1SS8. REVIEW OP THE PUNJAB AND SINDH MISSIONS OP THE C. M. S. AND THE C. E- Z. M. S. Our motto at the beginning of the new year 1888 was : — “ The Government shall be upon His shoulder. Of the increase of His Government and of peace there shall be no end , upon the throne of David , and upon His Kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it ivith judgment and with righteousness, from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall perform this.” In all Missionary work that is undertaken by the Church of Christ, we see the momentous issues of the use we make of the vast powers and responsibilities with which God has endowed our human wills. The results arrived at are ordinarily left by God to depend on our human actions, and on the manner in which those actions are performed. If God’s Word is not published and proclaimed in Christian lands according to Christ’s command, or if Christians in those lands will follow the ideas and traditions of men rather than the commandments of God, we see from history how whole countries and continents become enveloped with the vail of the dark ages. If Christians do not preach the Gospel to non-Christian peoples in all the world, and tell it out amongst the heathen that the Lord is King, we see from history, how, through their negligence or indifference, many nations of the world are allowed to remain in heathen idolatries and abominations, or in Mahomedan desola- tions, even in whole continents, and during long centuries of time. We see also how the blight of unproductiveness rests on those countries and churches and individuals, who do not pass on to others the good tidings which they have themselves received. What they do not give to others, they cannot keep themselves. If the Church of Christ directs the pure waters of the River of Life into ( 2 ) channels, by which they may flow into any desert land, the very wilderness begins to blossom, and becomes a garden. The rock be- comes a standing water, and the flintstone a springing w r ell. The blessings of fertility and prosperity attend also the churches and the congregations and the individuals, w'ho lend themselves to be God’s instruments in doing this. If in so doing, a house is divid- ed against itself, that house will fall. If Churches, or communities, or individuals bite and devour one another, they must expect to be consumed one by another. They need not that any should punish them. They are their own enemies and they punish themselves. If men do not abide in Christ, both they and their work will wither like dead branches and die. If their work is not with their God, and is not His work wrought through and by them, their work will not be established. If men and churches do not grow in grace according to the Word of God, they will lose it. If they delight in the law of God, and meditate in it day and night, then whatsoever they do will prosper. They will then flourish h'ke the cedars of Lebanon, and as the palm trees in the Courts of the House of our God. If we subordinate our wills to His will, working in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure, then His will is done ; and our wills, softened and braced by the dangers and trials that ever accompany all efforts to do His will, are done also ; because our wills are then His will, when His will is our’s. If we do the will of God, then both we and our work will abide for ever. If we let the Government be on His shoulders, and if we let Him order and settle it in His own way, then grace will not be in vain, faith will not be in vain, preaching will not be in vain, labour will not be in vain. If love never fails, if faith, hope, and love, these three, ever abide, then peace will flow as a river, and the beauty of the Lord our God will be upon us, and we shall see the excellency of the glory of our God. Then the God of peace will make us perfect in every good work to do His will, working in this that which is well pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ. If we ( 3 ) seek the prosperity of our Missionary work in the Punjab and Sindh, our song will ever be — “ Take my -will and make it Thine ; It shall be no longer mine. Take my heart, it is Thine own. It shall be Thy royal throne.” “ Stir up 0 Lord the wills of Thy faithful people (both in England and in the Punjab), that they plenteously bringing forth the fruits of good works, may of Thee be plenteously rewarded, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” I.— THE RETIREMENT OP BISHOP FRENCH, AND THE AP- POINTMENT OP BISHOP MATTHEW. The departure of a Bishop from his See, and the appointment of his successor, cannot but effect very greatly indeed both the Diocese and all who are connected with it. The word of the Lord came to Ezekiel (in the 31th Chapter) : “ Thus said the Lord God, Behold I myself, even I, will search for my sheep, and will seek them out ; and I will deliver them ; and I will feed them with good pasture, and they shall lie down in a good fold ; and I will seek that which was lost ; I will bring again that which was driven away, I will bind up that which was broken, I will strengthen that which was sick, and I will cause the shower to come down in its season. There shall be showers of blessings.” What God does, He does ordinarily through His servants, whom He Himself appoints, and sends to do His work. We thank Him for the Episcopate of ten years of Bishop French. Chosen by God out of the University of Oxford, where he -was a disting- uished student, and where he gained some of the chief honors that Oxford can give, he was sent from thence to seek, and deliver, and feed, and strengthen God’s people, in the midst of many tribes and nations in the North of India. “ My sheep, the sheep of my pas- ture, are men, and I am their God, saith the Lord God.” v, 31. ( 4 ) Bishop French came to India, as a Missionary of the Church Missionary Society, in 1850, to found the C. M. S. St. John’s Anglo-Vernacular School and College in Agra. In 1862 he came to the Punjab, to found, with Dr. Bruce of Persia, the C. M. S. Mission, which had been established by General Revnell Taylor in the Derajat. In 1869 he came to Lahore, to found the C. M. S. St. John’s Christian Divinity College. In 1887 he was appointed by the Government to found the Lahore Bishopric. Bishop French has everywhere been a great Founder ; and others are now following him in the different institutions which he founded, and are carrying on the work which he began. He planted; and his work in the many different spheres in which he laboured is now ended. Others are now watering where he has planted ; and their work in due time will also cease. But God remains, and ever continues to give the increase on His servants’ past and present labours. What the increase has been in Bishop French’s time we cannot stop to tell. In the Punjab, in 1850, the tree had not been planted. In 1888, through God’s blessing on the efforts of many labourers, there are now Native Christians, in connexion with the C. M. S., in the Punjab alone. Amongst both heathens and the Christians, Bishop French has exhibited in many ways “ the signs of an apos- tle.” By his labours, by his spirit of self-denying humility and liberality, by his gentleness and loving teaching and example, he has left the Punjab a very different country to what it was when he first came to it. If through God’s good Providence he were now to become a Missionary again, it would be a fit ending of a long life of more than ordinary usefulness even in the Missionary field, and would furnish another example in modern days of what has been often practised in the Church in days of old. “ The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life for men.” God takes away His workmen, but He carries on His work. V hen one lays down an office, another is sent to take it up, Bishop ( 5 ) Matthew, consecrated on the 6th of January to be our Bishop, comes amongst us, alas ! alone ; fresh from close contact with the unseen world, where all live ; and from whence comes life on earth, for us to impart to others. May he bring life with him to many in this land, where there is so little life and so much death. We welcome him as our Bishop, with respect, and hope and love. The number of Bishop Matthew’s clergy in the Punjab and Sindh is 91; 29 Government Chaplains, 3 A.