PREFACE.

Germany, together with copies of several of his manuscript sermons. In transmitting these documents, Mr. Horst expressed his hope of sending the rest of the narrative in the following year. This design, however, was unhappily frustrated by his own premature decease; and Mr. Kohlhoff was too much occupied with the labors of the mission to be able to fulfil his intention. To the materials thus imperfectly furnished from India, Dr. Buchanan added a series of extracts from the Reports of the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge relative to Mr. Swartz; but his various labors in the cause of Christianity in India, and the failure of his health, prevented him from making any further progress in this work.

Ir has long been a subject of regret with all who | chiefly from the missionary accounts published in take an interest in the diffusion of Christianity among the heathen, more particularly in our Eastern empire, that a fuller account of the venerable Swartz, the most celebrated missionary of modern times, than has hitherto appeared, should not have been presented to the world. The general outline, and the more prominent events of his history, together with various extracts from his journals and letters, have, indeed, been extensively circulated, both in this country and on the continent; but his commanding views and principles as a Christian teacher, the interior springs and motives of his conduct, together with much both of his public and private correspondence, and with many important and interesting particulars of his life, more especially with reference to some of the native princes, and to the government of India, and its grand and instructive impression as a whole, have been as yet but imperfectly and partially communicated.

One of Mr. Swartz's most eminent fellow-laborers, the late Mr. Gericke, long cherished the intention of thus honoring the memory of his revered predecessor. "I think it my duty," he observes, in a letter to a mutual correspondent in England, "to write the life of our late worthy friend, Mr. Swartz, though he himself was against it, and never would consent to commit to paper any particular passages in his life, which Dr. John and myself often begged him to do; but my time is too much taken up, both with the business I always had, and with the care which I have, since Mr. Swartz's death, of his congregations between Tanjore and Cape Comorin. I intend, however, to do it still, if God spares my life. In the mean time, I have satisfied my German friends with a narrative of his last days and dying hours. I had only to write what I saw and heard, being then with him at Tanjore." The preceding extract was written about three years after the death of Swartz, and in little more than two years from that time, Mr. Gericke was himself removed from the world, without accomplishing the work for which he was in many respects peculiarly quali

fied.

The same cause which prevented this excellent man from fulfilling so gratifying a duty, equally precluded Mr. Kohlhoff, the pious coadjutor and successor of Mr. Swartz in the mission at Tanjore, from doing more than transmitting to the Society, in whose service he was engaged, an enlarged and detailed account of the closing scene in the life of his venerable friend and father.

The late Dr. Buchanan, when requested, while at Calcutta, to write the life of Swartz, replied, that independently of his want of leisure, the good missionary had left no papers, and had ever deprecated posthumous praise. When, however, a few years afterwards, he visited Tanjore, he was so impressed and animated by what he saw and heard of Mr. Swartz, amidst that flourishing scene of his labors, that he made many inquiries of Mr. Kohlhoff and his brethren respecting their eminent predecessor, and engaged them to transmit to him the result of their recollections and researches. About three years after his return to Europe, Mr. Kohlhoff and Mr. Horst fiulfilled this promise, by sending to Dr. Buchanan some valuable materials for the biography of Swartz, comprising a narrative of his life from his birth in 1726 to the year 1758, compiled!

From the period when my attention was first directed to the promotion of Christianity in India by the prize Essay, proposed by Dr. Buchanan to the University of Oxford, I have been deeply interested. in the character of the apostolic Swartz. Finding, therefore, while preparing the life of Dr. Buchanan, that he had collected some materials for that of the great missionary, I requested the executors of that zealous and munificent friend of missions, to allow me the use of those papers in compiling a fuller memoir of Mr. Swartz. This request having been kindly granted, my next object was to add to the collection from every quarter. My first application was to the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, conceiving that its manuscript records might contain much that would illustrate the spirit and character of its revered missionary. It was, however, stated in reply, that the Society was not aware of the existence of any such papers; and that whatever it had deemed proper for publication in the letters of Mr. Swartz, had been regularly printed in its annual reports; a reply, the correctness of which, however it may excite surprise or regret, is confirmed by the absence of any other incidents than those contained in the published reports, in the sketch of the life of Swartz by another member of the Society, to whom, as it appears from his acknowledgments, permission of access to its archives was some years afterwards liberally afforded.

