Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]

.......

RELIG. COM.-Introduction of Christianity
into Britain by St. Paul. Talib in Reply
to Faber. Collation of N. T. with LXX...
Sermon, on Philip. iii. 12...Conduct to be
pursued by Ministers, &c...Sopater's Vin-
dication
273-292

MISCEL.-Yeates on Hebrew N. T...Work

for Westminster School Country Clergy-

man's Wife Parish Schools in Ireland..

Complaint of an uncrimped Skate..

........

293-297

[ocr errors]
[blocks in formation]

..

[ocr errors]

......

..

[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]
[ocr errors]

RELIG, COM.-Mr. J. R. Gilpin..On Mat-
thew vi. 23, and On Rom. ix. 3...Sermon,
on Matt. xi. 2-6...A brief View of the
Lord's Supper. Mr. Joseph Mede on Re-
generation..
605-621

MISCEL-On Education of Youth..Popu

larity of Evangelical Preaching. Account

of Eleazar Count of Arian..Early At-

tempts for the Conversion of the Jews in

England. Hymns for Sundays in Advent
..Epitaph of Mr. B. O. Wood, by him-

self.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

..

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[blocks in formation]

EXTRACTS FROM THE CORRESPOND

I

ENCE OF THE FIRST PROTESTANT
MISSIONARIES TO INDIA.

(Continued from Vol. 1X. p. 738.)

Now send you a continuation of the correspondence of the Missionaries Ziegenbalgh and Grundler, with the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge.

Tranquebar, Jan. 3,1714.—“ Having finished the impression of two Malabarian treatises, we immediately put to the press the New Testament in the same language, and have wrought it off to the fourteenth chap ter of St. Matthew. We have enclosed copies of both treatises. That in octavo is intitled The Abomination of Paganism*, and the Way for Pagans to be saved. The other contains 'The chief Points of the Catechism, and the Method of Salvation, for the use of catechumens and chil dren in the schools. The last, in 4to. contains the first fourteen chapters of the Gospel of St. Matthew. By reason we were not provided with a sufficient number of letters in the Malabarian tongue, we could cast off but very few copies. This defect however has, for these three months past, been wholly supplied by our founder. The two first treatises, just mentioned, we have introduced into some of the Malabarian schools: others of them we have dispersed among the Heathen, as occasion offered, and sent them to divers places upon the coast of Coromandel. Sometimes the Heathen

have asked for them themselves. We are confident they will reap no

You will recollect the clamour which was occasioned two or three years ago by a similar publication of the Missionaries in Bengal.

CHRIST. OBSERV. No, 109.

small advantage from these pieces, whenever they come to be better known in India*.

"We continue, with all possible care, the translation of the Old Tesand Portuguese languages; and, by tament, into both the Malabarían the Divine assistance, we have finished the translation of the first Book of Moses, in both the said languages. labours by his heavenly blessing, May God Almighty prosper our and grant that his holy word, like tered among these nations, to prean incorruptible seed, may be scatserve them from eternal destruction!"

[ocr errors]

increased to the number of ninety"The children of our schools were two: but some of them being taken this life for a better; so that the off by death, they have exchanged number of children of both sexes amounts at present to eighty-five. and that many at least will prove as We hope they grow daily in grace, salt among their brethren in India. They learn the sacred truths of scrip

ture, not as a mere historical knowledge, void of spiritual life and affecthe Apostle requireth) is according tion; but as a doctrine, which (as to godliness, and which must needs knowledge in faith and practice. be attended with an experimental This we speak chiefly with respect to many of our Malabarian scholars, Danes, not only in knowledge and who outstrip the Portuguese and meditating on the divine word. probity, but also in prayer, and in

"In the three last months, we have received nine members by baptism into the bosom of the Church; whom

We trust they continue to be printed and circulated by the Society. B

[ocr errors]

(as far as their advanced years, and in some a decrepit age, will permit) we endeavour to bring up more and more in the true spirit of Christianity, that so the image of Satan may be destroyed in the hearts of the Pagans, and the image of God be renewed in its stead.

"We have herewith sent you a short System of Divinity, summed up in thirty-four heads or articles. It is written on leaves, in the Malabarian manner, and we hope you will allow it a place in your library.

"As to our temporal concerns, our straits are now more pressing than they have ever been before; and if God does not become a present help in this want, the help of man seems very remote as yet, since no Danish ship is arrived, by which we might expect some relief. May the Almighty support and comfort us with his favour, especially when our enemies, by reason of those difficulties, do boast, that this work will come to nothing at last, and, as much as in them lies, endeavour to stop the stream of other people's beneficence. "We beseech you therefore, most worthy patrons, with all possible earnestness, that that helping hand which you have hitherto so piously lent to this work, may be also continued hereafter for our support and encouragement, in so weighty an undertaking particularly (since it is your endeavour, as well as ours), that the knowledge of Jesus Christ may be planted in the uncultivated hearts of the Heathen.

"MayGod Almighty preserve you by his divine providence, that you may long continue to promote the saving truth that is in Jesus!"

Tranquebar, Sept. 27, 1714."Those things which you judged necessary to write to us about the 24th of December 1713, did safely come to our hands upon the coast of Coromandel, the 9th of August 1714,

ther with the sum of 701. English money, collected by you for the benefit of this Mission, and transmitted for our assistance here, we receive with the highest gratitude; humbly beseeching the most gracious God to reward the bounty of the benefactors with a plentiful return of heavenly riches.

"As to what concerns in particular, most worthy gentlemen, the intimation about the commandment against idolatry, we have placed it in our catechism, page 16. But in such a manner, as to serve for a fuller explanation of the first commandment in the Decalogue. Besides this, we inculcate this precept against idolatry with all possible diligence, and render as contemptible as we can, the idolatry and polytheism of the Pagans."

"As to what relates to party-names, or distinctions, the Divine Wisdom, which is without partiality, has taught us to abhor them. Our schelars know not so much as the bare name of Luther or Calvin: but as for the name of Popery and Papist, it is every where known in India, by reason of the vast number of Papists who wander about in this country; being abandoned both to the grossest darkness and ignorance, and to the most scandalous vices and practices.

"When we ask our scholars, what religion they are of? They answer, we are Tschettiawedakarer; i. e. Christians bound to observe the tru ly divine law; the word law being taken in that comprehensive sense, whereby it contains in it both the Law and the Gospel. After all, we assure you that we allow of no party. names to be used, either in the Malabarian or Portuguese pulpit: and we design to be equally cautious in the books we shall happen to print*. "As it is no small grief unto us,

I should like to have had access to the letter of the Society to which this is a

where we received, with the profound-reply; because I infer, from the tenor of the est respect, the counsels and paternal instructions you have been pleased to give us.

"The usual present of books, toge

reply, that it must have been a model of christian candour and charity. Some members of the Society might peruse it with profit.

« AnteriorContinuar »