«. ^Chaplains, 42 Mis- sionaries of the Church Missionary Society, of whom 14 are Natives, 6 S. P. G. Missionaries and 6 Missionaries of the Cambridge Mission at Delhi, of whom all but 2 are English, and 5 other clergy, 3 of whom are connected with schools. Independently of the clergy, there are 8 C. M. S. Lay Missionaries, 5 of whom are Medi- cal ; 37 Ladies from England of the C. E. Z. M. S., of whom 13 are Honorary; 2 other Ladies of the C. ML S.; 19 Ladies of the S. P. G. and Cambridge Mission at Delhi, and 3 Sisters of the St. Denys’ School at Murree. “ There is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few,” if our eyes are only fixed on God, and not on man. The last census gives us 28,700 as the number of Europeans and Eurasians in the Punjab alone. So these must be added those who are in Sindh and the Quetta District, and the soldiers and others who have come to this Diocese since 1881 in consequence of the near approach of Russia. The native population is estimated at 23 millions, of whom more than half are Mahomedans. The welding together of a compact and solid body of Native and European Christians in the Church of Christ, is a wmrk which may well occupy the serious attention of one who is called at the present time to be the Bishop of the Punjab. There is much true piety amongst both Europeans and natives, which may be utilized to a far greater extent than it has been hitherto. The boundaries between vdiich great liberty of opinions and of action are allowed are clearly defined both in the Church of England, ( 6 ) and in the Word of God. The Bishop of Calcutta in his article in the January number of the “ Indian Quarterly Church Review ” has lately drawn special attention to the “ dependence of the vigorous life of the individual on the healthy and vigorous life of the body; whilst allowing to individuals and minorities all that freedom which may enable the body to absorb into itself the good which may be in them.” The church in the Punjab needs now the development of its organization, both for its own well-being and ex- pansion. It needs special preparation for the great and deadly con- flict with the unbelief and philosophies both of the West and the East which is very near at hand. It needs the discipline which may enable it in God’s strength to resist the aggressive assaults of its mighty spiritual foes, and march onwards to subdue kingdoms. Our Christian Army is in this country composed of English and Americans, Sikhs and Afghans. The name of our great Leader is “ called the Word of God,” “out of whose mouth goeth a sharp sword.” The Bishop of Calcutta dwells much on the “building up of the community in an organized body,” where “ the Bishop does nothing without tak- ing council with his presbyters ; and the presbyters do nothing without the Bishop ” The building of the great temple which is being raised in the Punjab, as we trust it is, on the foundation of the apostles and pro- phets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner-stone, for the habitation of God Himself, is now growing. A part of it has been built during the Episcopate of Bishop French. Another part, perhaps more difficult, perhaps more complex in its form and symmetrv, is being now begun under the Episcopate of Bishop Matthew. May the builders who build the walls build them very straight and solid, according to “ the pattern which we have by the Spirit, which is given to us in the Word of God : 1 Chron. xxviii, 12, 19. ( 7 ) II.— THE MISSIONARIES. (1). — Deaths in our Punjab Mission during the past year. Three workers have been removed by death from our Pun- jab Missions during the past year. All. of them have been Ladies — Mrs. Briggs of Dharmsala, Mrs. Bailey of Kotghar, and Miss Bowles of the Alexandra School, Umritsur. Mrs. Briggs was a Native Lady, who was led to Christ from Mahomedanism in Peshawur, through the instrumentality of the Revd. J. Macarthy. She was baptized in Peshawur on the 30th November 1861, and was married on the 24th December of the same year to Mr. Briggs, who from love to Christ and His cause had left the Army to engage in the work of Missions. In Peshawur, Narowal, the Derajat, Multan and Dharmsala, wherever Mr. and Mrs. Briggs have been, Mrs. Briggs was a true Missionary, ever seek- ing to make Christ known to her countrymen and countrywomen, in Schools, and Zenanas, and also in her own home. At Multan she com- menced the Zenana Mission of the “ Female Education Society.” She died in Dharmsala on the 24th August, after a service of nearly 26 years. Mrs. Bailey came out to India as the wife of the Revd. A. W. Bailey, in 187S. Her sphere of Missionary labour lay in Bunnu and Dera Ishmail Khan, and afterwards in the Frontier Mission of Kotgarh. With much gentleness of disposition, combined with the true Missionary spirit, she attracted the girls around her to her schools, and sought to lead them to heaven. After a service of nine years she died on the 30th November, leaving behind her a sorrow- ing husband and four little children. Miss Bowles came amongst us in the autumn of 1885, as Honorary Lady Superintendent of the Alexandra Girls’ School’ and after a short period of labour of one and a half years, she left us for her rest in heaven on the 20th May 1887. Gentle, quiet winning, always calm and smiling, a perfect lady, self-possessed, ( 8 ) giving to us and expecting from ns whole-hearted confidence, with quick perceptions to see and understand all sides of difficult ques- tions, and never long in doubt regarding what should be done, Miss Bowles moved amongst us as one whom we needed, and greatly honored and loved, and as one from whose presence we expected great benefit in many ways. She was one of the very few Christian workers on earth in whose disposition and character it was difficult for human observation to perceive any flaw. She was the same both to rich and to poor, both to her teachers and scholars, both to the highly educated and to the poor Mehtars, to whose houses she often stole quietly away to read the Word of God, when her school work was done. She was a model Lady Superintendent of our Alexandra School, apparently just what the school