The Rev. Gopenath Nundy and family before the Moulwí Mission House, Tezpur, Assam View of Isein Portrait of Abbe Gunga Youths of Tasmania bringing in their Missionary Contributions "The old man, leaning on his staff, replied, 'It is good Street scene in a Chinese city Ko-tha-a, a pastor of the first Baptist Church, Rangoon The masked performer of the Jalofs VOL. VIII. NEW SERIES. THE CHURCH MISSIONARY GLEANER. "WE FOUND HIM SEATED ON A CHAIR, ATTENDED BY A NUMBER OF MEN WITH DRAWN SWORDS."-Vide p. 2. (2) THE REV. GOPENATH NUNDY AND ENSIGN CHEEK. [JAN. THE Rev. Gopenath Nundy, a native Missionary of the American Presbyterian Board, was stationed at Futtehpur, where he had been a faithful labourer for several years. When the insurrection broke out, he and his family escaped without much difficulty to Allahabad. Finding the fort much crowded with European families, and thinking that, as a native, he could make his way in comparative safety, he set out, with his wife and two children, for Mirzapur. They had not gone far before they fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped off their clothing, and otherwise cruelly treated them. With difficulty they returned to Allahabad. Of their subsequent sufferings he has drawn up the following narrative, which we have taken from the pages of the "Foreign Missionary" for November 1857. We inquired from our host about the fort, and the fate of the Europeans who were in it. The poor man, as far as his knowledge extended, said the fort was taken by the mutineers, and its inmates murdered. This sad news, at this critical time, grieved us greatly, and brought us to utter despair. Our host, seeing us in such a state, said that a moulwí had come from Kurria with some men, to shelter and help the distressed and afflicted, without any distinction of creed or colour. This was rather cheering news, and we made up our minds to go to him. About sunset we directed our course towards that side, and when we came near the police station-house, we found out that he was hostile to the English; and all the Christians, whether European or native, brought before him were massacred. This greatly alarmed us, but to turn our course in any other direction then was utterly impossible, as we were surrounded by thousands of infuriated Mus sulmans; so we made up our minds to go to the moulwí, and throw ourselves on his mercy, to do with us as it pleased him, either to kill or spare, our lives. Accordingly we went to him, but, before reaching his place our lives were often in jeopardy by those who surrounded us, for they wanted to kill us, but we besought them not to do so until we had an interview with their head, the moulwí. They accordingly brought us to him. We found him seated on a chair, attended by a number of men with drawn swords, and he put the following questions to us, viz. "Who are you?" "A Christian." "What place do you come from?" 66 Futtehpur" "What was your occupation?" "Preaching and teaching the Christian religion." "Are you a Padré." "Yes, Sir." "Was it not you who used to go about reading, and distributing tracts in the streets and villages?" Yes, Sir, it was I and my catechists?" "How many Christians have you made?" "I did not make any Christians, for no human being can change the heart of another; but God, through my instrumentality, brought to the belief of His true religion about a couple of dozens." To this the man exclaimed in a great rage, and said, "Tobah! tobah! (fy! fy!) such a downright blasphemy! God never makes a person a Christian, but you Kafirs-Infidels-pervert the people. He always makes Mohammedans, for the religion which they follow is the only true one. How many Mohammedans have you perverted to your religion?" "I have not perverted any one, but, by the grace of God, ten were turned from darkness into the glorious light of 66 |