in that case, afford a conclusive proof of the truly apostolic model which has been followed with admirable precision by the church of England. It will, however, be readily believed that these tenets and practices could not be tolerated by the catholics of the sixteenth century; they immediately began to persecute their persons, and to burn their books; and compelled some of the churches on the sea coast to acknowledge the supremacy. of the pope. Others however resisted, and preferred flight and at hardy life among the mountains and fastnesses of the interior, to an abjuration of their principles. In this sequestered solitude they still exist; but having enjoyed little intercourse with the rest of christianity, and scarcely any means of procuring the Scriptures, it is not wonderful that their religion should have degene rated from its original purity. Dr. B. personally visited some of these churches, of which he gives the most interesting and affecting account, which we much regret that our limits will not permit us to insert, but which we are determined not to mar by the exhibition of mutilated fragments. It is pleasing to reflect that the Roman catholic bishop, presiding over the church descended from the Portuguese, seems to have thrown aside the

Dr. KERR states, "wherever he departs from LA CROZE, becomes less interesting, "or misleads his reader."

GEDDES indeed always speaks of this ancient apostolic church; though in the spirit of his age, he hesitates to believe any thing that a papist had asserted.

Eusebius, Theodoret, and St. Jerome, mention the apostolical preaching of the Gospel in India. In the second century we find christians there; and in the first years of the fourth, the christians of India are represented at the council of Nice: it does not therefore seem too much to connect these facts together, and to identify accordingly the church of Malabar in the fourth century with that plant ed by St. Thomas and St. Bartholomew in the first.-In the 6th century that church still existed, for Cosmas, whom La Croze quotes, found them there; and though they might then have imbibed Nestorian heresies, yet it is evident that they could claim an establishment in the east before his time; and it is not un→ reasonable therefore generally to assume, that those doctrines (which are not ma nifestly connected with his creed, or introduced by the paganism which enclosed this church on all sides) are the relics of their original apostolical foundation; and where they differ from the church of Rome, they afford a new presumption that the dogmas of that church are not those which are fairly deducible from the gospel. On this rests much of the interest of the inquiry. "The archbishop Menezes perceiving that the form with which they the native christians consecrated the Eucharist contained some errors contrary to the truth of the divine sacrament, did establish the_true form * * * in contradiction to the error and heresie of those who say, that the sacrament is only the figure of the body of Christ our Lord. From whence it is more than probable, that the heretics of our times, the revivers of the errors of the ancient condemned sects, took this opinion." Preface to a missal of the archbishop Menezes, p. 446. GEDDES. At the time of the Synod, they held also many other doctrines, which we believe to be evidences that the origin of their church was thus far at least pure. They denied transubstantiation. They cried out when an image of the Virgin was presented to them "We are christians, not idolaters." They denied the pope's su premacy, and purgatory.

VOL. II. NO, III,

usual bigotry of his sect: for he was perfectly willing to second Dr. B. in distributing a translation of the Scriptures into Malabar among his flock.

We should have been glad that in all this detail of christian churches, Dr. B. had favoured us with a computation, from probable data, of the number of christians under our dominion in Asia. But we can have no hesitation in pronouncing it to be very large; still less can we demur to the reasonableness of providing versions of the Scriptures in the several languages which they understand. This at least appears to be our bounden duty, as well as to profit to the utmost by the reaction to be expected upon the natives in general, from the restoration of pure christianity among these degraded believers, who talk the same language and live in a similar state of society. It gives us, therefore, the most lively satisfaction to find from Dr. B.'s work (p. 179,) that translations of the Scriptures into the five principal languages spoken by the Hindus inhabiting the countries subject to the British empire are either finished or in progress; the whole, indeed, would have been long since completed, if the college, so wisely and patriotically established at Calcutta by Marquis Wellesley, had not been reduced by the Court of Directors to limits so narrow, that the translations of the Scriptures and some other literary works were suspended. By the exertions of individuals, however, they are providently once more in progress, and bid fair to be completed within no long period.

Besides the translation of the Scriptures, we think that no man will hesitate to agree that we are bound both in duty and decency no longer to intermeddle with the tax on the pilgrims to Juggernaut, or to make ourselves parties either directly or indirectly to the support of the murders, debaucheries, and abominations committed before the obscene face of that or of any other idol. For obvious reasons, we would never persecute or do violence either to the pilgrims or the priests; but we would undoubtedly withdraw our countenance, and leave them to themselves and to Providence, endeavouring, in the mean time, to enlighten the people by every means in our power.

We think also that the practices of self-immolation and obscenity, together with all abominable sculptures, should be gradually but decidedly abolished and obliterated by the authority of government. The precedent afforded by Colonel Walker's success against the infanticide of Guzerat, and the well known fact that the self-immolation of widows is not allowed in Bombay, or under our influence in the west of India, (though still to our surprise tolerated in Bengal,) may serve to prove that these

boons to the Hindus would not meet with serious resistance. We have good authority for thinking that, generally speaking, reasoning with the Brahmans at the temples or places where the enormities are perpetrated, and pointing out the gross wickedness of the acts which they tolerate, and perhaps encourage, would induce each sect to submit quietly to a law for their abolition, and would excite no jealousy in the remaming sects. Nor let it be thought that this step, (however incumbent upon us, without any view to the conversion of the Hindus to chris tianity,) would be any deviation from the direct course towards that object. The natural consequence would be, that in the course of a few years, much of the grossness which now darkens the pure religion of Brahma would have disappeared, generally, from the face of Hindustan. The attentive reader of this article will have perceived that many of the pure precepts of the Hindu Scriptures bear a close resemblance to those of the New Testament, and did our limits suffice, further proofs could be adduced, as well as of the facilities afforded by the incarnation of our Saviour. We do not, therefore, see any thing so very preposterous in the supposition, that in another generation or two by prudent management, on our part, the Brahmans themselves, (their strong holds of superstition gradually rendered untenable,) might at length be gained over to the ministry of the gospel.

