IN 1843, when many ministers and members left
the Church of Scotland, some surrendering their homes and livelihood,
at the bidding of conscience and formed the Free Church of Scotland,
the missionaries in Calcutta at once joined the Free Church, and made
the same sacrifice. As the home committee, in their capacity as
trustees for the Church of Scotland, claimed all the buildings and
furnishings in the Institution, the missionaries resolved not to
challenge the claim and offer the heathen the sight of a legal
dispute, and in consequence they lost everything. To Duff the position
was very grievous, yet, though a man of quick impulse, who expressed
strongly what he felt strongly, he tried to be forbearing through it
all, and, when he was told of some evil speaking about himself,
replied: "I leave the cause with God; He alone can interpret motives
aright." The shyness he felt towards the new representative of the
Church of Scotland, who took over the buildings and apparatus, soon
passed, and they became quite friendly.
The Missionaries having gone so far in what they believed to be the
path of duty, the way opened for their further advance.
For the second time, through the kindness of an Indian gentleman, they
secured a house in the native city, and re-opened their Institution.
What a glorious surprise it was to do this with the same missionaries,
the same staff of teachers and monitors, the same converts and more
than a thousand pupils! It is very pleasant to record that the two
Institutions are now united and known as the Scottish Churches
College.
As
the rural mission at Ghospera on the Hoogly to the north of Calcutta
now passed to the Church of Scotland, in order to avoid the appearance
of rivalry, the Free Church opened a station on the other side of the
river. The money for this station came from the well-known Major
Outram, who wrote and asked the doctor to recommend a scheme to which
he could contribute. The Major on hearing from Dr Duff at once sent
the balance of his share of the prize money which he received when
Scinde was conquered; he would not use for his own personal advantage
what he held to be blood money. This officer, whose courage (which
rose almost to madness) and character obtained for him the title "The
Bayard of the Indian Army," at a later date paid a visit to the Free
Church Institution, but stipulated that he should not be asked to make
a speech!
From
all sides, Hindu, as well as Christian Anglican, Congregational, and
Presbyterian, in America no less than in Asia and Europe, came
expressions and proofs of indignant sympathy, while all the Protestant
missionaries in Calcutta, though they differed on the merits of the
Disruption question, united in a request that Dr Duff and his
colleagues should continue to work in Calcutta. Duff received a gift
of money from an unknown friend and his two sisters in America, who
had been deeply impressed by the missionary's sacrifice. This money he
resolved to share with Bombay and Madras. The Madras missionaries,
however, as they considered the local circumstances made Calcutta more
exigent, returned the money with the message, "Give us your prayers
and keep the money; we have enough, my brother. What is that between
thee and us?"
About this time four of the catechists were licensed to preach the
Gospel, which cheered Dr Duff's heart greatly, and so. deeply was the
home Church stirred by these results in Calcutta and elsewhere that a
pastoral letter from the General Assembly was sent to all the
missionaries. After the letter, was read, the Bengalee Church was
formally organised on 1st October 1848, the fruit of seventeen years'
work, and the year closed with the jubilee of the C.M.S., Dr Duff side
by side with Bishop Wilson. Next year Duff agreed to co-operate in
starting a first-rate Quarterly Review for India, provided "nothing
hostile to Christianity or Christian subjects appeared in it, and that
clear statements are made when necessary as to sound Christianity and
its propagation by missionaries in India."
When Kaye left India he handed
over the Editorship of the Calcutta Review to Dr Duff, which he held
for some years. Duff accepted this additional burden because he
regarded the work as calculated, in many important ways, to promote
the vital interests of India, and therefore complementary to his more
direct missionary work. He refused any remuneration himself, but
accepted five hundred rupees a year for scholarships and prizes.