"*-, 
 
 American Board of Commis loners 
 for Foreign Missions 
 
 Historical Sketch of the Mission to 
 the Mahrattas of V/estern India 
 
 ^^L.^ 
 
o^ 
 
 ^sToFmJc??^ 
 
 A 
 
 :^0V 13 1956 
 
 
 BV 3280 .M37 A53 1862 
 American Board of 
 
 commissioners for Foreign i 
 Historical sketch of the 
 
 to the Mahrai:t^p o 
 
 m 3 R '^^ 1 on 
 
^80 
 
 HISTORICAL SKETCH 
 
 Oct : 1921 
 
 OF TDK X 
 
 MISSION TO THE MAIIRATTAS 
 
 WESTERN INDIA. 
 
 PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN BOABD OF COMMISSIONEKS 
 FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS. 
 
 
 JOHN A. GRAY, PRINTER, STEREOTYPER, AND BINDER, 
 
 FIRB-PROOr BUILDINGS, 
 
 CORNER OP FRANKFORT AND JACOB STREETa 
 1862. 
 

 CONTENTS. 
 — « > « — 
 
 PiCK 
 
 THE COUN'IKV, 3 
 
 PEOPLE AND LANGUAGES, 7 
 
 RELIGIONS, 8 
 
 THE MISSION 11 
 
 OBSTACLES, 15 
 
 THE FIELD, 23 
 
 PLAN OF OPERATIONS, 23 
 
 SCHOOLS, 24 
 
 THE PRESS, 29 
 
 RIGHTS OF NATIVE CHRISTIANS, 30 
 
 The .'bllowing books, aniong others, may be consulted witli 
 cid vantage : 
 
 India, Ancient and Modern. !!>■ Rev. David 0. Ai.i.kn, D.D. 
 India and its People : R<'v. Hoi.i.is Read. 
 Memoirs of Gordon Hall and Harriet Newell. 
 Tracy's History of the American Board. 
 Newcomb's Cyclopedia of Missions. 
 
 Memorial Volume of American Board of Commissioners for Foreign 
 Missions. 
 
 ^See page tliinl of cover.) 
 
^ ~ »•' 
 
 '^^^^: 
 
 '4^ 
 
 Oct 1921 
 
 
 HISTORICAL SKETCH 
 
 MISSION TO THE MAHIUTTAS 
 
 WESTERN INDIA. 
 
 PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN BOARD OF COMMISSIOWEKS 
 FOR FOREIGN" MISSIONS. 
 
 JOHX A. GRAY, PRIJN'TER, STEREOTYPER, AXD BINDER, 
 
 FIRE-PROOF BUILDINGS, 
 
 CORNER OF FRANKFORT AND JACOB STREETS. 
 
 18G2. 
 
/3 -liOJLULLudjC iJi -Last ±i-o:iii- 7J (li-ccapvlch- 7G 
 
MISSION TO THE MAHRATTAS. 
 
 THE COUNTRY. 
 
 The region of country inhabited by the Mahrattas, is in the western part of 
 Hindusthan. It borders on the Arabian Sea for about three hundred miles. It 
 may be described in general as an irregular triangle. The sea line is the base 
 of the triangle, and the apex a point about seven hundred miles in a north-east- 
 erly direction from Bombay. The northern boundary of the triangle begins on 
 the sea-coast, about fifty miles north from Bombay, and runs north-easterly to 
 a distance of a hundred miles or more north-east of Nagpur, in Central India. 
 The southerly line, or side of the triangle, would run from this point in an ir- 
 regular south-westerly direction till it meets the sea-coast, to the south of the 
 territory of Goa, about two hundred and fifty miles from Bombay. 
 
 Near the sea-coast runs a range of mountains parallel with it. It is called the 
 Sayhadri range, or, in common language, the Ghats — receiving this name from 
 the passes or " steps,^^ up through the range to the elevated table-lands of the inte- 
 rior. For a part of the distance on the north of the Mahratta country, there is a 
 range of mountains running east and west. Other ranges, parallel with this, 
 are found in the interior. The region of country bordering on the sea is very 
 broken. Spurs from the Ghats come down to the coast in great numbers, so 
 that the whole district, to one traveling along the line of the sea, is a succession 
 of precipitous hills and deep valleys. The bottoms of these valleys have, in 
 some cases, a widening near the sea, while they are contracted to deep gorges 
 as one approaches the mountains. The soil in these valleys, and often also 
 upon the sides of the hills and mountains, is fertile. The streams are moun- 
 tain torrents, nearly dry during the dry season, and rushing down in fierce, 
 turbid streams, almost impassable from the force of the current, whenever the 
 rain falls upon the summits above them. This strip of country between the 
 sea and the coast range of mountains is called the Konkan. 
 
 The aspect of the country, to one approaching it from the sea, is very forbid- 
 ding. In some places the shore appears beautifully fringed with the palm-tree ; 
 but in general only stern, frowning hills are to be seen. Behind these others 
 appear. All along may be seen the summits of the Ghats, or the Sayha- 
 dri range, rising to the hight of from three to five thousand feet. The view of 
 these hills is that of very steep, almost precipitous, mountain sides. The range 
 is crossed only by passes through deep gorges and up steep ascents, in places 
 where the summit is lower than the general hight of the range. 
 
4 THE MAHKATTA MISSION. 
 
 This range of mountains is the western edge of the great table-lands of the 
 interior. The traveler who ascends one of the passes in the range does not de- 
 scend at once, upon the other side, to a region of low-lying country. He finds 
 himself among mountains, with valleys opening out castwardl}^, and water- 
 courses flowing cast and south-east. The valleys soon expand on either hand ; 
 the hills gradually sink into the plains. The land in general lies from one to 
 two thousand feet above the level of the sea, and of the land lying at the foot 
 of the mountains on the western side. The streams of water flow more gently 
 than those below the Ghats, and soon uniting, form the rivers which water the 
 south-eastern part of India. The water flows across the whole breadth of India, 
 and finds its outlet in the Bay of Bengal. The region of country above the 
 Ghdts^ eastward from this Sayhadri or coast range of mountains, is known as 
 the Deccan, (Dakhan.) This word means the " south" country, and was ori- 
 ginally employed to designate all that part of India lying above the coast ranges 
 of mountains, on both the east and west sides, and south of the Vindya range, 
 in central India. 
 
 The Deccan, (I)akhan,) or the interior Mahratta country, may be described as 
 a succession of table-lands or broad plains, separated from each other by steep 
 hills, and spreading out, in a south-easterly direction, into extensive prairies- 
 The soil near the mountains and hills is usually not very productive. Gene- 
 rally on the great plains and in the valleys it is very fertile. Most of the coun- 
 try is well watere 1, but there arc no navigable streams. 
 
 The principal rivers of the Mahratta country arc the Godavery, which rises 
 near Nasik, in the western mountains, and flows in its general south-east course 
 to the sea — the Bay of Bengal — at Coringa, nearly three hundred miles north of 
 Madras ; the Sina, which rises near Ahmednuggur, and runs nearly south, till 
 its junction with the Bhima, a few miles beyond the city of Sholapur ; the 
 Bhima, which rises near Junir in the western mountains, and flows south and 
 then south-east, till, after it receives the Sina river, it joins the Krishna ; and 
 the Krishna, (Kistna of the maps.) This rises in the mountains north-west of 
 Satara, and flows in a south-easterly direction, receiving the Bhima near Rai- 
 chur ; and after receiving the Tungabadra from the south, flows north-east, and 
 then again turns, and reaches the Bay of Bengal about two hundred miles north 
 of Madras. There are many tributaries to these larger streams. 
 
 Climate. 
 
 The climate is very different in'dififerent parts of this country. In the region 
 of the mountains more rain falls than on the plains. Being within the tropics, 
 the rains occur at one season of the year, from June to October. Soon after 
 the sun passes north of any parallel of latitude, in his course from the Equator 
 to the Tropic of Cancer, the winds begin to blow from the sea. The moisture 
 gathers in the air ; the rain begins to fall upon the summits of the western 
 range of mountains. As these summit regions get saturated from the moisture 
 condensed there, the rain falls in the district to the west, and along the sea- 
 shore. Then, after a little time, the clouds pass over the mountain sunuuits, 
 and the rain falls upon the plains beyond. The clouds also move along the 
 line of the northern range of mountains. Much more rain fiills among these 
 hills than in the plains to the south of them. The fertility of these eastern dis- 
 
THE MAHRATTA MISSIOX. 
 
 tricts depends very much upon the regular supply of the rains at the proper 
 season of the year. If, from any cause, these fail to come at the usual time, 
 there is much suffering. The crops can not grow, the heads of grain can not 
 fill, a famine is apprehended; the grass withers, and the cattle famish. 
 
 The Koiikan is abundantly supplied with water from these regular rains. 
 Hence the climate along the sea-coast is moist, and in general debilitating. The 
 mercury in the thermometer does not rise as high as it docs in the interior ; 
 but the variation of temperature between day and night is very slight, and hence 
 the climate is trying to foreigners. The sun boats down with tremendous 
 power in the valleys and deep gorges. The people show the power of the sun 
 in their complexion, which is generally darker than that of people living in the 
 interior. They are usually smaller in stature, and perhaps feebler in body. 
 The reason of this is to be found in the moist, enervating climate. God has 
 provided a relief, however, in the mountain summits, which overhang the whole 
 district. If a fever should attack a person in the lowlands, he can, in the course 
 of a few hours, be placed in an entirely different climate, one which will usually 
 prove an antidote to the disease. And again, a fever attacking a person in the 
 interior, may oftentimes be checked by bringing the patient into the mild and 
 soft air of the sea-coast. 
 
 The interior of the country has less rain than falls along the coast. At the 
 same time, being in general higher than the region upon the coast, the pressure 
 of the atmosphere is less, and evaporation is more rapid. This makes the cli- 
 mate dry. For a part of the year cold winds prevail. At another time, hot 
 winds blow from the north- east over the land. The climate is thus more varia- 
 ble than that upon the sea-coast. The temperature of the hot days of April and 
 May is much higher, but at the same time the air cools down at night, in the 
 absence of the sun. This gives an agreeable and refreshing change ever}' 
 twenty-four hours. The western part of the interior is under the influence of 
 the sea-breezes also, while in the regions more to the east the heat is excessive. 
 The inhabitants of the interior are usually taller, more muscular and vigorous ; 
 and, in some cases at least, lighter in complexion than those upon the sea-coast. 
 From this part of the country went forth those hordes of irregular cavalry, the 
 Mahratta Horse, which overran such a great part of Hindusthan, in the last 
 century. 
 
 Productions. 
 
 In the Konkan, rice is the main article of cultivation. This grows also, of 
 different qualities, along the sides of the mountains, and in the valleys east of 
 the Ghats. Farther inland, little rice is raised, and that mostly along the banks 
 of some small streams, affording peculiar facilities for irrigation. Various kinds 
 of grain are grown in the interior, such as are adapted to the climate and the 
 soil. Wheat can be grown on the uplands, where there is a good supply of 
 rain, and also in fields which are so situated that they can be irrigated at times 
 tf necessary. A little corn (maize) is grown, principally in gardens, and it is 
 eaten usually green, roasting the ears. Sugar-cane is extensively grown, and 
 also hemp, and some flax. Tobacco is also raised. In the north-eastern and 
 the south-eastern parts of the Mahratta country, cotton grows of good quaUty. 
 The production is increasing, in connection with facilities afforded by the rail- 
 way for getting it to the seaport, and thence to England and America, for man- 
 
6 TUE MAHRAITA MISSION. 
 
 ufacture. By far the greatest part of what is now raised is manufactured in 
 the country. Oil seeds of various kinds arc grown in the southern parts of the 
 country, and shipped to Europe. The staple product of the Mahratta country, 
 however, is grain, the grain which is used by the natives. This is of several 
 varieties and distinct species, not grown in this land. The regions watered by 
 the Bhiina and the Godavery are known as the granaries of Western India. The 
 tropical fruits abound in the country. Cocoa-nuts and the fruit of various spe- 
 cies of palms are found abundantly in the Konkan. Oranges, limes, and grapes 
 grow in the interior. Mangoes and bananas, or plantains, guavas, etc., are found 
 every where. 
 
