Chapter 31

_The Government of India._

_Our Right to Govern India._ We went as Traders, and were led by Circumstances to fight. The Conduct of the Native Powers. The Marquess of Hastings. Not allowed to remain at Peace. Our Comparative Faithfulness to Engagements. _The Condition in which we found India._ The Muhammadan Empire. Civil Wars. Invasions. _The Dissolution of the Empire._ Adventurers. No Elements of Stable Government. The Effect of British Rule.

_The Greatness of the Work entrusted to us._ Character of our Administrators. Responsibility elicits Capacity. District Officers. Strict Supervision exercised over them. The Evils springing from the Institution of Courts. Runjeet Singh's Plan. The Evils Incident to Civilization.

_Regulation and Non-Regulation Provinces. The Taxation Heavy._ Regular Payments. The Land-Tax is the Land-Rent. The Native Army. The European Army. Civil Officials in the Mutiny. Inadvisability of Bengalees holding the Highest Offices.

_In India we have Different Nations._ Bengalees Strangers in the North-West. The Preference given to English as Rulers. Trust in our Justice. The Large Pay of High Officials cannot be justly or wisely reduced. Opinion of Natives as Litigants.

_The People Mainly Agricultural._ Poverty. Increase of Population. Sturdy Beggars. Lending and Borrowing. Debt Hereditary. Marriage Expenses.

_Incidence of Taxation._ Municipal Institutions and Local Government. Improvement of Cities during Late Years.

_Our Government no Unmixed Blessing._ Unjust Charges and Incorrect Statements.

_From whom is Improvement to be hoped?_ From no Class so much as from Indian Officials. The "Gazetteer" of India. Importance of Information being made Accessible to the English People.

_The best Conceivable Government for India._ The best Practicable Government.

_The Future of India._ Antagonistic Elements. The Order secured by the Army. The Greatness of our Responsibility. Good Government Favourable to Evangelization. 365

STATISTICS 391

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE UNION CHURCH, RANEE KHET. Frontispiece. BATHING GHAT, BENARES. 48 A JEWELLER AT WORK. 53 THE WELL AT CAWNPORE. 219 RUINS OF THE RESIDENCY, LUCKNOW. 223 THE LA MARTINIERE, LUCKNOW. 227 TEMPLE IN THE HIMALAYAS. 237 MISSION SCHOOL, ALMORA. 253 LEPER ASYLUM, ALMORA. 257 THE SNOWY RANGE FROM RANEE KHET. 263 LANDSLIP AT NYNEE TAL. 281

PREFATORY NOTE.

Neither the author nor his book stands in need of any introduction to the public. But having been asked for such, I cheerfully respond. During his long residence in the North-Western Provinces of India, where I myself happened to reside, ample opportunities were afforded me of knowing and observing the Rev. Jas. Kennedy and his work. And I am therefore able, and glad, to say that no man was ever better placed than he was for gaining a thorough acquaintance with Hindustan and the various races inhabiting it, during the four decades of which he treats. I have met with none whose calm and sagacious judgment might more surely enable him to form correct conclusions, nor whose high and scrupulous principle should impart to the reader greater confidence in the fair and truthful statement of them.

I regard this book as possessing a rare interest, not only for the missionary student, but equally so for the general reader. The amount of information it contains, descriptive, social, evangelistic, and even political, is astonishing; and the discursive and, in part, autobiographical form in which it is written, renders it so easy, that he who runs may read. The contrast is drawn graphically, and with a light and lively pen, between the state of things fifty years ago and that which now prevails: the exchange of slow and cumbrous means of conveyance for those which enable you in these days to perform the journey of weeks in, you might say, as many hours; and the not less marked advance in education and intelligence. The retrospect, material as well as moral, social, and religious, is useful in many ways.

But that which lends its chief value to this work is the faithful picture of missionary labour--its trials and difficulties, its results, rewards, and prospects. During the considerable period brought under review, standing by, as I did, and looking carefully on, I can unhesitatingly attest, as a whole, the correctness of my friend's statements, and the reasonableness of the lessons he would draw therefrom. This book should be read by every one who wishes to acquaint himself with the attitude of Christian agencies towards the people of India, and of these towards the Gospel. There is here a fertile field of facts and materials for thought. The author resorts to no roseate colouring, nor any kind of varnish. Nothing is unduly sanguine. All is tempered by sound judgment and wise discretion.

If I may add a word from my own experience, it is this--Let my fellow-countrymen and countrywomen in India give their countenance to the Missionaries labouring around them. They well deserve it, but too often are allowed to stand alone. The loss is theirs who keep aloof, and neglect the man and his work. While our people are running to and fro in the busy whirl of Indian life--some hasting to be rich, others engrossed in the labours of administration--higher things are too frequently forgotten. The spiritual life is prone to fade and droop. Many men--and women as well as men--who would at home be cultivating some corner of the Master's vineyard, begin to forget that similar obligations follow after them in their private walk and life abroad. Against these deteriorating tendencies, to mingle with the missionary band affords a wholesome antidote. For myself, I can never be thankful enough that in my early Indian life I found valued friends in the missionary circle, not only of the highest mental culture, but of a devoted Christian heart; and was privileged with their intimacy to the end. Among them I cannot refrain from naming such noble Missionaries as Perkins, Smith, and Leupolt, French, Stuart, Welland, and Shackell, Owen, Humphrey, Budden and Watt, Hoernle, and Pfander--that grand apologist to the Mahometans--all of whose friendship I enjoyed, as well as that of the Author himself. If some of these were men the like of whom we may not soon look upon again--a galaxy of rare appearance--yet, as we may learn from these pages, the field is in the present day stocked even more plentifully than ever it was before. Opportunities of cultivating in this field Christian friendship--and may I not add Christian work, and that for Ladies also--are happily multiplying all around; and I can promise an ample reward to such as make a faithful use of them.

In conclusion, I will only say that I am much mistaken if this work fails to take its place as a standard book of reference in every library of missionary labour and Christian work abroad.

W. MUIR. 16th September, 1884.