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some considerable portion of intrinsic merit, we think that these poems advance a large additional claim upon the attention of the curious-may we not say also of the pious?-as having issued from the pen of a person such as we have described. As such, and in consideration of the original meritorious cause of their publication, stated already, we venture to recommend them to the patronage of our readers. And if the poems redeem our pledge, as to the pleasure to be derived from their perusal, in no other manner, yet we shall be satisfied if they should be found to furnish another instance of the power of religion in exalting and enobling the human mind, even under the most unfavourable circumstances. And if the reader should still perceive Sarah Newman to be "an ignorant and unlearned" woman, we hope at least he will, from her style and general appearance, " take knowledge of her, that she has been with Jesus."

Christian India; or, an Appeal on Behalf of 900,000 Christians in India, who want the Bible: A Sermon, preached at Calcutta, on Tuesday, January 1, 1811, for promoting the Objects of the British and Foreign Bible Society. By HENRY MARTYN, B. D., Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge; and Chaplain to the Honourable East India Company in Bengal. Published by Request. With a List of Benefactors. Calcutta printed. 1811. pp. 47.

THE author of this sermon is well known at Cambridge as the senior wrangler of his year; and the present use of his powers will not tarnish his former laurels. He stands forward as the advocate of near a million of his fellow Christians, natives of Hindustan; and happy are we to say, that he has been a successful advocate. He appears to have kindled a flame in India, a flame of Christian zeal and love, which, we

trust, nothing will be able to quench, until every corner of our Eastern empire shall have been satiated, if that be possible, with Divine light and heat.

The friends of the Bible Society in India, Mr. Martyn tells us, have endeavoured to ascertain the order of the respective claims of the various classes of persons in India. The European regiments having been supplied with the Scriptures, it became a duty to consider to whom next they should direct their attention, and it was soon determined that the claims of the native Christians were those which were the most urgent.

The preacher, after considering the obligation of Christians to do good to all, but especially to the household of faith, and putting the question, Where is this household to be found, and what can be done for them? replies-" You need not go out of India to look for them: they dwell in the land, and are natives of it; and the only favour we ask for them, is the present of a Bible."

The native Christians of India Mr. Martyn arranges in four divisions. From this part of the sermon we shall make copious extracts.

"I. The Portuguese, of whom there are about 50,000. On the Malabar coast alone there are 36,000; at Calcutta, 7,000; in Ceylon, 5,000. Besides these, there are settlements of Portuguese all along the coast from Madras to Cape Comorin, and families of them are to be found in all the principal towns on the Ganges and Jumna. Copies of the Portuguese Scriptures could be procured immediately from England, and they might be put into circulation without difficulty, because here, as well as in Europe, the Roman Catholic priests are no longer averse to the translation and dispersion of the Scriptures,

"II. The next class of Christians to be noticed are those of Tanjore, who were converted to the Christian faith chiefly by the labours of Swartz. They are in number about 12,000, and speak the Tamul. A version of the Scriptures, in this language, was made long ago by Fabricius, one of the Danish missionaries, who devoted his whole life to the work.

"These people arc all Protestants; every

one of them can read the Bible; and their desire to be more fully supplied with the Scriptures, appears from a letter sent by the missionaries who superintend them.

"Last year, at the present season, these circumstances were stated to you; and, with a readiness and affection which will long be remembered, you came forward at once to assist your brethren. The donations of a few individuals were deemed sufficient to supply their immediate wants; but we are persuaded that still greater exertions would have been made, had the occasion required them. I am now authorised to inform you, that 500 Old Testaments, 400 New, and 300 Psalters, in Tamul; 200 Old Testaments, 150 New, and 500 Psalters, in Portuguese, have been purchased and distributed.

"That we may be enabled to render them further assistance, and anticipate their future wants, a new edition of the Scriptures, in Tamul, should be instantly prepared; and for this nothing is wanting but funds. There are Tamul presses at Tranquebar and Vepery, and persons to superintend them.