 Principal Cities. 
 
 Bombay is the principal city. It is the seaport of the whole country, and the 
 metropolis of the Presidency. It is situated on the island of that name. The 
 island contains seven hundred and eighty thousand inhabitants, and is under 
 one municipal government. It is the residence of the Governor for a part of 
 the year. It is essentially a European city, having grown up from a small vil. 
 lage of fishermen's huts to its present size since its occupation by the English. 
 It 'S situated in latitude 101-° north, and in longitude 12^° east. Having the 
 finest harbor in Ilindusthan, and being the nearest point to Europe by present 
 modes of travel, it is likely to grow still more, and be more and more important 
 in the future. It will soon be connected with London by a line of telegraph. 
 From this point lines of railway, in process of construction, stretch south-cast 
 toward Madras, north-east to connect with the line running north-west from 
 Calcutta, and north, along the sea-shore, to reach the cotton-fields of the north, 
 in Guzerat. 
 
 Poona is the principal city of the Mahratta country above the OMis. It is 
 ninety miles south-east from Bombay, with which place it is connected by rail. 
 It has a population of one hundred thousand. It is the seat of government for 
 the Presidency a part of the year, and the principal military station. It is the 
 great grain-market of that part of the country. 
 
 SJiolapur is a city of seventy-five thousand inhabitants, two hundred and 
 seventy-five miles south-east from Bombay, and connected with Poona and 
 Bombay by the railway. It is on the Sina river, above its junction with the 
 Bhiina. It is a mart for cotton and oil-seeds, which are raised largely in that 
 region. 
 
 Ndgpur, near the north-east point of the Mahratta country, is a city of much 
 consequence, having been the seat of power of one portion of the Mahratta 
 princes. 
 
 Vinrdwati, thirty miles distance south of Nagpur, is the center of a cotton- 
 growing region. 
 
 N'asik is a holy city of the Hindus, situated near the top of the western moun- 
 tains, about eighty miles north-east of Bombay. It has many temples and 
 places of reputed sanctity, and a large population of Brahmins, priests and the 
 like. 
 
 Ahmednuggur was a seat of a Mohammedan kingdom, tributary to the Emperor 
 of Delhi, before the rise of the Mahrattas. It contains about thirty thousand 
 •nhabitants, and is situated one hundred and eighty miles east from Bombay. 
 
THE MAHRATTA MISSION. 7 
 
 It is a mart for grain from the region along the Godavery river, and of cotton 
 from the north-east. 
 
 Satdra is a city of twenty-eight thousand inhabitants, situated at the eastern 
 base of the Ghats, in tlie Dakhan. It has an elevation of more than two thou- 
 sand fuct above the sea level. It was the original seat of the Mahratta power, 
 and continued to be the residence of the king while that power remained inde- 
 pendent. 
 
 Kolapur is a city of forty thousand people, seventy miles south from Satara, 
 and like it is situated very near the western mountains. It is the seat of a Mah- 
 ratta piincipality at the present time. 
 
 EatncKjiri is a town of twenty thousand people, on the seacoast, one hundred 
 and fifty miles south from Bombay, a commercial center of that region. Bcl- 
 gaum is south-east from Ratnagiri one hundred miles, in the southern Mah- 
 ratta country, and has a population of fifty thousand. Maliga^wi is one hun- 
 dred and fifty miles north-east from Bombay, and is the principal city of the 
 Khandesh districts. Aurangabad, Jalna, and Ellichpur are important cities in 
 the interior. 
 
 People and Languages. 
 
 The number of people residing in the Mahratta country is variously estimated 
 at from ten to twelve millions. The latter is perhaps nearer the correct esti- 
 mate. An accurate census of India has not yet been obtained. 
 
 The great majority of these are Hindus, and the Mahrathi is their language. 
 In the districts north of the Mahratta country the Guzarathi is spoken ; east 
 and south-east, the Telugu ; south, the Canarese, (Kanadi.) These languages 
 run into each other, along the borders of the districts where they are spoken. 
 There is consequently a great difference of dialect in different portions of the 
 country. In some districts these dialects assume almost the characteristics of 
 distinct languages. 
 
 There are many Mohammedans in the country, especially at all the large 
 places. A few families are found even in the small villages. Some of these are 
 descendants of the original conquerors of the country; others are descended 
 from Hindus, who embraced the Mohammedan faith centuries ago. The proper 
 language of the Mohammedans is Hindustani, but in the country they usually 
 speak the Mahrathi. 
 
 In Bombay are many Parsis. They are descended from the Persian fire-wor- 
 shipers, who fled from that country at the time of the Mohammedan persecu- 
 tions, and found an asylum in India. They adopted the language of the people 
 who received them, and were permitted to continue their own practices in mat- 
 ters of religion. They are an enterprising, thrifty people. They go as traders 
 into all the large places in the interior. Many of the Parsi riierchants of Bom- 
 bay are largely engaged in trade with China and Europe, having their branch 
 houses in Canton, and in London, and elsewhere. These Parsis speak a dialect 
 of the Guzarathi language, having a large admixture of Persian. Nearly half 
 the Hindus in Bombay speak the Guzarathi, as their vernacular. 
 
 A race of mountaineers is found in the northern part, among the moun- 
 tains which border the Mahratta country. They are called Khonds. They 
 are probably aboriginal inhabitants, descendants of those who occupied the 
 
8 THE MAHRATTA MISSION. 
 
 countrj' before the Hindus came there. They do not worship the Hindu gods, 
 but have idols of their own. They arc distinguished from the Hindus in other 
 ways. They use intoxicating drinks to excess, but they are perfectly truthful. 
 They also do not violate the seventh Commandment. 
 
 There arc a few Bhlls met with in various places, who arc also, in all proba- 
 bility, descendants of the early inhabitants. They are, however, not distin- 
 guished from the Hindus in language and customs. They are employed as 
 watchmen and night-guards. They are great thieves. It has been diflScult to 
 induce them to cultivate the soil for their living. 
 
 Perhaps, also, we find traces of the aboriginal inhabitants in the various 
 out-castes, who are now all over the land ; living outside the walls of villages, 
 in parts of the country where the villages arc walled, and in other places, in a 
 degraded position. These people have adopted the Hindu gods, and practice 
 many of the rites. Yet they have some customs which seem to separate them 
 from the Hindus of good standing. It is supposed the Hindus may have 
 adopted some of the idols of the aboriginal people, whom they conquered, into 
 their own pantheon, in order to secure their good will. These Mahars and 
 Mangs however, are very different from the Khonds at present ; at least in 
 the good qualities mentioned, 
 
 Beligions. 
 
 The Hindus may all be properly called idolaters. They worship a vast num- 
 ber and great variety of gods, and have an endless diversity of forms and rites 
 of worship. Some there are who worship no images, and yet may be called 
 idolaters. Some worship the elements of nature, namely, fire, water, air and 
 earth. Generally images or symbols will be found in every house. Temples 
 are very numerous. And they multiply the objects of worship, the number of 
 their temples, or their images, almost at pleasure. A plant producing a strong- 
 scented flower, or a tree which is useful, or used in many ways, may be a 
 special divinity. Any plant, any animal, even the lifeless rocks and stones, 
 may be proper objects of worship, if so regarded by the worshiper. Snakes 
 and monkeys are special objects of worship. Men who profess to teach others 
 about the gods may themselves be proper objects of devotion. The bones of a 
 dead man often become enshrined, and thus a new object of worship is pro- 
 duced. They pay religious homage to deceased ancestors, particularly during 
 one month of the year. Believing in the transmigration of the soul, they fancy 
 the spirit of the departed may be present in the body of the crow, who comes 
 at their call, to eat up the portion of food which has been prepared as a sacri- 
 fice. 
 
 Beside the general objects of worship common to all, separate classes have 
 their own objects'. The cultivator of the soil worships the ox which draws 
 his plow. A particular day is set apart for this worship. Men in various 
 trades worship the tools and implements they use. The merchant must have 
 an image, or symbol of his god drawn by the Brahman m all his account- 
 books. On a particular day, the money-lenders worship the coin they have 
 in their shops. The scholar will worship his books. The picture of the god 
 of learning must be drawn upon the slate of the child, just beginning his let- 
 ters ; and his first l.sson at school is to bow down before that image, which 
 
THE MAHRATTA MISSION. 9 
 
 the teacher draws, and to make a proper offering to it. As in the days of 
 llabakkuk, (Hab. 1 : IG,) the fisherman now offers to his drS,g-net. There are 
 gods in the temples, gods beside the highways, gods upon the tops of the hills, 
 gods under the green trees, gods in the house, gods in the field ; the air is full 
 of them, so is the sea, so are all things. A man himself may be said to be, 
 and by multitudes believed to be, the abode of divinity. 
 
 The underlying idea of all this idol-worship is probably the worship of na- 
 ture. God is every where, says the Christian, and the Hindu agrees with 
 him ; God is every thing as well, adds the Hindu, and so it is equally true, in 
 his estimation, that every thing is God, and may be acknowledged and wor- 
 shiped as God. All objects in nature show forth the power and wisdom of 
 God ; hence, says the Hindu, any thing may be w^orshiped. All is divine. 
 All that is needed is that faith on the part of the worshiper which will ' make ' 
 the thing worshiped real to him. It may appear but a stone ; the inner eye 
 sees not the stone, but the divinity ; not the divinity in the stone ; but the true 
 thing about it is not what apx>ears^ a stone ; but what zs, a god. So the learned 
 men argue away all external nature, as a delusion, a vanity deceiving man. 
 The ignorant man, they say, needs the image to direct his thoughts aright, and 
 to help him in his worship. The enlightened man worships not the image, but 
 transcends that ; and passes into the region of the true, when he worships. 
 Still this idol-worship is necessary to secure the favor of the gods. The reli- 
 gion of the Hindus seems a bundle of inconsistencies to any one beholding the 
 worship. But the people arc very much in earnest about it. It is all real, 
 and a dreadful reality to them. They dare not forego the daily routine of ob- 
 servances. Dire calamities are constantly ready to descend upon them, if they 
 should transgress even the least and most frivolous of these appointments. 
 
 The Moliammedans have their mosques, and are all thorough monotheists. 
 Some of their practices in that land have doubtless received a coloring from 
 the customs of the Hindus, with whom they dwell ; and it is not unusual to 
 see Hindus joining in certain public ceremonies of the Mussulmans. 
 
 The Parsis worship the elements, particularly fire, and the sun, as the source 
 of fire and light. They have temples, where they keep the sacred fire ever 
 burning. This they brought with them, when they fled from Persia. Into 
 these temples no one whatever, who is not a Parsi, is ever admitted. They 
 worship the sun at his rising and setting. They worship by the sea- side when 
 possible, and employ the salt-water in their rites. 
 
 There are many Roman Catholics in Bombay and vicinity. Those of for- 
 eign extraction are mostly descendants of the Portuguese, who first among 
 Europeans settled in this part of the land. These early settlers made some 
 converts to their faith, and the descendants of these converts are still found. 
 They are very degraded however, and have little influence in the community. 
 They are generally much despised by the Hindus. 
 
 Caste. 
 
 The distinctions of caste among the Hindus are very numerous. The prac- 
 tices required by these distinctions are very burdensome. They are designed 
 to prevent any intermingling of different orders and ranks. Caste is by birth, 
 and no one can change from one caste to another. If a person break caste. 
 
