The Goobbe Circuit given up.
Up to this time Daniel had been sustained by Divine power against all the opposition of his enemies. He had been tried and found faithful. But now he had to endure trial from the conduct of his best friends—the Missionaries and the Missionary Committee. In the year 1851, the Society was in debt to a large amount, so that retrenchment was resorted to, and the Mysore District was one of the sufferers. In this difficulty the District Meeting decided to abandon the Goobbe Circuit. In accordance with this decision, not only were the Missionaries removed, but the Goobbe mission-house, the Goobbe chapel, in which Daniel had been baptised, the school-rooms, and all other buildings, were sold. When the idol was tumbled out of the temple, Christianity triumphed; and when the house of God was sold, heathenism triumphed. That was not only a bitter day to good old Daniel, but a terrible blow to the cause of Christ in Goobbe. Enquirers after the way of salvation enquired no more. Some who had taken a few steps in the narrow path turned back, and never entered it again; while every heathen priest found in this breaking up of the Mission a powerful argument to keep his disciples out of the way to heaven. Whenever Daniel went from his own village to Goobbe, he was derided by the heathen, as Pilgrim was at Vanity Fair. The blasphemy and ridicule with which he was assailed were almost unbearable. One day especially he was most severely tried. As he was going along one of the principal streets some of the ‘lewd fellows of the baser sort’ were most insulting and abusive; and a few shopkeepers joined them in ridiculing the Christian. His own account is this: Some said, “What! did your Missionaries leave Goobbe because they had no food?” “They had nothing to eat, so they sold the bungalow, and the schools, and even God’s house! Such is your fate. Have they given you any of the money to live upon?” I replied, “God will not forsake me. When I was an enemy to God, He protected and took care of me; and now I am His child, will He forsake me? Never!” They said, “Will your God maintain you if you sit doing nothing at home?” I answered, “It is idleness to sit quietly at home. God has given me strength and a mind to work for my living.” One said, “You spoiled your caste when you had every comfort; you are mad.” One man, without attempting to ridicule, said solemnly, “All that has happened to him was his fate; it was written in his forehead; let him alone.” Of course Daniel was much distressed. He went home quite cast down, and in tears told his wife how the people had ridiculed him, and how dejected he felt. But she comforted him by saying—“We are called to bear all these reproaches for Christ’s sake, and He will support us under them; He will never forsake us.” At night he had a portion of God’s Word read to him as usual, and at family prayer he was much comforted: his faith and hope were strengthened. In this way he went on for four or five years, without any human help except an occasional visit from a Missionary, who, on a preaching tour, turned aside to spend a few hours with him. Daniel says, “One day the Reverend Messrs Sanderson and Hardey called to see us, and I exclaimed, ‘O, Sirs, we are left here as sheep without a shepherd. You have planted a young tree, but it is dying for want of water. The people reproach us, saying, “Your Missionaries having no food, have sold the mission-house, the schools, and even the house of God.”’” Messrs Sanderson and Hardey did and said all they could to comfort and encourage the few forsaken Christians, and their effort was not in vain.
Chapter Twenty Two.
The Goobbe Circuit Recommenced.
In the course of three or four years there was an improvement in the pecuniary circumstances of the Missionary Society, and arrangements were made for recruiting the Mysore District. In connection with these changes, Mr Hodson returned to India. He landed at Madras January 1st, 1854. After being detained there several months, he went to live at Bangalore, and paid his first visit to Goobbe on the 16th of April, 1855. He found the old mission-house in a very dilapidated state. It had become the property of Government, and was used as a travellers’ bungalow—a public rest-house for every traveller passing that way who needed accommodation. Mr Hodson and Daniel soon had an interview, and the past days of trial were brought under review. In the midst of all difficulties and persecutions Daniel had ‘kept the faith.’ In his conversation with Mr Hodson, he referred to the time when the first sermon was preached in Goobbe, his being employed by Mrs Hodson, his conviction of sin, and his baptism. He stated with wonderful correctness many events that had happened in the Mission from its commencement to that day; and some of them were referred to with deep feeling. When Mr Hodson said, “We will try to re-purchase this house, build a new chapel, and put a Missionary to live at Goobbe again,”—the good man wept with joy. He said that this revival of the Mission had been his prayer and hope ever since the Missionaries went away. The Government re-sold the mission-house to Mr Hodson for the sum they had paid the Mission for it. Under Mr Sullivan’s care the house was put into complete repair, and a good substantial chapel was built in the town of Goobbe. Mr Hodson preached the opening sermon, June 12th, 1860.