Life And Work In Benares And Kumaon 1839-1877

The history of this volume can be given in a few words. Months ago the author said to a beloved relative that during the greater part of his life he had more to do than he could well accomplish, and that now, with health and strength in a measure restored, he sometimes thought he had not enough to do. He said why not write the reminiscences of his Indian life? The counsel struck him as good, and he has acted on it. His theme has not the advantage of noveltyhe cannot tell of a new country explored, and a new people brought within the knowledge of the world; but it has the advantage of greatness and variety. He is not aware that any book on Indian Missions has achieved signal success. His aim has been to take his readers with him to their Indian home, to see them at their work, to hear them conversing with the people, to accompany them on their journeys, to surround them in thought with their surroundings, so that they may realise their position, trials, difficulties, and joys. He has throughout maintained the standpoint of one whose Indian life has been devoted to Mission work. His two spheres of labour?Benares during the greater part of his course and Ranee Khet, in the Hill Province of Kumaon, in later years?have come in for extended remark. He has recorded at some length his experiences of the Indian Mutiny of 1857. No one who was in that terrible storm can ever forget it; and the European inhabitants of Benares at that time have special reason for thankfulness for their marvellous escape. At the end of this book the reader will find statistics fraught with interest to all who wish to understand the great Indian problem in its many aspects.