Part II, Chapter V — Disheartening Difficulties (1875-77)
The years 1875 to 1877 were crowded with disheartening difficulties. Famine and cholera prevailed in the land. Both of the missionaries were ill with jungle fever much of the time. Little progress was made in the mission work. Schmidt clung to the hope of establishing a number of out- stations in the hill country. Undaunted by his previous failures, he started on another trip up the Godavery River in February, 1875, accompanied by his wife, in Captain Taylor's house-boat. This time he went farther than before, but jungle fever stopped his progress into the interior of the Nizam's kingdom and drove him in haste back to Rajahmundry; eleven in his party, including himself and his wife, were sick with fever. He was seriously ill for months, and years elapsed before he fully recovered. After having returned from a vacation at the sea-shore, he undertook the building of a house-boat for the Mission at his own expense. Meanwhile Poulsen took charge of the district work; but while on a visit to Korukonda in October, that year, he also contracted the jungle fever. He recovered from it more rapidly than his co-laborer.^
While at Velpur in November, 1875, Poulsen found the Bap- tists there pursuing their usual tactics. "Our Baptist neigh- bors," Schmidt remarked, "have lots of money. They almost buy our people; and, I am sorry to say, many cannot resist the temptation. A teacher whom we paid Rs. 7 a month but whom we excommunicated on account of adultery, they em- ployed, paying him Rs. 20, almost three times as much. Now they have five or six missionary families in our field, one living 1 Poulsen ascribed his speedy recovery to a nourishing diet. Even Poulsen's horse got the fever. "The heathen," he wrote, "go to their stupid native doctors, who tell the fever patients that they must starve. As a consequence some actually die of starvation rather than of fever."
"RIVERDALE"
Missionary's home at Rajahniundry. This house was built by Dr. H. C. Schmidt, who occupied it with his family. It was the home of Dr. and Mrs. J. H. Harpster during their residence in Rajahmundry. It is now occupied by women missionaries.
"THE ])U\'E ( )F I'KAl K" House-boat built l)y Dr. H. C. Scbniidt
"THE AUGUSTAN A" A mission house-boat, of which there are now three in the mission. In these boats the missionaries travel through the canals from village to village.
DISHEARTENING DIFFICULTIES (1875-77) 1 75 at Samulkot. I cannot accept it as a comfort when a Baptist tells me that people taken by them are still the fruits of our work and that, when the Lord will come in judgment, He will give us and not them the crowns for these converts." Some time in January, 1876, Schmidt left Rajahmundry for Madras, on the advice of his physician. There he and his wife lived for a while in the mission house of the Leipsic Society, its missionary having returned to Germany on furlough. They returned to Rajahmundry in April, greatly benefited by the change in environment and by the superior medical treatment. For the next few months Schmidt devoted himself entirely to the building of the house-boat. The boarding-school boys and native Christians were employed as carpenters and blacksmiths. "The Dove of Peace," as the boat was afterward named, was 40 feet long and 12 feet wide. A cabin with seven windows and a skylight was built near the bow. Amidships were a dining-room and a bathroom. At the stern were the kitchen and the quarters for the natives. Selected teak wood was used in the construction of every part. When the boat was finished it was launched under Schmidt's supervision. The river bank was fally half a mile away, and everyone said that he could not get the boat safely from the yard to the river. "Nobody believed in me as a ship-builder, my good wife not excepted," wrote Schmidt. "When I caulked the boat before moving it, they predicted that this work would be in vain, because of the shaking the boat would get on the way to the river. When the day for the launching came I had a bad attack of fever. Early in the morning I commenced the task with one hundred men. Large beams were fastened across the vessel. Trees which stood in the way were cut down. A gate and a part of a fence were removed. At 8 o'clock I had to He down and thereafter remained in bed. My wife informed me from time to time how they got on, and I gave my orders from my bed through her. At 4 o'clock the boat was in the water. She did not leak a drop !" It must have been hke playing chess blindfolded and winning the game.
