tihvavy of Che theological ^emmar;p 
 
 PRINCETON • NEW JERSEY 
 
 PURCHASED BY THE 
 HAMILL MISSIONARY FUND 
 
 BV 3265 .D76 1892 
 Droese, 
 
 Indian gems for the master 
 crown 
 
INDIAN GEMS 
 
 ^ AUG H 195f _^ 1 
 
 MASTER'S CROWN 
 
 /. T//E Indian Devotee and his Disciples 
 
 II. From Bondage to Freedom; or, The 
 Life of Tulsi Paul 
 
 By miss ^DROESE 
 
 OF LANDOUR, INDIA 
 
 Mitlj ElUustratiotts 
 
 LONDON 
 
 THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY 
 
 56 Paternoster Row, 65 St. Paul's Churchyard 
 And 164 Piccadilly 
 
 1892 
 
MORRISON AND GlliC, PRIN'IERS, EDINBURGH. 
 
F>1R^^^ 
 
 ^jdtr w9^^^ '*"•?*' '^^^tr ' ipk 
 
 ^ 
 
 Km^'^mM^imi. 
 
 as^MJis^ 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 I.— THE INDIAN DEVOTEE, AND HIS DISCIPLES. 
 
 DOES THE 
 
 Prefatory Note, .... 
 I. A Strange Visitor, 
 II. The FAQfR begins his Mission, . 
 
 III. The Catechist visits Phulkiya, 
 
 IV. The Missionary visits Phulkiya, and so 
 
 Faq/r, .... 
 V. The Widow Bhaktin, . 
 VI. The Clouds begin to Gather, 
 VII. The Storm Breaks,. . 
 VIII. The Pamphlet and its Story, 
 IX. A Step onwards, . 
 
 X. Bhaktin turned adrift by her Brother, 
 XI. Jethu's Wife brought to the Lord, . 
 XII. The Lord manifests His Power, 
 
 XIII. The Lord's Way made Manifest, 
 
 XIV. The Day of Trial and the Day of Blessing, 
 
 XV. 'Blessed are the Dead which die in the Lord,' 
 
 5 
 
 PAGE 
 11 
 
 13 
 20 
 24 
 
 31 
 35 
 40 
 48 
 52 
 68 
 65 
 71 
 76 
 80 
 86 
 91 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 XYI. The Seeds of Caste still linger, 
 XVII. Bhaktin learns to read her Bible, 
 XVIII. Tulsiya's Husband visits Phulkiya, 
 XIX. The Meeting of Father and Son, 
 XX. The Power of Christian Love, . 
 XXI. The Triumph of Faith, 
 
 101 
 106 
 111 
 119 
 127 
 
 II.-FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; OR; THE LIFE OF 
 TULSI PAUL. 
 Prefatory Note, 135 
 
 I. TuLsi Paul's Wedding and his Studies, 
 II. Some Phases of Idolatry, . 
 
 III. First Contact with Christians, 
 
 IV. Spiritual Conflict, 
 V. The Lord Jesus gains the Victory, 
 
 VI. TuLsi Paul preaches Christ, 
 VII. TuLsi Paul's Great Trial, . 
 VIII. TuLsi Paul's Work as Pastor, . 
 IX. TuLsi Paul's Disciples, and his Preaching Tours, 
 X. Tulsi Paul's Last Years and Death, 
 
 137 
 147 
 153 
 158 
 162 
 165 
 170 
 175 
 182 
 190 
 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 • 
 
 PAGE 
 
 An Indian Village, Frontispiece 
 
 A Faqi'r, 15 
 
 Native Christians Preaching in a Bazaar, ... 25 
 
 Hindu Village CorNciL, 45 
 
 Women's Jewels, 67 
 
 Native Boat, 118 
 
 Bullock-Cart, 122 
 
 TuLsi Paul, 134 
 
 Brahmin at Prayer, 139 
 
 Hindu FAQfR, 146 
 
 Hindus Bathing in the Ganges, 149 
 
 Indian Jugglers, 183 
 
I. 
 
 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 AND 
 
 HIS DISCIPLES 
 
 ^ Exnz ^iox^ of Mimomx^ TOork in Jlntrfa 
 
 Translated ft'om Hindustani and Revised hy the. 
 Rev. J. r. ELLWOOD, C.M.S. 
 
PREFATOEY NOTE. 
 
 HE following narrative is perfectly true, and the 
 characters depicted so faithfully were all real 
 characters, and the events occurred as recorded 
 by the writer. The lady described as the 
 missionary's daughter is Miss Droese, the writer, and the 
 missionary was her father, the Eev. E. Droese, who for 
 forty years laboured for the Lord in India, and who 
 before the close of his life translated the Scriptures for 
 the Pahc\ris. Living on the hills not far from Phulkiya, 
 Miss Droese knew personally all the characters she 
 describes, and the conversations said to have taken 
 place on several occasions were all reported to her, or 
 she was present on the occasion. In speaking of this 
 story, soon after my arrival in England, I was asked by a 
 lady if it was true, and if all the facts could be proved ; 
 ' for this is the kind of story,' she said, ' we require.' I 
 was happy to be able to reply that the writer had stated 
 nothing but what was perfectly true. 
 
 The object of the writer, in putting forth this story of 
 real life originally, was to instruct and interest the native 
 Christians of India in the conversion of the villagers to 
 Christ, but her object in wishing to put it before the 
 English public is a little different. She wishes to interest 
 and instruct, but in a different way. The story has been 
 translated into several foreign languages, and all who 
 have read it say how simply it puts before the European 
 the difficulties and trials of men in the East who wish to 
 become Christians, and how much more real it makes 
 missionary work and its difficulties. 
 
 There is, however, another way of looking at this 
 
THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 Story. It furnishes an example of the way Christianity 
 will probably spread in India, if we are not very carefnl 
 to tram our Christians well, and follow up the work we 
 have already begun in many large centres. Brahmoisin 
 IS an example how very near a religion may be to 
 Christianity, and yet how very far from it in real 
 Christian teaching. The Missionary Societies and the 
 Christian Church in India will find that now and then a 
 sect will arise embodying the chief tenets of Christianity 
 whilst rejecting its practical confession before the world 
 and settmg aside just those points which distinguish it 
 from every other religion, and putting forth these doctrines 
 as philosophical speculations, to be received as pious 
 opinions and probable truths. The following quotation 
 from Word, Work, and Will, by tlie late Archbishop 
 Thomson, will not be out of place :_■ For there is a 
 danger, to which perhaps we are not sufficiently alive 
 not so much of a still rejection of Christianity, as of 
 the foundation of spurious and adulterated beliefs in 
 which some Christian elements are adopted, mixed with 
 a large leaven of old superstitions, that hang still about 
 he religious consciousness of the people, and are difficult 
 to uproot. The history of the first century, with its 
 iibionite and Gnostic extravagances, will have been 
 exammed in vain, if we cannot see how easily those 
 phenomena might repeat themselves with Buddhist and 
 Brahmin, and even the Maori or the Kaffir' 
 
 This narrative throws light on the same subject, and 
 will urnish the Church with the way this takes place 
 and how It may be dealt with when it arises. In com' 
 mending tins little volume to our readers, we ask them 
 to remember the Christians of Phulkiya in their prayers 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 A STKANGE VISITOR. 
 
 iNE day, in a village of the district of Purniya, 
 in Bengal, there was a great stir and excite- 
 ment, for a religious devotee had come to 
 dwell amongst them. He fixed his dwelling- 
 place in a mango grove, and erected a grass hut supported 
 on four young saplings. It was merely a roof of grass to 
 protect him from the sun and rain. These groves abound 
 all over India, and are generally found near a village. 
 They are ample and shady enough to afford shelter to the 
 European Government officer whenever it pleases him to 
 pay a visit to the country. Missionaries, too, on their 
 preaching tours, are grateful for the shade they afford, 
 and travellers generally rest under their welcome foliage 
 during the heat of the day. 
 
 Wandering and religious devotees in India are 
 commonly known by the title of Bdhd-Ji, Bairdgi, or 
 Faqir, but the two former are chiefly appellations in 
 use amongst the Hindus, whilst the latter is decidedly 
 a Mohammedan title. They are often, however, inter- 
 mixed, and used in common for any religious devotee 
 who fasts and prays, and wanders about the country 
 
 13 
 
14 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 begging his bread. Amongst the common people they 
 are very much reverenced, and the presence of one of 
 them in a village is supposed to augur well for the 
 religious and temporal welfare of the people. No 
 wonder, then, when it was announced in the village 
 that a Baba-Ji had come to remain with them for a 
 time, that all the people, great and small, ran out to see 
 him, to give him their salutation, and pay their respects 
 to one so holy. 
 
 The appearance and bearing of the Baba-Jf, or religious 
 devotee, was most peculiar. He looked morose, sat like 
 a statue, and appeared to take no notice of the people 
 who came to see him. Opposite his hut he made four 
 fires, placing one at each corner of a square, in the centre 
 of which he sat, staring into the fire. He now and then 
 cried with a loud voice and said, * I know the true way 
 of salvation ; I have the true knowledge of salvation.' 
 After delivering himself in this way, he remained silent. 
 No one asked him what he meant by this declaration ; 
 but the villagers brought him milk, curds, and food, and 
 placed them before him. Yet he would not eat ; he merely 
 said gruffly, ' I do not want your food ; my religious merit 
 is my food ; ' and, indeed, no one ever saw him eating. 
 Beneath his grass hut there were two or three dirty 
 earthen vessels covered over, but they did not appear to 
 be of any use. When the people saw that he would not 
 take their food, they brought him rupees and pice — 
 Indian money — and these he accepted most willingly 
 and religiously. 
 
 Now it came to pass that the people of another village at 
 some distance heard the wonderful story of the Baba-Ji, 
 for news of this kind travels quick in India, and seven 
 of them came to see him. On hearing him cry as usual, 
 * I have the true knowledge of salvation,' they said to 
 

 ^^^y^i^-sfP 
 
A STRANGE VISITOR 17 
 
 him, ' Biiba-Ji, can we obtain this true knowledge of 
 salvation ? ' 
 
 The devotee was some time in giving an answer. He 
 first stirred the burning embers around him, and then, 
 having turned to the questioner, said, in a cold, in- 
 different tone, ' If you are willing to fast seven days 
 and seven nights, then I will tell you the secret how you 
 may attain to that better world.' 
 
 After a little deliberation these seven men agreed to 
 fast for seven days and seven nights, as the Baba-Ji 
 desired. They saluted him, according to the custom of 
 the country, took their leave, and set out home again. 
 On the second day, however, two of them failed to carry 
 out their resolution, and broke their fast. After five 
 days other two did the same. Three did indeed keep 
 their fast, but one of them was so weak from the effects 
 of it that he was unable to leave his bed. Thus, of the 
 seven men, only two set out to the hut of the devotee. 
 On the way they met a milk woman carrying milk and 
 curds in her vessels. One of these poor men, worn out 
 and famishing, fell to the ground as he saw her, and cried 
 out, ' I cannot endure any longer ! The Baba-Jfs hut is 
 a long way off, and I have not the strength to carry me 
 there : why should I not drink some of this milk, and 
 save my life ? for surely I shall die on the road without 
 finding the true way of salvation ; so what does it matter? 
 Here, old woman,' said he, * give me a half-pice worth of 
 milk/ 
 
 His companion tried to dissuade him, and said, 'Why will 
 you lose your soul ? our desire is near completion.' But 
 he would not listen. He drank the milk, and returned 
 home. There was now only one left, and he continued 
 his journey ; but the pangs of hunger and thirst were 
 very great, and he was so weak that he could only go 
 
 B 
 
1 8 THE INDIAN DE VO TEE 
 
 Stumbling along a few paces at a time. At last he 
 reached the hut of the Baba-Ji, and falling on his face 
 before him said, ' Baba-Ji, be pleased to tell me now the 
 secret of the way of salvation,' 
 
 To outward appearance, the devotee did not seem 
 particularly pleased to see him.^ He asked, in a heartless 
 and careless way, where the six other men were. The 
 man replied, ' They have broken their promise, and I have 
 come alone. I have kept the fast for seven days and 
 seven nights, and have touched neither food nor water. 
 Give me now the information you promised, and for which 
 I have fasted so long.' On hearing this, the countenance 
 of the Baba-Ji displayed signs of a kindly feeling. He 
 made the man take a solemn oath that he had indeed 
 fasted the appointed time, and pointing to one of the old 
 covered smoky-looking vessels, said in a cold manner, 
 ' There it is ; take it, and value your prize.' 
 
 The poor perplexed cultivator looked here and there, 
 and becoming confused, exclaimed, 'What shall I take ? 
 There is nothing here but some old earthen vessels.' 
 The devotee replied, ' Take off the lid from that vessel, 
 and in it you will find the secret of the true knowledge 
 of salvation.' All trembling, the man quickly took off 
 the lid, and to his consternation only found a torn tract 
 or pamphlet. When he had seen what it was, he thought 
 in his mind, ' Surely the Baba-Ji has been playing a trick 
 on me, and deceiving me.' He gave vent to his feelings, 
 and cried out in a distressed voice, at the same time 
 holding the tract in his hand, ' Of what good is this to 
 me?' 
 
 When the devotee saw his excitement, he was very 
 much pleased, and said, ' Do not trouble yourself, unneces- 
 
 ^ It is considered a sign of great sanctity to subdue all exhibition of 
 feeling. 
 
A STRANGE VISITOR 19 
 
 sarily, brother ; take the tract home and read it carefully, 
 and then you will ascertain the true knowledge of sal- 
 vation.' The man seemed somewhat comforted by this 
 assurance, and kept looking at the pamphlet for a long 
 time. He then wrapped it up carefully in his shawl (a 
 kind of cloth used to cover the shoulders, and made of 
 cotton), and having fallen at the feet of his spiritual guide 
 he did obeisance, and returned to his home. In his 
 excitement he altogether forgot his hunger, thirst, and 
 weakness, and said in his heart, ' This piece of paper has 
 given me new life and new hope. I feel very happy/ 
 
 On reaching home he read the tract over and over 
 again, and weighed \nq\\ its teaching ; for he was truly 
 desirous of realising its meaning. After some days it 
 came into his heart to pay another visit to the Baba-Ji, 
 and become his disciple. When he reached the mango 
 grove near the village, the devotee was not there, for he 
 had left the place. The people said he went away on 
 the very day he gave the piece of paper to the cultivator. 
 No one knew whence he had come, and no one could say 
 whither he had gone. 
 
 The cultivator returned home, but he had no heart for 
 anything, so much had his soul been stirred by the con- 
 tents of the little tract. He could not give his mind to 
 anything else, nor find rest in any worldly occupation ; 
 his work became distasteful to him. At last he gave 
 up his land, family, home, and everything, and putting on 
 the garb of a religious devotee, he became a Faqir. He 
 travelled over the whole country, preaching and making 
 known this new religion, the knowledge of which he had 
 found in that remarkable tract or pamphlet. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE FAQIR BEGINS HIS MISSION. 
 
 I HE teaching of the pamphlet, which made such 
 an impression on the mind of the cultivator, 
 was as follows : — The Hindus were enjoined 
 to give up the worship of idols, and to serve 
 tlie one living and true God, who made heaven and earth. 
 They were told that the Hindu gods and incarnations 
 could not save mankind ; the true Incarnation only could 
 save man — the Lord Jesus Christ, who was born of a 
 pure virgin, without sin, and gave His life to save man- 
 kind, that whosoever believeth on Him should have 
 everlasting life. All were recommended to put them- 
 selves under the protection of the true Incarnation. 
 
 This eager disciple of the Baba-Ji, as we have observed 
 in the previous chapter, now assumed the garb of a 
 religious devotee or Faqir. He had never seen a mission- 
 ary, nor any Christians. He did not know even of their 
 existence. He knew nothing but the contents of his 
 tract. He was very anxious that others also should 
 accept this religion, and proclaimed the teaching of this 
 torn tract with so much earnestness and zeal, that 
 wherever he went the people gathered in crowds to hear 
 
 20 
 
THE FAQIR BEGINS HIS MISSION 21 
 
 him, and listened with heart and soul to his words. 
 Very many people became his disciples, and, having given 
 up idol-worship, began to pray to the Lord Jesus Christ 
 and the Baba-Ji. 
 
 This Faqir or devotee, as we shall now call the poor 
 cultivator, in order to distinguish him from the Baba-Ji, 
 gave the name of Satya-Guru — namely, true spiritual guide 
 and teacher — to Jesus Christ, and instructed his disciples 
 to call him also Satyuru — true teacher. Since then his 
 followers have always been called Satguruwds — followers 
 of the true teacher. 
 
 The Faqir, or Satgurii, instructed his disciples to re- 
 main firm in this new religion, and not to allow any one 
 to lead them astray, or frighten them into forsaking it. 
 He often tried in various ways to prove the strength of 
 their faith, and test the sincerity of their devotion. To 
 one he would give an order like the following : ' You go 
 into that lake, which is full of alligators, and stand there 
 for two hours, and put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 fully believing that He will not allow them to drag you down 
 and eat you. By doing this, it will be seen whether you 
 are a true servant of God or not.' To another he would 
 say, 'You go at midnight to a certain jungle, or mountain, 
 and, having gathered a mau7icl of wood ' (that is, eighty 
 pounds), ' burn it on the spot ; and when it is all reduced 
 to ashes, plant this stick on the top of the ashes, and 
 come back again. If you have faith, then tigers and 
 bears will not be able to harm you.' 
 
 It is very wonderful that his disciples were so simple- 
 minded and ingenuous as to allow their faith to be tried 
 by such means ; but the truth is, they firmly believed in 
 and obeyed their teacher, and held him in great reverence. 
 
 The Faqir did not settle down in any fixed place, but 
 went round every year, and visited his disciples at their 
 
22 THE INDIAN DE VO TEE 
 
 own homes, staying a week or so in each place, and 
 receiving from them such gifts as are always offered to a 
 religious teacher; for every native of India is taught 
 from early childhood thus to provide for his spiritual 
 guide. Wherever there were two or three disciples in a 
 village, he appointed one of them as their guide and 
 teacher. He ordered them to make a careful copy of 
 his pamphlet, to meet together every Sunday to read the 
 pamphlet before the people, sing Ihajans or hymns, and 
 in this way worship the true Incarnation, Jesus Christ. 
 
 In the villages of Tirhut, Purniya, and Sahibganj, on 
 the banks of the Ganges, many people became the 
 disciples of the Faqir and devotee. When the Brahmins 
 saw that the new religion was spreading, and that their 
 revenue on this account was steadily decreasing, they 
 began to be much exercised in mind about it, and laid 
 plans for bringing back the people to their allegiance. 
 They held a council amongst themselves, and laid heavy 
 fines on the people, and commanded them to return to 
 the worship of idols, and call upon the heathen gods as 
 before. But the disciples of the Faqir were not afraid 
 of any threats ; for they neither paid any fine nor 
 attempted to appease the Brahmins in any way. Then 
 the Brahmins became their open enemies, and put them 
 out of caste, and began to persecute and trouble them in 
 every way ; and this was carried to such an extent, that 
 in three or four years many of the followers of the Faqir 
 deserted his teaching and doctrine, and fell back into 
 their old habits of life. In the village of Phulkiya there 
 were once one hundred families who acknowledi^^ed the 
 new teaching; of these, only fifteen families remained 
 faithful to their teacher. Of the rest many returned to 
 Hinduism ; some sold their land, and departed to other 
 places, probably to avoid persecution, or hide their shame. 
 
THE FAQIR BEGINS HIS MISSION 23 
 
 There were others who outwardly acknowledged the 
 Brahmins, but secretly continued steadfast in their loyalty 
 to the Faqir. 
 
 About ten years after this persecution was set on foot, 
 the Faqir was taken very ill. It was evident that he 
 was convinced in his heart that the time of his departure 
 was at hand ; for he went back to his own village and 
 home, to prepare for his latter end. He had no son to 
 take his place, so he appointed a nephew to be his 
 successor, and made him take a solemn oath that he 
 would preserve with great care the pamphlet which the 
 Baba-Ji gave him, and preach his religion everywhere, 
 and look after and take care of his disciples. 
 
 When he died, the nephew, in accordance with the 
 oath he had made, put on the garb of a Faqir, and set 
 out to visit his uncle's disciples ; but his heart was not in 
 this new religion. He said it was only on account of 
 the oath he remained a Faqir, lest the spirit of his uncle 
 should trouble him. 
 
 It was not astonishing to find that he was very careless 
 in the performance of his duties. He did not require from 
 the Satguruwas, like his uncle, any evidence of their 
 faith, nor did he strengthen them in this new religion. 
 He was so careless and indifferent that he did not even 
 forbid them worshipping idols. He was wont to say, ' It 
 is necessary for weak humanity to have some outward 
 symbol of the invisible God through which man can 
 worship Him.' But though the Faqir was lacking in 
 zeal for the new religion, and was far inferior in every 
 respect to his uncle, still the disciples received him 
 with great respect, and gave him the same honour 
 they had accorded to his uncle, and paid him his dues 
 in money and food as they had done to their old teacher. 
 
M 
 
 S 
 
 ^?/^ 
 
 1 
 
 
 ^m 
 
 m 
 
 H 
 
 ^^M 
 
 
 m 
 
 
 ^M 
 
 M 
 
 CHAPTEE III. 
 
 THE CATECHIST VISITS PHULKIYA. 
 
 the time when the events recorded in the 
 previous chapter took place, about sixteen 
 miles from Phulkiya, a number of Christians 
 had settled in Sahibganj. They had obtained 
 work in connection with the railway which passes through 
 that place. The missionary at Bhagalpur sent a catechist, 
 named Hira Lall, to live in their midst, to look after 
 them, and encourage them to show a bright Christian 
 example, and also to preach the Word of God to the 
 heathen around them. 
 
 It happened one day, when Babu Hira Lall was 
 preaching in the bazaar to the heathen, he saw three 
 men from the country, apparently cultivators, listening 
 most attentively for a long time to the Word of God. 
 They made signs to one another during the preaching, 
 and it became evident to the catechist that his discourse 
 was most acceptable to them. When he had finished 
 his address, and most of the people were gone away, 
 carrying, it is hoped, some of the precious seed in their 
 hearts, tlie three men saluted the catechist, and with 
 great eagerness inquired what caste he belonged to ; 'for,' 
 
 24 
 
25 
 
THE CATECHIST VISITS PHULKIYA 27 
 
 said they, 'we also believe in Jesus Christ, and have 
 given up the worship of idols. We are convinced the 
 heathen gods are false/ 
 
 On hearing this confession, Babu Hira Lall was very 
 much surprised and perplexed. There was certainly 
 something peculiar and genuine in their confession, so 
 he asked them who they were. 
 
 ' To outward appearance,' he said, ' you look like 
 Hindus ; but how did you become acquainted with the 
 teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ ? If you,' continued 
 he, ' ask me what I am, my answer is plain and simple : 
 I am a Christian.' 
 
 These cultivators had never heard of Christians, nor 
 did they know that the followers of Jesus were called 
 by that name. They only knew the word ' Christian ' 
 as a term of reproach for those who had lost their caste, 
 and had given up their religion. It never occurred to 
 their simple minds that there was any connection 
 between the teaching of Jesus Christ and those persons 
 commonly called Christians. When, therefore, they 
 heard the catechist call himself a Christian, they were 
 astonished, and said, ' What ! indeed ! Are you a 
 Christian ? and do Christians believe in Jesus Christ, 
 and acknowledge our Faqir ? ' 
 
 The catechist and the cultivators had a long talk 
 together, and they told him all about the tract and the 
 Faqir. They continued the conversation till the shades of 
 evening were drawing on, and they were obliged to return 
 to their village. They promised, however, to pay another 
 visit to Sahibganj in a day or two, and tell the catechist 
 more about their religion, and hear from him more about 
 the doctrines he held. He also ascertained that they 
 lived in Phulkiya. 
 
 Babu Hira Lall waited for two or three days, expect- 
 
28 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 ing to meet them in the bazaar, but they failed to keep 
 their promise. He therefore started to Phulkiya to find 
 them, and renew the conversation which had taken place 
 in the bazaar. He reached his destination the same 
 evening, tired and worn-out. The people of the village 
 directed him to the house of Dharmdas, who was the 
 appointed minister to teach the Satguruwas the wonders 
 of the little pamphlet. This pamphlet Dharmdas had 
 carefully copied, according to the injunctions of the 
 Faqir, and it was kept with great care. 
 
 When Dharmdas saw the catechist he was very 
 pleased, and gave him a hearty welcome. He brought 
 him with great politeness to the inner part of the house, 
 and then fell at his feet and said, ' You have come a long 
 way, and must be very tired, and all this to visit a poor 
 man like me ! ' 
 
 All Indian houses of any pretensions have an inner 
 court or yard, around which the rooms of the house are 
 ranged ; and be this ever so small it affords a private 
 place where the people of the house can meet their 
 special friends. Dharmdas thus welcomed the catechist 
 by calling him into the private apartments, and gave 
 him water to wash his hands and feet, according to 
 Eastern custom. He also prepared a place for him in 
 the cow-shed, where he could pass the night; for it 
 opened into the inner court, and afforded a safe resting- 
 place for a visitor. 
 
 After the catechist had refreshed himself and rested 
 a little, he and Dharmdas began conversing with great 
 earnestness and affection. When the Babu had heard 
 the story of the Faqir and his disciples more fully, he 
 said, 'Please show the pamphlet which has worked 
 such wonders amongst your people, or read some of it to 
 me ; ' but Dharmdas replied that he could not, on any 
 
THE CATECHIST VISITS PHULKIYA 29 
 
 consideration, show him the book, as the Baba-Ji had 
 enjoined them to keep it secret, and not allow any out- 
 sider to see it. But this was a mere excuse. He wished 
 to protect it from the unclean touch of Babu Hira Lall, 
 who was a Christian. He was afraid lest, by subjecting 
 it to the touch of a Christian, the Faqir should hear 
 somehow of the conversation, and be angry that he had 
 listened to the teaching of another. Therefore he did 
 not show him the pamphlet. 
 
 The catechist then said, ' The gist of the tract has 
 certainly been taken from the Christian Scriptures.' But 
 Dharmdas did not believe him, because the story had 
 become current somehow amongst the disciples of the 
 Faqir, that the pamphlet was found inside a gourd, which 
 fell down from heaven, and was picked up in a field by 
 the Baba-Ji, who erected his hut outside the village, and 
 whose story has been told in the first chapter. The 
 catechist smiled on hearing this account, and asked 
 Dharmdas whether the original Faqir had originated the 
 story, or his present successor. The question was too 
 much for Dharmdas, and he could not answer. He saw 
 the Babu smile incredulously, but he believed the story 
 all the same, and assured Hira Lall most earnestly that 
 it was indeed true, whether he believed it or not. The 
 Babu thought it wise to say no more about it at present, 
 and told him the story of Jesus Christ from the Gospels. 
 They continued their conversation till midnight. 
 
 In the morning all the disciples of the Baba-Ji came 
 to see the catechist, and listened the whole day to his 
 preaching. They confessed that the true Saviour is 
 indeed the Lord Jesus Christ. The day after, the cate- 
 chist returned home. There was kindled in his heart a 
 love and affection for these simple-minded people, who 
 with such warmth confessed and worshipped the Lord 
 
30 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 Jesus ; and there came a longing into his heart to bring 
 them, God helping him, to the full light of the glorious 
 gospel of Jesus Christ. 
 
 As soon as Babu Hira Lall reached home, he wrote 
 to the missionary all about the wonderful story he had 
 heard ; but, unfortunately, he was unable to pay them 
 a visit at that time. The rainy season was coming on, 
 and the approach to Phulkiya was simply impossible, on 
 account of the country being flooded. 
 
 Our readers must understand that Phulkiya is situated 
 on low land in the vicinity of the Ganges. During the 
 rainy season, when the river is in flood, the whole 
 neighbourhood is under water. This necessitates the 
 houses being built on platforms raised about ten feet 
 above the level of the ground. Each household lives on 
 such a raised mound, and thus the streets of the village 
 are about ten or fifteen feet below the level of the 
 houses. The middle of such a raised mound forms a 
 courtyard, and round it the people build their dwelling- 
 places, consisting of four rooms — namely, a room to live 
 in, a cook-room, and two cattle-sheds. In the height of 
 the rains, when the water rises to the level of the court- 
 yards, and often floods them, each household lives, as it 
 were, on a separate island, entirely cut off from their 
 neighbours. The villagers have then to travel by boat to 
 Sahibganj to buy provisions ; and when they visit each 
 other, they swim across, or drive a bullock into the water 
 and hold on by its tail, or they use rafts made of plan- 
 tain trees. A most ingenious raft, capable of carrying 
 three or four persons, is often made by binding bamboo 
 lattice-work over four earthen vessels, necks downwards. 
 The missionary wrote to the catechist to say he would 
 come after the rainy season, when it would be possible 
 to approach the village. 
 
CHAPTEE IV. 
 
 THE MISSIONARY VISITS PHULKIYA, AND SO DOES 
 THE FAQIR. 
 
 iCCORDING to his promise, the missionary 
 visited Phulkiya in the cold season, which 
 follows the rains, and pitched his tent near 
 the village. Then, not only the disciples of 
 the Babci-Ji, but all the people of the village, gladly 
 came from time to time to hear the Word of God. 
 They all marvelled, and said, ' This is very strange. The 
 Satguruwas say that the religion of Christians and that 
 of the Faqir is alike in many things, but the missionary 
 says the Faqir has taken his doctrines from Christianity, 
 and taught them for his own. Who, indeed, is telling 
 the truth ? ' 
 
 For some time the missionary continued teaching and 
 preaching in Phulkiya, and his daughter told the women 
 the same story of the cross of Christ. The people by 
 degrees began to understand the truths of the Gospel, and 
 the way of salvation through our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
 Christ. In April the missionary was obliged to return 
 to his station. The disciples of the Baba-Ji were ex- 
 ceedingly sorry when they heard he was going. They 
 
 31 
 
32 THE INDIAN DE VO TEE 
 
 besought him not to forget them, for they felt like 
 orphans bereft of their parents, and like children without 
 a teacher. He assured them that, if God spared him, 
 he would visit them again in October. On hearing this 
 they were somewhat comforted, and said, ' Do not forget 
 your promise ; as for us, we shall count the days till your 
 return.' 
 
