It was on the 26th September 1872 that I first sailed for
India in S. S. Viceroy in company with the Rev. Mr. Sharp of
Masulipatam and with the Revs Malcolm Goldsmith and Francis H.
Baring who were my contemporaries at Cambridge, at St. Catherines
and Trinity Colleges respectively, and from which latter I had
also taken my degree.
We spent a few months at the Islington College whilst reading
for our Ordination, and were put through a somewhat severe training
in public speaking by preaching in the streets. We took our stand
at a street corner of an evening near a lamp post, and had to
begin with an audience of 2 or 3, till the numbers increased
and occasionally had to stand some heckling. It was rather nervous
work for young fellows straight from the University.
We were eventually ordained as Deacons in St. Paul's Cathedral,
by the Bishop of London, Dr. Jackson on Trinity Sunday 1872.
Bishop E. C. Stewart who had formerly been C. M. S. Secretary
in Calcutta and had recently retired from the Bishopric of Waiapu,
kindly came down to the docks to see us off and to give us his
blessing. All three of us were much impressed with his saintliness
and sympathy, and were much cheered by him on our leaving the
dear old shores of England, for the happy work in India which
we were so much looking forward to.
My brother Henry, the Rev. H. A. Jukes also came down to see
us off. He slept on board with us the night before, as the ship
was to leave the docks somewhat early in the morning.
As soon as we had said our last goodbye, and had sent off
our last letters by the pilot at the mouth of the Thames, we
settled down at once to study Hindustani which we had already
commenced at the Islington College, with the help of a munshi
who had been deputed to begin our instruction.
[2] The first place we touched at, after passing through the
Suez Canal, which had only been opened two years before was Aden,
and we reached Madras on the 5th November, where we dropped Messrs.
Sharp and Goldsmith and others voyagers.
It was Sunday 10th Nov. that Baring and I landed at Calcutta.
We stayed a few days there as guests of the C. M. S. Secretary
the Rev. Mr. Welland. Baring, the nephew of the Viceroy Lord
Northbrook was disappointed at not seeing his uncle as the latter
was away.
It was decided by the C. M. S. Committee that Baring should
go first of all to Allahabad and that I should spend a year first
all at Amritsar, and after that go on to Peshawar, where the
Rev. T. P. Hughes was working single-handed.
So after spending a few days at Calcutta, seeing Missionary
work and visiting the shrine of Kali at Kali Ghat I set off on
the 15th Nov. for Benares by train, passing through the very
pretty scenery of the Santhal district, filled with mango trees,
cocoa nut and date palms. At Benares we had to cross the Ganges,
by a bridge of some 60 large barges, joined together by stout
planks, and then after driving about 5 miles we reached Sigra,
where the Mission is located, and I stayed with Mr. Reuter one
of our German Missionaries. The Rev. Mr. Shackell late Fellow
of Pembroke College, Cambridge, Principal of the Mission College,
showed me all round and I was much impressed at seeing so many
Hindus with the marks of idols on their foreheads, but showing
great alacrity in answering the scripture questions that were
put to them, in fact their knowledge of the bible was wonderful.
I also visited the native Observatory and the Hindu temples
and was disgusted at seeing all their obscene worship.
[3] After staying at Benares from 21st to 25th Nov. I went
on to Allahabad (90 miles from Benares and 565 from Calcutta)
where Charlie Fagan an old Blundellian had died from cholera
shortly before my arrival, and where he had been chaplain.
On 27th Nov. I went on to Cawnpore and Lucknow 40 miles away,
a place of peculiar interest, associated as it is with General
Havelock and the Indian Mutiny. Four miles from Lucknow we passed
the Alum Bagh, the scene where the mutineers made their first
stand against 2300 British troops and where Havelock was buried.
I stayed at the Zahoor Bakh (sic) a large Palace built by one
of the Prime Ministers of the Ex-king of Oudh, but which was
afterwards confiscated by the British Government, and let to
the Mission Clergy, at a nominal rent of L25 per mensem. The
building as I saw it was partitioned off into four residences
for the various Mission workers. There were about 600 rooms in
the Palace covering some 60 acres of ground. The arch at the
entrance of the Residency, where the flag flies every Sunday,
where the lamented Sir Henry Lawrence received his mortal wound.
It was in Lucknow, that I occupied the room in which the missionary
Robert Fitz-Frederick Trench lived 4 years before, he was a great
friend of my brother Henry at Cambridge, but God called him early
to higher service. His tombstone bears the following inscription:
Robert Fitz-Frederick Trench
Arrived in India Dec. 31st 1868. Went Home June 4th, 1869.
Aged 25 years.
(To me to live is Christ, to die is gain)
We also went up to Secundra Bagh, another large garden, where
about 3000 sepoys made their final stand but were all killed.
I shall [3/4] never forget the visit we paid to the Public Gardens
in Cawnpore so very beautifully kept. In the midst of it, is
that wonderful Memorial to all those English men, women, and
children (2 or 300), who were so brutally murdered by Nana Sahib
and then flung, living or dying into the well, over which the
Government erected that most pathetic Memorial of the Angel watching
over the dead, but all this is so well known, that there is no
necessity for further description. We also went to Secundra where
is a large Orphanage of some 5 or 600 native children, the building
is part of King Akbar's tomb. Amongst the children was a boy
of about 8 or 10 years old, who was found six years before in
a wolf's den, where he had been mothered by a wolf. He was brought
to the Orphanage on a Saturday, and hence called Sunechar. He
could understand nothing that was said to him and therefore could
not speak and was quite unable to learn. Regularly every day
he would stand in the middle of the playground and stare at the
sun. I was told that he was so continually tapping his temples
with his fingers, that he had succeeded in making indentations
on the side of his face. When I saw him he was crouching in the
corner of his room and no one would sleep in the same room with
him, he stared straight in front of him, moving his head at the
same time backwards and forwards, as if accustomed like a wild
animal to cave life.
It was some little time after this that Mr. Rudyard Kipling
(whom I met in after years at Rawal Pindee as a news-paper Correspondent,
and who at that time was writing some very striking leaderettes
in the leading Newspaper of North India, which attracted considerable
attention) saw the lad, and created the character of Mowgli,
in the Jungle Book, by which the lad has become immortalized!!
Another boy with similar characteristics was [4/5] brought in
to the same Orphanage a few months before I was there, if possible
was still more to be pitied, but he died soon afterwards. Within
a year or so of the time I was at Secundra Mowgli died. I believe
it was never possible to get him to smile, although everything
was done for his happiness and comfort.
It was early in December 1872 when I reached Agra. Most interesting
of course is the Taj Mahal, built by the Emperor Shah Jehan as
a Mausoleum for his beloved and only wife Arjumand, known as
Mumtaz-i-Mahal, "The exalted of the Palace." The perfect
scheme was only half completed; for Shah Jehan, it is said designed
for himself a second tomb of equal splendor on the further bank
of the river Jumna to be connected with the other by a bridge
of purest marble; a striking symbol of the thought that death
was powerless to sunder love like this.
In Ecclesiastical history Agra is noted as the scene of spiritual
activity of Henry Martyn's only convert Abdul Masih who had embraced
Christianity in 1812 at the age of 40.
In 1825 he was ordained by Bishop Heber. He had given up the
lucrative office as Keeper of the Jewels at the Court of Oude
for a catechist's salary of 60 Rupees, of which he gave away
fully half. He was a skilled Doctor, treating his poor countrymen
to drugs and medicine free of charge.
Abdul Masih is described by one who knew him at the time of
his coming to Agra as remarkably handsome, with an air of Asiatic
dignity, tempered by a sweetness of demeanour which was perfectly
fascinating.
[6] It was in Agra that the Rev. Thomas Valpy French (afterwards
the First Bishop of Lahore) began his Missionary work in 1851.
Calm and dignified he remained at his post at the College as
long as possible during the Mutiny, and when orders were issued
for Europeans to enter the Fort, he did so, but when he found
that Native Christians were refused admittance he resolved to
remain outside at the risk of his life, for he knew that they
were absolutely loyal to the Government.
Better counsels ultimately prevailed and they were admitted
to the Fort. They soon showed they were worthy of the reliance
that was expected of them by helping the English Officers to
man the guns, and to do every other duty that was expected of
them, in a beleaguered garrison.
All took their share, day and night in nursing the wounded
in Hospital.
All these reminiscences of Mission Stations and their staffs
were great incentives for me to push on, and be settled down
at Amritsar for a year, so that I might get on with Hindustani
as fast as possible.
[7] AMRITSAR
________
For a whole year I was living in the city of Amritsar under
the hospitable roof of the veteran Missionary the Rev. Robert
Clark, who had in 1851 started the Mission at Amritsar, and in
1855 the Peshawar Mission, with Dr. Pfander and Colonel William
Martin. I soon got an insight of some branches of Mission work,
first of all in the Mission School, where I was requested to
give some assistance, under the excellent Head Mastership of
Babu Singha and got to know intimately some of the bigger boys
of the Government School who came to my rooms to read English
with me, this lead some of them to resolve to become Christians,
I am thankful to say.
I also got an insight into Bazaar preaching and went out into
camp with the Rev. Rowland Bateman and the Rev. T. R. Wade. The
former was especially a very breezy individual, who at once put
me at my ease with him, the happy way he had with men and lads,
on the road, and in the villages, everywhere, were inspirations
to me all through my Missionary life. Mr. Clark's help in my
studies, in reading the Greek Testament every evening, and his
methods in making calls on the native resident Gentry when he
took me with him, were all most helpful in my after life.
The fine big house he built in the city was on the site of
the Fort of Maha Singh (the father of Maharajah Remjit Singh).
It was from this little Fort that the Sikh power spread itself
by degrees from Amritsar over the whole Panjab. From the roof
can be seen the Chief Sikh Temple, surrounded by a large Tank,
with a causeway to the chief entrance. This Temple is called
the Golden temple, and is very [7/8] sacred to all members of
the religion of Baba Nanak. The object of the Mission House being
so large in the middle of a large garden was that living in the
city necessitated healthy surroundings with plenty of fresh air.
The lower rooms were intended as classrooms, in which there could
be lectures, classes &c.
ITINERATING WITH THE REV. T. VALPY FRENCH
________
In April 1873 I was privileged to accompany our veteran Missionary
Mr. French on a preaching tour through the towns and villages
to Ferozepore on the river Sutlej. In 1869 he had started a College
in Lahore for the training of Hindu and Moslem converts for the
Sacred Ministry. He had been very unwell for some months, but
it was thought a change would do him good. It was getting very
hot, so he decided to travel only in the evenings and mornings
in his pony trap. I had been so much impressed with his holiness
and humility, that I jumped at his invitation to accompany him,
more especially as his grasp of languages was prodigious. He
had been called the haft zaban sahib, one who could talk in seven
languages.
He acted on the Eastern principle that there are three stages
in the life of a godly man, first, the students stage, secondly,
the married stage, and thirdly the faquir's. He had reached this
third stage, and hated to be seen traveling in even the simplest
kind of trap. One day he said to me "I hope you won't say
anything to the people in England about our grand carriage."
The fact was everyone was amused at his purchase of such a simple
conveyance which proved to be of such doubtful importance. In
going to preach in the bazaars he never would let me carry his
blue stuff bag containing Hebrew, Greek, Arabic, Hindustani,
Hindi, bibles and other books, but insisted on carrying it himself.
[9] I was often much impressed with the way he could translate
from the French of Lacordaire's life into the most perfect English,
with such ease, as if he had been reading aloud from an English
translation.
When preaching in the bazaars, he would use far too scholarly
Persian and Arabic words, although he knew the great necessity
for using the simplest language understandable by all.
It was soon after my arrival at Amritsar, that I consulted
Mr. French about the languages I ought to take up, and I shall
never forget his reply, which has been inserted by the Rev. H.
Birks in his life of Mr. French (i. 47).
"You must of course" he said "commence with
Urdu or Hindustani, so as to be able to talk with your servants,
to help in the services of the Church and in the schools. You
had better give some six or eight hours a day to that, and also
spend two or three hours to the study of Panjabi, to be able
to talk with villagers. You should also try and give two or three
hours to Persian, which you will find invaluable in the schools,
and all your spare time to Arabic, so as to be able to read the
Quran."
Indeed it was a crushing suggestion, but if we take the minimum
requirement, they are hardly above the level of his own actual
performances in his early days, and I had to read for Priest's
Orders as well!
He was always most patient with true enquirers, but angry
with triflers and those who tried to involve him in some metaphysical
difficulty.
He often spoke about his want of success in the ministry and
hoped I might have more. He was far more anxious about the success
of others, than of his own.
[10] The heat was getting too great for camp life, so it was
decided we should return to Lahore. We were in the district about
a fortnight, but it was a time of great experience for me, and
I learnt much from that great and holy man, which proved of much
help to me in after life.
During the hot weather Mr. Clark and I were thrown very much
together; he was full of information after his 21 years experience
of the Panjab. He did not offer his opinion on any subject, unless
it was asked for. His advice was always very valuable, and from
his treatment of the natives, a very great deal was learnt. I
was much struck one day with the simple, yet very telling way
he spoke to one of my enquirers, in enforcing spiritual truths
by practical realities of every day occurrence.
He was always uncommonly calm and cool, nothing seemed to
excite him, he never lost his temper, a very great point in dealing
with people, but was always master of himself.
Mr. DOWNES AND KAFIRISTAN
________
A few months before I arrived in Peshawar, the Mission station
there had been thrown into some state of excitement, owing to
Mr. Downes making an attempt to get into Kafiristan. He had previously
been an officer in the Royal Artillery, but having become dissatisfied
with the apparent uselessness of his present employment, and
longing to be employed in more definite work for God, he left
the army and joined the Mission at Madhapore on the banks of
the Ravi. He had not been there very long before some uncharitable
person made some unwarrantable attacks on Missionaries in general,
saying that they lived far too comfortable lives, but were not
willing to go through hardships and trials in pursuance of their
calling. Mr. Downes fiery zeal [10/11] was soon stirred up, he
got permission to be transferred to Peshawar in order to study
Pakhto and Persian, and to get acquainted with the customs and
manners of the tribes on the Frontier, and eventually to shew
that there were some who would brave every danger in order to
take the Gospel into Kafiristan.
He made known his wish to Messrs. Hughes, Clark and French,
who encouraged him to make the attempt, notwithstanding the fact
that Government had set its face against any Englishman going
over the frontier. Mr. Downes was quite conscious of the difficulties
before him, but felt it was quite lawful to make the attempt.
Not wishing to complicate the Government in any way, he left
a paper to be forwarded to the Commissioner, stating his reasons
for crossing the frontier and requesting the Government to take
steps should he be murdered, as he went entirely at his own responsibility.
So one day, a European dressed in Pathan costume accompanied
with guides, mules &c was to be seen crossing the frontier
at gunfire 6 a.m., but they had not proceeded more than one days
march to a village, when horsemen came up with directions from
Government officials, to deliver up the Englishman in disguise.
The Afghan chiefs, true to their national hospitality to honour
their guest, said "Why? what has he done? has he committed
murder? if so we will stand by him to the last, but if he has
committed no crime, we will deliver him up to you." They
were true to their national izzat (honour), to stand by thieves,
murderers and vagabonds, but they could not be troubled to protect
an honest man!
Before leaving this subject, I must mention that Mr. Downes
[11/12] published an account of the Kafirs in a paper "On
the Siah Posh Kafirs", in the October number 1874, as well
as in a previous number of "The Church Missionary Intelligencer",
and afterwards in a special pamphlet "Kafiristan",
printed by Ball of the Punjab Printers Co. Lahore in 1873.
For an account of earlier efforts to get into Kafiristan and
its history see "The Panjab and Sindh Missions" by
the Rev. R. Clark. p. 188.
Before leaving Amritsar, I was entertained to a dinner given
by Babu Singha, the Head Master, at which the second Master Babu
Badha Raha, Messrs. Bateman, Mayer and Harvey (a Master of the
Government School, but who lived with us at the Mission House,
with whom I had been on the most friendly terms) were all present.
I felt very much the honour they did me, but of this I will say
no more. All these, as well as the boys of the Mission School,
with whom I had most to do came to the station to bid me farewell.
I need hardly say how much I felt their kind appreciation
of my humble efforts in the place which for one year I had called
my home, and where I learned a great deal of the joy and happiness
of Missionary work.
PESHAWAR
________
It was in October 1873 that I joined the Peshawar Mission
for work among the Afghans.
I had to travel some 270 miles by dak ghari from Lahore. It
would have been an expensive journey, had not the Native Christian,
who was in charge of the office, franked me through.
Those not acquainted with Indian traveling in those early
days may be interested in knowing that a dak ghari consists of
a four-wheeled conveyance with accommodation for 4 persons inside,
[12/13] but on a long journey, a board is placed from seat to
seat, on which your own bedding is placed, so that one or two
persons can lie down at full length, and go to sleep. Two ponies,
often half broken in, are harnessed and made to gallop the whole
stage of 6 miles, where they are changed for fresh ones.
The Grand Trunk Road from Calcutta to Peshawar, 1500 miles
in length, is one of the best roads in the world, most of it
being metalled with kunka (nodules of lime) which, when well
rolled, forms a beautiful surface; a side track of equal width
on both sides being generally used by bullock carts and Cavalry
regiments on march.
Early next morning we reached Wazirabad on the bank of the
River Chenab, one of the five great rivers of the Panjab, which
means "Five Rivers." The river here is very broad,
no less than 4 or 5 miles in the summer and autumn months, owing
to the melting of the snows in the Himalayas. The ponies were
exchanged for draft oxen, to draw the vehicle over the heavy
sand, between the many branches of the river, each branch being
crossed by a bridge of boats. It took several hours to cross
this mighty river. In the afternoon we reached Gujerat, 90 miles
from Lahore, the scene of a great battle, which, under Lord Gough,
broke the power of the Sikh Army at close of the Second Sikh
War 1848, 1849. The Panjab (annexed by Proclamation on 29th March
1849) became a British Province, Maharajah Dhulip Singh receiving
an allowance of L58000 per annum.
At Gujrat I called upon Mr. H. E. Perkins the Deputy Commissioner
a very great friend of Missions. He was the son of a S. P. G.
Missionary who baptized the first convert from the Sikhs in 1849
who was also the first native to be ordained in the Punjab.
[14] After Mr. Perkins had been a Commissioner for some years
of an important Province in the Panjab, he resigned, in order
to take Holy Orders, in obedience to a long expressed wish to
be engaged in more definite work for the Evangelization of the
Panjab.
The fact that an Englishman was willing to resign so highly
paid an office, and become an Honorary Missionary, made a great
impression on a large number of half-hearted enquirers, who could
not make up their minds to be baptized. He became of strength
in the Amritsar Mission in the early years of this century, and
was warmly supported by Mrs. Perkins.
It was in Gujrat, at the house of Mr. Perkins that that great
and good man Dr. Elmslie died in 1872. He had started Medical
Missionary work in Kashmir only a year or two before.
I was anxious to see his grave, as his Widow was on the Missionary
staff during the time I was in Amritsar, and was much beloved
by all fellow-workers, English and Indian.
From Rawal Pindee I left the main road for a short visit to
Murree (7000 feet high) in the hills, where I was to meet Mr.
Hughes. Murree is 40 miles north of Pindi, which I reached by
mail cart.
I need hardly say I much enjoyed this delightful Hill station
after the very hot weather in the plains.
Mr. Hughes and I left Murree together on the 20th Oct. and
drove to the house of Major Hoggan in Pindi to await our dak
ghari bringing in the English mails. I found a friend in Major
Hoggan at once, as he was much delighted with my Uncle Andrew's
book "The Law of the Offerings." At Midnight we started
off with the English Mail, as soon as it arrived. We breakfasted
at Attock (70 miles from Pindi) the next morning, and then crossed
the Indus, the mighty river which separates India from Afghanistan.
The bridge of boats reminded me of Alexander the Great, [14/15]
who has crossed the river at the same place and in the same way
over 2000 years ago. The fort which he built overhanging the
river, was visited by me some years later. Since those days it
has been excavated, and much interesting information about it
has been obtained. Another run of 40 miles brought us to Peshawar
which was to be the scene of my Missionary labours for about
18 years.
On my arrival I found a letter from dear Mr. Clark of Amritsar
in which he said, "I miss you very much, and very thankful
should I have been had your lot been cast in Amritsar. You were
getting a hold over some of the Government School boys, and helping
forward the work in many ways. But you have now been clearly
called to labour in another sphere, and I can only hope and pray
that the same good Spirit of God may rest on you there, that
has guided and blessed you here....your room looks quite desolate
without you, I have not seen any of your boys yet....in any case
we know that the seed which has been sown will spring up some
day and bring forth fruit."
Mr. Hughes gave me two rooms in the large mission house, and
asked me to relieve him of some of the scholastic work, this
I consented to do, but as Bishop Millman, the Metropolitan of
India was going to hold an Ordination before long at Allahabad,
I determined to give most of my time to reading for Priest's
Orders, as I had been doing at Amritsar. But I could not expect
to be ordained, till I had passed the language examination. All
possible time therefore was given up to these two subjects, so
that I should present myself for the latter, at the time of the
Missionary [15/16] Conference of Clergy at Amritsar at the close
of the year.
METHODS OF INFLUENCING AFGHANS
________
Mr. Hughes was most energetic in dealing with the Afghans,
and spoke Pakhto fluently. A few years before he had been told
that if he went about amongst them in their villages, he would
most certainly be murdered, but he adopted Afghan dress in the
villages, and was received by the Chiefs in a most friendly way,
accepting their hospitality. The Afghans are by far the most
independent of all the races under British Rule in India. They
are a warlike race, and never so happy as when they are fighting.
They have plenty of fun and humour in them, and notwithstanding
their warlike spirit and treachery they are most hospitable to
all who know how to talk to them, and treat them in a friendly
spirit. Mr. Hughes accordingly adopted a reciprocal hospitality,
built a guest house called a Hujra, filled it with native bedsteads,
pillows and coverlets, and appointed an Afghan to cater for all
who came to see him and to give them the pipe of peace.
The result was, the Hujra was hardly ever quite empty, indeed
it was often crowded. The monthly expenditure was not more than
what was paid to a good catechist, and it drew to our confidence
at the Mission House, large numbers of Afghans of all classes
whom we wished to influence. This hospitality was continually
exercised, for the great benefit of the Mission, till I retired
in 1890. In no other Mission in India did I ever see so many
natives coming voluntarily under Christian influence. I shall
have more to say about this later on.
[17] There is a large Garrison in this Camp of Peshawar, for
it is one of the largest in India, to keep in check the turbulent
Tribes of the frontier, who are never happier than when fomenting
discord, stealing rifles and anything else they can lay hands
on, for it is their nature so to do!!!
There are generally, in times of peace, 2 English Regiments,
4 Native Regiments, and a few Batteries of Artillery.
Amongst the Officers and their Wives, we found many kindred
spirits, who were very friendly with us. On one occasion, many
of us rode or drove out to Jamrud, an old Sikh Fort, built by
Hari Singh, small compared with what it eventually became during
the war, 2 or 3 miles from the entrance of the Khyber Pass. It
was not safe to go there alone, but on this occasion some armed
tribesman, were told off to accompany us for protection. The
scenery was very wild, for after leaving the Cantonments no trees
were visible, only bare mountains of the Suleiman range capped
with snow in the winter, all the Afghans we saw being armed to
the teeth.
SCHOOL
________
In the city there is a large School attended by Muhammadan,
Hindu and Sikh boys of the city. The building is large, the site
of it having been the residence of a great Chief, Sardar Yar
Muhammad Khan of the Durani Dynasty, which was confiscated by
the Government and handed over by Sir Herbert Edwardes the Commissioner,
for the purposes of a school, to Major Martin through whose efforts
the Mission had been started. A large central School had been
erected by him on the old site, with [17/18] class rooms all
round for scholars of what was then called the Middle School,
the Principal's room was in front of all these with a verandah
facing the Kohathi Gate. There were also a number of class rooms
for the Lower School, one of them being used only for a Church,
it had, what is usually called its East end, back to back with
class rooms of the Middle School, till the New Church was built.
It was in this make-shift of a Church, that the first baptisms
took place but it originally formed part of the School. This
is a plan I made at the time of this little Oratory.
A. Holy Table
B. Reading Desk
C. Seat for Clergy
D. Parda Nashins
E. Vestry
H. Harmonium
J. Doors
L. Lecturn
K. Baptistery for Immersion Covered.
S. W. Seats for Women
S. M. Seats for Men
We had several Armenian Christians from Kabul in the Congregation;
their women friends sat in D.
Frequently English Officers and their Wives attended Service.
This little Sanctuary was in use for about 25 years. The Rev.
Imam Shah being the Pastor since his Ordination, conducted daily
Services.
[19] At the time of my joining the Mission, there were some
3 or 400 boys in the school, all belonging to the city, Moslems
and Hindus, but we had no influence over them after school hours,
and there were no boys among them from the district who were
strictly Afghans, with whom we wished to have to do. So Mr. Hughes
and I decided to offer scholarships to such lads who wished to
attend school, but had nowhere to live; as several at once applied
to come from amongst our Afghan friends, we saw the necessity
for building a hostel for them, which we did in the Mission House
compound. Among the Afghans, it is the rule, that the Mullahs
supply board and lodging to lads who wish to be instructed by
them, hence the necessity for our doing the same; and by our
building the hostel in our compound, we were able to see a good
deal of the boys. They catered for themselves on their way, to
and from school. We thus got to know them intimately.
PRIESTS'S ORDERS
________
It was at the close of December 1873 that I had to make that
long journey again of 270 miles by dak ghari to Amritsar to be
examined in Urdu. The examination proved successful. Early in
January I went another 700 miles by train to Allahabad, where
I was ordained Priest by the Bishop of Calcutta Dr. Millman whose
Diocese then included the whole of North India to Peshawar. The
Bishop's Chaplain was the Rev. Edgar Jacob, afterwards Vicar
of Portsea, and then Bishop of St. Albans. There were a few other
Missionaries to be examined with me. The Bishop's addresses,
each day of the examination were full of spiritual power, which
we all much enjoyed. At the close he told us how very pleased
he was with the examination, which showed great thought and study,
[19/20] and that it was much better than the last examination
he had held. He gave me much kudos for the exhaustive paper I
had written on the authorship of the Epistle to the Hebrews.
We were all ordained on the 11th of January 1874, after which
I returned by easy stages, stopping at Lucknow, Agra, Delhi and
Amritsar to see a little more of the Missionary work in those
places, which I was then better able to appreciate.
LIFE AMONG THE AFGHANS
________
On my return to Peshawar, I at once set to work on Pakhto,
to enable me to carry on with the Afghans, as Mr. Hughes and
his family were going to England in a years time; I also took
over the charge of the Mission School, as Mr. Hughes spent as
much time as possible itinerating in the surrounding villages.
THE PAKHTO LANGUAGE
________
It was in 1872 the year I arrived in India that Mr. Hughes
compiled the Kalid-i-Afghani, with the assistance of Maulvie
Ahmad of Tangi in Hashtnagar, a learned Afghan Poet.
It is a compendium of all the well known Afghan authors. By
the sanction of the Panjab Government it became the Text book
for all who wished to pass the Pakhto Examination. It was the
study of this book which occupied the next few years of my life.
Life amongst the Afghans, whether in the Army or Civil Service
or in the Church Militant has always proved full of exciting
interest, and it has always been looked upon by all the Missionaries
from the earliest days, as one of the most thrilling periods
of their lives.
