1863.] BRIEF NARRATIVE OF MONIRAM AND HIS FAMILY. 123

Saviour. And surely, while God and the heathen are loudly crying, "Advance: tell to the countless thousands still sitting in darkness" the story of redeeming love, the church will not say, "Hold back, retrench; it is an unnecessary waste of men and means.' She will rather, with the aggressive spirit which distinguished her glorious Founder, and his long succession of apostles, bid her sons go on, and on, and on, to battle with the powers of darkness, until, from earth's remotest corner, shall go forth myriads of redeemed souls, to swell the chorus of the "Song of the Lamb."

"Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood, Out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests."

"Blessing, honour, glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne,

And unto the Lamb for ever and ever."

[Day-dawn in Africa.

BRIEF NARATIVE OF MONIRAM AND HIS FAMILY.

BY MRS. HOERNLE.

WHEN my husband took charge of the Meerut Mission he found an old venerable man (a convert from the Brahmins) living in Pabla, his own village, about twenty miles south of Meerut, in connexion with our Mission, as he had been engaged by Mr. Medland as a reader. The distance being too great for the aged man to come to Meerut more than once in three months, and the innumerable duties devolving on my husband, who was, for the most part of the year, quite alone here, preventing him from visiting him, he saw this delightful old Christian only twice. When Moniram came the second time, in November last, I had arrived, and thus had the privilege of seeing him also, but I much regret not to have known at that time what a pearl of my Redeemer's diadem I had before me. I should have for ever prized to hear from his own lips what I heard afterwards from his son and daughter, who were little children when those events occurred. When Mr. Hoernle took charge of this Mission he found several native helpers utterly unqualified for the post they held, and the difficulties in collecting the necessary local funds for their support were so great as to oblige him to make several alterations, e. g. closing all the petty schools in order to strengthen the new city boys' school. Unable at that time himself to look after this man's work, under existing circumstances, he thought of relinquishing it. When he, however, saw for the first time the old man, he was so struck with his sublime, venerable appearance, and with the simple account of his ways in reading and preaching the word of God to the people he used to visit, that he felt he could fully rely on the zeal and faithfulness of this fellow-helper, without taxing him with minute written reports, or looking himself after his labours, and gladly continued the little expense of his salary, convinced that this was not misapplied. And how glad was he for having been thus guided (according to God's precious words; Psalm xxv. 9), when, a few months afterwards, this faithful follower of Jesus was called into his Master's rest. How sad would it have been had this little support for him and his small family been taken from him.

124

BRIEF NARRATIVE OF MONIRAM AND HIS FAMILY.

[NOV. The confidence which Mr. Hoernle felt at once in this disciple of Jesus proved to have been mutual; for as his daughter, when relating the last days of her father, said, about nine days before his death he told her and her mother that the Lord now soon would call him away. They asked why he said so, being quite in his usual health. He only replied, that God had made it known to him, and that they would see he was right. From that time he took less food than usual, yet did not complain of any pain. The third day before his death he took his last meal, and then said to his wife, "I shall now want no more, I am going to Jesus; and, when I am gone, then stay with Simea, your daughter, in your house, till the Padre Sahib from Meerut will send for you, for he will do so. Go to him he will take care of you both." : After this he was almost instantly taken with bowel-complaint, under which he sank rapidly. His wife, seeing the true state of her husband, sent us a messenger, upon which Mr. Hoernle at once directed his head catechist, Joseph, to go with some medicines, to see after the dear patient. On his arrival near Pabla, he met a carriage bringing the corpse of the old man. He had expired a few hours before, and as one of his last wishes was to be buried in Meerut, in a Christian graveyard, his remains were removed thither, and accompanied by us to their resting-place. Joseph had not gone into Pabla to see his wife, but, under these circumstances, thought it best to return as quickly as possible, to make the necessary arrangements for the burial. We therefore knew nothing of Moniram's last days and words, except what the heathen men who brought him knew. But having heard that his daughter was a very young and goodlooking woman, we thought they, being the only Christians in Pabla, might be exposed to troubles or temptations, and desired Joseph to go again, and try to persuade them to leave their home and stay with us. The natives being so very tenacious of their homes, we had not much hope of their accepting the proposal, and were most happily surprised by Joseph's bringing them the very next day, with all their little odds and ends, and to hear that they had just been waiting to be sent for. But one thing came out now, which utterly surprised and grieved us, and put us quite at a loss to understand. It appeared that Simea had never been baptized, but married ten years ago (long after Moniram's baptism), when quite a child, to a Brahmin. The reason for her staying with her parents was stated to be only because her husband leads a very wandering life, and her mother-in-law not being kind to her, she prefers to be with her parents. This unsatisfactory case threw quite a cloud over the bright view we had taken of Moniram and his family. However, the poor girl won my heart by her gentle and pleasing countenance and manners. It was, at all events, evident that she was not the guilty party in the matter. As she declared that it was her great desire to be baptized, I and my daughter took her umder regular instruction, and the more we saw of her the more we liked her. Mr. Hoernle, being fully satisfied with her sincerity of faith and measure of Christian knowledge, baptized her on last Easter, with four other adults, in our Mission church. Her only brother (whom I have not mentioned yet), about ten years older than herself, had been servant for some years with the American Missionary, Mr. Caldwell, at