The "Dove of Peace" made her maiden voyage up the
176 THE TELUGU MISSION OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL Godavery, towed by a steamer, on August 4, 1876, the day of the sixth anniversary of Schmidt's arrival at Rajahmundry. It cost Rs. 600 to build the boat, which the missionary paid out of his private purse, securing the necessary funds by selling photographs and by disposing of some property which he had bought at Dowlaishwaram. He, therefore, claimed the boat as his personal property, and the Executive Committee allowed the claim, granting him, moreover, the sum of $40 a year for the wages of a captain. Seventy-two Christians, representing fourteen famihes, were connected with the congregation at Rajahmundry in 1876; but the old mission house in which they worshipped, was falling into a state of decay and needed rebuilding. Schmidt appealed to friends in Schleswig, who sent him about $300. The Executive Committee in America also appealed for funds and authorized the reconstruction of the old building. This gave the missionary an opportunity to continue his industrial school. Carpenter- and blacksmith-shops, a saw-pit and a lumber-yard were soon located in the mission compound, which again began to be a place of great activity, much to the joy of the missionary. Another pet project inaugurated by Schmidt, in 1876, was the purchase of land for the endowment of congregations. He began by securing some land at Velpur and permitting the Christians to cultivate it, with the understanding that they were to pay for their several portions in three or four years. He also loaned small sums of money to them without interest. Because of its bearing on the history of the Mission, Schmidt's scheme of land endowment ought to be understood. In a letter to the corresponding secretary of the committee in America, the Rev. B. M. Schmucker, D. D., under date of October 12, 1876, he outlined the scheme as follows: "The heathen temples are richly endowed with land; but our present government upholds only the old endowments and gives no land to temples or churches now. In considering all this, I came to the conclusion that it would be best to procure land in connection with the native churches. I shall work toward that object ; but it is evident that I can do very little personally.
DISHEARTENING DIFFICULTIES (1875-77) 1 77 As far as I can see now, it would require $600 to procure land sufficient for the support of a native pastor, with the pay our native catechists receive, and at least $400 for a lower grade of workers. This means to buy land when there is an opportunity to get it cheap. We would then have to build a small, substantial church, and procure proper documents that such and such land belongs to this or that church, and that the minister who should be supported by it must belong to the Lutheran Church. Other rules for management could be added, as that every member should have to work certain days of the year for his minister, etc. The advantages of such arrangement would be : i . That independent native churches would be established; 2. That the increase of the minister's salary would depend on the help of the congregation, and that he, therefore, would have to care for them as well as they for him. The qualifications of the minister would, in course of time, also depend on the pay they raise for him. 3. That a more brotherly feeling would exist between the mis- sionary and his native ministers in spite of difference in pay, as each would draw his pay from his own country and remain a son of his own soil, and the one would no longer be the servant of the other. We would begin with our present catechists, though they would, perhaps, prefer ready money. We would then require $1200, and perhaps two rich men or two rich congregations in America would like to give us that sum. Some may say that such arrangements would entangle the minister in worldly business. To such I would say: I. That St. Paul could earn his daily bread and still be an Apostle, while in our case the minister would only have to get his land cultivated by others; 2. That the emoluments of the ministers in Denmark are of that kind, and perhaps in all Europe; 3. That this leaves sufficient room for the congre- gation to act differently afterward, as it would provide for only a small pay and either more land or ready money w^ould have to be added. An endowment of this kind must remain Lutheran even after every Lutheran missionary would be gone."
In 1876 Schmidt and Poulsen agreed on a division of the ; lyS THE TELUGU MISSION OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL mission field. The former chose Paulus as his catechist; the latter, Joseph. Besides the congregation at Rajahmundry, Schmidt took charge of Dowlaishwaram, where there were nine Christians; Velpur, where there were thirty-two; Jagganathpuram, where there were sixteen; Mallipudi, where there was one family; and Argatipalem. All of these were south of Rajahmundry. His out-stations to the north were Metta, where there were three Christians; Gowripatnam, where there were ten; and Peddahem, where there were sixteen. He also made himself responsible for the work in the hill country, whither he sent a teacher, paying him twice the salary usually paid this grade of workers, and made another attempt to visit the villages of the Kois and Reddis, but with no other results than renewed attacks of jungle fever.
Poulsen's out-stations were Muramunda, where there were thirty-eight Christians and a school of ten children; Jeguru- pad, where there were twenty-seven Christians and a school which was taught by the Muramunda teacher, who devoted his mornings to the one village and his afternoons to the other Dulla, where a Sudra who afterward became an evangelist, was baptized in 1875;^ Peravaram, where there were fourteen Christians and a school of six children; Lolla, where there was a Christian family; and Amalapur, a large village nearer the coast, in which the Baptists were very aggressive. Other places which Poulsen visited were Samulkot, Jaggampet, Gokavaram, Rajanagaram and Korukonda. For some time a teacher was stationed at Korukonda. He afterward went over to the Baptists.
