3 Review(s)

About The Book : During my residence in India, made numerous enquiries into the Missionary Statistics of different parts of the country; and having read much concerning the progress of the gospel in Tanjore, Tinnevelly and Travancore, I left Calcutta at the close of 1852, in order personally to visit these localities, whose names have become so well known to the christian church at large. My tour through the Presidency of Madras occupied the first three months of 1853. The farther I travelled and the more I saw of the Missions conducted by members of different Societies; the more deeply did I feel impressed with the extent, the variety and the influence of the labours, which are carried on in South India for the conversion of its idolatrous population. The farther I travelled, on the other hand, the more deeply did I feel the immeasurable extent of the ignorance and idolatry which yet exist. On my return to Calcutta I delivered a short course of Lectures, on the history, condition, and prospects of these various Missions. In publishing these lectures, I desire earnestly to encourage the Church of Christ, from a sight of at- tained success, to pray and labour more earnestly for that which yet remains. Even writers who have lived in India endeavour to depreciate the work and the fruits of Christian Missions. Would that such men would first ponder the facts which those Missions present for their consideration. To furnish such facts is one chief object of this little sketch. About The Author : Joseph Mullens (2 September 1820–10 July 1879) worked with the London Missionary Society (LMS) in India. Joseph Mullens, son of Richard Mullens, was born on 2 September 1820 in London. He studied at Coward College, a dissenting academy that trained people for nonconformist ministry, in 1837 and graduated from the University of London, to which the college was affiliated, in 1841. He then undertook further study in Edinburgh with the intention of working for the LMS in India. Mullens was ordained at Barbican Chapel as a Congregational minister in September 1843 and soon after sailed for India. He shared the journey with a Swiss missionary, Alphonse François Lacroix, who was returning to Calcutta after taking leave, and joined Lacroix's mission at Bhawanipur, near Calcutta. On 19 June 1845, Mullens married Hannah Catherine, an evangelist daughter of Lacroix who spoke fluent Bengali. In the following year, Mullens became pastor at the church in Bhawanipur.