Beginnings in India

About The Book: At the request of the Central Board of Missions, this book was written as part of a series on Missions Overseas. It focuses on the beginnings of different sections or departments of the Anglican Missions enterprise in India, some of which began later than the general beginning. In the late 16th century, during Queen Elizabeth's reign, England first established contact with India through the granting of a royal charter to the East India Company. For 258 years, the East India Company represented British power in India, which became a prized possession of the British Crown. This stands in contrast to other mission fields such as Nigeria, East Africa, Uganda, the Congo, the Zambesi, Madagascar, New Zealand, and the Southern Seas, where missionaries preceded traders, consuls, and commissioners. However, in India, trade led the way, at least from the perspective of British missions.