"III. The third class of Christians are those who speak the Malayalim, or Malabar. These are, first, the Roman Catholics, in number 150,000, composed partly of converts from heathenism, and partly of proselytes from the Syrian church; and, secondly, the Syrians who retain their ancient form of worship. No estimate has been made of their population; but the number of their churches is ascertained to be fiftyfive. There are then, perhaps, not fewer than 200,000 Christians who use the Malabar language. A translation of the Scriptares into it was undertaken four years ago by their bishop, assisted by some of his clergy, and it is presumed that the work is going on. The four Gospels are in the press, at Bombay, and nearly printed off. Syriac being formerly spoken by these mountaineers, the Liturgy and Scriptures are in that language. The priests occasionally expound the Scriptures in the Malayalim to the people; but this good custom, like many others, is gradually falling into disuse. Some of the people understand the Syrian prayers, but the Syrian language is not used in common discourset.

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"Some of the elders of the church were asked, whether they were willing to diffuse the Malayalin Scriptures, if they were aided,

See Christ. Obs. for 1810, p. 520. + Rev. Dr. Buchanan's Letters from the Coast.

in the expense. We are most willing, they said. One of them added, The truth is, that in former times all our people understood the Syriac, but in the lapse of ages the language of the country superseded it. A Ma layalim translation ought certainly to have been made before now; but we have had in later times neither learned men nor compe tent means. It was proposed to them, that a standard translation of the Malayalam should be prepared and sent to each of the fifty-five churches, on condition that each church should multiply the copies and de culate them among the people. We accept your offer,' said the priests, with thankfulness. One in particular said, I engage for the heads of families in this parish, that every man who can write, will be happy make a copy of the Scriptures for his own family!

"It was before mentioned, that 150,000 Roman Catholic Christians use the same language; to which it may be here added, that the Romish bishop, the vicar apostulie of the pope in India, has consented to the circulation of the Scriptures throughout his diocese: so that there are upwards of 200,000 per sons who are ready to receive the Malayalim Bible.

" IV. We come now to the fourth and last class of native Christians, the Cingalese. In the island of Ceylon, in the year 1801, the number of native schools amounted to 170, and the number of native Protestant Christians exceeded 342,000. The Chris tians professing the religion of the Church of Rome, are supposed to be still more

merous.

"No part of India offers such encourage ments to attempts at moral improvement Ceylon.

"The New Testament has been translated into Cingalese, and printed at Columbo, at the charge of government, for the purpose supplying the natives professing Christianity. For this information, the Bible Society, from whose last Report we have obtained it, profess themselves indebted to Sir Alexander Johnstone, late chief justice in that island; and, in consequence of his representation, they have determined to appropriate much as can be spared from the expenses necessarily attending the execution of their vast plans, to promote the circulation of the Cingalese Scriptures.

"But must this be suffered?-Do we not blush at the offers of assistance from home, where funds are raised with such difficulty,

Dom the she

* Rev. Dr. Buchanani's Letters from the Coast.

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not for want of good will in the people but from the unexampled pressure of the times, and where also all that is raised, may be employed with such effect in benefiting the other three quarters of the globe? Asia must be OUR care; or, if not all Asia, INDIA at least must look to none but us. Honour calls, as well as duty; your reputation for liberality requires that you render their assistance unnecessary. Let us make haste then and anticipate their supplies, and thus prove to our friends and the world, that the mother country need never be ashamed of her sons in India.

"Mention not their meanness; it is yours to raise them from degradation Despise not their inferiority, nor reproach them for their errors; they cannot get a Bible to read. Had they been blessed with your advantages, they would have been perhaps more worthy of your respect. It has been said with too much truth, that they scarcely deserve the name of Christians. How is it possible that it should be otherwise, without the Bible, when it is considered how little oral instruction they receive!" pp. 21-40.

The concluding appeal may be made no less appropriately to us in England, than to the audience whom Mr. Martyn addressed.

"Let us reflect a moment upon the unhappy state of those who live without a Bible, but especially of those who die with

out one.