 In the following June, the Faqir, their religious teacher, 
 came to Phulkiya. He heard the story of the villagers 
 going to Sahibganj, and of their conversation with the 
 catechist, and his subsequent visits to them. They also 
 told him about the visit of the missionary, and how 
 wonderfully he had opened the teaching of their little 
 book by referring them to the Gospels. They then took 
 him to the catechist, who told him the wonderful story 
 of the cross as given in the New Testament. The Faqir 
 was filled with astonishment. He remained in the 
 catechist's house for several months, and learned much 
 during this time about the religion of Jesus Christ. 
 
 The missionary, hearing that the teacher and Faqir of 
 the Satguruwas had come to Sahibganj, went to see him ; 
 but the Faqir hid himself, and would on no account 
 consent to an interview. "When, however, the missionary 
 had returned to Bhagalpur, the Faqir came out of his 
 hiding-place. The catechist asked him why he had 
 run away and disappeared so suddenly. He replied that 
 he was ashamed to meet a minister of the Christian 
 religion ; ' for,' said he, ' I am a minister like him, and I 
 was afraid he might ask me many difficult questions, 
 which I should be unable to answer, and do you think 
 that I relish the idea of being made a fool before my 
 disciples? When I am better acquainted with this 
 religion, I will see him.' He then begged to be allowed 
 to take his leave of Babu Hira Lall, and proceed on his 
 
THE MISSIONARY. VISITS PHULKIYA 33 
 
 itinerations amongst the Satguruwas. The catechist did 
 his best to persuade him to remain longer ; but the Faqir 
 persisted in his purpose, and, having purchased a New 
 Testament and several tracts, he proceeded on his journey. 
 He did not, however, forbid his disciples mixing and 
 holding converse with the Christians, and so they began 
 to be even more friendly than ever. 
 
 Whenever the catechist visited Phulkiya, the Sat- 
 guruwas were delighted to see him. He was welcomed 
 as a guest in their houses, and waited upon with the 
 greatest attention. All idea of remuneration for their 
 hospitality they rejected as absurd, and each was anxious 
 to do him some little service. When he reproved them 
 for being over-solicitous about his wants, they re]3lied, 
 ' You are our teacher, and take all this trouble to come 
 and instruct us ; surely you will allow us to repay you 
 as far as we can for your kindness ? ' 
 
 The Satguruwas were always delighted to hear the 
 Word of God. When the catechist used to go and preach 
 to them, they left their work willingly, and sat beside 
 him, and for hours, yea, sometimes till the middle of 
 the night, they would remain engaged in conversation 
 on this important topic. But when he ventured to 
 suggest to tliem that they should be baptized, and take 
 upon themselves the open profession of Christianity, they 
 became indifferent, and said, ' We cannot consent to give 
 up our caste. Do we not believe in Jesus Christ ? Do 
 we call upon any other name but the name of the Lord ? 
 Have we hope in any other ? Why should we therefore 
 give up our caste ? No, Babu ; we cannot on any account 
 do what you advise.' 
 
 In the cold season, when the missionary came again 
 to visit them, it was evident that the Satguruwas had 
 made great progress in the knowledge and faith of our 
 
 c 
 
34 
 
 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 Lord and Saviour, but they had not the least intention 
 of becoming Christians. The catechist, Hira Lall, began 
 to grow impatient ; but the missionary advised him not 
 to hasten such matters by the spirit of impatience, as it 
 is impossible to force people to become Christians. ' It 
 will be better,' said he, ' to go on teaching them, and 
 when the Lord Jesus sees fit He will open their eyes by 
 the Holy Spirit of God, and they will themselves seek 
 baptism, and come into the fold of Christ. Till then, 
 brother, be instant in season and out of season ; watch 
 and pray.' 
 

 ^ 
 
 ^M 
 
 S 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 CHAPTEE V. 
 
 THE WIDOW BtlAKTlN. 
 
 MONG the Satguruwas of Pluilkiya there was 
 a poor widow, who earned her daily bread by 
 working as a labourer in the fields. When, 
 during the rains, the work in the fields was 
 practically stopped, would carry bundles of grain and 
 rice on her head for the cultivators to the market at 
 Sahibganj, and thus earn an honest living. The people 
 called her Bhaktin, ' the pious one,' and this was a very 
 appropriate name, for indeed she was very good and 
 religious. This poor widow had passed through much 
 trial and sorrow. Her husband died soon after they 
 were married, and from that time she was obliged to 
 earn her daily bread and provide for her daughter. 
 This daughter was very good-looking, and she ultimately 
 married into a very respectable family. After the 
 marriage had taken place, the mother was comforted 
 with the thought that she would always be able, in the 
 case of need, to find a home with her daughter, and thus 
 pass her days in peace. 
 
 According to the custom of the country, the marriage 
 took place when the girl was a mere child ; but when the 
 girl grew up to woman's estate she was conducted with 
 
 85 
 
36 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 the usual ceremony to the house of her husband. Strange 
 to say, soon after her arrival, she suddenly disappeared 
 in a mysterious manner. She was sought for everywhere, 
 but not a trace of her could be found ; and nobody knew 
 what had become of her. Some said that possibly, when 
 she went to the river to fetch water, or to bathe, an 
 alligator must have devoured her ; others, that she must 
 have gone into the jungle close by the village, and been 
 seized by a tiger or a bear. Again, others thought that 
 she had been led astray by bad people, and conveyed by 
 them to other parts of the country. Some said one 
 thing, some said another ; but the mystery of her sudden 
 disappearance still remained, and no one could throw any 
 light on the question. The poor mother in consequence 
 was nearly beside herself. Sometimes she would cry 
 aloud, in her grief, ' Would to God my child had been 
 burnt ^ before my eyes, then I should have been comforted! 
 Where can I find comfort, and who will bring me news 
 of my lost one ? ' 
 
 Just about the time this trial came to Bhaktin, the 
 Faqir appeared at Phulkiya, and Bhaktin told him all 
 her sorrow, and became one of his disciples. The Faqir 
 advised her to give up idolatry, and believe on the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, the true Incarnation, and pray to Him in 
 her trouble. He found Bhaktin a very pliable pupil 
 and a devoted disciple, doing and observing all he 
 commanded her. When, however, the catechist came 
 to Phulkiya, and preached the way of the Lord more 
 fully, she became one of his most zealous followers. 
 As she gradually received instruction, her improvement 
 in religion and piety was manifest to all who knew her. 
 The people living near used to say she was the best 
 woman they ever knew. 
 
 ^ On tlie funeral pile. 
 
THE WIDOW BHAKTIN 37 
 
 Although T>liaktin was only a daily labourer, and had 
 to earn her bread by the sweat of her brow, still she was 
 ever ready to help the needy as far as possible. When 
 any one was taken ill, she would go, uncalled for, to 
 minister to them in their sickness, asking and seeking no 
 remuneration. When she saw any one in great sorrow, 
 she would do her best to administer comfort and consola- 
 tion. Gradually she became such a general favourite 
 that every one told her their sorrow and trouble, and 
 asked her advice in difficulties. 
 
 Bhaktin's disposition was that of a little child, simple 
 and trustful. Whatever she heard that was worthy of 
 belief, and useful in religious life, she accepted at once, 
 and carried out into practice. Before she knew the 
 Christians, and was only acting on the teaching of the 
 Faqir, she had a firm belief in the mercy of God and the 
 power of prayer. On several occasions she had prayed 
 so earnestly for sick people that many of them had been 
 raised up again, evidently in answer to her prayers. 
 When she became acquainted with the missionary and 
 his daughter, one day, as the latter was giving a lesson 
 on the nature and power of prayer, Bhaktin said, with 
 great warmth, 'It is true, it is true the Lord hears 
 prayer ; but I have been puzzled to know how it was 
 that when Madho's son was very ill last year, I had to 
 pray all night for his recovery before God heard our 
 prayer ; for it was only in the morning we observed signs 
 of returning strength. His parents were bigoted Hindus, 
 but when the boy got better the mother said, " Your 
 Christ is great and powerful, and I shall begin to pray 
 to Him." The husband, however, was an enemy of the 
 Satguruwas, and, having heard his wife's profession of 
 faith, beat her severely, and told her to take care not to 
 mention the name of Jesus in his house. He spoke 
 
 fc) 
 
38 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 angrily to me also,' said Bhaktin, ' and used abusive 
 language, and turned me out of the house. But what can 
 he do ? Can he beat his wife's faith out of her ? It is 
 impossible. Outwardly his wife continues to worship 
 idols, but in her heart she believes in Jesus, the true 
 Incarnation. It is quite possible,' continued Bhaktin, 
 'that the Lord did not answer my prayer all at once, 
 because her husband was a hard-hearted, bigoted man ; 
 but, you see, God did hear my prayer at last, and raised 
 up the boy.' 
 
 There was no anger or enmity in the heart of Bhaktin. 
 People might laugh at her and make fun of her, but she 
 always bore it in the spirit of meekness, and with great 
 patience. To her own people she would say, ' Let them 
 laugh ; they are blind, and know not what they do. 
 When their eyes are opened they will know better.' 
 
 Another day, the missionary's daughter was teaching 
 the wives of the disciples of the Faqir, and encouraging 
 them to remain firm in the faith, and not be moved by 
 fear or persecution. Bhaktin feelingly said, ' For ten 
 years, since I became a disciple of the Faqlr, I have 
 endured many trials and temptations, and shall I give 
 up my faith now because of a few difficulties ? Never, 
 never ! It is impossible ! ' 
 
 Bhaktin had a niece called Tulsiya, whose husband's 
 name was Laid. They lived about a day and a half's 
 journey from Phulkiya. Tulsiya came now and then to 
 see her parents, and her aunt used to give her lessons on 
 these occasions in the religion of the Baba-Ji, which was 
 all she knew in those days. When Tulsiya was thirteen 
 years of age, she first became aware of the fact that it is 
 a sin to worship idols, and that the Baba-Ji's religion was 
 founded on truth. From that time she began to pray to 
 Jesus Christ. At first her father-in-law, thinking she 
 
THE WIDOW BHAKTIN 39 
 
 would soon forget it, told his family to let her alone and 
 say nothing. ' She has been taught these strange notions 
 by her aunt/ said he ; ' and when the Hindu festival 
 comes round she will join in the festivities like the rest 
 of us.' 
 
 But Tulsiya remained firm to her convictions. Slowly 
 and surely it occurred to her that if the worship of idols 
 was a sin, then all offerings that were made, and sweet- 
 meats that were given and eaten in their name, were sinful 
 also, and that therefore she could not join in the festivals, 
 nor adorn herself for these occasions. When she refused 
 to join in the heathen festivities, and went and sat apart 
 alone, her father-in-law and all his people were very 
 much distressed. They asked her, in a loving, gentle way, 
 why she was acting thus. ' Eejoice with us,' they said ; 
 but Tulsiya would not, and then her relatives began to 
 be angry with her. Tulsiya begged to be allowed to go 
 and see her father and mother ; but they refused, on the 
 plea that she would be confirmed in her new opinions 
 by the influence of her aunt. Thus Tulsiya did not see 
 her people for more than a year and a half. She was not 
 aware that in the meantime the Gospel of Jesus had been 
 preached in Phulkiya by the missionary and catechist. 
 
 i=» 
 
CHAPTEE VI. 
 
 THE CLOUDS BEGIN TO GATHER. 
 
 'EXT cold season found the missionary again in 
 Plmlkiya. The disciples of the Baba-Ji re- 
 quested him to conduct divine service in their 
 village, and not in the tent as usual. They 
 urged that the people in the village wished to attend 
 a Christian service, and there would not be room for all 
 in his tent ; they wanted to prepare a room in the village 
 for this purpose. The missionary was exceedingly 
 pleased to conduct service wherever they wished. He 
 felt it was decidedly a gain to be allowed to carry the 
 Gospel into their very houses ; for although his tent was 
 on the outskirts of the village, some of those who were 
 shy would not venture to go to a missionary's tent to 
 hear the Gospel. 
 
 On receiving permission from the missionary, Dharmdas, 
 who had a very roomy cow- shed, ordered it to be cleaned 
 thoroughly. He spread matting on the floor, and put a 
 curtain at one end of it, to screen off the women from 
 the men ; and from that time divine service was conducted 
 in the village. When the people heard the harmonium 
 they were very much astonished, never having heard such 
 
 40 
 
THE CLOUDS BEGIN TO GATHER 41 
 
 an instrument before. Besides, the native Christian 
 hymns which were sung were accompanied by various 
 native musical instruments, which, though strange to a 
 European ear, have a peculiar charm to the native mind. 
 And so hhajans and native Christian hymns were sung, 
 and one and all, Satguruwas and Hindus, joined with 
 heart and soul in the singing. It was an interesting 
 sight to see them all gathered together, joining, however 
 ignorantly and imperfectly, in a Christian service. For 
 some time after this the people of the village did not 
 trouble the Satguruwas about their religion. All was 
 peace and harmony. 
 
 The proverb, however, is true all over the world, 
 ' Satan finds some mischief still for idle hands to do.' 
 The spirit of opposition after a time began again to mani- 
 fest itself. One day Dharmdas and Premdas came to 
 the tent, and wished to see the missionary. Premdas had 
 not been a Satguruwa long, but Dharmdas and he were 
 old friends. When Dharmdas heard the catechist preach 
 in the bazaar on that memorable occasion, Premdas was 
 also one of the hearers. The Word of God made a great 
 impression on his heart, and from that time he had 
 accepted the religion of the Satguruwas. The Spirit of 
 the Lord had influenced him so far that he was now more 
 zealous and sincere than Dharmdas, the village leader of 
 the Satguruwas. 
 
 Dharmdas and Premdas opened the conversation by 
 saying, ' We are sorry to inform you that the people of 
 the village accuse us of being Christians. Will you 
 kindly tell them that we are not Christians, and do not 
 intend to become Christians ? We only worship the Lord 
 Jesus, and receive Him into our hearts, because our 
 teacher and Faqlr said He is the true Incarnation and 
 Saviour of the Satguruwas. We have not given up caste, 
 
42 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 and never will. The people, however, do not believe what 
 we say; but if you will take our side, they will be mollified.' 
 
 The missionary, with much gentleness, replied, ' I am 
 convinced, brethren, you are not far from the kingdom of 
 God, and will soon become servants of the Lord Jesus, 
 and be baptized. You are now standing between heaven 
 and earth — will you always remain in this spirit of in- 
 decision ? You have, as it were, got one foot in one boat 
 and the other in another. Go on in this good way : 
 decide to cross the river in one boat only, the boat 
 belonging to Jesus Christ, and then you will gain your 
 end, and be saved.' 
 
 The missionary added further words of exhortation, 
 and begged them to make their choice now, wisely and 
 prayerfully. But somehow they did not elect to take his 
 advice. They went away much troubled, yea, almost 
 despondent, and said to one another, 'What shall we do? 
 This is a great difficulty. How shall we extricate our- 
 selves from it ? ' The idea of giving up caste seemed 
 impossible to them ; for they reasoned after a human 
 fashion, and said, ' If so much persecution is our lot as 
 Satguruwas, how much greater will it be if we give up 
 our caste and become Christians ! We should not be 
 allowed to draw water from the well, the oilman would 
 not sell us oil, the grocer would not allow us to enter his 
 shop to buy food, the barber would refuse to shave us, 
 the washerman would not wash our clothes, the cow-herd 
 would object to graze our cattle. — and then how would it 
 be possible for us to live ? We should quickly perish. 
 Besides, no one would give their sons and daughters to 
 our children in marriage ; everything would be against 
 us.' Such thoughts found expression as they reasoned 
 together ; they were sincerely troubled and alarmed, and 
 at last became utterly despondent. 
 
THE CLOUDS BEGIN TO GATHER 43 
 
 The catechist, Hira Lall, tried in vain to administer 
 comfort. He showed them their plain duty, and told 
 them how many Hindus had hecome Christians, and how 
 they managed to exist in comparative comfort. God 
 would protect them, if only they would make a venture 
 of faith, and come over to the Lord's side. No real im- 
 pression, however, was made on their hearts, and from 
 that time these two men tried to avoid the missionary, 
 and almost ceased to converse with him whenever he 
 crossed their path. 
 
 This was the state of things when the hot season set 
 in. The missionary was obliged to return to Bhagalpur 
 on account of the heat, but before going away he went to 
 every house, and gave each family a word of advice, and 
 having prayed with them, he left them to the working of 
 the God of providence who doeth all things well. When 
 the tents were struck, and all was ready for the journey, 
 the Satguruwas advised the catechist also to return to 
 Sahibganj, as the people had now^ become suspicious of 
 his presence too. What could Babu Hira Lall do ? He 
 could not force the people to allow him to stay, for they 
 were free agents. He therefore arranged to return home. 
 Before starting, however, he reasoned with and begged 
 them most earnestly not to forget what they had been 
 taught. As the result of this earnest pleading, they 
 consented to his coming over every Sunday to conduct 
 divine service for them. 
 
 When the Hindus of the village saw the result of the 
 pressure they had brought to bear on the Satguruwas, 
 and how fickle and double-minded they had become, they 
 began to persecute them more than ever. This was done 
 to induce them not to associate with Christians ; and 
 although there was no hope of their ever becoming 
 Hindus again, still they expected it would hinder them 
 
44 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 from becoming Christians. With this object in view, 
 they caused their crops to be eaten up, enticed away 
 their servants, and refused to buy from them or sell to 
 them. Thus all the evils they predicted would follow 
 on their becoming Christians even now fell on their 
 heads. 
 
 In every village there is what is called a Piinclidyat, 
 or village committee, to settle all religious and social dis- 
 putes. This committee exercises unbounded sway over 
 the social customs of the people. It fines, punishes, and 
 excommunicates all miscreants, and woe to the man who 
 attempts to set aside its decision ! In their difficulty 
 the disciples of the Baba - Ji appealed to the village 
 Punchayat, and asked why they were thus being per- 
 secuted. Did they think them Christians ? 
 
 The chairman of the Punchayat said in reply, ' If you 
 are not Christians, why do you receive in your midst a 
 Christian teacher and worship with him ? If you will 
 cease to attend his meetings, and refuse to listen to the 
 missionary when he comes, we shall have nothing to say 
 against you. You can still continue to acknowledge your 
 Faqir, and remain Satguruwas.' They were again reproved 
 and frightened, and informed that if they did not consent 
 to do as advised, such and such things would happen to 
 them. 
 
 In this way the disciples of the Baba-Ji were awed 
 by the village assembly, and in fear they said one to 
 another, ' Brothers, we are helpless ; we cannot withstand 
 such opposition ; we shall perish if we persist.' Even 
 Dharmdas, who was the leader of the Satguruwas in the 
 village, began to quail in the presence of such opposition. 
 Having heard the threats and reproaches of the Punchayat, 
 he was led astray, and was prepared to consent to the 
 demands of those who opposed the Gospel. But Premdtis 
 
THE CLOUDS BEGIN TO GATHER 47 
 
 took a firm stand, and said, ' If all of you desert this good 
 cause and the missionary, I for one will remain faithful 
 to him and the catechist. This religion is true, and I 
 will not give it up. If Brother Dharmdas refuses to 
 receive the catechist when he comes, then I will find a 
 place for him in my house.' 
 
 When the members of the Punchayat heard this bold 
 and decided declaration from Premdas, a great tumult 
 arose in their midst ; some said one thing, and some 
 another. Friends and enemies attacked Premdas most 
 unmercifully, and said, 'Who are you, to talk in this 
 fashion ? Are you able to oppose yourself to the decision 
 of this Punchayat, and can you cope with us ? ' Several 
 of his enemies chuckled, and said, ' Very well ; we shall 
 see who is the strongest, and how long this perverseness 
 will continue. You will see what further troubles will 
 come upon you.' They then dismissed the assembly, as 
 nothing could be done. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE STORM BREAKS. 
 
 IGHT days after the Piuichayat, the grass roof 
 of Premdas' house was all in flames. The 
 poor helpless creatures were unable to save 
 any of their property, because the stream and 
 the well were far away, and there was no one to give a 
 helping hand. The flames spread rapidly to all the four 
 rooms of the house. His two dwelling-rooms, cook-house, 
 and cow-shed were soon burnt to the ground; nothing 
 but the mud walls remained. Their clothes, furniture, 
 and grain were consumed in the flames. Only the cows 
 and animals which fled from the house were saved. In 
 a short space of time all was over, and Premdas had 
 time to ponder over what had happened. No one knew 
 how the building took fire ; but Premdas and his friends 
 remembered the threats of one or two in the Punchayat : 
 ' We shall see,' they said ; ' something will befall you.' 
 Premdas' suspicions were aroused ; he felt sure an 
 enemy had done it. Great difficulties faced him as the 
 result of this calamity. The rainy season was nearly 
 over, but there was no dry grass as yet to be had for 
 thatching ; his house had to remain roofless ; still he 
 
THE STORM BREAKS 49 
 
 said, ' Let them do what they like, I will not give up 
 my religion.' 
 
 But there were other troubles looming in the distance. 
 Premdas felt he could overcome this calamity in time, 
 but other difficulties faced him. The face of Dharmdt4s 
 had not been the same to him during the past few weeks 
 as in days gone by ; a cloud gathered on his brow when 
 he met Premdas. When Dharmdas saw that Premdas 
 had determined to receive the catechist if he refused, he 
 changed his mind, and said he would continue to receive 
 him as usual, but showed by his manner that the visits 
 were most unwelcome to him. Babu Hira Lall was a 
 shrewd man, and quickly perceived that the mind of 
 Dharmdas was hostile to the Gospel. He heard also 
 that Premdas only stood firm and faithful in the Pun- 
 chayat. This led him naturally to prefer the society of 
 Premdas, who had shown such a spirit of loyalty to the 
 Lord Jesus. He tried to strengthen and comfort him ; 
 and when this calamity overtook him, Hira Lall began to 
 love him more and more, and he could not help showing 
 it. His frequent visits to Premdas' house caused a 
 feeling of jealousy to spring up in the mind of Dharmdas, 
 and Premdas observed that his old friend Dharmdas did 
 not feel at ease in his presence ; he even avoided him. 
 Can we wonder that Premdas was troubled, and that 
 sorrow filled his heart ? 
 
 When the villagers saw that their threats and perse- 
 cutions had no effect on Premdas, they left him in peace, 
 and began to turn the fury of their persecution on 
 another Satguruwa. This man was a leper, named 
 Jethii. He had only a finger and a thumb on his right 
 hand, and was so helpless that he was unable to feed 
 himself. When the missionary came first to Phulkiya, 
 his daughter taught Jethii to eat with a spoon, which he 
 
 D 
 
5° 
 
 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 held by his finger and thumb. This was a great comfort 
 to him, and he would often in his joy say, ' What a 
 blessing that I am now able to feed myself ! ' 
 
 Jethii's wife would have nothing to do with the 
 Christians ; she persecuted her husband a great deal about 
 religion, and asked him continually what was the good of 
 all these new ideas ? why did he not walk in the same 
 old way in which his fathers had trod ? Several times 
 she threatened to run away, and did actually run from 
 his house, saying, ' Until you do as I wish, I shall not 
 return to your house, so you may manage as best you 
 can.' Although Jethu suffered much from her flights 
 of temper and disobedience, still he never gave way to 
 the wishes of his wife. As a rule, when her anger 
 cooled down, she would return to him, and minister 
 to his wants and necessities. The people of the village 
 took his wife's part, and threatened that, if he refused to 
 listen to their requests, and opposed them, some calamity 
 would surely befall his eldest son. The boy, who was 
 fourteen years of age, was the staff and comfort of his 
 afflicted father, and did all his work. After some days 
 the lad was found drowned in a tank near the village. 
 It was not known how it had taken place. 
 
 This was a great calamity and sorrow to the father, 
 and his wife added to his affliction by accusing him of 
 being the cause of it. ' It is all your fault,' she said ; 
 'my promising, fine-looking boy is lost to us through 
 your perversity and obtuseness ; and who knows what 
 will befall us next ? ' But the more Jethii tried to com- 
 fort his wife in this sorrow, the more she poured her 
 maledictions upon him and persecuted him. 
 
 The disciples of the Baba-Ji were filled with fear and 
 apprehension for the future. They did not know what 
 would be the end of all their troubles ; for, behold. 
 
THE STORM BREA KS 5 1 
 
 rremcliis' house had been burnt to the ground, and Jethii's 
 son drowned, and who knew what would follow ? They 
 therefore sent a message to the missionary, through the 
 catechist, begging him to discontinue his visits, lest some 
 worse calamity should befall the community. 
 
 The missionary consented to their request ; and, when 
 camping season came again, he pitched his tent about 
 four miles from Phulkiya, and preached to the people in 
 those villages. He knew very well that the disciples 
 of the Baba-Ji were sure to seek him out ; and so it 
 happened. They would come secretly at night, and tell 
 him all their sorrows and troubles, hear the Word of God 
 and join in prayer ; but still they had no intention of 
 becoming Christians. When the missionary pleaded with 
 them, and enjoined them to receive Christ, they always 
 gave their old excuse — that if there was so much perse- 
 cution now, how much more there would be on their 
 becoming Christians, and how could they manage to live ? 
 It was better for them to remain disciples of the Baba-Ji, 
 and in their hearts be faithful to the Lord Jesus. 
 
 About this time it became known to the missionary, 
 that the pamphlet which Dharmdas had copied by order 
 of the Faqir, and which he had preserved so carefully 
 from the vulgar eye, not allowing even a Christian to see 
 it, was the work of a German missionary, Mr. Sternberg. 
 The pamphlet was called GyAndipak, ' The Lamp of Wis- 
 dom,' and was printed at the Mission Press, Muzaffarpur. 
 The missionary was exceedingly glad to obtain this 
 information, for he saw now the way to convince the 
 Satguruwas that the Baba-Ji had taken his religion from 
 Christianity, and that the story about it having been sent 
 direct from heaven to the Baba-Ji was a falsehood. The 
 missionary sent for one hundred copies of it, in order to 
 distribute them amongst the Satguruwas and others. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 THE PAMPHLET AND ITS STORY. 
 
 INE night, when the disciples of the Baba-Jf 
 came again to see the missionary, he showed 
 them the copies of the Gydndipak, ' The Lamp 
 of Wisdom.' Dharmdas asked what books they 
 were. The missionary requested him to take one and read 
 it. He took up a copy, and began to read it. All at once 
 he turned towards his brethren with a troubled look, 
 and said, with some concern, ' Why, this is all like our 
 Baba-Ji's book ! ' 
 
 Each of them took a copy of the book, and began to 
 turn it over in their hands ; for none of them save 
 Dharmdas could read. In the meantime, Dharmdas, in 
 a trembling voice, but with spirit and evident interest, 
 read on. After a short time he turned to the missionary 
 in surprise and confusion, and said excitedly, ' Why, this 
 is the very thing ! this is our book ! How did you get 
 it ? ' The missionary smiled, and assured Dharmdas that 
 it was not thei?' pamphlet, but one issued from a Mission 
 Press some years before their religion was known ; 
 that it was written by a missionary ; and that all the 
 information and instruction in it had been taken from 
 
 52 
 
THE PAMPHLET AND ITS STOPY 53 
 
 the Word of God. ' Your original Baba-Ji,' he said, 
 ' must have obtained a copy from some missionary or 
 catechist.' 
 
 The missionary thought all their belief in this new 
 religfon would melt away on hearing the truth and the 
 real history of the pamphlet ; but, on the contrary, they 
 clung with tenacity to the Baba-Ji's religion, and only 
 hung down their heads and looked troubled. Before 
 their eyes the foundations of the Satguruwas' religion 
 were being undermined, and the building was tottering 
 to its fall, and they knew now that Christianity was the 
 true source of all their teaching. Few men could give 
 up their religion without a struggle, even though it may 
 be a false one ; we can really sympathise with these men. 
 There was no spirit left in them, and none of them could 
 utter a word. Becoming thoroughly dejected, they began 
 to look at one another, and walked silently in the dark- 
 ness outside ; but, at the request of the missionary, each 
 took a copy of the Gydndipah with him. 
 
 During the year of which we are writing, the produc- 
 tion of the original pamphlet produced no visible result. 
 The fear of the Satguruwas did not abate, and their faith 
 made no apparent progress. They avoided the missionary 
 more than ever, and only came to see him once after this 
 remarkable interview, when they heard he was returning 
 to his station. Seeing the turn things were taking, Babu 
 Hira Lall, the catechist, lost all hope, and said to the 
 missionary, ' I cannot now go each Sunday to Phulkiya to 
 conduct divine service, because it will do no good. Besides, 
 Dharmdcis does not receive me now with the same 
 brotherly feeling as in the past. He is angry with me 
 for some reason, and I have tried to explain to him that 
 I have no desire to trouble him any more, and would 
 stay with Premdas, but he would not consent to my 
 
54 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 arrangement. I think it will be better for me to dis- 
 continue my visits to Phiilkiya for a time.' 
 
 The missionary, after a few words of encouragement, 
 advised the catechist not to discontinue his visits so long 
 as the Satguruwas were willing to receive him. Until 
 they themselves positively refused to listen to him, it 
 would not be right in the sight of God to leave them 
 without witness. ' I am sure,' he said, ' the Lord Jesus 
 will not now forsake them. Will He allow those who 
 have come so far out of darkness towards the light to 
 perish ? He will bring them, I am sure, to the full light 
 of the Gospel. Let us trust God in this matter, dear 
 brother, and do our duty with patience, " for in due 
 season we shall reap if we faint not." ' 
 
 When the missionary reached Bhagalpur, he called 
 the Christians together, and, as was his custom at such 
 times, recounted all that the Lord had done during 
 this camping season. The congregation had heard on 
 previous occasions all about the interesting work going 
 on amongst the Satguruwas, and they had assured one 
 another that this year some would come forth and 
 declare themselves on the Lord's side. But when they 
 heard that, instead of advancing in the faith, they were 
 evidently going back, they were much disappointed and 
 troubled. They arranged amongst themselves to meet 
 once a week to pray for them, and ask the Lord of the 
 harvest to have mercy on their infirmity, and revive their 
 faith, which, like a flickering candle, appeared to be 
 going out, and to give them courage to come out from 
 amongst their people, and take upon them the yoke of 
 Christ. 
 