10 THE :\rAnRATTA MISSION. 
 
 he is no longer reckoned as of any standing in the Hindu order ; he is an 
 oiit-ca&te. There are classes in the community who are not reckoned among 
 the regular castes, but who constitute orders or castes among themselves. 
 Such are the Mahars and J^fangs. According to true Hindu estimation, for- 
 eigners constitute a class of out-castes, and so are to be regarded as lower in 
 rank than the Hindus themselves, even those of low caste. Practically, and in 
 view of the fact that foreigners are the rulers in this land, this notion is disre- 
 garded. But when any Hindu embraces Christianity, he is regarded not as 
 having risen to the rank in which the rulers of the land are, but as being 
 defiled, as having fallen below all the Hindus into the lowest possible scale of 
 out-castes. Every indignity is put upon him that is possible. He is deprived 
 of the use of water from the public wells and tanks, shut out from the public 
 schools, and cut oflF from all intercourse with relatives and friends, as far as 
 may be. This inhumanity is restricted, however, by the influence of the Eng- 
 lish government ; and of late full rights of Christians have been guaranteed to 
 them by decisions of the highest authority. Gradually the people will come 
 to understand and acknowledge the true position of Christians. This is that 
 •of other classes in the community, such as Mohammedans and Parsis, who do 
 not observe caste ; above those who do regard it. 
 
 Many of the customs of those who observe caste rules are very trifling, 
 even ludicrous ; but the system has a very strong hold upon all persons. 
 Different castes do not cat together ; specially must they not use water or 
 other liquid which a person of lower rank may have touched. Persons of 
 good caste can not eat food prepared by those of lower rank ; though the reverse 
 is allowed, and persons of lower order may use food prepared by those above 
 them. In practice there is some relaxing of the strictest rules ; and persons 
 of good caste often do eat food prepared by those below them. There is no 
 marrying, save f/i the caste to which the man belongs. 
 
 Trilling infractions of caste rules and customs — ' sins of ignorance ' — 
 when a person unwittingly becomes polluted ; and infractions which some- 
 times occur by order of a superior, an officer, or other, who pays no attention 
 to these caste rules — these may all be atoned for by trifling penances. Some 
 grosser breaches of the law are atoned for, and the person restored to good 
 standing in the community, by his making presents to the Brahmans, and un- 
 dergoing a disgusting performance of so-called 'purification'; by giving a 
 feast to the leaders of the caste — or to a number of persons of the caste — 
 usually in a village, to all the men belonging in the same rank, and who 
 would eat together. But the crime of renouncing caste altogether, as is done 
 by all who join the Christian church, can not be atoned for by any mode as yet 
 discovered in the sacred books. 
 
 Caste is a part of the religion of the Hindus. A man will excuse himself 
 fi'om the performance of certain acts, which may be requested of him, by say- 
 ing that to do so is contrary to his religion, or contrary to his caste, mean- 
 ing the same thing in either case. Indeed, caste has a stronger hold on the 
 Hindus than idolatry, and the practices of their religion, oftentimes. A Brah- 
 man will write a l)ook in refutation of idol-worship, for, a small compensation ; 
 but no proffered reward would induce him to drink a glass of "water brought 
 into the room by a low-caste servant, for this would be breaking his caste. 
 
THE MAHRATTA MISSION. 11 
 
 Caste is so intermingled with all the habits and feelings of the Hindus, that 
 it constitutes one of the greatest obstacles to the spread of the Gospel. The 
 system is a master-piece of Satan. All things pleasant to man in this life are 
 so arranged as to bind him to his caste. In breaking away from that, he breaks 
 away from all that he has held dear on earth. Parents, brothers, sisters, wife, 
 children, all friends and acquaintances must look upon him as worse than dead, 
 and shun his presence as if it were pollution itself. All that he has been 
 taught from infoncy of the inferiority of others, of their polluted condition and 
 degraded habits, lead him to shun any association with Christians. Natural 
 antipathies, strengthened by the habits and training of all his life, press upon 
 him to keep him where he is. Only an influence from above can lead a man 
 out of the bondage of caste into the " glorious liberty of the children of God." 
 
 Even when young men, taught in the English language and science, have 
 outgrown most of their notions in regard to Hinduism ; when they regard that 
 as absurd, and are inclined to regard all systems of religion as alike in absurdity, 
 and beneath the attention of thinking men, they yet are careful to observe 
 some of the more important distinctions of caste law ; so that they may remain 
 socially in the same position. Still, these men are gradually outgrowing the 
 system. There are indications of a somewhat general disregard of the more 
 burdensome rules. There is more of respect shown to those who break away 
 from their caste altogether. With the onward progress of Christianity, we 
 may anticipate a more rapid disappearance of the absurdities and almost cruel- 
 ties of the caste system. This is to be brought about through the influence of 
 Christianity. All the progress of commerce and the arts has not as yet 
 availed to do more than to weaken the system. Christianity necessitates its 
 overthrow. 
 
 THE MISSION. 
 
 I. Bombay. — The first missionaries of the American Board who were sent 
 to preach the Gospel to the heathen, were Samuel Newell, Adoniram Judson, 
 Samuel Nott, Gordon Hall and Luther Rice. They went forth not knowing 
 whither they went. Their wish was to reach the great idolatrous countries of 
 the East. Their attention had been drawn somewhat to Burmah. As Cal- 
 cutta was the port to which vessels sailed from this country, and was itself in 
 the midst of the great heathen kingdoms which they wished to reach, the mis- 
 sionaries first went there. Three of them, Mr. Nott, with his wife, Mr. Hall 
 and Mr. Rice, sailed from Philadelphia. The others, Mr. Judson and Mr. 
 Newell, with their wives, sailed from Salem. This was in February, 1811. 
 War with Great Britain was soon after declared. When these ships arrived at 
 Calcutta, the missionaries found themselves in a trying position, as citizens of 
 a country at war with the government which ruled India. 
 
 Messrs. Judson and Newell arrived some weeks before the others. They 
 were first ordered to return to America in the ship which had brought them 
 out. At this time the restrictions imposed by the East-India Company upon 
 the residence of foreigners in India had not been removed. Missionaries were 
 not allowed to reside in the territories subject to the Company. The Christian 
 firiends of missions in Calcutta and vicinity received the American brethren with 
 great cordiality. Soon the first order to the missionaries, that they must re- 
 
12 THE MAHRATTA MISSION. 
 
 turn to America in the ship which brought them out, was changed, and in ac- 
 cordance with their earnest memorials to government, they were permitted 
 to leave the territories subject to the Company and go to any other place 
 whatever. 
 
 They anxiously looked for a place. Hearing that the Governor of the Mauri- 
 tius desired the establishment of a mission there, Mr. Newell sailed for Port 
 Louis with his wife, leaving Mr. and Mrs. Judson, (who propose:! soon to fol- 
 low them,) as there was no room for more passengers in the ship on which they 
 went. A few days after Mr. Ncwell's departure, the other ship arrived from 
 America ; and these missionaries were also ordered to return at once in it. 
 They presented a written request that they also might be allowed to go 
 to the Isle of France by any vessel going thither. The request was granted. 
 No opportunity for their going occurred till near the end of the year. Mrs. 
 Newell died at Port Louis on the 30th November. 
 
 About the last of August Mr. Judson announced to the Baptist missionaries 
 at Serampur that he had changed his views on the subject of baptism. He was 
 received by them, and, with his wife, was immersed the first Sabbath in Sep- 
 tember. Mr. Rice also joined the Baptists in October. Soon after an oppor- 
 tunity occurred for these three persons to proceed to Mauritius, which they em- 
 braced. From there Mr. Rice returned to America, and Mr. and Mrs. Judson 
 afterward went to Madras, and thence to Rangoon, and commenced the Baptist 
 mission to Burmah, 
 
 Messrs. Hall and Nott remained for a time at Calcutta, but at length removed, 
 near the end of the year, to Bombay. A new Governor of this Presidency, Sir 
 Evan Nepean, had arrived ; and as he was a Vice-President of the British and 
 Foreign Bible Society, and a friend of missions, they resolved to attempt the 
 establishment of a mission there. Thus the work began in difficulty and trial. 
 But a long period of trial was before them. Unfavorable reports had preceded 
 them from Calcutta, and they found themselves objects of suspicion and under 
 the surveillance of the police. After some months they were ordered to pro- 
 ceed to England in a ship then nearly ready to sail. Desirous of still remaining 
 in the country, they made an effort to reach Ceylon in a private manner. They 
 were, however, arrested at Cochin, and brought back to Bombay, and kept as 
 prisoners aboard the ship, and were directed to hold themselves in readiness to 
 sail for I'^ngland in the next ship. They determined to make one more appeal 
 to the Christian gentleman at the head of the government. It was a bold, faith- 
 ful, Christian, yet perfectly respectful appeal.* In reply to this, they were 
 permitted to remain until further instructions should come from the supreme 
 government at Calcutta. 
 
 Meantime the charter of the East-India Company had been renewed, with a 
 most important modification. The act of Parliament renewing the charter for 
 twenty years, from 181.3, recognized the duty of the people of Great Britain to 
 promote Christianity in India. It declared that persons having that object in 
 view should be permitted to reside there, subject to the local government, and 
 acting in conformity with the principles on which the natives had claimed the 
 free exercise of their religions. But missionaries who were on the ground were 
 
 * It may bo found in Tracy's History of A.B.C.F.M., p. 43. 
 
THE MAHRATTA MISSION. 13 
 
 specially excepted from the benefit of this act. The friends of the mission in 
 England were active in the efibrt to procure an authoritative decision in favor 
 of their staying. The governments at Calcutta and Bombay had sent to Eng- 
 land copies of the entire correspondence, with their own account of all trans- 
 actions in reference to the American missionaries. The subject came before the 
 Court of Directors of the East-India Company. They were about passing a 
 resolution lequiring the removal of the missionaries and the censure of all their 
 own civil and ecclesiastical servants who had aided them. Then the venerable 
 Sir Charles Grant, once Chairman of the Court, presented a written argument 
 defending the missionaries, and showing that the governments in India had 
 mistaken and transcended their authority in requiring the removal of the mis- 
 sionaries from the country. This argument prevailed. Dispatches were sent 
 to Bombay, stating that the object of the missionaries seemed to be simply the 
 promotion of religion, and authorizing their residence in the country. 
 
 This was the real opening of India to missionary labor. The first English 
 missionaries who applied to the Court of Directors of the East-India Company 
 for permission to proceed to India, after the passage of the Charter Act of 1813, 
 were refused a permit by the Court. This shows their determination to allow 
 of no efforts to convert the natives to Christianity. When they were afterward 
 persuaded to allow the residence of American missionaries, they could no longer 
 refuse permission to their own countrymen and others. The persistent efforts 
 of the American missionaries to obtain a foot-hold in the land, and of the Board 
 to secure for them proper guaranties and protection, aided as these efforts were 
 by those of Christian friends in England and India, had gained an object de- 
 serving of the gratitude of the whole Christian world. They accomplished 
 a result which the Act of Parliament had failed to secure. This was done 
 while the brethren were virtually treated as prisoners, residing in the Admiralty 
 House at Bombay, and liable to be sent to England at any time. 
 
 Mr. Newell came from the Isle of France to Colombo, in Ceylon, in the 
 spring of the year after the death of his wife. Here he resided, engaged in the 
 study of the languages spoken at Bombay as far as he could, and preaching in 
 English to the European and half-caste people, of whom he found thousands in 
 need of instruction. Early in the year 1814 he joined his brethren in Bombay, 
 and at once engaged with all earnestness in the work of the mission. He made 
 such representations of the state of things in Ceylon, the friendliness of the 
 government, and the accessibility of the natives, that the Board was induced 
 to send a mission there. 
 
 The missionaries had not been idle during the long period of suspense in re- 
 gard to the permission for them to stay in the country. They had acquired 
 much facility in the use of the Mahrathi language, and had begun to preach in 
 the streets of the city. They had translated short portions of the Bible, and 
 some tracts into the language. These they would read to the people as they 
 had opportunity, and learn from their remarks whether they were intelligible 
 or not. 
 
 In 1815 Mr. Nott returned to the United States, it being the opinion of the 
 phj-sician that his constitution was entirely unfit for labor in that climate. He 
 had suffered much from liver complaint. 
 
