that the missionary constantly
has to guard himself against its influence upon himself.

The loneliness of the missionary--his frequent and long-continued absence
from those means of grace which so largely minister to the spiritual
strength of a pastor in this country--is something deeply felt. Few men
realize the extent of the spiritual helps which the Christian society of
America renders to the aspiring life of a man of God. In his loneliness,
in the far-off land, the missionary feels its absence keenly.

Moreover, all the native Christians of the community of which he is the
official head look up to him for inspiration. Is he wanting in faith,
hopefulness and cheer; is he depressed and discouraged; is he lacking in
the power of prayer and of sweet communion with God? It is marvellous how
quickly this frame of mind is transmitted from him to the people of his
charge. The pastors, catechists and other mission agents of his field all
look to him for their ideal and seek to draw from him their inspiration in
spiritual life. Is he down; then they are down with him. In coldness as in
spiritual ardour they faithfully reflect his life and temper. It is,
indeed, true that many of these live spiritual lives which bring
inspiration and spiritual joy to him. The simplicity and earnestness of
the faith of most of the native Christians is beautiful. Still, in many
respects, he finds the community a heavy spiritual drain upon him; and, if
he is to maintain himself as a worthy leader in the higher Christian life,
he must live constantly with God and find daily strength in Him.

In India, specially, there are needed a few definite spiritual gifts which
I desire to emphasize and which a missionary should aim to cultivate.

The first in order, if not in importance, is patience. To us of the West
the Orient seems preeminently slow. To them of the East we of the West
rush everything unduly and are the victims of impatience. There is much
truth in that homely skit of Kipling's:

"It is bad for the Christian's peace of mind
To hustle the Aryan brown;
For the Christian riles but the Aryan smiles,
And it weareth the Christian down.

"And the end of the fight is a tombstone white,
With the name of the late deceased;
And the epitaph drear, a fool lies here
Who tried to hustle the East."

The ordinary Hindu will endure the white man's impatience, and he and the
native Christian will submit to the same weakness on the part of the