required, and a model example in almost every way of what Christian Missiona- ries should be. Her face was like a mirror that reflected the glory of God, as she herself became daily more and more transformed into His image from glory to glory. We hoped it was a preparation for great usefulness on earth ; but it was really a preparation for service in the presence of God in heaven. The strain and trial of responsibility and ceaseless toil, in the midst of peculiarly difficult and trying circum- stances, were too great for her physical powers during the intense heat of a Punjab spring; and she was called away to her heavenly rest and service, leaving to us the lesson, which God has often taught us, but which in India w T e have not yet learned, that if we would have our work to prosper, we must have a sufficient number of workers to carry it on. The loss of such Missionaries cannot be replaced. If we would keep our Missionaries, we must not over- burden any one of them with labours and duties which should be distributed amongst many. Miss Cooper of the Village Mission came nobly to our held in our time of need, and has now become the Lady Superintend- ent of the Alexandra School in Miss Bowles’ room. ( 9 ) (2). — Departure of Missionaries from the Punjab and Sindh Missions during the past year. The following C. M. S. Missionaries left our Punjab and Sindh Missions during the past year on furlough : — The Rev. T. R. and Mrs. Wade from Umritsur ; The Rev. F. A. P. and Mrs. Shirreff from Lahore ; The Rev. Worthington and Mrs. Jukes from Peshawur ; Dr. A. and Mrs. Jukes from Dera Ghazi Khan; and The Rev. J. Bambridge from Kurracliee. The Rev. W. St. Clair Tisdall was transferred by the Parent Committee from Umritsur to Bombay. The following C. E. Z. M. S. Missionaries went home on fur- lough: — Miss Dewar and Miss Lonie from Umritsur; Miss Clay from Ajnala ; and Miss Catchpool from Narowal. Miss Gray on her marriage with Mr. Tisdall left us for Bombay. Miss Goreh has resigned. Miss A. Reuther and Miss Bell have gone home ill. No less than nineteen Missionaries, including the wives of Missionaries, and including Miss Bowles, have thus been taken from us, and from our Missionary work, in one year. The prayers of the Church of Christ are greatly needed, not only that God may send forth more Missionaries, but that He may preserve those who have been sent forth; and that His Holy Spirit may “ quicken our mortal bodies ” as well as our souls, and give to us physical strength and health to carry on our work. We fear that some of our Missionaries, and especially our lady workers, are sometimes lost to the cause of Missions for want of proper food and care, which they have neglected to take. Some, who have been filled with intense love to God and man, have ( 10 ) laboured so incessantly, that a few short years have been sufficient to terminate useful lives and opportunities, which should have been prolonged for many years. In some such cases, advice, en- treaties, nay, even commands laid upon them, have not availed to prevent the injury which has thus been caused to our Christian Missions in this heathen land. Individual men and women should not attempt to do everything. The body has many members, and each member should only perform its own office. Amongst the Missionaries who have left us, we trust only for a time, we make special mention of Miss Clay. It is now more than 11 years ago since she came to the Punjab in 1876. To her faith and love and zeal the Church of Christ in this land owes our Village Zenana Missions in Ajnala, Jandiala and Narowal. It was a new departure in the history of Missions in the North of India, when English ladies went forth alone, trusting in God, to build their houses in the villages, away from all European support, and to tell to the women of the villages of that Saviour, whom the women of every land on earth, who have known him, have always loved. It was no little venture of faith on the part of Miss Clay and her band of English lady workers, many of whom are honorary, to commence thoughtfully and prayerfully, and carry out successfully, a work of this nature. But God has shown us that women can do in this land many things which are beyond our ordinary reason- ings and conceptions. Already has Miss Clay been once given back to the Punjab in answer to the earnest prayers of many of those who loved and honored her. She is now suffering from severe illness, which prevented her return last autumn to Ajnala. The Punjab still needs her, if God is pleased to restore her. Mis- sionaries who have a spirit like hers, a spirit which was caught by her in a great measure from her friend Miss F. R. Havergal, are specially desired and valued in the present state of our Missionary work in this land. She does not herself know, how much she is remembered lovingly and constantly by many friends, and h jw she ( 11 ) will be welcomed back again, if God is pleased to restore to her a measure of health. Her heart is amongst the villages around Ajnala. We long to have with us those in whom God’s Spirit dwells. When they come to us, God comes with them. He dwells in them, and walks in them. He visits us, and lives with us, in the persons of His chosen people. (3). — New arrivals and the return of old Missionaries. The following have been the new arrivals during the year: — The Rev. H. E. Grey, m.a., to Quetta. The Rev. F. Papprill, to Dera Ishmael Khan. The Rev. W. E. Davies, to Dera Ghazi Khan. Miss Hull, to Cashmere. Miss Wertmuller, to Peshawur. Miss Compton, to Hyderabad, Sindh. Miss Ellwanger, to Clarkabad. Miss Hobbs, to Ajnala. Miss Middleton, to Dera Ishmael Khan. Miss Edgley, to Umritsur. The following old .Missionaries have returned: — Rev. H. U. Weitbrecht, to Batala. Miss Catchpool, to Narowal. Miss Dewar and Miss Lonie, to Umritsur. In the Punjab and Sindh Missions we have had 14 arrivals against 19 departures. Amidst all this coming and going, and' all this expense of travelling to and from England, or to and from the hills, our native helpers pursue their onward course without interruptions and without expense of travelling. Every change of an English Missionary is usually a hindrance and an injury to the work. What India chiefly needs at the present time is the continuous help of C 12 ) many efficient native helpers, officered (as our military and our civil administration is) by selected superintendents (whether Native or European) to guide and direct their action. It was with feelings of deep thankfulness to God, that we welcomed last year our friends Mr. and Mrs. Perkins, when they came amongst us to join our Missionary band. Their presence amongst us has been one of the greatest encouragements that we have had during the past year. It would be difficult to estimate the amount of important work of many various kinds, which has been readily undertaken and ably and efficiently carried out by Mr. Perkins during the past year. As Editorial Secretary (as well as Chairman) of the Punjab Bible and Religious Book Society, he has greatly helped forward the preparation, publication, and cir- culation of Vernacular Books.