The Stoddards at Goalpara

“Doctor and Mrs. Stoddard were charming people. Doctor Stoddard was born in 1820 at Eden, Erie County New York. His father was a minister, who died, full of ripe wisdom and the gathered harvest of his people's love, at the age of eighty-six. His mother lived to be ninety-nine. He was graduated at Madison, now Colgate University, in 1845, and in September, 1847, having completed a theological course, he was ordained, and the same year was appointed a missionary to Assam by the American Baptist Missionary Union. Before sailing from Boston he married Miss Drusilla Allen, a cultured lady who, after graduating at a famous school in Troy, was in charge of a mission school among the Seneca Indians in the Cattaraugus Reservation. Among her pupils were the children of “Two Guns,” “Silver Heels,” “Big Kettle,” and other braves.

“Mrs. Stoddard was a year younger than her husband, of Scotch-Irish descent, and brought up in a Quaker household. Mr. Stoddard had a poor opinion of the Quakers, she tells us, “until I taught him better.” The matter was often discussed in the years before the marriage, and at length, being convinced after proper research of the rightness of Baptist views, she adopted them as her own. Their voyage in the “Cato” lasted four months, with many hardships. After reaching Nowgong and acquiring the use of the Assamese language, they for nine years conducted the Orphan School. But repeated attacks of fever at length drove them home, where for ten years they threw themselves with characteristic zest into the life of the Central University of Iowa. After the financial depression and suspension of operations that followed the Civil War, Mrs. Stoddard and her husband put their time and strength as well as their money into the saving of that college, and in two years all debts were paid, its future assured, and they again turned their faces eastward to meet the problems of the Garo mission. Beyond all telling they were less needed in Iowa than in benighted Assam.

“They arrived at Goalpara October 3, 1867. The view from the bungalo which Doctor Bronson had secured was fine. Northward sheer down over the tops of trees, with a ribbon road showing through, could be seen the court-house, treasury, and record office, outlined against the stream. Westward a patch of green sprinkled with brown huts, hugging the base of the hill, showed a bit of the bazaar spreading itself a little way on the long stretch of sand, like a small oasis in the desert; beyond the sand, the white gleaming river with a dark line of Lilliputian boats marking its edge; beyond the river, on the horizon two miles distant, the 'Gates of Assam'; and beyond these, on very clear days the white dome of Everest, two hundred miles away. At the back of the hill, southward, winding leafy paths led to the houses of other European residents a hundred feet below.

“Hardly were the Stoddards settled when a company of Garos from a distance came in upon them. Several were boys from the Damra school accompanied by Ramke and Rangku. The latter with one or two boys was retained to help the missionaries in acquiring the language. The young men were eager to learn English, and Mrs. Stoddard soon had a class of eight or ten.

“'Sabbath evenings,' writes Mr. Stoddard, 'we spend in prayer, singing, and conference, and I will confess to emotions I have seldom experienced. Bura Kandura, the Bairagi baptized at Sukheswar Ghat, leads in prayer. He is old, nearly blind, and lame, but having found Christ at last, his soul has put on eternal vigor and youth. “O Lord,” he prays, “just like a decayed, rotten thing, utterly worthless am I before thee. Save, Lord, or I perish.” A verse is sung and Naran, brother of Suban, and a young Christian, is on his feet. He has just returned from a visit home. He says, “Brothers, pray for my parents. It is not yet two weeks since they decided to be Christ's disciples. I am very glad. How they opposed me a few months ago! Now all the village is angry with them and threatens to stone them from the place if they do not go back to devil worship.” Chejing prays. He is not a Christian but desires to be. He uses this forceful language: “Pity me, O Lord! If you do not save me no one can. I have one leg in hell now.” All join in singing, “The Penitent Thief.” Then Bangkill speaks. He has but recently arrived and talks only Garo. We can understand a word, but Rangku is our interpreter. We learn that the young man lives near the Garo church, is a relative of the Christians, but has been an opposer until now. This is his first confession [of Christ]. He says he has stopped his fight, and all the devil worship with it. He will now serve and obey Christ.

“'Before we can strike a tune, Rudram is on his feet. He speaks out very earnestly and we feel he means all he says. “I have not been baptized, but I love Christ. I am a Christian at all hazards. Nothing shall turn me from this new religion. I am happy. My people are among tigers because they have recently confessed Christ. Pray for me and for them.”

“We can but feel greatly interested in this young man who after a few weeks of instruction now talks, prays, and acts like a child of grace. What wonder of wonders is this Christian religion! Rudram and his mother had come to the station on foot in a single day from their village, a distance of twenty-five miles or more. She was a tall, strong, noble-looking woman. 'This is my only son and child,' she said to Mrs. Stoddard. 'I bring him to you that he may learn wisdom. We Garos know nothing, not even God, only devils.' When asked to remain a few days, she replied: 'By no means. My husband is lame and cannot wait on himself much. No one in our village now will even cook rice for him, for we have ceased to worship demons, and worship Christ; and we receive great abuse from our neighbors and friends.' At dawn she was up and away.

“Reports now came in from various places that many had commenced the worship of Christ. The missionaries were begged to come and see them. Mr. Stoddard was petitioned by some to call on Government to stop the persecution that met everyone as soon as they decided for the new religion. Wherefore persecuted? Because they ceased to pay the customary share for sacrifice to the demons.

“Much attention was given to plans for educational work, and a grant of two hundred and fifty rupees was sanctioned by Government for the preparation and printing of Garo books. Also a monthly grant of fifty rupees was made for the school, now called 'the normal class' at Damra, and fifty-two rupees for village schools.

“Mr. Bronson, on the occasion of his visit in April, had opened a school at Rajasimla, and appointed Fokira as teacher. He soon had a class of seventeen young Garo men, a class of thirteen small boys, and a class of Garo girls. 'But do you want your girls taught?' he was asked. 'Yes, the girls as well as the boys.' Here was a foundation which led the missionaries to say, 'Other schools will follow, and we will soon have plenty of good Christian Garo teachers who will preach while we teach.

“Soon Mr. Bronson had in process a Garo primer and reading-book of some sixty pages, and the first catechism. The missionaries in reducing the Garo language to writing were free to choose between Bengali, already familiar to the Christian leaders as it was used by both the Bengalis and the Assamese, and the Roman character which would introduce them to the English vocabulary. The Bengali unfortunately was chosen and retained for years, but has recently been discarded in favor of the Roman. [this book was written about 1919]

“Thus the missionary spent the first three months at Goalpara, getting acquainted with the people and problems of his strange, wild parish. Then, conducted by Mr. Bronson, he went out on his first Garo tour.” (p. 109-113)