A Tour of the Missions: Observations and ConclusionsStrong, Augustus Hopkins
Religion
A Tour of the Missions: Observations and Conclusions
Strong, Augustus Hopkins
East Asia -- Description and travel; Missions
Instruction in this seminary is largely biblical. Preachers are prepared
for their work by being grounded in the life of Christ and the life of
Paul. The text-books have been written by Doctor Heinrichs himself, and
they are so well adapted to their purpose that they have been
extensively used by seminaries of other denominations than the Baptist.
A native Christian literature has been created for the Telugus,
beginning with the Bible, but now embracing church history, theology,
ethics, and something of modern science. It must not be thought that
the teaching is exclusively religious. Our seminary, and all our
schools of lower grade, are affiliated with the government system of
education, and in all their lower grades are subject to government
inspection. So far as they conform to government standards of
thoroughness, they receive government grants of financial aid. British
India is impartial--aid is also given to Hindu and to Mohammedan
schools. But Christian schools can well stand competition with these
other systems, for the methods of our Christian schools are more
modern and more rational. We left Ramapatnam, convinced that India is
receiving from the work of Doctor Heinrichs an inestimable blessing.
Through a long series of years he has been training preachers and
teachers for this whole Telugu land, and much fruit is appearing in a
new type of New Testament pastors and evangelists.
Ongole, one hundred and eighty-one miles north of Madras, was the scene
of the great revival. Here too we were received most royally. A crowd of
church-members waited for us at the railway station and flocked round
our carriage as we passed to the mission compound. On the way, a company
of Telugu athletes entertained us at intervals by their feats of ground
and lofty tumbling. It was their native way of welcoming distinguished
guests. Dr. James M. Baker has ably succeeded Dr. J. E. Clough in the
work of administering and organizing this important field. The Ongole
church of twelve thousand members, with its connected schools, is enough
to tax the resources of the ablest man. The new Clough Memorial Hospital
had its beginning while we were in Ongole, in the laying of the
corner-stone of a gateway in honor of Dr. S. F. Smith, who wrote, "Shine
on, Lone Star," as well as "My Country, 'Tis of Thee." Mrs. Strong, with
a silver trowel, made its foundation sure, while the English deputy
collector for the district represented the government, and I had the
privilege of making an address to a great mixed audience of Hindus and
Mohammedans as well as Christians.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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