A NOBLE DEFENCE OF MISSIONS.

When the renewal of the Charter of the East India Company was under discussion in the House of Commons, Wilberforce, the champion of liberty and progress, proposed that the religious and social improvement of the Indian people should be an accepted obligation. This was fiercely opposed, especially by a Mr. Montgomery Campbell, who had for a time held some official position in Madras. He scouted any possibility of the conversion of a Hindu, sneered at the attempt as visionary, and, while appreciating the high character of Schwartz, did not hesitate to depreciate the permanent value of his work. When the report of this attack reached him at Tanjore, Schwartz lost no time in sending to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge a powerful reply, a noble vindication of missions in general and his work in particular. The old veteran was roused with indignation and yet the spirit of his masterly defence of his Hindu converts is in every way becoming a Christian. As Dr. Buchanan rightly describes his letter, “Perhaps no Christian defence has appeared in these latter ages more characteristic of the Apostolic simplicity and primitive energy of truth than this apology of the venerable Schwartz.”

The first intimation which reached him of this violent attack upon missionary effort in India was from a newspaper cutting in which Mr. Montgomery Campbell had sought to justify his vote against the proposition of Mr. Wilberforce. The arguments adduced were not unlike those put forward by objectors to foreign missions to-day, declaring that only the lowest class were proselytized and that they degraded the religion which ignorantly they came to profess.

“Mr. Schwartz, whose character was held so deservedly high,” said he, “could not have any reason to boast of the purity of his followers: they were proverbial for their profligacy. An incident occurred to his recollection perfectly in point. He had been preaching many hours to this caste of proselytes on the heinousness of theft and in the heat of his discourse had taken off his stock, when that and his gold buckle was stolen by one of his virtuous and enlightened congregation. In such a description of native did the doctrine of the missionaries operate. Men of high caste would spurn the idea of changing the religion of their ancestors.”

To this specific charge Schwartz had a clear denial to give. On the occasion referred to, he was visiting some villages whose inhabitants were infamous thieves, and it is true that when he took off his stock some thievish boys did take it away. But neither that nor the buckle was stolen by Christians, they were pure heathen, and even they restored the property and handed over the boys for punishment.

“Neither did I preach,” rejoined Schwartz, “at that time. Mr. Campbell says I preached for two hours. I did not so much as converse with any man. This poor story, totally misrepresented, is alleged by Mr. M. Campbell to prove the profligacy of Christians, whom he called with a sneer, ‘virtuous and enlightened people.’ If he has no better proof, his conclusion is built upon a bad foundation and I shall not admire his logic; truth is against him.

“Neither is it true that the best part of those people are Pariahs. Had Mr. M. Campbell visited, even once, our Church he would have observed that more than two-thirds were of high caste, and so it is at Tranquebar and Vepery.”

He then goes on to prove how unfounded is the assertion that “a missionary is a disgrace to any country.” Speaking not of himself alone but also of his fellow-worker, Mr. Jaenické, he shows how in times of difficulty the Government have been only too thankful to enlist their services. On one occasion one of the richest inhabitants said to him, “Sir, if you send a person to us, send one who has heard all your ten commandments,” and another time a Rajah said to one of the leading men of the British Government: “We all, you and I, have lost our credit, let us try whether the inhabitants will trust Mr. Schwartz.” And they did so. In fact, if the Christians at all risks had not stood loyal at such a crisis the Fort could not have resisted the attack. It was not the poor native Christians who were living profligate lives, but the Gentoo dubashes who were lending money at exorbitant interest and were allowed to collect the same without any supervision.

“When Sir Archibald Campbell was Governor and Mr. M. Campbell his private secretary, the inhabitants of Tanjore were so miserably oppressed by the manager and the Madras dubashes that they quitted the country. Of course, all cultivation ceased. In the month of June it should commence, but nothing was done even at the beginning of September. Every one dreaded the calamity of a famine. I entreated the Rajah to remove that shameful oppression and to recall the inhabitants. He sent them word that justice should be done to them; but they disbelieved his promises. He then desired me to write to them and to assure them that he, at my intercession, would show kindness to them. I did so. All immediately returned, and first of all the Kallar (or as they are commonly called collaries) believed my word, so that seven thousand men came back in one day. The other inhabitants followed their example. When I exhorted them to exert themselves to the utmost because the time for cultivation was almost lost, they replied in the following manner: ‘As you have shown kindness to us, you shall not have reason to repent of it; we intend to work night and day to show our regard for you.’ Sir Archibald Campbell was happy when he heard of it, and we had the satisfaction of having a better crop than the preceding year.”

