ings to the
land.

Under the influence of these missionary efforts and of the less thorough
training given in government schools, Hindus themselves are beginning to
bestir themselves and to establish schools for their daughters; and thus
we trust that coming years will not only witness a change of thought among
Hindus concerning women, but also a new line of indigenous activity for
their elevation.

There is further ground for encouragement; for the Hindu man of culture is
growing increasingly sensitive to the wide gulf which lies between him and
his absolutely untrained wife. He sees that, while the Western woman is
suited in every way to become the companion of, and a helpmeet to, her
husband, his own little wife is fit to be neither. Even when not separated
from him by a disparity of many years in age, he finds that she has
absolutely no interest outside the walls of her home and has not the first
qualification to discuss with him or to help him by advice in any matter
pertaining to his work or profession. So he, under the new light of modern
times, is increasingly ambitious to have a wife of the new training and of
the larger horizon, and is willing to pay a premium for her in marriage.
And this, itself, is beginning to create a market for educated women even
in that stronghold of conservatism, the Brahman caste.

Thus the effort of Christian missions in the development of womanhood is
acting like leaven upon the whole social mass.

Chapter VI.

THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN EFFORT IN INDIA.

Christianity found very early entrance into India. How early we cannot
definitely say. The Syrian Church of Malabar traces its legendary origin
to the "doubting disciple," by whose name it loves to be called. The
Romish Church also warmly supports this contention and exalts St. Thomas
to a high place as the Patron Saint and Apostle of India.

Careful historical investigation entirely overthrows this old claim. The
Thomas legends probably owe their existence to the natural desire of the
Syrian Christians to connect their history with Apostolic origin and
sanction. The name may also be confounded with a later Thomas, several of
whom were conspicuous in the annals of the India Syrian Church.

The ancient vagueness of the name "India," has also, doubtless, had no
little influence in the formation of these legends. In the beginning of
the Christian era "India" was a term of much wider ap