angelical Mission, which is established upon the southwestern coast. It
is well organized, has a thorough educational system and is embued with a
strong evangelistic spirit. Connected with this mission is an extensive
and prosperous Industrial Mission. With the German spirit of thoroughness
they have developed, more largely than any other mission in India, the
industrial department, until it is now well established and fully
self-supporting.

All these European missions are systematic and painstaking in the work
which they are carrying forward. In some respects this gives them
well-earned distinction. But, on the other hand, they labour under a
serious disability in having to acquire the English as well as the
vernacular of the people after arriving in the land. They are also
extremely conservative, not to say antiquated, in their methods; and they
have not, in most cases, learned to hate and antagonize, as they should,
the terrible caste system of the country.

(_e_) The American participation in the Christian conquest of India began
early. It was the perusal of the Life of David Brainerd, the American
missionary saint, which kindled the missionary zeal of William Carey in
England. On the other hand, the Life of Carey had no small influence, at
the beginning of the nineteenth century, in giving irresistible impulse
and definiteness of purpose to that noble band of American missionary
pioneers--Mills and Nott, Newell and Judson. And their consecrated
enthusiasm and purpose to labour for the conversion of the heathen
nations, in its turn, led, in 1810, to the founding of the first foreign
missionary society in the United States--the American Board of
Commissioners for Foreign Missions.

The first field chosen by this society for its activity was India. It
represented to them both the greatest need and the best opportunity for
Christian work.

Thus the first organized attempt of the Christian Church of America to
reach and to redeem the heathen world was directed towards the land of the
Vedas. And the first band of missionaries which that, now venerable, Board
sent forth into the harvest went, with eager anticipation and earnest
prayer, to that ancient and benighted people.

But how great must have been their disappointment and sorrow, upon their
arrival, to be refused permission by the Honourable East India Company to
land in Calcutta. With sad hearts they turned their faces towards Bombay,
hoping that God would ope