 The Christians therefore met together once a week 
 to pray for the disciples of the Baba-Ji. The missionary 
 also bore them upon his heart in private and family 
 
THE PAMPHLET AND ITS STORY 55 
 
 devotions. God does indeed hear the prayers of His 
 servants, and their request finds a willing listener in 
 Him. This was singularly made manifest to all the 
 brethren in Bhagalpur who were praying for the 
 Satguruwas. 
 
 Although it appeared as if the work of the Lord was 
 going back in Phulkiya, in reality it was not so. Premdas 
 and Bhaktin remained firm in the faith, but from a 
 feeling of fear did not say much about it. Tulsiya, too, 
 was walking in the truth as far as she had light and 
 knowledge. It will be remembered that on account of 
 the objections of the Satguruwas, the missionary had 
 pitched his tent that year in Mahaganj, and not in 
 Phulkiya. Whilst he was there, Tulsiya obtained 
 permission from her father-in-law to visit her home for 
 a month. As soon as she reached her father's house, 
 she heard the missionary had often visited the village. 
 On one occasion she had an interview with the catechist. 
 She also heard of the trials and sufferings of the 
 Satguruwas, and how much they had endured for their 
 religion since the missionary and catechist had come 
 amongst them. When the missionary visited Phulkiya 
 that year, Tulsiya would watch him enter the village, 
 but never ventured to speak to him. None of the 
 disciples of the Baba-Ji told him Tulsiya's story, and 
 inasmuch as the missionary's daughter did not accompany 
 her father this year, neither he nor his daughter knew 
 the story of the girl's trials and sorrows. Tulsiya's 
 father was wavering in his adherence to the religion 
 of the Baba-Ji, and he began to associate with the 
 Satguruwas less and less, and was ready to return to 
 the worship of idols. Sometimes he complained that 
 ever since the missionary and the catechist began to 
 visit them, all sorts of trials had come upon them. But 
 
56 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 this was not really true, for before they knew them the 
 Satguruwas had to suffer for their religion. He con- 
 tinually rebuked his sister Bhaktin, and told her to give 
 up all this nonsense, or he would turn her out of his 
 house. He also became very angry with his daughter 
 Tulsiya for clinging to the Christians' God. When a 
 month had passed away, Tulsiya's father-in-law came to 
 fetch her ; but she pleaded and expostulated, saying, * I 
 will not go so soon ; I have come home after so long a 
 time, and I must remain longer.' But her father-in-law 
 refused to allow her to remain any longer. Tulsiya fell 
 at his and her father's feet, and with great earnestness 
 besought them to allow her to remain a little longer. At 
 last her father relented, and said to her father-in-law, ' Let 
 her stay on ; I will take this nonsense out of her head.' 
 
 Her father-in-law, being helpless in the matter, was 
 obliged to return home alone. Her father was indeed 
 very anxious that all the members of his family should 
 not only give up the idea of becoming Christians, but 
 also that they should give up the Baba-Ji's religion, and 
 walk in the footsteps of their forefathers. Every day he 
 was persecuting his daughter and sister on account of 
 their strong religious impressions, which he said were 
 favourable to Christianity ; and when neither of them 
 would agree to his suggestions he was furious with them, 
 and went so far as to beat his daucrhter on several 
 occasions. Tulsiya, however, was not convinced, and 
 whenever she found herself alone with her aunt, she 
 always talked about religion and truth. She listened to 
 her aunt's simple words of faith, and was much comforted 
 and strengthened. When her father-in-law came again 
 to take her home, she was much stronger in the faith 
 than when she came, and her father knew this, though 
 he professed to ignore it. He rebuked her fiercely 
 
THE PAMPHLET AND ITS STORY 
 
 57 
 
 when giving her over to her father-in-law, and said to 
 the latter, ' Take her away, and do not bring her here 
 again ; she has become more and more obstinate.' Poor 
 Tulsiya wept much and sorrowfully as she followed her 
 father-in-law home. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 A STEP ONWAEDS. 
 
 »N the beginning of the rains, Babu Hira Lall 
 went on Saturday as usual to conduct divine 
 service on the following day. Dharmdas 
 received him with great respect and apparent 
 affection, as he was wont to do in the past, before all the 
 disturbance occurred. When the two entered into con- 
 versation that evening, the reason for this change in his 
 conduct soon became apparent. Dharmdas told the Babu 
 he had felt a wish for some time to visit Bhagalpur, and 
 see the missionary and congregation of Christians, in order 
 to ascertain their manner of life, and how they managed 
 to get a living. ' Will you go with me ? ' said he ; ' f or I 
 cannot go alone.' 
 
 It must be confessed that during the time the 
 Satguruwas had exhibited such strange conduct, even 
 after they knew the real truth about the book, Babu 
 Hira Lall had become very sceptical about their conver- 
 sion to Christianity, and he had almost ceased to believe 
 there was any good in them. He was delighted, as may 
 be imagined, with this request, though it rebuked his 
 unbelief, and he replied with warmth of feeling, ' Your 
 
 58 
 
A STEP ONWARDS 59 
 
 desire to visit Bhagalpur is praiseworthy and good, but 
 if you will kindly take one or two others with you, it 
 will be better. Premdas will be willing to accompany 
 us, I am sure.' 
 
 Dharmdas objected, and wished to know why Premdas 
 should go with them ; he said he preferred to take some 
 one else instead. This offered a fair opportunity for the 
 catechist to speak to him of his past conduct to Premdas. 
 He showed him how wrong it was to treat an old friend 
 in this way. At last he persuaded him to have an 
 understanding somehow with his old friend. 
 
 The catechist and Dharmdas went that very night 
 to Premdas' house. The latter was astonished, as might 
 be expected, to see them ; but he received them with 
 every sign of love and friendship. Through the Babu's 
 influence, these two old friends were reconciled. Premdas 
 was delighted with the idea of going to Bhagalpur, and 
 said, ' This has been my heart's desire for some time, and 
 God has shown me how that desire will be gratified.' 
 
 On Monday morning, these three, along with another 
 Satguruwa, set out for Bhagalpur. The Christian congre- 
 gation were delighted and surprised to see them, and so 
 was the missionary. They knew now that their prayers 
 had been heard, and that God was drawing the Satguruwas 
 to Himself. They received them with much affection, 
 and for a couple of weeks entertained them in their 
 houses, and each evening they met for prayer and the 
 singing of Christian hymns. They showed them the 
 Christian village, and told them how happy they all were. 
 They took them also to see the Mission school and church, 
 and, in fact, showed them everything. 
 
 These simple villagers had never before seen any large 
 well-built house or building. On seeing the church, 
 they were astonished at its size and durability. It 
 
6o THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 seemed to reach to the sky compared with their grass 
 huts. Out of mere covetousness, they said, ' If such a 
 church were built in Phulkiya, all would soon become 
 Christians.' 
 
 Babu Hira Lall smiled, and said, ' My dear friends, the 
 soil of your village is all sand ; it would be impossible 
 to make bricks of it, and therefore impossible to erect 
 such a building. Christianity is not such a light thing 
 as that. No one can become a Christian till his spiritual 
 eyes are opened by the Holy Spirit of God, and till his 
 heart is turned by the Lord Jesus Christ/ The Sat- 
 guruwas sighed, and said, * Surely you speak the truth. 
 May the Lord look upon us in mercy ! ' 
 
 The Satguruwas were astonished by all they saw and 
 heard. When they saw the arrangements in the Mission 
 for teaching the children, training the orphans, and pro- 
 tecting widows, the Mission servants, teachers, and 
 preachers, and when they became aware of the fact that 
 all these were either under the protection of or in the 
 service of the Mission, then the idea struck them that 
 if they became Christians they and their wives and 
 children also would be provided for, and there would 
 be no fear for the future. They ventured to hint their 
 surmises on this question to Babu Hira Lall. 
 
 It was indeed foolish for them to get such an idea in 
 their heads, but we are recording facts of experience, and 
 it is well that men should know the first difficulty that 
 faces the missionary. Eastern human nature is very 
 strange in its workiugs, and it is perhaps difficult for 
 Europeans to see matters in their way of looking at 
 things. One would expect the catechist to be the first 
 man to disabuse them of such an idea. It was not so 
 in this case, and is not so in many others. The Babu 
 was human, and weak in the faith. He saw the 
 
A STEP ONWARDS 6i 
 
 Satguruwas were inclined to become Christians, and he 
 knew that if the fear of future poverty could be removed 
 from their minds they possibly would make a venture of 
 faith. He saw in this idea of i^rotedion a human way 
 of getting out of the difficulty. He certainly did not say 
 that their widows and children and poor would be pro- 
 vided for, but he and the other Christians implied that 
 when they became Christians a Mission would be started 
 among them, and a school set on foot,''and a European 
 missionary live amongst them. The Babu did not ex- 
 plain to the Satguruwas that it was necessary, in order 
 to carry on a Mission, to have servants, teachers, and 
 preachers, but that it did not necessarily follow that 
 converts would be provided for. He did not show them 
 how wrong it is for men on becoming Christians to expect 
 the Mission to support them. No ; he was anxious to 
 institute a motive to remove their difficulties, and he 
 thought this motive would serve his purpose. 
 
 It soon became evident, on mixing with the Christians, 
 that the worldly and spiritual eyes of the Satguruwas 
 were being opened, and they kept on saying, ' We are 
 blind ; we are very ignorant, and know nothing ; we have 
 been growing up like a herd of buffaloes.' When the 
 Christians saw the simplicity and ingenuousness of these 
 men, a feeling of interest sprang up in their hearts, and 
 they began to show them much Christian love. And 
 the poor Satguruwas, who had always been looked upon 
 as enemies by their heathen neighbours, when they saw 
 and experienced the brotherly affection of the Christians, 
 longed to enter into fellowship and cast in their lot 
 with them. In their excitement and happiness, they 
 went to the missionary, and said, ' Christianity is the true 
 and best religion ; whatever takes place, we have deter- 
 mined to become Christians. Please baptize us at once.' 
 
62 THE INDIAN DE VO TEE 
 
 But the missionary did not deem it advisable to be in 
 a hurry in such a weighty matter as this. He had his 
 doubts that if they became Christians at this juncture, 
 they would hide the fact from the people of their village ; 
 and he knew that, if they did declare it, their wives 
 would certainly run away from them. He therefore 
 advised them to return home and be baptized, together 
 with their families, in Phulkiya, the coming cold season, 
 before all the people of the village. But they were not 
 pleased with this decision ; for they were afraid that, if 
 they were baptized before the people of the village, 
 they would kill them. The missionary wisely refused to 
 alter his decision, and said, ' I do not deem it advisable 
 to do a thing like this in a hurry. You have seen the 
 love and friendship which exists amongst the Christians, 
 and you long to partake of it, but perhaps, if you were 
 baptized now, and went to your homes, your love by and 
 by would cool down, and you would be sorry for having 
 acted in such haste ; perhaps you would say the Chris- 
 tians had used undue influence to persuade you to join 
 them. Therefore I think you should return as you are to 
 your village, and if in deed and in truth you desire to 
 become Christians, then an opportunity will be afforded 
 you afterwards of doing so.' 
 
 The Satguruwas went away very much disappointed, 
 and returned to Phulkiya. But after a month they 
 came back to Bhagalpur, and besought the missionary to 
 receive them into the Christian Church at once, and after- 
 wards to baptize their wives and children in the village. 
 They also informed the missionary that none of the other 
 Satcfuruwds save Jethii wished to become Christians. 
 Some had certainly said, they added, ' You become Chris- 
 tians first, and when we .see how it works, then we shall 
 gain confidence, and perhaps join you.' Thus the three 
 
A STEP ONWARDS 63 
 
 men entreated the missionary to baptize them. 'What- 
 ever is required of us/ they said, * in the baptismal 
 service, we have learned by heart. The catechist has 
 taught us everything, and we are ready. With heart 
 and soul we desire to become the servants of the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, for He is our only Lord and Saviour.' 
 
 After the Satguruwas had spoken so plainly, and 
 declared their faith in the Lord Jesus in such simple 
 terms, the missionary felt it would be wrong to withhold 
 baptism any longer, so he promised to perform the 
 ceremony on the following Lord's day. This Sunday 
 was a high day in the Mission, and one of great joy to 
 the missionary and catechists of Bhagalpur. They had 
 prayed for this day from on high, and it had come, an 
 earnest of future blessing. The three inquirers, however, 
 were much exercised in mind ; they were troubled and 
 fearful, wondering what the people of Phulkiya would 
 do when they heard they had become Christians. But 
 the Lord gave them courage and strength to come forth 
 boldly before the congregation and declare their faith. 
 They were received into Christ's flock, and the prayer 
 was offered ' that hereafter they would not be ashamed to 
 confess the faith of Christ crucified, and fight under His 
 banner against the world, the flesh, and the devil.' On 
 Monday, after much prayer and many blessings, they set 
 out for their village. 
 
 When the Hindus of Phulkiya heard what had taken 
 place, there were no bounds to their anger, and in great 
 fury they came, and swore before the new converts that 
 they would destroy both them and their families. They 
 so frightened and threatened the wives of these three 
 men, and all the women, yea, even the wives of the 
 Satguruwas, that all of them fled except Bhaktin. They 
 sent their husbands word that they would not return, as 
 
64 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 they had lost their caste. During the whole of the rains 
 the people of the village boycotted the Satguruwas, and 
 especially the three Christians ; and when the floods 
 came and surrounded their houses as usual, no one came 
 to see them, and they visited nobody. Besides this, the 
 catechist could not visit them either, on account of the 
 flood, and these three Christians and all the Satguruwas 
 were without spiritual help or comfort. 
 
CHAPTEE X. 
 
 BHAKTIN TURNED ADRIFT BY HER BROTHER. 
 
 MONG the disciples of the Baba-Ji, Jethii 
 Mandal was the most afflicted, especially on 
 account of his wife having run away to her 
 father's house when the three Satguruwas 
 came back to Phulkiya as baptized Christians. The 
 Satguruwas and Bhaktin helped him as much as possible ; 
 still he was very helpless. Sometimes, when he was 
 perfectly alone in the house at night, he positively wept 
 aloud, and all the neighbours could hear him crying in 
 distraction of mind and body. Possibly his wife heard 
 about his extreme distress and pain, or maybe the Lord 
 put it into her heart to return to her poor suffering 
 husband ; she relented, anyhow, and returned to him at 
 the end of August, and began to minister to his wants 
 as before. But she was not in a right frame of mind ; 
 the whole day she was continually quarrelling with 
 him, and went about her work grumbling at everything. 
 The fact is, slie wished him to give up his religion, and 
 this was her way of showing her ill-feeling at his apparent 
 obstinacy. Although Jethii was comforted by her kindly 
 
66 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 help and ministrations, yet lie had much to suffer and 
 to endure. 
 
 In this way things went on till the end of September. 
 The rains began to abate, and the floods decreased ; the 
 fields gradually became visible above the waters. Then 
 all the Satguruwas went to seek their wives, who had 
 run away during the scare about the three men becoming 
 Christians, and God in His mercy inclined their hearts 
 towards their husbands, and they were persuaded to return 
 home. Babu Hira Lall also began to visit them again, to 
 conduct divine service. The catechist was getting old 
 and stiff, and was obliged henceforth to travel in a 
 native cart. He conducted the service in Dharmdas' 
 cow-shed as at first, and things settled down to the 
 same state as they were before the three Satguruwas 
 were baptized. 
 
 After a time it became evident that Bhaktin's brother 
 had altogether separated himself from the Satguruwas ; 
 he neither attended service nor fraternised with them. 
 He affirmed that he had paid a fine to the Brahmins, 
 and expected to be received back into Hinduism. He 
 was very angry with his sister Bhaktin, because she still 
 held converse with the three Christians and with Babu 
 Hira Lall, and always attended divine service. His 
 reproofs and scoldings were of no avail, for she refused 
 to obey him in this matter. She wished to become a 
 Christian, and had decided in her own mind that, when 
 the wives and children of the three Christians were 
 baptized in the cold season, she would also ask to be 
 received into the Christian Church. But she was very 
 much afraid of her brother, and kept her desire a pro- 
 found secret. 
 
 On Sunday, when the hour for service arrived, Bhaktin, 
 according to custom, prepared to proceed to Dharmdas' 
 
BHAKTIN TURNED ADRIFT BY HER BROTHER 
 
 67 
 
 house. On seeing her prepare to go, her brother became 
 furious, and glared at her like a tiger in his rage, and 
 said, ' You shall not go there any more ; sit down where 
 you are.' 
 
 Bhaktin besought her brother not to get angry, as she 
 was perfectly willing to obey him in everything save this 
 matter. She would only go to the service, and return at 
 once. On hearing her determined refusal to obey him 
 
 WOMEN S JEWELS. 
 
 in this one thing, he became more furious, and stormed 
 and said, ' If you go there, you will remain ; for you shall 
 not show your face in this house again.' 
 
 Bhaktin replied, ' Forgive me, dear brother ; I cannot 
 neglect the service of God. I have no wish to disobey 
 you, but I must attend worship.' He laughed in ridicule, 
 and said, ' Very well, have your own way ; but before 
 going, take off that liansli ' (a thick silver collar worn 
 as an ornament), * and bring out your jewels, for they are 
 my property.' 
 
 All who know anything about Indian women will be 
 aware how much they value and prize their jewels ; 
 
68 THE INDIA N DE VO TEE 
 
 tinkling as they go, they form no small attraction to the 
 feminine mind. But Bhaktin was equal to the occasion, 
 and passed through the trial without flinching. Without 
 a word, she placed them all at her brother's feet. Widows 
 as a rule wear no jewels. Bhaktin had only a thick 
 silver collar, worn as an ornament, which she took off. 
 Her other jewels were kept in the house, and these she 
 brought forward, and put them before her brother. 
 
 On seeing her do this, Bala, the child of his first wife, 
 rushed into Bhaktin's arms and began to cry. Bhaktin 
 loved this child as her own soul, and petted him very 
 much. Taking him into her arms, she said to her brother, 
 ' Let this child go with me, for since his mother died he 
 has been a son to me.' But the brother tore away the 
 boy from her arms, and said fiercely, ' You shall not take 
 the child ; get out of my house quickly.' Bhaktin heaved 
 a deep sigh, and burst into tears, and left the house 
 weeping as if her heart would break. On hearing her 
 cries, Bala burst into a flood of tears, and the other 
 children also began to scream and call out, ' Come back, 
 aunty ! come back to us, aunty ! ' Her sister-in-law also 
 besought her to return, for they all loved her very much. 
 
 Bhaktin was very much exercised in mind what to do. 
 She, however, overcame her feelings of natural affection 
 in the stern sense of duty to God, and proceeded to the 
 house of prayer with a sad heart. When the service was 
 ended, she told the whole story to the brethren. Babu 
 Hira Lall and Dharmdas went to see her brother, to 
 explain to him the motives from which she had acted, 
 and endeavoured to show him how wrong it was thus to 
 treat his widowed sister. ' Do not treat your sister in 
 this way,' they said, ' but receive her back into your 
 house, and avoid a scandal amongst your neighbours by 
 such conduct.' But he refused to comply with their 
 
BHAKTIN TURNED ADRIFT BY HER BROTHER 69 
 
 request, and said, ' If she makes up her mind to put away 
 this nonsense, 1 will receive her again ; otherwise, I will 
 not allow her to darken my door.' 
 
 When the brethren saw it was useless talking to him 
 any longer, they left the house, and arranged amongst 
 themselves that for the present she should live with 
 Premdas' mother. They thought her brother would 
 relent in a day or two, and call her back again of his 
 own free will. But two weeks passed away, and her 
 brother's anger showed no signs of abating. If he ever 
 by accident met her in the road, he turned his face 
 another way, and took no notice of her. At last the 
 brethren and Premdas, seeing how things were turning 
 out, decided to help her to build a little hut of her own. 
 One of Premdas' houses, which had been burnt down 
 during that terrible trial of his, had not been rebuilt ; so 
 he gave Bhaktin that piece of land on wdiich to build a 
 small house, and said to her, ' Sister, fear not ; the Lord 
 will take care of you. Build a house, and my mother will 
 live with you.' 
 
 Our readers should know that Premdas' wife had died 
 some time before, and he was a widower. He had no 
 one living with him but his younger brother and his 
 mother. Bhaktin readily built herself a grass hut, and 
 the brethren most willingly put the thatch on for her. 
 When all was ready, and the house covered with cow- 
 dung as a plastering, according to native fashion, and her 
 small mud fireplace for cooking was in readiness, it so 
 happened that Babu Hira Lall paid his usual visit to 
 Phulkiya, to conduct Sunday ^^service. Bhaktin, hearing 
 his voice, came out of her hut with great ceremony, and 
 besought him to bless the widow's house with his presence. 
 She desired the feet of her teacher to tread its precincts, 
 humble as it was, before any one else ; for she felt sure 
 
76 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 he would bring a blessing with him. ' Remain/ she said, 
 ' in this widow's house till you return home, and I will 
 cook your food in my new fireplace ; for I shall con- 
 sider it a great favour if you will honour my house with 
 your presence.' 
 
 Babu Hira Lall was an old man, and on receiving this 
 invitation he entered her grass hut. Bhaktin was so 
 delighted at this time, she felt as if all the blessings of 
 the world were hers. The Babu called Premdas and his 
 young brother, and said, ' Come, let us ask a blessing on 
 this new home.' And so they prayed for Bhaktin, and 
 asked the Lord to take care of this dear sister, who had 
 been turned out of house and home for Christ's sake. 
 When the prayer was ended, Bhaktin, with eyes full of 
 tears, said, ' It is enough ; my heart has received comfort. 
 Yes, my people have turned me out of doors for the sake 
 of Jesus Christ, but the Lord has taken me up. Now 
 there is no hindrance, I will be baptized, and become a 
 handmaiden of the Lord Jesus.' 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 JETHIJ'S WIFE BROUGHT TO THE LOED. 
 
 |NE Sunday, Babu Hira Lall went to see Jethii 
 Mandal, and found him alone ; his wife and 
 children had gone to see some friends. As 
 the catechist began to speak to Jethii, the 
 latter despondingly said, ' How shall I endure all this ? 
 I am afraid my wife will run away again. I bear with 
 patience all that is said to me, but I am only flesh and 
 blood, and my heart is sorely tried. I feel sometimes 
 as if my heart would break.' Having said this, he burst 
 into tears. The catechist, seeing his distress, was filled 
 with pity for poor Jethu. With great affection and love 
 he tried to comfort him, and give him encouragement 
 for the future, saying, ' Brother, only take your trouble 
 to the Lord Jesus. It is no use expecting your wife to 
 understand ; you have already tried your best, but it is 
 of no avail ; you must now fall into the hands of the 
 Lord. Bring your trials and sorrows to Him in prayer, 
 and He will have mercy upon you. Ask Him to soften 
 the heart of your wife, and open her eyes to see Jesus 
 as her Lord and Saviour. In answer to prayer, her 
 temper and spirit will undergo a change, and she will 
 
 71 
 
72 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 understand all you have in vain tried to teach her. Yes, 
 brother, you have prayed for her, I know, but do not 
 grow weary ; a blessing will follow, and God will indeed 
 hear you. Let us kneel down now, and call upon the 
 Lord for this purpose.' 
 
 Both of them knelt down on the bare ground, and the 
 catechist began very earnestly to pray, and wept as he 
 prayed. During the prayer his heart was warmed more 
 and more, and he waxed more and more importunate, 
 and with great boldness and faith he wrestled with God 
 in prayer. Like Jacob of old, he said, ' I will not let 
 Thee go unless Thou bless her.' As they were praying, 
 they heard Jethu's wife coming through the village 
 towards the house, storming and grumbling. She came 
 and sat down in the enclosure before the hut, making 
 a terrible noise ; but the catechist heeded her not, but 
 went on praying. 
 
 After a time her boisterous spirit was somewhat sub- 
 dued, and she began to listen to the catechist praying 
 and weeping in supplication before God. Suddenly, 
 while the prayer was going on, she rushed into the hut, 
 and, sitting down on the ground, began to weep bitterly. 
 The catechist rose from his knees, and the sobbing 
 woman cried out, ' I have sinned ! Forgive me, forgive 
 me ! For a long time I have been convinced that the 
 Lord Jesus is the only true Saviour. Satan has tempted 
 me to oppose my convictions, and prevented me from 
 repenting of my sins. Now I repent in dust and ashes. 
 May the Lord have mercy on my soul ! ' She sobbed 
 and wept so loud that she was unable to speak. 
 
 Jethii, seeing her great distress, burst into a flood of 
 tears, and wept so long and loud that both the catechist 
 and his wife thought he would bring on some internal 
 injury by his violent distress, and they tried hard to 
 
JETHU'S WIFE BROUGHT TO THE LORD 73 
 
 comfort him. They did not know that, on seeing his 
 wife's tender spirit of sorrow, he wept for joy. 
 
 As this scene was going on, all the Satguruwas who 
 lived near them had heard the terrible weeping in 
 Jethii's house, and ran to see what was the matter. 
 When Jethii's wife saw the people crowd into the hut, 
 she ran into the cow-shed and hid herself, and wept 
 alone. Bhaktin, however, followed her, and tried to 
 speak a few words of consolation. After a little con- 
 versation, Babu Hira Lall said, with great thankfulness, 
 ' Brothers, let us offer thanksgiving to the Giver of all 
 good things for the mercies of to-day. Truly hath the 
 Lord said, " And it shall come to pass, that before they 
 call, I will answer ; and while they are yet speaking, I 
 will hear." ' ^ From that day Jethu's wife believed on 
 the Lord Jesus with all her heart, and husband and wife 
 were of one mind and of one soul in this matter. 
 
 About that time the news reached Tulsiya, in her 
 father-in-law's house, that several disciples of the Baba- 
 Ji had become Christians, and that Bhaktin was one of 
 them ; but this was not true, for Bhaktin was not yet 
 baptized. Tulsiya did not know that her aunt had been 
 turned out of doors by her father, nor did she know 
 anything of what had been going on among the Sat- 
 guruwas. When she heard the news that some of them 
 had become Christians, she grew very impatient, and 
 said in her heart that she could not endure the persecu- 
 tions of her father-in-law much longer. She saw but one 
 way out of her difficulties, namely, by giving up caste, 
 and becoming a Christian ; for she felt sure in such a 
 case he would turn her out of doors. 
 
 She knew her father-in-law would never allow her to 
 return to Phulkiya, so she set about scheming how she 
 
 1 Isa. Ixv. 24. 
 
74 THE INDIAN DE VO TEE 
 
 could arrange to run away. She made an arrangement 
 with an old widow woman to aid her in getting away, 
 and to go with her to Phulkiya. The woman agreed ; 
 and forthwith, on that very night, she escaped from her 
 father-in-law's house. 
 
 As soon as the unfortunate girl reached her father's 
 house, she became aware that he had turned her aunt 
 out of the house, and that he was more than ever incensed 
 against Christianity. Her father immediately locked 
 Tulsiya in a room, and refused to allow her to leave it. 
 She cried very much, and said, ' Let me go to my aunt, 
 or else send for her to see me ; ' but he was inexorable. 
 Her father-in-law followed her to Phulkiya, and at once 
 her father made her over to him. She, poor creature ! was 
 caught in her own net ; she knew that now she would 
 be punished and persecuted more than ever ; for she had 
 given her father-in-law just reason to be angry with her. 
 But Tulsiya did not trouble herself much with fore- 
 bodings ; she rather turned it over in her own mind 
 how she could become a Christian, and thus put an end 
 to this uncertainty. She knew her father-in-law would 
 now make such arrangements as to prevent her running 
 away again. 
 
 Tulsiya's father was very much exercised in mind 
 about his daughter's determination to become a Christian. 
 He saw she would in no wise give up her intention, but 
 he was very solicitous to put an end to this state of 
 uncertainty in his house. He was angry that neither 
 his sister nor his daughter would listen to him on this 
 subject. 
 
 When Tulsiya's father-in-law was taking her away 
 from Phulkiya, her father rebuked her severely, and 
 said, * When will you put an end to this stupid opposi- 
 tion ? You bring all this punishment on yourself, and 
 
JETHU'S WIFE BROUGHT TO THE LORD 75 
 
 you well deserve it.' Tulsiya, nothing dauntedj replied, 
 ' I shall never change my mind on this subject. You 
 may kill me if you like, it will be all the same ; do what 
 you like.' 
 
 As Tulsiya was leaving the village, she cast a glance 
 towards the mound on which Premdas' house stood, and 
 there she saw her aunt standing looking at her. Tulsiya 
 wrung her hands, called out, wept aloud ; but her father- 
 in-law pushed her forcibly on, and refused to allow her 
 to say one word. Impelled by fear, she continued her 
 journey, but now and then looking behind her and 
 calling her aunt by name. Poor, helpless Bhaktin looked 
 on in great grief ; she could do nothing. 
 
 When Tulsiya had disappeared in the dim distance, 
 Bhaktin smote her breast, and said, ' Lord God, do 
 Thou make a way for her to escape 1 ' 
 
CHAPTEE XII. 
 
 THE LOED MANIFESTS HIS POWER. 
 
 iN outside observer would have thought that 
 the work of the Lord was scarcely going on 
 in Phulkiya, but in reality it was not so. 
 God has many ways by which He can draw 
 men to Himself ; sometimes it is by blessing, sometimes 
 by sorrow ; sometimes when men are enjoying peace and 
 rest, and sometimes by fear and terror. He brings His 
 erring children by many ways into the right path. The 
 Satguruwas, whom He had drawn in some measure 
 towards Himself, He influenced by a most wonderful 
 circumstance. This happened suddenly in Phulkiya, 
 and many of them were ready and prepared by it to 
 become Christians. 
 
 It happened on this wise. There was in Phulkiya a 
 Satguruwa who was more zealous than all the rest in the 
 religion of the Baba-Ji, but after some years, when the 
 Brahmins persecuted the Satguruwas, this man, being 
 very much troubled by them, was weak enough to yield 
 to their solicitations, and he began to worship idols 
 again. Prom that time he became the greatest enemy 
 of the Satguruwas. He persecuted them even more than 
 
THE LORD MANIFESTS HIS POWER 77 
 
 the Brahmins did, in order to make them Hindus like 
 himself; for he desired to wipe out the name of the 
 Baba-Ji's religion from the village. 
 