Afghanistan, it must be remembered, is not only that part
over which the Amir of Kabul bears rule, but also that part under
[20/21] British rule which has for its Eastern Boundary, the
River Indus. The inhabitants of this latter part, being almost
entirely Afghans; the population in the Peshawar district alone
numbers more than half a million, so there is plenty of work
to be done. It is full of the deepest historical interest from
the time of Alexander the Great. Much has been written about
the Afghans being descendants of the Lost Ten Tribes. They call
themselves Ben-i-Israel. Every other man is either an Abraham,
an Isaac or a Jacob, their very features are Israelitish, and
their customs are more Israelitish than any of the Eastern races.
The very bread they eat is of the same size and texture, as that
which used to be put on the Table of Shewbread in the Tabernacle.
The bread was unleavened; in fact the Hebrew word for cake, implying
that it was pricked all over and smeared with oil, is just how
the bread is baked now. The system of Land tenure, methods of
prayer &c. are much the same as in the days of Israel of
old. As much has been written on the subject, no more need be
said here. It makes the work of far greater interest than it
otherwise would be.
THE MISSION HOUSE
_______
The Mission House had been acquired by Colonel Martin in earlier
days, as the Government had forbidden the Missionaries to live
in the city, as it was considered far too dangerous.
It was situated very near the R. A. Mess, on the road leading
to the city, and just opposite the grave of a Muhammadan faqir
who according to local belief had been such a saint in his life,
that he continued to grow after death!!! and this growth continued
for some years, till it became nine yards long!! The Government
then thought it necessary that he should be forbidden [21/22]
to grow anymore and ordered a wall to be built round it. It became
a well known ziarat or shrine, with the name Nau Gazqabar or
"The grave nine yards long." So when we wished to describe
to our friends in the district where they could find our Hujra,
we told them it was opposite this nine yards long grave. Such
graves of abnormal length are frequently to be met with all over
Moslem lands; the longest I have heard of is that of Eve which
is reputed to be 300 feet long, just outside Jedda, the port
of Mecca on the Red Sea.
ITINERATING
________
One of the most encouraging methods of our work was itinerating
in the district. We supplied ourselves with a small double-fly
two-posted tent, sufficiently large for a single bed, a small
table, two chairs, bathroom accommodation behind a screen at
the end of the tent, a few small carpets &c, a couple of
small tents for the Catechist and servant completes the equipage.
It was necessary to hire a camel or two, to carry about all this
paraphernalia including various Bibles in different languages,
and also a box of medicines.
It would be foolhardy for any one to attempt such an Evangelistic
tour, unless he had some command of the language, and knew much
of the habits and customs of the people.
Mr. Hughes always found that he could get on very much better
in the villages, by adopting the Afghan costume, and I had no
hesitation in following his good example.
The people at once saw that we were not visiting them as [22/23]
one of the conquering race, but by adopting their dress they
instinctively felt that we wished to approach them in a friendly
way, and in a friendly spirit they invariably received us.
As soon as the cold weather began in October, we made our
preparations, intending to be away two or three weeks or a month,
so long as it was advisable for the Head of the Mission to be
away from head quarters, and had a colleague at the base who
could carry on in the meantime.
ISLAM
________
Afghans are naturally by birth Muhammadans; by some English
people it is often written Mahometans, but the word is derived
from the head of their religion, the transliteration of which
can only be Muhammad, his followers then are necessarily Muhammadans.
But this term they seldom apply to themselves, the more general
one is Musalman or Muslim, pronounced Moslem by Europeans.
The words Muslim and Islam are derived from salam in the Semitic
languages Hebrew and Arabic.
Let us see how these words came to form so important a part
in the Muslim religion. We must remember that Muhammad first
as a shepherd and camel driver and afterwards as a merchant,
was a pagan, accustomed to the worship of idols as all his ancestors
were. In his journeys, he came across Jews and especially Christians,
and soon imbibed the idea of the Unity of the Godhead with a
hatred of idol worship.
We can well imagine how this young Arabian, disgusted with
the obscene rites and worship of paganism, became interested
[23/24] in the worship of Christians in their villages of Arabia
and in the large cities of Syria, and how he was hospitably entertained
and instructed by them in the true faith of the Living God. He
must have heard then, for the first time possibly, the true significance
of the love of God towards mankind, and how the reciprocation
of that love resulted in the grasp of true life, that which God
called Life, resulting in doing the will of, in the consciousness
of forgiven sin, bringing with it real happiness. Then it was
he must have learnt much of the deep truths about the Peace of
God, inculcated in the Old Testament, and how in the New Testament,
God in His love for man became man, to show mankind how to live
and die for others.
It is not too much to imagine that he then learnt something
of what Peace meant, "the Peace of God which passeth understanding."
He must also have witnessed the animosity of Jew toward Christian,
though both professed to worship the true God, though both appealed
to the Old Testament, and both revered the names of Abraham,
and all the Prophets, and professed to abhor that idolatry in
which he had been bred. He must have been impressed with the
Creed of the Jews, the "Shema-Israel," recorded in
Deut. vi. "hear O Israel, the Lord our God is One Lord &c,"
as well as the Creed of the Christian. Both of them must have
inspired him with the desire, on his return to Arabia, and laying
claim to the prophetic office, to announce his new Creed, "There
is no God but God, and Muhammad is the Prophet of God."
He subsequently based all his teaching on what he had learned
from the Old and New Testaments, the Mishna and the Talmud, and
called it Islam.
But we cannot for a moment suppose that this word "Islam,"
[24/25] was first of all coined by him for the new religion.
This word he must have learnt during his travels among Jews and
Christians, for it occurs in one form or another, over and over
again in the Old Testament e. g. yishlam; vashlam; shalom; shalem
(in Kings xx. 3.); this last word is translated 'perfect'.
Gesenius in his Lexicon tells us that Islam means "submission."
According to Abdul Haqq (the Muhammadan Commentator on the Mishkat)
it implied "Submission to the Divine Will."
Even Muhammad did not wish to arrogate this word to his own
Religion, for he himself tells us in the Quran that Islam was
the religion of all the Prophets from the time of Abraham, as
appears from the Surat-Ul-Imram verses 78.79.
"We believe in God and in what hath been sent down to
Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the Tribes and
in what was given to Moses and Jesus, and the Prophets from their
Lord. We make no difference between them, and to Him are we resigned
(i. e. Muslim). Whosoever desireth any other religion than Islam,
that religion shall not be accepted of him, and in the next world
he shall be lost."
We therefore must not allow the word "Islam", to
be reserved solely to the Muhammadan religion, as is so often
the case. There has been submission to the Divine Will ever since
the revelation of God's will has been known, and no one submitted
to God's will as did Jesus himself.
We must therefore insist on Christianity being the true Islam.
[25/26] The same argument holds good with reference to the word
Muslim as seen from the above quotation from the Quran. The word
occurs in Isaiah 42.18 under the Hebrew word Meshullam, and is
translated in the R. V. "He that is at peace," the
words are "Who is blind as Meshullam, and blind as the Servant
of Jehovah."
Dr. George Adam Smith, in his beautiful Commentary on Isaiah
says ii. 263 "The context shows that the Servant here, or
Meshullam as he is called, the "Devoted" or "Submissive
One", from the same root, and of much the same form as the
Arabic Muslim - is the whole people..."
Meshullam also occurs as a proper name in ii Kings xxl.19
xxii.3; Neh. iii.4.6.30.
We therefore must not allow Muhammadans to arrogate to themselves
the title Muslim, (any more than we should the Romans to arrogate
to themselves the title Catholic) for All Christians who seek
to do God's will are God's Muslim.
The Christian Missionary puts himself at a disadvantage, if
he cannot show that he too is a Muslim--submitting to God's will.
Not only these two words, but almost all Muslim customs and religious
ideas come from Judaism and Christianity.
Repentance and Remission of sins, are signs of the true Muslim,
but what do Muhammadans know of these?
On one occasion I was in an Afghan village, the Chief of which
had not seen me before but seeing that I was dressed as an Afghan
he said to me in Pakhto, "Are you a Musalman?" So I
said to him in a humorous way, before replying to the question,
"That [26/27] is a very interesting question of yours, will
you kindly tell me the meaning of that word?" He was non-plussed
and was obliged to acknowledge he did not know. So I said to
him, "it is rather that you should ask me a question, you
do not know the meaning of, but as you cannot tell me, I will
tell you. A Musalman is one who submits to the Will of God, and
as such, I am a Musalman, but I am not a Muhammadan, and never
will be." I then explained to him the difference between
the two, how I pinned my faith on One, who was far more able
to save than Muhammad, for the Blessed Jesus was the Saviour
of the World. When I told him I was an Esaiyi Haji (one who had
been on a Pilgrimage to Jerusalem) I am afraid I went up in his
estimation more than by telling him about the Saviour from sin,
but he listened to all I said to him. I tried to impress upon
him that we are all sinners in God's sight, and must obtain pardon
from Him, if we wished to be true Muslim.
There can be no doubt whatever, that one way of impressing
Afghans, is to appear like one of themselves, and at the same
time, to let them know how we became more Godlike, by accepting
Salvation through Jesus Christ, Who is still alive and pleading
for us. (see page 38)
[28] CONVERTS
________
I longed to get out into the villages as often as possible.
One or two Catechists generally accompanied me, well acquainted
with Islam, able to meet the stock objections which Afghans are
accustomed to bring forward against Christianity. It was absolutely
necessary that he should be an earnest, warm-hearted Christian,
full of the love of God, conciliatory in meeting the most objectionable
of foes and cheerful in the face of all opposition. Of these
we had several.
Jalaudin was an Afghan Convert before my arrival. He was very
earnest and keen, ready to grapple with any argument and always
most helpful.
Syad Shah, was another, from Ningrahar, or some other country
in the wilds of Afghanistan. He had originally been a ploughman,
regular in saying his prayers, but dissatisfied with the result
of them, and anxious to get more light. He afterwards joined
the Afghan army, but was restless and longed to see something
of the sights of India. He went down to Calcutta, and there became
a policeman. In his beats of the city he was much struck with
the kind and conciliatory way the Missionaries met the objections
and opposition of Hindus and Muhammadans, being particularly
struck with what he heard in street preaching, of the tender
appeals of the Saviour, made to the souls of men, "Come
unto Me all ye that labour...you rest."
This was what he had been longing for, for years. It led to
his conversion. He came back to Peshawar acted as a Catechist,
and as such I found him on my arrival there. He was a rough diamond
but learned to read and love his Bible. He often [28/29] accompanied
us in our visitations in the district.
Hazrat Ali was a lineal descendant of Muhammad, and belonged
to one of the leading families, possessing land in the tappa
of Hashtnagar. As a boy he attended the Mosque school under Hamidulla,
hereafter mentioned. Hamidulla had received some Christian books
which had much impressed him, and which he showed to his pupil
Hazrat Ali, who was also touched by them.
Hazrat Ali then joined the Mission School, and spoke of his
convictions to his elder brother, who was a bigoted, opium-smoking,
Moslem, who often was a guest in our Hujra, and cursed his younger
brother for wishing to become a Christian.
The brother sent Hazrat Ali down to a school at Lahore 270
miles away, hoping thereby to cool his ardour, but he could not
have sent him to a better place, for there were many Christians
there, to whom he soon got attached. In course of time he left
School, came back to Peshawar, and obtained an appointment of
Assistant Revenue Officer. In due time he would have passed the
necessary examinations, and have risen high in that department,
but he gave up all these prospects in a desire to use all his
power and influence for bringing his fellow-countrymen to a knowledge
of the truth. He endured so much persecution in his home, as
to warrant Mr. Hughes baptizing him about 1877 and sending him
down, I think, to the Christian School at Batala, or possibly
I may have sent him, for the strengthening of his faith.
By his baptism, he had become disinherited from his patrimony
which galled him very much, but he succeeded in winning much
respect by his conciliatory manner, and was anxious to go about
with Mr. Hughes in his preaching tours. He proved an able controversialist,
had a kind and winning way. About 1884 he married [29/30] the
daughter of the respected Pastor of Peshawar, the Rev. Imam Shah.
It was a very risky thing to do, to take his Bride to his home,
with the permission of his brother, to live on his share of the
estate; he naturally wished to have a home of his own, and we
hoped that before long he might become Assistant Missionary in
the Hashtnagar District, where he might exercise much influence
as a landed proprietor. This necessitated his living entirely
among Muhammadans which proved too much for him, and he found
that temptations and oppositions became stronger than he expected.
No doubt he gave up some of the means of grace, the result was,
he vainly hoped he could live as a Christian, whilst conforming
to Moslem customs, which eventually made shipwreck of his faith.
Unfortunately Mr. Hughes had left the Country, and I was in England
during this time. I believe it eventually ended in his recantation,
much to the grief of his good little wife and the whole community
of Christians.
It is sad that one who had endured so much persecution, should
afterwards fall away so lamentably.
Maulvie Hamidullah was originally Hazrat Ali's teacher in
a Mosque, but the teacher was more slack than his pupil in accepting
Christianity. He determined to give up his position in the Mosque,
and became a contractor in the Swat River Canal, which was then
being constructed. After his baptism he gave great help as a
Catechist, his knowledge of Arabic enabled him to help us in
dealing with mullahs, and in translating the Prayer Book into
Pakhto. He was always most helpful to me in the villages.
ITINERATING
________
We generally sent on our head man with the camels, and a letter
[30/31] to the Chief in whose village we wished to stay, with
the request that the tents might be pitched in a place convenient
to himself. On our arrival the Chief would be expecting us, and
with true Afghan politeness, would shake us most warmly, with
both hands, or if a great friend, with an embrace, and would
then shower upon us all their salutations, almost unlimited,
and would take it for granted that we, and our party, including
our animals, would be his guests. Nothing could be kinder.
There is never any difficulty in beginning a conversation,
for Afghans are anything but shy. Should I have never seen the
Chief before, he might possibly ask why we had come, and without
any hesitation I used to say, "I have come to bring you
a message from God." By this time we should all be seated
in the open, not on chairs, for possibly they have none, but
on light wooden bedsteads, which the Chief has ordered to be
brought from the Hujra, and placed in the shade of some trees,
and then he would begin by asking some question on religion.
Sometimes it is responded to by asking him some question, but
he is soon out of his depth and longs for his mullah to be present,
on whose shoulders he may throw the responsibility of answering.
We soon take the opportunity of speaking about sin, and the necessity
for its being pardoned. But this is a point the chief knows nothing,
to him it is an abstruse subject, and he sends to the Mosque
for the mullah to come and argue with us. The mullah who is probably
engaged in teaching the Quran to his pupils, either thinks it
is not right to be called away from his religious duties, or
he is afraid of meeting the Padre, not knowing whether he will
get the best of the argument, and so sometimes he sends back
word to his chief, that he is not at home!! The Mullah has [31/32]
told a lie on my account, as the chief knows it to be a lie.
Not only will the Mullah be a bitter enemy of ours, but he will
do his best to prevent any of his flock coming to see us.
How can this hatred be overcome? Only by our resolving to
go and see him in his Mosque! There is nothing an Afghan hates
so much, as to see Englishman, or as he prefers to call him,
an unbeliever, entering his mosque, even should the latter take
off his boots; the hatred would be so bitter, no good would be
accomplished, but this difficulty is at once overcome, if we
enter his mosque dressed as a Muslim, as we have proved over
and over again. The Mullah at once recognizes our friendly attitude,
and comes to meet us halfway. He apologises for not knowing (so
he says) that we were in his village, otherwise he would have
come to see us!
He is, as a well known Persian proverb says about the Mullah
class:
"Tasbih dar kaf, tauba bar lab, dil pur az zauqi gunah"
In other words: He may count the names of God on his rosary,
he may outwardly have confession on his lips, but his heart is
full of the desire of sin, in plain language, he is a hypocrite.
All Moslems have a very poor idea of the morality of their Mullahs.
We therefore go to the Mosque, accompanied by the Chief, we
take off our shoes at the entrance of the Mosque. The Mullah
has caught sight of us, and comes forward to meet us, we approach
him in a friendly spirit, he asks us to sit down on the mat,
and at once begins the conversation: by this time the floor of
the Mosque is filled up with those who have come in to hear the
discussion. The Mullah at once wants to know [32/33] what the
books are we are carrying with us. We tell him they are Kalam
Ullah, the Word of God:--The Taurat (Pentateuch), the Zabur (Psalms),
the Injil (Gospels). They are the very books which he theoretically
believes to be inspired, and which he wishes to see, which he
believes to have been revealed by God to Moses, David and Jesus.
He is very grateful at seeing them, as he has never done so before.
We tell him that they contain the Words of Salvation, and of
Eternal Life. He takes the Bible from me very reverently, kisses
it, and then places it on the top of his head, implying that
he wished to give it all the reverence that was due to it.
He wants to see each one of them, so we take up the Hebrew
Bible and show him the Taurat. He says he does not recognize
the characters. Can we read him some of it? We do so. Although
the Hebrew characters differ from the Arabic, the pronunciation
of many of the words are the same, and as we read the Hebrew,
he at once recognizes it to be the Word of God. He then asks
to see the Psalms. We explain that the language is the same.
We then show him the Gospels in the Greek Testament. We astonish
him more, by being able to read that too, so we go up very much
in his estimation, and he shows great inclination to listen,
more so than is often the case.
All this leads to no end of discussion. He wants to know the
subject of each book. We tell him how sin entered the world,
how sin can be forgiven, how the Prophets foretold the coming
of the Worlds Saviour, to save us from our sin, how Jesus as
the Saviour was absolutely free from sin &c &c The Mullah
at once says, "Of course he was free from sin; all the Prophets
were." [33/34] But we ask how he can prove that; and I take
up the Quran and ask him to show me passages which warrant such
a belief. He takes up his own Quran, turns over the leaves backwards
and forwards, hoping to light upon such passages, but we tell
him he might go on doing so till dooms day, but he will find
nothing; we then point out how David made the most abject confession
of his sins in Psalm li, and beg him to read it. He does so out
loud from the Arabic Bible which I hand to him, we tell him that
no doubt he understands what he reads, but will he kindly translate
it into Pakhto for the benefit of all the Mosque.
He has no objection to do this, for he knows he will go up
very much in the estimation of his followers, for being able
to read and translate a book he had never before seen!
The Mullah is doubtless impressed with the great confession
of sin, but at the same time, he makes the excuse that David
in his humility said he was a sinner, but could not have been
really such. I tell him of other passages which prove the sinfulness
of all mankind, and then clinch the argument by reminding him
of one of the traditions of Muhammad (which they set so much
store by) to the effect, that at the Day of Judgment, a great
sinner will go up to the Prophet Adam and ask him to intercede
for him, but Adam will say, No, I cannot, "I once eat of
the forbidden fruit. You had better go to Hazrat Nuh (Noah)."
After making his petition to Noah, the latter will say, "I
cannot intercede for you, I once got drunk, (GEN. ix. 20) go
to Hazrta Daud (David)." David will likewise plead his inability,
eventually he will go to the Prophet Jesus, who is the only one
who does not plead inability, but tells him to go to the last
of the Prophets [34/35] Muhammad. But no amount of arguing will
have much effect, unless he is touched by the Spirit of God.
By getting the Mullah to read the Bible for me, I get him
interested, as well as all others in the Mosque.
Another subject which they never tired of asking about was
the Holy Spirit of God. It seldom occurs in the Quran, but in
the 2nd Sura 11th R. it says that "Jesus was strengthened
with the holy spirit," but the Muhammadan commentators state
that "this spirit was the angel Gabriel, who sanctified
Jesus and constantly attended on him" (Sale). Muhammad certainly
did not mean the Holy Spirit, in the Christian Acceptance. According
to Moslem ideas, each of the Prophets to whom God gave a revelation,
had a Kalima (Creed).
Adam was styled Sufi-Ullah, the Chosen of God.
Abraham was styled Khalil-Ullah, the Friend of God.
Moses was styled Kalim-Ullah, one who conversed with God.
Jesus was styled Ruh-Ullah, the Spirit of God.
Muhammad was styled Rasul-Ullah, the Messenger of God.
So in the time of Abraham, the creed of his followers would
have been: La-ilaha-il-lal-laho Ibrahim Khalil-Ullah.
The creed of the followers of Jesus till the time of Muhammad
would have been: La-ilaha-il-lal-laho Isa Ruh-Ullah.
By this title Jesus was greatly distinguished above the others.
In the Quran He is also called Qaul-ul-Haqq, the Word of Truth.
Muhammadans naturally wished to know something definite about
Jesus being the Spirit of God, about Whom their commentators
knew nothing but what was wrong. This subject alone gave us ample
opportunities for telling them all we knew about Him and read
the passages from the Bible about the Blessed Spirit of [35/36]
Life, the Author of all Purity and Holiness in man, how the indwelling
Spirit of God convicts a man of sin, and helps him to lead a
new life.
During this long discussion, the Mullah forgets that he is
missing one of his daily prayers, so up he jumps, tells us he
will say his prayers "as quickly as possible"! and
come back again. After a little further discussion, he thanks
me very warmly for coming to the mosque, and asks if he may come
and see us in our tent. We tell him we shall be delighted and
request his presence at a certain hour, and hope he will join
us in a cup of tea.
He comes and a most friendly chat again ensues. Of course
I give him the seat of honour.
The discussion in the Mosque has done no end of good. I have
often since then, felt very sorry, when the Mullah left me to
say his prayers in the Mosque, I did not say mine as well, by
prostrating myself on the floor, as the Saints of old always
did, and as Moslems do still, and thus show my Afghan friend
that Christians are as much as, and should be more, desirous
than the Afghans to fulfill all the duties of a good Christian.
I think the reason why I did not do so, was owing to what
our Saviour said about saying prayers to be seen of men, and
yet He did not forbid Public Worship. When having my meals with
them, as I always made a point of doing, I always said my Grace
with them, both before and after meal.
On another occasion, after an interesting discussion outside
the tent late at night, I had wished them a pleasant night's
repose, and retired to my tent, intending to have a quiet time
to myself, I heard a gentle voice outside saying, "Are you
asleep [36/37] Sir?" I open the tent door once more, and
ask the man to come in. He comes in at once, looks round the
tent, under the table and bed, to make sure there were no eaves-droppers
about, and tells me he wants to have a quiet talk with me, anent
the discussion of the evening. He is an Afghan Nicodemus coming
by night, as he is afraid to do so by day.
Such then are the friendly discussions which have occurred
over and over again, as we go from village to village.
I could tell of many more equally earnest discussions. Is
there any wonder that they came to see us in Peshawar, and became
our guests?
________
Afghans have generally two meals in the day, consisting of
either palao, kabob, curds, and whey, pickles, jam, bread and
fruit, and as we are guests, we refuse to eat unless they join
us, beginning and ending with rinsing the hands and saying grace,
both of which they are most particular about.
There are some who, at first, make objection to eating and
drinking with us, because they would never think of doing so
with Hindus, and Hindus would sooner die than share their meals
with those of another religion. But we tell our guests that we
are Ahl-i-Kitab, "People of the Book", an expression
used in the Quran for Moslem, Jews and Christians, worshippers
of One God, and therefore it is legal for them to eat together.
All the time I was in India, I never knew of any other Mission
where there was this freedom in eating and drinking together,
for the simple reason that Hindustani Islam is tarred with the
Hindu brush.
AFGHAN COSTUME
________
[38] We have always felt that the wearing of the Afghan costume
has been a distinct help to us in itinerating in the villages.
Since beginning to write these Reminiscences I have been reading
Lowell Thomas' book "With Lawrence in Arabia", and
I have been particularly struck with what has been said on pp.
197, 198.
"The magnificent Bedouin clothes that Colonel Lawrence
wore, were not theatrical garb. They were a part of his carefully
worked-out plan to gain complete mastery over the Arabs, (whose
language he was a perfect master of). Although he did not attempt
to disguise either his religion or nationality, outwardly he
was an Arab. Except in certain areas, he found that being known
as a British Officer and a Christian was less of an hindrance
than full disguise....to other British Officers who desired to
visit a tribe, he recommended simply the Arab head cloth to be
worn out of courtesy, and not as a disguise. Bedouin have a malignant
prejudice against a hat, and believe our persistence in wearing
it, is founded on some irreligious principle. Lawrence's maxim
was, "Adopt the kuffieh, agal and abba, and you will acquire
the confidence and intimacy of the sons of Ishmael to a degree
impossible in European garb. But to don Arab kit has its dangers,
as well as its advantages. Breached of etiquette, excused in
a foreigner, are not condoned if he is in Arab clothes....complete
success comes when the Arab forgets your strangeness and speaks
naturally before you." His advice was that if you wear Arab
dress, you shall always wear the best for the reason that clothes
are significant among the tribes,....if you use the Arab custom
at all, go the whole [38/39] length, leave your English friends,
and customs on the coast, and rely entirely on Arab habits....the
effort of living and thinking a foreign language, the rude fare,
strange clothes, and stranger ways, with the complete loss of
privacy and quiet, and the impossibility of ever relaxing your
watchful imitation of others for months on end, prove such an
added strain that this course should not be taken without serious
thought."
All this advice is of infinite value, and is equally true
for those who would adopt the Afghan or any other costume.
All those who are acquainted with Missionary publications
know how much many Missionaries in China have adopted the Chinese
dress, and it was from reading such books, that I resolved whilst
in my teens, to do the same, when I went out into the Mission
field.
In Peshawar I first began to adopt it about 1877, soon after
I began to talk Pakhto at all fluently, but when on going home
to England in 1881, the Masters and Afghan Scholars of the school
gave me a beautiful illuminated Persian address, and a magnificent
khilat or dress of honour, consisting of a lovely embroidered
pashmena choga, turban, and golden-threaded kulla. On thanking
them for it, I told them that I took it for granted that they
wished me to wear it, and wear it I did, whenever I subsequently
went into camp. I was never treated by any, except with the greatest
respect. It was only after this, that I heard with the greatest
satisfaction, that Dr. Pennell of the Derajat, had adopted the
costume with the greatest success.
[40] THANDIANI
________
It was owing to the extreme unhealthiness of Peshawar, that
we were ordered away to the Hills for a few weeks every summer.
Thandiani was situated some 12 miles from Abbotabad in the Himalayas,
about 7000 ft. above the sea. It was a most delightful and healthy
spot, and here it was that the Mission possessed two small cottages,
so I arranged to take alternate leave of absence with Mr. Hughes,
and there to work hard at Pakhto and Hebrew. I also wanted to
see the property the Mission owned there, before Mr. Hughes went
home on leave. I enjoyed the respite from the heat of the plains
immensely. It was a short lived pleasure, for owing to an accident
and fever, the Chaplain of Peshawar had to go away for several
weeks, and much of his work, devolved on Mr. Hughes and myself,
in addition to all our other work.
As soon as Mr. Hughes and family left for Thandiani, I invited
Dr. Duke of the Royal Artillery to live with me in the Mission
House for company, the result was I often dined with him at his
Mess, and was made an Hon. Member of it. That year there was
a great amount of sickness in the Artillery, and other Regimental
Hospitals. I had a slight attack of fever, but it was nothing
compared with the majority of cases I attended.
I was therefore glad to get away to Thandiani in the middle
of July, and to enjoy the splendid view of Nanga Parbat, 26000
ft. high, the third highest mountain in the Himalayas.