* As an organizer, he has set in order the deeds and titles of almost all the house and laud property of the C. M. S. in the Punjab and Sindh. As the Secretary of the Umritsur Mission, in the place of Mr. Wade, who is now at home on furlough, he has had charge of all the congregational and evangelistic work of the C. M. S. in the Umritsur District. As a very effective preacher and lecturer both in English and the "\ er- naculars, he has “ found out acceptable words, even words of truth, like goads and nails, well fastened by the master of assem- blies,” which have stirred the hearts of many. As an itinerator, he has both himself taught in the villages, and has sought to direct the Christian movement in the villages all round Umritsur, in a right direction. As a leading Member, or Chairman, or Sec- retary, of many Committees, he has helped in many other kinds of work. He lias brought a power into our midst, a power for good. The house of Mrs. Perkins has been the meeting place for English and Native workers and friends from lar and near, a bright Christian home of light and energy and happi- * This work has been now again undertaken by the Rev. H. U. Weitbrecht. ( 13 ) ness, which has strengthened and elevated the tone of Christian thought and life of all around it. We dwell on these results of one year’s Missionary work by Mr. and Mrs. Perkins, because it has been carried on by those, who, after many years of faithful service of Christ in connection with a high position in the Government of the country, have be- come Missionaries. All who know -what their work has been during the past year will pronounce it to be a success. We hope that it will be long continued. We hope that many other servants of Government, both European and Native, w r ill be led to follow their example, and consecrate themselves and all they have to the direct service of the King of kings in this heathen land. We have great hopes that another well-known friend of considerable standing as an Engineer, who, together with his wife, is well known throughout the Punjab, for his devotion to the spiritual welfare of the British soldiers, and for his successful evangelistic efforts amongst them, may also soon become a C. M. S. Missionary in the Punjab. The Parent Society have already drawn attention to our need of an organizing Secretary of the Society, who may, in this country, in the same way as they do at home, seek to awaken and maintain amongst English Christians an interest in foreign Missions. If this can be done in the Punjab we shall be very thankful. No church and no congregation in India, who do not labour earnestly, and with self-denying zeal, to spread abroad the knowledge of Christ amongst the heathen and the Mahomedans around them, can expect to maintain a high standard of spiritual life, or hope to receive many blessings themselves. To those who havo shall more be given, and they shall have abundance. To those who give, it shall be given again — good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, shall men give into their bosom.* * The Archbishop of Canterbary says: “ They little realize what an effect it would have at home, if they would enable Foreign Missions to be more effec- tive abroad.” ( 14 ) We are thankful to know that another friend, an officer of long and high standing in another important department of Government, is also carrying on Missionary work in the Punjab after his retirement from Government service. He has not joined any Society, and wishes to work anonymously. We can only record our thanksgiving to God for his example, and for the practical help and encouragement which he is giving to 0. M. S. work. III.— ORDINATIONS. The following Missionaries were ordained priests during the past year : — The Rev. Egerton Corfield, b.a., to Batala, on Gth March. The Rev. T. E. Coverdale, to Lahore, on 1st November. The Rev. R. Heaton, to Sukkur, on the 21st December. The following Native clergymen have been ordained deacons : — The Rev. Sahib Dyal, to Umritsur, on 6th March. The Rev, Brij Lai Datt, to Multan, on 1st November. The Rev. Kharak Singh, Itinerant, on 21st December. The Rev. Qasim Khan, formerly connected with the C.M S., was also ordained on the 1st November, and is now working with the Rev. A. W. Cotton, C.M.S., Sukkur. IV, — OUR LACK OP AGENTS FROM INDIA ITSELF. The Church’s cry is everywhere for faithful Catechists, Pas- tors, and Evangelists, for Bible-women, and Lady Missionaries, who belong to India itself. We seem to be no nearer obtaining them now, than we were many years ago. Divinity Colleges and Training Schools are collapsing around us ostensibly for want of the material in India, which may be moulded in India itself for the needs of India. From English congregations, whether Church of England, or Non-conformist, but few or no suitable candidates have presented themselves, Our tone of Christianity in India ( 15 ) generally is too low to supply them. Those who are born in India, and spend their lives in India, have not risen to a higher level than those who have come to India from the mother churches at home. In the Native congregations there are many who have faith to be- come good Christians, who have not faith to become Missionaries. We seldom in the present day see Indian men and women of educa- tion, who are willing to join Foreign Missionary Societies. In days of old we read that “the” Lord took the Prophet Amos from follow- ing the flock, and the Lord said unto him, “go prophesy unto my people Israel.” Ch. 7,15. When our Lord called Simon and Andrew to become fishers of men, they straightway left their nets and follow- ed Him. When He called James and John, they left their father Zebedee in the boat, with the hired servants, and went after Him. Mark 1. 17-20. In the earlier years of the history of our Punjab M issions, an lmad-ud-din, or a Chaterji, were willing to accept with joy the work of Christ in connexion with Societies ; and for it they deliberately refused Government work, when they could have had it. In the present day, highly educated Native Christians ordinarily desire Government or other lucrative appointments, if they can get them, apart from Missions. The one position is certain. The other, they think, is uncertain. There is in their opinion for them no security of permanence, no proper position, no fitting arrange- ments, in connexion with Missionary Societies. They say that they are unwilling to leave themselves to the direction of Native Church Councils, which in their opinion are as yet unfit either to guide their mode of action, or to provide for their reasonable maintenance. They are unwilling also to leave themselves in the hands of individual European Missionaries, however good, whose time must some day come to die, or retire from the work, and whose successors may not desire to retain their ser- vices, if their work is not in all respects approved. Our highly educated Christians in India claim from Foreign Societies the same position, and the same proportion of allowances that are given by the Government to their Native servants, namely, two-thirds of ( 16 ) what is received by the European of the same grade. We have in India neither tithes nor endowments. The wisdom of the West, either at home or in this country, does not seem to have yet devised any plan by which highly educated Natives of India can work comfortably and