger until it developed
into what We find tOday,--an iron
bound federation and social system
in which individuality and freedom
have been lost.
THE restrictions of caste are al.
most numberless, but when we in
quire the reasons for them the only
answer is, ut is our CUSTOM" No
intelligent reason can be assigned.
as there is none. i nearly caused
rebellion in the school at one
time by furnishing boy with a
leather strap. 1t was not the sever.
ity of the punishment to which they
objected, but the strap, being made
of the skin of their sacred COW, it
was considered a great disgrace to
be punished with ii. OF all the AMI
mails the COW is held in greatest
reverence by the Hindu. The In.
dian is not noted for truthfulness,
but if he swears by cow his word
is not supposed to be controverted.
Frequently a sacred bull is conse-
Grated and turned loose to rove about
at will. If he enters a field of grain
he is not driven out but is allowed
to eat his fill. If he happens to
stray into a village he helps him.
self to the shop-keeper's store of
provisions. The fact that we are
strictly vegetarians has made it
easier for us to gain access to the
Hindu with the Gospel
Killing Sacred Cow. -
killing and eating the sacred COW
is not the best way to prepare the
Hindu mind for the reception of re-
ligious instruction. Our habit of u.s.
ing only vegetarian diet was adopt
ed in the interest of health, but
in India, it not only enables us to
better endure the trying climate, but
also removes great barrier which
would otherwise exist between US
and the people.
I'VE have but mentioned a few
Of the superstitions of these people
but if an attempt should be made
to give a brief account of all of
their meaningless customs and ira
ditions it would fill large volume.
The fruit of this great system of re-.
liSion has been only the degradation
of the higher faculties of the soul
and the binding of the people in
chains of darkness. We are glad to
see brighter day dawning. for the
light has begun to shine from the
great Book of Truth, and many are
rejoicing in the new freedom and
life which it brings to them
I How J Came to Be a Missionary.
MY parents We're among the early
pioneers Who emigrated from the