Old Daniel Part 3

In accordance with this decision, not only were the Missionaries removed, but the Goobbe mission-house, the Goobbe chapel, in which Daniel had been baptised, the school-rooms, and all other buildings, were sold. When the idol was tumbled out of the temple, _Christianity_ triumphed; and when the house of G.o.d was sold, _heathenism_ triumphed.

That was not only a bitter day to good old Daniel, but _a terrible blow to the cause of Christ in Goobbe_. Enquirers after the way of salvation enquired no more. Some who had taken a few steps in the narrow path turned back, and never entered it again; while every heathen priest found in this breaking up of the Mission a powerful argument to keep his disciples out of the way to heaven. Whenever Daniel went from his own village to Goobbe, he was derided by the heathen, as Pilgrim was at Vanity Fair. The blasphemy and ridicule with which he was a.s.sailed were almost unbearable. One day especially he was most severely tried. As he was going along one of the princ.i.p.al streets some of the 'lewd fellows of the baser sort' were most insulting and abusive; and a few shopkeepers joined them in ridiculing the Christian. His own account is this: Some said, "What! did your Missionaries leave Goobbe because they had no food?" "They had nothing to eat, so they sold the bungalow, and the schools, and even G.o.d's house! Such is your fate. Have they given you any of the money to live upon?" I replied, "G.o.d will not forsake me. When I was an enemy to G.o.d, He protected and took care of me; and now I am His child, will He forsake me? Never!" They said, "Will your G.o.d maintain you if you sit doing nothing at home?" I answered, "It is idleness to sit quietly at home. G.o.d has given me strength and a mind to work for my living." One said, "You spoiled your caste when you had every comfort; you are mad." One man, without attempting to ridicule, said solemnly, "All that has happened to him was his fate; it was written in his forehead; let him alone." Of course Daniel was much distressed. He went home quite cast down, and in tears told his wife how the people had ridiculed him, and how dejected he felt. But she comforted him by saying--"We are called to bear all these reproaches for Christ's sake, and He will support us under them; He will never forsake us." At night he had a portion of G.o.d's Word read to him as usual, and at family prayer he was much comforted: his faith and hope were strengthened. In this way he went on for four or five years, without any human help except an occasional visit from a Missionary, who, on a preaching tour, turned aside to spend a few hours with him. Daniel says, "One day the Reverend Messrs. Sanderson and Hardey called to see us, and I exclaimed, 'O, Sirs, we are left here as sheep without a shepherd. You have planted a young tree, but it is dying for want of water. The people reproach us, saying, "Your Missionaries having no food, have sold the mission-house, the schools, and even the house of G.o.d."'" Messrs. Sanderson and Hardey did and said all they could to comfort and encourage the few forsaken Christians, and their effort was not in vain.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

THE GOOBBE CIRCUIT RECOMMENCED.

In the course of three or four years there was an improvement in the pecuniary circ.u.mstances of the Missionary Society, and arrangements were made for recruiting the Mysore District. In connection with these changes, Mr Hodson returned to India. He landed at Madras January 1st, 1854. After being detained there several months, he went to live at Bangalore, and paid his first visit to Goobbe on the 16th of April, 1855. He found the old mission-house in a very dilapidated state. It had become the property of Government, and was used as a travellers'

bungalow--a public rest-house for every traveller pa.s.sing that way who needed accommodation. Mr Hodson and Daniel soon had an interview, and the past days of trial were brought under review. In the midst of all difficulties and persecutions Daniel had 'kept the faith.' In his conversation with Mr Hodson, he referred to the time when the first sermon was preached in Goobbe, his being employed by Mrs Hodson, his conviction of sin, and his baptism. He stated with wonderful correctness many events that had happened in the Mission from its commencement to that day; and some of them were referred to with deep feeling. When Mr Hodson said, "We will try to re-purchase this house, build a new chapel, and put a Missionary to live at Goobbe again,"--the good man wept with joy. He said that this revival of the Mission had been his prayer and hope ever since the Missionaries went away. The Government re-sold the mission-house to Mr Hodson for the sum they had paid the Mission for it. Under Mr Sullivan's care the house was put into complete repair, and a good substantial chapel was built in the town of Goobbe. Mr Hodson preached the opening sermon, June 12th, 1860.