The Divine Services on Sunday, we held by invitation in one
of the larger houses, and most of the residents attended both
Services. Some Kindred spirits were up there, which made it very
pleasant.
I remained there one month.
[41] PESHAWAR
________
There are very few alive now who can remember the unhealthiness
of Peshawar during the seventies of last Century. During those
years there were visitations of Cholera, every three years, and
the Peshawar fever, carried off many lives every year, owing
to malaria caused by decaying vegetation on the banks of the
rivers, and also to the fact that there was only one well (that
at Mackeson's Monument) in the whole of the Cantonments, from
which drinking water could be obtained; but water-carriers would
not go so far, if they could fill their mussucks from a neighboring
ditch. All the water therefore had to be boiled and filtered,
and no wonder, for the Cantonments had been laid out originally,
over a huge Muhammadan burial ground! The reason for placing
the Cantonment there, was, it was the only big piece of ground,
situated between the City and the Kyber Pass, on high ground
that could not be irrigated. A very suitable place for a graveyard.
[Transcriber's Note: Memorial at Peshawar - "Here lies
the body of Frederick Mackeson Lieutenant Colonel in the Bengal
Army Companion of the Bath and Commissioner of Peshawur who was
born September 2nd 1807 and died September 14th 1853 of a wound
inflicted by a religious fanatic. He was the beau-ideal of a
soldier: cool to conceive, brave to dare, and strong to do. The
Indian Army was proud of his noble presence in its ranks - Not
without cause. On the dark page of the Afghan War, the name of
'Mackeson' shines brightly out. The frontier was his post and
the future was his field. The defiles of the Khyber, and the
peaks of the Black Mountains, alike witness his exploits - Death
still found him in the front. Unconquered enemies felt safer
when he fell - His own Government thus mourned the fall "The
reputation of Lieutenant Colonel Mackeson as a soldier is known
to, and honored by all. His value as a Political servant of the
state is known to none better than to the Governor General himself,
who in a difficult and eventful time had cause to mark his great
ability, and the admirable prudence, discretion and temper which
added tenfold value to the high soldierly qualities of his warlike
character. The loss of Colonel Mackeson's life would have dimmed
a victory. To lose him thus by the hand of a foul assassin is
a misfortune of the heaviest gloom, for the Government which
counted him amongst its bravest and best." General Orders
of the Marquis Dalhousie, Governor General of India 3rd October
1853. This monument was erected by his friends."]
It was only after I had been there about ten years that the
Government realized the absolute necessity of bringing in a good
supply of drinking water by pipes from the Bara river, and lay
it through out the Cantonments and city. The mortality was lowered
immediately.
THANDIANI CHURCH
________
It was during my visit to Thandiani next year in 1874 that
it was decided to build a little Church. The English Community
at once responded to an appeal, and raised about Rs350.
It was decided that it should be a log Church built upon a
stone foundation. Sanction was obtained from the Authorities
to cut down trees at one rupee each. The dimensions of the Church
were 38ft. x 18ft. Deodars and other pine trees of great size
[41/42] were put into requisition, masons and carpenters having
been got up from Abbottabad. We were able to put on the roof,
but the sides had to remain open, till we should have more time
the following year to complete it. The little Church proved a
blessing.
A few years later, when Mr. Hughes was in England, I made
it a little Ecclesiastical, by building on an apse to it, and
thereby giving greater accommodation to worshippers.
The pine trees of Thandiani are many and varied, e.g. Pinus
Excelsior, Pinus Longifolia, Pinus Webiana, the Spruce and Deodar,
the latter being particularly valuable for building purposes.
________
We looked upon Abbottabad as a sub-station for our Missionary
work, as we found many enquirers, more especially a post-master,
with whom we were particularly pleased. Captain and Mrs. Battye
were very helpful to us in all our work.
The 54 miles ride between Hassan Abdal (on the railway), and
Thandiani was always very invigorating, some officers at Abbottabad
were always very kind in lending us a mount. On my return to
Peshawar in October, I was very anxious to live in Ghorkhatri,
in the city, to be more in the middle of my work, but as Mr.
Hughes and his family were starting for England in a few months,
it was necessary for me to be at the head quarters in the Mission
House in Cantonments.
The Ghorkhatri was the name given to a house (handwritten
note: large serai in the highest part of the city, at the corner
of which a house had been built by Gen. Avitabile) & improved
by the Rev. Robert Clark, some years previously, with the sanction
of the Government. Hundreds of years ago it was the site of a
Buddhist Monastery, and was situated in the highest part of the
city. The work at Peshawar was always very congenial, as there
were many enquirers, and a constant realization of the Presence
[42/43] and blessing of God, whether engaged at the Garrison
Church and English Hospitals in the absence of the Chaplain,
or in the Hujra with the Afghans, or in the city. I was often
left to myself, as Mr. Hughes was frequently in the district,
exercising great influence among the village chiefs and mullahs.
It was encouraging to think that we were helping to build
up that Glorious Temple, with stones of different colours, but
all fitted and squared by the Great Master Builder, some in one
place, and others, in an altogether different clime.
Mr. Hughes and family left Peshawar at the end of March 1875
for England, leaving me alone to carry on, but the Afghan boys
in the Hujra were always great company for me, to say nothing
of the grown-up Afghans who were constantly coming and going.
One day I went to a village on the confines of our territory
when I saw the uncle of one of my boys, who requested me "to
give his nephew a thrashing, every time he did not say his prayers!
and hoped I would not make him a Christian!!"
On another occasion, one of the greatest Afghan landed proprietors
brought his son to be educated by us; the father was plainly
told that he would be taught Arabic, Persian, English, Mathematics
&c &c, and that possibly the boy might elect to become
a Christian. The father at once said, "Well Sir, if he does
not become a Christian, probably his son will"!! A few years
after, the father himself became much impressed. That son is
now in high Government service. So great a confidence had they
in our honesty of purpose, in not putting pressure on the boys
to become Christian, that they gladly left them with us. Several
lads of the higher classes did come under our influence.
[44] CITY FIRE
________
It was during May 1875 that a vast conflagration took place
in the city, lasting for three days, fanned by a strong breeze.
The houses being chiefly of wood, and having become very dry
owing to the exceedingly hot weather, burned like tinder. I was
down there with many Officers, the best part of 60 hours, helping
them to cut off the fire from the rest of the city, by blowing
up with gunpowder whole rows of houses, to prevent the fire jumping
over the narrow streets to other quarters.
One of these Officers of the Royal Engineers said to me after
a time, "Jukes! you have mistaken your calling, you should
have been a sapper"! Many thousands of houses were thus
destroyed. We did all we could to impress the many hundreds who
came to look on, to help put the fire out. One said, "I
am a Sayid, its not my work". Another was a Brahmin, who
would lose his caste: all thought it was a matter of kismet,
and that it was wrong to fight against God.
The Mosques were all full of devout worshippers, praying very
loudly. Many of them thought that the fate of Sodom and Gomorrow
awaited them. Some 15000 persons were thrown out of hearth and
home. The conflagration did this good, that it afforded the Government
and Municipality the opportunity that was long wanted, to widen
the streets. Our Mission property was mercifully preserved.
________
It was in June 1875 that I entertained a very interesting
Greek Traveller, named Dr. Potagos at the request of the Deputy
Commissioner. He had been knocking about Persia, Turkestan, Thibet,
Chinese Tartary, Russia &c, and could converse in French,
Italian, [44/45] Turki, Persian, and Greek. I found that I had
forgotten all the French I ever knew, but I attempted a conversation,
and failing that a correspondence with much difficulty in Greek,
which would, I am sure, have made the hair of my old Masters
in Blundell's School, stand on end! My knowledge of Persian was
little better.
He would not tell why he was so anxious to get through to
Kabul but some years later it was discovered, that some time
before, he had found gold and precious stones, in the Northern
parts of Afghanistan, and that he wanted to get permission to
work the mines.
He could only get permission to get through to Kabul, by a
very roundabout way, and then the Amir would not listen to his
arguments, telling him that if he allowed him to start mining,
he would soon have a lot of hornets round him, in the shape of
English and other races, whom he wished to avoid.
KASHMIR
_______
In September 1875, I walked with my Persian teacher Khalifa
Mian Nathu, from Murree to Kashmir by double marches each day,
and was able to be of some help to Dr. Maxwell, who was then
in charge of the Medical Mission in succession to Dr. Elmslie.
There was no Clerical Missionary resident then, and I was
able to baptize the first Kashmiri family.
The march into Kashmir was warm, but the exercise did me much
good, and I got on with my colloquial knowledge of Urdu and Persian.
We crossed the river Jhelum (the ancient name for which, in Alexander
the Great's time was Hydaspes). We passed some Buddhist ruins
on the road, buried in the jungle. Much was in excellent preservation,
and built of granite.
Six-sevenths of the people in Kashmir are Moslem, although
the [45/46] Maharajah is a Dogra. On the arrival of the Maharajah
from Jummu to Srinagar, all the English there, were invited to
go and meet him on the river in boats, 2 or 3 miles from the
Capital.
In the evening he entertained the English visitors to a dinner
in the Palace. In August, just as I was about to return to Peshawar
I developed fever, which kept me in bed for 16 days, and as Dr.
Maxwell needed a holiday, we went to Gulmarg, some 2 or 3000
feet higher than Sprinagar, to enable us to recover strength.
We had to live in tents, under the pine trees, which was very
pleasant, till we were able to secure a hut, on its vacation
by other English visitors. I soon got stronger, owing to the
kind attention of Dr. and Mrs. Maxwell, and very much enjoyed
the walks in the mountains. Unfortunately he was in a bad state
of health, had to resign his post and return to England.
I accompanied them to Murree. We had to go by easy marches
as he was suffering much from nervous depression and fainting
fits, owing to a weak heart.
Just before we left Sprinagar, the British Government presented
the Maharajah with a Steam-launch, through the British Resident
Major Henderson. At the launch in the lake, the whole population
was on a fete, and Europeans were once more entertained, in the
beautiful Shalimar Gardens, made by the Emperor Akbar and his
son Jehangir in the 16th century. The departure of Dr. Maxwell
was much regretted, and the Maharajah honoured him, by sending
one of his Dewans to present him with a grand Kashmir shawl,
and other Pashmena goods to the value of 40 or L50.
At Murree I left the Maxwells, they went to Bombay, and I
went to Peshawar, glad to have been of some help to them, in
return for [46/47] their kindness to me.
________
On arriving at Peshawar early in October I at once went out
into the District with a catechist for a little preaching tour.
We slept at Nowshera and in the morning breakfasted with some
friends Captain and Mrs. Birch, and eventually left the Grand
Trunk Road at Jehangira, and crossed over to the left bank of
the Kabul river. After passing through several Afghan villages
and talking to the Chiefs and their retainers, we reached Zeyda,
the abode of a loyal Chief and our friend, Ibrahim Khan, who
had entrusted us with his little son Abdul Ghafur Khan for instruction
in the Mission School.
There were at that time, two great rival religious leaders
among the Afghans, one lived at Swat across the Frontier and
was generally called Akhund, which means Teacher; and the other
was the Mullah of Kotah, who lived between Jehangira and Zeyda.
It was this latter I went to see, as I passed through his village.
It was during the last ten days of the Fast of Ramazan, when
the Mullahs spend almost their entire days in their Mosques,
and are willing to talk to all who come for advice; so I sent
in my salaams, signifying thereby that I wished to have a conversation
with him. I was immediately ushered into his presence.
The old gentleman was almost blind from a cataract, had as
much difficulty in seeing me, as I had in seeing him, owing to
the room having been made dark. I found him surrounded by a great
number of men, some from Bokhara or Kabul, some reading the Quran
aloud, so there was no little hubbub. His son acted as interpreter,
as my Pakhto was anything but perfect. The old Mullah gave me
a long ovation, and two or three times offered up prayer, the
purport of which, I believe, was that I might be led [47/48]
into "the right way." He showed true hospitality, and
begged me to pass the night in his village. A former Missionary
had, I found out, presented him with a handsomely bound copy
of the Gospels, but had then to go with a guard, as it was not
then considered safe to travel without one; but the reputation
of the Peshawar Mission for hospitality, through Mr. Hughes,
had so grown that I had nothing but kindness shown me.
The Khan of Zeyda, Ibrahim Khan, allowed me to use his guest
house, which looked quite like a European Bungalow, with lofty
rooms which he had built for the benefit of such Englishmen who
might visit him; it was the only one on the district of Yousafzai
and Hashtnagar. I was warmly received by the Chief, and all the
male members of his family, who insisted on having me as their
guest at every meal.
There was in that village, a Christian Zamindar named Shamoneer,
entirely isolated from all the means of grace. He had put in
a long period of distinguished service in the Corps of Guides
and had become a Christian, chiefly through the influence of
that grand man Subadar Dilawar Khan, whose interesting story
has been published by Mr. Hughes. This Subadar had been sent
on a political mission by the Government into Central Asia, so
much had he been thought of by those in authority. But he had
been recognized as a Christian and was foully murdered.
Shamoneer had received a pension after long service, and resolved
to live on his own land, and I am thankful to say he was not
ashamed to call himself a Christian. He was a true Afghan and
was in his old age accustomed to dye his beard red and sometimes
blue! but he was in no sense a "Blue Beard"!!!
He took me round his fields, and we sat together in his linney
talking over various religious matters. I expressed regret [48/49]
that I had not my Bible with me, but he at once jumped up, saying
that he had one, and proceeded to take it down from the rafters
of the roof where he always kept it, and together we read some
portion of it. It was during some time in his life, after he
had been baptized, that some of the hot-bloods of the village
wanted to compel him to become a Muhammadan again, but he scorned
the idea and told them that under no consideration would he give
up his Christian Religion. They were all in the village Hujra
at the time; they rushed at him, threw him down to the ground;
fastened a rope round his ankles, put the rope over a beam in
the roof, and hoisted him up, with his head dangling on the ground,
"Will you now become a Muslim?" they shouted, His answer
was "Never." "Then you will die, and there will
be no one to bury you" they said. Shamoneer's laconic answer
showed the grit that was in him for he simply said "You
will soon get tired of me if you don't"!! They let him down
for they were afraid of the strong arm of the Law, and did not
wish to be hanged. He often used to come into Peshawar and join
us at our worship and Celebration of the Holy Eucharist.
________
After this I went to the extreme end of the Yousafzai district,
and spent the Sunday at Torbela on the banks of the Indus, as
it debouches from the Swat country, spending the time in villages.
At one of them the Maulvie of the Mosque brought out some books
and was very agreeable. The Catechist had some very interesting
conversation with him.
[50] The next day we went towards Hurreepore, half way between
Hassan Abdal and Abbottabad, and we had a long conversation with
the Khan, who seemed to appreciate our visit. Some of the Mullahs
proved very bigoted, and seemed more anxious to show their followers
how far superior their knowledge was to ours, than to learn anything
from us.
The next day ay Hurreepore I had another attack of fever and
could not accompany the Catechist into the bazaar to preach;
the next day I had another attack at Hassan Abdal, having been
obliged to ride 22 miles in the meantime. Under the circumstances
I thought it best to remain quiet at Attock in the staging Bungalow
till the fever disappeared.
On reaching Peshawar, I had the pleasure of baptizing an adult
Muhammadan, although I generally left the Baptisms to our Pastor,
the Rev. Imam Shah. The man had been a Mohout or elephant driver,
but having had his shoulder broken by one, he took to some other
employment. He had been wishing for Baptism for sometime; a day
or two before his Baptism, he dreamed about my baptizing him,
and was radiant with joy as he narrated the dream to me, his
name was Gholab Shah.
My tour in the district impressed me with one thing, and that
was, the necessity for getting on with all three languages, for
without them I felt I could not be of much good.
The Rev. Imam Shah was ordained Priest at Amritsar on the
28th Nov. 1875, he was able to read his Hebrew Bible and Greek
Testament and talk in English. His wife was the daughter of the
Rev. Daud Shah, the first Sikh Convert.
[51] I baptized another man on Christmas Day: his coming to
me was the result of my tour in the District a few months before,
he been showing every sign of true conversion.
EARTHQUAKES
________
Frequent earthquakes happened in Peshawar. One rather serious
awoke me one Sunday morning at 1 a.m. shortly before Christmas
the whole house seemed to be reeling backwards and forwards,
but I did not get up till it increased most suddenly in violence,
when I made for the arched doorway, expecting every moment to
see the roof subside. Many of the Barracks were pronounced unsafe
for habitation, there was not a house in Cantonments which was
not more or less injured. One Officer in Nowshera was imbedded
for a time amongst the debris of the fallen roof.
ATTEMPT ON MY LIFE
________
In Peshawar there is always a possibility of assassination;
Missionaries as well as Officers, take their lives in their hands.
Mullahs in their ignorance and fanaticism, teach their pupils
that one sure way of getting to heaven, is by murdering some
European. One day I went down to the school as usual, on my arrival
there, the Head Persian Teacher (handwritten: Khlaifa Mian Nathu)
who was a Muhammadan, but very friendly to me, told me there
was a fanatic about the playground, who was looking out for me.
The fanatic enquired of several Muhammadan boys, when I was expected,
and what I was like, thinking that as they too were Muhammadans,
they would be sure to favour the attempt, but as they had some
friendly feeling towards me, they were horrified at the idea,
and at once reported [51/52] it to their Persian teacher. Fortunately
I did not meet him, but I reported the circumstance at once,
as was my duty, to the Chief Police Officer, who doubtless had
him watched. I heard nothing more about him.
THE PRINCE OF WALES
________
During the first week of the New Year 1876 I went down to
Amritsar to attend the Missionary Conference. Mr. Hughes had
just returned from England, and was at Amritsar on my arrival.
He was engaged in preparing an address of welcome from the
Panjab Christians to H. R. H. Prince of Wales, (afterwards Edward
vii) who was soon expected, and I was deputed to arrange for
an ivory-worked casket for the Address.
I did not wait for the Royal Arrival, but returned to Peshawar
to relieve the Rev. Imam Shah, who was to be present with other
Panjab Christians at the presentation of the Address, as well
as of Bibles in Urdu, Panjabi, Persian, and Pakhto. Everything
went off well.
Among other National events, the Great "Alexandra"
Bridge over the Chenab, 1 _ miles long, was opened by the Prince.
Messrs Clark, Hooper, Hughes, Wade, and Gordon remained at Lahore
to attend the Levee held by him.
Sir Bartle Frere and Canon Duckworth who were on the Staff
of the Prince came up to Peshawar in February 1876. The former
called on Mr. Hughes and myself, the Sunday he was there. He
took great interest in our Library, and thought he could supplement
it by some books from the India Office. Canon Duckworth preached
the same day in the Garrison Church. In the evening Mr. Hughes
[52/53] and I with many Officers and Ladies met them both at
dinner at the House of our Commissioner Sir Richard Pollock.
The next day they both visited our Church and School and were
much pleased with all they saw. The Teachers and Scholars were
particularly struck with Sir Bartle's humility and affability.
TREASURE TROVE
________
In my spare moments I sometimes studied the subject of Numismatics,
for Peshawar City and the neighbourhood, were rich in all manner
of very ancient coins.
Just before Sir Bartle's visit, there had been a great find
of gold coins, and I had been asked by the Deputy Commissioner
to write a report of them, for the benefit of the Indian Government.
There were 2 or 300 of them, and I discovered that they belonged
to the Kings Kadphises, Kanerkes, Oerki, and Baraoro of the Graeco-Bactrian
Dynasty, as I believed, of the 1st Christian Century, and they
all looked as if they had all just come out of the Mint. At the
request of Sir Bartle Frere, I took them the next day for him
to see, and it ended in my sending him, with the permission of
the Panjab Government, 60 specimens of duplicates for the benefit
of the Indian Office, where there is an excellent Collection
of Central Asian Coins.
I only wish I could have kept some of them for myself, but
as they were each worth at least L1, it was out of the question.
I have no doubt that such a very ancient city as Peshawar
can produce any amount of Treasure Trove.
I sent up my report in March 1876, to the Government, and
in due time received their thanks in the following words: [53/54]
"The thanks of the Panjab Government should be conveyed
by the Deputy Commissioner to the Rev. Mr. Jukes who made so
careful and exhaustive a report on the coins."
PREACHING CHAPEL
________
In the middle of the City at a place called Pipul Mandi, Colonel
Martin had secured a particularly convenient site, and on it
had built a Preaching Chapel as it was called, for on the steps
leading up to a very convenient room, Missionaries and Catechists,
since the time of Colonel Martin, have stood and preached to
the large numbers of Afghans, and men from Central Asia, who
were constantly passing by. There it was, that many who had heard
the Good News of Salvation for the first time, were persuaded
to take away copies of the Gospel, the reading of which has brought
happiness into many a darkened heart, in their homes hundreds
of miles away. There it was, that the celebrated brigand Dilawar
Khan, who afterwards accepted from "Lumsden Sahib",
the Commanding Officer of the Guides, a post in that Regiment,
first heard the Gospel of Christ preached, which resulted in
his Baptism.
Often were the Mullahs so exasperated at the temerity of Missionaries
boldly preaching the Gospel, that they sent their disciples to
heckle them, and to do their best to get them to lose their tempers.
Often have they thrown dust, dirt, and rotten eggs at them, and
so tried to discredit their message among the listeners.
No matter how they rage, the Gospel must still be preached.
Another time the Missionaries would change their tactics,
and invite the listeners outside, who would often collect together
outside in such numbers, as to stop the traffick, to come inside.
This we were virtually compelled to do, as the Police had to
see that the road was kept open for traffick.
Inside they were invited to sit down and listen to some European
or Native brother explain one or other of the doctrines of Salvation,
Forgiveness, Mediation, Sanctification, Purity &c &c.
Opportunity would then be given to any one of the audience
to say what they had to say, even in opposition, and at the close
the lecturer would answer the various objections.
Sometimes a Moslem or a Hindu would request permission to
give the opening lecture, this was always assented to, and then
one of the Christians would respond to it. The Chairman always
insisted on each one having a quiet hearing.
The audience had thus the opportunity of hearing both sides
of the question being reasonably discussed.
Some of my lectures were entitled, "Longings of Humanity",
"Primitive Hinduism", "Teaching of the Prophets",
&c. These lectures led to the Chapel being styled the "Literary
Institute", to which all the literary classes, as well as
others were welcomed, to discuss quietly with the Missionary
or Catechist in charge. We found this a far better way of teaching,
for then we could ensure order being observed.
In the Literary Institute was a Reading Room, to which all
classes were invited to come and read various publications and
books supplied by the Mission. In course of time it came to be
called the "Anjuman", and was used as a recreation
room for Citizens. There was no daily or even weekly paper issued
in Peshawar, and those who attended the Anjuman were anxious
to know what was going on in the world, so the "Akbar-i-Anjuman"
was issued in Persian, it was first started by Mr. Hughes, and
afterwards [55/56] continued by myself, with the invaluable assistance
of our head Persian Teacher.
BISHOP MILMAN
________
It was in February 1876 that Bishop Milman, the Bishop of
Calcutta visited Peshawar, attended by his Chaplain the Rev.
Edgar Jacob, afterwards Bishop of St. Albans. We enjoyed their
visits very much indeed. Bishop Milman was a most saintly man,
full of the spirit of St. Augustine. His sermons were most helpful.
In our little temporary Church he confirmed about a dozen candidates,
some whose parents were Christians, and others who were converts.
His addresses were most impressive and all that he did, showed
that he was anxious to do all for his Master's glory. He was
the first Metropolitan of India, who has ever been able to preach
extempore in the vernacular.
He told the Commissioner that he much wished to be present
with Mr. Hughes at the Bazaar Preaching, but the Commissioner
would not hear of it, as he said he would not be responsible
for what might happen to the Bishop. So on one occasion, he determined
to act on his own responsibility; after lunching with us one
day, he went down to the Bazaar with us, and thoroughly enjoyed
the preaching, standing in the crowd with others, listening to
all the objections that were brought forward, amongst men from
Kabul and Central Asia who joined in the discussion.
Mr. Jacob was also with us. I found he was a cousin of my
former Head Master of Christ's Hospital.
We then all went to our daily Evensong, the Bishop joining
with other Christian worshippers, whilst the Rev. Imam Shah,
read [56/57] prayers and expounded.
On the following Sunday he administered the Blessed Sacrament
in the Mission Church, after which we all went to the Garrison
Church and assisted him and Mr. Rebsch the Chaplin, in the English
Service. All were much impressed with the Bishop's Sermon and
the collection amounted to about Rs 300 for our local Mission
work.
EDUCATIONAL DURBAR
________
On the occasion of distinguished Visitors to Peshawar, we
usually held an Educational Durbar in the Mission compound, which
was very much like a Prize Day in England.
All the Rais of the city and neighbour hood were invited to
be present, to meet the Bishop, the Commissioner and all the
European friends of the Mission. Recitations were given by the
boys in English, Persian, and Pakhto; after which the Bishop,
Mr. Hughes and some Native Gentlemen gave addresses. I was very
glad it all went off so well, as I was the Principal of the School.
These Educational Durbars were held at least once a year, all
the time I was in Peshawar, and were very popular events enabling
us to get into friendly intercourse with all classes.
The Bishop was not at all well when he left us, and Mr. Jacob
seemed anxious. He got as far as Rawal Pindee, and there passed
away into Higher Service. He was very much missed, for he possessed
a great personality, much energy and great holiness.
His devotional work, "The Love of the Atonement"
is a most beautiful and Evangelical exposition of Isaiah liii.
After reading it, I was able to understand why he had been called
a Second Augustine. It is full of the tenderest sympathy and
grasp [57/58] of the intense Love of the Saviour. I only wish
I had known the book at the time he ordained me Priest, and afterwards
visited Peshawar as above stated, for then I should have appreciated
the Saintliness very much more.
He had a very keen Missionary spirit; the following is a memorable
statement of his: "At any cost, and at any sacrifice, as
far as I am concerned, India shall be won to the Lord Jesus."
ENQUIRERS
________
There was a Hindu lad, called Thakur Das who lived in the
city only 15 years old, who seemed most anxious to receive Holy
Baptism. He came to my house one day, and refused all entreaties
in my presence, to go home with his parents. But when they tried
compulsion and beat him severely, I felt bound to prevent it;
the most agonizing scenes then ensued in my verandah; the poor
mother got distracted and beat herself, in order to appeal to
her sons affections. The parents then appealed to the Deputy
Commissioner, who sent word to say, that the boy was too young
to decide for himself, and must go home. I heard afterwards that
he had been bearing his persecutions manfully.
It was always necessary to be more careful with Hindu boys
in their conversion, than with Muhammadans, for should it afterwards
turn out that they had had some wrong motive for becoming Christians,
and turned out badly, they could not be received back into Hinduism,
for they had lost their caste, and would therefore remain as
black sheep within the Christian fold. Whereas a bad [58/59]
convert from Islam could easily recant and become a Moslem again.
I need hardly say that our custom was never to baptize until
the convert had undergone some definite persecution in proof
of his faith, and had been an enquirer for some time.
BISHOPRIC OF LAHORE
________
The Diocese of Calcutta, comprising the whole of Northern
India, in addition to the Panjab and Sindh in the West, and Burmah
in the East, comprising 2000 miles in length, was far too large
for any one man to be responsible for.
The Panjab and Sindh had been annexed after the Panjab Wars.
Bishop Wilson was the Bishop of Calcutta at the time. A little
incident happened at the time before the Annexation, which is
apt to be lost sight of, but which proved the saintliness of
his character, and willingness to undertake still greater responsibility
in the Panjab for his Divine Master.