Failing as to this source of additional materials, I had recourse to my much esteemed friend the Rev. Dr. Steinkopff, at that time foreign secretary to the Bible Society, to procure from the German missionary correspondence, published at Halle, such extracts from the journals and letters of Mr.. Swartz, as he might deem best calculated to promote my object in a memoir of his life and character Dr. Steinkopff most readily undertook this task; and after making various inquiries of his friends at Halle, engaged the assistance of Mr. Falcke, a native of Hanover, who had been recommended by the Rev. Dr. Knapp, professor of divinity in that university, to be employed as a missionary by the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, in making the proposed selections.

This pious young man was detained for several months in England, in the year 1821, by a severe accident, during which time he completed a series of such extracts, the translation of which was superintended by Dr. Steinkopff. He was afterwards admitted to holy orders by the Lord Bishop of Lon

The Rev. E. W. Grinfield.

don, and embarked for India, where he arrived about the middle of the following year, and was stationed at the Society's mission at Vepery, near Madras. There he labored for some time with Christian simplicity and benevolence; but, to the great regret of the congregation, died prematurely in the year 1824. The selections translated for my use extended from the year 1760, up to which period my previous materials reached, to 1796, and comprised the short account of the life and death of Mr. Swartz, published by Dr. Knapp, at_Halle, in 1799, in his "Recent History of the Protestant Missions for the Conversion of the Heathen in the East Indies."

that it has not been in my power to obtain from his worthy successor, John Hudleston, Esq., during many years a member of the Court of Directors, his correspondence with the venerable missionary. That gentleman was Resident at Tanjore at the time when one of the most important public incidents of his life occurred. I refer to the adoption of the late Rajah of Tanjore, by the reigning prince, and the appointment of Mr. Swartz as his guardian.

Though I should gladly have enriched my work with the private letters in the possession of Mr. Hudleston, their loss, so far as the interesting transaction in question, is concerned, has been amply It is necessary to give the preceding account of compensated by the liberality of the Right Honorthese extracts from the German missionary corres-able Charles Grant, President of the Board of Conpondence, in consequence of the appearance, a few trol, and of the Honorable Court of Directors of years afterwards, of a work entitled, "Remains of the East India Company, through the kindness of the Rev. C. F. Schwartz, consisting of his Letters one of its members, N. B. Edmonstone, Esq., who and Journals, with a sketch of his Life." This allowed me the fullest access to the records of our publication, though deficient in narrative, afforded Indian government. To those distinguished perto the English reader fuller details of the proceed- sons I beg to offer my warmest thanks, as well as to ings of that eminent missionary, and particularly B. S. Jones, Esq. under-secretary to the India Board, of his intercourse with the heathen, than had been and to Thomas Fisher, Esq.. searcher of the repreviously known. It was, however, restricted to cords at the India House, who afforded me the his journals of five years, from 1768 to 1772, with readiest facilities and the most valuable assistance an account of his journey to Hyder Ali at Seringa- in extracting from those authentic sources of inforpatam, in 1779, and a few letters to his friends at mation many very important letters and documents, Halle and in London. The Sketch of Mr. Swartz's illustrative at once of the ability, integrity, and life prefixed to the "Remains," was no other than eminent usefulness of the pious missionary, and of that which has been already mentioned as published the high and honorable principles, and the benefiby Dr. Knapp, to which were added some extracts cent influence, of our East Indian" authorities, both from the Reports of the Society for promoting at home and abroad. Christian Knowledge, and from the sermon preached by Dr. Kerr, at Madras, on occasion of the opening of the monument erected there to the memory of the revered missionary, by the Court of Directors of the East India Company.

While, therefore, the volume just referred to partially anticipated the history of the few years which it embraced, it left a wide field, before and after, almost untouched, which it was my anxious wish to occupy. Various circumstances contributed to retard the completion of this undertaking; but it may not be unsatisfactory to observe, that the delay has been the occasion of rendering it more worthy of the subject, and of general reception, than it could have been by an earlier publication.

To the kindness of the late Mrs. Chambers, widow of William Chambers, Esq. formerly of Madras and Calcutta, and one of the earliest and most esteemed correspondents of Mr. Swartz, by means of my highly valued friend, the Rev. D. Wilson, now so deservedly elevated to the see of Calcutta, I am indebted for a series of letters from the excellent missionary to Mr. and Mrs. Chambers, and to one of their near relatives, extending from the year 1769 to 1793, which, written with the confidence and affection of the most endeared and intimate friendship, display in the clearest and most unaffected manner, the genuine sentiments and feelings of his heart.

