XIII.—THE SOCIAL CONDITION OF THE

LOWER CLASSES.

(A) HOW FAR ARE MISSIONS CALLED UPON TO AMELIORATE IT. (B) THE OPPORTUNITIES IT AFFORDS FOR MISSION WORK. (c) MASS MOVEMENTS TOWARDS CHRISTIANITY MORE OR LESS ARISING FROM IT. (D) THE DANGERS INCIDENTAL ΤΟ SUCH MOVEMENTS AND THE RIGHT LINE OF ACTION WITH REGARD FIFTH DAY.

TO THEM.

FIFTH DAY.

TUESDAY, 3rd January 1893.

MORNING SESSION.

LARGE HALL~10 a.m. to 1 P. M.

The Rev. J. SMITH, B. M. S., DELHI, in the chair.

After prayer had been offered by the Rev. Mr. Ward, the Chairman said:·--

I have been struck by the minute description given in The unity of the Word of God as to the construction of His Kingdom the body. on earth, the means for its extension and edification. The first thing is the unity of the body, of which we have just been reading (Eph. 4 c.). We all know that its great characteristic is that of harmony among its members. God hath given to His Church every variety of talent needful for its extension and edification. There is no competition between preaching and teaching: both are needful and have their proper place: both are provided for and approved by the sacred writer. "He gave some to be Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers." Now, I strongly feel that we ought to go back to first principles, and setting aside human wisdom, rest solely in God's Word. Our

FIFTH DAY. peculiar adaptations fit us for different kinds of work in the Lord's vineyard, and He has need of us all. Indian missions find plans for every description of talent; we want translators, medical workers, Zenana workers, teachers of the young, and above all preachers. The first thing for a young missionary is to ascertain what the Lord has fitted him for, and then do it with all his might, suffering nothing to move him from his straight path. Some brethren have peculiar fitness for teaching and training, but no gift for public preaching and disputation : let everyone be fully persuaded in his own mind and follow fully the teaching and guidance of God's Spirit.

To the poor the Gospel is preached.

I wish to call attention to several things connected with the subject of this morning's Session. Christianity has always commended itself to the poor: "To the poor the Gospel is preached," and they receive it most, readily. In all ages of the Church's history conversions to Christianity have commenced at the lowest strata of society, and, as Spurgeon once said, gradually risen to the scum. The work is not what some think it to be. Going to a village of untaught people for the first time and baptizing a number of them before you leave it, will not materially help on the real work of conversion. I began my life's work in a large mission school in 1842, where I remained Fifty years' four years: since that time I have spent nearly fifty years in the bazaars and villages of Northern India. My happiest days have been spent in preaching the Gospel to the lower castes, and I commend the work with all my heart and understanding to my missionary brethren. The task requires no ordinary faith and perseverance. The people are ready to hear, but ages of body and soul slavery have blunted their capacity for understanding to such an extent that "line upon line" is necessary before they will be able to give an intelligent account of the hope that is in them. They, however, soon appreciate the superiority of the Gospel, and see in it the only means of ameliorating their condition and delivering them from the thraldom that

work.

has weighed on their race for ages past. In order to FIFTH DAY. success in this work among the labouring classes, two things are needful, viz., thorough organization and continuity of work on the same lines. In Delhi at one time there were forty Busti and other meetings weekly, with an aggregate attendance of 2,000 people. Every meeting had a sprinkling of Native Christians, but the majority were nonChristian residents of the Bustees in which they lived, and where the meetings were held in the open-air. Our Native brethren will not work effectually, unless their day's work is fixed, according to a regular organized plan, and then a weekly review of work done is needful in order to secure regularity and perseverance. The next Continuity. thing is continuity. First impressions are weak; the Natives of India are a most conservative people in matters of religion; it often takes a long time before they understand anything spiritual, and hence the necessity of our work being continuous and persevering. I have often known a field worked until it was ready for harvesting, and then the work was given up and the opportunity of reaping lost. It is most important also that great care should be taken in keeping up a succession of workers of the same mind. It has often happened that a worker has succeeded in a work long cultivated with success, and want of sympathy with the kind of operation, or mode of labour, has led to its disorganization and temporary ruin. Thus one man may overturn, if not destroy, the work of his predecessor.

