of the Union, as they were reported in the Dnyanadaya. An attempt will be made here to gather together the more interesting parts of these documents, presenting the prominent facts in regard to a movement of great promise; which is all the more cheering when viewed in connection with similar steps forward in Western Asia and in many other fields occupied not by the Board alone, but by various other societies. The SPIRIT seems to have gone forth of late, among missions and native converts, and among the directors of missionary boards, prompting to new movements towards the establishment of a self-sustaining and self-propagating Christianity-native churches and a native ministry in heathen lands, which will themselves carry forward the evangelizing work.

Incipient steps. Mr. Bruce wrote, on the 30th of November last: "A wonderful movement has been in progress in many of our churches for several months past; a movement whose influences have as yet been confined mostly within the churches themselves, but which seems to us none the less wonderful on this account. These influences seem to have been working in two directions, although one may perhaps be the direct and natural result of the other. 1. The calling of pastors. For two or three years past we have been pained to see the indifference manifested by the churches in regard to settling pastors. A number of young men were prepared, by a special course of training, for the pastoral work, but they received no calls from the churches, which were quite content to have a missionary for their acting pastor, and to receive the ordinances at his hands when he was able to pay them an occasional visit. The cause of this seemed to be partly the low spiritual condition of the churches, and partly a fear that if they should call a native pastor they would be required to give more liberally than they had been accustomed to do, for his support. About six months ago, however, the present movement began, and it has resulted in the calling of nearly all the young men who are prepared for the work. Some of the candidates have received two and three different calls.

"2. Self-support by the churches. Still more remarkable is the action of the churches toward self-support. Three months ago I would scarcely have believed it possible that we should be permitted to see what we do see to-day. This movement, like the preceding, has its history; and as we have witnessed its progress, we have been rebuked for the weakness of our faith in the presence and power of the Spirit of God.

"The discussion of the subject of self-support, in the July number of the Herald, [1867,] and more especially your own letter in regard to it, which was received in August, revived afresh that difficult question, which had troubled our thoughts and our dreams for months and years. I think we all felt that some decided measures must be adopted, but what they were to be, none could tell. We hoped that the coming annual meeting, in October, would witness the solution of this difficult problem, in a spontaneous movement among the native brethren themselves, and we did all we could to prepare them for this, by special instruction and exhortation."

Meeting of the "Ecclesiastical Union." Mention is made, by Mr. Bruce, of earlier meetings of helpers, and discussions in regard to the "law of giving," and then he notices the meeting of the "Union," where "the tenth was adopted as the true standard of giving." In a communication published in the Bombay

Guardian, Mr. Fairbank remarks respecting this meeting: "The anniversaries have passed, but the fragrance they exhaled abides, and will long abide with those whose privilege it was to be present. The addresses were eminently practical, but were 'pleasant as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.' ... The impression left by the meeting on the native Christian community is deep, and it is well-nigh a single impression. ... I will not attempt an enumeration of the addresses on Saturday. They were mostly short, and referred to what Christians might do in the Church, and what they ought to give for religious objects, and specially for the support of pastors. The setting aside and giving a tenth of every one's income for religious uses, as the minimum, had been repeatedly referred to on Thursday and Friday, and now was definitely and earnestly insisted on as a true principle and rule. It was found that several had made it their rule for years past. Others had been considering the question for months, and coming nearer and nearer to a decision to adopt the rule. One said that the subject had been to him like a block of iron that he could not roll; but now, under the quick and heavy blows of so many earnest men, the iron had been wrought into a bar, and bent and welded into a wheeltire that even a child might trundle, and he had no further hesitation, but should hereafter give the tenth of his income."

Address of Rev. R. V. Modak. Extracts, at least, should be presented from one of the addresses delivered at that meeting of the Union, by the native pastor, R. V. Modak, formerly known to the readers of the Herald as Ramkrishnapunt. The question under discussion was, 'How can our churches become self-supporting?" Mr. Modak said: "I fear that what I have to say on this subject may not be acceptable to many of my hearers, yet as I am convinced it is the truth, I beg they will have regard to my motives, and give me an impartial hearing.

