CHAP. I. inferior caste who may desire to become Christians, are to be received and baptized. Means are not to be openly used for their conversion, lest it should endanger the Portuguese trade and commerce with their rulers: but the king of Portugal is to be petitioned to use his influence with the native princes to leave their subjects at liberty to embrace the Christian religion, and to esteem them " as noble, upon the account of the relation that all Christians stand in to one another." Decree 37th. All children and others are to be carefully instructed how to cross and bless themselves, from the left side to the right, according to the Roman custom; to signify, 66 among other mysteries, that by virtue of the cross of Christ, the Son of God, we are translated from the left hand, the place of reprobates, to the right, the place of the elect." Decree 38th. The Bishops are to see to the execution of all "wills lawfully made by deceased Christians." Decree 39th. The burial service is to be performed over all that die penitent. Decree 40th. The Synod grants to the Jesuits of Vaipicotta, and to those at other principal stations, a general license to administer the sacraments in all the churches; except matri 8 This decree in favour of the Jesuits is altogether contrary to the ancient canons of the Roman church; but it suited the Archbishop's policy. While pretending to provide for the wants of the Syrian church, he was most studious of the interests of Rome, all his decrees being framed with a view to extend and consolidate her dominion in India. Combined with this primary object, he was careful of the temporal concerns of the Portuguese: but without the Jesuits he could have done little for either; and he showed his gratitude to them for the great service which they had rendered him in the whole business, by granting them this extensive liberty of mony, for which they are to require the permission of the parish priest. All the clergy and people are commanded to receive the said Jesuits cheerfully, and to entertain them with kindness and gratitude, for the great trouble they take for their salvation. action. The entire proceedings of the Synod are to be attributed as much to them as to Menezes himself, who was totally unacquainted with the Syriac and Malayalim languages: and the object of the Jesuit missionaries in India has always been to render their labours subservient, first to the interests of their own order, secondly, to those of the Pope, and thirdly, to those of their sovereign and nation. The same observation applies to their proceedings in other countries also, as one of their company has confessed. Ferdinand Guerreiro, speaking of their progress in Ethiopia (in his annual accounts for the years 1602 and 1603, p. 110), says,— "Another reason that must not be omitted is, that the religious of the order are not less serviceable in this country for the preservation and increase of temporal conquests, than for spiritual. For though they do not operate with weapons in their hands, their profession not permitting them; yet they employ other means of action that are followed with great success. As many converts as they make to Jesus Christ, so many friends and vassals do they obtain for their sovereign. These new Christians, in time of war, fight against the infidels for the state, and become good soldiers as soon as they are united to the Portuguese. Wherever the Jesuits are, they retain the subjects in the obedience due to the king and his governors." He ought to have qualified this by adding, Provided they are Romanists. Where the rulers of their converts have been infidels, as in India and Ethiopia, China and Japan; or heretics, i.e. Protestants, as in England, Ireland, and the continent of Europe, they have never scrupled to absolve the subject from his allegiance, and even to teach and enforce the duty of rebellion whenever there has been the slightest hope of success. This writer concludes, "They keep the soldiers to their duty to their captains, and preserve peace between the Portuguese and the heathen Neophytes." It is not surprising then, that these useful labourers, who have been well described as ecclesiastical soldiers, should be so richly rewarded by the Archbishop for their services in Malabar. La Croze, pp. 269-271. A. D. 1599. CHAP. I. Reformation of the manners and customs of the people. Decree 41st. The Syrian church being a suffragan of the province, it is required to obey the episcopal constitutions of Goa, as far as practicable, and in all matters concerning which the Synod has made no provision. Appeals from ecclesiastical sentences given in this diocese, are to be made in due form to the Metropolitan. SESSION 9th. This Session was held on the eighth day of the Synod. It treats of the reformation of the manners and customs of the people. Decree 1st. Describes several superstitious customs of the heathen which the Syrians are said to have adopted, and commands that they be discontinued. Decree 2nd. Permits Christians to refrain from touching persons of inferior caste, when in the company of heathen of superior caste : 9 but 9 This concession to heathen pride and superstition would have been very questionable under any circumstances: but when made to the prejudice of those Christians who happened to be converted from the lower castes, it was utterly indefensible on the principles of the Gospel. To this day the Church in India suffers from the practice. It was not to be expected that a prejudice in which they had grown up was to be eradicated from the minds of an ignorant people without an entire prohibition. The partial sanction given to it tended rather to its confirmation; and the romanists throughout India preserve among themselves the distinctions of castes, with all the marks that distinguish the different classes of idolaters of similar castes, to the present day. The protestant converts also, it must be confessed, have too long retained this heathen distinction, though under a very modified form, and without wearing any of the external tokens of idolatry. But it has recently been abolished throughout the native protestant churches, in compliance with the requisition of Bishop Wilson of Calcutta, in his Letter addressed to the forbids all such scruples when none but Christians are present. Decree 3rd. Strictly forbids the use of certain heathen ceremonies to Disempolear,' that is, purifying the cisterns of Christians which persons of low caste may have touched. Decree 4th. Forbids Christians to resort to any heathen festivals, because they are dedicated to the devil, and are sometimes attended with danger. Decree 5th. Directs women how to conduct themselves after childbirth, and commands them to abstain from all heathen and jewish ceremonies. Decrees 6th, 7th, and 8th. Forbid the consulting of witches and fortune-tellers under any pretence whatever: also all kinds of witchcraft, juggling, and diabolical charms, are strongly condemned. Decrees 9th and 10th. In these is regulated the interest of money, and all usury and extortion are forbidden. Whosoever shall take more than ten per cent., if his principal runs no risk, is to be considered guilty of usury, declared Excommunicate, and not to be absolved until he has dissolved the contract.2 Missionaries and their congregations, dated July 5th, 1833. 1 This word, Disempolear, comes from the name, Ioleas, impure, by which this low caste is called. "Most convents in trading cities lend out money at 6 or 7 per cent., and take as much care to secure their principal, as any usurer whatsoever; so that the distinction of Lucrum Cessans, and Damnum emergens, will either justify a legal interest in general, or it will not justify the terms, on which convents lend money. But though this decree falls in exactly with the common practice of the Church of Rome, the monks and friars not excepted; yet it plainly contradicts the doctrine of that Church, which is, that all sort of usury is a A. D. 1599. CHAP. I. Decree 11th. Forbids concubinage, and commands all to put away their concubines. Decree 12th. Admonishes the heads of families to be very watchful over the lives and manners of their slaves and servants. Decree 13th. Christian parents when in poverty and distress, are forbidden to follow the heathen practice of selling their children : nor is any Christian to buy them. And when any are sold to the heathen, the vicar and parishioners are to use every means they can to recover them. Decree 14th. The Synod approves of the custom that prevailed in some parts of the diocese, of the men's giving to the church at their marriage, a tithe of their wives' portion; and also of this offering's being divided between the fabric of the church and the priests. further commands the whole of the community to adopt the practice here mentioned. It Decree 15th. Christians are forbidden henceforth to carry their disputes before their infidel kings and judges, and directed to refer all causes to their prelate, to be judged and settled by him according to reason and justice. Decree 16th. The Synod forbids all Christians to offer to undergo any heathen ordeals, in proof of their innocence of crimes laid to their charge. If compelled by their heathen rulers, they are to submit themselves as to the will of God but they are required to die, rather than swear by an idol. Decree 17th. Christians are commanded to distinguish themselves from the heathen by mortal sin; for if the taking of 10 per cent. for money, and that where the principal runs no risk, is not usury, it will be hard to tell what is." Geddes, p. 397. |