During his Visitation of his vast Diocese he had come to the
great river Sutlej, the western boundary of it. He was watching
a fine body of warlike men, crossing over the river into British
Territory, and he longed for the time when they might form part
of the Church of Christ. Suiting his actions to his words, he
stretched out his hands over the river and claimed the whole
of the Panjab for Christ.
Little did he think that within 50 years, there would be scores
of churches, and thousands of Panjabi Christians who proclaimed
Christ as King.
It had long been desired to cut off the Panjab and Sindh,
to reduce the size of the Calcutta Bishopric, and to consecrate
a [59/60] Bishop for those two Countries; the man was ready,
a saintly man, a Scholar, and a Gentleman, with a greater knowledge
of the vernaculars than any living man, to say nothing of Hebrew,
Greek, Latin, and French, in the person of the Rev. Thomas Valpy
French.
He was in England at the time of Bishop Milman's death at
Rawal Pindi in March 1876, and being of a kindred spirit with
Professor Westcott, afterwards Bp. of Durham, and being much
appreciated by the Archbishop for his very great ability and
saintliness, he was nominated to the First Bishopric of Lahore.
There had been no new Bishoprics formed in India, since that
of Bombay in 1837, and on Bp. Milman's death, it was difficult
to find a successor to grapple with the enormous Diocese, which
had so vastly increased in size and European population.
The S. P. G. at once set on foot a scheme for the formation
of ten Indian Sees; two of them, Lahore and Rangoon, one at each
end of the Calcutta Diocese, were really established before the
close of 1877. Lord Northbrook the Viceroy, presided at a meeting
in Government House, Calcutta very soon after Bp. Milman's death,
to inaugurate the Lahore Diocese in memory of him.
Another meeting was subsequently held at Lambeth Palace under
Archbishop Tait in July 1876 with the same object, and funds
at once began to flow in. The S. P. C. K. gave L5000 towards
the endowment of the See, the Colonial Bishopric's Fund L3000,
the S. P. G. L2000, and the Marquis of Salisbury L1000; by the
end of January 1877, over L20,000 was collected, and Government
was prepared to supplement this Endowment with the annual grant
of L800, the stipend of a Senior Chaplain.
[61] The districts of the Panjab and Sindh, with the ready
consent of the new Metropolitan Bishop Johnson, were assigned
to the New See. At the request of the Archbishop, Mr. French
allowed his Nomination to the appointment, after a few days consideration,
with the following proviso:
"Any distinctly understood prohibition of Missionary
work, as inconsistent with liabilities incurred towards the Government
of India, would compel me to beg your Grace to excuse my compliance
with your kind offer to nominate me to Lord Salisbury for the
appointment."
On the 30th August 1877 he received the formal offer of the
See.
The appointment gave unbounded satisfaction to all who knew
Mr. French's qualifications and the needs of India.
At the time there were some 20 million Hindus, Moslems, and
Sikhs; 20(0)00 Europeans, 100 Native Christians, and 60 Clergy
within the New Diocese.
On St. Thomas' Day (Dec. 21st) 1877, he was consecrated Bishop
at Westminster Abbey. He entered his Diocesan See at Lahore on
4th March 1787.
AFRIDIS
________
It was in April 1876 the Government came to open conflict
with the Afridis, owing to their refusal to keep open the road
between Peshawar and Kohat, notwithstanding the annual Subsidy
of several thousand Pounds sterling to them. As they refused
the permission of Government to make a metalled road, the Pass
was blockaded and no Afridi was allowed entrance into British
territory.
The Bussi Kheyl, who lived near Fort Mackeson came first into
[61/62] collision with our troops, but the whole Afridi Kheyl
before long became submissive.
________
One of our Afghan lads, Ghulam Haidar at this time became
favourably inclined to Christianity; and notwithstanding all
the threats and exhortations from his father, relations and Chiefs
to leave, he refused to obey, and went through a great amount
of persecution. It was by having these lads continually about
me, giving them free access to my rooms at all hours, that we
could hope to embue them with the Spirit of God. The results
of our scholastic endeavours must be looked for in the next generation,
more than in the present. It is a work of faith.
________
In the summer I used to get up at 5 a. m., open the school
at 6:30 a. m. give one or two scripture lessons, and see that
the Masters carried out my instructions with regard to secular
teaching. I then used to go and see some native gentleman and
return home for breakfast at 10 or 10:30 a.m. At 11 I had my
Pakhto teacher till 1 p. m. From 2 to 4 p. m. my Persian teacher.
Dinner was at 4 p. m. so that it should not interfere with evening
duties. I then went down to the Bazaar Preaching in the city,
finishing up with Evensong. We had tea at 8 p. m. and eventually
retired at 10 or 11 p. m. Later on I gave up tea, and dined at
8 p. m. All this gave me little or no time for myself.
Occasionally I went to the Club in Cantonments, had a game
of tennis and so saw something of the Officers and their wives.
Experience proved that it was a very necessary part of our work.
[63] SCIENCE
________
Sometimes of an evening when the nights were dark, I used
to go to the house of a neighbouring friend Dr. Courtney, the
Civil Surgeon, who owned a very fine reflector telescope, equatorially
mounted, to look at the starry firmament, and get lessons on
practical Astronomy. He instructed me in the use of the sextant
and artificial horizon; how to find Latitude, Longitude, mean
time &c &c. I necessarily found myself dabbling once
more on Logarithms and spherical Trigonometry, which I had been
rapidly forgetting. I became very much interested in it all,
but found it very difficult to make time, for observing double
stars, comets, planetary moons &c &c. It was a very pleasant
recreation while it lasted, but before long Dr. Courtney was
posted to another station and had to leave, much to my regret,
as he was the only scientific man I knew in the neighbourhood,
so my star-gazing did not last long unfortunately.
After his death, his widow gave us his telephone which we
fixed up between the Mission House and the Afghan Hostel, at
the farther end of the compound. Dr. Courtney took the greatest
interest in all the latest inventions, and I was heartily glad
to get it. It astonished the Afghans more than words can say,
it was impossible for them to restrain their excitement. His
Widow also kindly gave us a Radiometer. All these, together with
the plant we had for making Oxygen and Hydrogen, galvanic batteries,
Orreries &c I found most useful for the instruction of science
in the school, and for amusing Afghans.
[64] BIBLE TRANSLATING
________
During the summer of 1876 I took up the study of Hebrew again,
on account of its cognate languages Arabic, Persian &c. I
knew that it would prove most useful when I became more proficient
in Pakhto in helping Mr. Hughes in the revision of the Old Testament
in that language, which became a great pleasure in subsequent
years.
The first translation of the Pentateuch into Pakhto had been
made under the auspices of Mr. Carey of the Serampore Mission
in 1824 by someone, probably a Jew, who knew the language, which
Mr. Carey probably did not. It was a most creditable undertaking,
but it is not a good translation, and the type made in the Mission,
was too stereotyped to be of any value, and often difficult to
read.
The next effort was made, it is believed, by the Rev C. G.
Pfander, in Peshawar, by translating the New Testament into good
readable Pakhto, and was printed by Stephen Austin of Hertford
in 1863. It appears as if it had been printed by Photo-zincography.
It is very clear, but the volume was too large to warrant its
being sold or even given away in any numbers.
In 1876 Mr. Hughes began the retranslation of the Pentateuch,
at the instance and expense of the British and Foreign Bible
Society, with the assistance of Maulvie Ahmad of Tangi, a good
Arabic Scholar, on the basis of Hebrew and the Arabic edition
of the Bible. It was completed by me and then written out on
foolscap paper by the best Caligraphist in Peshawar, Khushnavis
Ghulam Jilani, and photo-zincographed in London by the Bible
Society.
At the request of the Bible Society, a sub-Committee for the
re-translating of the whole Bible was appointed, consisting of
[64/65] the Rev. T. J. Lee Mayer of Bannu and myself, under the
chairmanship of that great Eastern Scholar, Bishop French.
Mr. Mayer and I divided the work between us, which we submitted
to the Bishop, as often as he could arrange to meet us.
The great difficulty was, what word should be used for JEHOVAH.
The Bishop naturally decided in favour of transliterating the
Divine Tetragrammaton, but the Bible Society strongly objected
to this, as their Secretary, the Rev. Mr. Wright, who had had
much to do with the translation of the Bible into Arabic at Baynut,
had used the word "Rab", except on very few occasions
when "Jehovah" alone could be used. But "Rab"
only meant "Master."
During my itinerations in the villages, I often found in my
discussions with the Mullahs, that the great subject which interested
them was the Ism-i-Azim, or the Great Name of God, which they
had learned from Jews, had been lost. I told them how it was
written in Hebrew, and how the pronunciation of it had been lost,
probably from the time of King David, the Jews thinking that
this great and holy Name was too sacred to be pronounced; but
that its original pronunciation was probably YIHVEH.
The next question they invariably asked was, "Is it a
name descriptive of God's Essence, or of one of His Attributes?"
I told them unhesitatingly, that it described His very Essence,
it meant the great I AM, which appealed to them very forcibly,
for they already had 99 Names of God, descriptive of His Attributes,
which they were continually recounting.
All this I explained to the Bible Society Committee when I
was in London, but the argument did not appeal to them [65/66]
as a body, and the Committee insisted that the word "Rab"
should be used.
I then wrote to all the great Hebrew Scholars in England asking
their advice, giving them the above arguments and telling them
that the Mullahs were acquainted with HU and YAHU which undoubtedly
referred to the Great Name in their ignorance. The great majority,
especially Professors Westcott and Lightfoot (afterwards Bishops)
stated most firmly that in every case, the great name must be
transliterated, and not translated.
Again I met the Committee of the Bible Society, and laid before
them all the correspondence, and yet in face of it, they rejected
it, for the majority of them were not scholars.
But it did not influence my action, for I resolved that in
every case, the Great Name which God revealed of Himself should
be used. The only one of the Committee who was in favour of my
action, was the Rev. Mr. Sharp, formerly Missionary in Masulipatam,
and who was one of my fellow passengers on my first voyage to
India. He told me that the majority of the Committee who voted
against me, could not grasp the distinction between the Essence
and the Attribute of God.
Ultimately the portions of the Bible translated by me, contained
the original word in every case. This edition is what is in use
now.
Since I retired I have learnt that the Bible Society have
acted on my advice in all their editions.
No pains were spared, that the Pakhto edition should be in
good colloquial language, understandable by all. [66/67] The
edition was printed in London by Nops, 19 Ludgate Hill and published
by the British and Foreign Bible Society in 1889.
THE PAKHTO PRAYER BOOK
________
I then revised Mr. Clark's Translation of the Book of Common
Prayer into Pakhto. This had never been printed.
It was done with the assistance of our Afghan convert and
Catechist Hamidullah. It was written out by Khushnavis Ghulam
Jilani, and published in the same way, by the S. P. C. K. about
1886, and was very frequently used by me in All Saint's Church,
as I much wished that the medium of the service of the Afghan
Mission should be in the dialect of the Country.
________
In August 1876 I went up to Thandiani, and took 4 of my Afghan
boys with me, as they were so anxious to see the mountains, so
much of my time was spent with them in reading and talking with
them, and in enjoying the mountainous scenery.
One of them was Ghulam Haidar, who was like so many others,
fully convinced of the truth of Christianity, but had little
idea of the heinousness of sin, and consequently had not really
sought forgiveness; he tried very hard to keep himself pure,
and received an immense amount of abuse for persisting to live
with me.
CHOLERA
________
Cholera again developed in Peshawar, notwithstanding the great
precautions made against it by the Medical Authorities, and I
promptly returned from Thandiani at the call of duty. I am thankful
to say, I was never nervous about it, and never suffered from
it. It proved to be one of the worst outbursts, [67/68] about
800 died in Peshawar district. Quarantine was strictly established
between the city and Cantonments. One battery of Artillery was
decimated by it, and the English and Native Regiments suffered
severely.
Unfortunately the Chaplain Mr. Rebsch was away on leave, and
I was doing duty in his place, and had to visit Cholera Hospitals,
in which Mr. Hughes assisted me. It was sad seeing so many men
in various stages of collapse, seized with awful cramps, and
dying suddenly.
Several had often to be buried the same day, one Service doing
for all, without any Military ceremony.
Each Regiment, European and Native, was marched out into Camp
as soon as possible, after a few cases in each happened. The
Chaplain was, of course, recalled to duty, and so we were after
a time relieved by his return.
There were two English Cemeteries in constant use, 2 or 3
others had been filled up and closed. I do not remember any deaths
among our Native Christians.
MISSION CEMETERY
________
There was an old Cemetery outside the Kohat Gate of the City,
in which many English Officers and Soldiers were buried in 1849
when Peshawar was first occupied, before the present Cantonments
and two cemeteries were laid out, in course of time it had become
disused, but it was very conveniently situated for a Cemetery
for our Native Christian Community. A grant of land was obtained
by Mr. Hughes from the Government to enlarge it. The enlargement
comprised peach, plum, and pomegranate orchards, but as most
[68/69] of the trees had become very old and straggling, I had
them all cut down, and in their place I planted gum trees, cypresses
&c, and made the place as pretty as I could, a true (coimhthzion
- handwritten Greek text) for all who lie buried there.
Close to it was a Muhammadan burial ground, from which thoughtless
Muhammadan boys and young men used to throw stones at the Christian
graves. Mr. Hughes and I stopped this by erecting a beautiful
entrance gateway, of Eastern architecture, surmounted by a stone
Cross.
The contrast between an unkempt Muhammadan grave yard, and
the beautiful garden-like cemetery of the Christians, impressed
them so much, that there was no more stone-throwing, and nothing
more to complain of; in fact many Muhammadans used to come, sit
down, and admire it.
________
As soon as the Cholera abated in Nov. 1876, I went to Abbottabad
to see some enquirers, chiefly through the keenness of the Postmaster
Sohn Lal, an Honorary Catechist of the Mission. He was a very
worthy little man who did much good.
The Afghan Catechist Jalaluddin was with me, but I left him
at Hurripur whilst I went on to Abbottabad for a few days, intending
on my return, to go with him to Torbela and staying at the various
villages on the banks of the river Indus, down to Attock.
TROUBLE WITH KABUL
________
By the time we arrived at Peshawar, we found it all agog with
the new Viceroy, Lord Lytton, the Commander-in-Chief and the
Lieutenant Governor of the Panjab and their respective [69/70]
Staffs. The Conservatives having come into power in 1876 with
Lord Salisbury as Prime Minister, a change took place in Afghan
Politics; Lord Northbrook had resigned as Viceroy and Lord Lytton
had taken his place.
During the preceding years, Russia had taken possession of
Bokhara and Khiva, and had even a Fort at Kila Panja on the banks
of the Oxus, not 400 miles from the Indian Frontier, and there
was great fear lest Afghanistan should fall under its power.
There was much to frighten the Rulers of India, lest the threat
of Peter the Great to seize India should become a practical reality.
In 1873 Sher Al, the Amir of Afghanistan earnestly desired
a closer alliance with Great Britain, having a lively apprehension
of Russian designs, but owing to the "Masterly Inactivity"
of the Government of the day, he had been assured that his fears
were groundless, and all possibility of making the Amir a firm
friend of the British Government, came to an end when he found,
later on, that the British were insisting on a British Representative
being stationed at Herat, the better to keep watch over the Russians.
A plausible pretext for a Political Mission to Afghanistan
was found in the assumption by the Queen, of the title "Empress
of India" which had been proclaimed by Lord Lytton at a
great Durbar at Delhi on 1st January 1877.
To Lord Lytton's request that the Amir Sher Ali should receive
an Envoy to explain what was meant by the Proclamation, the Amir
sent a polite refusal, in much the same way as he had recently
refused Russia, as he feared his own inability to protect [70/71]
an Envoy from the fanaticism of his subjects.
Lord Lytton considered this a great insult, became impulsive
and impatient, as he had been persuaded to believe that Sher
Ali was intriguing with Russia. The fact was, he was anxious
to keep both his European suitors at arm's length.
Lord Lytton then requested the Amir to send an Envoy down
to Peshawar to talk matters over with the British Representative.
It was to prepare for this that the Viceroy visited Peshawar
on this occasion, towards the end of November 1876.
With Lord Lytton came the Commander-in-Chief, the Lieutenant-Governor
of the Panjab, and also Sir Lewis Pelly of Baroda notoriety,
having committed the Guicowar of Baroda for trial. He had also
acted as Charges d' Affaires at Teheran, Resident at Bushire
and Zanzibar.
The Viceroy made a grand entry into the City, and I had the
Mission School boys drawn up, to give him a good reception, the
streets were well filled with loyal subjects of the Queen. The
roads were all lined by Native Infantry and Calvary, as well
as by English Regiments, which had just returned from cholera
camps in good health.
The next day a Levee was held in R. A. Mess, when in company
with all other Officers and Civilians, Mr. Hughes and I were
introduced to His Excellency.
Next day we both received a summons to give him a private
audience. He chatted in the freest possible way, asking Mr. Hughes
about the attitude of the Afghans at Peshawar and in Kabul, the
probable feeling existing between Kabul and Persia, and Kabul
and Russia, the possibility of a Jehad, and our personal [71/72]
relationship with the Afghans in general. He let out that the
Russian Government had proposed to the English Government, the
advisability of disarming the whole of Central Asia. Mr. Hughes,
who had had so much experience of the Afghan Policy, was of course
the person to reply.
On leaving, he took hold of Mr. Hughes' hand with both his,
and thanked him for all he had done, and promised a subscription
to the School.
Sir Lewis Pelly was left behind, after the departure of the
Viceroy, to carry on Political Conversations, in the house which
had been occupied by the Lieutenant Governor; but as he was there
attacked by a bad bout of fever, Dr. Bellew who was politically
attached to him for the time, and who had spent some time in
Yarkund and Central Asia and Herat, asked permission to bring
Sir Lewis to the Mission House. So we accordingly put them both
up. Sir Lewis and Mr. Hughes had long and constant conversations
with each other. Sir Lewis soon got better and was most grateful
to us for taking him in.
What with Colonel Raper renting part of the house, and the
Calcutta Clerical Secretary being with us for a few days, the
Mission House was uncomfortably full, but in India we always
kept open house, putting up a tent if necessary.
It must not be supposed that Sir Lewis put the mission to
any expense, for he gave Mr. Hughes Rs. 500 for his board expenses,
the balance going to the Mission.
We went up 100 p.c. in the estimation of the Natives, and
we hoped it might indirectly do some good.
[73] THE KABUL ENVOY
________
In January 1877 Sir Lewis Pelly returned as Envoy Extraordinary
to meet the Prime Minister of Kabul who came as Special Envoy.
Instead of accepting the hospitality of the Commissioner Sir
Richard Pollock, Sir Lewis preferred to put up again in the Mission
House. Dr. Bellew was again with him, to act as Interpreter as
he knew Persian and Pakhto well.
We gave the former 3 rooms for his use, and 2 to Dr. Bellew,
allowing them the use of our Library for a Reception Room. He
arrived under the salute of 15 guns, and expressed great satisfaction
at the arrangement Mr. Hughes had made for him.
The only way we could account for the honour he did us, was,
that Mr. Hughes views on Central Asian politics, coincided with
those of the Viceroy and Sir Lewis Pelly, for Mr. Hughes had
always given much attention to Kabul affairs, and had corresponded
with notables there.
EDUCATIONAL DURBAR
________
The Educational Durbar and Distribution of Prizes was an annual
event of the Mission. In 1877 it took place on the 13th of February,
under the Presidency of Sir Richard Pollock K. C. S. I. Commissioner
of the Division.
Their Excellencies, Sir Lewis Pelly, K. C. S. I., and Syud
Nur Muhammad Shah the Kabul Envoy, were present, as well as a
considerable assemblage of English Ladies and Gentlemen, and
leading Gentry of the City and Neighbourhood.
The proceedings commenced with a number of recitations in
Persian, Pakhto, and English, after which, as Superintendent
of the School, I requested Sir Richard Pollock to Distribute
[73/74] the prizes. In the course of his speech which followed
he said:
"I have, on behalf of the Peshawar Mission, to thank
you for your kind attendance here today, proving as it does the
interest you take in the good work of the Mission School. It
is gratifying to see that we have an unusually large number of
visitors here today, including their Excellencies Sir Lewis Pelly
and Syud Nur Muhammad Shah the Prime Minister of our friend and
neighbour His Highness Sher Ali Khan, Amir of Kabul.
Although on such occasions as the present it is understood
that we leave politics behind us, I may venture to say that I
regard the presence of the two Envoys amongst us today as an
assurance of those friendly relations which exist between ourselves
and the Kingdom of Afghanistan.
We have also a visitor, who if not a distinguished, is certainly
an interesting visitor. I refer to Qazi Syud Ahmad, an Attaché
in the Foreign Department, who first was a pupil, and then Head
Master of this School for many years. He has now returned from
Persia, after an absence of three years, to his native place
in high and honourable employment, on which I heartily congratulate
him, whilst I hope the example of his success will be encouraging
to the pupils of the School.
I miss today a face we have been in the habit of seeing here
on such occasions as the present of Lala Cheyton Shah, Assistant
Surgeon whose eminent services [74/75] during the frequent epidemics
in Peshawar have earned our most grateful recollection. I am
glad however, that he is well employed in rendering professional
services to his Highness the Amir of Kabul.
No poor words of mine can do justice to the memory of the
late Bishop Milman, but I am painfully reminded of the loss all
India sustained last year when God removed him from the scene
of his labours, within a few days of his performing his last
official act in addressing the boys of this School on a similar
occasion to the present. All those who knew him could properly
appreciate his manly simplicity of character, his indomitable
energy, his devotion to his work, and last but not least, his
love for Mission work. I know he was much struck and most favourably
impressed with what he saw of the Peshawar Mission, and expressed
himself as well satisfied with what he had seen of its work.
In concluding my short address I would wish also to add the
expression of my full confidence in the management of the Peshawar
Mission School. More I must not add, for I know how distasteful
personal praise would be to the Heads of the Mission."
________
Maulvie Ahmad, the Afghan Poet, then recited a poem of his
own composition in the Pakhto language.
Captain Plowden, Deputy Commissioner, addressed the assemblage
in Pakhto. Mr. Elsmie, Additional Commissioner, in Urdu, and
Qazi Syud Ahmad, in Persian.
Mr. Elsmie in the course of his speech, remarked upon the
rapid advance, which had been made in knowledge and useful [75/76]
discoveries during the last few years, e. g. "At the commencement
of the century there were no such things as Railways and telegraphs,
and yet who knows but what in a few years such discoveries may
be made that men will fly through the air!" (Quite prophetic)
The Prime Minister of Kabul, who understands Urdu, upon hearing
this laughed and exclaimed, "Oh! I think you have made discoveries
enough! You have nearly conquered the whole world already, without
being able to fly like birds!"
The proceeding closed by the Rev. T. P. Hughes thanking the
Commissioner, the Kabul Prime Minister, and all present, for
having honoured the School with their presence.
________
Sir Lewis Pelly, K. C. S. I. was in daily touch with the Afghan
Envoy but as the latter had been suffering from a chronic disease
for some time, nothing satisfactory, I believe, was accomplished
owing to his frequent inability to attend the Conference.
The Envoy was then advised, at the invitation of Mr. Hughes
to take up his abode in one room of the Mission House, and there
unfortunately before many days he died.
The Amir had been trying to persuade the Indian Govt. to continue
their largesses of big sums of money, without any Treaty, or
recognition of the wish of His Majesty's Govt. to send Ambassadors
to Kabul, and other great centres, or to allow Englishmen to
travel through his Dominions. The occupation of Quetta and Khelat,
which had been in no way tributary to the Amir, led the Amir
to consider it a case of war.
With the death of the Kabul Envoy, Sir Lewis Pelly's work
in Peshawar came to an end.
[77] On leaving us early in April 1877 Sir Lewis Pelly showed
much gratitude to Mr. Hughes for all the help he had given him.
The following is an extract from his letter:
"Allow me to thank you and Mr. Jukes for your constant
kindness and hospitality to me during my stay at Peshawar, which
has been so protracted. I shall always feel indebted to you for
the great and practical aid you have afforded me in becoming
acquainted with the Personnel and other details of these Regions.
I sincerely congratulate both you and Mr. Jukes on the obvious
success which attends your efforts at Peshawar towards civilizing
the wild people round you. I regard your Hujra as an instrument
of the highest utility, and I only wish we had more of them in
other parts of India."
He kindly more than defrayed his expenses and those of his
Secretary, for he sent Mr. Hughes a cheque for L350 for the three
months he was with us. L150 would have covered the cost. The
rest Mr. Hughes magnanimously devoted for Mission purposes.
Sir Lewis, though not impressed by the religious motives of
the Peshawar Mission, quite saw the necessity of pushing forward
Missionary work, having seen the general influence which the
Mission had upon the Natives at large. He looked upon the conversion
of the Natives, as a necessity to the State.
It is very doubtful if the Home Govt. and Viceroy really grasped
the great objection the Amir had, to admit a British Resident
into Afghanistan. It is so easy to be wise after the event. [77/78]
The Amir felt he was laying himself open to the taunt of being
a puppet of a Christian nation, so hateful to all Afghans. The
Marriage, about that time, of the Duke of Edinburgh with a Russian
princess was looked upon as a conspiracy between England and
Russia for the partition of Afghanistan.
The Viceroy could not understand the objet of the Amir in
withstanding their friendly proposals, more especially as an
event happened, which determined the English Govt. to bring matters
to an issue. On 13th June 1878 a Russian Mission under General
Stoletoff started from Tashkent for Kabul. Sher Ali had vainly
endeavoured to stay the General's progress, using the same arguments
that he had employed against the British.
The General threatened that Russia would put up a rival candidate
to the Amir's throne, in the person of Abdal Rahman, his nephew,
at that time a pensioner of the Russian Government, who had been
exiled by the Amir. The Amir felt compelled to yield and signed
a treaty with the Russian Government.
The Viceroy not knowing at the time the full circumstances
of the case, but only that a Treaty had been signed, was much
exasperated. He felt that he had been outwitted, and consequently
obtained permission from the Home Govt. to take further drastic
steps. He promptly dispatched a letter to the Amir, demanding
that a like privilege should be accorded to Great Britain.
Without waiting for a reply, he announced his intention of
sending Sir Neville Chamberlain as his representative.
In the meantime Stoletoff had left Kabul. The Viceroy received
no reply from Sher Ali, the probability being that Abdulla Jan,
his favourite son, the Amir's heir to the throne [78/79] had
died, which was reported to have almost unhinged his reason.
On 21st Sept. an advance party of Sir Neville Chamberlain's
Mission under Major Cavagnari, the Deputy Commissioner of Peshawar,
got as far as Ali Masjid, where his further advance was challenged
by the Afghan Officer in command, who politely told him he should
be obliged to oppose his further progress by force. The situation
was critical. Lord Lytton seized upon this incident as affording
a plausible pretext for a war, which he had long believed to
be inevitable.
An ultimatum was dispatched to the Amir requiring a definite
acceptance of the British terms within a specified time.
The reply was considered unsatisfactory.
AFGHAN WAR
________
War was declared on 21st Nov. 1878. The boundary was pierced
simultaneously by three forces. General Sir Sam Browne was in
command of the force through the Khyber Pass to Jalalabad. Major
General Roberts in the Kurram Valley leading up to the Peiwar
Pass, and General Stewart on the road from Quettah to Kandahar.