advantageously by the side of the Foreign Missionaries. The genius of de Boigne and Clive in purely secular matters availed informer days to conquer India in a great measure through the Indians themselves. They formed them into well dril- led regiments, in which officers and men of talent, whether Native, Eurasian, or European, rose to high commands. The Rus- sians do so now ; and their Civil and Military Ali Khans, when their names are changed into “ Alikhanoffs,” can head batta- lions or govern provinces. In the Punjab we labour amongst people, who during past centuries have been accustomed to govern. They dwell in a land, where of late years Sir Charles Aitchison, following the counsels of Lord Ripon, has placed many well educated native gentlemen, (and amongst them several excellent Native Christians) in high positions, where all who hold the same official rank are officially equal, whatever their nationality may be. In religious matters the foreign missionary holds a position in the Native Church, which is quite distinct from that which the foreign civilian has as a Government servant in secular matters. He acts ‘ ab extra’ on the Native Church. He is not a member of the Native Church Council. No member of the Native Church Council isat present a member of the Conference of European Missionaries. The Church Council and the Conference view every subject from a different stand-point. The highly educated Chris- tian natives, objecting to be governed by a Native Church Council, and perhaps not sufficiently considering that the Government of the State is supported in India by Indian money, and that all foreign Missionaries are supported by English money, wish to class them- selves with European Missionaries. The Foreign Societies in England and America have not at present been led to think that it is for the interests of the Christian Church in any heathen laud, ( 17 ) that the most cultivated members of the Church in such lands should be considered in any way as Foreign Missionaries. They wish the Christians of India to act on their own countrymen ‘ ab intra,’ and not ‘ ab extra.’ They wish the European to be what he is — a foreign missionary. They wish the Indian to be, what they think he ought to be, — an Indian missionary. They wish both the Foreign Society, and the Native Church to be what they think they ought to be; and they await the time, when the Foreign Mis- sionary Society can sink its very existence in the Native Church, or can become a Native Missionary Society; or when the whole Church can become itself a great Society to spread amongst other nations the blessings which they have themselves received. In the present state of things, the direct efforts of most of the edu- cated Natives of India seems to a great extent to be lost to the missionary cause. They do not become Ministers or Missionaries. Amongst both Europeans and Native Christians, the impres- sion prevails, that Christ’s Gospel can be preached, and His cause promoted, as efficiently by Laymen, who hold secular appoint- ments, and whose time is given to secular pursuits, as by those whose whole time is devoted to missionary efforts. We believe that this impression is a wrong one. One of the great questions and problems of missionary work in the present day is, whether Missionary Societies may not now advan- tageously, in some special cases, give to some educated Natives, not only the position, but also two-thirds of the allowances of the Foreign Missionary ; and place them on their list of Covenanted Missionaries just as the Government have lately done in their Cove- nanted Civil Service. In any case, what man’s wisdom may not be able to do, God can perform. He can revive His work in the midst of the years. He can deepen the spiritual life both of individuals, and of the whole Christian community, both amongst Europeans and Natives. He can cast out the stones and thorns of worldiiuess and self-seeking ( 18 ) amongst all classes, and prepare the ground of the hearts of men, so that the good seed of the Word may grow and flourish in it. He can make people obedient and willing in the day of His power, and when this takes place, His true hearted servants, whether Natives or Europeans, when called by Himself to His immediate service, will think neither of position or salary, but will follow Him wherever He leads. Some He will make prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers. The life of Christ in the souls of those whom He appoints and sends forth will take root downwards and bear fruit upwards. It is very evident to all, that if Christianity is to become indi- genous, and to spread itself widely in the Punjab, until it covers the land, workers and means must be found, in some way or other, for the Church’s needs, in the country itself. Indians must again conquer India; and conquest must again pay its own expenses. What Indians have done for England, they can do for Christ ; and conquest will pay its own expenses in this cause also. V.— BAPTISMS. The number of baptisms in connection with the.C. M. S. in the Punjab during the year 1887 has been The great in- crease has been in the villages around Umritsur. The number of towns and villages in India is said to be 493,479. The number of villages w'ith less than 1,000 inhabi- tants is 448,320. In the Punjab three-quarters of the people live in villages of under 2,000 inhabitants. The villages have hitherto been comparatively neglected by Missionaries, who have been too few in number to attempt their evangelization. Yet the strength and manhood of India lies in the villages. Some of the earnest invitations which have been given during the last year, and some of the expressions used, chiefly by villagers, have been very touching. “ I keep on sinniDg,” said one, “ till I am ( 19 ) weary” — ( main gunah karte karte thak jdld hun.) “ Where can I find a Saviour from sin ” ? When the question was put to another, ‘‘Have you found salvation”? the answer was given, “ No, but I am crawling after it.” Another, who was met with studying the New Testament, and Pfander’s Mizan-ul-Haqq, was asked what object he had in view ? The reply was that, “It may be well with me at the last ” — ( ki meri akhirat changi hoive'). Men who have sought in vain for God for many decades of years are now finding Him, and are making known the good news of Christ to others. One of them, a convert from Mahomedanism, after exa- mining very carefully the Life of Mahomed, of which he had before been ignorant, exclaimed, “ Alas ! 