THE

MISSIONARY OBSERVER.

MARCH, 1877.

Calcutta to Cuttack.

FROM REV. J. BUCKLEY, D.D., TO THE SECRETARY.

Cuttack, Jan. 2nd, 1877. A HAPPY new year to you and yours, and to all the friends of the good cause. May it be a very prosperous year to all the churches of Christ every land.

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Thank God we have reached the end of our journey in safety and peace. We arrived at Cuttack on Thursday morning last, and have had a very kind and hearty welcome from all. And now another chapter in life's history opens: how long or how short it will be, and by what events it will be marked, our loving Father only knows, but all will be appointed by Him in wisdom and love, and will be for our highest welfare.

We remained in Calcutta a few days longer than we had expected; but our intercourse with the brethren there was very agreeable, and our native Christians who sojourn there soon found us out. We were very kindly entertained by Mr. and Mrs. Sykes. Mr. and Mrs. Wood stayed at a boarding-house. We all embarked on the Dacca steamer for False Point on Sabbath evening, Dec. 24th, but did not start till the next morning, and the night was on account of musquitoes the most wretched that can be imagined. The day after Christmas was marked by a very painful event. In the afternoon the terrible cry was heard, "A man overboard-a man overboard! He was seen to fall. The ship was stopped, a boat was manned and lowered in quick time, and happily it reached the poor man before he sank to rise no more. If it had been a minute later, or even half a minute, it would have been too late. When brought back to the ship he was unconscious, and appeared fearfully exhausted. It is suppose that he threw himself into the sea in a fit of insanity; but a careful investigation would be made as soon as he was sufficiently restored. Twice before I have been at sea when a man has fallen overboard; but in both cases it was too late to help. In one case it was the captain's own son, a fine young fellow of eighteen, and his mother was on board. I shall never forget the scene; and the

wailings of that poor mother seem still to ring in my ears, though more than twenty-three years have passed since the sad occurrence.

We left the Dacca last Wednesday morning (the 27th ult.), and were met by Mr. Miller with our Mission boat, the Herald, with which we were all much pleased; and the next morning our journeyings ended. But solemn thoughts stole over us when we reached Marsaghie. We went on shore for a few minutes, saw the room in which dear William Brooks breathed his last, and visited the hallowed spot where his dust awaits the voice of the archangel and the trump of God. When he affectionately bade us farewell it might have been supposed from his youth and health that he was much more likely than most others to live to welcome us back; but God's ways are not as our ways, and to depart and to be with Christ is far better.

I must now mention another instance of our Heavenly Father's loving care over us. The Dacca, in which we spent three days and nights, and which, as I have just said, we only left last Wednesday at the anchorage near False point, is now a wreck. She struck on a rock near Bimlipatam; but whether the wreck is total or partial, and whether all on board were saved or any perished, we have not yet heard.

As I think of our voyage I feel that we have been much indebted to the prayers of our friends. We were remarkably favoured as to the weather; while the Chyebassa that left a week earlier, and the Dorunda that was a week later, both encountered severe storms; the latter had so violent a storm in the Bay of Biscay that many things were thrown overboard. And what a mercy that we were not in the Bay of Bengal at the time of the terrible cyclone! We saw several ships in the river that were sadly broken at that fearful time.

I wrote thus far this morning, and have since then been engaged in Conference. It is now nearly post time, and I must at once close.

A Comparative History of Religions.

ONE of the claims and advantages of Foreign Missionary Work to thoughtful and earnest minds is that it brings us face to face with other religions, with the long sustained efforts of men like ourselves to find out God, to worship Him acceptably, and to frame conceptions of His claims upon them in accordance with their idea of His character. Thus, though the religious systems of bygone ages may yield little that is new, and cannot add so much as a solitary gem to the coronet of Christianity, yet they reveal to us, our fellows in their mental and moral likeness, in their behaviour under the various discipline of the Father of our spirits, and qualify us to judge with more fairness and accuracy the exact nature of our present work, and future prospects.

A moderate knowledge of "Comparative Religion" will enable us to take the measure of our opponents; to settle the different degrees of difficulty in prosecuting evangelizing work in different fields; to appreciate rightly an isolated result like the baptism of Gunga Dhor, and not

A COMPARATIVE HISTORY OF RELIGIONS.

117 to exaggerate the value of the sudden conversion of a whole island of simple and unsophisticated pagans, and to adapt our forms of Christian thought and expression to the education, bias, and religious prejudices of our hearers. It will be an armoury for the actual labourer; and a light shining in the firmament of human history to men sympathetic with the desire of Christ for the salvation of all souls.

As a guide and text-book in the acquisition of this knowledge we know no better book than Professor Moffat's Comparative History of Religions. His mastery of the vast and fathomless literature of this subject is much to be envied; his skill in manipulating his resources is complete, his reasoning is safe and cautious, not to say timorous, and his spirit is one of fairness to old and opposing religions, blended with a supreme and enthusiastic loyalty to Jesus Christ.

His plan is to give (1.) a general view of the common conditions and principal circumstances modifying the religious life in man; such as geographical position, social state, and the like. (2.) He cites the ancient Scriptures of the SIX GREAT RELIGIONS (the Hebrew and Christian, Egyptian, Persian, Hindu, Chinese, and Buddhist,) in order to show, from actual documents, the original creed of mankind. (3.) Then he traces these religions through their various changes, and (4.) exhibits, in a classified form, all religions, and shows the essential principles inherent more or less in them all.