There was not much opposition and a Military occupation was speedily
carried out. Ali Masjid Fort was soon captured, when a big hawl
of brass canon was made.
Dr. Duke and I rode out the next day to Jamrud, where we joined
a big convoy of 300 camels under a strong escort. Some Officer
friends of mine in H. M. 51st Regt. kindly entertained us for
the night, having previously looked round the Fort, which we
had heard so much about as being impregnable.
[80] In December, the Amir Sher Ali fled northwards to Turkestan,
leaving his son Yaqub Khan to make what terms he could with the
British Army. Sher Ali, worn out with anxiety and disease, died
at Mazar-i-Sharif in February 1879.
There were some Englishmen who thought that this tragic sequel
might have been avoided by more considerate and less precipitate
statesmanship on the part of the Viceroy.
Yaqub Khan, Sher Ali's eldest son, was thereupon recognized
as Amir. The Treaty of Gandamak was signed in May 1879, by which
the Amir agreed to surrender all the points in defence of which
his Father had forfeited his Crown, the chief one being that
a British Officer should be allowed to reside at Kabul.
In return the Amir was to be supported with arms, money, and
troops against any foreign aggression, and to receive an annual
subsidy of six lakhs of Rupees.
Sir Louis Cavagnari had been acting as Deputy Commissioner
of Peshawar, and always showed very great promptitude in dealing
with the Afghans on the Frontier.
He was the one who was naturally chosen by the Viceroy, Lord
Lytton, to go to Kabul as our Ambassador.
On a farewell visit to Mr. Hughes, he told him that he had
informed the Viceroy, that he must go either single-handed, with
no troops, or else he must have an army, as he knew only to well,
how easy it would be for the Afghans to pick a quarrel with a
handful of escort; but the Viceroy would not listen to him, and
ordered that he should be accompanied by about 100 of the Guides
Corps stationed at Mardan. Cavagnari felt it would be fatal,
but knew he would be absolutely broken by Lord Lytton if he resisted.
[80/81] Sir Louis took with him as Assistant Mr. Jenkins, a member
of the Indian Civil Service, who had been one of his Subordinates
in Peshawar; as an escort, a fine body of the Guides, a crack
Regiment which had always been stationed at Hoti Mardan, and
was always ready for any emergency on the Frontier.
In July 1879 they all took up their residence at Kabul. On
the 6th Sept. only a few days after Sir Louis' laconic message,
"All well" had been telegraphed to the Viceroy, the
terrible news came over the wires that he and all his suite had
been massacred three days before, by the disorderly Afghan army,
which had risen in revolt. His escort was all too few, notwithstanding
the brave fight which was made. Sir Louis' forecast had come
only too true. The murder of Cavagnari was a staggering blow
to the Viceroy.
It was this which led to the war with the Afghans in 1879.
Retribution was not long in falling upon Kabul. General Stewart
re-occupied Kandahar, General Roberts moved on Kabul through
the Kurram Valley, defeated the rebels at Charasiab on Oct. 6th,
and entered the city. Stern vengeance was meted out, to all those
whose complicity in the murder could be proved.
Yaqub Khan surrendered himself, and after an inconclusive
enquiry had been made into his innocence or guilt, he was deported
as a State prisoner to India.
The probability is, that he had no wish that any treachery
should be shown, but having been a prisoner under his Father's
rule for some time, his intellect had been weakened, and was
incapable of ruling a turbulent people like the Afghans.
It was with the greatest difficulty that Sir Fredk. Roberts
[81/82] kept his communications with India open.
In the Spring of 1880 Sir Donald Stewart by his Victory at
Ahmad Kheyl made that astonishing march between Kandahar and
Kabul, with enemies on both sides the whole way, and joined General
Roberts at the latter place. This march was generally accepted
by Military men, as a far more difficult movement of troops than
the subsequent one of General Roberts, who marched from Kabul
to Kandahar with an army on a momentous occasion, but then he
had picked troops who volunteered for the occasion, as well as
picked horses for the transport, with no enemy on either side,
and did it in record time.
To subdue and hold down the whole country with the forces
at his disposal was utterly beyond Robert's power. To withdraw
them, without establishing some form of Government, was to abandon
Afghanistan to anarchy. The solution of the difficulty came from
an unexpected quarter.
Abdurrahman Khan, the Nephew of Sher Ali, had been living
since 1868 in exile under Russian protection. He now appeared
in Northern Afghanistan, with the connivance of the Russians,
who probably believed that his presence would be an embarrassment
to the British; the British Government determined to offer him
the Throne. The decision was a singularly bold but happy one.
But before this decision could be formally ratified, Lord
Lytton had ceased to be Viceroy.
In April 1880 Mr. Gladstone succeeded Lord Beaconsfield as
Prime Minister, with the Marquis of Hartington as Secretary of
State for India, under whom it was impossible for Lord Lytton
to serve, and eventually he was succeeded by Lord Ripon.
________
[83] One great event which happened on 1st January 1877 which
interested the whole population of the district, was the great
Review of all the troops of the Garrison, at which the Proclamation
of the QUEEN EMPRESS, as EMPRESS OF INDIA, was Announced.
It had been suggested that the Title should be KAISAR-I-HIND;
but this Title did not in the end appear in the Royal Proclamation.
________
I must now go back and take up the thread of Mission Work
where I dropped it in 1877.
We were allowed to preach annually at the Garrison Church
of Rawal Pindi, to lay before that very large Garrison the claims
of the Peshawar Mission.
On this occasion I took the opportunity of seeing the American
Presbyterian School, but I was anything but struck with the way
they conducted the Service for heathen boys, so very different
to our own. They compelled all their boys to attend the Service,
and administered punishment when the boys refused to learn by
heart their Scripture lesson.
We in Peshawar, simply sent them out of the class with a gentle
reproof, which had the effect of making them so ashamed of themselves
that they seldom repeated it.
PERSECUTION
________
Another Hindu boy, Lal Ji, who had been much influenced for
good by a Christian Master, suffered much persecution from his
[83/84] brother-in-law in the Postal Department, and others,
for showing himself eager to suffer, in order to become a Christian.
For several months he had made up his mind, but could no longer
keep the matter secret. He was 16 years of age, and therefore
a minor, unable to decide for himself. He mentioned it to his
school-fellows as he could not keep the secret to himself.
I also heard from a Hindu School-master (almost a Christian)
that he had heard, he had been praying with one or two boys in
the school after school hours. Other boys told his guardian about
it, who kept him from school.
It was under these pathetic circumstances that he came to
me and I gave him food, and encouraged him to go to Abbottabad
and be under Christian influence. The case subsequently came
into Court. There are very few English Magistrates who will give
up lads to Missionary Guardianships, and only such lads who can
give sufficiently intelligent answers as to the cause and degree
of their religious convictions.
It is a most difficult business for a lad being publickly
examined in a Court of Law, surrounded on all sides by bigoted
Hindus, to state exactly his convictions.
I am afraid the case went against him, but since then I heard
from a Native Pastor at Hosiapore, who had seen him and believed
him to be thoroughly sincere; he let his light shine [84/85]
so brightly, that all the people in the village talked of him
as a Christian.
Ed.: The following Handwritten note is inserted in the text
just before page 85.
In 1875 arrived the remarkable woman Miss Charlotte Maria
Tucker, sister of the Henry Carre Tucker, who was Commissioner
of Benares at the time of the Mutiny. Miss Tucker had written
many books for young people with the non deplume of A. L. O.
E. (a lady of England); and the starting of A. L. O. E. for India
(Amritsar) [to my age in Miss Cook (sic)] at the age of 54 excited
much interest amongst her numerous friends and scalors. Two years
later she took up her residence at Batala, which then became
a ____ station and there she made her home for the 16 remaining
years of her life, and there built her home which she named Gharubi
Aftab, the Setting Sun.
BATALA HIGH SCHOOL
________
During the year 1878 the Rev. F. H. Baring established the
Batala High School for Christian boys. It fulfilled a great need
for the parents of the Christian Church, as the number of Christians
was rapidly increasing in the Panjab.
Fortunately Miss Tucker, (more usually known in England for
her many excellent books as A. L. O. E.) had come to India at
the age of 60, and took up her abode at Batala, where she proved
no end of a blessing to all the inhabitants, more especially
to the Ladies of the C. E. Z. M. S. and to the boys of the School,
to all of whom she was a veritable Mother in Israel.
Some of our Afghan lads were sent there, at a most critical
time of their lives; the future only will reveal the help she
was to them all. She proved an inspiration to many, not the least,
to the younger generation of Missionaries, men and women, who
found in her the link which they had lost on leaving their dear
ones in England. They found in her a sympathy and geniality born
of the deepest spirituality and intellectual cheerfulness, and
they were always happy in her company.
Many of these Missionaries were deeply honoured by being allowed
to call her "Auntie", and I was one of the fortunate
Nephews; of the nieces there were many.
She loved to make anagrams of their names, Christian and surnames.
One day she asked me if I had any other Christian name than "Worthington",
as she wished to make an anagram of them, which would in some
way or other, include some characteristic [85/86] of me. I told
her I had only one Christian name.
She knew something of the difficulties I had in my work, and
had on one occasion honoured me by allowing me to receive her
as my guest in Peshawar. Her active and intellectual mind soon
enabled her to produce the anagram she needed, which was "Just
the working on." I thought it was very clever of her, for
it was just what I wished to do, to 'carry on' the work I had
begun. She built a house for herself in Batala as an Honorary
Missionary, and called it "Ghurub-i-Aftab", i.e. The
Setting Sun, and there she remained till called to a Higher Service,
a blessing to all around her.
________
Colonel (and Mrs.) Watson of a Bengal Calvary Regt. took the
keenest interest in our work, and we naturally saw much of them
all the time the Regiment was in Peshawar. Mrs. Watson often
drove down to our Church in the city, and helped us in many ways.
MOUNTAIN CLIMBING
________
In September 1877 I went up as usual to Thandiani, and enjoyed
very much a tour with a young Officer, beginning at Muzaffarabad
which lies at the junction of the rivers Ninesuk (in the Khagan
Valley), the Kishengunga and the Jhelum. We crossed the Ninesuk
by a rope bridge, the river being about 100 yards broad, rock
bound and very rapid. The bridge consisted, as in all mountainous
districts, of three strands of twisted withies, or untanned thongs
of leather, the two upper strands for each hand are connected
with the lower one for the feet, by a thin bough of the shape
of a V, every three or four yards. [86/87] Towards the middle,
the rush of the water below makes it appear that the bridge is
tossing backwards and forwards.
It requires a good head to enable one to cross, but it had
no fears for me. A walk on the Kashmir side of the river for
8 miles, brought us to Muzaffarabad, where we found a number
of porcupine quills, which I have found make excellent pen holders.
We then crossed the Kishengunga, and walked 12 miles to Rarar,
a rest Bungalow on the left bank of the Jhelum. Facing Rarar
there was a high range of mountain, on the top of which was Thandiani.
The only way of crossing the river, as the current was very strong,
was by swimming with the assistance of two inflated goat hides,
with one hand on a native for support, who was on another hide.
We were carried down the river some little way, but we managed
to get across all right. Other men on separate hides accompanied
us to carry our clothes.
We then had a hard climb for three hours to the village on
top called Patan, where we stopped the Sunday, and had an opportunity
of talking with Mullahs in their Mosques. It was literally impossible
to sleep on the village beds, they were alive with bugs.
Next day we had a long walk before breakfast of 16 miles to
Berangully, along the ridge of the hill opposite.
The Moslem call to Prayers, every few hours in the afternoon
from a Mosque, uttered in a musical voice, sounded weirdly beautiful,
as it echoed among the mountains. Another march of 18 miles brought
us to Abbottabad. We much enjoyed the tour, the whole of the
country which we traversed was exceedingly beautiful, but it
is impossible to describe it properly. Sleeping out, under a
water-proof sheet, was most enjoyable.
After this I itinerated in the Pakli Valley, but I suppose
I [87/88] exposed myself too much to the sun in that low valley,
which brought on fever which I could not shake off till I returned
to the Gullies among the mountains between Abbottabad and Murree,
where I botanised and made a collection of ferns.
After a few days the Chaplain invited me to stay with him;
my old friends Captain and Mrs. Battye of the Panjab Frontier
Force, also entertained me, till I quite recovered.
________
It has always been the custom to keep open house in India
as there were no Hotels, and on my return I found two young Noblemen
as Mr. Hughes guests, one was an infidel, and the other was a
Roman Catholic, they had asked permission to share the house,
through a ship-board acquaintance. The exceedingly nice tactful
way Mr. Hughes managed them both, was an eye-opener to me, for
he always kept the discussion on religion on a high and spiritual
level, without causing any ill will whatever.
On my return Mr. Hughes went out Itinerating, so I entertained
the guests, as well as Captain Jacob, a Sapper engaged in Canal
work in the Hashtnagar district, and a great friend of ours.
________
It was at the close of 1878 that Amode Lal Roy, a Bengali
Hindu was baptized. He then joined the Lahore Divinity College
but found it hard to subject himself to the discipline of the
College, to which he had been a stranger so long, on account
of his having been an object of devotion, reverence and almost
worship among the Hindus. But he got on well there.
Havildar Kamar-ul-din Khan, also an enquirer, went down to
Lahore for his baptism. He hoped his wife and children would
also soon be baptized.
[89] Early in 1879 I went down to Amritsar to attend the Missionary
Conference, and to be present at the Bishop's Synod at Lahore.
I then met my brother, Dr. Andrew Jukes, who had just come out
from England, to take up Medical Missionary Work in the Panjab.
It was nice to welcome another member of the family. Unfortunately
our work lay far apart.
It was about this time that the Rev. A. E. Day joined the
Peshawar Mission, he was a great help to me, in the absence of
Mr. Hughes in England. He showed every sign of making a good
Missionary, and we worked very harmoniously together. Mr. Hughes
returned in February.
That summer I spent in Thandiani, when the Rev. F. A. P. Shirreff
of the Lahore Divinity College, was my companion. We studied
Persian together every morning, and at night we read Isaiah in
Hebrew, spending the intermediate time in very enjoyable walks.
I got much help from him owing to his superior knowledge of Hebrew.
CHOLERA
________
In May 1879 we had another visitation of Cholera, which extended
to our Army on the line of march towards Jalalabad.
Although about 100, out of 200, cases died in Peshawar, it
was not so virulent as it was three years before. Disinfectants
and the burning of some herb mingled with sulphur, all over the
city and Cantonments, according to native wishes, was tried,
with some considerable amount of success, as was supposed.
It was found that ten drops of carbolic acid, in two drachms
of water were useful, so long as purging and vomiting continued,
and a subcutaneous injection for cramp. Death frequently ensued
[89/90] from the after effects of the clotting of blood, due
to the serum which had previously passed off in the purging.
BISHOP FRENCH AND THE WAR
________
In May the Bishop made his First Visitation of Peshawar, but
the dear man's sermon, both in English and the vernacular, were
far too long, they tired us out as well as himself.
It had been decided that should he go up to the Front, I should
accompany him as his Chaplain.
It was on the 26th May that I drove out the Bishop to Jamrud
in the morning. There we got into my light bamboo cart, reaching
Ali Masjid at 9 a.m. accompanied by an escort of Sawars.
There I managed to get a congregation for Evensong in one
of the new Barracks, when I read prayers and he preached. The
next morning at 4:30 a.m. we held a Celebration of the Holy Communion,
at which several Officers were present.
After breakfast we set out for Landi Kotal, the road passing
through a magnificent gorge, mountains towering up on both sides
to a great height; no trees were visible, but any number of rotting
carcasses of camels and oxen polluted the air making the journey
very trying, for the heat was excessive.
At Landi Kotal (2000 ft.) the temperature in tents reached
100 and over. There were some 3 or 4000 troops there, and we
became the guests of General Maude's Head Quarter Mess.
The next day we drove down to Landi Khana and Dhaka, the Bishop
described the scenery as Sinaitic. The Geological formation seemed
to be lacustrine, the barrier of the lake having been burst ages
before, at the Ali Masjid Gorge.
[91] At Dhaka the Officers put several tents together, in
which a Service could be held, where he had a good congregation,
but the heat and storms, hot wind &c were appalling. The
next day Saturday, we left for Basawal, the road to which led
through the Khurd Khyber Pass, after which the valley opens out
again. On the right could be seen the Kabul River backed up by
high mountains belonging to independent tribes, receiving subsidies
from Kabul; to the left, the district called Peshbolak, containing
numberless villages which were all walled, with high towers at
the diagonal corners, between the river and Peshbolak, Basawal
is situated.
Generals Michell and Doran were very kind indeed, and did
all they could to make the Bishop as comfortable as possible
in the excessive heat and sandstorms which blew all that day.
The Bishop's Double Tent which I brought up for him, was improved
by having a Sepoy's pall thrown over it, which tended to make
it a little cooler as possible. My own small tent I deserted
in the daytime, and took refuge in the larger tent of Major Gwynne,
General Doran's Brigade Major, who had had all the earth to a
depth of three feet, dug out from inside his tent, which made
the temperature inside, some 8 degrees cooler.
On Sunday a Parade Service was held, the European Garrison
being formed up on three sides of a square, the Bishop, Staff
Officers and myself forming the fourth. I read a shortened Service
and the Bishop preached for about ten minutes, bringing the Service
to a close just after sunrise. After this we had the Holy Communion
Service in a tent, which many Officers attended. In the evening
a Voluntary Service was held. We also visited a Camp Hospital.
It was here that the Bishop received a telegram from General
Sir Sam Browne to the effect that all [91/92] the European troops
would have left Sufed Sang, the next march farther on, before
the following Sunday, as the Treaty of Gundamak had been signed.
This determined the Bishop not to go further on; I had previously
tried to persuade the Bishop to return, as I found the heat was
telling considerable on him.
Personally I was bitterly disappointed as I wanted so much
to go on as far as Jalalabad.
On the following Monday we returned to Peshawar by easy stages.
At Landi Kotal, the Bishop was entertained by the Chaplain, the
Rev. A. N. Spens, and held a service there; he also went round
the Cholera and other Hospitals with the Chaplain.
At Landi Kotal on our return, our Camp was threatened with
an attack from the neighbouring Afghan tribes.
On our way up, the Bishop on one occasion, declined the offer
of an escort, but on our way down, without consulting him I applied
for the necessary escort, as I would not risk any more, so valuable
a life as our Bishop's, in an enemy's country; for although there
were convoys going backwards and forwards, they were moving too
slow for us.
At the various encampments, I tried to persuade him to use
a portable bed, which I had taken for his special use, but he
never would use it, preferring to lie on the ground.
During that very hot weather he felt the sun severely, but
he never would take off his boots whilst resting. I found also
that he did not have with him a pair of slippers, as he thought
them very effeminate articles of apparel.
On our march we saw a large number of Buddhist remains; Ali
Masjid Fort, to begin with, was an old Buddhist place of worship.
Since I was there in the previous December, an old [92/93] Buddhist
Temple or Monastery had been discovered, but all the figures
of Buddha, of which there were a vast number, were all of plaster,
which made me think it was of much later date than others in
the Peshawar neighbourhood. A few of these portable figures I
picked up and have them with me still. I was anxious to add to
my collection of Buddhist statuary, which I had placed in the
open verandah of the Mission House, at the entrance to the Library
but circumstances prevented our breaking our journey then for
collecting trophies.
There is no mistaking a Buddhist wall. It is always built
of large irregular blocks of stone, laid in regular lines, all
the interstices being filled up with thin lamina of slate, the
whole face presenting one smooth surface.
________
We returned to Peshawar early in June 1879 most thankful for
the opportunity I had had, in ministering to our dear Bishop.
The Bishop left us on the following Friday for Rawal Pindi
and I resolved to go to Thandiani on 16th June for a month. The
troops returning from the front were suffering from cholera,
and left the Grand Trunk Road, on which the camping grounds were
much infected with cholera germs, for side roads, with the hope
of shaking off the cholera on their way down country. At the
request of the Bishop I visited these cholera camps.
ARMENIANS IN KABUL
________
It was while our troops were in Kabul in 1879, and the lines
of communication were open, that Mr. Hughes thought it best to
send up the Rev. Imam Shah to Kabul in November, to visit the
Armenians, who had relations in Peshawar city, and who were members
[93/94] of his congregation. He went up with an Armenian, called
Sarkis on 24th July 1879.
The Fort at Kabul, called the Bala Hissar, was where the Armenians
lived, but which had to be destroyed by our Army of Occupation.
He was received most warmly by them, and they were very glad
to receive his ministrations, in their little Church in the Bala
Hissar, the Fort, but during November 1879 the Fort was leveled
to the ground, and with it, the Little Church. The sacred Communion
Vessels and Office Books of their Church, were subsequently taken
possession of by the Roman Catholic Chaplain, who made himself
very friendly, and I have no doubt he had persuaded them to let
him keep them in safety. But nothing more has since been heard
of them.
He brought back a copy of the stamp, with which their Wafer
Bread had been stamped, ever since there had been an Armenian
Church there, possibly for hundreds of years, which I now possess.
A few Armenians made their abode subsequently in Peshawar,
whom I often used to visit as they made themselves members of
our Christian Community.
________
It was in November 1879 that Mr. Hughes obtained the Honorary
services of Mrs. Middleton Scott for work in the Zenana Mission.
She afterwards married the Rev. N. Spens, Chaplain.
________
Having overhauled my camp equipage I went out for a fortnight
into the Hashtnagar district, east of the Kabul river. My itinerary
has not been preserved, so I can give no detail.
[Ed.: The following handwritten note is inserted in the text
just before page 95]
The Rev. M. E. Wigram of Peshawar sent to me in June 1926
the following memo from the Log Book of the Peshawar Mission:
August 1879. The Rev. Imam Shah returned from Cabul having administered
the Holy Communion and preached in the Armenian Church in the
Bala Hissar, and having baptized several Armenians. T. P.
H.
[95] BLUNDELLIANS AT THE WAR
________
During the Afghan War no less than three old Blundellians
stayed with me for a short time. Boileau, whose parents were
in Tiverton, for about a year. He was a good young fellow, but
suffered much from fever, and came to us for a time to get nursed.
Lett, who was in the Royal Artillery, and Wells, who was in the
Royal Engineers. It was very nice seeing them again, and talking
over old times.
________
In August 1880 I held a service for the troops at Nowshera,
and then an Urdu service. After that I visited the Hospitals
of the 8th Hussars, and all the sick men who had been sent down
from the front. I had much encouragement in my visits and Services
in the 8th Hussars Hospital. The men seemed a very superior body.
This took me from 6 a.m. till noon.
After that I went on to Attock and held a Parade Service in
the evening, as no Clergyman had officiated there for some time,
nor administered the Holy Communion. All this was done at the
request of the Bishop, as the various Regiments were so scattered
on the line of march down country.
Next morning I visited more Hospitals, and then left for Hassan
Abdal, in a Dak Ghary, from whence I rode my pony to Abbottabad
(44 miles). On the way I interviewed several enquirers, whom
our Afghan Catechist Syad Shah had found out.
There was one very intelligent Brahmin, Duni Chand, 18 years
of age, who was a seeker after truth. Another was the Head Master
of the Government School, a very thoughtful and intelligent Muhammadan,
named Najab Ali, whom I found very humble and willing [95/96]
to be taught the truth. The cool breezes at Thandiani were very
enjoyable after the heat of the Plains.
VIEWS FROM THANDIANI
________
By a preconcerted arrangement my brother Andrew met me, and
we much enjoyed our walks and talks together. We got glorious
views of the Pakli Valley which is a continuation of the Hazara
Valley, between Mansera and Ghari Habibullah, where I itinerated
2 or 3 years before and contracted a small sun stroke by exposing
myself too much to the sun.
Between Thandiani and that Valley there is a lower range of
hills, some 4 or 500 ft. below Thandiani. Beyond which, there
is a nicely wooded range of mountains, over which runs the Ogee
Pass connecting the Pakli Valley with Independent Territory beyond,
beyond that again is a still higher range, on the other side
of which runs the Indus, which has, I believe, never been explored.
To the N. E. of Thandiani, and about 100 miles away, is Nanga
Parbat (26950 ft.), all the intermediate mountains of varying
heights being in Kashmir Territory. On the N. E. and S. runs
the Jhelum River. On the W. is seen the River Indus spreading
its wide waters, swollen with the melting snows of Central Asia,
Thibet &c; when it is fine, the Kabul River passing Nowshera,
as well as the mountains beyond Peshawar, may be seen; and then
to the S. are the plains of the Panjab, 100 miles away.
It can well be imagined, what a perfect panorama, and what
varied and extended scenery we were able to enjoy.
[97] HOME TO ENGLAND
_______
In the Spring of 1881 I began to make my arrangements for
my leave Home, which had been long due.
I had been anxious to go home through Persia, to see the grave
of my grandfather, Dr. Andrew Jukes, a well known Doctor and
Persian Scholar, who had been appointed Special Envoy to the
Shah of Persia at Teheran. He got seriously ill on the way, died
and was buried at the Armenian Cemetery of Julfa in 1821.
Unfortunately my letter to Dr. Bruce of Persia did not reach
him soon enough, and in his reply he said that if I did not start
immediately, it would be too late, as the steamers on the Caspian
stopped running in October on account of the ice, so I had to
give up all idea of it.
The Chaplain in Peshawar at that time was the Rev. C. M. Saunders,
who lived with us in the Mission House. He had previously been
one of the Clergy of St. Peter's, Eaton Square, under Mr. Wilkinson,
afterwards Bishop of Truro. He had on one occasion visited Palestine,
and inspired me with a very great desire to make a Pilgrimage
there, and so become a Christian Haji.
I took my passage in the British India Steam Navigation Company's
S. S. Patna which was to sail from Karachi on 10th March. At
Karachi I had the pleasure of acting as Best man, at my brother
Andrew's wedding.
I only booked as far as Port Said, as I hoped to branch off
thence to the Holy Land. The steamer was one of the slowest tubs
in existence, making only about 6 or 8 knots an hour.
Her engines were almost worn out, and to make matters worse
she had come from the Persian Gulf, and was supposed to have
the plague on board, for we were put into quarantine every [97/98]
Port we came to. On our arrival at Aden, we had to fly the yellow
flag, and remain in quarantine for a whole week, without being
allowed to land, at the end of that time, the ship discharged
her cargo for the Mozambique. If there was plague on board, it
was kept very dark. We were only allowed to land, for an hour
or two, we saw the large tanks for the storage of rain, which
was the only supply of water for drinking purposes, for the Town,
We also saw the English papers and learned that the Czar had
been assassinated. On arrival at Suez, I was told that if I wanted
to go to the Holy Land, I should first have to go into quarantine
at Moses' Wells, some little way down the Gulf of Suez, and live
there among the Arabs for ten days, owing to the quarantine regulations.
This was too much of a good thing, much as I should have liked
to make the acquaintance of the place, where Moses had lived
for a time by the side of his wells. I might have become a master
of Arabic!!
At Port Said, it was just the same, and I was forbidden to
leave the ship for the Holy Land, so, although so near, I had
finally to give it up at least for that voyage.
We had to fly the yellow flag again at Algiers and Lisbon,
and not allowed to land which was most tantalizing, as I felt
I should never have such opportunities, of seeing those last
two Ports again.
