Page:Life in India or Madras, the Neilgherries, and Calcutta.djvu/125

Rh tions from the pulpit, showing the preacher that what he said was understood. Now and then a sleepy boy would be awaked by a rather loud tap on the head from his teacher, or a group of men from the street make audible remarks; but on the whole the decorum was great, and the scene very pleasing to a new-comer.

In the cities of India few adults from among the heathen will attend at a place of Christian worship. The Sabbath is not to them a day of rest. All are busy with their ordinary duties. The carpenter is at his work, the merchant at his shop, and the teacher in his school. While the missionary is preaching at Chintadrepettah, the creaking of the castor-oil mill across the street is constantly in his ears. Nor is this the only obstacle. The people fear that they will in some way be injured in their caste, or perhaps by some sorcery made Christians against their will, if they enter the church. Still, as they pass to and fro on their own business, attracted by the singing or preaching, they crowd around the doors and windows, and some venture in. They thus learn something about Christianity and the order of Christian worship. But the masses will not come to us; we must go out to them.