UCSB LIBRARY

OF THE

PUNJAB
MISSIONARYte CONFERENCE
o

alk
e
S
f

lor o

y
J Ta 292
e

pag

HELD

C*

In December and January,

186263

INCLUDING

THE ESSATS READ, AND THE DISCUSSIONS WHICH FOLLOWED THEM ALSO PREFATORY
REMARKS, AND OTHER PAPERS; CLOSING WITH A COMPREHENSIVE INDEX OF TEM
;

EJECTS DISCUSSED,

AND A GLOSSARY OF URDU WORDS USED BT THE

WRITERS AND SPEAKERS.

MA

EDITED BT

THE COMMITTEE OF COMPILATION.

LODI AN A:
PRINTED AT THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN MISSION PRESS
Tin:

l;i:\.

A.

uri.OLPH,

SUPERINTENDENT.

MDCCCLXIII.

TENTH SESSION.
THURSDAY MORNING, the

1st of

January, 1863.

Colonel Sir HERBERT B. EDWARDES, K. C. B., in the Chair.

The proceedings were opened with the reading of the

God, and prayer, by the Rev. Robert Bruce.
At the request of the Chairman the
sence of

its

Word

of

following essay, in the ab-

author, was read by the ReV. R. Paterson.

INTER-MISSION DISCIPLINE

AS A MEANS OF PROMOTING HARMONIOUS ACTION, AND A

GOOD UNDERSTANDING, AMONG THE MISSIONARIES OF DIF-

FERENT SOCIETIES, LABOURING IN THE SAME PART OF THE

COUNTRY, AND THUS CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROSPERITY OF
THE COMMON CAUSED WHAT RULES MIGHT BE ADVANTAGEOUSLY ADOPTED, FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF ALL PARTIES, IN
RELATION TO THEIR RESPECTIVE SPHERES OF LABOUR, AND
THEIR TREATMENT OF EACH OTHER'S NATIVE ASSISTANTS,

CHURCH MEMBERS, AND INQUIRERS

ESSAY BY THE REV.

J.

TAYLOR, M. A.

Mission of the Established Church of Scotland, Sealkote.

Disci r e

what

it

U-

Christian discipline may be defined, as the punishing of Church

members, for conduct inconsistent with the profession of Christianity. That such a power is vested in the office-bearers of the
"
Church, is evident from the words of the Apostle,
Obey them
that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves for they watch
;

293

INTKB-MISSIOX DISCIPLINE

xiii. 17 ;)
your souls, a* they that must give account;" ( Hebrews
the
Corinto
administered
he
which
well a* from the reproof
member.
an
to
Christian
unworthy
fellowship
thiann, for extending

for

being a moans of maintaining good order in the Church lu

promotes other and more important objects. These
the offender.
(1) The repentance of
object* are chiefly three.
(3) An example to the world.
(2) The purity of the Church.
God willeth the repentance of the sinner. It must be our aim,
lea

ol'

Chri-t.

our Church arrangements, to promote this end.

in all

object*.

it

Any

feel-

be careings of anger, or revenge, in the exercise of discipline, must

in the
fully avoided, as being a barrier to the rise of repentance
heart of the offender.

The
also

purity of the Church, as an object of Christian discipline, is

How hateful to God must a company of im-

most important.

pure worshippers be, drawing nigh unto him with the lip, but in
heart far from him
Surely God may reject such, as he did the
!

Jews of

old,

with these words

me, who hath required

"

When

ye come to appear be-

your hands, to tread my courts ?

When ye make many prayers, I will not hear your hands are
" This is a matter
full of blood." (Isaiah i. 12, 15.) But some say,
fore

this at

between God and a man's conscience and we have no right to

interfere." We must remember, however, that we have to seek our
brother's good, not only by stimulating him to do what is right, but
also by endeavouring to prevent him from doing what is wrong.
;

third object of discipline is to set a good example to the

are exhorted by our Master, " to let our light shine

We

world.

before men, that they, seeing our good works,

tluT

who

is

When

in

may

glorify our Fa-

heaven."

discipline

is

not attended

to,

or

when

it is

lax in

its

ap-

and men biasplication, our light to the world becomes darkness

our
When
the
religion.
pheme
unworthy participate in the sacred
;

ordinances of Christianity, the ungodly speedily mark the inconsistency, and transfer the reproach of the professor to the religion

which he professes. These three objects, sought by Church disWhenever any body of
cipline, show its necessity and excellence.
Christians

prove

it

to

in

remiss in the exercise of discipline, the result will

be a hinderance of God's blowing.

