A MIGHTY AWAKENING.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14842, 6 December 1913, Page 16

A MIGHTY AWAKENING.

Pew English Christians, it is to be feared, have any clear conception of the extraordinary mass movements on the part of the outcastes of India towards Christianity. "The Indian. Witness" has devoted a special issue to a full presentation of facts, and the figures given were regarded as so significant that the Calcutta correspondent of "The Times" cabled a brief summary to that journal. The "Witness" indicates that in seven districts, with only twenty missionaries manning them, 140,200 baptisms have taken place as a consequence of the mass movements, and that a total, of 2,608,000 neople are accessible to Chris--tianity. It is believed that well on toward 2U0.0U0 people may be brougiit into the Christian Church within the next five years, and that in three districts alone 1,500,000 people are ready to embrace Christianity as soon as £he opportunity is given them. These mass movements are taking place among the humble agriculturists and lowly people of various sections of the country, and are "actual movements of living, toiling, suffering flesh and blood towards a better condition of things—intellectual, social, and religious—for themselves and their children, which they apprehend Christianity makes The out>< castes are turning to Christianity as their only hope. Bishop Robinson, of tho American Methodist Episcopal Church, declares that the movement of multitudes of the common people of India towards Christianity is an indisputable fact. The movements are taking place in various parts of the country. They are strongest around Delhi and in the United Provinces, but the'v prevail also in the Punjab, tho Central Provinces, and in Baroda. In Meerut 50,000 baptisms have resulted, though there are only two missionaries (one! lad;) in that area. Mr Schata, tho missionary stationed at Ballia, says; that he is besieged on all hands by villagers who come begging him to go a&d baptise them. They come from the villages, Borne many miles distant, urging the missionary to come out and eive them an opportunity of accepting Christianity. He has baptised nearly 1000 of them in seven months, and finds it impossible to take advantage of the opening because of the lack of money and workers. In the seven «rreat Indian areas now deeply affected £ the mass nwvemente there are 565 Indian native preachers. In the Delhi district there are 350,000 people ready to embrace Christianity. A practical laymen's movement among the Cnaudnris has been set afoot. They agree, a 7 lay agents without salaries, tojfsvangeliso their whole community ami prepare them for baptism if the Christian missionary societies will provide for their pastoral care.