 About the clos3 of the same year Mr. Bardwell arrived at Bombay. He was 
 
14 THE MAIIIIATTA MISSION. 
 
 acquainted with printing. A press and types were procured. This was the 
 commencement of an agency which has been greatly used in the service of the 
 Gospel in Western India, the fruits of wliich are manifest more and more. 
 
 Early in 1818 two new missionaries arrived. Rev. A. Graves was stationed at 
 Mahim, a large village on the upper end of Bombay Island, and Rev. J. Nichols 
 proceeded to Tanna, on the island of Salsette, twenty-five miles from Bombay. 
 Here he remained till his death in 182.3. The station has never since been oc- 
 cupied. Mr. Graves remained at Mahim, laboriously at work in the care of 
 schools on the island and also on the continent, and engaged in preaching and 
 translations, until the death of Mr. Hall in 1825, when the demands of the work 
 in Bombay called him there. Afterward, the failure of his health compelled 
 him to go for a season to the Nilagiri Hills, from which he returned to com- 
 mence a new mission at Ahmednuggur in 1831. Mahim has never since been 
 the residence of a missionary. 
 
 In 1821 Mr. Bardwell was compelled to return to this country by the failure 
 of his health. His place was supplied by Mr. Garrett, who had joined the 
 mission to Ceylon, but whom the government of the island ordered to leave. 
 Mr. Newell was removed by cholera in April. He was one of the four young men 
 whose request to be sent to the heathen had been the means of calling the 
 Board into existence. In 1825, the only remaining member of the little band, 
 that formed the mission, Rev. Gordon Hall, was removed by death. He died 
 at a small village in the interior, about seventy miles north-east of Bombay. 
 He had been at Nasik, on a tour for preaching and distributing books. The 
 cholera was raging. Soon his supply of medicine, as well as of books, was ex- 
 hausted, and he started on his return to Bombay ; but was himself attacked by 
 the dread disease, and died in the veranda of a temple at Duli-Dhapur. His 
 last words, repeated three times, were : " Glory to thee, God !" He con- 
 tinued his work of preaching to the heathen, exhorting them to repent and for- 
 sake their sins, until the very last. 
 
 Only two members of the mission were left. Most of the time since then 
 there have been but one or two men able to use the language at any one time 
 in Bombay. The care of the press has at times required nearly all the strength 
 of one missionary. The missionaries have from the beginning been active 
 members, and often officers, of the Bible and the Tract Societies, in addition to 
 the work which has been done by them as a mission. 
 
 At present, 1801, the American Board has but one missionary in that great 
 city. Only one has been there at a time for the past six years. There is a 
 small church which is yearly growing, though slowly. There is a native pastor 
 and one teacher and helper. 
 
 In 1823 a chapel Avas erected in the native town. It continued in use as a 
 chapel and building for the press operations until 1855, when another more con- 
 venient one was erected by its side. The chapel is plainly to be seen, but a few 
 steps distant, from the great thoroughfare through the native town. It stands 
 in an open place, where thousands pass every hour in the day. Here the native 
 pastor preaches upon the Sabbath. Upon the steps in front of the building 
 and in the large entrance-way, he daily takes his stand to preach to the passers- 
 by. The missionary resides at a distance of half a mile from this chapel, and 
 has another large room used for a school and preaching-room, near his house, 
 
THE MAIIRATTA MISSION. 15 
 
 where he has his daily services. There arc places in other parts of the town 
 where preachers go and find an opportunity of giving their message to the peo- 
 ple. The knowledge of the Gospel seems to have been spread through the 
 city ; yet it is accompanied by many false notions, and it is so hindered that it 
 as yet hardly takes any hold upon the hearts of the people. 
 
 Obstacles. 
 
 The obstacles to the Gospel in such a great commercial city arc immense. 
 There is the dead weight of Hinduism, which we must meet every where ; 
 there is the activity of Mohammedanism, proclaiming one God and declaring it- 
 self the divinely appointed religion ; there is the infidelity of vast numbers of 
 the people. They are brought together, and by mutual intercourse soon learn 
 to despise the follies of idolatry, and yet they have very little opportunity to 
 hear of any better way. There are the educated young men, who can no longer 
 tolerate the absurdities of Hindu philosophy, and who regard Mohammedanism, 
 Parsiism and the Gospel as standing on the same footing. They have tried one 
 and found it ftilse ; so they conclude all are alike false, and to be rejected by 
 those who would be wise. The great mass of the intelligent and educated peo- 
 ple are fully occupied with money-making, for which abundant facilities are af- 
 forded. The great body of the poor are pressed down by the effort to secure 
 the necessary food for each day. 
 
 A still more serious obstacle is found in the character and conduct of those 
 whom the people regard as Christians. The great body of Europeans make 
 India their abode for purposes of gain merely. They are usually seen by the 
 natives to pay scarce a seeming outward attention to the affairs of religion. 
 Men would soon think, from their conduct, that they regarded one religion or 
 form of faith about as much as another. Some even give tokens of regard to 
 Hindu notions. Christianity, as seen in the conduct of such persons, appears 
 as a kind of negation — a 7io-re\\g[on. It has no outward form, and its essence 
 is disregarded by its followers. More powerful than this, is the example of 
 those men coming from Christian lands who live in gross sensuality and vice. 
 The natives of Bombay judge the Christian religion from the drunken sailor, 
 who comes on shore seeking only to gratify his brutish lusts ; abusing and beat- 
 ing those who attempt to hinder him, or those whom he takes a fancy to abuse 
 and threaten, whether they interfere with him or not. These ofF-scourings of 
 civilization, more degraded than the heathen themselves, are rather the repre- 
 sentatives of Christianity, than are the godly men and women, few in number, 
 and rarely met with by the great body of people, who seek to promote the true 
 interests of the people, who live the life of faith and love among the Hindus. 
 
 The American Mission, though the oldest, is not the only mission in Bombay. 
 The Church Missionary Society of England has a large mission there. It has 
 under its care an English school of a high order, with many vernacular schools 
 for boys and girls also, and other schools, male and female. It has a large 
 churich, with a native pastor, and other helpers, some of whom have been or- 
 dained. There are two Scotch missions. That of the Kirk of Scotland has a 
 large educational institution, admirably situated in the heart of the native town. 
 That of the Free Church has also a large educational institution, a female board- 
 
16 THE MAIIRATTA MISSION. 
 
 ing school, and many other schools. It also has several native preachers, 
 ordained, and a church. These several missions working together in harmony 
 for the spread of the Gospel, present a striking contrast with the feebleness of 
 the beginning, when two men began to prcacli the word, while under the sur- 
 veillance of the police, and liable to be deported at any time. 
 
 II. Ahmednuggur. — The stations in the interior began with the advantage of 
 the experience which had been gained in Bombay and vicinity. One of the 
 men who commenced the mission had been more than thirteen years in the 
 country. The missionaries, moreover, were accompanied by a valuable native 
 helper and his family, and one or two other Christians. Tliese formed a kind 
 of nucleus of a Christian community at the beginning. The same general 
 modes of operation have been followed at all the stations : preaching at the 
 stations ; preaching on tours ; distribution of the Bible and tracts ; schools, both 
 primary and boarding ; schools of a higher order, when practicable, to educate 
 teachers, catechists and pastors ; and schools for girls, primary and boarding. 
 
 The station at Ahmednuggur was occupied in December, 1831. Mr. Graves, 
 who had been nearly fourteen years in the country, was accompanied by 
 Messrs. Ilervey and Read, new missionaries. Before they had been there a 
 half year, Mr. Ilervey was taken with the cholera and died. Mr. Graves' 
 health was so much prostrated by his residence in that land, that he was 
 obliged to visit America. He returned to India after an absence of three years, 
 with his health only partially restored, and took up his residence upon the 
 summit of the hills (the Ghats) at Mahablcshwar, where he continued to preach 
 the Gospel, in much bodily weakness, till his death in 1843. A number of 
 persons professed Christianity at this place, in consequence of his instructions. 
 
 For most of the time since the beginning of the mission work at Ahmednug- 
 gur, two brethren have constituted the force at the station. A good deal of 
 itinerary work was done in the earlier years. Brethren traveled extensively in 
 all dii'ections, and preached the word, and distributed books and tracts as they 
 found opportunity. Such preaching tours have been a marked feature in the 
 operations here. Of late, in consequence of increasing interest demanding the 
 attention of the missionaries near their stations, there has been little of the 
 extended exploring work done, which was needed at first. By means of these 
 tours, openings for new stations have been found. The Gospel has been car- 
 ried as far as Sholapur on the south-east, and Nagpur on the north-east ; and 
 in many of the villages between Ahmednuggur and Bombay the word has 
 been preached ; in some of them many times. 
 
 An asylum for the poor had been opened by the English residents before the 
 arrival of the missionaries. It was at once put in their charge. A daily serv- 
 ice was held here, for the benefit of these unfortunates. Soon some began to 
 show marked interest in the instruction given. Near the close of the first 
 year, three persons from the asylum were admitted to the church. The natives, 
 to the number of one hundred, were present on that occasion. Many expressed 
 their wish to be baptized. It was an occasion of much joy. Babaji, the native 
 catechist, wept for joy. Four months after, several others were added, and in 
 March a Presbyterian church was organized. Mr. Read was pastor, Babaji 
 elder, and Dajiba deacon. These two had come from Bombay with the mis- 
 
THE MAHRATTA MISSION. 17 
 
 sionaries. The church had fourteen members, ten of whom were Hindus. 
 These early hopes were not fulfilled at once. For ten years there were but 
 sixteen baptisms of adults. 
 
 In 1839 a great excitement was caused in the city by the baptism of Hari- 
 pant, a Brahman belonging in the city, and of a most respectable family. 
 There was a mob, and Ilaripant took refuge in the missionary's dwelling. 
 There was held a great council of Brahmans, at which it was determined that 
 if any one attended upon the preaching of the missionaries, or upon their 
 schools, or used their books, he should be put out of caste. Their schools 
 were broken up. But in a few days all was quiet again. Ilaripant had been 
 employed first as a teacher and then as an inspector of schools. Soon after he 
 was baptized, his brother joined him and was also baptized. Haripant suc- 
 ceeded in persuading his young wife to remain with him ; but his brother s 
 wife left him, with her son, and refused to have any thing more to do with one 
 whom she regarded as polluted, worse than dead. A few months after, a friend 
 of Haripant's, a Brahmin teacher, joined the church. It was a time of great 
 encouragement, though of such violent opposition. 
 
 In 1841-2, there occurred a season of refreshing. Several persons, men of 
 some influence in their own villages, were interested in the truth as they heard it 
 from the missionaries on their tours. In 1844, some persons were baptized 
 belonging to villages forty miles north of Ahmednuggur. In the five years, 
 1841—45, seventy -five persons were baptized. Some of these had been religious 
 teachers among the Hindus. Enlightened by the Spirit of God, they became 
 effective preachers of the word to their own countrymen. Their influence was 
 extensive among their acquaintances, and those to whom they had expounded 
 Hinduism before ; and the number of inquirers was much increased. The in- 
 fluence of Christians living among their own countrymen began to be felt. In 
 the years 1845-51, eighty persons were received to the church, making a total 
 of 171, from the beginning of the mission, a period of twenty years. The next 
 period of five years, from 1851-55, witnessed an addition of 90; and in the 
 five years, 1856-61, there were 410 received, making 500 for the ten years, and 
 a total of 671 for the thirty years of the mission's existence. 
 
 Up to 1854, the members were all considered as belonging to one central 
 church. They might reside in different places ; the ordinances of the Gospel 
 might be administered in various places, wherever Christians resided, but they 
 were regarded as belonging to one church. The close of 1854 marks a change 
 in this respect. It was decided that churches should be organized in different 
 villages, wherever Christians might be residing, or where they could conve- 
 niently meet for church services. The only limit in regard to numbers is, that 
 there shall be at least three male members, of whom one shall be of such 
 standing and influence in the community that he can be appointed deacon 
 or elder. Under this rule twenty churches had been organized up to the close 
 of 1861. The smallest membership in any one church was 9, and the largest 
 103. In these twenty churches are embraced persons living in ninety-six 
 different villages. 
 
