Christian missions in the Telugu country - Uecf.net

VI
THE S.P.G MISSION : MODERN
PERIOD
On the death of Mr. Clay in 1884, there were three A retro-
missionaries in the field, all of whom are still on active ^^'^'•
service, i
Before
going on with the history, it will be weU
to take a review of the work as it was left in their hands.
In 1884 there were 96 congregations, 3603 baptised
Christians, and 2535 persons under instruction. These
congregations were scattered over a country one hundred
miles from north to south, and eighty from east to west,
a country divided into two sections by a range of high
hiUs, and in nearly every part totally unfitted for rapid
travelling. They had, nevertheless, to be shepherded—
work which had to be undertaken by the three European
missionaries, as there was not as yet a single Indian helper
in Holy Orders. The famine of 1876-7 had left marks
which it took years to eradicate—school buildings and
teachers' houses were in ruins, and had to be rebuilt.
There were congregations which had been decimated in
that terrible year and, worst of aU, the sufferings of that
time had broken the courage and the faith of many.
At such a time it might have seemed the right thing to
be content to ' strengthen the things which remain.'
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