A SCRAP album, bright with scripture cards and many-colored pictures, was one of Archie's favorite books. But for some minutes his fingers had not turned a single page, and Elsie noticed, with deep interest, the thoughtful way in which his eyes were fixed upon a picture representing a group of dark-faced Hindoo children.
“What a strange picture," he said, handing the book to his sister; "the artist has drawn all the children sitting down, not on chairs, or even stools, but on some kind of mat. I expect they were playing at a game, though their faces are so grave. The girls have something thrown over their heads.
“I think you told me that in India the women and girls always wear veils, but those in my picture seem only pieces of white cotton cloth. The reading underneath is, Hindoo children. But I don't quite understand why people who live in India should be called Hindoos. I wish you would tell me all you have heard or read about Indian children. I think our subject would be an interesting one. Don't you, Elsie?”
“‘All I can tell you about the children of India!' you have asked for a long story, Archie, as the people of India are made up of several races who speak different languages, and differ greatly in their manners and customs. Perhaps I had better begin our talk about the Hindoos by telling you that they take their name from the part of India in which they live, the province of Hindostan. Mountains of great height, the tops of which are always covered with snow, enclose it on three of its sides. But I am not going to tell you much about the country, or you will think our talk about India bears too great a likeness to a geography lesson, and I know you are anxious to hear about the children.
“The Hindoos are divided into five great classes called castes. The members of one caste will not even give a piece of bread or a drink of water to those of another. A true story will, I think, help you to understand how heavily the fetters of caste press not only on the grown up people, but even on the children of India.
“The bell of the mission school-house had just rung out its warning that the children's play hour was over, and lessons must be resumed; the teacher was crossing the courtyard, or, as it is called in India, compound, which separated the girls' school from the other buildings of the mission station, when a small hand grasped her dress, and a dark-skinned little girl said in a voice broken with sobs, ‘Oh, teacher, dear teacher, my new water jar is broken; where shall I drink now? for it is far, very far, to the river.’
“The teacher spoke a few kind words to the weeping child, then asked, ‘Who broke your jar, Moanna?'
“I broke it, teacher; I was very sorry, but I could not help it. You know my father is a shopkeeper, and Zara, who is an outcast and the daughter of a poor coolie who carries heavy loads, touched it with her hands, so it became unclean. Zara said she was sorry; but that made no difference: if I had not broken the jar, one day I might have drunk from it, and you know, teacher, that by so doing I should have lost my caste and become an outcast, and then no one would ever speak to me, and no one could love me. Oh, teacher, it would be very dreadful.' And the child, still sobbing as if her heart would break, clung to her teacher.
“When Moanna grew a little calmer, the teacher said gently, ‘Tell me, Did not the same God make the rich and poor, the high and the low?'
“‘Yes, teacher; it was the Great God whom the Hindoos call Budda. But I have been told that the outcasts were made of clay taken from his feet, and so may not eat or drink with those who are of higher caste.'
“The teacher sighed; she knew that only the light of the gospel could drive away the darkness from the minds of her little scholars. She knew, too, that if she forbade them to observe their laws of caste, their parents would be angry and take them away from her school. So she only asked, ‘Are you the only girl of high caste in the school, Moanna?'
“' No, teacher; I am not of high caste like Siva, whose father is a Brahmin and a priest. Siva sits alone, even in school, upon her own mat; not one of us, only you, teacher, may touch or even look at her books or slate. My father gets his living by trade, so did my grandfather and my great-grandfather; my three brothers will be traders like my father when they are old enough.'
“‘We have talked long enough now, Moanna. Let us go into the schoolhouse; I have good words to say to all the scholars.'
“Very attentive and quiet were all the girls, as in simple earnest words the teacher told them how the Lord Jesus was always kind to everybody; how He even touched that He might heal the lepers.
“Then she told them of His death upon the cross; telling them, too, that though all the water in their great river, the Ganges, would not wash away one sin, ‘the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth from all sin.' (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7).)
“From that day the teacher was often cheered by seeing that both the high caste Siva, and the trader's daughter, Moanna, were in many ways more gentle and kind to, the outcast girls. And she thanked God and took courage, for she knew that the good seed of His word sown in their young hearts was taking root, and would in His own good time bring forth fruit.
“The Hindoos have no Bibles, but their sacred books, which are kept and read by the priests only, are called Vedas.”
“I wonder what the Vedas are like? I expect they teach the poor Hindoos to worship many idols instead of the one true God who made all things.”
“I believe the Vedas contain many untrue and foolish stories, but it is a joy and comfort to know that even amid the darkness of India there are many bright gleams of light. In the year 1829 a great part of India came under British rule, and a law was passed forbidding children to be thrown into the river Ganges, as offerings to the false gods worshipped by the Hindoos.
“At first the people, led by their priests, were very angry, and said the idols would send no rain and so the harvest would be quite spoiled; but the blessing of the Lord was with those who thus cared for the little children, and after a time the people grew more contented. Our Bible was translated into the language of Hindostan, and in most of the large towns and a few of the villages, Mission Schools have been opened, where Hindoo children are taught to read, write, and work.
“Hindoo girls of high caste are very seldom allowed by their parents to attend these schools; for a long time it seemed almost impossible to reach them with the glad tidings of salvation. But during the last few years the God of all grace has opened many doors, and quite a number of the Zenanas, as the private rooms of the women and girls are called, are regularly visited by christian women, who having received their own education in the schools of England or America are qualified to act as teachers of others.
“Very loving are the welcomes many of these kind teachers receive, not only from the young girls, but from their mothers, who will often listen very attentively to the scripture reading, and ask thoughtful questions about God's way of peace.
“But if we talk any longer now about the Hindoos, our time will be gone, and I shall not have the opportunity of telling you about Indian fire worshippers or Parsees, as these strange people are often called.
“The first Parsees are said to have lived in Persia, but fled from that country during a time of war followed by a famine. Many took refuge in India, where they were kindly received by a native prince, who told them they were at liberty to settle in his dominions.
“The Parsees do not worship idols; they say they believe that all things were created by a great God. But as they have no Bibles we cannot wonder that they have no true knowledge of God. The sun, they know, gives light and warmth, so they think the sun must be a god, and pray to it. I believe they also worship the moon and stars.
“When a Parsee gets ill, his friends, and often even his wife and children, leave him to die alone and uncared for. After his death they return, dress his body in gaily colored silks, and carry it some distance into the woods to a place where a high tower, open on all its sides to the sun and air, is built. His body is placed on planks of wood, in or near this tower. After some months the friends return, and gathering up the bones, from which the flesh has been eaten by vultures and other birds of prey, place them with great care in rooms at the foot of the tower.
“Many of the Parsees are very rich, and even little girls often wear jewels and gold ornaments of great value. Shall not we, who through the grace of God k now of treasures better and more lasting, pray for these poor children, that many of them may not only hear but receive and love the truth as it is in Jesus?”
“Yes, Elsie; I am sure I ought, for you do not know how glad and thankful I am to be an English instead of an Indian boy.”