The closing words written by Schwartz on this defence of Christian missions deserve a permanent record; they are as applicable now as they were then, and sum up the whole case for preaching Christianity to the heathen.

“Now I am well aware,” he goes on to say, “that some will accuse me of having boasted. I confess the charge willingly but lay the blame upon those who have constrained me to commit that folly. I might have enlarged my account, but, fearing that some characters would have suffered by it, I stop here. One thing, however, I affirm before God and man, that if Christianity in its plain and undisguised form were properly promoted, the country would not suffer but be benefited by it.

“If Christians were employed in some important offices, they should, if they misbehaved, be doubly punished, but to reject them entirely is not right and discourageth.

“The glorious God and our blessed Redeemer commanded His Apostles to preach the Gospel to all nations. The knowledge of God, of His divine perfections, and of His mercy to mankind, may be abused; but there is no other method of reclaiming men than by instructing them well. To hope that the heathen will lead a good life without the knowledge of God is a chimera.

“The praise bestowed on the heathens of this country by many of our historians is reflected by a close (I might almost say a superficial) inspection of their lives. Many historical works are more like a romance than history. Many gentlemen here are astonished how some historians have prostituted their talents by writing fables.

“I am now on the brink of eternity; but to this moment I declare that I do not repent of having spent forty-three years here in the service of my Divine Master. Who knows but God may remove some of the great obstacles to the propagation of the Gospel. Should a reformation take place among the Europeans, it would no doubt be the greatest blessing to the country.”

It is only just and right to record that, after perusing this complete and touching disclaimer by Schwartz, the critic of missions tendered an immediate apology to him. But the mischief would not by this be undone. The “Madras Courier” of the 24th May, 1793, made sympathetic comments on the attack. Schwartz in his reply had completely disposed of the charge, yet this journal continued to repeat that all native Christians were of the lowest class, and the European officials and the Brahmins began, with an easily satisfied conviction, to make it hard for the Christian convert to live. In 1802 the Hindu Maravars of Tinnevelly, judging that, after what Mr. Montgomery Campbell had said, the Christians might be molested with impunity, so bitterly persecuted them that the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge had to appeal to the Directors of the East India Company to put a stop to this oppression, which was successful. The incident has the old moral that an unjust charge may be fully disproved but a vindication can never follow or kill the slander.

Throughout the year 1794 many letters full of fatherly advice were written by Schwartz from Tanjore to his young ward Serfogee at Madras. He counsels him to look to nothing less than the Almighty power of God as a sufficient help in the perilous paths of his youth. “Your welfare, believe me,” he writes, “depends entirely upon God who governs all things. If He is your God and Father all will be well. But that He may be your protector and benefactor, you must honour, adore and fear Him. If you refuse to acknowledge Him, it is but just if He forsakes you. You have read the declaration of God concerning Israel, ‘O that they would fear me and keep my commandments, it should be well with them.’ But Israel disobeyed often and they were severely punished. It is therefore left to your choice, whether you will honour the true God or the idols. May God direct us to choose Him for our God and supreme good!”

Again we find him urging this young Oriental, who may have had some natural inclination to take things easy, to study more persistently. Some of his considerations are by no means strange or unnecessary even to readers who have long since passed the primrose age of youth.

“A language cannot,” he assures Serfogee, “be learned but by assiduous application. As the Malabar boy is now with you, let him not be idle, as he is inclined to be. He used to make excuses but do not allow him to stay away; when the new Governor comes he will wonder that you have made no greater progress in the English language. I wish you had somebody near you with whom you could talk. By conversation we improve. When you send me a letter I wish to see your composition without being corrected, when I shall be fully convinced of your progress....

