army how fully his administration would sustain the doctrine of “neutrality.” But what must Almighty God have thought of such conduct, and that, too, on the part of men who went to Church on Sunday, and professed to be members of a State Establishment of Christianity!
The patience of Him who will “not give his glory to another, nor his praise to graven images,” was about exhausted with that proud company and their policy, and the Parliament of England and its Christian people were already preparing the overthrow of both, and deliberately making up their minds to the introduction of a more Christian and manly administration of Indian affairs. The petitioners end their Memorial, earnestly pleading that these Government sins should cease, and India be henceforth ruled in a way more worthy of the duty which Christian England owes to that people.
Their confession and humiliation were candid and sincere, and in the hour of their deep distress God was entreated for the land. Defeat was soon after turned to victory. He saved them from among the heathen. God came to their aid, not in the infidel, Bonapartist sense, in which He is said to be “on the side of the strongest battalions,” for here he clearly was on the side of the weaker, and gave the victory to the “few” instead of the “many.”
No Government ever committed a greater mistake than the East India Company did when it adopted this “neutrality" policy. The result was, it laid itself open to the charge of underhand designs for the overthrow of the popular faith—for the people could not imagine a Government without a religion—and it was consequently disbelieved and distrusted, while the Christian missionaries, who boldly and openly denounced idolatry, and invited the people kindly and candidly to embrace Christianity, were understood, and even trusted, by the masses. So marked was this fact, that in the panic at Benares, and when the vanguard of Havelock's troops were passing through, and extra supplies were urgently required, the Government officials could not induce the villagers around to bring them in; a very serious condition of things was
