salvation. When they went the first time to any village the people
stood in the attitude of attention, but what they heard was so new, that
more of wonder than intelligence was manifested by all. After a few
visits, when information had increased a little, there was still a
manifest disinclination to accept the truth. Because, for a Hindu to be
told that in order to salvation he must forsake the idols which his
forefathers have worshipped for hundreds of years, and adopt the creed
laid down in the _Shastras_ of another nation, is to him the height of
absurdity. And it very frequently happened that at the conclusion of a
sermon the Missionary would hear some one say, "Very good, all very
true; your religion is good for you, and ours is good for us."

Very few of the people were able to read, so that the distribution of
tracts was very limited. They invited all serious enquirers to the
cottage to talk about Christianity. Amongst the women who came, some
had sickly children with them. On seeing this, Mrs Hodson administered
some simple medicines, which cured several, and their parents
attributing the cure to the favour of the Missionary's God, they were
for a time very anxious to hear more about Jesus Christ. Reports of
these cures were exaggerated, and so mixed up with the New Testament
accounts of the miracles performed by Jesus Christ in raising the dead,
opening the eyes of the blind, etcetera, that one poor woman brought her
child, who had been blind three years, in hopes that Mrs Hodson would
be able to restore its sight. Amongst the more intelligent visitors was
Daniel: and one evening, just after the tent, as a residence, had been
abandoned for the thatched cottage, Mrs Hodson went with her husband to
see Daniel's village, Singonahully. No English lady had ever been in
the village before, so that there was considerable excitement produced
by the visit. Mr Hodson says, "As we drew near to the gate of the
village we saw two or three boys running to let their parents and others
know that the Missionary and his wife were coming. On entering, Daniel
showed us his house, and in a very short time nearly all the people of
the village, men, women, and children, were gathered together." Having
such a large congregation, Mr Hodson preached a short sermon, but with
very little good effect, especially on the minds of the women, for their
attention was evidently much more occupied with the shape, colour and
material