All these cannot be denied to be very good auxiliary means but it appears to us, that beyond comparison the most effectual, perhaps the only mode of introducing the love of christianity among the natives of Hindustan, must have its rise from the general example set by their European visitors, by the civil, military, and religious servants of the East India Company. If these gentlemen generally shew by their public and private conduct, that their system of morals and of manners is founded upon self-indulgence, avarice and oppression, upon dissipation, the love of pleasure, and irregular gratifications, will not a modification of the argument used by the Peruvians to the Spanish missionaries be cast in the teeth of ours? If, on the contrary, the British residents in India exhibit to the natives patterns of purity of life, of generosity, charity, and justice, what a powerful. argument would not their example, and the necessary consequences of such conduct on the condition of their native dependants, afford in aid of the doctrines of the teacher? It really appears to us that the whole will turn on this point. We cannot persuade ourselves that the mind of a Hindu, so long the prey of crude". and indistinct notions upon religion, where vice has been implanted with the sanctions of virtue, and debauchery under th

garb of moral duty, can be accessible to mere argument in opposition to obstinate prejudice, unless it be fortified by reference to some sensible proof of the practical superiority of the doctrines inculcated; or that they will give up their vices in obedience to certain doctrines, while they see the majority of the professors of those very doctrines as deeply immersed as themselves in many of the same vices. To overlook this truth appears to us to be to sin against the conviction which the annals of almost every mission, for the last three hundred years, press irresistibly upon the mind. Should we, in any of our important concerns, give credit to one man's word in direct opposition to the actions of hundreds of those whom we look upon as his companions, and as actuated by an identity of principles and motives?

If then there be any truth in these observations, we think ourselves entitled to ask, with due deference, what measures have been taken to secure to the youths who are sent to struggle, at an early age, against all the temptations of Asiatic luxury, and the allurements and inflammatory provocations which are daily before their eyes?-What measures have been taken to ascertain that the minds of these youths are imbued with the only knowledge which can give them a chance of resisting this combination of attacks? Do they undergo any examination as to their knowledge of the peculiar and fundamental laws of christianity? When a competent acquaintance with the classics, with arithmetic and mathematics, with Arabic, French, and Persian is required of them, is it thought equally requisite to provide them the means of giving a reason for the faith which they profess, and which is shortly to undergo such rude and violent shocks? Let these questions be answered with the seriousness and solemnity which their supreme importance requires, and which are so emphatically demanded by the responsibility of those whose private interests the youths are sent to promote *. Let us not lay ourselves under the anathema due to a double crime. Let us not in pursuit of worldly emolument send our servants and dependants to certain destruction, and by the very act which is personally so fatal to them, perpetuate as far as in us lies the moral dark

That theology is not totally neglected at the college at Hertford will appear from the following extract from a newspaper of last month, which we have great pleasure in transcribing. "At the last examination of the students at the EastIndia College, at Hertford, the following prizes were awarded to Mr. Henry W. Hob house, son of B. Hobhouse, esq. M. P.-The first prize for Theology, a gold medal; first prize for Classics, a gold medal; first prize for Political Economy and History, a gold medal; first prize for Sanscrit, a gold medal; first prize for Persian, a gold medal; first prize for French, books-an instance of talents, application, and success, among numerous juvenile competitors, probably unparalleled."

ness of our Indian subjects; but let us do our utmost to save the former, and also to render them instruments of salvation to the latter. Then may each of us at least say, "Liberavi animam

meam."

We trust that these arguments and those which immediately follow wil not be so far misunderstood, as to be thought to intend any personal reflection either upon the gentlemen now serving in India, or upon those who have, honourably to themselves and usefully to their country, passed their best years in the civil and military service of the Company. Of the talents and dispositions of many of them who have adorned stations from the most exalted to the lowest, too much can scarcely be said in praise.-But we observe generally that it has always appeared to us a strange anomaly in a christian country, in which religion must be without affectation allowed to be the foundation of all worldly prosperity, that a proficiency in its knowledge is the only thing which is taken for granted in an inquiry into the competency of its public agents; and, generally speaking, it is that in which of all others they would be found, we fear, the most deficient. It is almost too trite a question to ask, what positive security a state can have for the honest discharge of public duty except in the religious convictions of its officers? But if this be so experimentally just as to be almost proverbially true in our own country, where so many collateral sanctions of a merely worldly nature fortify the principle of rectitude, it must be doubly so in India, where those sanctions are for the most part removed, and the temptations to deviate multiplied in proportion.

We are not enthusiastic enough to suppose that the utmost attention paid to these objects in the institutions where the youth destined for India are prepared for the active scenes of life, would of itself be sufficient even in the majority of cases to secure the objects we have in view: but we think it the first and most important step, the "sine quâ non in the account. It is perfectly evident however that a provision to keep up these impressions in their hearts, when actually engaged in the duties of their calling in India, is no less necessary; and that it is no less incumbent upon their country to provide that they shall have the means of enjoying it. If we chuse to be great proprietors and governors of extensive territories, we must not flinch from the duties and the responsibility which these characters impose. If we chuse to have a large European christian community in India, we are as much bound to provide religious instruction, as sustenance and raiment for their bodies.

For the absolute nudity of India in this respect we would rather refer to Dr. B.'s authority than rest entirely upon our own.