The general reasons for Christian

di>fij>lii\p in

Christian, acquire additional strength,

a nation professedly

when the people are generally

heathen. The misconduct of Christians here, is fraught with worse

consequences, than the inconsistencies of formal Christians in Europe.

Nothing

so

much

hinders the progress of truth amongst the

of

'

TENTH SESSION

294

heathen, as the inconsistencies of Christians

es so powerful

an argument

just as nothing furnish-

for the truth, or exerts so beneficial

influence, as the consistent lives of those

an

who are witnesses for Christ.

The ground upon which mission discipline must rest, is the rule
and example of Scripture. Anything inconsistent with the commands of Scripture, affords a ground for the exercise of discipline.
Inier-Mi-

rMiue

cie-

fined.

Inter-Mission Discipline may be defined, as the respecting, by one

mission, of the discipline administered by another. Many questions
are involved in this. It is by no means asserted, that the right of in-

must be yielded. Every mission has a right

know, from another, on what ground an individual has been suspended and each mission must reserve to itself the right of deciding, whether or not it shall abide by the judgment of the other mission.
quiry, or private judgment,

to

decision, must be done with great

that
from some prejudice conceived
possible,
an
the
members
of a mission might pass a harsh
individual,
against
sentence of censure, or at least one more severe than the circum-

Such questioning of a mission's

caution but
;

it is still

stances of the case warranted.

As a general rule, however, it will

make all due inquiry from their

always be safe for missionaries to

brethren, before they proceed to enlarge, or to lighten, the punishment imposed. The great danger to be avoided, is that of conveying
to the Native Christian the idea, that

one mission

will deal

with

him differently from another, when he is conscious of having committed an offence which demands discipline. A necessary step then
to be observed, in the event of a Native Christian,

under censure,

going from one mission to another, is the making of due inquiry

into the grounds upon which the censure was passed.
If denominational views have any thing to do with the censure,

then the

discipline,

in so far as

it

rests

upon

distinctive tenets,

cannot be respected by another mission.

Methods
o( discipline,

The

basis for mission censure,

which can be respected by

all

missions alike, must be common and acknowleged principles. In

framing a rule for the regulation of all parties, every distinguishing

tenet must be left out of sight. Not only as to the fact of discipline,
but also as to the peculiar kind of punishment inflicted, must the
of
right of private judgment be maintained intact. Reduction
position and salary, are expedients sometimes resorted to, for purposes of discipline. These means, in my opinion, must be judged
of by the effects which they produce. The great object of all
discipline

is

reformation

sincere repentance;

and

and true reformation must

it is

rest

upon

highly probable, that any repentance

which a diminution of salary could bring about, would be only

295

INTER-MISSION DISCIPLINE
a--umed. Change of position

as

from that of a catechist to that

of a scripture-reader; or from the position of a scripture-reader

to that nt a teacher, or munshi, partakes of the same character.

Such a course of procedure leads the individual

to

think

less

of hi- sin. than of the tribulation that has flowed from

jinilt

it

of the

while

upon a conviction of guilt, and not upon a mere

The thief who remembers his off
ience of discomfort.
>rrow

must

rest

" and
forgets them when he is liberated, is
so the Native Christian, who sorlittle tho better for his discipline
rows for his sins, only because his position has been reduced, will be
too apt to forget them, when restored to his former position. Scripwhile in " durance

vile,

example warrants only one kind of discipline

ture

th- privileges of Christian fellowship.

denial of

If the individual be a real

punishment is the most severe that could be inflictif this punishment produces in a Native Chrisno impression for good, it is to be suspected that he is not a
'hristian, and so will not be permanently benefitted, by this,

Christian, this

ed upon him; and

tian

'

or any other discipline.

In regard to the two

first modes of discipline

reducing position
no mission, holding different views, would be bound to
respect them. In regard to the last form suspension from Christian fellowship, it would bo binding upon all missions because
this rests upon a basis on which all are agreed; viz., that one who

and

salary,

acts inconsistently, or entertains views at variance with the Gospel,

ought to be cut off from church privileges.
Tin- <me-tion of leniency, in the exercise of discipline

Natives, n-xt requires attention.

upon Q UPtl ion

Some

are of opinion, that as the

temptations of the Natives of this country are great, and their
knowledge limited, there ought to be a lower standard for them,

who have

than

for

an-

'hristian society.