“As Colonel Craithwaite has given you a globe you ought to learn something of geography, as you live in the world which God has created, that you may get some idea of the great God, the Creator of heaven and earth. It is ignorance of the works of God that inclines us to value the creatures more than God. A good prince is obliged to imitate God. And how can he imitate Him if he does not know of His goodness, wisdom, power, and justice?

“I am very glad that you improve in knowledge, wishing that all useful knowledge may have a proper effect on your heart. Our knowledge is like a light, in which we are to walk, so that we are led and influenced by the knowledge of what is good and just. I have just examined the children who are in the Tamil School, fifty in number. All received a new cloth which they put on with joy. When I am dead, you will I hope clothe them. But when we look upon the Author of all blessings, we must humbly acknowledge that it is God who feedeth and clothes us all....

“Our pride is at the foundation of all our sins. True humility is the root from which grows every virtue. There is not an unhappy man on earth but he owes his misery to his pride. Pride hinders us from hearkening to the good advice which our friends offer us. Pride makes us deaf, but true humility enables us to make the best use of friendly instructions. Our pride makes us indolent so that we are loth to exert ourselves. We grow angry with those who intend to stir us up, as a sleeper becomes angry with the man who awakes him.”

It was always in the mind of Schwartz that this young man would one day sit on the throne of Tanjore and that in that position he must exercise the gifts of a ruler and show discretion and courage in dealing with others. Serfogee had no doubt some excellent qualities and his training while at Madras in the care of Mr. Jaenické was a good preparation for his future responsibilities.

Here is a needful hint from his venerable guardian on the subject of keeping his own counsel.

“Here in Tanjore,” writes Schwartz, “everything that is said or written in the palace is known in a short time throughout the city. Learn from your youth to keep your secrets within your own breast. It is related by Alexander that he told a secret to his friend, enjoining him to secrecy. This friend, unable to keep this secret, divulged it. Alexander hearing of it was very wroth, called for his teacher, and asked what punishment he ought to inflict on the man who had revealed his secret. The teacher said: ‘Do not punish him; rather punish yourself, for if you could not keep your own secret, much less will others keep it.’”

All these counsels disclose a fatherly spirit and yet Schwartz was never married. With his affectionate disposition and his love of children, no man seemed better qualified for the quiet joys of family and domestic life. And his letters to his married friends, sometimes pointing out a mother’s duties to her children and also the love of a husband and father, disclose, if only between the lines, a wistful and lingering appreciation for the sacred blessings of the home circle. But his chief objection was to young inexperienced missionaries coming out with their wives, and thereby hindering, in his opinion, their proper preparation for the work, especially when everything has to be learnt. His views may seem narrow and old fashioned and at variance with the experience of modern methods, but his ideas on the subject are worth quoting. On receipt of an intimation from the Secretary of the Society that one of the missionaries on their way would be accompanied by his wife, this was the reply of Schwartz:

“I confess, dear sir, I was grieved at it. I assure you that I honour the state of matrimony as a divinely instituted state, but if a new missionary comes out he ought to be unembarrassed. His first work, besides his attention to his personal religion, is the learning some languages, which require great attention and unwearied application. I will not say that a married man is unable to learn languages, but this I know from experience in others, that the work goes on slowly. Besides, a new missionary who comes out in the married state wants many things to maintain his family decently which may distract him. If one should enter into that state after he had become qualified for his office the difficulty would be less; but even then, he ought to be well assured of the real piety of his wife, otherwise she will be a sore impediment to him in the discharge of his duty.”

These were not the words of a gaunt or fanatical ascetic, but the deliberate opinion of a genial, large-hearted, human personality who, while living simply and single for conscience’ sake, was not condemning matrimony in a wholesale fashion as regards others in a like service as himself for the highest welfare of man. Unlike Martyn he does not appear to have suffered the pang of a refusal. Schwartz quite conscientiously and sincerely followed the Apostolic injunction of St. Paul, ever his highest ideal of the Christian missionary, when he tells the Corinthian Church that, “He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord, but he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.” It is recorded that on one occasion a ship arrived from Germany with a lady on board consigned to him as a prospective wife, either due to the unsolicited sympathy or unappreciated humour of a friend. At any rate she was promptly returned with a letter of indignant remonstrance from Schwartz. We may at any rate say of this man that he served God first with a single and undivided devotion; he made sacrifices but he was abundantly rewarded.