Mr. Beasley, a Chaplain and I were allowed by the Captain
to hold Services on board. As we steamed down the River Tagus
we made arrangements to hold a Celebration of the Holy Communion
the next day which was Easter Sunday. however as we were rounding
Cape da Roca, a terrible storm arose, and I with many others
had to remain below, and no Service was held at all.
[99] One of the passengers on board was Mrs. W. (Weitbrecht)
and her children. The eldest boy a lad of six years, frequently
disturbed our sleep. His mother was too ill to look after him,
and as he still persisted in his screaming I gently knocked at
her door, and asked if I could be of any help. The Mother was
most grateful, and gave me permission to take the boy out of
her cabin.
I spoke kindly to the little fellow, but he yelled louder
than ever, till I got him into the bath room. A little chastisement
on the place intended by nature to receive it, had the most wonderful
effect. After a little drying of tears, I took him back to his
Mother, as quiet as a lamb.
I received not only the gratitude of the Mother, but the heartfelt
thanks of all the passengers next morning at breakfast!!
The little boy and myself became fast friends.
Her eldest little girl had been ill the whole of the voyage,
no fresh milk being obtainable. At one time I thought I should
have obliged to stay with the Mother and children in Suez or
Cairo, till the little one was better, but happily she recovered.
The Mother was the Wife of one of our most valued Mission
Priests in the Panjab.
As soon as we anchored in the Thames at the Docks, the yellow
flag had to go up again, but it was very soon removed by the
Port Doctor, and we were all glad to land, after a voyage of
six weeks. I arrived in England in May 1881. It was the beginning
of a very happy holiday in the visiting relations and friends,
and laying before the Public, in sermons and addresses, how God
was claiming many in Afghanistan to be members of His Church.
[100] MY WEDDING
________
It was on 1st December 1881 that I experienced the great joy
and happiness of being Married to Miss Emily Susannah Crossley,
whose widowed Mother was living in Belfast.
We were married in St. Thomas' Church, by the Rev. Mr. Welland,
and my old friend Major Spencer Acklom of the Connaught Rangers
was my Best-man.
We left England in January 1882 for India, and on the way
we spent a happy day or two, with my wife's married sister at
Stuttgart, and then went over the Brenner Pass to Venice, the
sights of which place we both thoroughly enjoyed.
My visit to Palestine had only been temporally postponed,
I had resolved that my wife should enjoy the visit with me on
our way to India, and we were both looking forward to it very
much. We left Venice by the P. & O. S. S. Malwa for Alexandria,
there we transshipped for Jaffa, and rode on ponies, over the
Plain of Sharon to Jerusalem. We visited as many places as possible
during the week, e.g. the Holy Sepulcre, Mount of Olives, Bethany,
Bethlehem, &c, and then had to return to Port Said, in order
to catch the S. S. Kashgar at Suez, in which berths had previously
been engaged to Bombay, which we reached on 1st March 1882.
No words can tell the pleasure the visit to Palestine gave
us. Our Honey-moon had been a most enjoyable one.
[101] INDIA AGAIN
________
Having spent a day or two in Bombay, we left by train for
the Panjab. We stayed at first in Delhi, where the Cambridge
Brotherhood, under the leadership of Mr. Bickersteth had recently
begun their useful Mission, in co-operation with the S. P. G.
At Amritsar we were the guests of Mr. Clark, who gave us a
very warm welcome. Then the long and tedious journey by dak ghari
had to be gone through to Peshawar, where we came to our journey's
end about the 18th March. Mr. and Mrs. Hughes, Mr. and Mrs. Knowles,
who had joined the Mission during the past year, and all the
flock, received us gladly.
The next morning we both drove down to the Church and School,
where I introduced my wife to the Native Pastor and the Christians
and interviewed Masters and Scholars, the latter being assembled
on the gallery. One of the boys read an address of Welcome, making
suitable allusions to our Wedding. My wife took the warmest interest
in everything.
OFFICER ASSASSINATED
________
A very sad event happened very soon after our arrival in Peshawar.
We were driving in the Cantonments near the Law Courts on our
way home, when I heard a shot, and very soon afterwards we overtook
four natives carrying in a blanket Captain Fulford who had just
been shot by an Afghan fanatic, owing to ignorant mullahs telling
their followers, that to murder an Englishman was a sure way
of getting to Paradise!! As I discovered that the Officer lived
almost opposite the Mission House, I hastily drove home, where
I left my wife and hastened to his Bungalow, to see what I could
do.
Doctors were soon in attendance, and it was found that an
artery had been grazed; the slugs were withdrawn, and for two
or three [101/102] weeks, he hovered between life and death.
I found out that he belonged to an old Devonshire Family of Fulfords,
who had occupied the ancient Plantagenet Mansion of Great Fulford
since the time of King John.
Captain Fulford asked me to go in every day, and to act as
his Amanuensis in writing letters to his wife &c. Unfortunately
the wound proved fatal, and a gallant Officer was lost to his
home and country.
The assassin had immediately been shot dead in the lines of
a Native Regiment, and to act as a deterrent of such brutal and
cowardly assassinations, his body was burnt in a pig skin, by
order of the Civil Authorities. The punishment was one which
was most abhorrent to Muhammadans, and according to their ideas,
effectually prevented his getting to Paradise!
ATTEMPT ON MY LIFE
________
That extreme punishment exasperated the fanatics. It was not
long after this that an attempt was made on my life, by a man
who possibly had never seen me before. I was driving with my
wife in the city, when an Afghan, at a distance of a few yards,
flung a big stone at my head with all his might, fortunately
he missed, I drove quickly on, but he had soon picked up the
stone again, and I heard it whistling past my head once more,
but providentially he missed again.
I knew that no one in that narrow street thronged with Muhammadans,
would have dared to give evidence against him. As I was afraid
of what might happen to my wife, I drove home and at once gave
information to the Police Officer of what had happened.
I never mentioned the subject to my wife, hoping she might
[102/103] not have seen it.
I have no doubt that this outburst of fanaticism was owing
to the punishment of the Ghazi, for a very nasty feeling was
manifested in the city and neighbourhood, for several weeks after.
Any European's life might have been taken by the relatives of
the Ghazi who had been burned.
________
It was not long after this that I was asked by the Bishop
to go to Kohat, to take Divine Service on Easter Sunday.
My wife was very anxious to go with me, and I ought to have
applied for a cavalry escort, as we were both mounted, and the
road lay across part of independent territory, but in going about
my Missionary work, I scorned such assistance.
I thought it necessary however to be armed on this occasion,
knowing only too well what might happen. So I obtained the possession
of a beautiful silver plated bull-dog revolver, which I carried
in my holster. No sooner had we left British territory, than
an armed Afghan appeared, and we soon got into conversation.
After passing the time of day, he asked if I was armed, and I
at once showed my revolver, for had I not had it, he could easily
have carried us both off and demanded a ransom.
He admired my revolver very much, and soon asked if it were
loaded. In reply I said, "Of course it is, what is the good
of a revolver not loaded?" He then asked if he might examine
it in his own hands, as it was such a beauty! I said, "Certainly
not", and told him to clear off at once, holding the revolver
threateningly in my hand. We galloped off, and soon left him
far behind, and so ended the attention of a probable enemy. I
was never more glad than I was that day to be [103/104] armed.
It was our first long joint ride of 40 miles in an enemy's country.
My wife showed excellent horsemanship.
On the return journey I took care to apply for a cavalry escort,
as I was on Government Service.
________
The Brahmin enquirer, Duni Chand, whom I had left at Abbottabad,
joined me once more, for special instruction before receiving
Holy Baptism. During my absence at home, Colonel Rice had very
kindly interested himself in the young man.
EDUCATIONAL COMMISSION
________
In August 1882 the Govt. of India decided to hold an Educational
Commission at Simla; a few Missionaries amongst others were invited
to give the President of the Commission, Sir W. W. Hunter, their
views about the Education of the natives. I was invited to give
my evidence, so I went up with my wife and we were hospitably
entertained by Major and Mrs. Colvin Hutchinson of the Guides.
From all the evidence that was given at the Commission, it was
almost necessary that the Government should make some alterations
in their Educational Code, be more neutral and fair towards Mission
Schools, and stop the overlapping that takes place in Higher
Education.
BAZAAR FOR PESHAWAR MISSION CHURCH
_________
The next day a big Bazaar took place in Simla in behalf of
our New Church, but before I describe it, I must explain the
necessity for it.
The little temporary Church within the School precincts, which
I have previously described, had been of much service for many
years. In course of time it became too small for the [104/105]
number of worshippers, and it was resolved that a more dignified
Church should be built, which would command more respect, in
the midst of a big city, in which there were so many fine Mosques.
The chief difficulty was in finding a suitable site. The only
possible one in a quiet corner of the city was just outside the
School compound, where there were several small houses, and it
was determined to buy up these as opportunity offered, and before
long Mr. Hughes had completed the purchase of them.
The site proved large enough to build not only a Church, but
a Pastor's house as well.
Appeals for donations had been issued in April 1877, in order
to build a Memorial Church of those who died in connexion with
the Mission.
It was decided that the Church should be Oriental in aspect,
cruciform in shape, with a dome in the centre, Minarets flanking
the front and each transept.
General Pollard R. E. very kindly helped with working plans,
dimensions &c, but he thought that a Dome would swallow up
far too much of the money we had collected.
A very great impetus was most kindly given to the Building
Fund by Lady Aitchison, Wife of Sir Charles Aitchison, the Lieutenant
Governor of the Panjab, in July 1882 at Simla, by allowing a
big Bazaar to be held at their Residence, Barnes Court.
She had it advertised in the local papers, and sent out special
circulars to all Simla Elite, the Viceroy and all his Staff,
Members of Council, Commander-in-Chief, Judges of the Chief Court,
Surgeons General, Sanitary Commissioners, Engineers, all of whom
had their Offices in Simla, as well as all Civil and Military
[105/106] Officers of India, who were visiting Simla at the time.
I had sent up a large consignment of goods from Peshawar, in
the shape of Central Asian and Peshawar Pottery, Arms and weapons
of every kind and place, Persian and Central Asian Rugs, Curtains
&c, in fact everything which could command a sale.
I must not forget to mention Door Curtains ornamented with
Peshawari wax and paint of every colour, in fact it was the sale
of these curtains which were the first to begin the enormous
sales in after years.
Many more articles were also provided by Lady Aitchison and
other kind friends in England and India.
The following were some of the Stall Holders:
Lady Bright and her daughters, Mrs. Dallas, Mrs. J. B. and Mrs.
Colvin Hutchinson, Mrs. Coldstream &c &c.
Lady Aitchison picked all the flowers in her beautiful garden,
and made them up into bouquets for sale. Words fail to express
all that she did for us on that occasion. The sales came to Rs
2300, with a net result of about L160 for the Church.
________
I was not able to do much Missionary work there, but I had
the opportunity of helping an Eurasian, Mr. Thomas Edwards, in
a small way, in his preparation for Holy Orders, as he was to
be put in charge of the Native Congregation there. Through his
energy the Mission Church was erected there.
________
[107] After the Bazaar at Simla I had to return to Peshawar,
leaving my Wife there a little longer, as both Mr. Hughes and
the Chaplain were soon leaving for England, and I was asked once
more to be responsible for the Chaplain's duties.
On the way through Lahore, I had the great pleasure of spending
the Sunday with my dear Bishop French.
On my arrival at Peshawar I found that Mr. Hughes had secured
the services of an able Muhammadan builder, who had already erected
some Mosques, and knew much of his business.
Foundations were duly laid in August 1882, and by the time
contracts were signed for the building in December, the foundation
had solidified, ready for immediate building.
In the Autumn of 1882 my Wife returned from Simla, and Mr.
Clark paid us another of his welcome visits. Whilst he was with
us in November my first child was born. My Wife was seriously
ill, and suffered much from fever for a few weeks.
Dr. Johnston who kindly attended her, told the nurse that
he did not think she would survive. Mercifully the lives of both
Mother and Child were preserved, and he was baptized in December
with the name of Cyril Worthington.
At the end of January 1883 we all went down to Hoti Mardan,
and stayed with our kind friends Major and Mrs. Hutchinson. The
change was most beneficial to my Wife, and I spent some time
itinerating in the district, returning to Peshawar in March to
receive the Bishop. On my wife's return she was strong enough
to continue her classes for the Afghan boys which she loved.
Colonel and Mrs. Bunbury then became our very great friends
so much so that my Wife called Mrs. Bunbury, her Indian Mother.
In the middle of March, we both went down to Amritsar for
[107/108] the Missionary Conference, leaving the little one in
the care of our great friend Mrs. Graves.
In May I left my Wife and babe at Thandiani, and went to Kohat
to meet the Bishop and Mr. Mayer, on the Revision Committee of
the Pakhto Bible.
Early in June God called our little one to Himself, and we
laid him to rest in the Abbottabad Cemetery. The blow to us both
was very great.
________
That summer of 1883 saw the Memorial Church roofed in, and
the plaster work pushed on.
KASHMIR
________
In August I returned to Abbottabad, met my Wife there and
started for Kashmir via Dungla Gully and Murree, my Wife riding
my nice Waziri mare Khyber, kindly given me by Colonel Elton,
who had been Commanding at Michni Fort, on his leaving for England
in bad health.
Miss Anderson, the sister-in-law of Dr. Johnston accompanying
us. At Manisbal our camp was pitched at a most beautiful spot
under the fine spreading Plane trees, growing in great luxuriance
on the terraces overlooking the lovely lake.
One day the only other Lady then in camp (whose husband was
away shooting), came to me in great excitement, asking if I was
a Doctor, as one of her boatman had met with an accident, splitting
his nose from top to bottom, by the rebound of an axe whilst
chopping wood. We were then a considerable distance from the
Doctor at Srinagar. I had never undertaken an operation before,
but having seen an operation with my brother at St. Bartholomew's
Hospital, I did not mind attempting it, as it only required half
a dozen stitches. I had no surgical needle, but the good Lady
[108/109] produced an hypodermic syringe, the lancet of which
enabled me to make incisions for the needle and silk. I finished
up with a plentiful supply of oil and plaster. The man was then
sent into Srinagar, and I heard that no little kudos was meted
out to me!
We also visited Colonel and Mrs. Watson at Nagmarg, and after
exploring Martland with Dr. Neve, we returned to India by the
Pir Panjal Pass, which we all enjoyed immensely, my Wife was
never better in her life.
[Handwritten note inserted here: Syad Shah' conversion
not recorded in Clark's or Hughes life, should here be given
from my typed c/c Clark or p. 20]
KAFIRISTAN
________
It was about this year that Mr. Hughes was anxious to continue
the good influence that Fazl-i-Haqq had begun, some years earlier
in Kafiristan. He sent off our Catechist Sayd Shah, with instructions
to make himself friendly with the inhabitants, to use every opportunity
of evangelizing them, and to bring back all useful information
about the country.
He was very warmly received, and in evidence of it, they gave
him a little Kafir boy, named Ati about eight years old, with
other mementoes of their good feeling.
The question was, should Ati be baptized as an infant or minor,
or wait till he grew up and decide for himself. We decided on
the former course. Mr. Hughes baptized him by his own name Ati,
and I stood as Sponsor. The boy was brought up as a Christian,
sent to a Christian School, and was eventually educated for the
Medical Profession, in the hope that he would have sufficient
grace to return to his own country, and evangelize his own country
men. He always bore a good Character, and I have heard since
[109/110] my retirement that he has adopted the name Nazir Ullah,
and has been most active in giving every help in Mission Hospitals.
I sincerely hope that he will rise to the occasion, and should
he receive a call, to pass on the good News of Salvation to his
own people. He could not have a higher ideal. (see opposite)
________
Much about this time there was much talk among Muhammadans
about the "Imam Mahdy", I wrote a paper on the subject,
entitled "Imam Mahdy, and Dajjal, the Muhammadan Antichrist",
who was expected to bring the world to a close at the end of
the 13th Cent. of the Muhammadan era, and that it was to be synchronous
with the return of Jesus Christ, which the Muhammadans professed
to look forward to. It was published in the October number of
the Church Missionary Intelligencer 1883.
ALL SAINTS MEMORIAL CHURCH
________
It was on St. John's Day, 27th Dec. 1883, that the Memorial
Church, dedicated to All Saints was opened.
It was made the occasion of much rejoicing. Delegates of the
Panjab and Sindh C. M. S. Native Church Council were invited
to be present. The Bishop found it impossible to be present.
The following Clergy took part in the opening ceremony: The
Revs. R. Clark, T. R. Wade, T. P. Hughes, Maulvie Imad-ud-din,
W. Jukes, H. Lewis, Miyan Sadiq, Imam Shah, A. Bridge, H. Rountree,
C. Merk, Yaqub Ali, T. Howell, and T. Holden.
A large number of Indian Christian Laity were present. The
Church was filled with Christian worshippers, and Muhammadans
[110/111], who had come to look on.
[Handwritten note inserted in the page facing pg. 111 as follows]
Archdeacon Matthew
On Saturday morning I visited the new Mission Church of All Saints
now approaching completion. Its erection in an Oriental style
of Architecture has my fullest sympathy and the design appears
to be admirably suited to (sic) needs and surroundings. It is
a worthy Memorial of the Saintly labourers in this Mission Field
who sacrificed their lives in the service of the Gospel &
it (sic) also be a monument of the zeal of those now living,
who have with so much zealous effort & careful supervision
carried the work through. That there is no superfluous or extravagant
ornamentation, the Church is both within & without dignified
in its architecture & the texts who adorn it. (sic) exhibit
the people of Peshawar the spirit of our belief and worship.
Dec. 5th, 1883
________ ________ ________ ________
I cannot give a better description of the Church than that
published by the Rev. Robert Clark in the Lahore Church Gazette
of 5th January 1884.
"On the 19th December 1853, it was my privilege, as the
first English Missionary who ever visited Peshawar, to be present
at the celebrated Missionary Meeting, which took place on the
establishment of the Afghan Mission, it was then that Sir Herbert
Edwardes uttered his memorable speech, which, in the History
of the Indian Missions has since become historical. It was spoken
almost immediately after the death of his predecessor (Colonel
Mackeson) by assassination: and it was under circumstances like
these that he, and Major Hugh James, and Colonel Martin, and
Sir James Brind, and Sir Henry Norman, and Colonel Urmston, and
Colonel Bamfield, and Dr. Baddeley, and Mr. Maltby the Chaplain
with other men and many Ladies also, met together, to seek by
prayer and effort, by God's grace, to commence Missionary work
amongst the Afghans at Peshawar.
The collection which was made for the Mission soon amounted
to Rs 30,000; of which Rs 10,000 were given to the Parent Society
by an anonymous friend; Rs 5000 were given at the meeting through
Mr. Urmston also anonymously; Rs 1000 were collected after the
Sunday Service at the Offertory, and the remainder was given
by many friends in many places.
Thirty years have passed; and I am again invited, this time
by the Peshawar Missionaries to visit Peshawar; and [111/112]
to take part in an event, the like of which has never yet taken
place in Peshawar, since it was a city, although Peshawar is
said to be one of the oldest cities in this part of Asia. I allude
to the opening of a beautiful and perhaps almost unique Christian
Church, in the midst of this great city of the Afghans.
Well may we now repeat the inspired words of the Psalmist,
"Not unto us O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy Name be the
praise."
Thirty years! And what changes have taken place in them in
Peshawar! It was considered then to be unsafe for a European
to be seen outside the limits of Cantonments; and I remember
when walking one day a few hundred yards beyond them, how I was
met by Sir John Lawrence, then Chief Commissioner of the Panjab,
and Sir Herbert Edwardes the Commissioner of Peshawar, who were
driving past with a large escort; and who with many rebukes for
my thoughtlessness, ordered me to enter their carriage, and to
desist in the future from such dangerous practices.
And now the whole country is so open and safe, that the Missionaries
can go alone and unarmed to any village they will; a fact which
shows not only the goodwill which the people bear to the Missionaries,
but shows also the effect of thirty years of English good Government
amongst head-strong and turbulent tribes.
A school of more than 400 scholars, many of whom belong to
the highest classes of the Sirdars and Raieses, [112/113] is
being carried on by the Mission, in which God's word is daily
taught. A Christian congregation has been gathered; and now on
the anniversary of the very Christmas week in which the first
meeting was held on the 19th Dec. 1853, after thirty years of
steady persevering prayerful work of faith and labour of love,
a beautiful Church has been set apart to the Service of God,
in the midst of the Afghan people.
It will be difficult to give a description of the Church,
or to do justice to it. We can only say, that it is the most
beautiful Church, although of course, it is very far from being
the largest, that we have seen in India. It is situated in a
public thoroughfare, very near the Edwardes' Memorial School,
and close to one of the Gates of the city.
Instead of facing East, it exactly faces Jerusalem, as the
point to which all believers look for the Second Coming of the
Lord. Its plan is cruciform, and its architecture is a successful
adaptation of Mosque architecture to the purposes of Christian
worship. The symmetry and proportions of the columns and arches
are almost perfect.
At the end of the Chancel is an exquisite painted window,
the gift of Lady Herbert Edwardes, in memory of her late Husband.
Above the Chancel arch is another small painted window, erected
by Mr. and Mrs. Worthington Jukes to the memory of their child
(Cyril). On either side of it are the words in Hebrew, JEHOVAH,
ELOHIM.
The Transepts are separated from the Nave by two carved screens,
one of which is the gift of the Rev. C. M. Saunders, and the
other of the Rev. A. Bridge, both Chaplains of Peshawar. [113/114]
One Transept is set apart for Purdah Women; and in the other
is the Baptistery, the gift of Mr. Hughes, which is adapted for
the administration of Holy Baptism by immersion.
The carved Pulpit (of teak wood), is the gift of Mr. Jukes.
The handsome brass Lectern is the gift of Miss Milman, sister
of the late Bishop of Calcutta, and bears the following inscription:
"In loving memory of Robert Milman, Bishop of Calcutta,
who died 15th March 1876. He preached his last Urdu Sermon to
the Native Christian Congregation in the city of Peshawar. His
last English Sermon was on behalf of the Peshawar Mission. His
last public act was an address to the pupils of the Peshawar
Mission School. "I will very gladly spend and be spent for
you," "
The Communion Table is of Peshawar carved wood-work, the brass
Desk on the Holy Table is the gift of Mrs. Graves, who laid the
Foundation Stone of the Church in 1882. The floor of the Chancel
is of Peshawar pottery in different patterns. The kneeling cushion
before the Communion rails was worked by Mrs. Freeman who, together
with her husband was a large contributor to the Church.
The following text in Persian(?) stands out in bold relief
over the arch of the entrance door on the front of the Church
outside from Rev. vii. 12:
"Amen, blessing and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving,
and honour and power and might, be unto our God for ever and
ever, Amen."
Over the Chancel arch inside appear the words in large letters:
"I will make them joyful in My House of Prayer."
[115] These words from Isaiah lvi. 7 were chosen by Bishop
French, who afterwards told me that he was sorry I had not put
them up in Persian.
Many other texts (to attract the attention of Muhammadans)
adorn the building, and especially the two following, at the
Chancel end of the Church (in Persian):
"Jesus the same yesterday, today, and for ever",
Heb. 5: 3,8.
But the chief feature of the Church is the Screen, beautifully
carved in cedar wood, of different native Peshawar patterns,
which divides the Chancel from the Ambulatory behind it. In this
Ambulatory are placed the mural tablets to the memory of the
deceased Peshawar Missionaries, on account of which the Church
is called the All Saints Memorial Church.
The tablets are as follows:
The Rev. C. G. Pfander D. D. 1825-1865, died 1st Dec. 1865,
Aged 62.
The Rev. T. Tuting B. A. 1857-1862, died 27th Oct. 1862, Aged
33.
The Rev. Robert E. Clark B. A. 1859-1863, died 14th January 1863,
Aged 28.
The Rev. Isidor Loewenthal M. A. 1856-1864, died 27th April 1864,
Aged 38.
The Rev. J. Stephenson 1864-1868, died 23rd December 1868, Aged
26.
The Rev. J. W. Knott M. A. 1869-1870, died 28th July 1870, Aged
40. [115/116]
Alice Mary, Wife of the Rev. T. R. Wade, died 8th October 1871,
Aged 21.
Minnie and Alice, infant children of the Rev. T. P. Hughes.
The following names were added later:
Cyril and Eileen, infant children of the Rev. W. Jukes.
Annie Forde Norman, C. E. Z. M. S. 1883-1884, died 22nd May 1884,
Aged 27.
"The dome covered cupola of the Tower is seen from a
great distance, and contains a fine-toned bell, which is heard
all over the city and neighbourhood, the gift, in or about 1858,
of the Rev. George Lea, and other friends in Birmingham, to the
Peshawar Mission, through Colonel Martin. It is the first bell
of the kind that has ever been seen in Peshawar, and it attracted
great attention when given to the School in 1858. Being a campanologist,
it gave me great pleasure in designing the cage in which to hang
the bell.
The Cupola (the cross was added a year or two later) is surmounted
by a large gilt Cross showing the Christian character of the
building, and distinguishing it from other public edifices in
the city.
Connected with the Church, is the Parsonage House, built in
Native fashion, in the form of a square (with an open court yard
inside), and near to it the large Vestry Room and native Library,
two Guest Rooms on an upper story, below which are dwelling places
for servants.
Everything is thus provided, in connexion with the Church,
for all purposes required.
The cost of the whole of the buildings has been about Rs 25,000
of which that of the Church has been Rs 22,000; Rs 3,000 are
still required to pay off the debt, which has been necessarily
incurred. (This debt was soon wiped out).
[Handwritten note beneath a picture of the Church on the opposite
page reads as follows: It was always the custom of the Mission,
that when any of us approached the Church, either riding or driving,
always to dismount some little distance from the Church, and
to walk in humility to the Church, as was always done by Muhammadans
on their approach to a Tisjarat (sic).]
[117] " At noon on the 27th December 1883, the Feast
of St. John the Evangelist, the day of the Dedication, the Church
was filled from end to end, by a very large and attentive audience.
The two Transepts were then filled with English Officers, amongst
whom we noticed the Deputy Commissioner; one side of the Nave
was occupied by native women, and by Native and English Ladies;
and the other side by the men and boys of the Congregation, and
by the Members of the Panjab Native Church Council, who had received
a hearty invitation from Mr. Hughes and Mr. Jukes, to be present
at the opening of the Church, and to hold the eighth meeting
of the Panjab Native Church Council in Peshawar.
The completion of the Indus Bridge at Attock, and of the Northern
State Railway to Peshawar, enabled them to accept the invitation;
and many Native friends from different parts of the Province
availed themselves of the true Afghan hospitality, which our
Peshawar Hosts so bountifully bestowed on us all.
Fourteen Clergymen, five of whom were natives were present,
and took part in the Services, and in the absence of our beloved
Bishop at home, it devolved on us, as the Senior Missionary of
the Church Missionary Society in the Panjab, by the invitation
of the Missionaries, to say such Prayers at the opening Service
as could be taken by an ordinary Clergyman.
The Lessons were read by the Rev. W. Jukes, and by the Pastor
of the Church, the Rev. Imam Shah.
[Handwritten letter: The Holy Communion Service -- The
Communion Service was the gift of a Roman noble lady to the Bade
(sic) Mission at Shuska (sic) in N. W. Persia (Caucasus). When
the last of Trans-Caucasus was occupied by Russia, the missionaries
were expelled (1835) and Dr. Pfander brought this with him, leaving
it by deed of gift to the Peshawar Mission Nov. 1865 (note letter
in file). It has been in the Mission ever since and has been
used in Jalalabad during the 1878-1879 war. (This is not true
to my knowledge - Jukes). Signed H. J. Hoare April 30, 1913.]
