Swami Vivekananda was a mysterious figure when he first came to the United States. Even in his nation, he was a nobody. Harvard University professor J.H. Wright had a private supper with Vivekananda and was so moved by the man's research that he wrote to several significant figures associated with the Parliament of Religion. In introducing Vivekananda, he wrote, "Here is a man who is more learned than all our learned professors put together." When they first started, they used to preach that India was a country entirely of heathens who needed to be saved by Christianity. The American press, on the other hand, started to argue that it was shameful for anyone to try to teach Indian religion and that instead, the world should come to her feet to study it. Vivekananda added that India needed material assistance more than religion. The missionaries now began embarrassing him in numerous ways. They even started spreading rumours about him. Strangely enough, a few of his fellow citizens joined them for independence. But as Vivekananda often said, "Truth alone prevails." He did not attempt to defend himself, while others fiercely objected and stood up for him.