In the journal of Schwartz we have some very interesting records of his work among the military, and he speaks with gratitude and affection of the little group of pious and devoted English soldiers who met from time to time for prayer and worked so hard in the service of Christ. It is refreshing to see in those early days, when beyond the chaplains there was no one to look after the soul of a soldier, that Christ had His witnesses in the ranks who lived bravely and died well in the Faith. Of one of these Schwartz writes: “There was a manliness in his whole deportment. The Gospel of Christ was precious to him and produced a settled peace and holy courage in his heart. This year he became sick. His pious companions visited him diligently. His mind was perfectly composed and he longed for the Holy Communion, which was administered to his edification. Some hours before his death I visited him and found him in a most happy frame. ‘My sins,’ said he, ‘are forgiven me of God for Christ’s sake, my heart has rest and peace, the enemy has no power over me. I look forward with complacency to a blessed eternity. I would not exchange with the King of England. O the poor world that it could but reflect what a blessed thing Christianity is!’ Then turning to me he said, ‘And I thank you, my friend, for having made Jesus Christ known to me!’ At last he repeated several times that beautiful sentence, ‘Into Thy hands I commit my spirit, Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.’”
In his letter of 10th August, 1771, Schwartz refers to the air being filled with rumours of war and that the English troops are moving on to Tanjore. The King, who had shown such friendliness to Schwartz, was in difficulties, and General Smith with his soldiers was investing the foot of Wallam or Vellam, the strongest defence of Tanjore. A battle had already taken place and the storming of the walls was imminent, when a treaty of peace was suddenly signed and hostilities ceased. A little later on Schwartz was again in Tanjore and the King asked once more to see his old friend. He was taken to a shady spot and the King came under a yellow umbrella, looking much thinner and not so well as when they met two years before. “Padre,” he said, “I wish to speak with you privately” and led him away. But the chief Brahmin, who no doubt was on the alert, would not leave them alone and came in. On his entry the King bowed low and stood before him with folded hands, an evident sign of the absolute ascendancy which this priest had gained over his mind and action. The Brahmin took an elevated seat and required Schwartz to repeat the sermon which he had delivered at the Palace the day before. This was done very faithfully, to which the Brahmin listened in silence, but the King afterwards asked some questions about repentance and whether a man might return to his sins again. Schwartz replied that “true repentance consisted in a hatred of all sin, which was inconsistent with such a return.” Afterwards at a subsequent interview the poor ruler, the slave of his courtiers and sadly addicted to intoxicating drugs and the love of women, said to the missionary, after an earnest personal appeal that he would give his heart to God, “Alas! my padre, that is no easy matter!”
But in spite of the opposition and intrigue of his Brahmin advisers, the distracted King of Tanjore was compelled to seek the help of his old friend to save him from political complications. And here it is well to observe how unwilling Schwartz was to be drawn in as a judge in the strife of politics and the hazard of war. He felt so keenly that his proper place was the sphere of the souls of men, that he was most anxious not to allow anything to interfere with his liberty as a preacher of the Gospel, with hands clean from the suspicions of a bribe, and willing to be the friend for Christ’s sake of both sides, if by any means he might save some. Of course, as unofficially representing the British Government and acting as chaplain to their troops, he was in a sense committed to advance their interests in every possible way. On the other hand he felt that this strong confidence which he had inspired in the hearts of the native rulers, especially King Tuljajee of Tanjore, was a sacred advantage which he must use for the highest purposes and ought to exercise if need be to keep the peace and save conflict. The King had sent for him again because he felt that his friendly understanding with the English was not so cordial as it had been. So he asked Schwartz to interview them on his behalf. But the position was fraught with risks, and he records his impressions. “Now this in itself would not be sinful but it is a dangerous matter to engage in such things with a people so prone to deceit and this I distinctly avowed to them. The King said, ‘Padre, I have confidence in you because you are indifferent to money.’ But his officers did not wish me to be engaged in this affair lest their own iniquity might be discovered. And thus it passed off; for which God be praised, as I had no occasion to declare fully my averseness to the employment.”
Things went, however, from bad to worse; the Nabob of the Carnatic pressed his claims, and the English supported him against Tuljajee. Schwartz saw the King’s impending doom and could not prevent it, and in a sense he felt the punishment was a just judgment on the corruption and superstitious blindness of his rule. It was not for want of warning but in face of the clearest light that this weak and miserable King had erred. “I am afraid,” writes Schwartz, “Tanjore has filled up the measure of its sins and is giving up. Certainly the poor Rajah was blind and infatuated, otherwise he might have prevented the present misery that comes upon him. In January I was there the last time. I warned them and told them that in the present course they must perish. Manoziappa’s son said, ‘What can we do?’ I answered, ‘Turn to Him who can help you!’ He said, ‘It is not the way of the world?’ ‘Well,’ I said, ‘the course of the world will undo you.’”
