Not content with this, he learnt Persian and Hindostanee; and thus
when he went to India in 1823 he was equipped as few young men of his
day were.
Havelock's faith, strong though it was, had to undergo a time of
severe trial. Doubts arose in his mind, and made him miserable while
they lasted. But on board ship he came across Lieut. Gardner, to whom,
with others, he was giving lessons in languages; and as a result of
his intercourse with this man he became again the same simple loving
believer that he had been when he learnt to read the Bible at his
mother's knee, or braved the taunts of his school-fellows.
During the two months he was at Calcutta he held religious meetings,
to which the soldiers were invited. At these, not only did he preach
the Gospel of Christ, but he made a point of telling the men the
blessings of temperance; and it was by his influence that later on
a society was formed in the regiment, and various attractions were
placed before the men to keep them from intemperance.
Now came the chance of active service for which he had been longing.
An expedition was planned against the Burmese, and Havelock was one of
the members.
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