Page:Life in India or Madras, the Neilgherries, and Calcutta.djvu/473

Rh the priest, following the example of Ananias of old, (Acts xxiii. 1, 2,) commanded those who stood near to smite him on the face. This was readily done, but failed to convince the young men of their error. Unmoved by these persecutions, they repaired to the Roman Catholic chapel to remove some images which were their private property. This filled the people with consternation, and especially the thoughts of the loss of an image of the Virgin Mary, which was regarded with unusual devotion by the poor benighted creatures. They offered large sums of money if this sacred image might be left them, only asking the brothers to name their price. The converts told them that they felt constrained to take it away, as it was leading them into the sin of idolatry; that it was not money they wanted, but that as servants of Christ they could not suffer their property to lead their countrymen into sin. The brothers were next sued before the magistrate on false charges of debt, but they were fully cleared, and the people restrained from further violence. They were baptized by Shunkuru, and took the names of Nathaniel and Jonas.

The history of many of the members of the