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.

A CONVERTED VILLAGE BLACKSMITH.

We have already seen how Daniel tried to bring his heathen neighbours into the way to heaven; but another instance of his successful efforts is given by Mr Sullivan, the then resident Missionary: "Runga was a blacksmith, a very immoral man, who lived in Singonahully. Daniel instructed him and warned him. He told him of heaven and h.e.l.l; showed him that unless he repented and believed in Christ he could not be saved. Sometimes Runga was attentive, and his case seemed hopeful, but at other times it was quite the reverse. At length he yielded to Daniel's invitation, and attended morning and evening in Daniel's house at the time for family devotions. After that he began to attend divine service in the Singonahully chapel. He was ridiculed and persecuted by the heathen, but he held on his way. These means of grace were blessed to him. He became penitent, and brought forth the fruits of repentance.

The reformation in his conduct was evident to all who observed him.

From being a drunkard he became a sober man; and he resolved never to take another drop of intoxicating liquor--a resolution which he faithfully kept to the day of his death. He also became industrious, so that his wife and children, who had formerly been half starved, and who were covered with rags and dirt, now experienced a wonderful change.

They had abundance of good food, were well clothed, and their house, as well as their persons, was always neat and clean. But Daniel, though pleased with this outward reformation, was not satisfied; he knew that something more was necessary. He persevered in exhortation and prayer for the man's conversion to G.o.d; and he wished him to make an open confession of his faith by baptism. As often as Daniel pressed this duty upon him, so often did Runga declare, 'I am not worthy to be called a Christian; I am not worthy to be as you are. I believe in Christ for salvation, but I am too vile to be honoured with baptism.' One day, by way of showing that he had done with idolatry, he took a number of iron things--not idols, but instruments that had been used in idolatrous ceremonies by himself and his forefathers--and with his own hands he made them into reaping-hooks and other useful farming instruments, preceding his work by the declaration, 'These things won't be wanted any more in their present shape, so I will make something useful of them.'

When he was attacked by a fatal disease, some of the villagers said to him exultingly, 'Ah! you have become a Christian; you trust in the Christian's G.o.d; let us see if He will cure you; He cannot; our G.o.d will kill you.' Daniel said to the sick man, 'Do you believe that their G.o.d can harm you?' He said, 'No, no!' Daniel's wife then added, 'But we all think you will die; are you afraid to die?' He answered, 'I am not afraid; I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.' When he became worse, and it was evident that he had not many minutes to live, Daniel said to him, 'Runga, continue to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.' He replied, 'I believe ONLY on the Lord Jesus Christ,' and in a few minutes he died.

He was never baptised, but doubtless he was saved through the merit of Jesus' death, and Daniel was the chief instrument in his conversion."

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

NEW VILLAGE CHAPEL.

Up to the year 1864, one building in Singonahully, had served the double purpose of chapel and school-room. This was not according to Daniel's wish. He thought there ought to be two buildings. And he resolved to erect a school-room at his own expense, and give it to the Mission, as a thank-offering to the Lord for a good harvest; for by this time he was a farmer as well as a washerman. Full of this idea he came to the Mission-house, and with great modesty spoke of the plan which he had made. The Missionary approved of having two buildings, but suggested that instead of building a school-room, it would be better to keep the present building for school purposes, and erect a new chapel. The sum which Daniel had set apart was 4 pounds, but this would not build a chapel. However, the Missionary proposed that Daniel should give his 4 pounds, and that a few friends should be asked to make up the deficiency. This was done, and the chapel was built. Four pounds may, to some persons, seem a small sum, but He who "searches the heart," and Who approved of the widow's two mites, rightly estimated the value of old Daniel's gift; and the Missionary Society would have a larger income than it now has, if all Christians would give the same proportion of their income as Daniel gave on this occasion.

