ave a great and imposing War Office, but a
very small army. . . . While vast continents are
shrouded in almost utter darkness, and hundreds of
millions suffer the horrors of heathenism or of
Islam, the burden of proof lies upon you to show
that the circumstances in which God has placed you
were meant by Him to keep you out of the foreign
mission field."
_Ion Keith Falconer, Arabia._

IN one of the addresses delivered at the International Student
Missionary Conference, London, in January 1900, a South Indian
missionary spoke of the Brahman race as "the brain of India." "Their
numbers are comparatively small--between ten and fifteen millions--but
though numerically few--only five per cent. of the Hindu
population--they hold all that population in the hollow of their hand.
They occupy every position of influence in the land. They are the
statesmen and politicians, the judges, magistrates, Government
officials, and clerks of every grade. If there is any position
conferring influence over their fellow-men, it will be held by a
Brahman. Moreover, they are a sacred Caste, admitted by the people to be
gods upon earth--a rank supposed to have been attained by worth
maintained through many transmigrations."

[Illustration: A typical Brahman face. It is keener than the photo
shows, and has the cynical expression so many Brahman faces have. Such a
man is hard to win.]

Among the Petras of this district is a little old-fashioned country
town, held in strength by the Brahmans. No convert has ever come from
that town, and the town boasts that none ever shall. None of the houses
are open yet to teaching, or even visiting, but we are making friends,
and hope for an entrance soon. We spent a morning out in the street;
they had no objection to that, and as the free young Brahmans gathered
round us, or stood for a moment against a wall to be "caught," it was
difficult, even for us who knew it, to realise how bound they were.
"Bound, who should conquer; slaves, who should be kings." Bound, body
and soul, in a bondage perfectly incomprehensible to the English mind.

Afterwards, when we saw the photographs, we recalled one and another
who, while they were young students like these, dared to desire to
escape from their bondage; but back they were dragged, and the chains
were riveted faster than ever, and every link was tested again, and