Shortly afterwards the army moved to invade Tanjore and the place was captured with hardly any resistance or loss, the poor affrighted King and his family were made prisoners, the Nabob took the kingdom and its treasure, and Schwartz found himself and his work under new masters and at a disadvantage. He appealed for more considerate treatment but was refused, and he reported the state of affairs to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, pointing out “that many of the best families would not hesitate to become Christians, could it be shown how they could maintain themselves. But the difficulties are now greater than when Tanjore and the Marawar country had their own princes and governments, many thousands of the inhabitants having quitted the country for want of food and employment.” Happily, after the position had been discussed in England, the Court of Directors of the East India Company disapproved of what had taken place, and for the sake of British interests the restoration of Tuljajee was carried out in April, 1776, and once more Schwartz felt that his influence was restored for the good of the work. But the contention which this new policy caused in Madras again made it impossible for any amicable arrangement to be made, and the Council begged Schwartz to bring the pressure of his personal influence to bear upon the King, but this he refused to do as it would interfere with his sacred functions. “This is the cause,” he writes, “of my not having conversed with the King for six months past. It is with great regret that I have to inform you that he has lately given way to a luxurious and dissipated life, so that little hope can now be entertained respecting him.”
Meanwhile, to help the work at Tanjore, Schwartz made himself proficient in the Mahratta language and wrote a dialogue in that tongue on the Christian faith which was fruitful of good results. He resolved to stay at Tanjore and found much cause for encouragement in his converse with the Brahmins, many of whom admitted that nothing but fear of consequences prevented them from being Christians. The poor puppet of a King, however, was rapidly going downhill, drink and sensuality had done their work, and his authority was counting for little in any quarter. A small church was being built in the fort and Schwartz preached the opening sermon after the General of the English troops had laid the foundation stone. The Madras Government were anxious to make Schwartz a handsome present of money for his work among the soldiers and other services, but he refused it, asking only for some bricks and lime to help to build his church.
It was just at this time, in March, 1779, that he received an urgent summons to see Sir Thomas Rumbold, the Governor at Madras. On his arrival he was told that he was desired to undertake a very important mission to Hyder Ali at Seringapatam to discover his real intentions and to assure him of the peaceable thoughts of the English. “As the intention of the journey is good and Christian, namely, to prevent the effusion of human blood and to preserve this country in peace, this commission militates not against but highly becomes your sacred office and therefore we hope you will accept it.” This was an honour and yet it meant great danger; Schwartz made it a matter of much prayer and finally agreed to go, feeling that in so doing he was fulfilling the will of God. He had very carefully considered the question from all its bearings, as was his wont, and decided on three grounds, 1st, that its aim was to promote the blessings of peace; 2nd, because he could thereby preach the Gospel in many parts hitherto unvisited; and 3rd, the Company had shown him great kindness and he wished to return this with some gratitude. But he would accept no presents and not a single farthing would he take beyond his travelling expenses. He stayed a month at Caroor on his way, and with the assistance of his only fellow-traveller, Sattianaden, he preached to crowds of people and discussed privately the doctrines of Christianity with many Brahmins. Afterwards he climbed the steep and dangerous path from Guzzulhatty, and being now in Mysore talked to the Brahmins in Hindustani, one of them telling him that “Hyder is quite unconcerned as to religion; he has none himself and leaves everyone else to his choice.” In a short time he reached Seringapatam and his impressions of the place and an account of his reception by this despot are so admirably told in his journal that an extract, therefore, must be given in extenso:
“The palace of Hyder Ali, built by himself, is very beautiful according to the style of Eastern architecture. It is entirely of hewn stone with numerous pillars. At the extremity of the pagoda stands the ancient palace of the Kings of Mysore. The former possessor of the throne, to whom Ali allows an annual income, still inhabits it. He has his servants, but is treated as a prisoner of state; Hyder himself sometimes visits him and stands in his presence as a servant. Thus men of the world can dissemble. The King’s sons are all dead and the general opinion is that they were secretly dispatched.
“Opposite the palace is a large square, on two sides of which are open buildings in which the military and civil servants of Hyder have their appointed stations for conducting public business. He can overlook them from his balcony, and as they are required at appointed times to be in the places assigned them, to receive the reports of the country and army, whoever has business to transact knows where to find them. Here reigns no pomp but the utmost regularity and dispatch.... Though Hyder sometimes rewards his servants, the main spring of action here is terror. Everyone performs his part from a motive of fear, well knowing the consequences of any neglect of duty. Persons of the highest as well as of the meanest condition are punished with the same instrument. The tyrant keeps two hundred men with whips in constant readiness; and no day passes without many being chastised. The Governor of a whole district is whipped in the same manner as the meanest groom. Hyder treats them all alike. Even his two sons and his son-in-law are liable to the same cruel usage. When any one of his highest officers has been thus publicly flogged he does not allow him to resign his employment but compels him to retain it, that the marks of the whip on his person may serve to deter him from repeating the offence; for he seems to think that almost all persons who seek to enrich themselves are devoid of all principles of honour.
“Entering the palace one evening I observed in the audience chamber a number of people sitting in an arch. By their dress I perceived they were collectors of districts and in their countenances the marks of anxious fear were visible. I was informed by Hyder’s Persian secretary that they were come to submit their accounts. They appeared to me like criminals expecting death. Very few were able to render them to Hyder’s satisfaction and in consequence dreadful punishments were daily inflicted. I hardly know whether to mention how one of these unhappy men was treated. The poor criminal was tied to a post, two men approached with whips and flogged him in the most cruel manner, the pointed nails lacerating his flesh. The cries of the wretched victim were most heart piercing.