One of the difficulties which always menaced the success and progress of the Danish missionaries was the active opposition of the Roman Catholic priests. The persecution of one section of Christians by another section, each repudiating with some heat the other’s doctrines as heretical, was not a very edifying spectacle in the eyes of the Hindus. The state of the Romish missions after the death of Xavier was described by the Abbé Dubois, writing in December, 1875, after thirty-two years’ experience in Mysore. Not only were the converts diminished but in moral and religious tone the work was degenerate. He gives the unvarnished truth, which may seem almost desperately pessimistic in its conclusions, and this is the Romanism which the Protestant missions had to reckon with. Speaking then of his own converts the Abbé declares: “By far the greater part of them—in fact I might say the whole—present nothing but an empty shadow, a hollow mockery of Christianity; for in the long period of twenty-five years during which I learnt to know them most intimately and lived amongst them as their spiritual director, I can’t say that I once found anywhere one single downright and straightforward Christian amongst the natives of India. Several of them are fairly well instructed and know what are the duties of a Christian; but far and away the larger part of them live in the crassest ignorance and their entire religion is confined to the observance of a few external ordinances and the repetition of certain forms of prayer, without possessing one single spark of the inward practical spirit of Christianity. The Sabbath is either but just remembered or wholly disregarded and all their religious exercises are performed either simply because of custom or a vain desire to please men rather than God.”

There could hardly be a more complete confession of failure than the conviction which the Abbé Dubois expresses when he declares, after a long personal experience, that Roman Catholic missions have borne no fruit worth speaking of in India. Christianity, he says, is wholly discredited.

“This religion which formerly was an object of indifference or contempt has now, as I can testify from personal observation, well nigh become an object of abhorrence; it is certain that for sixty years past not one single proselyte has been made. Before half a century has elapsed there will not be the slightest trace of this Christianity remaining among the Hindus. I must confess it with shame and humiliation that there was not a single member of them (the Christian in his own sphere of labour) of whom it could be said, that he had accepted Christianity, save for some objectionable secondary consideration.”

It cannot be said, happily, that this dismal prophecy even as regards his own Church has been fulfilled but the statement is sufficient evidence of the condition of the Romanist Missions when Abbé Dubois based his pessimistic conclusions.

The correspondence of Schwartz has many references to his contact with the Roman Catholics, and while they made themselves very offensive to his work, it was easy to see that he was doing the best to live at peace with them and not to provoke unnecessarily any spirit of hostility. This however was no easy matter. In his journal under date the 18th October, 1770, we find a record of an attempt on his part to come to a friendly understanding with the priest.

“The 18th October was the day appointed for the public conference which the Romish Padre was to hold with me. I went, accompanied by two helpers, after previous prayer to God. The rules by which we were both to bind ourselves were these: (1) To do everything in love and without heat; (2) To make the Word of God alone the judge in the dispute; (3) To allow all that should be advanced on either side to be taken down by a capable scribe, so that at the expiration of the conference, the whole might be reviewed. These three rules were proposed by me; and the members of the Romish congregation had nothing to urge in objection, though whether the Romish Padre would be satisfied with them, they could not decide. At eight o’clock in the morning we arrived. Many of the Romish persuasion were assembled. They received me, but not with much courtesy. At length they collected together opposite the church, where I expounded to the members present many beautiful passages, as Matt. v. 1-10; John xiv. 6; 2 Cor. iv. 1; 1 Tim. i. 4-6; Matt. ii. 28. One of their chief persons said, ‘You speak as if one need never sin any more.’ At length, at eleven o’clock, a messenger arrived from the Romish Padre, with a message that he would not come, for he did not consider it to be necessary. The Romish were somewhat moved at his having broken his word on the subject, after having promised them that he would appear without fail.

“I again enforced the truth on their hearts, implored them to trust in the Word of God and become obedient to it and so took leave of them. One of the helpers remained behind with them, an old friend having requested him to eat something with him, when he re-presented much to them out of God’s Word.”

