▁fe ared ▁that ▁mission aries ▁might ▁stir ▁up ▁trouble ▁or ▁encou rage ▁the ▁n atives ▁to ▁challenge ▁colonial ▁authority . ▁In ▁general , ▁colonial ▁officials ▁were ▁much ▁more ▁comfortable ▁with ▁working ▁with ▁the ▁established ▁local ▁leadership , ▁including ▁the ▁native ▁relig ions , ▁rather ▁than ▁introdu cing ▁the ▁divis ive ▁force ▁of ▁Christian ity . ▁This ▁proved ▁especially ▁troubles ome ▁in ▁India , ▁were ▁very ▁few ▁local ▁el ites ▁were ▁attract ed ▁to ▁Christian ity . ▁In ▁Africa , ▁especially , ▁the ▁mission aries ▁made ▁many ▁converts . ▁By ▁the ▁ 2 1 st ▁century ▁there ▁were ▁more ▁Ang lic ans ▁in ▁Niger ia ▁than ▁in ▁England . ▁ ▁Christian ity ▁had ▁a ▁powerful ▁effect ▁far ▁beyond ▁the ▁small ▁circle ▁of ▁converts — it ▁provided ▁a ▁model ▁of ▁modern ity . ▁The ▁introduction ▁of ▁European ▁medicine ▁was ▁especially ▁important , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁introduction ▁of ▁European ▁political ▁practices ▁and ▁ide als ▁such ▁as ▁religious ▁liberty , ▁mass ▁education , ▁mass ▁printing , ▁newsp apers , ▁volunt ary ▁organizations , ▁colonial ▁re forms , ▁and ▁especially ▁liberal ▁dem ocracy . ▁ ▁In cre asing ly ▁the ▁mission aries ▁realized ▁their ▁wider ▁scope ▁and ▁system atically ▁added ▁sec ular ▁roles ▁to ▁their ▁spiritual ▁mission . ▁They ▁tried ▁to ▁upgrade ▁education , ▁medical ▁care , ▁and ▁spons ored ▁the ▁long - term ▁modern ization ▁of ▁the ▁native ▁person ality ▁to ▁in cul c ate ▁European ▁middle - class ▁values . ▁ ▁Al ong side ▁their ▁churches ▁they ▁established ▁schools ▁and ▁medical ▁clin ics , ▁and