Another much attached friend of Mr. Swartz, William Duffin, Esq., of York, added considerably to this store of his Christian correspondence. Some of the letters to this gentleman appeared in an early volume of the Christian Observer, as did those addressed by the benevolent missionary to the children of the late Colonel Wood. They now appear, with some additions, interwoven into the history of his life, and are thus rendered both more interesting and more instructive.

My acknowledgments are justly due to the Right Honorable John Sullivan, for the communication of the letters of Mr. Swartz written to him in the years 1784 and 1785, during the eventful period when he was the Resident at Tanjore. I regret

To Colonel Blackburne, who in early life was well acquainted with Mr. Swartz, and who during many years immediately succeeding his death filled, with great ability, the station of Resident at the court of Tanjore, similar acknowledgments are due, for his kindness in permitting me to peruse some private memorials of the principal transactions in which Mr. Swartz was engaged during the reigns of the Rajahs Tuljajee and Ameer Sing, as well as for some interesting anecdotes connected with his history.

I have deemed it expedient to introduce the following Memoirs by a brief sketch of the history of Christianity in India, from its origin to the period when Swartz arrived. The delay which has unavoidably occurred in the publication of this work, renders it not unnecessary to observe, that this preliminary part of it was written several years before the appearance of Mr. Grinfield's "Sketches of the Danish Mission on the Coast of Coromandel," compiled from the manuscript records which have been already mentioned. My own materials for this introductory sketch were derived chiefly from Niecamp, and La Croze.t To Mr. Grinfield's little volume I with pleasure refer the reader for a somewhat varied account of the early brethren of that mission. A few inaccuracies occur in it respecting Mr. Swartz; but in a more recent compilation, in addition to some erroneous statements, a sentimental and romantic air is attempted to be thrown around one, the very elements of whose character were truth and simplicity.

While correcting the last sheets of this work another small volume has appeared, entitled, "Memoirs of the Rev. Joseph D. Janicke, a fellow laborer of Schwartz at Tanjore, interspersed with many original letters and notices of Schwartz."In this publication also, such is the necessary consequence of protracted preparations, a few of my translations from the German correspondence are

Historia Missionis Evangelicæ in India Orientali. Histoire, &c. from p. 5. Hala, 1747, † Histoire du Christianisme des Indes.

PREFACE.

and kindness, immediately communicated them to
the author.

anticipated. To the merits of the devoted and indefatigable Janicke it will be seen that I have borne ample testimony, and cordially recommend to the perusal of those who love genuine and exalted pie-it ty, this fuller record of his labors, and of his Christian connection with the admirable Swartz.*

Various other points connected with Tanjore and its native princes are adverted to in these valuable letters, of which, had they been earlier communicated, the Author would have gladly availed himself in the body of his narrative; but having from various public and private sources obtained all the substantial information which they contain, it would be superfluous to repeat it.

On the perusal of these much-desired documents, was particularly gratifying to him to find, that his own previous researches had anticipated all the leading facts which they contain relative to the great misIt only remains for me, in concluding these pre- sionary. Mr. Hudleston's papers, as it was natural fatory observations to express the heartfelt delight, to suppose, chiefly refer to the two years from and, I trust, the edification, which I have derived March, 1785, to February, 1787, during which he from my long engagement in compiling the follow-was the Company's Resident at the court of Tanjore, ing Memoirs of him, of whom it may be justly said, and at the close of which the remarkable circumas of a distinguished Roman of old, "Plurimæ stances attending the request of the dying Rajah, consentiunt gentes, primarium fuisse virum"-or Tuljajee, to Mr. Swartz, to become regent of the in language more appropriate to his character, country, and guardian of his adopted son, took "whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the place, as detailed in the following Memoirs. churches." I can truly add, with one of the editorst of Archbishop Leignton's works," that I have never spent an hour either in transcribing or correcting for the press the letters or journals of this wonderful man, for such I would deliberately call him, without feeling, amidst the interruption which such an employment would naturally occasion, some impressions which I could always wish to retain." It is, at the same time, most satisfactory to him May this record of the excellence of one who, to adopt the glowing expressions of a sont of his most to find his statements in every instance confirmed intimate friend," gained the love and veneration of by the unquestionable authority of Mr. Hudleston. his heathen neighbors, and ensured the grateful ad-The veneration of that estimable servant and dimiration of the Chistian world," be accompanied by that heavenly blessing, by which alone it can be rendered subservient to the great purpose for which he lived? May many go forth to preach the gospel to the heathen, animated by the same spirit, and be crowned with the same success! And may the sacred cause to which Swartz was so eminently and so consistently devoted, triumph over the ignorance, superstition, guilt, and misery, which oppress the fairest portions of the earth in which real Christianity is unknown, until that divine and saving truth universally prevail, not only in India, but throughout the world!

