From this time Schwartz with unflagging zeal lost no opportunity of preaching the Gospel to the people in the open air, until they were so affected that they cried, “O that the King would embrace it! All would then forsake heathenism!” He won their hearts. After speaking to some of the King’s chief officers in the fort one of them came forward and begged him to accept a present of some money, but this he declined, explaining that he did not wish to oppose any obstacle to their acceptance of Christianity by giving occasion to any to suspect him of interested motives. “He who tendered me the present replied that he should never think that of me. I answered, ‘That may be but you cannot prevent others from thinking thus; I seek the good of your souls and not gifts.’ I accepted a nosegay and so we parted.” But this free access to the King was short lived. The Brahmins, like the Ephesians of old crying “Great is Diana,” were discovering only too plainly that the progress of Christianity would inevitably replace the old religion and their influence with all its material advantages would be gone for ever. So every attempt on the part of the King to show favour to Schwartz was defeated and concealed by those around him, and the chief Brahmin at last persuaded him that any change would disturb the whole of the country and that the people did not want the missionary. This proved how correct was his estimate before when he said the King was more of a slave than a King, being so much under the domination of the Brahmins. In his heart, there is no doubt Tuljajee was most anxious to have Schwartz near to him, but was overborne by his high officials. In his journal Schwartz says of this crisis: “Many even of the Brahmins themselves said that the King would gladly have had me with him but he was afraid of the people around him. The great about this court saw with regret that he was desirous of detaining me, being fearful lest their corrupt practices might be exposed. At length I visited one of his principal officers and after declaring to him the Gospel of Christ I begged to make my humble salaam to the King and to ask what was his purpose with regard to me, that I was come at his gracious summons, ready to serve him from my heart in the cause of God, but that as I had an engagement at Trichinopoly it would be necessary that some one should take charge of my duty there if I were to remain at Tanjore. I requested therefore to know the King’s intentions. The answer which I received the next day was this, that I might return for the time to Trichinopoly but that I was to remember that the King looked upon me as his _padre_. Many of the common people were grieved that the King should allow himself to be hindered by his servants from detaining me near him. But God can and at His own time will, cause this nation to adore and bear His name. May He compassionate this poor people, now lying in darkness and the shadow of death, for His name’s sake!”