THE accompanying extracts from letters of some of the children, who are either lepers, or the children of leper parents, speak for themselves. They are in their own words, but translated for our benefit. They had received some gifts―very simple things, clothes, books, dolls, sweetmeats―and very grand did they reckon the gifts to be. Then, during their holidays, Mr. Uffmann, the pastor, sent such of them as could go to their own villages, for he finds that the testimony of these poor leper children is a very great means for spreading the truth of the gospel amongst the heathen. These few remarks will make the letters quite intelligible.
“We got such things as we were not worthy of, and such as our fathers and forefathers never saw with their eyes, tasted with their mouths, nor wore on their bodies. In dreams one sees and gets more than this, but one does not get to enjoy them; but, God be praised, we have been allowed to enjoy them all in the body. After we get such fine things we are envied by others. They say, ‘Just look at the fine clothes these sick ones have―how well dressed they are; they are not worthy of so much.’
“The sweets are already finished; the other things will last awhile, but the love lasts forever. Oh, dear friends, what can we do in return for such love! We ask you to remember us in your prayers, The Saviour says, ‘Thou shalt lave thy neighbor as thyself.’ Through these words we see that you are our neighbors. Neither father, mother, brothers, nor sisters could love us and show us their love as you have done. God be praised that your hearts and hands have been busy for us....
“When we had holidays in the beginning of the year, we went back to our old homes, and we begged pardon of those from whom we had pilfered, and to whom we had done other wrong things. These people were not a little astonished that we wished to confess our sins; they thought such things were no sins. We told them God’s word, and showed them that such things were sins, and that, if we wish to be saved, our sins must be forgiven.
“When they saw the clothes we had they asked us, ‘Where did you get such fine clothes?’ Then we answered, and said, ‘These clothes were given us by our true friends in Europe; but we have finer things, such as your fathers and brothers never saw, and if you will come to Purulia we shall let you see them.’ Then they were all much moved.
“ ‘If you are so much astonished at these visible things,’ we said, what will you say if we tell you of heavenly things? These heavenly treasures you can only get if you become Christians, and learn that the Son of God came into the world to save sinners. Look at the Christians―how much money they spend on account of our disease; also, see what a good Way they have shown us, which leads to heaven. You do not know that Way, nor walk in it, but you are far more sick in heart than we are in body―that is the sickness of sin.’
“Some of them said, ‘You are right; that is the right religion.’ ‘We are blind wanderers,’ others said. ‘As our fathers did, we shall do,’ some said. ‘We have two eyes more than you. You are blind.’”