From Madras, down South as far as Palamcottah, infant Christian
communities existed. But they did not largely flourish until new
missionary societies were organized and a larger force of missionary
workers were sent to strengthen and push forward the work established.

And it is very unfortunate that, with much good, not a little evil was
found among these few Christians whom the eighteenth century bestowed upon
the nineteenth. Mr. Sherring truly says,--"That many of the converts were
sincere and genuine, we cannot doubt. Yet it is certain that the
permission to retain their caste customs and prejudices throws
considerable suspicion on the spiritual work accomplished among them. The
Danish and German missionaries soon perceived the formidable influence of
caste as an opponent of the Gospel, unless they were ready, like the Roman
Catholics, to enlist it on their side, by permitting it to be retained in
the Christian churches established by them. They chose to make caste a
friend rather than an enemy. In doing this, however, while they made their
path easier, they sacrificed their principles. They admitted an element
into their midst which acted on the Christian community like poison." And
this poison is still exercising a potent influence upon a no small portion
of the Protestant Native Church in South India. A bad beginning in this
respect has facilitated an evil continuance.

The closing years of the eighteenth century carry our interest to North
India and are notable as the beginning of the organized missionary effort
of the English people for the redemption of India.

(_b_) The Anglo-Saxons seem to have been the last among Christian peoples
to awake from the lethargy of a self-centred, self-seeking Christianity,
and to enter upon the great missionary campaign for the conquest of the
world for Christ. It is true that the Society for the Propagation of the
Gospel received its first charter in 1701. But for more than a century of
its history it did not concern itself about carrying the Gospel to the
heathen races. It seems strange that, up to that time, both the Protestant
clergy and laymen of Great Britain and America felt little or none of that
sense of obligation for the conversion of the non-Christian world to
Christ which has now become so universal a conviction and a passion among
them.

[Illustration: American Church In Southern India.]

In the work of rousing the English to this grand world-wid