Christian missions in the Telugu country - Uecf.net

52 MISSIONS IN THE TELUGU COUNTRY
was accepted as a missionary by the S.P.G. and soon
afterwards was ordained and appointed to minister to
the Telugu congregation at VuUavaram, near Madras.
In 1856 he retired on a pension. He died in Madras
about 1867.
When Mr. Howell joined the Church of England,
forty-six members of his congregation were admitted
with him. These were formed into a congregation of the
Church of England by the Rev. W. W. Whitford. At
Cuddapah that time there was no chaplain in Cuddapah, but the
English residents were visited from time to time by the
chaplain of Poonamallee. Mr. Whitford, who then held
that post, did what he could for his new congregation,
and, acting according to the ideas of the time, he gave
them land on which to build houses. He also provided
them with a catechist and a schoolmaster. Thus
they remained for seven j'ears, dependent for the
administration of the sacraments upon Mr. Whitford's
occasional visits, and in the intervals looking for
help and encouragement to their lay-teachers and
to the European residents who took an interest
in them. Undoubtedly the chief influence upon
them during these years was that of two men
of their own race, whose names, because they are
prominent in the early history of the Mission, must be
mentioned at once. These were two brothers, Tamils
by birth, named Basil and Afred Wood, who had been
received with Mr. HoweU into the Church of England.
They early showed the true pastoral spirit and, when
Mr. Whitford finally left the country, although no funds
were any longer available with which to carry on the