"Imagine the sad situation of a sick or dying Christian, who has just heard enough of eternity to be afraid of death, and not enough of a Saviour to look beyond it with hope. He cannot call for a Bible to look for something to support him, or ask his wife or child to read him a consolatory chapter. The Bible, alas! is a treasure, which they never had the happiness to possess. O pity their distress, you that have hearts to feel for the miseries of your fellowcreatures; you that have discernment to see. that a wounded spirit is far more agonizing than any earth-begotten woes; you that know that you too must one day die, O give unto him what may comfort him in a dying hour. The Lord who loves our brethren, who gave his life for them and for you, who gave you the Bible before them, and now wills that they should receive it from you; he will reward you. They cannot recompense you; but you shall be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. The King himself will say to you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my pp. 45 brethren, ye have done it unto me."

"What a splendid spectacle does she present! Standing firm amidst the overthrow of the nations, and spreading wide the shadow of her wings for the protection of all, she finds herself at leisure, amidst the tumult of war, to form benevolent projects for the best interests of mankind. Her generals and admirals have caused the thunder of her power to be heard throughout the earth; now her ministers of religion perform their part, and endeavour to fulfil the high destinies of Heaven in favour of their country. They called on their fellow-citizens to cheer the desponding nations, with the book of the promises of eternal life, and thus afford them that consolation from the prospect of a happier world, which they have little expectation of finding amidst the disasters and calamities of this. The summons was obeyed. As fast as the nature of the undertaking became understood, and perceived to be clearly distinct from all party business, and visionary project, great numbers of all ranks in society and all persuasions in religion, joined with one heart and one soul, and began to impart freely to all men that which, next to the Saviour, is God's best gift to man. -It is now time that we should step forward. Shall every town and hamlet in England engage in the glorious cause, and the mighty empire of India do nothing? Will not our wealth and dignity be our disgrace, if we do not employ it for God and our fellow-creatures? What plan could be proposed so little open to objections, and so becoming our national character and religion, so simple and practicable, yet so extensively beneficial, as that of giving the word of God to the Christian part of our native subjects? There are, as you have seen, no less than 900,000 Christians close at hand. Many of them are relapsing fast to idolatry, and are already indeed little better than heathens. Yet they are for ever broken off from their parent stock. They have left their casts, they cannot be received back again, and have none to whom they can look but us.

47.

We have said, that Mr. Martyn proved a successful advocate on this occasion. On the 21st of February, a meeting was held at the College of Fort William, for the purpose of considering the propriety of instituting a Bible Society, as auxiliary to the British and Foreign Bible Society. A society was accordingly formed, entitled "The Calcutta Auxiliary Bible Society:" the object of which is declared to be the

racters.

same with that of the British and Foreign Bible Society, viz. " to encourage the circulation of the Holy Scriptures without note or comment; and especially to supply the demands of the native Christians in India, computed to be nearly a million, including those in the island of Ceylon." Near 16,000 rupees had been previously subscribed in aid of the objects of the British and Foreign Bible Society. Among the subscribers, we perceive, with great satisfaction, the names of General Hewett, the Commander in Chief, and first member of the Supreme Council, for 2000 rupees; of John Lumsden, Esq. second member of the Supreme Council; of Sir John Royds and Sir William Burroughs, judges of the Supreme Court; and many other highly respectable chaOf the newly instituted society, John Herbert Harrington, Esq. judge of the Suddar Dewannee and Nizamut Adawluts, president of the College Council, and professor of laws, has been appointed the president;-George Udny, Esq. a member of the Board of Trade, and late a member of the Supreme Council, and N. B. Edmonstone, Esq. chief secretary of the Government, vice-presidents;-J.D. Alexander, Esq. treasurer; and the Rev. David Brown, senior chaplain of the presidency, secretary. At the first meeting of the committee of this new society, it was resolved," that the objects pointed out in the sermon preached by the Rev. Henry Martyn on the 1st of January, be taken into immediate consideration, and that the secretary be requested to make the necessary inquiries, by opening a correspondence with the different parts of India." It was also resolved, that measures should be taken for making the objects of the institution generally known, with a view to obtaining benefactions and subscriptions.

A letter has been received by Lord Teignmouth from Mr. Harrington, the president of the Calcutta Bible Society, with a large ex

tract from which we shall proceed to gratify our readers. It is dated 25th February 1811.

