Bronson and Stoddard on Tour

“It is early morning, Bronson and Stoddard are astride their stout little ponies. Their wives bid them Godspeed and they canter away in the brisk February air. Halting t Damra with its beautiful lot for school and chapel on the bank of a mountain stream, they find thirty Garos in the Normal School. Another two hours' ride brings them to Amjonga, where they pass the night at the house of a pensioner sepoy, who had called together his friends to hear the Gospel. 'I shall never forget,' wrote Stoddard, 'the eagerness with which that crowd listened to the truth till long after midnight and then dispersed with great reluctance. Long before day the old sepoy and his wife were up and talking over the events of this wonderful night. In the darkness we heard them profess to each other their faith in Christ, and we heard their voices in prayer.'

“There the missionaries found erected in a beautiful grove temporary buildings for their accommodation. After thirteen had been baptized they sat down to the Lord's Supper for the first time in that village. Among the baptized that day were the old sepoy, his wife, uncle, and son. Their Christian course was brief but very bright. In less than three years all four had died, but each rejoicing in Christ. After the death of the wife, the husband, though quite lame, trudged thirty miles to Goalpara to deliver her dying message to the missionaries. She had exhorted her friends not to weep for her, but to believe in Christ who could make them smile at death. And, contrary to Garo custom, she had taken the ornaments from her neck and wrists, and begged that these might not be buried with her but sold and the proceeds sent to the missionaries for the purpose of preaching the Gospel to her countrymen. The old man told his story with tearful eyes, rejoicing in the calm triumph of such a death. She had no fear; Jesus was with her. She loved to pray, and many a time went by herself to talk with Jesus. She was still talking to him when she died.

“The son, Rudram, after his mother's death, spent two more with the Stoddards, 'trusty in all his work, a devoted and growing Christian.' At his death his own villagers desired to offer sacrifices that his life might be spared. But he forbade them, for, since Christ was his hope, he had no fear of death....

“Leaving this new interest, the travelers rode on farther to the Christian village at Rajasimla, where the entire population, cleanly clad and with smiling faces, met them at the entrance of the town, drawn up as if in military array. 'This is the Lord's army,' said the missionaries. Omed repeated the words. 'Yes, we are the Lord's sepoys,' came the response all along the line.

“A goodly sight were these men and women and children a Christian village in this wild place! Only a days march from this point into the hills and the people were savages, where they take a man's head with the same delight with which they would kill a mad dog.

“Omed pointed out the little grass hut, still standing, where he and his wife lived for nearly a year almost entirely alone.

“Here a week was spent holding meetings morning and evening. Once when Omed was interpreting, forgetting all else but the interest in the subject, and treating it in his own way, he spoke rapidly with intense earnestness for half an hour, and held spellbound his astonished audience and the superseded missionary!

“Half of each day was spent in correcting and revising the books that had been prepared in Garo by Mr. Bronson, their greatest perplexity being to fix upon proper terms for God, heaven, sin, and other similar words....

“During this week twenty-five men were examined and baptized. On either side of the narrow alley where the village stood was a mountain stream. A dam had been built across one of these, about twenty rods from the chapel, to form a baptistery.

“The sun shone bright and clear between the high hills upon that quiet scene. The entire village lined the banks of the stream clad in their clean white garments. Here and there were groups of wild, almost naked Garos from the hills, on their way to a market on the plains. They paused to witness the ceremony. Omed, the pastor, being unwell, the ordinance was performed by Mr. Bronson and myself baptizing alternately. As we passed in and out of this Jordan, engaged in this delightful work, we sang in Assamese.

“In the evening of this day we observed the Lord's Supper. It was witnessed for the first time by most of the seventy-two Garo Christians present. One year ago only three baptized. Now eighty-one in all awaking from ignorance and darkness most profound! Look at this company around the Lord's table, seated upon mats on the ground! As I pass the elements assisted by Omed, what silence reigns! Nothing but the beating of my heart is heard and the sobs of one or two women as I approach them with these sacred emblems....

“'This was one of the most interesting tours of our whole life,' wrote Mr. Bronson.

“The church has doubled the last year. Some of the members are from the mountains several days' distance. They have literally left all for Christ. On the evening that we celebrated the Lord's Supper, some rose and with tears of gratitude gave expression to their thoughts.

“One said: 'How unworthy I am to be here, I whose sun has almost set, and have known no worship but that of devils! How wonderful that I should have been called to hear this new religion, and be numbered with Christ's disciples,' Another said: 'I have lived a wicked life here. I have many evil desires. Help me be a true disciple.' Still another: 'I am ignorant, but when I heard that Christ had died for sinners, I felt that I was such and now I have left all worship of demons and believe only in Him.' Every day something new and of thrilling interest occurred. We were enabled thoroughly to go over our Garo books, and take the language from the lips of the people. We closed our visit by a pleasant Christian wedding. Two couple had requested to be married, and the native assistant wished to see how Christian marriages were performed.

“Last of all the church presented three of their number, who were anxious to go and break another field where they thought a teacher and a preacher would soon meet with success. Two of them whose names were Chakin and Posallu, were to go as colporters (sellers of [Christian] books), on a salary of eight rupees a month. The third, Ramsing, lately a head constable, who was receiving from Government fifteen rupees per month, was to serve as Bible reader and colporter on ten rupees. We have entertained their request as we must at such a time as this put every man to work, trusting to our brethren at home to sustain us.

“On the tenth of February they left Rajasimla amidst many tears, and returned to Damra, where several days were spent in preaching and looking after the interests of the Normal School. They superintended the erection of a building to be used as a chapel and schoolhouse, the lads of the school doing most of the work. They also attended the Damra market where thousands listened with 'all curiosity and attention.' 'The scene was enough,' wrote Bronson, 'to move the soul of any one who has a heart to feel anything. We have enjoyed good health thus far, and would not exchange this labor for any other.'

“All the Garo assistants, including those newly appointed, rejoined the missionary party at Damra to accompany them for the rest of the tour. This led from market to market, where the Bread of Life was offered to hundreds of hillmen. But at last Doctor Bronson falling ill with fever, returned to Goalpara, and left Mr. Stoddard to go alone to Tura, at the heart of the hills.” (p. 114-119)

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