equested me to purchase for him a
pocket copy of Thomas a Kempis' "Imitation of Christ." He possessed a
large copy, but desired a small one which he could carry with him and
could use for devotional purposes on his journeys. Some of his friends
sought other copies through him. Thus they bought all the copies that I
could find for sale in South India. He also asked me to buy for him a copy
of Dr. Sheldon's book, "In His Steps."

I bought four dozen copies and sold all to Brahmans and to native
Christians. One of our pastors bought a copy. He soon handed it to a
Brahman friend--a government official and a university graduate--requesting
him to read it. This he did, and, returning with the book a few days
later, he earnestly said--"Sir, why don't you bring us more such books as
this. We also want to know more of Christ and to follow 'In His Steps.' "

Indeed, I find a wonderful eagerness among Hindus of culture to know all
that can be known about the life and teaching of our Lord, even though
they are not prepared to accept his atonement as their salvation. The same
fact is true among the common people. There are not a few who believe that
the tenth--that is, the coming--incarnation of Vishnu (Kalki avatar) refers
to Christ. A Hindu Saivite devotee told me once that they proposed soon to
place in their monastery an image of Christ (as they had one of Vishnu)
and thus render to Him worship in common with the others. I am confident
that Hindus, all but unanimously, would, today, vote to give him a place
in their pantheon and a share in their worship, if Christians would accede
to this. "Did we not," they say, "thus appropriate Buddha, the arch-enemy
of Brahmanism, twenty-five centuries ago, and make him the ninth
incarnation of Vishnu? And why should we not regard Christ, also, as the
tenth 'descent' of our beloved Vishnu."

I deem this trend towards Christ, and it is marked especially among the
educated in all parts of India, as the greatest encouragement to the
Christian worker in that land today.

I care not so much whether they accept our faith in its Western form and
spirit, so long as I see them growing in their appreciation of, and
devotion to the Christ. Through Him I am sure they will pass on to some
outer expression or other of their faith in Him--an expression which will
doubtless correspond with their own oriental turn of thought and life.

CONCLUSION.

Thus, whether we look at the growing Christian communit