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.

DANIEL'S SICKNESS AND HAPPY DEATH.

When Daniel was over seventy years of age, he said to a friend, "It has pleased G.o.d to take my wife to himself, and I am _now_ an aged pilgrim near my journey's end. I have been spared to see my children's children, even to the third generation. I have five sons, twelve grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. I commit them all to the hand of the great G.o.d whom I serve. I pray that He will bless them, keep them all in the way to Heaven, and that I may meet them all in glory. May He help me to wait patiently here until He shall call me into Heaven through the merit of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. G.o.d bless the Missionaries and the Mission work abundantly."

About twelve months before his death, Daniel caused the following testimony to be written, "I was born in sin, and I lived in the practice of all kinds of iniquity. I performed the ceremonies and followed the customs of our people for many years, but I found no peace in them.

Then I began to think about wors.h.i.+pping the _one_ G.o.d, of whom I had heard something, but I was very ignorant and knew not how to wors.h.i.+p Him. While I was thinking much on this subject, the Missionaries came and preached the Gospel. I heard the truth; and by their teaching I was made to understand the way of salvation. I believed on the Lord Jesus Christ with my whole heart, and then I felt that G.o.d, for the sake of Christ's merit, had pardoned all my sins. Peace and joy sprung up in my heart: and I now pray for His help to keep me from sin as long as I live. I am nearly eighty years old; my days are uncertain; I do not know when I may die. I have no delight in this world, and I hope to enter the world of glory, through the merit of the death of Christ."

He became gradually more and more feeble, and for many weeks before he died was blind and nearly deaf. Mr Haigh, who was then at Goobbe, gives the following account: "On Sat.u.r.day evening I went with Mr and Mrs Hocken to see Daniel. We found him sleeping on a mattress. He awoke soon after we entered his room, but the attendants found it difficult to make him understand who we were. He did not answer our questions, but muttered a few short sentences, and then after a long pause, he said distinctly, 'O, Jesus, take me to Thyself, take me to Thyself.' When, at length, his son made him understand who we were, the good old man wept, and said, 'Alas! I cannot see them.' At this moment of clearer consciousness, his son, at Mr Hocken's request, asked him if he had joy in thinking of Jesus. He replied, 'Yes, great joy.'"

Mr Hocken has given the following account: "On Sat.u.r.day evening, October 25th, Mr Haigh, Mrs Hocken and myself went from the Mission-house to see old Daniel. We found him lying on a mat, and covered with a white cloth. He appeared unconscious of our presence, and murmured as one in a dream, 'Jesu, Swamy, (Lord), take me to Thy feet.' It was some time before he could understand who we were, and then he cried because he could not see us. The villagers crowded round the door, and watched us with almost deathly silence. I tried to draw the old man into conversation, but his mind wandered. At intervals he prayed fervently to Jesus, lingering over, and repeating many times, the name of Jesus. His mind seemed to be continually running on the thought that he should soon be with Jesus. We prayed, and made preparations for giving him the Lord's Supper. As soon as I put the sacramental bread into his hand, a flash of devout _joy_ lighted up his face, and he lifted the bread reverently to his mouth. It was a very affecting sight to see this worthy old Christian taking the Sacrament for the last time.

All his family were deeply moved. When we took leave of him he started as he took my wife's hand. He said, 'This is a little one, whose is it?' They told him it was Mrs Hocken's. The old man bent over it and blessed her."

A few days after this, while the Missionaries were away from Goobbe, Daniel died; and the Catechist gives the following account: "On the day of his death he appeared to be much better; his hearing and his sight were both partially restored. He could see anyone moving about the room. In the morning, being conscious that he was dying, he asked that all his people might come around him, and when they had a.s.sembled he exhorted them all to follow him to heaven. He said, 'Give my salaam to the Missionaries, and tell them I die happy; my heart is full of love to G.o.d.' And when he had said this, he fell asleep."

THE END.