0 God, that I should have ever thought that this man was a Prophet.” Another said : “ Wo have made no compact with Mahomed; he is neither our father nor our uncle, that we should follow him to perdition.” Another said: “ What a grand religion Mahomedanism is, if you do not examine into it.” Another said : “ The Mahomedan teachers argue, but there is no comfort in that. Their arguments are not sound; they cannot help the soul.” Another, who has lately been baptised, said he could “ find no peace for his soul in Mahomedan- ism.” Another convert from Mahomedanism said he had “ never found any love anywhere till he came to Christ.” Another said that “the great difference between Christ and other so-called Saviours is that the others always say “ go,” whilst Christ says “ come.” Another said that “ the difference between the Bible and the books of other religions was that the study of the Bible always made you feel the better for it: other books did not.” The remark of another was, “ The Gurus tell us that if we keep from sinning we shall be forgiven. The Bible tell us how sinners can be forgiven.” Another said, “ We have our own hell upon earth noio. If you can tell us a word of comfort and of hope, do so.” Another, “ Show us that your way is right, and we are ready to follow it.” Another, when once addressed as “ good friend,” re- plied, “don’t call me good ; God only knows what a poor wretched ( 20 ) sinner I am.” Another, a Nicodemus of some position, who could only speak on religious subjects in private, asked, “ Who is Christ ? Tell me who He is ? Is He the Son of God ? ” Another, who had studied many religions, said he had “ found out at last that they were all dirty puddles, and that Christ was the only great flowing stream which cleanses from sin, and from which man can drink, and be satisfied.” Another said, “ We are old, and cannot learn these things: our sons will do so, and they will then wonder why we were such fools.” Another said that it was not Christi- anity they hated, but it was the wearing of English coats and trousers which set people against it. Another man, a Sikh, has pasted St. Matthew’s Gospel on the walls all round his room, so that whichever way he turns he may see some of the words of Christ. Another, a convert, has found out that (t if a man once turns to Christ, even the very stones of the street hate him." The large majority of village converts around Narowal, Batala and Ajnala are men of low caste. Christianity must necessarily cause a revolution in ideas and reasonings and actions, wherever it comes in heathen lands. It not only brings a sword, which pierces to the hearts of those who accept it, and of their friends, but it alters the whole position and character of all who are affected by it. It not only sets the brother against the brother, and the father against his child, and children against their parents, but it gradually and naturally tears into shreds many laws and fancied rights which in heathen lands have hitherto prevailed. The genius of Christianity is liberty. If the Son makes men free they become free indeed, even when they are living as serfs. The difficulties which attend the evangelization of large numbers of heathen are always greater than are generally imagiued by those who have practically far lived in a Christian land. Christian enquirers in the villages are now required to enroll themselves as Catechumens previous to their baptism. None are ordinarily received as candidates for Baptism who have ( 21 ) not freed themselves from marriage contracts of their children with heathen children. The most promising converts have been received into classes by the Rev. Dina Nath at Ajnala, and in- structed with the view that they may become teachers of others. A committee has been formed of our chief village workers, both European and Indian, to consider all subjects connected with village Missions. We note that no less than 250 Christians assembled together at the late Christmas gathering at Narowal. At Clarkabad the villagers came together to the Christian village from every side. At the Christian Christmas Mela which was held there, it is believed that about 3,000 persons were present. VI.— APOSTASIES AND STUMBLING-BLOCKS. The past year has been remarkable, not only for the large accession of converts, who have been baptised, but also for the large uumber who have apostatised from the faith of Christ. The new shoots have seemed to push off from the tree the dead leaves, which have fallen to the ground. Maulvi Qudrat Ullah of Batala, the Head Persian Master in the Christian Boarding School, a gentleman by birth and edu- cation, and a Christian convert from Mahomedanism of some twelve years standing, became a Mahomedan in June last. His daughter, a dear child, brought up for Christ in the Alexandra School, had died at the age of 16, in the faith and love of Christ, in the previous January, witnessing to all around her that the blood of Jesus Christ had saved her from her sins. When she was dying, she saw, or thought she saw, the angels who had come to carry her to heaven. She happily did not live to see the apostasy of her parents. The Maulvi had applied to be a Christian Teacher on a higher salary than he was receiving in the school, and this had been refused, He had had serious quarrels with some of the Christians, and his motive apparently was that of earthly gain. ( 22 ) Narain Pershad, a convert from Hinduism, an old Catechist from Kangra, apostatised at Fatehghur in the Batala District, where he had been appointed a Catechist. Church discipline had been exercised in the case of his son, who had been guilty of immorality. He took the side of his son, and left Christ apparently to spite those who were called by the name of Christ, and he too became a Mahomedan. Lazar Tahal Singh, an old convert from Sikhism, baptised in Benares, who for many years apparently had done excellent work as a Catechist, both in Benares and in Umritsur and its out-stations, became a Mahomedan this summer in Umritsur. For many years he had been suspected of drunkenness and immorality, and had been dismissed from his work as Catechist at Tarn Taran. Having failed to procure employment or ordination from the U. P. Missionaries in Sialkot, or from the C. M. S. Missionaries in Umritsur, he apostatised. K. B., a convert from Mahomedanism in Multan, who had been married after her baptism to Munshi J. of Dera Ishmael Khan, complaining of ill-usage from her husband, left him and her children when they were on a visit to her family in Multan, and went back to her Mahomedan mother. It was believed at the time that she had become a Mahomedan, but of this report there seems now to be some doubt. She has lately returned to her husband, and confesses herself to be a Christian. Benjamin, the late Christian Head Master of the Mission School at Bannu, was guilty of gross immorality shortly after the death of his Christian wife. He was necessarily dismissed from his appointment, and sent away from the Mission. This took place in the station where Ghulam Khan was made over by the authori- ties to his Mahomedan friends, and became a Mahomedan, the year before. Trials such as these have sorely tested the faith of many. They lead us with tears of shame and humiliation and sorrow to ( 23 ) confess our utter weakness and sinfulness before tbe mercy seat in Heaven. Living and labouring in a heathen land, where the depths of Satan are, amongst people in whose hearts he is enthroned, in a world of which he says that the authority and the glory of it have been delivered to him, (St. Luke, 4, 6) we see him going about as a roaring lion to devour those who enter into temptation, and do not watch and pray. The good Shepherd alone can protect His people, and save them from their sins, and from the subtle malice of the great deceiver of the world. We know that every plant which our Heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up. The Father is the husbandman, and every branch in Christ the true vine, that beareth not fruit, He taketh away. He blots out the names of those who do not overcome, and who are not arrayed in white garments, out of the Book of Life. “ They went out from us, for they were not of us. If they had been of us, they would have continued with us, but they went out from us, that it might be made manifest, that they were not all of us.” If Judases wish to betray Christ, or if those who were once enligh- tened will crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame, they are ordinarily left to do so. If men will harden their own hearts through the deceitfulness of sin, they will ordinarily soon fall away from the living God. When men once choose their own road, they are ordinarily left to follow it to the end. Whether these persons ever have had spiritual life, we know not. We thought they had. “ The life is hid inside its own sub- stance, and continues there till it dies.” Whether anything remains in them of the life of Christ, which we thought they once possessed, we know not. “ Whosoever shall deny me before men,” the Saviour says, “ him will I also deny before my Father which is in Heaven.” “ If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He abideth faithful; for He cannot deny Himself.” We know that St. I eter denied Christ, and was restored, not only to communion, but to apostleship. W e have had in the Umritsur Mission in former days ( 24 ) those who from pique against men, have denied Christ, and have become Mahomedans ; and finding there no rest or peace, hare re- turned with penitence and tears to Christ, and have lived and have died confessing Him, apparently as true Christians; and we doubt not that they axe now in heaven. In a great war there are many losses and many gains. Many rise and many fall. Some die in the cause of truth and right; and some perish from the way, and become deserters and apostates. “ If thou will worship before me (the Tempter says) all shall be thine.” He does not even fulfil his promise. The hearts of the loyal and the true become braced by such desertions to greater efforts. We notice that almost every one of these cases occurred in the absence of the Missionary. Fortem diabolum facit non illivs poten- tial sed nostra negligentia. It was w'hen the Missionary of Batala was at home on furlough leave, when the solitary Missionary of Multan was watching beside the dying bed of one who was to him as a mother, when the solitary Missionary of Bannu was at the Conference Meeting, and the solitary Missionary of Dera Ishmael Khan was absent on account of health, that all these cases occurred. As long as single Missionaries remain in sole charge of the many multifarious departments and duties of important Missions; as long as the Native Church does not give of her best sons to be Pastors and Teachers, and the sheep are necessarily often left alone during the enforced absences of foreign Missionaries; such trials must be ex- pected. In the present state of weakness in the Church within, and fear of dangers from without, the presence of a faithful Pastor is always needed in every Native congregation. Until the Native Church will furnish families who, like “ the house of Stephanas, will addict themselves to the ministry of the Saints,” there appears to be little hope of security from trials like these, except from God’s grace. In the meantime, whilst men sleep, the enemy is sowing tares, ( 25 ) When Achan troubled Israel, and was asked “ Why dost thou trouble us ? The Lord shall trouble thee,” the name of the place •was called “ the valley of Achor (or troubling) to this day.” This “ valley of Achor ” often becomes to us in modern days “ a door of hope” — Haggai 2, 6. In passing through the valley of weeping, we may make it “ a place of springs ” Psalm 81,6. The “weep- ing may (indeed) come in to lodge at even, but joy cometh (to remain) in the morning.” Psalm 30, 5, R. V. There is to us all first the evening, and then the morning; and they are both of them “ one day” — Gen : 1, 5. When God “ satisfies His people with His mercy in the morning, they will then rejoice and be glad all their days.” Psalm 90, 14. VI.— EDUCATION. (1). — The Baring High School at Batala. The good hand of our God has been upon us in all our Christian Boarding Schools during the past year. The Batala Boarding School was established in 1878 by Mr. Baring, then a C. M. S. Missionary, and it was endowed by him with £350 a year when he left it in 1883. Some of the results of the past year have been that three boys have passed the Calcutta Entrance Examination, namely, A. C. Ghose, in the first class, B. L. Ghose and Mir Ghazan, in the second class, and I. Bala, in the third class. Three boys of this school have also gained 3 out of the 4 “ Lake Memorial Prizes ” for their knowledge of Scripture during the past year. B. Das won the first prize of Rs. 75 ; A. Wood (the orphan son of our old friend, Henry Wood, who was so greatly blessed in his own soul by translating the “Sinners’ friend”) won the third prize of Rs. 25 ; and A. Raow (the son of Mr. Raow, who sought to establish the Christian settlement at Clarkabad) won the fourth prize of Rs. 10. ( 26 ) The following old boys from the school have lately gained honorable positions in Government or other services: Dr D. N. P. Datta, M.B., Edinburgh University, is now the Civil Surgeon of Karnal; Mr. Isa Charan, m.a., Punjab University (eldest son of Mr. Chandu Lai) is now an Extra Assistant Commissioner, also at Karnal; Dr. C. Martin, Lahore University (who was brought from Abyssinia by an officer in Lord Napier’s Army) is now Assistant Surgeon at Leiah; Mr. Fazl Din is in the Forest Depart- ment; Mr. C. Clements in the Deputy Commissioner’s office at Gurdaspur; Mr. Isan-ullah, late Head Master of the Bannu C. M. S. School, is now a Christiau Evangelist, and personal assistant to Mr. Bateman in Narowal. It is always found that whenever a school is good, it is soon filled with students. Where the teaching is defective or the discipline is lax, the school is quickly emptied of its pupils. Weeds grow in uncultivated ground. There is many a block of marble that has an angel in it. The Batala School has made marked progress during the past year under Mr. Corfield’s wise and able management, and is attracting boys of good families to it. Through Mr. Baring’s help a second master, a B. A., has been appointed to it. The complaint in the Batala School is that “ they have no appliances; not even a good atlas, or globes.” For a school like this, we believe that everything should be supplied, and everything should be done, that is needed to make it all that it should be. If we sow little or nothing, we shall reap little or nothing. Our God is a great King. He does not mean that His work in a heathen land should be done incompletely or inefficiently in any way. No earthly King, invading an enemy’s country, would ever run the risk of failure, from the want of anything that thought or care can provide. Our King is a heavenly one, able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or oyen desire. His work should ( 27 ) be well done in every way. Nothing should be neglected or for- gotten. The strength of a lever is measured by that of its weakest part. If we