er of Hindus who are only nominal adherents is probably much
greater than is generally supposed, because many of them still retain
the outward marks of a religion in which they have ceased to believe.
Most of these have not become atheists, but they are feeling after a
true God, and those who are in earnest in their search come as near to
Him as their imperfect knowledge allows.

An old Brahmin came into the verandah of the Mission bungalow, and
sitting down, said very seriously, "Now tell me about your Christ." He
was an army pensioner with two medals. He was seventy-five years of
age, which is considered very old for an Indian. His only knowledge of
Christianity had been gathered up in a vague way from the few
Christians he had rubbed up against in the course of military
wanderings, including a few missionaries. Yet even the amount of
contact had been a help to him. Hindus sometimes are drawn towards
Christianity by contact with even rather nominal Christians.

I asked the old Brahmin if he ever went to the village temple. "There
is no temple," he replied rather fiercely. On my assurance that he was
mistaken, he said: "Then if there is one, I have never seen it. I go
to no temple. I pray to God in heaven." "The _one_ God," he added with
emphasis. Yet he had the usual red paint marks neatly inscribed on his
forehead, and his Brahmin's thread, like a long skein of cotton, was
worn sash-like next his skin, but just peeping out a little at the
neck for the people to see. Anyone meeting him would have taken him
for a most uncompromising and orthodox Hindu.[1]

[Footnote 1: His portrait is to be found opposite p. 23, in
_Thirty-Four Years in Poona City_.]

After I had explained to another Brahmin the meaning of baptism, and
that no one is a Christian until he is baptized, the Brahmin said:
"Baptism seems very similar to our _thread_ ceremony. Till a boy has
received his thread he is not permitted to read the sacred scriptures
or to take part in religious functions. He may be the son of Hindu
parents, but he does not become a real Hindu until he has been
invested with the thread."

I asked what then was the condition of those castes who are not
entitled to wear the thread. He said that there was no ceremony of
initiation for them, and so that they remained outside. I replied
that, if this was so, it was very hard that the large majority of
Indians should be left out in the cold. He agreed, and said that this
undoubtedl