From Mr. Williamson to Mr. Dyer, dated Soory, October 14, 1834.
You will be gratified to hear that we have been meeting with some
little more encouragement of late. A short time ago I had the
pleasure of baptizing seven persons; three young men, and four
young women. They are all of Christian parentage. One young woman
(a Miss W.) is the daughter of the head English writer at this
station. After finishing her education in Calcutta, she returned
with us to Beerbhoom, about three years ago; and was then a very
thoughtless girl, but for some time past she seems to have
undergone a decided change of mind. She has been in the habit of
attending our English worship on Lord's day and Thursday evenings;
and occasionally at other times. These opportunities, together with
reading of religious books and tracts, and occasional converse with
us, appear to have been blessed to her. I trust she has made a
sincere profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and that she
will continue to walk in him. All the others belong to our native
Christians, and have given us reason to hope well concerning them.
Two of the young men having received a superior education, may
therefore be expected to be of more eminent service in this land of
darkness.
You will also be happy to learn that one of the highest or monitor
class girls of the Central School, from conviction of the Christian
being the only true religion, has given up her caste as a thing in
her estimation of no value, and cast in her lot with the followers
of Christ. A short time ago, when she first made known her
intention, Mrs. W. examined her respecting her motives; she said
that our shasters were good, and our people were good; and that she
could not live among her relations, who were idolaters and
drunkards, &c. When Mrs. W. again asked her whether she thought she
would be better off by becoming a Christian, the girl replied that
she was already sufficiently well provided for, and that her sole
intention in becoming a Christian was to obtain salvation. The
first time she came with the intention of giving up her caste
(which was just as the noise of the doorga pooja commenced), her
parents dragged her away, and watched her narrowly for a few days,
during which period she had no opportunity of making her escape;
but as soon as their vigilance relaxed a little, she improved the
first opportunity granted her of regaining her liberty. Her father
threw away all her books and tracts, and is highly displeased with
me for having betrayed the trust he had reposed in me. The girl is
about sixteen years of age, and is pretty well versed in the
gospels and scripture history. She has been latterly under a
Christian teacher, and was employed as a monitor, which accounts,
in part, for her having remained so long in the school. Another
girl, belonging to the same class has a good mind, we hear, to
follow her example, but has not as yet been able to muster
sufficient resolution. May the Lord draw her and many others to
himself, with the cords of his divine love!
Our three schools (Bengalee boys', Bengalee girls', and English
school) were all lately examined by the ladies and gentlemen of the
station, who, I am happy to inform you, expressed themselves highly
gratified with the progress the children and youth had made during
the year; particularly with that of the higher classes of the
English school: one class, in the course of six months only, having
made themselves perfectly masters of the principles of English
Grammar. I am inclined to hope much from the English school. As for
the two Bengalee schools, on account of what has lately taken
place, I am afraid they will be much diminished for some time,
especially the girls' school.
To aid me in the great work of preaching the gospel among the
heathen, I have now four native assistants, for whom I draw 25 Rs.
in addition to my salary of 150 Rs. per month. They are out daily,
morning and evening, in the neighbouring villages, preaching and
distributing tracts. They tell me that prejudice is fast declining,
and that they have had repeated proofs of the tracts they give away
having been read. I always take one of them with me, in my daily
visits to the bazar of this place, when we have generally a pretty
good congregation of attentive hearers. The season for our more
distant excursions is now approaching, and will allow us to extend
on all sides our hitherto confined labours. May the Lord assist us
faithfully and fully to make known his glorious gospel among those
who are perishing for lack of knowledge, and make us the savour of
life unto life, unto many precious souls! "The harvest truly is
great, but the labourers are few."