Page:Life in India or Madras, the Neilgherries, and Calcutta.djvu/388

336 I here found some worldly friends, and by dwelling with them a few weeks I lost my desire for teachers, and did not find so much pleasure as at first in reading the word of God. Instead of keeping the book, I now began to lend it, and was very anxious to have a name among my countrymen, by letting them know that I had a printed book. The persons to whom I lent it often came to me for explanation. This I could not give, and as I was ashamed to tell them so, would leave them, saying, 'I have no time to explain to you.' Whenever the book was returned to me, I endeavoured again to read it. But why read this,' I would say, when I do not understand it?' I was much troubled when I turned to some places which spoke of David, of Solomon, of Isaiah, and others. [He only had the Gospels.] Where, I thought, does Isaiah say this? Who are these? Who is David? and who is Solomon? When I read a little and found such names, I would shut the book, exclaiming, "It is of no use my reading this book!' Still, the merciful God did not leave me. I continued to pray every day.

“My friends became troublesome in asking me questions about the book which I could not