school. And, when they were not hampered by undue
interference from headquarters, they were on the whole signally
successful, and were both beloved and feared. Unless the Indian nature
changes, and that can only be with the acceptance of Christianity, and
even then only up to a certain point, any attempt to govern India on
different lines will be a dubious experiment. People whose nature is
not very strong are often not unwilling to accept the support of a
kindly, but firm hand, to guide them. And as they rarely agree amongst
themselves concerning any course of action, they like to have things
settled for them, provided that the decision has wisdom and common
sense on its side. This of course does not apply to the little knot of
discontented political agitators. But they in no way represent the
attitude of the people of India. The manner of the declaration of
Delhi as the new capital, coming from the lips of a King of whose
goodwill they were already assured, was exactly the course of
procedure which most of all commends itself to the Indian mind.

There are, however, unexpected contradictions in the Indian character
which baffle explanation. In spite of the almost universal moral
laxity in the conversation and personal life of a Hindu, any English
lady could travel in perfect safety through the length and breadth of
the land, in city or in jungle, with no other attendants than her
heathen Indian servants. There are also English parents who have found
that an Indian boy is, from a moral point of view, a safer guardian
for their young children than the average Indian woman who usually
fulfils that office.

CHAPTER XXIV

RELIGIOUS CONTROVERSY IN INDIA

Discussing religion with Indians. Their illustrations from
Nature. Want of applicability. Access to the King of kings.
Moral maxims for an ascetic. Misapplication of the word
"religion." Observance of caste easy. Caste often broken in
private. Brahmin schoolboy asking for water. The mischievous
village boy.

People with missionary aspirations have hesitated to volunteer for
Indian work because they felt that they were not competent to grapple
with the acute intellects and subtle philosophy of Indian thinkers. It
is commonly said that the acutest intellects in India are to be found
amongst the Brahmins of Poona City. A tolerably wide acquaintance
amongst them would lead one to say that the would-be missionary's
fears are groundles