The Boys' School at Rajahmundry was in charge of Poulsen, assisted by Paulus and Joseph. It was a primary school which enrolled thirty pupils, six of whom occupied "the boarding house," a small building in Poulsen's compound. Three of them attended the Government College,^ the others the * Having broken his caste by becoming a Christian, his wife left him and with their child, returned to her mother's home.
^ William, James and Raya Paradesi. Some years later the last named lost his reason and was placed in an asylum at Vizagapatam, where he is still liv- ing. His wife, Anna, became a Bible woman in the zenana work. She died of cholera in 191 2.
DISHEARTENING DIFFICULTIES (1875-77) 1 79 Third Elementary School in the town. All of the boarders came to Poulsen's house several times a week for one or two hours in the morning to receive religious instruction. The whole number of baptisms in the Mission from 1869 to 1876 was 272. The losses by death, removal and backsliding during that period amounted to 40. The number of native Christian workers had remained about stationary since the beginning; but only one of the teachers in mission employ in 1869 remained in 1876. So slow had been the progress of the work that Schmidt wrote in 1876 : ''Ever since Mr. Groenning and Mr. Long ceased their work in Rajahmundry, this station and Samulkot have given the Impression of decline and decay. The property of the Mission and the number of Christians remain almost in statu quo. We do little more than keep our Mission alive."
During 1876 and 1877 a fearful famine, accompanied by cholera and other diseases, prevailed in South India. ^ The Godavery district was not so severely affected as the districts farther south
; yet in Rajahmundry the price of provisions rose rapidly, and throughout the district cholera, small-pox and fever claimed many victims. There was much suffering and distress. From one of Schmidt's letters we quote the following description: ''I had a number of jewels for which I advanced money to distressed persons, both Christians and heathen. As I do not exact interest, it is a great help to the poor people. Many are reduced to skin and bones. I should not wish you to witness the sights we see every Sunday, the day I have appointed for the poor to come and receive their mites. In the south it must be terrible. That mothers offer their off- spring for sale frequently happens. Lately poor wretches have even been found eating human flesh. The hand of the Lord lies heavily upon this land ; but a movement toward the True God is nowhere to be noted." Nevertheless the charitable conduct of the missionaries and foreign residents won the gratitude and goodwill of the natives and opened new doors of opportunity for mission work.
^ It was estimated that 5,000,000 people died of starvation during 1877 in South India.
l8o THE TELUGU MISSION OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL
The most notable incident of the work of 1877 was the con- version of P. Venkataratnam, a Sudra. Poulsen baptized him in July, that year, at Peravaram, where he had been a government teacher for six years. His conversion aroused the enmity of his relatives, caste people, to such an extent that they sought by every possible means to get him away from the missionaries. They followed the house-boat in which Poulsen took him from Peravaram to Rajahmundry, and met it at the landing-place, accompanied by a crowd of two hundred persons, intent on getting Ratnam away. Schmidt secured an escort of police who conducted Ratnam in safety to the mis- sion house. There he was confronted by his relatives, but he told them that he had become a Christian because he beheved in Christ as the Saviour, and exhorted them to become Christians. They pleaded with him, mocked, scolded and threatened him, but all to no avail. M. William became teacher at Jegurupad in 1877 ; Peter, the same year, being twenty-two years of age, took charge of the school at Muramunda. B .John, of the same age as Peter,taught a school of five children at Peravaram. Schmidt summed up the results of the work of the year 1877 as follows: "With fear and trembling we entered the year. The future seemed so threatening! The terrible famine had begun, accompanied by cholera and small-pox. A time of severe trial lay before us; yet God in His goodness preserved us, while many around us fell victims to the famine and to disease. In our neighbor's house all but one died of cholera. Our hearts are filled with praise and thanksgiving to God. To the south, where they looked so long for rain, it rained recently so much that in places there were great floods. Here we have had but little rain ; in Rajahmundry none for two months. The harvest is a total failure except where the canals furnished water for the fields, and even there only a half-crop was harvested. At our church building we employed a number of famine sufferers, and we also gave our teachers a little extra pay because of the famine. The church has already cost Rs. 1800 and is not finished. For two months we stopped building operations on account of other work. On tour Brother Poulsen and I
DISHEARTENING DIFFICULTIES ( 1 87 5-7 7) 181 were able to spend more time than usual, each devoting ex- actly one hundred days to travelling. We had a very happy Christmas; yet because of the famine fewer people came from the surrounding villages. As usual, the English judge, a friend of our Mission, gave a feast of good things on Christmas, which two hundred people attended. Around our large Christmas tree, with its 75 candles, seventy-nine children gathered. Each got a garment, a bag of cakes, an orange and a plaything. A number of garments which had been sent to my wife from friends and relatives in Denmark, were dis- tributed by her to those of her sewing class who had been regular in attendance. Our services were held in the incom- plete church, eighty persons partaking of the Lord's Supper on Christmas. During the year we baptized thirty-eight per- sons."