<

.s

to

Europeans

me

the

l.en.

of a Christian education

-fit

This opinion, though at first sight plausible,

to rest on a misconception. If the individual in ques1

true Christian, converted by (tod

Spirit, he imi.-t he subject to all the arrangements w liieli Chri.-tianity demands. Ability
and privilege, no doubt, regulate the measure of responsibility the
tion

i> a

-*

man
i.-

with one talent

in a

lent.

not responsible for two but the fact that

heathen country does not alter his responsibility for one

The example

is

lie

ta-

of Scripture, moreover, does not warrant any

people could have been more corrupt than

the Corinthians, before they heard of the. do-p.-l of purity: yet
their peculiar circumstance* did not >av<- them from the cen-ure of
the Apo.-tle.

Indeed,

if

we judge from what

i.-

recorded,

i.

ni ' nc y-

of

TENTH SESSION

296

in stronger terms of their misconduct than that of any others. This

it to be,) seems to show, that with Naought to be severe, and prompt in its
the heathen are constant and acute observers. A

parallel, (for

such

conceive

tive Christians discipline

exercise

breach of military discipline is visited with greater punishment,

in an enemy's country, than at home. In like manner, amongst
be they European or Native,

enemies, the soldiers of the Cross,

ought to be especially on their guard

and

severity of discipline

tends to produce carefulness.

Besides the exercise of discipline, strictly so called, that
infliction of

punishment

for

the

is,

an infringement of Christian

rules,

there are other subjects involved in the question of Inter-Mission Discipline.

source of many heart-burnings amongst missionaries,

great injury to Native Christians,

is

and of

the constant moving of the

from one mission to another.

from one place to another

resolution of this difficulty will be the

latter

means of avoiding much

and securing much good.
As we all seek one end the salvation of souls, as we pursue
by one means the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it

The

evil,

it

is well for us to act in harmony

same outward machinery.

Native
assistants

changing
places.

and, as far as possible, with the

only just to our Native brethren and assistants, to state,

matter of change, they have, in many instances, been
grievously wronged. It is to be lamented, that, merely to obtain an
It is

that, in this

salary, many have been induced to leave a sphere

where they had some tokens of the Divine favour, and go to
another, where, for some time at least, this was not vouchsafed

advance of

unfair to characterize all such changes as originating in

worldly or selfish motives. There are European brethren in the
mission field, who find it desirable sometimes to seek a change of sta-

still it is

who feel it irksome to labour with a brother missionary, betion,

tween whose disposition and their own there is a marked incongruiIt is quite probable, therefore, that many of the changes of
our native assistants arise from the same cause a want of sympathy with the missionary, or the other Christians of the mission. It

ty.

to be desired, that a warmer love were infused into every heart, and
that differences of disposition and temper might be melted into unibut
ty of spirit, and thus become a grand motive power for good
is

while the world remains with

ances, for

which separation

nabas, both zealous for the

is

imperfections, there will be discordthe best remedy. A Paul and a Bar-

its

Common

Master, were so tenacious of

297

IXTKR -MISSION DISCIPLINE

harmonious working could not be

Why then should we look for

their re-pei -live opinions. that

ind so separation ensued.

if things
amongst our assistants, and set down their
change in all cases to a sordid and unworthy motive.
Not merely from dissimilarity of disposition, but from the distinc-

per

:i

for

tive character of different spheres of usefulness, a

Native Christian

might resolve upon a change. It becomes the missionary to treat

such mutters with candour and fairness, and with that charity

which "thinketh no

evil."
Notwithstanding these things, it is Qualification*
and 8alaiies<
undoubted, that difference of salary has much to do with the freIt is the
qticnt moving of native assistants from place to place.

make such arrangements, that this mohave no scope for exercise. The fixing of a particular
sum, to be observed by all missions, as the salary of a catechist,
ure-reder, or teacher, seems to me quite impracticable.
part of the missionaries to
hall

may have

extensive resources, and so

may regard an
matter of pure indifference
while with another, not so highly favoured, it becomes a question
of grave importance. A simple fixing of the salary would, in such
a case, be an advantage to the poor Society, but an injustice to the
rich one. The only principle upon which an arrangement can be
<>n

increase of

made

assistants' salaries as a

its

would be
which fixed

to obviate this difficulty,

.-tandiirds of qualification,

to

to agree
salaries

upon

certain

should be

at-

way our native brethren would be stimulated to

their
and thus add to their efficiency; while the
studies,
prosecute
inducement to leave the mission and seek secular employment,
would be considerably diminished. The evils of any system which
not make some such distinction, on the ground of qualified*
tached.

In thi-

tion, an- quite apparent.

K1

I'M),

monthly salary of the head-master

or upward-;; while that of the head-catechist.

