Christian missions in the Telugu country - Uecf.net

66 MISSIONS IN THE TELUGU COUNTRY
half of his people, and then he proposed again to place
himself under me. But 1 had seen much of the unsatis-
factory state of things in a village where half the people
were under me, and the other half, being heathen, beyond
my jurisdiction, so my decision still was to wait. More
time elapsed, and then all were of one mind except just
two or three families ;—one of these owned the very spot
of ground which I had long ago marked out as the site
of the future prayer-house.
' I rode over one evening to find out for myself the
disposition of the people. I had sent notice of my
coming and requested all to be present, but when I
reached the village was disappointed to find but very
few there ;
the women either hid themselves or stood at
the doors of their houses quite unconcerned and careless,
and some of the men, after a short stare, resumed their
several occupations as if the business on which I came
was nothing connected with themselves. I did not
dismount from my horse, but sat for a few minutes
regarding all attentively ; then, convinced that the
pear was not yet ripe, turned my rein and rode away
quietly. A proceeding so different from all that they
had expected first astonished and then alarmed the
villagers. I heard confused shouts behind me, the
cries of the children, "He is going away," and calls
to me to return, of which I took no heed. A number of
them, however, ran after and soon overtook me, to whom
I explained that their reception of me was so different
from what I had been accustomed to, that I doubted if
they really wished to have me for their priest and
teacher, " Go back then," I said, " and when you