Henry Martyn Saint and Scholar / First Modern Missionary to the Mohammedans, 1781-1812

society in England, in a reformation of life and manners, and in a corresponding desire to do good to the natives. The evangelical reaction set in motion by the Pietists, Moravians, and Marrow-

everal agencies in England, Denmark, and Germany into one common Society for Promoting the Protestant Missions, the formation of colleges in Europe to train missionaries, the raising of an annual income of 3,000_l._, and the maintenance therewith of a staff of at least eight well-qualified missionaries. By a century and a half he anticipated the proposal of that union which gives strength and

sion with 500 pagodas or 225_l._ a year, and had always conveyed the missionaries' freight in its ships free of charge, in Bengal it kept out missionaries, or so treated them with all the rigour of the law against 'interlopers,' that William Carey had to begin his career as an indigo planter, and seek protection in Danish Serampore, where he became openly and only a preacher and teacher of Christ. North India, too, with Calcutta and Benares as its two Hindu centres, and Lucknow and Delhi as its two Mohammedan c

iritual force which used the Plassey and the Mutiny wars, as it will direct all events, for making India Christ's. The first church, built in 1715 by the merchants and captains, had been destroyed by a hurricane; the second had been demolished by Suraj-ood-Dowlah, in the siege of Calcutta, two years before, and one of the two chaplains had perished in the Black Hole, while the other was driven away. For the next thirty years the few who went to the chaplains' church worshipped in a small bungalow in the old for

sorrow, and brought him to Christ. Grant soon after went to Maldah as Commercial Resident, where he had as his subordinates, George Udny, Ellerton, W. Brown, W. Grant, J. Henry, and Creighton. These men, with their families, Sir Robert Chambers, of the Supreme Court, Mrs. Anne Chambers who was with her sons, Mrs. Chapman, and others less known, formed the nucleus of a Christian community which first supported Thomas

ime. This noble school, the blessings of which were soon extended to the white and coloured offspring of non-commissioned officers and soldiers also, was organised at Howrah by Brown, who then was made chaplain to a brigade, and afterwards one of the Fort William or Presidency chaplains. He found the Mission practically non-existent, owing to Kiernander's losses and old age. To save the buildings from sale by the sheriff, Charles Grant bought them for 10,000 rupees and vested them in himself, Mr. A.

own clergy with an emulation to follow and to imitate these champions of the Cross, thus seeking and thus contending to save them who are lost.' That was in 1789, when the Society and Dr. Watson, Bishop of Llandaff, along with Simeon, Wilberforce, and the other Clapham men, had before it, officially, the request of Charles Grant, Chambers an

es of England and Scotland, Dr. Claudius Buchanan was the foremost ecclesiastic in the East. He at once gave an impulse to the silent revolution which David Brown began and the Serampore missionaries carried on. His Christian statesmanship commended him to all the authorities, and soon the new Cathedral of St. John, which Warren Hastings had erected to supersede the old Bungalow Church, became filled with an attentive and devout congregation, as well as the mission church. These two men and William Carey formed the pillars of the College of Fort William, by which Lord Wellesley not only educated the young civilians and military officers in the Oriental languages, an

orship of God, the public performance of Divine service, and preaching at all the stations. He proposed 'additional chaplains to the Company's complement for considerable places which now have none to officiate. Unless places were erected at the different stations for assembling to Divine service, it must be impossible for chaplains even to be able to do their duty, and to assemble the people together.' The letter delighted the Governor-General, who said of it to David Brown, 'I shall certainly recommend places to be made at the sta

there were 156,057, of whom 7,257 were civil and military officers and inhabitants, 6,000 were the Company's European troops, 19,800 were the King's troops, 110,000 were Eurasians, and 13,000 were 'native Protestant Christians at Tanjore.' In Bengal alone-that is, North India-there were fifty stations, thirty-one civil and nineteen military, many of which had been 'without the offices of religion for twenty years past, though at each there reside generally a judge, a collector, a commercial resident, with families, together with their assistants and families, and

Burma-that, to use Buchanan's language in 1806, 'the English soldiers and our countrymen of all descriptions, after long absence from a Christian country, may recognise a church.' Including Ceylon, Buchanan's scheme proposed an annual expenditure of 144,000_l._ for four dioceses, with 50 English chaplains and 100 native curates, 200 schoolmasters and 4 colleges to train both Europeans and natives for the ministry; of this, Parliament to give 100,000_l._ The ecclesiastical establishment of India-without Ceylon, bu