Deanery, Salisbury, Dec. 2, 1835.

ADVERTISEMENT.

In the preface to the first edition of these Memoirs, it will be seen that the author expressed his regret at having been unable to procure the Correspondence of the venerable Swartz with Mr. Hudleston. He has now the satisfaction to state, that on the recent demise of that highly respected gentleman, the whole of his papers relative to Mr. Swartz came into possession of his executor, the Rev. H. H. Hayes, who, with the most obliging liberality

rector of the Company for the character of Mr. Swartz, and his testimony to the high value and importance of his influence and example both to the Government and the natives of India, as displayed in the papers confided to the author, far exceed the conceptions, exalted as they were, which he had previously formed of that eminent and extraordinary person; and it is only an act of justice to the memory of Mr. Hudleston to declare, that his correspondence with his revered friend contains proofs of his own integrity and disinterestedness as a public servant, and of his benevolent and zealous regard to the welfare of the princes and natives of India with whom he was officially connected, which are highly honorable to his character.

It appears from his papers, that Mr. Hudleston was the author of the inscription on the monument erected by the East India Company to the memory of Mr. Swartz, at Madras, which comprises, in fact, an epitome of his character and labors; and that he for some time cherished the intention of writing a memoir of his life, which he probably at length abandoned, from his failure in obtaining adequate materials for the work.

The author has only to add, that he has selected some letters and extracts from Mr. Hudleston's papers, which, as he is unable to introduce them in chronological order, he has inserted in an Appendix, correspondence with his friends, will tend still In this edition of these Memoirs, I have inserted and which, like every other part of Mr. Swartz's a few passages from the letters of Swartz, intro-farther to illustrate the wisdom, piety, and benefi duced into this interesting little volume, together cence of that most perfect exemplar of the Chriswith various additional extracts from the German tian and the missionary, which has been exhibited since the primitive and apostolic age. Missionary Correspondence...

The learned and pious Dr. Doddridge.
The late Sir C. H. Chambers.

Deanery, Salisbury, April 20, 1835.

INTRODUCTORY SKETCH.

increase their ardor in the propagation of their religion in distant quarters of the world. Their of the order of Jesuits, in the year 1540: a certain number of that celebrated society having been, from its commencement, devoted to the purpose of extending the pale of the Romish church in heathen nations.

Extensive propagation of the Gospel during the first four centuries Subsequent decline-Slumber of the middle ages-Maritime discoveries of the Portuguese-Syrian Christians-Armenian Chris-efforts were powerfully seconded by the institution tians-Roman Catholic Missions-Zeal of the Dutch-Danish Mission-Ziegenbalg and Grundler-Patronage of the Tranquebar Mission by the Society for promoting Christian KnowledgeSchultz, and other Danish Missionaries-Establishment of a Mission at Madras-Introduction of Christianity into Tanjore-Mission at Cuddalore-Capture of Fort St. George by the FrenchMr. Fabricius-Roman Catholic Churches and Mission Houses at

Vepery and Cuddalore, granted to the Protestant Missionaries at the peace, in 1748-State of the Danish Mission previously to the arrival of Swartz-Recapitulation.-A. D, 400-1750.

When the Portuguese, at the commencement of the sixteenth century, first established themselves on the coast of Malabar, they found a community of native Christians who welcomed their arrival, THE propagation of the gospel during the first and were prepared to receive them as friends and four centuries after the Christian era, presents a been generally called, after the Portuguese desigbrethren. These were the Syrian, or, as they have most important and interesting subject of contem- nation, the St. Thome Christians; whose uniform plation to every reflecting mind. A new and divine religion had revealed to mankind the know- tradition respecting their origin, represents them ledge of the will of God, the good tidings of a Re- as descended from the converts of the apostle St. deemer, and the promise of immortal life and hap. Thomas in India, during the first century. The piness. Opposed as its spiritual principles and its correctness of this tradition, notwithstanding some moral precepts were to the prevailing philosophy, remarkable corroborations of its truth, has been no less than to the multiplied superstitions and the generally doubted. Certain, however, it is, from corrupt passions of the Gentile world, the miracu-church, episcopal in its constitution, and deriving authentic ecclesiastical records, that a Christian lous powers which distinguished the primitive ages a succession of bishops from the patriarchs of of Christianity, and the piety and zeal of its early Babylon and Antioch, has existed on the coast, disciples, succeeded, under the guidance and blessing of its divine author, in diffusing its influence from Cape Comorin to Cranganore, and in the inwith a rapidity, and to an extent, far exceeding terior of Malabar, more than fifteen hundred years. that which has been witnessed at any subsequent period. It pervaded every province of the Roman empire, and even penetrated to regions beyond its widely extended boundaries; and while it tended to ameliorate the character of polished nations, and to civilize the most barbarous people, it communicated to both, blessings infinitely more valuable than any which refer merely to the transient interests of the present world.