 The previous year the missionary had paid a visit to 
 his house, and asked him why he persecuted the Satguru- 
 was so much ; what harm had they done him ? ' You 
 yourself,' said he, ' were once on the right way — why are 
 you in the mire again ? Turn to the Lord, and repent 
 of this great sin. He will forgive you, and wash away 
 your sin.' But this man would not listen, and he con- 
 tinued to persecute the disciples of the Baba-Ji as much 
 as ever. 
 
 When Dharmdas and the other tw^o Satguruwas were 
 baptized, this man was taken ill, and in August he was so 
 ill that his relatives despaired of his life. In this state, 
 he began to be very much afraid, and wondered what 
 would become of him if he died, and where he would go. 
 He was now very sorry he had given up the truth, and 
 for worldly peace and pleasure endangered his immortal 
 soul. One day, when he was in great anxiety of mind 
 and body, he said to his wife, ' I have committed a great 
 sin ; go quickly and call Dharmdas or some other 
 Christian ; I want to say something to him.' 
 
 But Dharmdas and the two other Christians had gone 
 to the fair to buy cattle. Then he sent for poor afflicted 
 Jethii, but he was so ill at the time that he was unable 
 to move. When he heard the Christians were away, and 
 that Jethii was too ill to come, he became more and 
 more distressed in mind, and called for Bhaktin, saying, 
 ' She is almost as good as a real Christian, and if she 
 cannot come, call the catechist from Sahibganj ; for the 
 terrors of my heart nearly eat me up.' 
 
 Fortunately Bhaktin was at home. When she came 
 to see him, he smote his breast and said, * Dear sister, 
 
78 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 my heart is very troubled. Why did I persecute you 
 all ? Your religion is true, and you are on the way to 
 eternal life. Oh, sister, forgive my waywardness, and 
 let me now hear something about religion. The mission- 
 ary and the catechist took a good deal of trouble to 
 explain things to me, but I would not listen, and shut 
 my ears to the truth ; I did not treasure up what they 
 said to me.' 
 
 Bhaktin gave him all the comfort she could, and 
 explained to him all she knew. She sat by him all that 
 night, and ministered to his wants and necessities ; but 
 his fear and terror continued to increase, and in the pains 
 of death he cried out and trembled. The next day 
 he said, ' I shall to-day go to destruction, for I deserve 
 eternal death ! ' 
 
 Bhaktin tried to bring light to his heart, but he 
 received no comfort. When the pains of death were 
 upon him, all cried out in fear, for they thought him 
 dead. They smote their breasts, and prepared to carry 
 his body to the river Ganges, but after a short time he 
 opened his eyes and heaved a deep sigh. After two 
 hours the death-rattle again set in, but he recovered 
 again after an hour, but was so weak that he was unable 
 to speak. In the middle of the night he swooned again, 
 and again they prepared to carry his body to the Ganges, 
 but all at once he opened his eyes and became sensible. 
 He made a sign to Bhaktin, who was sitting near him. 
 She asked him what he wished to say. ' You have been 
 dying,' she said, ' and are still alive. Three times you 
 appeared to be dead, and three times your life has been 
 given to you again. What has happened to you ? ' 
 
 The man breathed a deep sigh, and, though he was 
 almost unable to speak, he very slowly, resting after each 
 word, said, ' What can I do ? My soul was going to hell ; 
 
THE LORD MANIFESTS HIS POWER 79 
 
 it was dark all round. I was afraid ; I could not 
 linger there. God, what shall I do ? How can I 
 die thus ? ' Having said so much, he began to cry, and 
 then said suddenly, ' I have found one way out of the 
 difficulty ; I see how I can receive comfort and die in 
 peace. Sister,' said he to Bhaktin, 'take my brass 
 vessel, and wash it with your own hands, and take away 
 with your hands its idolatrous impurity, then draw some 
 water from Premdas' well. I will take water from your 
 hands, for you are a Christian in heart, and then I can 
 die in peace.' 
 
 His wife and children were so filled with awe and 
 fear that they could not forbid this act, although they 
 knew his caste would be taken away by it. Bhaktin ran 
 and washed the vessel, and brought some water from the 
 Christians' well. When the sick man saw it, he seized 
 the vessel with both hands, but from sheer weakness he 
 could not lift it up. His mother assisted, and Bhaktin 
 gave him to drink. When he had drunk the water, and 
 was giving the vessel back again, he said, ' It is enough ; 
 I have given up caste and idolatry.' Turning to his 
 father and mother and wife, he added, ' Take care that 
 you all become Christians, and that my children are 
 taught that holy religion. Then, when you come to die, 
 your end will be peace, and you will not have to fear as 
 I have had.' 
 
 Then he lay down upon his bed and fell asleep, and 
 this was his last sleep. In the evening they burned his 
 body, according to the custom of the Hindus, and threw 
 the ashes into the river Ganges. 
 
CHAPTEE Xlir. 
 
 THE lord's way MADE MANIFEST. 
 
 She hearts of all the Satguruwas were filled 
 with fear when they heard of the strange 
 death- scene just described, and they con- 
 tinued in a state of restlessness, and said one 
 to another, ' What does all this mean ? Some evil spirit 
 must have possessed him which would not allow him to 
 die in peace. But how was it that when Bhaktin gave 
 him water to drink from the Christians' well, and his caste 
 was broken, he died in apparent peace and comfort ? 
 What will happen to us when we come to die ? ' 
 
 At last, after much anxious thought, the Satguruwas 
 decided it would be better for them to become Christians, 
 because they could see no safe way of escape from eternal 
 death but this. They were afraid that if they did not 
 accept the Gospel of Christ, the anger of the Lord would 
 fall upon them, and evil spirits take possession of them, 
 and give them no peace. 
 
 One of the Satguruwas went to Sahibganj to visit Babu 
 Hira Lall, and told him the story of the terrible death 
 of this man, and, folding his hands before him after the 
 Indian fashion, besought him to come speedily and pre- 
 
 80 
 
THE LORD'S WAY MADE MANIFEST Si 
 
 pare the Satguriiwas who were willing to be taught for 
 baptism, ' lest/ as he said, ' when death comes to us, we 
 should fall into the same fear and dread.' 
 
 The Babu, after hearing the whole story, praised God, 
 and said, ' The hand of the Lord is not shortened that 
 He cannot save. With Him nothing is difficult, nothing 
 is impossible ; for He can save to the uttermost those 
 who come unto God by Him. When nothing apparently 
 follows the teaching of His servants, He can use the 
 enemies of the Gospel to magnify His name, and carry out 
 His great designs. Blessed be God ! You remember how 
 the missionary and I explained to you all these things, 
 but you refused to listen to and believe the Gospel. Now 
 the Lord is drawing you to Himself through one who 
 was an enemy of the Gospel, from amongst yourselves. 
 Praised be the Lord, who has had mercy on you, and 
 turned your steps towards the fold of Christ ! God grant 
 that you may remain firm in this state of mind, and not 
 turn again like a sow to her wallowing in the mire ! ' 
 
 The catechist returned with the man to Phulkiya, and 
 arranged to remain amongst them for a month, to teach 
 them as opportunity occurred, and to prepare them for 
 baptism, so that when the missionary came they might 
 be received into the Christian Church without further 
 delay. 
 
 When Dharmdas, Premdas, and that other Christian 
 returned from the fair^ where they had gone to buy cattle, 
 and heard the heart-rending story of this terrible death, 
 they were indeed very much astonished, and praised the 
 Lord, who had done such wonderful things in their midst. 
 ' Now,' they said, ' there will not only be three Christian 
 families in Phulkiya, but when these Satguruwas become 
 Christians there will be a congregation of fifty souls in 
 our village.' 
 
82 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 There was a fair number of inquirers, namely, Bhaktin 
 and her brother, with all his family ; Jethii and his wife ; 
 the father and mother, wife and children of the man 
 whose death had read them such a terrible lesson ; all 
 these and others continued to receive instruction, day and 
 night, in the scriptural truths which a Christian ought 
 to know and accept to the saving of his soul. 
 
 To these things they gave their undivided attention 
 during this season of preparation. They sang Christian 
 hymns, and continued instant in prayer. Their zeal for 
 instruction put such a tax upon the energies of Babu Hira 
 Lall, that he was obliged to redouble his efforts to meet 
 their demands for instruction, and he soon fell ill, and 
 was obliged to return to Sahibganj. The missionary, 
 hearing of his illness, sent another brother to carry on the 
 work of preparation, so that the work of the Lord should 
 not be hindered. 
 
 Wonderful to relate, the Hindus of Phulkiya said 
 nothing to all this going on under their eyes. They 
 knew now that all their scheming to hinder the progress 
 of the Gospel was of no avail, aud that the Satguruwas 
 would become Christians. In fact, they confessed that 
 the Christians had conquered. They were now silent, 
 and gave the inquirers no trouble. 
 
 The news of this sudden change amongst the Satguru- 
 was reached Tulsiya's village, and her husband's people 
 heard that her father, with all his family, was going to 
 join the Christian Church, and that he had called his sister 
 Bhaktin home again. They watched Tulsiya more closely 
 than before, lest she should run away again. It happened, 
 however, one day, that the family went to make some 
 purchases in a village a few miles away, and only her 
 father-in-law was left to take care of her, and look after 
 the house. About noon he retired to one corner of the 
 
THE LORD'S WA V MADE MANIFEST 83 
 
 room to take his siesta, and soon fell asleep ; Tulsiya, 
 finding a good opportunity, fled from the house, and 
 reached her father's home the day after in safety. 
 
 On reaching Phulkiya, she soon became aware of the 
 events which had taken place lately. All was true that 
 she had heard. When she saw her aunt, she fell on her 
 neck and wept, and through fear turned her face away 
 from her father, only now and then casting a glance 
 towards him. His heart, she saw, by the grace of God, 
 was changed, and he received her with every sign of love 
 and affection. When all had welcomed her, and the 
 family sat down to consider if they could safely allow 
 her to remain in the house, the persecutor of this poor 
 girl arrived, and presented himself before the door. 
 
 When Tulsiya heard the sound of her father-in-law's 
 voice, she set up a fearful scream, and fell at her father's 
 feet, and cried out, ' Do not send me back with him ; he 
 will kill me ! ' When her people heard her fearful cries, 
 and saw her beating her breast in terror, falling upon the 
 ground and beating her head against the floor, they indeed 
 pitied her very much, and, in their confusion, one advised 
 one thing and one another. Her father-in-law abused her 
 soundly in not very polite language, and attempted to 
 kick his daughter-in-law, where she had fallen at her 
 father's feet in fear and terror. 
 
 The people of the village, hearing the noise, rushed to 
 see what was taking place, and they laughed at Tulsiya 
 in derision, and began to move the father-in-law to press 
 his claim more vigorously. ' She is your daughter-in- 
 law,' they said, ' and ought to obey your wishes. Be sure 
 and take her home again, otherwise she will become a 
 Christian.' 
 
 At last her father, seeing how helpless they all 
 were in the matter, said to Tulsiya, ' We cannot do any- 
 
84 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 thing for you ; you must return with your father-in-law. 
 Trust in the Lord, and He will arrange for you, my 
 child.' 
 
 Tulsiya saw that all her weeping was useless ; it was 
 her duty to return with her father-in-law. She also now 
 noticed the people laughing and scoffing, and out of a 
 sense of shame she became silent, and ran into her step- 
 mother's room, thoroughly ashamed of herself. When the 
 people had gone away, and things had quieted down, she 
 no longer refused to return. She took leave of her family, 
 and, thoroughly broken in spirit, she followed her father- 
 in-law home, weeping all the way. 
 
 On reaching her destination, the sorrows and trials of 
 this poor creature were redoubled. Her mother-in-law 
 took off her jewels, clothed her in rough garments, bound 
 her with a strong rope, and confined her to the house, 
 saying, ' Will you go there again ? ' 
 
 Tulsiya had endured all in silence, but, when she was 
 bound with a rope, she said, ' I am not a bullock or a 
 cow, which you can bind and confine all its life ; when I 
 get loose, I shall run away and become a Christian,' 
 
 The time she passed in this state of confinement told 
 upon her health. Through sorrow and trouble her sleep 
 and appetite forsook her, and each day she became weaker 
 and weaker. When her relatives saw how weak and ill 
 she had become, they released her from confinement, and, 
 much to their astonishment, she did not attempt to run 
 away. One reason was, she was too weak to attempt a 
 journey of a day and a half ; another was, she had decided 
 in her own mind that when she heard that the mission- 
 ary had come to Phulkiya, she would run away, and ask 
 her father to break her caste, give her food to eat and 
 water to drink, for she knew her father-in-law could not 
 have her in the house if she became a Christian. 
 
THE LORD'S WA V MADE MANIFEST 
 
 85 
 
 After deciding this in her own mind, Tulsiya began to 
 dwell in peace, and as she went about her daily avocations 
 as usual her health steadily improved. Her father-in- 
 law's people saw her apparently settling down, and they 
 foolishly thought she had made up her mind to make the 
 best of a bad case, and spend her days with them. They 
 began, therefore, to treat her more leniently, and show 
 her signs of affection. The subject of religion was never 
 referred to. 
 
CHAPTEE XIV. 
 
 THE DAY OF TRIAL AND THE DAY OF BLESSING. 
 
 IN" account of pressure of other work, the mis- 
 sionary could not visit Phulkiya till the end 
 of January. Then, however, news reached 
 Tulsiya's village that he was coming to 
 Phulkiya. This news brought joy to Tulsiya's heart, and 
 she began to consider how she could run off again, and 
 be released from her life of imprisonment ; for such it 
 was even now. For ten days she sought an opportunity 
 to accomplish her design, but she was closely watched. 
 At last, when all were asleep one night, the opportunity 
 presented itself, and she ran away. 
 
 On a previous occasion, it will be remembered, she had 
 secured the assistance of an old labouring widow woman 
 who accompanied her home. But this time the woman 
 would not listen to her entreaties, but said, ' If I accom- 
 pany you, and this thing should become known to your 
 father-in-law, who knows what he will do to me ? I 
 cannot help you.' Tulsiya was obliged, therefore, to 
 proceed on her journey alone. The poor creature 
 was very weak and ill, but dare not rest anywhere on 
 the way, lest her father-in-law should overtake her. 
 
THE DA Y OF TRIAL AND THE DA V OF BLESSING 87 
 
 She at last reached Phulkiya — weak, tired, and foot- 
 sore. 
 
 When her father, mother, and aunt saw Tulsiya, and 
 observed how weak and faint she had become through 
 long endurance and fretting, looking withered and pinched, 
 their hearts went out towards her, and they began to feel 
 anxious for the child. She narrated to them all she had 
 suffered, and they determined to take a decided step, and 
 gave her food to eat and water to drink from their own 
 vessels. In India this means a great deal, where the 
 caste question stands in the way. Tulsiya's caste was 
 now broken, and she was comforted, and said, *' My father- 
 in-law would not now take me back if I wished to go.' 
 
 After some hours, the father-in-law appeared with his 
 neighbours, bringing a strong rope with him to bind her, 
 and shoes with which to beat her. It is the greatest 
 indignity possible to beat a person with a shoe in India. 
 He came foaming with rage ; but Tulsiya sat in the house 
 fearless, knowing full w^ell that matters were now changed 
 between them. When her father-in-law heard that she 
 had eaten and drunk water in the house, he was like a 
 madman with rage. But what was the use of getting into 
 a rage now ? She had broken her caste, and slipped from 
 his iron grasp, for he could not allow her to eat and drink 
 with his family again. Having made many boasting 
 remarks, he said, ' Very well ; this girl is now dead to 
 me and mine, and I shall marry my son to some one 
 else.' Having delivered himself on this wise, he took 
 his departure. 
 
 It so happened that on the very day Tulsiya reached 
 home, in the evening the missionary and his daughter 
 came to Phulkiya ; but they knew nothing of her story. 
 She began to receive instruction, with a view to baptism, 
 along with her father, mother, and aunt. 
 
88 THE INDIAN DE VO TEE 
 
 The Satguriiwas passed about two months in untold 
 happiness ; for in the same measure as they were taught 
 with love and zeal, in the same degree they gave them- 
 selves, heart and soul, to be instructed and taught. 
 Amongst all the inquirers, Tulsiya and her aunt were 
 the most sincere. When the love of the Saviour for the 
 sons of men was touchingly described, their hearts were 
 filled with love and joy, and tears started in their eyes. 
 
 Babu Hira Lall, who had fallen ill during the rains, 
 was taken worse, and showed no signs of final recovery. 
 But when he heard, at the end of the cold season, that a 
 date had been fixed for the baptism of the Satguruwas, 
 he was very anxious to visit Phulkiya, and see the disciples 
 of the Baba-Ji received into the Christian Church. The 
 missionary strongly advised him not to leave his home 
 in such a weak state of health, and his wife and children 
 also besought him to stay at home ; but he would listen to 
 none of them. His soul was bound up in this beloved 
 work, and he determined to come and to carry out the desire 
 of his heart, whatever God was pleased to send. When 
 he heard that the baptisms would take place on the 
 following Sunday, he ordered a bullock-cart, and with 
 the help of the brethren he was placed on it, and then, 
 ordering the driver to proceed, said, ' I must see the 
 baptism of these people, and then, Lord, like Simeon of 
 old, '' let Thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have 
 seen Thy salvation ! " ' 
 
 This man of God, weak and ill, reached Phulkiya safely. 
 On the Sunday morning, when the disciples of the Baba-Ji 
 were proceeding to bathe before attending divine service, 
 their old teacher and preacher cut off from each the 
 sacred lock of hair, which they had continued to wear up 
 to this time. This sacred lock is the badge of Hinduism, 
 which, up to that time, although they were Satguruwas, 
 
THE DAY OF TRIAL AND THE DA V OF BLESSING 89 
 
 they had continued to protect. This is generally the 
 last step before baptism, and entails great self-denial 
 and resolution on the part of the inquirer. This small 
 amount of labour was too much for Babu Hira Lall, 
 and he fell into a deadly swoon. When the hour for 
 divine service arrived, he lay senseless on the ground, 
 and the Satguruwas were obliged to proceed alone to the 
 service ; their teacher could not accompany them. The 
 missionary had provided for the services a large tent, in 
 order to accommodate a large number. It was evidently 
 a great tax on the resources of Dharmdas to clean out 
 his cow-shed every Sunday for divine service. 
 
 Early in the morning all the people in the villages 
 around Phulkiya (for the news had spread quickly and 
 far) assembled to witness this strange ceremony, for it 
 was entirely new to them. They were curious to see 
 how the Satguruwas would be made Christians. At first 
 the people remained very quiet, but when the baptismal 
 service commenced they began to talk and make a great 
 noise and confusion. In their anger they made use of 
 abusive language, and began to curse, laugh, and scoff. 
 Some one called out, ' Set the tent on fire, and stop the 
 service.' Another said, ' Pull down the tent, and put an 
 end to this nonsense.' 
 
 The disciples of the Baba-Ji, on hearing their abusive 
 threats, were dreadfully afraid, and their wives and 
 daughters wished to run away, for they had made up 
 their minds that the people of the village would never 
 allow the ceremony to take place, and would do some- 
 thing to hinder them from being baptized. When the 
 congregation inside the tent heard the uproar and con- 
 fusion without, they were unable to give their minds to 
 the service which was proceeding. If the missionary 
 had shown the least sign of wavering or fear, then indeed 
 
90 THE INDIAN DE VO TEE 
 
 the service would have been brought to a close, for the 
 disciples of the Baba-Ji were ready to run away ; but 
 when they saw him proceed with the service without the 
 least sign of fear, in spite of the noise and confusion 
 created by the enemies of the Gospel, then these new 
 disciples of Jesus gained courage, and sat down and gave 
 their minds to the service. When the crowd saw that 
 none of them were afraid, they too became silent. 
 
 Of the new converts, Bhaktin and Tulsiya seemed the 
 happiest. When the service was over, and the mission- 
 ary's daughter shook hands with Bhaktin, the dear old 
 widow said, 'After all the sorrows and cares I have 
 passed through, the Lord has allowed me to see this day, 
 and obtain the desire of my heart. I am comforted now, 
 and my heart is at rest. Truly we are happy, and the 
 soul is satisfied when Jesus dwells in us and abides 
 with us.' 
 
CHAPTEE XV. 
 
 'BLESSED ARE THE DEAD WHICH DIE IN THE LOED.' 
 
 iS soon as the service was ended, the new con- 
 verts went to see their beloved teacher, Babu 
 Hira Lall. He was sensible now, and although 
 he could not speak to them his expression 
 was one of supreme happiness and joy. He made a sign 
 to them all to sit down. When they were seated, he 
 folded his hands in prayer, and looking towards heaven, 
 his soul was engaged in prayer for some time. Although 
 this devoted servant could not speak, from the move- 
 ments of his lips it was manifest he was thanking the 
 Lord for the mercies of that day. On seeing him thus 
 engaged, all the new converts knelt down and thanked the 
 Lord for all He had done through His servant. 
 
 In the evening the converts went to the missionary's 
 tent, and talked with him. They recounted all the 
 difificulties, sorrows, and trials which the disciples of 
 the Baba-Ji had passed through when they gave up the 
 worship of the Hindu gods, and began to call, in their 
 imperfect way, on the name of the Lord. It was then 
 fifteen years since the original Baba-Ji came to the 
 village, and about one hundred and fifty families had 
 
 91 
 
92 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 joined this new religion. Of those, fifty persons had now 
 become Christians ; some had left the village, and the 
 rest had gone back to heathenism. 
 
 The missionary was very sorry that the Faqir had not 
 been seen in the village for a long time, because he 
 thought possibly he might know something more about 
 the original Baba-Ji, His uncle, who was his follower, 
 would surely have told more of this strange visitor. 
 Where did he get the copy of The Lamp of Wisdom, 
 with which he allured the people to the Gospel of Christ ? 
 Was he a Christian, who in this peculiar form was 
 spreading the knowledge of the Gospel of Christ ? Or 
 was he really a Hindu Faqir, who recognised the religion 
 taught in the Gydndipak as God's eternal truth ? Pos- 
 sibly it will never be known in this world, but one day 
 it will be known who this man was who in this curious 
 way laid the foundation of the Lord's work, and through 
 whose indirect instrumentality fifty people had been 
 received into the Christian Church. 
 
 The day after the baptisms, Babu Hira Lall returned 
 home, and that very week the Lord called His servant 
 up higher — released him from his pain and sickness, and 
 exalted him to that home where sorrow and weariness flee 
 away. Yes, blessed are the dead which die in the 
 Lord. 
 
 The missionary purchased the small house which had 
 been built for Bhaktin in Premdas' courtyard when her 
 brother turned her out of house and home. It was no 
 longer required, for Bhaktin had returned to her brother's 
 house. This house was given to the new catechist who 
 had taken Hira Ball's place, and who was appointed to 
 minister to the spiritual wants of the Phulkiya Christians. 
 The missionary then returned to Bhagalpur, as the hot 
 season was coming on apace; and the disciples of the 
 
' BLESSED ARE THE DEAD WHICH DIE IN THE LORD ' 93 
 
 Biiba-Ji, who had been persecuted so long by the people 
 around them, now began to pass their days in peace and 
 safety, and were very happy. 
 
 When they became Christians their Hindu friends 
 broke off all intercourse with them, and those who lived 
 near left that part of the village, and made themselves 
 houses on the north side of the village, a little distance 
 off, and called their part Eamgarh, namely, Eam's strong- 
 hold, because they would only own Eam as their god, 
 and at that distance they would be unable to hear 
 Christian hymns and prayers. That part of Phulkiya 
 where the Christians lived was called by the Hindus 
 Isciitola, namely, village of Jesusites, or Christian village. 
 
 Tulsiya's father, mother, and aunt were very much 
 exercised in mind what to do for her ; they were afraid 
 that she would have to live all her life like a widow, in 
 sorrow and trouble, and this was indeed a trial to them ; 
 for they could not entertain the idea of marrying her to 
 some one else. They wished somehow to influence her 
 husband, who was now a young man eighteen years of 
 age, and thus bring them together again. They knew he 
 was very fond of Tulsiya, for he had never joined the 
 others in persecuting his young wife, and had shown in 
 every way an affection for her. They also heard that he 
 had refused to contract another marriage, which proved 
 to Tulsiya's family that his heart was bound up with the 
 girl. They hoped that he would gradually come to 
 Christ, and agree with them about the Christian religion. 
 
 They tried to induce his relatives and friends to per- 
 suade him to come to his wife, but all their endeavours 
 proved fruitless. Although the young man was no enemy 
 of the Christians, he was not willing to leave his father's 
 house and home, even for his wife. He was the youngest 
 and beloved son of his parents. They never rebuked or 
 
94 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 reproved him for anything, and he passed his time at 
 home as a thoroughly lazy young man. He ate, drank, 
 slept, and did just what he wished. The young man 
 knew if he went to his father-in-law's house he would 
 certainly have to work like other men, and the idea of 
 this was quite enough to deter him from joining his wife. 
 ' I shall have to work,' he said, ' and obey my father- 
 in-law, and do all he tells me. If I become a Christian 
 I shall have to give up the worship of idols, and all the 
 fun and excitement attending therefrom, and there will 
 be no happiness for me.' One day a Christian from 
 Phulkiya met him, and tried to persuade him to think 
 about the salvation of his soul ; but his reply was, ' Who 
 knows anything about the future ? Who knows whether 
 all this is true ? ' 
 
 All this was reported to Tulsiya's people, and made 
 them nearly hopeless ; for they knew not what to do in 
 this emergency. One day, Tulsiya's aunt was thinking 
 over the turn things had taken, and suddenly an idea 
 entered her mind as if an inspiration. She called her 
 brother and his wife at once, and said, ' We have tried 
 everything but one, and the most important one we have 
 forgotten. We have never made the matter a special 
 subject of prayer, and how can we expect things to come 
 right unless we ask the Lord most earnestly ? We ought 
 to beseech the Lord, and ask Him to help us in this 
 difficulty, and show us what to do and what not to do. 
 Cannot He arrange for this dear child ? Let us pray 
 specially each day for this purpose, and He will help us.' 
 
 Both her brother and his wife were delighted with the 
 suggestion, and they appointed a time each day to pray 
 for guidance and help, and from that day they never 
 relaxed their energies, but sought at the throne of grace 
 the guidance they sorely needed. 
 
'BLESSED ARE THE DEAD WHICH DIE IN THE LORD ' 95 
 
 Several months passed away, and nothing occurred to 
 point out the way. It is sometimes the Lord's will to 
 try the faith of His servants, and strengthen them by 
 refusing to give for a time an answer to their prayers, 
 and so they were left to pray and wait the development 
 of the providence of God. 
 
 At last another rainy season passed, and the missionary 
 came again to Phulkiya. Bhaktin told his daughter all 
 that had passed in their family. * This is our trouble 
 now,' she said, ' and this is the way we have asked the 
 Lord to help us.' She was comforted, and told to go on 
 praying, and trust in the Lord for guidance. 'Whatever 
 is for Tulsiya's good,' said the missionary's daughter, ' He 
 will carry out, and He will open the way Himself for the 
 future.' Bhaktin, with eyes full of tears, could only 
 answer, ' Yes, we are doing this ; we shall not give up 
 praying. If He does not help us, who will ? ' 
 
CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 THE SEEDS OF CASTE STILL LINGEK. 
 
 OME years before this part of our story, the 
 wife of Premdas had died, and his mother, 
 who did the work of the house, was getting 
 old and weak. Premdas therefore determined 
 to marry again ; but there was no one in the village 
 amongst the Christians suitable for a wife. He naturally 
 mentioned his wish to the missionary, and asked his 
 advice. The missionary said, ' I see it is impossible for 
 you to find a wife amongst our own people, and there- 
 fore I am of the opinion that you should marry one of 
 the orphan girls from the Orphanage in Bhagalpur. I 
 will select a girl for you who is good and religious ; she 
 will be able to read and write also. If she is pleased 
 to come here and live with you and be your wife, and 
 you are satisfied also, then arrangements for the marriage 
 will be made. She will be able to teach her sisters in 
 the village to sew, knit, read and write, and, it is to 
 be hoped, will prove a real help and blessing to the 
 Christians of Phulkiya.' 
 
 Premdas highly approved of the suggestion ; but when 
 he told Dharmdas and the brethren what arrangements 
 
 96 
 
THE SEEDS OF CASTE STILL LINGER 97 
 
 were going to be made for him, they were all very angry, 
 and said, ' Are you going to bring some unknown woman 
 in our midst, about whose antecedents we know nothing? 
 Who knows what caste she may have sprung from ? 
 We cannot agree to this arrangement.' The missionary 
 and the catechist showed the Christians how wrong it 
 was to bring forth such objections now they were 
 Christians — that their idea was contrary to the Word 
 of God and the spirit of the Gospel. ' If Premdas is 
 willing,' they said, ' and the girl is worthy of him, then 
 you should put no obstacle in his way of contracting this 
 lawful and desirable marriage. Have you become Hindus 
 again, and do you observe caste ? Christians have for 
 ever cast all these things behind them.' 
 
 But the Christians were not convinced, and they 
 forbade Premdas to bring any such girl to the village, 
 refusing to acknowledge her. They advised him to 
 marry from amongst his own people, or remain a 
 widower. 
 
 Premdas, hearing this decision from his Christian 
 brethren, was very much in doubt how to act, and knew 
 not what to do. He endeavoured to banish the idea of 
 marrying from his mind ; but the missionary would not 
 allow the matter to end in this way. He explained 
 to the village Punchayat and Dharmdas why this rule 
 could not be retained amongst Christians. At last, after 
 some weeks, they gave way, and said Premdas could 
 marry whom he wished, and they would put no obstacle 
 in the way. Although they gave permission for the 
 marriage to take place, it was evident they only gave way 
 out of a feeling of policy, and not from conviction. The 
 pride of caste in a measure still ruled their hearts. 
 