[Handwritten note reads as follows: Peshawar, N. W. F. Province
28.7.26 Dear Mr. Jukes, Very many thanks for your kind letter
of July 5, enclosing cheque for 10s/ for the Rev. Imam Shah &
his wife & daughter's gravestones. I will let you know when
all is finished. My brother Edmund who came out with my Father
1886 joined the Panjab Mission in 1891 & was most of his
service at St. John's College, Lahore. He was for a time Secretary
of the Mission till he left at the end of 1914. From 1915 he
has been Indian Secretary at the C. M. House Salisbury Square.
He has been at Exeter for deputation work. He is sadly crippled
with arthritis, but sticks to his work wonderfully. The communion
set given to Dr. Pfander in 1857 by Sir Herbert Edwardes &
friends was a personal gift & presumably he always kept it.
The other set is the one Cox refers to in his letter as being
now used at the Hospital, it was originally given by a Russian
lady to the Bade Mission, in Shuska, Persia & was brought
away by Dr. Pfander when they were expelled in 1835; & he
left it by deed of gift to Peshawar Mission in 1857. My enigmatical
statement is I hope cleared. As Dr. P. was presented by friends
with a set for his own use, he left the one he brought from Persia
to the Peshawar Mission. I will make the corrections you mention
in the Log Book & Reminiscences. I must write more another
time. I have several more letters to get written & you know
what the heat is at the end of July here. With our best wishes;
yours sincerely, Mr. E. Wigram]
A brief statement of the object of the Service was [117/118]
made by the Rev. T. P. Hughes, who presented the Pastor with
a copy of the Holy Scriptures, in the original languages, and
with the Sacramental Vessels of the Church, which were then reverently
placed by him on the Lord's table.
The Sermon was then preached by the Rev. Maulvie Imad-ud-din,
Chaplain to the Bishop of Lahore, from the words of our Lord:--"If
I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the Kingdom
of God is come unto you."
The sound of the Psalms and Hymns swelled loudly and harmoniously
through the Church; and the Service was concluded with praise
and thanksgiving and prayer.
The proceedings were very solemn, and verily God Himself was
present with His people, and He made His presence felt, even
as He had manifested His presence in an unmistakable manner at
the first Missionary Meeting which had been held at Peshawar
thirty years before.
But some of our Church Missionary Society supporters in India
may perhaps ask, why this apparent departure from some of the
cherished traditions of the Church Missionary Society by the
erection of this beautiful Church in a Church Missionary Society's
station.
The answer is very clear. It is no departure at all. The object
of the Church Mission Society is, to build in every heathen land
living Temples to the Lord; whatever means will conduce to this
end should be made use of.
We wish to bring the people of this and of every land to the
Cross of Christ. For nearly thirty years has the Gospel been
preached in the bazaars and streets and the villages of [118/119]
Peshawar city and district, and it has been met with scorn and
derision and insult. For the last few years, the policy of our
Peshawar Missionaries has been changed. The effects which are
now made are those of conciliation, and friendship within the
Church, in the School, in the Hujra and the Anjuman.
On Thursday last, were seen, perhaps for the first time in
Peshawar, many leading Native Chiefs, who reverently sat behind
the red chord which separated the unbaptized from believers in
the Faith of Christ, and who listened attentively to a Christian
Maulvie, as he preached to them boldly and very plainly the Gospel
of Christ. There was no opposition at all; a leading Khan of
Eusafzai was there, with members of some royal families. A Rajah
from the Frontier afterwards took his place as a listener if
not a worshipper in a Christian Church.
Expressions of approbation and congratulation were heard from
Mahomedans (sic) and Hindus in Peshawar. "We serve God in
our way" said they "and it is right that you should
serve Him in yours." Services of Song and Preaching have
since then been daily held, (Mr. Clark was wrong, for the daily
Services of the Church had long been held), and for the first
time in the history of the Peshawar Mission has a Christian Church
been thronged by people, who are not Christians, and who are
not yet willing to listen quietly to Christian preaching when
delivered outside.
We believe that it has been given to our friends Mr. Hughes
and Mr. Jukes, to devise one more way to gain Afghans. The [119/120]
Hujra is another. The school is another. The Anjuman is another.
If religious Services can be carried on and religious instruction
can be given without controversy, or noisy opposition and disputation
to Afghans in a beautiful Church, then let us have the Church.
We have seen in some other places, rooms in Schools, in houses,
or room-like so called Churches, where Services have been unattended
except by a few paid agents of a Mission. If the fault in a Church
is merely that it is beautiful, then let us accept the fault,
if its consequences are the bringing in of souls to Christ, or
even if it is only the inducing heathen and Mahomedan (sic) men
and veiled women to listen to the Gospel.
In this case the Church is not an expensive one. Rs 22,000
is not a large sum for a well finished suitable, and commodious
Church, and even this sum has been in a great measure given by
private friends, who have presented most of what is ornamental,
as a free gift.
We believe that a new era in the history of the Afghan Mission,
has been entered on by the erection of this Church in the Peshawar
city. An outward movement has been made, and although we know
that a mere building is nothing without God's presence and blessing
in it, yet if the Cloud of Glory fill this House, even as it
filled the Tabernacle and Temple of old, this building will not
be without its special service in the Evangelization of the Afghans.
Our earnest prayer is, that this new era may now be signalized
by the coming in of many Afghans into Christ's own Fold, "unto
Him shall the gathering of the [120/121] people be", and
He himself has said, "I will draw all men unto Me."
________ ________ ________ ________
This rather long paper of Mr. Clark on the All Saints Memorial
Church is a most valuable one, for it brings out one aspect of
Missionary work which is often lost sight of.
I thoroughly endorse all he wrote about the various means
used by us in the Mission, for winning the Afghans, and hope
that, if any of them have been dropped, they may be at once resuscitated.
ZENANA MISSIONARY SOCIETY
ZENANA MISSION LADIES
________
There were at this time three Ladies belonging to the Ch.
of E. Zenana Missionary Society living in their own quarters
in the Peshawar Cantonment, and doing most excellent work.
Miss Mitcheson, was the Lady Doctor, and was indefatigable
in visiting no end of patients in their Zenanas, and performing
many operations. In course of time she obtained permission to
live in the Gorkhatri, in the house built by Mr. Robert Clark
in the early years of the Mission.
Some parts of the building were altered and made into a Hospital
for women. The Duchess of Connaught in 1883 kindly allowed it
to be called after her and I conducted a special Service, dedicating
it to God's Service.
Most excellent work was carried on there for several years
by Miss Mitcheson and her successors.
Miss Mitcheson was able to talk fluently in Urdu, and also
[121/122] in Pakhto. She also itinerated in the villages.
Miss Phillips was engaged in schools for girls, and teaching
in the Zananas, where she was much appreciated. She was an accomplished
Musician, and held herself responsible all the time she was in
Peshawar, for the music in Church and training the Choir.
She was also in great requisition at Concerts, during her
spare hours, which were got up in the Cantonment's Club for Officers
and their Wives. She was of a very quiet and humble disposition,
and left her mark on her Mission, but she was not strong and
had to go to England on one or two occasions, till she was obliged
to resign.
Miss Annie Forde Norman, daughter of General Sir Henry Norman,
K. C. S. I. of Indian fame, joined the Zanana Mission in March
1883. She had been very much appreciated as an Honorary worker
in the Parish of St. Mary Abbotts, Kensington, under the Hon.
and Rev. Carr Glynn, the Vicar, afterwards Bishop of Peterborough.
As a child she took the greatest interest in Missionary work,
and the following story about her will not come amiss, and is
not generally known, she told it to me herself.
When she was a little girl, about her 12th Birthday, her Grandmother
wanted to know what she would like for her Birthday present,
after a little thought she said, "Please Grannie, I should
like two Bibles," but the Grannie said, "Would not
one nicely bound Bible be better?" She said, "No Grannie
I should like to have two, please; one for myself, and the other
for a little Indian girl." [122/123] In due course both
Bibles arrived. Having obtained the name of a little Indian girl
recommended by some Lady Missionary, Annie wrote the name of
the Indian girl in it, stating that it was from Annie Norman.
The Bible went on its way to India, with many prayers. After
the lapse of about 12 years, Miss Norman arrived in Peshawar
as a Missionary, and naturally went round to see the converts,
and their respective wives, one of these visits was to the house
of Mr. Datta, a Bengali convert, the Head Master of the Mission
School, and whilst waiting for Mrs. Datta to come in, Miss Norman
looked at the various books lying on a nice table, and to her
astonishment, she opened the Bible she herself had sent out.
More can be imagined than can be described here, when the giver
and the recipient met face to face, in the Gorkhatri where Mrs.
Datta lived.
Bishop French fortunately was in Peshawar on her arrival there;
and at the close of his sermon in St. John's Church on 4th March
1883, he commended her to the prayers of the English Congregation,
and in asking for a blessing on Miss Norman's work he offered
up this prayer, which he afterwards gave her, and as it is so
beautiful, I give a copy as it has never before been published:--
"O Christ, our Great and Glorious High Priest, exalted
far above all Heavens, be with Thy hand-maid (we pray Thee) who
has offered herself to Thee, to carry the bright lamp of Thy
Truth which Thou puttest into her hand, into many a dark home,
and many a heart full of sin, ignorance and sorrow.
[124] "Strengthen her with Thine Arm, enlighten her with
Thy Wisdom, and make her gracious with Thy love, that through
her patient teaching and godly example many may be led to humble
themselves in willing love at the feet of Thy Cross, and be drawn
by the meekness and gentleness of the Lord Jesus, so as to find
redemption through His Blood and receive the Promise of the Spirit
through Faith.
"Endue her plenteously with these special Gifts of the
Holy Ghost which her work most of all stands in need of, that
by His Holy Inspiration she may think those things which be good,
and by Thy merciful guiding may perform the same.
"Suffer her not to be discouraged and disheartened by
the slow growth and delays of Thy work, nor deterred by contradictions
of those who are the enemies of the Cross of Christ, and deny
the Lord Who bought them.
"May the power of Thine endless Life be in and with her,
to revive, support and establish her, that watching for Thee
and gathering with Thee, and occupying the gifts she has been
put in trust with, till the day of Thy glorious appearing, she
with all Thy chosen fellow-workers, may open to Thee immediately,
and with the crown of her rejoicing, may enter in to the joy
of her Lord, to whom, with the Father &c &c."
She valued very deeply this dedication of her to the Lord's
Service, and I am sure it strengthened her very much in all she
attempted both amongst Europeans and Natives.
She and my Wife became very fast friends.
[125] MY WIFE AND MISS NORMAN
________
In March 1884 my dear Wife, who had been suffering much from
fever was told by her Doctor that she ought not to spend the
hot weather in India, but should go home.
It was with great reluctance that she left, not only on my
account, but on the Mission in general.
She had thrown herself heart and soul into the work; she frequently
accompanied the Ladies of the C. E. Z. M. S. to the Zananas in
the city, had interested Officer's Wives in the same good work,
and the Afghan lads of the Hostel found in her a great friend.
They always used to come into our Drawing Room of a Sunday evening,
for they loved her society and enjoyed singing hymns, finishing
up with many cups of tea!!
They frequently reminded me of it afterwards, for they found
in her a friend and sympathizer. The one who missed her most
after myself, was Miss Norman, who was anything but well at the
time, but soon after an urgent call came to her to go down to
Agra, on a mission of mercy; when she came back in May, she was
very ill, and her Doctor told her that her only chance of recovery
was by going at once to Murree.
I at once engaged an invalid carriage in the train, in which
Miss Mitcheson and I accompanied her to Rawal Pindi, where she
was met by another Doctor, who told me it would be impossible
for her to reach Murree alive, so we took her to an Hotel.
There it was I made known to her, that God had something in
store for her, far better than reaching Murree, that God was
silently planning for her in His Love (Zeph. iii.17), which made
her happy immediately, and that was, He was taking her to Himself.
I administered the Blessed Sacrament to her, at her special
[125/126] request, and in the early hours of Ascension day, 22nd
May 1884 her happy spirit took its flight, after giving me many
special messages to her relations and friends.
We returned the same evening to Peshawar, and buried her in
the Mission Cemetery at her own request, outside the Kohat gate
of the city. Christians, Muhammadans and Hindus to whom she had
endeared herself within a few months followed her to her last
resting place, grieving for the loss they had all sustained.
Hers was a particularly cheerful and breezy nature. European
and Natives were always happy in her presence. She was at home
with the one as well as the other.
Frequently she went up with some Lady to the Club in the Cantonments,
to join in the tennis or concert, and she never lost an opportunity
of witnessing for the Master, she loved to serve.
One Officer, who had become very careless about his religious
duties said to me once:--"There is only one person who would
ever make me into a religious man, and that is Miss Norman."
Little did she think, or possibly know, that that Cemetery
in which she was laid to rest, was very dear to her Father, then
Governor of Jamaica, for when I wrote and told him all that had
happened to his daughter , he wrote me a most broken-hearted
letter, dated 7th July 1884 which I must not make public, but
simply say how very dear she was and always had been to him,
and what comfort he had in knowing that she spent her life in
the Saviour's work, and then he said: It is touching to me to
think of her as laid in that distant Cemetery, in which when
I first reached Peshawar, on our occupying it in 1849, those
comrades who died in that year were buried."
[ Handwritten note on page facing p. 127: Miss Norman was
laid to rest in the Waziribad Cemetery, outside the Kohate Gate.
This cemetery was first brought into Christian occupation in
1849, the year that Peshawar was annexed to British Dominions,
as may be seen from General Sir Henry Norman's letter on p. 126.
I remember seeing one or two other Christian cemeteries, probably
still older, and possibly used in 1842 when Kabul was in the
hands of the English.]
[127] He chose the Inscription that we put on her tombstone:--
Annie Forde Norman
(Third daughter of General Sir Henry Norman)
Missionary to the Women of India
Born 15th September 1857
Died 22nd May 1884
"Of such are the Kingdom of Heaven."
(And at her own request we also added)
"Until the day break and the shadows flee away"
He also added in his letter to me, "I shall be glad also
if you will have the tablet you propose, put up in the new Memorial
Church. I should like a monthly sum to be given to the custodian
of the Cemetery, to keep the grave in order, and if possible
plant some flowers round it."
Perhaps I made no such provision, as there was no custodian,
but whilst I was there, flowers were placed round her grave,
and I trust that the Missionary Staff in Peshawar, will always
take care of the grave, as her Father desired, for his sake,
and that of her who lies buried there.
"Who in a short time fulfilled a long time."
He closed his letter with the words, "I trust that as
in life my daughter served the Saviour, so in her death there
may be abundant fruit. My warm prayers have gone up for Peshawar
for very many years, and they are not likely to be discontinued
now."
Father and daughter have since been re-united
"Requiescant in Pace"
[128] THE REV. T. P. HUGHES
________
As Mr. Hughes went to England in the Spring of 1884 with the
intention apparently of not returning, this will be a good place
of recording his work in the Mission.
He had joined the Mission in 1864 the year after the Rev.
T. R. Wade who was then in charge.
When I arrived in 1873 I found that he had mastered the Pakhto
language, and by his frequent itinerations in the District had
made friends amongst the Afghans, and as they had shown him the
greatest hospitality, he determined to reciprocate it by building
a Hujra or Guest House, and making all Afghans welcome, by keeping
an Afghan servant to offer the pipe of peace, and to cater for
them in their Afghan simplicity, whenever it was convenient for
them to come. He was always glad to see them, and they soon found
that they were very welcome.
He was always very cheery with them, and he soon obtained
the reputation of Pakhtunwali.
With the assistance of Maulvie Ahmad of Tangi, he compiled
a series of Afghan stories in colloquial Pakhto, full of humour;
and extracts from the leading Pakhto Authors, and entitled it
Kalid-i-Afghani, i. e. The Afghan Key.
He dedicated it, with permission, to the Hon. Robert Henry
Davies C. S. I. Lieutenant Governor of the Panjab, who at once
gave orders, that it should be the Text Book for those Officers
Civil and Military, who wished to qualify for Service on the
Afghan Frontier. He published it in 1872.
It was very much to the credit of Mr. Hughes that the sum
of L300 which he received from the Government, for the publication
of this book, was entirely spent for the good of the Mission,
[128/129] in fixing the massive shelves into the Mission Library,
and buying a great many standard Authors, which have proved so
helpful to me and all successive Missionaries, and many Officers
of the Garrison. Another valuable book which he was engaged upon,
with the assistance of the same Maulvie Ahmad, was "Notes
on Muhammadanism", being Outlines of the Religious System
of Islam, which reached a second edition in 1877. It is a most
helpful book to all students of Muhammadanism in connexion with
all tenets of that religion.
It became the basis for a much larger work, the "Dictionary
of Islam," a most helpful book for all Missionaries to Muhammadans.
To him also is due the credit, to a very great extent, of the
success of the Edwardes Mission School, in making it very popular
throughout the District, by starting the Annual Educational Durbars,
which were held either in the School, or more generally in the
Mission compound, in large Shamianas, very kindly lent by the
Deputy Commissioner. The Commissioner generally presided, and
his speeches were always very much to the point.
English Officers and their Wives being seated on one side,
and the leading Arabs and Chiefs on the other. Muhammadan and
Hindu Masters were requested beforehand to escort from their
homes the more important guests, to their seats, in true Eastern
manner. Recitations in various languages were made by the senior
boys, prizes were given to the scholars, and speeches were made
by the more important people.
He also edited the "Church Supplement of the Civil and
Military Gazette (Lahore)" with the kind permission of the
Editor, it proved of the greatest value to all Church readers
in the Panjab.
[130] It was subsequent to the Afghan War, and about 1882
that Mr. Hughes suggested and carried out a most excellent improvement
of the Mission House, by altering two rooms facing the front,
and on the right hand side of the entrance to the Library, and
making them into an Oratory, where the Mission Clergy could say
their Office together, and where all the Members of the Mission,
including the Ladies of the Zanana Mission, could assemble for
Quiet Days and Retreats. It proved of the utmost value, and it
should have been done long before.
He also wrote many important and interesting papers which
he published in the English and India papers of the day, amongst
others one on the "Afghans being part of the Lost Ten Tribes'"
another on "The Akhund of Swat, a Muhammadan Saint,"
and "Dilawar Khan, the converted Afghan Brigand," the
last two being published together in the Calcutta Christian Intelligencer
in 1876, and afterwards issued as a separate publication.
He also established the Book Shop in the Kissi Khani, the
chief street in Peshawar, which was originally very narrow, till
Avitabile the Italian General of the Sikh Army about 1847 had
both sides of it beaten down by his elephants, and ordered the
inhabitants to build it up again at two or three times its original
width. In all Afghanistan there is now no street to be compared
with it. No end of Afghans from Central Asia have thus had the
opportunity of becoming acquainted with Christian Literature.
There is no doubt that he was a very able man, and very much
[130/131] respected by all Afghans who came into contact with
him.
The greatest credit is due to him for the genius he displayed,
in all his ideas for All Saints Church, and in raising most of
the Building Fund, whilst on leave in England.
A Tablet in the Church ought to be erected to his memory,
as well as to that of the Rev. Imam Shah, who for so very many
years, acted as its First Pastor.
DE MORTUIS NIL NISI BONUM
________
THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT
________
It was during the year 1884 that some Anonymous friend in
England, desired that copies in various Indian languages should
be sown broadcast, of our Lord's Sermon on the Mount, and I was
requested to have 500 copies printed in Pakhto.
This was immediately put in hand. I had it written out in
a good bold hand by our Khushnavis Ghulam Jilani.
It was published by the Press of the New Imperial Police of
Lahore, and all the copies were immediately distributed, and
we wished that we had had a few hundred more.
THE REV. AZIZUDDIN
________
I must now once more refer back to the Mission School, and
the great influence that the Hostel had upon some of the Afghan
lads through God's goodness.
One lad, Aziz-ud-din, from Hashtnagar, to who I had granted
a Scholarship, always seemed much annoyed when I asked him one
day [131/132] what he thought about his Scripture lesson; in
fact he used to look very angry. So I said to him, "you
must not be angry at my asking you this question. We both believe
in the same God, so it must be true. But if you think that the
teaching of the Quran is right, and that Salvation comes through
it, you must do your best to make me a Muhammadan, but if Salvation
comes through Jesus Christ, as has been revealed to us in God's
Word, then it is my duty to let every one know about it. My advice
to you is to read the Quran, its commentaries, and the Traditions
of Muhammad, and to understand them well; and then I should advise
you to read the Bible and all that God has revealed to us in
it, and in the meantime pray that God would reveal Himself to
you. You will then be in a position to know which is the best
religion. I shall then be only too glad to give you a Bible for
your own."
He left me in a much better frame of mind, and so far as I
could tell, wished to act on my advice. I felt sure that what
I said about reading the Quran, would make him much less satisfied
with it.
After this he became much more friendly, for he saw that I
did not wish to ram Christianity down his throat.
In a few months time he came to me with a smile, and told
me he had been studying his own religion, and that he was anxious
to study the Bible, would I give him one? At once I responded
to his wish, and gave him further advice.
It was not very long after this that he expressed a desire
[132/133] to become a Christian, for he had become filled with
an enquiring spirit; his study of the Bible was such, that I
had never seen in an enquirer before, and I felt sure, that if
his life was preserved, he would prove one of God's favoured
instruments in the Afghan Church.
He was in a state of unrest, and had his ups and downs as
all converts had.
He was just finishing his course at the Mission School, and
he thought he would like to obtain his living in the Land Settlement
Department, and I got him the appointment of Assistant Patwari.
He was sent to a village on the other side of the Indus, and
there his troubles began. It was soon known that he wished to
live as a Christian, the consequence was, he was not allowed
by the villagers to buy food or to drink water from the village
well, and was abused by all.
I soon had a letter telling me of all his troubles. It was
the hot weather, so I arranged for him to meet me by the night
train at his station, 60 miles away. I had a long talk with him
in the fields on a starlight night, giving him my advice and
sympathy. This happened more than once, and as I saw the persecution
was almost too much for so young an enquirer, with not a single
soul in the village to help him, I told him it would be better
for him to resign his appointment, and to go where he would be
strengthened in his faith; his espoused wife was denied him,
and given to another man, which quite upset him.
He had quite made up his mind to be baptized. It was therefore
arranged that the baptism should take place on [133/134] 20th
March 1885 in the Memorial Church at the Morning Service.
The Service was about to commence, when I thought it advisable
to see if he was in his place. As I could not see him in Church,
I was afraid his heart had failed him at the last moment. I took
off my surplice, went into the road, and there I saw him surrounded
by his former school fellows, who were trying their best to dissuade
him, but as soon as he saw me, he pushed them all aside, and
came running to me, with a smile on his face, saying how hard
they were trying to prevent his Baptism.
A number of Muhammadans were at the end of the Church, where
they were allowed to sit, to hear the Service.
At the end of the Second Lesson, he was immersed publickly
in the Font, and then he retired into the Belfry, which is just
outside the Baptistery, to change his wet clothes for clean white
ones, whilst the Congregation sang a translation of the beautiful
Baptismal Hymn "In token that shalt not fear, Christ Crucified
to own &c &c."
After re-entering the Church, he was led to the front of the
Chancel, where all in the Church could see him; was signed with
the sign of the Cross, in token that hereafter he would not be
ashamed to confess the Faith of Christ Crucified, but manfully
to fight under his Banner, against sin, the world and the devil,
and to continue Christ's faithful soldier and servant unto his
life's end."
No sooner had he been baptized, than he asked to be allowed
to go to his village, and make public his change of religion,
[134/135] a sure sign of the faith that was in him; he felt he
could no longer keep to himself the Good News of Salvation, he
must pass it on to others of his own family.
I told him how glad I was that he was anxious to do so, but
warned him of what he must expect, open hostility, and possible
murder. But even that did not damp his ardour.
I told him not to be away more than three or four days, as
I should be anxious about him.
On his arrival at home, he was abused and cursed by all, and
was virtually made a prisoner. Wherever he went, he was followed
by a man fully armed; and at night, another man stood over him
equally armed. After the lapse of a day or two, he felt he was
rejected by those to whom he had gone, his own kith and kin.
Finding his captors asleep one night, he quietly took his departure,
came back and told me with tears in his eyes, that his efforts
had been of no good.
A month or two before his Baptism, he had been down to Batala,
and I have not the slightest doubt, that he had derived much
benefit and strengthening of faith, from A. L. O. E. and others.
I was anxious that he should be thoroughly trained as a Catechist,
so sent him down to the Lahore Divinity College, where he received
much spiritual help from Mr. Shireff, as well as some knowledge
of Hebrew and Greek.
Of his subsequent work as a Catechist, I cannot speak too
highly, for he was invaluable to me in my itinerations and discussions
with Mullahs in their Mosques.
Eventually he was ordained as a Deacon, the first of our [135/136]
Afghan Converts to be solemnly dedicated to the Sacred Ministry,
but of his Diaconate and of his subsequent Ordination to the
Priesthood, I cannot write, as I had been obliged to leave that
very happy sphere of work. It thrilled my heart to hear that
he had been considered worthy of such high honour.
I have just heard that he has been very lately called to a
much Higher Service in the presence of his Lord.
REQUIESCAT IN PACE
Another of the Hostel boys who had been much influenced for
good was Muhammad Akbar. He too had been much strengthened by
A. L. O. E. and called by her the "Bird of Paradise."
His father heard of his being at Batala, so went down and
brought him to his home. He was such a nice handsome lad, and
of good family.
Somehow or other I do not remember so much about him, I am
very sorry to say, but he is remembered in my prayers.
I hope someone will kindly give me good news of him.
[137] QAZI KHAIR ULLAH
________
Mr. Hughes had established a Book-shop in the Kissi Khani,
and stocked it with Bibles and Christian Literature, likely to
be useful to all Pakhto, Persian and Arabic readers.
He put Sayd Shah in charge of it, with instructions that he
should use his own discretion in selling, or giving away portions.
Soon after being settled in his shop, Qazi Khair Ullah, a
young Talib-ul-ilm, was attracted by the many books openly spread
on the shop counter, and began examining them, first one and
then another, chatting all the time with Syad Shah, some Muhammadans
then came up and began abusing Khair Ullah for reading the Christian
books, and told him to get along; so thinking that discretion
was the better part of valour, he passed on, crossed over the
street, and came around once more to the shop, and again began
to read. More Afghans coming along, saw him very intent upon
the books, warned him that it was not proper for any Muslim to
read Christian books, and hustled him away.
But again he came round fascinated with such an intellectual
treat; this happened two or three times. Sayd Shah seeing what
was up, said to him at once, "Come to my house, have dinner
with me, and then you will be able to examine all the books to
your hearts content."
He came and listened to all that Syad Shah had to tell him
and was impressed. This it was which led to his conversion. A
more cheerful, bright, keen, and earnest young fellow, I never
saw before among Talib-ul-ilms.
He proved a great acquisition to the Christian forces of our
Church, and loved going about with me itinerating in the villages.
In course of time he too was considered worthy of [137/138] ordination
into the Christian ministry after I had left for England.
Azizzuddin and Qazi Khair Ullah, were the first two from among
the Afghans to be ordained, may there be many more like them.
It is to such as these that we must look for a far greater spread
of Christianity in the future, with Gods help.