A year afterwards we get another entry in the journal describing in simple terms an act of persecution, which will represent the spirit of intolerance on the part of the Roman Catholics. Schwartz had been gathering his helpers together to comfort and encourage them amid these persecutions to declare the truth without shrinking, but “not to use the weapons of the enemy but much more after the example of the Lord Christ and His Apostles to oppose to gainsayers humility and meekness.” An opportunity for displaying this virtue soon presented itself: “It happened that a near relative of one of the helpers, whose name is Nyanapragasam, arrived here from the country and soon experienced a fatal attack of smallpox. He solicited the helper and his mother to nurse him in his sickness, which they willingly did. The sick man was a Papist but very ignorant, on which account the helper, besides nursing his body, often read to him from the Word of God and particularly exhorted him to turn with all his sins to the Mediator and Surety of the human family. The sick man expressed himself much satisfied and gratefully accepted the instruction. In about five days he died.

“During the illness none of the Roman Catholics had inquired after him, but as soon as he was dead they came to bury him. The helper said nothing against it, but as a near relative desired leave to follow the corpse. Some of the Romish said, ‘You shall not join the funeral procession because you are a heretic.’ The helper said, ‘When your Catechist comes I will ask him, and if he be against it I will go away.’ The Romish Catechist arrived and the helper inquired whether he might not be permitted to follow the corpse of his near relative? ‘What,’ answered the former, ‘do you take so great a liberty as to go with us?’ He drew his slipper from his foot and beat the helper, on which about twenty Papists assaulted him and beat him so long that he swooned. Then they dragged him by the hair through the streets and left him prostrate in the house of a heathen.

“This occurred on Sunday as early as seven o’clock and at some distance from my house. When I had finished public worship with the Tamils about ten o’clock the circumstance was communicated to me. From ten to twelve o’clock I preached to the English, after which I went with an English physician to the poor and almost murdered helper. When we arrived he was unable to speak or move. After losing blood, however, his chest, where he had received most injury, again heaved. When the case was made known to the Commanding Officer, he caused the Romish Catechist and three others, who had been particularly active in this murderous occurrence, to be imprisoned. The Nabob’s son put them into his own prison and promised to examine into the affair.”

The end of the case was quite on Oriental lines. The Nabob made a brave show of justice, ordering his chief servants to hear both sides. “When he observed, however, that the ill-treated helper was entirely innocent, and that on the other side there were presents offered, it was said that he would defer it for the present, and this he continued to promise until we became weary of his promising and he unmindful of its fulfilment.”

Schwartz was pressed to carry the thing further but he said if these cruel men had been publicly punished they would be considered by their friends as martyrs. He begged them to be patient and endure.

“Whosoever will follow after the Lord Christ must take up his cross. When something of this has shown itself, will you be the first to yield? Be comforted, it will all turn out better, even in the way of the Cross, than you think. And having confirmed ourselves with many beautiful texts and examples, we went out comforted and again preached repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.... The helper who had been ill-treated by the Romish conducted himself excellently, prayed fervently, and as soon as he was cured went forth again and preached the Word of God in the cities and villages.”

On another occasion he was fortunate enough to get a personal interview with a Romish Padre and in their discussion Schwartz strongly points out his objections to the idolatries of the Church of Rome.

“If you prostrate yourselves,” he asks, “before an image, complain to it of your affliction and desire help, do you not honour it after the idolatrous manner? God says in the second commandment, ‘Thou shalt not make any graven image—thou shalt not bow down to it or worship it.’ The Papist says, ‘Thou shalt’—See how Popery opposes itself to God.” “The Papist,” said the Padre, “is the follower of St. Peter.” “I heartily wish,” replied Schwartz, “that it were so. Follow Peter and we from our hearts will rejoice. Peter was humble and desired no worship when he was in the house of Cornelius. Your new Roman Peter will be worshipped. Examine into it again my worthy Padre and follow after God and His word.”

From this point the conversation proceeded to what he calls the idolatry of the Mass and the refusal of the sacramental cup to the laity, which were but feebly defended by the Romish Padre, to whom in conclusion he addressed this brief but solemn warning: “My dear Padre, prove all things by the Word of God. You and I shall soon appear before the Judgment seat of Christ, when we shall have to render an account of our ministry and doctrine and the souls which we have neglected.”

“He departed wishing that I might become a Saint and I wished him sincerity of heart.”