1863.] BRIEF NARRATIVE OF MONIRAM AND HIS FAMILY. 125

Roorkee, where he was also baptized. He was not at home when his father died. He had left Roorkee on hearing of his illness, but had only reached as far as Meerut when he heard that his father had already been buried there the day before. Mr. Hoernle not knowing then of Moniram's last advice to his wife (for she and her daughter seemed very reserved at first, and did not tell us at once of all that), advised Saru to take his mother and sister to Roorkee, as we thought it best for them to live together, and did not wish to take Saru from his employ there. But they did not wish to go. Saru returned to his work, but came again after some weeks, with a note from Mr. Caldwell, in which he asked us to give Saru something to do, for he would not like to keep him from his mother and sister, and he had no means to provide for them all. We were rather at a loss what to do with the good man, for though he is a most blameless and respectable character, his intellects are not very bright. We did not like to make a common servant of him, and for a teacher or catechist he has not life enough. As they are, however, all three very good and contented people, it was not so difficult to manage as it might have been with many other natives. Saru knows a little Hindee and Urdu reading and writing; so I engaged him to help in my girls' school, Salome also teaching needlework, in which she is very clever, continuing to them all the same sum of five rupees which their father had. They are well satisfied, and appear more comfortable than many who have double that sum.

When Ekla was taken up last June, Mr. Hoernle sent Saru, with his mother, there, to keep school for the children, and to assist the catechist in his duties of superintending the converts and preaching the Gospel in the vicinity. I am glad to add, Saru fills that post pretty well. On our visit there last month I found a nice opportunity of speaking to him about his sister. I had heard from her that a much younger brother of her father, a bunya at Nougoeo, on the Hapore road, was also a Christian, and now asked Saru some particulars about this uncle, which led us into a more interesting conversation than I had expected. He said his uncle had been baptized only two years ago, but in heart he had been a Christian more than twenty years. I asked how he knew that (Saru is about thirty years old), and whether he would tell me how his father was brought to know Jesus. He replied, "My father was very zealous in visiting all the Hindu shrines and mélas, and thus he happened to go to the Gurmaktezer mela. There he met a

Missionary, who, with some native helpers, proclaimed the blessed name of Jesus, and distributed tracts and portions of Scripture. He asked for one of them, and was reading it very attentively and thoughtfully when the Missionary approached him, asking, 'What are you reading? From whom have you got this book? My father, a little surprised by the address of the foreigner, replied, 'Sahib, I received it from one of your men here, and since I have been reading this book, I wish very much to be instructed more about the way. Could you help me?' The Missionary now told him more of Jesus, and all God's plan of man's salvation; and, before they left the mela, he promised the Missionary to come to his place, as he wished to become a follower of Jesus, and to be baptized in his name. When my father came home, he told my mother of the

125 BRIEF NARRATIVE OF MONIRAM AND HIS FAMILY.

[NOV.