"How does it happen that such a question arises in regard to our churches? Do not our Christians provide for their own temporal support; and why do they not then provide also in religious matters? Their souls are certainly as much their own as their bodies. People of other religions, and Christians of other lands, support their own religious teachers; why should not Christians here do the same? Does Christianity seem to them of so little value that they are unwilling it should cost, them any thing? Not so - but there is a proverb which says, 'Who will go afoot when he has a horse to ride?' And in like manner, why should we be at any expense in religious matters when the mission is ready to bear it all for us? This leads to another question: Why did the mission at first assume this expense? And why have they borne it till the present time, instead of calling upon us to take it?... Unfortunately, the result of this course has proved most disastrous for us. . . . We have grown up from infancy to maturity, increasing from half a dozen to as many hundreds, and from one to twenty-three churches. The cost of supporting our pastors and schools has largely increased, but we seem to ourselves utterly unable to lift the burden a finger's breadth. Our indulgent mother (the mission) must still carry us in her arms, for she and we both think we cannot yet walk alone. Had we been accustomed from the first to give according to our ability, the ability to give would have increased with our growth, and to-day we might have been able to bear the whole burden.... What if this support on which we are leaning were

suddenly withdrawn, where would it leave us? We cannot expect it to be always continued. It behooves us then, as wise men, at once to set things in train for self-support. It is our imperative duty.

"Granted, then, that we ought to be self-supporting, what means can we use to become so? This is our question. The first and chief means is this, that we now begin to do what we ought to have done long ago. From this time we must begin to pay the cost of our religious privileges. Well would it be for us if we were as wise and discerning in regard to our spiritual welfare as we are in temporal matters. One of my boys, on account of severe illness in childhood, was so weak in his limbs that he could not stand when three years old. What did I do? Allow him to remain as he was, and conclude to carry him always in my arms? By no means. But providing him with crutches and a go-cart, I taught him by little and little to bear his weight and to step, and in less than a year he could walk alone. My dear friends, though we are weak because we have not learned to give for religious purposes, yet if we are ever to go alone, we must even now make the effort to stand erect.

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Many reasons might be urged for such a course. One is, it is not safe for us thus to lean upon the mission. ... Another reason is, that while thus dependent, our work will not go forward as we wish.... A third reason for leaving this dependent position is, that our spiritual growth is retarded by remaining in it. . . . Another consideration which it is important to bear in mind in this connection is, that the funds sent here by Christian people of other lands, are for the special purpose of preaching the gospel to the heathen. So long then as we receive aid from the mission, we divert a great part of such funds from their appropriate object; we devour them ourselves, and leave the heathen to perish without the bread of life.... Is it right for us thus to sit still, and quietly appropriate to our own use the money and the labors of the missionaries, which were designed for the millions of our countrymen who are perishing in ignorance? How much more noble would it be for us to stand up and lend a hand in giving this spiritual food to those around us? That special command of our Lord, 'Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature,' is given to us, no less than to Christians of other lands. Shall we not only neglect this command ourselves but also hinder others from carrying it out? . . .

"I anticipate here an objection, - What you say is all true, but we are not able at once to take up this work.' And so we have been saying for a long time. But I believe if we consider it well, we shall not think we cannot do it. If we take hold in earnest, and make proper exertions, we can bear all the ordinary expenses of our Christian institutions. . . . Did we not buy those lifeless, good-for-nothing idols, build temples for them, and pay for their consecration and worship? Did we not provide the turmeric, frankincense, flowers, lamps, and meat-offerings for the ordinary worship, and special gifts for the festal days of our fictitious household gods? And the still heavier expenses of sacrifices, oblations, and feasts for the numerous worshippers, did we not bear these also? The bootless cost of long pilgrimages to Vithoba, Khandoba, Bhowani, and the rest; the fees and ritual expenses incurred at such places, did we not pay them all? And how much did we give for hearing the legends, purans, kirttans, and other recitations? How much went for needless funeral rites, lunar observances, and feasts for the dead? How much to the fortune-tellers, and various

orders of religious mendicants? How much to escape the plagues of evil spirits, unlucky stars, and other bad omens? How much for weddings, holy days, and other festive occasions? For these and other objects called religious, we gave freely when we were heathen; if we gave an equal amount now, I believe it would suffice for the support of our own Christian worship, and leave much to be used in giving the gospel to others. What we then gave was in the interest of sin and hell; what we now give is for our own and others' spiritual good, and for the glory of God. How cheerfully should we give for such objects!. "Let us then, dear brethren, now, before God, make this strong resolution, and that we may carry it out, let us bind ourselves by some fixed rule of giving, Let us resolve that we will devote one tenth of our income to religious purposes,

...

not that we should never give more than this, but that we will not give less than this proportion. If any one thinks this is too much, let him remember that God himself gave this rule to the Israelites. If we consider that we spend nine tenths for our bodies, which in a few days will return to dust, and only one tenth for the soul, which is immortal, instead of appearing a great deal, it will seem but a little very little indeed."

