Considering the time and labor necessary for preparing a native agency and the peculiar qualifications required for it, all must acknowledge that missionaries have made a good beginning. But they have done far more than to prepare these 48 ordained native missionaries. The course of preparation generally includes two previous states. When missionaries find young men who give evidence of piety and apparently possess natural talents for usefulness in the missionary work, they are first prepared for the class of assistants called catechists. This class contained 698 or more than 14 times the number of the ordained native missionaries. In this state they generally continue for some time, and some of them on account of their age or deficiency in strength of Christian character, or natural and acquired ability, continue in this class through life. But others, having approved themselves to the satisfaction of their teachers and employers for sufficient time, are licensed to preach. And such persons after sufficient trial and progress in Christian character and education are generally ordained. In the views of the missionary agency and operations which have been given, the licensed preachers are all included in the number of catechists. How large a part of these are licensed preachers, we have not the means of ascertaining. While some of these are every year admitted into the class of ordained missionaries, their places are supplied, and more than supplied, by others admitted into the class of catechists.

In estimating the influence of the missionary stations in India it is necessary to consider their situation in respect to each other, and also to the whole country. These 331 stations are not like townships or parishes in America, where all might be included in a few districts or counties, but they are generally in large cit ies, where they are surrounded with a dense population, or in towns and villages 20, 30, and often 100 miles, distant from each other. Thus situated, each becomes a centre of influence on the heathen population around it, and shedding their light on

* Since writing the above I have seen a statement that "the number of native preachers now in India is 551." If this number included the ordained native missionaries (as it probably did) it would still include a large proportion of those commonly called catechists in the class or division of licensed preachers.

the surrounding darkness, as they increase in number and influence they will gradually enlighten all the country.

These 331 churches are all in connection with the different Protestant missions. They are missionary churches, and do not include the churches composed of Europeans and under the pastoral care of the chaplains. Some of these mission churches are large, containing 200 or 300 members, but others are small, having been recently formed. If the whole number of communicants in the latest accounts (21,299) were divided by the number of churches, it would give an average of 64 members for each church. This number may appear small to people connected with the large churches in our cities. But there are more than this number of Congregational churches in New England, not one of which has so many members, though in some of these churches the Gospel has been preached and its ordinances administered for more than 100 years past, while in some of our States not half the Presbyterian churches have 64 members.

In most places where there is a church, there is a community of native Christians, who are not members of the church. Some of these are the children of pious parents, who have grown up and not yet given sufficient evidence of personal piety to be admitted members of the church. In some instances a man has become a member and his wife has not, and then a woman has become a member and her husband has not. Some are candidates for admission, and all have withdrawn from heathenism and belong to the native Christian community. This class of people generally attend upon the means of grace. They are nominally Christians, that is, they are Christians in the lower but not in the higher sense. Still compared with the heathen they are in an encouraging and hopeful state, and the number of them is yearly increasing. The number of this class at the beginning of 1852 was 112,191, and it is now probably much larger. In comparing the results of missionary operations with the number of agents employed, it should be remembered that a large part of this agency has been engaged in the cause but a few years. Some of them are yet occupied in learning the native languages, and others have just commenced their active labors. Some of the missions and many of the stations have been but recently commenced.

Another important fact is that a large part of these results have been realized within a few years past. And this is what might be expected in view of the state and character of the people and the circumstances of the missionaries. Christianity, as offered to the people of India, does not appear to be accompanied with those advantages of civilization which have often gained for it a favorable hearing, and to some extent a nominal and general reception among the aborigines of America, and the inhabitants of Africa and the islands of the Pacific. They have. believed that the difference they saw between their own state and circumstances, and those of Christian nations, was to be ascribed to their different religions, and that the way to become like Christian nations was to renounce their own religion and become Christians-that in this way they might become civilized, learned, rich, and powerful. Every person who is well read in missionary history, knows that views of this nature have often had much influence at first in the spread of Christianity in the countries and places above referred to. And it is proper and right for missionaries to show to the people of such countries the advantages of Christian civilization. But the people of

India are in such a state of civilization now that missionaries can show them no such advantages in connection with embracing Christianity. It is true that Christianity, if truly embraced, would gradually by its influence upon their moral and intellectual character, produce great and important changes in their social state and worldly circumstances. But these advantages would be realized slowly, and in a manner which they cannot now understand.