The progress of the gospel during several succeeding centuries was slow and limited; while, in too many instances, the pure light of divine truth became gradually obscured, and in others utterly overwhelmed and extinguished, by error, superstition, and barbarism.

Every circumstance relative to the history of the Syrian Christians, indicates their remote origin; while their situation, surrounded by the darkness of Hindoo superstition and idolatry, in the midst of which they have, during so many ages, faithfully, though feebly, preserved the light of heavenly truth, renders them in a high degree interesting. and such the influence which they had obtained so Such was the estimation in which they were held, early as the ninth century, doubtless from the general superiority of their moral character, that the native princes of Cochin and Travancore, in whose them various civil privileges, and their clergy ranked territory they were principally established, granted next to the Nairs, or nobles of the country. For a It was not till the tenth century, that Christianity long period they enjoyed an independent governmade any effectual impression on the eastern and ment, under their own native princes; and even northern states of Europe, nor was it before the when, in process of time, they became again subcommencement of the fifteenth, that it finally tri-ject to a heathen sovereign, they continued to be umphed over Paganism in that quarter of the governed in civil as well as ecclesiastical concerns, world. In the mean time, the conquests of the by the bishop of Angamala.t Turks and Tartars in Asia and Africa opposed an both in faith and practice, should in the course of It cannot be a subject of surprise that corruptions, invincible barrier to the progress of the gospel in those continents; while the darkness and slumber ages have crept into this ancient church. We acof the middle ages paralyzed the efforts of Eu-cordingly find that the opposite errors of Nestorius ropean Christians for its extension in any part of the globe.

The maritime discoveries of the Portuguese towards the close of the fifteenth century, by opening a new world to the nations of Europe, appeared to rouse their dormant energies in propagating the knowledge of Christianity. On the coast of Africa, in America and its islands, and in the islands and maritime provinces of Asia, the Spaniards and Portuguese, armed by the authority and stimulated by the zeal of the court of Rome, distinguished themselves in this sacred cause. The progress of the Reformation, by giving an effectual check to the ambition of the Roman pontiffs, and by depriving them of a considerable part of their spiritual dominion in Europe, might perhaps have tended to

of our Lord, together with various superstitions and Eutyches concerning the person and natures vailed among them. At the period, however, when ceremonies and irregular observances, have prethe fleets of Portugal first visited the shores of India, the St. Thome Christians, though tainted

with the Nestorian heresy, were entirely ignorant of the great western apostasy, knew nothing of the usurped supremacy of the Pope, and had never heard of the worship of the Virgin Mary, of transubstantiation, purgatory, or any of the peculiar errors and corruptions of the Church of Rome. A circumstance so fatal to the proud and exclusive pretensions of that see, could not but excite the jealousy and alarm of its bigoted adherents. Hence it was, that no sooner had the Portuguese established themselves on the coast of Malabar, than the Romish clergy, and especially the Jesuits, who, with a zeal worthy of a purer faith, had flocked to make converts in this newly discovered territory, instead of embracing the Syrian Christians as brethren, and endeavoring by mild and benevolent methods to correct what might have been really erroneous in their creed, to improve their general character, and to protect them from the oppression of the neighboring heathen princes under which they found them suffering, determined on compelling them to submit to the Papal jurisdiction, and to conform to the tenets and ritual of the Church of Rome. After a long series of intrigues, artifices, and persecutions, Menezes, archbishop of Goa, who presided at a synod convened in the year 1599, at Diamper, near Cochin, succeeded in persuading the Syro-Malabaric churches to acknowledge the supremacy of the Pope, and to submit to the Romish jurisdiction. The archbishop, at the same time, expunged the alleged Nestorian errors from their liturgy, and with the bigotry and intolerance which characterized all his proceedings, committed to the flames the ecclesiastical books and ancient records of the Syrian church.

heathens around them, but to the Roman Catholics, from whose power they have been so happily extricated.

