It was in 1907 that the Arya Samaj first attracted notice out- side India. Since then hardly a book has been published in the English language, dealing with Indian movements or with Indian conditions of life, which does not speak of the Arya Samaj. Liberal and Labour writers have spoken of it in terms of appreciation and sympathy, while a few Conservative Imperialists have condemned it as anti-British. Missionaries have also written of it, either as fair critics or in a spirit of rancour. Before 1907, the Arya Samaj had very few books in English dealing with its doctrines. With the exception of a few tracts by the late lamented Pandit Gurudatta Vidyarthi and a few tracts by Bawa Chhajju Singh, there was hardly anything which could be presented to a non-Indian student of the Arya Samaj. The founder had written in Sanskrit or Hindi only. The bulk of the literature produced by his followers was also either in Sanskrit, Hindi or Urdu. It is true that two English translations of the Satyarath Prakash-one by Master Durga Prasad, the other by Mr. Chiranjiva Bharadwaja existed even before 1907 but both lacked absolute accuracy and were otherwise unsuitable for foreign students.

The translation of Indian ideas and Indian sentiments into an occidental language, indeed, is an extremely difficult task. High proficiency in both languages is essential for even moderate success; and even then sometimes an exact rendering of Indian terms into English is well-nigh impossible. Take, for instance, the Sanskrit word, "Dharma" The English language possesses no word which can accurately convey the meaning to an Indian. Under the circumstances, translation from Hindi into English is of doubtful utility. In spite of this difficulty, the demand for the Arya Samaj.

literature in English has been growing, and more than once it has been suggested to me that I should do something to meet that demand. The kind friends who suggested this did not perhaps know that I lacked qualifications for the work even more than those did who had attempted to give English renderings of the Satyarath Prakash. There have been and are abler men in the Arya Samaj who could acquit themselves creditably at this task. Some of them, unfortunately, have been removed from among us by death; others, though willing, are otherwise engaged and cannot find the time necessary to do justice to the work; still others have neither time nor inclination for the effort. The Gurukula section of the Arya Samaj have been trying to do something in the matter, but so far nothing tangible has resulted. The fact is that the Arya Samajes have so much to do for their own people that they have scarcely any time or funds to spare for those who do not know our language. For the present their hands are too full.

Until recently, the Arya Samajes were quite content to continue their work of reform among their own people, and had no desire to attract the notice of the outside world. They have been drawn into the world arena much against their will. Circumstances have forced their hands, and they have learnt in the school of adversity and by bitter experience that quiet, unassuming work is liable to serious misconstruction and mis- representation. In these days of world-movements, no organization, however modest in its aims, can afford to be misrepresent- ed and misunderstood-much less a movement which in its conception is not modest, neither in its aims and ideals, nor in its scope. So long as the Arya Samaj was attacked in India alone, it could afford to ignore those attacks. The people among and for whom it worked knew its worth, and no amount of interested criticism or ignorant misrepresentation could do it any harm. The Arya Samaj cared not for the foreigner, neither for his conversion nor for his opinion. It was not seeking recognition, either by Government or by learned - societies.