 Premdas, on receiving this permission from the village 
 committee, went to Bhagalpur, and selected his future 
 
98 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 bride. The girl was willing; so arrangements were 
 made for the marriage. The missionary advised them to 
 have the marriage ceremony in Phulkiya before all the 
 Christians. When the time arrived, the missionary sent 
 the girl for a couple of weeks to the house of a Christian 
 near Phulkiya, in order that the names of the bride and 
 bridegroom might be called in the Christian congregation, 
 and all should know the Christian custom of marriage. 
 The brethren saw they could not prevent the marriage 
 taking place, yet in their hearts they were very angry. 
 They heard the scoffs and sneers of the heathen in the 
 village, and their curses were again freely flung at the 
 Christians. ' Who knows,' said they, ' what low caste 
 woman will now come amongst these Christians ? ' The 
 old feeling of hatred against the Christians was revived, 
 and the Christians had again to endure much persecution. 
 The state of things had reached such a pitch, and 
 the pressure brought to bear upon the Christians in 
 this instance was so great, that when the wedding- 
 day arrived, and the missionary's daughter brought the 
 bride from the village where she was staying, none of 
 the Christians wished to attend the ceremony. The 
 catechist rebuked them severely for their behaviour 
 towards Premdas and his future wife. They were some- 
 what ashamed of themselves after what the catechist 
 had said to them, and when they saw the other people 
 of the village, old and young, male and female, collect 
 near the missionary's tent to see the marriage ceremony, 
 they also went to witness it ; but they altogether refused 
 to take any of the refreshments provided for them, and 
 returned to their homes after the ceremony. 
 
 Premdas was very much grieved, for he had made 
 arrangements for a dinner, and invited them ; but only 
 Bhaktin and Tulsiya came. He sat, grieved and sorrow- 
 
THE SEEDS OF CASTE STILL LINGER 99 
 
 ful, in his house ; and the poor girl wept sorely on seeing 
 the treatment they had received from the Christians. 
 Although Bhaktin and Premdas' mother were very much 
 grieved, they tried to comfort the bride ; but indeed this 
 was no day of happiness, but one of sorrow and grief. 
 When Premdas saw that none of his brethren, save 
 Bhaktin and Tulsiya, were coming to the dinner, he sent 
 each some uncooked meat and food, which they willingly 
 took ; but Dharmdas refused to accept his share, and 
 returned it, saying, ' I shall have nothing whatever to 
 do with Premdas. He refused to listen to the village 
 committee ; let him take the consequences. He has 
 opposed our wish, and see what persecution we have had 
 to endure on his account, and what will follow we know 
 not yet.' 
 
 The missionary and his daughter went to see the bride 
 and the bridegroom. They found them in great distress 
 of mind ; but the missionary said to them, ' Do not be at 
 all afraid, nor grieved in any way. God, the Almighty 
 Father, will bless you, and dwell with you always. You 
 have entered into this marriage agreement in the name 
 of the Lord Jesus, and He will never forsake you. If 
 He help and support you, and other people trouble 
 you, what does it matter ? Your Christian brethren are 
 troubling and grieving you, in ignorance of the spirit of 
 the Gospel ; but you will see that, through the grace of 
 God, they will all be your warm friends before long.' 
 
 This state of opposition continued for a couple of 
 weeks ; but when they saw that Premdas' bride was 
 humble and kind, their anger gradually began to abate. 
 In truth, Mohini was a thoroughly religious and good 
 girl. She learned to love her mother-in-law, and was 
 quite obedient to her. She did all the work of the 
 house in a womanly way ; and when her mother-in-law 
 
loo THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 used to say to her that she was a bride, and should not 
 work yet, she would laughingly reply, ' Mother, you are 
 growing old, and you should now take rest, and pass your 
 days in comfort. Let me do the work of the house.' 
 
 When the anger of the brethren had altogether abated, 
 they began to visit her. She received them all tenderly 
 and lovingly ; so that instead of hating her they all 
 began to love her most dearly. The women and children 
 came to her regularly, and learned to sew and read. In 
 this way the Lord led His servants from the paths of 
 superstition and prejudice to the paths of peace and 
 knowledge. 
 
M 
 
 ^^^^^« 
 
 ^ 
 
 yV^^ e%n^ tsmj^ 
 
 iJlHfi^ ."^I^SLI JJ^ ,'!j|j|ifc^ 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 BHAKTIN LEARNS TO READ HER BIBLE. 
 
 |HAKTIN loved Mohini very much, and praised 
 her to every one, because she could not only 
 read and write, but do the work of the house ; 
 and what she did not know of housework she 
 willingly learned from her mother-in-law. ' She was not 
 lazy, like many silly women,' she would say; ' she would not 
 pass her spare time in gossiping and smoking, and eating 
 all kinds of rubbish ; but she is active, spending her spare 
 moments in reading, or writing to her old friends at the 
 Orphanage. We are all very ignorant indeed,' Bhaktin 
 said ; * but we should learn a lesson, and teach our 
 daughters and daughters-in-law to imitate Mohini.' 
 
 Bhaktin would often sit near Mohini, and ask her to 
 read to her from the Word of God. When she heard 
 the beautiful stories from the Bible, and its words of 
 comfort sounded in her ears, her heart was filled with 
 emotion, and she was never tired of hearing the old, old 
 story of the cross. 
 
 One day Bhaktin said, ' I wish I could read ; then I 
 would read the Word of God day and night.' She repeated 
 this wish on different occasions ; but suddenly, one day, 
 
 101 
 
102 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 coming to a final decision, she said, ' I will learn to read. 
 I will go now and ask the missionary's daughter to let 
 me have the First Hindi Eeading-Book. You must teach 
 me, dear Mohini. Why should I not learn to read ? ' 
 
 So saying, she ran off to the missionary's daughter, 
 who, on hearing her request, was very doubtful of the 
 issue. She, however, only said, 'You are very old, 
 Bhaktin, and you have to work very hard ; it will therefore 
 be difficult for you to learn to read.' But Bhaktin was 
 in no way inclined to give up the idea, and a book was 
 given her, and the missionary's daughter gave her lessons 
 daily in reading. 
 
 When Dharmdas heard that Bhaktin was learning to 
 read, he was very angry. Such is the obtuseness of 
 human nature, that it cannot for some time, even though 
 Christian, see the good of passing the old boundaries of 
 custom ; and he was no exception to the common rule. 
 Dharmdas, in his heart, was a very proud man. He had 
 been the chief of the Baba-Ji's disciples, and the people 
 had been accustomed to defer to him, and look upon him 
 as an oracle in religion. The Faqir, it will be remembered, 
 appointed him priest of the Satguruwas, and chairman 
 of the village Punchayat. When the disciples of the 
 Baba-Ji were ignorant of Christianity, then he was their 
 leader, teacher, and guide. They feared him very much, 
 and did everything he told them to do. In all these 
 things Dharmdas showed a great amount of spiritual 
 pride, which we can well understand ; but since Babu 
 Hira Lall and his successor in office had taken the 
 oversight of the Christian congregation in Phulkiya, he 
 had not received from the Christians that deference 
 which he thought was due to him, and which he used 
 to receive in the past. On this account he was very 
 angry with the brethren for not consulting him in all 
 
BHAKTIN LEARNS TO READ HER BIBLE 103 
 
 matters concerning their religious and moral welfare, as 
 in the past. He saw they were no longer under his 
 power and authority, and this angered him very much at 
 times. He had not yet learned the lesson of humility and 
 simplicity — to know that he should never seek authority 
 for which he was totally unfitted by circumstances. 
 
 This will account for his asperity when Bhaktin had 
 decided to learn to read without consulting him. If he 
 could not command the influence of the brethren any 
 longer, he might attempt to command her. Dharmdas 
 called her, and asked her what profit she would get by 
 learning to read. ' Do you wish to become our teacher ? ' 
 said he. She answered mildly, and said, ' I wish to learn 
 to read that I may for my own profit read the Word of 
 God.' He spoke very angrily, and replied, 'You have 
 become very independent of late. What did I say to you 
 and the others when Premdas was married ? Did I not 
 say that no one should eat and drink with them ? But 
 you have been there, and taken your niece along with 
 you. Do you wish to rule us all, now you are a Christian ? 
 Indeed, you are full of pride.' 
 
 Bhaktin, being very much grieved, replied very sincerely, 
 ' Brother, what evil have I done that you are so angry 
 with me ? If the missionary was satisfied that this 
 marriage was right and proper, why should I not go to 
 see them ? And as to the reading, I am only learning 
 that I may be able to read the Word of God for myself. 
 I cannot see why you are angry with me.' 
 
 On hearing this plain statement of facts, Dharmdas 
 felt a slight twinge of conscience ; he saw he was angry 
 with her without a cause, but he did not wish to show 
 it or appear convinced. So, rising from where he was 
 sitting, half in anger, half in ridicule, he said, ' Very 
 well, go on reading ; we are all your humble servants.' 
 
104 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 Bhaktin wished Tulsiya to be taught to read, but she 
 had no desire to learn. Tulsiya was worried and troubled 
 in mind about her husband, and so were her father, her 
 mother, and aunt. The latter did not forget to bring her 
 cares and sorrows to the throne of grace. She prayed 
 the Lord to lead him to the fold of Christ, but up to the 
 present time he showed no signs of becoming a Christian ; 
 and, with the exception of Bhaktin, all the family had 
 lost all hope of his ever becoming a Christian. 
 
 One day Bhaktin was talking with the missionary's 
 daughter about their prayers remaining unanswered on 
 this particular subject. ' Before I became a Christian,' 
 she said, 'my prayers were quickly answered, but now I 
 am a Christian I have learned that it is necessary to 
 leave all in the hands of God, and submit to His will. 
 Since then some of my prayers have remained unanswered. 
 Yes, it is quite true that we should in all things submit 
 to His holy will, but I have been wondering what Tulsiya 
 will do if her husband does not become a Christian. I 
 am praying for him, and shall continue to pray till the 
 Lord makes some arrangement for this dear child.' 
 
 The missionary's daughter replied, ' You are doing the 
 proper thing. The Lord will surely answer your prayer, 
 and make such arrangements for Tulsiya as will be for 
 her good.' 
 
 Bhaktin applied herself to the task of learning to read. 
 Whenever she had a spare moment she would either go 
 to the missionary's daughter or to Mohini, and sit down 
 and go over her lesson. She was slow in picking up the 
 letters, but after much perseverance she began to recognise 
 the larger characters ; but the smaller letters she seemed 
 to stumble over now and then. This caused Bhaktin and 
 her teachers a good deal of trouble, and sometimes she 
 would say, ' How shall I learn all this ? ' 
 
BHAKTIN LEARNS TO READ HER BIBLE 105 
 
 The missionary was somewhat doubtful of her success, 
 and took the trouble to examine her one day. She could 
 read the larger characters distinctly, but the smaller ones 
 she could not make out properly. The idea all at once 
 struck him that there must be some reason for her not 
 being able to make out the smaller characters, and he 
 said to her, ' Perhaps your sight is growing dim, Bhaktin, 
 therefore you cannot see the smaller letters. Take my 
 spectacles, and see if you can manage better with them.' 
 
 But out of shyness she would not put them on, but 
 said, ' ISTo, sir, I can see very well ; but somehow I cannot 
 make out these small letters.' 
 
 The missionary pressed her to try the spectacles, for 
 he was sure it was her failing sight that was at fault. 
 After some persuasion she was prevailed upon to try the 
 glasses. She took them up, but did not know how to put 
 them on ; sometimes the end of the frame would poke 
 into her ear, sometimes into her hair, and in nervousness 
 she trembled from head to foot. 
 
 The missionary's daughter took the glasses and placed 
 them in their proper place. They were scarcely suited to 
 Bhaktin's sight. As she put them on, a cloud came over 
 them, and tears streamed from her eyes. She was told 
 to keep them on and be patient. After a short time the 
 dimness passed away, and she exclaimed in great delight, 
 ' What big letters ! These are as large as the others. 
 Listen, I will read to you.' 
 
 • In real happiness she began to laugh, and the missionary 
 and his daughter were glad they had solved the difficulty. 
 A pair of spectacles were at once procured, and she learned 
 to read. 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 TULSIYAS HUSBAND VISITS PHULKIYA. 
 
 I HE time had now arrived, in the providence of 
 God, when Tulsiya's prayer and the prayers 
 of her relatives were about to be answered. 
 The Lord was going to give them their 
 hearts' desire, and sliow them He is a God who hears 
 and answers prayer. Nothing is difficult with God. 
 Whatever He wills. He brings about in His own way. 
 The hearts of all men are in His hands. Like the rivers 
 in the jungle, He can turn them as He will to accomplish 
 Llis purposes. 
 
 One evening in the hot season, when Tulsiya's people 
 had finished their daily work and taken their evening 
 meal, they were all sitting in the verandah smoking and 
 talking together. None of them anticipated that their 
 prayers were now going to be answered. When the 
 evening prayer was ended, all was perfectly still ; not a 
 sound was heard. As a rule, they were generally asleep 
 by this time, but somehow none of them could sleep on 
 this occasion. A gentle breeze was blowing outside, and 
 in the house it was very warm, so they all sat down in 
 the courtyard to enjoy the evening breeze. The clouds 
 
TULSIYA'S HUSBAND VISITS PIIUIKIYA 107 
 
 above passed one after another, and now and then the 
 moon peeped out from behind the clouds, and then hid 
 her face again, and darkness followed. 
 
 As they were sitting thus enjoying the cool air, all 
 at once a regular thud was heard, as if some one was 
 passing the courtyard. Tulsiya's father called and asked 
 who was there, but no answer was returned. At last he 
 thought he must have made some mistake ; but after a 
 short time he heard something behind the house, as if 
 some one was standing there. The idea struck him 
 that perhaps a thief was secretly prowling about, and he 
 called aloud again, but there was no answer. Meanwhile 
 the moon peeped out again from behind the clouds, and 
 by its light he could see a man standing opposite the 
 courtyard. He rose quickly, and, taking a large stick 
 with him as a protection, rushed towards the man. 
 The women of the house clung to one another for pro- 
 tection, trembling, and fearing they were about to be 
 attacked and robbed of the little they had. Tulsiya's 
 father, having reached the extremity of the courtyard, 
 cried out, ' Who are you, and what do you want ? ' The 
 man gave no answer. He then went near the man, and 
 said, ' Speak out ; what do you want ? ' 
 
 The strange visitor, standing outside, at length 
 answered in a low voice, very nervously, ' I am Tulsiya's 
 husband.' 
 
 Although he only repeated the name in a low voice, 
 still all in the house heard him. Their fear was turned 
 into joy, and all save Tulsiya came out to see him ; she 
 hid herself in the house. Tulsiya's father, being very 
 much astonished, said to the young man ' Are you 
 indeed my son-in-law ? Why have you come ? ' 
 
 ' I have come,' was the reply, ' to live with you, and 
 join my wife.' 
 
1 08 THE INDIAN DE VO TEE 
 
 ' Are you prepared to give up caste ? ' the father-in- 
 law said. 
 
 His reply was clear and lucid. ' I should not have 
 come to live with you if I had not been prepared to give 
 up caste. I have run away from home for this purpose.' 
 
 They were delighted to receive him, and brought him 
 into the house with great joy, and made him sit down 
 and relate to them how it had all come about. All save 
 Tulsiya gathered round him, and asked many questions, 
 and said, ' How did you run away ? What will your 
 father say ? ' 
 
 The Christians living near heard their talk and 
 expressions of joy, and came at once to see what had 
 taken place ; and, having heard the whole story, they 
 wished Tulsiya's father and mother much joy in the 
 return of their son-in-law. ' You see,' they said, ' the 
 Lord has answered your prayer, and has brought this 
 young man to you of his own free will. Indeed, those 
 who trust in the Lord shall never be confounded.' 
 
 Undoubtedly the appearance of Tulsiya's husband was 
 a great cause for rejoicing ; but her father was very 
 much exercised in mind about the whole affair. He was 
 doubtful as to what his father would say on finding that 
 his son had run away. Last time, when he paid them 
 a visit to carry away Tulsiya, on leaving the house un- 
 successful, he had said, ' I shall never set foot in this 
 house again,' and having cursed Tulsiya and her parents, 
 he departed in a fearful rage. If he was so angry about 
 Tulsiya, what would he do when he found that his be- 
 loved son had left him, and run away to join his wife's 
 people ? 
 
 Tulsiya's father, on calling to mind past experience, 
 was very much afraid, and said to his son-in-law, ' What 
 will your father say ? ' His only reply was, ' I shall 
 
TULSIYA'S HUSBAND VISITS PHULKIYA 109 
 
 remain here, and shall not return to my father's house. 
 Give me something to eat, and break my caste, and then 
 he will be unable to take me away.' 
 
 They forthwith gave him food and water; but they 
 were in great fear what would follow. Although it was 
 now miduight, they sent for the catechist, and told him 
 the whole story. ' Pray for us,' they said, ' that the 
 Lord may have mercy upon us, and protect us from the 
 rage of this young man's father ; also that the Lord 
 may give strength to Tulsiya's husband to remain firm 
 in his resolve, and not to return home when his father 
 comes to fetch him.' 
 
 They all knelt down, and the catechist prayed for 
 Tulsiya's husband and his father ; and having committed 
 them to the care of the Lord and comforted them, he 
 returned to his house. None of them slept that night ; 
 they were too excited, and afraid to do so. They 
 counted the hours till, morning dawned. The remaining 
 part of the night seemed an age, and, their hearts being 
 full of fear, they said one to another, ' When his father 
 finds out that his son has run away and come here, 
 what will he say ? what will he do ? Who knows ? ' 
 
 Bhaktin advised her brother and his wife to put their 
 trust in the Lord, and showed them how He had 
 answered their prayers, and brought their son-in-law to 
 Phulkiya. ' Do you think he will run off again ? God 
 will never permit that.' 
 
 In the morning a Christian came running, and brought 
 the news that Tulsiya's father-in-law was coming to 
 the village, and bringing a half-a-dozen men with him 
 The whole family was in fear and trembling; they 
 dreaded the result of this visit. The little children 
 ran and hid themselves in the house, yea, even the 
 house-dogs barked and showed their teeth, and seemed 
 
no 
 
 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 to understand that something remarkable was about to 
 take place. The young husband and Tulsiya's father 
 stood before the courtyard, greatly troubled and per- 
 plexed, watching the approach of the invaders. Each 
 one was in great fear lest Tulsiya's father-in-law should 
 vent his spleen upon him. 
 
 ^^j-^.c 
 
 -y^^.-^^ 
 
CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 THE MEETING OF FATHER AND SON. 
 
 iFTER a short time, the old father, supporting 
 himself on his stick, bent with the burden of 
 grief, came slowly forward and sat down in 
 one corner of the verandah of the house ; and 
 those who were with him followed his example, and seated 
 themselves in the verandah. I^one of them made his 
 salutation, and none of the people of the house saluted 
 them. The old man did not show any anger, but was 
 bent down with grief and sorrow. He put his head 
 between his knees, and began to weep most piteously. 
 
 His son, in order to bear up against the anger of his 
 father, had steeled himself to face him ; but when he saw 
 him in great grief, and heard his cry of sorrow, his heart 
 was touched, and he sat down and began to cry also. 
 The women and children, out of sympathy with their 
 sorrow, mingled their tears with the rest. All this 
 took place, as it were, in a moment ; none had antici- 
 pated it. They were prepared for fearful results, and 
 were expecting a dreadful quarrel; but none of them 
 thought the old man would be so filled with grief that 
 anger would find no place in his heart. 
 
112 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 The old man, weeping, thus opened the conversation 
 with his son : ' Oh, my son, why have you done this ? 
 Why have you forsaken your old father ? Come, my 
 son, let us go home. Your mother is weeping at home, 
 and beating her breasts and her head against the floor in 
 sorrow, as if she would lose her senses.' 
 
 Having thus bemoaned his lot, he began to cry and 
 sob as if his heart would break. He then again described 
 his sad lot and that of his poor wife in such pitiable 
 terms, that the heart of his son was touched, and he 
 began to weep louder than before. His father then 
 besought him to come and sit near him. But he, sobbing, 
 replied, ' I cannot.' The father asked, ' Why not, my 
 son ? ' But his son did not answer for a minute or two. 
 Then, in a trembling voice, quite abashed, he gave answer, 
 ' I cannot, because I have broken my caste.' 
 
 There was a terrible struggle going on in the father's 
 heart as he thought over these words and all they 
 meant to him ; they were like a death-knell to him. 
 For two or three minutes his countenance was like 
 adamant, and he could not speak. Affection struggled 
 asainst ano-er and wrath, and it was difficult to calculate 
 which would conquer. At last he hoarsely cried out, 
 ' Never mind ; it does not matter. I will pay a fine to 
 the Brahmins to restore you to caste. My son, come 
 along with me.' Having said this, he rose and turned 
 towards his son ; but the young man placed his back 
 against the wall, and said decidedly, ' I cannot go with 
 you.' 
 
 His father tried in every way to persuade and influence 
 him ; but it was of no use, he remained firm in his 
 decision. Upon this the young man's uncle, who had 
 come with his father, got very angry, and began to use 
 abusive language, curse, and reproach him. Gradually 
 
THE MEETING OF FATHER AND SON 113 
 
 his father joined in these fearful reproaches, and his 
 anger lost all bounds. At last he poured upon his head 
 all the curses and reproaches he had previously bestowed 
 on Tulsiya and her parents. 
 
 They thought by this treatment to frighten Tulsiya's 
 husband, but they miserably failed in their object. 
 When his son heard all these fearful imprecations and 
 curses, he steeled his heart, and finally decided that he 
 would not on any consideration return with his father. 
 When his uncle saw that all their endeavours were 
 in vain, and that his nephew was not at all afraid, he 
 said to his brother, ' Let us leave this house and all 
 its cursed brood, for the people in it are of the meanest 
 and lowest caste.' 
 
 Tulsiya's father-in-law rose in a dreadful rage, and, 
 having' delivered himself of two or three more cutting 
 sentences, full of imprecations, he followed his friends 
 and left the house. Tulsiya and her relatives now Ijegan 
 to breathe freely, for they felt the crisis had passed. 
 They wondered greatly how it came about that this fickle 
 young man had all at once shown the spirit of bravery 
 and become strong — so strong that even his father's 
 supplications and tears went unheeded, and his anger 
 unregarded. He received courage to refuse to leave his 
 wife. This was indeed a wonder to them all. 
 
 They were convinced he had not endured all this for 
 Christ's sake, for the love of Christ was not in his heart ; 
 and they also knew it could not altogether be the result 
 of affection for Tulsiya, for he loved his father and 
 mother more than any one else — he was their petted 
 and spoiled child. When they were talking over this 
 interview between father and son amongst themselves, 
 Tulsiya's husband confessed he could not tell why he 
 was unwilling to proceed with his father. * When he 
 
 H 
 
1 1 4 THE INDIAN DE VO TEE 
 
 wept so loudly,' he added, ' I said in my heart I must 
 return with him, but something forbade me doing so, and 
 therefore I refused.' 
 
 ' My son,' said dear old Bhaktin, having smothered her 
 tears, ' our prayers to the Lord of Hosts had so bound 
 you that you were unable to go ; this is my opinion.' 
 
 After this event, Tulsiya's husband lived in peace in 
 his father-in-law's house. His wife's family were so 
 overjoyed at his coming that they pampered his tastes 
 and waited on him at every turn ; whatever he desired 
 in the way of food they prepared for him. He was 
 petted and pampered more in his father-in-law's house 
 than he had been at home — a sure way to spoil the 
 energies of any young man. 
 
 Gradually the harvest-time came, and there was much 
 work to be done. His father-in-law told him to go into 
 the fields and work. Such a command was not agreeable 
 to the tastes of this young man, and when pressure was 
 brought to bear upon him he went off in a fit of anger, 
 and returned to his father's village. 
 
 Tulsiya's family were very much alarmed at this turn 
 of affairs, for they were doubtful about the results of it 
 all. Their grief was so great that for two or three days 
 no regular food was cooked in the house. 
 
 But Tulsiya's husband was very much undeceived on 
 reaching home. His father would not allow him to enter 
 the house, and in a severe and snarling tone turned on 
 him fiercely, and said, ' Who are you ? My son is dead 
 and forgotten ; I have mourned and lamented his death, 
 and have at last washed my hands of him ; who are you, 
 then ? Go away out of this house.' His mother, on 
 seeing her son, longed to clasp him to her breast, but she 
 could only weep and lament ; she was helpless. Inso- 
 much as he had eaten and drunk with the Christians, his 
 
THE MEETING OF FATHER AND SON 115 
 
 parents could not receive him into their house. His 
 mother advised her son to go to the Brahmins and 
 explain everything, and arrange with them for restoration 
 to caste. 
 
 The young man acted on his mother's advice ; but the 
 Brahmins, for reasons of their own, demanded such a 
 large sum that it would have been impossible for his 
 parents to pay it. He besought the Brahmins with 
 folded hands to reduce the fine. At first they would not 
 consent ; but at last, after much haggling on both sides, 
 they said, ' Very well ; bring your wife, and then we will 
 see what can be done.' 
 
 Tulsiya's husband knew very well that she would not 
 agree to such terms, and leave her father and mother and 
 give up Christianity ; therefore, losing all heart, he went 
 about here and there for two or three days, not know- 
 ing what to do. From a sense of shame he did not like 
 to return to his father-in-law's house, but there was no 
 other place where he could go. 
 
 At last, having humbled his proud heart, he returned 
 to Phulkiya and joined his wife's family, and began to 
 work a little for his bread. But he was very lazy, and 
 his father-in-law was much troubled about him. All 
 tried to explain to him that God had made the man to be 
 the bread-winner, and it was not proper and fit of him to 
 sit lazy at home ; but he would listen to no one. 
 
 One day it happened that he was ordered to go in the 
 field and plough. He shrank away, refused, and went 
 and lay down on his bed in the house. When he would 
 listen to no persuasions, Bhaktin went and sat near the 
 bed, and, weeping, said, ' Oh, my son, my son, why do 
 you act in this way ? Why do you trouble us so much ? 
 See, my son, you did not wish to flee from the service of 
 Satan ; you did not consider for a moment how you were 
 
1 16 THE INDIAN DE VO TEE 
 
 to escape the torments of hell ; but I prayed day and 
 night that you might become a Christian, and God heard 
 my prayers, which, with strong crying and tears, I made 
 before Him, and brought you here. And now you act in 
 this way ! My son, do come to your senses ! ' 
 
 Tulsiya's husband was much ashamed of himself after 
 this plain and touching entreaty, and could return no 
 answer. He rose from the bed without uttering a word, 
 and went quietly to his work. From that day he began 
 to amend ; and when he would listen to no one else 
 Bhaktin would use her persuasive powers, and, hanging 
 down his head, he would do as he was bid. 
 
CHAPTER XX. 
 
 THE POWER OF CHKISTIAN LOVE. 
 
 HEN the hot weather was drawing to a close, 
 and the people began to prepare for the rains, 
 an unexpected difficulty presented itself to 
 the Christians of Phulkiya. There was a 
 boat belonging to the village ; it was of great use to the 
 cultivators during this season of the year. The people 
 carried their produce to the market at Sahibganj on the 
 boat during the rains, as there was no other means of 
 reaching the higher tableland beyond the influence of 
 the flood. In it they also conveyed their cattle from 
 the village. Whilst the water was low, the animals 
 could wade through the water, but when it came in 
 all its force from the river their village became an 
 island, or like a number of small islands, for the water 
 found its way on the roads, and reached their very 
 doors. 
 
 From the day that Premdas' marriage took place, the 
 people of the village began again to trouble the Christians 
 very much ; and when the rains were about to break, the 
 Hindus said to the Christians, 'Whatever befalls you 
 during this season, we have made up our minds that 
 
 119 
 
120 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 none of the Christians shall use our boat. Make your 
 own arrangements, and do not expect the use of our 
 boat.' 
 
 The Christians besought them very earnestly not to 
 do them this injustice. ' "What shall we do ? ' they said ; 
 ' and how shall we and our cattle manage to live through 
 the rains if you treat us in this way ? We are willing 
 to pay you for the use of the boat, and have no wish to 
 use it without paying you for it.' 
 
 But the Hindus would not agree to any arrangement, 
 and held them in fear and terror by the threat. In their 
 fear and helplessness, the Christians promised to pay 
 double the amount of any one else, if they would only 
 permit them to use the boat ; but the Hindus were 
 inflexible. 
 
 Fear, terror, and death stared the Christians in the 
 face, for they saw no way out of the difficulty. At 
 last they sent a deputation, consisting of the catechist, 
 Dharmdiis, and several others, to acquaint the mission- 
 ary with their difficulty, and ask his advice. When he 
 heard the whole story, he told them they must have a 
 boat of their own. But they at once replied, * How is it 
 possible for us to find the money for such an expensive 
 article ? ' 
 
 The missionary advised them to make a collection in 
 every family, as much as each could give, and also to seek 
 help from the Christians in Bhagalpur. ' You will be 
 able,' he said, ' to see how much you can collect ; and 
 after you have done that, come and inform me of the 
 result, and I will advise you further.' 
 
 They at once opened a subscription list, and when the 
 amount collected in Phulkiya was added to that given in 
 Bhagalpur, they found they had not half the amount 
 required for the boat. They said, however, among them- 
 
THE PO WER OF CHRISTIAN LOVE 1 23 
 
 selves, ' We have a Helper in heaven. Our Heavenly 
 Father will at all times show His people a way out of 
 their difficulties.' 
 
 In Bhagalpur there was a godly and kind colonel, 
 attached to the regiment stationed there. He showed 
 great affection for the Christians, and sometimes went to 
 worship in their church. He and his good wife gave 
 considerable help to the Institution for Orphan Boys and 
 Girls. Their purse was ever open for the use of the 
 Mission. And we are sure the blessing of the Lord will 
 follow them for remembering His people ! They were 
 always trying to help others to be happy. 
 
 As an instance of kind thoughtfulness, we give the 
 following : — On one occasion they went for a drive some 
 distance in the country, and near a tank they saw some 
 large beautiful shells. The colonel ordered his coachman 
 to collect a large number, and put them in the carriage. 
 On reachinsj home, he had them cleaned, and after- 
 wards took them and divided them with his own hands 
 amongst the orphan children, saying, ' I know children 
 like these things very much.' 
 