This method involves a philosophical purpose, and yields results of the profoundest interest. The Scriptures of the great historic nations of antiquity, Genesis, the Rig Veda, the Avesta, the Egyptian mummies, tombs and temples, and the Chinese Shoo-King, are briefly summarised; and it is made clear that "religion, whether true or false, was everywhere the first of all concerns in the ancient world:" that monotheism was the ancient religion, these documents presenting the conception of one Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth who is personal and spiritual, resident in heaven but everywhere present, almighty, wise and holy, severely just but also kind and beneficent; that the development of these religions has tended, in all cases, to sacerdotalism, ritualism, polytheism, and idolatry; and that every reformation has been a return to the simpler doctrine of an earlier time.

Professor Moffat teaches that our ideas of religion had their origin in external revelation addressed to the spiritual nature of man; but, owing to sin, religion has degenerated into superstition wherever the waning light of revelation was not renewed by successive disclosures. And now departure from the New Testament is a departure from simplicity and purity in the conception and worship of God, and issues in more philosophy and less religion, more rites and regulations, and less of trust and love of God. The Christianity of Christ Jesus must triumph, because, beginning where all other religions begin, it alone continues in the line of consistent unfolding of the paternal love of God efficient to the salvation of men."

JOHN CLIFFORD.

* Published in America in two vols., but may be had for eight shillings nett of Dickinson and Higham, Farringdon Street, London.

The Empress of India.

IN all the principal stations throughout the country Her Majesty has been proclaimed "Empress of India." Empress of India." Pardons have been granted to prisoners; "Empress " rupees have been distributed among the poor; and one hundred Imperial standards have been bestowed upon as many native princes. Gold and silver medals, together with other marks of honour, have also been scattered about with great profusion. Notwithstanding all, however, disappointment and dissatisfaction appear to have been the result. For the word "Empress" there is no equivalent in the Indian languages, and now that the tumasha, or show, is over the natives will probably go on calling Her Majesty Maharanee (i.e., Great Queen), or Engrajee (ie., English) Maharanee, or Belattee (i.e., Foreign) Maharanee, as they have done heretofore. Touching the whole affair the Friend of India and Statesman writes as follows:

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THE ORISSA CONFERENCE.

and banners of blue or something else, for every one. A very Government of children without the sense to redeem its unavoidable aspect, by a single strong and just word to the hearts that were longing to hear it.

Local durbars were held in every district of the country on New Year's-day; and a profuse distribution made of parchment certificates of honour to Natives of position. But here again the matter has been managed in so perfunctory a spirit, that far more offence will be given by their distribution than gratification. Men of bad public repute, and men of no repute whatever, in large numbers have received certificates and titles, which are regarded, and justly regarded, with strong resentment by men of scholarship, and high character, who find themselves

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either passed by altogether, or their names forced into prominence with those they hold in disesteem. It must, we fear, be recorded that the whole affair has been a mistake. Simplicity and strength have been wanting throughout, and the Beaconsfield fireworks are a fiasco. The best we can hope from the tumasha is that it will have done no harm. It was within our power to have made it memorable for all time, by sincerity towards the interests that were waiting to hear Her Majesty speak to them from Her Royal heart. It is Disraeli who has spoken instead. The Delhi Assemblage is the last expression of a policy towards India that will never consolidate our rule. A reign of righteousness is what we look for: and we can afford to let the "fireworks" go.

The Orissa Conference.

BY REV. J. BUCKLEY, D.D.

ONCE again our Orissa Conference has been held, and has been marked by much harmonious and brotherly feeling. Questions, all of them important, and some of them delicate and difficult, were carefully considered, and we felt that in an earnest desire to extend the kingdom of Christ in Orissa our minds and hearts were one. Thankfully acknowledging the helping hand of God in safely bringing back me and mine to old and familiar scenes, I once more sit down in the famous "old arm chair" in which many former Conference reports have been written, and begin a description of this.

The great loss sustained since last Conference by the death of our esteemed Secretary, the Rev. J. C. Pike, was sorrowfully acknowledged; and a suitable resolution, which appears in the minutes of Conference, was adopted, all the brethren standing.

We were affectionately welcomed back to our old sphere, and the goodness of God in inclining the hearts of Mr. and Mrs. Wood to consecrate themselves to this blessed service was gratefully acknowledged, and they were cordially welcomed to share in our labours and trials. The question of the location of our two brethren, J. G. Pike and H. Wood, was seriously and anxiously considered at several of our sittings. We strongly felt the importance of sending the gospel to the "regions beyond" that are earnestly crying, "Come over and help us," and the desirableness of occupying Sumbulpore was fully discussed; but practically the question was, Shall we leave Berhampore without an English missionary in order that two may be sent to Sumbulpore? and most of the brethren thought that this would not be wise. In connection with this I may add that Mr. J. H. Smith was not present at the Conference, as he was suffering from fever, and it appeared from the doctor's certificate that it would not be safe for him at that time to undertake the journey from Berhampore to Cuttack. After much discussion the Conference cordially recommended Messrs. Pike and Wood to go to Berhampore as soon as the way is clear, in accordance with the resolution of the Home Committee; and all your readers will pray that they may be greatly blessed and prospered in their work at this important station. Meantime our friends will be interested to know that Mr. Miller and Mr. Pike have arranged to visit Sumbulpore before the close of the cold season, and expect to leave in a few days. They will then be able to report more fully on its suitableness and capabilities as a Mission station. It is, as our readers