HPB-SB-8-240

H. P. Blavatsky Scrapbooks

from Adyar archives of the International Theosophical Society

T i

vol. 8, p. 240	volume 8, page 240 vol. title: Vol Four of The Theosophical Society of The Arya Samaj of Arya-wart vol. period: Sept 1878 – Sept 1879 pages in vol.: 350
Legend HPB note HPB highlighted HPB underlined HPB crossed out <Editors note> <Archivist note> Lost or unclear SBT, DT Restored

<<   ☰   >>

eng • рус

< Missionaries in India (continued from page 8-239.1) >

counts her population by millions. How many of these have the missionaries succeeded in converting to Christianity? The native Christians are merely like a drop in the vast ocean of the population of the country. And yet the missionaries call it a triumph of the Cross, and chuckle over it, and spread the news abroad. It is surprising that missionary labour should be so long barren of substantial results. The British Government silently favours it, and even supports it by funds. Yet the masses of India, though they observe the missionaries backed by high and strong support, refuse to be led by or to listen to them.

We shall now proceed to see what kind of people the missionaries have been enabled to secure in the cause of Christ. Are the native … intelligent, educated, good? Have they understood the aims and objects of the missionaries? Have they studied the …? These questions the missionaries themselves will evade rather than answer. But we know, that the generality of the converts are innocent of decent education; have never studied the Bible, and are Christians only so far as they believe they will go to heaven with the help of him, whose character they fail to understand. As a rule, they are recruited from the lowest ranks, who have no character and no position to loose, and to whom one faith is just as good as any other. Most of them have no caste and no home; and Christianity they have embraced in the hope of bettering their fate.

The missionaries have obtained more success at Madras than at any other place in India. But their converts—they are a set of uneducated people, who had no calling before they became Christians. And Christianity has not made them the best of men. The missionaries assert with confidence that the number of native converts in Southern India may be counted by thousands. We will not, even if we were disposed to do so, doubt the accuracy of this statement. But we may fairly ask, what has this large number of converts done for India, or even for themselves? What noble example have they set to their fellow-men, what Christian virtues have they been practising, what have they, in short, done to convince the unbelieving millions, that the path the missionaries have led them across is the way to heaven?

To come nearer home, let us see what harvest the missionaries have reaped in the Bombay presidency. The converts to the Protestant belief are a mere handful. The Roman Church has hundreds of followers. But they are so utterly degraded, so immoral, and so lost in superstitions that to display them as a triumph of the missionaries is to proclaim that the latter fail to appreciate the holiness of their own cause. These converts are mostly to be found in and about Goa and in Salsette near Bombay. They are farmers or fishermen; unacquainted with the very rudiments of education; mumbling prayers which none may understand.

THE CEYLON TIMES
THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 1879.

The Theosophical Society.—A correspondent writes to us as follows regarding a leading member of this body:—“On the 15th of May, I happened to read an article in your paper concerning the Theosophical Society. I was surprised to find the bad opinion expressed in the article mentioned, and really cannot understand from what source “The Colonial Empire and Star of India” obtained its information. I am not acquainted with any of the members of the said Society, except with Madame Blawatsky. I have known this lady for these last eight years, and I must say the truth that there is nothing against her character. We lived in the same town, and on the contrary she was considered one of the cleverest ladies of the age. Madame B. is a musician, a painter, a linguist, an author, and I may say that very few ladies, and indeed few gentlemen have a knowledge of things in general as Madame Blawatsky. Now, if nature has endowed her with so much talent, and if she is so well informed on every branch of education and instruction, and at the same time possessing a spirit of investigation, and a desire to dive into the mysteries of nature, I really do not see that for this she should be considered and spoken of as a person of an indifferent character. Madme Blawatsky’s family is a very respectable one, indeed. Nature as you know, is capricious, it grants to some every prefection, and deprives others of the indispensable endowments. Madame B. has a masculine mind, and a perfect understanding, and I could write much more about her, which I feel convinced would commend a good opinion of her.”

C. Loudon

Loudon’s article.

Lines suggested by a Photograph.

O heart! of truth! of earnest living truth, That spent itself, in joyous streams and fair, On self-sought trust and gladly-welcom’d care, Till constant drains dried up the spring of youth— O pensive eyes! alive with trembling ruth; Whose light of hope could gild the soul’s despair; Whose calm of faith could stolid doubt oustare, And glancing deep the storms of grief could soothe— O winsome hands! whose touch of health could thrill The frozen blood in death-invested veins; Could ‘smooth the brow of pain,’ and thus fulfill The highest trust that Heav’n to Woman deigns— Hands, eyes and heart! blest agents of the will Whose strength was truth, O whence this weak suspense?

Editor's notes