about his ministering to English congregations when
it was convenient that he should do so.

But it should be observed that the Indian bishop must be allowed to
retain his own individuality, and to do his diocesan work in his own
Eastern way. Very possibly he will arrive for his Confirmation long
after the appointed time, even if he does not send a message at the
last moment to say that he will come to-morrow. If, by any misfortune,
there should be a European in the expectant congregation, he will say
indignantly that this is what comes of appointing Indian bishops. But
the Indian congregation will be quite undisturbed. Those who happen to
have come punctually will sit about in the church compound, in the
sun or shade according to the time of day, and chat happily till the
bishop arrives. His lateness would not create the least shade of
annoyance. He himself will probably have to wait in his turn for the
candidates from a neighbouring village who were vague about the time.
But he will do so with the utmost cheerfulness. Except that
unpunctuality means waste of time, it will have no other drawback.

When the actual Confirmation takes place after these possible delays,
it will be carried out by the Indian bishop with the greatest
solemnity. He and the candidates will have the fullest faith in the
wondrous Gift bestowed by means of the imposition of the Apostolic
hands. His address will be powerful and persuasive, and given with
full knowledge of the characteristics of the people of his own
country. Everyone will return to their homes happy and thankful, and
in telling their tale of the wonders of the day it will not probably
occur to anybody to mention that the bishop arrived late.

Now and then mission stations suffer, somewhat in the same way as a
parish here and there in England does, from the change of policy
brought about by a change of head. It is in practical, rather than in
religious matters, that a new head is sometimes the cause of unrest.
Missions being at present chiefly worked by societies which have their
own theological bias, the new-comer is generally of the same way of
thinking as his predecessor. But anyone coming to India for the first
time, in spite of everything being new and strange, is apt to think
that he sees his way clearly, and that the work has got into a rut and
that a general upheaval is necessary. The tendency of the Indian is to
be conservative of established traditions. He does not say