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THE MARTYRS AND CONFESSORS OF DELHI.

"See that, whatever comes, you do not deny Christ; for if you confide in Him, and confess Him, you will be blessed, and have a crown of glory. True, our dear Saviour has told us to be wise as the serpent, as well as innocent as the dove; so, if you can flee, do so; but, come what will, don't deny Christ.'

SO

"Now I began to weep bitterly, when he said, 'Wife, dear, I thought your faith was stronger in the Saviour than mine. Why are you troubled ? Remember God's word, and be comforted. Know that if you die, you die to go to Jesus. And if you are spared, Christ is your keeper. I feel confident that if any of our missionaries live, you will all be taken care of; and should they all perish, yet Christ lives for ever. If the children are killed before your face, oh, then take care that you do not deny Him who died for us. This is my last charge, and God help you !'

"Now some horsemen came up, and the fakirs who lived near us told them to kill my husband; that he was an infidel preacher; and that he had destroyed the faith of many by preaching about Jesus Christ. The troopers now asked him to repeat the Kulma (the Mohammedan creed), but he would not. Two of them now fired at us, and one shot

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passed close by my husband's ear, and went into the wall behind us. Now all the children fled through a back-door towards the house of Mirza Haji, one of the Shazadas (princes), who respected my husband, and was fond of hearing of the love of God through Christ. He dressed like a fakir, and seemed partial to the Gospel. He took in my seven children, who fled for refuge. One of the troopers now interposed, saying, saying, 'Don't kill them; Walayat Ali's father was a very pious Mussulman, who went on a pilgrimage to Mecca, and it is likely that this man is a Christian only for the sake of money, and he may again become a good Mussulman.' Another trooper now asked my husband, 'Who, then, are you, and what are you?' He answered, I was at one time blind, but now I see. God mercifully opened my eyes, and I have found a refuge in Christ. Yes, I am a Christian, and I am resolved to live and die a Christian.' Ah,' said the trooper, 'you see that he is a Kafir (barbarian): kill him.' Again he was threatened with loaded muskets pointed at his breast, and asked to repeat the Kulma, with a promise of our lives and protection. My husband said, 'I have repented once, and I have also believed in

Christ, so I

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THE MARTYRS AND CONFESSORS OF DELHI.

have no need of further repentance.'
At this time two European gentle-
men were seen running down the
road leading to the river, when the
troopers said, 'Let us run after
these Feringis first; then we can
return and kill these infidels.'
they went.

So

"My husband now said to me, 'Flee, flee; now is the time, before they return.' He told me to go to the fakirs tukia, while he would go to the Rev. Mr Mackay's house to try to save him. I went to the tukia, but the fakirs would not allow me to go in, and would have had me killed, but for the interposition of Mirza Haji, the prince, who said to the troopers, 'This woman and her husband are my friends: if you kill them I will get you all blown up.' Through fear of this they let me go, when I began to cry about my children; but Mirza Haji told me that he had them all safe. I now went after my husband towards Mr Mackay's house in Dyriagunge. On the way I saw a crowd of the city Mohammedans, and my husband in the midst of them. They were dragging him about on the ground, beating him on the head and in the face with their shoes; some saying, 'Now preach Christ to us.' 'Now where is the Christ in whom you boast!' And others asking him to

forsake Christianity and repeat the Kulma. My husband said, 'No, I never will. My Saviour took up his cross and went to God: I take up my life as a cross, and will follow him to heaven.' They now asked him mockingly if he were thirsty, saying, 'I suppose you would like some water ? ' He said, 'When my Saviour died, he got vinegar mingled with gall. I don't need your water. But if you mean to kill me, do so at once, and don't keep me in this pain. You are the true children of your prophet Mohammed, He went about con

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THE MARTYRS AND CONFESSORS OF DELHI.

chapel compound, when I found my house in a blaze, and people busy plundering it. I now went to my children, to the house of Mirza Haji, where I stayed three days, when orders were issued to the effect, that should any one be found guilty of harbouring or concealing Christians, they would be put to death. The queen, Zeenut Mahal, had some fifty Europeans concealed, and she did all in her power to save them, but was compelled to give them up. Mirza Gohur, a nephew of the king, knew that I was with Mirza Haji, and he remonstrated with him, and warned him of the consequences of keeping me. Mirza Haji now told me that I must at once take one of two steps, either become a Mohammedan or leave his house. Both of them urged on me to leave Christianity, saying that every Christian in India had been killed, and that for me to hold out would be great folly. I was promised a house to live in, and thirty rupees per month to support myself and children, and that no one should molest me. God helped me to resist the temptation, and I said, 'No, I cannot forsake Christ. I will work to support my children, and if I must be killed, God's will be done.' I had now to go out with my seven children. coolie (porter) who came with me,

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63

led me to the police-station, and some Sepoys there attempted to kill

us.