Next in antiquity to the Syrian Christians are the members of the Armenian church, who, dispersed as they are throughout Asia, and engaged in commercial pursuits, are to be found in every part of India. They differ in various respects both from the Greek and Latin church, and may in general be said to be free from essential error and corruption. They have places of worship at the three presidencies of Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay, as well as in the interior of the country, and are supplied with ministers from Persia, and occasionally visited by bishops and archdeacons, under the superintendence of the patriarch of Echmiatzin. The numbers of the Armenian Christians in India do not exceed a few thousands, nor have they ever appeared anxious to extend the pale of their communion.

merely external and nominal profession of Christianity with which they were for the most part contented, tend to reduce to a very low scale the estimate of their labors, in what must otherwise be deemed a noble and most important enterprise.

The zeal of the Portuguese clergy, and of the various missionaries of the Romish church, among whom the justly celebrated Francis Xavier holds the most distinguished place, effected the conversion of thousands of the natives of India to the Roman Catholic faith. The greater number of these converts were at Goa, and Cranganore, and in other stations on the coast of Malabar, under the more immediate influence of the Portuguese government; but the missions in Madura and Mysore, in Marava and the Island of Ceylon, on the coast of Coromandel and in the Carnatic, were, if we may credit the reports, more particularly of the Jesuit missionaries, eminently and extensively successful. Many deductions must undoubtedly be made with respect to The triumph, however, of Menezes, was partial the numbers of Hindoo converts thus asserted by and temporary. The churches in the interior yielded the missionaries of the Romish church. But even only a forced and apparent compliance with his de- admitting to whatever extent the success of their crees; and about sixty years after the synod of exertions, the Anti-Christian and unworthy meDiamper, the conquest of Cochin by the Dutch,thods to which the Jesuits had recourse, and the and the expulsion of the Portuguese from the greater part of the coast of 'Malabar, afforded them the opportunity of shaking off the Romish yoke, and of regaining their ancient ecclesiastical independence. This they have ever since maintained under a metropolitan bishop of their own nation, The expedient resorted to by Robest di Nobili, while the more numerous churches, chiefly on the chief of the Jesuits' College at Madura, in the sixcoast, have continued their connection with the teenth century, and one of the most eminent followPapal see; and except that they have been per-ers of Xavier, of adopting, together with his clergy, mitted to retain the Syriac language in their liturgy, the dress, habits, and manners of the Brahmins, is are in strict conformity with the Romish church. a striking instance of those unwise and equivocal The numbers of these nativee Cristians, comprising both the purer Syrian and the Syro-Roman churches, have been estimated at about two hundred thousand. The independent part of the Syrian Christians, who possess about fifty churches among the hills of Malayala, having, upon their emancipation from the Portuguese dominion, acknowledged the jurisdiction of the Jacobite patriarch of Antioch, very naturally admitted the doctrine of that church, in direct opposition to their former Nestorian error. In either case, however, the tenet seems to have been little more than verbal. The apostles' creed was the only one recited in their service; nor did they, in fact, essentially differ from the Catholic doctrine respecting the divinity of the Son of God. Upon the subject of the sacraments, and in their liturgical offices, they doubtless fell into many errors and superstitions; but considering their long seclusion from any more enlightened Christian_community, the secession of the larger portion of their brethren to the Romish church, and the incessant persecutions to which they were exposed, the destruction of their books, and their consequent want of education, it is only wonderful that they have retained so much scriptural knowledge, and present so striking and favorable a contrast, not only to the Number 30.

attempts to conciliate the Hindoos, by compromising the truth and simplicity of Christianity. This learned and zealous man, with the same well-intentioned, but mistaken policy, composed a work in Sanscrit, consisting of dialogues between a Christian and a Hindoo, in which, though the preponderance of argument is in favor of the Christian, the Hindoo, in order to convince his countrymen of the folly of idolatry, is made to reason powerfully in support of the principles of pure theism. A translation of this work having been transmitted from Pondicherry to the king's library at Paris, Voltaire, presuming it to be the genuine production of a Hindoo, triumphantly appealed to it as a decisive proof, that it was unnecessary and superfluous to urge the doctrines of Christianity upon a people who were already so well informed as to the tenets of natural religion.

The failure of all such worldly expedients on the part of the Romish missionaries in India, is fairly acknowledged by the Abbe Dubois; who, however, strangely attributes it, not to the refusal of the divine blessing to a method of proceeding so contrary to apostolic principles and practice, but to the effect of the divine predestination!

The decline of the Portuguese dominion on the