Two years later Akbar sent a very polite letter to the
Provincial of the Jesuit order in Goa, requesting him to send two
Fathers in order that Akbar himself might be instructed "in their
faith and its perfection." It is easy to imagine how gladly the
Provincial assented to this demand and how carefully he proceeded with
the selection of the fathers who were to be sent away with such great
expectations. As gifts to the Emperor the Jesuits brought a Bible in
four languages and pictures of Christ and the Virgin Mary, and to
their great delight when Akbar received them he laid the Bible upon
his head and kissed the two pictures as a sign of reverence.[37]
[Footnote 37: J.T. Wheeler, IV, I,162; Noer, I, 481.]
In the interesting work of the French Jesuit Du Jarric, published in
1611, we possess very detailed accounts of the operations of these
missionaries who were honorably received at Akbar's court and who were
invited to take up their residence in the imperial palace. The evening
assemblies in the 'Ibadat Khana' in Fathpur Sikri at once gave the
shrewd Jesuits who were schooled in dialectics, an opportunity to
distinguish themselves before the Emperor who himself presided over
this Religious Parliament in which Christians, Jews, Mohammedans,
Brahmans, Buddhists and Parsees debated with each other.
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