iv.] THE MISSIONARY. 171 



according to whatever was needed for ourselves or for the 

 people; if for the latter, they worked for us in the garden, 

 or at some other employment; skilled labour was thus 

 exchanged for the unskilled. After dinner and an hour's 

 rest the wife attended her infant-school, which the young, 

 who were left by their parents entirely to their own caprice, 

 liked amazingly, and generally mustered a hundred strong; 

 or she varied that with a sewing school, having classes of 

 girls to learn the art ; this, too, was equally well relished. 

 During the day every operation must be superintended, 

 and both husband and wife must labour till the sun de- 

 clines. After sunset the husband went into the town to 

 converse with any one willing to do so; sometimes on gene- 

 ral subjects, at other times on religion. On three nights 

 of the week, as soon as the milking of the cows was over and 

 it had become dark, we had a public religious service, and 

 one of instruction on secular subjects, aided by pictures and 

 specimens. These services were diversified by attending 

 upon the sick and prescribing for them, giving food and 

 otherwise assisting the poor and wretched. We tried to 

 gain their affections by attending to the wants of the body. 

 The smallest acts of friendship, an obliging word and civil 

 look, are, as St Xavier thought, no despicable part of the 

 missionary armour. Nor ought the good opinion of the 

 most abject to be uncared for, when politeness may secure 

 it. Their good word in the aggregate forms a reputation 

 which may be well employed in procuring favour for the 

 Gospel. Shew kind attention to the reckless opponents of 

 Christianity on the bed of sickness and pain, and they never 

 can become your personal enemies. Here, if anywhere, love 

 begets love V 



1 Travels, pp. 40 — 41. 



