Page:Life in India or Madras, the Neilgherries, and Calcutta.djvu/558

490 hundred thousand committed to his charge. But, though thus alone in this mass of heathenism, his labours have not been in vain. A church of forty or fifty members has been gathered, while a number have died, looking by faith to a heavenly home; twelve schools have been established in Coimbatoor and other towns of his district. In addition to a son who is associated with him in his missionary work, he has twelve native assistants, who labour in connection with his out-stations, and come from time to time to head-quarters to make reports and receive instructions. A large amount of information on the great truths of Christianity is thus diffused among the people, and the way prepared for the conversion of multitudes when the Spirit of God shall be poured out from on high.

A neat church has been erected on the mission premises, where we attended on the services of the Sabbath with much pleasure. It was the communion-day, and the assistants from the out-stations were all present, with a large congregation of Christians and their families. They seemed to have been trained to habits of military regularity and order. At the close of the prayer, they fired off their volley of