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THE MISSIONARY HERALD.

YOUTHFUL CONVERTS IN INDIA.

In carrying on the missionary work in India, it has often happened that young men of high caste and good family have been brought under deep convictions of the truths of the Gospel. In some cases these inquirers have been under age, and the anticipation of their becoming Christians has led to the most strenuous efforts by their friends to prevent their abandonment of the idol worship of their fathers. With the spread of education these cases have multiplied, and it has become a question of serious difficulty with the missionaries how to deal with them. In two instances, within the last eighteen months, one in Calcutta and one in Bombay, the parents have resorted to the courts of law to compel the missionaries to restore their children. The decisions are in direct opposition to each other, and it is a matter of great importance to the progress of the Gospel how the missionaries are for the future to act. We propose

to give an outline of these two cases, and of the decisions which have been given, both as an illustration of the course of events in India, and with the desire to awaken in our readers sympathy with the proceedings of the missionaries.

The first case is that of Hema Nath Bose, of Calcutta. He is a Hindu youth, and was a pupil of the Calcutta Training Academy, an institution conducted by Hindus, and from which all instruction in Christianity is excluded. As afterwards appeared, he was, at the time of the proceedings we are about to detail, in his sixteenth year, and had made great proficiency in his studies, so as to secure a very high position in the senior department of the Academy. He had formed an intimacy with a youth who attended the General Assembly's Institution, and from him learnt much of the nature of Christianity. His convictions at length became so strong that he determined to visit the Rev. Lal Behari Dey, a native minister of the Free Church of Scotland. He was encouraged to persevere in his inquiries; but to his request to remain with the missionary, Mr. Dey would not listen. He gave the youth a copy of the New Testament, advised him to study it at home, and to come occasionally for further instruction. Hema Nath was, however, reluctant to return home; spake of the opposition he should have to encounter, of the persecution he had already had to endure, and besought permission to remain. This was denied him. Two days after he came again to Mr. Dey. He avowed his conviction of the truth of the Gospel, said that he found it impracticable to read much of the Testament at home, and begged to be retained as a catechumen. He was again persuaded to go home, and sorrowfully he A whole week passed by, and he presented himself for the third time, his Testament under his arm, and exhibiting every mark of a NEW SERIES, VOL. VIII. 61

went away.

sincere desire to be a follower of Christ. He reiterated his wish to join the mission. He reminded Mr. Dey that in such solemn matters delays were dangerous. He was ready to forsake, he said, his dearest relatives and his earthly all for Christ. Mr. Dey now felt it his duty to receive the lad as a catechumen; and after reminding him of the trials which probably awaited his decision, knelt down, commended him to God, and him a gave room in the converts' buildings behind the mission house. The next day, and throughout the week, the mission house was filled with the lad's friends and relatives. Twice his father was closeted with him. Free access was allowed to every one, and Hema was again and again told by the missionary that he was free to go away if he thought fit. To the inquiries of Dr. Duff, who had been made acquainted with the case, as well as to the urgent entreaties of his father and friends, he made but one answer-he wished to be a Christian. The father now had recourse to legal proceedings. On Monday, June 23rd, he applied for a writ of habeas corpus, which was immediately granted by Sir Mordaunt Wells, and made returnable the next day. It was addressed to Dr. Duff and the Rev. Lal Behari Dey. On the matter being called on, on Tuesday morning, the judge, without waiting even for the return to be made, and scarcely listening to the counsel, who had been too hurriedly engaged to be acquainted with the case, proceeded with indecent haste to pronounce his decision. It was in effect, that as Hema Nath Bose was not of the age of sixteen, the legal age in India, he must return to his parents, till then he had no right to independent action. Evidence was at hand to prove that the youth wanted but four or five months of the legal age, and that neither Mr. Dey nor Dr. Duff had used any persuasions to induce him to leave his home. The youth also was present to answer for himself. But Sir Mordaunt Wells would hear nothing, would investigate nothing, but seized the occasion to cast the most offensive imputations on the missionaries. He charged them with taking away the youth-that they had no right to keep a Hindu child from his parents, and said the time was come to prevent a system of forcible conversions being carried on in India. Every one of these statements is untrue. It was apparent that the judge was pleased to avail himself of the opportunity to shew his dislike of and his contempt for Christian missionaries and native converts. This, however, might be borne. Christian missionaries are not unaccustomed to have their good works evil spoken of; but a decision like this was calculated to throw many obstacles in the way of the great work of evangelizing India.

A similar case has met with a very different result in Bombay. In this instance, a youth, named Witta, wanting five months of sixteen years of age, had taken up his abode in the Free Church Missionary Institution, in which he had been a day pupil for three years. As in the former instance, every possible exertion was made by his parents and friends to induce him to return home, and he was left at entire freedom to act as he pleased. Persuasions had no effect, and resort was had to the law. In giving his decision, Sir Joseph Arnould raised the question whether there was in Hindu law a distinction between the age of discretion and the age of majority, as is the case in England. In England the age of discretion is fixed at fourteen, which is also the age of responsibility for criminal acts. In India the age of majority is sixteen, and that at