In conclusion, I would say a word on the subject of Failures. failures. Some painful remarks were made yesterday on this subject. Let us not forget that on one occasion so many left following the Lord Himself that he said to IIis disciples: "Will ye also go away." The Apostle Paul suffered more from the failing of converts than he experienced in the care of all the churches. He said, "All they of Asia have forsaken me," and when he stood at the Romish tribunal, he said, "No man stood by me." Under

FIFTH DAY.

no circumstances does the missionary need our sympathy more than when those for whom he has laboured and prayed cease from following the Lord, still the labour spent on such is not lost; they take back with them more than they brought. All through the history of the church, these apparently receding waves have been visible; but after a time they have advanced again with renewed force.

Pariahs.

No social standing.

Outcasts.

FIRST PAPER.

By the Rev. J. SCUDDER, M.D., A.A.M., Vellore, Madras. "THE SOCIAL CONDITION OF THE LOWER CLASSES."

My remarks will refer exclusively to the Pariahs of Southern India, among whom I have laboured for more than 30 years, but doubtless will be more or less equally applicable to the lower classes in the whole of India.

Our first inquiry will be what is this social condition.

Volumes have been written on this subject. The papers and periodicals of the past few years have contained many articles on this question, both from Christian and Hindu friends, representing their deplorable state. So full and extensive has been the discussion, that those who are in any way interested in their welfare, must be fully aware of their pitiable position, and I might dismiss the subject by merely saying that they have no social standing.

They are outcasts from society in the full meaning of that term, without any rights or privileges which are to be respected by the community. Despised, abused, abhorred and shunned by all, they do not receive the consideration allowed to the cattle and dogs of the land. Their touch, yea, their shadow Even money will not be received also is considered pollution. from their hands, but must be placed on the ground before it If they meet a casteman in the can be accepted by another. streets, no matter how heavy a burden they may be carrying, they must drop it, and retire till he has passed by; they are hardly allowed to enter a village, much less to live there, but are compelled to build their miserable huts, often in a more miserable situation, apart by themselves, where there may be no possibility

of their contaminating others.
they may be perishing from thirst,
water from the village tank or well.
with filth, may descend into the tank, slake its thirst and wash
itself, but no Pariah would dare to do this, even though he
were the cleanest of the clean.

Under no circumstances, though FIFTH Day.
are they permitted to draw
Any animal, though covered

The schools of the land are virtually closed to them, and it is Their disan exception to find a Pariah in any school, save those sustained abilities, by missionaries. When admitted, they are compelled like culprits to occupy the furthermost corner.

Many Chuttrams are built for the convenience of the Hindu while travelling, but no shelter is offered to the poor Pariah.

They are not usually permitted to enter the courts presided over by native magistrates, but must stand without and give their evidence.

Their finan

Not a temple in the land is open to them, but they have to content themselves with a few unsheltered shapeless stones for their gods, and appoint their own ignorant priests to administer their religious rites. They literally have no standing in society. Their financial condition is, if possible, still worse. All of them are poor, very poor. If possessed of a little land, they cial condition. are often robbed of it. If allowed to retain its nominal possession, this is almost worse than robbery, as there would be benefactors who would usually cheat them out of the greater share of the produce, though they do all the work, and every obstacle possible is thrown in the way of others to prevent them from becoming landholders. Many of them do not know where to-morrow's food is to come from-half-starved, poorly clad, abused and cruelly treated by their masters, their condition is one of abject slavery, from which it is impossible for them ever to free themselves. Pages might be written in depicting their wrongs, but I have time for no more.

Morally, their condition is most pitiable. There is hardly a Their moral command in the Decalogue, which they do not transgress every condition. day. And what else can be expected of a class who are so fearfully treated.

Such in brief is their condition. Are we not then right in saying that those who are thus loathed and shunned, oppressed, impoverished and enslaved, who are saluted with a curse, and often cruelly beaten, whose clothing is rags, and whose only