 Another day the colonel shot an alligator, and ordered 
 it to be put on a bullock-cart, and shown to the orphans, 
 saying, ' Possibly they have never seen such an animal.' 
 Another day the boys of the Orphanage were flying kites 
 for amusement. The string broke, and the kite went on 
 the parade ground, where the colonel was going to drill his 
 troops. He guessed it had come from the Orphanage, and 
 ordered one of the men to bring it to him. At his 
 leisure he took it to the Mission, and gave it back to the 
 children. On Christmas day the colonel and his good 
 wife made a feast for the orphan children and their 
 teachers, and fed them with sweetmeats, Christmas cake, 
 and tea. They also distributed to the children toys from 
 
1 24 THE INDIA N DE VQ TEE 
 
 Calcutta, and altogether made it a very pleasant and 
 happy day for the children. 
 
 When the colonel heard of the difficulties which beset 
 the disciples of the Babd-Ji, he called the deputation to 
 his house, and asked them how much they had collected, 
 and how much more they required to enable them to 
 purchase the boat. When they had told him, he replied, 
 ' Very well, my dear friends ; I will give you the balance, 
 nay, even more than that ; so go and buy yourselves 
 a good strong boat.' When they heard him make this 
 generous offer, they thanked him most heartily, and said, 
 ' Your kindness has saved our cattle. We were drown- 
 ing, and you put out a helping hand to save us. May 
 the Lord bless you and your children ! ' 
 
 These new disciples of Jesus returned to Phulkiya 
 blessing and praising the Lord Jesus, and on their way 
 they bought a boat at Sahibganj. 
 
 This year the rains broke earlier than usual, and the 
 floods came on sooner than usual. Phulkiya and the 
 villages around it were flooded in a couple of days. The 
 Indian corn had not yet been cut, for it was still unripe. 
 The cultivators sustained great losses by this early rush 
 of the flood. They began to cut the Indian corn witli 
 the water up to their waist, in order to feed the animals 
 on it. Their cattle were still in the village, and had not 
 yet been taken to the higher ground for protection. 
 Some of the cultivators, in their haste, turned their cattle 
 into the water, that they might swim to the shore ; but 
 some of them were carried away by the flood, and others 
 were drowned, and the cattle and goats that remained in 
 the village began to suffer from the surrounding flood, 
 and get ill. 
 
 In their new boat the Christians carried their cattle, 
 grass, straw, etc., to the higher land with great facility. 
 
THE PO IVER OF CHRISTIAN LOVE 125 
 
 and sat comfortably in their shelter. Now the time came 
 for the Hindus in the village to fall into difficulties and 
 seek help from the Christians. They came most humbly 
 to the Christians, and said, 'We did indeed commit a 
 great sin in refusing to allow you the use of our boat ; 
 it was wrong of us to quarrel with you about it. For- 
 give us, and do not remember our misdeeds, but let us 
 have your boat to send our cattle away ; and whatever 
 you charge for the use of it we shall be glad to give, 
 because our animals are perishing in the village.' 
 
 Had the Christians desired to show now the spirit of 
 revenge for their past conduct, it would not have been at 
 all surprising, though it would have been unchristian ; but 
 God saved them from an uncharitable spirit, and gave 
 them a merciful mind. They consulted the catechist, 
 and called the villagers, and said, ' You can use our boat, 
 but we cannot possibly take anything for the use of it. 
 God gave us this boat, and helped us out of our diffi- 
 culties, otherwise we should have been drowned. Take 
 the boat and use it, and bless the name of the Lord, 
 who gave it to us for the hour of difficulty.' 
 
 When the Hindus of the village experienced this act 
 of pure and simple love, their hearts were very much 
 softened, and with great humility they said, ' From 
 henceforth we shall trouble you no more about your 
 religion, nor shall we place any difficulties in your way. 
 Whatever has taken place is forgotten and forgiven. Go 
 on serving the Lord Jesus. It is true that none but 
 Christians would show such love and affection to their 
 enemies.' 
 
 From this time the people of the village began to 
 return the affection of the Christians, and they called the 
 Christian boat ' The Boat of Love.' Dharmdas said to 
 the catechist, on seeing the good result from their loving 
 
126 
 
 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 example, 'You gave us good advice, and the saying is 
 true that the boat of love can rise above the highest 
 mountains. See how love has risen above years of hatred 
 and enmity from the affection and hearts of these people. 
 And if we allowed them to use the boat free, what does 
 it matter ? We got this boat to help us in our difficulty, 
 and see how the mercy of God has been manifested in 
 it all ! ' 
 
CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 THE TRIUMPtI OF FAITH. 
 
 HAKTIN was very anxious that Tulsiya's hus- 
 band should be baptized, and the catechist 
 was instructing him for this purpose. When 
 the cold season came round again, and the 
 missionary came to Phulkiya, Bhaktin took Tulsiya's 
 husband to see him. He examined him, and was satisfied 
 with his answers, and promised to baptize him. But it 
 is difficult to understand what spirit possessed Tulsiya's 
 husband, and what was in his heart ; in a fractious and 
 independent manner he informed the missionary that 
 when he was baptized he would require a sum of money 
 from him. With this money he had made up his mind 
 to build a house, and separate himself from his father-in- 
 law. ' I shall have my own house,' he said ; * so please 
 instruct my father-in-law to give me my share in his 
 estate.' 
 
 Up to this time this young man had never divulged 
 the inner workings of his mind, and when Bhaktin 
 heard him make such an astounding demand she was 
 perfectly confounded, and became as one dumb. But 
 the missionary said, ' My son, I shall not give you 
 
 127 
 
1 28 THE INDIA N DE VO TEE 
 
 money, nor baptize you ; I see you do not understand 
 the meaning of baptism. You must come to me every 
 day for half-an-hour, and I will instruct you in the 
 Christian religion ; then, my son, by God's grace, your 
 eyes may be opened, and you may understand what kind 
 of people are baptized, and with what motives.' 
 
 The missionary then asked him who gave him this 
 idea of asking for money when he was baptized. He 
 answered, ' Some one told me to demand a sum of money, 
 and I should get it. The Brahmins say that the 
 Government gives you lots of money each time a man 
 is made a Christian, and this is the reason you travel 
 so far to make converts, and have come to Phulkiya to 
 make us Christians.' 
 
 Bhaktin was very much alarmed at his impertinence, 
 and desired to get him away somehow, and take him 
 home. But the missionary saw her confusion, and said, 
 ' Sit still, Bhaktin ; it does not matter ; do not trouble 
 yourself. Listen to me, both of you. Yesterday the head- 
 man of Mahaganj village came to visit me, and he was 
 very solicitous to know how many rupees the Government 
 gave me for making a native a Christian. What, for 
 instance, would they give if I made him a Christian ? 
 " Some say," he added, " that for every Christian you 
 make the Government gives you one hundred rupees, 
 others say you get fifty, but I wish now to know the 
 real truth of the matter." It was with the greatest 
 difficulty I could make him understand that I was 
 neither a Government servant nor in any way connected 
 with Government. I told him that Government does 
 not give a farthing to missionaries for making native 
 Christians ; that I am a preacher of the Gospel of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ, according to His command ; and my 
 necessary expenses are paid by the religious people of 
 
THE TRW Mm OF FAITH 129 
 
 England, and all the money is collected in voluntary 
 subscriptions.' 
 
 Bhaktin replied with great deference, ' How can the 
 heathen know all this ? They talk all kinds of nonsense 
 on this subject.' 
 
 From that day Tulsiya's husband received daily instruc- 
 tion. He several times begged to be baptized, and said, 
 ' I only wish for baptism ; please forgive all my ignorance 
 and impertinence.' 
 
 But the missionary replied, * N"o, my son ; we cannot do 
 things so quickly as that. We must now see, from your 
 life and conduct, that you are making a man of yourself. 
 You have done very little up to the present time to earn 
 your own living ; sometimes you have worked a little, 
 but have often been sitting idle at home. Give up your 
 lazy habits, and work for your father-in-law faithfully 
 like a true son, then I shall be convinced you wish to be 
 a true Christian.' 
 
 The missionary did not baptize Tulsiya's husband that 
 cold season ; but during the hot season duty called him to 
 Phulkiya, and the father-in-law begged that his son-in- 
 law's desire for baptism should now be regarded. He 
 gave a very good account of him, and stated that he had 
 become more humble and docile, and had given his mind 
 fairly to work. There being no further objections, the 
 missionary baptized him in the presence of Premdas, his 
 wife's people, and the brethren. 
 
 In this way the disciples of the Baba-Ji, after having 
 passed through many trials and sorrows, had at last 
 become Christians. Many of them were true and simple- 
 minded disciples of Jesus. Some of them, through fear 
 of dying a dreadful death in unbelief, had become Chris- 
 tians, and a few from worldly motives had cast in their 
 lot with the servants of the Lord Jesus ; but, though 
 
 I 
 
130 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 they were all called Christians, still some of them retained 
 a leaven of their old religion, worldly customs, and ways. 
 There were still instances amongst them of brethren 
 who found it difficult all at once to cast off their belief 
 in sorcery and their fear of their old deities. And of 
 those who were true Christians, some were babes in 
 Christ, their faith was weak, and there were faults in 
 their character ; but as this new congregation advanced 
 in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, 
 they gradually improved, and desired to grow in grace, 
 faith, and power. They prayed to the Holy Spirit to 
 water the seed of faith sown in their hearts, and to 
 make them flower and bear fruit, and show they were a 
 chosen race to magnify the name of God. Sometimes 
 they would sing this song in their own native tongue : 
 
 ' Come, gracious Lord, our prayers do Thou hear ! 
 We are children, Thy household, teach us Thy fear ; 
 Give us experience, and make us all wise ; 
 Water Thy small plant, that heaven we may prize ; 
 Make us all fruitful, and give us Thy grace, 
 That we all may at length see Thy dear face.' 
 
 The first fruit which ripened for the Lord's kingdom 
 in Phulkiya was Jethu the leper. He gradually became 
 weaker and weaker and more helpless ; but his wife and 
 family did not realise the approach of death, because he 
 had been ill for so long. One night he fell asleep, and 
 never woke again ; he was called home, and went to 
 that world where pain is unknown, and sorrow and 
 sighing flee away. 
 
 After Jethu, the Lord called Bhaktin. She had gone 
 on growing in grace, and her life was one lesson of 
 humility to all ; she had ripened quickly for that 
 heavenly kingdom. One day she said to her Christian 
 sisters, 'Do not call me Bhaktin the saint, but Papin 
 
THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH 131 
 
 the sinner. Call me, if you like, " beloved ; " for the Lord 
 hath loved me, and given Himself for me.' After the 
 baptism of Tulsiya's husband, at the end of the rains, she 
 was taken ill, and did not recover. As she grew weaker 
 each day, she seemed to have a presentiment that her 
 hour was come ; but she had no fear, for ' she knew 
 in whom she had believed, and was assured that He 
 was able to save to the uttermost them that come unto 
 God by Him,' and she longed to enter into the Master's 
 presence. 
 
 During her sickness the Christian and Hindu women 
 of the village used to visit her and sit by her, to try and 
 comfort her ; but, after all, Bhaktin was the real comforter. 
 One day, when the mother of the young lad who had 
 been raised up by Bhaktin's prayers came to see her, she 
 in conversation said to her, ' Dear sister, have you no 
 fear at all ? Do you know where you are going ? ' 
 
 Bhaktin replied, ' Why should I be afraid ? I am 
 going to Him whose servant I am. He is my hope and 
 trust. He will bring me safely through the deep waters. 
 He is the same who delivered your son from the jaws of 
 death, and gave him to you again.' 
 
 The woman answered, with tears in her eyes, ' I do 
 believe in Him ; but my husband hates to hear His 
 precious name. When I try to pray to Him and sing 
 His praises in Christian songs, he threatens to beat me.' 
 
 Bhaktin replied, ' Do not give up. Go on, and ac- 
 knowledge the Lord Jesus in your heart, and pray daily 
 for your husband. God can soften his heart.' 
 
 One day Bhaktin called Dharmdas, and said, ' Brother, 
 I feel my time is now short. I want you to forgive me. 
 Once or twice I have said things to grieve you, but 
 forget it all, and forgive me.' 
 
 Dharmdas replied, with great affection, * Dearest sister 
 
132 THE INDIAN DEVOTEE 
 
 it is necessary for you to forgive me, and not for me 
 to forgive yon. You never wronged me, or spoke un- 
 advisedly ; but I was very obstinate and proud. May 
 the Lord forgive me ! And do you, dear sister, forgive 
 me also.' 
 
 Bhaktin's face lighted up with divine happiness, and 
 she said to Tulsiya, who waited on her day and night, 
 * Listen, my daughter: when I was a disciple of the Baba- 
 Ji, I looked upon Dharmdas as my spiritual guide ; do 
 you look up to him also, and honour him in the Lord.' 
 
 Dharmdas' eyes filled with tears, and he said in a low 
 voice, as if speaking to himself, ' How good and loving 
 she is ! Oh, how little of her spirit do I feel ! ' 
 
 When Bhaktin was called away, the Christians buried 
 her near the graves of Jethii and Babu Hira Lall. 
 
 Many of the Lord's people from Phulkiya now sleep 
 in hope ; and when the Lord Jesus comes again to receive 
 His beloved ones, many from this village will be caught 
 up to meet their Lord in the air, and so shall they be 
 ever with the Lord. They shall receive the reward of 
 faith, even eternal happiness and peace in the mansions 
 above. 
 
PKEFATOKY NOTE 
 
 HE Kev. Tulsi Paul, first pastor of the Native 
 Christian colony of Annfield, Dehra Doon, 
 North India, was a convert from Hinduism. 
 About twenty years after his baptism, and 
 aly three years before his death, he wrote, at the 
 vpress wish of a missionary, the narrative of his life 
 ^rom childhood to the time of his baptism. This 
 ulobiography gives vivid and graphic touches of the 
 )iritual struggles and conflicts of a mind steeped in 
 Hinduism, before truth could conquer and he was enabled 
 ) say, ' The conclusion of it all was, that at last our Lord 
 3SUS Christ was victorious, and I accepted baptism.' 
 
 The sketch is written in a true Oriental style. The 
 istory of his life is interwoven with proverbs, lines of 
 ersian and Hindi poetry, rhymed sentences, and with 
 •ng poetical compositions of his own. 
 
 A translation of the pamphlet exactly as it was 
 Titten would prove tedious, and hence only extracts 
 'om it have been taken for the memoir. The facts and 
 icidents relating to him after his baptism have been 
 indly supplied by Mrs. Lamb, widow of the late Bev. 
 r. Lamb, missionary of Meerut ; and by Mrs. Guichet, 
 aughter of Major Bind ; and by the Bev. W. Baumann, 
 lissionaiy of Fyzabad, who has also added the contents 
 f the last chapter, having been with the Bev. Tulsi Paul 
 aring his last years. 
 
 135 
 
132 THE INDIAN DE VO TEE 
 
 it is necessary for you to forgive me, and not for n 
 to forgive you. You never wronged me, or spoke u: 
 advisedly ; but I was very obstinate and proud. Mr 
 the Lord forgive me ! And do you, dear sister, forgi\ 
 me also.' 
 
 Bhaktin's face lighted up with divine happiness, anc 
 she said to Tulsiya, who waited on her day and night, 
 ' Listen, my daughter: when I was a disciple of the Baba- 
 Ji, I looked upon Dharmdas as my spiritual guide ; d, 
 you look up to him also, and honour him in the Lord.' ;^ 
 
 Dharmdas' eyes filled with tears, and he said in a lo' 
 voice, as if speaking to himself, 'How good and lovii. 
 she is ! Oh, how little of her spirit do I feel ! ' 
 
 When Bhaktin was called away, the Christians burii 
 her near the graves of Jethu and Babu Hira Lall. 
 
 Many of the Lord's people from Phulkiya now sic 
 in hope ; and when the Lord Jesus comes again to recei " 
 His beloved ones, many from this village will be cau^ 
 up to meet their Lord in the air, and so shall they 
 ever with the Lord. They shall receive the reward 
 faith, even eternal happiness and peace in the mansi* 
 above. 
 
 
PREFATOEY NOTE 
 
 HE Ivev. Tulsi Paul, first pastor of the Native 
 Christian colony of Annfield, Dehra Doon, 
 North India, was a convert from Hinduism. 
 About twenty years after his baptism, and 
 only three years before his death, he wrote, at the 
 express wish of a missionary, the narrative of his life 
 from childhood to the time of his baptism. This 
 autobiography gives vivid and graphic touches of the 
 spiritual struggles and conflicts of a mind steeped in 
 Hinduism, before truth could conquer and he was enabled 
 to say, ' The conclusion of it all was, that at last our Lord 
 Jesus Christ was victorious, and I accepted baptism.' 
 
 The sketch is written in a true Oriental style. The 
 history of his life is interwoven with proverbs, lines of 
 Persian and Hindi poetry, rhymed sentences, and with 
 long poetical compositions of his own. 
 
 A translation of the pamphlet exactly as it was 
 written would prove tedious, and hence only extracts 
 from it have been taken for the memoir. The facts and 
 incidents relating to him after his baptism have been 
 kindly supplied by Mrs. Lamb, widow of the late Bev. 
 M. Lamb, missionary of Meerut ; and by Mrs. Guichet, 
 daughter of Major Pdnd ; and by the Ptev. W. Baumann, 
 missionaiy of Fyzabad, who has also added the contents 
 of the last chapter, having been with the Piev. Tulsi Paul 
 during his last years. 
 
 135 
 
CHAPTEE I. 
 
 TULSI PAULS WEDDING AND HIS STUDIES. 
 
 ULSI 1 PAUL ^ was the younger son of the land- 
 owner, Mansa liam, of Koelra, in Oude, India. 
 His father belonged to the Kayasth caste, who 
 generally are clerks and copyists, and Mansa 
 Earn was the head clerk of the estate of the Eajah Nawal 
 Singli, of Biilrampore. 
 
 Tulsi Paul writes in his autobiography : ' I am begin- 
 ning my history from the time when my reasoning 
 powers awoke, and I commenced to think and to ponder, 
 and to understand matters, and the first thing I re- 
 member in my life was my wedding.' This took place, 
 according to Hindu custom, when he was a mere child. 
 Writing about it, he says : ' At the appointed time a 
 Brahmin and a barber ^ brought the tilak * to our house. 
 Then our house-priest began to observe the stars, in order 
 to find out a propitious and lucky day for commenciog 
 
 ^ The Hindi name of the plant Ocimum sanctum, worshipped by tlie 
 Hindus. 
 
 2 He received the name of Paul at his baptism. His heathen name was 
 Tulsi Ram. 
 
 ^ The barbers act as go-betweens in marriage affairs. 
 
 * Nuptial gifts sent from the bride's house to the bridegroom. 
 
 137 
 
138 FROM BONDAGE rO FREEDOM 
 
 the wedding ceremonies, which was done by putting the 
 iikd on my forehead. When the lucky day had been 
 ascertained, there was great rejoicing in our house. My 
 mother was especially happy at the thought of her son's 
 wedding, and all my friends and relatives assembled for 
 the festive occasion. Every one greeted me, and praised 
 me, saying, " You are a lucky fellow ; now go in, and win 
 the prize." 
 
 * I was set on a mdi [throne or platform], and, in the 
 presence of my parents and all my relatives, and the 
 Brahmins, was bathed and dressed in state, the women in 
 the meanwhile singing songs. The beating of drums and 
 other music was kept up the whole day. A number of 
 Brahmins and astronomers were sitting here and there, 
 chanting and making prayers, and reading in their books, 
 in order to find out my fate, and accepted the money 
 which every one in the house was laying down before 
 them, in hopes that they would find out a lucky fate for 
 me ; but none of them discovered my real destiny ! [Tulsi 
 Paul here evidently refers to his becoming a Christian.] 
 
 * Then they prepared the tika. Some lialdi [turmeric] 
 was ground to powder, and my forehead marked with it, 
 and then some whole grains of rice were stuck on.^ After 
 this ceremony I was ordered by my mother to make 
 obeisance to all in the house. The women in the mean- 
 time were singing marriage songs, and joking and playing 
 with me and with each other, and many heathen customs 
 and rites were gone through. Then they took me from 
 the platform to another place, where the wedding guests 
 had to present to me their gold mohurs,^ and where a 
 brass platter, with rice and lialdi, and other eatables put 
 
 ^ Rice being the symbol of food, and haldi of spices, viz. abundance. 
 ^ A kind of fee each guest is expected to pay towards the expenses of the 
 wedding. 
 
'^..:^m: 
 
 M» 
 
TULSI PAUL'S WEDDING AND HIS STUDIES 141 
 
 up in leaves, were set down before me. All the time I 
 was being teased and praised and flattered. They called 
 me the sun, and the bride the moon, and that I was 
 indeed a beautiful bridegroom. I did not say anything, 
 but I was thinking deeply, and observing all 1 saw 
 and heard, and my heart was rent with shyness and 
 confusion. 
 
 ' My mother now led me to an inner room to make 
 my obeisance to our house-gods, and to perform worship 
 before them. She made me also worship my ancestors, 
 and stone, earth, and water. I went as submissively as 
 a monkey led by his keeper, for I was as helpless as a 
 bird entrapped in a net. I was but a child, and alto- 
 gether in the power of my mother, who made me do 
 what she thought right. Oh, my heart yearns over my 
 poor simple-minded mother, who is altogether under the 
 influence of Brahmins and priests ! As to my father, he 
 too was a zealous idol-worshipper. 
 
 ' My whole wedding was to me like a play in which I 
 was the chief actor. I enjoyed the fun of the many 
 ceremonies I had to go through, and the being made so 
 much of ; but I little guessed how I was being drawn into 
 a net from which there would be no escape all the rest 
 of my life. Ah ! those around me were making merry 
 music, drumming and piping for joy and gladness, while 
 a chain of sorrow was being riveted round my neck ! 
 [His wife outlived him, and remained to the last a strict 
 Hindu.] The ceremonies I went through made a deep 
 impression on me. It was like being crowned king. 
 While I was bathed, the women sang marriage songs. I 
 was dressed up in the customary white and yellow wed- 
 ding garments, A yellow turban with gold border was 
 put on my head. My aunt painted my eyes with lamp- 
 black, and ear-rings were put into my ears. When I 
 
142 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM 
 
 was ready I was put on a throne, and all praised and 
 complimented nie on my appearance. 
 
 ' My elder brother borrowed a beautiful palanquin from 
 the rajah. They put me in, and had me carried about, 
 whilst money was distributed among the Brahmins, and 
 thrown amongst the crowd. Then a procession was 
 formed, and I was carried to Gonda, the town where the 
 bride lived. We arrived there at night, accompanied 
 with the music of flutes, trumpets, horns, and drums. 
 The men were carrying torches, and the dancing - girls 
 performing as they went along. The bride's procession 
 came out to meet us, and both processions united. It 
 was indeed an imposing sight, for about a thousand 
 people were collected, and all were singing and shouting 
 and flattering the bridegroom, and counting the bride 
 very lucky that fate had apportioned to her such a 
 beautiful bridegroom. 
 
 ' I, of course, enjoyed all this gay scene, because in 
 those days I had not yet learned to care for God ; but 
 still I was not happy or at ease. I was all along think- 
 ing of the examination which, according to the custom of 
 our caste, was awaiting me at the bride's house. When 
 the procession arrived there, I managed with great diffi- 
 culty to enter the courtyard. [The bridegroom is beaten 
 with sticks and brooms made of paper flowers, and pre- 
 vented entering till he has paid a handsome bribe.] 
 There I found myself in the presence of crowds of women, 
 who drew me into their midst, and began my dreaded 
 examination by saying, " N"ow, little one, rehearse some- 
 thing — a song or a proverb, and show that you have 
 learned something, and then enter the house." ^ 
 
 ^ Among the Kayasths, the bridegroom gets a present according to tlie 
 amount of knowledge he ])ossesses, and naturally would feel ashamed at 
 receiving only a small sum, if he does not satisfy his bride's relatives. 
 
TULSI PAUL'S WEDDING AND HIS STUDIES 143 
 
 ' Well, I quoted, among other things, some stanzas 
 which I had been taught to say, viz. : 
 
 * " I liave performed all the marriage ceremonies, 
 And Avhat do I get for all my pains ? 
 Nothing but a worthless woman."' 
 
 After Tulsi Paul's wedding he was set to his studies, 
 and, being of the Kayasth caste, his chief accomplishment 
 consisted in writing a good hand ; and so beautifully could 
 he write the native characters, that it was said he could 
 write like print with his eyes shut. But he was also 
 very fond of his books, and anxious to acquire all the 
 knowledge his old orthodox teachers were able to im- 
 part. People used to say he had gone mad after his 
 books, and he was so well read in Hindu religious litera- 
 ture that Bishop French once remarked he wished he 
 could quote Scripture as easily as Tulsi Paul did his 
 Hindu Shastras. 
 
 Tulsi Paul writes about his studies : — 
 
 ' After reading the Hindus' books, I took up those of 
 the Mohammedans, and at last also studied the Koran, 
 which the Mohammedans call divine ; but nowhere did 
 I find truth. I only found the different religious guides 
 fighting about the truth, contradicting each other, and 
 each thinking he possessed the truth. Wherever I heard 
 of a famous teacher or of a good school, I left home, and 
 went there in search of more knowledge. I felt dissatis- 
 fied, and as if something was wanting which I wished 
 to attain to. There was a yearning in my heart to get 
 to know the truth, and to find God ; and I thought that 
 through much study I should attain my desire. So I 
 strove on, minding neither hunger nor thirst, cold nor heat, 
 nor any other privation. For months at a time I cooked 
 only one meal a day ; and as I did not know how to make 
 bread [fresh unleavened thin cakes], I made balls of 
 
144 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM 
 
 wheat and water, and boiled these, and ate them with the 
 cheapest pulse. My whole being was wrapped np in the 
 service of my teachers and religious guides. I waited 
 on them day and night, and cared for nothing but to 
 advance in knowledge and learning. But, alas ! what kind 
 of religious guides and instructors were ours ? They did 
 not even allow their disciples to ask questions ; they 
 were simply to believe all they told them. We were 
 taught to pay them divine homage, and follow them im- 
 plicitly, yet not to mind their personal example, for they 
 had attained such a degree of holiness that they had the 
 power and the liberty to do as they pleased. 
 
 ' Both the priests and the religious guides who wished 
 us to pay them divine honour, and their gods whom they 
 taught us to worship, were frivolous and sinful. Should 
 we worship the feet of the light-minded priest, or bow 
 down before his sinning god ? Ah ! in those days, when 
 I was seeking truth, I would have laid down my life for 
 a teacher who w^ould have been pure and holy, and had 
 shown to me the true way of coming into God's favour.' 
 
 ^«^_4^_ 
 
HINDU FAQIR. 
 146 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 SOME PHASES OF IDOLATRY. 
 
 )T is astonishing/ writes Tulsi Paul, ' how our 
 
 religious guides and teachers coerced our wills, 
 
 and brought us into subjection to themselves. 
 
 They would say, for instance, " Eemember the 
 
 curse, 'Whosoever cheats^ his religious guide, or robs- 
 
 his priest, shall become poor and a leper.' " 
 
 'We stood in such dread of our guides, that, rather 
 than run the risk of incurring their curse, we would give 
 them all they wanted, and more. And they had many 
 different ways and means of satisfying their greed and 
 covetousness, by promising us present and future rewards 
 and blessings. But oh, they are all like empty, hollow 
 bamboos, and steeped in errors and sins, although they 
 take so much pains to appear righteous before men, and 
 to attain that appearance of sanctity which will bring 
 the common run of men to their feet. 
 
 ' Some, in order to appear holy, grow long beards ; 
 others shave their heads, and fulfil vows. Some rub 
 ashes on their bodies ; others, with the same object in 
 
 ' By not supplying liim abundantly. 
 2 By refusing any of his requests. 
 147 
 
148 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM 
 
 view, walk about in red garments ; and others again 
 wear rags and tattered clothes. Some sit moping in self- 
 imposed silence, never even lifting their heads ; whilst 
 others stalk about chanting and shouting their god's name, 
 and blowing horns and playing on cymbals, abusing without 
 fear or shame those who give them nothing. 
 
 ' Some hang down from trees, head downward ; others 
 live under umbrellas made of leaves. Some paint the 
 sign of their god on their foreheads, and others keep on 
 muttering their names, day and night, over their rosaries. 
 Many go long pilgrimages, carrying holy Ganges water, 
 and selling it as a means of washing away sin. 
 
 ' Many deck themselves with all kinds of amulets and 
 talismans and charms. Again, many go in for sorcery, 
 witchcraft, fortune-telling, and the reading of the destiny 
 of man from the stars ; but oh, their soothsayings fly 
 away and disappear like the chaff of the wheat. They lie, 
 they cheat, they set traps, they spread nets. They are 
 the monkey-keepers, and the world is the monkey which 
 dances according^ to their order ! 
 
 ' Among other things, my religious teacher told me I 
 must take the mantar} or God would be angry, and 
 cast me into hell. There I should have to hold with 
 both hands a burning pillar of fire, and weep and repent 
 of my irreligiousness. I was also informed that during 
 the transmigration of my soul it was very unlikely T 
 should happen to be born a human being, and have the 
 sense to secure my final salvation, so I had better take 
 the mantar and be safe.' 
 
 Tulsi Paul hesitated long before taking this step. 
 From childhood he had been taught to worship the god 
 Eam, whose name he bore, and to trust in him. He was 
 
 ^ A sacred formula whispered into the ear by a religious guide, to be kept 
 as a motto, and given only to those who intend leading a religious life. 
 
SOME PHASES OF I DO LA TR V 
 
 149 
 
 also worshipping the Salagram (emblem of the god Shiew). 
 besides, his father had taken him in early youth to 
 the Ganges, to have his sins washed away. He had also 
 done many meritorious acts, such as washing the feet of 
 Brahmins and drinking of the water, and begging them 
 for prashad (a little of the food a Brahmin has cooked 
 for himself, given as a blessing), and he did not see the 
 necessity of making the profession of a religious life, such 
 as taking the mantar presupposed. At last, however, 
 his teacher induced him to obey ; ' for,' adds Tulsi Paul, 
 
 HINDUS BATHIXa IN THE GANGES. 
 