 The first churches organized on the new plan, were the first and second 
 churches in Ahmednuggur. Two chapels had been in use ; the one for many 
 years, having been erected soon after the commencement of the mission, and 
 
18 . THE MAHRATTA MISSION. 
 
 tlie other quite recently opened, in another part of the city. A number of 
 persons were designated from the whole body of Christians, which were re- 
 garded as constituting the Jirst church, to form the second church. Both these 
 churches chose pastors, Ilaiipant for the first, and Ramkrishnapant for the 
 second. They were ordained together, in the chapel of the first church, in 
 December. A large congregation was in attendance. The sermon was preached 
 by Mr. Ballantine. The charge was given by Rev. Dr. Anderson, who was 
 then in India in company with Rev. A. C. Thompson, on a deputation from the 
 A.B.C.F.M. ; and the fellowship of the churches by Mr. Thompson. Both 
 these parts wore at once translated into Mahrathi for the benefit of the audience. 
 All the other exercises were in the Mahrathi language. 
 
 Within a few weeks other churches were formed in different villages. There 
 were no pastors for them at the time ; and they were placed in charge ef dea- 
 cons under the direction of the missionary in charge of the district. A pastor 
 was ordained over the church at Seroor, in 1859. In 1S60, the pastor of the 
 second church in Ahmednuggur was transferred to the charge of the church 
 in Bombay, and another pastor was ordained for that church. It is hoped that 
 several young men now in a course of training for pastoral duties may soon be 
 set apart for the work, as pastors of churches in the villages. One man has 
 received a license to preach, who has not yet been ordained. 
 
 It is evident that much good has resulted from the organization of these local 
 churches. Each has been a light in its own locality. The Christians thus 
 brought into closer union, have felt more responsibility for each other, and 
 more also for the spread of the Gospel. Doubtless much of the increase in 
 numbers during the past five or six years has been owing to the greater activ- 
 ity of the church members. 
 
 Another influence has been that of separate district stations occupied by 
 missionaries. Of these it is important now to write. 
 
 Seroor. Up to 1841, the missionaries all resided at Ahmednuggur. They 
 went from this point, as a center, in all directions, on their preaching tours. 
 Thirty miles south-west from Ahmednuggur is Seroor, on a tributary of the 
 Bhima river. A range of hills separates the valley in which Seroor lies from 
 the plain on which Ahmednuggur stands. The valley is narrow, and the hill- 
 sides barren. There are very few villages of large size in this valley. Seroor 
 contains five thousand inhabitants. It is a post of some military importance. 
 Formerly there was a large cantonment for troops here ; but of late years it is 
 occupied only by a small body of cavalry. In the remoter portions of the dis- 
 trict to which Seroor is central are several large villages and much population ; 
 it is thus an important post for itinerary labors. More than one hundred vil- 
 lao-es are usually visited by the missionary and his native assistants. The rail- 
 way from Bombay towards Madras passes about twenty miles south of Seroor. 
 Rev. 0. French commenced the station in 1841. At the close of 1801 the 
 church had a native pastor, and contained twenty-seven members. The church 
 building is of good size, and conveniently located, for the use of the Christ- 
 ians, and also for the people of the village, when any are willing to attend. 
 There are two out-stations, one a few miles east and the other south of the 
 station. 
 
 Kolgaum is a village of some size, eighteen miles east from Seroor, and 
 
THE MAHRATTA MISSION. 19 
 
 about the same distance south of Ahmednuggur. It is near the base of the 
 range of hills which separates the valley of the tributaries of the Bhima river, 
 from that of the Sina, and 171 the former. It has been for many years an out- 
 station of Seroor. No missionary has made his permanent residence here as 
 yet. It is central to a number of villages, and affords a fine field for itineracy. 
 The church here is under the care of a catechist, and contained in 18G1 fifteen 
 members. There were three out-stations, on the west, south and cast re- 
 spectively. 
 
 Rahuri. Passing north from Ahmednuggur, at a distance of ten miles, the 
 traveler reaches some isolated hills, among which is found the head of the Sina 
 river. This is the end of the plain, or valley, in which Ahmednuggur is situ- 
 ated. North of these hills the country seems to hrealc down at once, a distance of 
 several hundi-ed feet, into the great valley of the Godavery. The descent is pre- 
 cipitous, except where a road is made winding along the face of the steep cliffs. 
 In this great valley are four stations which have grown out of the labors at 
 Ahmednuggur. The region is very fertile and populous. Good roads pass 
 through it, one north and the other north-east of Ahmednuggur. A railway is 
 in process of construction from Bombay to the cotton-fields near Nagpur, and 
 on toward Calcutta. This will pass east and west, through a part of the 
 valley occupied by the American mission. 
 
 Rahuri is a village twenty-two miles from Ahmednuggur, where a court is 
 held, and the public business of a district is attended to. It has a population 
 of three or four thousand. It is on the north bank of the Mula river, a tribu- 
 tary of the Godavery. It is about twelve miles from the range of hills which 
 form the head of the Sina valley — the edge of the table-land — and less than that 
 distance from the hills bordering the Godavery valley upon the west. The dis- 
 trict of Rahuri, of which the village is the chief place, has an area of 518 square 
 miles, and a population of 50,000. 
 
 Rev. A. Abbott commenced a station here in 1858. Several Christians were 
 at that time residing within the limits of this field, and a church was organ- 
 ized in 1851, a few miles south from Rahuri. There were in 1861 five churches 
 in the district, under the care of catechists, and six out-stations. The five 
 churches had an aggregate membership of 109. The interest in divine things 
 seems to be deepening and extending in all directions. Christians have at 
 times been subjected to much persecution from their heathen countrymen ; but 
 their rights are upheld by the government, and they are becoming better un- 
 derstood by their opposers. 
 
 Khokar. The traveler passing on to the north of Rahuri, soon reaches the 
 Prawara river, another tributary to the Godavery. Crossing this, and turning 
 to the cast, he reaches Khokar, a small village, forty miles north of Ahmed- 
 nuggur. It is nearly on the water-shed, the summit of the rolling prairie- 
 land, which lies between the Prawara and the great river, the Godavery, and 
 is about the same distance from the two rivers. The village has no importance 
 in itself. There is no court here, and no market ; the population is very small. 
 An interest in Christianity was, however, very early developed here, in connec- 
 tion with the preaching tours of the missionaries. Persons from this village 
 were baptized as early as 1845. One was a prominent man of the place. He 
 was highly esteemed in the village, and in the region. His influence in favor 
 
20 THE MAHRATTA MISSION. 
 
 of the truth was great. Many of his neighbors joined the Church from time 
 to time. There were men in several other villages in this vicinity who also 
 embraced the faith of Jesus about the same time. 
 
 In 1854-, it was resolved to make this a station, and the residence of a mis- 
 sionary. The Christians living in those scattered villages needed care and in- 
 struction, such as they could not get while the missionary lived forty miles 
 away. It was also thought that great good would result from the residence of 
 the missionary here, in removing the i)rejudices of the heathen. Moreover, 
 many more heathen would hear the truth. These results have been abun- 
 dantly secured. Rev. Mr. Barker commenced his residence here in 1855. A 
 church was organized from the members residing in the place, and the villages 
 around. There were, in IBGl, five churches, all under the care of catechists, 
 having an aggregate membership of one hundred and seventeen. There are 
 also eleven out- stations in different directions. 
 
 Pimplns. Directly west of the district in which Khokar is situated, is a 
 populous region, in which a few Christians are living, and in which some inter- 
 est in the ti'uth has been of late awakened. A liberal friend of the mission 
 has erected a dwelling-house and chapel at Pimplus, and presented them to the 
 mission for their acceptance and occupation as a station. The district is at 
 present in charge of the missionary at Khokar. 
 
 Waddh. On the road north-east from Ahmednuggur, at a distance of twen- 
 ty-six miles, is the village of Wadale. This, like Khokar, has no importance of 
 its own ; but it is an advantageous site for mission premises, and is in conve- 
 nient proximity to a large number of villages where Christians are living. It 
 lies east of Rahuri, and south-east from Khokar. Rev. Mr. Fairbank began his 
 residence here in 1857. At that time there was one church in the field to 
 which this is a center, at a village about four miles from the station. Now 
 there are five churches, four under the care of catechists, and one with a 
 licensed preacher acting as pastor. The aggregate membership in 1861 was 
 one hundred and thirty-two. There are also twelve out-stations. 
 
 There are thus seven stations connected with the Ahmednuggur branch of 
 the Mahratta mission. Three of these have no missionary at the present time. 
 They all have their separate schools, churches, out-stations and catechists. 
 More stations will probably be occupied as the work makes progress in the 
 districts. 
 
 III. Satara. — This is another important city, and center for missionary 
 operations in the Mahratta country. It is in the valley of the Krishna river, 
 and about one hundred and sixty miles south-east from Bombay, and one hun- 
 dred miles south-west from Ahmednuggur. The district of Satara has a popu- 
 lation of about one million three hundred and twenty-five thousand people. 
 It was under tlie rule of a native prince and court until 1848. The family of 
 the former king, who died without heirs, is still there, and receives a pension 
 from the government. 
 
 During the residence of Mr. Graves upon the Mahablcshwar Hills, in the lat- 
 ter part of his life, he was accustomed to spend some months of the rainy 
 season at Satara ; and always preached, as he had strength, to people whom 
 he could gather to listen. Mrs. Graves also taught such girls as would come 
 
THE MAHRATTA MISSION". 21 
 
 to her for instruction. In this way there was a partial occupancy of the city 
 as a mission station, some years before any missionary went there to hvc. 
 
 In the year 1849, Rev. W. Wood went to Satara, in order to secure a health- 
 ful location for his family, during the rainy season. The health of Mrs. Wood 
 had suffered much while in Bombay. Becoming much interested in the place, 
 he decided on making it his permanent station. Land was procured, and two 
 years after, a house was erected, and soon after a large chapel, in the midst of 
 the native town ; also a building for a preaching-place and school-house. 
 
 In 1851, Rev. Mr. Burgess removed from Ahmednuggur, to be associated with 
 Mr. Wood, who had been aflSicted by the death of Mrs. Wood. In 1853, Mr. 
 Burgess returned to America ; and in 1855, Rev. Mr. Munger went to Satara. 
 In 1860, Mr. Munger came to the United States ; and Rev. Mr. Dean, from 
 Ahmednuggur, was stationed at Satara. The situation is a good one for health. 
 It is just at the eastern base of the Ghats ; and a person can be placed in an 
 entirely different climate from that of the plains, in a few hours' time, by as- 
 cending the hills. 
 
 Several rivers pass through the territory of Satara, all uniting at length in 
 the Krishna river. All along the borders of these streams are large villages. 
 The population is dense and easily accessible from Satara. It has thus fine 
 advantages as a station, from which to reach the country about. Several places, 
 with a population of thousands, are spoken of as proper places for new stations, 
 as the work shall advance. 
 
 There have been but few conversions at this station. There have been some 
 peculiar obstacles, arising from the recent absorption of the territory into the 
 British districts, and the extinction of the native dominion. A large number 
 of Brahmans were formerly supported by the king ; and they were obliged to 
 seek their own support when the British authority was established. These 
 people naturally feel very sore toward the English, and to any thing that per- 
 tains to the English. They influence vast numbers of people to reject and op- 
 pose Christianity. Yet there is reason to suppose that the knowledge of the 
 truth is spi'eading. Many young men have studied the English language to 
 some extent, and at times they have been known to visit the missionaries fre- 
 quently. Much good seed has been sown in the city, and the districts lying 
 about it. 
 
 A church of eight members is reported in 1861. The pastor of the first 
 church in Ahmednuggur has spent some time preaching in Satara, with good 
 results. 
 
