1863.] A CHRISTIAN NAIR. 143 much as a chapter of it; but now a strong desire seized him to learn something more of the Christian faith, to converse with a Christian Missionary; but owing to peculiar circumstances, several weeks elapsed ere the Missionary could be made acquainted with the desire the poor prisoner had expressed. The Lord had perhaps wise and loving purposes in keeping him thus under the rod, that these workings and exercises of mind might be strengthened. As soon as the Missionary did hear of it, however, he hastened to obtain permission to visit this man in prison. He found him in a most interesting state, thirsting for instruction, and deeply convinced of sin, not the mere degradation of his position there, as a convict, but weighed down with the sins of his whole life. Christ was preached to him, and he was supplied with a Bible and other books, directed where and what to read, and frequently instructed. He had not led a blameless life, but now it began to appear that, at all events, he was not deserving, in this instance, of the punishment which had been put upon him: circumstances came to light which led to an order for a reinvestigation of the whole case, and the result was an application to the Supreme Government for an order for his release. In the mean time he had expressed his full faith in Christ, and his desire for baptism, but it was thought better to wait till he should be out of jail. A week after his release he confessed Christ by baptism, before a large assembly, declaring openly that he "loved Christ from the very bottom of his heart." Of those present, many felt it to be a most blessed and interesting season. His desire is to devote himself to the work of preaching Christ among his heathen countrymen. His education, now sanctified, will doubtless be of use to him as an agent of the Mission. No doubt his being absent from his home and family has been a help to him. There are few Bengalees in Nagpore. To his wife, also, this is a help, for though she threatens to leave him, she as yet remains, simply from having no place to go to. She was willing to learn to read, aud will yet, we may hope, be willing to learn more; but she is angry at the step he has taken. Her advice was, "Can you not believe in Christ in your heart, and just remain outwardly the same?" Pray for her, and pray for him, for he is made to feel the rage of the heathen; and pray for the work generally in this dark place, that this beginning may be carried on, till the little one shall become a thousand. Bombay Guardian. A CHRISTIAN NAIR. MAVELIKARA is a large town, once the capital of Travancore, and even now the residence of many branches of the present reigning family, and of some of the ancient nobility of the kingdom. It is, what is far better, the head-quarters of a Mission, and the centre of an irregular circle for twenty-five or thirty miles round, throughout which there are stations in every direction. God has so blessed the work that there are now in this Mission eleven congregations, who hold their regular Sabbath services in seven substantial stone churches and four temporary places. There are in these congregations 2323 baptized converts and 100 in preparation for baptism. All this, and much more than we can intro 144 A CHRISTIAN NAIR. [DEC. 1863. duce into this brief paper, has been accomplished by the preaching of the Gospel in less than thirty years; and the Rev. J. Peet, the Missionary who commenced the work, ploughed up the hard soil and sowed the seed, is still there, rejoicing as the sheaves are being gathered in from the harvest-field. The increase during the past year from heathen and Syrians amounted to 320: among them were two Brahmins, the mother and wife of one of the former Brahmin converts. Of one of the number Mr. Peet gives us a particular account—a Nair, baptized in January 1862 a very In one of these Mission districts resides a man, twelve months since a Nair, respectable in his circumstances, a man who commands great respect, and influential in his neighbourhood. The part where he resides has a great deal of iron mixed with the stone, several pieces of large dimensions. Out of one, a rough figure of an idol has been formed, and over it a temple had been erected, under the persuasion that the god was not formed by man, but sprang up from the ground by the power of the divinity within. This Nair was manager of that temple, and, at a considerable personal expense, repaired and brought it into repute. He himself firmly believed in the story about the god springing up from the stone, and of its superiority on that account over the idols made by men. He placed his whole trust in it; would, in cases of sickness, resort to it; and, at other times, would remain fasting and praying before it for days together. Reading about the light of the Gospel, he sought it, and, after inquiring and reading much about it, he was converted and baptized. His wife left him, and married with another directly. She was of rich family, and he was a chief man in those parts, though not daring to return home. His mother, it would seem, had an attachment to him, and so procured him raw provisions from home. He might then have got a share of the property, but my advice in such cases is, no hurry. He was full of zeal to bring over his family to Christianity, and when they would not, he persuaded his nephew to put himself to my school with a view to baptize him. He is now with me, and the legal heir by Nair custom to the estates. Next, the man, at his own cost, and at a good deal of expense, erected a well-roofed mud-house, and fitted it up for his own residence and a schoolhouse. Close by it he built a nice place as a church, and fitted it up also, and got one of my readers, or one of our native ordained brethren, to do occasional duty. The place is some half mile away from any house; but there he lived alone, and formed a good school, and also went about to persuade his neighbours. One or two Chogan families joined him, and he ate rice with them; but this last vile act was too much for the mother and friends. They refused him any more food. Still he did not apply to me. But I then thought it advisable to give him four rupees per mensem as a schoolmaster, and finding him far too superior for that office, I have made him a reader upon five rupees per mensum, and appointed a schoolmaster to instruct children and help him. He is very zealous, and much respected even now. W. M. Watts, Crown Court, Temple Bar. |