I'M'

to th- people in
thes,-

:ar to

tli.-

is

to

Rs. 25 or

this, is. that, the man of superior abilschool; and the inferior, to preach the (ruth

tti<- l..i/.ai-.

two

opposed

man

amounts

consequence of
r

.v.-t

In mission schools, for instance, at the

tiin.-, tin-

it

and

to ear \ i other.

lower Christianity

deficient in

intellectual

do not by any means

villages.

of mi-sion

work

in

contrast, as if they
Loth have the -anic end; but it

for
in

.'ivex.

power

i-

left

to

plead

it>

when a
enuse in

If one department of missionary

agency should have
-fmd.ird than another, it certainly is the public
preachLet both tca< -her and catechist he paid acing of the <;o.[,,.l.
and not
-.>rding to then al-ililv
oi-dmg to the nci-e^ity

public.

a high,

I,

298

TENTH SESSION

which exists for their services and many, I doubt not, will be
ready to go forth, and proclaim to their countrymen the unsearchable riches of Christ, instead of engaging themselves in
any mere;

What these standards of qualification

employment.
should be, must be decided by experienced missionaries but if
the plan be adopted by all, I doubt not that a much better harmony would result than has hitherto existed.
ly secular

ferrhorj.

FrOm the length of the fore g in g remarks, I shall be able only

very briefly to allude to another topic, involved in Inter-Mission
Discipline viz., the division of territory into separate spheres of
;

missionary labour.

The great object

of

all

Missionary Associations is to "preach the

The terms of the great commission

Gospel to every creature."

point at once to the duty of spreading effort as much as possible,

so as to embrace the greater number in the Gospel net. Where
a mission has been already established, it would in general be unfavourable to the interests of the truth to plant another but specircumstances might occur, to justify such an establishment.
;

cial

The sphere might be

a large and important one, and not sufficientby one mission but care should be taken that harmonious action be maintained otherwise a spirit of party rivalry
and evil, instead of
will take the place of zealous co-operation
good, will be the result. When two missions are located in one
place, there must be an understanding between them as to their
ly occupied

procedure, lest the people should get the idea that they are opposed to each other. A mere division of ground will not, I think,

answer the purpose such an arrangement would manimutual want of confidence, as if each were working more for
It seems to me a better expeitself than for the common cause.
dient for division of labour, that the one mission should not interfere, where an agent is located by another and that the preaching
sufficiently

fest a

of the Gospel should be maintained, by both parties, in all places,

If the
alike. This remark will apply to cities as well as villages.
one mission, for instance, has a school in the city, which meets the
educational wants of the inhabitants,

other mission to establish another

should be
Rules reeora-

common

The substance

mended.

lowing rules

it

would be wrong

for the

but the preaching of the

Word

to both.

of this paper

may now be embraced

in the fol-

a Native Christian, under

1. That no mission shall receive
censure by another mission, without communication with that mission, as to the grounds of the censure.

299

AN INDIAN CATHOLIC CHCRCH

2.

tin

That

it

.ii-.-ipline

3.

That

to censure,

it

shall not be binding

upon any mUsion, to respect

upon any denominational

of another, which rests

shall

when

be incumbent upon

resting

all

missions, to give effect

upon what they consider proper grounds,

by witholding church privileges.

4. That standards of qualification be adopted for catechists,
teachers, scripture-readers, and other agents, with fixed salaries
attached to each.
5.

That a Native Christian

from any mission,

shall

be entitled, on his departure

and

to a certificate of character

That, as a general rule, where one mission

should not be established.
6.

7.

That where two missions

mon to

is

qualifications.

located, another

co-exist, the territory shall

both, for the preaching of the

Word

be com-

but where one has

specially occupied any position, by the appointment of an agent,

or the establishment of a school, the other shall not interfere.

At the
the series

call of

the Chairman, the following essay

was then read by its author.

AN INDIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

IS

the last of

THE FORMATION OP SUCH A CHURCH DESIRABLE ? AND,

It 80, WHAT CAN BE DONE AT PRESENT, IN
FURTHERANCE OF THE OBJECT ?
ESSAY BY THE REV. JOHN NEWTON, M. A.
American Presbyterian Mission, Lahore.

If

we accept

as true,

what the Palmist says of brotherly con-

"Behold, how good, and

how pleasant it is, for brethren to

dwell together in unity !" it seems impossible to answer the first
question otherwise than in the affirmative.
cord

Christians are brethren, being alike children of God. They g r ( ia

p
of
together constitute the mystical body of Christ; andso are members oniiy
one of another. They have one Lord, one faith, one baptism there
;

therefore but one

Communion

of Saints, and only one Holy

Catholic Church. This one church, however, is the church invisible
is