 Malcohn Peth, or MahailesTiwar, was the residence of Rev. Mr. Graves in the 
 latter part of his life. It is thirty miles west of Satara, upon the summit of 
 the coast range of mountains. It is a valuable health retreat. Many people 
 from the lowlands of the coast, and from the sultry plains of the interior, 
 spend a few weeks of the warm weather there. It has been found very ben- 
 eficial to many debilitated frames ; and at times a few months spent in this 
 cool, dry climate have been enough to reinvigorate the toil-worn frame. The 
 missionary who goes to this place for a needed change of air and scene, finds 
 a large population gathered near him, during the warm season. He can preach 
 to people from all parts of the interior, and thus cause the name of Jesus to 
 
22 THE MAIIHATTA MISSION". 
 
 sound forth from those mountain-tops to places unvisited by any rays from the 
 source of light divine. 
 
 Since Mr. Graves' death, Mrs. Graves has resided on these hills, and has 
 taught women and girls as she has had opportunity ; but no missionary has 
 made his residence here. 
 
 IV. Sholapur. — At the distance of one hundred and thirty miles east from 
 Satara, and about one hundred and twenty miles east of south from Ahmednug- 
 gur is this important city. It is the scat of a CoUectorate, and thus a prin- 
 cipal city like Ahmednuggur and Satara. It is so situated as to form a con- 
 necting link between these two fields, now occupied by the American mission, 
 and is connected by the new Grand Peninsular Railway with Bombay. 
 There are also many large villages, and a great population in the districts to 
 which it is central. It is thus a most important field for missionary effort. 
 
 Sholapur has often been visited by missionaries upon preaching tours. In 
 some towns near the city some interest in Christianity has been awakened by 
 these tours. No missionary, however, has resided permanently in the district. 
 Rev. Mr. Harding, from Bombay, has spent several months there during each 
 of the past two years. It is hoped that the place may be permanently occu- 
 pied before very long. There is much promise of good to result from the 
 preaching of the word. Beside the persons who have professed an interest in 
 Christianity in some of the villages, there is a class of people in the city, who 
 have had their attention drawn to the subject, in consequence of conversions 
 which have taken place in districts still farther south. There are missionaries 
 from Germany laboring in what is known as the southern Mahratta country. 
 At one of their stations a number of persons belonging to a class of Wanis, 
 who are traders, have professed Christianity. These men have their friends 
 and acquaintances through all that region. Many of the same class of Wtmis 
 reside in Sholapur. They have expressed a wish to know about this faith, 
 which their caste brethren liave adopted. These Wanis are not proper Hindus, 
 but Jains in faith, acknowledging some of the gods of the Hindus, and hold- 
 ing the tenets of the Buddhists to an extent. 
 
 Thirty miles west of Sholapur, on the road leading to Satara, is situated the 
 city of Pandharapur. This is the seat of the celebrated ]\Iahratta deity Vit- 
 hola. The city has quite a large population ; but its special importance arises 
 from this temple. There are pilgrimages to this shrine from all parts of the 
 Mahratta territory. Twice in the year many thousands gather here to worship, 
 and there are smaller local festivals every month. During the few days of the 
 festival, the pilgrims spend a good deal of time in listening to the recital of 
 poems and stories of the god they have come to worship, and of other gods. 
 On these occasions, a great latitude is given to discussion. Men of the most 
 opposite opinions of faith and practice may hold forth and substantiate their 
 doctrines, and be pretty sure of having many people to listen. These are 
 gathered together on the banks of the river, or on the dry sands in the bed of 
 the stream ; and live there in tent.s, and booths, and carts, and under the shade 
 of trees, always ready to hear " some new thing." These great festival-days 
 afford good opportunities for preachers of the word. With a large preach- 
 ing-tent, pitched in the midst of the crowd, a missionary, with proper assist- 
 
THE MAIIRATl^N. MISSION. 23 
 
 ants, could bo almost constantly occupied with preaching. Many of his hear- 
 ers would be men from distant parts of the countr^^ where the Gospel has not 
 yet reached; and thus he would be scattering the seel of truth in many parts 
 of the land where he might never go himself 
 
 Stations not now occupied. Jalna, a city in the dominions of the Nizam of 
 Hyderabad, seventy miles north-east from Ahmednuggur, was first selected as 
 the extended outpost of the mission in that direction. Early in 1837, Rev. 
 Mr. Munger commenced operations here, with the permission of the Nizam, 
 though he was a Mohammedan prince, lie was joined soon by Rev. Mr. Stone, 
 who remained about a year ; Mr. Munger continued his labors for about five 
 years, when he was obliged to visit this country. The station has never been 
 reoccupied by the American mission. The place has not the same relative im- 
 portance that it had when the mission commenced operations there. 
 
 Kol ipui\ seventy miles south of Satara, was occupied by Rev. Mr. Wilder, 
 in 1852 ; and continued to be so occupied till Mr. Wilder "s return to America, 
 in 1857. Two persons were baptized during this time, and several others man- 
 ifested much interest in the truths of Christianity. Kolapur being under a 
 native prince, and only a protected portion of the British Empire, it is uncer- 
 tain whether converts would be allowed to profess their faith. The police, and 
 all other internal arrangements, are under the control of the natives, and the 
 influence of the Brahmans is very powerful. Though the place is important 
 in respect to the number of inhabitants, and its healthful locality, yet in the 
 present paucity of missionaries, there are several other places that are of more 
 consequence relatively to the operations of the A.B.C.F.M. Hence the station 
 was discontinued after the departure of Mr. Wilder, 
 
 The Field. 
 The field of the Mahratta mission is, then, Bombay, the center, as the most 
 important city ; Ahmednuggur, Satara, and Sholapur independent centers in 
 the interior ; and about Ahmednuggur as a center, six village stations. As the 
 work shall progress, other stations in the villages will need lo be occupied, and 
 about the other centers similar stations will be commenced. Several millions 
 of people are living in the districts now partially occupied, and proposed to be 
 occupied. It will be necessary, perhaps, at some future day to occupy still 
 other centers. 
 
 Plan of Operations. 
 
 The general plan of the mission may be suflBciently evident from the descrip- 
 tion given of the several stations. 
 
 Each missionary is supposed to have his own definite sphere of labor, and 
 this is to consist of preaching, superintending schools, teaching and directing 
 his native assistants, taking the oversight of churches as they are gathered in 
 his field, carrying the Gospel to the " regions beyond," b}^ means of preaching 
 tours where he can do so. The general wants of the mission necessitate schools 
 of a higher order, in which men may be trained for the duties of catechists, 
 and of teachers of common schools ; also a training for the pastoral work. 
 And at the same time the women are to be so taught that they may be meet 
 helps to their husbands when engaged in the direct work of the ministry, as 
 teachers, catechists, and pastors. 
 
24 THE MAHRATTA MISSION. 
 
 The grand aim is to secure a self-sustaining church in the land, a church that 
 shall raise up for itself and train in itself in due time, its own pastors and 
 teachers ; a church which shall ever aim at the conversion of the heathen, 
 which shall bring the knowledge of the Gospel oflfers of salvation to all the 
 inhabitants of the land, and which shall show forth the power of Christianity 
 by a godly walk and holy living upon earth. In aiming at such an object we 
 aim at the glory of Christ, to be displayed by conversions to Him from all the 
 inhabitants of the land. We aim at securing proper " witnesses" for Christ, 
 who shall make him manifest among men. 
 
 Conversions have not been numerous in the early history of any of the sta- 
 tions. For a long time the progress has usually been very slow. The earlier 
 audiences at the stations have usually been composed of persons connected 
 with the missionary in some way. The children of the schools, and the teach- 
 ers, in some cases a few of the parents would be present. If others came, it 
 was usually from curiosity, and when the truths of Christianity were an- 
 nounced, there was often no further wish to hear. Parents who sometimes 
 came with their children, came not for the purpose of hearing the truth, but to 
 know what was said to their children, that they might more surely counteract 
 its influence. In villages which have been several times visited by mission- 
 aries on their preaching tours, it has been found that large assemblies would 
 gather on the occasion of the first visit, and sometimes also the second. The 
 third time few would stop to hear. Their curiosity was satisfied. The story 
 of the cross had become foolishness ; and in succeeding visits the Christian 
 messenger would be met by open opposition, scoffing and abuse. Still some 
 would hear; an interest would be manifest, and good would be hoped for "in 
 due time" if there were no fainting. 
 
 "When a conversion has taken place, under the influence of the truth, whether 
 through more intimate association with the missionary and the consequent 
 increased knowledge of Christian truth, or under the inward impulse, the 
 desire for something better, which is gratified only by faith in Christ, a new 
 element of power comes into operation. Men see that it is possible for a 
 Hindu to change his faith, and substitute the service and worship of a spiritual 
 Being in place of the idols which everywhere abound. Christianity comes with 
 a new appeal. Before the conversion of a native Hindu it is regarded as essen- 
 tially a foreign faith with which they can have no concern. But if one of their 
 own countrymen has embraced this faith and is living in accordance with it, 
 there must be something to be considered in it. There is the appeal to fomily 
 influences. To a very great extent tliis is an appeal of opposition to Christian- 
 ity, and all fiimily influences are brought to oppose any one who changes his 
 faith. But there are always persons more or less numerous who are influenced 
 by the fact that one of tlieir relatives or friends has become a Christian. Under 
 the influence of godly living we thus expect to see our little churches growing 
 in numbers, increasing in the regions where they are now situated, and extend- 
 ing the influence of the Gospel till all are reached by it. 
 
 Scliools. 
 
 It is supposed that not more than five or six per cent of the population can 
 read. The proportion is higher in the cities, particularly in Bombay, and less 
 
THE MAHRATTA MISSION". 2o 
 
 in some country districts. It is not strange then that the first missionaries 
 should have their attention turned at once to the necessity for schools. The 
 people to whom they attempted to preach had no mind to hear. It was thought 
 they could hardly understand what would be said to them in a discourse. 
 Certainly there could be no progress of the Gospel till the people could read 
 the Bible understandingly. If the children could be taken in hand they could 
 be trained so as to understand the truths of religion. Their minds were ten- 
 der, susceptible to good influences. They would form a nucleus of a congre- 
 gation to be preached to. The parents and others would be drawn in to hear, 
 and in time every school might be expected to expand into a church. The 
 people would be drawn toward Christianity because of the great benefits result- 
 ing from it to their children and themselves. The appreciation of the benefits 
 of education would lead men to desire the higher good the knowledge of which 
 was given at the same time. 
 
 "Even before the first missionaries in Bombay were able to commence 
 preaching they had opened a school. In 1816 it was stated that 'nearly 300 
 heathen boys had been receiving instruction under their care.' In 1818 there 
 were eleven schools, with GOO regular attendants. In 1821 they had twenty- 
 five schools, and from want of funds they disbanded ten of these containing 500 
 pupils. In 1823, again, there were twenty-six schools with 1454 pupils. For 
 a few years great exertions seem to have been made in this department. In 
 1824 there were thirty -nine schools. In this year a girls' school was opened 
 under the care of a female. The number of schools at this time was nearly as 
 large as at any subsequent period. In 1827 there were sixteen schools for 
 boys and ten for girls. In 1831 there wei-e thirty- four schools, containing 
 1940 pupils, of whom 455 were girls. In 1835 there were forty schools and 
 1620 scholars. About this time the system began to be extended in Ahmed- 
 nuggur and vicinity In 1839, [after the ' crisis' of 1837, and the dis- 
 missal of so many schools,] there were reported eight schools in Bombay, four 
 in Ahmednuggur, four at Jalna, one at Mahableswar — seventeen in all, con- 
 taining 822 scholars." 
 
 The same system was pursued up to the year 1851, at the opening of any 
 new station. At Seroor, in 1841, the first missionary effort was in the direc- 
 tion of schools. At one time ten were in operation in different villages. At 
 Satara, in 1850, there were two schools for boys and two for girls. At Kola- 
 pur there were several. They seemed to be almost a necessity of the mission 
 in all its attempts at advancement. 
 