Another native speaker said: "One reason for the weakness of our churches has been the help which the mission has granted. Churches should not remain long in the condition of infants. . . . Our churches are infirm in consequence of the aid which has been granted for too long a time." Again he stated: "It is the duty of the church to select and pay its pastor; to choose its deacons; to build its house for worship; to arrange for the education of children by supporting schools; to care for the discipline of the church; and to preach the gospel to all who are about them."

It is not surprising that "much interest was felt as to the manner in which the churches would receive these propositions;" nor that, "while the more sanguine of the leaders were hopeful, others were doubtful; and all were anxious for the result." To some extent, this result has now appeared.

Ordinations. The ordinations for which arrangements were made at the meeting of the Union, have taken place. Mr. Bruce states, in the letter from which extracts have already been given: "The Ecclesiastical Union having been requested, by seven churches, to make arrangements for the examination and ordination of their pastors elect, appointed committees of churches which should, by pastors and delegates, visit these several churches for that purpose. The first meeting was held at Rahûri, commencing on Tuesday, November 19th. Before proceeding to the examination of the candidate, the church was called upon to state what arrangements it had made for the support of the pastor. The Committee adopted a rule, that unless the church would pledge itself to raise, monthly, a sum equal to one tenth of the income of its members, they could not proceed to the ordination of the candidate. Considerable time was required by the church for the consideration of this question. Some of its members were slow to give their pledge, but at length they yielded, every male member of the church, who was present, promising to give a tenth of his income for the support of his pastor. This was a step far in advance of any thing we had dared to hope. It was all that we could ask, and I feel that we have a right to rejoice, and to thank God for the manifestation of his power in the hearts of his people. Think of the churches in America coming up to the Jewish stand

ard of giving tithes! The missionary cause, home or foreign, would no longer languish for want of funds. May it not be that the church in America has yet something to learn on this subject? And may it not learn this lesson from the churches gathered in heathen lands, through the instrumentality of its missionaries?

After this pledge from the church, the committee of the Union proceeded to the business preparatory to the ordination. There were present three native pastors, delegates from five churches, and two missionaries.

At the ordination services, on Friday evening, the sermon, charge to the pastor, and right hand of fellowship, were by native pastors; the ordaining prayer and the charge to the people, by missionaries. Mr. Bruce states: "The crowded audience listened with closest attention to all these services. We could not but remark the unity of solemn impression which appeared in this whole service, which continued for two hours and a quarter." Six other ordinations followed in the course of a few weeks, the churches pledging a tenth of their income for the pastor's support, and Mr. Hazen wrote, in December, "the seven new pastors are at their work.”

Protracted Meetings. According to previous arrangements, meetings were held, for several successive days, with the different churches, in connection with the ordination services, " commencing on Tuesday, and closing with a communion service on the Sabbath." These meetings seem to have been well attended, and there were some encouraging indications as to spiritual results. Respecting the meetings at Rahûri, Mr. Bruce writes: "Many of the better classes of villagers, including some of the Government officers, lawyers, etc., were present, and the attention given by all classes was very encouraging." Of meetings at Gahu he states: "For the convenience of the people the evening meetings were held in the village rest-house, and generally some were present from distant villages, who had put up for the night. We were surprised and gratified at the stillness of these mixed audiences, and the close attention they paid to the speakers. Evidently a deep impression was made upon many. ... On Sabbath evening the audience was much larger than on any previous evening, and they listened with marked attention till nearly ten o'clock, to addresses on the solemn subjects connected with death and eternity. During the day, Saturday and Sunday, a number of the villagers came to the tent of the native pastors to converse on the subject of Christianity, and on Friday the Patil (headman) of the village invited them to dinner, and regardless of all the rules of caste allowed them to eat in his own house, and from his own dishes. The son of the Patil attended nearly every meeting, and was a most attentive listener through the whole. When we were about starting away, he came to make salam, and I told him he must not forget the things he had heard. 'No!' said he, Vithoba (the native pastor) will be here and I can learn from him.' The people expressed a desire to have a Christian teacher sent to them, and yesterday I received a written petition, in which they promise to send regularly at least eighteen scholars, to provide a house for the school, and to pay a monthly fee of half an anna for each scholar.

"We shall watch with much interest the result of these meetings, and I trust that the friends of the Redeemer will join us in our prayers that we may see a great turning unto the Lord."