 ' if they commanded anything, who were we that we 
 could resist them ? We were altogether in their power, 
 and as helpless as men who have drunk of the waters of 
 a well drugged with opium.' 
 
 So he paid all the fees, and went through the ceremony 
 of taking the mantar. The candidate, after going through 
 various baths and purifications, presents himself before 
 his spiritual guide. After performing various ceremonies, 
 the latter whispers the charm repeatedly into the ear of 
 
I50 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM 
 
 the disciple, who during the performance has to hold out 
 his hand, into which his priest puts some grains of raw 
 rice, upon which he has blown, in order to consecrate it. 
 The disciple chews these whilst listening to the chanting 
 of the mantar} 
 
 Of the result of taking the mantar, Tulsi Paul writes : 
 
 ' When I mastered the charm whispered to me, pride 
 filled my soul, and I began to look upon myself as possess- 
 ing the knowledge of all mysteries, and as having become 
 holy and perfect. I said to my spiritual guide, " 
 Babci-Ji [spiritual father], impart to me yet another 
 mantar, which will bring me great wealth, and a great 
 name of sanctity. I would like people to say, * Tulsi 
 Eam is indeed a holy man. See how rich he is, and 
 how bountifully he gives of his riches to the Brahmins.' " 
 Behold, what pride was stirring in my heart ! 
 
 ' My guide answered me, saying, " Son, all this is con- 
 tained in the charm you have received." 
 
 ' Well, what could I say ? ' 
 
 After some time a new religious teacher appeared in 
 the village where Tulsi Paul lived. He made a great 
 stir with his austerity and sanctity. Tulsi Paul be- 
 came his devoted disciple, and imitated him in all his 
 religious acts and devotions, and in his asceticism, hoping 
 thereby to attain holiness, and ingratiate himself with 
 God. 
 
 But his health began to suffer, and his elder brother 
 put a stop to his efforts, saying, ' Do you not know the 
 proverb, that those who merely copy and imitate devotees 
 in their austerities waste away and die ? This sort of 
 life is not for you ; it is only for very holy persons, who 
 feel constrained from within to do all this of themselves.' 
 
 ' So I felt rebuked,' writes Tulsi Paul, ' and thought 
 
 ^ A symbol tluit, as vice feeds the Lody, the mantar is entering the soul. 
 
SOME PHA SES OF IDOLATRY 151 
 
 myself unworthy to continue these practices, and desisted ; 
 yet I went on inquiring how I should find God.' 
 
 He was next advised to give himself to the woi^ship 
 of Maha-deo (the great god), who would give him all he 
 asked for. But there was one restriction : he must never 
 eat anything of the offerings presented to this god, or 
 he would become a dog in his next birth. He was 
 further informed that all dogs had been men in their 
 former birth who had eaten of the offerings of this great 
 god. Tulsi Paul set himself the task of serving and 
 worshipping Maha-deo ; but his heart did not feel satisfied, 
 nor did he find peace. Of his doubts and perplexities 
 he writes as follows : — 
 
 ' " What ! " said I to myself, " at times I am worshipping 
 this god faithfully and loyally, and yet, if I but touch 
 what has been offered to him, 1 am to be turned into a dog 
 in my next birth ! " However, I clung to him some time 
 longer, offering daily a certain quantity of acliliat;^ but one 
 day I could not succeed in getting any, and then, some- 
 how, the whole affair seemed very unsatisfactory, and I 
 felt grieved and sore at heart. I went off to a lonely 
 place, and began to weep. The thought rose again and 
 again, that it was useless to worship this god. If he 
 could not help me to procure a little achhat for his own 
 offering, he surely would not be able either to give me 
 the great things for my soul I was asking him for.' 
 
 So Tulsi Paul forsook this god also, and, not knowing 
 what better to do, he returned to the worship of the god of 
 his childhood, Eam. And he found some satisfaction in 
 getting the pundits to read and expound the Eamayan to 
 him, and in learning portions of it by heart. 
 
 ^ Whole unbroken rice, used in oblations. It is husked by rubbing it 
 between the palms of the hand instead of in a mortar. This Avork being 
 laborious and troublesome, such rice is not always obtainable. 
 
152 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM 
 
 His elder brother seems to have sympathised with 
 Tulsi Paul in his search after truth and peace, although 
 he himself felt perfectly satisfied with his own form of 
 worship. Tulsi Paul says of him : ' My elder brother 
 remained a loyal worshipper of his god Maha-deo, for 
 whom he built a temple. He found pleasure in learning 
 by heart the names of the thousand gods contained in the 
 dictionary of the gods' names. He also taught me the 
 chants and praises of the gods. I began to love and 
 respect my brother for his great religiousness. I felt 
 sure that such a zealous idol-worshipper would go to 
 heaven, and that I too, somehow, by his merit, would 
 reach Paradise.' 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 FIRST CONTACT WITH CHRISTIANS. 
 
 N the year 1827, Tulsi Paul heard of a Mission 
 ]^ school having been opened at Goruckpore by 
 M^^ the missionary, the late Rev. W. Wilkinson. 
 His thirst for knowledge not having been 
 satisfied, he made up his mind to become a pupil of 
 that school, although by this time he had passed the 
 years of his early youth, and was the father of a family. 
 His people were very much against his going to a 
 Christian school, and they tried their utmost to prevent 
 him from his purpose. 
 
 He writes about that time : ' After trying my best to 
 get money and leave from my household, and not suc- 
 ceeding, I washed my hands of my good name and my 
 honour and pride, and, leaving my wife and my children 
 and all I had, I went away secretly to Goruckpore. I 
 was infatuated with the desire to obtain more knowledge, 
 which would, I thought, open to me the mystery of 
 truth ; and this seemed to be worth many tears and 
 privations and self-denials.' 
 
 After four days of travel, he reached Goruckpore, and 
 found a caste brother who took him in, and provided for 
 
 153 
 
154 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM 
 
 his wants. This man introduced him to two of the 
 teachers of the Mission school. But Tulsi Paul, hearing 
 the praises of Jay Narain's College in Benares, and of a 
 rich man of his own caste who would certainly support 
 him, he left Goruckpore without telling his friend, and 
 in due time arrived there. To his great disappointment, 
 he found that that rich caste brother would have nothing 
 to say to him. Besides, cholera was raging in the town, 
 and he found it necessary to stay over night outside the 
 city. Greatly depressed by these untoward circumstances, 
 he made up his mind to return home to his family. 
 
 When he reached Goruckpore, however, his caste 
 brother was greatly surprised to see him, and asked, 
 ' Why did you go away without letting us know ? I 
 wanted to introduce you to the missionary, and the two 
 teachers were also inquiring after you.' He answered, 
 ' Well, what is better than that you take me there now ? 
 What does a blind man want but two eyes ? Is it not 
 with the desire of acquiring knowledge that I am roaming 
 about the whole world ? ' 
 
 Then Tulsi Paul goes on to tell of his first interview 
 with the missionary, Mr. Wilkinson, and of his kindness 
 in allowing him two rupees a month for his board, and 
 giving him a room to live in, and thus enabling him to 
 become a pupil of the Mission school. 
 
 This was not actually the first time in his life that 
 Tulsi Paul had come into contact with Christians or 
 Christianity. As a lad attending a religious fair, he was 
 attracted by a crowd surrounding a preacher of the 
 Gospel. Strange words fell on his ears : ' generation 
 of vipers ! ' Anxious to know what they could possibly 
 mean, he listened with intense interest. However, he 
 did not seem to have taken in the Gospel message, but 
 the solemn words, ' generation of vipers ! ' were never 
 
FIRST CONTACT WITH CHRISTIANS 155 
 
 forgotten. They rang in his ears with increased solemnity 
 as years went on, leaving him no peace or rest within. 
 
 Tulsi Paul felt very happy in the Mission school, and 
 diligently pursued his studies. The school was opened 
 with prayer by the missionary, followed by a Scripture 
 lesson. Of the prayer he says : ' During the prayer I saw 
 the whole assembly, whether Mohammedan or Hindu, 
 each and every one bow their heads. Some bowed 
 sincerely, and with devotion, whilst others did it hypo- 
 critically. I did not do so at first, because I had a 
 feeling that as a Hindu I ought only to bow my head 
 to the Supreme Being the Hindus acknowledge.' 
 
 Of the Mohammedan and Hindu teachers in the school 
 he writes : ' Before the missionary they would agree with 
 all he taught, but afterwards tell us to keep to our own 
 religion, and to pursue the road we were on.' 
 
 On Sundays, Tulsi Paul had the privilege of attending 
 a Sunday class held by Miss Bird for heathen lads and 
 young men of the Mission school. He speaks in high 
 terms of this lady, a sister of the judge of Goruckpore, 
 who seemed to have taken a great interest in these 
 youths, and who also was in the habit of visiting the 
 ladies in the zenanas. 
 
 Tulsi Paul continued for about four years at Goruck- 
 pore, when his father, Mansa Eam, died, and his elder 
 brother became master of the house and of the business. 
 He came and fetched away Tulsi Paul to pay his respects 
 to two rajahs, very likely on some business connected 
 with their estates. Here Tulsi Paul seems to have borne 
 witness to the religion of Jesus Christ, and of the truths 
 contained in the Bible. 
 
 Then he returned home with his brother, and stayed a 
 few months with his family ; but he evidently was not 
 happy amongst them, for he writes of that time : ' I heard 
 
156 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM 
 
 nothing but reproaches from all sides. They taunted me, 
 saying, " Tulsi Earn has eaten with the English, and 
 become a Christian at Goruckpore." 
 
 * I used to deny this, saying, " It is not true. I have 
 not yet become a Christian, and you are greatly mistaken 
 if you think the English try to make you eat their food. 
 They act only nobly and uprightly. For instance, Mr. 
 Wilkinson loves me as if I were his son, yet he has 
 never once asked me to eat of his food. He has procured 
 books for me all the way from Calcutta, and supplied me 
 with pen, ink, paper, and food, and such excellent teachers, 
 as my own father, the great and famous Mansa Earn, 
 could not have done. Oh, believe me, I am very grate- 
 ful to the missionary, and shall never be able to repay 
 him all my life. I want to go back to him ; my heart 
 is not happy here." ' 
 
 And he did go back to Goruckpore, not with the 
 intention of becoming again a pupil in the Mission school, 
 but to try and earn his own livelihood. 
 
 As regards his state of mind towards Christianity and 
 its doctrines, he writes : * I greatly liked the teaching of 
 the Bible. I began to study for myself the Old and New 
 Testaments, and to commit portions of it to memory. 
 Among other parts I learned by heart the Sermon on the 
 Mount. I also read with great interest other Christian 
 books ; and all the Bible teaching found much place in 
 my heart.' 
 
 Still, up to this time Tulsi Paul seems to have had no 
 personal dealings with God. The truth that the Chris- 
 tians' God and Saviour was the only one for him also — 
 a sinner needing an efficient Saviour — had not yet been 
 brought home to him, though no doubt the Holy Spirit 
 had begun His blessed work in his soul. 
 
 Mr. Wilkinson procured for Tulsi Paul a situation as 
 
FIRST CONTACT WITH CHRISTIANS 157 
 
 teacher of the Hindustani language with a gentleman 
 named Lieutenant Monro. When the latter was trans- 
 ferred to Saugur he took Tulsi Paul along with him ; but, 
 being sent on to Lahore, he dismissed him at Saugur. He 
 then became a teacher in a school for boys under the 
 patronage of the Eesident of that place, a Mr. Sullivan. 
 He also mentions that the chaplain, Mr. Greenwood, 
 took an interest in that school. 
 
 After some years, Tulsi Paul's elder brother came to 
 Saugur, and, taking up his brother's work, sent him home. 
 He remained there for some time, and then went to 
 Lucknow in search of employment. Here he found a 
 teachership in a school for soldiers' boys, very likely to 
 teach them to read and write the Hindustani character. 
 The New Testament seems to have been the book for the 
 reading lesson, much to the delight of Tulsi Paul. The 
 school was in charge of a Mr. Patten, who, as Tulsi Paul 
 says, was considered a subordinate. This Christian 
 gentleman showed great kindness towards Tulsi Paul and 
 the boys in his school. He collected them in his house on 
 Sundays and gave them a Scripture lesson, Tulsi Paul also 
 attending and answering the questions the boys failed to 
 do. Seeing Tulsi Paul's interest in Christianity and his 
 knowledge of the Bible, Mr. Patten began to read with 
 him the Bible and other Christian books ; and thus the 
 Gospel was once more brought to the notice of this 
 searcher after truth. 
 
CHAPTEE IV. 
 
 SPIRITUAL CONFLICT. 
 
 'UT now God's blessed time had come, — a time 
 of which Tulsi Paul says, ' But now the grace 
 of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ began 
 to shine upon me.' 
 Mr. Patten read a book with him, called Abstract of 
 Exiiortations, This book made a deep impression on 
 him ; so much so, he adds, that he could not help coming 
 to the conclusion that, whatever the world might think, 
 the Christian religion was, after all, a very good one ; 
 and he began to wonder how others too could not see 
 the beauty of such teachings as were contained, for 
 instance, in the Sermon on the Mount : again, how 
 people could scoff at a religion with such pure and holy 
 doctrines and precepts. 
 
 But these thoughts led to inward conflicts, of which 
 Tulsi Paul writes : ' My heart condemned me, saying, 
 " What have you, being a Hindu, to do with these things ? 
 You had better study your own religious books. If you 
 remain a staunch Hindu, then, in the age of righteous- 
 ness, you will have twenty-four incarnations, and three 
 spiritual guides, and twelve saints to wait on you. And 
 
SPIRITUAL CONFLICT 
 
 159 
 
 for you, too, a spotless and holy incarnation will appear. 
 He will be born of a stainless virgin of the house of a 
 Brahmin in the country Sinhal. Do not get your heart 
 unsettled about these matters." ' 
 
 In order to quiet his conscience, Tulsi Paul now tried 
 to practise both religions, the Christian and the Hindu. 
 He continued to read the Gospel, but also went back 
 with redoubled energy to idolatry, and lived again the 
 life of an ascetic. He says that both religions were 
 fighting in his heart for victory ; but he found the more 
 he tried to keep to the practices of his old religion the 
 more dissatisfied he felt. It was about this time that 
 he met the Eev. Mr. Smith of Benares, and the Eev. 
 Mr. Mather of Mirzapore, who had come on a visit to 
 Lucknow. They had several conversations with him, 
 and how deeply Tulsi Paul was impressed by them is 
 seen from the fact that he remembered even the place 
 (a certain well of some great man called Path Ali) 
 where he first met them, and he also relates part of the 
 talks they had with him. Before parting, Mr. Smith 
 said to Tulsi Paul, ' If you have doubts, and questions 
 to be answered, do write to me to Benares, and I will 
 always be ready to send you a reply.' Mr. Smith also 
 gave him the book called Investigation of True Religion. 
 
 Of this book Tulsi Paul says : ' When I began to study 
 this book all the conflicts in my heart began afresh, and 
 in vain my old religion struggled against the new faith. 
 I could not help seeing how all the incarnations and 
 divinities of other religions were false and sinful, and 
 that the only true, stainless, and perfect incarnation 
 was the Lord God Jesus Christ.^ I was overwhelmed 
 at the thought of my caste, my religion, all my gods 
 
 ^ Mark how henceforth Tulsi Paul always calls our Lord * the Lord 
 God.' 
 
i6o FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM 
 
 and images and idols vanishing to nothing — nothing. 
 My heart said to me, "Now is the time to decide whether 
 you will choose God or keep to the world. Here is a 
 plain question of giving up one thing and taking up 
 another." 
 
 ' I was so preoccupied with these doubts and per- 
 plexities, that I could not any more give proper attention 
 to my daily work ; and my superiors, after remon- 
 strating with me several times, had to dismiss me. 
 Then my family began to upbraid me. But oh, what 
 could I do ? And how could I give attention to all and 
 everything ? There those gentlemen were complaining 
 of me, here my family were upbraiding me, and this 
 heart of mine was also complaining and wanting to be 
 attended to ; and over and above all God was calling me 
 to attend to Him. And I, I was only one, and could 
 attend only to one thing first. And my heart said, 
 " Choose the right thing." But how could I ? I was in 
 a great dilemma. I had lost my situation, and if I now 
 became a Christian, would people not say, " Ah, his tree 
 of support has been cut down, so he quickly becomes a 
 Christian from secular motives"? I groaned in my spirit, 
 saying, " Lord God Jesus Christ, cast me not off ! The 
 world is trying to get hold of me, but Thou knowest the 
 true state of my heart, for no secret is hid from Thee." 
 
 'After agonising thus in prayer, I felt greatly strength- 
 ened. Courage came into my heart, saying, " Tulsi 
 Piam, be not afraid ! There is light to the strong and 
 the brave." Blessed be the Lord God Jesus Christ for 
 thus strengthening those whom He wishes to make His 
 own ! And then God, who alone can make a way out 
 of every difficulty, began to make my way plain, by His 
 guiding me to meet the Brigade-Major W. Lamb.' 
 
 Major Lamb took a great interest in his case. Tulsi 
 
SPIRITUAL CONFLICT i6i 
 
 Paul Opened his heart to him, and it was through his 
 help that he found a situation in the Government 
 College, under Mr. Martin, as record keeper. It is 
 wonderful how many Christian gentlemen Tulsi Paul 
 met in his career, who greatly helped him on in his 
 search after truth. He mentions a Mr. Culling, the 
 superintendent of his office, who, to his great joy and 
 comfort, also read the Bible with him. Then Major 
 Lamb had a Sunday class for his native servants and 
 the officials ; and he made use of Tulsi Paul to explain 
 the Gospel story to them in the Hindustani language. 
 Tulsi Paul did this in a way which left no doubt as to 
 his being a Christian at heart ; but when Major Lamb 
 asked him why he did not seal his faith by baptism, he 
 alleged several reasons, the chief one being that he 
 hoped still to get his wife and children to join him. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 TllK LOUD JESUS GAINS THE VICTOKY. 
 
 FTEU Tulsi Paul had been some time iii Mr. 
 Martin's office, Major Lamb informed him 
 that his brother was coming out from England 
 to be a missionary at Meerut. Tulsi Paul 
 was greatly rejoiced at this piece of good news, for he 
 felt that somehow his ardent desire would now be ful- 
 filled, and that the missionary, whose brother he revered 
 so greatly, would remove all doubts from his mind, and 
 clear the path for him to accept Christ. He writes, he 
 kept asking Major Lamb, ' Oh, when will the missionary 
 come ? ' and would get the reply, ' Soon, soon ; very soon.' 
 Tulsi Paul in his impatience asked Mr. Culling to allow 
 him to resign his office, as he had quite made up his mind 
 to attach himself to the missionary, Mr. Lamb. 
 
 Mr. Culling tried his best to induce Tulsi Paul to stay 
 in his present situation, and at last he offered him an 
 increase of pay. * But,' writes Tulsi Paul, ' I thought 
 within myself, " If I only get ten rupees a month, that 
 will suffice for my wants. What do I care for the 
 twenty-five rupees a month Mr. Culling is offering me ? 
 I do not care for money. Have I not spent large sums 
 
THE LORD JESUS GAINS THE VICTORY 163 
 
 of my own, in order to find God and the truth ? And if 
 now I only succeed in getting the Lord God Jesus Christ, 
 I get more than all riches. I am only longing for the 
 comfort of being sure of having salvation." 
 
 ' So, when Mr. Lamb arrived, I, Paul, left for good my 
 children, my wife, my family pride, my caste, and, with a 
 certificate of good conduct from the esteemed Mr. Culling, 
 I went to Meerut with Mr. Lamb, who engaged me as 
 teacher of the Hindustani language, for as yet the reverend 
 gentleman did not know a word of it. 
 
 ' When we arrived at Meerut, what was my astonish- 
 ment to see that there too was a large and beautiful 
 Mission school, under the Christian teacher, Inayat Masih, 
 Mr. Rebsh being the head-master. The conclusion of it 
 all was, that at last our Lord Jesus Christ gained the 
 victory, and I, Paul, received baptism from Mr. Lamb in\ 
 the same year, the year of our Lord 1847; and at the 
 baptism I received the name " Paul." The name of Christ 
 was then also put upon me [Masi'hi, " Christian "]. It is 
 to me a holy bequest and a strong protection. He in 
 truth and verity is the Christ, the Light of the world, 
 and this Lord Jesus is also my Light and my Eefuge. 
 I, Paul, believe this from my heart, and confess it here. 
 Oh, believe on Him, my countrymen. Take up His easy 
 yoke, and He will also show to you the way of life. Oh, 
 kiss His blessed feet, and bow to Him, although you are 
 not capable of grasping the depths of His wonderful being. 
 
 ' It is commonly reported by outsiders that during the 
 baptismal service the missionaries do, who knows what, 
 to the converts — that they pour water into the mouth, 
 or force them to eat beef.^ But oh, the convert has 
 
 ^ Tulsi Paul confessed once, that often during his conflicts, when he 
 had nearly made up his mind to be baptized, the dread of being forced to 
 eat beef, again and again proved too strong an obstacle to surmount. 
 
1 64 FR OM B ONDA GE TO FREEDOM 
 
 nothing of the kmd to do. Christ's religion is not carnal, 
 but spiritual, and has nothing to do with outward usages. 
 1 had searched and investigated this matter for twenty- 
 four years before I became a Christian. Confess the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, and believe that He is God, and that 
 He became man in order to shed His blood as an atone- 
 ment for sin, and this faith will be counted unto us 
 for righteousness. 
 
 ' When I, Paul, accepted Him who is the King of 
 kings, the Lord of lords, the Prophet of prophets, and 
 the great High Priest, I became His soldier, and received 
 the weapons of warfare — the girdle of truth, the breast- 
 plate of righteousness, the sandals of the Gospel of peace, 
 the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the sword 
 of the Holy Spirit ; and then, according to Christ's 
 admonition, having put my hand to the plough, I did 
 not look back again.' 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 TULSI PAUL PREACHES CHRIST. 
 
 >ULSI PAUL, who was now a middle-aged man, 
 became a happy and bright Christian, filled 
 with love and zeal for his Lord. He was a 
 man full of life and spirit and energy, quick 
 in his movements and quick in his speech, and his keen 
 eyes took in everything at a glance. He was upright and 
 sincere, a man in wdiom was no guile ; somewhat eccentric, 
 and very original ; fond of quoting proverbs, passages from 
 books, and very fond of speaking in rhymed sentences, 
 which came quite naturally to him. His affable manners, 
 true Oriental politeness, his simplicity and humility, won 
 the hearts of all with whom he came in contact. 
 
 He was a fine-looking man, tall and slender, with a 
 noble aristocratic bearing. He kept strictly to his native 
 costume and native food, and was scrupulously clean in 
 his dress and person. He was very abstemious. His 
 chief food consisted of chupatties and dal (unleavened 
 bread and pulse). He denied himself all luxuries, even 
 the liuhhah} The only indulgence he allowed himself 
 was tea, and that he discontinued for a time, when he 
 found he was getting too much addicted to it. 
 
 ^ Indian pipe. 
 165 
 
1 66 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM 
 
 After his baptism he began at once to preach Christ ; 
 but the blasphemous way in which many Mohammedan 
 opponents argued with him touched him to the quick, 
 and he often gave vent to his indignation, and answered 
 angrily. But on being sliown by his friend, the Rev. Mr. 
 Lamb, that this was not the spirit of the meek and lowly 
 Jesus, he strove to conquer his temper, and God gave 
 him the victory over it. It is said that in later years, 
 on more than one occasion, some scoffer in the crowd 
 would fill his shoe with stones and throw it at the 
 ])reacher, upon which he would simply turn round to see 
 who had insulted him, and quietly go on preaching. 
 
 Once, when this was done while he was walking home 
 from addressing the people in company with a lad who 
 carried his books, the latter heard him repeating to 
 himself, ' " The servant is not greater than his Master ; if 
 they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you." 
 Yes, Jesus my Lord has said, " Whosoever will smite thee 
 on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. Love 
 your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to 
 them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully 
 use you, and persecute you." ' 
 
 For ten years, from 1847 to 1857, Tulsi Paul worked 
 uninterruptedly under Mr. Lamb's guidance, faithfully 
 and zealously preaching the Word, itinerating a good 
 part of each year in the ISTorth-West Provinces, in the 
 district of Meerut, and along the banks of the Ganges. 
 The seed sown thus bore abundant fruit, for it was from 
 the latter districts that the nucleus of the Annfield 
 congregation was gathered, of which Tulsi Paul became 
 the first pastor. 
 
 The memorable year of the Mutiny, 1857, dawned as 
 peacefully as any of its predecessors had done. Early 
 in the year, Mr. Lamb and his family, with Tulsi Paul, 
 
TULSI PAUL PREACHES CHRIST 167 
 
 set out on their annual tour to the Hurdwar fair, little 
 dreaming of the awful tragedies that were so soon to be 
 enacted in that neighbourhood. Their march extended 
 through the Eastern Doon to Dehra, and from there to 
 Landour, a town on the Himalaya hills. Here Mr. 
 Lamb left his family, and, accompanied by Tulsi Paul, 
 marched on into the interior, towards the independent 
 State of Teeree. 
 
 In the meantime the JMutiny broke out in Meerut, on 
 May 10, 1857, and rumours of it soon reached Mr. 
 Lamb. He at once returned to Landour to his family. 
 But even then he would not give up speaking and 
 preaching in the bazaar, although the natives became very 
 turbulent and restless ; and Major Kind, a staunch friend 
 of his, apprehended that some harm might be done to 
 Christ's faithful messenger. He therefore urged him to 
 leave his wife and children in his care, and go back into 
 the interior, where he could with less danger pursue the 
 Lord's work, as the State of Teeree was loyal to the English. 
 
 Mr. Lamb agreed to this plan, and on June 7, 
 1857, while riding back from Major Eind's house, after 
 arranging final matters with him on the subject of his 
 journey, his horse shied at a pony carrying pahhdls^ 
 backed, and went over the precipice. Mr. Lamb was 
 thrown on the Waverley Road, some forty feet below, and 
 in about thirty-six hours died from the injuries he had 
 ' sustained. 
 
 This was a great blow to Tulsi Paul, for he was deeply 
 attached to Mr. Lamb, and he grieved long for him. He 
 stayed on with Mrs. Lamb for that year, and worked 
 under her direction, conductino- services for the native 
 Christians, and otherwise making himself useful in the 
 Lord's work. 
 
 ^ Leatlier l)arcs filled with water. 
 
i68 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM 
 
 Long after the actual Mutiny was quelled, the natives 
 remained in a very disturbed state ; but, fearless of 
 consequences, Tulsi Paul was about his Father's business, 
 and took every opportunity of preaching in the bazaars. 
 On one occasion, while proclaiming the Gospel message 
 in some public place, an English officer rode up to him, 
 and told him to stop preaching. He also ordered him 
 to pay a fine for disobeying orders. Tulsi Paul paid the 
 fine, rather a large sum ; but the very next day found 
 him at his post as usual. The officer again got 
 information, and, riding up, said, ' Did I not forbid you 
 to preach ? You preachers and native Christians are at 
 "the bottom of the Mutiny, and would you again bring us 
 such trouble ? Leave off this preaching, and let me 
 never see you here again.' 
 
 '0 no,' said the preacher, ' I am not preaching 
 mutiny, but peace — the Gospel message of peace. And 
 I am telling the people how wrong it is to have wars 
 and fightings.' 
 
 The officer either did not understand him, or he was 
 put out at his venturing to remonstrate with him. He 
 suddenly rode up and struck Christ's messenger with 
 his whip across the face, and forced him to leave the 
 place. 
 
 It was touching to hear Tulsi Paul alluding to this 
 event in later years, excusing the officer by putting 
 down his conduct more to his ignorance than to any ill 
 feeling. But as the heart rises in indignation at such 
 treatment of a Gospel preacher, another scene arises 
 which speaks, ' Peace, be still,' to the angry billows of 
 indignation, — for Tulsi Paul was privileged to pay back 
 this act in Christian coin to another of Her Majesty's 
 army. A British soldier lay dying in the Meerut 
 hospital. He was longing before his departure once 
 
TULSI PAUL PREACHES CHRIST 
 
 169 
 
 more to eit the bread and drink the cup of the Lord, in 
 remembrance of Him ; but there was no one to give it to 
 liim — the chaplain was ill, and the missionary absent. 
 A happy thought occurred to some friend, who went and 
 fetched Tulsi Paul, then pastor in Maliyana ; and he 
 gladly did what was required. 
 
 It was far from Tulsi Paul's intention to defy 
 Government. He was a most loyal subject, and always 
 spoke in the highest terms of British rule in India, and 
 of the benefits derived from it. 
 
 rf.. '--^-::^^;::^-^p£-} 
 
CHAPTEE VII. 
 
 TULSI PAUL'S GREAT TRIAL. 
 
 IHE great trial of Tiilsi Paul's life was, that 
 neither his wife nor his children followed him 
 in his faitli. Long did he cherish the hope 
 of welcoming at least some of his family into 
 the fold of Jesns. But to this man, whom God had 
 chosen to be the instrument of bringing many heathen 
 and outsiders into the kingdom of Christ, was not given 
 the joy of gathering in some sheaves from his own house 
 and family. 
 
 He visited them as often as he was able, and spoke 
 to them of the only way to everlasting life ; but all 
 his endeavours seemed in vain. His wife especially was 
 very bitter against him, and whenever he came she had 
 nothing but hard words and abuse for him, calling him 
 an outcast and a disgrace to his family, and saying that 
 he had only become a Christian in order to suck cows' 
 bones. Tulsi Paul did not retaliate ; lie listened most 
 patiently and meekly to all her insults, hoping in the 
 end to win her over. 
 
