DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12673#0178
ADIEU TO PANJIM.
159
The conversion of the natives of India to Chris-
tianity has of late years become a species of ex-
citement in our native country, and, consequently,
many incorrect, prejudiced and garbled statements of
the progress and success of the good work have gone
forth to the world. Not a few old Indians returned
home, have been very much surprised by hearing
authentic accounts and long details of effectual
missionary labour which they certainly never wit-
nessed. Our candour may not be appreciated—it
is so difficult for the enthusiastic to avoid running
down an opinion contrary to their own—we can-
not, however, but confess that some years spent in
Western India have convinced us that the results
hitherto obtained are utterly disproportionate to
the means employed for converting the people.
Moreover, study of the native character forces us
to doubt whether anything like success upon a
grand scale can ever reasonably be anticipated. We
have often heard it remarked by those most con-
versant with the deep-rooted prejudices and the
fanatic credulity of the Hindoos that with half
the money and trouble we have lavished upon them
they could have made double the number of con-
verts to their heathenism in Europe,
The splendid success of the Portuguese in con-
159
The conversion of the natives of India to Chris-
tianity has of late years become a species of ex-
citement in our native country, and, consequently,
many incorrect, prejudiced and garbled statements of
the progress and success of the good work have gone
forth to the world. Not a few old Indians returned
home, have been very much surprised by hearing
authentic accounts and long details of effectual
missionary labour which they certainly never wit-
nessed. Our candour may not be appreciated—it
is so difficult for the enthusiastic to avoid running
down an opinion contrary to their own—we can-
not, however, but confess that some years spent in
Western India have convinced us that the results
hitherto obtained are utterly disproportionate to
the means employed for converting the people.
Moreover, study of the native character forces us
to doubt whether anything like success upon a
grand scale can ever reasonably be anticipated. We
have often heard it remarked by those most con-
versant with the deep-rooted prejudices and the
fanatic credulity of the Hindoos that with half
the money and trouble we have lavished upon them
they could have made double the number of con-
verts to their heathenism in Europe,
The splendid success of the Portuguese in con-