To some persons the number of native Christians in India may appear to be small. But let such remember that it is larger than the entire population of all the English territories in India was at the close of the first century of the East India Company,* which has always embodied the English power in India. But now the population in the territories subject to the English in India amount to 100,000,000, while their power extends indirectly over 50,000,000 more. Now while Christianity is in no way responsible for the means or the progress of the Brit

*The East India Company commenced in A. D. 1600. So the close of its first century was the year 1700.

ish power in India, yet all Christians who take any part or feel any interest in the propagation of Christianity in that country, believe that these great political changes are preliminary and preparatory to the spread of the gospel. May we not therefore expect, since God has thus prepared the way in his providence, to see as much increase in the same time in the subjects of the kingdom of his grace? as much progress in the same time in the conversion of the people of India to Christianity?

The opinion is sometimes expressed that the missionary enterprise in India has proved to be a failure. Now in respect to all such assertions and opinions, two things may be observed: First, they are made in a spirit of unfriendliness to this work, and of hostility to the cause. These opinions come from persons who have never given to the foreign missionary cause their sympathy, or their money, or their prayers. They have never cordially wished to see it in a prosperous state, or to hear of its success. They are wishing to find something to say against it. Secondly, when the authors of such asser tions and opinions have given any facts or reasons for their support, it has been apparent that they were not sufficiently acquainted with the origin, history, and state of the different missions in India, to entitle their opinions to any confidence or consideration. The spirit of their remarks and opinions show the feelings in which they originated, and the errors in their statements show that they never looked for facts sufficient to verify or to correct them. Controversy with such persons and authors, so far as producing any conviction of their errors, or gaining their good-will and support of the cause, is of little use. They are generally incorrigible in their prejudices.

There is another class in the community who feel an interest in the foreign missionary cause, who contribute means liberally to promote it, who pray earnestly for its success, and who yet sometimes think the progress is very slow, and who not seeing the results they expected, are rather in a discouraged and dissatisfied than in a hopeful and thankful state of mind. For the encouragement of such and of all who may read this work, let us take a view of what has been done for the evangelization of India. And we cannot well appreciate what has been done

without considering the state of India when the modern missionary operations were commenced there.

Results of the missionary enterprise include obstacles and difficulties which have been removed, as well as ground which has been acquired. Let us then look at some of the obstacles which formerly existed in India to the introduction and spread of Christianity, but which have been removed. Some of them will now be mentioned.

INDIA HAS BEEN OPENED FOR THE PROPAGATION OF CHRISTIANITY.

At the beginning of this century the only missionaries in India were Dr. Carey and his associates at Serampore, then recently arrived in the country, and struggling with many difficulties, and a few German or Danish missionaries on the Coromandel Coast. The general sentiment of the Europeans in India at that time was opposed to any interference with the religion of the native population. The governing authorities in India and in England partook largely of this spirit, and they were determined to exclude all missionaries from the territory subject to the East India Company, so that Dr. Carey and his associates were compelled to live under the protection of the king of Denmark, to whom Serampore then belonged. The first missionaries who went from America to India in 1812, found the country shut against them, and they were ordered by the governor-general of India to return home in the same ship which had brought them there. This order was avoided by one of them (Dr. Judson) proceeding to Burma, then beyond the power of the English government, and two others escaping to Bombay, where a similar order was at once given to them to leave India as soon as possible. It was not till the renewal of the East India Company's charter in 1813, that the Christian public in England, who had long been wishing to send missionaries to India, succeeded after a severe struggle in the Court of Directors and in Parliament, in opening India for the free propagation of the gospel. Thus only about 40 years ago not only were the inhabitants of India throughout almost the length and breadth of the country enveloped in the darkness of heathenism, but there was the determination of their rulers that they should