would raise the country to a higher level there should be no weak part in our Christian agencies. Whatever is required, be it what it may, should be obtained. We read in history how John De Monte Corvino was sent in the year a.d. 1298 as a Missionary from Rome to Tartary. He travelled through Armenia and Persia to Pekin, where he built a Church and translated the New Testament and the Psalms. It is said that he there purchased 150 boys of from 7 to 13 years of age and taught them; and that the Emperor of China used to come and hear these boys sing the chants of the Church. In a few years he had baptised 6,000 of the people; and he was made Archbishop of Pekin by the Pope in 1307. Although we cannot now buy boys for money, yet we can teach and train them; and what Romanists could do in attracting Emperors towards Christianity, our Missionaries can do in attracting Khans and Chiefs; and education can become thus subservient to the evangelization of countries in the present day as it was in days of old. We read again in history, how Christianity established itself and propagated itself in Alexandria and Constantinople, and in many other places, through the Christian education of boys and young men in old and medioeval times. To attempt the evangelization of a town and neighbourhood through a school, which may attract Chiefs and Raises, as well as common people, to Christianity, through an educa- tion which makes young men to be both Christians and gentlemen, — which makes boys scorn to cheat or tell a lie, even at cricket, — which trains up boys who may some day become Missionaries far and near, even beyond our frontiers in Central Asia, is a great idea. If this idea is kept before the mind, how well must the work be done ! For this we need not only pains and care, but we need the special out-pouring of the Spirit of Him who is to us wisdom, as well as righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. ( 28 ) (2).— The Alexandra Gibls’ School in Umritsur. This school, through God’s blessing, always maintains its old reputation. During the past year Bella Singha passed the Calcutta University Entrance Examination, and Gendu Janki Nath and Sushilla Singha the Middle School Examination. Gendu Janki Nath gained also the second Lake Memorial prize of Rs. 40 for Scriptural knowledge. The fact that the Batala and the Alexandra Schools have.this year won all the “ Lake prizes” for Scriptural know- ledge, when the competition was open to all the Christian and Heathen boys and girls of the Punjab, is very encouraging. The spirit of Miss Henderson, Miss Swainson, Miss Gray and Miss Bowles ever rests on our Alexandra School. Girls are flocking to it from every part of the Punjab and beyond it, and it is fast becoming a power for good in the country. Miss Cooper has accepted the permanent appointment of Lady Principal of this school, in which she is aided by Miss Davidson. Miss Edgley is expected from England to take the place of Miss Bell, who has gone home on account of illness. Miss Smith, our former Matron, has been succeeded by Mrs. Bird. Three of our girls, two of whom have passed the Calcutta University Entrance Examination, are now Teachers in the School, one of them being honorary. We hope that the time is near, when every Indian Teacher in the school will be one who has been trained in the school itself. No children will in future be received in this school for whom full fees are not paid. Our Christian boys and girls are the hope of the Church. We desire to train those who may hereafter become with God’s blessing leaders in it. We labour and we pray that the knowledge and the love of Christ may be implanted in the heart of every child, and may spread from them, even when they are children, to their homes and neighbourhoods. In the words of the late Bishop Wilberforce of Winchester, “ we seek so to act, that Christianity shall ( 29 ) spread, shall he progressive, shall be perpetually on the crest of the wave of thought and civilization, achieving with each coming generation new triumphs, and so proving the original truth w'hich gives her force.” We desire for the Punjab no stunted or deformed Church, crippled by ignorance, or debased by the superstitions of the past.” We want our Christianity to march onwards “ on the crest of the wave of progress and civilization,” assimilating to itself everything in this land, or at home, that is good, and discarding every evil. One of our former pupils, Miss Bose, is now the Lady Princi- pal of the Lahore Government Girls’ School, and in sole charge of some 400 girls, of whom more than 150 are in the main school. Miss Bella Singha, who passed the Calcutta Entrance Examination from our school, is her Assistant. The Government Girls’ Schools in Lahore are thus carried on in. a great measure by tw T o Christian pupils from the Alexandra Scbool. Miss Bose’s education was finished in England. Her sister, Miss Kberu Bose, is also one of our old pupils, who afterwards studied at Dr. Griffith’s Medical School in London. She is now a Lady Medical Missionary in Tarn Taran, in connection with St. Catherine’s Hospital. A pamphlet written by her on the subject of the Lady Dufferin Fund, and which nearly gained the prize for the best pamphlet written respecting it, has been printed by Lady Dufferin, and is now in circulation. A third sister is now completing her education in England. We believe that many of our Christian young men and young women who have had the advantage of being trained in England will become great blessings to our Church in India. One of them writes: “ I hope you will remember us in your prayers sometimes. We do want to be His faithful servants, His ‘living epistles’ known and read of all men. Please pray for the school too, that we may have many opportunities of testifying and witnessing for Jesus.” Another wiites: It is such a good thing that we have been taught by Christian Ladies, because now we know how to behave with our ( 30 ) Hindu and Mahomedan sisters; one has so many opportunities of speaking to these girls, and they do listen to us.” Our girls do not themselves know how greatly their success, both when they are in school and after they leave school, is help- ing to win India for Christ. One of our English Missionaries, when returning to Umritsur lately from sore conflict with the evil one, in the persons of his dupes and victims in the villages, was much comforted and cheered by the singing of our girls in Church. The girls do not know how strong men are strengthened, when they hear the voices of children singiDg praises to Christ in sweet melodies and hymns, and when they see their modest womanly demeanour in all they do. Three of our Alexandra School girls have died during the past year: Nur-ul-nissa, the daughter of Maulvi Qudrat Ullah of Batala, whom we have referred to above; Isabella Engles of Umbaila, who almost passed the Calcutta Entrance Examination in 1886, aud then went to the Lahore Medical School, wishing to be a Medical Missionary ; and Julia Sohan Lai, of Dera Ishmael Khan, who passed the Middle School Examination in 1886. Others are being trained for God’s service on earth. These were trained on earth to stand in their early youth in the immediate presence of God in heaven.