“You expect to hear of my black flock. My native teacher is, at this time, laid up with Asthma: his notions of divine truth grow more clear daily. Some of the Hindoostanee wives of the soldiers have, also gained good information on christian subjects; and from forty to sixty regularly attend public worship on Sundays, and once in the week. I have nine Christian men and women, and six children about me; with these I read and pray in Hindoostanee every morning I am at home. One lad of them appears truly pious; he has been with me most of the time I have been here; he reads and prays in the evenings with the others generally. “One night lately I heard him expounding part of the sixteenth chapter of St. John with much feeling and propriety. I have the charge of him entirely; I begin to love him, and think his disposition gentle and well-inclined: he always attends at meals for his portion. The other servants, at times, I hear tell him he is become an Englishman; and seem to envy him not a little.... I could fill sheets with the conversations I frequently have with the natives. Several promising appearances in individuals, have come to nothing. I am, therefore, glad that I have not written any thing about them. “There has been a serious disturbance here (and it is not now quite over) between the Mahomedans and Hindoos. The former destroyed a pillar, long an object of superstition amongst the Hindoos: on which account the latter carried swine and slaughtered them in the Mosques. One hundred and forty have lost their lives; but not all from religious difference, many taking occasion of the affray to gratify private revenge.[53] “I can say nothing of my prospects: all you can picture of the difficulties attending this work is far short of the reality. I can only say, to live and die in this work, or to labour until I can do no more, is my not hasty purpose, formed, I trust, on no self-sufficient grounds, but on the grace, mercy, and comfort of an unchanging God and Saviour. “I am writing a little daily in Hindoostanee, Persian, Arabic, or Hebrew. My school employs me two portions of the day. I am cheered sometimes with the hope, that I am educating Missionaries; but it seems hardly possible they should escape the pollutions around them.” [46] That dated Aug. 2, 1807. [47] The controversy alluded to grew out of the publication of Dr. Buchanan’s Memoirs on the Expediency of an Ecclesiastical Establishment for India. [48] See Ward, View of History, &c. of the Hindoos. Vol. II., book 7, ch. 4.