 The teachers of these schools were, of necessity, natives. The Brahman, as 
 a usual thing, was the teacher of every school for Hindus, of whatever caste. 
 A Jew would teach a school of Jewish children ; a Parsi, for Parsis. There 
 were no Christians to be had. If there had been, no pupils save the children 
 of Christian parents would have attended. The Brahmans were very ready to 
 enter the service of a missionary and teach schools for him. They would teach 
 the prescribed Christian lessons, and at the same time take good care that no 
 undue influence was exerted by these truths upon the minds of the children. 
 The missionaries thought that great good would be done by the instruction of 
 the children in the common studies of the school ; and at the same time they 
 would have the opportunity of inculcating rehgious truth. The Brahman was 
 
2fi THE MAHPvATTA MISSION. 
 
 hired to teach reading and the common branches. He was not to have any 
 thins^ to do with Christianity, farther than to sec that the scholars learned the 
 prescribed lessons in Scripture, in catccliisnis, and the like. The missionary 
 alone would give the instruction in Chiistianity, and examine the scholars in 
 what they learned. In point of fact it was found that the influence of the 
 heathen teacher almost entirely neutralized the preaching of the missionary, 
 and the study of the truths of Christianity which the pupil attempted. 
 
 In a report on this subject, in 1854, the missionaries sa}' : "We can not point 
 to a single case of conversion from among all this number, [estimated at 10,000 
 as having been pupils in these common schools.] A few instances of conver- 
 sion have occurred among the superintendents and teachers of these schools ; 
 and these men are among our most valuable helpers at the present time. We 
 occasionally meet wuth those who were formerly pupils in these schools, while 
 preaching in the villages. Often such persons are interested and attentive 
 hearers, and often they are among the abusei-s of us and our work. The result 
 seems to show that these schools have failed of accompli.shing, except to a very 
 slight extent, what was hoped from their establishment, in the way of influ- 
 encing the people, and gaining them over to the truth." And from this result 
 they derive the general rule that it is inexpedient to employ heathen teachers 
 in the work of teaching children and youth. 
 
 In India the work of education was pushed in advance of the church, as a 
 preparatory agency, not as an auxiliary. The results have been described 
 above. It is now proposed that education by missionary effort shall take its 
 proper place, to follow, rather than precede, interest in the truth. 
 
 Boardingscliools. It was early discovered that the common-school system 
 would not produce the results hoped. It was supposed that if children could 
 be kept in school, separated from their parents to an extent, brought more 
 under the direct influence of Christian teaching, and of the truth, the results 
 would be more satisfactory. Especially would this be the case in reference to 
 girls. The girls' school at Bombay was ii good example of the kind. Some ot 
 the pupils were orphans, and placed under the entire control of the mission. 
 A few were Africans re captured from slave-ships on the east coast of Africa. 
 All who were in the school were as completely under the care of the mission- 
 ary as they could be. The result is seen in the fiict that seventeen pupils from 
 this school were admitted to the church. The school at Ahmednuggur had 
 more pupils from the city. But here also many were converted. A boarding- 
 school for boys and another f )r girls was in existence at Seroor for a number 
 of years. Some young men who were once connected with the boys' school are 
 now in important positions under the government. One, who began to learn 
 here, and who was in the school for sortie years, has recently joined the second 
 church at Alnnednuggur. During years of wandering he did not wholly forget 
 his instruction in the school, and constantly refused to wor.ship the idols of 
 his countrymen. 
 
 There was a boys' boarding-school at Ahmednuggur, established in the early 
 years of the mission. It expanded into a seminarj^, and had at one time as 
 many as sixty pupils. A few pupils were converted. This high school grew 
 out of the cnmmon-school system. It was of great use in training teacliers 
 and superintendents of the common-schools, but could be of only limited use 
 
THE MAIIRATTA MISSION". 27 
 
 in training catechists. It was in advance of the church, and of any interest in 
 the truth, whether among the people or among the scholars. Consequently 
 upon the remodeling of the system, in 1851-54, it gave place to a school for 
 catechists and teachers. 
 
 These schools were all subject to great fluctuations. The teachers, though 
 heathen, were required to be present at prenching upon the Sabbath. In 1828, 
 the mission at Bombay made a rule that all persons connected with the mis- 
 sion, as teachers, scholars, etc., when attending divine service, should stand 
 during prayer. This rule raised a storm of excitement. For a time nearly all 
 the schools were disbanded. Only one of the teachers was bold enough to com- 
 ply with the rule. Meeting after meeting of caste-men was held, in order to put 
 Babaji out of caste, but he defended his course so boldly that it was not done. 
 The proceedings, were, however, among the means of deepening in his mind the 
 impressions of the truth he had heard and learned, and he afterwards united 
 with the church. The storm raised was not of long continuance. Most of the 
 teachers very soon resumed their employment, and complied with the rule. 
 
 In 1839, one of the superintendents of schools in Ahmednuggur was con- 
 verted. The effect of this was to cause the schools to be forsaken to a very 
 great extent. Some of the most hopeful were wholly given up. A similar 
 result followed the baptism of a teacher at Seroor, in 1844. On the baptism 
 of one of the pupils of the seminary at Ahmednuggur, in 1840, many of the 
 scholars left. So when one of the girls from the girls' boarding-school was 
 received to the church, a number left. On one occasion a mother was so en- 
 raged at her daughter, because she wished to join the church, that she brought 
 her poison, concealed in a dish of sweetmeats. The girl was taken violently 
 ill. She did not die, but was made totally blind from the eflfects of the 
 poison. 
 
 The present system of schools may be described in few words. In the com- 
 mon-schools, none but Christian teachers are employed. Hence the classes 
 from which pupils come are Christians, and those who sympathize with Christ- 
 ians so much that they are willing their children should be taught by a Christ- 
 ian teacher. The design of these schools is to teach the children of Christian 
 parents, and at the same time Christian men and women who may be disposed 
 to learn. The number of such schools is much less than that of the heathen 
 schools, which were at one time in connection with the mission. Yet the de- 
 mand for schools, even on the basis of Christian families, is greater than can be 
 supplied by the teachers who are at present qualified to engage in the work. 
 There were in 1861 about twenty-five such schools. Christians are living in 
 nearly one hundred different towns and villages. The limit at present is very 
 far short of what it should be. The effort is made in all cases for the parents 
 of the children to do what they can toward defraying the expense of the schools. 
 There are perhaps as many schools as can be kept up with the present limited 
 funds which can be used for the purpose, and perhaps as many as can be eflS- 
 ciently superintended by the missionaries who are now on the ground. 
 
 The want of teachers, and the necessity of training them for the work, and the 
 general service of the mission, has led to a training-school. This is at present 
 situated at Ahmednuggur. Its pupils are taken from the most promising boys 
 of the common village-schools, and also from young men of promise who have 
 
28 THE MAHRATTA MISSION. 
 
 not been instructed as children. Many of the teachers and students at the pre- 
 sent time are children of Christian parents. The course of study is practical, 
 and as far as may be, biblical. Men of more years also attend this school, in 
 order to be qualified for service of the mission, as catechists. Their instruction 
 is more exclusively biblical, and they are connected with the school a shorter 
 time. It is expected of all the teachers of common-schools that they shall take 
 the place of a catechist, in public reading and expounding of the Scriptures 
 when there is no other qualified person residing at the village where they 
 teach. In this way they gather the parents with the children to hear the word 
 read at the opening of the school, and they sometimes have a service on the 
 Sabbath, in places at a distance from any regular preaching service. The num- 
 ber of catechists, some of whom are teachers, in connection with the mission is 
 about sixty. 
 
 The native churches need pastors. For the twenty -two churches there are as 
 yet but four ordained pastors. To remedy this deficiency, a training-school for 
 pastors has been in operation for two or three years. About twelve of the most 
 active and influential of the younger men were selected by the mission, in the 
 first place, to compose this class. They are taken from all parts of the field, 
 and properly belong in connection with different stations. These men are 
 trained specially in the Bible, pursuing the study of different portions of it dur- 
 ing the time they are in the class, and at the same time studying such other 
 things as will not only aid them in their pastoral duties, but will enable them 
 in some degree to oversee the schools in their various fields. A course of lec- 
 tures is delivered on important topics. They write essays and prepare plans 
 of discourses. The class term is seven months — April to November, During the 
 remaining five months, these young men are employed, under the direction of 
 the various missionaries, in preaching in different parts of the field; and while 
 they are pursuing their studies at Ahniednuggur, it is expected that they will 
 preach as often as every other Sabbath. They go forth two and two, or one 
 with a missionary or pastor, to villages in all the region, and thus endeavor to 
 make known the way of life. These men are taken from the common people, 
 and the hope is that the churches, poor as they are in worldly goods, may be 
 able at no distant day to support their pastors — men from the same general po- 
 sition and rank in life, educated for their work, and, we trust, called of the Spirit 
 to engage in it. With men of genuine Christian experience and warm-hearted 
 devotion to the Saviour living in the villages, as pastors of the little churches, it 
 may be confidently expected that the work of making known the Gospel, and, 
 through the Spirit promised by our Saviour, of multiplying converts to Christ, 
 will r.ipidly advance. 
 
 The girls' boarding-school at Ahniednuggur has been changed into a female 
 school of higher order than the coumion-schools, the design of which is, that 
 those who are to be wives of pastors, and catechists and teachers, may recuive 
 an education appropriate to them. A few 3'oung females from this school have 
 been employed as teachers in some villages. 
 
 This plan of schools admits of any desirable extension, as circumstances may 
 require. No missionary is taken away from his proper work of preaching the 
 Gospel, to teach science, and exert the general elevating influence of the college 
 professor. Each man may have as many village-schools to look after as he can 
 
THE MAIIRATTA MISSION. 29 
 
 find teachers and funds for. Each man has a share in the practical training of 
 the young men who arc afterward to be his assistants, whether as catechists or 
 pastors. The men whose business it is more particularly to teach these candi- 
 dates for teachers, catechists, and pastors have still time and strength to make 
 their principal work, the direct preaching of the word. Thus they teach by ex- 
 ample as well as by formal lectures. The same system of schools can be easily 
 established in any new station. So far as there is a demand for them such 
 schools may be opened. The whole system is kept in its proper place, the aux- 
 iliary of the Church. The conversion of men is the grand object. The training 
 of these men in all that pertains to godliness, and of the children of the Church 
 in all that will fit them for their greatest usefulness in the Church, and upon 
 the heathen world around them, is. the object of the system of schools. 
 
 In the report of the mission for 1861 the statement is made that the education 
 in the mission "was never so effective in a missionary point of view, never so 
 valuable as at the present moment. What the schools now most need is better 
 teachers, and to derive more of their support from the parents of the pupils." 
 
 The Press. 
 This instrument has been largely used by the mission in Western India. 
 The first reinforcement which was sent to the mission was of a man ac- 
 quainted with the art of printing. The press commenced its work in 1817. 
 For nearly thirty years a succession of missionary printers were in charge of 
 this department, and it was kept in a state of high eflficiency. For about thir- 
 teen years, after the departure to America of the last missionary printer, the 
 printing was under the superintendence of a man, an East-Indian by race, 
 trained in the office. In consequence of other printing establishments, capable 
 of doing all the woik needed by the mission, being in successful operation in 
 Bombay, the press department was closed and the property sold in 1858. 
 
 There have been issued about seventy religious tracts in the Mahratta lan- 
 guage, about twenty school-books, a number of tracts and books in the Guzarati 
 language, some in the Hindustani, and some in English and Portuguese. The 
 whole Bible has been printed in three editions, and separate portions many 
 times over. 
 