blessed way he had found, and asked her whether she would accompany him to the Missionary in Delhi to be baptized in the name of Christ. My mother, having great confidence in him, promised faithfully to join him. They went off with me, then about eight or ten years' old, and Salome, a little babe. But we had scarcely arrived in Delhi, at Mr. Thompson's, when a whole host of neighbours and relatives, who had heard of our departure, and got a notion of my father's intention, followed us, and did so overpower my parents with their lamentations and entreaties, that Mr. Thompson himself advised my father to go back for this time, and come again when their excitement was over. We returned, but my father's heart was unmoved. His friends tried to dissuade him in every possible way, promised him large sums of money, and, when they found that he was firm like a rock, they said, 'Well, be a Christian in heart: we will not press you in any way, only don't throw off your Brahmin string, and don't be baptized.' But my father said, 'I cannot yield to this. I have given myself to Jesus. I must break the chain of darkness. I must be baptized in his name.' And in a quiet still night he went to Delhi. Yet his absence could not remain hidden. His younger brother, living at a little distance, heard of it, and, in all haste, followed him. But when he arrived, he found, to his utter grief and horror, he was too late. My father was baptized. He came into the room, where Mr. Thompson spoke to my father, but kept quiet, and listening to the conversation. His anger was gradually subdued, and he became attentive. At last Mr. Thompson rose, and said to my father, 'Let us pray before we part; and to my uncle, who seemed lost in thought, Come, join us.' When my uncle delayed, Mr. Thompson affectionately took his two hands, folded them together, and then prayed with them. My uncle told me afterwards, 'When the Delhi padre folded my hands together, I I knew I should be a Christian; and when he prayed with us it sunk into my heart that this is the right way; Jesus is the Saviour! But I kept it in my heart more than fifteen years.' (He mentioned this to Saru only after his baptism.) When my father returned to Pabla, and confessed openly that he was now a Christian, the tumult was very great. The people did not attempt any insult on his person, but tried with all their might and cunningness to deprive him of his wife and children. Some said to my mother, 'It would be better for you if he were dead. Give him poison.' To this she replied, 'I would not do that if he had done any thing bad; why should I poison him for doing what he believes to be good?' When they could not prevail on her, they tried to entice me to leave my parents, and stay with my grandfather; but nothing was able to tear me away from my father and mother. I remember that then my uncle encouraged my mother to keep faithful to my father, and not mind other people's entreaties or threatenings, to which she always replied, And if my husband becomes a mahter, then I will become a mahtráni (sweeper), rather than leave him.' This means with a Brahmin more than death. Consequently my father followed Mr. Thompson's invitation, and took us all to Delhi, where, in course of time, my mother was also baptized. My father carried on his business as a bunya in Delhi, but, after some years, returned with us to Pabla, where the enmity, having meanwhile worn away, he was treated again with the same confi

1863.]

LING-TEI'S LETTER.

127

dence and respect as before, and even his shop frequented, as if he were still one of them, though he always cheerfully and openly called himself a Christian, and, after leaving shop and business to his wife and daughter, took his Bible and went to the neighbouring villages, and read to the people. Thus he went on, till the mutiny came, in which he lost all his property. Not wishing to commence business again, he was glad to be engaged by Mr. Medland, in the Meerut Mission, to carry on the same happy work which he had, on his own accord, done for so many years, with the only difference, that now he received a small allowance, which enabled him in his old age to devote himself more undividedly to his master's work."

So far Saru's narrative. I told him, "The more I hear of your father, the more I am surprised how he could have his daughter married to a heathen man." "Well," said Saru, " that was a very sad case. My dear father was shamefully deceived. There was a respectable Brahmin in a neighbouring place, who pretended to be a great friend to him, and byand-bye made him believe that he would become like him, which meant, and was so understood by us, a Christian. After he had gained my father's confidence, he asked for his daughter to marry his son. Every one spoke well of the Brahmin; and my father, trusting his promises of becoming a Christian, was persuaded to give him my sister, though the poor girl cried bitterly when hearing of it. However, the wedding was celebrated, and all went on pleasantly so far. But my poor sister had not been many days in the house of her parents-in-law when the rumour reached my father's ears that the wicked old Brahmin had made up his mind that my sister should never return to us (it is the custom that such young wives spend part of their time with their own parents), and that, having obtained the girl, every connexion with her Christian relatives should now cease. My father was very wrath at this, went at once to the Brahmin's house, and told him that he would not be so shamefully deceived. My sister was then in an inner apartment of the house, but, my father speaking loud and angrily, she recognised his voice, and, finding what was the cause of his visit, ran out with fear and joy, threw her little arms round his neck (he was sitting on the ground), and declared she never would leave him till he had brought her safely home to her mother; and my father being determined too, carried the little wife away, much to the annoyance of the Brahmin's family, who were much ridiculed by all who heard of this final decision."

Salome is now with us, helping us partly in school, partly in the house, and I find her very useful. She is of a delicate constitution, and cannot do any hard work; yet she is clever and peaceful, and thoroughly honest and sincere, and therefore respected by all our native Christians.

LING-TEH'S LETTER.

LING-TEH is one of our native helpers in the Ningpo Mission. He has deeply felt the loss of the Rev. W. A. and Mrs. Russell, who have been obliged, for the restoration of health, to return to Europe for a season. The following is a letter he has addressed to them.