Schwartz was now at what he had called the destined end of his travels and the appointed beginning of his life work. He saw at once that a knowledge of Tamil was the first necessity of his work, and, therefore, with a native catechist who could also speak German, he laboured hard to qualify himself. So successful was he that in less than four months after his arrival in India he was able to preach his first sermon in Tamil from Matthew xi. 25-30, with its true missionary appeal. “Come unto me, all ye that labour end are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” in the New Jerusalem Church where Ziegenbalg used to preach. It was his first word for his Master and Lord, possibly uttered with much humility and some misgivings of his own fitness but full of the abundant grace which is ready to fulfil the promise to every creature. Of this discourse some brief outlines are preserved. It was a very earnest appeal to these people, facing him for the first time with their dark faces and hearts full of shadows from superstition and ignorance. He began at once by pointing out the one and only hope for humanity and begged them to take advantage of the gracious offer of salvation. This was the key note of his life work, and it has been well pointed out that in an age when theological controversies and contention were the characteristic of the Church, it is a cheering fact that the faith of Schwartz preserved its simplicity, and that he preached the great essential verities of the Evangel of God to a sinful world. CHAPTER IV. IN TOUCH WITH THE BRAHMINS. The early experiences of a missionary on arriving in his field of work abroad will sometimes dissipate a little of the romance which fancy had gathered about his outlook, and will instead reveal quite unexpected difficulties to try his faith, forcing him to a fuller dependence on God. On the other hand, all that is best in him of inspiration and devotion is deepened by the fact of his seeing as never before the unutterable need of his message and recognising his clear call to give that in the name of his Master. And seeing that the highest summits of success can only be attained by simple and persevering steps, he will apply himself with prayerful fidelity to these necessary details of his new position. His call was instant, his fitness for it must be attained by hard work and patient application.