Barlow showed the most disastrous zeal in opposition to all his former convictions. By withholding from Sindia the lamentable despatch of September 19, 1805, which Lord Cornwallis had signed when the unconsciousness of death had already weakened his efficiency, Lord Lake gave the civil authorities a final opportunity to consider their ways. But Barlow's stupidity-now clothed with the almost dictator's power of the highest office under the British Crown, as it was in those days-deliberately declared it to be his desire, not only to fix the limit of our empire at the Jumna, a river fordable by an enemy at all times, but to promote general anarchy beyond th

oo late he was relieved by Lord Minto, whom the Brahmanised officials of 1807 to 1810 used for a final and futile effort to crush Christianity out of India, to the indignation of Henry Martyn, whose language in his Journal is not more unmeasured than the intolerance deserves. But in his purely foreign policy Lord Minto proved that he had not held the office of President of the Board of Control in vain. He once more asserted the only reason for the existence of a foreign power in India, 'the suppression of intestine disorder,' clearing Bundelkhund of robber chiefs and military strongholds. Surrounded and assisted by the brilliant civilians and military offi

er, about a dozen of them, I could not help feeling as if we had got into their places.' He visited the native suburb in which his Hindustani-speaking servants dwelt, and was depressed by its 'appearance of wretchedness.' His soul was filled with the zeal of the Old Testament prophets against idolatry, the first sight of which-of men, women, and children, mad upon their idols-produces an impre

reaching to the natives.' This was ever foremost in his thoughts. He spent days in obtaining from Dr. Kerr 'a vast deal of information about all the chaplains and missionaries in the country, w

as rather agitated at the confusion of interesting thoughts that crowded upon me; but I reasoned, Why thus? God may never h

assisted in the service in the church at Fort St. George,

ack Town to Mr. Loveless's chapel. I sat in the air at the door enjoying the blessed sound of the Gospel on an Indian shore, and joining with much comfort in the song of divine pr

aken by surprise, I knew not what to say. Passed most of the day in transcribing the sermon. There was nothing very awakening in it. About five in the evening I walked to Dr. Kerr's, a

n my return walked by moonlight in the grounds reflecting on the mission. My soul was at first sore tried by desponding thoughts: but God wonderfully assisted me to trust Him for the wisdom of His dispensations. Truly, therefore, will I say again, 'Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain.' How easy for God to do it! and it shall be done in good time: and even if I neve

Henry Martyn-just as he became the fast friend of Alexander Duff, at the close of his long and beneficent services to his country and to humanity. In two months thereafter the Vellore Mutiny was to

y thoughts and aspirations ruled his mind, now despairing of his own fitness; now refreshed as he turned from the Church Missionary Society's reports to the evangelical prophecies of Malachi; again praying for the young missionaries of the London Society as he passed Vizagapatam, and for 'poor India' as he came in sight of the Jaganath pagoda, 'much resembling in appearance Roche Rock in Cornwall ... the scene presented another specimen of that tremendous gloom with which the devil has overspread the land.' After taking a pilot on board

had passed him at the mouth of the Hoogli, setting out on the tour of the coasts of India, which res

ess Charles Simeon had pointed him when fresh from the triumph of Senior Wrangler; the apostle then forty-five years of age, who was busy with the duties of Professor of Sanskr

fortably and profitably than any time past. I enjoyed several solemn seasons in prayer, and more lively impressions from God's Word. I felt elevated above those distressing fears and distractions which pride and worldliness engender in the mind. Employed at times in writing to Mr. Simeon, Mr. Brown's moonshi; a Brahmin of the name of B. Roy came in and disputed with me two hours about the Gospel. I was really surprised at him; he spoke English very well and possessed more acuteness, good sense, moderation, and acquaintance with the Scriptures than I could conceive to be found in an Indian. He spoke with uncommon energy and eloquence, intending to show that Christianity and Hinduism did not materially differ. He ask

p me here, as I expected, and the Governor accedes to their wishes. I have a great many reasons for not liking this; I almost think that to be prevented going among the heathen as a missionary would break my heart. Whether it be self-will or aught else, I cannot yet rightly ascertain. At all events I must learn submission to everything. In the multitude of my thoughts Thy comforts delight my soul. I have been running the hurried round of thought without God. I have forgotten that He ordereth everything. I have been bearing the burden of my cares myself, instead of casting them all upon Him. Mr. Brown

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pondence of the Society for Promoting Christian K

Yuseph Emin, an Armenian of Calcutta, in Sime

five volumes on The History of Christianity in India: 'Our excellent friend, Mr. Martyn, lived five months with me, and a more heavenl