hearers, and according to the time of the day, the state of the weather, and other incidental circumstances.

Whilst the missionary is speaking, it often happens that some one of the congregation interrupts him by starting an objection to his statements, or proposing some question occurring to his mind. Conversations are thus frequently entered into, in which various points of doctrine or practice are discussed, with more or less good temper and good sense, according to the disposition and abilities of the disputants. The missionary, having truth on his side, in general obtains. an easy victory; and, if he conduct himself with wisdom and humility, a large proportion of the congregation will usually be ready to confess that he has overcome; and he has generally reason to believe that many more, though they will not confess it openly, are, in their consciences, convinced that his arguments have been victorious.

Sometimes the missionary, drawn away from a discussion of the simple truths of Christianity, and attacked by some subtle adversary, who has allured him into the mazes of Hindooism, will be entangled and perplexed, and the palm of victory refused him.

Sometimes an individual in the congregation will say something rude and insolent to the missionary: when this happens, the missionary

has an excellent opportunity of raising his cause many degrees in the opinion of his auditory, by meekly brooking the insult, and returning good for evil.

Sometimes a new missionary, from the want of experience, may attack Hindooism in such a manner as to irritate, rather than to conciliate his auditors; but he soon discovers, that by this means he defeats his own end, and finds that his aim is promoted much more effectually by a temperate exhibition or defence of Christianity, and an humble imitation of the meekness and compassion of the Saviour.

The favourable time to expose the folly of Hindooism he discovers to be after the establishment of some important evangelical doctrine, when some Hindoo, by his own hostility and importunity, constrains the missionary to shew him the absurdity of the tenets he maintains. At such a juncture the Hindoos will take, with good humour, and with advantage to themselves, much more from the missionary than they would if he himself spontaneously attacked their idolatrous worship.

If the missionary has inadvertently given offence, such of his congregation as feel displeased, will sometimes call out, Huribol! Huribol! (that is, call upon Huree, one of the names of Krishno) and punish his offence by walking away and

leaving him to himself; but this is an event of very rare occurrence.

The missionary usually takes with him copies of one or more of the gospels, and some religious tracts, and distributes them at the close of the service to such of his hearers as are capable of reading, and willing to receive them.

A second mode adopted by the missionary, is in all respects similar to the preceding, with this exception, that instead of resorting to a bungalow, he takes his stand in the open air, either by the side of a public path or road, or in the outskirts of a market-place, or beneath some shady tree. Here almost precisely the same order of occurrences takes place. The only difference is, that the missionary, not being in his own house, must allow yet greater freedom to his hearers, in their remarks and interruptions.

I will here give one or two specimens of the nature of the interruptions to which the Christian teacher is thus exposed, and of the questions he is sometimes unexpectedly called upon to discuss.

Whilst a missionary was addressing a congregation of Hindoos by the side of a public road, in the environs of Calcutta, one of his hearers suddenly stopped him by a question which he insisted on having answered, and the following conversation ensued:

Hindoo.-Sir, Is it a sin for a man to kill his

mother?

Missionary.-Of course, a dreadful sin.

Hindoo. Then you are the man guilty of committing it.

Missionary.-How do you prove the truth of your accusation?

Hindoo. Why, Sir, you drink the milk of the cow, and she is thus a mother to you; afterwards you kill the cow, and eat her flesh.

Missionary.--Your premises are incorrect. I do not admit the cow to be my mother; for if she were, I should have four legs and a tail, and I appeal to the whole congregation for the truth of what I affirm. But may I not recriminate, and ask, Are not many of you Hindoos literally guilty of the dreadful crime you thus unjustly ascribe to ine? for you know it is a practice in this country for children to burn their own mothers alive.

The objector slunk away, the hearers were pleased at the argument which silenced him, and the congregation at large took the closing reproof in perfect good temper.

On another occasion, when the missionary was similarly employed, the following conversation took place :

:

Hindoo.-Sir, you are preaching about mercy; you ought first to practise what you preach.

Missionary. What is it that you refer to ? Hindoo.-I refer to your cruelty in taking away animal life, and eating animal food.

Missionary. If this be a crime, are you not guilty of it yourself?

Hindoo.- How can you insinuate such a thought?

Missionary. You are, I presume, by your conversation, a Voishnob, and abstain from eating fish, flesh, or fowl; but, nevertheless, you devour and slay a multitude of animals every day of your life.

Hindoo.-How, Sir, can that be possible?

Missionary. It is more than possible. In every cup of water you drink, there are a number of little animals; all these you swallow down with the water, and thus put them every one to death.

Hindoo.--[Knowing, as the people do in general, the truth of the representation, and somewhat embarrassed for a reply,]—What you say, Sir, is true; but then I have this to offer in my defence, that I could not live without drinking water; but you might live without eating animal food.

Missionary.-Friend, even this excuse is vain, and will not avail you; for you know very well, that you wash your feet with water every day, and away go the lives of a multitude of little