"Our first attention will be given to the objects of a sermon preached by the Rev. Henry Martyn, at the commencement of the present year; and I may add that the interest excited by this excellent discourse, for the welfare of so large a number as nearly a million of our Christian brethren, in actual want of the Bible, has, under the direction of a gra cious Providence, contributed essentially to the formation of our society."

"I understand, that, in addition to the liberal encouragement already given by the British and Foreign Bible Society to the diffusion of the Gospel in the languages of Asia, a further aid, for the same beneficent purpose, has been voted of two thousand pounds per annum fər three years. Uncertain as we are at present what the annual amount of benefactions and subscriptions to the funds of the Calcutta Auxiliary Bible Society may be, I feel reluc tant to hazard the impeding, instead of promoting, the common object of our association, and that established in London, by suggesting that any part of this intended supply may now be dispensed with. Adverting however, to the donations made last year for the purchase of Tamul Bibles, and to those already received this year, towards the object of our newly instituted society, I may venture to assure you, that a sum, at least equal to that intended to be sent from England, will, if it please God to bless our undertaking, be now raised on the spot, within the same period. I hope also, that our example will be followed by the institution of auxiliary societies, for the same Christian object, at Ma dras, Bombay, and though, on this point, I have no authority to express more than a hope. You will therefore be able to judge, according to the calls upon your truly catholic benevolence in other parts of the world, whether it be proper to withhold any part

Columbo;

of

the pecuniary aid which you designed for India, or to let the inhabitants of this extensive region still have the full benefit of your bounty to them, in addition to what they may receive from others.

"But your views of universal good are not confined to the limits of India, which, for a time at least, until the whole of its Christian inhabitants are supplied from their local source, must be the principal, if not exclusive, field of our exertions. It will be a work of years to supply the demand which now exists for the word of God amongst the different denominations of Indian Christians; and it must be our constant duty to watch for, and meet, any future demand, as it may arise. Whether we shall ever attempt more than this, must depend on circumstances; and especially upon the continued zeal with which our institution may be supported."

"Were I authorized to offer an opinion, it should be, that the stream of your charity be still allowed to flow towards the East, and especially to fertilize those countries which have not an appropriate spring. The wide and populous empire of China appears, in particular, to call for your continued aid to the praiseworthy missionaries at Serampore, who, by zealous perseverance, have overcome the difficulties of acquir ing the Chinese language; have already published a dissertation on the characters and sounds of that language, with a volume of the works of Confucius; and are engaged in a Chinese translation of the New Testament.

"I will not attempt to give you any particular information of the progress made in the great work of publishing correct editions of the Scriptures in the Asiatic languages. Mr. Brown, who corresponds regularly with Mr. Owen, and who, you will be glad to see, is secretary to our society, has, I doubt not, anticipated every thing I could say on this subject; and his communications cannot fail of being satisfacCHRIST. OBSERV. No. 118.

tory. The correct and idiomatic Hindoostanee version of the New Testament, made by the united labours of Mr. Martyn and Mirza Fitrut, will be an important acquisition to literature, as well as religion; and I am happy to hear, that it will be immediately printed.

"I will only add, that, with a view to assure the Governor General in Council of our strict adherence to the defined object of our institution, and to furnish him, at all times, with full information of the proceedings of the society and its committee, it was wished to invest the chief secretary to the Government with the office of president; but the entire occupation of his time, by his important duties, prevented his acceptance of that trust, which has consequently devolved to me. You will observe, however, that Mr. Edmonstone is one of the vice-presidents; and he has undertaken to keep the Government regularly informed of our proceedings. This precaution was not perhaps necessary, as duty and interest must equally preclude the adoption of any measure not perfectly consistent with our political safety. But it will be satisfactory to ourselves, as well as to others, that the whole of our proceedings are known to the Government; and it will, I hope, stifle the voice of objection from those who are ready to take alarm at every attempt, however legitimate and unexceptionable, to propagate Christianity in India.

"Whether the persevering and zealous endeavours of our filial association will ultimately contribute, in any effectual degree, to the primary object of your parental and fostering society, must depend upon a higher Power than that of man, or of combinations of men. We know, from Divine authority, that except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it;' and that although Paul may plant, and Apollos water, it is God that giveth the increase.' I feel persuaded, however, that, by his grace, some4 Q

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