The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1921-09-27
INTERESTING WAS
ADDRESS On INDIA
BYNATIvE MASONIAN
Miss Mary FOrman Delivered Most
Interesting Address on COndl.
tons In India Sunday
Morning.

Miss Mary Forman, a missionary to
India, who is visiting relatives in Ma
son county, spoke at the First Presby-
terion church Sunday on present
Conditions in India" She is a woman
Of handsome presence and spoke with
the grace and mental grasp of our fin
est woman speakers.
Without any personal reference or
Introduction she launched at once into
her subject, saying that India In all
historic times has been conquered
country. First the Aryans, then the
Mohammedans and Moguls, lastly the
British, All former reigns have been
oppressive leaving the people bitter
and degraded. The British policy has
been to elevate the people, giving them
the best government possible. AS we
all know England is the great colon
izer and she has always given to her
colonies a measure of her own liberty.
The people have come to feel that and
great progress has been made in the
establishing Of schools, the building of
roads, and the development of national
privileges.
Of course this has tended to arouse
considerable sentiment for independ-
ence or what the Indians call suraj
Il. e. self-rule). The Russia-Japanese
war, in which an Eastern power de-
feated great western nation put
spark to this feeling, and the great
World War with its slogan Of self-de-
termination for all peoples, has added
vastly to it. At such times great lead
er always appears. In this case it is a
man by the name of Gandhi, high
caste Hindoo of means and education,
and Of irreproachable character He
lives in great simplicity, dressed in
he coarsest white cloth, and going |
His wife joins him in the |
same life and dress. His presence
everywhere draws immense crowds,
md he has become the national idol,
,eing practically worshipped by the
gnorant people. He breaches India
or the Indians, and his method is
,eaceable non-resistance, refusing to
ecognize English rule or to obey her
avs The leaders of the nation are
With him, but have gone beyond his
'rinciple of non-resistance, and are
low advising force, if necessary, to
hrow off the government. Mr.. Gandhi
8 being forced into this himself. The
reat mass of the most ignorant and IL
iterate people are as yet not willing
o rebel against England, but in the
tiles multitudes are pursuing this
anatical course.
The consequences none can foresee.
# course, they cannot successfully re-
ist England's power, but educational
,ork and missionary work are already
realty hindered.
England's policy of not having any
eligion taught in the public schools
shaping tool for resistance without
he self-control which would como
18th the teaching of religious motives.
distinguished missionary has said
lat he would prefer Mohammedianism
r any of the greater religions to no
,ligion. But such schools as there
re, are being blocked in their work,
-owds assemble and even throw
lemselves down at the doors to pre-
mt students entering institutions not
,mmitted to the new policy. When 4
I'D student recently walked over the
,dies of these people to enter the
hool his name was reviled, and the u
held him I'D as traitor u
ID a destard. ="
The missionary work, of course, SUI ''
rs and we may be very near to phys IL
II persecution The fanatical crowds e'
thered to hear our speakers have w
metimes torn the Bible and books
,tributed and strewn them in the 4
eets. When DR.. Lucas, one of our :
nerable missionaries from Kentucky,
S thus treated by the mob, noted
igious character of the native faith =
nonstrated with them for thus deal y
, with sacred things. II
Dur colleges are decimated and
attendance of our members in the =
ssions is imperilled. You can see
great danger that waits upon our
rk and the serious times that are
ead for India. z
iou should know, however, that Mr.. -
ndhi does not speak against Christ. \
is not a professed Christian but the
" pictures in his room are the pic r
es of Christ in Gethsemane and
rist on the cross. 1t is really the y
spell which has raised this ferment.
erywhere it arouses mems hopes
aspirations, and it alone can feed
satisfy these national as well as
Mortal longings.
hope American Christians will r
r the work on their hearts, and -
v that out of all this revolutionary