 The translation of the Bible has been a part of the labor of the niission. Be. 
 fore the first missionaries reached India, the missionaries at Serampur had issued 
 a translation of the Bible in the Mahratta language. The Americans at first at- 
 tempted to use this, but they found that very few could understand the trans- 
 lation. The character used in printing the version was also very diflferent from 
 the ordinary letters of the Mahrattas. They found, as they became acquainted 
 with the language, that the version was in a dialect which very few people in the 
 vicinity of Bombay used. It was a dialect used only in the extreme north-east- 
 ern part of the Mahratta country. The brethren felt themselves compelled to 
 engage in the work of translating the Bible anew, from the Hebrew and Greek 
 languages, into the Mahratta. They labored upon this work with great faithful- 
 ness until it was completed. Rev. Allen Graves did more of the translation 
 work than any other one individual. The New Testament was first printed en- 
 tire in 1823 ; another edition in 1826. This was completely revised, with many 
 emendations, by Mr. Graves, and a new edition, under his editing, was issued 
 in 1830. This has been amended much since, and several editions have been 
 
30 THE MAIIBATTA illSSIOX. 
 
 issued, mostly by the Bombay Bible Society. In the Old Testament also the 
 hand of Mr. Graves is seen in the books of Moses, Joshua, and the Judges and 
 Kinj;s. Rev. Mr. Allen translated the books of Samuel. The poetical and 
 prophetical books, as at present issued, are on the basis of the translation fur- 
 nished by Rev. Mr. Dixon, of the Church Missionary Society. Mr. Graves pre- 
 pared a translation of the Psalms, of which tveo or three editions were published. 
 In 1842 a semi-monthly paper was started by the mission, and has been con- 
 tinued to the present. It has been somewhat widely circulated, and has been 
 an instrument of much good among the people. Some of the books which have 
 been put in circulation were first issued in the successive numbers of this paper. 
 A small part of each issue has usually been in English as well as Mahrathi. For 
 a number of years also an almanac was issued by the Mission, which was largely 
 circulated. 
 
 nights of Native Christians. 
 
 Reference has been made (p. 10) to the indignity put by the Hindus upon 
 any who embrace Christianity. It is proper here to refer to the efforts made 
 to secure the rights of Christians. 
 
 The following extract from the report of the mission for 1859, gives the facts 
 in regard to the "water excitement," and the decision of Government recogniz- 
 ing the rights of Christians to the use of the public wells : 
 
 " The mission, having for many years past rented a house in Ahmcdnuggur, 
 with a reservoir of good water on the premises, the native Christians, who gene- 
 rally lived near the missionaries, had made use of this water. But recently 
 houses had been occupied by native Christians in different parts of the city, 
 and it became very inconvenient for them to obtain all their water from the 
 mission compound. Knowing that the laws of India secured to native converts 
 all the rights which they enjoyed before conversion, we took occasion, when 
 the Governor was at Ahmednuggur, to mention to his Secretaries, and also to 
 the Collector, what the converts desired in respect to the use of the water of 
 the public tanks. The Collector at once declared himself ready to sustain the 
 right of all converts to use the public tanks, who had enjoyed the right before 
 conversion, as this was in accordance with the law. In the month of Septem- 
 ber the native converts accordingly began to take water from the public reser- 
 voirs, having previously informed the native authorities of the town of their in 
 tention, and having been told by them that arrangements would be made to 
 protect them in their rights. The Brahmans immediately made the most deter- 
 mined resistance. They threatened to beat any Christian who should touch 
 the reservoirs. They prohibited the Hindus using water from the tanks, which 
 they said had been defiled by being used by Christians ; and they made a 
 petition to the magistrate, urging him to prevent the native converts from using 
 the public tanks. The magistrate, Mr. Tytlei-, called the principal inhabitants 
 of the city together a few days after, and read to them his reply to their peti- 
 tion. He informed them that those who had the right to draw water from the 
 tanks before conversion, had not forfeited that right by embracing Christianity ; 
 that on the contrary, the law insures them every right w'hich they possessed 
 before their conversion, and that this law would be enforced, and those acting 
 contrary thereto punished. Tlie magistrate added, that in Bombay and many 
 
THE MAIIIIATTA MISSION". 31 
 
 other places, all classes of the coinmunitj-, Christian converts, Hindoos and 
 Mohammedans, have free access to all the public tanks and wells ; and that in 
 •AhmeJnuggur, while cnttlc, horses, donkeys, prostitutes, etc., all have access 
 to the public tanks, this common and obvious right the petitioners sought to 
 deny to persons whose high respectability they themselves dared not and could 
 not gainsay ; and they denied them this right solely because they were Christ- 
 ians. This decision of the magistrate was confirmed by the Governor before it 
 was communicated to the petitioners. But the Brahmans, hoping to intimidate 
 the government, prevailed on the shopkeepers to shut all their shops, and no 
 one was allowed to buy or sell even the most necessary articles in the bazar, 
 though much trading continued to be carried on under cover. The people were 
 told that any one who opened his shop would be considered as the offspring of 
 a Christian. But finding that the government were firm, the shopkeepers, 
 after three or four days, refused to obey the arbitrary orders of the Brahmans 
 any longer, and opened their shops again. 
 
 " In the mean time, the people of Ahmednuggur, or rather a small portion of 
 the Brahman population, had petitioned the Governor of Bombay, complaining of 
 the Collector, and urging that he might be directed to prevent the native con- 
 verts from using the water. The answer of the Governor was very decided. 
 It was as follows : ' Copy of a resolution passed by government, in the Judicial 
 Department, on the petition of Anandrao Babajee Deshpanday and other in- 
 habitants of Ahmednuggur. The magistrate may be instructed to inform 
 Anandrao Deshpanday, that government will not for a moment entertain .so 
 absurd and so insulting an application as that contained in the petition signed 
 by himself and a few other misguided persons at Ahmednuggur. The peti- 
 tioners should be reminded, that by their own showing, the fountains in ques- 
 tion were established by Mohammedan kings, and that in the days of those 
 kings no Hindoo would have dared to suggest that they were polluted by being 
 used by Mussulmans. If they could be used without pollution by any Dhcr or 
 ^lang, who embraced the Mohammedan religion, how can they be polluted by 
 the use of Christian converts ? The petitioners have forgotten their own 
 Shastras, which declare that the caste of the Ruler, whatever it may be, is 
 equal to the highest ; and they have perverted the declaration in the Queen's 
 proclamation, which expressly states, that none shall be molested by reason of 
 their religious faith, into an argument for molesting and insulting those who 
 profess the same faith, which the Queen not merely acknowledges, but of which 
 she proclaims herself the Defender.' 
 
 "Thus the rights of native converts were sustained. Some severe fines were 
 inflicted by the local authorities, upon persons who were guilty of using vio- 
 lence to the native Christians in connection with this excitement, and all saw 
 that the magistrate was determined to enforce the laws, and to carry out the 
 decision of government." 
 
 The Brahmans were not satisfied, but tried to procure a modification of this 
 decision. Their second petition was, that certain tanks and wells might be set 
 apart for the use of the Christians, and thej- be prohibited from using others. 
 The magistrate made a strong report upon this application, characterizing it as 
 intended to put a stigma upon Christians. The final decision of the Governor 
 in Council was in these words : " The petitioners are to be informed that 
 
32 THE MAHRATTA MISSION. 
 
 government will never admit that a tank is polluted by being used by Christ- 
 ian converts. Ilis Lordship in Council sees no reason for any modification of 
 his previous orders, and the intimation now issued must be regarded as final."' 
 These decisions were not by any means quietly assented to by the natives. 
 As intimated above, in the extract from the report of this station, a good deal 
 of violence was made use of against the Christians who attempted to use the 
 water of the public tanks. But by the prompt measures of punishment taken 
 by the authorities, the people were convinced that violence would accomplish 
 nothing, and that every one molesting the Christians would be punished. The 
 natives soon began to use the water from the tanks which the Christians used. 
 They said in excuse that the Shastras contain nothing about Christians, and 
 that consequently there is no caste difficulty in the way of yielding to these 
 decisions of government and granting the Christians their rights. This must 
 be a great humiliation to the Brahmans, who have caused all this trouble, and 
 who have been so loud in demanding the degradation of Christians. It is cer- 
 tainly a great victory over the spirit of caste. 
 
 The matter did not stop here. All the papers upon the subject were for- 
 warded by the Governor of Bombay, Lord Elphinstone, to her Majesty's Secre- 
 tary of State for India. In reply, the Secretary sent out a dispatch approving 
 the decision of the local government. Thus the rights of the Christians are 
 fixed on a firm basis, and by this dispatch the same rule is made applicable to 
 all India. 
 
 Another important decision, made in the year 1859, affecting the rights of 
 Christians, is that which admits the children of native Christians to all the 
 public schools. Hitherto they have been, for the most part, excluded on caste 
 pretenses. Now they are to be regarded as " entitled to the same privileges as 
 the children of Mohammedans and others, who do not observe caste." 
 
 These decisions practically carry out the views expressed in the Queen's 
 proclamation, assuming control of the East-India Company's possessions in 
 India, published November 1, 1858. 
 
PROGRESS IN CONVERSIONS. 
 
 The Mission to the Mahrattas was begun in the year 1813, at Bombay. Mis- 
 sionaries were sent to Ahmednuggur, to reside, in 1831. A careful examina- 
 tion of tlic Reports of thi- Board shows that the total number of admissions to 
 church privileges, on profession of their faith by natives of the country, in the 
 whole field occupied by the Ameiican niissionarii s, from the beginning tu Jan- 
 uar}^ ], 1856, was two hundred and eiglity-tive ; and in the six years from the 
 lalter date to January 1, 18ti2, it was four hundred and fifty-seven. In the 
 Missionary Herald for June, 1861, is a letter from Mr. Ballantine. in which, 
 after giving the church statistics of the Ahmednuggur district, and showing 
 that the admissions in each one of the preceding five years equaled the average 
 of each period of five years from 1831 to 1855, inclusive, he remarks: 
 
 ''Should it be asked how ihe sudden increase in the number of converts in 
 the last term of five years can be accounted for, I would say, there is no doubt 
 that the new policy inaugurated in the mission in 1855, putting missionaries 
 out in the districts to labor among the people, has been the means, in the hands 
 of God, of greatly extending the knowledge of the truth, and of bringing many , 
 more converts inio our churches. Some members of the mission desired to 
 see this policy pursued ten years before it was adopted ; but at length the 
 Deputation, coming to India in 1854, decided the matter which had been dis- 
 cussed in the mission so long, and the plan was at once put in execution. ' 
 
 Statements having been made to the effect that the change which took place 
 in the policy of the mission, had alienated the affection of the higher castes 
 from this mission, and that since 1856 there had been there no convert from 
 the higher castes, Mr. Ballantine wrote again, September 9, 1861 : 
 
 " This is a great mistake. We are having more intercourse with the higher 
 castes, both in Ahmednuggur and in the villages around, than we ever had at 
 any former period in the history of this mission. And this intercourse is very 
 friendly and pleasant. There is more preaching: in the streets of Ahmednug- 
 gur this year than for many years past, and the people have frequently asked 
 me to come again to preach to them. These are people of high caste. We 
 have regular attendants now fi-om the high castes, on our Sabbath services, 
 apart from inquirers, and those desirous of being admitted to the Church. 
 Within the past two weeks I have received donations from the natives to aid 
 the mission in this its time of need ; one of twenty-five rupees from an edu- 
 cated Brahman, and another of twenty rupees from eight natives connected 
 with the poHce corps, all of high caste. We have never had so many persons 
 of high caste brought into our churches in Ahmednuggur and vicinity, in any 
 period of five years before, as we have received since 1856. Our inquirers too, 
 at the present time, from the higher castes, are more than usual. AVe have, 
 also, a school for heathen boys of the higher castes in Ahmednuggur, which 
 is taught by a Christian teacher, without any heathen help. It has continued 
 a year and a half, and is constantly increasing in munbers. Many of the boys 
 are learning to sing Christian hymns, under the instruction of their teacher. 
 Thus God is blessing us in our present policy, and we hope to see still greater 
 blessings." 
 
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