One man, however, knowing who I was, told them that I was under the protection of the king, and not to kill me. I now went about seeking for some place to dwell in; but no one would take us in, lest they should be murdered on our account. So I had to wander from one place to another for some ten days, having no place to rest, and nothing hardly to eat. Out of the city we could not go, for all the gates were closed, and strict orders given not to allow any woman to go out.

"On the thirteenth day, a large body of the Sepoys went out, and I managed to mix with the crowd, and got out with my children. I now went to a place in the suburbs of Delhi, called Tulwarì. The whole of my children were taken ill of fever and cold, and I was in great distress. The youngest child died in a few days, and I had no money to pay for help to get it buried. No one would touch it. So I went about the sad task myself. They indeed said, that if I would become a Mohammedan, they would bury it for me. I took up the little corpse, wrapped in a cloth, and took it outside the village. I began to dig a little grave with

64 POETRY-THE CHRISTIAN CHILD EXHORTED TO PRAY FOR THE HEATHEN.

my own hands, when two men came, up and asked why I was crying so. I told them, and they kindly helped me to dig a grave, and then they left. I then took up the little corpse, and, looking up to heaven, I said—

666

"O Lord, Thou hast been pleased to call to Thyself this little child, and I have been able to bring this little body to be buried. But, O Lord; if Thou shouldst call one of the big ones, how can I bring it? Have mercy upon me, O Lord,-and permit me to meet with some of Thy dear people again; and if not, O Father, take to Thyself the mother with the children.'

"Now I was anxious to get into the city, and sent a message to a native Christian, Hira Lall, who knew us well. I at last found him, and got into Delhi, where I was kindly treated. I got Hira Lall to write to Agra, in hopes that some

of our missionaries might be alive; and when you wrote back I cried for joy, and thanked God; for I now knew that what my dear husband said would be fulfilled-that if our missionaries would be spared, I and the children would have friends.

"Of the Rev. Mr Mackay, and Mrs Thompson and family, I have to say, that before I left Delhi I went to Mrs Thompson's house, where I saw a sight which horrified me. Mrs Thompson and one daughter lying dead on a bed grasping each other, and the other on the floor by the side of the bed. The heads were quite severed from the trunks. Of Mr Mackay I heard that he, with several other gentlemen, was killed in Colonel Skinner's house, after a resistance of three or four days. The king ordered the people to dig up the floor of the cellar where they had taken shelter, and to kill them." -Missionary Herald.

Poetry.

THE CHRISTIAN CHILD EXHORTED TO PRAY FOR THE HEATHEN.

OFTEN hast thou heard the story Of a Saviour's precious love; How He left the world of glory-

Left His glorious throne aboveAnd His life a ransom gave, Sinners, such as you, to save. Ah! beyond the dark blue sea Many little children dwell In a land of misery,

Where no gentle voices tell Those glad tidings which impart

Joy and comfort to the heart:

But they bend, from day to day,

To their gods of wood or stone; For the gospel's cheering ray

Has not made the Saviour known: Not one beam of heavenly light Shines upon their dismal night. Christian child, with lifted eye, As thou humbly kneel'st in prayer, Ask, O ask the Lord on high

That these little ones may share In the blessings, rich and free, Which He kindly gives to thee.

Price 6d. per doz. or 3s. 6d. per 100; 20 copies sent free by post for 10d., paid in advance. Published by GALL & INGLIS, 6 George Street, Edinburgh. HOULSTON & WRIGHT, London.

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MANY years ago a poor heathen it. She had with her two little girls, woman stopped at the door of a large school in the south of India, and asked to see the Princess, as she called the lady who had charge of September 1858.

whom she said the lady might keep if she liked, as they were of no use to her. "But I should not like to take your children from you, it would

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