“The concourse of people assembled to celebrate the annual bathing season, was unusually great. Every one that bathes at the junction of the Ganges and Jumma, pays to government a rupee; and from a calculation made two days before the close of the festival, it was expected that 250,000 rupees would be collected. Those who drown themselves pay an additional sum to government. One poor wretch had drowned himself, with the usual ceremonies, before our arrival. Several more had signified their intention of doing so, at the eclipse of the sun, on February 1; and many, it was expected, as is annually the case, would, from the pressure of the crowd, be thrust beyond their depth, and perish in the waters. The sight of such a multitude, collected on so deplorable an occasion, could not but affect a feeling mind. And is not the error of Balaam chargeable on those, who, possessing the vision of the Almighty, love and receive the wages of such superstitious iniquity?”
“In going to the house of a merchant, Abdool passed by a mosque, where they were beginning prayers. He went to the door, but did not go in, lest they should raise a complaint against him for defiling their place. The reader began: ‘O God, enlighten our hearts with the light of faith!’ Abdool said aloud, ‘Amen!’ The reader looked round with astonishment; and after observing, began again the same sentence; to which Abdool again repeated aloud, ‘Amen!’ The reader proceeded, and Abdool was silent the rest of the service. When it was ended, some of them came round him, and inquired, ‘You said Amen to the first sentence, but to no other; why was this?’
“Abd. ‘Because the first sentence was right, and was the prayer of holy men of old; but the latter part is an invention of late date.’
“Query.—‘How do you make that appear?’
“Abd.—‘You add the name of Aububeckar to that of Mohammed so that, by your own confession, that is added since Mohammed’s time.’
“Some of them now suspected, and inquired if he were not such an one. This led to an understanding, and a long dispute, in which he explained to them many of our customs in worship, and made appeals to their conscience. One asked, if he were not affected by the contempt of his former friends, and wondered he could be so hardened as thus openly to contend for Christianity.
“Abd.—‘I am, indeed, affected; and my heart by no means approves of your opposition; and you know, that at Lukhnow, had such things been said to me, how I should have resisted; but now I am withheld. I am no longer in my own keeping, but in the power of another.’
“These asked who that might be. He answered, ‘I am restrained, and enabled to bear your reproach, by the power of the Holy Spirit.’ They were silent.
“He went last to the old merchant, who has a house at Delhi, where he formerly resided, and with some of whose children Abdool was educated. He treated Abdool with more affection than any of the others: and was much moved by his exhortations to seek salvation from Christ, at the eleventh hour. He, and two others of the whole crowd assembled, took a copy of St. Matthew’s Gospel. Many might have been given away; but where no disposition appeared to read them, it was thought best not to give them.
“In one company, Abdool had occasion to mention his having been baptized by Mr. Brown. Some one inquired, ‘Where is Mr. Brown now?’