The General Expense Accounts of the Mission show ex- penditures, in 1875, to the amount of $2651.07; in 1876, $3432; in 1877, $4343-'
Only $500 more than the salaries of the missionaries were sent to India from America in 1875, and again in 1876; but in 1877, $2000 in addition to the salaries were sent, which wiped out the deficit and left a balance of $54 in the mission treasury at the close of the year.
A notable event of the year 1876 was the visit of the Rev. C. W. Groenning to the United States for the purpose of urging upon the General Council a more liberal and energetic support of its Mission in India. He dehvered an impressive and effective address at its meeting in Bethlehem, Pa., and preached in a number of churches. As a result of his agitation the home administration was reorganized, and, as
1 The accounts in detail are as follows:
1875. 1876. 1877. Salary, Schmidt $1000.00 $1000.00 $1000.00 Salary, Poulsen 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 Expenses, Schmidt's account 890.00 896.00 Expenses, Poulsen's account 315.00 325.00 Expenses, Schmidt's and Poulsen's 637.80 Church building 600.00 Deficit 13.27 227.00 522.00
Totals $2651.07 $3432.00 $4343.00 l82 THE TELUGU MISSION OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL just noted, $2000 instead of $500 were sent to India in 1877 for the mission work.
In concluding its report to the General Council in 1876, the Executive Committee of the Pennsylvania Ministerium recommended the appointment of a special committee for Foreign Missions, inasmuch as the large membership of the Executive Committee, their residences in widely separated places, and the fact that the home mission and educational interests of the Ministerium demanded almost all of the committee's time and attention, made it practically impossible for the committee to do full justice to the cause of foreign missions. Furthermore, it was recommended that a General Secretary be called, who should give his entire time to the interests of the foreign mission work of the General Council, furnish mission news, visit the meetings of synods and conferences and awaken and maintain a greater interest in the cause. A third recommendation of the committee called for a more intimate relation between the ''Missionsblatt," edited and pubhshed in Brook- lyn, N. Y., by the Rev. A. E. Frey, and the Mission in India, and suggested that an English paper be pubhshed to further the interests of the India Mission. The General Council acted only on the first recommendation. It elected the following Committee on Foreign Missions: The Revs. A. Spaeth, D.D., H. Grahn, B. M. Schmucker, D. D., F. Wischan, J. A. Kunkleman and Messrs. Wm. H. Staake and J. C. File. This committee met at the Seminary on Franklin Square, Philadelphia, and organized on October 31, 1876, by electing the Rev. A. Spaeth, D. D., Chairman, the Rev. B. M. Schmucker, D. D., English Recording and Corresponding Secretary, and the Rev. F. Wischan, German Recording Secre- tary. The former arrangement, according to which the Treasurer of the General Council was also the Treasurer of the Foreign Mission Fund, was continued. Wilham H. Staake, Esq., a member of the committee, was the newly elected incumbent of that office. This committee met regu- larly at the Seminary on the afternoon of the fourth Monday of each month, and addressed itself at once to the task of in- creasing the income for foreign missions. It sought to do
DISHEARTENING DIFFICULTIES ( 1 87 5-7 7) 183 this, first, by making appeals through the church papers; secondly, by an effort to secure the sum of $1000, which Father Heyer had bequeathed to the Rajahmundry Mission and, thirdly, by an attempt to secure from the editor of the "Missionsblatt" the sums which he had received for foreign missions. He was holding these funds until the Committee should call and send an additional missionary, claiming that they had been collected for that purpose only. The mis- sionaries in India also urged the sending of reinforcements in the following words: "We would gladly have from the General Council more than resolutions. We would have an embodied resolution—a real flesh and blood missionary." The efforts of the new committee were successful, at least as far as the increase of foreign mission contributions was con- cerned, for the report of the Treasurer at the eleventh convention of the General Council at Philadelphia in October, 1877, showed receipts for foreign missions amounting to $5877.41, as compared with $2974.46 during the previous year.