In 1837 the membership in Great Britain and Ireland was 318,716; in foreign mission stations, 66,007; in Upper Canada, 14,000; while the American Conferences had charge of 650,678 members.
His original bent was towards foreign mission.
In 1868 this developed into the Friends' Foreign Mission Association, which now undertakes Missionary work in India (begun 1866), Madagascar (1867), Syria (1869), China (1886),(1886), Ceylon (1896).
He then accepted an offer made by the foreign mission committee of the general assembly to become their first missionary to India.
Having entered the Society of Jesus, he was set apart for foreign mission service, and sent to Goa in 1588.