 Tulsi Paul had two daughters, beautiful fair girls. 
 They were named Sonee and Monee, and their father was 
 
 170 
 
TULSI PAUL'S GREA T TRIA L 171 
 
 deeply attached to them. He sometimes took presents 
 and gay garments for them, and tried to induce them to 
 come near him ; but their mother would not allow them 
 to approach, and all he was permitted to do was to feast 
 liis eyes on them from a distance. Perhaps it was this 
 that made him so tender towards other little girls. He 
 never passed any of his congregation without taking some 
 notice of them, generally saying, ' AVcll, hetiyd,' ^ or lali^ 
 • and are you quite well ? ' 
 
 He had also two sons. Later on, his younger son,( 
 together with his wife, did accept baptism ; but he was 1 
 only a nominal Christian, and no one seems to know \ 
 what really induced him to leave Hinduism. He was j 
 not a good man, and was a source of great grief to his -' 
 father. However, on this son's death-bed, Tulsi Paul had 
 the comfort of being with him, and seeing him truly 
 penitent, and dying in true faith in Him who came to 
 save sinners. 
 
 Tulsi Paul had great compassion on the young widow 
 left by this son. He regularly paid her ten rupees a 
 month for her support, which was about a fourth part of 
 his whole income. However, he had only to do so for 
 two years, after which she married again. 
 \ But all the father's hopes were centred in his first- 
 iborn son, Ayudhiya Prashad, who was his favourite ; and 
 nothing could lessen his love for him, or shake his fer- 
 vent hope of his ultimate conversion. Even with his 
 dying breath he besought this son to confess the Lord. 
 
 Ayudhiya seemed to love his father, and showed true 
 filial attachment to him. He often visited him, and 
 stayed with him for longer or shorter periods. But 
 although he pretended to be one with him in mind, 
 and would even prepare his father's food, he himself 
 
 ^ Pet name for a daughter. - Little damsel. 
 
172 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM 
 
 would not eat a morsel of bread which his father had 
 touched. 
 
 Ayudhiya Prashad had a remarkably good knowledge 
 of the truths of Christianity. Often, too, he seemed to 
 be almost persuaded to be baptized, but he put it off 
 again and again, waiting for a more convenient season ; 
 but that season never came. He died some twenty years 
 after his father, and was up to the very last a teacher 
 employed by the Eev. H. Stern of Goruckpore, who 
 often spoke to him very seriously of thus hardening his 
 heart. His last excuse was that he could not break his 
 old mother's heart by giving up his caste, and that he 
 would wait till she died, and then take the final step. 
 But Ayudhiya Prashad did not reckon that the call 
 would come to him before it came to his mother. He 
 was only ill a few days, dying rather suddenly, and quite 
 unexpectedly. 
 
 The state of his family was a great and sore trial to 
 the faith of good Tulsi Paul ; and now and then, with 
 tears in his eyes, he would pour out his heart on this 
 subject to his missionary friends, and wonder why the 
 Lord did not answer his prayers and supplications for his 
 beloved ones, 
 j^ In the beginning of the year 1858, Tulsi Paul left Mrs. 
 Lamb and went to Agra, to be prepared for ordination; and 
 in the following year he was ordained by Bishop Cotton, 
 together with the Eev. David Mohan of Allahabad, and 
 others. The bishop wished to give each of the candi- 
 dates a memento of this occasion, and allowed them to 
 choose what they would have. One chose a watch, and 
 Tulsi Paul was asked if he would like one too. His 
 answer was most characteristic : ' no, I need no 
 watch ; my watch is in the sky.' He asked for a refer- 
 ence Bible in Urdu ; but as such a thing was not to be 
 
TULSI PAUL'S GREAT TRIAL 173 
 
 had in those days, an English one was given him, 
 which, however, he could not use, as he did not know 
 English. 
 
 After his ordination he was appointed pastor of the 
 Annfield Church. The congregation there had been 
 gathered together and organised into a Christian colony 
 by Major Eind. They were converts from among the 
 Hindu agriculturists round about the Meerut district, who 
 had heard the truth from Mr. Lamb and Tulsi Paul, and 
 embraced Christianity. In those days native Christians 
 were much more persecuted than they are now, and it 
 was generally believed to be almost impossible for con- 
 verts to remain in their own villages. 
 
 When after his ordination the Kev. Tulsi Paul arrived 
 in Annfield, it was late at night. He had walked twenty- 
 two miles from Uehra, with only a Christian lad carrying 
 his baggage. No foolish pride in his new position influ- 
 enced him, and he lived the same simple life as pastor 
 I that he had as catechist. The two belated travellers 
 lost their way in the dark, and stood shouting across the 
 stream near Major Eind's house, not finding the place for 
 crossing. Major Eind sent his servants with a lantern 
 to show them the way, and received the new pastor very 
 heartily, putting him up for the night. 
 
 Major Eind greatly honoured and respected Tulsi Paul, 
 in whom he found the right man for the work before him 
 — that of building up a church then in its infancy. And 
 although at times he might be a little too outspoken and 
 impetuous with his superiors. Major Eind knew the 
 sincerity and uprightness which called forth such plain 
 speaking of what the pastor considered the right thing, 
 and bore with it. He often invited him to his house, 
 and treated him as an honoured guest and a personal 
 friend. He loved to speak of him as his private chaplain. 
 
174 FROM BONDAGE rO FREEDOM 
 
 He was always asked to conduct family prayers and ask 
 a blessing at meals, and this in the Hindustani language, 
 as he did not know English. And Mrs. Eind, in kind 
 thoughtfulness, knovv^ing that her guest did not care for 
 English food, had always prepared for him the native 
 dishes she knew he liked. He kept to the native custom 
 of eating with his fingers, but he did it in so refined a 
 maimer that no offence could be taken. Tulsi Paul was 
 also a great friend of Major Eind's children ; he listened 
 most patiently to their childish prattle, and joined in all 
 their little interests ; and his good advice and counsel 
 to them, given in his own quaint way, was not forgotten 
 by them. 
 
CHAPTER VIIL 
 
 TULSI PAUL S WOIIK AS PASTOK. 
 
 iHE liev. Tulsi Paul's introductiou to his new 
 flock was a very happy occasion. Most of 
 ST'i the people had known him in former years, 
 and had first heard the message of salvation 
 through Christ from his lips. They remembered the 
 time when, in their heathen homes, this good man had 
 come to them and told them of the loving Saviour, and 
 how gladly they had listened to the message of free 
 pardon and forgiveness, and at last accepted the truth ; 
 and now they had the joy of welcoming him among 
 them as their future pastor and friend. And as to the 
 new pastor, he came to them full of love and zeal, willing 
 to spend and be spent for the good of their souls. 
 
 One of his first undertakings was the building of a 
 temporary church. Major Eind and other Christian 
 friends helped him, and he soon had a place for worship, 
 a schoolhouse, and a small house for himself ready. And 
 then he turned his attention to the spiritual wants of 
 his congregation, and endeavoured to help the members 
 to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they were 
 called ; for as yet some of them were only ' babes in 
 
 175 
 
176 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM 
 
 Christ/ and needed careful nurturing, and others were 
 but nominal Christians, who had joined the new faith 
 with not the purest motives. 
 
 He visited his people regularly from house to house, 
 and by showing sympathy with them in all their various 
 difficulties and troubles, and helping them, too, as best he 
 could, he kept in touch with them, and won their love 
 and respect. He always conducted morning and evening 
 prayers with the villagers, generally in the open air. If 
 any quarrel arose, he would call upon the offending 
 parties at these meetings, and ask them publicly to con- 
 fess their fault, and beg forgiveness of each other. At 
 other times he would get the disputants together privately, 
 and exhort them and pray for them, and thus heal up 
 the breach. 
 
 His modes of punishing delinquents were sometimes 
 rather striking. One punishment for a man who had 
 offended was to kneel down, take off his turban, and 
 balance a large stone on his head for some time ! If 
 any one had been guilty of using bad language, he would 
 have to carry a heavy stone on his head, and go from 
 house to house, wherever his abusive words had been 
 heard, and ask for forgiveness. 
 
 As to hardened characters, the pastor would adhere to 
 the Scripture method. First, he would reason with them. 
 If this proved unavailing, he would send two or three of 
 their friends to talk to them. If this too failed, he would 
 take witnesses with him, and say to the offender, ' I 
 spoke to you alone, and you did not listen ; I sent your 
 friends to you, and you did not mind ; I now come with 
 two or three witnesses to beseech you to repent ; but if 
 you still persist in your wrong-doing, know that hence- 
 forth you shall be to us as a heathen and a publican. I 
 deliver you to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, and 
 
TUr.SI PA UL 'S WOR K AS PASTOR 1 7 7 
 
 pray that your spirit may be saved.' After this he would 
 take no more notice of the offending parties. This treat- 
 ment saved many a man from persisting in his evil 
 course. 
 
 The pastor urged very particularly regular attendance 
 at church. His sermons were practical and to the point, 
 and he did not shirk disagreeable topics, not being at all 
 given to please his listeners by speaking to them ' smooth 
 things.' He also made frequent use of very homely 
 similes. Once he greatly shocked an English lady by 
 comparing ' faith ' to a jhdran (duster, or dish-cloth). 
 She could not help remonstrating with him, in pious 
 indignation, about using this extraordinary simile for such 
 a lofty subject. But the simple-minded preacher could 
 not see at all that he had done anything improper. He 
 took the trouble of reiterating his whole sermon before 
 his lady judge, trying to show her how faith was indeed 
 ^jhdran, cleaning and removing the stains of unbelief, 
 superstition, sin ; and by the help of which we escape 
 unhurt from Satan's hot and burnins^ desicjns. 
 
 The pastor would brook no inattention during his 
 sermons ; but, as he was in the habit of preaching very 
 long discourses, it was sometimes hard on the poor tired 
 cultivators. But, nevertheless, woe to him who chanced 
 to fall asleep ! Suddenly, in the middle of the sermon, 
 there would be an ominous pause, and then three loud 
 claps on the pulpit. If this did not arouse the sleeper, 
 the preacher would call out his name and ask him to come 
 forward, and then quietly go on with his sermon, leaving 
 the unfortunate man standing till it was over. It was 
 very difficult for the rest of the congregation to keep 
 serious during such a scene, especially when, on one 
 occasion during harvest-time, three such delinquents were 
 made to come forward. Not often, however, was such a 
 
 M 
 
178 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM 
 
 sore punishment needed ; the fear of it kept many a 
 sleepy eye wide open. 
 
 Still, as the pastor continued to preach such very long- 
 sermons, the congregation at last ventured to remonstrate. 
 They sent a deputation to him, to state how greatly they 
 appreciated his love for them and his sincere interest in 
 their spiritual welfare, but that they would beg of him 
 to make his sermons somewhat shorter, as they could not 
 fix their attention for such a length of time. 
 
 No false pride prevented the pastor from taking this 
 hint to heart, and he promised to reform. When the 
 deputation had left, he called Stephen, a Christian lad of 
 whom he was very fond, and whom he kept as a kind 
 of servant and companion, and told him to listen well to 
 his sermons, and when he thought they were getting too 
 long, just to stand up for a moment. This should be a 
 sign between them ; ' for,' added the zealous preacher 
 simply, ' when I am preaching I forget all about time 
 and everything else, and certainly I must not go on till 
 they can listen no longer.' 
 
 Stephen did not at all like this task, and yet, after a 
 few Sundays, when once his master forgot his promise to 
 his congregation, and preached on and on, and Stephen's 
 neighbours began to push him and sign to him, he had 
 to do it. Most awkwardly did he rise up for a moment, 
 and then quickly sat down again, looking very bashful 
 and uncomfortable. 
 
 The Eev. Tulsi Paul won the respect of his people to 
 a remarkable degree. They submitted cheerfully to his 
 authority, and obeyed him implicitly; but they not only 
 reverenced him, they also loved him. They said he was 
 so sympathetic and loving, and a real and true friend and 
 comforter to all who were in need or distress. When 
 he visited the poor of his flock, he paid them as much 
 
TULSI PAUL'S WORK AS PASTOR 179 
 
 honour, and was as polite to them, as to any of his rich 
 members ; and he would sit down and eat as hearty a meal 
 of their coarse, simple fare as he would of a sumptuous 
 feast prepared by a rich neighbour. 
 
 If any of his members were ill, he would visit them 
 daily, administering spiritual food and medicine, and also 
 caring for the poor suffering bodies. Any little comforts, 
 such as milk, sugar, tea, and other things, which he 
 thought they could not afford to buy, he would provide 
 them with out of his own pocket. To this day the 
 older members of the Annfteld congregation remember 
 these beautiful traits in their beloved first pastor. Indeed, 
 he was often too generous with his money, and at times 
 became involved in difficulties. Eventually he gave his 
 money to Mrs. Lamb or Mrs. Eind to keep for him, 
 feeling it was safer with them ; but even then he was 
 constantly drawing from them and giving away. And 
 what he gave he always gave most cheerfully ; it was a 
 real pleasure to him to do so. He often used to say, 
 ' God gave me this money, and I give it Him back in 
 this way ; ' or, ' There, take it ; I have no one who needs 
 it ; ' adding sadly, ' I have no wife, no children, to leave 
 it to. They are no more mine ; they are of the world, 
 and the world gives them all they need. You are my 
 children, whom the Lord has given me.' 
 /^Some years later, good Tulsi Paul began to save u]3 his 
 money in real earnest. He formed some idea of buying 
 up land, and settling poor native Christians on it, making 
 himself responsible for the rent ; his tender heart was 
 torn with pity for those poor Christians who found it 
 very difficult at times to pay up land rents. And he 
 had some idea that after his death this land should go 
 to the Mission, and be kept on with the same object. 
 This well-meant but unpractical plan did not mature, 
 
i8o FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM 
 
 and at his death he bequeathed his savings — 500 rupees 
 — to the Goruckpore Mission, where he spent his last 
 two yearsy^ 
 
 But his pastoral work at Annfield was not all plain 
 sailing. Several of the Christians had been polygamists 
 in their heathen days. When the Annfield colony was 
 organised, and Christian rules enforced, the converts were 
 asked to keep only one wife ; but some of them tried to 
 evade this rule, by sometimes having one wife with 
 them, and by and by sending her away to her village, 
 and substituting another for her. The ever-watchful 
 eye of their pastor soon detected this evil, and he tried 
 to put a stop to such proceedings. First, he reasoned 
 with them, trying to show them their wrong-doing ; but 
 when they persisted in their conduct, and every other 
 measure failed, they had to be expelled from the colony. 
 They joined another Mission, and revenged themselves 
 by forming a conspiracy which very nearly ruined their 
 pastor's reputation. They spread untrue reports about 
 him, charging him also with the most heinous sins. 
 Petitions were even presented to the bishop, who was 
 then on a tour of visitation in the Doon. The bishop 
 felt them to be so serious that he instituted a legal 
 inquiry into the whole case, and had all the charges 
 thoroughly gone through before competent judges. 
 
 The congregation at Annfield was filled with indigna- 
 tion at their pastor being so maligned, and wanted to go 
 en masse and stand up for him and his innocence ; but 
 twenty men only were allowed to present themselves. 
 The result of the inquiry was a complete acquittal of 
 the accused. The bishop was so convinced of his 
 innocence, that with his own hand he wrote him an 
 Urdu letter exonerating him from all blame. 
 
 All this was a great trial to the sensitive nature of 
 
TULSI PAUVS WORK AS PASTOR 
 
 i8i 
 
 this good man. Few knew how keenly he felt it. What 
 was specially humiliating was, that some of the European 
 judges seemed to believe the report. Years after, when 
 he once unburdened his heart to a missionary on this 
 subject, he was still grieving over it, and said with tears, 
 ' Oh, how could English gentlemen, English Christian 
 men, even for a moment think of a pastor, a Christian 
 religious teacher, acting thus ? And when I was acquitted, 
 why did not one of them come forward and shake hands 
 with me, and thus show that they believed me to be 
 innocent ? Did they still doubt me ? God only knows 
 what I suffered at that time ! ' 
 
CHAPTEE IX. 
 
 TULSI PAULS DISCIPLES, AND IHS PliEACHING TOUKS. 
 
 'OE some time the Eev. Tiilsi Paul acted as head- 
 master of the Annfield Boys' School, but it 
 did not prosper under his management. One 
 reason may have been that he was so absorbed 
 in the interest of the ' one thing needful/ that whatever 
 the subject of the lesson he had to give might be, it 
 invariably ended in a Bible lesson, and the boys did not 
 get on with their secular studies. 
 
 He had not much sympathy with boys playing, — he 
 called it wasting time, — and he had an especial dislike to 
 their flying kites for hours together. He would remind 
 them of the preciousness of time, saying, ' Time is precious, 
 time is fleeting. Do not fritter away your days in play 
 and nonsense. Go and do something useful, or take your 
 books and study.' 
 
 Once, on account of excessive heat, the boys of a 
 Christian school were given a holiday. About noon a 
 native juggler happened to come to the premises, and 
 the boys begged their superintendent, a young missionary 
 lately come from England, to allow the juggler to show 
 off his tricks. Leave was granted, and soon they all sat 
 
 182 
 
INDIAN JUGGLEKfc). 
 183 
 
TULSI PAUL'S DISCIPLES AND PREACHING TOURS 185 
 
 down in a circle, watching the wonderful feats of an 
 Indian juggler. 
 
 Suddenly, in the midst of the performance, the old 
 pastor was seen running towards them in great excite- 
 ment, in half undress, his flowing robes blown about in 
 the high wind, without even his turban to protect his 
 head from the burning mid-day sun. Eushing into the 
 room of the superintendent, and forgetting his usual 
 politeness, he flung about his arms, and called out 
 excitedly, ' Oh, sCiliib [sir], what are you doing ? what are 
 you doing ? Oh, stop that business outside ! We are 
 here to preach against the devil and all his works, and 
 you, a missionary, allow it to be carried on at your very 
 doors ! ' 
 
 The young missionary tried to expostulate with the old 
 man, and to explain that deftness of hands and not devil's 
 play was the secret here ; but the pastor would not be 
 convinced. 
 
 ' No, no,' he cried out ; ' you do not understand. I have 
 seen a good deal of this kind of thing. Oh, for God's 
 sake, stop that business ! ' 
 
 The missionary went out and sent away the juggler. 
 
 The pastor, while in Annfield, took, however, an especial 
 interest in young men, and he chose twelve from his 
 congregation to be his chosen pupils. These he called 
 his ' twelve disciples, ' adding, with a pleasant smile, 
 ' The Lord Jesus chose twelve, and taught them in a 
 special manner ; I will do the same.' 
 
 He kept these young men constantly about him, and 
 taught and influenced them personally. As being so much 
 with him prevented often their earning money elsewhere, 
 he now and then gave them presents of food and clothing. 
 When giving them anything, he would generally say, 
 ' Take this, and be thankful to God, and always keep 
 
1 86 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM 
 
 in mind that it is He who provides you with all things 
 needful.' 
 
 His treatment of them was a little eccentric at times. 
 Stephen, the lad mentioned above, was one of the twelve. 
 One night the pastor suddenly woke up this youth, and 
 asked him, ' Stephen, Stephen, who made the stars \ ' 
 
 Stupefied with sleep, the lad growled out, ' How do I 
 know ? ' 
 
 ' What ! ' called out his master, in a tone which 
 thoroughly aroused the lad, 'you do not know who 
 made the stars ? Get up at once, and go outside and 
 look at them, till you remember who their Maker is.' 
 
 The young fellow went out meekly and humbly ; and 
 while he stood outside his master went on : ' My son, 
 sleeping or waking, you ought always to remember the 
 Lord. Let Him become a part of your being, and then 
 even in your sleep you will remember Him.' 
 
 The lad Stephen never forgot that night's lesson. 
 
 This youth was paid one anna and a half daily, for 
 which he had to work hard. If he seemed inclined to 
 grumble, his master would say to him, ' My son, do not 
 despise the day of small things. I am a zeminddrs 
 [land-owner's] son, and yet I had only two rupees a 
 month when I first left home. Whatever you have, 
 learn to live on it, and try to save something too.' 
 
 One of those very disciples afterwards acknowledged 
 that following this advice had made him a rich man. 
 . The Eev. Tulsi Paul was in every sense of the word 
 a man of prayer ; and while thus engaged he loved to 
 address his * Lord God ' in high Arabic words. Some- 
 times, however, the thought would perhaps occur to him 
 that he was speaking before these simple agriculturists 
 in an unknown tongue, and he would interpret immedi- 
 ately after, and use a homely Hindustani word. This 
 
7ULSI PAUL'S DISCIPLES AND PREACHING TOURS 187 
 
 was disturbing, and soinetitncs had a ludicrous effect; but 
 the speaker evidently did it unconsciously. 
 
 There was a saying among his congregation, that their 
 pastor was so holy he needed almost no sleep ; for, what- 
 ever time at night he was wanted, he was found awake, 
 sitting on his bed, wrapped in his large native shawl, 
 reading, praying, or meditating ; and the first rays of sun- 
 liuht saw him aoain at his devotions. Even when he 
 was a catechist, Mr. Lamb often remonstrated with him 
 for keeping up half the night to read and study the Bible, 
 fearing his health would suffer ; but it really did seem 
 that Tulsi Paul needed less sleep than others. Do we not 
 find in these hours of communion with the Lord, the secret 
 of the holy and consistent life of this servant of Christ ? 
 
 On one occasion the child of one of his disciples fell 
 suddenly ill. Though it was the middle of the night, 
 the father rushed off to his pastor, sure of help from him. 
 He found him as usual sitting up in bed meditating, with 
 his Bible open before him. After listening with sympathy 
 to the tale of sorrow, the good man said, ' My son, I have 
 no medicine for your child, nor can I get any at this 
 time of night. But I have one remedy at hand — prayer. 
 I will come with you, and use that.' 
 
 On the road the pastor stumbled over a stone, and fell. 
 The father of the child was full of concern ; but the man 
 of God got up quickly, and begged his pardon for causing 
 him pain by his carelessness, and walked on. Arriving 
 at the house, he comforted the parents, and prayed for 
 the sick one. Prayer prevailed, and the child recovered. 
 
 Whenever the Eev. Tulsi Paul went on preaching tours, 
 he always took several of his young men with him. They 
 had to carry the books and tracts, their blankets, etc. 
 When they stopped to preach, one of them had to stand 
 up and read a passage of Scripture, and then, when the 
 
i88 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM 
 
 crowd was gathered, Tulsi Paul would preach to them. In 
 his younger days he always walked these tours, but 
 when age began to tell on him he was urged to buy a 
 small country pony. He consented with great reluctance, 
 and at first hardly ever rode on it. Sometimes, when his 
 young disciples would try to induce him to ride, he would 
 say, ' No, children ; you are walking, why should I ride ? ' 
 When at last he was very tired, he would in a manner 
 apologise for his conduct, saying, ' Now you must forgive 
 an old man, but I cannot walk any longer.' 
 
 And as years went on, and strength declined more and 
 more, the good old man had to give up all walking, and 
 then he was always seen on his pony going to or return- 
 ing from his work. And, strange to say, his groom was 
 a Brahmin. It is a very rare thing indeed to see a man 
 of this caste take to this work, but the man seemed to be 
 so deeply attached to his master, that, rather than leave 
 him, he attended also the pony, besides being cook and 
 general servant. 
 
 The Eev. Tulsi Paul was up to the very last a most 
 indefatigable bazaar preacher, and he always made it a 
 point to visit as many religious fairs for the same pur- 
 pose as he had time and opportunity. During these fairs 
 he would hardly allow himself time for his meals. 
 
 Sometimes the audience would call out, ' Tell us some- 
 thing new ; you always speak of Jesus Christ. We are 
 tired of hearing about Him.' 
 
 ' Tired of hearing about the Lord Christ ? ' the preacher 
 would say, a beautiful expression lighting up his face. 
 ' I am never tired of hearing or talking about my Lord, 
 the Saviour of the world. Take from me my wife, take 
 from me my children, take my lands and my money, 
 take everything, yea, even life itself, but leave me Christ 
 in my heart ! 
 
TULSI PAUVS DISCIPLES AND PREACHING TOURS 189 
 
 \ 
 He was very much interested in all Hindu Faqirs and 
 
 devotees. When once he began to talk to them, it was 
 difficult to get him away. * Yes, yes, I am coming,' he 
 would say to those who urged the tired preacher to come 
 away ; but again and again would he turn to his listeners, 
 and try to show them the beauty of that religion which 
 offers salvation, a present salvation, free, without money 
 and without price. He would point out clearly to 
 them how impossible it was for sinners to earn salvation 
 by the penances and tortures they inflicted upon them- 
 selves, and how all their meritorious deeds and religious 
 acts were dead works, and could not be acceptable to a 
 holy and righteous God. 
 
 In those days there were few printed hhajans (native 
 hymns set to native tunes), but the Eev. Tulsi Paul had 
 the gift of composing them on the spur of the moment, 
 and he sang them to the listening crowds, drawing thus 
 great numbers, to whom he then preached the Word. 
 One of the hymns he composed was a very long one, each 
 line beginning with a letter of the Hindi alphabet. 
 
 He was permitted to carry on his work at Annlield till 
 the year 1866, but then, with the steady growth of the 
 colony, his pastoral duties became too heavy for him, and 
 he was transferred to Maliyana and Kankarkhera, out- 
 stations of Meerut. He stayed there for only two years, 
 and wrote his autobiography. It may be that thus 
 recalling his past life, and in spirit living it over 
 again, stirred up the great yearning he began to have 
 to go back to the neighbourhood of his home and family, 
 in order, if possible, to influence them ; for it was at his 
 I own urgent wish that he was transferred to Goruckpore, 
 i and put in charge of the native Christian congregation at 
 Basharatpore. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 TULSI PAUL'S LAST YEAES AND DEATPL 
 
 |HE last two years of his life were spent at Bash-t 
 aratpore. Every one in the Christian village \ 
 soon began to respect and revere the old, 
 venerable-looking pastor, who, notwithstand- 
 ing his age and infirmity, took a personal interest 
 in them and in all their affairs, and could help them 
 not only in spiritual matters, but also advise them 
 (having been a zcmincldrs son) in questions about their 
 fields, their cattle, and their crops. 
 
 In the afternoon he would often ride into the town,\ 
 and preach in the bazaars to Hindus and Mohammedans. ! 
 It was a treat to see the venerable old man, with flowing 
 white beard and flowing garments, gesticulating and 
 waxing eloquent about his Lord God Jesus Christ, whom 
 he urged his hearers to receive as their Saviour. He 
 endured their abuse and scoffings most patiently, and 
 had great tact in quieting down the tumult which they 
 raised in order to get rid of him and his earnest preaching. 
 At last his health gave way, and he was laid up for 
 months wdth dyspepsia. His favourite son, Ayudhiya 
 Prashad, came at his request to nurse him, and to be 
 with him. During" his lingering and painful illness he 
 was most patient, and full of faitli and hope to the last. 
 
 190 
 
TULSI PAUL'S LAST YEARS AND DEATH 191 
 
 The Word of God was his great comfort, and when 
 his strength began to fail, his son had to read it out to 
 him. The eighth chapter of the Epistle to the Eomans 
 was his favourite chapter, and as in his sermons he had 
 frequently pointed out the preciousness of the words, 
 ' We are children of God ; and if children, then heirs, heirs 
 of God, and joint-heirs with Christ,' so now on his death- 
 bed he was fully conscious that all his sufferings, past 
 and present, were not worthy to be compared with the 
 glory which would be revealed. 
 
 One night, when he was already so weak that he could 
 not move without being helped, he startled his son by 
 suddenly sitting up in bed without any assistance, and, 
 pointing up, said aloud, ' They are calling me.' His son 
 tried to persuade him to lie down ; but the old man, 
 looking up, exclaimed again, ' I see a throne ; the LordV 
 is calling me ! ' Then Ayudhiya Prashad knew that his \ 
 father's end had come, and, sobbing out in his grief, he i 
 said, ' Father, father ! are you going to leave me ? Shall 
 I never see you again ? ' The dying man replied, ' Never, '\ 
 my son, unless you accept Christ. Will you not promise 
 me, before my departure, to accept the Lord ? ' The son / 
 promised at that solemn moment that he would do so. 
 
 Tulsi Paul looked up again, and, lifting up his arms, 
 he shouted out, ' Mai^i ata hii?i ! /fAushi ! Mushi ! ' [I 
 am coming ! Joy ! joy !] 
 
 His body fell back on the pillows, and his spirit 
 entered triumphantly into the joy of his Lord. 
 
 The next day, February 10, 1870, his remains were \ 
 laid in the Goruckpore cemetery, to await the resurrection I 
 call of his Lord. 
 
 The Eev. H. Stern, when leaving the cemetery, said 
 to the sorrowing flock of the late pastor, ' He was a true 
 Israelite, in whom there was no guile.' 
 
192 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM 
 
 Besides the Christians from Goruckpore and Basharat- 
 pore, crowds of non-Christians had come to witness the 
 funeral. 
 
 When leaving the graveyard, one of the Mohammedan 
 iROuhics was asked by the missionary what had brought 
 him there, as the missionary had seen how^ on several 
 occasions this very moulvic had shaken his fist in the 
 face of the deceased preacher, when the latter used to 
 proclaim Christ in the market-place. 
 
 ' What brought me here ? ' was the sharp reply. ' Why,*! 
 was he [Rev. Tulsi Paul] not a true servant of Allah ? ' 
 
 His Hindu wife, on hearing of the death of her husband, 
 had an image of clay made, and burnt it, performing all 
 the funeral rites accord ing to her religion. And as re- 
 gards Ayudhiya Prashad^ he did not redeem the promise 
 made to his father on his deathbed. 
 
 But though Tulsi Paul did not see the members of his 
 family turning to the Lord, no doubt he will have found 
 many other souls in Paradise his spiritual children, 
 whom God, by his instrumentality, had gathered in to 
 be of those who had washed their robes and made them 
 white in the blood of the Lamb ; and Tulsi Paul's joy 
 is now full in being with Him whom having not seen 
 he loved, because He had first loved him and called him 
 out of darkness into His marvellous light. 
 
 ' When Thy blood-bought Church, Lord Jesus 
 Is com2:)lete ; 
 AVhen each soul is safely landed 
 At Thy feet ; 
 AVhat a story, In the glory, 
 She'll repeat ! ' 
 
 MORRISON AND GIBB, PRINTERS, EDINBURGH. 
 

 DATE DUE 
 
 
 ^m^ 
 
 ^^m^m(s0. 
 
 ^'^'^m^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DEMCO 38-297