With such earnest and faithful brethren, we had no difficulty
in "launching out into the deep."
ASHIQ ULLAH
________
Much about the same time, another Muhammadan came under the
influence of Christianity. What his real name was, I never found
out, but he called himself Ashiq Ullah, i.e. Lover of God.
I had been looking out for a Christian man who could help
us by his singing, in the Evangelistic services which we held
in the Anjuman, but failed to find one.
Ashiq Ullah was introduced to me as a man who was a great
poet, as well as a musician on the rabab or violin; he had been
paid to sing at some of the Sikh services, and thought he could
better himself, by singing at some of our Services as well!!!
I reminded him that he was not a Christian, and that his services
would not be acceptable; in reply he said that he looked upon
all the Prophets as sent by God, that Jesus Christ was a very
great Prophet, that praise was acceptable to God, and that he
would sing all our Hymns in praise of Jesus Christ and God.
I allowed him to come and help with his violin, and he proved
very acceptable, both in his singing and playing.
After a time he begged to be allowed to help in the preaching!!
but I told him he reminded me of Noah's carpenters who [138/139]
helped to build the Ark, and then perished in the Flood, because
they would not accept the preaching of Noah.
This argument had a wonderful affect upon him, at once he
became an enquirer, and after a time of probation was baptized,
helping us very much by his natural talents.
I persuaded him to put some of the Psalms of David, and the
teaching of our Lord into verse, and to sing them at our impromptu
Services. He proved of very great help, not only in the Anjuman
Services, but with me in the villages.
At one time he got very ill whilst itinerating with me, I
brought him home at once and put him in the Hujra, where his
friends could visit him. My friend Dr. Courtney, the Civil Surgeon,
kindly attended him.
His brother came to see him whilst he was ill, and in his
presence told me that he would rather see him lying dead as a
Muhammadan, than alive and well as a Christian!
He was baptized some little time before I left Peshawar.
THE HUJRA
________
After Mr. Hughes left the Mission, I wished to increase the
usefulness of that hut in the Mission Compound, which we reserved
for the Chiefs, as part of the Hujra.
It was at that time only one story high, and not dignified
enough for Chiefs, so I had another story added to it, which
made a nice bala khana, or reception Room. I had a nice [139/140]
Oriel lattice window made to the room, and put down some carpets
and large pillows, which made it very comfortable in the opinion
of the Afghans. It was much appreciated by the Chiefs, and proved
of much value to the Hujra.
I frequently sent some of my snap-shots to the Church Missionary
Intelligencer, and amongst them were photos of this part of the
Hujra, both before and after the enlargement.
BISHOP FRENCH
________
In March 1885 we once more had the pleasure of welcoming Bishop
French amongst us, and on the 22nd March, he formally dedicated
All Saints Church as Bishop.
The Revs. Imam Shah and T. C. Coverdale, who had recently
joined the Mission, and myself preceded the Bishop in procession
up the Church, whilst we all sang, "The Church's One Foundation."
We were all glad to have that veteran Missionary amongst us
once more, and to listen to his words of advice and encouragement
from the Pulpit and in the home.
In May he invited Mr. Mayer and myself to stay with him in
Kohat, and to go through parts of the Old Testament, and St.
Luke's Gospel in the Pakhto language. We found his scholarship
a very great help to us in our translations.
In a letter the Bishop wrote on 16th May he says:--
"We work seven hours a day. It is delightful to see Messrs.
Mayer and Jukes' enthusiasm."
and again in June he wrote:--
[141] The Pushto reminds me of what Luther said of the Germans,
when he was translating the Old and New Testament, that it made
him sweat blood to try and adapt the crabbed and barbarous language
of the Teutons to the deep spiritual truths of the Semitic Scriptures."
(Birk's Life of Bp. French ii.136)
ITINERATIONS
________
In my itinerations in the district, I sometimes went to see
Colonel and Mrs. Fisher in Shabkadr Fort, they were both very
kind, and the latter often sent little delicacies which were
very acceptable whilst in camp.
I also used to visit Colonel Elton at Michni Fort, and frequently
he used to come and stay with me at the Mission House. The last
time he came, he was very ill, and could not get off his horse
without my assistance. I immediately put him to bed, and asked
a Doctor to come and see him. He soon got sufficiently well to
warrant his leaving for England, but before his departure, realizing
that he would never return, he asked my acceptance of his beautiful
charger, a Waziri mare, called Khyber, whose movements were perfect.
My Wife was born a horse woman, from the easy way she sat
her horse, found her invaluable, as well as myself.
________
A delightful man, the Rev. Sidney Pelham, son of the Bp. of
Norwich, in his tour of India, came and stayed with us for a
time. He was particularly pleasant, and very appreciative of
all that [141/142] he saw.
There was at Peshawar at the same time, a son-in-law of the
new Bishop of Exeter, Dr. Bickersteth, Captain Rundell, whom
we saw much of. He told us that the "Hymnal Companion"
brought in a regular income of L500 to his Father-in-law.
THE AMIR COMES TO INDIA
________
At the invitation of the new Viceroy, Lord Dufferin, the Amir
Abdul Rahman came down from Kabul to Rawal Pindi.
On his way through Peshawar, he was met at Jamrud by many
Civil and Military Officers, who accompanied him to Peshawar,
the Wives of many of these Officers, foolishly went out to see
the sight at the entrance to Cantonments, the Amir scanned them
minutely, and then said to one of the English Officers:
"I suppose you keep all your pretty women at home"!!!
Lady Aitchison very kindly invited my Wife and myself to stay
in the Lieut. Governor's Camp, which we accepted, for my Wife
had just arrived from England, as it happened, in the same steamer
as Lord Dufferin, and his suite, with Lady Dufferin.
That evening after dinner, we with others were invited to
an Evening Reception in the Viceroy's Camp. On that occasion
we saw all the Elite of India, the Duke and Duchess of Connaught,
all the Panjab Rajahs, and leading Officers and Chiefs from every
where, last but by no means least, Lord and Lady Dufferin, who
greeted my Wife very warmly.
The Reception Tent was very large and grand, 25 feet high.
[143] The following will give some idea of the plan of the
Camp of the Lieut. Governor of the Panjab, Sir Charles Aitchison.
The L.G.s Camel Carriage, holding about a dozen, drove us
to and from the Viceroy's Camp, which was larger still, than
that of the Lieutenant Governor of the Panjab.
It was very nice to get some idea of what went on at a Viceroy's
Reception. At 10:30 p.m. the Band played the National Anthem,
and all retired.
Our tent in the L.G.s Camp comprised one sitting room and
two bedrooms.
When an important Officer moves about the Country in Camp
for several weeks or months, he has double sets of all these
tents, so that when he leaves one camp in the morning, the next
camp will be ready for him on arrival. Of course he takes his
office and establishment with him, where ever he goes.
[144] He has a large Office, and the amount of his staff is
necessarily considerable. He can hardly move without having some
1500 people of all classes and servants, each Officer having
his own servants, horses, trap, &c.
The next morning after Prayers in the L.G.s Office, to which
all who liked might come, we had breakfast. I sat by Lady Aitchison
and my Wife by Sir Charles. At 11 a.m. we all started for the
Grand Review which was held a few miles off.
My Wife drove with Sir Charles and Lady Aitchison, Captain
Dunlop Smith, the Private Secretary, Captain Dennys and the A.
D. C. rode as outriders. I rode on Captain Dunlop Smith's Arab
with the Misses Aitchison and other A. D. C.s.
The Review was very grand, 20,000 troops all told. The Amir
was present with the Viceroy and his Staff.
In the afternoon unfortunately I had Fever, and could not
attend the Viceroy's Garden Party.
The next day was the Grand Durbar at which I was able to be
present, we formed part of the L.G.s party, and drove down a
long avenue lined with English and Native Cavalry.
At the Durbar, the Viceroy and Amir sat side by side, and
on either side sat, Europeans on the left of the Viceroy, and
Rajahs with the Amir's Officers on the right. The Amir and Rajahs
glistened with diamonds and precious stones.
The Viceroy presented to the Amir a great number of valuable
gifts brought in on trays by liveried servants, he received them
with stolid indifference, chatting away with the Viceroy all
the time. The presents culminating in a beautiful sword and a
Battery of Artillery.
[145] In the afternoon, as the Doctor was going out to see
the Amir, he allowed me to drive the two Miss Aitchisons in his
phaeton and pair. Miss Aitchison drove my Wife in their pony
carriage, the General driving Sir Charles and Lady Aitchison.
That evening all the Aitchison family dined with the Viceroy,
and we had a quiet dinner with the Staff. Dunlop Smith is a capital
fellow, a son of the celebrated Dr. George Adam Smith, Professor
of Hebrew, Glasgow.
We both left the same evening for Peshawar, having much enjoyed
our short but exciting visit. Lady Aitchison pressed my Wife
to stay with them in Simla during the summer, but circumstances
prevented her accepting this kind invitation.
On the Amir's return to Peshawar, on his way back to Kabul,
I sent him a Persian letter asking his acceptance of the accompanying
New Testament in Pakhto, which he received just after he had
left Peshawar. In reply he said:--
"I have received your letter, and regret that I had no
opportunity of seeing you. I am exceedingly sorry that during
my visit to the Panjab, I was unable to see more of British thought
and learning, but everything has its allotted time.
"The Copy of the Gospel which you kindly sent, I receive
with great reverence. Although I do not consider myself bound
by all that is written therein, I shall nevertheless treat it
with that respect which is its due, as a book sent to us by God.
I shall take great interest in its perusal. I shall moreover,
make extracts of all those passages, as may be interesting and
striking, that correspond with [145/146] the Quran, and shall
try to act up to them. It is with great pleasure that I receive
this the best of all my presents!!"
When one realizes the greatness of all the presents which
I saw given to him at Rawal Pindi by the great Government of
India, at that magnificent Durbar, I wonder how much he really
meant by those last words of his! or whether he ever looked at
the Book again!
THANDIANI
________
Immediately after this I went up with my Wife to Thandiani
in the Spring of 1885, as she was far from strong, and often
got attacks of fever.
Captain and Mrs. Graves were up there at the time, my Wife
and Mrs. Graves were much attached to each other, and were fond
of painting, so I felt I could leave her with them, whilst I
went back to Peshawar for work.
I joined them again in September. Mr. Tuck, a Devonshire man,
a civil Engineer on the Sibi Railway, joined us in our sketching
tours, to a beautiful gorge, three miles down from Thandiani,
which we called The Fairy Glen. The banks were most precipitous
and covered with Cedar trees and Pinus Longifolia. Mrs. Graves
painted a very pretty picture of these Cedars and Gorge. My Wife
that summer painted in oils, some pretty scenes and large forest
flowers. Mr. Tuck and I tried our hands at Cedar trees and the
Valley beyond.
On our way home we stayed the night at Kala Pani Bangalow.
[146/147] Boxer, our fox terrier amused himself by killing tarantulas
which abound there. At Abbottabad I gave a lecture at the Hazara
Debating Society on Unity, and next day another to the boys of
the Govt. School on the Fear of the Lord.
We stayed with Major and Mrs. Molloy of the Panjab Frontier
Force, who had been in Thandiani for the season.
PESHAWAR
________
On our return to Peshawar, Abdulla Khan who had been an enquirer
for some time was baptized. At that time I was much interested
in two of our boys of the Hujra, Abdul Ghafur Khan and Abdul
Qayum, the latter had become a Master in the School.
After I left India, he became engaged in Political work on
the Frontier, and then an Attache to the Govt. of India in the
Foreign Office, he was afterwards Knighted, and became known
as Akhundzada Sir Abdul Qayum. I saw him in London about 1923
and had a most interesting conversation with him. He thought
I would not like to see him dressed as an Englishman, so he kept
me waiting a little time in his Hotel, whilst he adopted the
more becoming Afghan dress. I could not get him to come and stay
with us in Shobrooke.
Abdul Ghafur Khan has also risen high in the Civil Service.
I heartily congratulate them both in their success, and hope
they will never forget that they owe their education to the Peshawar
Mission School.
During that and the following year, I was invited by the Staff
of the Panjab University, to be an Examiner in English Literature,
History and Geography. It was no slight task as [147/148] I had
to look through over 2000 Examination papers each time.
My Wife returned to Peshawar in October 1885, and during the
next month, our second child Eileen was born.
The Spring of 1886 was happily spent by us both, amidst many
activities, but on the 25th May, we were called to face another
sorrow, in giving up our second child.
She was a strong and healthy babe, and daily took her rides
in her perambulator, by the side of another little Eileen of
the same age, the daughter of Colonel and Mrs. Harvey, great
friends of ours, but the babes sickened at the same time, died
and were eventually buried side by side in the cemetery on the
Taikal road.
May I hope that some kind member of the Mission will take
a kindly interest in those two graves?
Immediately after this I took my Wife up to Thandiani, and
after a few weeks left her with some kind friends.
KASHMIR
________
In August we once more left for Kashmir, the sister of the
Chaplain, Miss Adele Gillmore being with us. We spent much of
our time in Gulmarg. As soon as Dr. Arthur Neve, our old friend
could come up from Srinagar, I had a splendid walk with him of
some 15 miles, up a distant mountain, over glaciers and treeless
expanse, 14,200 ft. high, we took no tents, only a waterproof
rug, drying our clothes, when need be, by the side of a camp
fire.
We tried a glissade down one of the slopes, on which he saved
my life, by throwing himself onto my path and seizing hold of
me, as I could not stop myself on the ice.
[149] We stayed for a time in Srinagar with Mr. and Mrs. Knowles
who had previously been in Peshawar as Missionaries.
Later on Dr. Arthur Neve and I went for another walk to Harimuk
10 to 12,000 ft., where we bathed in a high lake, in which blocks
of ice were floating about; on this occasion we had a small tent.
But notwithstanding these frequent changes from Peshawar,
my wife did not get stronger.
________
In the Autumn the Afghan Boundary Commission took its departure,
for delimiting the Frontier and with it many of our friends.
In November 1886 the Duke and Duchess of Connaught came up to
Peshawar. They were much interested in the All Saints' Memorial
Church.
Miss Mitcheson took the Duchess over the Women's Hospital
which had recently been completed in the Ghorkhatri, and graciously
consented to allow it to be called, the Duchess of Connaught's
Hospital.
THE REV. F. WIGRAM'S VISIT TO PESHAWAR
________
In February 1887 the Rev. Mr. Wigram, Hon. Sec. C. M. S.,
and his son Marcus visited us in Peshawar. We enjoyed his visit
very much but the wear and tear of constant traveling and speaking
in public, told upon his health, and he could not sleep well
whilst with us. On 22nd Feb. I took him through the city, up
to the Ghorkhatri, from which he could get a good view of the
city and district, then to the Church with which he was very
much pleased.
[150] In the Library and Guest House close by, the Christians
presented him with an address in English and Pakhto, to which
he replied, saying that the Church far exceeded all his expectations.
Later on in the evening, the Literary Institute was crammed
with citizens, both he and his son and Mr. Clark gave addresses,
after which there was much conversation, and he saw some of the
difficulties we have in dealing with the Natives. He was much
impressed with the whole gathering.
Next day, being Ash Wednesday, he gave an address in the Church
on Isaiah lviii, and I interpreted for him.
In the evening there was a meeting in the Mission House Chapel
for Workers, at which he spoke again.
The following day I took him and his son to the village of
Taikal Bala, where I had made previous arrangement that he should
be feted by the Arbab, who received him with the greatest hospitality.
I took a photograph of him and his son amidst the Arbab and his
armed retainers, with horsemen behind in chain armour, which
appeared subsequently in the C. M. S. Gleaner.
I also took another photograph of him, his son, Mr. Clark,
and my Wife in front of our Hujra amidst Christians and Afghans,
which was also published in the same paper.
In the evening we had our Educational Durbar, in large open
tents. Many Civil and Military Officers and the leading Natives
of the District were present. Recitations were made by the Scholars,
and prizes were distributed. I think he was more impressed with
this, than anything else, except the Church. I know Mr. Clark
was, for nothing of the sort is known in other [150/151] Mission
Stations.
On the following Friday they visited the School, at which
he and his son gave addresses. Three hundred lads were arranged
on the gallery, in front of them, dressed in every colour of
the rainbow, with the School motto, blazoned above them "Honour
and Truth," which I had given to the School a few years
before, which have been, we hope, the inceptives of high ideals,
to the many hundreds who have listened to words addressed to
them on those virtues, which, if acted upon, must have made many
of them, true and noble men.
On leaving, Mr. Wigram remarked in the Log Book:--
"My son and I had the great privilege of visiting the
Peshawar Mission and spending three days there. It was much too
brief a visit, but thanks to the kind arrangements made by the
Rev. Worthington Jukes, we were able to see much of deep interest,
and what appear to be signs of great encouragement.
"The Ladies of the C. E. Z. M. S. residing in the Ghorkhatri,
have a very important work in hand, undertaken with courage and
faith which will not lose its reward.
"The gathering of Native Gentlemen at a Conversazione
at the Literary Institute indicated the importance of that Institute,
and the happy terms which exist between the Missionaries and
many of the non-Christian residents. We were privileged to say
a few words bearing on the Christian faith to those assembled.
[152] "On Ash Wednesday I was permitted to address the
Native Christian Congregation in the Morning on Isaiah lviii.
10, 11 and in the Evening the Workers assembled in the Mission
Chapel, in the Rev. Jukes' Bungalow, and I addressed them from
ii Cor. iv. 3, 4.
"In the Afternoon we had visited the Native Christian
Cemetery which was in excellent order, and where we saw the grave
of Miss Annie Norman, who laid down her life in the Lord's work
here, after a brief period of labour. "She being dead yet
speaketh." May many respond to the call and offer for this
very important sphere which demands the devoted labours of both
men and women.
"On Thursday we visited two Afghan Gentlemen at Taikal
and the welcome which we received, was further proof of the manner
in which the faithful labours of the Missionaries have been owned
of God to the breaking down of prejudices and opposition.
"But this was most strikingly indicated by the gathering
of leading Native Gentlemen at the Educational Durbar in the
Afternoon, when prizes were distributed to boys of the Mission
School, whose bright intelligent appearance was very encouraging,
and some of whom acquitted themselves well, in the recitation
of passages from English, Persian, Arabic, Pakhto Authors.
"The great opportunities which Peshawar offers for leading
representatives of Tribes coming in from Central Asia, demands
that it should be strongly manned, and I should be thankful to
see four men assigned to it, so that [152/153] at least three
might ordinarily be in residence or be itinerating in the neighbourhood."
25th Feby. 1887, Fredk. E. Wigram, Hon. Sec. C. M. S.
The remarks he made on the Church of All Saints are recorded
in the record book of the said Church, and unfortunately I did
not take a copy of the same.
________
Very soon after this, my Wife, who had constantly been getting
fever, was told by her Doctor that she should not risk the climate
any more but go back to England, which she accordingly did, much
to our united regret.
She was invited by Sir Charles and Lady Aitchison to accompany
them to Bombay, thence to England. The kindness and help she
received from them and Captain Dunlop Smith, his Private Secretary
was invaluable. They went via Venice, St. Gothard and Lucerne.
Sir Charles had originally desired to leave by the P. &
O. S. S. Tasmania, a week earlier, but he could not manage it
in time. The Tasmania on that voyage was wrecked between Corsica
and Sardinia. With heartfelt gratitude I reiterate once more
my LAUS DEO.
[154] KAFIRISTAN REVISITED
________
That year (1887) we wished to keep in touch with the friends
that had been made in Kafiristan, so we sent Sayd Shah, our Catechist,
a second time, to that interesting country, whose inhabitants
looked upon the English as their brothers.
He went via Kashmir and Chitral, taking with him from us friendly
letters and small presents to the Chiefs he had stayed with before.
He was hospitably entertained by the Khan of Chitral, and received
a warm welcome from his old friends in Kafiristan. He did not
return till after I had left for England. I looked upon this
visit of his, as one in place of my own, as I had so often wished
to make a Missionary tour there myself, and to take the Gospel
to that benighted race, descendants probably of the Army of Alexander
the Great.
Not only had I obtained possession of a prismatic compass
and boiling thermometers from the Government to enable me to
map out the country and to obtain the heights of mountains &c
but I had learned the use of them from my old friend Lieut. (afterwards
Major General) G. K. Scott Moncrieff R. E. and had put them into
practical use during my holidays at Thandiani.
Just before Sayd Shah visited Kafiristan on the first of these
two occasions, an Officer, I think it was Colonel Durand, went
there on a Political Mission from the Indian Government and made
some Treaty with the Chiefs, which both parties clinched with
their blood, according to the custom of that country. Sayd Shah
told me, that they had not realized the value of it, and gave
the Treaty to him during his first visit. I was horrified at
his accepting it, and promptly returned it to the Officer with
explanations.
[155] BISHOP FRENCH RESIGNS
________
In 1887 Bishop French resolved to resign the Bishopric of
Lahore at Christmas, after ten years of strenuous service.
He, as well as ourselves felt that he needed absolute rest
for brain as well as body, but notwithstanding this, he wished
to give effect to the one ambition of his life, to be engaged
once more in Missionary work in Arabia, and to be able to talk
colloquial Arabic in that country, in addition to his many other
languages, with the sole object of helping to win Arabia to Christ.
His resignation took effect on 22nd December 1887, and it
had been arranged that the Ven. Archdeacon Matthew of Lahore
was to be his successor. The whole Diocese regretted his departure
but welcomed his successor.
He went to England via Baghdad, Mosul, Aleppo and Beyrout.
Whilst at this latter place, and in the midst of his studies
in Arabic and Syriac, he wrote me a letter in June 1888 in reply
to one of mine about the revision of the Pakhto Scriptures, saying
he was still thinking of it in the midst of his studies.
After spending some little time in Jerusalem, he rejoined
his Wife at Chislehurst in Holy Week 1889.
Whilst in England, he still hankered after Arabia and consulted
the Archbishop about Muscat being taken up as a Mission Station,
in the fulfillment of the wishes of Bishop Hannington of Uganda,
and Bishops Steere and Smythies of the Universities Mission to
Central Africa.
He left England early in November 1890, spent much of his
time in North Africa, preaching in as many Mosques as were open
to him, and ultimately reached Muscat 8th Feb. 1891.
[156] Here it was that this veritable Saint of God laid down
his life on 14th May 1891, and on his tombstone there are inscribed
the words which exemplified his whole life, in Arabic and English
characters:--
"Verily, verily I say unto you, except a corn of wheat
fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone, but if it die,
it bringeth forth much fruit."
"Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto
but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."
ENGLAND ONCE MORE
_________
In September 1887 I too left for England, hoping that I might
be able to return with my Wife in the Spring of 1888.
I left Mr. Day in charge of the Mission, and left Bombay by
the Rubattino Line, and reached home via Naples, Genoa, and the
St. Gotthard. After spending a little time with friends and relations,
I accepted the Locum Tenency of Muncaster in Cumberland. My Wife
and her dear Mother accompanying me.
My Wife's brother the Rev. O. T. L. Crossley, afterwards Bishop
of Auckland, New Zealand, paid us a long visit, after a severe
illness. We had a most enjoyable time.
There it was our third child Gladys was born on 20th Dec.
1888. As the Doctors forbad my Wife's return to India in the
Spring, I told the C. M. S. Committee that I would see what effect
another year in England would have on my Wife, and if she were
no stronger by that time, I should feel compelled to resign.
The Committee offered me the choice of the most healthy [156/157]
place in India in their power, if Mrs. Jukes could only accompany
me, but I felt it must be either Peshawar or England.
I therefore returned alone to Peshawar during the Spring of
1889, and resumed my happy work there.
PESHAWAR
________
Archdeacon Basil Wilderforce came out to India to study the
Opium question, and in the course of his tour, became our Guest
for a few weeks. He was most appreciative of all the work of
the Mission.
CHOLERA
________
Once more Cholera broke out with the greatest virulence, carrying
off large numbers of the population, English and Native. I have
amongst my papers, one which I wrote at the time, describing
the special prayers which the Mullahs used, during their perambulations
of the streets, which show the intense excitement that prevailed
at the time.
LORD LANSDOWNE
________
Later on during 1889 Peshawar was visited by the Viceroy,
Lord Lansdowne. The Municipality of the city wanted to do him
the honour of presenting to him their dutiful loyalty, and begged
me to write out for them, a suitable address of welcome, which
of course I did, remarking upon the meaning of [157/158] his
title of Marquis, "The Lord of the Marches," in connexion
with his visit to the extreme North Western boundaries of India.
Lord and Lady Lansdowne with many other Officials visited,
amongst other places, the School in November, and in response
to the address presented to him from the Staff of the School,
he said in reply:--
"It gives me very great pleasure to receive this address
at your hands and to become acquainted with the schools of which
I have heard so much, and which have achieved for themselves
so well-deserved a reputation.
"I am glad as head of the Government of India to express
my appreciation of the good work which the Afghan Church Mission
has performed in this connection.
"When we are on the frontier our minds naturally turn
to questions connected with its defence, to the great lines of
military railways which have been built, to the fortifications
which have been constituted, and to the efficiency of the troops
which garrison them.
"Now it is very satisfactory to me to know that the Afghan
Church Mission is supplementing our efforts by turning out year
after year a number of young men who will, I trust, receive here
such a training as will make them hereafter good and true men,
and worthy members of that garrison of loyal and patriotic citizens
upon whom the Govt. of India will afterwards have to rely,
"You have mentioned, Sir, the names of two former pupils
of the school both well and honourably known men, as having added
to the credit and reputation of the Institution, [158/159] and
I have no doubt that as time goes on many more such men will
be found ready to contribute to the reputation of the Mission,
and to keep alive the memory of that distinguished public servant
after whom these schools are named.
"I do not think that a young native of this country could
set before himself a brighter or worthier ideal than to follow
in the footsteps of Sir Herbert Edwardes, to whom this Institution
owes so much, and whose name will always be a household word
in Peshawar.
"Before I leave this room I should like to say to the
scholars whom I see before me, how glad I am to have met them
here today. Most Englishmen look back with affection to their
old school, and I hope that the scholars of this Institution
will take a pride in it, and feel that they are each and every
one of them able to contribute something towards maintaining
its reputation.
"If I could venture to give you a word of advice, on
an occasion like the present I should be inclined to ask you
to remember that education in the true sense of the word means
a good deal more than book-learning, and that your object should
be to obtain while you are studying here, that larger kind of
education which consists not merely in proficiency in your school
work, but in the organization of those qualities which are indispensable
in order to make a good school-boy or a good citizen.
"Loyalty, respect for authority, modesty and self-respect,
truthfulness (I see the words "Honour and Truth" written
upon the scroll which decorates the wall above your heads) and
a keen sense of honour - these are lessons which no amount of
reading [159/160] will teach effectually unless it be supplemented
by other influences.
"And now I will conclude by saying that you have my heartiest
wishes for your welfare, and I repeat that it has given me great
pleasure to meet you on this occasion.
"I thank you, Mr. Jukes, very much for the address which
you have read, and I wish these Schools all success and prosperity."
The proceedings were closed with three cheers for their Excellencies.
I have heard many splendid speeches from Viceroys and others,
to the scholars of the Mission school, but this one from Lord
Lansdowne was by far the best.
MY RESIGNATION
________
My dear Wife's continued illness prevented her from returning
to Peshawar or even to India, so I was compelled to resign my
post with the greatest sorrow, for I had hoped to remain long
at this most important and advanced Mission of the Church.